Esoteric Christianity

A mystical form of Christianity that sees its "core truth" as identical to the "core truth" of every other religion (i. e. , man is divine). This form of Christianity is at home with Aldous Huxley's "perennial philosophy. "

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

Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. Beings that live in harmony with Dharma proceed more quickly towards moksha, nirvana, or personal liberation. Dharma forms the basis for philosophies, beliefs and practices originating in India. The oldest of these, widely known as Hinduism, is Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Dharma. Buddhism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Sikhism also retain the centrality of Dharma. For the followers of these traditions, Dharma also refers to the teachings ...

Including:

• Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma
• Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism
• Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism
• Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas
• Dharma - Developing conceptions
• Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha
• Dharma - Kane's view
• Dharma - In Jainism
• Dharma - The two Dharmas
• Dharma - In Buddhism
• Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha
• Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma
• Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology
• Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia - Dharma

Mysticism, from the Greek μυω (muo, "to conceal"), is the pursuit of achieving communion with or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought; the belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible through personal experience; or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. In the Hellenistic world, ...

Including:

• Mysticism - Types of mystical experience
• Mysticism - Mysticism and epistemology
• Mysticism - Subjectivity and mysticism
• Mysticism - Self-transcending self-discovery
• Mysticism - Mysticism and syncretism
• Mysticism - On the difficulty of defining mysticism
• Mysticism - Theosophy and Occultism
• Mysticism - Examples in major traditions
• Mysticism - Hindu mystics
• Mysticism - Chinese mystics
• Mysticism - Christian mystics
• Mysticism - Islamic mystics
• Mysticism - Jewish mystics
• Mysticism - Other mystics

Read more here: » Mysticism: Encyclopedia - Mysticism

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 Science • Philosophy Religious leaders Women in Islam Politi ...

Including:

• Sufism - Etymology
• Sufism - History of Sufism
• Sufism - Origins
• Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism
• Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism
• Sufism - Propagation of Sufism
• Sufism - Modern Sufism
• Sufism - Influences
• Sufism - Basic beliefs
• Sufism - Sufi Concepts
• Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties
• Sufism - Sufi cosmology
• Sufism - Sufi practices
• Sufism - Muraqaba
• Sufism - Dhikr
• Sufism - Qawwali
• Sufism - Sama
• Sufism - Orders of Sufism
• Sufism - Traditional orders
• Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups
• Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism
• Sufism - Sources

Read more here: » Sufism: Encyclopedia - Sufism

Examples of major traditions and philosophies with strong elements of mysticism are: Christian Gnosticism Christian mysticism Eastern Orthodox Hesychasm Javanese mystical movements Judaic Kabbalah Mormonism, being founded on visions, revelations, and angelic ordination Mystery religions and cults Native American Ghost Dances of the late Nineteenth Century were mystical in origin The New Age movement Near Death Experiences Quaker ...

See also:

Mysticism, Mysticism - Types of mystical experience, Mysticism - Mysticism and epistemology, Mysticism - Subjectivity and mysticism, Mysticism - Self-transcending self-discovery, Mysticism - Mysticism and syncretism, Mysticism - On the difficulty of defining mysticism, Mysticism - Theosophy and Occultism, Mysticism - Examples in major traditions, Mysticism - Hindu mystics, Mysticism - Chinese mystics, Mysticism - Christian mystics, Mysticism - Islamic mystics, Mysticism - Jewish mystics, Mysticism - Other mystics

Read more here: » Mysticism: Encyclopedia II - Mysticism - Examples in major traditions

The Diamond Approach is a teaching developed by A. H. Almaas that shows an integration of a variety of mystical teachings, including Sufism, and modern depth psychology. It is described as a synthesis of the spiritual and psychological, using psychological methods and insights to gain understanding of the personality and the ego, with the aim of spiritual unfoldment and integration. For example, the method of inquiry is used to explore aspects of the self. Object relations theory is used to examine the development of the personality and the ...

See also:

A. H. Almaas, A. H. Almaas - The Diamond Approach, A. H. Almaas - The Ridhwan School, A. H. Almaas - Bibliography

Read more here: » A. H. Almaas: Encyclopedia II - A. H. Almaas - The Diamond Approach

The word Dharma (Sanskrit; "धर्म" in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, the dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Dharma also is practiced in the Surat Shabda Yoga traditions. In its oldest form, dharman, it first appears in the Vedas. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for Dharma (life fails to convey its connoted complexity). The word has a long and ...

