Besom

(Old English) A ritual broom. A witch's broomstick. European folklore has witches riding their brooms through the sky, which may be an uninformed explanation of astral travel.

As a tool, the broom is used to sweep a sacred cross, ground a circle, or to brush away negative influences. Besoms were often mounted and ÒriddenÓ over crops in fertility rites. used to cleanse and purify sacred space. .

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

Alien Abduction

Kidnapping by non-human beings. The first reported claim of alien abduction was in Brazil in 1957 and since then there have been reports from all over the Western world - in Europe including the UK, Australia, South Africa, Russia, and North America. Although peopleÕs experiences vary quite widely, the following features recur

• Light, especially a beam which draws the person up, and sometimes vibration.
• A spacecraft of some kind.
• Humanoid beings, especially small gray ones with large black eyes, who communicate by telepathy.
• Medical tests being performed and eggs or sperm removed so that human/alien offspring can be produced.
• Lost periods of time and inexplicable small wounds.
• Very few accounts are complete but sometimes the full story is recovered through hypnosis.

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

Born Again

Christian term used to describe regeneration, derived from John 3: 5. Some New Agers teach that the term was JesusÕ reference to reincarnation or rebirthing.

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

Altered States of Consciousness

Trances entered through hypnosis, meditation, drugs (including hallucinogenics), visualization, etc. State of being in which one allows the subconscious to take control and guide. May heighten oneÕs vulnerability to suggestion or susceptibility to deception.

(See also: Altered States of Consciousness , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Baphomet

The Sabbatic Goat, also know as the Great God Pan, Abraxas, Thanateros, or the Horned God. The most popular rendering was drawn in the 19th century by Eliapha Levi. Often used as a symbol of Satan, especially in Satanism, and depicted as a GoatÕs Head symbol, an upside down five-pointed star (cf. pentagram), or a man with horns and goat-legs.

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

Applied Kinesiology

A diagnostic technique sometimes called Òmuscle testing. Ó Often patients hold health care products (vitamins, herbs, etc) in their hand while the practitioner pulls or ÒtestsÓ the reciprocal strength in the finger, arm, etc. to determine the effectiveness or dosage of the remedy.

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

Baha'i Faith,The, Bah‡ÔuÕll‡h

A Islamic sect, originating in Persia, which has evolved into a major independent religion with approximately five million believers worldwide. Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Bah‡ÔuÕll‡h and others are viewed as a succession of divine messengers.

A 19th century Persian teacher, the B‡b, (or ÒGateÓ) predicted Bah‡'u'll‡h's coming. Bah‡Õ’ advocates a new global order of sexual equality, a one-world economic system to eliminate poverty, and a one-world religion.

(See also: Baha'i Faith , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Christian Science

Officially called Church of Christ, Scientist, it was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in Boston, Mass. Her teachings are heavily indebted to Phineas P. Quimby, a mesmerist. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures functions as a canon of Scripture.

 Matter is unreal; thus, so are sickness and death, which are overcome by believing that we are Mind. Christ is Òthe divine manifestation of GodÓ most fully seen in Jesus, who only seemed to die. The ÒHoly GhostÓ is Divine Science, that is, Christian Science. Many New Age ideas have historical roots in Christian Science and related New Thought groups.

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

Balefire

(Bale- Anglo-Saxon: gift)

1)    A traditional fire lit outdoors and used during the Wiccan and Pagan holidays: Midsummer, Lughasadh, Mabon. and especially Beltane,

2)    The traditional communal bonfire of the Sabbats. The modern word ÒBonfireÓ is synonymous with balefire, through it often has no religious significance.

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

Applewhite, Marshall:

See: HeavenÕs Gate.

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

Aleister Crowley

(1875Ð1947) An English magician and Occultist. Crowley was known for sex magic, homosexual rituals, and a fascination with drugs, blood and torture. Headed the British branch of Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO), founded the Abbey of Thelema at Cefalu in Sicily. Author of Diary of a Drug Fiend and Magick in Theory and Practice

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

Anointing

Anointing can mean many things. From ancient times, oil has been used for healing. Among Jews annointing is used by God to appoint someone to be a priest, prophet and king.

