Glossary of Spiritual and Religious Words

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Aryeh

The Hebrew name Ari (also Arieh or Aryeh) translates as "lion"; the Biblical Judah (in Hebrew Yehuda) is the original name of the Tribe of Judah - traditionally symbolized by a lion. In Genesis, the patriarch Jacob refers to his son Judah as a Gur Aryeh גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה , a "Young Lion" (Genesis 49:9) when blessing him. So, Aryeh is the constellation of Leo, house of the Sun, the Ain Soph Aur and of the Christified Initiates.

Asana

(Sanskrit) Posture or position.

Aspid

An aspid is a viper (Vipera aspis).

Assiah

(Hebrew עשיה; also Asiyah or Olam Asiyah, the world of action) The fourth and lowest of the Four Worlds of the Kabbalah, corresponding to the physical world or physical body.

"The expression 'doing (heb. Asiyah)' applies to the body, which is in the world of Asiyah." - Zohar 10:3:351

"...everything, both good and bad, depends upon action." - Zohar

In the Biblical Book of the Revelation of St. John, this term is mistranslated as "Asia." It should say:

"John to the seven churches [energetic, psychological centers] which are in Assiah [the physical body]: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." (Revelation 1:4)

"Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Assiah [the physical body]; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea." (Revelation 1:11)

Astral

This term is dervied from pertaining to or proceeding from the stars, but in the esoteric knowledge it refers to the emotional aspect of the fifth dimension, which in Hebrew is called Hod. Related terms are below.

Astral Body

The body utilized by the consciousness in the fifth dimension or world of dreams.

What is commonly called the Astral Body is not the true Astral Body, it is rather the Lunar Protoplasmatic Body, also known as the Kama Rupa (Sanskrit, “body of desires”) or “dream body” (Tibetan rmi-lam-gyi lus). The true Astral Body is Solar (being superior to Lunar Nature) and must be created, as the Master Jesus indicated in the Gospel of John 3:5-6, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The Solar Astral Body is created as a result of the Third Initiation of Major Mysteries (Serpents of Fire), and is perfected in the Third Serpent of Light. In Tibetan Buddhism, the Solar Astral Body is known as the illusory body (sgyu-lus). This body is related to the emotional center and to the sephirah Hod.

“Really, only those who have worked with the Maithuna (White Tantra) for many years can possess the Astral Body.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Elimination of Satan’s Tail

Astral Light

"The Astral Light is the deposit of all of great Nature's past, present and future forms. The Astral Light is the Azoth and Magnesia of the ancient Alchemists, Medea's Flying Dragon, the Christians' INRI, the Tarot of the Bohemians. The Astral Light is a terrific sexual fire springing from the Sun's nimbus and is fixed to the Earth by the force of gravity and the weight of the atmosphere. The Sun is the one that attracts and repels such an enchanting and delightful light. The Astral Light is Archimedes' lever. The old Sage said: "Give me a fulcrum and I will move the universe." The semen is the human being's Astral liquid. The semen is the Astral Light. The semen is the key to all powers and the key to all empires. The Astral Light has two poles, one positive and the other negative. The ascending serpent is positive. The descending serpent is negative." - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

"The Astral Light is the battlefield between white and black magicians. The Astral Light is the clue of all empires and the key of all powers. It is the great universal agent of life. All the columns of angels and demons live within the Astral Light..." - The Revolution of Beelzebub

See also: Od

Astrology

From Astro (Greek, "star") Logos ("the Word"). In esoterism, the Logos is the primordial intelligence that creates ("...and God said, Let there be light...") therefore, esoteric astrology is the study of the Word (Logos) in relation to the stars (astro), in relation to the heavens, and how the Light of the Logos as it descends through all the layered condensations of matter and energy (symbolized in the Kabbalah) influences all phenomena.

"Astrology is a science which goes back to the time of the first ages of humanity." - Occult Medicine 

Astrotheurgy

From Astro (Greek, “star”) and Greek: theourgeia, related to theos, “god,” and ergon, “work.” The synthesis: “the science to consciously work with the intelligences of the stars.”

Atala

(Sanskrit) One of the regions of the Hindu Lokas (realms).

