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Different Belief Systems Practices & Movements of The World
Agnostics Not everybody has a religion, or a God. Those who only believe in what they can see, and understand what's going on in the World around them, are called Agnostics. They do not deny that there is a God or gods, but they believe that if there is, people on earth couldn't possibly know anything about it Animism One of the most ancient of all human belief systems,animism holds that all of nature is essentially alive with spirits or divinities inhabiting trees,streams,mountains,natural rock formations and even certain tools or weapons. Animistic beliefs remain widespread among primitive societies,particularly those in which many different spiritual beings are believed to control various aspects of the natuaral & social environment. The concept of animism was developed in the late 19th-century by the British anthropologist, Sir Edward B.Tylor,who regarded such beliefs as the earliest stage in the evolution of religion. New Age thinking - with such concepts as Gaia and the vigorous rise of neo-shamanism, has given a new lease of life to the spiritist theories of animism Atheists An Atheist doesn't believe in a God or gods of any kind
Anthroposophy A system of spiritual science propounded by the Austrian scientist/mystic Rudolf Steiner. After a decade of association with the Theosophical Society,he broke away in 1909 to found his own Anthroposophical Society.The name derived from the greek 'anthropos' meaning 'man' and sophia - meaning 'wisdom' On the more personal scale -Anthroposophy dealth with the individual's four bodies, reincarnation and life in th Spirit World between incarnations.Steiner also developed a system of anthroposophical medicine, which combined Herbalism & Homeopathy, and included counselling to deal with psychological and emotional problems Australian Spirituality Aboriginal Australians communicate with their gods through art and dance. They attach great importance to their dreams, and much of their prayer and ritual is done through Nature. Many Aboriginal Australians go 'walkabout', which means, they go wandering through the outback of Australia fof periods of time, to help them to connect with the Universe and its Source. They believe that the ancient paths still sing a song about the creation of the land Baha'i The Baha'i faith weas founded by Mirza Husayn Ali, or Baha'u'allah - in Iran in the 19th century.Baha'u'Ulah, meaning Glory of God attracted a large number of followers in his lifetime and the faith has now spread all over the world. After several spiritual experiences, Baha'u'Ulah believed he was a messenger of God. His followers believe that Heaven and Hell are states of mind rather than places we go to when we're dead.It is a peace-loving humanitarian religion with no clergy,initiation rites or sacraments.They fast and meditate and read the writings of the Baha'u'Ulah Its main teaching is the oneness of mankind and unity of all religions Buddhism Buddhists believe in Truth and a way of life, rather than a God or gods. They say that the root of all problems in life is suffering, which is caused by materialism- the desire to own objects. Buddhism teaches that, when we lose this desire to own objects there'll be no more hardship. To avoid suffering caused by materialism, Buddhists follow eight laws known as the Eighfold Path. These laws are Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. Although Westeners tend to think of the Buddha as the single founder of a specific religion rather like Jesus or Mohammed - Oriental esoteric thought postulates a series of Buddhas - meaning 'Enlightened One' - who have incarnated at intervals throughout history, in order to assist humanity towards a valid perception of spiritual reality. The individual generally referred to as 'the Buddha' is only the most recent of the line.Historically, he was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal about 536 BC - the son of a Sakya clan chieftan.Legend has it that his coming was announced to his mother Queen Maya, by the appearance of an elephant. As a child he was closeted from the ills of the world but one day while out hunting, happened to see a diseased beggar on the side of the road and realized he had been living in a fool's paradise.He left home and became a wandering holy man, desperately seeking answers to the age-old spiritual questions. He gathered a small group of followers, but lost them when he concluded that the traditional religious discipline of fasting has brought him no nearer understadning and began to eat again. Eventually after years of effort,he achieved 'Enlightenment' while meditating under a bo-tree. His followers believe that having reached the 'blissful state of non-being' referred to as nirvana , he was freed from the necessity of physical incarnation,but voluntarily renounced his ectasy in order to guide others towards the same goal.Siddartha Gautama died at the age of 80 around 483 BC
The Middle Way comprised the Noble Eightfold Path of Right Views, Right Intent, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood , Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, & Right Concentration.The Path was based on 4 Truths - that all life is suffering, that the cause of suffering is desire, that the cause of suffering is desire, that suffering will cease when desire ceases and that the Noble Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of desire Any practise of Buddhism is inextricable linked with the doctrine of Reincarnation and the concept of Karma. They also believe that all of humanity is caught on an eternal wheel of reincarnation after reincarnation,driven by karma, and the only way to break fee is to achieve 'enlightenment' - expressed in the ecstatic state of Niravana.This is reached by following the Noble Eightfold Path and engaging in the Three Trainings - morality, concentration and wisdom. The Trainings go beyond the expression of pious platitudes into the realms of Yoga, making Buddhism perhaps the most esoteric of all teh Great Oriental Religions It recognizes that Meditation, is likely to produce Siddhis or psychic powers, usually broken down into 6 categories of which the first five are.Magic powers such as levitation , walking on water, shape-shiffting or projecting a mind-made body,Clairaudience, Clairvoyance,Telepathy, Far memory - the ability to recall Past Lives There seems little doubt that early Buddhism including the life of the Buddha himself, had strong elements of Shamanism with powers of the type listed excercised frequently in order to gain merit Christianity Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He was born in Bethlehem in Judia and began His teachings after He was baptized in the river Jordan. He travelled with His twelve disciples/followers and was said to have performed many miracles, including healing the sick, while speading the Word and stating that He was the Messiah send by God to save the world from sin. Jesus was crucified on a cross and have risen from the grave, three days after His death. He appeared to his followers and ascended into the 'Heavens' This and other stories about God and His Son are to be found in the book of teachings called - the Holy Bible Christian Science More properly referred to as the Church of Christ Scientist, Christian Science is the religion founded in the latter half of the 19th century by Mary Baker-Eddy. The sect differs from orthodox Christianity in that central to its philosophy is the belief that neither evil nor matter exist