1.
New religious movement
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NRMs can be novel in origin or part of a wider religion, in which case they are distinct from pre-existing denominations. Some NRMs deal with the challenges posed by the world by embracing individualism whereas others seek tightly knit collective means. Scholars have estimated that NRMs now number in the tens of thousands worldwide, with most of their members living in Asia, most have only a few members, some have thousands, and only very few have more than one million members. New religions have often faced a hostile reception from established religious organisations, in Western nations, a secular anti-cult movement and a Christian countercult movement emerged during the 1970s and 1980s to oppose emergent groups. In the 1970s, the field of new religions studies developed within the academic study of religion. There are now several organisations and peer-reviewed journals devoted to the subject. Scholars continue to try to reach definitions and define boundaries, there is no singular, agreed upon criteria for defining a new religious movement. However, the term usually requires that the group be both of recent origin and different from existing religions, there is debate as to what the term new should designate in this context. According to him, NRMs constituted those religious groups that have found, from the perspective of the dominant religious community, to be not just different. This definition would mean that which religions were regarded as NRMs would differ from country to country and would be open to change, as noted by scholars of religion Olav Hammer and Mikael Rothstein, new religions are just young religions. Melton has stated that those NRMs which were offshoots of older religious groups, tended to resemble their parent group far more than each other. One question that faces scholars of religion is when a new religious movement ceases to be new, some NRMs are strongly counter-cultural and alternative in the society they appear in, while others are far more similar to a societys established traditional religions. There are also problems in the use of religion within the new religious movements. Since at least the early 2000s, most sociologists of religion have used the new religious movement to avoid the pejorative undertones of terms like cult. These are words that have used in different ways by different groups. For instance, from the nineteenth century onward a number of sociologists used the terms cult, the term cult is used in reference to devotion or dedication to a particular person or place. For instance, within the Roman Catholic Church devotion to Mary and it is also used in non-religious contexts to refer to fandoms devoted to television shows like The Prisoner, The X-Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the United States, the term began to be used in a pejorative manner to refer to Spiritualism
2.
Elizabeth Clare Prophet
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Elizabeth Clare Prophet was an American Spiritual Leader, author, orator, and writer. In 1963 she married Mark L. Prophet, who five years earlier, Mark and Elizabeth had four children. Elizabeth, just 33 years of age at the time of husband Marks death on February 26,1973, in 1975, Prophet founded Church Universal and Triumphant, which became the umbrella organization for the movement, and which she expanded worldwide. Prophet controversially called on her members in the late 1980s to prepare for the possibility of war at the turn of the decade. During the 1980s and 1990s, Prophet appeared on Larry King Live, Donahue and Nightline, earlier media appearances included a feature in 1977 in The Man Who Would Not Die, an episode of NBCs In Search Of. She was also featured in 1994 on NBCs Ancient Prophecies, Elizabeth Clare Prophet was born Elizabeth Clare Wulf at Monmouth Memorial Hospital in Long Branch, New Jersey on April 8,1939, to Hans and Fridy Wulf. She grew up with her family in Red Bank, New Jersey during the Second World War and she describes her earliest childhood as idyllic. However, problems arose, such as the detention of her father as a suspected German spy in 1942, upon his release he conveyed the need for her to help others who may also suffer because of their nationality, their race, or their religion. One of the difficulties in her early life was her fathers addiction to alcohol. He verbally abused her mother and had a violent temper which he directed towards them, after witnessing this for many years, Elizabeth became convinced that when the blood alcohol content creates a chemical imbalance in the body, possessing demons take over the mind and the emotions. In Elizabeths early life, she blacked out. This happened in the grade, when she was about to say her lines in a Christmas play. Her condition was first diagnosed as petit mal epilepsy, known commonly today as absence seizures. She did not find medication helpful, and discontinued using it and her mother later confessed that in 1937 she took some pills in an unsuccessful attempt to abort her pregnancy with Elizabeth. Prophet thought that her mother was implying that the medication may have contributed to her childhood blackouts, Prophet herself did some research, and learned that the use of quinine sulfate could have damaged the developing nervous system and the brain. Elizabeth Wulf claimed mystical experiences while growing up and she claimed that when she was about four, she had a vision of herself playing on the sands of the Nile river in Egypt. She claimed that as a child she felt Gods light around her naturally, while water-skiing, she said she felt that she was suspended in a place where other spiritual beings existed, who were joyous in the light, radiating love. This motivated her to find out more about who these saints robed in white were, betty Clare grew up in a home that was mainly non-religious except for major holidays
3.
New Age
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The New Age is a term applied to a range of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices that developed in Western nations during the 1970s. Precise scholarly definitions of the New Age differ in their emphasis, although analytically often considered to be religious, those involved in it typically prefer the designation of spiritual and rarely use the term New Age themselves. Many scholars of the subject refer to it as the New Age movement, although others contest this term, such prominent occult influences include the work of Emanuel Swedenborg and Franz Mesmer, as well as the ideas of Spiritualism, New Thought, and Theosophy. Although the exact origins of the phenomenon remain contested, it is agreed that it developed in the 1970s and it expanded and grew largely in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular within the United States. By the start of the 21st century, the term New Age was increasingly rejected within this milieu, despite its highly eclectic nature, a number of beliefs commonly found within the New Age have been identified. Theologically, the New Age typically adopts a belief in a form of divinity which imbues all of the universe. There is thus a strong emphasis on the authority of the self. This is accompanied by a belief in a wide variety of semi-divine non-human entities, such as angels and masters, with whom humans can communicate. There is also a focus on healing, particularly using forms of alternative medicine. Those involved in the New Age have been primarily from middle, the New Age has generated criticism from established Christian organisations as well as modern Pagan and indigenous communities. From the 1990s onward, the New Age became the subject of research by scholars of religious studies. The New Age phenomenon has proved difficult to define, with much scholarly disagreement as to its scope, the scholars Steven J. Sutcliffe and Ingvild Sælid Gilhus have even suggested that it remains among the most disputed of categories in the study of religion. According to Hammer, this New Age was a fluid and fuzzy cultic milieu and he thus argued against the idea that the New Age could be considered a unified ideology or Weltanschauung, although he believed that it could be considered a more of less unified movement. Conversely, various scholars have suggested that the New Age is insufficiently homogenous to be regarded as a singular movement. There is no authority within the New Age phenomenon that can determine what counts as New Age. Many of those groups and individuals who could analytically be categorised as part of the New Age reject the term New Age in reference to themselves, some even express active hostility to the term. Rather than terming themselves New Agers, those involved in this milieu commonly describe themselves as spiritual seekers, other figures have argued that the sheer diversity of the New Age renders it too problematic for such use. In discussing the New Age, academics have varyingly referred to New Age spirituality and those involved in the New Age rarely consider it to be religion—negatively associating that term solely with organized religion—and instead describe their practices as spirituality
4.
New Thought
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The New Thought movement is a philosophical movement which developed in the United States in the 19th century, considered by many to have been derived from the unpublished writings of Phineas Quimby. There are numerous groups, most of which are incorporated in the International New Thought Alliance. And teaching and healing one another, and our mental states are carried forward into manifestation, the teachings of Christian Science are in some ways similar to Quimbys teachings. Its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, was a student and patient of Quimbys, William James, in The Varieties of Religious Experience, described New Thought as follows. for the sake of having a brief designation, I will give the title of the Mind-cure movement. It is a scheme of life, with both a speculative and a practical side. In its gradual development during the last quarter of a century, it has taken up into itself a number of contributory elements, but the most characteristic feature of the mind-cure movement is an inspiration much more direct. Their belief has in a general way been corroborated by the experience of their disciples. The New Thought movement was based on the teachings of Phineas Quimby, Quimby had developed a belief system which included the tenet that illness originated in the mind as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to Gods wisdom could overcome any illness. By my theory or truth, I come in contact with your enemy and this I do partly mentally, and partly by talking till I correct the wrong impression and establish the Truth, and the Truth is the cure. During the late 19th century, the healing practices of Quimby mingled with the Mental Science of Warren Felt Evans. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, has sometimes been cited as having used Quimby as inspiration for theology, Eddy was a patient of Quimby’s and shared his view that disease is rooted in a mental cause. Because of its theism, Christian Science differs from the teachings of Quimby, New Thought is also largely a movement of the printed word. In 1906, William Walker Atkinson wrote and published Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World, Atkinson was the editor of New Thought magazine and the author of more than 100 books on an assortment of religious, spiritual, and occult topics. These magazines were used to reach a large audience then, as others are now, nautilus magazine, for example, had 45,000 subscribers and a total circulation of 150,000. One Unity Church magazine, Wee Wisdom, was the childrens magazine in the United States. Today, New Thought magazines include Daily Word published by Unity, by 1916, the International New Thought Alliance had encompassed many smaller groups around the world, adopting a creed known as the Declaration of Principles. The declaration was revised in 1957, with all references to Christianity removed, the chief tenets of New Thought are, Infinite Intelligence or God is omnipotent and omnipresent. Divinely attuned thought is a force for good
5.
