New Age Dictionary  H-I

 

Hades:(Greek, "the place of the dead")

1) The brother of Zeus and god of the underworld in ancient Greek belief. 2) A name denoting the underworld or the astral world or hell, "house of Hades," where the dead lead a bleak existence. Myths about Hades tell of special  punishments created for a few, offenders of the gods, e.g., Sisyphus, Tantalus, and Tityus. It was taught in ancient times that Hades was located beneath the surface of the Earth, that it was both a place of punishment and reward.  It was surrounded by the River Styx.  The boatman Charon rowed the dead across the river from the world of the living to the world of the dead. It was customary to tip the boatman.

Haggadah: (Hebrew, "telling")

The Jewish text read and discussed at the Passover meal, the seder. Evolved for the purpose of fulfilling the Torah's command to recount the Exodus (Exodus 13:8), the Haggadah contains passages from the Bible, Talmud, and Midrash that elaborate the story and explicate the meaning of the seder rituals and foods. It closes with prayers, psalms, and hymns.

Hagia Sophia: (Greek, "Holy Wisdom")

Sixth-century Christian church designed by Isidorus of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles for Justinian in Constantinople. Originally decorated with glowing mosaics, Hagia Sophia fell victim to both Christian and Muslim iconoclasts. It is now a mosque.

Hagiography:

Biographies and legends of holy persons.

Hail Mary:

Ave Maria, Rosary. Roman Catholic prayer based on Luke 1:28. 

      "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women

                 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us

       sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen."

The first part  is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke and joins together the words of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation (Lk 1:28) together with Elizabeth's greeting to Mary at the Visitation (Luke 1:42). The joining of these two passages can be found as early as the fifth, and perhaps even the fourth, century in the eastern liturgies of St. James of Antioch and St. Mark of Alexandria.  Later, probably by Pope Urban IV around the year 1262, Jesus' name was inserted at the end of the two passages.  The second half of the prayer (Holy Mary..) can be traced back to the 15th century where two endings are found. One ending, Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, is found in the writings of St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444 AD) and the Carthusians. A second ending, Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis nunc et in hora mortis nostrae, can be found in the writings of the Servites, in a Roman Breviary, and in some German Dioceses. The current form of the prayer became the standard form sometime in the 16th century and was included in the reformed Breviary promulgated by Pope St. Pius V in 1568

Hajj: (Arabic)

Worshipping God by making the pilgrimage to Mecca at a specific time and place in a specific way.  The majority of the scholars hold that Hajj was prescribed in the sixth year after Hijrah (Migration of the Prophet  from Mecca to Medina) for it was then that the following verse concerning it was revealed: "And complete the Hajj and 'Umrah in the service of Allah" (Quran 2.194).

Halasana: (Sanskrit)

The plough yoga posture

Hallelujah: (Hebrew, "Praise God")

A biblical acclamation from the Psalms often used in prayers and hymns in Christian churches especially on festal occasions. It is also spelled (h)alleluia.

Halloween: (Samhain) 

The term Halloween originally referred to All Hallows' Eve, a Catholic observance of the night before All Saints� Day.  However, in modern American it has reverted back to its original Pagan roots.. A Wiccan religious high or holy day (see Wicca) . Celebrated on October 31st, children are encouraged to wear costumes and solicit candy door-to-door (Trick-or-Treat).

Halo:

Light, usually in the shape of a circle, around head of a supernatural being or holy person. It a ring that forms around the brow chakra as it exits the back of the head.  See Auras

Halpern, Steve: 

Prominent New Age music composer and lecturer.

