Etymology The word "psychic" is derived from the
Greek word
psychikos ("of the mind" or "mental"), and refers in part to the human mind or psyche (ex. "psychic turmoil"). The Greek word also means "soul". In
Greek mythology, the maiden
Psyche was the deification of the human
soul. The word derivation of the Latin
psȳchē is from the Greek
psȳchḗ, literally "breath", derivative of
psȳ́chein, to breathe or to blow (hence, to live). French astronomer and
spiritualist Camille Flammarion is credited as having first used the word psychic, while it was later introduced to the
English language by
Edward William Cox in the 1870s.
Early seers and prophets Elaborate systems of
divination and
fortune-telling date back to ancient times. Perhaps the most widely known system of early civilization fortune-telling was
astrology, where practitioners believed the relative positions of
celestial bodies could lend insight into people's lives and even predict their future circumstances. Some fortune-tellers were said to be able to make
predictions without the use of these elaborate systems (or in conjunction with them), through some sort of direct apprehension or
vision of the future. These people were known as seers or
prophets, and in later times as
clairvoyants (French word meaning "clear sight" or "clear seeing") and psychics. Seers formed a functionary role in early civilization, often serving as advisors, priests, and judges. The role of prophet appeared perennially in ancient cultures. In
Egypt, the priests of the sun deity
Ra at
Memphis acted as seers. In ancient
Assyria seers were referred to as
nabu, meaning "to call" or "announce". It is often said that the Pythia delivered oracles in a frenzied state induced by vapors rising from the ground, and that she spoke gibberish, believed to be the voice of Apollo, which priests reshaped into the enigmatic prophecies preserved in Greek literature. Other scholars believe records from the time indicate that the Pythia spoke intelligibly, and gave prophecies in her own voice. The Pythia was a position served by a succession of women probably selected from amongst a guild of priestesses of the temple. The last recorded response was given in 393 AD, when the emperor
Theodosius I ordered pagan temples to cease operation. Recent geological investigations raise the possibility that
ethylene gas caused the Pythia's state of inspiration. One of the most enduring historical references to what some consider to be psychic ability is the prophecies of
Michel de Nostredame (1503–1566), often
Latinized to Nostradamus, published during the
French Renaissance period. Nostradamus was a French
apothecary and seer who wrote collections of
prophecies that have since become famous worldwide and have rarely been out of print since his death. He is best known for his book
Les Prophéties, the first edition of which appeared in 1555. Taken together, his written works are known to have contained at least 6,338
quatrains or prophecies, as well as at least eleven annual calendars. Most of the quatrains deal with disasters, such as plagues, earthquakes, wars, floods, invasions, murders, droughts, and battles – all undated. Nostradamus is a controversial figure. His many enthusiasts, as well as the popular press, credit him with predicting many major world events. Interest in his work is still considerable, especially in the media and
in popular culture. By contrast, most academic scholars maintain that the associations made between world events and Nostradamus' quatrains are largely the result of misinterpretations or mistranslations (sometimes deliberate) or else are so tenuous as to render them useless as evidence of any genuine predictive power. Englishwoman
Mother Shipton demonstrated psychic abilities from her youth and foresaw historical events in the 16th century. In addition to the belief that some historical figures were endowed with a predisposition to psychic experiences, some psychic abilities were thought to be available to everyone on occasion. For example, the belief in prophetic dreams was common and persistent in many ancient cultures.
Nineteenth-century progression (1877–1945) was a psychic of the 20th century and made many highly publicized predictions. In the mid-nineteenth century,
Modern Spiritualism became prominent in the United States and the United Kingdom. The movement's distinguishing feature was the belief that the spirits of the dead could be contacted by
mediums to lend insight to the living. The movement was fueled in part by anecdotes of psychic powers. One such person believed to have extraordinary abilities was
Daniel Dunglas Home, who gained fame during the
Victorian period for his reported ability to levitate to various heights and speak to the dead. As the Spiritualist movement grew, other comparable groups arose, including the
Theosophical Society, which was co-founded in 1875 by
Helena Blavatsky (1831–1891). Theosophy coupled spiritualist elements with
Eastern mysticism and was influential in the early 20th century, later influencing the
New Age movement during the 1970s. Blavatsky herself claimed numerous psychic powers.
Late twentieth century By the late twentieth century, psychics were commonly associated with
New Age culture.
Psychic readings and advertising for psychics were common from the 1960s on, as readings were offered for a fee and given in settings such as over the phone, in a home, or at psychic fairs. ==Popular culture==