Anjana:

Anjana - the name of the mother of Hanuman

(See also: Anjana , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Catalepsy katalepsis (Greek) (from kata down + lambanein to seize)

A psychomotor condition of morbid sleep, associated with a peculiar plastic rigidity of the muscles which may be made to assume strained attitudes and retain them for an indefinite time. There is more or less profound loss of consciousness and of the skin sensibility. The origin of the name reflects the ancient view that the attacks are due to the sudden seizure of the victim by some supernatural influence, such as an evil spirit; the causes assigned by medical writers are extremely varied and oftentimes absurd.

The cataleptic state may occur in attacks of epilepsy, hysteria, chronic alcoholism, in various functional and organic mental and nervous diseases, and in that variety of dementia praecox known as catatonia. This list of diseases, characterized by general nervous and emotional instability, suggests the rationale of the ancient view that catalepsy is one of the many types of astral obsession. Textbook descriptions of typical cases are consistent pictures of an abnormal displacement of the conscious human ego whose helpless body then is subjected to purposeless, unnatural, and strained conditions and attitudes by some low-grade astral entity.

The cataleptic phenomena are sometimes induced in a profound hypnotic state, where the operator's will manifests through the intermediate nature of his subject. This explains the public hypnotic exhibitions of an unconscious person, rigidly stretched out, with only head and feet supported, while the body sustains excessive weight placed upon it. It is also possible, at times, for a person who is naturally psychic, or who has dabbled in attempts to cultivate psychic phenomena, to become dissociated from his normal physical status and, in a trance-like condition, to manifest the cataleptic state of beclouded consciousness and the wax-like rigidity of body. In such cases there is always danger that the lower quaternary including the unconscious body may be invaded by some astral entity which thus becomes an insidious and injurious link with kama-loka and its denizens.

Medical studies of catalepsy refer to the literary record of many classical examples of it, and claim that it has a close relationship with the ecstatic and trance-like states of mystics, but there is a marked contrast between the unnatural attitudes of the negative, unconscious cataleptic person, who remembers nothing of his entranced state, and the generally exalted spiritual consciousness of the genuine mystic who retains full memory of his self-induced experience.

(See also: Catalepsy, Cataleptic state , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Prana (Sanskrit) [from pra before + the verbal root an to breathe, live]

In theosophy, the breath of life; the third principle in the ascending scale of the sevenfold human constitution. This life or prana works on, in, and around us, pulsating unceasingly during the term of physical existence. Prana is "the radiating force or Energy of Atma -- as the Universal Life and the One Self, -- Its lower or rather (in its effects) more physical, because manifesting, aspect. Prana or Life permeates the whole being of the objective Universe; and is called a 'principle' only because it is an indispensable factor and the deus ex machina of the living man" (Key 176).

In working upon the physical body, prana automatically uses the linga-sarira (model-body) as its vehicle of expression during earth-life. Prana may be said to be the psychoelectric veil or field manifesting in the individual as vitality. The life-atoms of prana fly instantly back, at the moment of physical dissolution, to the natural pranic reservoirs of the planet.

Further, occultism teaches that "(a) the life-atoms of our (Prana) life-principle are never entirely lost when a man dies. That the atoms best impregnated with the life-principle (an independent, eternal, conscious factor) are partially transmitted from father to son by heredity, and partially are drawn once more together and become the animating principle of the new body in every new incarnation of the Monads. Because (b), as the individual Soul is even the same, so are the atoms of the lower principles (body, its astral, or life double, etc.), drawn as they are by affinity and Karmic law always to the same individuality in a series of various bodies, etc. . . ." (SD 2:671-2).

In Sanskrit it refers to the life currents or vital fluids, variously numbered as three, five, seven, twelve, and thirteen. The five life-winds mentioned are samana, vyana, prana, apana, and udana. In this classification prana represents the expirational breath.

Jiva is sometimes used similarly to prana, but strictly prana means outbreathing and jiva means life per se. There is a universal or cosmic jiva or life principle, just as there are innumerable hosts of individualized jivas, which are the atoms of the former, drops in the ocean of cosmic life. These individualized jivas are relatively eternal, and correspond exactly to the term monad. Jiva, without qualification, is of general application; when considered as individualized, these jivas are used in the sense of individual monads; contrariwise, prana is applied to the life-fluid or jivic aura when manifesting in the lower triad of the human constitution as prana-lingasarira-sthulasarira. Hence Blavatsky said that jiva becomes prana when the child is born and begins to breathe.

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

manduka:

manduka - a frog

(See also: manduka , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

vajra:

vajra - one of the channels in the spine, a thunderbolt, diamond

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Neophyte (Ancient Greek). A novice; a postulant or candidate for the Mysteries.

