A Christian theological definition of Fast - Fasting according to CARM - The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry:

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Fast, Fasting

See also: Fast - Fasting , Christianity, Body Mind and Soul

True realisation takes place on knowing and seeing God in His transcendental form. It is a metaphysical experience within the human body. The manifestation of inherent divinity is in reality the revelation of the divine self of man. This is not different from the Supreme Self that permeates even the tiniest particle in the universe. It is accessible to all human beings.

(See also: Self-Realisation , God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Self-Realisation: Cosmic Vision Alone Reveals the Truth  

Out-of-body Experience

The out-of-body experience can be a dramatic one. Clinically, this falls into a phenomenon called "dissociative experience or disorder."

Often the experiences that create this feeling are powerfully ecstatic or traumatic. In either case, the feeling is similar to watching oneself in a film. Basically, whatever is going on in the dream is so powerful that the dreamer is separating herself from experiencing it directly. The result is a self watching the self in a moment of life. Dreams of this nature can be very revealing about the self at work in the world (see Medard Boss). Lucid dreaming can also create this feeling. In lucid dreaming, the dreamer is conscious of dreaming and may be watching herself in the dream.

Dreams of this nature may create a feeling that the dreamer has projected herself into another sphere of reality, creating a sense of astral projection. This idea has been popularised by certain paranormal studies on perceptions of reality.

Native American cultures view the out-of-body experience as a fuller unity of the soul with nature. As such, it is not surprising that they hold such experiences in high regard. It is in this sense that you can consider the out-of-body experience a brush with great power-in a world of physical limitations you suddenly have the ability to go wherever you wish to go. You have complete control regarding your place in the universe.

Conversely, another possible out-of-body experience involves a complete loss of power: seeing yourself lying on an operating table in a hospital.

Does your out-of-body experience empower or frighten you?

Do you choose your travel destination or do you simply appear somewhere through no choice of your own?

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

(See also: Dream Archives, Meaning of Dreams, Dream Interpretation, Dream Dictionary, Dream Dictionary - Out-of-body Experience , Meaning of Dreams about Out-of-body Experience , Dream Interpretation Out-of-body Experience )

Hawk

Hawks are interesting dream figures. They aren?t quite eagles, but they definitely rank above the crows. Like the eagle, hawks are common symbols in many cultures.

Native American dreams revere the hawk and eagle the way the Greeks revere Zeus and Hermes. The hawk is the warrior-visionary while the eagle is the sacred wisdom and power.

 To dream of hawks is to see oneself as engaged in, but outwitting, opponents through the ability to perceive more completely. It may also be a dream of providing adequately through skilful acquisition or insightful manoeuvring.

 Do you see yourself as soaring with the hawks or pecking with the pigeons in waking life? This may be wish fulfilment or concern over the direction your life is heading.

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

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

With technology and the Internet, it might just be possible to witness a lot more Buddhas and Sankaras taking shape. Recent scientific evidence suggests that human beings are wired to think about spiritual matters once their basic needs are met. Technology allows us to take care of our basic needs so that a large number of people can focus on higher, spiritual matters. It also allows rapid information dissemination and generates debate and discussion, thus facilitating communion with higher thought.

Technological progress also unravels a lot of hidden areas and shows how nature performs its miracles. In doing this, technology helps us understand the power and greatness of nature. For instance, we thought we'd invented and developed fibre optics. Scientists, however, find that the root systems of plants are excellent optical fibres - and they've existed in nature for millions of years.

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

Read more here: » Spirituality and technology  : The Hi-tech Route To Reach Nirvana  

TAI CHI

Tai Chi (pronounced tie-chee) emphasizes complete relaxation, and is essentially a form of mediation, or what has been called "meditation in motion." Unlike the hard martial arts, Tai Chi is characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements that emphasize force, rather than brute strength. Though it is soft, slow, and flowing, the movements are executed precisely. 

Tai Chi history is not well documented; however, aspects of it date back at least 2000 years B.C. in ancient India. In the 13th century A.D., a Taoist (pronounced DOW-ist) monk, Chang Sang Feng, developed what is known as Tai Chi. Then Tai Chi came to be associated with different families in China, and each family’s name designated a different style of Tai Chi. The Chen family developed the Tai Chi style upon which all other modern styles are based. A man by the name of Yang, who studied with the Chen family, later modified the Chen style, thus developing the Yang style of Tai Chi Chuan. The Yang style is the most common traditional style of Tai Chi Chuan practiced today. The Yang style has three different forms that are practiced: Simplified form, short form, and long form.

Chi is an ancient Chinese concept that designates a form of energy. The term literally means "breath," as does the ancient Greek word from which we get the word "spirit." According to the philosophy of Tai Chi, this energy, which flows throughout every body, can become blocked. Tai Chi philosophy states that illness is due to the flow of the chi through the body becoming blocked. The Chinese recognize several means for freeing up the flow of chi. Two of the more commonly known forms in this country are acupuncture and Tai Chi.

Tai Chi, as also used as form of meditation to develop self-understanding. Learning to control oneself enables one to deal with others. This self-control can come about through two principal notions found in the Tao Te Ching (pronounced DOW tay ching) and I Ching (pronounced EE- ching). These two notions are the fundamental concepts of yin and yang. The philosophy of Taoism (DOW-ism) understands everything in terms of these two opposing principles. Though these two principles are seen as opposites, the one necessarily merges into the other, creating the natural balance of self and world, hence the classic symbol of Tai Chi . The Tai Chi form is meant to enable one to bring the principles of yin and yang back into their fundamental, natural harmony. The ultimate effect of this harmony, according to Taoism and Tai Chi, is one's physical and spiritual well-being.

(See also: TAI CHI , Alternative Health, Holistic Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Biogram Therapy: (biogram healing, Biogram Healing System, biogram mind-body healing, Biogram System): Treatment developed by Dr. Richard Johnson. It involves guided imagery and is the basis of an audiocassette program. Biogram refers toa something that communicates directly with the source of a malady to initiate the healing process on mental and physical levels.

The principles of Biogram Therapy include these:

(a)           One can learn how to use one's mind to correct any negative physical conditions in various areas of the body.

(b)           Everyone possesses a cellular memory, the experience of one's ancestors in genetic code, which may cause otherwise inexplicable difficulties for the individual.

(c)           One can develop both the ability to see inside one's body with one's mind and the ability to derive information from one's DNA archives (the Library of Time), with which one can retrain oneself at the cellular level.

(See also: Biogram Therapy , Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Today, dealing with change is perceived as a huge challenge. In fact, 'change management' has become a major preoccupation of leaders in all walks of life, including in government, business and institutions.

Employees too are grappling with changes in the work place. More than ever before, the number of people individually striving to learn more and grow at a personal level is increasing by leaps and bounds. So they have to learn to adapt themselves to changing situations. Most of us are fairly quick at learning, at cultivating new tastes and fashions. Yet, our first reaction to change is always tinged with suspicion and caution, and in some cases, resistance.

(See also: Change , Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Change: Learn to Let Go, Adapt to Change  

Lotus Sect

A Buddhist sect founded by the great Master Hui Yuan about 390 A.D. at his monastery on Mount Lu in Kiangsi Province in China.

The Lotus Sect believes in and honors Amitabha Buddha and declares that, through the chanting of his name and by purifying and finally ridding oneself of desire, one can be reborn in the Pure Land. There one is born of a lotus, and, depending on one's degree of purification and practice, one is born into one of the nine grades of the lotus: upper superior, middle superior, lower superior, etc.

 (See also: Lotus Sect , Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Holoenergetic healing (Holoenergetics): Psychotherapeutic form of energy healing (see vibrational medicine) christened and advanced by Leonard Laskow, M.D., author of Healing with Love (Harper, 1992). The expression Holoenergetic healing means healing with the energy of the whole.

The method's principles include the following.

(a)           Separation is illusory.

(b)           Maintenance of this illusion requires energy.

(c)           Often, physical or mental illness or stress is symptomatic of such consumption of energy.

(d)           Releasing oneself from the illusion of separation liberates tremendous energy.

(e)           Healing is the gradual elimination of the illusion of separation.

Holoenergetics comprises four stages:

(a)           the recognition phase, wherein the patient identifies the source of his or her illness;

(b)          the resonance phase, wherein the patient comes to terms with the aforementioned source;

(c)           release, wherein the patient releases the disharmonious energetic pattern associated with the source; and

(d)           the reformation phase, wherein, according to Laskow, the patient replaces the dysfunctional pattern with an image symbolizing the positive life-force intent...the energy that's aligned with the natural order and harmony of the inherent healing process of the body.

(See also: Holoenergetic healing , Body Mind and Soul, Alternative Health, Alternative Health Dictionary)

Islam History of Islam Oneness of God Profession of Faith Prayer • Fasting Pilgrimage • Charity Muhammad Ali • Abu Bakr Companions of Muhammad Household of Muhammad Prophets of Islam Qur'an • Hadith • Sharia Jurisprudence Biographies of Muhammad Sunni • Shi'a • Sufi Art • Architecture Cities • Calendar
Including:

• Jihad - The Philosophy of Jihad
• Jihad - Classification of Jihad
• Jihad - General theological issues
• Jihad - Greater and lesser jihad
• Jihad - Eschatology
• Jihad - Historical Muslim views on Jihad
• Jihad - Jihad as warfare

Read more here: » Jihad: Encyclopedia - Jihad

Scriptures by themselves cannot make a person enlightened. They give knowledge, not wisdom. But the Ashtavakra Gita is different. This scripture negates every facet of life, except supreme consciousness.

Sage Ashtavakra says to Janaka: "My son, you recite or listen to countless scriptures, but you will not be established within until you can forget everything"(16.1). He stresses the import of knowing one's own self. A person may quote extensively from the Bhagavad Gita or the Upanishads. But only through self-knowledge can he even begin to discover the stainless truth.

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

Read more here: » Life and Death: All that Exists is Total Awareness

Fire

Burning is a tremendous fear many people from many different cultures hold in common. However, it is often simultaneously associated with purification. To pass through fire intact is to see oneself as becoming purified. However, being burned may indicate that one perceives life as extraordinarily threatening and painful. If a particular object is on fire (house, car, etc.), this may symbolise over-commitment to it or fear of a world without it.

Freud found fire to be a symbol of male power. In this case, fire may indicate control over a circumstance or a struggle to feel that way, depending on whether the fire is controlled or not.

 Do you question your own morality at times? Are you seeking cleansing from a bad experience? Do you perceive your own life is about to go through a significant transition that requires spiritual preparation

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

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

The different yoga schools simply adhere to different applications of inner discipline, all of which ultimately lead to the liberation of the soul and to a unique understanding of the Divine Unity. The schools are merely named according to the yogi's objective of self-transformation and the instrument chosen for such anticipated change. The yoga schools are: Ashtanga Yoga, Purna Yoga, Integral Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga,and Tantra Yoga.

Read more here: » Yoga Schools: The different Schools of Yoga

A dictionary Of Commonly Used Sanskrit terms. From A to Crore.

Please note that all words in grey, like "yoga", "enlightenment" or "kundalini" are hyperlinked to archives further explaining the term. At the corresponding archive you will also find articles related to the term.

Hindu ethics are related to Hindu beliefs, such as reincarnation, which is a way of expressing the need for reciprocity, as one may end up in someone else's shoes "in a future life". Charges of fatalism are primarily misunderstandings of the role of karma in Hinduism. Intention is seen as very important, and thus selfless action for the benefit of others without thought for oneself is a cardinal rule in Hinduism, known as the doctrine of karma yoga. This aspect of service is combined with an understanding that someone else's unfortunate situ ...

See also:

Ethics in religion, Ethics in religion - Ethics in the Bible, Ethics in religion - Jewish ethics, Ethics in religion - Christian ethics, Ethics in religion - Hindu ethics, Ethics in religion - Buddhist ethics, Ethics in religion - Chinese traditional ethics, Ethics in religion - Islamic ethics, Ethics in religion - Shinto ethics, Ethics in religion - Animist ethics

Read more here: » Ethics in religion: Encyclopedia II - Ethics in religion - Hindu ethics

Hinduism and Death: The Hindu view on Death

Hinduism believes in the rebirth and reincarnation of souls. Death is therefore not a great calamity, not an end of all, but a natural process in the existence of soul as a separate entity, by which it reassembles its resources, adjusts its course and returns again to the earth to continue its journey. In Hinduism death is a temporary cessation of physical activity, a necessary means of recycling the resources and energy and an opportunity for the jiva (that part which incarnates) to review its programs and policies.

