Supernatural phenomena or entities are things that exist outside the rules of nature. The word "supernatural" comes from Medieval Latin "supernaturalis," which combines "super-" meaning "above" or "beyond" and "natura" meaning "nature." While the related word "nature" has had many meanings since ancient times, the term "supernatural" first appeared during the Middle Ages and was not used in ancient societies. Many cultures worldwide do not have clear ideas or do not separate the natural from the supernatural.

The supernatural appears in religious and folklore traditions. It is also used in non-religious explanations, such as in superstitions or beliefs about the paranormal. The term refers to non-physical beings like spirits, angels, demons, gods, and goddesses. It also includes abilities claimed to be performed by these beings, such as magic, telekinesis, levitation, precognition, and extrasensory perception.

The supernatural is closely connected to religion. Religions often present organized supernaturalist views, which are more complete than individual supernatural beliefs. Supernaturalism is the belief in supernatural ideas, but it does not involve breaking natural laws or physical rules.

Etymology and history of the concept

The word "supernatural" can be used as both an adjective and a noun. Its earlier forms entered the English language from two sources: Middle French ("supernaturel") and post-Classical Latin ("supernaturalis"). The Latin term "supernaturalis" first appeared in the 6th century, combining the prefix "super-" with "nātūrālis" (related to "nature"). The earliest known use of the word in English appears in a Middle English translation of Catherine of Siena's Dialogue (around 1425), where it reads: "They have not then the supernatural light nor the light of knowledge, because they understood it not."

Over time, the meaning of the term has changed. Originally, it referred only to Christian views of the world. As an adjective, it described things that exist outside the natural world, such as divine, magical, or ghostly beings, or forces beyond scientific understanding. It could also mean something unusual or extraordinary. Older meanings included connections to metaphysics. As a noun, it referred to supernatural beings, especially those from the mythologies of Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

In the ancient world, there was no word similar to "supernatural." Ideas from Neoplatonic philosophy in the 3rd century AD helped shape the concept, which later developed through Christian teachings. The word "nature" existed long before, with Latin writers like Augustine using it over 600 times in City of God. During the medieval period, "nature" had ten meanings, and "natural" had eleven. Peter Lombard, a 12th-century scholar, studied events beyond nature and used the term "praeter naturam" to describe them. Thomas Aquinas, a medieval theologian, classified miracles into three groups: "above nature," "beyond nature," and "against nature." His work created a clear distinction between natural and supernatural events. Though "supra naturam" was used since the 4th century AD, Aquinas introduced "supernaturalis" in the 1200s. The term became more widely used only after the medieval period. Discussions about "nature" during the scholastic era were varied, with some arguing that even miracles are natural or that natural magic is part of the world.

Epistemology and metaphysics

The idea of whether the supernatural exists can be hard to discuss in philosophy or religion because it depends on how we define the natural world. People often disagree about what "natural" means and how far naturalism should be applied. Ideas about the supernatural are closely connected to ideas in religion, spiritual practices, and beliefs about the occult.

— Robert Boyle, A Free Enquiry into the Vulgarly Received Notion of Nature

Nomological possibility means something is possible if it follows the actual laws of nature. Many philosophers, starting with David Hume, believe the laws of nature are not fixed—they could have been different. If that is true, then things that seem impossible now, like traveling to Alpha Centauri in one day, might be possible if the speed of light were not a limit. However, under our current understanding of nature, such events are not nomologically possible. In science, claims about impossibility are based on strong evidence and successful theories. These claims are not proven with certainty, but they are widely accepted. If a claim is disproven, it would require rethinking the theory that led to the claim. Some philosophers, like Sydney Shoemaker, argue that the laws of nature are necessary, not changeable. If that is true, then nomological possibility would be the same as metaphysical possibility.

The term "supernatural" is often used the same way as "paranormal" or "preternatural," which describe things that go beyond what physics says is possible. In terms of knowledge, the relationship between the supernatural and the natural is unclear when discussing events that, by assumption, break the laws of nature.

— Michael Winkelman, Current Anthropology

Different people have different views about the supernatural. For example:

• Some think the supernatural is not separate from nature. In this view, some events follow the laws of nature, while others follow different rules outside what we know. In Scholasticism, for instance, it was believed that God could perform miracles as long as they did not create logical contradictions. Some religions believe in gods that are part of the natural world, and they do not see a need for a separate supernatural realm. Others think all experiences are connected to a divine reality, whether through the will, the mind, or as part of a greater spiritual existence.
• Others believe the supernatural is a human-made idea. In this view, all events have natural causes. People may assign supernatural qualities to natural events, such as lightning, rainbows, floods, or the origin of life.

Cross cultural studies

Studies of different cultures show that people often use both natural and supernatural explanations together, not as separate or opposite ideas. Combining these types of explanations is common and widespread in many societies. Research across cultures finds that both adults and children use natural and supernatural ideas to explain events like illness, death, and the origins of things. The situation and culture someone is part of influence when and how they use these explanations. This coexistence might come from two different ways of thinking: one about how things in the physical world work and another about how people interact with each other. Studies of indigenous groups have helped explain how these explanations can work together.