in any ultimate sense, but the most dramatic statement of Christian Science beliefs undoubtedly lies in the realm of health and healing. Broadly speaking, Christian Scienetists consider that disease is usually caused by fear and that healing occurs when Truth enters the sick individual. From this stems the fact that practising members of the Church will not take drugs and in fact, tend to shy away from most orthodox forms of medicine - preferring to use their own Spiritual resources. The movement's most definitive and authoritative source book is still Mrs Eddy's 'Sceince and Health with Key to the Scriptures', which originally published in 1875 Christian Science grew very rapidly in America in its early years and while it had little or no missionary impetus, it had crossed the Atlantic and taken root in England, Germany & Switzerland before the end of the 19th century. By 1936, there were some 238 000 recorded Christian Scientists in the US, but it is believed the numbers have declined in most Sttes and in Britain since then. It may, however be fair to say that the influence of Christian Science has always outweighed its numerical strength Confucianism This faith is based on the beliefs and teachings of Confucius, a Chinese sage who died in 479BC. He believed that the young should respect their elders and ancestors, and that we should behave towards others, as we would like them to behave towards us. He believed in self-discipline and education, and stressed the importance of hard work and harmony in the home Cults The world 'Cult' is a term used for a group of people with similar beliefs and behaviour and often associated with a 'guru'. Today, 'Cults' are being critized, because of the exploitation and manipulation of cult members by some cult leaders. However most of today's major religions were once small cults. The difference between a cult & a religion is often nothing more, than the numbers of members it has, and whether it is of international imporance Dervish Order Although dancing is firmly associated with the Dervishes in the Western mind, only Mevlevi dervishes dance, just as howling - another widespread association - is largely typical of the Rufais. Strictly speaking, the term 'Dervish Order' is inaccurate since the dervish community comprises a series of Orders, monastic and lay, each independent and free to go its own way. The word ' dervish' is usually defined as an Islamic holy man, probably - but not necessarily - associated with one of the Devish Orders, who follows the Sufi way. Historically, the Sufis have generally appeared within Islam, but since the doctrine is held to be the inner reality of all religions , Christian Sufis have occasionally arisen. All dervishes are believed to be linked by a mysterious force called baraka. Dervish schools are always tempory, a body of people working towards a common purpose with the school disbanded once the purpose is achieved. Despite the unwholesome image which persists in the West to this day, the central Asian picture of a dervish is more typically that of a cultured scienetist with a grounding in literature and philosophy, and a scientist who would moreover, combine the qualities of a saint, magician, healer and miracle-worker Dogen A 13th century Japanese Zen master of the Soto-Zen school of Japanese Buddhism, Dogen advocate a religion of practical simplicity, absolute faith and individual Spirtiual awakening. Although an aristocrat by birth, Dogen avoided the imperial court, practising Meditaton deep in the remote countryside Druids Members of the ancient re-Christian Celtic priestcraft of Britain & Gaul, a secrett order about which almost nothing is known. The term 'druid' means 'knowing the oak tree' in Gaelic, the oak tree was sacred to the Celts.The Romans tell us that the Druids wer magicians, but the nature of their magic is unknown. The Romans also tll us that they believed in the transmigration of souls (which may have been reincarnation) They are said to have conducted their cult practices in sacred oak groves, where on of their chief rites was harvesting mistletoe using a golden sickle. They are also thought to have offered human sacrifices, both by buring (their victims enclosed in giant human-shaped wicker frames) and by ritual throat-cutting.It is probable that they were the representatives of the ancient Nordic and Christian Mysteries The theory that the Druids built Stonehenge or Avebury, advanced by some antiquarians in the 17th & 18th centuries, has been proved by modern archaelogical techniques to be false, the stones of both are vastly older that the Druid period. In the ancient world, the Druids had a reputation for prophency and divination. Various Druid groups flourish in Britain and the United States but claim no connection with ancient Druids.They celebrate eight pagan festivals in outdoor henges and groves, the most important bing the summer solsitce. Since 1985, modern Druids have been prevented from gathering at Stonehenge for the soltice, becasue of vandalism by spectators. American Druids use a replica of Stonehenge in Washington State Essenes A Jewish pacifist, pre-Christian mystical movement, the Essenes are today largely associated with the monastic settlement at Qumran and the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, but there were, in fact, lay Essenes as well as monastic. The Essene community lay and monastic, rejected the rituals of the Temple for a somewhat simpler and more inward observance and held firmly to a belief in the immortality of the soul. As one of many Jewish messianic sects, their doctrines on the imminent appearance of a greater Teacher of Righteousness so closely parallels the New Testament doctrines of Christ, that a great many scholars have seriously considered the possibility that Jesus was an Essene before leaving the movement to establish His own following. Dr. Edmund Szekely, poet, scholar, linguist and Unitarian bishop, has translated and interpreted the Essene gospels and writings Findhorn An experimental Spiritual community founded in 1962, and located in northern Scotland, and the site of a garden seemingly endowed with special powers. At its peak in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Findhorn yielded 18kg cabbages and other plants and flowers that sometimes grew to twice their normal size despite the fact that the soil was nothing more than sand and gravel and the bitter climate of the North Sea made for abysmal growing conditions Findhorn residents claimed that they received the directions for planting, cultivating and managing their gardens from Spirits that inhabit the natural world. The Findhorn experiment has come to be viewed as a demonstration of the power and potential of human beings adn the natural world living and working together in harmony Peter Caddy and co-worker Dorothy Maclean, who established the first garden on the site, claimed to have established contact with the Spirit of the plant kingdom,called a 'Deva', said to hol the archetypal pattern for each individual plant species.The devas provided specific information about every aspect of the garden, how far apart to plant seeds, how often to water, and how to remedy problems. Within a year Findhorn, had been transformed, with the gardens overflowing with life. As word of the garden spread, it became a model community for proponents of the New Age Movement.By the early 1970's more than three hundred people lived, worked and studied in Finhorn.Residents viewed themselves as the vanguard of a new society based on the principles of cooperation between people and the