Encyclopedia - Christian Meditation: Encyclopedia - Christian Meditation
Christian meditation is a form of quiet (but not necessarily silent) contemplation often associated with prayer or scripture study. It is...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Meditation - History
Formal Christian meditation began with the early Christian monastic practice of reading the Bible slowly. Monks would carefully consider ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Meditation - Christian Meditation: Many Strands
Ignatius of Loyola Thomas Merton Bede Griffiths Jesus Prayer Hesychasts Apophatic theology Richard Foster Quakers Emerging Church...   » Read the article

Article - Christian Meditation: Christian Meditation - Death Of The Self  
The practice of Christian meditation dates back to the beginning of Christianity; its objective is to daily 'empty the self' to experi...   » Read the article

Article - Spiritual Practices: Christian Mantras And Meditation
Chanting of mantras and the practice of meditation are time-honoured traditions in oriental religions like Hinduism and Buddhism. Christi...   » Read the article

Article - Christian Meditation: Trinity Divine And The Holy Streams Trinity Divine And The Holy Streams
Christian Meditation: Trinity Divine and the Holy Streams  "You have learnt that the laws of the Son of Man are seven. Now yo...   » Read the article

Article - Meditation: Is There Any Religious Implication Or Affiliation With Meditation?
Is there any religious implication or affiliation with meditation? Meditation has been and still is a central practice in eastern relig...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Mysticism: Encyclopedia - Christian Mysticism
Mysticism is the philosophy and practice of a direct experience of God. Although it needs to be born in mind that 'experience' is a hotly...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Thomas Merton: Encyclopedia - Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk and author, born in Prades in the Pyrénées-Orienta...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia - Christianity
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Fath...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite: Encyclopedia - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as pseudo-Denys, is the name scholars have given to an anonymous theologian and philosopher o...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Negative Theology: Encyclopedia - Negative Theology
Negative theology - also known as the Via Negativa (Latin for "Negative Way") and Apophatic theology - is a theology that attempts to des...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian: Encyclopedia - Christian
History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Fath...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia - Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a blanket term for various mystical initiatory religions, sects and knowledge schools, which were most prominent in the fir...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Esoteric Christianity: Encyclopedia - Esoteric Christianity
Esoteric Christianity refers to the occult study and the mystic living of the esoteric knowledge related to what adherents view as the "i...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia - Meditation
Meditation like yoga originated in Vedic Hinduism many centuries ago, it was much later adopted into a wide variety of practices of relig...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Spirituality: Encyclopedia - Spirituality
Spirituality is, in a narrow sense, a concern with matters of the spirit, however that may be defined; but it is also a wide term with ma...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia - Mysticism
Mysticism, from the Greek μυω (muo, "to conceal"), is the pursuit of achieving communion with or conscious awareness of ultimate reali...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Morals: Encyclopedia - Christian Morals
Christian Morals is a work in prose by the physician and religious apologist Sir Thomas Browne, published posthumously in 1716. It is a c...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Overview
The English word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Frequency And Duration
These vary so much that it is difficult to venture any general comments. On one extreme there exist monks and nuns whose whole lives are ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Purposes And Effects Of Meditation
The purposes for which people meditate vary almost as widely as practices. Meditation may serve simply as a means of relaxation from a bu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Mysticism - The Practice Of Christian Mysticism
While such phenomena are often associated with mysticism in general, including the Christian variety, for Christians the emphasis is else...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Thomas Merton: Encyclopedia Ii - Thomas Merton - Background
Merton was educated in the United States and France before attending Oakham School in England. His father was an artist from New Zealand ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Differences In Beliefs
Christianity - Nicene Creed. One statement describing the beliefs of a majority of Christians is the Nicene Creed, ratified as the univ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Mysticism - Bibliography
Christian mysticism - Classics. St. John of the Cross: Ascent of Mount Carmel, Dark Night of the Soul St. Teresa: Interior Castle Meis...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Mysticism - Biblical Foundations
