| Clairvoyance comes from the French words for | | | | Healing |
| "clear" and "vision." A clairvoyant, or one who sees | | | | Healing is the ability of a healer to induct health benefits |
| clearly, can gain information about an object, person, | | | | from a higher source directly to a benefactor. The |
| place, or physical event by means other than using the | | | | healer often needs to be in the same physical location |
| known human senses. There are four primary | | | | as the benefactor, and often, but not always, touching |
| channels for mediumship, or ways people can gather | | | | is required to transfer the healing energy. In rare cases, |
| paranormal information. | | | | the healer and the benefactor can be in separate |
| Clairsensing | | | | locations. |
| Clairvoyance most often refers to the transfer of | | | | Physical Mediumship |
| information gained directly from an external physical | | | | Physical mediumship involves influencing physical |
| source by "seeing". Clairvoyance often refers to | | | | objects as in flipping tables without touching them, |
| retrocognition, perception of events that have | | | | production of quasi-physical objects, and may involve |
| happened in the past, precognition, events that will | | | | ectoplasm. Often total darkness is required for this. |
| happen in the future, or communication with the dead. | | | | Uses |
| Clairvoyance requires a belief in paranormal and | | | | There are several reasons people may want to use |
| psychic abilities which are not supported by science. | | | | clairvoyance and other forms of mediumship. Some |
| Clairvoyance only refers to "seeing" and the medium, | | | | people seek to gain knowledge or understanding of |
| or clairvoyant, must actually see events to fit into this | | | | past lives or future events. Some people may seek |
| definition. Other mediums may have clairaudient | | | | healing from physical ailments or emotional problems. |
| experiences where they hear, rather than see, events | | | | Some people seek guidance, advice, or direction in |
| from the past or future, from remote physical locations, | | | | questions or problems they face. During the Cold War, |
| or direct communications with the dead. There is also | | | | both the US and Russian governments attempted to |
| clairsentience (feeling/touching), clairalience (smelling), | | | | use clairvoyance to gather intelligence. |
| claircognizance (knowing), and clairgustance (tasting). | | | | Popular Belief |
| Trance | | | | There are always people that believe in paranormal |
| Trance is the ability to communicate with and receive | | | | events, clairvoyance, and other channels. While |
| information from non-physical beings both incarnate | | | | scientific tools cannot measure paranormal events, |
| and discarnate. In a deep trance, the entity enters the | | | | many studies have been conducted with clairsensing |
| body of the person in the trance for direct | | | | that yields results significantly better than chance. |
| communication and this can be quite dangerous. A light | | | | Skeptics may not believe that such studies prove |
| trance is safer for the practitioner as they remain in | | | | anything, but believers don't need scientific proof. |
| complete awareness while communication often flows | | | | Believers look to proof of results and personal |
| through them. | | | | experience. |