Daulton holds a series of beliefs related to conspiracies, occultism, and numerology. He maintains that the universe is created and sustained by numerical synchronicities, and that all matter is charged with vibrational energy, which has escaped human perception because it is extradimensional in origin. He believes that those who are conscious of this energy can manipulate it to affect reality in different ways, such as altering the weather. He also believes that the pyramids and Mayan temples were created by a lost civilization, and that people with knowledge of the workings of the system will “ascend” at the conclusion of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21, 2012, at 11:11 a.m. (Greenwich Mean Time), vanishing into a new plane of existence. He recently claimed in a televised interview with ESPN that he has “skipped through time” and undergone “astral travel” and will “blast into space.”

Daulton has authored a book on occultism and numerology, titled “If They Only Knew,” published in 2007. In the book he discusses numerous aspects of occultism, referencing experts in the field, and his personal experiences.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Darren Daulton, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Origins of the Universe according to Berg

The light is understood as part of the duality in the “light filled vessel” metaphor central to Berg’s cosmology. In Berg’s telling, the Kabbalistic origin of the universe is in agreement with the Big Bang – prior to a massive explosion, a sacred vessel was united with the light that filled it. The light was the force of creation and the vessel the force of desire/receiving. When the vessel desired to create, the two separated, resulting in void, followed by an explosion which shattered the vessel. These broken shards of vessel and light became the imperfect physical universe.

Berg on Free Will

All aspects of human life are spiritual but require Kabbalah – especially its concept of “restriction” ”tzimtzum” in the sense of self-control, nonreactivity and proactivity – to harness them beneficially.

Negative aspects of the world – death, illness, pain, frustration, poverty, failure, loneliness, and so on – result from human mistakes but exist for the benefit of humans: they are opportunities for each individual to reveal light through behavioral corrections or “tikkun”. By sharing with others, humans reveal more light, use this creative force to “become like God”, and “make the world a better place” ((Repair the shattered vessel, ”tikkun olam”)).

On combatting one’s ego

A core principle is the importance of sharing, viewed as directly opposing the influence of the ego, defined

Sharing is based on the principle that one ultimately lives life with a single ongoing choice – whether to be influenced by the ego or the “light”. The Centre teaches that the ego, sometimes referred to as “satan” (pronounced ”sa’tan”) was created by the “light” in order to give humanity free choice.

On teaching Kabbalah

Berg states it is his destiny to reveal the real truths about Kabbalah. Traditionally, while some parts of the Kabbalah were considered acceptable to teach to younger Torah scholars, most of Kabbalah was held to be forbidden to be taught, or at the very least, severely discouraged, except to very learned scholars over forty years of age. Berg describes Kabbalah as a “universal philosophy”, and claims that no one, regardless of religion or gender, should be denied study of it.

:”There are those who pose as religious leaders who, for their own selfish reasons, spread false requisites for the study of the Zohar and discourage people from “indulging” in its sublime treasures. Either these rabbis fear for their positions, because people tasting of the Kabbalah might embarrass them with the incisiveness of their questions, or, perhaps, because their own upbringing deprived them of this because their own knowledge, they see no reason to allow others of “lower standing” to be given the opportunity of partaking of Kabbalah’s spiritual elixir….These ”kat” (cults) of Rabbis have been, and are still in some quarters, blemishes and disfigurements on the face of Rabbinic Judaism. “The arid field of Rabbinism, the ”P’shat” seekers are the fools and hate knowledge.” (Tractate Sanhedrin, P. 99B) These Rabbis of ill-repute attempt to conceal from the layman the facts that the foremost Jewish legalists and talmudists were also famous kabbalists.” (”The Zohar”, Ed. Berg, Introduction, Parashat Pinhas, p. xxxiii-xxxv)

Many of his ideas have angered other Kabbalists. For example, while most Kabbalists have traditionally taught that Jews must follow Halakha (“Jewish law”) as strictly binding, Berg teaches that knowing the purpose behind Halakha is more important.

:”Judaism is not concerned with conforming to a strict religious way of life in which it is perceived that if one wants to be considered a Jew he has to perform certain ritual tasks. On the contrary, the goal is to connect to metaphysical forces through which we can fulfill our Desire to Receive. The Torah, properly understood, can completely fulfill all our needs, and once that goal has been achieved, the barriers that have been created between Jews and non-Jews will collapse” (”The Kabbalah Connection”, p.43)

Astrology

Berg advocates the use of astrology readings to counsel his students, and has written numerous books on the subject. Berg asserts that his beliefs in kabbalistic astrology are strongly influenced by the classic work of Kabbalah, ”Sefer Yetzirah”, attributed pseudepigraphically to the patriarch Avraham (see also Sefer Raziel HaMalakh). In his belief, kabbalistic astrology provides a link between scientific astronomy and esoteric astrology. He refers to Kabbalah, where all living things, all matter, all energy and even space-time itself is a manifest of God. Because of this, cosmic forces have a divine nature, and Judaism was heavily influenced by them, including holidays like Passover and the Hebrew calendar.

However, traditional Judaism is often critical of using astrology in religion. The Talmud records stataments from different figures which both forbid and accept some use of astrology, a tension also present in other rabbinic literature from 600 CE until the enlightenment. Berg is not the only kabbalist who recognizes the [http://www.kabbalahgroup.org/articles/astrology.html Jewish connection to Astrology].

See Jewish views of astrology, Kabbalistic astrology, and Hebrew astronomy for a fuller discussion.