The tradition of Christian Mysticism is as old as Christianity itself. At least three texts from the New Testament set up themes that rec...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Worship And Practices
Orthodox and Catholic believers describe Christian worship in terms of the seven sacraments or "mysteries." These include baptism, the Eu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Health Applications And Clinical Studies Of Meditation
In the recent years there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of meditation (Venk...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Types Of Meditation
According to Bogart (1991) and Perez-De-Albeniz & Holmes (2000) the different techniques of meditation can be classified according to...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Meditation In Context
Most traditions address the integration of mind, body, and spirit (this is a major theme of the Bhagavad-Gita); or that of spiritual prac...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Physical Postures
Different spiritual traditions, and different teachers within those traditions, prescribe or suggest different physical postures for medi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Overview
With an estimated 2.1 billion adherents, it is arguably the world's largest religion. Its origins are intertwined with Judaism, with whic...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Worship And Practices
Orthodox and Catholic believers describe Christian worship in terms of the seven sacraments or "mysteries." These include baptism, the Eu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - Contemplative Prayer
The progression from vocal, to meditative, to contemplative prayer is not a straight road, nor does the Christian travel in one direction...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite: Encyclopedia Ii - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite - Teaching
His works are mystical and show strong neo-platonic influence. For example he uses Plotinus' well known analogy of a sculptor cutting awa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Persecution
Before the Edict of Milan, ancient Christianity was an illegal movement, which many considered anti-social for worshipping an executed cr...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - A Christian Philosophy Of Prayer
For some Christians, union with God is a paramount purpose of religion. Christians believe that God is seeking union with His creature, M...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - Liturgical
Elements of the oldest Christian liturgies may be found in liturgies such as the modern Roman Catholic Mass, the Orthodox Divine Liturgy,...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - History
Main articles: History of Christianity, and [[{{{2}}}]], and [[{{{3}}}]], and [[{{{4}}}]], and [[{{{5}}}]] See a ... See also:Christiani...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - Epistemological Issues
Geoffrey K. Mondello (see References below) believes that a mystical experience of God is real and provable, and is possible due to the c...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Denominations Of Christianity
Christianity encompasses numerous religious traditions that widely vary by culture and place, as well as many diverse beliefs and sects. ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - Charismatic Prayer Speaking In Tougues
On the appointment of Pentecost The term that is used to identify Speaking in Tongues is “glossolalia,” made up of two Greek words, g...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Beliefs
Though enormous diversity exists in the beliefs of those who self-identify as Christian, it is possible to venture general statements whi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - History And Origins
Christianity began within Judaism among the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Under the leadership of the Apostles Peter and Paul it opened...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Denominations
Within Christianity, numerous distinct groups have developed, with diverse beliefs that vary widely by culture and place. Since the Refor...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite: Encyclopedia Ii - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite - Teaching
His works are mystical and show strong neo-platonic influence. For example he uses Plotinus' well known analogy of a sculptor cutting awa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Beliefs
Enormous diversity of belief exists among Christians. Nevertheless, certain doctrines have come to characterize the mainstream of Christi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Differences In Beliefs
Christianity - Nicene Creed. One statement describing the beliefs of a majority of Christians is the Nicene Creed, ratified as the univ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Christianity - Persecution
Christians have frequently suffered from persecution. During the first three centuries of its existence, Christianity was regarded with s...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Negative Theology: Encyclopedia Ii - Negative Theology - In The Jewish Tradition
In Jewish belief, God is defined as the Creator of the universe: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1); s...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Meditation: Encyclopedia Ii - Meditation - Overview
In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite: Encyclopedia Ii - Pseudo-dionysius The Areopagite - Identity
