Afterlife: (or life after death) A generic term referring to a purported continuation of
existence, typically
spiritual and experiential, beyond this world, or after death.
Agnosticism: the view that the existence of God or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable.
Aikido: (合気道Aikidō, also 合氣道 using an older style of
kanji) Literally meaning "harmony energy way", or with some poetic license, "way of the harmonious spirit", aikido is a
gendai budo – a modern
Japanesemartial art. Practitioners of aikido are known as aikidoka. Aikido is also considered to contain a significant spiritual component.[citation needed]
Akashic Records: (
Akasha is a
Sanskrit word meaning "sky", "space" or "
aether") In the religion of theosophy and the philosophical school called anthroposophy, the Akashic records are a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present, or future in terms of all entities and life forms, not just human. They are believed by theosophists to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the mental plane.
Animism: The
religious belief that all objects, places, and creatures possess a distinct spiritual essence.
Asceticism: Denotes a life which is characterised by refraining from worldly pleasures (
austerity). Those who practice ascetic lifestyles often perceive their practices as
virtuous and pursue them to achieve greater
spirituality.
Atheism: In the broadest sense, is the absence of belief in the existence of
deities. Less broadly, atheism is the rejection of belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with
theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief in at least one deity.
Blessing: (from to bless,
Old Englishbleodsian or bletsian) Originally meant "sprinkling with
blood" during the pagan sacrifices, the
Blóts (reference:
AHD). A blessing, (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the infusion of something with
holiness, divine will, or one's hopes. Within
Roman Catholicism,
Eastern Orthodoxy, and similar traditions, formal blessings of the church are performed by
bishops,
priests, and sometimes
deacons, but as in many other religions, anyone may formally bless another.
C
Chakra: In
Hinduism and its spiritual systems of
yoga and in some related eastern cultures, as well as in some segments of the
New Age movement—and to some degree the distinctly different
New Thought movement—a chakra is thought to be an energy node in the
human body.
Chant: The
rhythmic speaking or
singing of
words or
sounds, either on a single
pitch or with a simple
melody involving a limited set of
notes and often including a great deal of
repetition or statis. Chant may be considered speech, music, or a heightened form of speech which is more effective in conveying emotion or expressing ones spiritual side.
Channelling: The act of attaining information (from a state of being in the present moment) from higher power or spirits and bringing it forth through writing, speaking, teaching or music.
Consciousness: A quality of the
mind generally regarded to comprise qualities such as
subjectivity,
self-awareness,
sentience,
sapience, and the ability to
perceive the relationship between
oneself and one's
environment. Many philosophers divide consciousness into phenomenal consciousness which is experience itself and access consciousness which is the processing of the things in experience.
Many cultures and religious traditions place the seat of consciousness in a
soul separate from the body. Conversely, many scientists and philosophers consider consciousness to be intimately linked to the neural functioning of the
brain dictating the way in which the world is experienced. This aspect of consciousness is the subject of much debate and research in
philosophy of mind,
psychology,
brainbiology,
neurology, and
cognitive science.
Cosmogony: [Gr. Kosmogonia from Kosmos the world and root of gignesthai to be born] A description (or model) of the coming into
existence, the creation and origination of the
universe. It is also the study of these aspects. So a cosmogony describes how the
Universe came to be; hence, the account of the creation of the world in the
Book of Genesis is one such cosmogony, and there are many others, both
scientific and
mythological. This contrasts with
cosmology, which studies the Universe at large, throughout its existence.
D
Deism: Historical and modern deism is defined by the view that
reason, rather than
revelation or
tradition, should be the basis of belief in God. Deists reject organized religion and promote reason as the essential element in making moral decisions. This "rational" basis was usually founded upon the
cosmological argument (first cause argument), the
teleological argument (argument from design), and other aspects of what was called natural religion. Deism has become identified with the classical belief that God created but does not intervene in the world, though this is not a necessary component of deism.
Deity: (or a god) A postulated
preternatural being, usually, but not always, of significant power,
worshipped, thought
holy,
divine, or
sacred, held in high regard, or respected by
human beings. They assume a variety of forms, but are frequently depicted as having human or animal form. Sometimes it is considered
blasphemous to imagine the deity as having any concrete form. They are usually
immortal. They are commonly assumed to have personalities and to possess consciousness, intellects, desires, and emotions much like humans. Such natural phenomena as lightning, floods, storms, other "acts of God”, and
miracles are attributed to them, and they may be thought to be the authorities or controllers of every aspect of human life (such as birth or the
afterlife). Some deities are asserted to be the directors of time and fate itself, to be the givers of human law and morality, to be the ultimate judges of human worth and behavior, and to be the designers and creators of the
Earth or the
universe. Some of these "gods" have no power at all-they are simply worshipped.
Dhikr is the remembrance of God commanded in the
Qur'an for all
Muslims. To engage in dhikr is to have awareness of God according to
Islam. Dhikr as a devotional act includes the repetition of divine names, supplications and aphorisms from
hadith literature, and sections of the Qur'an. More generally, any activity in which the Muslim maintains awareness of God is considered dhikr.
E
Emanationism: Technically is a
henotheism component in the
cosmology of certain
religious or philosophical systems that argue a Supreme Being did not directly create the physical
universe, but instead emanated lower spiritual beings who created the world.
Entheogen: A modern term derived from two Ancient Greek words, ἔνθεος (entheos) and γενέσθαι (genesthai). Entheos means literally "in God", more freely translated "inspired". The Greeks used it as a term of praise for poets and other artists. Genesthai means "to cause to be". So an entheogen is "that which causes (a person) to be in God". The translation "creating the divine within" that is sometimes given is not quite correct -- entheogen implies neither that something is created (as opposed to just perceiving something that is already there) nor that that which is experienced is within the user (as opposed to having independent existence).
