A Wisdom Archive on Spiritualism - Background

Spiritualism in its modern incarnation started in the mid-19th century in the United States, a syncretic adjunct of largely Christian population. It is often described as Christian due to an essentially Christian moral system, a perceived belief in the Judeo-Christian God and an afterlife similar to the concept of Heaven. Liturgical practices such as Sunday services and the singing of hymns are also evidence of a largely Christian influence. Traditional Spiritualists state that they are not necessarily Christians. While they view Jesus as a great teacher and likely a medium, they do not see belief in his teachings a ...

Read more here: » Spiritualism: Encyclopedia II - Spiritualism - Background

Spiritualism may refer to a variety of modern religious ideologies, primarily active in the United States and Europe. Central tenets of Spiritualist liturgy and dogma are the beliefs and practices of mediumship which purports to be evidence of the continued existence of an individual's spirit or soul after death. The origin of Spiritualism is commonly considered to be the Modern Spiritualist movement of the 19th century United States. Spiritualism - Background. Spiritualism in its modern incarnation started ... Including:

• Spiritualism - Background
• Spiritualism - Meditation
• Spiritualism - Organizations
• Spiritualism - Specific Religions and Thought Currents
• Spiritualism - Theorists and Proponents
• Spiritualism - Well-known Believers
• Spiritualism - Critics and Exposers
• Spiritualism - Exposed Frauds
• Spiritualism - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Spiritualism: Encyclopedia - Spiritualism

Some years ago, a corporate executive asked William to coach and do a 360-degree feedback with one of his human resource managers who was having difficulty relating to his peers. The evening before they started their work together, William and the manager met for dinner just to get to know each other. For the first 30 minutes they talked about their backgrounds and work experiences; although William found the conversation interesting, he didn't feel that they were connecting at a deeper level.

 
See also: Spirituality At Work, Work As A Spiritual Practice, Spiritual Based Leadership )

Read more here: » Spiritual Based Leadership: What You Don't Know... May Energise You!  

Baha'u'llah And the New Faith
Echoing the suffering of all the messengers of God before him and the privations they suffered to fulfil their sacred task, Baha'u'l-lah, the founder of the Baha'i religion, wrote: "We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish".
 
Born in Persia on November 12, 1817, Baha'u'llah's unusual undertaking at age 27 has gradually brought into its fold several million people from diverse backgrounds. For Baha'u'llah claimed to be the Messenger of God - the Bearer of a Divine Revelation that fulfils the promises made in earlier religions and which will generate the spiritual forces for the unification of the world.
 

Read more here: » Bahai - Bah‡'’: Baha'u'llah And the New Faith

India has probably the most enduring pilgrimage tradition in the world. The greater the challenge of the path, the stronger its allure.
 
There is no typical profile of a pilgrim in India - they come from as diverse a background as the country itself, whether from the upper, middle or poorer classes.
 
There is an interesting passage in Frank Elias's The Gorgeous East published in 1913: "One of the strangest sights in India is that of the ascetics who make pilgrimages from one part of the country to another.

 
(See also: Pilgrimage in India, 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: » Pilgrimage in India: Pilgrims' Progress And Donkey's Tale  

All the pleasure and pain we experience from worldly matters disturb us. We become restless. To really enjoy life, we must learn to control the mind. Dhyana or meditation has been described by our shastras as the ideal way to exercise mind control. When we sit in absolute silence and are free from thought, we will feel enormous energy swell within us.
 
Dhyana is: Doing nothing. Nothing is done in this technique; even all thoughts are kept aside. We can feel the internal energy, and we become internally strong. The state of dhyana is the meeting point of the internal and external world. The ancient trikal sandhya is the basic background of dhyana.

 
(See also: Dhyana, 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: » Dhyana: Draw on the Energy That's Inside You  

A great background to the forthcoming Venus Transit. The author, Maya White has been a student and teacher of the metaphysical world for over 25 years and her focus as an astrologer include Theosophy, mysticism, spiritual healing and natal & astrology charts.

Read more here: » Venus Transit: Global Oneness - A Celebration of Spiritual Unity June 6 – 8, 2004

This FAQ gives a background on the phenomenon of kundalini. Part I of III.
 
In Part I: 1) What is kundalini?, 2) What is the difference between prana and kundalini?, 3) What is the difference between qi (or chi) and kundalini?, 4) If kundalini is universal why do some kundalini yogins seem to have more kundalini-energy than others?, 5) What does kundalini have to do with spiritual enlightenment?, 6) What is the goal of kundalini yoga?, 7) Does everyone agree that kundalini awakening is necessary for enlightenment?
 

Read more here: » Kundalini FAQ: What is Kundalini? (part I of III) -

Presentation of the Spiritual Reatreats in The Golden City.

Read more here: » Spiritual Retreats - A retreat for Enlightenment