PARTNERSHIP SPIRITUALITY - cooperative male or female spirituality that preceded and surpassed historic religion and philosophy. (Riano Eisler) (NAD)

(See also: PARTNERSHIP SPIRITUALITY, Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

SPIRITUAL PLANE: a person's perception of life's existence, consisting of belief or lack of belief in the Divine.

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Spiritualism:

A religion based upon the belief in life after death and the experiences of various mediums over the last hundred years; organized primarily to provide legal protection for the mediums and their followers.

(See also: Spiritualism, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

In (Chin.). The female principle of matter, impregnated by Yo, the male ethereal principle, and precipitated thereafter down into the universe.

(See also: In, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Spiritual Principles Atma and buddhi are the two essentially spiritual principles in man; and manas is to be classed as a spiritual principle when it is the vehicle for atma-buddhi, although manas itself is monadic in essence, and therefore at its heart -- but not in its present manifested condition or evolutionary state -- is as spiritual as the two former. There is an atman and a buddhi of the manas itself, and belonging to the manasic principle itself; and it is precisely this svabhavic atma-buddhi in the manas which allows the atman and buddhi principles to coalesce with the manas and use it.

(See also: Spiritual Principles, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Beings who assist shamans and which may take many forms. They are also called guides and teachers.

(See also: spiritual guide(s, Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

A type of healing in which the healer draws on the help of the spirits, deities, or God to heal a patient.

(See also: Spiritual healing, Magic, Shamanism, Pagan Dictionary)

Spiritualism. In philosophy, the state or condition of mind opposed to materialism or a material conception of things. Theosophy, a doctrine which teaches that all which exists is animated or informed by the Universal Soul or Spirit, and that not an atom in our universe can be outside of this omnipresent Principle - is pure Spiritualism.

As to the belief that goes under that name, namely, belief in the constant communication of the living with the dead, whether through the mediumistic powers of oneself or a

so-called medium - it is no better than the materialisation of spirit, and the degradation of the human and the divine, souls. Believers in such communications are simply dishonouring the dead and performing constant sacrilege. It was well called "Necromancy" in days of old. But our modern Spiritualists take offence at being told this simple truth.

(See also: Spiritualism, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

To On (Ancient Greek). The "Being", the "Ineffable All" of Plato. He" whom no person has seen except the Son".

(See also: To On, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Spiritus (Latin) Breath, air, spirit; in medieval European alchemy it corresponds with fire and sulfur in the triad of sulfur, mercury, and salt -- or spirit, soul, and body. With the Nazarenes, the female aspect of the anima mundi, the manifested part as contrasted with its unmanifest or divine aspect.

(See also: Spiritus, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Spiritual Monad The second monadic center in the descending scale of intimately related human monadic centers; in the septenary constitution, atma-buddhi-manas, with an emphasis on the buddhi-manas, atman being the divine monad. It is man's individual monad, the spiritual center of his own stream of consciousness, in the heart of which abides his inner god or "Father in heaven."

"The human constitution is a composite or compound, and may be figurated . . . as a stream of consciousness flowing forth from the deathless Center or Spiritual Monad, which last is at once the immortal Root of the human being and his Essential Self" (ET 718). It corresponds to the spiritual self or jivatman.

After death, when the second death occurs, man's consciousness is withdrawn from the higher astral regions into the next superior sphere or plane -- the human monad is indrawn into the spiritual monad. Then occurs the state of devachan.

(See also: Spiritual Monad, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Spiritual Powers Generally used in contradistinction to psychic powers; for while psychic powers pertain to the intermediate, psychomental part of human nature, the spiritual powers pertain to the higher part. Hence the psychic powers, precisely because intermediaries, may become the instrument either of our higher or of our lower nature, being vehicular products in themselves and subject to influx from above or below.