See also:

Dharma, Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma, Dharma - Dharma in Hinduism, Dharma - Origin and development in Hinduism, Dharma - Proto-dharma: rta in the Vedas, Dharma - Developing conceptions, Dharma - Dharma as a Purushartha, Dharma - Kane's view, Dharma - In Jainism, Dharma - The two Dharmas, Dharma - In Buddhism, Dharma - The teachings of the Buddha, Dharma - Qualities of Buddha Dharma, Dharma - Dharmas in Buddhist phenomenology, Dharma - Dharma as righteousness

Read more here: » Dharma: Encyclopedia II - Dharma - Meanings and origins of the word Dharma

The history of Sufism can be divided into the following principal periods: Sufism - Origins. According to the history of Sufism as told by Sufi masters themselves, Sufism began as a hidden or esoteric teaching of the Prophet Muhammad during his 23 year prophetic career. Almost all traditional Sufi schools or orders trace their orgins or "chains of transmission" back to the Prophet Muhammad, either through his cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib or through his friend Abu Bakr. From their point of v ...

See also:

Sufism, Sufism - Etymology, Sufism - History of Sufism, Sufism - Origins, Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism, Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism, Sufism - Propagation of Sufism, Sufism - Modern Sufism, Sufism - Influences, Sufism - Basic beliefs, Sufism - Sufi Concepts, Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties, Sufism - Sufi cosmology, Sufism - Sufi practices, Sufism - Muraqaba, Sufism - Dhikr, Sufism - Qawwali, Sufism - Sama, Sufism - Orders of Sufism, Sufism - Traditional orders, Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups, Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism, Sufism - Sources

Read more here: » Sufism: Encyclopedia II - Sufism - History of Sufism

Main Article: Dharma The word Dharma (Sanskrit; "धर्म" in the Devanagari script) or dhamma (Pali) is used in most or all philosophies and religions of Indian origin, the dharmic faiths, namely Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Dharma also is practiced in the Surat Shabda Yoga traditions. In its oldest form, dharman, it first appears in the Vedas. It is difficult to provide a single concise definition for Dharma (life fails to convey its con ...

See also:

Dharmic religions, Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths, Dharmic religions - Hinduism, Dharmic religions - Jainism, Dharmic religions - Buddhism, Dharmic religions - Sikhism, Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?, Dharmic religions - Birth and history, Dharmic religions - Common modern practices, Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity, Dharmic religions - Influences on Abrahamic religions

Read more here: » Dharmic religions: Encyclopedia II - Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?

The fundamental tenets of this school or philosophy may be stated as follows: All authentic religious traditions are true, deriving from the Primordial Tradition. Guénon's work draws extensively on Hindu, Taoist, Muslim, Judaic and Christian sources. At first, following certain Hindu schools, he rejected Buddhism as heretical, but Dr. Coomaraswamy, at the instigation of Marco Pallis (a Traditionalist convert to Tibetan Buddhism) demonstrated the essential orthodoxy of Buddhism and its consistency with Vedanta. Guenon, according ...

See also:

Traditionalist School, Traditionalist School - Fundamental tenets, Traditionalist School - Values, Traditionalist School - Books and Resources

Read more here: » Traditionalist School: Encyclopedia II - Traditionalist School - Fundamental tenets

Eckankar teaches that spiritual experience and spiritual liberation in this lifetime are available to all by actively exploring the spiritual worlds through Soul Travel [2], dreams [3], and other spiritual techniques. Eckankar's belief is that Soul is eternal and is the individual's true identity, not the body. You are Soul; you exist because God loves you. You are on a journey of Self-Realization and God-Realization. ECKists believe that giving love and service to their family and community is one way to increas ...

See also:

Eckankar, Eckankar - Teachings, Eckankar - ECK masters, Eckankar - Splinter groups, Eckankar - Teachings borrowed?, Eckankar - Is Eckankar a Cult?

Read more here: » Eckankar: Encyclopedia II - Eckankar - Teachings

Some Eckists have started their own groups after believing they received inner guidance to change Eckankar and finding Eckankar did not agree. For example, in an open letter, former Eckist Ford Johnson confesses surprise that Eckankar did not agree with his interpretation of an inner experience [16], and so he created and now promotes his own [17] spiritual organization, and is critical of religions generally ...

See also:

Eckankar, Eckankar - Teachings, Eckankar - ECK masters, Eckankar - Splinter groups, Eckankar - Teachings borrowed?, Eckankar - Is Eckankar a Cult?