Hammurabi: (ca. 1792 to 1750 BC)

King of Babylon  The sixth of his family to rule in the area of Babylon, under whom Babylon become a major power. His most famous achievement was his so-called law code, a misnomer because Mesopotamian law was never codified. The laws, engraved on a stone stele, are a collection of customary law, difficult cases, clarifications and refinements of existing law, and some theoretical expansions covering a range of public and private issues. Their importance for judicial practice is dubious. In forming such a collection, the work of chancery scribes, Hammurabi was following a tradition of half a millennium.   A prologue and epilogue, in contrast to the laws themselves, are written in a solemn, highly stylized language. They frame the laws and give them their religious context. The latter is reaffirmed by the representation on the stele of a god, probably Marduk, giving Hammurabi symbols of his authority as legislator and judge. The prologue itself tells of the choice of Hammurabi by the gods "to make equity appear in the land." The laws engraved on the stone stele comprise a majestic document, and it was copied for over a thousand years, even outside Babylonia.

Hand Analyst:

One who uses a person's hands, fingers and nails to attune to the person's life, character and emotions.

Hand-fasting:

The Wiccan equivalent of a wedding ceremony.  It is only legal if performed by a registered clergyman. Handfasting vows are meant to be renewed annually, and thus are a "safer" commitment than marriage unless made legal.

Hands, Laying on of:

In Christianity, the widely used gesture of placing the hands on a person's head, signifying blessing, healing, transmission of the power of the Holy Spirit, exorcism of demonic powers, ordination to a church ministry.

Handwriting Analysis:

The study of a person's handwriting to discover personal information such as health, character, personality and life circumstances.

Hansasana:(Sanskrit)

The swan yoga posture

Hanuman:

In Hinduism, the monkey god born of Vayu, the Wind, and the nymph Anjana. Hanuman, also known as Hanumat or Mahavira ("great hero"), is Rama's chief agent in the Valmiki Ramayana and is later portrayed as Vishnu-Rama's paradigmatic devotee. Characterized by strength and the ability to leap or fly and change form and size, he appears in classical and folk traditions throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Hanumanasana:(Sanskrit)

 The splits as a yoga posture

Happy Hunting Ground:

An popular phrase for the Native American view of the afterworld. It does notd3erive from Native American traditions.

Hara:

The vital energy center of the human body. It is located at the second chakra, (the navel) internally.

Hare Krishna:

Nickname for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.(ISKON)

Hari:

In Hindu theology, the supreme personality of Godhead. Vishnu, Krishna

Harmatiology:

The study of the doctrine of sin.

Harmonic Convergence:

An assembly of millions of New Agers gathered at spiritual sites (vortexes) around the world. to usher in peace on earth and the unity of all life and acknowledge that the New Age had arrived.   Held August 16�17, 1987, it was formulated by Jose Arguelles, based on Mayan prophecies and astrological conjecture.  Other significant dates were 31 December 1987 and a culmination in 2012.

Hasidism: (Hebrew. hasid, "pious" or "pietist")

A Jewish religious movement that emerged in the second half of the eighteenth century beginning in Podolia in the Ukraine and then spreading to other parts of eastern Europe, including central Poland, Galicia, Hungary, and Belorussia-Lithuania. The founder of the movement is considered to be Israel ben Eliezer Baal Shem Tov, known as the Besht, whose life is embellished by many legends attributing to him extraordinary spiritual powers.  The ground for Hasidism was prepared by the formation of various mystic circles characterized by a distinctive pattern of religious asceticism, in some cases establishing their own form of prayer in independent synagogues. From these small ascetic groups Hasidism grew into a major social movement.  The period of the most intense flourishing of Hasidism was between 1773 and 1815, when the disciples of Dov Baer of Mezhirech, successor to the Besht, helped to spread the movement by establishing centers throughout eastern Europe. Beside  the claim that one must worship God through physical acts such as eating, drinking, and sexual relations. is a metaphysics that sees God as the sole reality filling all worlds, where reality is but the veil or garment of the divine light. In some Hasidic texts, this monistic tendency comes very close to denying the independent existence of the world vis-a-vis the divine.

Hasta-padangush-thasana:(Sanskrit)

The hand-to-big-toe yoga posture

Hatha Yoga

Stretching exercises that supposedly liberate spiritual energy. Union with the supreme via yoga.

