Orphism, Orphic Mysteries [from Greek orphikos]

Orphism originally taught of the Causeless Cause on which all speculation is impossible; the periodical appearance and disappearance of all things, from atom to universe; reimbodiment; cyclic law; the essential divinity of all beings and things; and the duality in manifestation of the universe. It postulated seven emanations from the Boundless: aether (spirit) and chaos (matter), from which two spring the world egg, out of which is born Phanes, the First Logos; then Uranus (and Gaia) the Second Logos, with Kronos (and Rhea, mother of the Olympian gods) a later phase of the Second Logos; and Zeus, the Third Logos or Demiurge -- who starts a minor sevenfold hierarchy of emanation by begetting Zagreus-Dionysos the god-man, the divine son.

Characteristic of Orphic cosmogony is the important place given to the number seven. "The rise of the Orphic worship of Dionysos is the most important fact in the history of Greek religion, and marks a great spiritual awakening. Its three great ideas are (1) a belief in the essential Divinity of humanity and the complete immortality or eternity of the soul, its pre-existence and its post-existence; (2) the necessity for individual responsibility and righteousness; and (3) the regeneration or redemption of man's lower nature by his own higher Self" (F. S. Darrow).

The Orphic teachings were kept intact by the Golden or Hermetic Chain of Succession down to the days of the Neoplatonists after which (as symbolically told in the archaic story of Eurydice) they were killed -- obscured or lost, so far as the public was concerned. Their keynote was consecration to the mandates of the god within: perfect purity, perfect impersonal love, perfect understanding, and devotion to the interests of humanity.

The three Orphic mystery-gods were Zeus, the divine All-father; Demeter-Kore, the earth goddess as both mother and maid; and Zagreus-Dionysos, the divine son. This trinity finds its counterpart in Egyptian, Indian, Chaldean, Christian, and other religions. There were two forms of baptism, one purification by water, later adopted into the Christian ritual; and the other a ceremony in which the face of the neophyte was cleansed with a mixture of earth and bran, symbolizing the washing away of stains from the soul.

The ceremony of the Eucharist was also adopted by the Christians and as Orphic ritual forbade the use of wine (substituting for it a mead of honey and milk), in the rite as adopted by the primitive Christians the neophyte drank not only wine but also milk and honey. Under Orphism, the honey symbolized not only purification and preservation, or endless life and bliss, but the secret knowledge obtained during initiation. Bees, the gatherers of honey, were emblems of the reincarnating soul, as was the butterfly; and as the bees gathered the nectar from flowers and made it into honey, so the human soul in its various peregrinations gathers from the beings and things of life the mystic experience and stores it away in the chambers of the soul. Milk symbolized knowledge, which fed the inner man, as a child of eternity, just as milk feeds the human child.

Orphism flourished from before the 14th until the 6th century BC, and again, after some five centuries of obscuration, during the first four centuries of the Christian era. Plato, Empedocles, the Pythagorean teachings, some of the Greek dramatists and poets are our main source material for the earlier period, as well as the various Orphic fragments including the Orphic Tablets.

These Tablets, with the Orphic Hymns, consist of eight gold plates containing inscriptions, dating from about the 4th century BC. They consist of instructions given to the soul for its journey through the afterdeath worlds or states very reminiscent of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The keynote is spoken by the soul: "I am a child of earth and of starry Heaven, but my race is of Heaven (alone). . . . Lo, I am parched with thirst . . ." For the later period we have the writings of the Neoplatonists and their opponents, the early Christian Fathers.

That the entire Orphic mythogony is intentionally allegorical does not invalidate that a great prehistoric religious reformer named Orpheus lived, worked, taught, and founded a religion as the outgrowth of a genuine Mystery school.

(See also: Orphism, Orphic Mysteries , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

A Theosophical definition of Brahma :

Brahma

(Sanskrit) A word of which the root, brih, means "expansion." It stands for the spiritual energy-consciousness side of our solar universe, i.e., our solar system, and the Egg of Brahma is that solar system.

A Day of Brahma or a maha-manvantara is composed of seven rounds, a period of 4,320,000,000 terrestrial years; this period is also called a kalpa. A Night of Brahma, the planetary rest period, which is also called the parinirvanic period, is of equal length.