Read more here: » Eckankar: Encyclopedia II - Eckankar - Splinter groups

Accusations against religious movement founders are particularly common [19]. The Mormon prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) was accused of having derived the Book of Mormon from various sources. Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), was accused of having plagiarized from a manuscript allegedly authored by German philosopher Francis Lieber (1800-1872). Ellen G. White (1827-1915), at the origins of the Seventh-day Adventists, was accused of using several Christian sources. It is commonly accepted among New Age spiritual adherents that spiritually evolved authors, perhaps by sharing inner ...

See also:

Eckankar, Eckankar - Teachings, Eckankar - ECK masters, Eckankar - Splinter groups, Eckankar - Teachings borrowed?, Eckankar - Is Eckankar a Cult?

Read more here: » Eckankar: Encyclopedia II - Eckankar - Teachings borrowed?

Dharmic religions and Abrahamic religions were conceived over 7,000 years ago in the two opposite parts of Asia, and share a complex and conflicting dynamic. Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity. The influences of Abrahmic philosophy and theology are the strongest in Sikhism, which is the youngest of the Dharmic faiths. The discernible influences are: Belief in One, Formless Supreme God Stress upon the egalitarian nature of human society An unofficial rejection of many ...

See also:

Dharmic religions, Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths, Dharmic religions - Hinduism, Dharmic religions - Jainism, Dharmic religions - Buddhism, Dharmic religions - Sikhism, Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?, Dharmic religions - Birth and history, Dharmic religions - Common modern practices, Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity, Dharmic religions - Influences on Abrahamic religions

Read more here: » Dharmic religions: Encyclopedia II - Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions

See also: Dharmic rituals after death Dharmic religions share a variety of theological, philosophical and ceremonial similarities. ...

See also:

Dharmic religions, Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths, Dharmic religions - Hinduism, Dharmic religions - Jainism, Dharmic religions - Buddhism, Dharmic religions - Sikhism, Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?, Dharmic religions - Birth and history, Dharmic religions - Common modern practices, Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity, Dharmic religions - Influences on Abrahamic religions

Read more here: » Dharmic religions: Encyclopedia II - Dharmic religions - Common modern practices

Dharmic faiths have a close and irreversible influence with the history, society and cultures of India and every South East Asian nation it has proliferated into. It also has a very diverse and large body of mythology whose roots stretch to pre-Dharmic times. In chronological order, the Dharmic religions are: Dharmic religions - Hinduism. See Also: World Hinduism Hinduism is thought to be the oldest religion in the world and the Sanskrit name of the religion (हिन्द� ...

See also:

Dharmic religions, Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths, Dharmic religions - Hinduism, Dharmic religions - Jainism, Dharmic religions - Buddhism, Dharmic religions - Sikhism, Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?, Dharmic religions - Birth and history, Dharmic religions - Common modern practices, Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity, Dharmic religions - Influences on Abrahamic religions

Read more here: » Dharmic religions: Encyclopedia II - Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths

Traditionalists accord a high value to the intellectual activities of the pre-modern world and non-Western societies and a good deal of their work lies in the sciences of metaphysics and symbolism, as well as the discussion and elucidation of the various spiritual traditions. Where they venture into such realms as social criticism it is clearly from a Traditionalist perspective which turns the Progressivist/Evolutionist assumptions of modernist theorists (both "left" and "righ ...

See also:

Traditionalist School, Traditionalist School - Fundamental tenets, Traditionalist School - Values, Traditionalist School - Books and Resources

Read more here: » Traditionalist School: Encyclopedia II - Traditionalist School - Values

See Also: History of Early Hinduism, Vedic civilization The earliest ancestor of Dharmic religions was the Vedic religion of the ancient Vedic civilization in ancient India. It is considered most probable that these religious and spiritual influences arrived in India over 7,000 years ago, brought by Indo-Aryan migrants from Central Asia. ...

See also:

Dharmic religions, Dharmic religions - The Dharmic faiths, Dharmic religions - Hinduism, Dharmic religions - Jainism, Dharmic religions - Buddhism, Dharmic religions - Sikhism, Dharmic religions - What is Dharma?, Dharmic religions - Birth and history, Dharmic religions - Common modern practices, Dharmic religions - Exchanges with Abrahamic religions, Dharmic religions - Influences from Islam and Christianity, Dharmic religions - Influences on Abrahamic religions

Read more here: » Dharmic religions: Encyclopedia II - Dharmic religions - Birth and history

Readers frequently encounter seemingly open-ended statements among studies of mysticism, throughout its history, for example in Taoist thought and in studies of Kabbalah. In his work, Kabbalah, Gershom Scholem, a prominent 20th century scholar of that field, stated: The Kabbalah is not a single system with basic principles which can be explained in a simple and straightforward fashion, but consists rather of a multiplicity of different approaches, widely separated from on ...

