Occult lore
Ectoplasm
Direct answer
Ectoplasm is a substance claimed in spiritualist history to manifest during mediumship.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Spells & Occult Terms
- Related
- Spell, Grimoire, Discernment, Spiritual Warfare
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The story behind Ectoplasm
A term coined by the physiologist Charles Richet around 1894 for a substance said to issue from mediums; the photographs and samples collected during that period were repeatedly shown to be fabric, paper or other ordinary material.
Why Ectoplasm matters
Ectoplasm matters because it is part of disputed spiritualist phenomena and fraud history.
Sources and editorial method
This entry summarizes the tradition in the Almanac's own words; where no source is listed, it is an editorial summary rather than a primary text, and symbolic readings are named as the tradition's, not as fact.
Recorded here as history and lore. No rite is taught on this page.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Spells & Occult Terms
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is ectoplasm?
Ectoplasm is a substance claimed in spiritualist history to manifest during mediumship.
Where does ectoplasm come from?
A term coined by the physiologist Charles Richet around 1894 for a substance said to issue from mediums; the photographs and samples collected during that period were repeatedly shown to be fabric, paper or other ordinary material.
What do people get wrong about ectoplasm?
A common error is to treat ectoplasm claims as fact.
