punarjanma: (Sanskrit) "Reincarnation." From punah, "again and again," and janma, "taking birth."

See: reincarnation.

(See also: Punarjanma , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Dynasties Among ancient peoples almost worldwide there have always been two types of dynastic government, the divine and the human. Ancient religious philosophy taught that government should try to follow the pattern set in the heavens or in the hierarchies of nature; and it was upon this fact that arose the early teaching of what became later known as the divine right of kings. In fact, early human history taught of the former existence of dynasties which ruled the various peoples of earth by the right of spiritual wisdom and knowledge, first through demigods, then heroes, and finally before the system passed into the merely human dynasties as we now know them, the dynasties of initiate-kings.

In ancient Hindustan there were two principal dynasties of kings, as given in the epics and the Puranas, named the Suryavansa (the Solar Dynasty) and the Chandravansa (the Lunar Dynasty). The former was said to have been descended from the sun through Ikshvaku, who according to mythology was the son or grandson of the sun, Vaivasvata-Manu, the progenitor of our present humanity. The Chandravansa was said to have sprung from Atri, the maharshi (great rishi), whose son again was Soma or the moon, whence the name lunar given to the dynasty.

In ancient Egypt there were thirty Dynasties of kings, as enumerated by the historian Manetho. But the Egyptian priests told Herodotus that there were three divine dynasties which preceded the reign of the human kings: that of the gods, of the demigods, and of the heroes. China too had its divine dynasties which preceded the human dynasties: thus the Chow rulers are placed at 1100 BC, but they were again preceded by the Sheng and the still earlier Hea (or Hia) dynasties. The Greeks taught the existence of divine dynasties followed by human, and Plato tells of divine and semi-divine instructors who first taught mankind the arts, sciences, and agriculture. The same general tradition is found in ancient America. The ancient Chaldeans used the figures 4 3 2 in their calculations concerning the time periods of their dynasties, which they said extended backwards from themselves for a length of 432,000 years.

The Secret Doctrine states that the earliest human races were instructed and guided by divine and semi-divine beings. Thus, the fourth or Atlantean race originally received its knowledge of cycles and astronomy, as well as of the arts and sciences, from divine and semi-divine dynasts. Before the Atlanteans, the Lemuro-Atlanteans were the first who had a dynasty of spirit-kings -- actual living dhyanis or demigods who had assumed bodies to teach and guide humankind; and they also instructed mankind in arts and sciences (SD 2:222).

An ancient Egyptian zodiac has been found which represented three Virgins: "The three 'Virgins,' or Virgo in three different positions, meant . . . the record of the first three 'divine or astronomical Dynasties,' who taught the Third Root-Race; and after having abandoned the Atlanteans to their doom, returned (or redescended, rather) during the third Sub-Race of the Fifth, in order to reveal to saved humanity the mysteries of their birth-place -- the sidereal Heavens. The same symbolical record of the human races and the three Dynasties (Gods, Manes -- semi-divine astrals of the Third and Fourth, and the 'Heroes' of the Fifth Race), which preceded the purely human kings, was found in the distribution of the tiers and passages of the Egyptian Labyrinth" (SD 2:435-6).

(See also: Dynasties , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

punsavana: (Sanskrit) "Male rite; bringing forth a male." Traditional sacrament performed during early pregnancy in prayer of a son.

See: samskaras of birth.

(See also: Punsavana , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Moon: The Moon is in its sign of rulership in Cancer. The Moon is visible to us because of reflected light from the Sun. Its monthly motion through the heavens and its phases are timers we should all take seriously. Hospital employees tell stories of increased birth rate or emergency room traffic as the Full Moon approaches. Astrologers know that important activities are best begun just after the New Moon.

The Moon in your chart reflects your subconscious mind. Its sign and house describe your emotional bias – the way your express your feelings most easily and directly.

