Sacred – that which embodies the truth of a religion or an aspect of Divinity and is, therefore, something to be in awe of, as well as revered, respected and cherished because of its preciousness.
Saint – another word for a holy person; someone who is seen as virtuous and lives or lived in the Divine’s presence.
Samadhi – the climax of yogic meditation practices where one realises the True Self.
Samatha Meditation – meditation practices for focusing one’s attention and is particularly known for bringing about a state of calm and peacefulness - known as ‘calm-abiding meditation’.
Samsara – the world of conditioned existence in the physical world, which is tied-up with the idea of the continual cycle of lives that people are bound to: birth, death and rebirth. It is seen as a world of unsatisfactoriness that we reinforce individually and collectively with our minds and beliefs, which do not show us how things really are.
Samskara (activator) – unconscious imprints and impressions left by volitionary acts which affect our psychological self (see karma).
Sanskrit – the sacred language of the Hindu, Mahayana Buddhist and Jain religions. It is the root language of all European languages.
Satori – a Zen Buddhist experience of enlightenment.
Seer – someone who has visions of a prophetic nature and/or can perceive things beyond physical realms of existence.
Self-actualisation – a term used the American psychologist Abraham Maslow to describe a level of personal development where an individual is able to draw upon and use to their full abilities and potential. Someone who is self-actualised is not static, but forever moving forward with his or her realised potential and creativity and finds joyful pleasure in manifesting his or her abilities.
Self-awareness – to be conscious of one’s inner feelings, thoughts, emotions, desires and motives and exterior actions.
Self-realisation – to realise one’s full potential and/or one’s relationship with the Divine.
Shadow/the Shadow – the parts of ourselves that we do not accept and are often hard for us to own.
Shakti (power/force) – the Ultimate Reality in its creative and female aspect, which acts in the universe. It is also connected with Kundalini Yoga.
Shaman – someone who has the ability to contact and enter into the spirit world.
Skandhas (group/aggregate) - term used in Buddhism for the five aggregates that make an individual personality: (1) form, (2) sensations and feelings, (3) conceptions and perception, (4) volition and (5) consciousness.
Skilfulness – the ability to be spiritually creative in our everyday lives and conduct ourselves in a manner that brings about a balanced life.
Socially Engaged Spirituality – a spirituality that seeks to bring about beneficial changes in society and the world (see Liberation Theology and Engaged Buddhism).
Soteriology - the study of salvation. The majority of the world’s great wisdom traditions can be described as salvation paths, as they teach about ways of overcoming the unsatisfactoriness of life and finding liberation in the Ultimate Truth of the teachings.
Soul – a wide term that can mean different things to different people. For some it is looked upon as the same as the individual spark of the spirit in all; for others, it can be associated more with the psychological self.
Spiral Dynamics – a new bio-psychological system/science that reveals the hidden codes that shape human behaviour. Founded by Clare W. Graves and expanded upon by his associates Don Edwards and Christopher C. Cowan.
Spirit – can mean different things to different people, such as one’s individual spirit, or used as a plural to refer those who no longer have a physical existence. It can also be used as another word for the Divine and the sacredness of all.
Spiritual Emergency – sudden spiritual openings or awakenings that interfere with a spiritual seeker’s ability to properly function in his or her daily life. If properly handled, with the support of a reliable and understanding network of friends, community and/or therapist, these experiences can invariably lead to a more healthy state of spiritual growth. The Czechoslovakia psychologist Stanislav Grof and his wife Christina have been particularly influential in bringing this area of spiritual crisis to the attention of various transpersonal psychologists and the public at large through books such as the classic of personal development, The Stormy Search for the Self.
Spirit World – can refer to an interconnected reality that permeates all, a spiritual existence, or a world that is inhabited by individual spirit personalities.
Sub-conscious – it is sometimes used as an alternative word for the unconscious mind, or to describe thoughts, feelings and actions that are just beneath surface levels of awareness, which can be accessed by the conscious mind – termed the ‘pre-conscious’ by Sigmund Freud.
Sub-personalities – refers to the many different roles and facets of our personality, such as the parent, the lover, the party-animal and so on.
Subtle Body – a psychic body mentioned in different traditions that can includes the chakras and different elements (earth, fire, water, air and ether) and energies.
Sufism – a mystical branch of Islam.
Superconsciousness – has associations with many different states, such as hearing astral sounds, seeing visions and experiencing cosmic energy, which can lead a realisation of the Divine’s omnipresent and transcendent nature. Such things can be seen as being higher and lower levels of superconsciousness, which can lead to an opening to our authentic spiritual Selves.
Surrender (letting go and letting God) – the practice of letting go of the individual will and handing one’s thoughts, ideas and actions over to the Divine.
Synchronicity – random events that have symbolic meaning, such as a bird flying into a room signifying bad news.
Tai Chi – a form of meditation based on physical movements, as well as a method of self-defense.
Tantra (continuity) – refers to Tantra yoga and its teachings, which focus on the use of Shakti energy.
Tapas (heat) – refers to austerity, which may be done for the purpose of overcoming the body and purifying oneself. The word was also used to refer to psychic powers in early yogic teachings.
Teleological Argument – a philosophical argument which looks for proof of God’s existence in the design, order and purpose of the world.
Theism – the belief in God or in gods, especially in a Creator God that acts in the universe.
Torah – God’s law as revealed to Moses in the Jewish spiritual tradition.
Trance – a wide term in spiritual literature, which can refer to deep mystical states where one is not aware of the exterior world, or to different types of mediumistic phenomena, where a spirit personality can control a medium’s or Spiritualist healer’s consciousness and actions. But it should be noted, that there are many different and subtle degrees in which this can happen. For example, a medium might be entranced by a spirit personality, but still be aware of and influence aspects of what is being said and happening.
Transcendent – levels beyond normal physical experience.
Transfiguration – to be transformed into a pure spiritual state of being. In Christianity it also refers to the account of Jesus appearing in radiant glory to three of his disciples. As a Spiritualistic phenomena it is associated with changes brought about in a medium’s facial appearance in order to take on physical characteristics of a discarnate spirit personality.
Transpersonal – states of consciousness beyond the boundaries of personal identity.
Transpersonal Psychology – a form of Western psychology that includes spiritual and Eastern insights and practices, such as the Psychosynthesis school of transpersonal psychology, founded by Roberto Assagioli.
Unconscious - see ‘Collective Unconscious’ and ‘Mind’: ‘Unconscious Mind’.
Unfoldment – a similar word to development, which refers more to the removal of things that stop us from recognising and manifesting our True Spiritual Nature. A process of unfolding pure and authentic qualities of our being, and allowing them to influence us.
Unitive Consciousness – in Christian mysticism is it where the Ultimate Mystery is realised and the seeker recognises his or her co-relationship with the Creator.
© 2007 Santoshan (Stephen Wollaston)