Epigenesis: The
philosophical/
theological/
esoteric idea that since the
mind was given to the human being, it is this original creative impulse, epigenesis, which has been the cause of all of
mankind's development.
Epiphany: (
Greek: επιφάνεια, "the appearance; miraculous phenomenon") A
Christian feast intended to celebrate the 'shining forth' or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of
Jesus. The observance had its origins in the eastern Christian churches, and included the birth of Jesus; the visit of the three
Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) who arrived in
Bethlehem; and all of Jesus' childhood events, up to his
baptism in the Jordan by
John the Baptist. The feast was initially based on, and viewed as a fulfillment of, the Jewish
Feast of Lights. This was fixed on January 6.
Esotericism: Refers to knowledge suitable only for the advanced, privileged, or initiated, as opposed to
exoteric knowledge, which is public. It is used especially for
mystical,
occult and
spiritual viewpoints.
Eternal return: (or sometimes eternal recurrence) A concept originating from ancient Egypt and developed in the teachings of
Pythagoras.
Eternity: While in the popular mind, eternity often simply means existing for an
infinite, i.e., limitless, amount of
time, many have used it to refer to a timeless existence altogether outside of time. There are a number of
arguments for eternity, by which proponents of the concept, principally,
Aristotle, purported to prove that matter, motion, and time must have existed eternally.
Eutheism is the belief that
God exists and is
good.
Dystheism is the belief that God exists but is not good.
Existence: There is no universally accepted theory of what the word existence means. The dominant (though by no means universal) view in twentieth-century and contemporary Anglo-American philosophy is that existence is what is asserted by statements of
first-order logic of the form "for some x Fx". This agrees with the simple and commonsensical view that, in uttering "There is a bridge across the Thames at Hammersmith", or "A bridge crosses the Thames at Hammersmith", we are asserting the existence of a bridge across the Thames at Hammersmith. The word "existence", on this view, is simply a way of describing the
logical form of ordinary subject-predicate sentence.
Exorcism: The practice of evicting
demons or other evil spiritual entities which are supposed to have
possessed (taken control of) a person or object. The practice, though ancient in roots, is still part of the belief system of many
religions. The word "exorcism" means "I cause [someone] to swear," referring to the exorcist forcing the spirit to obey a higher power.
F
Faith healing: The use of solely
spiritual means in treating
disease, sometimes accompanied with the refusal of modern
medical techniques. Another term for this is spiritual healing. Faith healing is a form of
alternative medicine.
Fasting: The act of willingly abstaining from all
food and in some cases
drink, for a period of time. Depending on the tradition, fasting practices may forbid
sexual intercourse, (or any sexual desire),
masturbation, as well as refraining from eating certain types or groups of food (e.g.
meat).
Fasting for religious and spiritual reasons has been a part of human custom since pre-history. It is mentioned in the
Qur'an, in the
Mahabharata, in the
Upanishads, and in the
Bible, in both the
Old and
New Testament.
G
Glossolalia: (from the Greek, "γλώσσα" (glossa), tongue and "λαλώ" (lalô), to speak) comprises the utterance of what appears (to the casual listener) either as an unknown foreign language (xenoglossia), meaningless syllables, or utterance of an unknown mystical language; the utterances sometimes occur as part of religious worship (religious glossolalia) and are commonly referred to in such circles as "speaking in tongues".
Gnosticism: A blanket term for various mystical initiatory
religions,
sects and knowledge schools, which were most prominent in the first few centuries AD. It is also applied to modern revivals of these groups and, sometimes, by analogy to all religious movements based on secret knowledge gnosis, thus can lead to confusion.
Goddess: a female deity in polytheistic religions.
Great Awakenings: Commonly said to be periods of religious revival in Anglo-American religious history. They have also been described[by whom?] as periodic revolutions in American religious thought. The Great Awakenings appear to form a cycle, with a period of roughly 80 years. There are three generally accepted Great Awakenings in American history: The
First Great Awakening (1730s - 1740s); The
Second Great Awakening (1820s - 1830s); The
Third Great Awakening (1880s - 1900s).
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (
Punjabi: ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ): Granth is
Punjabi for book; Sahib is
Hindi meaning master, from
Arabic, meaning companion, friend, owner, or master – is more than a holy book of the
Sikhs. The Sikhs treat this Granth (holy book) as a living
Guru. The holy text spans 1430 pages and contains the actual words spoken by
the founders of the Sikh religion and various other
Saints from other religions including
Hinduism and
Islam.
Guru also refers in Sanskrit to Brihaspati, a Hindu figure analogous to the Roman planet/god
Jupiter. In
Vedic astrology, Jupiter/Guru/Brihaspati is believed to exert teaching influences. Indeed, in many
Indian languages, such as
Hindi, the occidental Thursday is called either Brihaspativaar or Guruvaar (vaar meaning period or day).
In contemporary India and
Indonesia, guru is widely used within the general meaning of "teacher". In Western usage, the original meaning of guru has been extended to cover anyone who acquires followers, and not necessarily in an established school of philosophy or religion. In a further metaphorical extension, guru is used of a person who has authority because of his or her perceived knowledge or skills in a domain of expertise.
The importance of discerning between a true guru and a false one is explored in scriptures and teachings of religions in which a guru plays a role. The assessment and criticism of gurus and the
Guru-shishya tradition are espoused in the discourse about
cults and
new religious movements by Western secular scholars,
theologians,
anti-cultists, and by
skeptics both in the West and in India.
