Explanation Dictionary

A Theosophical definition of Cosmos :

Cosmos vs Kosmos

Whenever a theosophist speaks of the cosmos or the universe, he by no means refers only to the physical sphere or world or cross section of the boundless All in which we humans live, but more particularly to the invisible worlds and planes and spheres inhabited by their countless hosts of vitalized or animate beings.

In order to avoid redundancy of words and often confusing repetitions in the midst of an explanation dealing with other matters, since H. P. Blavatsky's time it has been customary among careful theosophical writers to draw a distinction of fact between cosmos and kosmos.

• The solar universe or solar system is frequently referred to as cosmos or solar cosmos;
• and the galactic universe or our own home-universe it has been customary to refer to as the kosmos.

This distinction, however, does not always hold, because sometimes in dealing with abstract questions where the application of the thought can be indifferently made either to the galactic or to the solar universe, the two forms of spelling may be used interchangeably. (See also Kosmos, Kosmic Life)

See also: Cosmos , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Guides Spiritualistic term for supposed invisible helpers and instructors belonging to the Spirit-land communicating with people either through mediumship or by a receptive capacity of the person communicated with.

While theosophy rejects the explanation offered by spiritualists, it nevertheless teaches that the universe in its webs of being contains many orders of entities existing in all-various grades. Some of these entities can be to any worthy person a source of inspiration. However, the fact that their influence comes from a nonphysical source is no guarantee of the desirability of that influence, but by the very fact of its unknown origin should be scrutinized at once or suspected as to character and source. Nor must we forget in this connection that the possibilities of self-deception are almost infinite.

In general the consensus of all antiquity was that communication or intercourse of any kind with astral entities, whether spooks, shells, elementaries, or what not, was extremely dangerous and often evil in their influence upon human character. In India such astral entities are called bhutas, pisachas, etc.

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

The Taste Process

The first subjective experience of a substance on the tongue is taste (rasa). A short time later, one feels heating or cooling energy (virya). Finally the substances have an action on urine, faeces and sweat (vipak). For instance, for hot chilli peppers, one immediately experiences its pungent taste and heating energy; observing a burning sensation in the faces and urine the next day.

Virya – Heating or Cooling Energy

When any medicinal herb or food substance is put in the mouth, the first experience is its taste. Later, and in some cases immediately, you feel its heating or cooling energy, either in the mouth or stomach. This change is all due to its action or potent energy called Virya.

By experience, one can form general rules about what a taste "feels like" in the body. For example, the sweet taste has a cooling energy, due to its heaviness. This action provokes kapha and is pleasing to pitta and vata. But there are occasional exceptions to this rule. Honey and molasses are sweet but have heating energy. This unexpected effect is termed Prabhav. In this same way, sour taste is usually heating expect in the instance of lime, which is cooling.

Vipak – Post-Digestive Effect

The final post-digestive effect of the taste on the body, mind and consciousness is called Vipak. While sweet and salty taste have a sweet vipak, sour taste has a sour vipak, but that of pungent, bitter and astringent tastes are all pungent. Knowledge of the energy and post-digestive effect of food or medicinal herbs makes understanding of its action on bodily system easy. This knowledge being essential for both healing and cooking.

Prabhav – Specific Unexplained Action

When two substances of similar taste, energy and post-digestive effect show entirely different action, it is called prabhav. There is no logical explanation for this. Ghee (clarified butter) in doses of two teaspoon with a cup of milk is laxative but in smaller dose, like half a teaspoon, is constipating. Why? The answer is prabhav. All gem stones, crystals and mantras aid healing due to their prabhav.

Prabhav is therefore the specific, dynamic, hidden action of the awareness present in the substance.

(See also: Taste Process , Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Dictionary, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Sex, Sexual Dreams

Interpreting sexual dreams

Sexual dreams are not about sex exclusively. Often they are about how we perceive people and how we think others are perceiving us. To construct a framework for interpreting sexual dreams, it is important to identify who is with us in the dream and how we feel about the experiences being had while dreaming.

Certain dreams are simply romantic. Boy and girl meet in the dream state and find themselves enjoying one another. This scenario commonly involves an attractive acquaintance and a generally pleasing environment. There is no violation of taboo, except for a sense that perhaps things are moving a little fast in the nocturnal relationship. Often, the dreamer has simply acted upon a desire for a relationship with a particular person - Freud's theory of wish-fulfillment is a sufficient explanation.

Other dreams begin to press on the boundaries of our taboos. These include dreams with sexual content the dreamer would consider inappropriate in waking, but participates in during the dream. These dreams can be very troubling. One can wake up feeling as though a rape was committed, a fidelity violated, or that innocence has been stripped away. Dreams of this nature may require some more thorough examination.