Seven Days of Brahma make one solar kalpa; or, in other words, seven planetary cycles, each cycle consisting of seven rounds (or seven planetary manvantaras), form one solar manvantara.

One Year of Brahma consists of 360 Divine Days, each day being the duration of a planet's life, i.e., of a planetary chain of seven globes. The Life of Brahma (or the life of the universal system) consists of one hundred Divine Years, i.e., 4,320,000,000 years times 36,000 x 2.

The Life of Brahma is half ended: that is, fifty of his years are gone  - a period of 155,520,000,000,000 of our years have passed away since our solar system, with its sun, first began its manvantaric course. There remain, therefore, fifty more such Years of Brahma before the system sinks into rest or pralaya. As only half of the evolutionary journey is accomplished, we are, therefore, at the bottom of the kosmic cycle, i.e., on the lowest plane.

See also: Brahma , Mysticism, Body Mind and Soul

tirthayatra: (Sanskrit) "Journeying to a holy place." Pilgrimage.

One of the five sacred duties (pancha nitya karmas) of the Hindu is to journey periodically to one of the innumerable holy spots in India or other countries. Preceded by fasting and continence, it is a time of austerity and purification, when all worldly concerns are set aside and God becomes one's singular focus. Streams of devout pilgrims are received daily at the many ancient holy sites (tirthas) in India, and tens of thousands at festival times.

See: pancha nitya karma, pancha shraddha.

(See also: Tirthayatra , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Gei' Hinnom (Hebrew) Also Gai-hinnom. The valley of Hinnom, generally rendered as by the Greek Gehenna, situated south of Jerusalem, in which was Tophet where children were at one time sacrificed to Moloch (2 Kings 23:10).

 Later the place was used as a crematorium for the refuse of the city, perpetual fires being kept for that purpose. In the Bible it is translated as hell or hell of fire, but the Hebrew word bears no such interpretation. The Greek Gehenna "is identical with the Homeric Tartarus" (IU 2:507).

In the Zohar and Talmud, the place of purification. After death, Dumah (the Angel of Death, or the shadowy land of silence, the region of the astral dead -- She'ol, Hades, the underworld) leads the impure Neshamah to the dwelling of Gei' Hinnom, where it must be purified in order to proceed upon its journey (Zohar i 218b).

Just as cities need a crematorium for purifying purposes, so has the earth a gehenna, a planet like our own which is "termed by the occultists the eighth sphere . . . on which all the dross and scorification of the cosmic matter pertaining to our planet is in a continual state of remodelling" (IU 1:328).

(See also: Gei' Hinnom , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Water

Water is central to the human story. Whether it is the deep, fresh lake, the river that brings life, or the ocean that must claim her dead, water is both friend and enemy at once. When dreams contain this powerful image in any of its forms, understanding the role of the water is essential.

Water is a strong symbol in dreams because so often it is the exclamation point of the feelings in the dream. If other objects in a dream are relaxing, a bubbling brook through a meadow is more relaxing. If some symbols generate feelings of fear or anxiety, the tumultuous ocean creates the most anxiety. Water has symbolic, archetypal meaning in that it either provides life, or harbours mystery and danger. This is a reflection of our human experiences with water.

In early human history, the hunter-gatherers quickly learned that water was the central ingredient of life. (We die of thirst much more quickly than we starve.) More importantly, knowing where the water was meant knowing where the food was.

However, as commerce expanded, water became a necessary evil that harboured unknown dangers. Water travel was dangerous and uncertain as sea creatures, storms and rough seas claimed numerous voyagers. Polluted water affected livestock and spread disease.

On the positive side, water is often a symbol of new life, refreshment and vigour.

Water in manageable amounts or controlled settings almost always conveys this sentiment to the dreamer. Controlled water is the key.

If a dream contains a lake, is the entire shoreline visible and likely attainable? If a river or creek is dreamed of, is it within its banks and apparently traversable by usual means? These are all examples of controlled water.

Water presented in this way is often indicative of renewal. For example, while travelling and growing weary, the dreamer suddenly happens upon a creek.

Refreshment for the journey is close at hand. Perhaps a dreamer is out on a boat, moving over the water gently. One should anticipate a season of respite or sabbatical in life, or perhaps you should create an opportunity for this.