kingdom of nature.By the 1980's, the plants, fruits and vegetables had returned to normal sizes, and none of the present gardeners claims direct contact with the natural world.Nevertheless, newer members of the community preserve the original spirit and ideas of the founders.Findhorn has a democratic government, a garden school an a company to help small businesses within the community Freemasonry The secret and fraternal organisations believed to have evolved from the medieval guilds of the stonemasons.Membership is open to men only, requires no allegiance to a single faith or religion, although belief in God is necessary and aims to enable members to meet in harmony, to promote friendship and to be charitable. The orders provide a network for busines, professional and social success and advancement. The basic unit of Freemasonry is the lodge, which exists under a charter issued by a grand lodge excercising administrative powers. The lodges are linked together informally by a system of mutual recognition between lodges that meet the Masonic requirements The lodge confers three degrees, Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. Additional degrees are conferred by two groups of advanced freemasonry: The York Rite, which awards twelve degrees and the Scottish Rite, which awards thirty higher degrees Many legendary theories exist concerning the origin of Freemasonry, but it is generally linked to the development of medieval craft guilds of stonemasons. Small numbers of skilled stonemasons would travel between towns to build churches and cathedrals commissioned by the clergy.To protect their knowledge they organised themselves into guilds, complete with passwords, rules of procedure, payment and religious devotion Freemasonry's present organisational form began on 24 June 1717, when a grand lodge was formed in London.Since that time lodges have spread all over the world with local grand lodges fromed whenever enough lodges exist in an area At various times and places freemasonry has met religious and political oppositon. Religious opponents, especially the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churces have traditionally claimed that Freemasonry is a religion and is a secret organisation. A papal ban on Roman Catholic member ship in Masonic lodges was rescinded in 1983.Freemasons hold that the organisation is religious, but not a religion, and that it is not a secret organisation since it works openly in the community. Many notable men in history have been Freemasons including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Christopher Wren, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, George Washington and various other American presidents The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge has always been held by one of noble or royal birth.The present Grand Master is the Duke of Kent Gnostics & Gnosticism A loosely-defined movement rather than a religion or even a cult.Gnosticism is the term applied to a number of sects which emerged during the formative years of Christianity, all engaged in a search for hidden spiritual knowledge, by which they believed man was saved, rather than by faith or conduct. The sects themselves varied considerably in their approach to esoteric, truth, some emphasizing practical techniques like Astrology, others concentrating on secret doctrines of Jesus.All seem to have been influenced by Zoroastrianism in that they tended towards a dualism of Spirit and matter, the former equated with good and the latter evil. Gnosticism derived from a Greek word 'Gnosis' meaning 'knowledge' - is applied to a movement that influenced the Mediterranean world from the first century BC to the third century AD. It expresed itself in a variety of pagan, Jewish and Christian forms.Its name is derived from the fact that it pormised salvation through a secret knowledge or understanding of reality possessed by its devotees. Previously known mostly from the writings of its Christian opponents, Gnosticism can now be studied in a collection of original documents found near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945 - also known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Despite the complex diversity of Gnostic groups and their teachings, the basic doctrines of Gnosticism formed an identifiable pattern of belief and practice. A pervasive dualism underlay much of Gnostic thought Good and evil, light and darkness, truth and falsehood, spirit and matter were opposed to one another in human experiences as being and non-being.The created Universe and human experiences were characterised by a radical disjunction between the Spiritual, which was real, and the physical, which was illusory. This disjunction resulted form a Cosmic tragedy, described in a variety of ways by Gnostic mythology, as a consequence of which sparks of deity became entrapped in the physical world. These could be freed only by saving knowledge that was revealed to a spiritual elite by a transcendent messenger from the Spirit world, variously identified as Seth (one of the sons of Adam), Jesus, or some other figure.Renunciation of physical desires and strict asceticism, combined with mystical rites of initiation and purification, were thought to librate the immortal souls of believers from the prison of physical existence. Reunion with divine reality was accomplished after a journey of the soul through intricate systems of hostile powers Associated in legend with Simon Magus, a Samaritan sorcerer mentioned in the Bible in Acts 8:9-24, gnosticism probably originated in the Near East as a synthesis of Eastern and Greek ideas before the advent of Christianiy.It reached the height of its influence as a Christian sect in the middle of the second century AD, when it was represented by the Egyptian teachers Basilides and Valentinus As Christian orthodoxy was defined in the period that followed, Gnosticism began to decline and gradually was pushed to the periphery of the Christian world or driven underground by the persecution of church leaders. Orthodox Christianity firmly rejected Gnostic doctrines as heretical. Indeed the burning of the great library at Alexandria was the delibrate attempt to destroy the evidence for religions opposing the orthodox religion of the Western World.The movement, however never lost its influence, it survived particularly in Qabalism. Some Gnostic tendencies found their way into later Christian monasticism, while others survived among the Mandaeans and adherents of Manichaeism The ill-fated Cathars drew much of their inspiration from the ancient Gnostics and Gnosticism surfaced again in the fifteenth century when the ancient Hermetic writings were rediscoverd and translated. It also survived in secret societies such as the Rosicrucians and the Freemasons.Interest in the Gnostics was revived in the 20th century with the discovery of Gnostic manuscripts, previously though to be lost, in Turkestan between 1902-1914 and near Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt in 1945 an 1946 and in 1948 The latter are usually called the Dead Sea Scrolls and have provided the basis of new interpretations of Gnostic beliefs and influence. Another major factor in the re-examination of Gnosticism, is the work of the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. Between 1912 & 1926, Jung delved into a study of Gnosticism and early Christianity. He found in Gnosticism an early, prototypical depth psychology. He believed that Christianity, and as a result Western Culture, had suffered because of the repression of Gnostic concepts. In looking