A Wisdom Archive on Mysteries

MYSTERIES: profound, metaphysical facts which underlie life, death, the nature of the world and the universe. Such truths must be perceived not only with the intellect but with the deepest part of the subconscious as well.

 
(See also: MYSTERIES, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary )

For more dictionary entries, see » Mysteries Dictionary

Mysteries:
Secret rituals usually involving the display of sacred mandalas and other objects to, and the performance of various mudras with and in front of, and the chanting of mantras and dharanis in the hearing of, properly initiated worshipers, for theurgical purposes in this life and the next.

 
(See also: Mysteries, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary )

For more dictionary entries, see » Mysteries Dictionary

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

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

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

Eleusis (modern-day Elefsina) was a small town located about 30 km NW of Athens. It was an agricultural town, producing wheat and barley. The Mysteries were based on a legend revolving around Demeter. Her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped by Hades, the god of death and the underworld. Demeter was the goddess of life, agriculture and fertility. She neglected her duties while searching for her daughter; causing a dry season (summer in Greece) in which people star ...

Read more here: » Eleusinian Mysteries: Encyclopedia II - Eleusinian Mysteries - The Mysteries

The Roman emperor Theodosius I closed the sanctuaries by decree in CE 392 in an effort to destroy pagan resistance to the imposition of Christianity as a state religion. The last remnants of the Mysteries were wiped out in CE 396, when Alaric, King of the Goths, invaded accompanied by Christians "in their dark garments", bringing Arian Christianity and desecrating the old sacred sites. The closing of the Eleusinian Mysteries in the 4th century is reported by Eunapios, a historian and biographer of the Greek philosophers. Eunapios had been in ...

Read more here: » Eleusinian Mysteries: Encyclopedia II - Eleusinian Mysteries - End of the Eleusinian Mysteries

Narrative paradox: The novel portrays characters reacting with total amazement and disbelief when told the "true" story of the Grail and of Mary Magdalene, while also presenting this "truth" as something so well-known that there is no serious dispute amongst academics about it. Dan Brown also seems to suggest that the "secret" is so widely shared that it has been conveyed in numerous publicly available books and art works throughout history, while still remaining unknown to the general public. Continuity question: at the conclusion of ...

Read more here: » The Da Vinci Code: Encyclopedia II - The Da Vinci Code - Summary of spoilers

Blaine's act includes levitation, illusion and bringing apparently dead flies back to life. This format, recorded by a small camera crew, provided the basis for his breakthrough television special, "David Blaine: Street Magic". He stayed with the format for David Blaine: Magic Man and David Blaine: Mystifier. He later turned his attention to feats of endurance, including being buried alive for seven days and spending 61 hours encased in ice. In 2002, Blaine stood on a tiny platform at the top of a 100 foot high po ...

Read more here: » David Blaine: Encyclopedia II - David Blaine - Overview

On Monday 22 May 2002 Blaine began a stunt he named 'Vertigo'. Blaine was lifted by crane onto a 80 feet high pillar in Bryant Park, New York. He remained on the pillar, which was 22 inches wide, for nearly 35 hours without food or water or anything to lean on. Blaine appeared to be without safety harnesses and had no safety nets underneath him for almost the duration of the stunt. He ended the feat by jumping down onto a landing platform made of a 12 foot high pile of cardboard boxes. He claimed to have suffered a minor concussion from the jump because of th ...

Read more here: » David Blaine: Encyclopedia II - David Blaine - Vertigo

As a media figure he's been exceptionally well plotted by himself and his advisers. While he name-checks Houdini as an influence he appears reluctant to credit his precursors in the arena of live art and magic. New York based fine artist and magician Jeff Sheridan is revered as the father of modern street magic, authored a 1977 book titled Street Magic, was the performer who inspired and actually taught the pre-teen Blaine after the latter saw him perform in Central Park, was even approached by Blaine to work with him; now toil ...

Read more here: » David Blaine: Encyclopedia II - David Blaine - Blaine and his peers and influences

The future is unpredictable, so the end is unknown to us. This is the mystery of human life. Ancient wisdom had no hesitation in accepting this truth. But today, we find it difficult to accept.
 
T S Eliot lamented: "Where is the wisdom, we have lost in knowledge;/ Where is the knowledge, we have lost in information".

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

Read more here: » Peace of Mind: Think Cosmic - Save the World