Satya Narayana Vrata

The observance of the Satya Narayana Vrata does not cost much. You need only give a small gift to the pundit who comes to read the story and then distribute some prasad which also need not be very costly. Some wheat flour and sugar will make up the prasad. A little curd and some fruit are required. Even the poorest man can observe this Vrata.

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Satya Narayana Vrata: Hindu Rituals - Satya Narayana Vrata

Brahmacharya is very very essential Even in dreams you must be free from lustful thoughts. It requires long practice and careful watch over the mind and Indriyas. Foolish people hastily jump up to the higher courses in Yoga in vain without having this important item which is very useful for spiritual Sadhana.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Yoga: Hints On Yoga

Karma means not only action, but also the result of an action. The consequence of an action is really not a separate thing. It is a part of the action, and cannot be divided from it. Breathing, thinking, talking, seeing, hearing, eating, etc., are Karmas. Thinking is mental Karma. Karma is the sum total of our acts both in the present life and in the preceding births.

Any deed, any thought that causes an effect, is called a Karma. The Law of Karma means the law of causation. Wherever there is a cause, there an effect must be produced. A seed is a cause for the tree which is the effect. The tree produces seeds and becomes the cause for the seeds.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda

Read more here: » Karma: The Law Of Karma

Many studies have reported the beneficial effect of the practice of yoga on diabetes. Some studies have mentioned up to 65 percent beneficial effect of yogic therapy for diabetes. K.N. Udupa has even mentioned 5 cases of juvenile diabetes who were completely controlled by yogic treatment. All of these studies have emphasized the possible mechanism of the yogic practices.

Read more here: » Yoga and Diabetes: The effects of exercise and yoga on Diabetes - A Clinical Research (Part II of II)

Karma Yoga Lesson VIII

The danger in Vedic ritual; Thought is beyond time; It is a sacrifice of the Mind of God; Thought the builder; The universe, of thought, of the dead that are living; Brief description of death and after; The need of interchange of intercourse with the plane of the dead.

Read more here: » Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga - Lesson VIII (of XI )

The New Age movement is hardly novel! Its philosophy is rooted in ancient traditions, often based on mystical experiences, each within a different context.

Part II of II, written by Michael Rogge

Read more here: » The roots of the New Age Movement Ð Part II

ATHWART:  Also overwart, the act of ploughing east-west and then tilling the ringes or rows (usually barley, corn or wheat) north-south to assure the rows would be warmed on both sides by the Sun.

(See also: ATHWART , Witch, Witchcraft, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

HOMUNCULUS

A "little man" (less than a foot high) artificially created. The magician's sperm, along with other materials such as bones and fur, is placed in a vessel and buried in a heap of mare dung for forty days. At the end of this period the vessel is removed, opened and fed more blood. It is then replaced for an additional 40 days, with the heat from the decomposing dung providing the heat to begin spontaneous generation. This should produce an embryo. In Crowley's version of the Hermit, the wheat germ is a symbol of the homunculus seed. The medieval homunculus obsession finds its counterpart in modern man's attempt to create artificial intelligence and robots.

Throughout history, moreover, there has been a constant search for the "perfect image". This led to all the schools of painting and sculpture. With the invention of photography in the 19th Century, the quest took a new turn and the image became more and more subjective with cubism, futurism, abstract art, etc. With the cinema the image not only assumed exactness but also acquired motion and sound. The image, now perfected at last, turned to cartoons and animated film in which the perfected image could not be extended into the fantastic and bizarre. Attempts to create "realistic" cartoons and animations is a mistake because that interferes with the creative and experimental character of the image.

We should recognize that virtual reality has, in the last few years, produced homunculus-like images of more certain creation. Cloning plus genetic re-scripting could in actuality create a homunculus of exactly the sort that medieval alchemy struggled to produce.

(See also: HOMUNCULUS , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

The most well-known mystery in Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is said that three men died on crosses in occupied Palestine sometime during the fourth decade of the Christian era. The carrying out of a death sentence in this manner was a relatively routine matter. In this case, all three were convicted as disturbers of the Roman peace.

