Ki: Japanese word for the universal life force, synonymous with the Chinese term Chi and the Indian term Prana.  

Kidney: Paired organ whose functions include removing waste products from the blood and regulating the amount of fluid in the body (ie producing urine). The kidneys lie against the rear wall of the abdomen, on either side of the spine. They are situated below the middle of the back, beneath the liver on the right and the spleen on the left. A primary function of kidneys is the removal of poisonous wastes from the blood. Chief among these wastes are the nitrogen-containing compounds urea and uric acid, which result from the breakdown of proteins and nucleic acids. Urine production begins with the substances that the blood leaves behind during its passage through the kidney i.e. water, salts, and other substances. In addition to cleaning the blood, the kidneys perform several other essential functions. One such activity is regulation of the amount of water contained in the blood. The kidney also adjusts the body's acid-base balance to prevent such blood disorders. Several hormones are also produced in the kidney.

Kinesiology: Techniques for obtaining and using information from the position, movement, and tension of parts of the body, especially from the nerves, muscles, tendons, and joints. For example, diagnosis of physical ailments may be obtained from the subconscious level by naming the ailment, asking the subject to tense an arm and noting whether the tension is maintained or released when the arm is depressed.  

Kirlian diagnosis (Kirlian technique): Form of aura analysis based on Kirlian photography.  

Kirlian Photography: A photographic process using a high voltage, low amperage field of 50,000 volts or more. Invented by Semyon and Valentina Kirlian. It picks up radiation around objects and humans that is not visible to the eye. Often used to photograph the energy field, the Aura, that surrounds the human body.

Korean medicine : Form of Oriental medicine that encompasses acupuncture and moxibustion.  

Kundalini : (ahamkara, kundalini shakti): Elemental, feminine energy that is ordinarily asleep and coiled at the human coccyx and whose activation can purify the activator. The word "kundalini" stems from a Sanskrit term meaning "circular, coiled." The male and female forces are exactly balanced in the Ida and Pingala subtle channels. Everyone uses Kundalini power to think with and to maintain consciousness, but it very seldom rises up the central spinal channel of Sushumna beyond the first center. Various disciplines are used to arouse the "sleeping serpent" to ascend to the higher centers.  

Kundalini yoga (Shakti Yoga, tantra yoga): A means of activating kundalini. When kundalini is awake, it enriches human lives emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Moreover, its arousal allegedly contributes to the cure of many intractable diseases.  

L 

Lao-tzu: The "founder" of Taoism. Thought of as the author one of the most important and influential Chinese texts: Tao Te Ching.  

Laserpuncture (laser based acupuncture, laser acupuncture): Technique characterized by the application of a laser beam to acupoints.  

Light body: A vehicle akin to the spirit  

Living Water: Moving water, as in a stream or river, as opposed to water in a pond or pool.  

Liver: Largest internal organ of the human body. The liver, which is part of the digestive system, performs more than 500 different functions, all of which are essential to life. Its essential functions include helping the body to digest fats, storing reserves of nutrients, filtering poisons and wastes from the blood, synthesizing a variety of proteins, and regulating the levels of many chemicals found in the bloodstream. The liver is unique among the body's vital organs in that it can regenerate, or grow back, cells that have been destroyed by some short-term injury or disease. 

Lomi-Lomi (Ancient Hawaiian Bodywork, Lomi Lomi Nui): Prayerful type of massage practiced by kahunas (Hawaiian witch doctors). It includes the laying on of hands; its theory posits mana, an alleged supernatural force; and one of its purposes is to let a person's spirit be more fully present.  

Levitation: The supernatural phenomenon involving suspending a body in midair without physical bolster.  

Lithomancy: Divination by stones. 