It is interesting to note that the Sun and Moon appear to be exactly the same size in the sky. If this were not so, we could not have total eclipses of the Sun. But what does this mean to the astrologer? It means that the vitality of the Sun is equal in importance to the action of the Moon in your life. The expression of your individuality is equal in importance to the nurturance of your emotional well-being. Conscious awareness is equal to subconscious motivations. Studying your Moon sign can provide clue to your inner life and suggest paths to increased personal satisfaction with life.

In terms of career, the Sun may show what you want to be when you grow up, but the Moon shows the path – the means – to that end. (This relationship happens to be true for all kinds of astrological charts – for events, nations, weather forecasting, etc.) Learning about the sign and house of your Moon will provide answers to many questions you may have about how to take positive action. This is the area of the chart that shows your emotional changeability, and it also reflects your best path to any other kind of change in your life.

Finally, the Moon shows, by its sign and house, how and where you can be comfortable. It suggests the physical surroundings, the material objects and the emotional tone that is pleasant for you. It also shows how you assimilate – food, information, emotional vibrations.

The Sun and Moon together form a team. You will find that be considering them together, you get a fuller, richer sense of who you are and how you can become happier and more successful.

(See also: Moon , Magic, Shamanism, Paganism, Wicca)

Demeter (Greek) (possibly from Doric da earth + meter mother)

The Earth-Mother; one of the great Olympian deities, in popular mythology specially associated with the earth and its products, patron of agriculture, goddess of law and order, and protector of marriage and the birth of offspring. As the grain goddess, counterpart of the Egyptian Isis, Roman Ceres, and corn mothers, corn maidens, and harvest goddesses of the various native cultures of the Americas today, and of the early Teutonic and Scandinavian races of central and northern Europe.

Popular legend describes Demeter as mother of Persephone, who while gathering flowers on the Nysian plain was seized by Hades and carried to the Underworld. Searching disconsolate for her lost child, Demeter came to the dwelling of Celeus at Eleusis, where she was hospitably received although her identity was unknown. On condition of being given the sole care of the king's son who was ill with fever, she remained and became the child's nurse. Each night she placed the child on a bed of living coals, but the mother, discovering this, snatched the child away in alarm.

Demeter then revealed herself as a goddess and, declaring that had she been left alone she would have made the child immortal, she relinquished her post in wrath. Before leaving Eleusis, however, she founded a mystical school or cult to keep alive certain otherwise secret teachings about human divinity and the life after death. The Eleusinian Mysteries, reputed to have sprung from this earlier effort, dealt particularly with the afterdeath states and the progress and experiences of the soul between earth lives.

The great Eleusinian divinities, as far as is known, were three: Demeter-Thesmophoros as goddess of law and order; Persephone-Kore the divine maid; and Iacchos the divine son (the divine man whom it was the object of the Mysteries to bring forth from the "tomb" of the human man). Probably because of her association with Persephone, Demeter was in one of her aspects a divinity of the underworld and was worshiped as such in Sparta and at Hermione at Argolis.

In the Orphic teachings Demeter is not only the earth goddess, but is also Demeter-Kore the divine maid. This aspect is twofold: as Persephone the Virgin-Queen of the Dead; and as the mortal maid Semele, mother of the mystic savior Dionysos, and later enthroned as Semele-Thyone (Semele the Inspiried). As both maid and mother she is the immortal wife of Zeus, and is also called the mother of Zeus, as an Orphic verse declares: "The goddess who was Rhea, when she bore Zeus became Demeter." In one of her aspects, Demeter is the one to whom, in the Orphic legend, is given the still beating heart of the murdered Zagreus-Dionysus.

Demeter belongs to the class of the kabiria (kabir, kabiri): "beneficent Entities who, symbolized in Prometheus, brought light to the world, and endowed humanity with intellect and reason" (SD 2:363), great beings to whom are credited the invention of the arts of peace -- letters and the alphabet, law, philosophy, science, art, architecture, music, spinning, weaving, and agriculture.

(See also: Demeter , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Fire Fire has been venerated in all ages as the symbol of spirit as opposed to matter. Its essence or substance is spirit; with essential or substantial air or water -- considered as primordial elements -- it becomes soul; with the further addition of the element earth, it becomes animated bodies because ensouled and enlivened with the attributes and qualities of the preceding more ethereal elements.