Gardiner, Montana
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Gardiner is a census-designated place in Park County, Montana, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 875 at the 2010 census, Gardiner was officially founded in 1880, but the area has served as a main entrance to Yellowstone National Park since its creation in 1872. Parks Fly Shop, one of the oldest fly shops and guiding operations in the Yellowstone area, was started by Merton Parks in 1953, the name Gardiner derives from Johnson Gardner, a fur trapper who operated in the area in 1830-31. He named the lush valley of todays Gardner River Gardners Hole. Originally, named Gardners Fork, the took on Gardners name although prospectors and explorers who visited the area later in the century were unaware of the trapper Johnson Gardner. In 1870, when the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition passed through the area began calling the river Gardiner—a phonetic error. Hiram M. Chittenden and Nathaniel P. Langford confirmed this spelling in their accounts of the expedition and these entrepreneurs eventually established a primitive hotel at Mammoth and were not evicted from the area until many years after the park was established. McCartney also went by the name Jim Gardiner and received messages, consignments and such destined for guests of his hotel addressed to, on February 9,1880, a territorial post office was established just outside the park boundary and Gardiner, Montana began. In 1883, the Northern Pacific Railway completed the extension of their Park Branch Line from Livingston, in 1903, the line was extended to Gardiner. Railroad service to Gardiner was discontinued in 1948, Gardiner is located at 45°2′13″N 110°42′50″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has an area of 3.9 square miles. Quite a few of the residents work in, or have at one time. As of the census of 2000, there were 851 people,435 households, the population density was 224.9 people per square mile. There were 497 housing units at a density of 131.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97. 30% White,0. 35% African American,1. 41% Native American,0. 24% Asian,0. 12% from other races, hispanic or Latino of any race were 0. 47% of the population. 43. 2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4. 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 1.96 people and the average family size 2.73. The median age was 39 years, for every 100 females, there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males, the median income for a household in the CDP was $30,125, and the median income for a family was $46,071
6.
Churches Militant, Penitent, and Triumphant
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These divisions are known as the three states of the Church, especially within Catholic ecclesiology. In systems of theology which reject the doctrine of Purgatory, such as Low-Church Lutheranism, the Churches Militant and Triumphant are together known as the two states of the Church. The members of the Church Militant, i. e. those Christians on earth, are engaged in warfare against sin in order that. The term penitent means repenting, being sorry and those who constitute the Church Penitent are in Purgatory to satisfy whatever portion of the temporal punishment due for their sins was not satisfied before death. They are in a process of purging their imperfections before entering heaven and it is held that all members of the Church Penitent will eventually join the Church Triumphant. The alternate term suffering emphasizes the nature of experience in Purgatory. The other alternative, expectant, emphasizes that the souls of Purgatory are awaiting expectantly the beatific vision of heaven, the term triumphant, means exulting, rejoicing exceedingly, taken from a figurative usage of triumphus, originally designating the Roman triumph. Those who constitute the Church Triumphant rejoice eternally in the glory of God, anglicans believe that. the Church on earth is united with the Church in heaven. They speak of the Church Militant here on earth and the Church triumphant in heaven and they worship God together with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven. The Catholic Church commemorates the Church Triumphant and the Church Penitent in its liturgy on two days, All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. These terms are not used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, however, the teaching these terms represent is precisely restated, quoting Lumen gentium, The three states of the Church. When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more, but at the present time some of his disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while others are in glory, contemplating in full light, God himself triune and one. Eric Lund, a Lutheran professor, described an analogy relating the Old Testament to the New Testament, fire was transferred from the outer one to the inner one. God also assembled a twofold church, the militant and the church triumphant. The fire of love will someday be transferred from the militant to the church triumphant. As such, within Lutheranism, That is called the Church militant, which in life is still fighting, under the banner of Christ, against Satan, the world. It defines the Church Militant as inclusive of all Christian denominations, among them Methodism, Presbyterianism, Baptist churches, Congregational churches, Anglicanism, among many others
7.
Mary Baker Eddy
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Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of Christian Science, a new religious movement in the United States in the latter half of the 19th century. Eddy wrote the movements textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and she also founded the Christian Science Publishing Society, which continues to publish a number of periodicals, including The Christian Science Monitor. Eddy was born Mary Morse Baker in a farmhouse in Bow, New Hampshire to farmer Mark Baker and his wife Abigail Barnard Baker, née Ambrose. Eddy was the youngest of the Bakers six children, boys Samuel Dow, Albert, and George Sullivan, followed by girls Abigail Barnard, Martha Smith, and Mary Morse. Mark Baker was a religious man from a Protestant Congregationalist background. Eddy wrote that her father had been a justice of the peace at one point and he developed a reputation locally for being disputatious, one neighbor described him as tiger for a temper and always in a row. McClures reported several stories from neighbors, including that he once killed a crow with his walking stick for violating the Sabbath. The magazine described him as a supporter of slavery and alleged that he had been pleased to hear about Abraham Lincolns death, Eddy responded that Baker had been a strong believer in States’ rights, but slavery he regarded as a great sin. The Baker children inherited their fathers temper, according to McClures, they inherited his good looks. Life was nevertheless spartan and repetitive, every day began with lengthy prayer and continued with hard work. The only rest day was the Sabbath, Eddy and her father reportedly had a volatile relationship. Ernest Sutherland Bates and John V. Eddy experienced periods of sudden illness and those who knew the family described her as suddenly falling to the floor, writhing and screaming, or silent and apparently unconsciousness, sometimes for hours. On such an occasion Lyman Durgin, the Bakers teen-age chore boy, gillian Gill wrote in 1998 that Eddy was often sick as a child and appears to have suffered from an eating disorder, but reports may have been exaggerated concerning hysterical fits. Eddy described her problems with food in the first edition of Science and she also wrote in her autobiography Retrospection and Introspection that, when she was eight, she heard a voice call her name, which she interpreted as a religious experience. For some twelve months, when I was about eight years old, I repeatedly heard a voice, calling me distinctly by name, three times, in an ascending scale. That night, before going to rest, my mother read to me the Scriptural narrative of little Samuel, and bade me, the voice came, but I was afraid, and did not answer. Afterward I wept, and prayed that God would forgive me, resolving to do, next time, when the call came again I did answer, in the words of Samuel, but never again to the material senses was that mysterious call repeated. In 1836 when Eddy was fifteen, the Bakers moved twenty miles to Sanbornton Bridge, New Hampshire, known after 1869 as Tilton
8.
Alice Bailey
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Alice Ann Bailey was a writer of more than twenty-four books on theosophical subjects, and was one of the first writers to use the term New Age. Bailey was born as Alice LaTrobe Bateman, in Manchester, England and she moved to the United States in 1907, where she spent most of her life as a writer and teacher. Her writings bore some similarity to those of Madame Blavatsky and are among the often referred to as the Ageless Wisdom. Though Baileys writings differ in respect to the Theosophy of Madame Blavatsky. She wrote on themes, including Christianity, though her writings are fundamentally different from many aspects of Christianity or other orthodox religions. Her vision of a unified society included a spirit of religion different from traditional religious forms. Bailey was born to a wealthy aristocratic British family and, as a member of the Anglican Church and her autobiography states that at the age 15, on June 30,1895, Bailey was visited by a stranger. A tall man, dressed in European clothes and wearing a turban who told her she needed to develop self-control to prepare for work he planned for her to do. This turned out to be the creation and publication of 19 books together with educational, at the age of 22, Bailey did evangelical work in connection with the YMCA and the British Army. This took her to India where, in 1907, she met her future husband Walter Evans, together they moved to America where Evans became an Episcopalian priest. The marriage did not last and Bailey pushed for and received a divorce and she left with their three children after formal separation in 1915. Then followed a period in which she worked in a sardine factory to support herself. Bailey discovered the Theosophical Society and the work of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the Theosophical Society states that Bailey became involved in 1917. Theosophist Joy Mills states that in 1918 she became a member of the Esoteric Section of the society, Theosophist Bruce F. Campbell notes, She quickly rose to a position of influence in the American Section of the Adyar society, moving to its headquarters at Krotona in Hollywood. She became editor of its magazine, The Messenger, and member of the responsible for Krotona. In 1919, Foster Bailey, who was to be her second husband, the Theosophist published the first few chapters of her first work, Initiation, Human and Solar, but then stopped for reasons Bailey called theosophical jealousy and reactionary attitude. Bailey objected to the neo-Theosophy of Annie Besant and worked with Foster Bailey to gain power in the American Section. According to Theosophist Josephine Maria Davies Ransom, she became part of a progressive Back to Blavatsky movement, led mainly by Mr. and Mrs. Foster Bailey
9.