Lungs: A pair of elastic, spongy organs used in breathing and respiration. In humans the lungs occupy a large portion of the chest cavity from the collarbone down to the diapragm a dome-shaped sheet of muscle that walls off the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. Air travels to the lungs through a series of air tubes and passages. It enters the body through the nostrils or the mouth, passing down the throat to the larynx, or voice box, and then to the windpipe. In the chest cavity the windpipe divides into two branches, called the right and left bronchi or bronchial tubes that enter the lungs. Although the words breathing and respiration are sometimes used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings. Breathing is the process of moving oxygen rich air into and out of the lungs. Respiration refers to all of the processes involved in getting oxygen to tissues, including breathing, diffusion of oxygen from the lungs to the blood, transport by the blood, and diffusion from the blood to tissues. Because body cells are constantly using up oxygen and producing carbon dioxide, the lungs work continuously. An adult normally breathes from 14 to 20 times per minute.  

M 

Magnetic healing : Type of "healing" that involves the flow of "vital energy" to the patient through the mind and body of the practitioner. The expression "Magnetic healing" stems from mesmerism. 

Magnet therapy (biomagnetics, biomagnetic therapeutics, biomagnetic therapy, biomagnetism, Electro-Biomagnetics, electro-biomagnetics therapy, magnetic energy therapy, magnetic field therapy, magnetic healing, magnetics, magnetic therapies, Magnetic Therapy, magnetotherapy): Variation of self-healing based on "natural laws." Magnet therapy allegedly re-establishes order in the human energy system. Its theory posits life energy and meridians and depicts magnets as sources of nature's healing energy. Some proponents equate magnetic energy, energy, life force, chi, and prana.  

Mahatma: Sanskrit word for a great man. 

Mandala: A design of lines, forms and colors, usually circular, used in meditation to focus attention to a single point. Used in Meditation and as an object of worship.

Manifesting (conscious thought manifestation, conscious manifestation, creative manifestation, manifestation): Variable method for wish fulfillment that involves wholehearted visualization and positive thinking. Its postulate is that one can manifest (materialize) one's wants by consciously using the powers of the mind to design the mind's reality.  

Mantra: Ritual sound, word or phrase used as a tool to focus and quiet the mind. Mantra is a sound or set of sounds that are believed to have the unique power to restore us to a state of pristine harmony. Sea also Chant. 

Medicine Wheel: Native American sacred circle representing the Universe and the balance of all creation. It is cast to contain, project and raise energy to transform, balance and heal.  

Meditation: The practice of inverting the mind to pay attention to the inner silence instead of the outer chaos. Other forms of meditation focus on the outer chaos instead. The practice of meditation is accepted in almost all religions, but is encouraged most in Buddhism.  

Medium: A psychic or sensitive living person whose body is used as a vehicle for communicating with spirits, as in a séance. Also called channels, or channelers.

Meridians: Channels within the body where the chi flows. According to Chinese medicine there are 8 major Meridians.

Metaphysics: A field of abstract thought and philosophy about topics not on the concrete or physical level of understanding. This includes subjects like existence, the soul, being, the supernatural, astral travel, psychicism, and so on.  

Moxabustion: Adjunct to acupuncture characterized by the burning of moxas - preparations of dried leaves from the common mugwort or the wormwood tree - at acupoints to stimulate chi. Practitioners attach moxas to acupuncture needles, place them directly on the skin in the form of small cones, or place the cones on a layer of ginger. 

Mudra: Hand gestures often depicted on statues of the Buddha. The gestures symbolize different meaning and can force the chi flow in directions wanted (used in meditation and healing).

N

Nadi: In Indian medicine a channel within the astral body (similar to the meridians in Chinese medicine).

Naturopathy: A healing system acknowledging the body's natural healing power. Fosters health through education and the use of natural substances such as herbs, foods, air and sunshine  

Near-death experience (NDE): Any paranormal or supernatural experience had when a person is near death, including experiences when a person thinks he or she has died and returned from death.  

New Age: The modern movement that involves combining metaphysical concepts with the practice of an organized religion. 

Nirvana: Literally meaning "extinction". The ultimate goal of Buddhists, characterized as the extinction of both craving and the separate ego. The state of peace and quietude attained by extinguishing all illusions.