 Great importance was attached in ancient times to keeping alive the sacred fires of hearth and altar. In all this it was recognized that terrestrial fire is the representative of celestial fire, a phase of cosmic consciousness. Deity is often spoken of as the cosmic fire of consciousness.

The ancient conception of fire thus embraced far more than the ordinary view of fire as chemical combustion or one of its phenomena. Among all the older peoples fire was multitudinous in both characteristics and attributes, ranging from divine-spiritual intellectuality through all intermediate stages of its manifestations to the physical heat arising from the burning of material such as wood, or the natural heat of the body. It is for this reason that certain ancient philosophers, such as Heracleitos, spoke of fire as the primordial element of the universe, in close accord with the archaic outlook.

Fire is the active, energic, vitalizing, quickening principle on all planes. It is often paired with water as spirit and form; contrasted with earth, as celestial and terrestrial; air is spoken of as its vehicle, as is also aether, because the root of cosmic aether is the celestial fire. The order of the elements varies, from different points of view and on different planes of manifestation. The Secret Doctrine states that from primordial chaos came forth a fire that was cold, formless, and luminous -- essential consciousness-substance. The first manifested hot fires and flames issued at a much later stage in manifestation. Concealed within the central sun is the triple formless invisible fire, which precedes the septenary manifested fire of cosmos. Fire, whether heavenly or terrestrial, is the most perfect and pure reflection of the one universal flame; it is life and death, creator and recreator; the origin and end of every material thing -- divine consciousness-substance. From one flame all lamps can be kindled: fire imparts infinitely without loss. Fire alone is One, on the plane of the one reality; and on the plane of illusion, its particles are fiery lives.

Like most other things, fire has its nether pole and hence its infernal aspect; but the fires of hell are purificatory. By his power of self-conscious choice an individual may set himself at variance with nature's processes, thus creating his own devils. Fire was the great agent of purification in medieval alchemy, for it removes the dross from the gold. The same is true on the moral plane, for spiritual aspiration calls down an inner fire that purifies the gold from the dross in the aspirant's heart. The two births or baptisms relate to water and fire; the former being carnal, the latter being the spiritual birth or baptism that comes to the aspirant.

See also AGNI; ELEMENT; FLAMES; TAIJASA-TATTVA

(See also: Fire , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Yuga (Sanskrit) Age; an age of the world, of which there are four -- satya yuga, treta yuga, dvapara yuga, and kali yuga -- which proceed in succession during the manvantaric cycle. Each yuga is preceded by a period called in the Puranas, sandhya (twilight, transition period, dawn) and followed by another period of like duration often called sandhyansa (a portion of twilight). Each of these transition periods is one-tenth of its yuga. The group of four yugas is first computed by the divine years or years of the gods -- each such year being equal to 360 years of mortal men.

Thus we have, in divine years:

1. Krita or Satya Yuga . . 4,000

Sandhya . . . . . . . . 400

Sandhyansa . . . . . . 400

4,800 or 1,728,000 mortal years

2. Treta Yuga . . . . . . . 3,000

Sandhya . . . . . . . . 300

Sandhyansa . . . . . . . 300

3,600 or 1,296,000 mortal years

3. Dvapara Yuga . . . . . . 2,000

Sandhya . . . . . . . . 200

Sandhyansa . . . . . . . 200

2,400 or 864,000 mortal years

4. Kali yuga . . . . . . . 1,000

Sandhya . . . . . . . . 100

Sandhyansa . . . . . . 100

1,200 or 432,000 mortal years

Total: 12,000 a Mahayuga or 4,320,000 mortal years

Of these four yugas, our present racial period is the kali yuga (black age), often called the Iron Age, said to have commenced at the moment of Krishna's death, usually given as 3102 BC. These yugas do not affect all mankind at the same time, as some races, because of their own special cycles in running, are in one or in another of the yugas, while other races are in a different cycle. This series of 4, 3, 2, 1, with ciphers added or not according to circumstances, are among the sacred computations of archaic esotericism, which shows that all the various kinds of yugas, the small being included within the great, are each governed by the same periodic and regular series -- all of which makes calculation no easy thing.