Reward and punishment

Berg believes that as living things, and as part of God, we have control over our own actions. Berg holds that God does not reward people for good behavior and punish them for bad behavior. Instead he believes that bad behavior lead to bad effects. The reason for rules in the Torah is to prevent adverse effects. If we all kill, what can happen? We can be killed. If we all steal, what can happen? We can be stolen from. According to Berg, the commandments were put in place by God to bring harmony to a chaotic world, not to judge people. Some claim this teaching is generally considered outright heresy in Orthodox Judaism, as it contradicts one of the Jewish principles of faith according to Rabbis Joseph Albo and Maimonides. But others believe that Rabbi Berg’s teachings reinforce the Jewish principle of faith. Still, Berg’s belief does correspond with that of his teacher Yehuda Ashlag as suggested in Ashlag’s article [http://www.kabbalahgroup.org/articles/noneelse.html There is None Else Beside Him].

Berg has written:

:”We are taught from childhood that if we do something good, God will reward us and if we do something bad, he punishes us. Never believe it.” (”The Wheels of a Soul”, Berg, p. 46)

Reincarnation

A central part of his theology is a belief in Gilgulim (traditional Kabbalistic concept of reincarnation), which he holds is a central tenet of Judaism. To him, the single destination of a soul only to the spiritual afterlife, is a purely Christian belief and has no place in Judaism. He holds that this phenomenon can be proven true by logical argument. This idea is accepted as true by many Orthodox Jews, but some Orthodox Jews, and most non-Orthodox Jews, view the entire idea as false, due to a lack of talmudic sources as well as writings from Rav Saadia Gaon that it comes from the “Indian religions.” It is also felt that the concept is philosophically untenable. The issue of how Jews have traditionally understood reincarnation is discussed in Jewish eschatology and gilgul.

:”Reincarnation is not a question of faith or doctrine, but of logic and reason…the Bible is its Fountainhead.” (”The Wheels of a Soul”, Berg, p. 29)

Spirituality

Berg’s ideas about the effect of spirituality within Hasidic Judaism are similar to those held by other scholars of Judaism.

:”The fundamental purpose of Hasidism, which borrowed from the example of the Sephardim, was to inject spirituality into the religion, as opposed to the thoughtless formalism prevailing within the liturgy and ceremonies of their fellow Jews in Lithuania, the Mitnagdim. For this reason the Hasidim did not enjoy either credibility nor popularity among Mitnagdim.”

:”The place that was assigned to the Zohar in the scheme of prayer and ritual by the Hasidim was one of the basic points at issue between the two sects. It was and is essentially a contest between the formalism of dogmatic ritual, as practiced by Mitnagdim and the spiritually-directed practices of the Hasidim.” (”The Zohar”, Ed. Berg, Introduction, Parashat Pinhas, p. pp. xliii-xliv)

Subjects commonly viewed as pseudoscience

In his book, ”The Wheels of a Soul”, Berg has written that many concepts often understood as pseudoscience are real, such as Kirlian photography (p.& 39), telepathy, and clairvoyance, (p.& 40-41.)

Mental illness and possession by evil spirits

In chapter six of this book he discusses reincarnation and Kabbalah. Here he writes that most mentally ill people are in fact not mentally ill, but are in fact possessed by evil spirits. (p.& 50) He commonly refers to these as ”clippot” or blockages.

:”I know a woman who has been locked away in a psychiactric ward twice because she felt that she was being bomdarded by evil spirits and I can testtify that she is as normal as any who are deemed mentally fit. That definition, in itself, is suspect. I believe that between 70 and 80 percent of all who live display “abnormal behavior” at one time or another and that in most of those cases an invading spirit of evil is the cause. Rites of exorcism might heal far more of the “mentally ill” than all of the drugs and electro-shock therapy employed by the psychiatric community.”

In chapter 13, recalling past lives, he teaches that astral projection is real (p.& 70).

Extra-terrestrial events influence Earth

Berg writes that all life affects one another, because the all began from the same source and are of the same body (God).

:”What seems to emerge from the Zohar is that seven forms of intelligence which emanate from the seven Sfirot are directly responsible for our universal manifestations. These advanced extra-terrestrial non-corporeal beings living in a solar system similar to ours direct the orbiting structures of our own universe and subsequently display the varied quantified degrees of the Force in varied, specific sections of planet Earth. All life dances to the music of astral influences as more clearly demonstrated by cyclical phenomenon. Unseen extraterrestrial forces affect terrestrial affairs and decidedly determine the ups and downs of terrestrial life….” It should be noted that the term “extraterrestrial” does not imply space aliens, but rather angels and other energies which do not exist in the terrestrial realm of time, space, and motion.

Applying teachings to daily life

Berg emphasises the application of the wisdom of Kabbalah in life, in accordance to study of the Zohar. Students are encouraged to attend courses that explain how “chaos” (i.e. potential and current problems) can be removed from life by understanding and applying a variety of spiritual “truths” that are based upon Kabbalistic concepts.

The creation of the world

The world, a domain of separation, was created so that the “light” could be revealed (received) from choice with the application of effort. It is the ego (or satan) that allows humanity to apply effort by acting as an adversary or “opponent”.

As humanity “reveals” more light in the world, by increasingly sharing and undertaking good deeds (despite the ego’s efforts to the contrary), the more Bread of Shame is undone, allowing humanity to return to an original state of unity without the corresponding guilt.

Non-reactivity

Students are encouraged to understand the importance of non-reactivity, such as when prompted by circumstances to be angry or judgmental towards others. Such behaviour is described as reactive, “disconnecting’ the student from the “Light” or more properly called ”en sof”. In such situations, students are strongly encouraged to be “proactive” (i.e. realize that your reaction and not the situation is your enemy and be open to the guidance that will help you to solve the situation in a way that will benefit yourself and everyone else involved) and to “restrict” what is seen as the ego’s attempt to make you “disconnect”.

