Easy Yoga Positions Dictionary

Hatha Yoga (Sanskrit) A lower form of yoga practice which uses physical means for purposes of self-development, teaching that it is possible to attain to a certain grade of psychomental abstraction and to develop some of the lower vital-astral powers, by means of a set of physical exercises and postures, by the regulation of the breath, or by certain other psychophysical methods. These methods are to be neither recommended nor followed, for they are exceedingly dangerous except when practiced in minor degree under the supervision of a teacher, and above everything else in full coordination with the higher forms of yoga.

Hatha yoga practices can be exceedingly dangerous to sanity and health. Being of nonphysical nature on one side, they can adversely affect the mind, and in extreme cases even dislodge the mind from its normal and proper seat, producing insanity. Being of a physical nature also, they interfere with the proper pranic circulations in the body; the pranas when left alone are usually productive of health, and when disturbed by attempted meddling produce disease.

One phase of hatha yoga is the pranayama (suppression of the breath), interference with the normal and healthy respiration of the body; a practice which can readily produce tuberculosis of the lungs. It is breathing deeply, healthfully, and as often as common sense suggests, that brings benefits to the body because bringing about a better oxygenation of the blood and therefore a better physical tone. In very rare circumstances only, where a chela has advanced relatively far mentally and spiritually, but has still an unfortunate and heavy physical karma as yet not worked out, it may possibly be proper, under the guidance of a genuine teacher, to use the hatha yoga methods in a limited degree, but only under the teacher's own eye. For this reason hatha yoga books are occasionally mentioned in theosophical literature -- the Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, for example, is a hatha yoga scripture, but one of the highest type. But generally, hatha yoga practices are injurious and therefore unwise, for they distract the attention from things of the spirit and direct it to the lower parts of the constitution.

Unfortunately, however, physical practices of various kinds seem to be particularly attractive to the average person because apparently within the sphere of easy performance. One does not know the dangers lurking there; but actually, to achieve even the minor results that come from perfect performance, greater effort and larger difficulties have to be encountered than in raising one's eyes to the nobler forms of yoga. It is always safe and indeed requisite for a disciple to practice the higher branches of yoga: jnana yoga, raja yoga, bhakti yoga, and karma yoga, which means the yoga of unselfish action in daily life. Consequently, when considered apart from the nobler forms of yoga there is not a particle of spirituality in all these hatha yoga practices.

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

MYOPRACTIC MUSCLE THERAPY

Robert Petteway developed the Myopractic system after 30 years in the healing arts. His experience in structural integration, biomechanics, acupuncture, Oriental medicine, and a wide variety of muscle therapies contribute to the system. He worked with physicians, surgeons, and chiropractors for more than 20 years to develop this therapeutic model.

Myopractic muscle therapy combines three basic techniques: compression stretching, which achieves deep relaxation and relieves tension, spasms, and holding patterns; clearing methods, which use the myopractic covered thumb and framing techniques to clean obstructions from soft tissue (e.g., trigger points, scar tissue, muscle bundles, and old bruise); and separating techniques to release myofascial adhesions, separate fascial planes, and rebalance muscles.

Myopractic muscle therapy integrates its own unique style of energetic work, Swedish, sports, trigger point, myofascial, and even structural integration techniques into one easy-to-learn system.

Myopractic teaches user-friendly, pain-free therapy for both client and practitioner. This is accomplished using the therapist’s body weight and leverage, rather than relying on size and strength. Myopractic posture balancing evaluation identifies the source of chronic pain misalignments in the body’s structure and realigns them.

Myopractic treatments focus especially on misalignments in the lower body, particularly in the feet, ankles, and the hips. Addressing lower-body misalignments often relieves tension injuries in the upper body. Myopractic espouses a therapist can clear their clients only to the degree they themselves are clear. Therefore the seminars focus on clearing the therapist, as well as learning new techniques.

(See also: MYOPRACTIC MUSCLE THERAPY , Alternative Health, Massage, Bodywork, Body Mind and Soul)

Levitation (from Latin levis light in weight)

The act of rising in the air at will or unconsciously, in opposition to gravitation. However, theosophy does not view gravitation in the Newtonian sense, but sees in it magnetic attraction and repulsion.