for ways to reintroduce Gnostic ideas to modern culture, Jung found them in alchemy. The first codex of the Nag Hammadi library found in 1945, was purchased and given to Jung on his eightieth birthday.It is called the Codex Jung Golden Dawn One day in 1886, Dr. William Wynn Westcott was rummage through the contents of a bookstall in Farringdon Street when he came a cross a number of manuscripts which excited him enormously. They were in code, but he surmised that they referred to something magical and bought them on the instant There are, in fact, several versions of the story. One states that Westcott found the manuscripts in the library of the Society as Rosicruciana and that they came originally from Freemason's Hall. Another version has him finding them in the library of the English clairvoyant Frederick Hockley. Francis King, the historian of ritual magic, accepts this latter version, but says the manuscripts reached Westcott from Hockley's library via a clergyman named Woodford.Wherever they came from, Westcott needed someone to help him break the manuscript code. He selected for this task a colourful character name S.L.MacGregor Mathers, who was later to become curator of the Horniman Museum. Together they discovered the manuscripts contained the skeleton of a fascinating system of technical magic - together with the address of an adept, Fraulen Anna Sprengler of Nuremberg in Germany.She revealed many sevrets of practical magic, to him and in 1888 granted him permission to establish his own magical lodge in England.This he did in conjunction with Mathers and a third Freemason, William R.Woodman.They called the new organization the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn The Golden Dawn turned out to be something better than just another pseudo-Masonic secret society.Although its impressive sounding Isis-Urania Temple was a smallish set of rooms in a dingy back street, it soon attracted some of thebest minds of its day.The Astronomer Royal of Scotland became a member.So did Florence Farr, the acress, W.B.Yeats, the Irish poet and the writers Sax Rohmer, Arthur Machen, Bram Stoker and Algernon Blackwood The attraction for individuals of this calibre almost certainly lay in the fact that the magical methods it used, were a far cry from, e.g. the lunatic collection of naive spells which go to make up the average medieval 'grimoire'.Rather what Westcott and his colleagues put together was a system of Occidntal Yoga aied at developing human consciousness and , ultimately, provoking mystical experiences.The system was based on the Jewish Qabalah, but with considerable Christian and some Oriental overlay.It was to set a standard for ritual magical organizations which is followed to the present day Internally, the Golden Dawn was organized as a hierach.Mathers led it under the guidance of mysterious and largely invisible Secret Chiefs.Structully, it was divided into outer and inner Orders, which were in turn subdivided into ten grades, each related to a sphere of the Qabalistic Tree of LIfe. Entry into each grade involved a course of study, a successful examination and a ritual initiation. The Golden Dawn flourished for a time and even expanded modestly.But while there are branches of the orgainzation still operational today in New Zealand, and America claiming direct descent from the parent, there seems little argument that the original Order crumbled under the impact of the political machinations of its most notorious member Aleister Crowley Hasidism A Jewish mystical movement drawing its name from the Hebrew hasid, meaning 'pious'.The movement was founded in 18th century Poland - by Eliezer Ba'al Shem Tov, who as a firm believer in joyful service of God, conducted services noted for wild singing, dancing and drinking Ba'al Shem was himself an ecstatic who seemed to enter trance states during prayer, his body shaking like that of a primitive Shaman.The movement he founded drew heavily on the doctrines of the Qabalah and survives today as a movement within mainstream Judaism Hinduism One of the oldest religions in the World, is Hinduism. Hindu teachings are found in a book called the Bhagavad-Gita, which tells of a conversation between a person and God. Hindus believe we have many different lives, so that we can learn spiritual lessons through our experiences on Earth. They believe in Karma, which is a system that takes account of people's actions in the past and reflects them in their future lives. A person's good or bad deed may not immediately appear to have any result, but in a future life it may lead to a lesson for the person to learn Huna The native religion of the Hawaiian islands, outlawed, suppressed, but not entirely obliterated following the arrival of Christian missionaries in 1820. Max Freedom Long, the leading 20th century investigator of Huna, believed it to contain a very potent system of ancient magic based on a highly sophisticated model of the human psyche. Practitioner Kahunas, the 'Keeeprs of the Secret', were able to cure or curse, develop immunity to fire, see and change the future and even raise the dead by application of the ancient methods Extravagant though the claims for Huna might seem, Kahuna doctrines of twin souls and a spirit as the essential inner structure of humanity continue to be studied with considerable interest in the New Age and there seems substantial evidence to suggest that the few Kahuna initiates remaining on the island, still exhibit unusual psychic powers Illuminati A term for a group of people who were members of sects or secret societies and believed in 'Illuminism', which is applied to the process of direct spiritual and esoteric enlightenment by means of revelation from a higher source or the inspiration of human reason.It is associated with various occult sects and secret orders, including the Rosicrucians & the Freemasons The most highly organised sect, the Order of Illuminati, was founded in Bavaria in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, a professor of Law. Weishaupt may have created the order because he aspired to join the Masons - which he did in 1777. in 1780 he was joined by Baron von Knigge, a respected and high-level Mason, which enabeld him to incorporate Masonic elements into his organisation structure and rites.The Order aimed to spread a new religion based on enlightened reason derived from direct contact with Divine Reason.Illuminism was also antimonarchial, and its identification with republicanism gained it many members throughout Germany. In 1784, Masonry was denounced to the Bavarian government as politically dangerous which led to the suppression of al sects orders, including the Masons and Illluminati.The Order of Illuminiati inclued such distinguished figures as the German poet Goethe, Cagliostro, and Franz Anton Initiation Although frequently corrupted into little more than an outward ceremonial show, initiation is essentially an individual transformation which involves a transition from one level of awareness and development to another. Initiatory rituals, designed to stimulate such transformations, have been a feature of human culture from earliest times, ranging from the initiations at puberty in primitive societies all the way to the elaborate ceremonial initiations of Freemasonry or the Golden Dawn. Most occultists believe, however, that the only really wothwhile initiations are inward, often occuring in mystical or visionary experiences which induce changes in the character, outlook or abilities of the individual Islam The Muslin religion is based on human beings having a