Many Jews have looked forward to a very special Òanointed one,Ó (in Hebrew Messiah), will come to reign over Israel. Christians Have taken the Greek word (Christos, which can be used to mean the same as Messiah) and use it as a title for their savior/god Jesus.

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

Bird Goddess

Neolithic Goddess appearing with wings, a beak or a birdÕs body.

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

Redaction criticism

A relatively new branch of biblical literary criticism that attempts to infer the theological purposes of the ÒredactorsÓ (anonymous editors, compilers, or revisers) who helped to rewrite or shape various books of the Bible (especially the Gospels) into their final form.

Whereas form criticism focuses on discerning the literary form and origins of specific passages, redaction criticism focuses on the use of those passages to convey the message of the book as a whole. Redaction criticism assumes that the book in question was written using different sources that were selected and edited to emphasize or convey certain theological concepts.

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

Ancient Mystic Order of Malchizedek

An organization founded by Malachi Z. York, in Eatonton, GA: Also known as AMOM, Nuwaubians, the Nubian Nation of Moors, Right Knowledge. A UFO group whose leader, (a. k. a. Dwight York) claims to be from the 19th galaxy, called Illyuwn.

A 1993 FBI report calls the group a "front for a wide range of criminal activity, including arson, welfare fraud and extortion. " YorkÕs group has also operated under other names and organizations including the Nubian Islaamic [sic] Hebrew Mission, the Ansaaru Allah Community, (an Islamic sect with doctrines similar to Nation of Islam), and the Original Tents of Kedar.

(See also: Ancient Mystic Order of Malchizedek , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Ancient Astronauts

Astronauts from other planets which allegedly visited Earth in spaceships in ancient times. This theory claims to explain Fortean mysteries and the evidence of ancient sophisticated technology, and primitive societies feats of engineering.

Ancient astronaut writers say also that Man did not evolve only from earthly beings like Adam and Eve. A misreading of Genesis leads one to believe that a second strain not from this world but from a 'heavenly source', was added to the human gene-pool (Genesis chapter

Devotees of this theory like to quote the myths and legends of ancient or primitive peoples in an attempt to justify their case. According to the folklore and mythology of many peoples, the gods gave fire and the skills of agriculture to mankind. However, this fact alone does not mean that the gods of the ancients were extraterrestrial beings, and that our ancestors were so simple minded that they could not have discovered these things by themselves.

In 1968 Erich von DŠniken published a book, Chariots of the Gods?, in which he argued the ancient astronauts theory, presenting supposedly 'proof' of his claims. Zecharia Sitchin is a more modern author who claims to translated ancient Sumerian manuscripts which tell the story of Ancient Astronauts.

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

Evangelical Christianity

A widespread trans-denominational shift towards more conservative Christian doctrine that developed after World War II, usually associated with televangelism.

An evangel is a missionary, a proselytizer. The term can be used to describe all churches that hold to or give heavy emphasis to conservative Protestant beliefs. (In Germany, ÒEvangelicalÓ is basically synonymous with ÒLutheran. Ó) These include: the infallibility of the Bible, the sinful and fallen state of humanity, and salvation through faith in Jesus. See Fundamental Christianity.

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

Blue Rose Ministry

An organization in California and Arizona, founded by Robert Short. Teachings of the group focus on UFOs, channeling and messages from the Òspace brothers. Ó . Publishes the Solar Space-Letter.

(See also: Blue Rose Ministry , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Blood Atonement

The Mormon doctrine, first taught by Brigham Young, that for certain sins the sinnerÕs own blood must be shed to receive forgiveness. No longer taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

To this day, Utah allows condemned murders to face execution by firing squad rather than methods that do not shed the criminalÕs blood, such as lethal injection or the electric chair.

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

Bogomils

The followers of Bogomilu, a Bulgarian priest (927-968 AD), who held that the Creator had two sons. The older being Satanel and the younger, Michael.

After a war in heaven Satanel was cast out and became master of all flesh and matter and owner of the Earth. Michael, as the Holy Ghost, entered into Jesus who then became the Christ and took away the power of Satanel, leaving him only as Satan, the originator of orthodox religion with all its clergy, rites and vestments.

Deriving from the teachings of the Manach¾ists, this sect (which survived for 400 years)denied the doctrine of the trinity and infant baptism. Baptism, they taught, is for adults only and does not take place externally in water, but internally and spiritual

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