Berg teaches that if humanity as a whole continues to be influenced by the ego, exhibiting traits such as “hating for no reason”, the “Light” (energy) will be blocked, creating chaos – potentially an Armageddon scenario. This is viewed as avoidable by “spreading” the wisdom of Kabbalah to as wide an audience as possible.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Philip Berg, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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astral body is a subtle body posited by many religious philosophers, intermediate between the intelligent soul and the physical body, composed of a subtle material. The concept ultimately derives from the philosophy of Plato: it is related to an astral plane, which consists of the planetary heavens of astrology. The term was adopted by nineteenth-century Theosophists and neo-Rosicrucians.

The idea is rooted in common worldwide religious accounts of the afterlife in which the soul’s journey or “ascent” is described in such terms as “an ecstatic.., mystical or out-of body experience, wherein the spiritual traveller leaves the physical body and travels in his/her subtle body (or dreambody or astral body) into ‘higher’ realms”. Hence “the “many kinds of ‘heavens’, ‘hells’ and purgatorial existences believed in by followers of innumerable religions” may also be understood as astral phenomena, as may the various “phenomena of the séance room”. The phenomenon of apparitional experience is therefore related, as is made explicit in Cicero’s Dream of Scipio.

The astral body is sometimes said to be visible as an aura of swirling colours. It is widely linked today with out-of-body experiences or ”astral projection”. Where this refers to a supposed movement around the real world, as in Muldoon and Carrington’s book ”The Projection of the Astral Body”, it conforms to Madame Blavatsky’s usage of the term. Elsewhere this latter is termed “etheric&

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Astral body, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Rapid eye movement (REM)

When a person is dreaming, the eyes move rapidly up and down and vibrate. Scientific research has found that these eye movements correspond to the direction in which the dreamer is “looking” in his/her dreamscape; this has enabled trained lucid dreamers to communicate whilst dreaming to researchers by using eye movement signals.

False awakening

In a false awakening, one suddenly dreams of having been awakened. Commonly in a false awakening, the room is similar to the room in which the person fell asleep. If the person was lucid, they often believe that they are no longer dreaming and may start exiting the room and start going through a daily routine. This can be a nemesis in the art of lucid dreaming, because it usually causes people to give up their awareness of being in a dream, but it can also cause someone to become lucid if the person does a reality check whenever he/she awakens. People who keep a dream journal and write down their dreams upon awakening sometimes report having to write down the same dream multiple times because of this phenomenon. It has also been known to cause bed wetting as one may dream that they have awoken to go to the bathroom, but in reality are still dreaming. The makers of induction devices such as the NovaDreamer and the REM Dreamer recommend doing a reality check every time you awake so that when a false awakening occurs you will become lucid. People using these devices have most of their lucid dreams triggered through reality checks upon a false awakening.

Sleep paralysis

During RE

Out-of-body experience

An out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE) is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one’s body and, in some cases, perceiving one’s physical body from a place outside one’s body (autoscopy). About one in ten people think they have had an out-of-body experience at some time in their lives. Scientists are learning about the phenomenon.

OBEs induced from waking (with the intention of achieving Astral Projection) and lucid dreams induced from waking cover such similar ground that common misinterpretation of one as the other (or even equivalence) can be hypothesized. Realistic-seeming yet physically impossible impressions of flying, time-traveling or walking through the walls of an environment matching one’s bedroom are equally hallmarks of either. (As those who have experienced them will attest, neither “feels” like ordinary dreams at all.) Their induction techniques are similar, and both are easier to perform at times typical for afternoon naps and late morning REM cycles.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Lucid dream, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Astral projection (or astral travel) is an interpretation of any form of out-of-body experience (OBE) that assumes the existence of an “astral body” separate from the physical body and capable of travelling outside it. Astral projection or travel denotes the astral body leaving the physical body to travel in the astral plane.

The idea of astral travel is rooted in common worldwide religious accounts of the afterlife in which the consciousness’ or soul’s journey or “ascent” is described in such terms as “an…out-of body experience, wherein the spiritual traveller leaves the physical body and travels in his/her subtle body (or dreambody or astral body) into ‘higher’ realms.” It is therefore associated with near death experiences and is also frequently reported as spontaneously experienced in association with sleep and dreams, illness, surgical operations, drug experiences, sleep paralysis and forms of meditation.

It is also sometimes attempted for its own sake, or may be believed to be necessary to, or the result of, some forms of spiritual practice. It may involve “travel to higher realms” called astral planes but is commonly used to describe any sensation of being “out of the body” in the everyday world, even seeing one’s body from outside or above. It may be reported in the form of an apparitional experience, a supposed encounter with a doppelgänger, some living person also seen somewhere else at the same time.

Through the 1960s and 70s, surveys reported percentages ranging

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Astral projection, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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* Sacrifice: (from a Middle English verb meaning ‘to make sacred’, from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) Commonly known as the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the gods, as an act of propitiation or worship. The term is also used metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others.

* Sadhana: Spiritual exercise by a Sadhu or a Sadhaka to attain a desired goal. The goal of sadhana is to attain some stage, which can be either moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), or a particular goal such as the blessing by a deity through his or her appearance before the Sadhaka at the end of the limited Sadhana. Sadhana can involve meditation, puja to a deity, namasmarana (sometimes with the help of a japa mala), mortification of the flesh or unorthodox practices such as in a smashana sadhana on a cremation ground. Each type of Yoga entails its own type of sadhana. To embark on a sadhana, a guru is required to give one the necessary know-how and the seed for the future result, in the form of some diksha, initiation, which he or she has received from his or her guru.