H
Hymn: A song specifically written as a
song of praise, adoration or
prayer, typically addressed to a
god.
A writer of hymns is known as a hymnist or hymnodist, and the process of singing a hymn is called hymnody; the same word is used for the collectivity of hymns belonging to a particular denomination or period (e.g. "nineteenth century Methodist hymnody" would mean the body of hymns written and/or used by Methodists in the nineteenth century). Books called
hymnals are collections of hymns, which may or may not include music.
Ancient hymns include the Great Hymn to the Aten, composed by the
pharaohAkhenaten, and the
Vedas, a collection of hymns in the tradition of
Hinduism. The Western tradition of hymnody begins with the
Homeric Hymns, a collection of ancient Greek hymns, the oldest of which were written in the 7th century BCE in praise of the gods of
Greek mythology.
I
I Ching: The oldest of the
Chinese classic texts. It describes an ancient system of
cosmology and
philosophy which is at the heart of Chinese cultural beliefs. The philosophy centers on the ideas of the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change (see Philosophy, below). In
Western cultures, the I Ching is regarded by some as simply a system of
divination; others believe it expresses the wisdom and philosophy of
ancient China.
Iconolatry: (from the two
Greek terms eikon denoting simply a picture or image, and latreia to adore or worship)
Icon in Greek simply denotes a picture but has now come to be closely associated with religious art used by the
Eastern Orthodox and the
Catholic Churches. Icons are used by Eastern Orthodox Churches to assist in
prayer and
worship of God. Icon (image) is the same word used in the
Bible in Genesis 1:27, Colossians 1:15.
Inner peace: (or peace of mind) A
colloquialism that refers to a state of
beingmentally or
spiritually at
peace, with enough
knowledge and
understanding to keep oneself strong in the face of discord or
stress. Being "at peace" is considered by many to be healthy (
homeostasis) and the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Peace of mind is generally associated with bliss and
happiness. Most religious people believe that it is only truly possible to achieve inner peace with
divine intervention of some form or another.
Peace of mind, serenity, and calmness are descriptions of a disposition free from the effects of stress. In some cultures, inner peace is considered a state of
consciousness that may be cultivated by various forms of training, such as
prayer,
meditation,
tai chi or
yoga, for example. Many spiritual practices refer to this peace as an experience of
knowing oneself.
Integrity: Comprises the personal inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from
honesty and consistent uprightness of
character. The etymology of the word relates it to the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete). Evaluators, of course, usually assess integrity from some
point of view, such as that of a given
ethical tradition or in the context of an
ethical relationship.
Involution: the process by which the Divine manifests the
cosmos is called involution. The process by which the creation rises to higher states and states of
consciousness is the
evolution. Involution prepares the
universe for the
Big Bang; evolution continues from that point forward. The term involution comes from the idea that the divine involves itself in creation.
After the creation, the Divine (i.e.
the Absolute,
Brahman,
God; all these essentially mean the same thing) is both the
One (the Creator) and the Many (that which was created).
J
Japa: (or Japam) A spiritual discipline in which a devotee repeats a
mantra or the name of the
God. The repetition can be aloud or just the movement of lips or in the mind. This
spiritual practice is present in the major
religions of world. This is considered as one of the most effective spiritual practices.
Jihad: (
Arabic: جهادjihād) An
Islamic term, from the Arabic root jhd ("to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle"), which connotes a wide range of meanings: anything from an inward spiritual struggle to attain perfect
faith to a political or military struggle to further the Islamic cause. The meaning of "Islamic cause" is of course open to interpretation. The term is frequently mistranslated into English as "
holy war", although jihad can apply to warfare. Mainstream Muslims consider jihad to be the most misunderstood aspect of their religion by non-Muslims. The Islamic religious legitimacy of the goals or methods of various
Islamist movements who adopt the terminology of jihad is often brought into question, usually by moderate and
liberal Muslims.
K
Karma: (
Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kri, "to do", meaning deed) or Kamma (
Pali: meaning action, effect, destiny) A term in several
Indian religions that comprises the entire cycle of
cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life. In religions that incorporate
reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well.
Koan: A
story,
dialog, question, or statement in the history and lore of
Chan (
Zen)
Buddhism, generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to
rational understanding, yet that may be accessible to
Intuition. Koans are often used by Zen practitioners as objects of
meditation to induce an experience of
enlightenment or realization, and by Zen teachers as testing questions when a student wishes to validate their experience of enlightenment.
L
Love: Has many different meanings in
English, from something that gives a little pleasure ("I loved that meal") to something one would die for (
patriotism, pairbonding). It can describe an intense feeling of
affection, an
emotion or an emotional state. In ordinary use, it usually refers to interpersonal love. Probably due to its psychological relevance, love is one of the most common themes in art.
Just as there are many types of lovers, there are many kinds of love. Love is inherent in all human cultures. It is precisely these cultural differences that make any universal definition of love difficult to establish. See the
Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.
Expressions of love may include the love for a "soul" or mind, the love of laws and organizations, love for a body, love for nature, love of food, love of money, love for learning, love of power, love of fame, love for the respect of others, et cetera. Different people place varying degrees of importance on the kinds of love they receive. Love is essentially an abstract concept, easier to experience than to explain.
M
Mantra: A
religioussyllable or
poem, typically from the
Sanskrit language. Their use varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra. They are primarily used as
spiritual conduits, words and vibrations that instill one-pointed
concentration in the devotee. Other purposes have included religious ceremonies to accumulate wealth, avoid danger, or eliminate enemies. Mantras originated in
India with Vedic
Hinduism and were later adopted by
Buddhists and
Jains, now popular in various modern forms of spiritual practice which are loosely based on practices of these Eastern religions.