See also:

Mysticism, Mysticism - Types of mystical experience, Mysticism - Mysticism and epistemology, Mysticism - Subjectivity and mysticism, Mysticism - Self-transcending self-discovery, Mysticism - Mysticism and syncretism, Mysticism - On the difficulty of defining mysticism, Mysticism - Theosophy and Occultism, Mysticism - Examples in major traditions, Mysticism - Hindu mystics, Mysticism - Chinese mystics, Mysticism - Christian mystics, Mysticism - Islamic mystics, Mysticism - Jewish mystics, Mysticism - Other mystics

Read more here: » Mysticism: Encyclopedia II - Mysticism - On the difficulty of defining mysticism

Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties. Drawing from Qur'anic verses, virtually all Sufis distinguish Lataif-e-Sitta (The Six Subtleties), Nafs, Qalb, Sirr, Ruh, Khafi & Akhfa. These lataif (sing : latifa) designate various psychospiritual "organs" or, sometimes, faculties of sensory and suprasensory perception. In a rough assessment, they might appear to correlate with glands, organs, Chinese traditional, or tantric chakras. In general, sufic development involves the awakening, in a ce ...

See also:

Sufism, Sufism - Etymology, Sufism - History of Sufism, Sufism - Origins, Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism, Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism, Sufism - Propagation of Sufism, Sufism - Modern Sufism, Sufism - Influences, Sufism - Basic beliefs, Sufism - Sufi Concepts, Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties, Sufism - Sufi cosmology, Sufism - Sufi practices, Sufism - Muraqaba, Sufism - Dhikr, Sufism - Qawwali, Sufism - Sama, Sufism - Orders of Sufism, Sufism - Traditional orders, Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups, Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism, Sufism - Sources

Read more here: » Sufism: Encyclopedia II - Sufism - Sufi Concepts

Sufism - Muraqaba. Main article: Muraqaba Muraqaba is the word used by many Sufis when referring to the practice of meditation. The Arabic word literally means observe, guard or control, in this context referring to controlling and guarding one's thoughts and desires. In some Sufi orders (such as some of the Shadhili orders) muraqaba may involve concentrating one's mind on the names of God, or on a verse of the Quran, or on certain Arabic letters that have special significance. Muraqaba ...

See also:

Sufism, Sufism - Etymology, Sufism - History of Sufism, Sufism - Origins, Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism, Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism, Sufism - Propagation of Sufism, Sufism - Modern Sufism, Sufism - Influences, Sufism - Basic beliefs, Sufism - Sufi Concepts, Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties, Sufism - Sufi cosmology, Sufism - Sufi practices, Sufism - Muraqaba, Sufism - Dhikr, Sufism - Qawwali, Sufism - Sama, Sufism - Orders of Sufism, Sufism - Traditional orders, Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups, Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism, Sufism - Sources

Read more here: » Sufism: Encyclopedia II - Sufism - Sufi practices

The central concept in Sufism is love. Dervishes—the name given to initiates of sufi orders—believe that love is a projection of the essence of God to the universe.They believe that God desires to recognize beauty, and as if one looks at a mirror to see oneself, God looks at himself within the dynamics of nature.This is substantiated using the famous Hadith Qudsi (extra-Quranic utterance of God): "I was a hidden treasure, and I wanted to be known, so I created Creation." Since they believe that everything is a reflection of God, S ...

See also:

Sufism, Sufism - Etymology, Sufism - History of Sufism, Sufism - Origins, Sufism - The great Masters of Sufism, Sufism - Formalisation of Philosophies of Sufism, Sufism - Propagation of Sufism, Sufism - Modern Sufism, Sufism - Influences, Sufism - Basic beliefs, Sufism - Sufi Concepts, Sufism - Lataif-e-sitta The Six Subtleties, Sufism - Sufi cosmology, Sufism - Sufi practices, Sufism - Muraqaba, Sufism - Dhikr, Sufism - Qawwali, Sufism - Sama, Sufism - Orders of Sufism, Sufism - Traditional orders, Sufism - Non-Traditional Sufi Groups, Sufism - Traditional Islamic schools of thought and Sufism, Sufism - Sources

Read more here: » Sufism: Encyclopedia II - Sufism - Basic beliefs