The Florentine humanist Lorenzo Valla (died 1457), in his commentaries on the New Testament, did much to establish that the author of the...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Negative Theology: Encyclopedia Ii - Negative Theology - In Hinduism
Negative theology is widespread in the Upanishads of Hinduism, where Vedantic theologians speak of the nature of Brahman - this Supreme C...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Negative Theology: Encyclopedia Ii - Negative Theology - Apophatic Description Of God
In Negative theology, it is not necessary to know the essence of God - God's essence cannot be spoken of, and may only be described as in...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian - History
Christian - Early times. Church is taken by some to refer to a single, universal community, although others contend that the doctrine o...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Negative Theology: Encyclopedia Ii - Negative Theology - In The Christian Tradition
One of the first to articulate the theology was Pseudo Dionysius. Exemplars of the via negativa, the Cappadocian Fathers of the 4th centu...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Prayer In Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Prayer In Christianity - Vocal
Vocal prayer, of course, is prayer made with the lips, normally producing sound. Practices of vocal prayer vary across denominations, but...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Esoteric Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Esoteric Christianity - Biblical Foundations
The Way: « Ego sum Via, Veritas et Vita » Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Gnosticism In Modern Times
Gnosticism has been treated at length by several modern authors, philosophers and psychologists: William Blake, the nineteenth century R...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Spirituality: Encyclopedia Ii - Spirituality - The Spiritual And The Religious
An important distinction needs to be made between spirituality in religion and spirituality as opposed to religion. In recent years, spir...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Spirituality: Encyclopedia Ii - Spirituality - Directed Spirituality
One aspect of 'Being spiritual' is goal-directed, with aims such as: simultaneously improve one's wisdom and willpower, achieve a closer ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Spirituality: Encyclopedia Ii - Spirituality - Spirituality And Personal Well-being
Due to its broad scope and individual nature, spirituality is perhaps better understood by highlighting a number of key concepts that ari...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Etymology
The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνώσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Background And Origins Of Gnosticism
The ultimate foundational elements of gnosticism are pre-Christian. That said, the exact origins of Gnosticism are a subject of dispute a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Gnosticism In Modern Times
Gnosticism has been treated at length by several modern authors, philosophers and psychologists: William Blake, the nineteenth century R...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Theology And Cosmology
Some historians accept that there is a significant amount of Buddhist/Hindu influence in Gnostic interpretations of the Bible. The standa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Matter
Some Gnostics, again in common with such Neoplatonic philosophers as Plotinus, held matter to be evil, but only as a method of depicting ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Lifestyle
Most Gnostics practiced celibacy and asceticism, on the grounds that the pleasures of the flesh induced the subject to remain ignorant of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Gnostic Sects
(Note: It is a matter of controversy if these sects had a real succession of ideas or communion with each other, or if they more or less ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Sources
We have two main historical sources for information on Gnosticism: critiques on Gnosticism by orthodox Christians (i.e. Heresiologies suc...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hesychasm: Encyclopedia Ii - Hesychasm - Hesychastic Practice
Hesychastic practice bears some superficial resemblance to mystical prayer or meditation in Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism and Suf...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Christian Worship: Encyclopedia Ii - Christian Worship - Prayer
Christian worship - Psalms. Psalms Christian worship - Profession of Faith. Apostles' Creed Nicene Creed Athanasian Creed Christ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Overview
The occult nature of gnostic teaching (as seen from a modern viewpoint) and the fact that much of the material relating to the schools co...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Mysticism - Subjectivity And Mysticism
Theistic, pantheistic, and panentheistic classical pantheist/cosmotheist metaphysical systems most often understand mystical experience a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Etymology
The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνώσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Mysticism - Self-transcending Self-discovery
The term Perennial Philosophy, coined by Leibniz and popularized by Aldous Huxley, relates to what some take to be the mystic's primary c...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Background And Origins Of Gnosticism
The ultimate foundational elements of gnosticism are pre-Christian. That said, the exact origins of Gnosticism are a subject of dispute a...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Mysticism - Mysticism And Syncretism
Mystics of different traditions report similar experiences of a world usually outside conventional perception, although not all forms of ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Mysticism - On The Difficulty Of Defining Mysticism
Readers frequently encounter seemingly open-ended statements among studies of mysticism, throughout its history, for example in Taoist th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Theology And Cosmology
Some historians accept that there is a significant amount of Buddhist/Hindu influence in Gnostic interpretations of the Bible. The standa...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mysticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Mysticism - Examples In Major Traditions
Examples of major traditions and philosophies with strong elements of mysticism are: Christian Gnosticism Christian mysticism Eastern Or...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Matter
Some Gnostics, again in common with such Neoplatonic philosophers as Plotinus, held matter to be evil, but only as a method of depicting ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Lifestyle
Most Gnostics practiced celibacy and asceticism, on the grounds that the pleasures of the flesh induced the subject to remain ignorant of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Gnostic Sects
(Note: It is a matter of controversy if these sects had a real succession of ideas or communion with each other, or if they more or less ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Gnosticism: Encyclopedia Ii - Gnosticism - Sources
We have two main historical sources for information on Gnosticism: critiques on Gnosticism by orthodox Christians (i.e. Heresiologies suc...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jubilee Christian: Encyclopedia Ii - Jubilee Christian - The Great Jubilee Of 2000
Main Article: Great Jubilee Pope John Paul II announced a Great Jubilee for the year 2000 with his Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adve...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Spiritualism: Encyclopedia Ii - Spiritualism - Background
Spiritualism in its modern incarnation started in the mid-19th century in the United States, a syncretic adjunct of largely Christian pop...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Meditation: Alternative Medicine Dictionary On Meditation
Meditation: a technique of mind control with the goals of feeling an inner calm and peacefulness, profound experiences of self-realiza...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Christian Hypnotherapy: Alternative Health Dictionary On Christian Hypnotherapy
Christian hypnotherapy: One of the services offered by the Abunda Life Church, in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Its other services include ...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Christian Yoga: Alternative Health Dictionary On Christian Yoga
Christian Yoga: Wholistic modality promoted by the Institute of Wholistic Studies (at Our Lady of Lourdes Wellness Center), in Colling...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Meditation: Alternative Health Dictionary Iii On Meditation
Meditation Although meditation is most often associated with Eastern practices such as Buddhism, every spiritual practice, including C...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Meditation For Health: Natural Health Therapy Dictionary On Meditation For Health
MEDITATION: A technique of mind control that often leads to a feeling of inner calm and peacefulness, and may result in profound exper...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Faith Healing: Health And Healing Dictionary On Faith Healing
Faith healing (spiritual healing): 1. Any method wherein one makes an appeal to God or a spirit to participate in healing others, typi...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Spiritual Healing: Health And Healing Dictionary On Spiritual Healing
Spiritual healing (faith healing): 1. Any method wherein one makes an appeal to God or a spirit to participate in healing others, typi...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Attitudinal Healing: Alternative Health Dictionary On Attitudinal Healing
attitudinal healing: regulation or maintenance of physical, mental, and/or spiritual health by taking up proper mental attitudes or a ...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Yoga: New Age Spiritual Dictionary On Yoga
yoga (Sanskrit) "Yoke" 1. Union of self with the absolute or divine. 2. Methods or discipline employed to obtain such union...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Sweet Dreams Symbol: Christian Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Sweet
Sweet: Reflection and meditation in the Word of God; rest for the physical body; Christians in service unto God; the Old Testament Law...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Roof Dreams Symbol: Christian Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Roof
Roof: See also Upstairs and Attic: The mind; meditation; logic or natural; shield or covering of protection; heavenly revelation; pray...   » Read the article

Dictionary - Roof Dreams Symbol: Christian Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Roof
Roof: See also Upstairs and Attic: The mind; meditation; logic or natural; shield or covering of protection; heavenly revelation; pray...   » Read the article