"All races have their own cycles, which fact causes a great difference. For instance, the Fourth Sub-Race of the Atlanteans was in its Kali-Yug, when destroyed, whereas the Fifth was in its Satya or Krita Yuga. The Aryan Race is now in its Kali Yuga, and will continue to be in it for 427,000 years longer, while various 'family Races,' called the Semitic, Hamitic, etc., are in their own special cycles. The forthcoming 6th Sub Race -- which may begin very soon -- will be in its Satya (golden) age while we reap the fruit of iniquity in our Kali Yuga" (SD 2:147n).

The four yugas refer to any root-race, although indeed a root-race from its individual beginning to its individual ending is about double the length of the great yuga as set forth in the above chart. The racial yugas, however, overlap because each new great race is born at about the middle period of the parent race, although the individual length of any one race is as above stated. Thus it is that by the overlapping of the races, a race and its succeeding race may for a long time be contemporaneous on the face of the globe.

As the four yugas are a reflection in human history of what takes place in the evolution of the earth itself, and also of the planetary chain, the same scheme of yugas applies on larger scales: there exist the four yugas in the time periods of the evolution of a planetary chain, as well as in the general time period of a globe manvantara. These cosmic yugas are very much longer than the racial yugas, but the same general scheme of 4, 3, 2 applies throughout.

"The sacredness of the cycle of 4320, with additional cyphers, lies in the fact that the figures which compose it, taken separately or joined in various combinations, are each and all symbolical of the greatest mysteries in Nature. Indeed, whether one takes the 4 separately, or the 3 by itself, or the two together making 7, or again the three added together and yielding 9, all these numbers have their application in the most sacred and occult things, and record the workings of Nature in her eternally periodical phenomena. They are never erring, perpetually recurring numbers, unveiling, to him who studies the secrets of Nature, a truly divine System, an intelligent plan in Cosmogony, which results in natural cosmic divisions of times, seasons, invisible influences, astronomical phenomena, with their action and reaction on terrestrial and even moral nature; on birth, death, and growth, on health and disease. All these natural events are based and depend upon cyclical processes in the Kosmos itself, producing periodic agencies which, acting from without, affect the Earth and all that lives and breathes on it, from one end to the other of any Manvantara. Causes and effects are esoteric, exoteric, and endexoteric, so to say" (SD 2:73-4).

(See also: Yuga , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Mukthi:

A sanskrit word meaning liberation. The final emancipation from the cycle of birth and death.

(See also: Mukthi , Body Mind and Soul)

spirit of a grain crop, embodied in an entity, person, or animal

(See also: corn spirit , Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

The sacred spiral plays an important part in magickal workings.
It is the symbol of "coming into being."

(See also: spiral , Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

drawing psychic impressions from objects while handling them

(See also: psychometery , Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

Hinduism Lexicon on B

From backbiting to buddhi chitta.

Read more here: » Hinduism: Hinduism Lexicon on B

The Native American Sweat Lodge, Temazcal, is an ancient practice from the native indians of America; a sacred ritual for Healing and Purification. Participants at the Oneness Festival will be able to experience this very powerful ritual both at day time, and, when it is as most powerful, at night time.

Read more here: » Sweat Lodge: Temazcal I/III - The Traditional Mexican Sweat Bath

Jesus came into the world to unveil the essence and scope of humanity. French philosopher Pascal said, it is through Jesus of Nazareth that we learn who we truly are, and what birth and death really mean.

The genius of humanity is revealed fully in Jesus; that's why he stands at the centre of human history. However, with most people focusing more on the events surrounding his birth, the essence of Christmas itself tends to get lost.