 Levitation is due to a change in the polarity of a body becoming identical with the polarity of the earth on which the body rests, which then repels the body or ceases to attract it. The height attained being dependent upon the strength or potentiality of the electric polar energy resident in the rising body. It is possible, and indeed easy, for the adept to change the polarity of his body at will.

In ancient Greece levitation was called aithrobates (from which aethrobacy), meaning the art of walking in the ether or air.

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

ALCHEMY

Chemistry is the child of the Alchemists. It's the legacy of "the puffers," those charlatan imitators who tried to fake the production of real gold. Alchemy was called "the Hermetic Science" because it supposedly began with Hermes (or Thoth). Paracelsus saw it chiefly as a means of producing medicine. The classical goals of Alchemy, however, have been to transmute lower metals into gold, to prolong life via an elixir, to search for the Mysterium Magnum, to create a homunculus and to find a universal solvent. This was to be accomplished via the manufacture or discovery of the Lapis Philosophorum, The Sophic Hydrolith, "Our Mercury" or "Philosopher's Stone." Other names for the "Stone" (achieved through the hieros gamos "marriage" of opposites) are: Virgin's Milk, Cock's Egg, Dry Water and similar contradictions. Generally, a cryptic vocabulary is used to disguise psychological and materialistic parallels, e.g. "red lion", "nigredo", etc. There are supposedly seven stages of the alchemical Great Work, which are symbolical as well as chemical/metallurgical steps: Calcination, Putrefaction, Solution, Distillation, Conjunction, Sublimation and Philosophic Congelation. There are also minor, intermediary steps, such as Coloratio, Corrosio, Ceratio, Extractio, Separatio etc.

We should bear in mind, however, that true alchemists consider the Great Work to be not merely aureofaction or the transmogrification of matter, but rather, as Alice Bailey points out "to transfer consciousness to one of the higher vehicles..." In other words, the integrity of the inner transformation is more important than any flashy theatrical results.

According to some theories alchemy is the raising of vibrations. The vegetable kingdom resonates at the lowest level. In between vibrates the animal kingdom. It is for this reason that the extraction of plant essence is easy, while the extraction of mineral essence is extremely difficult. This is also why man, situated midway between the two kingdoms, can, by simultaneously distilling his own essence, assist the mineral.

From a psychological standpoint, any work, on the most general level, is the process of separating the important from the non-essential and the decision as to whether to continue further to distill that residue to any degree of perfection and finally the determination of when the whole is of a piece and completely finished. This process can apply to a work of art, to self-analysis, to the quest for the elixir of life or even, for that matter, to metallurgy - because (according to the Emerald Tablet) all things are one.

It is no accident or coincidence, for instance, that there is a correlation between the atomic numbers of modern physics and the ancient progression of metals in their metamorphosis into gold:

                Lead          82

                Thallium      81

                Mercury       80

                Gold          79

                Platinum      78

The most important alchemical instruction is "Solve et Coagula", but an even more specific hint is "Flee contraction, seek dispersion."

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

A Theosophical definition of Pitri (Pitris) :

Pitri (Pitris)

(Sanskrit) A word meaning "father." There are seven (or ten) classes of pitris. They are called "fathers" because they are more particularly the actual progenitors of our lower principles; whereas the dhyani-chohans are actually, in one most important sense, our own selves. We were born from them; we were the monads, we were the atoms, the souls, projected, sent forth, emanated, by the dhyanis.

The pitris, for easy understanding, may be divided into two great groups, the solar and lunar. The lunar pitris or barhishads, as the name implies, came from the moon-chain; while the solar pitris whom we may group under the expressive name agnishvatta-pitris are those dhyan-chohans which have not the physical "creative fire," because they belong to a much superior sphere of being, but they have all the fires of the spiritual-intellectual realms active or latent within them as the case may be. In preceding manvantaras they had finished their evolution so far as the realms of astral and physical matter were concerned, and when the proper time came in the cycling ages, the agnishvatta-pitris came to the rescue of those who had only the physical creative fire, or barhishad-pitris, the lunar pitris, inspiring and enlightening these lower pitris with the spiritual and intellectual energies or "fires."