connection with Allah, the Arabic name for God. Allah chose the prophet Mohammed to lead the Islamic faith and his teachings is very popular in the Arab world. Mohammed was a successful businesman until the turned his life to meditation, prayer and fasting. During a pilgrimage, the Archangel Jibriel - also known as Gabriel, visited Mohammed and gave him divine messages, which he wrote in a holy book, called the Koran. Over the centuries, Islamic teachings has spread and has developed into several different Muslim traditions of worship, such as Sunni, Sufi and Shi'ite forms Jainism Like Buddhism, Jainism is the code for living, rather than a religion. Jains say that we are all divine, and we can get in touch with our spiritual side by releasing the soul. The Great Vows or Mahavratas, that Jains take, include telling the truth, avoiding violence, not taking anything unless it's given, and being detached from people, places and things. They are not supposed to eat after dark Jehovah's Witnesses The founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses movement was called Charles Taze Russell. He believed strongly that people should prepare themselves for the Apocalypse, or the end of the world, and Armageddon, a day of judgement. By Russell's calculations, the end of the world would have been in 1914. This turned out to be the year of the beginning of World War 1. This terrible world event was so close to Russell's prediction, that it gained him and the Jehovah's Witnesses movement many new followers Judaism The Jewish religion called Judaism, comes from the Middle East. Most of its teachings are contained in the Torah, which is the book about the everlasting truths of life. Jewish people believe that in the beginning God created the World and they predict that a Messiah will come again to restore it and save humanity. Family is an important part of this religion and its believers say all parts of our lives are holy. Men and women often pray seperately and women are expected to bring up their children and keep their home in a traditional Jewish way Kabbalah /Qabbala / Cabala This is a Philosophy and a way of life, that is based on the Mystical Jewish Teachings. The idea is that humans can express the divine in their everyday life. Some people thought these teachings were revealed to Adam, while others believe they were the secret teachings spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai, when he received the Torah and the Ten Commandments Cabala, also Kabbalah /Qabbala. The word Kaballah is derived from the Hebrew root kbl - ' to recieve- to accept' and in many cases is used synonymously with 'tradition'.Kabbalah is the Jewish mystical tradition, especially the system of Esoteric mystical speculation and practice that developed during the 12th and 13th centuries. Kabbalisitic interest, at first confined to a select few, became the preoccupation of large numbers of Jews following their expulsion from Spain (1492) an Portugal (1495. Like every other Jewish religious expression, Kabbalah was based on the Old Testament revelation but was enormously developed and expanded. The revealed text was interpreted with the aid of various hermeneutic techniques. Of the many methods available, the Kabbalists most frequently used three forms of letter and number symbolism - Gematria, Notarikon and Temurah The Kabbalah is very old, dating back to at least the first century AD, and much of its knowledge was passed on orally within the priesthood or within groups of the priesthood. The major written texts date from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The classic document of the Kabbalistic tradition - the Zohar - Book of Light, was compiled by Moses de Leon about 1290. The doctrine of creation was build on a theory of emanation and asserted that the world derived from the transcendent and unknowable God through a series of increasingly material manifestations - sephirot. The Sephirot form the cental image of Kabbalistic meditation, the Sephirothic Tree of Life, which describes the path of descent from the divine to the material realm and the path of ascent to the highest level of spirituality.Each sephirot is a level of attainment in knowledge corresponding to the knowledge corresponding to energy centres in the body , and is also divided into four interlocking sections or 'Worlds' which constitute the Cosmos: Emanation (Atziluth), Creation (Briah), Formation (Yetzirah) and action or making (Assiyah).Through contemplation and meditation,similar to Eastern yogic disciplines, the Kabbalist ascends the tree of life .The Sephirot also comprise the sacred, unknowable and unspeakable personal name of God YHVH (Yahweh), the Tetragrammation.So sacred is the Tetragrammation that other names, such as Elohim and Jehovah, are substituted in itts place in scripture.A more systematic presentation of the bgasic doctrine is contained in Moses Cordovero's Pardes rimmonium (Garden of Pomegranates,1548) Kabbalah,with its amulets, incantations,demonology,seals and letter and number mysticism, had a profound influence on Western magical tradition.The Tetragrammaton especially was held in great awe for its power over all things in the Universe,including demons Karma Oriental doctrine of cause & effect & related to reincarnation. Unresolved situations from past lives that carry over into the current life. A term, derived from the Sanskrit for 'deed' which describes the fundamental concept in Hinduism and Buddhism that thoughts and deeds determine the consequences of one's life and rebirth. Karma may therefore loosely be described as the law of consequences. In a popular sense, Karma is sometimes regarded as the Eastern equivalent of the Western 'destiny' or 'fate', but this is an erroneous view. Karma is properly regarded as the Fruit of Actions in a previous lifetime, which determines the conditions of a live in a subsequent incarnation, this is quite different from the Western concept of destiny, which is not necessarily connected with deeds of a previous existence.Karma can be either good or bad, with relative consequences, and is generally viewed as inescapable, although various techniques and chanting exist to try to mitigate it Knights of St Johns of Jerusalem (Knights Hospitallers) Founded in 1070 as part of the Crusading Movement, the Knights Hospitallers (Knights of St John of Jerusalem) were a brotherhood who maintained the lodging for pilgrams at Jerusalem while it was not occupied by the Moors and also ran a hospital.They were also at later dates granted the islands of Rhodes and then Malta.As a brotherhood, they had their rites and secrets, many of the latter concerned with the methods of Eastern Medicine they had learned from Arabs & Indians Kwanza This African Religion is bases on seven laws, which teach living in the community with family and friends, working, creativity, and faith in God. God is seen as the mother and father of the Universe. People believe that God is in everything, so they have a great interest in Nature. The ancestors are guardians or the spirit and pass on to everyone the Energy of the Divine Maori The beliefs of the Maori people in New Zealand are steeped in legends and myths. Maori legends say that Mother Earth and Father Sky were the creator gods and were seperated by their sons, who in turn created the human race. They believe that the life force that's in all creation is a gift from the gods. The Maori word 'tika' means doing the right thing, or follow the moral laws of the gods and the tribes. The opposite is 'he', which means doing the wrong thing, or going