'Lucid dreams have changed my life.' These are the words of former sceptic, Mark Creed. As an industrial chemist, 37-year-old Mark specialised in polymers, and like so many scientists, was schooled in the concept of behaviourism and thought that if anecdotal phenomena could not be physically measured, they probably did not exist.

Read more here: » Lucid Dreams: To be able to control your dream

A Theosophical definition of Death :

Death

Death occurs when a general break-up of the constitution of man takes place; nor is this break-up a matter of sudden occurrence, with the exceptions of course of such cases as mortal accidents or suicides. Death is always preceded, varying in each individual case, by a certain time spent in the withdrawal of the monadic individuality from an incarnation, and this withdrawal of course takes place coincidently with a decay of the seven-principle being which man is in physical incarnation. This decay precedes physical dissolution, and is a preparation of and by the consciousness-center for the forthcoming existence in the invisible realms. This withdrawal actually is a preparation for the life to come in invisible realms, and as the septenary entity on this earth so decays, it may truly be said to be approaching rebirth in the next sphere.

Death occurs, physically speaking, with the cessation of activity of the pulsating heart. There is the last beat, and this is followed by immediate, instantaneous unconsciousness, for nature is very merciful in these things. But death is not yet complete, for the brain is the last organ of the physical body really to die, and for some time after the heart has ceased beating, the brain and its memory still remain active and, although unconsciously so, the human ego for this short length of time, passes in review every event of the preceding life. This great or small panoramic picture of the past is purely automatic, so to say; yet the soul-consciousness of the reincarnating ego watches this wonderful review incident by incident, a review which includes the entire course of thought and action of the life just closed. The entity is, for the time being, entirely unconscious of everything else except this. Temporarily it lives in the past, and memory dislodges from the akasic record, so to speak, event after event, to the smallest detail: passes them all in review, and in regular order from the beginning to the end, and thus sees all its past life as an all-inclusive panorama of picture succeeding picture.

There are very definite ethical and psychological reasons inhering in this process, for this process forms a reconstruction of both the good and the evil done in the past life, and imprints this strongly as a record on the fabric of the spiritual memory of the passing being. Then the mortal and material portions sink into oblivion, while the reincarnating ego carries the best and noblest parts of these memories into the devachan or heaven-world of postmortem rest and recuperation. Thus comes the end called death; and unconsciousness, complete and undisturbed, succeeds, until there occurs what the ancients called the second death.

The lower triad (prana, linga-sarira, sthula-sarira) is now definitely cast off, and the remaining quaternary is free. The physical body of the lower triad follows the course of natural decay, and its various hosts of life-atoms proceed whither their natural attractions draw them. The linga-sarira or model-body remains in the astral realms, and finally fades out. The life-atoms of the prana, or electrical field, fly instantly back at the moment of physical dissolution to the natural pranic reservoirs of the planet.

This leaves man, therefore, no longer a heptad or septenary entity, but a quaternary consisting of the upper duad (atma-buddhi) and the intermediate duad (manas-kama). The second death then takes place.

Death and the adjective dead are mere words by which the human mind seeks to express thoughts which it gathers from a more or less consistent observation of the phenomena of the material world. Death is dissolution of a component entity or thing. The dead, therefore, are merely dissolving bodies  - entities which have reached their term on this our physical plane. Dissolution is common to all things, because all physical things are composite: they are not absolute things. They are born; they grow; they reach maturity; they enjoy, as the expression runs, a certain term of life in the full bloom of their powers; then they "die." That is the ordinary way of expressing what men call death; and the corresponding adjective is dead, when we say that such things or entities are dead.

Do you find death per se anywhere? No. You find nothing but action; you find nothing but movement; you find nothing but change. Nothing stands still or is annihilated. What is called death itself shouts forth to us the fact of movement and change. Absolute inertia is unknown in nature or in the human mind; it does not exist.

See also: Death , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

For more dictionary entries, see » After Death Dictionary

Quran - Koran: Qur'an Revealed During Ramzan

Prophet Muhammad would often sit alone in the cave of Hira, near Mecca, to pray and meditate, asking the Creator of the Heavens and earth for answers to the questions that surged through his mind. What is man's true role in life?

What does the Lord require of us? From where does man come, and where will he go after death? The Prophet would meditate alone, surrounded by nature, seeking answers to all these profound questions.

Read more here: » Quran - Koran: Qur'an Revealed During Ramzan

Limited availability of resources and their limited potential is everybody's concern. But the Self within a human being has unlimited potential. That's why the concept of self-management is of utmost importance.