Read more here: » Hinduism and Death: The Hindu view on Death

The shadow is an unconscious complex that is defined as the diametrical opposite of the conscious self, the ego. The shadow represents everything that the conscious person does not wish to acknowledge within themselves. For instance, someone who identifies as being kind has a shadow that is harsh or unkind. Conversely, an individual who is brutal has a kind shadow. The shadow of persons who are convinced tha ...

See also:

Carl Jung, Carl Jung - Jungian psychology, Carl Jung - The collective unconscious, Carl Jung - The shadow, Carl Jung - Anima and Animus, Carl Jung - Jung's life, Carl Jung - Jung and Freud, Carl Jung - Psychological Types, Carl Jung - Psychological Types – another view:, Carl Jung - Influence, Carl Jung - Spiritualism as a cure for alcoholism, Carl Jung - Influences on culture, Carl Jung - Recommended Reading, Carl Jung - Jung bibliography

Read more here: » Carl Jung: Encyclopedia II - Carl Jung - The shadow

An FAQ on Meditation including:

What is meditation?

How is meditation different from relaxation, thinking, concentration or self-hypnosis?

What are the different meditation techniques?

Which is the "right" meditation technique right for me?

Is there any religious implication or affiliation with meditation?

Does meditation have any ethical implications?

What is the best time of day to meditate?

Why do some people use music while meditating?

Should I meditate with my eyes open or with my eyes closed?

What are the physiological effects of meditation?

When I meditate I experience physical pain in my body. What should I do?

How long should I meditate?

Do I need a teacher to learn meditation?

Read more here: » Meditation: Meditation FAQ

Our existence can be broadly divided into three categories - thinking, feeling and being conscious. The common link between all three is our attention. When we respond to something, physical or mental, consciously or unconsciously, we take our attention to the related part of the body. When we think, our attention is in the brain and when we carry out habitual activities, it is probably in the spinal cord.

(See also: Sudarshan Kriya , Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Read more here: » Sudarshan Kriya: Balance Body & Mind With Sudarshan Kriya Yoga  

Dear Beloved Ascending Human,

Earth has completed in this year of 2003 with a focus upon karma associated with slavery, subordination, insanity, and deformity. The purpose of this focus was to release all global karma and thought-form associated so that a new dream of biological unity could be anchored. The male and female energies upon earth were united into the flame of Divine Union within the heart chakra of earth as the karma was released in full. The flame of Divine Union has been ignited and shines brightly in the aurora of earth! In so doing, there is a greater state of soul infusion and direction on the part of the Great Central Sun for earth as a global consciousness and vessel.

(See also: Indigo Children, What is Indigo Children, Parenting Indigo Children, Adult Indigo, Indigo Children Channeling)

Read more here: » Indigo Children: INDIGO CHILDREN, ADD, AUTISM AND ASCENSION  

Consciousness is a quality of the mind generally regarded to comprise such key features as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and one's environment. It is a subject of much research in philosophy of mind, psychology, neurology, and cognitive science. Some philosophers divide consciousness into phenomenal consciousness, which is experience itself, and access consciousness, which is the processing of the things in experience (Block 2004). Others consider ...

Including:

• Consciousness - Etymology
• Consciousness - Consciousness and language
• Consciousness - Cognitive neuroscience approaches
• Consciousness - Philosophical approaches
• Consciousness - Phenomenal and access consciousness
• Consciousness - The description and location of phenomenal consciousness
• Consciousness - Access consciousness
• Consciousness - Physical approaches
• Consciousness - Spiritual approaches
• Consciousness - Functions of consciousness
• Consciousness - Tests of consciousness
• Consciousness - Turing Test
• Consciousness - Mirror test
• Consciousness - Cognitive Neuroscience
• Consciousness - Philosophy
• Consciousness - Physical Theories of Consciousness
• Consciousness - People
• Consciousness - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Consciousness: Encyclopedia - Consciousness