astray Native American Beliefs Everything in Life is sacred for the Native Americans, who live amongst Nature and spend much of their time in silence. They have a very strong connection to the elements and to the animal world. Native Americans believe that life, is a spiritual journey which involves one's mind, body & spirit and they call it an Earth Walk. A Native American works hard to be an honorable and useful member of his/her tribe. Their spiritual activities include, the use of tools such as herbs, sacred pipes, and feathers and they perform powerful chants and dances New Age The term New Age covers a wide range of beliefs. Most New Age believers agree that we are all connected to the Same Source and that we should try look at the Universe mystically, rather than just scientifically. New Age people take a holistic approach to life. They try to achieve global consciousness, or an awareness of the World and everything that lives in it. New Age Spiritualists believe that each individual has a right to choose his or her own path. Much New Age thinking concerns the Millennium in the year 2000, and the prediction for the next century Ramakrishnan Order Swami Vivekananda was born in 1863, Vivekananda was the favourite pupil of Ramakrishna, whose ashram he joined at the age of 20.After Ramakrishna's death in 1886, Vivekananda renounced the world and founded the Ramakrishnan Order, which became the Ramakrishna Mission.He became the first in a long line of Indian gurus coming out to the West.In 1893, he represented Hinduism at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and in 1895 founded the Vendanta Society.He won the respect of such prominent figures as William James, Leo Tolstoy and Aldous Huxley Reincarnation As a religious belief,the doctrine of reincarnation is intimately connected with ideas about Karma. Hypnotic Regression has helped thousands to produce what certainly appear to be Past Life recollections Reincarnation is a process accepted as a fact of life by all the major religions of the Orient and now under serious investigation in the West, both by occultists and some few of the more imaginative scientists. The doctrine of reincarnation is intimately connected with ideas about Karma, the concept of cosmic balance echoed in the Christian precept that 'Whatsoever a man soweth, so also shall he reap'.But it is the scientific evidence for reincarnation rather than the religious theory, which has caught public imagination in New Age.To provide such evidence, researchers like Professor Ian Stevenson have investigated well known cases such as those of Bishen Chand and Shanti Devi.Both having clear memories of their Past Lives New Age investigators in the field of Reincarnation research have perfected a technique of hypnotic Regression, which has helped literally thousand of subjects to produce what certainly appear to be Past Life Recollections.The Phenomenon is intriguing in itself.If the 'memories' are actually fantasies, some explanation is required for the fact that so many people whose whole religion, upbringing and culture deny reincarnation appear to believe in it at an unconscious level But beyond this is the even more disturbing fact that in certain cases, research has shown an historical validity to the memories, so much so that in a number of instances it is difficult to accept any explantation of the facts other than Past Live Memory Right-Hand Path A concept widely popularized in the occult novels of Dennis Wheatley, who equated the Right-Hand Path with all that was good and benign in Mystical Practice, while relegating its counterpart, the Left-Hand Path, to the satanic disciplines of black magic.While both terms are still widely used in precisely this sense today, even among occultists, their derivation is rooted in Oriental Tantric practise, where the essential difference was that adepts of the Left-Hand Path used sexual techniques in their pursuit of enlightenment, while those of the Right-Hand Path did not Ritual Strictly speaking, the term 'ritual' describes any frequently repeated sequence of actions (like checking doors and windows before going to bed at night), but has developed into a description of Religious and/or Magical Ceremonial, characterized by a set sequence of actions and (usually special dedication clothing and equipment.Although the fact was successfully kept secret for centuries, magical ritual is now known to have an inner as well as an outer aspect - that is to say, its practitioners engage in a series of very specific visualizations in tandem with the visible Physical actions Rosary Although generally associated in the West with Christian and specifically Roman Catholic practise, the bead string known as a 'rosary' is found in a number of religions where it is used as an aid to Meditaion & Prayer.A Rosary can serve as a convenient guide to the number of times a ritual action or prayer should (or must) be repeated and fulfils this function almost exclusively in Catholicism.Oriental rosaries, however, often have different shaped coloured beads which have symbolic meanings in their own right.The contemporary Western occultist, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, has published a series of Mediations 'The Sacred Cord Meditation-The Aquarian Press-1990) describing a rosary system believe to date back to the fabulous lost continent of Atlantis Rosicrucians The Order of the Rosy Cross, or Rosicrusians, is a worldwide esoteric society whose official emblem combines a rose and a cross.The society was apparently founded in Europe in medieval times and was given impetus by the publication of three anonymous pamphlets in succesive years: Fama Fraternitatis (Account of the Brotherhood -1614), Confessio Fraternitatis (Confession of the Brotherhood)-1615) and (The Third Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz-1616). They described the initiation into the spiritual and alchemical mysteries of the East particularly of ancient Egypt of Christian Rosenkreuz, who was allegedly born in 1378 but is persumed to be an allegorical figure In 1614 a pamphlet printed in Kassel and entitled 'Fama Fraternitatis' began to circulate throughout Germany.It claimed to have been issued by a hitherto unknown occult Brotherhood called 'Rosicrucians' and sought to stimulate a general improvement of the world by fusing the Reformation with advances in Scientific knowledge.The pamphlet then went on to tell the story of the founding of the Order by the legendary Christian Rosenkreutz Although obscure in style and difficult to understand the publication - created such widespread interest that it was actually reprinted three times in 1615, by a second publication on the subject, the 'Confessio Fraternitatis R.C.' spelling out 37 of the Oder's aims, which included bringing an end to sectarianism and political strife, and expressing the Fraternity's opposition to the Papacy, Islam and Quack alchemists.The publication sought to recruit members to the Rosicrucian movement, without, however telling readers how to join In 1616 an eager public was treated to the final book in the series the 'Chymische Christiani Hochzeit Rosenkreutz', subsequently rendered into English as 'The Hermetick Romance: or the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz'.It was a lively story full of esoteric symbolism and one which has since been interpreted as representing an alchemical process.Although the publications were a great mystery, in their day, it is now known that their author was almost certainly the Wurttemburg Theologian Johann Valentin Andreae and the works