Identifying the 'who' or 'what' that has generated discomfort is an important first step. Was it a boss, co-worker, friend? Someone much older or younger than you with whom you have an affectionate, but platonic relationship? Or was it the nature of the encounter - coerced, cheating, public, or whatever - that is the most distinct feature of the dream? Who was forcing whom? Was it a stranger who reminded you of someone you know? Representation and displacement relationships are often components of sexual dreaming.

Some of these dreams indicate our own ambivalence about taboos. There is, after all, something exciting about what is forbidden. In other cases, we are expressing our own frustration with a sex life that is not satisfying. Still other times, others have violated our boundaries and we respond by thinking they have taken unmerited favours from us.

In all of these cases, the dreams are worth noting and studying. By looking into what you may find abhorrent at first, you will see aspects of your personality and the relationships around you that are mostly unnoticed. Perhaps most importantly, you will become more aware of the various facets of your personality in those relationships.

See also Nudity, bed, out-of-body experience, pregnancy and rape.

Source: iVillage, http://www.ivillage.co.uk

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

Bach flower therapy (Bach flower essence method, Bach flower essence system):

 Homeopathic system of diagnosis and treatment developed in the 1930s by British physician Edward Bach (1886-1936). Bach put forth his philosophy in Heal Thyself: An Explanation of the Real Cause and Cure of Disease, first published in 1931. Therein he described five fundamental truths, in sum:

(1)           Souls, invincible and immortal sparks of the Almighty, are the real, Higher selves of humans.

(2)           Humanity's purpose is to develop virtues and wipe out all intrapersonal wrongs. Souls know what circumstances conduce to the perfection of human nature.

(3)           One's lifetime is a minuscule part of one's evolution.

(4)           When one's Soul and personality are in harmony, one is healthy and happy. The straying of the personality from the dictates of the Soul is the root cause of disease and unhappiness.

(5)           The Creator of all things is Love, and everything of which humans are conscious manifests the Creator.

Bach held that disease was essentially beneficial and that its design was to subject the personality to the Divine will of the Soul. He psychically discovered the specific healing effects of 38 wildflowers. The life force (soul quality or energy wavelength) of each of these flowers is transferable to water and thence to humans. Each of the so-called Bach flower remedies is a liquid that contains a soul quality with an affinity to a human soul quality; and each vegetable soul quality harmonizes its human counterpart with the Soul. The bases of classical diagnosis are conversation and intuition. Administration of the remedies is usually oral but may be external.

(See also: Bach flower therapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

A Theosophical definition of Planetary Chain :

Planetary Chain

Every kosmic body or globe, be it sun or planet, nebula or comet, atom or electron, is a composite entity formed of or comprised of inner and invisible energies and substances and of an outer, to us, and often visible, to us, physical vehicle or body. These elements all together number seven (or twelve), being what is called in theosophy the seven principles or elements of every self-contained entity; in other words, of every individual life-center.

Thus every one of the physical globes that we see scattered over the fields of space is accompanied by six invisible and superior globes, forming what in theosophy is called a chain. This is the case with every sun or star, with every planet, and with every moon of every planet. It is likewise the case with the nebulae and the comets as above stated: all are septiform entities, all have a sevenfold constitution, even as man has, who is a copy in the little of what the universe is in the great, there being for us one life in that universe, one natural system of "laws" in that universe. Every entity in the universe is an inseparable part of it; therefore what is in the whole is in every part, because the part cannot contain anything that the whole does not contain, the part cannot be greater than the whole.

Our own earth-chain is composed of seven (or twelve) globes, of which only one, our earth, is visible on this our earth plane to our physical sense apparatus, because that apparatus is builded or rather evolved to cognize this earth plane and none other. But the populations of all the seven (or twelve) globes of this earth-chain pass in succession, and following each other, from globe to globe, thus gaining experience of energy and matter and consciousness on all the various planes and spheres that this chain comprises.

The other six (or eleven) globes of our earth-chain are invisible to our physical sense, of course; and, limiting our explanation only to the manifest seven globes of the complete chain of twelve globes, the six globes other and higher than the earth exist two by two, on three planes of the solar system superior to our physical plane where our earth-globe is  - this our earth. These three superior planes or worlds are each one superior to the world or plane immediately beneath or inferior to it.