(See also: Christmas , 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: » Christmas: Celebrate The Spirit Of Life With Jesus - about Christmas  

Dream Interpretation including the meaning of dreams about:

Birds, Bird's Nest, Birth, Birthday, Birthday Presents, Biscuits, Bishop, Bite, Blackberries, Blackboard, Blacksmith, Bladder, Blanket, Bleating, Bleeding, Blind, Blind Man's Buff, Blindfold, Blood, Blood Stone, Blossoms, Blotting Paper, Blows

For more dream interpretations, see: Dream Interpretation

For more about dreams, see: Dreams.

Read more here: » Meaning of a Dream: Meaning of Dreams from; Birds to Blows

Links to archives related to mysticism:

Vesta, Vestal Virgins, Vestigial Organs, Vestures, Vetala, Vetala Siddhi, Vetala-siddhi, Ve-ve, Vever, Via Straminis, Vibhavasu, Vibha-vasu, Vibhishana, Vibhutayah, Vibhuti, Vibration, Vibrations, Vicarious Atonement, vichara, Vidadhafshu Keshvar, Vidblainn, Videhamukta, Vidhdhala, Vidya-dhara, Vighadia, Vignanamaya Kosa, Vigrid, Vigridr, Vigridsslatten, Viharasvamin, Viharaswamin, Vijnanam, Vijnanamaya-kosa, Vikara, Vikartana, Vikarttana, viksepa, Vikshepa, Vile, Vili, Vimana, vimoksa, Vimoksha, Vina, Vinata, Vinaya, Vinaya-pitaka, Vine, Viniyoga, Vinnana, Vinyasa, Viprachitti, vipracitti, Virabhadra, Viracocha, Viraga, Viraja-loka, Virasvamin, Virgil, Virgin Birth, Virgin Men, Virgin Youths, Virgo, Virya, Vis Viva, Visarga, Viscid Earth, Visesha visesa, Visha visa, Vishnavites, Vishnu Incarnation, Vishnu Visnu, Vishnu-Purana, Vishwakarman, Vishwatryarchas, Vision Questing, Visionary Plants, Visions, Visishtadvaita, visistadvaita, Visnu-Purana, Visualization, Visva, Visva-devah, Visvadharas, Visvakarman, Visvamitra, Visvanara, Visvarupa,

Here are links to all 10 527 archives related to mysticism:

Mysticism Dictionary

Mysticism Dictionary - A, Mysticism Dictionary - B, Mysticism Dictionary - C,

Mysticism Dictionary - D, Mysticism Dictionary - E , Mysticism Dictionary - F,

Mysticism Dictionary - G, Mysticism Dictionary - H, Mysticism Dictionary - I,

Mysticism Dictionary - J, Mysticism Dictionary - K, Mysticism Dictionary - L,

Mysticism Dictionary - M, Mysticism Dictionary - N, Mysticism Dictionary - O,

Mysticism Dictionary - P, Mysticism Dictionary - Q, Mysticism Dictionary - R,

Mysticism Dictionary - S, Mysticism Dictionary - T, Mysticism Dictionary - U,

Mysticism Dictionary - V, Mysticism Dictionary - W, Mysticism Dictionary - X,

Mysticism Dictionary - Y, Mysticism Dictionary - Z, Mysticism Dictionary - Numbers

More popular related archives:

Consciousness, Chakras, Kundalini, Kundalini Yoga, Cosmic Consciousness, Meaning of Dreams, Gaia Hypothesis, Life after death, Prana, Subconscious, Kalki, Mayan Calendar, 2012, Indigo Children, Diksha, Morphogenetic Fields, Enligtenment, Bhagavan, Past Lives, Parapsychology, Psychic Ability, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul

A spiritual dictionary from J-R of the most common spiritual words in Hinduism. Also see these links: Hinduism, Spirituality, Enlightenment, Spiritual Dictionary and Hinduism Dictionary.

A spiritual dictionary of the 280 most common words in Hinduism. Also see these links: Hinduism, Spirituality, Enlightenment, Spiritual Dictionary and Hinduism Dictionary.