Avadhuta (Sanskrit) (from ava-dhu to shake off)

Shaken off, dispelled, rejected, as applied to evil spirits or enemies; also applied to plants shaken by the wind. As a noun, one who has shaken off himself worldly feeling and shackling ties. Also one of the six degrees or stages of asceticism.

(See also: Avadhuta, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Uparati (Sanskrit) [from upa-ram to cease]

A cessation; In Vedantic philosophy a state where the yogi desists from sensual enjoyment or any worldly action, and there is an absence of desires which could be affected by exterior stimuli or influences.

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

Sannyasi (Sanskrit). A Hindu ascetic who has reached the highest mystic knowledge; whose mind is fixed only upon the supreme truth, and who has entirely renounced everything terrestrial and worldly.

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

EMPEDOCLES

(5th Century BC, of Acraga). The last of the Presocratic Shamans, whose company included Parmenides, Zeno, Xenophanes, Heraclitus and Pythagoras. He was a healer who sought to reconcile pragmatic this-worldliness and the metaphysical concerns of reincarnation, transcendence, etc.

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

Subecha: longing for the Truth. Rightly distinguish between permanent & impermanent. Cultivated dislike for worldly pleasures. Acquired mastery over organs, physical & mental. Feels a deep yearning to be free from Samsara (cycle of birth, death and rebirth).

(See also: Subecha, Hinduism, Yoga, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Vedas: the most ancient sacred literature of the Hindus. Most ancient texts revealed to the sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of life from supreme reality to worldly affairs. Four in number: Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharava which are further divided into Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishads.

(See also: Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Sannyasa (Sanskrit) [from sam together with + ni-as to reject, resign worldly life]

Putting or throwing down, laying aside, abandonment; particularly renunciation of the world and material affairs and the assumption of the path leading to mystic knowledge. The practitioner is called a sannyasin.

(See also: Sannyasa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Sanga (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root sanj to adhere, attach]

Worldly or selfish attachment or affection; "the Sankhyas say: give up Sangam, that desire to do Karma, which alone seems to connect the soul with it, and renounce this connection, which alone renders the soul responsible for the Karma" (N on BG 114).

(See also: Sanga, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Vedas:

four ancient texts- Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva, which are further divided into Samhita, Brahmana, Aranayaka and Upanishads. They were revealed to the sages and saints of India which explain and regulate every aspect of life from supreme reality to worldly affairs. The oldest books in the library of mankind.

(See also: Vedas, Yoga, Yoga Dictionary)

Moha (Sanskrit) Bewilderment, perplexity, folly, delusion, error. In philosophy, delusion of mind, preventing the discernment of truth and leading to the belief in the reality of unreal worldly objects; closely similar to maya, but with an emphasis placed on the activity of the deceiving mind.

With Buddhists, ignorance, one of the three roots of vice. In the Vishnu-Purana, infatuation personified as the offspring of Brahma.

(See also: Moha, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Klesa (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root klis to molest, torment, suffer)

Pain, suffering, involving nevertheless love of physical existence. Philosophically, the love of life, the cleaving to existence, the love of pleasure or of worldly enjoyment, evil or good. In the Yoga philosophy there are five klesa-karins (causes of pain): avidya (ignorance or nescience); asmita (egoism); raga (passion); dvesha (hatred); and abhinevesa (attachment, devotion).

(See also: Klesa, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Adhyatmika- or Adhyatmika-duhkha (Sanskrit) (from adhi above + atman self + duhka from dush to be defiled)

The first of the three kinds of klesa (affliction) or worldly pain (cf VP 6:5). Evils arising from oneself, generally classed as bodily ailments (headaches, fevers, diseases, etc.), but more properly those pains or troubles originating from mental and other inner causes such as weakness of will, vagrant and misleading emotions, and imperfect mentation, which lead to physical ailments.

(See also: Adhyatmika, Adhyatmika-duhkha, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Agapae (Greek) (plural of agape brotherly love, loving kindness, charity)

Love feasts; not only the love for God, but the love of Christians for each other as being members of a divinely inspired communion. The agapae were meetings for prayer, song, reading, exhortation, exchange of news, and ended with the brotherly kiss. With the lapse into worldliness, abuses crept into these love-feasts, which in time became so notorious that they were finally abolished.