Uncontrolled water will often create a sense of unease for a dreamer. Raging rivers, rapids and lakes without borders often reflect being out of control of one's circumstances. Still deep water, while sometimes refreshing, may also create unease. This is because of the murkiness or uncertainty of what lies below the surface.

One exception to the generalities listed above is water taps. In a dream, it is important to recognise if the dreamer or another is controlling the tap and whether this is done to effect the comfort or discomfort of the dreamer. If the dreamer is controlling the tap ineffectively, the assumption may be made that the dreamer feels out of control or unable to master what should be apparently simple circumstances (or, what's worse, perhaps there is no water to be had). If another controls the tap, one may conclude that the dreamer feels his circumstances, for good or ill, are dependent on the whim of another. This whim may reflect either greater discomfort or comfort, whether it is an unpredictable boss, lover, or other significant relationship.

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

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

Train

This dream symbol can be very complicated and its meaning is specific to the dreamer (as all dream symbols are). If you normally take the train to work and it is a part of your daily experience, closer attention should be paid to the other details of the dream. Going on a train ride may be symbolic of your life's journey. If you are the engineer, you may be reassuring yourself in the dream state that you are in control of a specific situation or life in general. The train could also be symbolic of your need to move on and to do things in an orderly and sequential manner. Freud said that the train is usually a phallic symbol and that a train going through a tunnel represents intercourse. Freud also said that there are other possibilities to this symbol. For example if you missed the train in your dream, you may be fearful of missing important opportunities. Jung thought that the train ride represented the way a person moves and behaves just like everyone else and that you the dreamer may be striving for wholeness.

Source: Dream Lover Incorporated, http://www.dreamloverinc.com

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

Ghost [82]

• To dream of the ghost of either one of your parents, denotes that you are exposed to danger, and you should be careful in forming partnerships with strangers.
• To see the ghost of a dead friend, foretells that you will make a long journey with an unpleasant companion, and suffer disappointments.
• For a ghost to speak to you, you will be decoyed into the hands of enemies. For a woman, this is a prognostication of widowhood and deception.
• To see an angel or a ghost appear in the sky, denotes the loss of kindred and misfortunes.
• To see a female ghost on your right in the sky and a male on your left, both of pleasing countenance, signifies a quick rise from obscurity to fame, but the honor and position will be filled only for a short space, as death will be a visitor and will bear you off.
• To see a female ghost in long, clinging robes floating calmly through the sky, indicates that you will make progression in scientific studies and acquire wealth almost miraculously, but there will be an under note of sadness in your life.
• To dream that you see the ghost of a living relative or friend, denotes that you are in danger of some friend's malice, and you are warned to carefully keep your affairs under personal supervision. If the ghost appears to be haggard, it may be the intimation of the early death of that friend.
• [82] See also: Meaning of Dreams about Death, Dead.

Source: 10 000 Dream Interpretations, by Gustavus Hindman Miller

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

Veda: (Sanskrit) "Wisdom." Sagely revelations which

comprise Hinduism's most authoritative scripture. They, along with the Agamas, are shruti, "that which is heard."

The Vedas are a body of dozens of holy texts known

collectively as the Veda, or as the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur,

Sama and Atharva. In all they include over 100,000

verses, as well as additional prose. The knowledge

imparted by the Vedas is highly mystical or

superconscious rather than intellectual. Each Veda has

four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas

(priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and

Upanishads (enlightened discourses). The Samhitas and

Brahmanas (together known as the karmakanda, "ritual

section") detail a transcendent-immanent Supreme-Being

cosmology and a system of worship through fire ceremony

and chanting to establish communication with the Gods.

The Aranyakas and Upanishads (the jnanakanda,

"knowledge section") outline the soul's evolutionary

journey, providing yogic-philosophic training and

propounding a lofty, nondual realization as the destiny of

all souls. The oldest portions of the Vedas are thought to

date back as far as 6,000 bce, written down in Sanskrit in

the last few millennia, making them the world's most

ancient scriptures.

See: Aranyaka, Brahmana, shruti,

Upanishad, Vedanga.

(See also: Veda , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Moghul: a dynasty established in India in the 16th century by Babur, a Mongolian/Turk; also a civilian of this dynasty.

(See also: Moghul , Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Gabriel

In Jewish and Christian sources, an archangel, best known in Christianity for the announcement to Mary that she was to bear Jesus. Gabriel (Arab. Jibril) is the angel who conveys God's messages to humans, especially prophets.