Our earth-globe is the fourth and lowest of all the manifest seven globes of our earth-chain. Three globes precede it on the descending or shadowy arc, and three globes follow it on the ascending or luminous arc of evolution. The Secret Doctrine by H. P. Blavatsky and the more recent work, Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy (1932), contain most suggestive material for the student interested in this phase of the esoteric philosophy. (See also Ascending Arc)

See also: Planetary Chain , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Bhur-Bhuva (Sanskrit). A mystic incantation, as Om, Bhur, Bhuva, Swar, meaning "Om, earth, sky, heaven, This is the exoteric explanation.

(See also: Bhur-Bhuva , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Arcana (Latin) Secrets, mysteries; in ancient times almost invariably what was secret, sacred, and taught in silence and privacy in the Mysteries, whether such teachings comprised the revelation of truth, the explanation of difficult points regarding ceremonies, or the hidden wisdom.

Arcanum (singular) sometimes meant in medieval and modern Europe, an elixir, philosopher's stone, or magical agent, whether physical or spiritual.

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

Psychokinesis

The power of mind over matter without the use of physical or sensory means. Together with ESP, psychokinesis is investigated by parapsychology.

Psychokinesis includes telekinesis, the paranormal movement of objects; levitation and materialization; mysterious events associated with given people or houses such as rappings, overturned furniture, and flying objects; and psychic healing.

Since the 1930s psychokinesis has been a major research interest among parapsychologists, especially in the United States and Russia, but, in general, the results have been inconclusive.

In 1968 Russia released film and other evidence to the West showing Nina Kulagina, a housewife from Leningrad, apparently using psychokinesis to move a variety of stationary objects. She was also photographed apparently levitating objects.

In the 1970s the Israeli psychic Uri Geller dazzled TV audiences with his alleged powers of bending metal with a few gentle strokes or taps with his fingers. Under laboratory conditions, experiments with Geller proved inconclusive, and certain professional magicians have claimed that Geller is a fraud using simple sleight-of-hand to achieve his extraordinary feats.

Most scientists deny the existence of psychokinesis, and the difficulty in reproducing psychokinesis phenomena and the lack of an adequate theoretical explanation excludes it from systematic scientific investigation.

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

Loss of a Sensory Ability or of a Motor Ability

Usually, this is a very symbolic event in a dream. A 34-year-old man reports: I dream of being in a situation where I need to act resourcefully to help a stranger avoid danger. Suddenly, I go blind for no apparent reason! It is very frustrating.

Becoming suddenly impaired in this way is different from being injured in a physical accident. The lights just seem to go out without explanation. With a dream like this, it is questionable whether or not the dreamer feels competent to fulfil his duties in waking life. However, this can also refer to his reluctance to accept the challenge of the hero self.

Seeing oneself as a hero is kind of daunting, and the fact that it is your dream doesn't mean that you will necessarily and easily assume that role. Suddenly, the awareness of caring for those to whom you have no obligation is quickened. It's a hassle. Many of us can barely fulfil responsibilities to the people around us in ordinary situations. Another scenario for loss of a sensory ability is to exchange it for something or someone else. The old saying, "I'd give my eye teeth for..." articulates the human willingness to exchange one ability or attribute for something else of value. There are many times when our minds use the principle of exchange to help us verify the relative worth of relationships or objects.

There can also be a distinct martyr image attached to this kind of loss. This is especially true when the dream includes loss of ability through some potentially painful means. The loss may be seen as an exchange for something that was gained during the dream or in waking life.

Source: iVillage, http://www.ivillage.co.uk

(See also: Dream Archives, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Dream Dictionary - Loss of a Sensory Ability or of a Motor Ability , Meaning of Dreams about Loss of a Sensory Ability or of a Motor Ability , Dream Interpretation Loss of a Sensory Ability or of a Motor Ability )

Hari-vasara - the day of Lord Hari; this refers especially to Ekadasi; it also refers to other holy days such as Janmastami and Ramanavami (check this Glossary for explanation of these terms).

(See also: Hari-vasara , Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

A dictionary of Parapsycology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

Dugpa 'drug pa dug-pa (Tibetan) Adherents of the Buddhist religion of Tibet who, previous to the reform by Tsong-kha-pa in the 14th century, followed sorcery and other more or less tantric practices, which are entirely foreign to the pure teachings of Buddhism. In theosophical literature dugpa has been used as a synonym for Brother of the Shadow -- especially in The Mahatma Letters.

The four surviving schools of Tibetan Buddhism are the Rnying ma pa (Nying-ma-pa), the Bka' rgyud pa (Kar-gyu-pa), the Sa skya pa (sa-kya-pa), and the Dge lugs pa (Ge-lug-pa). The Kar-gyu-pa, the lineage of Marpa and Milarepa, is more than the others divided into many subschools. One of these is the Dugpa sect, dominant in the Indo-Tibetan border areas of Ladakh in the west and Bhutan in the east.