Western esotericism
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Western esotericism is a scholarly term for a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements which have developed within Western society. They are largely distinct both from orthodox Judeo-Christian religion and from Enlightenment rationalism, the idea of categorising a wide range of Western traditions and philosophies together under the rubric that we now term esotericism developed in Europe during the late seventeenth century. Various academics have debated the definition of Western esotericism, with a number of different options proposed. One scholarly model adopts its definition of esotericism from certain esotericist schools of thought themselves, treating esotericism as a perennialist hidden, a second perspective sees esotericism as a category that encompasses world-views which seek to embrace an enchanted world-view in the face of increasing de-enchantment. The 19th century saw the emergence of new trends of thought that have come to be known as occultism. Prominent groups in this included the Theosophical Society and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Modern Paganism developed within occultism, and includes religious movements such as Wicca, Esoteric ideas permeated the counterculture of the 1960s and later cultural tendencies, from which emerged the New Age movement in the 1970s. The academic study of Western esotericism only emerged in the late 20th-century, pioneered by scholars like Frances Yates, Esoteric ideas have meanwhile also exerted an influence in popular culture, appearing in art, literature, film, and music. The adjective esoteric first appeared in the second century CE as the Ancient Greek term esôterikós, the noun esotericism, in its French form of lésotérisme, was first used in 1828, by Jacques Matter in his book, Histoire du gnosticisme. The term was popularized by the French occultist and ceremonial magician Eliphas Lévi in the 1850s, Lévi also introduced the term loccultisme, a notion that he developed against the background of contemporary socialist and Catholic discourses. Esotericism and occultism were often employed as synonyms until being distinguished by later scholars, the concept of Western esotericism is a modern scholarly construct rather than a pre-existing, self-defined tradition of thought. The first to do so was Ehregott Daniel Colberg, a German Lutheran who wrote Platonisch-Hermetisches Christianity, various academics have emphasised the idea that esotericism is a phenomenon unique to the Western world, as Faivre stated, an empirical perspective would hold that esotericism is a Western notion. As scholars such as Faivre and Hanegraaff have pointed out, there is no category of Eastern or Oriental esotericism. The emphasis on Western esotericism was nevertheless primarily devised to distinguish the field from a universal esotericism, Hanegraaff has characterised these as recognisable world views and approaches to knowledge that have played an important although always controversial role in the history of Western culture. This attitude was endorsed by Egil Asprem, nevertheless, esotericism itself remains a controversial term, with scholars specialising in the subject disagreeing as to how it can best be defined. It subsequently became a popular approach within several esoteric movements, most notably Martinism and Traditionalism, within the academic field of religious studies, those who study different religions in search of an inner, universal dimension to them all are termed religionists. Such religionist ideas also exerted an influence on more recent scholars like Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, there are various problems with this model for understanding Western esotericism. The most significant is that is rests upon the conviction that there really is a universal, hidden, moreover, Hanegraaff noted that when scholars adopt this definition, it shows that they subscribe to the religious doctrines which are espoused by the very groups that they are studying
10.
"I AM" Activity
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The I AM Movement is the original Ascended Master Teachings religious movement founded in the early 1930s by Guy Ballard and his wife Edna in Chicago, Illinois. It is an offshoot of theosophy and a precursor of several New Age religions including the Church Universal. The movement had up to a million followers in 1938 and is active today on a smaller scale. As of 2007, the states that its purpose is spiritual, educational and practical. The term I AM is a reference to the ancient Sanskrit mantra So Ham, see also the entry I Am that I Am. These Ascended Masters are believed to be humans who have lived in a succession of reincarnations in physical bodies, over time they became highly advanced souls, able to move beyond the cycles of re-embodiment and karma, and attained their Ascension, becoming immortal. The Ascended Masters are believed to communicate to humanity through certain trained messengers per Blavatsky, including Guy, according to the Los Angeles Magazine, Ballard said he was the re-embodiment of George Washington, an Egyptian priest, and a noted French musician. The I AM Activity was the continuation of the teachings received by H. P. Blavatsky, Ballard was always guided and inspired by the writings of William Quan Judge, who used the pseudonym David Lloyd due to the persecution of his enemies in the Theosophical Society. Then Ballard came in contact with the Mahatma called Ascended Master Saint Germain, the I AM Activity was founded by Guy Ballard in the early 1930s. Saint Germain is also known as the Comte de Saint-Germain, a historical 18th-century alchemist, the Ballards said they began talking to the Ascended Masters regularly. They founded a house, Saint Germain Press, to publish their books. These training sessions and Conclaves were held throughout the United States and were open to the general public, a front page story in a 1938 edition of the Chicago Herald and Examiner noted that the Ballards do not take up collections or ask for funds. Some of the members of I AM were recruited from the ranks of William Dudley Pelley’s organization the Silver Shirts. Meetings became limited to only after hecklers began disrupting their open meetings. Over their lifetimes, the Ballards recorded nearly 4,000 Live dictations, Guy Ballard, his wife Edna, and later his son Donald became the sole Accredited Messengers of the Ascended Masters. The Ballards popularity spread, including up to a million followers in 1938 and they accepted donations from their followers across the country, though no such donation or dues were required. The first of many Conclaves held in scores of cities in their national tours was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to a Los Angeles Magazine article, in August 1935, the Ballards hosted a gathering at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles that drew a crowd of 6,000. Guy Ballard spoke under the pseudonym he used in authoring his books, Godfre Ray King, the meeting included teachings they described as being received directly from the Ascended Masters
11.
Buddhism
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Buddhism is a religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism originated in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, from where it spread through much of Asia, two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars, Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhism is the worlds fourth-largest religion, with over 500 million followers or 7% of the global population, Buddhist schools vary on the exact nature of the path to liberation, the importance and canonicity of various teachings and scriptures, and especially their respective practices. In Theravada the ultimate goal is the attainment of the state of Nirvana, achieved by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, thus escaping what is seen as a cycle of suffering. Theravada has a following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon, rather than Nirvana, Mahayana instead aspires to Buddhahood via the bodhisattva path, a state wherein one remains in the cycle of rebirth to help other beings reach awakening. Vajrayana, a body of teachings attributed to Indian siddhas, may be viewed as a branch or merely a part of Mahayana. Tibetan Buddhism, which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth century India, is practiced in regions surrounding the Himalayas, Tibetan Buddhism aspires to Buddhahood or rainbow body. Buddhism is an Indian religion attributed to the teachings of Buddha, the details of Buddhas life are mentioned in many early Buddhist texts but are inconsistent, his social background and life details are difficult to prove, the precise dates uncertain. Some hagiographic legends state that his father was a king named Suddhodana, his mother queen Maya, and he was born in Lumbini gardens. Some of the stories about Buddha, his life, his teachings, Buddha was moved by the innate suffering of humanity. He meditated on this alone for a period of time, in various ways including asceticism, on the nature of suffering. He famously sat in meditation under a Ficus religiosa tree now called the Bodhi Tree in the town of Bodh Gaya in Gangetic plains region of South Asia. He reached enlightenment, discovering what Buddhists call the Middle Way, as an enlightened being, he attracted followers and founded a Sangha. Now, as the Buddha, he spent the rest of his teaching the Dharma he had discovered. Dukkha is a concept of Buddhism and part of its Four Noble Truths doctrine. It can be translated as incapable of satisfying, the unsatisfactory nature, the Four Truths express the basic orientation of Buddhism, we crave and cling to impermanent states and things, which is dukkha, incapable of satisfying and painful. This keeps us caught in saṃsāra, the cycle of repeated rebirth, dukkha
12.