The spiritual powers cannot be used for selfish and personal ends because their svabhava is universality and impersonality, attributes which link man with the surrounding universe. They emanate from the spiritual monad, atma-buddhi. We are able to use spiritual powers when our manas acts in conjunction with the spiritual monad. Such powers cannot be evoked by personal ambition or any form of acquisitiveness, because they do not rise above the intermediate or psychic nature and make no appeal to the spirit above; in fact, spiritual powers are the fruit of renunciation, of the replacing of the personal with the universal, the resigning of the limited for the virtually limitless, the giving up of the small for the great. Spiritual powers consist in a clear intuition of the truth, leading to right conduct, an ability to help and teach others -- the powers which we attribute to a Buddha or Christ.

The eye of Siva or Dangma, with its all-penetrating vision, must be included among spiritual powers; the siddhis and saktis given in various enumerations comprise some that are spiritual -- in fact the ones of permanent value are all spiritual. Since psychic powers are in themselves intermediaries, veils of what is within and behind them, they should become adjuncts to spiritual powers. Sharp lines of demarcation cannot be drawn in a universe whose very structure involves virtually infinite variety, and interblending, of interacting life and lives.

(See also: Spiritual Powers, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

S - The nineteenth letter; numerically, sixty. In Hebrew it is the fifteenth letter, Samech, held as holy because "the sacred name of god is Samech". Its symbol is a prop, or a pillar, and a phallic egg. In occult geometry it is represented as a circle quadrated by a cross, . In the Kabbalah the "divisions of Gan-Eden or paradise" are similarly divided.

(See also: S, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Spirituality Considering spirit and matter as contrasted aspects in the evolutionary process, as opposite poles in the kosmos, this word applied to the higher or causal aspect. The course of evolution, the monad begins as an unself-conscious god-spark and ends its evolutionary career in any one universe as a self-conscious god.

The monads pass from spirit into matter, and then back again to spirit with the addition of evolved intellectual self-cognition or self-consciousness. So far as the rounds and races of our earth is concerned, the first two were characterized by direct but non-egoic spiritual qualities of consciousness, while in the third intellectuality and finally materiality began strongly to make their appearances, reaching the final evolutionary point for our planet in the fourth, when spirituality was nearly submerged by materiality. But these terms are relative, having varying meanings as applied to different planes and differing conditions of the rounds and races.

Absolute spirituality or perfection in its very nature implies the loftiest type of spiritual and intellectual activity, with the relative quiescence of the enshrouding sheaths of consciousness. The distinction is to a certain degree that drawn between absolute thought or the All as opposed to the ratiocinative activity of mental action, which involves limitations and matters (SD 2:490).

(See also: Spirituality, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Spiritualism Properly, the philosophy, religion, or pneumatological science held by those who believe in the universal spirit as the cosmic originant of all the hierarchies of evolving monads; its opposite is materialism. Spiritualism is "in philosophy, the state or condition of mind opposed to materialism or a material conception of things.

Theosophy, a doctrine which teaches that all which exists is animated or informed by the Universal Soul or Spirit, and that not an atom in our universe can be outside of this omnipresent principle -- is pure Spiritualism. As to the belief that goes under that name, namely, belief in the constant communication of the living with the dead, whether through the mediumistic powers of oneself or a so-called medium -- it is no better than the materialisation of spirit, and the degradation of the human and the divine souls. Believers in such communications are simply dishonouring the dead and performing constant sacrilege. It was well called 'Necromancy' in days of old" (TG 307).

The modern movement which began about the middle of the 19th century, mainly with the Fox sisters, embraces a large range of differing beliefs, so that any strictures directed against certain phases of it may justly be resented by those to whom such strictures do not apply. But the characteristic doctrine which identifies Spiritualism or astralism as such, is the belief that it is possible for the living to communicate with the departed spirits of the deceased. Theosophy, however, holds that at death the personality disintegrates, the individuality of the person passing into the devachanic state, while its lower components gradually fade out in the kama-loka. It is impossible to obtain communications with the ego in devachan, except when a purely impersonal love of one human being for another reaches into the devachanic condition and comes into spiritual rapport with the devachani. A far lower rapport may be established with the astral or kama-lokic remains which have been left behind to disintegrate in the lower regions of the astral light.