* Saint: Generally refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. It can be applied to both the living and the dead and is an acceptable term in most of the world’s popular religions. The Saint is held up by the community as an example of how we all should act, and his or her life story is usually recorded for the edification of future generations.

:The process of officially recognizing a perso

* Salvation: Refers to deliverance from undesirable state or condition. In theology, the study of salvation is called soteriology and is a vitally important concept in several religions. Christianity regards salvation as deliverance from the bondage of sin and from condemnation, resulting in eternal life with God.

* Satguru: (or Sadguru) Means true guru (Sanskrit सदगुरू sat=true), literally: true teacher. The title means that his students have faith that the guru can be trusted and will lead them to moksha, enlightenment or inner peace. It is based on a long line of Hindu philosophical understandings of the importance of knowledge and that the teacher, guru, is the sacred conduit to self-realization.

* SBNR: Acronym used by individuals who define themselves as Spiritual But Not Religious.

* Self-realization: In yoga, self-realization is knowledge of one’s true self. This true self is also referred to as the atma to avoid ambiguity. The term “self-realization” is a translation of the Sanskrit expression atma jnana (knowledge of the self or atma). The reason the term “realization” is used instead of “knowledge” is that ”jnana” refers to knowledge based on experience, not mere intellectual knowledge.

:As discussed in the article on yoga, while the goal of self-realization is the same in all yoga paths, the means used to achieve that goal differ. For example, in hatha yoga, self-realization is said to be achieved when the serpent force or kundalini rises through the shushumna nadi to the sahasrara chakra. The following terms are related to self-realization or atma jnana: moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death); samādhi (Supreme or Divine Bliss).

* Seven Virtues: Derived from the Psychomachia, an epic poem written by Prudentius (c. 410). Practicing these virtues is alleged to protect one against temptation toward the Seven Deadly Sins. The ”Seven Virtues” considered by the Roman Catholic church are those of humility, meekness, charity, chastity, moderation, zeal and generosity. These are considered to be the polar opposite of the seven deadly sins, namely pride, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, sloth and greed.

* Shabd: (or Shabda) Literally means “sound” or “word” in Sanskrit. Esoterically, Shabd is the “Sound Current vibrating in all creation. It can be heard by the inner ears.” Variously referred to as the Audible Life Stream, Inner Sound, Sound Current or Word in English, the Shabd is the esoteric essence of God which is available to all human beings, according to the Shabd path teachings of Eckankar, the Quan Yin Method, Sant Mat and Surat Shabd Yoga.

:Adherents believe that a Satguru, or Eck Master, who is a human being, has merged with the Shabd in such a manner that he or she is a living manifestation of it at its highest level (the “Word made flesh”). However, not only can the Satguru can attain this, but all human beings are inherently privileged in this way. Indeed, in Sant Mat the raison d’être for the human form is to meditate on the Sound Current, and in so doing merge with it until one’s own divinity is ultimately realized.

* Shamanism: Refers to the traditional healing and religious practices of Northern Asia (Siberia) and Mongolia. By extension, the concept of shamanism has been extended in common language to a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose, cure, and sometimes cause human suffering by traversing the axis mundi and forming a special relationship with, or gaining control over, spirits. Shamans have been credited with the ability to control the weather, divination, the interpretation of dreams, astral projection, and traveling to upper and lower worlds. Shamanistic traditions have existed throughout the world since prehistoric times.

* Shinto: (神道 ”Shintō”) (sometimes called Shintoism) A native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. It involves the worship of ”kami”, which can be translated to mean gods, spirits of nature, or just spiritual presences. Some kami are local and can be regarded as the spirit or genius of a particular place, but others represent major natural objects and processes, for example, Amaterasu, the Sun goddess. The word Shinto was created by combining two kanji: “神” ”shin” meaning god (the character can also be read as “kami” in Japanese) and “道” ”tō” meaning Tao (“way” or “path” in a philosophical sense). Thus, Shinto means “the way of the gods.”

:After World War II, Shinto lost its status of state religion; some Shinto practices and teachings, once given a great deal of prominence during the war, are no longer taught nor practiced today, and some remain largely as everyday activities without religious connotations like omikuji (a form of sortition).

* Shunyata: (Śūnyatā, शून्यता (Sanskrit, Pali: ), or “Emptiness”) A term for an aspect of the Buddhist metaphysical critique as well as Buddhist epistemology and phenomenology. Shunyata signifies that everything one encounters in life is empty of soul, permanence, and self-nature. Everything is inter-related, never self-sufficient or independent; nothing has independent reality. Yet shunyata never connotes nihilism, which Buddhist doctrine considers to be a delusion, just as it considers materialism to be a delusion.

* Simran: ‘Simran’, derived from the word ‘Smarana,’ (from Sanskrit), means: remembering or contemplating on the highest – that which should be valued in memory, in general. It teaches that: everything changes while inner and outer purity naturally happen. Smarana does not project about restriction through God or religion. It shows that remembering the highest aspect of life that one has seen will eventually open up what’s important to an individual.

* Soul: The soul, according to many religious and philosophical traditions, is the ”ethereal substance” — spirit (Hebrew:”rooah” or ”nefesh”) — particular to a unique living being. Such traditions often consider the soul both immortal and innately aware of its immortal nature, as well as the true basis for sentience in each living being.