Hathor: (Greek, from Egyptian, "mansion of Horus")

The ancient Egyptian goddess of love and inebriation, daughter and wife of the sun god, Re. She was a protectress of the dead and destroyer of sinners.

Hay, Louise: 

New Age, metaphysical counselor and author. Her most important book is .You can Heal Your Body.

Healthy, Happy, and Holy:

An instructional group founded by the Indian Sikh Dharma Yogi Bhajan in Los Angeles, California, in 1968 to promote holistic well-being through kundalini yoga. Flourishing during the period of most intense international interest in Asian meditation techniques, the 3HO taught a simplified or neo-Hindu practice for awakening the psychic energy believed to lay dormant within the human body. (See 3HO)

Heart Sutra:

A Mahayana Buddhist scriptural text that expounds, in condensed form, the doctrine of the Perfection of Wisdom. The text is Indian in origin and achieved its greatest popularity in China and East Asia. Its best-known teaching is the claim: "Form is Emptiness, and the very Emptiness is Form."

Hearth:

Literally the floor of the fireplace. In ancient (and fairly recent) times, the hearth,  was the "heart" of the home and the family. In fact, it was so much at the hub of living that its second definition has become "home and family." The hearth was the place where the family gathered to ward off winter's chill, cook the food that sustained life, prepare the poultices and herbal tinctures for healing, and tell stories and songs long into the night.

Heathen:

Derogatory term for a religion that is neither Jewish nor Christian.

Heaven:

.1) The place where God dwells  2) the spirit world, 3) erroneously, the afterlife, another name for Paradise. Judeo-Christian scripture speaks of three heavens. The first is to the atmospheric heavens of the birds and clouds. The second heaven is the area of the stars and planets. The third heaven is the abode of  God. 

Heaven's Gate:

Founded by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Lou Nettles in Rancho Santa Fe, CA: Applewhite (a.k.a. Do) and 38 other members committed suicide in March of 1997, believing that by leaving their bodies behind they could join Nettles (a.k.a. Ti) and other "older members" from "the next level above human" on a UFO supposedly hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet.

Hecate:

The ancient Greek goddess of pathways and crossroads and associated with sorcery and the moon.

Heimdall:

The mythological Scandinavian god who was the son of nine giant-mothers, guardian of the world, and the father of humankind.

Hejira:(Arabic)

A flight or departure; any flight or journey to a more desirable or congenial place than where one is. The flight of the Muslim prophet Mohammed from  Mecca, September 13, 622 AD, (subsequently established as the first year of the Muslim era); hence any flight or  exodus regarded as like that of  Mohammed. Note: The starting day of the  Mulim calendar begins, not from the actual date of  the hejira, but from the first day of the Arabic year,  which corresponds to July 16, A. D. 622.

Hel:

1) A Norse mythological being, daughter of Loki and queen of the realm of death. 2) The name of the astral realm.

Helios:

The ancient Greek sun god, with a significant cult only in Rhodes. From the fifth century BC, he was identified with Apollo.

Hell:

The place of the dead not only the grave, but also the place the soul goes after death. There are several words translated as Hell in the Bible: Hades - A Greek word. It is the place of the dead, the location of the person between death and reincarnation.  Gehenna - A Greek word. It was the place where dead bodies were dumped and burned and has come to designate the place of eternal punishment  Sheol - A Hebrew word in the Old Testament, Hell is usually divided in a place of delight and a place of torment.  In Christian doctrine Hell is a place of eternal fire that is prepared for the devil and his angels and will be the abode of the wicked and the fallen angels       

Heptagram:

A seven-pointed star drawn with one unbroken line. Symbolic of the number seven, which is important not only to the seven traditional astrological planets but also to the seven planes or heavens and the seven chakras.

Hera:

An ancient Greek goddess presiding over marriage and the lives of women. She is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea and the sister and wife of Zeus.