The Qur'an (26: 193) calls him "the trustworthy spirit" for being a faithful messenger. The Qur'an was brought down by him. Islamic tradition represents Jibril as having appeared in human form and read to the Prophet Muhammad from of spiritual book of scripture, because Muhammad could not read. Muhammad repeated what Gabriel read to him. Gabriel also guided Muhammad during the prophet's journey through the heavens.

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

Aeroplane, Airplane

Being a passenger in a plane

 This dream can be mundane or remarkable, since some people hold an irrational fear of flying, while others are indifferent. A plane appearing in the dreams of those nervous of flying is an attempt by one part of the psyche to quell perceived irrationality in another part. Dreams about flying as a passenger may hold a great sense of adventure for the dreamer. This can be due to the journey, the speed, or the destinations available through air travel. Also, it may be due to potential dangers, such as hijacking, which the dreamer may heroically overcome.

Piloting a plane

 Dreams about flying in a plane as the pilot vary tremendously. Is the dreamer a competent person either in sleep or waking? This may indicate a sense of control over circumstances. Does the plane crash? This may reveal a sense of inadequacy or incompetence. Who are the passengers on the plane? This may reveal who you feel responsible for in life, with your flight skills revealing your sense of how well you are fulfilling those responsibilities. If you are piloting the plane, are you competent to do so or are you overwhelmed by the responsibility? Do the other passengers accept or ignore your presence?

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

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

A Dream Dictionary including dreams about:

Baby, Baby Carriages, Bachelor, Back , Back-bite, Backgammon, Bacon, Badger, Baghavad Ghita, Bagpipe, Bail, Bailiff, Bake-house, Baking, Balcony, Bald , Ball, Ballet, Balloon, Banana, Banishment, Banjo , Bank, Bankrupt, Banner, Banquet

For more dream interpretation, see: Dream Dictionary

For more about dreams, see: Dreams.

Hair

• If a woman dreams that she has beautiful hair and combs it, she will be careless in her personal affairs, and will lose advancement by neglecting mental application.
• For a man to dream that he is thinning his hair, foreshadows that he will become poor by his generosity, and suffer illness through mental worry.
• To see your hair turning gray, foretells death and contagion in the family of some relative or some friend.
• To see yourself covered with hair, omens indulgence in vices to such an extent as will debar you from the society of refined people. If a woman, she will resolve herself into a world of her own, claiming the right to act for her own pleasure regardless of moral codes
• If a man dreams that he has black, curling hair, he will deceive people through his pleasing address. He will very likely deceive the women who trust him. If a woman's hair seems black and curly, she will be threatened with seduction.
• If you dream of seeing a woman with golden hair, you will prove a fearless lover and be woman's true friend.
• To dream that your sweetheart has red hair, you will be denounced by the woman you love for unfaithfulness. Red hair usually suggests changes
• If you see brown hair, you will be unfortunate in choosing a career.
• If you see well kept and neatly combed hair, your fortune will improve.
• To dream you cut your hair close to the scalp, denotes that you will be generous to lavishness towards a friend. Frugality will be the fruits growing out therefrom.
• To see the hair growing out soft and luxuriant, signifies happiness and luxury.
• For a woman to compare a white hair with a black one, which she takes from her head, foretells that she will be likely to hesitate between two offers of seeming fortune, and unless she uses great care, will choose the one that will afford her loss or distress instead of pleasant fortune.
• To see tangled and unkempt hair, life will be a veritable burden, business will fall off, and the marriage yoke will be troublesome to carry.
• If a woman is unsuccessful in combing her hair, she will lose a worthy man's name by needless show of temper and disdain.
• For a young woman to dream of women with gray hair, denotes that they will come into her life as rivals in the affection of a male relative, or displace the love of her affianced.
• To dream of having your hair cut, denotes serious disappointments.
• For a woman to dream that her hair is falling out, and baldness is apparent, she will have to earn her own livelihood, as fortune has passed her by.
• For man or woman to dream that they have hair of snowy whiteness, denotes that they will enjoy a pleasing and fortunate journey through life.
• For a man to caress the hair of a woman, shows he will enjoy the love and confidence of some worthy woman who will trust him despite the world's condemnation.
• To see flowers in your hair, foretells troubles approaching which, when they come, will give you less fear than when viewed from a distance.
• For a woman to dream that her hair turns to white flowers, augurs that troubles of a various nature will confront her, and she does well if she strengthens her soul with patience, and endeavors to bear her trials with fortitude.
• To dream that a lock of your hair turns gray and falls out, is a sign of trouble and disappointment in your affairs. Sickness will cast gloom over bright expectations.
• To see one's hair turn perfectly white in one night, and the face seemingly young, foretells sudden calamity and deep grief. For a young woman to have this dream, signifies that she will lose her lover by a sudden sickness or accident. She will likely come to grief from some indiscretion on her part. She should be careful of her associates.

