Glossary

Alchemy ~ spiritual chemistry. The metaphysical science of transmutation which has a goal of the "panacea" ~ a cure-all ~ and immortality. The term "spiritual alchemist" is not redundant ~ it pertains to someone whose work is based in transmuting the non-physical instead of the physical (such as lead into gold).

Alternative Healing / Alternative Medicine ~ medical remediation outside the cult of conventional medicine. This is also known as "natural healing", "complementary healing" (if done in conjunction with conventional medicine), or "holistic healing" and aspects of alternative medicine are known as "spiritual healing" and "vibrational healing". Many of these terms are explained further here.

Modalities used in alternative medicine range from the very physical (eg: intraveneous drips/intramuscular injections, chiropractic/osteopathic adjustment, massage) to the very spiritual or etheric (eg: homeopathics, prayer/meditation, hands-on healing, distant or remote healing). Much of alternative medicine is known as "traditional medicine" (eg: herbs, poltices) and most aspects have been or remain illegal in the United States due to political/economic agendas.

An aspect of alternative medicine newly appropriated by the conventional medical community is the idea of "wellness" where patients are treated to prevent serious problems instead of waiting for the serious problem to develop. "Wellness" is a holistic approach to healthcare not understood by the pharmaceutical aspect of conventional medicine. See Wellness.

Architectural Intuitive ~ a psychic who specializes in the spiritual problems of buildings. Ghost busting, energy clearing, and remote feng shui are regular issues with which an architectural intuitive deals. He may also be a healer (energy clearing is a form of healing) and balancing the spiritual energy (charkas and auras) of the home is as important as it is for the body. An architectural intuitive should be consulted for any major house problems, spiritual imbalances, remodels, or commercial interests. The spiritual precedes the physical in all matters. blessthebody.com Spiritual Remedies are excellent for simple, architectural self-healing. See Spiritual
Remedies.

Astrology ~ the ancient science of ascribing meaning to astronomical phenomena. Astrology foretells the future (or explains the past) by comparing the natal chart (the placement of the planets and stars at the time of a person’s birth) with the current chart (or some particular timeframe). Astrological theory is the foundation of most religions, most notably Christianity which still uses astrology to determine the fluctuating date for their Vernal holiday of Easter. The three wise men who followed a star to the birth of Jesus were astrologers. And the decision by the Christian Church to celebrate the Spring birth of Jesus at the time of the Winter Solstice was based on astrology. There are several forms of astrology, including Western, Vedic, Chinese/Feng shui, and Mayan. All of them are valid.

Auras ~ holographic layers of subtle eminations pertaining to a specific thing, e.g.: the light around the body, halo. The aura contains vital information and influence regarding the object it surrounds. For living systems, there are numerous auras that extend various distances into the space around and through the entity. See blessthebody.com Aura Spritz.

Bhagavad Gita ~ the Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu poem depicting a conversation between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna. It is a spiritual dialogue on morals and human responsibility thought of as a self-contained guide to life and synopsis of Hindu philosophy. The Gita is contained within the larger sacred text, the Mahabharata.

Bau Biologie ~ the modern science of natural and sustainable architecture, an aspect of Architectural Ecology. Bau Biologie is sometimes used in conjunction with feng shui. Interest in Bau Biologie has expanded because of the worldwide "green" movement.

Buddhism ~ a group of atheist religions which seek to liberate sentient beings from the cycle of karma, the sorrow of life.

Chakras ~ spiritual portals which transform subtle, spiritual energy into corporal energy, eg: the vibrational centers of the physical body that link to the glandular system. There are chakras that pertain to all aspects of the physical body as well as to buildings and the Earth itself. The link between the chakras and the immediate aura is direct and dynamic. The pathways between the charkas of a living system (similar to the nerves and the acupuncture meridians) are called nadis. See blessthebody.com Chakra Tonic.

Channel ~ psychic reader who "channels" another entity. Some channels work consciously, some in trance. Edgar Cayce was a trance channel who spoke for a medical intuitive. Ester Hicks is a trance channel for Abraham. Much of the Bible alleges to be channeled however the material is of such low vibration that it isn’t important. Many channels are fakes and many entities who are channeled are also fakes. Find an out-of-print book called Hungry Ghosts for an expose´. The term "channel" also applies to an artist, musician, poet, or writer who spontaneously composes ~ some of which can be the creation of a dis-incarnate being working through the living human.

Chi (Qi) ~ See Prana.