Christianity
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Christianity is a Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who serves as the focal point for the religion. It is the worlds largest religion, with over 2.4 billion followers, or 33% of the global population, Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity whose coming as the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament. Christian theology is summarized in creeds such as the Apostles Creed and his incarnation, earthly ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection are often referred to as the gospel, meaning good news. The term gospel also refers to accounts of Jesuss life and teaching, four of which—Matthew, Mark, Luke. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion that began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-1st century, following the Age of Discovery, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the rest of the world through missionary work and colonization. Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization, throughout its history, Christianity has weathered schisms and theological disputes that have resulted in many distinct churches and denominations. Worldwide, the three largest branches of Christianity are the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the denominations of Protestantism. There are many important differences of interpretation and opinion of the Bible, concise doctrinal statements or confessions of religious beliefs are known as creeds. They began as baptismal formulae and were expanded during the Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries to become statements of faith. Many evangelical Protestants reject creeds as definitive statements of faith, even agreeing with some or all of the substance of the creeds. The Baptists have been non-creedal in that they have not sought to establish binding authoritative confessions of faith on one another. Also rejecting creeds are groups with roots in the Restoration Movement, such as the Christian Church, the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada, the Apostles Creed is the most widely accepted statement of the articles of Christian faith. It is also used by Presbyterians, Methodists, and Congregationalists and this particular creed was developed between the 2nd and 9th centuries. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator, each of the doctrines found in this creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period. The creed was used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in the churches of Rome. Most Christians accept the use of creeds, and subscribe to at least one of the mentioned above. The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God, Christians believe that Jesus, as the Messiah, was anointed by God as savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. The Christian concept of the Messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept, Jesus, having become fully human, suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, but did not sin
13.
Mysticism
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Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute, but may refer to any kind of ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or spiritual meaning. It may also refer to the attainment of insight in ultimate or hidden truths, the term mysticism has Ancient Greek origins with various historically determined meanings. Derived from the Greek word μυω, meaning to conceal, mysticism referred to the liturgical, spiritual. During the early period, the definition of mysticism grew to include a broad range of beliefs. In modern times, mysticism has acquired a limited definition, with applications, as meaning the aim at the union with the Absolute. This limited definition has been applied to a range of religious traditions and practices. Since the 1960s scholars have debated the merits of perennial and constructionist approaches in the research of mystical experiences. The perennial position is now largely dismissed by scholars, most scholars using a contextual approach, Mysticism is derived from the Greek μυω, meaning I conceal, and its derivative μυστικός, mystikos, meaning an initiate. The verb μυώ has received a different meaning in the Greek language. The primary meanings it has are induct and initiate, secondary meanings include introduce, make someone aware of something, train, familiarize, give first experience of something. The related form of the verb appears in the New Testament. As explained in Strongs Concordance, it properly means shutting the eyes and its figurative meaning is to be initiated into the mystery revelation. The meaning derives from the rites of the pagan mysteries. Also appearing in the New Testament is the related noun μυστήριον, the term means anything hidden, a mystery or secret, of which initiation is necessary. According to Thayers Greek Lexicon, the term μυστήριον in classical Greek meant a hidden thing, a particular meaning it took in Classical antiquity was a religious secret or religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to be communicated by them to ordinary mortals. In the Septuagint and the New Testament the meaning it took was that of a purpose or counsel. It is sometimes used for the hidden wills of humans, but is often used for the hidden will of God. Elsewhere in the Bible it takes the meaning of the mystic or hidden sense of things and it is used for the secrets behind sayings, names, or behind images seen in visions and dreams
14.
Paranormal
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A paranormal phenomenon is different from hypothetical concepts such as dark matter and dark energy. Unlike paranormal phenomena, these concepts are based on empirical observations. The most notable paranormal beliefs include those that pertain to ghosts, extraterrestrial life, unidentified flying objects, psychic abilities or extrasensory perception, the term paranormal has existed in the English language since at least 1920. The word consists of two parts, para and normal, the definition implies that the scientific explanation of the world around us is normal and anything that is above, beyond, or contrary to that is para. On the classification of paranormal subjects, Terence Hines in his book Pseudoscience, what sets the paranormal apart from other pseudosciences is a reliance on explanations for alleged phenomena that are well outside the bounds of established science. Thus, paranormal phenomena include extrasensory perception, telekinesis, ghosts, poltergeists, life after death, reincarnation, faith healing, human auras, the explanations for these allied phenomena are phrased in vague terms of psychic forces, human energy fields, and so on. This is in contrast to many pseudoscientific explanations for other nonparanormal phenomena, in traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is a manifestation of the spirit or soul of a person. Alternative theories expand on that idea and include belief in the ghosts of deceased animals, sometimes the term ghost is used synonymously with any spirit or demon, however in popular usage the term typically refers to a deceased persons spirit. The belief in ghosts as souls of the departed is closely tied to the concept of animism, as the 19th-century anthropologist George Frazer explained in his classic work, The Golden Bough, souls were seen as the creature within that animated the body. Although the evidence for ghosts is largely anecdotal, the belief in ghosts throughout history has remained widespread, the possibility of extraterrestrial life is not, by itself, a paranormal subject. Many scientists are engaged in the search for unicellular life within the solar system, carrying out studies on the surface of Mars. Projects such as SETI are conducting a search for radio activity that would show evidence of intelligent life outside the solar system. Scientific theories of how life developed on Earth allow for the possibility that life developed on other planets as well, the paranormal aspect of extraterrestrial life centers largely around the belief in unidentified flying objects and the phenomena said to be associated with them. Early in the history of UFO culture, believers divided themselves into two camps, the first held a rather conservative view of the phenomena, interpreting them as unexplained occurrences that merited serious study. They began calling themselves ufologists in the 1950s and felt that logical analysis of sighting reports would validate the notion of extraterrestrial visitation, the second camp consisted of individuals who coupled ideas of extraterrestrial visitation with beliefs from existing quasi-religious movements. These individuals typically were enthusiasts of occultism and the paranormal, many had backgrounds as active Theosophists, Spiritualists, or were followers of other esoteric doctrines. In contemporary times, many of these beliefs have coalesced into New Age spiritual movements, both secular and spiritual believers describe UFOs as having abilities beyond what are considered possible according to known aerodynamic constraints and physical laws. The transitory events surrounding many UFO sightings also limits the opportunity for repeat testing required by the scientific method, acceptance of UFO theories by the larger scientific community is further hindered by the many possible hoaxes associated with UFO culture
15.
Alchemy
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Alchemy is a philosophical and protoscientific tradition practiced throughout Europe, Egypt and Asia. It aimed to purify, mature, and perfect certain objects, the perfection of the human body and soul was thought to permit or result from the alchemical magnum opus and, in the Hellenistic and western tradition, the achievement of gnosis. In Europe, the creation of a stone was variously connected with all of these projects. In English, the term is limited to descriptions of European alchemy, but similar practices existed in the Far East, the Indian subcontinent. In Europe, following the 12th-century Renaissance produced by the translation of Islamic works on science, Islamic and European alchemists developed a structure of basic laboratory techniques, theory, terminology, and experimental method, some of which are still in use today. However, they continued antiquitys belief in four elements and guarded their work in secrecy including cyphers and their work was guided by Hermetic principles related to magic, mythology, and religion. The latter interests historians of esotericism, psychologists, and some philosophers, the subject has also made an ongoing impact on literature and the arts. The word alchemy was borrowed from Old French alquemie, alkimie, taken from Medieval Latin alchymia, the Arabic word is borrowed from Late Greek chēmeía, chēmía, with the agglutination of the Arabic definite article al-. This ancient Greek word was derived from the early Greek name for Egypt, Chēmia, based on the Egyptian name for Egypt, the Medieval Latin form was influenced by Greek chymeia meaning ‘mixture’ and referring to pharmaceutical chemistry. Alchemy covers several philosophical traditions spanning some four millennia and three continents and these traditions general penchant for cryptic and symbolic language makes it hard to trace their mutual influences and genetic relationships. It is still a question whether these three strands share a common origin, or to what extent they influenced each other. Here, elements of technology, religion, mythology, and Hellenistic philosophy, each with their own much longer histories, Zosimos of Panopolis wrote the oldest known books on alchemy, while Mary the Jewess is credited as being the first non-fictitious Western alchemist. They wrote in Greek and lived in Egypt under Roman rule, mythology – Zosimos of Panopolis asserted that alchemy dated back to Pharaonic Egypt where it was the domain of the priestly class, though there is little to no evidence for his assertion. Alchemical writers used Classical figures from Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology to illuminate their works and these included the pantheon of gods related to the Classical planets, Isis, Osiris, Jason, and many others. The central figure in the mythology of alchemy is Hermes Trismegistus and his name is derived from the god Thoth and his Greek counterpart Hermes. Hermes and his caduceus or serpent-staff, were among alchemys principal symbols, according to Clement of Alexandria, he wrote what were called the forty-two books of Hermes, covering all fields of knowledge. The Hermetica of Thrice-Great Hermes is generally understood to form the basis for Western alchemical philosophy and practice and these writings were collected in the first centuries of the common era. Technology – The dawn of Western alchemy is sometimes associated with that of metallurgy, Many writings were lost when the emperor Diocletian ordered the burning of alchemical books after suppressing a revolt in Alexandria
16.