may have reflected the ideals of a small circle of scholars close to Christoph Besold, a professor of Law at the Univesity of Tubingen.At the time, however, those who wished to join the newly proclaimed Rosicrucians, had no means of doing so and their frustrations generated a considerable volume of secondary literature, speculating on the Order or claiming membership of it By 1620, the original interest was burning itself out and discussion of the Rosicrucians died away in favour of other fashions.But the whole thing revived again in 1710 with the foundation by Sigmund Richter of the Order of the Gold & Rosy Cross, an alchemical fraternity which drew, albeit loosely on the original legend. The terms 'Rose Cross' and 'Rosicrucian found their way into Freemasonry without, however, having very much to do with their originals.But the Victorian Order of the Golden Dawn, revived the Rosicrucian tradition to such and extent that the legend of Christian Rosenkreutz, was taught to members and a representaion of his 'vault' or tomb was used in the Golden Dawn Rituals There are several New Age, institutions which claim descent from, or at least link with the original Rosicrucians.Perhaps the best known of these is the American Ancient and Mystic Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC), founder by J. Spencer Lewis, which teaches a substantial body of esoteric doctrine, and tecnique and advertises itself widely in publications throughout the U.S & United Kingdom Scientology Some call Scientology a religion, while others argue that it is simply a philosophy of life. It was founded by Ron Hubbard, whose teachings include religion, physics and science & science fiction. He believed that unhappy events in our lives can weaken us, but once we understand their root, the memory no longer has power over us. The church of Scientology is a 20th century church with millions of members around the world Sikhism A Sikh believe there is only one God and that all people are equal in His eyes. Sikhs, Hindus & Buddhists believe that every soul has more than one Earthly life, and is reborn after death. Sikhism once had ten great leaders, known as gurus and each had a particular quality. The first leader was Guru Nanak. He taught people to find happiness and peace through repeating the name of God. The last leader Guru Gobind Singh, helped to finalize the modern version of the Granth - the book of song and prayer sung everyday by devout Sikhs Shintoism The traditional faith of the Japanese people is called Shintoism, and it's based on the elements of Nature. Shintoists believe that there is healing power in the mountains, streams, wind and trees. In Shintoism there are four kinds of worship - cleansing, offering, prayer and feasting. Shinto people believe the mirror is very important, because when a person looks into it, he/she can hide nothing Spiritualism A Spiritualist believes that everything living in the Universe is connected in some way to a Powerful Center outside the Planet. Spiritualists believe that there is a part of us that lives on after death and that we can communicate with people after they've died through a psychic or medium. Spiritualists hold services, where mediums receive messages from the dead and pass them onto members of the congregation. Spiritualists also heal the sick, often by laying their hands on them Spiritualism is a system of religious beliefs centred on the assumption that communication with the dead, or spirits, is possible.Spiritualism as a movement began in the United States in 1848, with the activities of Margaret Fox and to a lesser extent, her two sisters, of Hydesville - New York.The Fox-sisters were able to produce Spirit rappings in answer to questions put to them.After moving to Rochester, New York State and receiving a wider audience through a series of increasingly elaborate public seances, their fame spread to both sides of the Atlanctic Ocean.By the mid 1850's they had inspired a host of imitators, and spiritualism claimed two million followers.Margaret Fox admitted later in life that she had produced rapping noises through manipulation of her joints The repertoire of the early mediums included table Levitations, ESP,Speaking in a spirit's voice during trances, Automatic writing, and the manifestation of Apparitions and ectoplasm.All such phenomena were attributed by the mediums to the agency of spirits.Early supporters of the Spiritual Phenomena included the American journalist Horace Greeley (1811-1872) and the British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.Support for spiritualism diminished, however, as many 19th century mediums proved to be fakes Spiritualism has had, since its inception, a large following.Many churches and societies have been founded that profess some variety of spiritual-istic beliefs.It achieved particularly widespread popular appeal during the 1850's an 1860's and immediately following World War I Closely aligned with other New Age Beliefs, belief in spiritualism again became popular during the 1980's, particularly in the United States.One new facet of Spiritualism is that modern-day channellers or mediums are as apt to attempt contact with spirits from ancient mythical societies & extraterrestrials, as they are to try to communicate with the recently deceased Taoism At the hearth of Chinese Taoism is the balance between Yin and Yang, the negative and positive forces of creation. A Taoist seeks to feel peaceful and calm on the inside, whatever is going on in his/her life. The I Ching, or Book of Changes teaches Taoists how everything in the World is connected Teutonic Knights A German order of chivalry, which was formed at the time of the Crusaders.Its aim was to spread Christianity into the still pagan lands to the East of Prussia.The order was open only to those of noble birth and for centuries it exercised great power in what are now Eastern Germany and Poland.Their badge was the Jerusalem Cross, or cross-potent (with an additional cross-piece at the end of each arm).Much semi-mystical legend has grown up aroudn the order, which was abolished by Napoleon in 1809, and in a perverted manner its forms and supposed rituals were re-enacted by Nazi leaders such as Heinrich Himmler Theosophical Society A term derived from the Greek 'theos' (god) and 'sophia' (wisdom), which means wisdom of or about God.In a general sense, Theosophy refers to a broad spectrum of occult or mystical philosophies, often pantheistic in nature.The Western Theosophical tradition may be said to be derived from the Hermetic tradition of the Renaissance and post-Renaissance and is characterised by an emphasis on the hidden tradition passed down in a succession from the ancients.This tradition is thought to provide a key to nature and to humanity's place in the Universe.More specifically, the term refers to the Theosophical Society, its offshoots, and the doctrines held by its members.The most important early figure in the movement was Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, who, along with Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (1832-1907) and William Q.Judge (1851-1896) founded the society in New York City in 1875.In numerous works, including Isis Unveiled-1877 and The Secret Doctrine-1888,Blavatsky elaborated an amalgamation of previous theories that were claimed to be derived from the Mahatmas of ancient India.The Theosophical Society, grew rapidly in Europe and the U.S, its two most influential adherents being Annie Besant, & Rudolf Steiner According to Madame Blavatsky, the Doctrines of Theosophy rest on 3 fundamental