Affirmations – a form of spoken or repeated silent prayer that uses positive words and phrases to affirm and bring one’s awareness to more harmonious and healthy states of being.
After-death States – various wisdom traditions mention having knowledge of different realms of existence encountered after-death of the physical body.
Agape – in Christianity agape is a form of non-discriminate unconditional love.
Allah – the Islamic word for God.
Anatta (No Self) – A term used in Theravada Buddhism. Some Buddhists believe that because there cannot be found an individual unchanging essence which can be called an ‘I’ it implies that there is no self. This includes the yogic understanding of the atman. But speculation on anything other than what the Buddha saw as necessary to become liberated from unsatisfactoriness was not encouraged by him. To say there is ‘a self’ or ‘no self’ – particularly an eternal spiritual Self – is to enter into metaphysical speculation, which the Buddha believed would only confuse us with concepts that would get in the way of realising Nirvana for ourselves and distract us from what was more important.
Angst – the word is generally interpreted as a feeling of anxiety or frustration. On the spiritual path a feeling of existential angst can be a necessary stage where one questions the values of one’s existence and starts to search for solutions to life’s unsatisfactoriness. It often precedes experiences and insights that take the spiritual seeker forwards in his or her development.
Anima – in Carl Jung’s psychology, anima is the archetypal image of womanhood, which is present in the unconscious of all men.
Animism – a belief that all things, such as trees, plants, rocks and animals, have souls.
Animus – in Carl Jung’s psychology, animus is the archetypal image of the masculine, which is present in the unconscious of all women.
Apports – objects that are materialised with the aid of a physical medium and the spirit world.
Archetypes – in Jungian psychology archetypes are seen more as universal mental imprints and images, which can have profound spiritual meanings and a transforming influence on those who have experience of them.
Asana (seat) – a comfortable and steady physical posture of the body.
Asceticism – a form of harsh self-discipline.
Astral - a non-physical psychic realm where the physical body is said to have a double (an astral/etheric body).
Astral Projection – the ability to expand one’s awareness to non-physical realms of consciousness. Some believe in an astral body having the ability to travel to other realms and places. The idea of astral projection has been around for thousands of years and can be found in ancient Chinese beliefs.
Altered-states of Consciousness – can refer to a variety of different states of consciousness, from drug induced experiences to deep mystical states of awareness.
Atman (Self) – the eternal True Self in Hindu spirituality that can be seen as individual, universal and transcendent (see Brahman and Jivatman).
Attunement – the ability to blend/attune one’s awareness with psychic, spiritual or mediumistic states of consciousness. It can be seen functioning in numerous different ways, such as how we relate to nature, with all life and the many aspects of the Divine within us and within all things.
Aura – different levels of energy surrounding the physical body, which are connected with numerous facets of one’s being: the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, etc.
Authentic/True Nature or Self – the part of our being that is Divine and connects us with all things, both seen and unseen. It can be viewed as having an individual, universal and ultimate transcendent facet to it, which has the power to harmonise conflicting parts into a synthesised and sacred whole, and help us to find unity with all. Modern psychology also uses these terms, but will not necessarily relate them with the Divine. Branches of Buddhism use the term ‘Buddha Nature’ instead of authentic or True Self.
Awareness – the ability to have conscious knowledge of oneself and exterior life, and includes knowledge of various states of spiritual consciousness.
Awe – a sense of mystery, wonder, reverential respect and transcendence that inspires us. It can be awakened within us, when we become aware that we live, move and have our being in a sacredness permeating and transcending all.
Bhakti Yoga (devotion/love) – devotional path towards the Divine or towards a teacher as a manifestation of the Divine.
Bilocation – the ability to appear in two different places at the same time.
Bodhisattva (enlightened being) – in Mahayana Buddhism it is someone who has vowed to put off his or her own final enlightenment in order to help others.
Brahman – in Hindu spirituality it is the One Ultimate Reality within and beyond the many forms of the universe.
Buddha (one who is awake) – someone who is enlightened and has woken up to the truth and is seeing things clearly and as they really are. It also refers to the historical Buddha who lived and taught around the 5th century bce.
Buddha Nature – a term developed in Mahayana Buddhism. It is seen as having two aspects to it, developable and naturally abiding within us. It transcends thought, is thoroughly pure, undefiled, empty of all dualities and experienced as a joyous expansiveness with infinite positive potential.
Cenozoic Age – a phase in the Earth’s history that is now seen to be at its end (see Ecozoic Age).
Chakra (wheel) – a principal energy centre in the psychic/subtle body.
Channelling – a term sometimes used to describe spiritual teachings given through a medium while in a trance like state (see mediumship and trance).
Chi – in Taoism it is the vital and primordial energy and life force, the cosmic spirit that pervade and gives life to all things.
Clairaudience / Clairsentience / Clairvoyance – The ability to see (clairvoyance), hear (clairaudience) or feel (clairsentience) the Divine, discarnate spirit personalities or things of a psychic nature, either subjectively or objectively, has existed in all the great wisdom traditions, native and tribal traditions through-out the ages. They have been viewed by many great masters of spirituality as being natural abilities within us, which can be awakened through various spiritual practices, such as meditation, contemplative prayer and yoga exercises, whether one is consciously trying to develop them or not. Yoga spirituality refers to them as the siddhis. The Buddha taught about developing the Divine Ear and the Divine Eye, and seeing into past lives and the reasons why people suffer and are reborn. Clairaudient, clairsentient and clairvoyant abilities are also found in Christian mysticism and have been displayed by numerous saints. The Orthodox Church uses terms such as clairvoyance and clairaudience in its teachings. The word clairvoyance is also sometimes employed to refer to mediumship in a general way by the media and in the public arena.
Collective Unconscious – a universal interconnected consciousness acting within the Cosmos. Carl Jung believed it housed powerful archetypes and memories which can be traced back to the beginnings of human thought.
Compassion – the act of unconditional love for and empathy with others.
Consciousness – to be conscious is about having a level of self-awareness. In spiritual traditions consciousness is not seen to rely on just the physical body for its existence and is often viewed as functioning in numerous ways, such as on an individual and universal level, as well as in Ultimate Transcendent states of mystical experience.
Contemplation – can simply refer to reflecting on life and one’s experiences. In Christian mysticism it is a form of prayer that is comparable to yogic and Buddhist forms of meditation.
Contentment – in the great spiritual traditions contentment is seen as a state of calmness and composure and as different to being self-contented.
Cosmic Intelligence or Cosmic/Universal Consciousness – a creative interconnected mind that came into being with the creation of the universe, of which we are all a unique part of, which can be realised in transcendent states of consciousness.
Cosmology – a form of science that looks at the origins and the growth of the universe.
Cosmological Argument – philosophical arguments that looks for an infinite chain of causes, which can be traced back to One Ultimate Cause.
Creation Spirituality – a spirituality which looks for ways to become co-Creators with the Divine and find harmony with the Creative Mind of the universe. Its roots can be found in the Christian mystical tradition, and in Tantric yoga, connected with various chakras and with Shakti (the Creative Divine Mother energy), and with aspects of Sufi, Buddhist, Taoist, ancient Celtic, African, Australian Aboriginal, Native American and Hasidic Jewish spirituality. The visionary activist Matthew Fox has done much to promote the teachings of Creation Spirituality over the last few decades.
© 2007 Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston)