:The concept of the soul has strong links with notions of an afterlife, but opinions may vary wildly, even within a given religion, as to what happens to the soul after death. Many within these religions and philosophies see the soul as immaterial, while others consider it possibly material.

* Spirit: The English word spirit comes from the Latin ”spiritus”, meaning breath. In religion and spirituality, the respiration of the human being has for obvious reasons been strongly linked with the very occurrence of life. A similar significance has been attributed to human blood. ”Spirit” has thus evolved to denote that which separates a living body from a corpse, but can be used metaphorically (she performed the piece with spirit or she put up a spirited defence) where it is a synonym for such words as ‘vivacity’.

* Spiritism: A religious and philosophic doctrine established in France in the mid 19th Century by Allan Kardec. The term was coined by him as the specific name of the doctrine he was about to publish but, given the fact that the word was created from roots taken from the common language, it was soon incorporated into the normal use and has been used to name other doctrines as well, though the authentic Spiritists protest against this usage.

: During the late 19th century, many well educated people from Europe and the United States embraced Spiritism as a logical explanation of themes related to the Christian Revelation. However, most of the initial enthusiasm receded. But in some places the work of a few dedicated preachers managed to achieve a solid foundation — more notably, in Brazil, and to a certain extent in the Philippines. In Brazil, more than 2 million people declare themselves Kardecist spiritists, according to the last IBGE census data, which makes Brazil the largest Spiritist country in the world. Spiritism has influenced syncretisms like Brazilian Umbanda and Vietnamese Caodaism.

:Spiritism is not to be confused with spiritualism. Its use with that meaning is regarded as pejorative by both Spiritualists and Spiritists. Uncapitalised, the word, in English, is an obsolete term for animism and other religious practices involving the invocation of spiritual beings, including shamanism.

* Spiritual evolution: The philosophical/theological/esoteric idea that nature and human beings and/or human culture evolve along a predetermined cosmological pattern or ascent, or in accordance with certain pre-determined potentials. Predeterminism of evolution concept is also complemented with the idea of a creative impulse of human beings, known as epigenesis.

:Within this broad definition, theories of spiritual evolution are very diverse. They may be cosmological (describing existence at large), personal (describing the development of the individual), or both. They can be holistic (holding that higher realities emerge from and are not reducible to the lower), idealist (holding that reality is primarily mental or spiritual) or nondual (holding that there is no ultimate distinction between mental and physical reality). All of them can be considered to be teleological to a greater or lesser degree.

* Spiritualism: May refer to a variety of modern religious ideologies, primarily active in the United States and Europe. Central tenets of Spiritualist liturgy and dogma are the beliefs and practices of mediumship which purports to be evidence of the continued existence of an individual’s spirit or soul after death. The origin of Spiritualism is commonly considered to be the Modern Spiritualist movement of the 19th century United States.

* Spirituality: In a narrow sense, is a concern with matters of the spirit, however that may be defined; but it is also a wide term with many available readings. It may include belief in supernatural powers, as in religion, but the emphasis is on personal experience. It may be an expression for life perceived as higher, more complex or more integrated with one’s worldview, as contrasted with the merely sensual.

* Sufi whirling: The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning), is a twirling meditation that originated among the ancient Indian mystics and Turkish Sufis, which is still practiced by the Dervishes of the Mevlevi order. Following a recommended fast of several hours, Sufi whirlers begin with hands crossed onto shoulders and may return their hands to this position if they feel dizzy. They rotate on their left feet in short twists, using the right foot to drive their bodies around the left foot. The left foot is like an anchor to the ground, so that if the whirler loses his or her balance, he or she can think of their left foot, direct attention towards it and regain balance back.

* Sufism: (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) A mystic tradition of Islam, which is based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as a definite goal to attain. In modern language it might also be referred to as Islamic spirituality or Islamic mysticism. While fiqh focuses on the legal aspects of Islam , Sufism focuses on the internal aspects of Islam, such as perfecting the aspect of sincerity of faith and fighting one’s ego. Sufi practitioners are organized into a diverse range of brotherhoods and sisterhoods, with a wide diversity of thought. Sufi orders (“tariqas”) can be Shi’a, Sunni, both or neither.

* Supplication: (also known as petitioning) The most common form of prayer, wherein a person asks a supernatural deity to provide something, either for that person who is praying or for someone else on whose behalf a prayer of supplication is being made. One example of supplication is the Catholic ritual of novena (from ”novem”, the Latin word for “nine”) wherein one repeatedly asks for the same favor over a period of nine days. This ritual began in France and Spain during the Middle Ages when a nine day period of hymns and prayers led up to a Christmas feast, a period which ended with gift giving. In Islam, the Arabic word ”du’a” is often used for supplication. ”Du’a” may be made in any language, although there are many traditional Islamic supplications in Arabic, Persian and Turkish.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Glossary of spirituality-related terms, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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* The Teachings of Don Juan, A Yaqui Way of Knowledge – description of plant allies and way towards knowledge: mescalito (peyote cactus)- the protector of man, seeing beings as liquid colors; mushrooms- learning to handle, fly, and perceive as animal form; datura (weed)- female spirit, hard to handle, gives strength, lengthy procedure. This book was unique of the series in that the last part included a detailed scholarly “Structural Analysis” of the teachings.

* A Separate Reality – Discusses the ideas of will, controlled folly, and seeing (as opposed to looking) as tools a warrior uses to be a man/person of knowledge.