"All the superlative spheres of the cosmic consciousness are classified by the Vedas in the following order: Atala is the first plane, directly emanating from the Absolute.  The hierarchies of the Dhyani Buddhas belong to this plane.  They are in the state of Parasamadhi or Dharmakaya, a state in which there can be no progress, because they are completely perfect entities who only await the cosmic night in order to enter into the Absolute." - Igneous Rose

Athanor

A symbol in the tradition of Alchemy. The athanor was a symbolic oven. "The Alchemist needs an athanor to work in the great work. The athanor is the woman." - Samael Aun Weor, The Manual of Practical Magic

Atma-Vidya

(Sanskrit) The Real Wisdom of the Being, Atman, the Superior Monad.

\What is fundamental is Atma-Vidya; it includes all of the former sciences (Kabbalah, Chiromancy, Astrology, Occult Physiology, Scientific Cartomancy, etc.,) in their essential aspect and can even use them occasionally; but it only utilizes their quintessential extracts purified of all dross. The Golden Door of Wisdom can transform itself into the wide door and broad path, which leads to destruction, the door of magical arts practiced with egotistical ends. We are in the Age of Kali-Yuga, the Iron Age, the Black Age and all the students of Occultism are predisposed to becoming lost in the black path. It is astonishing to see the mistaken concept held by the “younger brothers” regarding Occultism and the ease with which they believe they can reach the Door and cross the Threshold of Mystery without a Great Sacrifice. To attain the Atma-Vidya without the Three Factors for the Revolution of Consciousness is impossible. To attain the Atma-Vidya is impossible without first having attained the Second Birth. To attain the Atma-Vidya is impossible without the death of the Pluralized I. To attain the Atma-Vidya is impossible without Sacrifice for humanity. It is not the Law of Evolution that confers the Atma-Vidya upon us. It is not the Law of Devolution that confers the Atma-Vidya upon us. It is only on the basis of tremendous and frightening Inner Revolutions, that we arrive at the Atma-Vidya.\ - The Esoteric Treatise of Hermetic Astrology

Atman

(Sanskrit, literally "self") An ancient and important word that is grossly misinterpreted in much of Hinduism and Buddhism. Many have misunderstood this word as referring to a permanently existing self or soul. Yet the true meaning is otherwise.

"Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness, God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection, Bliss, Bhuma or the unconditioned are synonymous terms." - Swami Sivananva

Thus, Atman as "self" refers to a state of being "unconditioned," which is related to the Absolute, the Ain Soph, or the Shunyata (Emptiness). Thus, Atman refers to the Innermost, the Spirit, the Son of God, who longs to return to that which is beyond words.

"Atman, in Himself, is the ineffable Being, the one who is beyond time and eternity, without end of days. He does not die, neither reincarnates (the ego is what returns), but Atman is absolutely perfect." - Samael Aun Weor

In general use, the term Atman can also refer to the spirit or sephirah Chesed.

"The Being Himself is Atman, the Ineffable. If we commit the error of giving the Being the qualifications of superior “I,” alter ego, subliminal “I,” or divine ego, etc., we commit blasphemy, because That which is Divine, the Reality, can never fall into the heresy of separability. Superior and inferior are two sections of the same thing.
Superior “I” or inferior “I” are two sections of the same pluralized ego (Satan). The Being is the Being, and the reason for the Being to be is to be the same Being. The Being transcends the personality, the “I,” and individuality." Samael Aun Weor

"Bliss is the essential nature of man. The central fact of man's being is his inherent divinity. Man's essential nature is divine, the awareness of which he has lost because of his animal propensities and the veil of ignorance. Man, in his ignorance, identifies himself with the body, mind, Prana and the senses. Transcending these, he becomes one with Brahman or the Absolute who is pure bliss. Brahman or the Absolute is the fullest reality, the completest consciousness. That beyond which there is nothing, that which is the innermost Self of all is Atman or Brahman. The Atman is the common Consciousness in all beings. A thief, a prostitute, a scavenger, a king, a rogue, a saint, a dog, a cat, a rat-all have the same common Atman. There is apparent, fictitious difference in bodies and minds only. There are differences in colours and opinions. But, the Atman is the same in all. If you are very rich, you can have a steamer, a train, an airship of your own for your own selfish interests. But, you cannot have an Atman of your own. The Atman is common to all. It is not an individual's sole registered property. The Atman is the one amidst the many. It is constant amidst the forms which come and go. It is the pure, absolute, essential Consciousness of all the conscious beings. The source of all life, the source of all knowledge is the Atman, thy innermost Self. This Atman or Supreme Soul is transcendent, inexpressible, uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable, the ever-peaceful, all-blissful. There is no difference between the Atman and bliss. The Atman is bliss itself. God, perfection, peace, immortality, bliss are one. The goal of life is to attain perfection, immortality or God. The nearer one approaches the Truth, the happier one becomes. For, the essential nature of Truth is positive, absolute bliss. There is no bliss in the finite. Bliss is only in the Infinite. Eternal bliss can be had only from the eternal Self. To know the Self is to enjoy eternal bliss and everlasting peace. Self-realisation bestows eternal existence, absolute knowledge, and perennial bliss. None can be saved without Self-realisation. The quest for the Absolute should be undertaken even sacrificing the dearest object, even life, even courting all pain. Study philosophical books as much as you like, deliver lectures and lectures throughout your global tour, remain in a Himalayan cave for one hundred years, practise Pranayama for fifty years, you cannot attain emancipation without the realisation of the oneness of the Self." - Swami Sivananda

Atmic Body

In Kabbalah, the Atmic body is related with the sephirah Chesed. This is the superior body of the Innermost, the Being, the Father contained within the Trinity of each Monad. The Atmic Body is immersed within the sixth dimension. Man is septuple (possessing seven bodies) and the Atmic Body is the seventh body.

Atom

Every atom is a trio of matter, energy and consciousness. The consciousness of every atom is always an intelligent elemental. If the materialists are not capable of seeing those elementals, it is because they still do not know the scientific procedures that allow us to see them. We have special methods in order to see those creatures. Indeed, the atom is a truly infinitely small planetary system. Those planetary systems of the atoms are formed by ultra-atomic ternaries that spin around their centers of gravitation. The atom with its Alpha, Beta, and Gamma rays is a trio of matter, energy and consciousness. - Endocrinology and Criminology

Atziluth

(Hebrew אצילות; also Atzilut or Olam Atzilut) The First of the Four Worlds of the Kabbalah, whose center of gravity is in the superior triangle of the Tree of Life. This is the World of Archetypes or Emanations, ruled by the sephirah Kether.

"The highest part of man is the world of intuition and objective spiritual consciousness. In the world of intuition, the archetypes of all things in nature develop." - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

Aun

(Hebrew און) Virility, sexual strength.

Auric embryo

The symbiosis of the forces of heaven and the earth crystallized within the superlative consciousness of the Being by means of their Self-realization.

“When the ego is destroyed, the Auric Embryo is formed; then the immortal principles enter into the Initiate...” - The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah

Avalokiteshvara

Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit, lit. "Lord who looks down") is a term given to the Bodhisattvas of Compassion according to Mahayana Buddhism. The Tibetan name is Chenrezig. Both are symbols of the Cosmic Christ. The eleven-headed, thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is the symbol of the many Bodhisattvas of compassion that attained the ten Bodhisattva stages and also symbolizes the many Avalokiteshvara’s incarnations or Buddhas of compassion within the different Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. He is also known as Kuan-Yin and Chenrezig; in Hinduism he is Vishnu. In the Greek language he is Khristos or Christ who looks in every direction in order to assist and save any being through his Bodhisattvas. Thus, its thousand arms extend his helping hands toward all beings. His ten heads indicate the process through the ten Bodhisattva stages towards the perfection of the Nirmanakaya Body; these stages are represented in the ten hierarchies of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life of the world of Yetzirah with the eleventh that represents the acquisition of the Samboghakaya Body; thus, the eleventh head indicates the incarnation of the universal compassion of all Buddhas. The ten heads also represent the prajnaparamita type of vision that is able to look at all beings within and without the ten Sephiroth of space; the eleventh head represents the all-encompassing Buddha wisdom (Chokmah).

 

Avarice

Or greed. One of the seven capital sins. Must be transmuted into its pure form: altruism, which is related to the Moon (Gabriel).

