Free and Accepted Masons:

See: Freemasonry

(See also: Free and Accepted Masons , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Accepted Dictionary

 While the ultimate result of any truly spiritual path is the negation of the individual ego-self, one cannot begin on one's own personal path of spiritual realization unless one establishes his/her individuality. That means freeing oneself from the demands of organized religions, creeds, socially accepted beliefs, the dictates of any prophet. All of these characteristics of religious participation establish only the group-identity, the body of like-minded believers. People can spend an entire lifetime following the teachings and beliefs of others, without ever finding the path that is right for them personally.

Read more here: » Spiritual Growth: The Individual Path

Apocrypha

(Greek: hidden) It is used in a general sense to describe a list of books written by Jews between 300 and 100 B. C. More specifically, it is used of the seven additional books accepted by the Catholic church as being scriptural.

The entire list of books of the apocrypha are: 1 and 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the Rest of Esther, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, (also titled Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, The Letter of Jeremiah, Song of the Three Young Men, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, The Additions to Daniel, The Prayer of Manasseh, and 1 and 2 Maccabees. The books accepted as inspired and included in the Catholic Bible are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees Wisdom of Solomon Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), and Baruch.

The Jews never recognized these books as being canonical (inspired). There is no record that Jesus or the apostles ever quoted from the apocryphal books. The Septuagint (LXX) includes the books, not as scripture, but as part of the translation of the Hebrew manuscripts as a whole.

(See also: Apocrypha , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Accepted Dictionary

Our scientific understanding has undermined many conventional approaches to spirituality at the very time we most need to strengthen these capacities. The source of the difficulty may hold the key to the solution. Science is widely accepted because it works. It looks at the world as it is searching for the simplest possible description. Discovery of simple descriptive laws has led to enormous power to control the phenomena the laws describe feeding our technical prowess. It was only possible to do this by divorcing science from feeling and values so one could see what is and not what one wants to see.

Read more here: » Spirituality and Science: The keys to integrating spirituality and science

Sahaja Yoga: Research on the effect of vibrations on water

With the spreading of Sahaja Yoga, it became well known that water can be vibrated by Shri Mataji, directly by her personal impact or in the presence of her photograph. Many people experienced medicinal properties of such water. Vibrated water doesn't get spoiled when stored for a very long time, like several months. For estimating the quality of the water we used standard, worldwide accepted, sanitary chemical characteristics, which indirectly characterize the degree of water contamination.

Read more here: » Sahaja Yoga: Research on the effect of vibrations on water

Mukti - liberation from material existence.

There are five types of liberation:

·      sarupya (obtaining the same form as Bhagavan) ,

·      samipya (living in close proximity to Bhagavan) ,

·      salokya (living on the same planet as Bhagavan) ,

·      sarsti (having the same opulence as Bhagavan) , and

·      sayujya (becoming one with Sri Bhagavan either by merging into His body or by merging into His brahma effulgence).

The last type is vehemently rejected by the bhaktas.

Although the other four types of mukti are sometimes accepted by bhaktas as they are not entirely incompatible with bhakti, they are never accepted by those who are fixed on attaining unalloyed love for Sri Krsna in Vraja.

(See also: Mukti , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

For more dictionary entries, see » Accepted Dictionary

Nowadays, my mailbag produces an ever increasing number of dreams which, when analysed, are spiritual or contain elements of spirituality - but why, and do these same dreams provide clues? Much can be learned from dreams, and I believe that they are screaming out at us some answers to these questions. Interestingly, this increase coincides with the general trend pervading modern society of the population apparently splitting into categories, which are becoming ever more entrenched in their own respective beliefs.Perhaps the interactive virtual reality programmes of this life have begun to run their course. Could it be that the increasing numbers of these dreams are just the early signs which do precede a new dawning of an age of spiritual awareness?

Read more here: » Spiritual dreams: Spiritual dreams - The sign of a new dawning?

Gaia philosophy is a broadly inclusive term for related concepts that living organisms on a planet will affect the nature of their environment - to make it more suitable for life. This set of theories holds that all organisms on a planet regulate the biosphere to the benefit of the whole. The Gaia concept draws a connection between the survivability of a species, (hence its evolutionary course) and their usefulness to the survival of other species.

Read more here: » Gaia: The Gaia philosophy - an overivew

Dream Dictionary Index with links to 10.000 dream interpretations from many different sources.

Please note that all words in grey are hyperlinked to an archive with articles related to that word, including dream interpretations.

For more dream interpretation, see: Meaning of Dreams or Dream Dictionary

For articles about dreams, see: Dreams

Read more here: » Dream Interpretation Index: Dream Interpretation Index including links to 10.000 dream interpretations

The Vedas 

The Vedas are the Divine scriptures of ancient India and in modern times can be traced as least as far back as 12,OOO B.C. a lthough it is generally accepted tat the Vedas appear at different times of the cosmic creation forte benefit of human society. They are considered to be the revelations of the Divine nature, and its relationship within and without us. "Mantra" is the term used to mean Divine sound vibration or the word of God. There are teachings of mantras (hymns), teachings of ritual, theology, and philosophy at the root of all the vedic sciences. The point of all is the knowledge of the soul called "atma vidya", being our real "self" and separate and distinct from the material body , and the material world which surrounds us.

Read more here: » The Vedas: Divine scriptures of ancient India - The Vedas

What raises us above other known sentient beings is our ability to be conscious of our own consciousness. But what does this mean, scientifically?

“It is now widely accepted that all knowledge, from the beginning of time, is available to each of us, an intelligence that is carried at the cellular, subatomic level. Highly evolved individuals who have touched the hem of the eternal and communed with the infinite through their higher consciousness, made that quantum leap but have been unable to transfer their understanding due to limitations imposed by language. Because language is incomplete and fragmentary, merely registering a stage in the average advance beyond the ape mentality. But all of us do have flashes of insight beyond meanings already stabilized in etymology and grammar.”

Read more here: » Consciousness: What is Consciousness?

 In India we must be grateful that the core beliefs, theoretical rigour and application of the Vaastu Shastras are still available, though in a depleted form. From the study of texts, dialogues with practitioners and field application of the concepts I have been able to reconstruct the overview of the Vaastu Shilpa Shastras and give a guideline for present day application. There is a great deal of resistance and deep feelings of distrust from the trained designers in the 'modern institutesÕ toward the assumptions and symbolism of the traditional paradigm. It is almost as if they feel threatened that their hegemony would be displaced. Are their fears valid? Is the basis of the Vaastu Shastras questionable in its present day application? Is it a meaningless mumbo jumbo in the 'scientificÕ climate of today?

Read more here: » Vaastu Shastra: Reinterpreting Vaastu

Leadership is often associated with power. Today, the term has acquired negative connotations, particularly in politics. One has come to question the relative importance of being recognised as a "leader" when what we sorely need are individuals who both lead by their service and example and follow the universally accepted principles of responsible living.

We are beginning to see that traditional autocratic and hierarchical models of leadership are slowly yielding to a newer model. This model - of leaders as servants - will simultaneously enhance the personal growth of the led and improve the quality of our many institutions through a combination of individual and community teamwork in decision-making infused with ethical and caring behaviour.

(See also: Leadership , Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Leadership: Inverting the Pyramid - Leaders as Servants  

Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of existence, truth and knowledge. It incorporates ontology (the science/nature of true being) and epistemology (the study of the origin, methods and limits of knowledge). The student of metaphysics is interested in first causes, the nature of "reality" and in what lies beyond the sensory world. Metaphysics will never be accepted as an integrated science by scientists because it does deal with subjective territory, with events that do not fit perfectly within our present prescripts of comprehension. Indeed, it will not become indefectible and conclusive until the evolution of man-woman is consummated.

Read more here: » Metaphysics: The Chemistry Of Metaphysics

Buddhism in the modern world

An overview of Buddhism in Modern Asia and Buddhism in West.

Read more here: » Modern Buddhism: Buddhism in the modern world

A man who wished to be initiated into meditation went to a great sage and asked to be accepted as his disciple. The sage made him close his eyes gently and told him that the first step of meditation was to practise compassion. "Amity, compassion, amity, compassion" - the sage kept repeating.

The man, however, was not concentrating. Finally he opened his eyes and begged to be allowed to say something. "I can wish everybody well but my neighbour. I have a lawsuit against him. Can I leave him out?"

(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Love and Happiness: Forgive and Forget To Create Amity

AS A HOMEOPATH AND ASTROLOGER I see a lot of Indigo Children that are brought to me, not because they are Indigo, but because of physical or behavioural problems. Since most of the parents I meet have not heard of Indigo Children I will describe the generally accepted principles for identifying Indigos, as well as how to recognize and identify them from their Birth charts.

(See also: Indigo Children, What is Indigo Children, Parenting Indigo Children, Adult Indigo, Indigo Children Channeling)

Read more here: » Indigo Children: The Birth Charts of Indigo Children  

Baha'u'llah And the New Faith

Echoing the suffering of all the messengers of God before him and the privations they suffered to fulfil their sacred task, Baha'u'l-lah, the founder of the Baha'i religion, wrote: "We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish".

Born in Persia on November 12, 1817, Baha'u'llah's unusual undertaking at age 27 has gradually brought into its fold several million people from diverse backgrounds. For Baha'u'llah claimed to be the Messenger of God - the Bearer of a Divine Revelation that fulfils the promises made in earlier religions and which will generate the spiritual forces for the unification of the world.

Read more here: » Bahai - Bah‡'’: Baha'u'llah And the New Faith

A critical in-depth analysis of the differences and similarities between the New Age movement and the Vedic traditions by Henry Makow PhD

Read more here: » New Age Spirituality: New Age vs. Vedic tradition

” If all this is true, then a thousand other questions immediately bubble up. Why hasn’t everyone heard about this on the nightly news? Why is this topic so controversial? Who has psi? How does it work? What are its implications and applications? These are all good questions, and this book will attempt to answer them through four general themes: Motivation, Evidence, Understanding and Implications.”

This is part 3 of the first chapter from Dean Radins book The Conscious Universe”

Read more here: » Consciousness: The Conscious Universe, part III - Four general themes