* Journey to Ixtlan – lessons about the warriors way, or stalking the world, routines, personal history, self-importance, death as an advisor, not-doing, dreaming

* Tales of Power – description of points of perception in body or luminous cocoon, tonal or toñal (1st attention, known, right side awareness, [possibly the left-brain]) and nagual (2nd attention, unknown, left side awareness, right-brain), dreaming double

* The Second Ring of Power – describes events after Don Juan’s departure, experiences with the women warriors of the original nagual’s party, 2nd attention (second ring of power), losing “human ‘form’”, human mold, dreaming, gazing

* The Eagle’s Gift – description of the force that creates, destroys, and rules the universe (or at least the 48 bands of earth), also source of emanations themselves, description of the eagle’s command t

* The Fire From Within – step by step (actually chapter by chapter) elucidation of the mastery of awareness or the new seers’ knowledge: everything is energy (the Eagle’s emanations or luminous emanations), the luminous cocoon and assemblage point(glow of awareness), the known (1st attention or tonal), unknown (2nd attention or nagual), unknowable (outside luminous cocoon), petty tyrants as a way to move assemblage point and foster warrior’s way, twin worlds of organic and inorganic ( more correctly matter-beings and non-matter-bound beings — carbon-based/not carbon based wasn’t what was meant), shifting the assemblage point and other bands of awareness, bundles of emanations that are the basis for the different species source of awareness and forms/molds, the human mold, the rolling force or tumbler (that hits luminous cocoon), the death defier, self-stalking, intent, and dreaming.

* The Power of Silence – stories about essentially the mastery of intent, set into what were called sorcery cores.

* The Art of Dreaming – steps to mastering control and consciousness of dreams.

* Magical Passes – descriptions with photos of sorcery-based physical movements intended to increase well-being, a system which became known as Tensegrity

* The Active Side of Infinity – recapitulation, making a log of significant life events (as seen by the spirit)

* The Wheel of Time – recollection of the mood in which each previous book was written; significant quotes from each previous book

The nine popular works (as opposed to the academic or scholarly works) of Carlos Castaneda are organized into three sets of three, where each set corresponds to a Toltec mastery: the mastery of awareness, the mastery of transformation, and the mastery of intent. For each mastery there is also a compendium that describes essential teachings from the overall body of work. The three compendiums were published posthumously.

Each mastery is described in four works, three works presented in story form and one work compiled as a cross-set reference:

The Mastery of Awareness

* The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (1968)

* A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan (1971)

* Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan (1972)

* Compendium – Magical Passes: The Practical Wisdom of the Shamans of Ancient Mexico (1998)

The Mastery of Transformation

* Tales of Power (1975)

* The Second Ring of Power (1977)

* The Eagle’s Gift (1981)

* Compendium – The Active Side of Infinity (1999)

The Mastery of Intent

* The Fire from Within (1984)

* The Power of Silence: Further Lessons of Don Juan (1987)

* The Art of Dreaming (1993)

* Compendium – The Wheel Of Time : The Shamans Of Mexico (2000)

The following list generally defines each mastery:

* Mastery of Awareness – The Mastery of Awareness entails the re-emphasis of awareness from the world of the tonal (every day objects) to the world of the nagual (spirit). During this stage of development the warrior-traveler endeavors to minimize self importance and gather energy. First and foremost, the student is encouraged to take action and assume responsibility for his or her life.

* Mastery of Transformation – During The Mastery of Transformation the warrior-traveler endeavors to cleanse and retrieve energy and to hone his only link to spirit, the intuition. The warrior-traveler becomes impeccable by empirically testing this connection and eventually banishing all doubts, accepting his or her fate, and committing to follow a path with heart.

* Mastery of Intent – Once the warrior-traveler has accumulated enough surplus energy, enough personal power, the dormant second attention is activated. Dreaming becomes possible. The warrior-traveler maintains impeccability, walks the path with heart, and waits for an opening to freedom.

Books by Carlos Castaneda

* ”The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge” (1968) ISBN 0-520-21757-8

* ”A Separate Reality: Further Conversations with Don Juan” (1971) ISBN 0-671-73249-8

* ”Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan” (1972) ISBN 0-671-73246-3

* ”Tales of Power” (1974) ISBN 0-671-73252-8

* ”The Second Ring of Power” (1977) ISBN 0-671-73247-1

* ”The Eagle’s Gift” (1981) ISBN 0-671-73251-X

* ”The Fire from Within” (1984) ISBN 0-671-73250-1

* ”The Power of Silence: Further Lessons of Don Juan” (1987) ISBN 0-671-73248-X

* ”The Art of Dreaming” (1993) ISBN 0-06-092554-X

* ”Magical Passes : The Practical Wisdom of the Shamans of Ancient Mexico” (1999) ISBN 0-06-092882-4

* ”The Active side of Infinity” (2000) ISBN 0-06-092960-X

* ”The Wheel of Time” (2001) ISBN 0-14-019604-8.

Books Forwarded by Carlos Castaneda

* ”The Sorcerer’s Crossing: A Woman’s Journey” Forward by Carlos Castaneda (1993) ISBN 9780140193664

* ”The Witch’s Dream” (1997) Forward by Carlos Castaneda ISBN 9780140195316

Note: ”Spanish language versions are available”

==Internal Links

*Carlos Castaneda Carlos_Castaneda

*Carlos Castaneda bibliography Carlos_Castaneda_bibliography

*Cleargreen Incorporated Cleargreen

*Tensegrity Tensagrity

*Recapitulation Recapitulation

Related Resources

*Tonal Tonal (Mythogy)

*Nagual Nagual

*Yaqui Yaqui

*Tutelary deity Tutelary_deity

*Chalchihuihtotolin Chalchihuihtotolin

*Maya calendrical divination Maya_calendrical_divination

*Out-of-body experience

*Astral projection

*Subtle body

*Astral body

*Out-of-body experience

*Apparitional experience

*Reality tunnel

*Entheogen

*Transcendence

*Folk religion

*Shamanism

*Totem

*Esotericism

*Toltec

*Caral

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Nagualism (Carlos Castaneda), under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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out-of-body experience (OBE or sometimes OOBE), is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one’s body and, in some cases, perceiving one’s physical body from a place outside one’s body (autoscopy).

