`Abdu'l-Bahá ordained Secondary, or National Spiritual Assemblies in his will. They are elected annually by a system of electoral delegation. He also specified that these National Spiritual Assemblies constituted the foundation of the Supreme, or Universal House of Justice. The members of each National Spiritual Assembly would constitute the electors of the Universal House of Justice when it was eventually brought into being. Some of the earliest National Spiritual Assemblies were The National Spiritual Assembly of the B ...

See also:

Spiritual Assembly, Spiritual Assembly - Local Spiritual Assemblies, Spiritual Assembly - National Spiritual Assemblies, Spiritual Assembly - Article TODO

Read more here: » Spiritual Assembly: Encyclopedia II - Spiritual Assembly - National Spiritual Assemblies

A Dictionary of Spiritual Terms. From Acupuncture to Zoroaster.

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.

For more dictionary entries, see » Spiritual Articles Dictionary

Fetish

(derived from a Portuguese word for medals and crucifixes worn by sailors and extended by them to amulets used by Africans; first used as a generic term by Ch. de Brosses in 1760)

1)    An article of paraphernalia used in religious practice, or a physical object representative of religious authority. Fetishes commonly are misunderstood to be objects accorded magical or supernatural powers by their users. Objects such as the perfect ear of corn or Corn Mother, important in religious practices of Pueblos (American Southwest), medicine bundles of various North American tribes, and objects that represent the religious authority of clans in Native American communities are often referred to as fetishes.

2)    Small carved stone objects and feather arrangements, with no religious significance, manufactured for commercial sale by modern Native American peoples.

3)    An object or body part that arouses sexual desire, sometimes to the exclusion of genital attraction.

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

Sat Chit Anand, Truth, Consciousness, Bliss

This is an article by an unknown author. The content is quite provocative phrased but contains many aspects which is interesting and worthwhile to be discussed.

Read more here: » Sat Chit Anand: Truth, Consciousness, Bliss

Too many choices sometimes create conflicts and problems, and lead to unhappiness. Recent scientific and sociological studies done on a large number of subjects show that there seems to be a direct correlation between unhappiness and the number of choices available.

Read more here: » Spiritual Growth: Options for Sustainable Life

About different forms of obstacles in meditation.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Obstacles in Meditation

What does a passionate man do? He repeats the same ignominious act again and again and fills his stomach as many times as he can. What does an aspirant with burning desire for Self-realisation do? He takes a little milk and repeats the process of meditation again and again whole day and night and enjoys the eternal bliss of the Self. Both are busy in their own way. The former is caught up in the wheel of births and deaths (Samsara Chakra), and the latter attains Immortality

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Hints on Meditation

Padmasana

You must be able to sit in an Asana quite steady at a stretch for full three hours. Then only you will get mastery over the Asana (Asana Jaya). Without securing a steady Asana you cannot get on well in meditation.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Padmasana: Different Yoga Asanas -

Siddhasana

Next to Padmasana comes Siddhasana in importance. Young Brahmacharins who attempt to get established in celibacy should practice this Asana. Sit on your seat. Spread the legs

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Siddhasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Siddhasana

Sirshasana

Sirshasana, Sarvangasana and other exercises are intended for general health, for an all-round development of the body and for maintaining Brahmacharya. Sirshasana is king of all Asanas. The seminal energy is transmuted into Ojas-sakti

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Sirshasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Sirshasana

Oordhva-Padmasana

Perform-Sirshasana. Slowly bend the right leg and keep it on the left thigh and then the left leg on the right thigh, forming a foot-lock as in Padmasana. Do this slowly and avoid jerks or a fall

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Oordhva-Padmasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Oordhva-Padmasana

Halasana

Spread a blanket on the ground and lie flat on your back. Keep the hands at the sides on the ground with the palm facing the ground. Join both your legs. Lift the legs slowly up as in Sarvangasana.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Halasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Halasana

Matsyasana

Sit on the blanket and form the foot-lock as in Padmasana. Then lie flat on the back. Stretch the head back so that the top of your head rests on the ground firmly on one side and the buttocks on the other, thus making a bridge or an arch of the trunk.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Matsyasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Matsyasana

Paschimottanasana

Sit on the ground and stretch the legs stiff like a stick. Catch the toes with the thumb, index and middle fingers. While catching, you will have to bend the trunk forwards. Exhale.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Paschimottanasana: Different Yoga Asanas - Paschimottanasana

Serve, Love, Give

Become a Karma Yogi and work for the well-being of the world. You must do universal service in order to attain the state of being one with the universal consciousness.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Karma Yogi: Serve, Love, Give - Become a Karma Yogi

Purify

Spirituality means growing into the form of Divine Ideal. It is the transformation of your nature from human to Divine. This is brought about by Abhyasa, i.e., spiritual practice or Sadhana and Vairagya leading to renunciation.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Spiritual Practice: Spiritual Practice of Sadhana

Mantra-writing

When you write the Mantra, always observe Mouna or silence. Feel that the divine Sakti is entering your whole being. Do not change your seat till you have finished the day's number of pages. There is an Achintya Sakti (indescribable power) in Mantra-writing. It helps the concentration in the Sadhaka.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Mantra-writing: The power of Mantra-writing

Meditate

Meditation is the keeping up of the one idea - be it of Nirguna Brahman, Saguna Brahman, image or an abstract idea. It follows concentration where all the rays of the mind are focussed on to a single thought.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Meditation: Meditation is the keeping up of the one idea

The realization of oneness in all existences, manifested and unmanifested, is the goal of human life.

From "Easy Steps to Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Oneness: The realization of Oneness