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

Read more here: » Life and Death: Central Mystery of Christian Faith

Khem (Egyptian) A deity presiding over the districts of Herui and Khem in Upper Egypt; being an aspect of Horus the Younger (Heru-merti). He is especially connected with the fish in the city of Sekhem in the Underworld:

"Se-khen is the residence or loka of the god Khem (Horus-Osiris, or Father and Son), hence the 'Devachan' of Atma-Buddhi.

". . . Khem is Horus avenging the death of his father Osiris, hence punishing the Sins of man when he becomes a disembodied Soul. Thus the defunct 'Osirified' became the god Khem, who 'gleans the field of Aanroo,' i.e., he gleans either his reward or punishment, as that field is the celestial locality (Devachan) where the defunct is given wheat, the food of divine justice" (SD 1:220-21).

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

Njord (Icelandic) A Norse deity, corresponding to Saturn of other mythologies and to Cronos (time). Njord is the father of Frey (the earth god), and Freyja (goddess of Venus, patroness of earth's humanities); he is the patron of commerce and traffic, of agriculture and fishery. His home (globe) is named Noatun (ships' harbor).

Of Njord is told a legend like that of Moses: as an infant he was set adrift on a sheaf of wheat and surrounded with his father's weapons; under the name Sceaf he landed on the earth and became the instructor of humanity in the skills of agriculture and the arts.

(See also: Njord , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

After having won the Mahabharata war, King Yuddhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, performed the Ashvamedha Yagna in which he gave away his riches to the deserving.

Just then a half-golden mongoose sneaked in and began rolling all over the ground. It then looked at its fur and seemed disappointed. The mongoose said sadly, "Ah! This is no sacrifice."

(See also: Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Love and Happiness: Selfless Service And Sacrifice

Resurrection is rising again from the dead. Resurrection, judgement by God, reward or punishment are the three important tenets of Mohammedanism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism.
The Jews, who lent this doctrine to the Christians and Mohammedans, themselves borrowed it from the Persians.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. This is an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Resurrection And Judgement: Resurrection

Grain. See WHEAT; CORN

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

Whip of Osiris The nehbet (scepter), represented as a flail; one of the three instruments of power held by Osiris in the Egyptian representations of the god of judgment over the dead. These texts address the deity as having the fan in his hand "and who purges the Amenti of sinful hearts as a winnower sweeps his floor of the fallen grains and locks the good wheat into his garner."

In the Gospels John the Baptist speaks of him who shall come after him: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt 3:12).

(See also: Whip of Osiris , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Virgo: The Modifier

Key Phrase: I ANALYZE

Virgo’s expression is practical, neat, and precise, with a high degree of analytical ability. The Mutable Earth sign of the zodiac, Virgo prefers an approach to life which makes sense, and can be uncomfortable in the face of frivolity. Ruled by Mercury, Virgo’s mental energy tends toward problem-solving. This is the quality of methodical, painstaking attention to detail, which when carried to extremes can become overly critical, nit-picking, and tedious. But without Virgo qualities we would have no precision tools, and find ourselves trudging through a wasteland of disorganized ideas! Symbolized by the Virgin with Sheaves of Wheat, Virgo represents the harvest, and the importance of applied knowledge and effort. Virgo’s worst form arises in self-deprecating insecurity and general (although sometimes pointed) intolerance. Where you see Virgo in the chart, there is a need for perfection and efficiency.

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

CORN DOLLY - a figure, often human shaped, created by plaiting wheat or other grains. It represents, the fertility of the Earth & the Goddess in Early European Agricultural rituals & is used in Wiccan Corn Dollies aren't made from cobs or husks, corn originally referred to any grain other than maize.

(See also: CORN DOLLY , Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Corn. See GRAIN; WHEAT

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

Corn Dolly

A figure, often human shaped, made by plaiting wheat, flowers or corn stalks, similar to a poppet. It is symbolic of the fertility, grain, and harvest aspects of the Goddess.

(See also: Corn Dolly , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Cereals. See GRAIN; WHEAT

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

Whip of Osiris. The scourge which symbolises Osiris as the "judge of the dead ". It is called the nekhekh, in the papyri, or the flagellum. Dr. Pritchard sees in it a fan or van, the winnowing instrument. Osiris, "whose fan is in his hand and who purges the Amenti of sinful hearts as a winnower sweeps his floor of the fallen grains and locks the good wheat into his garner ". (Compare Matthew, 12.)

(See also: Whip of Osiris , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)