The Bhutanese and Tibetan name of Bhutan is 'brug yul (dug-yul), "country of the thunder-dragon" ('Brug means both thunder and dragon). One explanation for the name of the sect refers to an experience of the sect's founder, Tsand-pa Gya-re (Gtsang pa rgya ras, 1161-1211). In the course of establishing a monastery he was either startled by intense thunder or witnessed a flight of dragons, and named the monastery thunder-dragon ('brug). The sect and its adherents were named after the monastery, and the country where they prevailed was named after the sect. The dugpa subschool is further subdivided into three branches, known as Middle Dugpa ('bar 'brug), Lower Dugpa (smad 'brug), and Upper Dugpa (stod 'brug).

See also DAD-DUGPA

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

Chased : Dream Interpretation Dictionary - Being Chased

BEING CHASED IN A DREAM

This is the most common negative dream. Did you know that the cultural identity of the dreamer could determine the nature of the pursuer? You could say that people from the same country sometimes have the same creatures chasing them

• In India, children dream of being chases by bats
• In Switzerland, a wolf chasing you, would be a common dream
• While in Canada the pursuers are bears
• After the release of the movie ÔJawsÕ, many dreamed that sharks attacked or chased them!

You are running away, rather than confronting an issue. ThatÕs what a chasing dream often mean, say experts. A wish to get away from the over protected environment of your parentsÕ home, could be a more specific explanation. Or is it an attempt to live life your own way? (Breaking some social code)

Source: http://purpleshaman.com

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

A dictionary of parapsychology. Please note that words in grey are hyperlinked to a corresponding archive with articles related to that particular topic.

Dream FAQ Dictionary: Is this dream common?

Is this dream common?

A. Yes.:-) Specifically, if people ask the newsgroups about a certaindream experience, in the overwhelming majority of cases others answerthat they know this from their dreams. Sometimes the reaction comesup, "And I've thought I was the only one to dream this weird thing!""Weird" is the most inappropriate word when dealing with dreams,anyway. Dreams are not to be measured by real life standards, theyhave their own.

It can be assumed that much, if not most, dream imagery follows commonpatterns in all people. Most important, we should not forget thatdreams are based on actual experiences and imaginations, some of whichare just widespread. We all think about how nice it would be to fly,for example. On the other hand, people who report flying dreams use anumber of different flying techniques in their dreams, frombreast-strokes like in swimming to simply lifting off, Superman-style.It is imagination that sets the limits.

An oft-cited example is that of teeth falling out. The common"symbolistic" interpretation associates this with fear of loss ofsomething, perhaps someone, valuable. The next common explanation isremembrance of losing teeth during childhood, which could have been asomewhat traumatic experience. But it can also be easily linked to asleeping position where some external pressure or muscle contractionscause your teeth to grind against each other, or tooth-aches caused byillnesses (cf. section 1.2.)

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

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

Seasons The seasons are at least in part due to the inclination of the earth's axis, and wholly according to this explanation in modern astronomy. If there were no inclination -- if the ecliptic coincided with the equator, and the earth's axis with the poles of the equator -- there would be no seasons.

In satya yuga there were no changes of season, but an eternal spring which lasted as long as the lack of polar inclination endured, but which came to an end when the third root-race fell into "sin" -- the two events coinciding. The earth's axis when without inclination is at right angles with the plane of the ecliptic. The titans or kabiri are described in The Secret Doctrine as the generators and regulators of the seasons, thus showing that they take their part with the karmic lipikas in the cosmic history of the globe. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter correspond with other quaternaries, such as the four points of the compass and the four elements; and also represent a cycle of changes from birth to dissolution and rebirth.

In theosophical literature the earth's axis is said to undergo a secular movement of inclination with interims of pausings and smaller changes, or what may be called librations; and this secular movement is on the whole continuous, so that in course of long ages the axis of the earth becomes inverted, and consequently the poles are reversed; continuing their movement, they finally return to the position of right angularity with the plane of the ecliptic. Enormous changes must take place during this cycle upon the earth, not only as regards seasons, but likewise as regards geological and marine convulsions and cataclysms -- evidences of which are apparent not only in the geological record, but in many otherwise unexplained and perhaps unexplainable botanical and zoological migrations. What is at one time land becomes sea, and vice versa.

See also EQUINOX; SOLSTICE

(See also: Seasons , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Causal Body :

Causal Body

For a proper explanation of the doctrine connected with this term the student is referred to karana-sarira and karanopadhi as defined in this volume. Technically speaking, causal body is a misnomer, for, in fact, the element of man's constitution here referred to and, mutatis mutandis, when reference is made to beings above and below man, is no body at all, properly speaking, but rather what one might call a soul, although strenuous objection could very logically be taken to the use of this word soul because of the many and often contradictory meanings that common usage has given to it.