Supernatural concepts

A deity is a supernatural being that is seen as holy or powerful. The Oxford Dictionary of English says a deity is "a god or goddess in a religion that believes in many gods," or something that is treated as holy. C. Scott Littleton describes a deity as a being with powers greater than humans, who interacts with humans in ways that change how people think or live. A male deity is called a god, and a female deity is called a goddess.

Religions can be grouped based on how many deities they believe in. Monotheistic religions believe in only one deity, usually called God. Polytheistic religions believe in many deities. Henotheistic religions believe in one main deity but do not deny the existence of other deities, seeing them as parts of the same divine idea. Nontheistic religions do not believe in a supreme creator deity but may still believe in many deities that live, die, and are reborn like other beings.

Different cultures have different ideas about deities compared to the one God of monotheistic religions. A deity does not always have to be all-powerful, everywhere at once, all-knowing, always good, or eternal. However, the God of monotheistic religions is described with these traits. In monotheistic religions, God is often referred to with masculine terms, while other religions use a variety of terms, including masculine, feminine, androgynous, or gender-neutral.

Many ancient cultures, such as those in India, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Nordic regions, and parts of Asia, imagined natural events as being caused by deities or as effects of their actions. Some deities in Avestan and Vedic traditions were seen as symbols of moral ideas. In Indian religions, deities are sometimes thought to live inside the bodies of all living beings, such as in the senses or mind. Deities are also believed to exist after death, in a cycle of lives called Saṃsāra, where people who live ethically may become guardian deities and live in heaven until their good deeds run out.

An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions and myths. In Abrahamic religions and Zoroastrianism, angels are often seen as kind, heavenly beings who act as messengers between God or Heaven and Earth. They also protect people, guide them, and carry out God’s tasks. In Abrahamic religions, angels are sometimes ranked in hierarchies, though these rankings vary between groups. They are given names like Gabriel or "Destroying Angel." The word "angel" is also used in other traditions to describe spirits or similar figures. The study of angels is called angelology.

In art, angels are usually shown as human-like figures with great beauty. They are often shown with wings, halos, or light.

Prophecy is the process by which a god sends a message to a prophet. These messages often involve inspiration, interpretation, or revealing God’s will about the world or future events. Prophecy is found in many cultures around the world, though some cultures use it more than others. Over time, many rules and systems about prophecy have been developed.

In religion and theology, revelation means that truth or knowledge is shared through communication with a deity or other supernatural being. Some religions believe their holy books were given by a god or supernatural force. For example, Orthodox Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe the Torah was given by God on Mount Sinai. Most Christians think the Old and New Testaments were inspired by God. Muslims believe the Quran was revealed to Muhammad by God through the angel Gabriel. In Hinduism, some Vedas are considered "not human-made" and were directly heard, called śruti. Aleister Crowley claimed a book called The Book of the Law was given to him by a being named Aiwass.

A revelation that includes a vision of a supernatural being is called a vision. Some people report hearing voices or seeing physical marks, like stigmata, during a revelation. In rare cases, such as with Saint Juan Diego, physical objects may appear with the revelation. The Roman Catholic idea of "interior locution" refers to hearing an inner voice.

In Abrahamic religions, revelation means the way God shares knowledge about himself, his will, and his care for the world. It can also mean the knowledge humans gain about God, prophecy, and other divine matters. In some religions, like Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, revelations from supernatural beings are less important.

Reincarnation is the idea that a part of a living being begins a new life in a different body or form after death. It is also called rebirth or transmigration and is part of the Saṃsāra cycle of life and death. It is a key belief in Indian religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Many ancient cultures, including those of Greece, believed in rebirth. Today, some modern religions like Spiritism, Theosophy, and Eckankar also believe in reincarnation. Some groups within Christianity and Islam, such as the Cathars, Alawites, Druze, and Rosicrucians, also believe in reincarnation. Scholars have studied how these beliefs connect to older ideas from ancient religions.

Karma is a concept from ancient Indian traditions that means action or deed. It also describes the idea that a person’s actions and intentions affect their future. Good actions and good intentions lead to good outcomes, while bad actions and bad intentions lead to suffering. Karma is closely linked to the idea of rebirth in Indian religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, as well as in Taoism. In these traditions, karma influences a person’s life now and the quality of future lives in the Saṃsāra cycle.

In Catholic theology, the supernatural order refers to things beyond the natural world, such as divine gifts or spiritual realities.

Skepticism

Skepticism (American English) or scepticism (British English; see spelling differences) is a way of thinking that involves doubting or questioning beliefs or facts that people think are true. It is often used to examine ideas related to the supernatural, morality (such as doubting moral beliefs), religion (like doubting whether God exists), or knowledge (such as doubting whether people can truly know something for sure).

In fiction and popular culture

Fantasy stories often include magical beings and special powers. Examples can be found in TV shows like Supernatural and The X-Files, as well as in book series such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, and A Song of Ice and Fire.