Dharma ~ the law of higher nature, similar to the tao. It pertains to a sense of duty inherent in being a human among humans, inherent in being a human living on the earth. The dharma is what elevates humans from animal nature and is the basis of harmonious culture. Spiritually, dharma is the teachings regarding this law of higher nature. See Tao.

Ecstatic Poetry ~ poetry composed while in spiritual ecstasy or describing spiritual ecstasy. There is a long tradition of ecstatic poetry including the sufi poets, Rumi, Hafiz, Kabir, and Tagore and the haiku poets, Basho, Issa, and Buson. See eating God

Essence ~ the fundamental nature of a thing. As it pertains to natural and holistic healing, essences are subtle, vibrational waters which carry the information of a substance without the actual presence of that substance in the water, hence the term "spiritual" remedy. Essences can be homeopathic (a very specific and precise procedure to their creation) or new age (eg: flower, gemstone, etc that are created by a softer method). Essences are more powerful than substantial remedies because the delicacy of the essence allows it to penetrate where substance would be blocked. Essences, especially botanical essences, are usually stabilized and preserved with alcohol; blessthebody.com Spiritual Remedies, however, are formulated by a secret process which retains the delicacy of the vibrations without stabilizing or preserving them with alcohol.

Etheric Body ~ the template for the physical body; the subtle body which informs the physical body on appearance and function. The etheric body, also known as the etheric double or the body of light, is what tells a liver cell to be and behave like a liver cell, for example. It is what informs the kidneys to work as they work, etc. stress in the etheric body results in stress in the physical counterpart. Spiritual healing occurs in the etheric body and is transferred to the physical body by its inherent process. Rudolph Steiner, in lectures to Yale University Medical School, stated that degeneration of the etheric body was the genesis of cancer in the physical body.
See blessthebody.com Bright Brain.

Metaphysical structures includes the chakras and auras and subtle bodies. The subtle bodies are a series of insubstantial "bodies" or spiritual bodies that function in different aspects of a person's existence. The etheric body is the template for the physical body but made of light. Also known as the light body. The emotional body houses emotions ~ a person may live more in his emotional body than his mental body, for example, being in his personality more emotional than mental and vice versa. The astral body (often combined with the emotional body) pertains to dreams. The astral body is one factor in being ungrounded. The astral body is known to travel (as dreams take you away from your life) and astral travel can be manipulated through practice. Each metaphysical structure has its own subtle body, for example: the entire group of chakras is the chakric body, the entire group of auras is the auric body, et cetera. And there is a subtle body which houses each separate type of karma, known collectively as the karmic bodies.

Feng Shui ~ the ancient science which manipulates the inherent subtle energy of buildings. Feng shui theorizes that features of architecture (form and placement)
affect the inhabitants of that building in real ways such as financial and romantic. Various schools of feng shui emphasize different methods of analysis and treatment. See Feng Shui Every Day.

Feng Shui Master ~ a practitioner of feng shui whose capability with the art is beyond that which is taught or learned.

Geomancy ~ the ancient science of detecting and manipulating Earth energy, eg: dowsing. Traditionally, a geomancer or dowser would choose the site to dig a well or build a house. This was an early aspect of feng shui.

Grace ~ the effect of living in the presence of the divine.

Guru ~ teacher, one who brings you into the light.

Holistic Health ~ philosophy of medical care that views physical, emotional and mental, and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and equally important. Holistic treatment for any dis-ease considers all these aspects of a patient. See Alternative Healing, Wellness, Naturopathy.

Homeopathy ~ a form of medicine where remedies of very dilute solutions are used. It is safer and often more effective than conventional medicine and prescription drugs.

Karma ~ the underlying issues pertaining to how a person deals with life-experiences and creates new experiences, the Law of Cause and Effect. Patterns of life events, eg: repeated divorces, stem from recurring karma and can create karma. There are numerous forms of karma including hereditary and past-life karmas, group karma, and present-life karma. Release of karma can make life more graceful. See blessthebody.com Karma Cleanse.

Kundalini ~ see Tantra

Luck ~ fortune or destiny. It is thought that luck is influenced by astrology, feng shui, talismans... et cetera.

Mandala ~ originally Hindu and Buddhist, a mandala is an artistic diagram, often concentric, for meditation. Mandalas are used for liberation, healing, and abundance but always through the mechanisms of meditation, not merely as a decorative charm.

Mantra ~ sacred sounds. Mantras are syllables, words, or phrases that are chanted to create a specific spiritual or metaphysical result. Repetition of the sound vibration becomes a spiritual healing just as any other vibrational modality would. See Vibrational Healing.

Medical Intuitive ~ a psychic who specializes in physical illnesses, organ analysis, and disease evaluation. Edgar Cayce is the most famous medical intuitive, though technically, he was a trance channel. See Channel.

Meditation ~ mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, "thinking" mind and into a deeper state of awareness. Meditation often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. It is recognized as a component of many religions and has been practiced since antiquity. It is also practiced outside religious traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which may emphasize different goals ~ from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, to creativity or self-awareness, or simply to a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind. As a result of this sense of relaxation and peace, meditation ultimately leads people to find peace within themselves. See blessthebody.com Grace and Peace and Joy.

Metaphysical ~ beyond the physical. Metaphysics refers to that which is beyond the five senses eg: psychic awareness of the true nature of reality; the realm accessed by shamans.

Nadis ~ See Chakras.

Naturopathy ~ an alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic ability to heal and maintain itself (also known as naturopathic or natural medicine). Naturopaths use natural remedies such as herbs and foods rather than surgery or synthetic drugs. Naturopathic practice includes many different treatment modalities, with practitioners emphasizing a holistic approach to patient care. Practitioners sometimes recommend that patients seek the advice and care of a medical doctor to complement their naturopathic treatments. See Holistic Health.

New Age (New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) ~ a social and spiritual movement that seeks Universal Truth and the attainment of the highest human potential. It combines aspects of cosmology, astrology, esotericism, alternative medicine, music, collectivism, sustainability, and naturalism. New Age Spirituality is characterized by an individual approach to practices and philosophies while rejecting religious doctrine and dogma.

The New Age Movement includes elements of older spiritual and religious traditions including atheism and monotheism, pantheism and polytheism, combined with science. New Age practices and philosophies draw inspiration from Buddhism and Chinese folk religions, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Sufism, and Shamanism and Native American cultures, as well as others; with strong influences from Gnosticism and Paganism.

The modern New Age Movement began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, although elements can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It gained momentum in the 1980s and strengthened with the Harmonic Convergence (an astrological phenomenon) event in 1987. Diverse individuals from around the world practice New Age Spirituality.

Numerology ~ the ancient science of ascribing meaning to numbers. Through various methods, numerology forecasts the destiny of a person based on the numerical value of the numbers in his birthdate.

Peace ~ in its most superficial form, peace is anti-war, the absence of war. It is the opposite of conflict. This can be applied on a global level, a commercial level, an interpersonal level, or as pertaining to turmoil within one's self, etc. But in reality, peace is much more than the absence of conflict. It is an equalitarian existence, a global life or a personal life of fairness and respect. Those who work for peace in the world know that stopping war is a small bandage on a large wound. War is a symptom of a deeper consciousness that allows unfairness and disrespect to exist. The consciousness of individuals that make war (on each side of the conflict) and the consciousness of individuals who judge those who make war must be altered for there to be peace. While violence is an aspect of animal nature, war is not. And human nature has the power to elevate itself to a nature of peace. See Tao. See Dharma.

Prana (chi) ~ the basic animating force of the universe. Prana is the electricity of atoms and molecules, the vitality of cells, the dynamism of life on any level. Prana is the subtle energy that manifests life itself. See blessthebody.com White Light.

Shamanism ~ the ancient spiritual practice of transcending and manipulating the illusion commonly thought to be reality. A shaman is a tribal medicine man and spiritual leader who is trained to work in a dimension other than that which is perceived as the three dimensional world.

Smudge/House Cleaning ~ the tradition of smudging goes back to pre-history, before native americans were in america... it exists in most earth cultures to this day. Just as fire and smoke will run wild animals away, the use of smoke and fire has always been used to run wild "energy" away. Sage only clears a certain "band" of vibration, the same with sweet grass. Other natural incenses are also useful -- a variety of incenses should be kept on hand for a good house cleansing. Intention and visualization augments the cleansing. A real house cleansing includes chanting and the ringing of bells and gongs with smudging to expand the vibrational "band" that is cleared. The spraying of certain formulas of aromatic waters and the use of blessthebody.com Aura Spritz and Clean House Spritz when house cleansing is also important. Several blessthebody.com spiritual remedies are essential for house cleansing. This should be done on (or before) certain astrological phenomenon as a general routine and when needed for heavy or unwanted energy. If you hold healing, meditation, or other kinds of spiritual sessions in your home, you should cleanse very regularly -- even lightly before and after each session.

Soul ~ the eternal essence of a thing; that aspect of a person which is more his identity than his body; the spirit.

Spiritual Healing ~ the most holistic form of healing, it does no harm and heals all aspects of the "dis-ease". Various forms of spiritual healing include "hands-on" healing (reiki, pranic, joh rei,) and distance healing (as aforementioned, and also radionics). Spiritual healing does not refer to any religion but to the idea that no physical media are employed. Homeopathics are considered "spiritual" because no physical material remains in the remedy.

Spiritual Remedy ~ a vibrational water which holds no physical substance. See Essence. See blessthebody.com Spiritual Remedies.

Sufi ~ Muslim ecstatic sect, preaching love and unity of all religions. Rumi, the great Islamic poet and first whirling dervish was a sufi.

Tai Chi ~ active meditation. Tai chi, like yoga, is more than an exercise routine. It is a non-violent martial art with all its inherent discipline as well as a Taoist philosophy on how to live. See Tao. See Yoga. See Yin-Yang.

Tantra (Kundalini) ~ the dynamic force activating the basic charkas of the physical body. Tantric energy or kundalini refers to a force that lays dormant at the base of the spine and is released through certain forms of yogic meditation. The traditional symbol for the kundalini is the cadeusus, the staff of the god, Mercury, which ironically, is the symbol of the conventional medical community. See blessthebody.com Chakra Tonic.

Tao ~ the way of living in harmony with the natural flow of the universe.  Lao Tzu, the grandfather of Taoism, wrote the Tao Te Ching (poetry) and the I Ching (The Book of Changes which is the preeminent dissertation on the tao and the most accurate form of divination available). Taoism is the only sustainable philosophy on how to live that the world has ever created.

Vibrational Medicine / Vibrational Healing ~ according to Richard Gerber: "Vibrational medicine is a diagnostic and healing approach to illness using energy in various forms and frequencies. As a therapy, vibrational medicine is the application of different types of energy for healing, including approaches as traditional as X-ray and radiation therapy for cancer, the use of electrical nerve stimulation for treating pain, and electromagnetic field stimulators for accelerating the healing of fractured bones. Even full spectrum light is used for treating seasonal affective disorders or the ‘winter blues’. However, vibrational medicine also covers the more subtle forms of treatment such as acupuncture, homeopathy, flower essences, therapeutic touch, and that sort of genre. The latter involve using subtle life-force medicine, but they are energetic therapies nonetheless. This is the spectrum from the more traditional to a range of therapies that stress treatment of the whole person, sometimes referred to as "complementary’ medicine". See Mantra.

Wellness ~ an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence. Wellness is a movement in healthcare whereby physical and emotional issues are addressed before they become acute. See Alternative Healing.

Yang Treatment ~ Examples of yin and yang feng shui treatments are as follows:

Yin metal ~ six coins

Yang metal ~ windchime

Yin water ~ a bowl of water

Yang water ~ a fountain

An active treatment is yang; a passive treatment is yin. Deciding between yin and yang treatments requires a master and even masters differ on such matters. The properties of yin and yang depend upon perspective See Yin and Yang.

Yin and Yang ~ Usually thought of as opposites, yin and yang are merely opposite poles of the same discreet whole and describe an exchange of energy (chi) within that whole.

Consider wind blowing from one end of a hallway to the other. The hall itself is the discreet whole; the end of the hall where the wind begins is yang, dynamic, masculine; the end of the hall where the wind arrives is yin, receptive, feminine. Yin and yang merely describe the flow of energy in the hall; they are not features of the hall itself. The door or window where the wind enters the hall is yang in relation to the hall but yin in relation to the outside ~ it receives the wind into the hall (yin) but is also the dynamic force that originates the wind in the hall (yang). It is a matter of perspective. The flow of energy can also change under other conditions. Understanding the principles of yin and yang are the basis of martial arts and all Eastern philosophy.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that yang energy is more powerful than yin. The I Ching, the Book of Changes which proposes the foundation of yin and yang, feng shui, and all relationships states clearly that the yin triumphs over the yang by merely allowing the yang to exhaust and defeat itself. (Do not confuse this with yin feng shui which pertains to graveyards. The principles of yin feng shui are not pertinent to houses of the living.) Yin-energy treatments have less potential for creating karma than yang-energy treatments. However, in many instances, only yang treatments will be effective. See Feng Shui Every Day.

Yoga ~ the yoking of the physical life to the spiritual life. While “yoga” usually refers to physical exercise, it also pertains to meditation, diet, volunteer/charity work, and inter-personal relationships, et cetera. There are various schools of yoga, especially different forms of physical exercise. See (PEACE) WORDS.

Zen ~ the aspect of Buddhism focusing on silent meditation and liberation. There are several schools of Zen, some of which de-emphasize the connection to the religion of Buddhism. See eating God and libretti lumi.