Angel
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An angel, especially according to Abrahamic religions and Zoroastrianism, is a spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence. Most of them either as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits. They are studied in the doctrine of angelology. In Christian Science, the angel is used to refer to an inspiration from God. In fine art, angels are depicted as having the shape of human beings of extraordinary beauty, they are often identified using the symbols of bird wings, halos. The word angel in English is a blend of Old English engel, both derive from Late Latin angelus messenger, which in turn was borrowed from Late Greek ἄγγελος ángelos. According to R. S. P. Beekes, ángelos itself may be an Oriental loan, the words earliest form is Mycenaean a-ke-ro attested in Linear B syllabic script. The ángelos is the default Septuagints translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mal’ākh denoting simply messenger without specifying its nature. In the Latin Vulgate, however, the meaning becomes bifurcated, if the word refers to some supernatural being, the word angelus appears. Such differentiation has been taken over by later vernacular translations of the Bible, early Christian and Jewish exegetes, in Zoroastrianism there are different angel-like figures. For example, each person has one guardian angel, called Fravashi and they patronize human beings and other creatures, and also manifest Gods energy. In the commentaries of Proclus on the Timaeus of Plato, Proclus uses the terminology of angelic, according to Aristotle, just as there is a First Mover, so, too, must there be spiritual secondary movers. The Torah uses the terms מלאך אלהים, מלאך יהוה, בני אלהים and הקודשים to refer to beings traditionally interpreted as angels, later texts use other terms, such as העליונים. The term מלאך is also used in books of the Tanakh. Depending on the context, the Hebrew word may refer to a messenger or to a supernatural messenger. Daniel is the first biblical figure to refer to individual angels by name, mentioning Gabriel in Daniel 9,21 and these angels are part of Daniels apocalyptic visions and are an important part of all apocalyptic literature. One of these is hāšāṭān, a figure depicted in the Book of Job, philo of Alexandria identifies the angel with the Logos inasmuch as the angel is the immaterial voice of God. The angel is something different from God himself, but is conceived as Gods instrument, in post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels took on particular significance and developed unique personalities and roles
17.
Elemental
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From the classical Paracelsusian perspective there are four elemental categories, gnomes, undines, sylphs, and salamanders. These correspond to the Classical elements of antiquity, earth, water, air, aether was not assigned an elemental. Terms employed for beings associated with alchemical elements vary by source, the Paracelsian concept of elementals draws from several much older traditions in mythology and religion. Common threads can be found in folklore, animism, and anthropomorphism, examples of creatures such as the Pygmy were taken from Greek mythology. The elements of earth, water, air, and fire, were classed as the building blocks of nature. This system prevailed in the Classical world and was influential in medieval natural philosophy. Although Paracelsus uses these foundations and the preexisting names of elemental creatures. The homunculus is another example of a Paracelsian idea with roots in earlier alchemical, scientific, in his 16th-century alchemical work Liber de Nymphis, sylphis, pygmaeis et salamandris et de caeteris spiritibus, Paracelsus identified mythological beings as belonging to one of the four elements. Part of the Philosophia Magna, this book was first printed in 1566 after Paracelsus death and he wrote the book to describe the creatures that are outside the cognizance of the light of nature, how they are to be understood, what marvellous works God has created. He states that there is more bliss in describing these divine objects than in describing fencing, court etiquette, cavalry, Paracelsus gave common names for the elemental types, as well as correct names, which he seems to have considered somewhat more proper, recht namen. He also referred to them by purely German terms which are equivalent to water people, mountain people. In De Meteoris he referred to the elementals collectively as Sagani and he noted that undines are similar to humans in size, while sylphs are rougher, coarser, longer, and stronger. Gnomes are short, while salamanders are long, narrow, the elementals are said to be able to move through their own elements as human beings move through air. Gnomes, for example, can move through rocks, walls, sylphs are the closest to humans in his conception because they move through air like we do, while in fire they burn, in water they drown, and in earth, they get stuck. Paracelsus states that each one stays healthy in its particular chaos, as he terms it, Paracelsus conceived human beings to be composed of three parts, an elemental body, a sidereal spirit, and an immortal divine soul. Elementals lacked this last part, the immortal soul, however, by marriage with a human being, the elemental and its offspring could gain a soul. However, he did not give names for the classes, In like manner they distribute these into more orders, so as some are fiery, some watery, some aerial. Agrippa did however give an extensive list of mythological beings of this type
18.
Holy Spirit
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Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is a term found in English translations of the Bible that is understood differently among the Abrahamic religions. Holy Spirit is stated to be a realm beyond the ability of words to properly convey and it must be experienced, realized, kindled within like a holy fire. The term is used to describe aspects of other religions. The word Spirit appears as either alone or with words, in the Hebrew Bible. Combinations include expressions such as the Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, the word Spirit is rendered as רוּחַ in Hebrew-language parts of the Old Testament. In its Aramaic parts, the term is rûacḥ, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, translates the word as πνεῦμα. This is the word that is used throughout the New Testament. The English term Spirit comes from its Latin origin, spiritus, the alternative term, Holy Ghost, comes from Old English translations of spiritus. The Hebrew Bible contains the term Spirit of God in the sense of the might of a unitary God and this meaning is different from the Christian concept of Holy Spirit as one personality of God in the Trinity. According to theologian Rudolf Bultmann, there are two ways to think about the Holy Spirit, animistic and dynamistic, both kinds of thought appear in Jewish and Christian scripture, but animistic is more typical of the Old Testament whereas dynamistic is more common in the New Testament. The distinction coincides with the Holy Spirit as either a temporary or permanent gift, in the Old Testament and Jewish thought, it is primarily temporary with a specific situation or task in mind, whereas in the Christian concept the gift resides in man permanently. The Holy Spirit also has an equivalent in non-Abrahamic Hellenistic mystery religions and they included a distinction of the Spirit and psyche, which Paul the Apostle later incorporated into his epistles. According to proponents of the History of religions school, the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit cannot be explained from Jewish ideas alone without reference to the Hellenistic religions. However, according to theologian Erik Konsmo, the views are so dissimilar that the only legitimate connection one can make is with the term πνεῦμα itself, Another link with ancient Greek thought is the Stoic idea of the Spirit as anima mundi—or world soul—that unites all people. In his Introduction to the 1964 book Meditations, the Anglican priest Maxwell Staniforth wrote, cleanthes, wishing to give more explicit meaning to Zenos creative fire, had been the first to hit upon the term pneuma, or spirit, to describe it. The Hebrew language phrase ruach ha-kodesh is a used in the Hebrew Bible. It literally means spirit of the holiness or spirit of the holy place, the Hebrew terms ruacḥ qodshəka, thy holy spirit, and ruacḥ qodshō, his holy spirit also occur. The Holy Spirit in Judaism generally refers to the aspect of prophecy
19.