The methods of initiation varied. Neophytes had to pass in their trials through all the four elements, emerging in the fifth as glorified Initiates. Thus having passed through Fire (Deity), Water (Divine Spirit), Air (the Breath of God), and the Earth (Matter), they received a sacred mark, a tat and a tau, or a + and a ?. The latter was the monogram of the Cycle called the Naros, or Neros. As shown by Dr. E. V. Kenealy, in his Apocalypse, the cross in symbolical language (one of the seven meanings)"+ exhibits at the same time three primitive letters, of which the word LVX or Light is compounded. . . . The Initiates were marked with this sign, when they were admitted into the perfect mysteries. We constantly see the Tau and the Resh united thus ?.

Those two letters in the old Samaritan, as found on coins, stand, the first for 400, the second for 200 = 600. This is the staff of Osiris." Just so, but this does not prove that the Naros was a cycle of 600 years; but simply that one more pagan symbol had been appropriated by the Church.

(See "Naros" and "Neros" and also "I. H. S.")

(See also: Neophyte , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Virochana:

Virochana - a demon prince

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Anubhava - one of the five essential ingredients of rasa. The actions which display or reveal the spiritual emotions situated within the heart are called anubhavas.

The anubhavas are thirteen in number:

1)   nrtya (dancing) ,

2)   vilunthita (rolling on the ground) ,

3)   gita (singing) ,

4)   krosana (loud crying) ,

5)   tanu-motana (writhing of the body) ,

6)   hunkara (roaring) ,

7)   jrmbhana (yawning) ,

8)   svasa-bhua (breathing heavily) ,

9)   loka-anapeksita (giving up concern for public image) ,

10)    lalasrava (salivating) ,

11)    atta-hasa (loud laughter) ,

12)    ghurna (staggering about) , and

13)    hikka (a fit of hiccups).

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

Karana-sarira (Sanskrit) (from karana cause + sarira body, bodily frame)

Cause-body or causal body; the principle or causal element which brings about not only the reimbodiment of an entity, but also its evolution during a manvantara through an endless series of reimbodiments.

"The human Ego is neither Atman nor Buddhi, but the higher Manas: the intellectual fruition and the efflorescence of the intellectual self-conscious Egotism -- in the higher spiritual sense. The ancient works refer to it as Karana Sarira on the plane of Sutratma, which is the golden thread on which, like beads, the various personalities of this higher Ego are strung" (SD 2:79).

It is the reproducing agent, principle, or instrument in the constitution of a being such as man, which brings about the repetitive reimbodiments that such being is impelled, and in one sense compelled, by karma to undergo. Such a reimbodiment can be of two types: if the causal instrument is on a high plane, such as buddhi-manas -- the treasury of all ingathered seeds of being which will reproduce themselves in future existences as the higher parts of an individual -- then in such case it is the buddhi-manas which is the karana-sarira; on the other hand, if the main causal instrument or principle bringing about such repetitive imbodiments is of a lower type, and reproduces existences for the reincarnating entity in lower vehicles, then we can say it is the kama-manas or lower manas which is the karana-sarira.

Thus there are in the composite human constitution at least two such karanic or causal elements, one of a higher and one of a lower character. However, neither the karana-sarira nor the karanopadhi is, strictly speaking, the inner god of man which is the atman or fundamental self of our reimbodying monad, called the karanatman.

(See also: Karana-sarira , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Actio in Distans (Latin) Action at a distance. Can force be transmitted across an empty space? On the automechanical theory of the universe, such action is inexplicable and yet inevitable, for if the universe consists entirely of matter made of atoms separated from each other by empty spaces, the transmission of force from one atom to another cannot be explained except by supposing some medium to intervene. If this medium is atomic, the old difficulty reappears; if it is continuous, there is no reason for supposing it, since matter might in the first place have been supposed to be continuous.

Thus if we choose to represent reality as a system of points in space, we must assume actio in distans as an axiom. The difficulty that a body cannot act where it is not, may be gotten over by stating that wherever it can act, there it is. Scientific theories, carried to a logical conclusion, support the idea that all things in the universe are connected with each other, so that whatever affects one part affects every other part. Notions of physical space do not enter to the realm of mind, thought, and feeling.

To meet this difficulty of action at a distance, early European scientists invented various kinds of ethers to bridge the supposed gap of nothingness between atom and atom or body and body. These finally were abandoned, with the exception of the luminiferous or light-carrying ether, which remained until the Michelson-Morley experiment, after which it was abandoned.