“Greed is the desire of accumulating... Greed can be transmuted into charity... The accumulative desire of greed is transmuted into the happiness of giving everything, even one’s life, for the love of this suffering humanity.” - Fundamental Notions of Endocrinology & Criminology

“Renounce avarice, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].” - The Pistis Sophia Unveiled

Avatar

From the Sanskrit avatāraḥ, meaning descent (of a deity from heaven), avatar: ava, down + tarati, he crosses. An incarnation of the cosmic, universal Christ (Vishnu, Chokmah). Samael Aun Weor used the term "avatar" to mean "messenger."

"The reincarnated Christ expresses himself through every authentic Avatar. " - Samael Aun Weor, The Pistis Sophia Unveiled

"...the Omni-merciful, the infinitude that sustains all, the very, very sacred Absolute Sun, periodically sends Avatars, Saviors, to this valley of tears. These sacred individuals, these messengers, these Saviors, are living incarnations of the Omni-merciful. Nevertheless, this lunar race, this perverse race of Adam, mortally hates such helpers. [...] The blessed Krishna, the blessed Buddha, the blessed Lama, the blessed Mohammed, the loving, essential Ashiata Shiemash, Moses, Quetzalcoatl (and many others) were all Avatars. The doctrine of all Avatars has its roots in the three basic factors of the revolution of the consciousness: to be born, to die, and to sacrifice the self for humanity." - Samael Aun Weor, The Doomed Aryan Race

"Avataras appear for special reasons in special circumstances. Whenever there is much unrighteousness, whenever confusion and disorder set in on account of unrighteousness and baffle the well-ordered progress of people, whenever the balance of human society is upset by selfish, ruthless and cruel beings, whenever irreligion and Adharma prevail, whenever the foundations of social organisations are undermined, Avataras appear to establish Dharma and to restore peace. Avatara is a descent of God for the ascent of man. A ray from the Hiranyagarbha descends on earth with mighty powers to keep up the harmony of the universe. The work done by the Avataras and their teachings produce a benign spiritual influence on human beings and help them in their upward divine unfoldment and Self-realisation. The Avatara comes to reveal the divine nature in man and makes him rise above the petty materialistic life of passion and egoism." - Swami Sivananda, Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings

Awe

A superior emotion that expresses reverence, respect and wonder inspired on the knowledge and comprehension of Divine Law!

Ayin

The sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it symbolizes: the eye, delight, divine providence, divine sight. Its Kabbalistic value is 70.

Ayocosmos

(Greek - "Highest Order") This is the 7th or Zero dimension and the realm of the Infinite or Firmament, the Logos (see TRIAMAZICAMNOS). It is "SI" on the Tonal Scale of Creation and is related to the Law of Three. The Beings that exist here are classified as Trikayas (3 Kayas): Dharmakayas (Kether), Sambokayas (Chokmah), Nirmanakayas (Binah).

"The second is the Ayocosmos or Megalocosmos, that is to say, the Vast Cosmos, or all of the Suns, all of the worlds of the infinite space." - The Elimination of Satan's Tail

Azoth

In alchemy, Azoth is the life principle of all metals.

Alchemists always address three symbolic substances: mercury, sulfur, and salt. Azoth is added as a fourth, mysterious permuting life principle.

According to Alchemy: Salt, sulfur, and mercury each have a triune nature, for each of these substances contain, in reality, also the other two substances.

Therefore, the body of Salt is threefold: salt, sulfur, and mercury; but in the body of Salt one of the three (salt) predominates.

Mercury is likewise composed of salt, sulfur, and mercury with the latter element predominating.
Sulfur, similarly, is indeed salt, sulfur, and mercury, with sulfur predominating.

The permutation of these nine divisions - 3 times 3 – 9 is done thanks to Azoth, the sacred fire of Kundalini.

Azoth is therefore the universal substance, the invisible eternal fire, electricity, magnetism, astral light, the measureless spirit of life, the fiery mercurial essence that flows out from the throne of God and the Lamb, the spinal medulla. This is the River of living water in Eden – Sex, the Genesiac mist of the earth, the igneous particles ‘Hashim’ within the dust of the ground (Adamah) from where God formed the electronic bodies of Adam, the true human being.