The word ' Yog ’ is derived from the verb yuj which means to yoke, to join, to connect. The end of life is to yoke oneself to the holy spirit i.e., the Paramchaitanya. Hindu scriptures enlighten us on the various ways or margas of doing so. The union with the holy spirit is possible through Gyan Yog, Karma Yog, Bhakti Marg, Mantra Yog, Raj Yog, Sanyas Marg or Hath Yog.

The rishi-munis have particularly adopted the Gyan Yog which is possible only through Dhyan . For the householder, Karma Yog and Bhakti Marg are the most practical ways of attaining moksha. Ascetics have developed the knowledge of mantra-tantra . Hath Yogis have evolved various Aasanas, postures and occult practices for awakening the Kundalini. Shri Aadishakti Shri Mataji Nirmaladevi has advocated the Sahaj Yog for householders to attain the Parmachaitanya through the raising of the Kundalini.

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

Read more here: » Sahaj Yog: Raising Kundalini With Sahaj Yog  

Death perhaps is the only certainty in this world. Yet, the fear of death stalks most people. Literature � western and Indian � regards the fear of death as an intriguing and ubiquitous part of human life. We know we are mortals, yet we are afraid of the inevitable. We know we will die one day; yet we continue to behave as though we believe we are going to live forever. However, for people of knowledge, for the wise, death is the door to liberation, the passage to moksha.

Read more here: » Spiritual Inspiration: Moksha - Break Free from Fear of Death

Men pass, mountains remain. Little wonder, why mountains are a sign of solidity and stability. They tower over us, touching the sky, sometimes through clouds ... they convey a sense of mystery.

In fact, philosophers say that the mountain is the point where heaven and earth meet. Mountains, therefore, are considered holy in many faiths. They are believed to be the abode of gods, even a place where one can find salvation.

Christian literature reveals the symbolic role of mountains. In the Old Testament, God was depicted as God of the mountains. But God was also a God of the valleys.

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

Read more here: » Peace of Mind: Mountains - Source of Divine Inspiration

The world over, women continue to suffer community-sponsored injustice, whether they live in a secular or non-secular country. We can know how progressive a community is, by the way it treats its women.

Shocked at the condition of Indian women, Swami Vivekananda said that there was no reason to view women as being inferior to men or as obstacles to salvation - contrary to popular misconception, there is no scriptural sanction for oppressing women.

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

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Shanti Alone Can Help Save Shakti

Mahavira, a great prophet and teacher, systematised the Jain doctrines and embodied them in a comprehensive constitution of the faith. He built the edifice of Jainism by renovation, modification and extension. Most of all, he infused new life and vitality into Arhata tradition.

In his own time, he was referred to in Buddhist literature as "Niggantha Naatputte "and his teachings were described as "Nirgrantha Dharma ", a way of life that found its truth in the universe and not in a single scripture.

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

Read more here: » Mahavira: Non-Violent Search For Supreme Truth

Kabbala: Mystical Dimension Of Jewish Thought

The word Kabbala originally meant �reception' and related to the oral Jewish tradition handed down by Rabbis from generation to generation. The mainspring of the Kabbala is a deep rooted belief in a perpetual inter-relationship between God as the infinite power and man in the physical world as we know it.

Man can get close to God by subduing his own negative inclinations and bring about spiritual regeneration of mankind, through prayers, meditation and interpretation of the divine mysteries hidden in the Torah. Kabbalists emphasise the importance of mystical formulas in the recitation of prayers.

Read more here: » Kabbala: Mystical Dimension Of Jewish Thought

Practising yoga regularly imparts great benefits. Among them are improved concentration and clarity in mind. But in the more advanced stages of yoga practising comes benefits like mind and psychic control. When thoughts are experienced just as thoughts, not as reality itself, then the path to freedom which yoga promises begins to unfold naturally. And that path is as sweet as a perfectly ripe mango.

Read more here: » Yoga: Special Spiritual Benefits of Yoga

Sri Madhvacharya, the 13th century dvaita philosopher, is believed to have his divine origin from Mukhyaprana or Vayu, who had in earlier yugas been born as Hanuman, the attendant of Lord Rama and Bhimasena, celebrated in the Mahabharata as the mightiest man, the destroyer of asuras born as kings.

Sri Madhva was a dualist who believed in the verity of God, jeeva and matter existing eternally as distinct entities. His philosophy is a realistic and theistic philosophy. He advocated an active life emphasising duty, devotion and dedication.