Nevertheless, theosophy postulates the existence of atomic and subatomic ethers of various degrees of tenuity, ranging from physical to spiritual. Collectively these ethers are the different planes or ranges of akasa, the fundamental substratum of the universe and the garment in which the kosmic divinity clothes itself -- the various prakritis as outlined especially in the Sankhya philosophy. Any scientific ether is not the akasa or aether, but solely the lowest plane of the akasic plenum, some of the ranges of the astral light, which in one sense is the highest principle of the earth's atmosphere -- a subtle ethereal energy-stuff permeant through and interpenetrating physical matter of all kinds.

See also Aether; Ether

(See also: Actio in Distans , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Vishnu (Sanskrit). The second person of the Hindu Trimurti (trinity), composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. From the root vish, "to pervade". in the Rig -Veda, Vishnu is no high god, but simply a manifestation of the solar energy, described as "striding through the seven regions of the Universe in three steps and enveloping all things with the dust (of his beams ".) Whatever may be the six other occult significances of the statement, this is related to the same class of types as the seven and ten Sephiroth, as the seven and three orifices of the perfect Adam Kadmon, as the seven "principles" and the higher triad in man, etc., etc. Later on this mystic type becomes a great god, the preserver and the renovator, he "of a thousand names - Sahasranama ".

(See also: Vishnu , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

agni-hotra:

square fire pit of vedic brahmins.

(See also: agni-hotra , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Ardha-Nari (Sanskrit). Lit., "half-woman". Siva represented as Androgynous, as half male and half female, a type of male and female energies combined. (See occult diagram in Isis Unveiled, Vol. II.)

(See also: Ardha-Nari , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

yastikasana:

yastikasana - the stick posture

(See also: yastikasana , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Abba Amona (Hebrew, Jewish). Lit., "Father-Mother"; the occult names of the two higher Sephiroth, Chokmah and Binah, of the upper triad, the apex of which is Sephira or Kether. From this triad issues the lower septenary of the Sephirothal Tree.

(See also: Abba Amona , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Arasa Maram (Sanskrit). The Hindu sacred tree of knowledge. In occult philosophy a mystic word.

(See also: Arasa Maram , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Panchaloha:

Panchaloha: it was a sheet of alloy of five metals, gold, silver, copper, brass and iron, the Panchaloha, out of which temple idols have to be made. (SSS-III)

(See also: Panchaloha , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

akasa:

akasa (aakaasha). Sky, space, ether.

(See also: akasa , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

thamas:

thamas. Dullness, ignorance, delusion, inactivity, passivity, inertia, sloth. Associated with colour black. See guna.

(See also: thamas , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Isha:

Isha - a form of Shiva

(See also: Isha , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sephiroth (Hebrew, Jewish). The ten emanations of Deity; the highest is formed by the concentration of the Ain Soph Aur, or the Limitless Light, and each: Sephira produces by emanation another Sephira.

The names of the Ten Sephiroth are -

1.     Kether - The Crown;

2.     Chokmah - Wisdom;

3.     Binah - Understanding;

4.     Chesed- - Mercy;

5.     Geburah - Power;

6.     Tiphereth - Beauty;

7.     Netzach - Victory;

8.     Hod -  Splendour;

9.     Jesod_Foundation; and

10.  Malkuth - The Kingdom.

The conception of Deity embodied in the Ten Sephiroth is a very sublime one, and each Sephira is a picture to the Kabbalist of a group of exalted ideas, titles and attributes, which the name but faintly represents. Each Sephira is called either active or passive, though this attribution may lead to error; passive does not mean a return to negative existence; and the two words only express the relation between individual Sephiroth, and not any absolute quality.

(See also: Sephiroth , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Amen. In Hebrew is formed of the letters A M N = 1,40,50 =91,and is thus a simile of "Jehovah Adonai"=10, 5, 6, 5 and 1,4, 50,10 =91 together; it is one form of the Hebrew word for "truth". In common parlance Amen is said to mean "so be it".

But, in esoteric parlance Amen means "the concealed". Manetho Sebennites says the word signifies that which is hidden and we know through Hecateus and others that the Egyptians used the word to call upon their great God of Mystery, Ammon (or "Ammas, the hidden god ") to make himself conspicuous and manifest to them.

Bonomi, the famous hieroglyphist, calls his worshippers very pertinently the "Amenoph", and Mr. Bonwick quotes a writer who says: "Ammon, the hidden god, will remain for ever hidden till anthropomorphically revealed; gods who are afar off are useless". Amen is styled "Lord of the new-moon festival". Jehovah-Adonai is a new form of the ram-headed god Amoun or Ammon (q.v.) who was invoked by the Egyptian priests under the name of Amen.

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