Morya (Theosophy)
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Morya is one of the Masters of the Ancient Wisdom within modern Theosophical beliefs. He is one of the Mahatmas who inspired the founding of the Theosophical Society and was engaged in a correspondence with two English Theosophists living in India, A. P. Sinnett and A. O. Hume. The correspondence was published in 1923 by A. Trevor Barker, H. P. Blavatsky originally described the existence of a spiritual master whom she considered her guru, and who went by, among other names, Morya. Blavatsky said that Morya and another master, Koot Hoomi, were her primary guides in establishing the Theosophical Society, Blavatsky also wrote that Masters Morya and Koot Hoomi belonged to a group of highly developed humans known to some as the Great White Brotherhood. Author Paul Zweig writing in the New York Times characterized Blavatskys claims as fraudulent, so, from a scholarly point of view, the existence of such masters is considered by many to still be controversial. After Blavatskys death, theosophists and others continued claiming to have met Morya or to have received communications from him, william Quan Judge, the leader of the American Section of the Theosophical Society, stated privately that he had received letters from Morya and other Adepts. Theosophical writings offered vivid descriptions of Morya, his role in the Brotherhood, besant, Annie and Leadbeater, C. W. Man, How, Whence, and Whither. Adyar, India, 1913—Theosophical Publishing House Leadbeater, C. W, a History of the Theosophical Movement Berkeley,1980 University of California Press Godwin, Joscelyn
20.
Koot Hoomi
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Koot Hoomi is one of the Mahatmas that inspired the founding of the Theosophical Society. He engaged in a correspondence with two English Theosophists living in India, A. P. Sinnett and A. O. Hume, little descriptive references to K. H. occur in The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett and the writings of Mme. The name Koot Hoomi seems to be a pseudonym and we find a reference to a Rishi Kuthumi in several Puranas, as for example in the Vishnu Purana where he is said to be a pupil of Paushyinji. But we have not been told there is any connection between our Mahatma of that name, and the Rishi, and we do not feel justified in speculating upon the subject. All we know is, that both are Northern Brahmans, while the Môryas are Kshatriyas, K. H. s early letters to Sinnett are signed with the name Koot Hoomi Lal Sing. However, later in the correspondence, he says the Lal Singh was a made by his disciple Djwal Khool. In an interview by Charles Johnston to H. P. Blavatsky, evidently a man of very gentle and even character, but of tremendously strong will, logical, easy-going, and taking endless pains to make his meaning clear. It was altogether the handwriting of a cultivated and very sympathetic man, Master KH is said to live in a house in a ravine in Tibet, near the house of Master Morya. In 1881, Colonel Henry S. Olcott wrote to A. O. Hume and he is of quite a different, a gentler, type, yet the bosom friend of the other. They live near each other with a small Buddhist Temple about midway between their houses, and a colored sketch on China silk of the landscape near s and my Chohans residences with a glimpse of the latter’s house and of part of the little temple. It is a wooden building in the Chinese fashion pagoda-like. This is confirmed by a given by Mahatma K. H. himself, in a letter to A. P. Sinnett. And was crossing over to Lhadak on my way home, apparently before being an Adept, Master Koot Hoomi visited Europe and studied in some of the Universities there. Blavatsky said that Mahatma K. H. is a Kashmiri Brahman by birth, and has travelled a good deal in Europe. Mr. A. O. Hume, in his Hints on Esoteric Theosophy, wrote, Take a case said to have occurred many years ago in Germany, in which a Brother, who has corresponded with us, is said to have taken part. He was at time a student, and though in course of preparation was not then himself an Adept. A young friend of his was accused of forgery, and tried for the same and our Brother, then a student as above explained, was called as a witness to prove his friends handwriting, the case was perfectly clear and a conviction certain. He had really committed a forgery but not knowingly or meaningly, so when the alleged forged document was handed to the witness, he merely said, I see nothing written here, and returned the deed blank
21.
Helena Blavatsky
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Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was a Russian occultist, spirit medium, and author who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875. She gained a following as the leading theoretician of Theosophy. Born into an aristocratic Russian-German family in Yekaterinoslav, Ukraine, Blavatsky traveled widely around the Russian Empire as a child, largely self-educated, she developed an interest in Western esotericism during her teenage years. According to her claims, in 1849 she embarked on a series of world travels, visiting Europe, the Americas. Both contemporary critics and later biographers have argued that some or all of foreign visits were fictitious. Relocating to the United States in 1873, she befriended Henry Steel Olcott and rose to attention as a spirit medium. In New York City, Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society with Olcott, in 1877 she published Isis Unveiled, a book outlining her Theosophical world-view. In 1880 she and Olcott moved to India, where the Society was allied to the Arya Samaj and that same year, while in Ceylon she and Olcott became the first Westerners to officially convert to Buddhism. Although opposed by the British administration, Theosophy spread rapidly in India, amid ailing health, in 1885 she returned to Europe, there establishing the Blavatsky Lodge in London. Here she published The Secret Doctrine, a commentary on what she claimed were ancient Tibetan manuscripts and she died of influenza in the home of her disciple and successor, Annie Besant. Blavatsky was a controversial figure during her lifetime, championed by supporters as a guru and derided as a fraudulent charlatan. Developing a reliable account of Blavatskys life has proved difficult for biographers because in life she deliberately provided contradictory accounts. Further, very few of her own writings authored prior to 1873 survive, the accounts of her early life provided by her family members have also been considered dubious by biographers. Blavatsky was born as Helena Petrovna von Hahn in the Ukrainian town of Yekaterinoslav and her birth date was 12 August 1831, although according to the Julian calendar used in 19th-century Russia it was 31 July. Immediately after her birth, she was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church and her mother was Helena Andreyevna von Hahn, a self-educated 17-year-old who herself was the daughter of Princess Yelena Pavlovna Dolgorukova, a similarly self-educated aristocrat. Pyotr had not been present at his daughters birth, having been in Poland fighting to suppress the November Uprising against Russian rule, a year after Pyotrs arrival in Yekaterinoslav, the family relocated to the nearby army town of Romankovo. When Blavatsky was two old, her younger brother, Sasha, died in another army town when no medical help could be found. In 1835, mother and daughter moved to Odessa, where Blavatskys maternal grandfather Andrei Fadeyev and it was in this city that Blavatskys sister Vera Petrovna was born
22.
Charles Webster Leadbeater
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Charles Webster Leadbeater was an influential member of the Theosophical Society, author on occult subjects and co-initiator with J. I. Wedgwood of the Liberal Catholic Church and he became a high-ranking officer of the society, but resigned in 1906 amid a scandal involving accusations of pederasty. After Annie Besant became President of the Society, he was readmitted, Leadbeater went on to write over 69 books and pamphlets as well as maintain regular speaking engagements. His efforts on behalf of the society assured his status as one of its members until his death in 1934. Leadbeater was born in Stockport, Cheshire, in 1854 and his father, Charles Sr. was born in Lincoln and his mother Emma was born in Liverpool. By 1861 the family had relocated to London, where his father was a railway contractors clerk, in 1862, when Leadbeater was eight years old, his father died from tuberculosis. Four years later a bank in which the savings were invested became bankrupt. Without finances for college, Leadbeater sought work soon after graduating high school in order to provide for his mother. He worked at various clerical jobs, during the evenings he became largely self-educated. For example, he studied astronomy and had a 12-inch reflector telescope to observe the heavens at night and he also studied French, Latin and Greek. An uncle, his fathers brother-in-law, was the well-known Anglican cleric William Wolfe Capes, by his uncles influence, Leadbeater was ordained an Anglican priest in 1879 in Farnham by the Bishop of Winchester. By 1881, he was living with his mother at Bramshott in a cottage which his uncle had built. He was an active priest and teacher who was remembered later as a bright and cheerful, about this time, after reading about the séances of reputed medium Daniel Dunglas Home, Leadbeater developed an active interest in spiritualism. His interest in Theosophy was stimulated by A. P. Sinnetts Occult World, the next year he met Helena Petrovna Blavatsky when she came to London, she accepted him as a pupil and he became a vegetarian. Around this time he wrote a letter to Kuthumi, asking to be accepted as his pupil, shortly afterward, an encouraging response influenced him to go to India, he arrived at Adyar in 1884. This was the start of a career with the Theosophical Society. During 1885, Leadbeater traveled with Henry Steel Olcott, first President of the Theosophical Society, to Burma, in Ceylon they founded the English Buddhist Academy, with Leadbeater staying there to serve as its first headmaster under very austere conditions. This school gradually expanded to become Ananda College, which now has more than 6,000 students and has a named for Leadbeater
23.