All the apparent proofs of identity of "spirit" can be accounted for otherwise than by supposing the actual presence of the departed individual in the seance room. Such communications as are received evince no knowledge beyond that which we already have, and show no signs of emanating from a high source -- and almost invariably such communications are trifling and paltry. Mediumship and seances are most harmful practice, as they open the door to the entry of pernicious obsessing influences from the lower astral realms. Moreover such practice may obstruct and retard the natural decomposition of the discarded lower elements of the deceased, and thus keep alive his kama-rupa beyond the term of its natural astral death. The appeal of astralism is very powerful to those who feel convinced that they have thereby obtained assurance of immortality and of the continued existence of their lost loved ones.

(See also: Spiritualism, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Pratyaksha (Sanskrit). Spiritual perception by means of senses.

(See also: Pratyaksha, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Trishna (Sanskrit). The fourth Nidana; spiritual love.

(See also: Trishna, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

SPIRITUALISM

Traffic with the dead. As for my contacts with the dead, which I keep to a minimum, they have not been particularly interesting. They are quite ordinary and highly personal. It is not generally considered a clean habit to traffic with the dead. Both Crowley and HPB consider spiritism to be next door to necrophilia, if not an overt and particularly nasty sexual perversion.

Most spirits move on rather quickly past the closer shores of the so-called astral plane, which I prefer to call "Telluria," since it lies so near the borders of our own world. The newest shades are the strongest, but shortly thereafter they fade like old photographs. They are not alive, remember. If death has been recent and if no one has summoned the spirit and if the spirit has not contacted any living person, chances are that we may obtain at least one good "conversation." That generally just about uses up the astral envelope.

Warning -- If you have persistent and prolonged contact with the same spirit, that is highly suspicious. It very well may not be the departed, but some intruding entity. That is particularly likely if someone other than a friend or member of the family of the departed is acting as medium. A few unfortunate wraiths are drawn neither forward nor back and cling to our world for very sick reasons. In the rare case that the spirit whom you have contacted is dependable and reasonable then it is surely an advanced being of some kind. But here again, there are many kinds of "advanced beings" -- few of which indeed are former earthlings.

(See also: SPIRITUALISM, Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul, )

Will. In metaphysics and occult philosophy, Will is that which governs the manifested universes in eternity. Will is the one and sole principle of abstract eternal MOTION, or its ensouling essence. " The will", says Van Helmont, "is the first of all powers. . . . The will is the property of all spiritual beings and displays itself in them the more actively the more they are freed from matter." And Paracelsus teaches that "determined will is the beginning of all magical operations. It is because men do not perfectly imagine and believe the result, that the (occult) arts are so uncertain, while they might he perfectly certain." Like all the rest, the Will is septenary in its degrees of manifestation. Emanating from the one, eternal, abstract and purely quiescent Will (Atma in Layam), it becomes Buddhi in its Alaya state, descends lower as Mahat (Manas), and runs down the ladder of degrees until the divine Eros becomes, in its lower, animal manifestation, erotic desire. Will as an eternal principle is neither spirit nor substance but everlasting ideation. As well expressed by Schopenhauer in his Parerga, " in sober reality there is neither matter nor spirit. The tendency to gravitation in a stone is as unexplainable as thought in the human brain. . . If matter can - no one knows why -  - fall to the ground, then it can also - no one knows why - -think. . . . As soon, even in mechanics, as we trespass beyond the purely mathematical, as soon as we reach the inscrutable adhesion, gravitation, and so on, we are faced by phenomena which are to our senses as mysterious as the WILL."

(See also: Will, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Sanjna (Sanskrit). Spiritual Consciousness. The wife of Surya, the Sun.

(See also: Sanjna, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

Vajracharya (Sanskrit). The spiritual acharya (guru, teacher) of the Yogacharyas, The "Supreme Master of the Vajra".

(See also: Vajracharya, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )