Glossary of Spiritual and Religious Words

I

I

Any subjective element in the 49 levels of the mind. Each "I" has its own thoughts, feelings and activities.

"The evil consequences of the abominable Kundabuffer organ are represented by thousands and millions of small “I’s” of an animal-like and perverse nature. In the intellectual animal, there is neither a single command center, nor an “I” or permanent ego. Each idea, each sentiment, each sensation, each desire, each “I desire this,” each “I desire such and such a thing,” each “I love, I do not love,” is a different I. All these small and quarrelsome ‘I’s argue among themselves, they fight for supremacy, they are not connected among themselves, nor coordinated in any way whatsoever. Each of these small “I’s” depends on the changes of the circumstances of life and on the changes of impressions. Each small “I” has its own ideas, its own criteria; true individuality does not exist in the poor intellectual animal. His concepts, actions, ideas, depend on the “I” which dominates the situation in those moments." - Samael Aun Weor, The Esoteric Treatise of Hermetic Astrology

"When a human being disintegrates all of his defects, then his “I” is dissolved. The truth comes into us when the “I” is dissolved. This is how we become perfect clairvoyants. The truth is born from creative comprehension. The truth is non-temporal, eternal, and divine. The “I” cannot know the truth, because the “I” is just a bunch of memories. The “I” is of time. The “I” is born in time and dies in time. Death is just a subtraction of fractions. After finishing the mathematical operation (death), only the values remain. Later on, such values return into newborn physical bodies. Such values are the “I,” the myself, the returning ego. Therefore, the “I” is just illusion. Any crime, any felony, and any vice are the fatal outcome of the affirmation of the “I,” of the myself. The origin of pain lies within the “I.” The “I” is dissolved when we annihilate desire. Where the truth abides, the “I” cannot abide, because the truth and the “I” are incompatible. The “I” is a transitory error of the Wheel of Samsara (the Wheel of Reincarnation and Karma). The “I” is the heresy of separatism. The “I” is the origin of egotism, hatred, fornication, adultery, envy, anger, etc., etc. The “I” is the thirst of pleasures and the source of pride and vanity. Therefore, in order to incarnate the truth one needs to dissolve the “I.” In order to attain internal peace, one needs to dissolve the “I,” the myself. In order to acquire perfect clairvoyance and supreme illumination one needs to dissolve the “I.” The truth is the Internal Christ of every human being. The “I” is the Satan that we carry inside. Where the “I” is the truth cannot be."The Truth cannot enter where the “I” abides. The Lord is the Truth." - Samael Aun Weor, The Aquarian Message

Iamblicus

(c. A.D. 250-325) Among the most important of the Neoplatonic philosophers. He was a student of Plotinus’ disciple Porphyry. His influential treatise On the Mysteries of Egypt expresses High Magic, which operates through the agency of the gods. Agrippa refers frequently to Iamblichus in his Occulta Philosophia. Iamblicus wrote, "They (the Beings we invoke) will not hearken to the person who is invoking them if he is not pure from sexual contamination..." And, "Theurgy unites us more strongly with divine nature. This nature is engendered by itself and acts in accordance with its own powers. It is intelligent and sustains everything; it is the ornament of the universe and invites us to the intelligent truth, to perfection, and to share this perfection with others. It unites us so intimately to all the creative acts of the Gods in proportion to the capacity of each one of us. After accomplishing these sacred rites, the soul is consolidated within the actions of the intelligence of the Gods until identifying itself with them. Thus it is absorbed by the primeval and divine Essence. Such is the object of the sacred initiations of the Egyptians."

Ida

(Sanskrit) The feminine serpent of our internal energetic bipolarity. This bipolarity is symbolized in the bible by Adam and Eve, the olive trees, and the Two Witnesses. Ida is related to procreation.

Ignorance

(Sanskrit avidya, Tibetan ma rig pa) Mistaken apprehension of the nature of phenomena, and the tendency to assign false qualities onto them.

"There is no doubt that ignorance is the worst of all disgraces." - Samael Aun Weor, Revolutionary Psychology

Illuminating Void

Also called the Absolute, the Emptiness, Satori, Sunyata.

"The Illuminating Void is impossible to describe in human words.  It is indefinable or indescribable.  As was said by the Zen teacher Huai Jang: “Whatever is said misses the main point.” Buddhist teachings about Emptiness are comprehensive and profound and require much study before being understood.Only in the absence of the ego can we directly experience Illuminating Emptiness." - Samael Aun Weor, The Mystery of the Golden Blossom

Imagination

"We have learned that imagination is translucent. It is the mirror of the soul; it is divine clairvoyance. In order for the devotee to see, he must use his imagination. When the chakra of the forehead begins to rotate, then the images that are seen with translucent imagination become more brilliant, splendorous and luminous. The devotee must distinguish between imagination and fantasy. Conscious imagination is positive, yet fantasy is negative and harmful for the mind because it could lead us to have hallucinations or to reach madness." - Samael Aun Weor, The Yellow Book

Immaculate Conception

A Christian term for the conception of a child without the orgasm. (See The Universal Savior for examples from around the world.) According to the 14th Dalai Lama, in Tibetan, the child of such an event is called Lha Trug. In The Story of Tibet he expressed his belief that many such children have been born in Tibet.

Impressions

The information received by the senses and transmitted to the brain. We do not see the tree, we see our impression of the tree. For more information, read The Revolution of the Dialectic.

Indriya

(Sanskrit) A reference to the energetic root of sensations.

Infraconsciousness

The deepest levels of our submerged consciousness, related to the lower spheres of the Klipoth (hell).

Initiation

The process whereby the Innermost (the Inner Father) receives recognition, empowerment and greater responsibilities in the Internal Worlds, and little by little approaches His goal: complete Self-realization, or in other words, the return into the Absolute. Initiation NEVER applies to the "I" or our terrestrial personality.

"Only the Innermost is the unique One who receives Initiations, Degrees and Feasts. The Initiations are for the Innermost. You are nothing else but a shadow which must be annihilated." - Samael Aun Weor, The Aquarian Message

"Nine Initiations of Minor Mysteries and seven great Initiations of Major Mysteries exist. The INNERMOST is the one who receives all of these Initiations. The Testament of Wisdom says: “Before the dawning of the false aurora upon the earth, the ones who survived the hurricane and the tempest were praising the INNERMOST, and the heralds of the aurora appeared unto them.” The psychological “I” does not receives Initiations. The human personality does not receive anything. Nonetheless, the “I” of some Initiates becomes filled with pride when saying 'I am a Master, I have such Initiations.' Thus, this is how the “I” believes itself to be an Initiate and keeps reincarnating in order to “perfect itself”, but, the “I” never ever perfects itself. The “I” only reincarnates in order to satisfy desires. That is all." - Samael Aun Weor, The Aquarian Message

"Just as they are called Initiations, so in actual fact we have learned from them the fundamentals of life and have grasped the basis not only for living with joy but also dying with a better hope." - Cicero

Initiations of Major Mysteries

The qualifications of the consciousness as it ascends into greater degrees of wisdom. The first five Initiations of Major Mysteries correspond to the creation of the real Human Being. Learn more by studying these books by Samael Aun Weor: The Perfect Matrimony, The Three Mountains, and The Revolution of Beelzebub.

"High initiation is the fusion of two principles: Atman-Buddhi, through the five principal Initiations of Major Mysteries. With the first we achieve the fusion of Atman-Buddhi, and with the fifth, we add the Manas to this fusion, and so the septenary is reduced to a trinity: “Atman-Buddhi Manas.” There are a total of Nine Initiations of Major Mysteries." - Samael Aun Weor, The Zodiacal Course

"The fact that I have previously spoken of five Initiations of Major Mysteries and now I come to speak of nine will appear contradictory to many people.  Therefore, I must clarify myself: We fulfill our human evolution with the five Initiations of Major Mysteries.  The remaining three Initiations and the degree of “Lord of the World” are of a “Super-Human” nature." - Samael Aun Weor, Occult Medicine and Practical Magic

Initiations of Minor Mysteries

The probationary steps required of all who wish to enter into the Path of Self-realization. These nine tests are given to all disciples who begin to perform the Gnostic work in themselves. Only those who complete these tests can receive the right to enter into the Major Mysteries. For more information, read The Perfect Matrimony.

"Remember that each one of the nine Initiations of Lesser Mysteries has a musical note and an instrument which produces it." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of Beelzebub

"To want to rapidly become fused with the Innermost without having passed through the nine initiations of Lesser Mysteries is akin to wanting to receive a doctor’s degree in medicine without having studied all the required years at university, or like wanting to be a general without having passed through all the military ranks." - Samael Aun Weor, The Zodiacal Course

"Throughout the Initiations of Lesser Mysteries, the disciple has to pass through the entire tragedy of Golgotha..." - Samael Aun Weor, The Zodiacal Course

Inner Mind

One of the three types of mind.

"The Inner Mind is fundamental for the direct experience of the truth. Undoubtedly, the Inner Mind creates its basic concepts with information contributed by the Superlative Consciousness of the Being. Unquestionably, the Consciousness can live and experience reality. Without a doubt, the Consciousness knows the truth. To manifest itself however, the Consciousness needs a mediator, an instrument of action, and this in itself is the Inner Mind. Consciousness knows directly the reality of each natural phenomenon and can manifest it through the Inner Mind... One who has opened the Inner Mind recalls one’s previous existences, knows the mysteries of life and death; not because of what one has or has not read, not because of what someone has or has not said, not because of what one has or has not believed, but because of terribly real and vivid direct experience." - Samael Aun Weor, The Great Rebellion

Innermost

“Our real Being is of a universal nature. Our real Being is neither a kind of superior nor inferior “I.” Our real Being is impersonal, universal, divine. He transcends every concept of “I,” me, myself, ego, etc., etc.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

Also known as Atman, the Spirit, Chesed, our own individual interior divine Father.

"The Innermost is the ardent flame of Horeb. In accordance with Moses, the Innermost is the Ruach Elohim (the Spirit of God) who sowed the waters in the beginning of the world. He is the Sun King, our Divine Monad, the Alter-Ego of Cicerone." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of Beelzebub

INRI

The four letters appearing over the head of the crucified Christ. The exoteric or common explanation of these letters is derived from: “Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm” which is “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” But there are esoteric meanings: 

1. Ignis Natura Renovatur Integram – Fire Unceasingly Renews Nature.
2. In Necis Renascor Integer – In Death I Am Reborn Intact and Pure.

Intellect

"Two types of intellect exist: 1. The commonly known sensual intellect. 2. The intellect which is given by the Being; this is a conscious intellect." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of the Dialectic

The common sensual or subjective intellect is the capacity of reasoning and comparing (see Intellectual Animal). Related to the Intellectual Brain or Center, and to the physical brain.

"The intellect is a very precious instrument for the Great Work of the Father, when it is absolutely used for the pure service of the Spirit. A mystic without intellect fails because of lack of culture (see Intellectual Culture). The intellect is satanic when it is used for the service of the internal beast. The intellectual villains (cynics and skeptics) are the result of intellectualism without spirituality." - Samael Aun Weor, The Aquarian Message

"The intellect never attains Initiation. Only the heart attains the Golgotha of the High Initiation. The majority of people have their heads filled with absurd theories and ancestral prejudices; they do not open their minds to anything new." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of Beelzebub

Intellectual Animal

The current state of humanity: animals with intellect.

When the Intelligent Principle, the Monad, sends its spark of consciousness into Nature, that spark, the anima, enters into manifestation as a simple mineral. Gradually, over millions of years, the anima gathers experience and evolves up the chain of life until it perfects itself in the level of the mineral kingdom. It then graduates into the plant kingdom, and subsequently into the animal kingdom. With each ascension the spark receives new capacities and higher grades of complexity. In the animal kingdom it learns procreation by ejaculation. When that animal intelligence enters into the human kingdom, it receives a new capacity: reasoning, the intellect; it is now an anima with intellect: an Intellectual Animal. That spark must then perfect itself in the human kingdom in order to become a complete and perfect Human Being, an entity that has conquered and transcended everything that belongs to the lower kingdoms. Unfortunately, very few Intellectual Animals perfect themselves; most remain enslaved by their animal nature, and thus are reabsorbed by Nature, a process belonging to the Devolving side of life and called by all the great religions "Hell" or the Second Death.

"The present manlike being is not yet human; he is merely an intellectual animal.  It is a very grave error to call the legion of the “I” the “soul.”  In fact, what the manlike being has is the psychic material, the material for the soul within his Essence, but indeed, he does not have a Soul yet." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of the Dialectic 

"I died as a mineral and became a plant, I died as plant and rose to animal, I died as animal and I was Man. Why should I fear? When was I less by dying? Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar With angels blest; but even from angelhood I must pass on: all except God doth perish. When I have sacrificed my angel-soul, I shall become what no mind e'er conceived. Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence Proclaims in organ tones, To Him we shall return." - Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207 – 1273) founder of the Mevlevi order of Sufism

Intellectual Culture

A complete and comprehensive intellectual understanding of the many aspects of the Path of Initiation.

"To possess an intellectual culture is necessary for the development of clairvoyance. To have an intellectual discipline is necessary for the development of the latent powers, chakras, discs, magnetic wheels of the Astral Body." - Samael Aun Weor, Endocrinology & Criminology

"In order to develop positive clairvoyance, it is required to practice the necessary esoteric exercises and to study the best authors of Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, Yoga, Psychology, etc., etc. Our worst enemy is ignorance; therefore, we recommend our readers study the great works of the female Master Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, entitled The Secret Doctrine. We also recommend Kundalini Yoga of Sivananda, the books of Dr. Arnold Krumm-Heller, the books of Dr. Adoum, the books of Rudolf Steiner, etc., etc." - Samael Aun Weor, Endocrinology & Criminology

"Every esoterist student must have discipline and intellectual culture. The occultist without discipline and intellectual culture converts himself into a delinquent." - Samael Aun Weor, Endocrinology & Criminology

Intellectualism

"Intellectualism is the opposite pole of intelligence; it is very different from the “Illuminated Intellect.” Intellectualism is a mixture of the psychological “I” with the information acquired through the external senses. Intelligence is an attribute of the Being; it is a faculty of the superlative consciousness of the Being. The conscious humanity works with intelligence; the tenebrous mechanical humanity gets its levels of social, economic and political prestige by working with the astute intellectualism, working with the mechanical part of the intellectual center; this means, with the worst part of it." - Samael Aun Weor

Intelligence

(Hebrew: Binah) The Sephirah Binah of the Tree of Life. The Holy Spirit. The Divine Mother.

Interdependance

"Indeed, all phenomena of nature and all objects are found intimately and organically joined together, internally dependent upon each other and mutually conditioning each other. Indeed, no phenomena of nature can be integrally comprehended if we consider it isolated. Everything is in incessant movement. Everything changes; nothing is quiet." - Samael Aun Weor, Endocrinology & Criminology

This was taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni as pratityasamutpada, translated as Dependent Origination or the doctrine of Emptiness (the Void).

Intermediate Mind

Also called the Mystical Mind. One of the three types of mind.

"Found in the Intermediate Mind are religious beliefs, unbreakable dogmas, etc." - Samael Aun Weor, The Great Rebellion

Internal Worlds

The many dimensions beyond the physical world. These dimensions are both subjective and objective. To know the objective internal worlds (the Astral Plane, or Nirvana, or the Klipoth) one must first know one's own personal, subjective internal worlds, because the two are intimately associated.

"Whosoever truly wants to know the internal worlds of the planet Earth or of the Solar System or of the Galaxy in which we live, must previously know his intimate world, his individual, internal life, his own internal worlds. Man, know thyself, and thou wilt know the Universe and its Gods. The more we explore this internal world called “myself,” the more we will comprehend that we simultaneously live in two worlds, in two realities, in two confines: the external and the internal. In the same way that it is indispensable for one to learn how to walk in the external world so as not to fall down into a precipice, or not get lost in the streets of the city, or to select one’s friends, or not associate with the perverse ones, or not eat poison, etc.; likewise, through the psychological work upon oneself we learn how to walk in the internal world, which is explorable only through Self-observation." - Samael Aun Weor, Revolutionary Psychology

Through the work in Self-observation, we develop the capacity to awaken where previously we were asleep: including in the objective internal worlds.

Intuition

Information and understanding that comes from the highest parts of our Innermost Being. There are many degrees in the development of Intuition. This power relates specifically to the heart (Anahata chakra) and the pineal gland (Sahasrara chakra).

“Intuition is direct perception of the truth, without the depressing process of reasoning and opinions.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Manual of Practical Magic

“The heart is the sacred temple of our Inner Master.  The Inner Master speaks to us through intuition (feelings, perceptions, hunches).  If humans obeyed these intuitions, they would live without problems.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Zodiacal Course

“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. Only those who have penetrated into the World of Objective Intuition, only those who have reached the solemn heights of Noetic thought, are truly awakened and illuminated.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony