Albert Einstein Dictionary

MEDITATION

Meditation is at least a three-step process that leads to a state of consciousness that brings serenity, clarity, and bliss. Our "normal" state of mind is actually quite abnormal. We receive sensory stimuli and react in a completely uncontrolled way (although we tell ourselves we have great control). We bounce from one thought to another and follow with our emotional and physical reactions.

Concentration is the first step in meditation and is the beginning of gaining control over the mind and thereby life. The procedure is deceptively simple and seems like it would be very easy to do, but there are few tasks more difficult to master. The idea is to pick an object/subject/music to place your attention on and then to focus exclusively on it without diversion.

Meditation is unbroken attention. The classic description of the difference between concentration and meditation is given in the example of pouring oil from a bottle into a bowl. At first the oil drips out a drop at a time. This is concentration. Then the oil comes out in a steady stream. This unbroken pouring out is meditation. If you really examine the process closer, you would notice that when the oil was coming out drop by drop, each drop caused a splash and the droplets of the splashing can be considered analogous to the distractions that interrupt our concentration. Once the stream starts becoming steady it flows effortlessly. Similarly, when concentration flows into meditation, the attention paid to the object of meditation becomes deeper and deeper effortlessly and spontaneously, true knowledge about the object presents itself.

As Albert Einstein tells us, everything in the universe is relative to everything else, ultimately your meditation will connect you to everything. At this point, the unity of the object of your meditation and your mind occurs. This is the state of contemplation and is the ultimate state of consciousness. Where we usually are only conscious of our body and ego and consider ourselves apart from the rest of the universe, with the experience of contemplation we become conscious of the cosmos and know ourselves to be a part of it and realize our unity with all of it.

The above definition of meditation was obtained from The Meditation Society of America.

(See also: MEDITATION , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Spirituality and Science: Two Ways to Arrive at the Truth

Some of the greatest scientists have attributed their sparks of genius to spiritual inspiration. "I assert that cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research," said Albert Einstein.

Scientists today are striving to discover how creation came into being, and how human beings came to be. A state-of-the-art space telescope has been able to detect some of the earliest moments of the Big Bang. By picking up signals from several light years away, we are able to glimpse at the early universe, whose light is only now reaching us, billions of years later. Will we ever be able to discover the secret of creation?

Read more here: » Spirituality and Science: Two Ways to Arrive at the Truth

Holographic Universe

Theoretical results about black holes suggest that the universe could be like a gigantic hologram.

An astonishing theory called the holographic principle holds that the universe is like a hologram: just as a trick of light allows a fully three-dimensional image to be recorded on a flat piece of film, our seemingly three-dimensional universe could be completely equivalent to alternative quantum fields and physical laws "painted" on a distant, vast surface.

Read more here: » Holographic Universe: Information in the Holographic Universe

Science and Spirituality: Symbiosis Between Science & Spirit

Some years ago, I called upon the great scientist Prof S Chandrasekhar in Chicago and asked him how seers of the Vedas and Upanishads had two astounding insights that have emerged in modern science only recently.

The first is the concept of anantakoti brahmanda , endless universes. The second is the concept of vast aeons of time through which creation passes, much like the ancient belief that a single day of Brahma is 4.32 million human years long, so that his one year corresponds roughly to the age of planet earth. When I suggested that perhaps this knowledge came to seers in enhanced states of consciousness, Prof Chandrasekhar seemed to agree.

Read more here: » Science and Spirituality: Symbiosis Between Science Spirit

There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is.

- Albert Einstein

(See also: Inspirational Quotes, Love Quotes, Friendship Quotes, Life Quotes)

Read more here: » Inspirational Quotes: There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is.

Recent scientific discoveries seem to validate the concept of Brahman . Physicists and cosmologists are close to proving that there is one source behind the physical universe, and they call this source the unified field. In a profound sense, Brahman , the Vedantic concept and the unified field of physics appear to be synonymous.

All the physical objects and phenomena around us are not illusory or maya, but are quite real. However, what we see is only the tip of the iceberg. Underneath it is the interplay of an abstract substance called energy, which in turn is controlled by something even more abstract:

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

Read more here: » Science and Spirituality: Physics And Vedanta -  So much in common  

Power of Questions

Questions guide us in all that we do. Some questions we ask to ourselves, some to others. We walk into a room and think or ask, "What's going on here?" We hear the telephone ring and wonder, "Who's that?" We see a friend and ask, usually quite automatically, "How are you?" Not every question has a question mark at the end. For example, "I wonder if I'll have trouble falling to sleep tonight." Or, "Let's see if there are any fresh vegetables that look good at the supermarket today." These are examples of rather neutral questions, that is, those that are not empowering or disempowering. They simply guide us in our observations.

Read more here: » Power of Questions: Asking Empowering Questions

When I was small, my grandmother told me there was only one main rule in life upon which all others rested. Then she looked me in the eye and with quiet conviction pronounced, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It is with delight that I discovered over the years that this basic spiritual law can be found at the heart of many religious and spiritual teachings.

Read more here: » Peace: Golden Rule and You

Read more here: » Lucid Dreaming: Lucid Dreaming Exercises and Tips - A Guide to Lucid Dreaming

Trance Channeling is first and foremost a means of communication, and is very much akin to what many people think of as telepathy. A fair comparison can be drawn between common television and radio signal receptions and Trance Channeling. Since the most commonly used interactive or two way communications today take place through an instrument known as the telephone, however, we will start by comparing the person doing the Trance Channeling, i.e. the Trance Channel, to a common telephone.

Read more here: » Trance Channeling: The Physics of Trance Channeling

Buddha Day: The Significance of Vesak - Buddha Day

The significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha and his universal peace message to mankind.

As we recall the Buddha and his Enlightenment, we are immediately reminded of the unique and most profound knowledge and insight which arose in him on the night of his Enlightenment. This coincided with three important events which took place, corresponding to the three watches or periods of the night.

Read more here: » Buddha Day: The Significance of Vesak - Buddha Day

Historically, the sword was viewed as a sacred ritual object signifying bravery and power. The flaming sword of Boddhisatva procured knowledge and freedom from desire while the sword of Vishnu represented pure knowledge and the destruction of ignorance. A knight's sword was two-edged - one to strike down infidels, the other thieves and murderers; the point represented obedience. Traditional Christianity and chivalry viewed it as a "luminous tool for chivalrous tasks" with a power that united spirit and matter - the binding of heaven and earth.

Read more here: » Tarot: The Ace Of Swords - Seizing The Power Of Discernment

The research and study of the Sacred Geometry and Space of Sacred Sites have been the focus of Martin Gray for more than 20 years. Martin Gray is an anthropologist and photographer specializing in the study of Sacred Power Places. During a twenty-year period he has journeyed to more than 1,000 holy places in 80 countries. This introductionary article will give you an introduction to the Power of Sacred Sites and the Sacred Space they provide for Spiritual Awakening.

Read more here: » Sacred Sites: Places of Peace and Power

The materialist often views a religious person as being unsociable, dogmatic and lacking in intellectual insight.There is a certain perception that 'religious' people don't drink or smoke; they pray before every meal, frown at the free mixing of the sexes, are superstitious, impractical and way behind the times. Hence religious people are looked upon as social misfits.

However, the religious person understands that though he may be a social misfit, others are misfits of a different kind. They are spiritual misfits. They do not fit into the wider, more important, spiritual scheme of things.

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

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Are Religious People Social Misfits?