A Wisdom Archive on Seven Sacred Planets

In India we find the oldest continually operating pilgrimage tradition in the entire world. The practice of pilgrimage in India is so deeply embedded in the cultural psyche and the number of pilgrimage sites is so large that the entire subcontinent may actually be regarded as one grand and continuous sacred space. Martin Gray spent the last 20 years visiting more than thousand sacred sites around the world and he guides us to some of the sacred sites of India.

Read more here: » Sacred Places: Sacred Sites, places and temples in India

Guru Nanak Meets Bahlol In Baghdad
Baghdad was, in Nanak's time, a centre of Muslim culture - it was home to pirs and sufi fakirs. Guru Nanak stayed in Baghdad for four months and interacted with the holy men there, one of whom was Bahlol.
 
Guru Nanak sang of the infinity of God and His infinite creation. Bahlol said that the Qur'an had mentioned seven earths and seven heavens only. Guru Nanak urged that the universe was not confined to seven earths and seven heavens but had millions and millions of planets and worlds and the Guru greeted all in the name of Sat Kartar.
 

Read more here: » Guru Nanak: Guru Nanak Meets Bahlol In Baghdad

Shanidev is Partly Shiva's Avatar
Shani or Shanichar (Saturn) is believed to be the son of Surya the Sun-god and Chhaya. So he is also called Saura. His other names include Kruradris and Kruralochana (the cruel-eyed), Mandu (dull or slow), Pangu (physically challenged), Saptarchi (seven-eyed) and Asita (dark). Shani is believed to wield evil influence, so anyone born under his influence is at risk. Hence the day named after him, Shanivara, is considered inauspicious to begin any new venture.
 

Read more here: » Shani: Shanidev is Partly Shiva's Avatar

An interview with Sri Samadarshini and Sri Ananda Giri from the Golden Age Foundation in Varadyapalyam, India, April 2003. By Eva Brenckert, Edited by Parlan Fritz

Read more here: » Spiritual Parenting: Srishti, the Art of Spiritual Parenting

The Art Of Casting Spells
To cast a spell is to project energy through a symbol. It is important to note that the energy is what is key, not the symbol; too often, the symbols are mistaken for the agent that casts the spell. While props are useful at times, it is the mind that works the magic. Correspondences between colors, planets, metals, numbers, plants and minerals, and musical notes make up a great deal of magical lore, and particular objects, shapes, colors, scents, and images do work better than others to embody certain ideas. The most powerful spells are often improvised from materials that feel right or that simply happen to come to hand.
 

Read more here: » Casting Spells: The Art Of Casting Spells

Defining The New Age
Semanticists, theologians and the third estate have been drafting theses and definitions for almost two thousand years with regard to Christianity. In fact it most probably would have been easier and more feasible to outline what Christianity was not. Similar problems exist concerning any universally acceptable statement of meaning in connection with the term "New Age."
 

Read more here: » New Age: Defining The New Age