Source: 10 000 Dream Interpretations, by Gustavus Hindman Miller

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

Lost feeling

Life often feels like a journey. Not surprisingly, in dreamland the journey becomes confused. This may be a simple reflection of a dream that did not make sense or a dream?s story that did not seem to go anywhere.

 However, there are two ways to become lost, both of which say a lot about how we view ourselves in waking. First is being lost because you have choices and lack the ability to know which one to make. This may include dreams of driving a car, shopping dreams, amusement park dreams or other dreams where opportunities become uncertain. The other version of feeling lost is isolation, or a sense that motion is not leading to progress. Which image of feeling lost most accurately conveys your awareness in the dream?

 If you are lost due to choices, you may be at a point in life where you are unsure of what you want. This may include vocational, relationship, or personal values that seem up-for-grabs. It may also reflect an inability to see where a particular choice will take you if you make it.

 If you are lost due to motion that does not lead to progress, you may be fairly ambivalent about whether your waking life is meaningful. Your ability to feel effective in life is being compromised in some area that needs a little examination.

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

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

Dream Dictionary including the meaning of dreams about: Dagger, Dahlia, Dairy, Daisy, Damask Rose, Damson, Dance, Dancing Master, Dandelion, Danger, Dark, Dates, Daughter, Daughter-in-law, David, Day, Daybreak, Dead, Death, Debt, December, Deck, Decorate, Deed, Deer, Delay,

Dream Dictionary Index including links to 10.000 dream interpretations: Dream Dictionary Index

For more dream interpretation, see: Meaning of Dreams or Dream Dictionary

For articles about dreams, see: Dreams

HOLISTIC/WHOLISTIC

an adjective meaning targeted to the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. Wholistic medicine considers not only physical health but also the emotional, spiritual, social, and mental well-being of the person.

(See also: WHOLISTIC , Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

Wine

• To dream of drinking wine, forebodes joy and consequent friendships.
• To dream of breaking bottles of wine, foretells that your love and passion will border on excess.
• To see barrels of wine, prognosticates great luxury. To pour it from one vessel into another, signifies that your enjoyments will be varied and you will journey to many notable places.
• To dream of dealing in wine denotes that your occupation will be remunerative.
• For a young woman to dream of drinking wine, indicates she will marry a wealthy gentleman, but withal honorable.

Source: 10 000 Dream Interpretations, by Gustavus Hindman Miller

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

A Dream Dictionary including dreams about:

Cold, Collar, College, Colliery or Coal-Mine, Collision, Colonel, Combat, Combing, Comedy, Comet, Comic Songs, Command, Commandment, Commerce, Committee, Companion , Compass, Completion, Complexion, Composing

For more dream interpretation, see: Dream Dictionary

For more about dreams, see: Dreams.

TONIC

herbal remedy made from herbs taken to maintain health or ward off illness, rather than to treat an illness. Also known as a normalizer.

(See also: TONIC , Alternative Health, Healing, Body Mind and Soul)

A Dream Dictionary including dreams about:

Cloister, Clothes, Clouds, Cloven Foot, Clover, Club, Coach, Coal-hod, Coals, Coat, Coat-of-Arms, Coca-Cola, Cockade, Cock-Crowing, Cocktail, Cocoa, Cocoanut, Coffee, Coffee House, Coffee Mill, Coffin , Coins, Coke, Coke Oven

For more dream interpretation, see: Dream Dictionary

For more about dreams, see: Dreams.

The trip a shaman takes when he or she goes into an altered state of consciousness or trance in order to communicate with or contact the spirits in the spirit world.

(See also: shamanic journey , Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)