Self-management improves efficiency; it bestows peace, cheer and equanimity and equips us to handle the many complexities of life well. Jainism advocates overcoming pesky vices like krodha or anger, mada or vanity, kama or sex and lobha or greed. Jainism recommends the practice of five principal virtues: Ahimsa or non-violence, satya or truth, achaurya or non-covetousness, Brahma-charya or celibacy and aparigraha or non-possession.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: The Art of Self-Management

Years ago when I first saw Hrishikesh Mukherjee's timeless classic Anand, I was deeply affected by this line spoken by the protagonist: “ Babumoshai, zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahin !”.

The words have lived with me ever since. They echo Oscar Wilde's words: “It doesn't matter how long, but how you live!”

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Put Life and Death In Perspective

It does not matter to a man of awareness whether he is successful or unsuccessful, well-known or absolutely unknown, powerful or just a nobody. To a man of awareness, these dualities don't matter at all, because awareness is the greatest treasure. When you have it, you don't want anything else. You don't want to become the president or prime minister of a country.

Those who pursue power suffer even in success - they live in the eternal fear that they might lose it. At first they suffered because they were not successful; now after being successful, too, they are suffering because of a feeling of insecurity.

(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Peace of Mind: The Truth Beyond Success and Failure

As a teenager I always carried some cotton, antiseptic and a bandage in my pocket. After all, someone could get hurt. One day, I was in a bus. A fellow passenger got hurt. Here was my chance to become a hero, I thought excitedly. Out came my kit. I applied some antiseptic on her bruise and bandaged it.

Another passenger looked at me and said: "Do you know, you have caused this bruise - indirectly." I was taken aback. He continued: "You waited for someone to fall and get hurt so that you could use your medical kit." My take on nishkaama karma, selfless action, had failed.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Do Good Naturally, Not Out of Duty

Often what you call success is judged by others as failure. This was G D Birla's philosophical reply to reporters who asked him to comment on his success in building one of the largest business houses in the country.

When you look back and attempt to analyse what you really achieved in life and whether you could call yourself successful, you will find that you are unable to define "success". That's because with every new stage in life, your perception of success changes.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Assess Success With Internal Auditing

Recently, 65-year-old Kuttu Bai of Madhya Pradesh immolated herself on her husband’s pyre, sending shock waves across the country. There were a few, however, who remained unmoved.

Was sati really a part of Hindu religion, as is claimed by some?

Parvati, Shiva’s consort, is often referred to as ' Sati ’. Once, she went uninvited to attend a yagna her father was conducting. On hearing him speak derogatorily of Shiva, an upset and angry Parvati jumped into the fire. In another story, ' Sati ’ Savitri, a princess whose husband died barely a year after they got married, confronted Yamraj, the God of Death. Because of sheer persistence, Savitri managed to extract from him a boon of longevity for her husband. In return, she offered to follow Yamraj to his abode. However, there is no scriptural evidence of any woman committing sati on her dead husband’s pyre.

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

Read more here: » Sati: Two Kinds of Values: Eternal & Transitory  

A Christian theological definition of Immortality according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

"

Immortality

See also: Immortality , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

For more dictionary entries, see » After Death Dictionary

"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances...” wrote William Shakespeare, one of the greatest dramatists of all time. Shakespeare saw the world as a large theatre. If all the world is indeed a stage, and life is a play, and all of us are mere actors, then this view leads to some interesting corollaries.

Who is the author and the director of this play?

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: The World Is A Stage

At age two, Harry was diagnosed as "autistic" when it was apparent his speech development lagged behind normal. At first, his parents and doctor thought Harry had a hearing problem, so they had grommets (protective loops) placed in his ears. But Harry still didn't speak. His mother, Karenanne, says

"Harry has always had a very sunny temperament and showed no angst at being unable to speak. It was like talking was something he'd do when he was good and ready. It was the same with his reading skills. He showed no interest in baby books, yet when he got interested in Pokemon, he rapidly showed he indeed knew how to read, and he just pored over those handbooks."

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

Read more here: » Indigo Children: The Crystal Children  

Destiny and the dynamics of living often remove us from the place we belong to, from what we refer to as our hometown. Living away, we tend to get "hometown-sick".

We split ourselves, and suffer a 'body here, mind there' syndrome. Interestingly, this can happen not just to an individual or a family, but even collectively to a whole people.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Freedom From Exile  

Death is the most common phenomenon in nature and yet the least understood fact. It is one of the most difficult problems of philosophy, because there is no direct evidence usually available as to what really happens in and after death.
Recently there has been an attempt made in the West by the Psychical Research Society to study the problem of death. Some thinkers have come to believe on the strength of the evidence collected that death does not bring human personality to an end.