Meaning of life: The question “What is the meaning of life?” means different things to different people. The ambiguity of the query is inherent in the word “meaning”, which opens the question to many interpretations, such as: “What is the
origin of life?”, “What is the
nature of life (and of the
universe in which we live)?”, “What is the significance of life?”, “What is
valuable in life?”, and “What is the purpose of, or in, (one's) life?”. These questions have resulted in a wide range of competing answers and arguments, from practical
scientific theories, to
philosophical,
theological and
spiritual explanations. Similar questions people ask themselves about the origin and purpose of life are “Why am I here?” and “Why are we here?”.
Meditation: Refers to any of a wide variety of spiritual practices (and their close secular analogues) which emphasize mental activity or quiescence. The English word comes from the
Latinmeditatio, which could perhaps be better translated as "
contemplation." This usage is found in
Christianspirituality, for example, when one "meditates" on the sufferings of Christ; as well as Western philosophy, as in
Descartes'Meditations on First Philosophy, a set of six mental exercises which systematically analyze the nature of reality.
In the late nineteenth century,
Theosophists adopted "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from
Hinduism,
Buddhism, and other
Eastern religions. Thus the English word "meditation" does not exclusively translate any single term or concept from the sacred languages of Asia, such as the
Sanskritdhyana, samādhi, or pranayama. (Note that whereas in Eastern religions meditation is often a central part of religious/spiritual practice, in Christianity it is rather a fringe activity if practised at all.)
Metaphysics: (
Greek words meta = after/beyond and physics = nature) A branch of
philosophy concerned with the study of "first principles" and "being" (
ontology). Problems that were not originally considered metaphysical have been added to metaphysics. Other problems that were considered metaphysical problems for centuries are now typically relegated to their own separate subheadings in philosophy, such as
philosophy of religion,
philosophy of mind,
philosophy of perception,
philosophy of language, and
philosophy of science. In rare cases subjects of metaphysical research have been found to be entirely physical and natural, thus making them part of
physics.
Mind's eye: (or third eye) A phrase used to refer to one's ability to "see" things (such as
visions) with the
mind. This is, essentially, a reference to
imagination and
memory, although it can have
religious or
occult connotations. Also, the term "third eye" has been associated with the
Pineal gland.
Miracle: According to many
religions, a miracle, derived from the
Latin word miraculum meaning 'something wonderful', is a striking interposition of divine intervention by
God in the
universe by which the operations of the ordinary course of
Nature are overruled, suspended, or modified. One must keep in mind that in
Judaism,
Christianity,
Islam and in other faiths people have substantially different definitions of the word miracle. Even within a specific religion there is often more than one usage of the term.
Sometimes the term miracle may refer to the action of a
supernatural being that is not a god. Then the term divine intervention refers specifically to the direct involvement of a deity.
Moksha: (
Sanskrit: मोक्ष, liberation) or Mukti (
Sanskrit: विमुक्ति, release) Refers, in general, to liberation from the
cycle of death and
rebirth. In higher
Hindu philosophy, it is seen as a transcendence of phenomenal being, of any sense of
consciousness of
time,
space, and
causation (
karma). It is not seen as a
soteriological goal in the same sense as in, say, a
Christian context, but signifies dissolution of the sense of self, or
ego, and the overall breakdown of nama-roopa (name-form). It is, in
Hinduism, viewed as analogous to
Nirvana, though
Buddhist thought tends to differ with even the
Advaita Vedantist reading of liberation.
Jainism and
Surat Shabda Yoga traditions also believe in Moksha.
Muraqaba: The
Sufi word for
meditation. Literally it means "to watch over", "to take care of" or "to keep an eye".
Metaphorically, it implies that with meditation, a person watches over or takes care of his spiritual heart (or soul), and acquires knowledge about it, its surroundings and its creator.
Mysticism: From the
Greekμυω (mueo, "to conceal"), is the pursuit of achieving communion with or conscious awareness of
ultimate reality, the
divine,
spiritual truth, or
God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought; the belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible through personal experience; or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. In the
Hellenistic world, "mystical" referred to secret religious rituals.
N
Nasma: A body made of the purest form of light (called Noor) which is more pure than any visible color. Shah Wali Ullah was the first who give hints about this body. Qalandar Baba Auliya give its more details while
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi thoroughly described that body. This body is actually that is controlling the human physical body. The lights coming from Nasma to material body are visible only through
Kirlian photography.
Neopaganism: (sometimes Neo-Paganism) Describes a heterogeneous group of
new religious movements which attempt to revive ancient, mainly pre-
Christian and often pre-
JudaicIndo-European religions. As the name implies, these religions are
Pagan in nature, though their exact relationship to older forms of Paganism is the source of much contention.
New Age: Describes a broad movement of late twentieth century and contemporary
Western culture characterised by an individual eclectic approach to
spiritual exploration. It has some attributes of a new, emerging religion but is currently a loose network of spiritual seekers, teachers, healers and other participants. The name "New Age" also refers to the
market segment in which goods and services are sold to people in the movement.
Nirvana: In the Indian religions
Buddhism,
Jainism and
Hinduism, nirvāna (from the
Sanskrit निर्वाण,
Pali: Nibbāna --
Chinese: 涅槃;
Pinyin: niè pán), literally "extinction" and/or "extinguishing", is the culmination of the yogi's pursuit of liberation.
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, described the
Dharma as a
raft which, after floating across a
river, will enable the passenger to reach nirvana.
Hinduism and
Jainism also use the word nirvana to describe the state of
moksha, and it is spoken of in several Hindu
tantric texts as well as the
Bhagavad Gita.