In other words, the lunar pitris may briefly be said to be those consciousness-centers in the human constitution which feel humanly, which feel instinctually, and which possess the brain-mind mentality. The agnishvatta-pitris are those monadic centers of the human constitution which are of a purely spiritual type. (See also Agnishvatas, Lunar Pitris)

See also: Pitri (Pitris) , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Brazen Serpent As related in the Bible, when the Jews in the wilderness complained to Moses, "the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died" (Num 21:6); wherefore "Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent has bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived" (21:9).

As the Hebrew words for serpent and brass are the same when the Massoretic points are omitted (N H SH), some have sought for an interpretation by referring to the Evil One, called by the later Jews and Qabbalaistic Christians the Deprived (Nahash), but the fiery serpents "were the Seraphim, each one of which, as Isaiah shows (vi. 2), 'had six wings'; they are the symbols of Jehovah, and of all the other Demiurgi who produce out of themselves six sons or likenesses -- Seven with their Creator. Thus, the Brazen Serpent is Jehovah, the chief of the 'fiery serpents' " (SD 2:387n).

Again, "both the heathen wand and the Jewish 'serpent' are one and the same, namely, the Caduceus of Mercury, son of Apollo-python. It is easy to comprehend why the Jews adopted the ophidian shape for their 'seducer.' With them it was purely physiological and phallic" (SD 2:208).

Just as the serpent is connected with knowledge, wisdom, and magic, whether of the right- or left-hand path, so likewise has copper or brass since immemorial time in all mystic schools been a metallic compound supposed to be under the particular governance of the planet Venus, which is the ruler or controller of the human higher manas -- manas being at once the savior as well as the tempter of mankind, for it is in the mind where temptation and sin or evildoing ultimately arise.

See also SERPENT.

(See also: Brazen Serpent , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

In the mid-nineteenth century, a man was born into the “Tradition of Masters” in India, and who later became a guiding light in the proliferation of knowledge of the cosmos. He was affectionately known as Guru Dev, and according to this tradition, after he had attained illumination, he was Master to a number of disciples, amongst whom was His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

In 1958 Maharishi was directed by Guru Dev to teach Transcendental Meditation in the West, and so began a marvelous odyssey of one man to help bring peace to the world through this remarkable, formal technique of deep meditation. It is now believed that more than eight million people have learned this technique all over the world, and which has been rigorously subjected to more than five hundred research studies also all over the world, and by some of the world’s most prestigious medical establishments. And so has Transcendental Meditation been supported with all this scientific research, to show that a simple, easy, natural, and effortless mental technique can produce such remarkable physiological, mental and emotional responses.

By practicing Transcendental Meditation twice daily for twenty minutes each time, you can expect to feel relaxed, calm, energetic, dynamic, mentally alert, peaceful, efficient, and a sense of well being. The list is endless, but suffice it to say that this technique is one of the most powerful means we have to eliminate stress easily, naturally and effectively.

(See also: TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Adventurer

• To dream that you are victimized by an adventurer, proves that you will be an easy prey for flatterers and designing villains. You will be unfortunate in manipulating your affairs to a smooth consistency.
• For a young woman to think she is an adventuress, portends that she will be too wrapped up in her own conduct to see that she is being flattered into exchanging her favors for disgrace.

Source: 10 000 Dream Interpretations, by Gustavus Hindman Miller

(See also: Dream Archives, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Dream Dictionary - Adventurer , Dreams - Meaning of Dream about Adventurer , Dream Interpretation Adventurer )

Practising yoga regularly imparts great benefits, which can be categorized under:

Basic spiritual benefits, Advanced spiritual benefits , Ultimate spiritual benefit, Discover your breath and Free your thoughts.

Read more here: » Yoga: Spiritual Benefits of Yoga

People : Dream Interpretation Dictionary - People represent aspects of Self

People represent aspects of Self.

An aspect is a particular way of thinking and expressing. An easy way to recognize aspects of Self is to acknowledge the roles the thinker plays in life- the devoted spouse, loving parent, reliable employee, the good friend. Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage, and we are merely the players." Aspects reflect characteristics of the dreamer- the comic, the shy one, the ambitious one, the generous one. Whatever quality the dreamer attaches to that person is the quality of Self being addressed in the dream message.