Gautama Buddha
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Gautama Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama, Shakyamuni Buddha, or simply the Buddha, after the title of Buddha, was an ascetic and sage, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in the part of ancient India sometime between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. Gautama taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the śramaṇa movement common in his region and he later taught throughout other regions of eastern India such as Magadha and Kosala. Gautama is the figure in Buddhism. He is recognized by Buddhists as a teacher who attained full Buddhahood. Accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death, various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition and first committed to writing about 400 years later. Scholars are hesitant to make unqualified claims about the facts of the Buddhas life. Apart from the Vedic Brahmins, the Buddhas lifetime coincided with the flourishing of influential schools of thought like Ājīvika, Cārvāka, Jainism. Brahmajala Sutta records sixty-two such schools of thought, thus, Buddha was just one of the many śramaṇa philosophers of that time. The times of Gautamas birth and death are uncertain, most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE. These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet accepted by all historians. It was either a republic, or an oligarchy, and his father was an elected chieftain. He obtained his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, gave his first sermon in Sarnath, no written records about Gautama were found from his lifetime or some centuries thereafter. One Edict of Asoka, who reigned from circa 269 BCE to 232 BCE, another one of his edicts mentions the titles of several Dhamma texts, establishing the existence of a written Buddhist tradition at least by the time of the Maurya era. These texts may be the precursor of the Pāli Canon and they are written in the Gāndhārī language using the Kharosthi script on twenty-seven birch bark manuscripts and date from the first century BCE to the third century CE. The sources for the life of Siddhārtha Gautama are a variety of different and these include the Buddhacarita, Lalitavistara Sūtra, Mahāvastu, and the Nidānakathā. Of these, the Buddhacarita is the earliest full biography, a poem written by the poet Aśvaghoṣa in the first century CE. The Lalitavistara Sūtra is the next oldest biography, a Mahāyāna/Sarvāstivāda biography dating to the 3rd century CE, the Mahāvastu from the Mahāsāṃghika Lokottaravāda tradition is another major biography, composed incrementally until perhaps the 4th century CE
24.
Confucius
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Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and his followers competed successfully with many other schools during the Hundred Schools of Thought era only to be suppressed in favor of the Legalists during the Qin Dynasty. Following the victory of Han over Chu after the collapse of Qin, aphorisms concerning his teachings were compiled in the Analects, but only many years after his death. Confuciuss principles had a basis in common Chinese tradition and belief and he championed strong family loyalty, ancestor veneration, and respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives. He also recommended family as a basis for ideal government and he espoused the well-known principle Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself, the Golden Rule. Confucius is also a deity in Daoism. According to tradition, three generations before Confucius time, his ancestors had migrated from the Song state to the Lu state, Confucius was a descendant of the Shang dynasty Kings through the Dukes of Song. Confucius family and personal name respectively was Kong Qiu, in Chinese, he is most often known as Kongzi. He is also known by the honorific Kong Fuzi, in the Wade–Giles system of romanization, the honorific name is rendered as Kung Fu-tzu. The Latinized name Confucius is derived from Kong Fuzi, and was first coined by 16th-century Jesuit missionaries to China, within the Analects, he is often referred to simply as the Master. In 1 AD, Confucius was given his first posthumous name, in 1530, he was declared the Extremely Sage Departed Teacher. He is also known separately as the Great Sage, First Teacher and it is generally thought that Confucius was born on September 28,551 BC. His birthplace was in Zou, Lu state and his father Kong He, also known as Shuliang He, was an officer in the Lu military. Kong died when Confucius was three years old, and Confucius was raised by his mother Yan Zhengzai in poverty and his mother would later die at less than 40 years of age. At age 19 he married his wife Qiguan, and a year later the couple had their first child, Qiguan and Confucius would later have two daughters together, one of whom is thought to have died early in her life as a child. Confucius was educated at schools for commoners, where he studied and learned the Six Arts, Confucius was born into the class of shi, between the aristocracy and the common people. When his mother died, Confucius is said to have mourned for three years, as was the tradition, the Lu state was headed by a ruling ducal house. Under the duke were three families, whose heads bore the title of viscount and held hereditary positions in the Lu bureaucracy
25.
Duke of Zhou
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He is also a Chinese culture hero credited with writing the I Ching and the Book of Poetry, establishing the Rites of Zhou, and creating the yayue of Chinese classical music. He was the son of King Wen of Zhou and Queen Tai Si. His eldest brother Bo Yikao predeceased their father, the second-eldest defeated the Shang Dynasty at the Battle of Muye around 1046 BC, King Wu distributed many fiefs to his relatives and followers and Dan received the ancestral territory of Zhou near present-day Luoyang. Only two years after assuming power, King Wu died and left the kingdom to his young son King Cheng, within five years, the Duke of Zhou had managed to defeat the Three Guards and other rebellions and his armies pushed east, bringing more land under Zhou control. The Duke of Zhou was credited with elaborating the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven, once Cheng came of age, the Duke of Zhou dutifully gave up the throne without trouble. The dukes eight sons all received land from the king, the eldest son received Lu, the second succeeded to his fathers fief. In later centuries, subsequent emperors considered the Duke of Zhou a paragon of virtue, the empress Wu Zetian named her short-lived 8th-century Second Zhou Dynasty after him and called him the Honorable and Virtuous King. In 1008, the Zhenzong Emperor gave the Duke the posthumous title King of Exemplary Culture and he was also known as the First Sage. In 2004, Chinese archaeologists reported that they may have found his tomb complex in Qishan County, Duke of Zhou is also known as the God of Dreams. The Analects record Confucius saying, How I have gone downhill and it has been such a long time since I dreamt of the Duke of Zhou. This was meant as a lamentation of how the ideals of the Duke of Zhou had faded. In Chinese legends, if an important thing is going to happen to someone, the Duke of Zhous offspring held the title of Wujing Boshi. One of the Duke of Zhous 72 generation descendants family tree was examined and commented on by Song Lian, Duke Huan of Lus son through Qingfu was the ancestor of Mencius. He was descended from Duke Yang of the State of Lu 魯煬公 Duke Yang was the son of Bo Qin, the genealogy is found in the Mencius family tree
26.
Prayer
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Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. Prayer can be a form of practice, may be either individual or communal. It may involve the use of words, song or complete silence, when language is used, prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal creedal statement, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person. There are different forms of such as petitionary prayer, prayers of supplication, thanksgiving. Thus, people pray for many such as personal benefit, asking for divine grace, spiritual connection. Some anthropologists believe that the earliest intelligent modern humans practiced a form of prayer, scientific studies regarding the use of prayer have mostly concentrated on its effect on the healing of sick or injured people. Meta-studies of the studies in this field have been performed showing evidence only for no effect or a small effect. Some studies have indicated increased medical complications in groups receiving prayer over those without, the efficacy of petition in prayer for physical healing to a deity has been evaluated in numerous other studies, with contradictory results. There has been criticism of the way the studies were conducted. The act of prayer is attested in sources as early as 5000 years ago. Some anthropologists, such as Sir Edward Burnett Tylor and Sir James George Frazer, various spiritual traditions offer a wide variety of devotional acts. There are morning and evening prayers, graces said over meals, some Christians bow their heads and fold their hands. Some Native Americans regard dancing as a form of prayer, Jewish prayer may involve swaying back and forth and bowing. Muslims practice salat in their prayers, some pray according to standardized rituals and liturgies, while others prefer extemporaneous prayers. Friedrich Heiler is often cited in Christian circles for his systematic Typology of Prayer which lists six types of prayer, primitive, ritual, Greek cultural, philosophical, mystical, some forms of prayer require a prior ritualistic form of cleansing or purification such as in ghusl and wudhu. Prayer may be privately and individually, or it may be done corporately in the presence of fellow believers. Prayer can be incorporated into a daily life, in which one is in constant communication with a god. Some people pray throughout all that is happening during the day and this is actually regarded as a requirement in several Christian denominations, although enforcement is not possible nor desirable
27.