Nondualism: The belief that
dualism or
dichotomy are illusory phenomenae. Examples of dualisms include self/other, mind/body, male/female, good/evil, active/passive, and many others. A nondual
philosophical or
religious perspective or
theory maintains that there is no fundamental distinction between
mind and
matter, or that the entire phenomenological world is an illusion (with the reality being described variously as the Void, the Is, Emptiness, or the Mind of God).
P
Pandeism: (
Greekpan=all, en=in and
LatinDeus=God; "all-in-God") is a term generally used to describe philosophical systems, often mixing elements of
pantheism and
deism. This use has been inconsistent over time.
Pantheism: (
Greek: pan = all and Theos = God) Literally means "
God is All" and "All is God". It is the view that everything is of an all-encompassing
immanent God; or that the
universe, or
nature, and God are equivalent. More detailed definitions tend to emphasize the idea that
natural law,
existence and/or the
universe (the
sum total of all that it was and shall be) is represented or personified in the
theological principle of 'God'.
Parapsychology: The study of the evidence involving phenomena where a person seems to affect or to gain information about something through a means not currently explainable within the framework of mainstream, conventional
science. Proponents of the existence of these phenomena usually consider them to be a product of unexplained mental abilities.
Pilgrimage: A term primarily used in
religion and
spirituality of a long
journey or
search of great
moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or
shrine of importance to a person's
beliefs and
faith. Members of every religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a
pilgrim.
Plane: In
metaphysics and
esoteric cosmology, a plane of existence (sometimes called simply a plane, dimension, vibrating plane, or an inner, invisible, spiritual, supraphysical world or
egg) is a theoretical region of
space and/or
consciousness beyond the known physical
universe, or the region containing the universe itself. Many
esoteric teachings (e.g.,
theosophy and
rosicrucianism) propound the idea of a whole series of subtle planes or worlds or dimensions which, from a center, interpenetrate themselves and the physical
planet in which we live, the
solar systems, and all the physical structures of the
universe. This interpenetration of planes culminates in the universe itself as a physical structured, dynamic and evolutive expression
emanated – through a series of stages, becoming progressively more material and embodied – from The Supreme Being: which allows from Itself the irruption of auto-Singularities, as the Big Bang, originated from Its unintelligible Chaos.
Prayer: An effort to communicate with
God, or to some
deity or deities, or another form of spiritual entity, or otherwise, either to offer
praise, to make a request, or simply to express one's thoughts and emotions.
Prophecy: In a broad sense, is the prediction of future events. The
etymology of the word is ultimately Greek, from pro- "before" plus the root of phanai "speak", i. e. "speaking before" or "foretelling", but prophecy often implies the involvement of supernatural phenomena, whether it is communication with a deity, the reading of magical signs, or
astrology. It is also used as a general term for the revelation of divine will.
Qi: Also commonly spelled ch'i, chi or ki, is a fundamental concept of everyday
Chinese culture, most often defined as "air" or "breath" (for example, the colloquial
Mandarin Chinese term for "
weather" is tiān qi, or the "breath of heaven") and, by extension, "life force" or "spiritual energy" that is part of everything that exists. References to qi or similar philosophical concepts as a type of
metaphysicalenergy that sustains living beings are used in many belief systems, especially in
Asia.
Qigong: (
simplified Chinese: 气功;
traditional Chinese: 氣功;
pinyin: qìgōng;
Wade–Giles: ch'i4 kung1) An increasingly popular aspect of
Chinese medicine involving the coordination of different breathing patterns with various physical postures and motions of the body. Qigong is mostly taught for health maintenance purposes, but there are also some who teach it, especially in China, for therapeutic interventions. Various forms of traditional qigong are also widely taught in conjunction with
Chinese martial arts, and are especially prevalent in the advanced training of what are known as the neijia (internal martial arts).
R
Reality: In everyday usage means "everything that exists." The term "Reality," in its most liberal sense, includes everything that is, whether or not it is observable, accessible or understandable by science, philosophy, theology or any other system of analysis. Reality in this sense may include both
being and
nothingness, whereas "
existence" is often restricted to being.
Reincarnation: As a doctrine or
mystical belief, holds the notion that one's '
Spirit' ('
Soul' depending on interpretation), 'Higher or True Self', 'Divine Spark', 'I' or 'Ego' (not to be confused with the
ego as defined by psychology) or critical parts of these returns to the material world after physical
death to be reborn in a new body. The natural process is considered integrative of all experiences from each lifetime. A new
personality feature, with the associated
character, is developed during each life in the physical world, based upon past integrated experience and new acquired experiences. Some Reincarnation theories express that usually rebirth is made each time in alternated female and male type of bodies. Also that there is interaction between pre-determinism of certain experiences or lessons intended to happen during the physical life, and the
free will action of the individual as they live that life.
Religion: Sometimes used interchangeably with
faith or
belief system—is commonly defined as belief concerning the
supernatural,
sacred, or
divine; and the
moral codes, practices, values, institutions and rituals associated with such belief. In its broadest sense some have defined it as the sum total of answers given to explain humankind's relationship with the universe. In the course of the
development of religion, it has taken many forms in various cultures and individuals. Occasionally, the word "religion" is used to designate what should be more properly described as "organized religion" – that is, an organization of people supporting the exercise of some religion, often taking the form of a
legal entity (see
religion-supporting organization). There are many different religions in the world today.
Religious ecstasy: A trance-like state characterized by expanded mental and spiritual awareness and is frequently accompanied by visions, hallucinations, and physical euphoria. Such an experience usually lasts about a half-hour. However, there are many records of such experiences lasting several days, and some people claim to have experienced ecstasy over a period of over three decades, or to have recurring experiences of ecstasy during their lifetime.
Repentance: The
feeling and act in which one recognizes and tries to right a wrong, or gain
forgiveness from someone that they wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to repenting for a sin against
God. It always includes an admission of guilt, and also includes at least one of: a solemn promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.
Revelation: Refers to an uncovering or disclosure of that which had been previously wholly or partly hidden via communication from the divine. In
monotheistic religions, revelation is the process in which
God makes himself, his will, and/or other information known to mankind. The recipient of revelation is commonly referred to as a
prophet, and sometimes is termed a messenger.
There are a number of ways that religious thinkers have traditionally approached this topic; many widely differing views have been proposed. Generally speaking, one can find all of the following viewpoints in varying segments of
Judaism and in varying groups within
Christianity.
Revivalism: A revival is the apparent restoration of a living creature from a dead state to a living state. In a New Testament story, Lazarus was revived by divine intervention. In religious terms, Revival is the substitution of
religious fervor in life and worship, for an intellectualized, pragmatic approach to everyday conduct (often stigmatized by revivalists as 'pride').
Ritual: A formalised, predetermined set of
symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. The set of actions that comprise a ritual often include, but are not limited to, such things as recitation,
singing, group processions, repetitive
dance, manipulation of
sacred objects, etc. The general purpose of rituals is to express some fundamental truth or meaning, evoke spiritual, numinous emotional responses from participants, and/or engage a group of people in unified action to strengthen their communal bonds. The word ritual, when used as an adjective, relates to the noun 'rite', as in rite of passage.
S
Sacrifice: (from a Middle
English verb meaning 'to make sacred', from Old
French, from
Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) Commonly known as the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the
gods, as an act of
propitiation or
worship. The term is also used
metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others.
Sadhana:Spiritual exercise by a
Sadhu or a
Sadhaka to attain a desired goal. The goal of sadhana is to attain some stage, which can be either
moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death (
Samsara), or a particular goal such as the blessing by a deity through his or her appearance before the Sadhaka at the end of the limited Sadhana. Sadhana can involve
meditation,
puja to a deity, namasmarana (sometimes with the help of a
japa mala),
mortification of the flesh or unorthodox practices such as in a smashana sadhana on a cremation ground. Each type of Yoga entails its own type of sadhana. To embark on a sadhana, a
guru is required to give one the necessary know-how and the seed for the future result, in the form of some
diksha, initiation, which he or she has received from his or her guru.
Saint: Generally refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and
holy. It can be applied to both the living and the dead and is an acceptable term in most of the world's popular religions. The Saint is held up by the community as an example of how we all should act, and his or her life story is usually recorded for the edification of future generations.
The process of officially recognizing a person as a Saint, practiced by some churches, is called
canonization, though many
Protestant groups use the less formal, broader usage seen in
Scripture to include all who are faithful as saints.
Salvation: Refers to deliverance from undesirable state or condition. In
theology, the study of salvation is called soteriology and is a vitally important concept in several religions.
Christianity regards salvation as deliverance from the bondage of
sin and from condemnation, resulting in eternal life with
God.
Satguru: (or Sadguru) Means true
guru (Sanskrit सदगुरू sat=true), literally: true teacher. The title means that his students have
faith that the guru can be
trusted and will lead them to
liberation or
inner peace. It is based on a long line of Hindu philosophical understandings of the importance of knowledge and that the teacher, guru, is the sacred
conduit to self-realization.
SBNR: Acronym used by individuals who define themselves as Spiritual But Not Religious.
Shabd: (or Shabda) Literally means “sound” or “word” in Sanskrit. Esoterically, Shabd is the “Sound Current vibrating in all creation. It can be heard by the inner ears.” Variously referred to as the Audible Life Stream, Inner Sound, Sound Current or Word in English, the Shabd is the
esoteric essence of
God which is available to all human beings, according to the
Shabd path teachings of
Eckankar, the
Quan Yin Method,
Sant Mat and
Surat Shabd Yoga.
Adherents believe that a
Satguru, or
ECK Master, who is a
human being, has merged with the Shabd in such a manner that he or she is a living manifestation of it at its highest level (the “Word made flesh”). However, not only can the Satguru can attain this, but all human beings are inherently privileged in this way. Indeed, in Sant Mat the raison d’être for the human form is to meditate on the Sound Current, and in so doing merge with it until one’s own divinity is ultimately realized.
Shamanism: Refers to the traditional healing and religious practices of
Northern Asia (
Siberia) and
Mongolia. By extension, the concept of shamanism has been extended in common language to a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the
axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather,
divination, the interpretation of dreams,
astral projection, and traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.
Shinto: (神道 Shintō) (sometimes called Shintoism) A native
religion of
Japan and was once its
state religion. It involves the worship of kami, which can be translated to mean
gods, spirits of nature, or just spiritual presences. Some kami are local and can be regarded as the spirit or
genius of a particular place, but others represent major natural objects and processes, for example,
Amaterasu, the
Sun goddess. The word Shinto was created by combining two
kanji: "神" shin meaning god (the character can also be read as "kami" in Japanese) and "道" tō meaning
Tao ("way" or "path" in a
philosophical sense). Thus, Shinto means "the way of the gods."
After World War II, Shinto lost its status of
state religion; some Shinto practices and teachings, once given a great deal of prominence during the war, are no longer taught nor practiced today, and some remain largely as everyday activities without religious connotations like
omikuji (a form of
sortition).
Shunyata: (Śūnyatā, शून्यता (
Sanskrit,
Pali: suññatā), or "Emptiness") In
Buddhistmetaphysical critique and Buddhist
epistemology and
phenomenology, shunyata signifies that everything one encounters in life is empty of soul, permanence, and self-nature. Everything is inter-related, never self-sufficient or independent; nothing has independent reality. Yet shunyata never connotes
nihilism, which Buddhist doctrine considers to be a delusion, just as it considers
materialism to be a delusion.
Simran: 'Simran', derived from the word 'Smarana,' (from Sanskrit), means: remembering or contemplating on the highest – that which should be valued in memory, in general. It teaches that: everything changes while inner and outer purity naturally happen. Smarana does not project about restriction through God or religion. It shows that remembering the highest aspect of life that one has seen will eventually open up what's important to an individual.
Soul: The soul, according to many
religious and
philosophical traditions, is the ethereal substance –
spirit (
Hebrew:rooah or nefesh) – particular to a unique living
being. Such traditions often consider the soul both
immortal and innately aware of its immortal nature, as well as the true basis for
sentience in each living being.
The concept of the soul has strong links with notions of an
afterlife, but opinions may vary wildly, even within a given religion, as to what happens to the soul after
death. Many within these religions and philosophies see the soul as immaterial, while others consider it possibly material.
Spirit: The English word spirit comes from the
Latinspiritus, meaning breath. In
religion and
spirituality, the
respiration of the human being has for obvious reasons been strongly linked with the very occurrence of life. A similar significance has been attributed to human
blood. Spirit has thus evolved to denote that which separates a living body from a corpse, but can be used metaphorically (she performed the piece with spirit or she put up a spirited defence) where it is a synonym for such words as 'vivacity'.
Spiritism: A religious and philosophic doctrine established in France in the mid-19th century by
Allan Kardec. The term was coined by him as the specific name of the doctrine he was about to publish but, given the fact that the word was created from roots taken from the common language, it was soon incorporated into the normal use and has been used to name other doctrines as well, though the authentic Spiritists protest against this usage.
During the late 19th century, many well educated people from
Europe and the
United States embraced Spiritism as a logical explanation of themes related to the Christian Revelation. Most of the initial enthusiasm receded, while in some places the work of a few dedicated preachers managed to achieve a solid foundation.
Spiritism is not to be confused with
spiritualism. Its use with that meaning is regarded as pejorative by both Spiritualists and Spiritists. Uncapitalised, the word, in English, is an obsolete term for
animism and other religious practices involving the
invocation of
spiritual beings, including
shamanism.
Spiritual evolution: The
philosophical/
theological/
esoteric idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve along a predetermined
cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-determined potentials. Predeterminism of evolution concept is also complemented with the idea of a creative impulse of human beings, known as
epigenesis.
Within this broad definition, theories of spiritual evolution are very diverse. They may be cosmological (describing existence at large), personal (describing the development of the individual), or both. They can be
holistic (holding that higher realities emerge from and are not reducible to the lower),
idealist (holding that reality is primarily mental or spiritual) or
nondual (holding that there is no ultimate distinction between mental and physical reality). All of them can be considered to be
teleological to a greater or lesser degree.
Spirituality: In a narrow sense, is a concern with matters of the spirit, however that may be defined; but it is also a wide term with many available readings. It may include belief in
supernatural powers, as in
religion, but the emphasis is on personal experience. It may be an expression for life perceived as higher, more complex or more integrated with one's
worldview, as contrasted with the merely sensual.
Sufi whirling: The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning), is a twirling
meditation that originated among the ancient
Indian mystics and
TurkishSufis, which is still practiced by the
Dervishes of the
Mevlevi order. Following a recommended fast of several hours, Sufi whirlers begin with hands crossed onto shoulders and may return their hands to this position if they feel dizzy. They rotate on their left feet in short twists, using the right foot to drive their bodies around the left foot. The left foot is like an anchor to the ground, so that if the whirler loses his or her balance, he or she can think of their left foot, direct attention towards it and regain balance back.
Sufism: (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) A
mystictradition of
Islam, which is based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as a definite goal to attain. In modern language it might also be referred to as Islamic spirituality or Islamic
mysticism. While
fiqh focuses on the legal aspects of Islam, Sufism focuses on the internal aspects of Islam, such as perfecting the aspect of sincerity of
faith and fighting one's
ego. Sufi practitioners are organized into a diverse range of brotherhoods and sisterhoods, with a wide diversity of thought. Sufi orders ("
tariqas") can be
Shi'a,
Sunni, both or neither.
Supplication: (also known as petitioning) The most common form of
prayer, wherein a person asks a
supernaturaldeity to provide something, either for that person who is praying or for someone else on whose behalf a prayer of supplication is being made. One example of supplication is the
Catholicritual of
novena (from novem, the Latin word for "nine") wherein one repeatedly asks for the same favor over a period of nine days. This ritual began in
France and
Spain during the
Middle Ages when a nine-day period of hymns and prayers led up to a
Christmas feast, a period which ended with gift giving. In
Islam, the
Arabic word du'a is often used for supplication. Du'a may be made in any language, although there are many traditional Islamic supplications in Arabic,
Persian and
Turkish.
T
Tao Te Ching: (
Chinese: 道德經, Dào dé jīng) Roughly translated as The Book of the Way and its Virtue (see
article on translating the title) is an ancient
Chinese scripture. Tradition has it that the book was written around 600 BCE by a sage called
Laozi (WG: Lao Tzu, "Old Master"), a record-keeper in the Emperor's Court of the
Zhou Dynasty. A careful reading of the text, however, suggests that it is a compilation of
maxims sharing similar themes. The authenticity of the date of composition/compilation and the authorship are still debated.