The earliest recorded reference to an OBE is in the Holy Bible, 2 Corinthians 12:1–4, in which the apostle Paul describes this kind of experience. Many other visions of God recorded in the Bible appear to be similar in nature.

The term ”out-of-body experience” was introduced in 1943 by G.N.M Tyrrell in his book ”Apparitions”, and adopted by, for example, Celia Green and Robert Monroe as a bias-free alternative to belief-centric labels such as “astral projection” or “spirit walking”. Though the term usefully distances researchers from scientifically problematic concepts such as the soul, scientists still know little about the phenomenon. Some researchers have managed to recreate OBE in a laboratory setup by stimulating a part in the human brain. One in ten people has an out-of-body experience at some time in their lives. OBEs are often part of the near-death experience. Those who have experienced OBEs sometimes claim to have observed details which were unknown to them beforehand.

In some cases the phenomenon appears to occur spontaneously; in others it is associated with a physical or mental trauma, use of psychedelic drugs, dissociative drugs, or a dream-like state. Many techniques aiming to induce the experience deliberately have been developed, for example visualization whi

Some neurologists have suspected that the event is triggered by a mismatch between visual and tactile signals. They used a virtual reality setup to recreate an OBE. The subject looked through goggles and saw his own body as it would appear to an outside observer standing behind him. The experimenter then touched the subject at the same time as a rod appeared to touch the virtual image. The experiment created an illusion of being behind and outside one’s body. However, both critics and the experimenter himself note that the study fell short of replicating “full-blown” OBEs.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Out-of-body experience, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Hope has an astral projection power and as her code name suggests, she goes into some kind of altered state of consciousness or somehow otherwise nullifies her body in order to release her astral self. This observation was further affirmed when she asked Emma Frost if she could leave her body outside the danger room during an exercise. Her astral form is capable of flight and can pass through magic barriers as well as be able to hit Ms Marvel while in her phased form. It is unusual in that whilst most fiction depicts astral projection as harmless, Hope’s astral form is additionally able to project destructive energy. When hit with tasers by H.A.M.M.E.R. agents during ”X-Men: Legacy #226” in the middle of entering her trance state, Hope’s powers flare out of control. She disrupts an attempt to teleport her. She also creates arcing energy surges that stuns soldiers and even bends nearby metal and concrete. According to Danger and Rogue, this appears to be a new part of her power which she has not learned to control.

She can also perceive auras and energy patterns that are invisible to the naked human eye such as the emotional state of others from their auras, heat signatures and energy patterns in the air. Doctor Nemesis further speculates that Trances powers seem to react to spatial warps and energy fields, however he doesn’t know if this permanent or a temporary development.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Trance (comics), under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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Below is a brief description of what a neophyte will learn during his or her first five years of affiliation with AMORC.

These teachings are part of the Rosicrucian Monographs.

These are not the only subjects covered by the Rosicrucian system. The list contained here, which should be perceived as unofficial, is adapted from the ”Rosicrucian Home Study Lessons” section of the Web version of the Mastery of Life published by the English Grand Lodge for the Americas.

You are advised to read the official and complete list at AMORC’s website: [http://www.rosicrucian.org/about/mastery/mastery06home.html Direct link to Rosicrucian Home Study Lessons section of the Mastery of Life]

The teachings are divided in the Neophyte section and the Temple section.

Neophyte section

Like in ancient times, if a person wanted to study the great mysteries of the world, they would have to petition for admittance as a student and become a Neophyte. The Neophyte would be granted admittance to the Atrium, or reception chamber to the temple. In the Atrium the Neophyte would receive the preliminary instructions and beginning teachings, before they would be allowed entry into the temple. Following ancient times the Rosicrucian monographs are called Atrium lessons, and beginning Rosicrucian students are called Neophytes.

Introductory lessons

Presents basic Rosicrucian concepts that can be applied in practical ways. One of the first things you will learn as a Neophyte is that you are a dual being. In addition to your five physical senses, you also

* Mystical Sounds

* Spiritual Alchemy

* Time and Space

* Human and Cosmic Consciousness

* Meditation

* Development of the Intuition

* Introduction to: Human Aura, Telepathy, Metaphysical Healing

First Atrium

The first Atrium explores consciousness as the organizing principle of matter and explains the composition and structure of matter and its vibratory nature. You’ll learn how the creative power of thought affects the material world. This power is demonstrated through exercises in the techniques of concentration, visualization, and mental creation. Topics include:

* Composition and Structure of Matter

* Power of Thought and Concentration

* Visualization

* Telepathy

* Mental Projection

* Law of the Triangle

Second Atrium

Your understanding of the connection between mind and matter will now be expanded to include the connection between the mind and the physical body. The second Atrium explores how your thoughts influence your health, the role of proper breathing in psychic development as well as health and vitality, and Rosicrucian healing techniques. As you develop your body’s psychic centres, you gradually awaken your psychic faculties, such as the ability to perceive the aura. You will also experience the mystical effect of sounds. Topics include:

* Origin of Diseases

* Influence of Thoughts on Health

* Mystical Art of Breathing

* Rosicrucian Healing Treatments

* Perception of the Aura

* Awakening the Psychic Consciousness

* Mystical Sounds

Third Atrium

The Third Atrium moves beyond the physical body and the psychic faculties into the realm of the mystical. As you become more attuned with your inner source of wisdom, you’ll become more receptive to the subtle inner prompting of intuition, inspiration and illumination. These lessons also explode the nature of Soul and spiritual evolution, reincarnation and karma, and the cycles of the soul. Topics include:

* Reincarnation

* Karma

* Free Will

* Good and Evil

* Intuition Inspiration and Illumination

* The Great Religious Movements

* The Nature of Soul

*Purpose of our Spiritual Evolution

Temple section

Having completed the lessons of the Neophyte section, you stand at an important milestone in your progress along the mystical path. You are now ready to enter the Temple. Your studies in the Neophyte section established the foundation for the lessons of the Temple Degrees. You have been introduced to the various elements of the Rosicrucian system and had the opportunity to practice many of the principles presented through simple experiments. Now the Temple Degrees will further develop these elements, providing additional depth and practical applications of the principles.

First Temple Degree (Zelator)

The First Temple Degree introduces the concept of polarity and its relationship to the subatomic world and its differing rates of vibration. It introduces the full spectrum of physical and non-physical manifestation. An understanding of these subjects gives you an appreciation for the system and order of the universe, the interconnectedness of all nature and how everything is governed by natural law. Topics include:

* Structure of Matter

* Positive and Negative as Vibratory Polarities

* Electricity, Magnetism, Electromagnetism and their ”Rosicrucian” definition

* Subatomic Particles

* Elements

* Material Alchemy

Second Temple Degree (Theoricus)

The Second Temple Degree explores the workings of the mind. You’ll learn how to use your various mental faculties to strengthen your will, eliminate bad habits and establish good ones, tap into the levels of your subconscious, reason more effectively, and integrate principles of psychology and mysticism to achieve your personal goals. Topics include:

* Cosmic Consciousness

* Our Objective and Subjective Consciousness

* Mental and Sensory Illusions

* Imagination and Memory

* Physical, Psychic, and Spiritual Influences on the Subconscious

* Autosuggestion

* Psychology and Mysticism

Third Temple Degree (Practicus)

The Third Temple Degree explores the meaning of life on many levels, including living and “non-living” matter, life on the cellular level, the mysteries of death and rebirth, and the eternal nature of the Soul. Topics Include:

* Cosmic Purpose of Life

* Vital Life Force

* Cellular Life

* Living and Non-Living Matter

* Incarnation of the Soul

* Transition of the Soul

* Initiatic Aspects of Death

Fourth Temple Degree (Philosophus)

The Fourth Temple Degree introduces Rosicrucian ontology (the study of the nature of being), and lays out the cosmological framework for all creation. It explores the meaning, understanding and use of symbols as the language of the subconscious. Topics include:

* Noumena and Phenomena

* Natural Symbols

* Artificial Symbols

* Mystical Symbols

* Sacred Architecture

* Vital Life Fource and the Living Soul

* Cycles of Life and the Constant States of Flux

Fifth Temple Degree (Adeptus Minor)

A mystic, by nature, is fundamentally a philosopher. In the Fifth Temple Degree, you will study excerpts from the works of classical philosophers. Your exploration of the ancient roots of Rosicrucian philosophy will demonstrate the timelessness of these principles. Thoughts of the following philosophers are presented:

* Thales

* Solon

* Pythagoras

* Heraclitus

* Democritus

* Empedocles

* Socrates

* Plato

* Aristotle

Sixth Temple Degree (Adeptus Major)

The Sixth Temple Degree presents the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components of health and disease. You’ll learn specific Rosicrucian healing techniques. Topics include:

* Spiritual Demension of Food

* Breathing and Respitory Health

* Composition of Blood

* Cell Consciousness and Cellular Health

* Rosicrucian Therapy and Self Healing

* Personal Treatment to Restore your Psychic Equilibrium

* Autonomic Nervous System

* Physical and Mental Prevention of Disease

* Emotional and Spiritual Prevention of Disease

* Self-healing

Seventh Temple Degree (Adeptus Exemptus)

The exercises and experiments of all the previous Degrees have contributed to your gradual development, providing you with the necessary foundation for the advanced techniques of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Degrees. In the Seventh Degree you will learn how to accomplish psychic projection, how to develop your personal aura and perceive other people’s auras and how to further develop your psychic centres and perception. You will also receive a thorough explanation of the physiological, psychic, and spiritual influence of specific mystical sounds. Topics include:

* The Psychic Body (compare with: Subtle body and Astral body)

* The Psychic Centres (compare with: Chakra)

* Nature and Symbolism of Dreams

* Psychic Projection (experiments) (compare with: Astral projection, out-of-body experience)

* Perception of the Aura (experiments) (compare with: Clairvoyance)

* Mystical Powers of Vowel Sounds and Mantras

Eighth Temple Degree (Magister Templi)

The Eighth Temple Degree explores in depth the theme of immortality – the mysteries of birth and death, reincarnation and karma and the evolution of the soul personality. Topics include:

* Universal Soul and Human Soul

* Divine Consciousness and Self Consciousness

* Spiritual Evolution of Humans

* Mastery of Karma

* Reincarnation of the Soul

* How to Remember your Past Incarnations (experiments) (See Reincarnation)

* The Mystery of Birth and Death

* Help to the Dying, Before and After Death

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Rosicrucian Monographs, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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