This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Spiritualism

Vedic Astrology and Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health

In order to maintain a healthy mind we must realize the true realities of life. Therefore we must consider our spiritual nature to understand the subtleties of mind, intelligence and ego. Accordingly mental, emotional and spiritual health go together and, unless you have some knowledge in this regard, you cannot stop the onslaught of negative emotions brought on by ignorance and fear. We not only need to engage ourselves in some sort of fulfilling work to occupy our minds but need to understand why we fall victim to feelings of hate, envy, greed and avarice. These emotions only serve to destroy us intellectually, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually. Why is there so much hate in the world, anyway?

Excerpt from "An Introduction to Vedic Astrology" by Howard Beckman

Read more here: » Vedic Astrology: Vedic Astrology and Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health

Many factors point at a difficult time ahead with the risk of social, economical, political and last but not least environmental crisis due to the exploration of our Planet. Parallelly, there are many who suggest that we are now on the verge of a transition into a new World, a golden Age.

Read more here: » Spiritual Awakening: Future transitions

A Kundalini release can be triggered by meditation, yoga, prayer, bodywork, psychedelic drugs, a life crisis (such as extreme physical or emotional trauma, a near-death experience or the death of a loved one), childbirth, menopause, certain ascetic or sexual practices, and so forth. Kundalini can also awaken spontaneously from no apparent cause. This out-of-the-blue Kundalini arousal occurred in my own case in 1991. Since then, I have communicated with hundreds of people whose Kundalini rose involuntarily, initiating a long transformative process.

Read more here: » Kundalini: Danger, High Voltage - Kundalini Awakening

Kiara got enlightened finally! This is his letter from him less than two weeks after the process. Read it and you will get an almost first hand insight into what enlightenment is all about, or at least how it is perceived by one human that actually reached the state.

Read more here: » Spiritual Enlightenment: Journey of Enlightenment

Pilgrims visit Bodh Gaya on Vaishakha Purnima day as it marks the three major events in the Buddha's life: His birth, enlightenment and passing away.

Buddha Purnima assumes great importance especially when the world faces challenges of violence and terrorism in various forms. Buddha said that just as fire cannot extinguish fire, war cannot solve disputes. Enmity cannot overcome enmity; it can be overcome only with love. Disputes can be settled through dialogue and negotiation, not by war..

(See also: Vaishakha Purnima day , Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Vaishakha Purnima day: A Life in the Day Of the Buddha

DEATH

We should not dwell on the psychic envelopes that remain behind for those wraiths, ghosts, apparitions and so on who must make their way the best they can from the clues of their predecessors. Nor should we dally with the shells of the qlipoth attending the sephiroth. The normal soul for whom, from below, the gates appear as the gates of extinction and from above the gates of birth (or vice-versa) has no time for leisurely observation. Nor does the yogin, for whom death is merely a higher state of medi tation, require distraction. But we magicians should stop for a moment at the pylons themselves, at the door of the Abyss, the pause before lingam joins yoni, we should linger and observe the transitional threshold.

Death and sex are not merely metaphorically identical, but physically so. Since death (the second, total death, after the yesodic stage) results in instant rebirth, it is obvious that birth and death are the entrance and withdrawal motions of cosmic coit us on a slow-action timescale over successive reincarnations.

(See also: DEATH , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

For more dictionary entries, see » After Death Dictionary

Paganism & Pornography

At times my political views seem to lead me into contradictions. Last month saw me writing a furious letter to Penthouse magazine concerning their misinformed story on Witchcraft. Within two weeks I was writing to the head of the QuickTrip Corporation protesting the removal of Penthouse from their stores. You'd think I would have been happy at a blow struck against a magazine that maligned my religion. Not so. At stake is the free expression of ideas. Misinformation and censorship are both threats to that freedom. Of the two, I judge censorship to be the greater threat. As long as publishing continues unimpeded, retraction of misinformation is possible. When publishing is censored, even that becomes impossible.

Read more here: » Paganism: Paganism Pornography

The enormity of death is felt by people when they lose someone close to them. Knowledge and spirituality are often the light at the end of the tunnel in such moments of sadness. A human being who has died, is like a torch extinguished.

However, the flame of his life burns in his children, friends, work, and in his ideas. He has enriched the earth on which he has walked, the rivers in which he has bathed, and the living beings with whom he has been in communion.

(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Life and Death: Incredible Journey To Immortality