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

Read more here: » Sri Madhvacharya: Madhva Siddhant - Bhakti and Gnana  

Hinduism and Marriage

According to Hinduism, a marriage between two persons is a sacred relationship that is not limited to this life alone. It extends across seven or more lives, during which the couple help each other progress spiritually. The adage that marriages are made in heaven is very much true in case of Hinduism. Two souls come together and marry because their karmas are intertwined and they have to resolve many things together upon earth in order to ensure their mutual salvation. 

Read more here: » Hinduism and Marriage: Marriages in Hinduism

 Would it surprise you to hear that there are many people who would prefer NOT to believe in an afterlife? For many, the prospect of what they may face after death can be quite horrifying. "When you're dead, you're dead" is a way of looking at life grounded totally in the physical world and its body, but for many, this concept of life and death offers great comfort. This is because believing this way allows the individual to do whatever he or she wishes to whomever he or she wishes without having to worry about "paying the price" at some later time, in some other realm of life.

Read more here: » Spirit World: Heaven and Hell - Places or States of Mind?

Prayer is common to all religions. Love for God is universal, the mode or method of prayer could be different since everyone is free to pray to the divine power in their own way. Prayer should be acceptable to all, simple and easy to adopt in daily life. Generally, people follow the path of prayer practised in the family. The Gayatri Mantra and any other prayer should be recited with sincerity and for the love of God. Only then its true benefit can be derived.

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

Read more here: » Gayatri Mantra: Gayatri - Mother Of All Mantras

Moksha

If dharma guides the life of a human being from below acting as the earth, showing him the way from above like a star studded mysterious sky is moksha. Dharma constitutes the legs of a Purusha that walk upon the earth; both artha and kama constitute his two limbs active in the middle region; while moksha constitutes the head that rests in the heaven. 

Read more here: » Moksha: Hinduism Moksha

Followers of Advaita philosophy say that the soul and the Divine are one. But, when a soul takes birth encased in a physical body, its new physical identity after birth and the process of socialisation overtake and even obliterate the memory of its connection with the Divine.

As the external identity strengthens with a first name, family name, religion, caste, and the "mine and thine" tendency, the ego strengthens and the world and everything in it begin to appear real.

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

Read more here: » Life and Death: Don't Rock Your Boat On the Sea of Life

Many questions arise concerning the role of suffering. These questions include: How is there suffering in a world created by a good God who cares for and loves His creation? For the Christian the quintessential question is why does God’s plan include the suffering and death of His own Son? Paul sees the death of Christ not only as a propitiatory or vicarious sacrifice, but as a colossal cosmic occurrence.

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

Read more here: » Suffering: Redemptive Power of Suffering  

Karma or "Karm"(Sanskrit: कर्म from the root kri, "to do", meaning deed) or Kamma (Pali: meaning action, effect, destiny) is a term in several eastern religions that comprises the entire cycle of cause and effect. Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively create present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present ...

Including:

• Karma - Karma in the Dharma-based religions
• Karma - Hinduism
• Karma - Buddhism
• Karma - Analogs of Karma - God the judge
• Karma - Western interpretation
• Karma - New Age and Theosophy
• Karma - Psychology

Read more here: » Karma: Encyclopedia - Karma

Psychic and intuitive perception (what most people refer to as their �gut feeling�) is god given and natural to us when we are born. But what happens to these abilities as humans grow and develop? Children are generally taught to use them only in their most basic form and psychic abilities are often seen as superstition, imagination and other worldly experiences. How can we as parents support our children in awakening these innate abilities?

Read more here: » Spiritual Parenting: Childrens Psychic Abilities and Sense Perception

Baptism - Non-christian religions. Although baptism as a rite, is Christian, many cultures practice or have practiced rites similar to baptism, including the ancient Egyptian, the Hebraic/Jewish, the Babylonian, the Mayan and the Japanese cultures. In some, such evidence may be archaeological and descriptive in nature, rather than a modern practice. Mandaeans, who abhor Jesus and Moses as false prophets, revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism. The Sikh baptis ...