Tenrikyo: (天理教; Tenrikyō, lit. Teaching of Divine Reason, also known as Tenriism) A
religion of
JapaneseShinto origin with some
Buddhist influence. It was founded by a female peasant,
Nakayama Miki, who underwent a revelatory experience from 1838 onwards. After this date she is referred to as
Oyasama (lit. Honoured Parent) by followers. Tenrikyo is estimated to have about 2 million followers worldwide with 1.5 million of those in Japan.
Theism: The belief in one or more
gods or
goddesses. More specifically, it may also mean the belief in God, a god, or gods, who is/are actively involved in maintaining the
Universe. This secondary meaning is shown in context to other beliefs concerning the divine. The term is attested in English from 1678, and was probably coined to contrast with atheism attested from ca. 1587.
Theosis: In
Eastern Orthodox and
Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, meaning divinization (or woodenly, deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become
holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the
resurrection. Theosis comprehends salvation from sin, is premised upon apostolic and early Christian understanding of the life of faith, and is conceptually foundational in both the East and the West.
Tithe: (from
Old Englishteogotha "tenth") A one-tenth part of something, paid as a voluntary contribution or as a
tax or levy, usually to support a
Jewish or
Christian religious organization. Today, tithes (or tithing) are normally voluntary and paid in
cash,
checks, or
stocks, whereas historically tithes could be paid in kind, such as agricultural products. There are still European countries today that allow some churches to assess a mandatory tithe which is enforced by law.
Torah: (תורה) A
Hebrew word meaning "
teaching," "
instruction," or "
law." It is the central and most important document of
Judaism revered by
Jews through the ages. It primarily refers to the first section of the
Tanakh—the first five books of the
Hebrew Bible, but the term is sometimes also used in the general sense to also include both of Judaism's written law and
oral law, encompassing the entire spectrum of authoritative
Jewish religious teachings throughout history, including the
Mishnah, the
Talmud, the
midrash, and more.
Transcendentalism: The name of a group of new ideas in
literature,
religion,
culture, and
philosophy that advocates that there is an ideal
spiritual state that 'transcends' the physical and empirical and is only realized through a knowledgeable intuitive awareness that is conditional upon the individual. The concept emerged in
New England in the early-to mid-nineteenth century. It is sometimes called "AmericanTranscendentalism" to distinguish it from other uses of the word transcendental. It began as a protest against the general state of culture and
society at the time, and in particular, the state of
intellectualism at
Harvard and the doctrine of the
Unitarian church which was taught at
Harvard Divinity School.
U
Unitarian Universalism: (UU or UUism) A theologically
liberal, inclusive
religion formed by the merger of
Unitarian and
Universalist organizations in the mid-20th century. UUs generally: cherish creativity, freedom, and compassion; embrace diversity and interconnectedness; and promote personal spiritual growth and justice-making through worship, fellowship, personal experience, social action, deeds, and education. While one UU may differ from another in personal creed, the term UU is a distinct theological signifier and
Unitarianism or
Universalism should not be confused or interchanged with Unitarian Universalism.
V
Veneration: In traditional Christian churches (for example,
Catholicism and
Eastern Orthodoxy), veneration (
Latinveneratio,
Greek δουλια dulia), or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a dead person who has been identified as singular in the traditions of the religion, and through them honoring
God who made them and in whose image they are made. Veneration is often shown outwardly by respectfully bowing or making the
sign of the cross before a
saint's
icon,
relics, or
cult image. These items are often also kissed.
Vipassana: (Sanskrit: vipasyanā) The practice of Insight Meditation. While it is often referred to as
Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has a universal application. It does not require conversion to Buddhism. While the
meditation practices themselves vary from school to school, the underlying principle is the investigation of phenomena (Sanskrit:
dharmas) as they manifest in the five aggregates (
Skandha) namely, matter or form (
Rupa), sensation or feelings (
Vedana), perception (
Samjna), mental formations (
Sankara) & consciousness (
Vijnana). This process leads to direct experiential perception, Vipassanā.
W
Wabi-sabi: (in
Kanji: 侘寂) Represents a comprehensive
Japanese world view or
aesthetic. It is difficult to explain wabi-sabi in
Western terms, but the aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is imperfect,
impermanent, or incomplete. A concept derived from the
Buddhist assertion of the first noble truth—
Dukkha.
Yana (Buddhism): A
Sanskrit word with a range of meanings including nouns such as vehicle, journey, and path; and verbs such as going, moving, riding, and marching. In the Indian religions Buddhism and Hinduism, both yana and marga (road or path) express the metaphor of spiritual practice as a path or journey. Ancient texts in both religions discuss doctrines and practices associated with various yanas. In Buddhism, yana often augments the metaphor of the spiritual path with the idea of various vehicles that convey a person along that path. The yana/marga metaphor is similar to the Chinese image of the
Tao (path or way) but Indian and Chinese cultures appear to have evolved such similar metaphors independently.
Yin and yang: The concept of yin and yang (
Korean: 음양;
Revised: eumyang;
McCune–Reischauer: ŭmyang;
simplified Chinese: 阴阳;
traditional Chinese: 陰陽;
pinyin: yīnyáng;
Vietnamese: Âm-Dương) originates in ancient
Chinese philosophy and
metaphysics, which describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. Yin, the darker element, is passive, dark, feminine, downward-seeking, and corresponds to the night; yang, the brighter element, is active, light, masculine, upward-seeking and corresponds to the day.
Zazen: In
ZenBuddhism, sitting meditation or zazen (
Japanese: 座禅; literally "seated concentration") is a
meditative discipline practitioners perform to
calm the body and the mind and experience
insight into the nature of existence. While the term originally referred to a sitting practice, it is now commonly used to refer to practices in any posture, such as walking.