Source: The Dreamer's Dictionary

(See also: Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation People , Dream Dictionary People )

LANGUAGE

Maurice Nicoll in Living Time says: "We communicate badly, partly because we never notice how we are doing it, and partly because it is an extremely difficult matter to communicate anything save the simplest observations, without the danger of our signals being misinterpreted. Also, as often as not, we do not exactly know what it is we are trying to communicate. Finally, nearly everything of importance cannot be expressed."

Since this is so, doesn't it stand to reason that we should devote a good deal more time to language than we do? And since the more tongues we learn the better we understand our own, shouldn't learning other languages have a high priority? Part of the teaching we should impart to our chelas is never to stop struggling with language, recognizing that it must always be welcomed as a challenge. In every M/magic(k)al community - whether in a sophisticated modern city or in the midst of a Stone Age tribe, the magician is always the one who knows the longest words and can use them. What is a "spell", after all? What is gematria, but an attempt to dissect words and rebuild them? A "grimoire" was originally a "grammar." "Vedanta" is actually the "grammar" of the Sanskrit Vedas! As we begin to understand more about the Past and the necessity to turn back to it, we see that language looms larger and larger in human consciousness. The ancients understood what we have forgotten - birds fly and lions predate, but language is what man does. It is language that lies behind everything we make, which is why the word "poet" derives from a Greek word meaning "one who makes," the most important thing being, for the Greeks, to make words and which is why in the bible it is said, "In the beginning was the word." Words, like all things that are made, come out of the Void, magically. And words come before the thing! A spider may weave a web but it is always the same web built on the same blueprint resident in her instincts, no different from the eggs she lays instinctively. Compare that to the variety of human works! By the same token, the man who has no language is not just a spider that can't weave webs. He is a frog that can't leap, a seal that can't swim, a deer that can't run.

The reason Latin, Greek and Sanskrit are hard to learn is that they are ancient tongues and our linguistically-diminished consciousness is no longer able to deal with convolutions of thought and esoteric syntax. Nevertheless, it's still true that if you really want to understand Plato or the author of Genesis you must learn Ancient Greek and Hebrew. There was a time when English also used conjugations and declensions as highly structured as Latin. Today we can barely translate Shakespeare. The progress of language always mirrors the deterioration of the human spirit and moves downward from difficult to easy. And in return, as language decays it brings civilization down with it. Already it's virtually impossible for all but a handful of scholars in the world even to attempt to master anything bizarre, like Babylonian cuneiform or Mayan hieroglyphs - although a century ago, when all well-educated people knew Latin and Greek, such studies, had the material been available, would have been relatively common. If the day ever comes that we should actually encounter an extraterrestrial civilization, we will discover to our dismay that our technology is useless. Because we have lost our sense of language, to attempt to learn what they are saying may be completely beyond our capacity. We've traded communication for the ease of machines.

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

Gymnosophists (Ancient Greek) The name given by Hellenic writers to a class of naked or "air-clad" mendicants; ascetics in India, extremely learned and endowed with great mystic powers. It is easy to recognise in these gymnosophists the Hindu Aranyaka of old, the learned yogis and ascetic- philosophers who retired to the jungle and forest, there to reach, through great austerities, superhuman knowledge and experience.

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

The Trager® Approach

is a subtle, rhythmic, non-invasive neuro-muscular integration, developed by Milton Trager, MD. A practitioner guides the client in gentle movement facilitating effortlessness. These repetitive, non-intrusive motions tap into the body/mind's memory of feeling easy and pain free. The movement can be done while the client is fully clothed and standing, sitting, or lying on a table.

(See also: Trager Approach , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Dogs, Vicious Dog, Vicious Dogs, Blood-Hound, Small Dogs, Small Dog, Biting Dog, Being bited by a dog, Pet Dogs, Fear of Dogs, Fearing a Dog, Snarling Dog, Dogs and Cats, Friendly Dog, Many Headed Dog, Mad Dog, Dogs Swimming, Swimming Dog, Dog Kills a Cat, Dog kills a Snake, Baying of a Dog, Lonely Dog