(See also: Agapae, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Vajradhara (Sanskrit) Diamond-holder; the First Logos, supreme buddha, or adi-buddha, equivalent to the Tibetan dorjechang. "As the Lord of all Mysteries he cannot manifest, but sends into the world of manifestation his heart -- the 'diamond heart,' Vajrasattva (Dorjesempa)" (SD 1:571). Vajra here expresses the indestructibility and spiritually adamantine quality of this "One unknown, without beginning or end" -- unknown to the average worldly person, but recognized by full initiates as the source of their divine inspiration and intuitions.

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

Sortes Sanctorum (Latin). The "holy casting of lots for purposes of divination", practised by the early and medieval Christian clergy. St. Augustine, who does not "disapprove of this method of learning futurity, provided it be not used for worldly purposes, practised it himself " (Life of St. Gregory of Tours). If, however, "it is practised by laymen, heretics, or heathen" of any sort, sortes sanctorum become - if we believe the good and pious fathers - sortes diabolorum or sortilegium - sorcery.

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

SCIENTOLOGY

L. Ron Hubbard's religion, based on sci-fi, psychology and occultism. It attempts, after clearing the psyche of engrams, to place one in touch with former incarnations in order to put the information to further spiritual growth as an Operating Thetan who no longer depends on the body for spiritual effects. The church patterns its worldly foundation on the proven techniques of the Catholic Church, Christian Science, etc.

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

INITIATION -

1. clear shine forth of the inner fire, transition to another, growing capacity to see and hear small planes, expansion of consciousness that admits the personality into wisdom attained by the Ego brief period of enlightenment where in the initiate sees that portion of the path that likes ahead and stares consciously in the evolutionary plan. (Bailey) (NAD)

2. an experience that transforms the individual that their concept of personal and worldly reality has been altered. Dedication is not the same. (TRASB)

(See also: INITIATION, Wiccan Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

CYNICS

(From Greek kynikos, "canine"). They were so called by Aristophanes in the 5th Century because they were critical of materialists and "snarled at worldly conceits". Interestingly enough, today's cynics tend to snarl not at materialists but at idealists and visionaries. Increasingly, however, in the postmodern world, cynicism directed towards the most firmly established segments of society is coming to be seen as the highest mark of intelligence.

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

Pravritti-marga pravrtti-marga (Sanskrit) [from pra forth, forwards + the verbal root vrit to roll, turn, unfold + marga path]

The path of evolution into matter, the way which leads to imbodied existence in the material worlds; the shadowy arc. In Hindu literature it is frequently employed to signify the path of activity in worldly or religious affairs, enabling a person to show what he can do. Such usage is a transference of the original mystical thought to mundane affairs.

See also NIVRITTI-MARGA

(See also: Pravritti-marga, pravrtti-marga, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Jhana (Pali) Meditation in wisdom, equivalent to Sanskrit jnana and dhyana. This experience was originally divided into four states: the mystic, with his mind free from sensuous and worldly ideas, concentrates his thoughts on some special subject such as the impermanence or mayavi character of all exterior things; uplifted above attention to externals and ordinary reasoning he experiences keen joy and quiet ease both of body and mind; the bliss passes away and he becomes suffused with a sense of inner completeness, in its higher stages approaching cosmic ranges; he becomes aware permanently of purest lucidity of intellect and perfect equanimity, while his consciousness realizes wisdom.

(See also: Jhana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Bhava (Sanskrit) (from the verbal root bhu to be, become)

Being; coming into existence, birth, production, origin; worldly existence, the world. As used in Buddhist literature, the continuity of becoming, one of the links in the twelvefold chain of causation (nidanas), therefore also birth. As the third nidana, bhava is the karmic agent which leads every new sentient being to be born in this or another mode of existence in the trailokya and gatis.

As a proper noun, the name of a deity, also applied as a title to the gods Agni, Siva, and Rudra.

See also ABHAVA

(See also: Bhava, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Chitta-riddhi-pada citta-riddhi-pada (Sanskrit) (from chitta intelligence, thought, memory + riddhi supernormal power + pada step, inspiring ray)

In raja yoga, the step of renunciation of the lower memory, in the attainment of supernormal faculty or power. "The third condition of the mystic series which leads to the acquirement of adeptship; i.e., the renunciation of physical memory, and of all thoughts connected with worldly or personal events in one's life -- benefits, personal pleasures or associations. Physical memory has to be sacrificed, and recalled by will power only when absolutely needed" (TG 324).

(See also: Chitta-riddhi-pada, citta-riddhi-pada, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)