See also:

Baptism, Baptism - Background in Jewish ritual, Baptism - Explanation, Baptism - Ecumenical statement, Baptism - Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Lutheran Anglican and Methodist baptism, Baptism - Baptism and salvation, Baptism - Conditions of the validity of a baptism, Baptism - Baptism by other denominations, Baptism - Who may administer a baptism, Baptism - Baptist and other Protestant baptism, Baptism - Reformed and Covenant Theology view, Baptism - Latter Day Saint baptism, Baptism - Baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Baptism - Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptism - Baptism in Churches of Christ, Baptism - Other baptisms, Baptism - Non-christian religions, Baptism - Non-religious baptism, Baptism - Related articles and subjects, Baptism - People and ritual objects, Baptism - Resources

Read more here: » Baptism: Encyclopedia II - Baptism - Other baptisms

What is so special about Kriya yoga? It expands your consciousness; it enables you to move up from the ridiculous to the sublime - from say, matters of state, politics and (Cauvery) disputes to a deeper understanding of nature of the Self.

I got this divine intuition some days ago which prompted me to travel to Babaji's cave in Uttaranchal - he used to meditate there. I've been initiated into practising Kriya yoga through divine dispensation. I'd been through hardly a year's basic training before my intuition took me to Babaji's cave...

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

Read more here: » Kriya yoga: From The Ridiculous To the Sublime  

Crime and Punishment - Salvation through suffering. Crime and Punishment illustrates the theme of attaining salvation through suffering, a common feature in Dostoevsky's work. This is the (mainly Christian) notion that the act of suffering has a purifying effect on the human spirit allowing for salvation in God. A character who embodies this theme is Sonya, who maintains enough faith to guide and support Raskolnikov despite her own immense suffering. While it may seem grim, it is a relatively optimistic no ...

See also:

Crime and Punishment, Crime and Punishment - Plot, Crime and Punishment - Analysis, Crime and Punishment - Themes, Crime and Punishment - Salvation through suffering, Crime and Punishment - Christian existentialism, Crime and Punishment - Characters, Crime and Punishment - Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, Crime and Punishment - Sofya Semyonovna Marmeladova, Crime and Punishment - Other characters, Crime and Punishment - Structure, Crime and Punishment - Movie versions

Read more here: » Crime and Punishment: Encyclopedia II - Crime and Punishment - Themes

The theology underlying and surrounding infant baptism is complex because it differs between denominations. The general consensus is that baptism is the New Testament form of circumcision. All male converts to Judaism and male infants born to Jewish parents were circumcised as rite of initiation into the Jewish community (Genesis 17:10-11). Pedobaptists contend that baptism has replaced circumcision and is the rite of initiation into the Christian community. Beyond this, very little is agreed on the subject among Christian denominations. Infant bapti ...

See also:

Infant baptism, Infant baptism - The Baptismal Ceremony, Infant baptism - History, Infant baptism - Theology, Infant baptism - Differences among pedobaptists, Infant baptism - Pedobaptism versus Credobaptism, Infant baptism - Arguments for infant baptism, Infant baptism - Arguments against Infant Baptism, Infant baptism - Infant baptism and confirmation, Infant baptism - Denominations and Religious Groups opposed to pedobaptism

Read more here: » Infant baptism: Encyclopedia II - Infant baptism - Theology

Huguenot predecessors included the pro-reform and Gallican Roman Catholics, like Jacques Lefevre. Later, Huguenots followed the Lutheran movement, and finally, Calvinism. They shared John Calvin's fierce reformation beliefs which decried the priesthood, sacraments and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. They believed in salvation as an act of God as much as in creation as an act of God, and thus that only God's predestined mercy toward the elect made them fit for salvation. Some see this dual emphasis on creation and on salvation, and God's sovereignty over both, as a cornerstone principle for Huguenot developments in ar ...

See also:

Huguenot, Huguenot - Origin of the name, Huguenot - Religious beliefs, Huguenot - Wars of Religion, Huguenot - Flight, Huguenot - External link

Read more here: » Huguenot: Encyclopedia II - Huguenot - Religious beliefs

Sermons are usually, but not always, delivered in a house of worship, most of which have a pulpit or ambo, an elevated architectural feature from which sermons are given. Sermons are occasionally known as homilies, especially in the Roman Catholic Church and similar traditions. The word "sermon" comes from a Middle English word which was derived from an Old French term, which in turn came from the Latin word sermō; ("discourse"). (Actually, it meant "conversation", and early sermons were delivered in the form of question and a ...

See also:

Sermon, Sermon - The delivery of sermons, Sermon - Famous preachers of sermons, Sermon - The sermon takes center stage in Protestantism, Sermon - Notable preachers of sermons, Sermon - Types of sermons, Sermon - Delivery methods, Sermon - Sermons and sexual psychology

Read more here: » Sermon: Encyclopedia II - Sermon - The delivery of sermons