Furthermore, the expression "causal body" refers to two different things. The meaning, therefore, is dual  - a statement which will be explained under karanopadhi. It may be stated here, however, that the two meanings have reference, the first to a lower part of man's septenary constitution, and the second to a higher part, both parts acting as causes, or instrumental causes, in producing reappearances, or new manifestations, of a reimbodying monad or entity.

See also: Causal Body , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Dream FAQ Dictionary: Do dreams predict the future?

Do dreams predict the future?

A. This, like many other things commonly referred to as "paranormal",is to be considered unknown. There is much evidence against it, itwould contradict the laws of nature as recognized by most scientiststoday. (Any information getting from future to past would have tobreak the speed of light, which is impossible. More on this can befound in the sci.physics FAQ postings.) However, many people insiston having experienced "deja-vu" like situations where they came into asetting they already had dreamed of. Could they prove it?

 Probablynot (cf. section 5.3) but this fact alone doesn't prove theexperiences invalid. (Proving a subjective experience *wrong* isimpossible.)

Now, how come the many deja-vus?

 A common explanation is a smallmisfunction of the brain. Some piece of information, like the look ofa particular place where you haven't been before, gets from short-terminto long-term memory via some sort of "shortcut" rather than theusual remembrance mechanism. (How this exactly works is currently notknown in detail.) Then, when matching short-term against long-termmemory, you think that you have the piece in long-term memory fromsomewhere in the past while it has entered long-term memory justrecently.

This could explain some of the instances, but the possibility of themind "travelling in time" (or place, cf. section 4.1) can not bedismissed - many people claim they have done it and can do it again.

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

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

A Theosophical definition of Invisible Worlds :

Invisible Worlds

The ancient wisdom teaches that the universe is not only a living organism, but that physical human beings live in intimate connection, in intimate contact, with invisible spheres, with invisible and intangible realms, unknown to man because the physical senses are so imperfectly evolved that we neither see these invisible realms nor feel nor hear nor smell nor taste them, nor cognize them except by that much more highly evolved and subtle sensorium which men call the mind.

These inner realms interpenetrate our physical sphere, permeate it, so that in our daily affairs as we go about our duties we actually pass through the dwellings, through the mountains, through the lakes, through the very beings, mayhap, of the entities of and dwelling in these invisible realms. These invisible realms are built of matter just as this our physical world is, but of a more ethereal matter than ours is; but we cognize them not at all with our physical senses. The explanation is that it is all a matter of differing rates of vibration of substances.

The reader must be careful not to confuse this theosophical teaching of inner worlds and spheres with what the modern Spiritism of the Occident has to say on the matter. The "Summerland" of the Spiritists in no wise resembles the actuality which the theosophical philosophy teaches of, the doctrine concerning the structure and operations of the visible and invisible kosmos. The warning seems necessary lest an unwary reader may imagine that the invisible worlds and spheres of the theosophical teachings are identic with the Summerland of the Spiritists, for it is not so.

Our senses tell us absolutely nothing of the far-flung planes and spheres which belong to the ranges and functionings of the invisible substances and energies of the universe; yet those inner and invisible planes and spheres are actually inexpressibly more important than what our physical senses tell us of the physical world, because these invisible planes are the causal realms, of which our physical world or universe, however far extended in space, is but the effectual or phenomenal or resultant production.

But while these inner and invisible worlds or planes or spheres are the fountainhead, ultimately, of all the energies and matters of the whole physical world, yet to an entity inhabiting these inner and invisible worlds or planes, these latter are as substantial and "real"  - using the popular word  - to that entity as our gross physical world is to us. Just as we know in our physical world various grades or conditions of energy and matter, from the physically grossest to the most ethereal, precisely after the same general plan do the inhabitants of these invisible and inner and to us superior worlds know and cognize their own grossest and also most ethereal substances and energies.

Man as well as all the other entities of the universe is inseparably connected with these worlds invisible.

See also: Invisible Worlds , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

Metempsychosis. The progress of the soul from one stage of existence to another. Symbolized as and vulgarly believed to be rebirths in animal bodies. A term generally misunderstood by every class of European and American society, including many scientists. Metempsychosis should apply to animals alone. The kabalistic axiom, "A stone becomes a plant, a plant an animal, an animal a man, a man a spirit, and a spirit a god", receives an explanation in Manu’s Manava-Dharma-Shastra and other Brahmanical books.

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