propositions. The first postulates an omnipresent, boundless and immutable principle that transcends human understanding.It is the one unchanging reality, or infinite potentiality, inherent in all life and covers all that humans have tried to say about God The second deals with the universality of the law of periodicity recorded by science as found in all nature.As morning, noon and night are succeeded by morning again, so birth, youth, adulthood and death are succeeded by rebirth. Reincarnation is the process of human development, in which all growth is governed by the law of justice or Karma The third proposition declares the fundamental identity of all souls with universal Over-Soul, suggesting that brotherhood is a fact in nature and the obligatory pilgrimage for every soul through numerous cycles of incarnation Theosophy admits of no privileges or special gifts in humans except those won by effort and merit.Perfected individuals and Great Teachers, such as Jesus Christ & Buddha and the mahatmas, are Univesal Beings - the flower of evolution After the death of Madam Blavatsky in 1891, a battle for leadership of the society ensued from which Annie Besant emerged as leader in Europe and Asia, whereas William Judge led a secessionist movement in th U.S.Under Beasnt, the society flourished. In 1911, she up forward a young Indian, Jiddu Krishnamurti, as a World Teacher, around whom she founded the Order of the Star of India.This action, seems to have provoked Steiner, who, with a large number of followers, left to found the Anthroposophical Society.The various divisions and subdivisions have continued since that time and have influenced numerous literary and intelectual figures.The groups continue to carry on active meetings Transcendentalist Movement An early precursor of the New Age. In 1836, a group of American intellectuals got together to exlplore the Quaker and Puritan traditions, the German and Greek philosophers and the Eastern religions.They included Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau, and were to influence many, including the poets Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, the founders of the British Labour Party,Gandhi and Martin Luther King.Transcendentalism was a philosophy which stressed an inner search for meaning Voudou /Voodoo /Voudon A combination of Roman Catholic and African beliefs makes up a faith called Voudou, which is most popular in Haiti. People who practise it prefer to spell it Voudou, Vodoun or Voudoun, rather than Voodoo. Because in the past, the word 'Voodoo' was associated with strange rituals. Millions of followers around the World believe that the work of the gods appears in every part of life, and pleasing the gods, leads to health, wealth, and contentment. Voudounists believe that a Supreme Being called Gran Met, made the World, but that he has long since returned to other worlds A mythico-religious system with followers predominantly in Haiti in the West Indies and in other countries to which Haitians have immigrated.Develped by African slaves brought to Haiti by the French between teh 17th and 19th centuries, it combines features of Afro-American cults, such as Santeria in Cuba & Macumaba in Brazil.The term voodoo is thought to be derived from the word 'spirit' in the Fon language of Dahomey, now part of Nigeria.The voodoo religion involves belief in a supreme god (le grand maitre or bon dieu) and a host of spirits called loa Most Voodoo practices involve the loa, which are often identified with Catholic saints.These spirits are closely related to African gods and may represent natural phenomena, such as fire, water or wind or dead persons, including eminent ancestors.American Indians traditions are also incorporated, including a snake cult, and there are elements of Kabbalism an even Freemasonry.The spirits consist of two main groups, the rada, often mild and helping and the petro, which may be dangerous and harmful.Voodoo rites include special ceremonies in which the loa have the power to make their presence known.These are characterised by music and dancing that lead the participants into a trance-like state in which they are possessed by the loa.The spirit temporarily diplaces the astral body of the possessed person, and occupies his or her physical body.The individual thus possessed is said to be mounted by the loa and behaves and acts as the loa directs, usually in a manner characteristic of the loa itself.Priests -called houngans, or priestesses known as mambos preside over these cermonies Like other forms of occult lore, there is a progression in voodoo from the basic inititiation of a teenage child to full priesthood.But in voodoo there is no clear theory or theology, everything is ritual and practise.Other voodoo practised include anmal sacrifices and pilgrimmages. The focal point of pilgrimmage is usually a Christian church identified with a particular voodoo spirit.The most important of these pilgrimages take place in July and honour Ogou (Saint James) and Ezili Danto (Our Lady of Mount Carmel ).Another aspect of voodoo is called 'work of the left hand' which includes belief in Zombies Wicca The word 'witch' comes from the Anglo Saxon word 'wicca' and it means 'wise one' Witchcraft is different all over the world, and it can take many years to learn the skill. Modern witches use magic from Celtic and other Pagan traditions, promoting spirituality and creativity, and most try to help, rather to harm others
Zoroastrianism The followers of a prohet called Zoroaster , or Zarathustra, are known as Zoroastrians. In the 10th century, Zoroastrians called Parsees fled from persecution by Muslims to India. They believe the most important thing in life, is to take responsibility for our actions. They say that after we die, our conscience takes us to the Bridge of Judgment. From there, we are sent to Paradise, or the House of Lie The Iranian prophet Zoroaster, called Zarathustra in the holy book of the religion he founded, was born sometime in the 7th century BC probably in an area that now corresponds to the Turkmen Republic of Soviet Central Asia. He fled from his native land on account of the antagonism he raised in his fellow-countrymen by preaching a revelation they could not accept and found refuge in eastern Iran.The king of the area, Vishtaspa, eventually accepted his teachings The teachings themselves referred to Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord who had revealed himself to Zoroaster as the true God.The messenger of Zoroastrianism was eerily reminiscent of the Judaeo-Christian tradition in that it stated in essence that God was One, holy, righteous and the Creator of the Universe.But Ahura Mazda's unity manifested in diversity, a series of aspects referred to as the Bounteous Immortals, personifying Truth, Holy Spirit, Sovereignty, Wholeness and so on In His aspects of Truth and Holy Spirit, He was opposed by the personification of lies and destruction, the friend Ahriman. Zoroastrianim has gone through many modifications and extensions in the years since its foundation.The Islamic conquest all but drove it out of its native Persia (there are probably fewer than 10,000 followers of the faith in the whole of Iran today) but it survives among the Parsees of India who are the philosophical and in some cases the physical descendants of 100,000.Persian emigrants centuries ago
info sources: Encyclopedia of mind, body, spirit & earth The Aquarian Guide to the New Age - Eileen Campbell & J.H.Brennan Dictionalry of The Occult - Geddes & Grosset
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