Mantra
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A Mantra is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit believed by practitioners to have psychological and spiritual powers. A mantra may or may not have syntactic structure or literal meaning, the earliest mantras were composed in Vedic Sanskrit by Hindus in India, and are at least 3000 years old. Mantras now exist in various schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, in Japanese Shingon tradition, the word Shingon means mantra. Similar hymns, chants, compositions and concepts are found in Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Christianity, the use, structure, function, importance, and types of mantras vary according to the school and philosophy of Hinduism and of Buddhism. Mantras serve a role in tantra. In this school, mantras are considered to be a sacred formula, in other schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism, initiation is not a requirement. Mantras come in forms, including ṛc and sāman. They are typically melodic, mathematically structured meters, believed to be resonant with numinous qualities, at its simplest, the word ॐ serves as a mantra. In more sophisticated forms, mantras are melodic phrases with spiritual interpretations such as a longing for truth, reality, light, immortality, peace, love, knowledge. Some mantras have no meaning, yet are musically uplifting. The Sanskrit word mantra- consists of the root man- to think, scholars consider mantras to be older than 1000 BC. By the middle Vedic period—1000 BC to 500 BC—claims Frits Staal, mantras in Hinduism had developed into a blend of art, the Chinese translation is zhenyan 眞言, 真言, literally true words, the Japanese onyomi reading of the Chinese being shingon. Mantras are neither unique to Hinduism, nor to other Indian religions such as Buddhism, similar creative constructs developed in Asian, mantras, suggests Frits Staal, may be older than language. There is no accepted definition of mantra. Renou has defined mantra as thought, mantras are structured formulae of thoughts, claims Silburn. Farquhar concludes that mantras are a religious thought, prayer, sacred utterance, zimmer defines mantra as a verbal instrument to produce something in one’s mind. There is no universally applicable uniform definition of mantra because mantras are used in different religions, in some schools of Hinduism for example, suggests Gonda, mantra is sakti to the devotee in the form of formulated and expressed thought. Staal clarifies that mantras are not rituals, they are what is recited or chanted during a ritual, There is a long history of scholarly disagreement on the meaning of mantras and whether they are really instruments of mind, as implied by the etymological origin of the word mantra
28.
Karma
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Karma means action, work or deed, it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma, Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions. In these schools, karma in the present affects ones future in the current life, as well as the nature, with origins in ancient India, karma is a key concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism. Karma is the deed, work, action, or act, and it is also the object. Halbfass explains karma by contrasting it with another Sanskrit word kriya, a good action creates good karma, as does good intent. A bad action creates bad karma, as does bad intent, Karma, also refers to a conceptual principle that originated in India, often descriptively called the principle of karma, sometimes as the karma theory or the law of karma. In the context of theory, karma is complex and difficult to define, other Indologists include in the definition of karma theory that which explains the present circumstances of an individual with reference to his or her actions in past. The law of karma operates independent of any deity or any process of divine judgment, Buddhism and Jainism have their own karma precepts. Thus karma has not one, but multiple definitions and different meanings and it is a concept whose meaning, importance and scope varies between Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and other traditions that originated in India, and various schools in each of these traditions. OFlaherty claims that, furthermore, there is a debate regarding whether karma is a theory, a model, a paradigm. Karma theory as a concept, across different Indian religious traditions, shares common themes, causality, ethicization. A common theme to theories of karma is its principle of causality, one of the earliest association of karma to causality occurs in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of Hinduism. For example, at 4.4. 5-6, it states, The relationship of karma to causality is a motif in all schools of Hindu, Jain. Disinterested actions, or unintentional actions do not have the positive or negative karmic effect, as interested. Another causality characteristic, shared by Karmic theories, is that like deeds lead to like effects, thus good karma produces good effect on the actor, while bad karma produces bad effect. This effect may be material, moral or emotional — that is, the effect of karma need not be immediate, the effect of karma can be later in ones current life, and in some schools it extends to future lives. The consequence or effects of karma can be described in two forms, phalas and samskaras. A phala is the visible or invisible effect that is typically immediate or within the current life, the theory of karma is often presented in the context of samskaras
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Seven rays
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The seven rays is an occult concept that has appeared in several religions and esoteric philosophies, since at least the 6th century BCE, of the Aryan peoples in both Western culture and in India. In the west, it can be seen in early western mystery traditions such as Gnosticism and the Roman Mithraic Mysteries, in India, the concept has been part of Hindu religious philosophy and scripture since at least the Vishnu Purana, dating from the post-Vedic era. Beginning in the late 19th century, the seven appeared in a modified and elaborated form in the teachings of Theosophy. In ancient Greek mythology, Zeus takes the bull-form known as Taurus in order to win Europa, Taurus is also associated with Aphrodite and other goddesses, as well as with Pan and Dionysus. The face of Taurus gleams with seven rays of fire, the Chaldean Oracles of the 2nd century CE feature the seven rays as purifying agents of Helios, symbolism featured in Mithraic liturgy as well. The snake was shown with a head, from which emanated either twelve or seven rays. The twelve rays represented the zodiac, and the seven rays represented the planets, the reverse sides of the talismans were engraved with a snake twisting around a vertical rod. These were known as Gnostic amulets and were also engraved with the names Iao Sabao. Gnostic gems with Abraxas also featured the seven rays, in early Christian iconography, the dove of the Holy Ghost is often shown with an emanation of seven rays, as is the image of the Madonna, often in conjunction with a dove or doves. In the present day Byzantine-style St. Louis Cathedral in Missouri, the inscription reads, Radiating from this symbol are seven rays of light representing the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost. In the dream that led him to this location, he was guided by the seven rays of light, surrounding the head of the crucified Redeemer. The Annunciation is an oil painting by Early Netherlandish master Jan van Eyck, the picture depicts the Annunciation by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. Only the seven rays are so treated, and while all of the light sources in the painting cast shadows. They wore on their breasts a star with seven rays, Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity depicted in three forms, fire, lightning and the sun. In Hindu art, Agni is depicted with two or seven hands, two heads, and three legs, in each head, he has seven fiery tongues with which he licks sacrificial butter. He rides a ram or a chariot harnessed by fiery horses and his attributes are an axe, a torch, prayer beads and a flaming spear. Agni is represented as red and two-faced, suggesting both his destructive and his beneficent qualities, and with eyes and hair. Seven rays of light emanate from his body, the Vishnu Purana, a post-vedic scripture, describes how Vishnu enters into the seven solar rays which dilate into seven suns
30.
Chakra
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In Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, a chakra is thought to be an energy point or node in the subtle body. Chakras are believed to be part of the body, not the physical body. Nadi are believed to be channels in the body through which the life force or vital energy moves. Various scriptural texts and teachings present a different number of chakras and its believed that there are many chakras in the subtle human body, according to the tantric texts, but there are seven chakras that are considered to be the most important ones. The word Chakra derives from the Sanskrit word meaning wheel, as well as circle and cycle and its described by many as a spinning wheel of light. Of the 88,000 chakras within the body, seven are considered of PRINCIPAL importance and are referred to as the major chakras. In rituals, there are different cakrasādhanās in which adherents assemble, according to the Niruttaratantra, chakras in the sense of assemblies are of 5 types. The term chakra is used to denote yantras s, variously known as trikoṇa-cakra, aṣṭakoṇa-cakra. Different nerve plexuses within the body, in Buddhism, the Sanskrit term cakra is used in a different sense of circle, referring to the conception of rebirth consisting of six states in which beings may be reborn. Breath channels of yogic practices are mentioned in the classical Upanishads, the texts and teachings present different numbers of chakras. Also, different physical structures are considered chakras, david Gordon White thus emphasises, In fact, there is no standard system of the chakras. Every school, sometimes every teacher within each school, has had his own chakra system, the following features are common, They form part of the body, along with the breath channels, and the winds. They are located along the central channel, two side channels cross the centre channel at the location of the chakras. They possess a number of petals or spokes and they are generally associated with a mantra seed-syllable, and often with a variety of colours and deities. There are believed to be 7 major chakras, david Gordon White traces the modern popularity of the Hindu seven chakra system to Arthur Avalons The Serpent Power, which was Avalons translation of a late work, the Satcakranirupana. In actuality, there are models and systems present in Hindu tantric literature. Kundalini is a feature of Hindu chakra systems, Chakras play an important role in the main surviving branch of Indian Vajrayana, Tibetan Buddhism. The Vajrayana system states that the channel begins at the point of the third eye like of lord Shiva, curves up to the crown of the head