• To dream of a vicious dog, denotes enemies and unalterable misfortune. To dream that a dog fondles you, indicates great gain and constant friends.
• To dream of owning a dog with fine qualities, denotes that you will be possessed of solid wealth.
• To dream that a blood-hound is tracking you, you are likely to fall into some temptation, in which there is much danger of your downfall.
• To dream of small dogs, indicates that your thoughts and chief pleasures are of a frivolous order.
• To dream of dogs biting you, foretells for you a quarrelsome companion either in marriage or business.
• Lean, filthy dogs, indicate failure in business, also sickness among children.
• To dream of a dog-show, is indicative of many and varied favors from fortune.
• To hear the barking of dogs, foretells news of a depressing nature. Difficulties are more than likely to follow. To see dogs on the chase of foxes, and other large game, denotes an unusual briskness in all affairs.
• To see fancy pet dogs, signifies a love of show, and that the owner is selfish and narrow. For a young woman, this dream foretells a fop for a sweetheart.
• To feel much fright upon seeing a large mastiff, denotes that you will experience inconvenience because of efforts to rise above mediocrity. If a woman dreams this, she will marry a wise and humane man.
• To hear the growling and snarling of dogs, indicates that you are at the mercy of designing people, and you will be afflicted with unpleasant home surroundings.
• To hear the lonely baying of a dog, foretells a death or a long separation from friends.
• To hear dogs growling and fighting, portends that you will be overcome by your enemies, and your life will be filled with depression.
• To see dogs and cats seemingly on friendly terms, and suddenly turning on each other, showing their teeth and a general fight ensuing, you will meet with disaster in love and worldly pursuits, unless you succeed in quelling the row.
• If you dream of a friendly white dog approaching you, it portends for you a victorious engagement whether in business or love. For a woman, this is an omen of an early marriage.
• To dream of a many-headed dog, you are trying to maintain too many branches of business at one time. Success always comes with concentration of energies. A man who wishes to succeed in anything should be warned by this dream.
• To dream of a mad dog, your most strenuous efforts will not bring desired results, and fatal disease may be clutching at your vitals. If a mad dog succeeds in biting you, it is a sign that you or some loved one is on the verge of insanity, and a deplorable tragedy may occur.
• To dream of traveling alone, with a dog following you, foretells stanch friends and successful undertakings.
• To dream of dogs swimming, indicates for you an easy stretch to happiness and fortune.
• To dream that a dog kills a cat in your presence, is significant of profitable dealings and some unexpected pleasure.
• For a dog to kill a snake in your presence, is an omen of good luck

Source: 10 000 Dream Interpretations, by Gustavus Hindman Miller

(See also: Dream Archives, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Dream Dictionary - Dog , Dreams - Meaning of Dream about Dog , Dream Interpretation Dog )

LEGERDEMAIN

Sleight-of-hand. It is said of Mohammed that he put seed in his ears in order make it look as if the birds were whispering messages to him. True or not, for some reason, that weighs more heavily on the minds of some than the power of the Koran to affect the behavior of millions over a span of centuries. HPB was often caught out trying to create some magical effect to prove that she had mystical powers over the material world. (Since matter is the manifestation of spirit, what could be more reasonable?). On more than one occasion she was seen to attach strings to make letters and documents drop from above at critical moments. She constantly deplored the fact that she was trapped in a physical body (obese, crippled) that she could not control. Yet, through her role as amanuensis for the hidden masters of metaphysical wisdom, she managed to transcend the temporal, physical world, after all.

It seems to be a rule that the more advanced into magical understanding that the initiate proceeds, the more he is obliged to recognize his own physical limitations. Crowley, for all his miracles, never really overcame his addictions to morphine and cocaine. Gurdjieff was more successful in being able to control his body and to transfer energy and healing powers from himself to others because he abandoned the occult early on for "objective magic", his own brand of highly pragmatic community yoga. But to acquire even the slightest control over basic physiological functions takes several years of serious yogic practice. And to effect the most minor of changes in the nature of human society takes all of one's efforts over a long course of time.

The all too common notion that "magic" is a synonym for "easy" is deplorable. People seem to be impressed more by speed of accomplishment and minimization of human labor than by the things themselves. Rather than being awestruck by the beauty of the palace, we are impressed instead by the djinni's instantaneous teleportation of it. Magic in the 20th Century has become a minor attribute of technology. Jet flight, television and micro-wave cooking at the touch of a button - these are magic for the multitudes, the limits of hoi polloi imagination. Yet there is more wonder in a horse than in an automobile. A good meal that takes hours to prepare is a lot more "magical" than a fast-food sushi-burger.

A student of the Academy of M/magic(k)al Arts recently asked, "How can you tell when what appears to be magic is really a trick?" I suppose most people will always confuse prestidigitation with thaumaturgy. Although stage magic never has any but a trivial, useless result, "real magic" is a significant act that alters reality for the better. Never forget that we dwell in a world of illusion - what the East calls maya - indeed the roots of magic and maya (mag-, may-) are the same. Reality is nothing more than a consensus, an agreement of the crowd, that thus and thus is so. If your eyes were closed you'd be unable to tell the difference between a peacock feather tickling your nose and a fly lighting upon it. The true magus doesn't do "tricks" because the world itself is already a piece of legerdemain. Instead, he is bent on embuing the world with a new meaning, with transforming the basic foundation of the hell that we inhabit.

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

Meditation The attempt to raise the self-conscious mind to the level of its spiritual counterpart, to unite manas with a ray from buddhi. It is a positive attitude of mind, a state of consciousness rather than a system or a time period of intensive thinking.

It corresponds in its more perfect form to the ecstasy of Plotinus, which he defines as "the liberation of the mind from its finite consciousness, becoming one and identified with the Infinite."

It is silent prayer in one real sense, for the heart aspires upwards to become freed from all desire for personal benefit, and the mind frames no specific object, but both unite in the aspiration; not my will, but thine, be done. When engaged in at the outset of the day, or on retiring to sleep, it often takes the form of reflecting profoundly and impersonally on spiritual teachings, as well as self-examination, attuning of the mind and heart to calm and unselfish thought and feelings, as well as the endeavor to realize in consciousness one's highest ideals of duty, purity, and truth, and inducing thereby a general harmonizing and one-pointed adjustment of the whole nature.

"Meditate all the time -- nothing is so easy and so helpful. Far better is this for most students than to have a set period: quiet, unremitting thought on the questions you have, continuing even when the hands are busy with the tasks of the day, and the mind itself quite absorbed by other duties. In the back of the consciousness there can still be this steady undercurrent of thought. It is likewise a protecting shield in all one's affairs, for it surrounds the body with an aura drawn forth from the deeper recesses of the auric egg . . ." (FSO 39).

(See also: Meditation , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Hypnotherapy: The use of hypnosis combined with techniques such as suggestion and metaphor to help a person achieve behavioral changes. It should be noted that a person trained in how to hypnotize others--a skill that is relatively easy to learn--can quickly hypnotize most people. However, learning how to help a person make desired changes in his or her life can take years of training. Hypnotherapy has some outer similarities to Stage Hypnosis used for entertainment, but has many differences and should not be confused with hypnotherapy.

Also See: Hypnosis

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

Changing your lifestyle to live metaphysically is easy, but before you start this process, you need to know what your Mind, Body and Spirit are thinking about the new you. You need to know what each of your energy systems will or will not do to help you reinvent yourself to live more metaphysically.

Read more here: » Metaphysics: Living A Metaphysical Lifestyle Is Fun Easy To Do!

Dream FAQ Dictionary: What does this dream mean?

What does this dream mean?

A. Symbols are one way of interpreting dreams. Researchers have triedto find, for each common dream occurrence, a psychological situationthat matches the dream in some way and link it as a cause. Awell-known example of this approach is Freud's interpretation. Askingfor symbols allows for (sometimes too easy) interpretation of dreamsby given rules.

Other people question this approach. Dream interpretation by catalogof symbols doesn't take into account individual differences betweendreamers. You can imagine this flaw by taking into account that thecultural background is an important point that should not beneglected. Freud's theories, that give high importance to hidden signsof sexual desires, are based on a society that has suppressedsexuality. And so on. In a more global context, asking for specialsymbols is of dubious value. Nonetheless, in a certain given context,these symbols can have a valuable meaning.

Source: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/dreams-faq

(See also: Dream Interpretation , Dream Interpretation FAQ, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Meaning of Dreams)

Star-angels the regents or cosmic spirits of the stars: "Every planet according to the esoteric doctrine is in its composition a Septenary like man, in its principles. That is to say, the visible planet is the physical body of the sidereal being, the Atma or Spirit of which is the Angel, or Rishi, or Dhyan-Chohan, or Deva, or whatever we call it" (BCW 10:31).

This was the basis for the worship of star-angels by all antiquity, a worship which in modified form was taken over by primitive Christianity and still exists in the Roman Catholic Church, although the esoteric meaning was lost. The seven star-angels -- Michael (like unto God), Gabriel (the strength of God), Raphael (divine virtue), Uriel (God's light and fire), Scaltiel (the speech of God), Jehudiel (the praise of God), and Barachiel (the blessing of God) -- referred to the rectors of the seven sacred planets.

"It is through their 'divine attributes,' which have led to the formation of the names, that these archangels may be identified by an easy esoteric method of transmutation with the Chaldean great gods and even with the Seven Manus and the Seven Rishis of India" (BCW 10:19).

(See also: Star-angels , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Karshipta (Mazd.). The holy bird of Heaven in the Mazdean Scriptures, of which Ahura Mazda says to Zaratushta that "he recites the Avesta in the language of birds" (Bund. xix. et seq.). The bird is the symbol of "Soul" of Angel and Deva in every old religion. It is easy to see, therefore, that this "holy bird" means the divine Ego of man, or the "Soul". The same as Karanda (q.v.).

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

Mammals The highest class of animals produced from man, himself a mammal, in this fourth round. The evolutionary plan, as regards the passing of life-waves around the planetary chain entails that so far as the human and animal kingdoms are concerned, in the fourth round man shall appear before the mammals on globe D of the earth-chain. The other stocks of the animal kingdom were at the beginning of this round represented by their various sishtas, as in fact man himself was. In each round after the first, each one of the kingdoms or life-waves on entering a globe of the chain, does so in its regular serial order.

The man of the second and early third root-race, though distinctly belonging to the human kingdom, was different from the truly human man of today, as much in his inner psychical apparatus as in his astral-vital-physical body. This body was then much more astral or tenuous than that of today, composed of life-atoms of all kinds, seeking manifestation and finding a temporary habitat in the human body, which thus becomes their host. These atoms were continuously entering and leaving the body, just as happens in the human body today, but with this difference -- that the atoms which the human body throws off today are far more stamped with the person's own svabhava (individual, personal characteristics) than formerly, and they are in consequence strongly and continuously attracted back to their human host, who is often their source.

But in those early races the various monadic entities, which in their evolution were far inferior to the human monad, and each of which expressed itself through a life-atom, were in consequence far more free from the human dominating, almost tyrannical control, for then man had not yet acquired his present power of strongly impressing his own stamp on these life-atoms. The result was that in these early times each of these evolving monads with its life-atom vehicle on this plane could, when thrown off from the human entity, become the origin of a line of an animal stock, according to its own innate characteristics and potentialities. Thus were from time to time through the geologic ages generated the various mammalian stocks or phyla, each different according to the nature of the monad-germ thus thrown off, many of which were then able to pursue a course of evolutionary differentiation and specialization along its own particular line -- each one unfolding from within its characteristics, expressing themselves in form and shape.

Thus it is seen how man precedes the mammals in the fourth round; but this does not apply to the non-mammalian animals, which were nevertheless evolved from the human stock in more or less the same manner during the preceding third and second rounds.

Occult biology also teaches that every monad which now has unfolded itself into the human stage, did at some remote cosmic period pass through all the lower kingdoms of nature as they then existed; even as the monads now finding expression in the elemental, mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms are undergoing the same process of evolutionary unfolding from within outwards and therefore are on their way upwards to a state equivalent in characteristic powers to what the human now has reached.

"The mammalia, whose first traces are discovered in the marsupials of the Triassic rocks of the Secondary Period, were evolved from purely astral progenitors contemporary with the Second Race. They are thus post-Human, and, consequently, it is easy to account for the general resemblance between their embryonic stages and those of Man, who necessarily embraces in himself and epitomizes in his development the features of the group he originated" (SD 2:684; cf MIE ch 12).

(See also: Mammals , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)