Heraclitus: (ca. 540-480 BC)

A Greek mystic philosopher from Ephesus who wrote about the Word of God (Logos) in an obscure and oracular style. Heracleitus identified the sole deity variously as Zeus, Thunderbolt, War, and perhaps Fire. Although everything is in flux, all things are one. Only divine judgment is inerrant and sees that all is good; humans are woefully confused. Heracleitus rejected religious anthropomorphism and ridiculed the mythographers. The afterlife would not be what we expect; Heracleitus did not say, however, what it would be.

Herbologist/Herbalist:

A healer who understands the medicinal value of plants and prepares herbal formulas to strengthen the natural functions of the body so that it may heal itself.

Hereditary Witch:

A person who descends from a line of witches and has learned the Craft from a member of this descent.

dissension or division arising from diversity of opinions and aims.  The term is usually reserved to refer to false teachings considered so serious that belief in them excludes the followers from membership and salvation;

Heresy:     

A doctrinal view that deviates from orthodoxy, a teaching declared to be false.. 

Heretic:

A person who teaches or believes heresy.

Hermas, The Shepherd of:

One of the most widely known early Christian texts, said to have been written in Italy about the year 90.  It is a mixture of Hermetic, Sybilline and Judeo/Christian apocalype that contains no definite quotation from the Bible.

Hermeneutics:(Greek. hermeneuein, "to interpret," from  messenger-god, Hermes)

The general theory and applied practice of interpretation. Originally concerned with interpreting revered texts, the term now refers to interpretive understanding in general. Hermeneutics seeks to clarify the interpretation of the meanings of any manifestation, expression, or human trace: textual, verbal, visual, logical, unconscious, conventional, and so on. Formerly an adjunct of theology, it encompasses other areas of binding meaning, such as law, art, history, philology, and the humanities.

Hermes:

In Greek mythology son of Zeus and Maia. He was the messenger god, a friend of humans, and associated with trickery, herds, the lyre, and the dead.. Often associated with Mercury.

Hermes Trismegistus: 

The patron deity of the hermetic literature  written in Egypt in the second and third centuries  A fusion of Greek "Guide of Souls" Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth, the legendary sage and inventor of writing.

Hesiod: (c 700 bc)

 A Greek poet  In the Theogony he describes the genealogy of the Olympian gods, of whom Zeus was king, and how they came to power and suppressed revolts against their authority. After praising the muses, divine patrons of the arts, the poet describes the origin of the universe in terms of mating and procreation. The first ruler of the gods was Ouranos ("Sky") and Gaia ("Earth"). Ouranos was overthrown by his children, the Titans, led by Kronos, who castrated his father. Kronos swallowed his own children by Rhea, until she tricked him by giving him a stone to swallow in place of the infant Zeus, who grew up to overthrow his father. The succession of dynasties clearly reflects the succession myth known in the ancient Near East. For Hesiod, Zeus is not only the ultimate victor in the struggles between the gods but the guarantor of justice and human morality. Heterodoxy:

 An unorthodox belief. In general usage, it is a less condemnatory term than "heresy." Hexagram:

A geometric figure formed by two overlapping triangles, also called the Star of David. While it is used in modern magick to invoke or banish spirits, it is traditionally Jewish.

Hieroglyph: (Greek., "sacred carving")

A pictographic character in the ancient Egyptian writing system, invented before 3000 BC.  Any pictographic character

Hierarchy: (see Spiritual Hierarchy)

Hierophant:

A priest of the mysteries.

Hieros Gamos: (Greek, "sacred marriage")

Ritual sexual relations between a king, understood as in some sense divine, and a goddess. Whether this is done through mimetic activities or with an actual woman playing the role of a goddess varies and often remains obscure.

High Church, Low Church:

In the Anglican or Episcopal Christian church, terms used to distinguish traditions that emphasize either its Catholic and liturgical heritage (High) or its evangelical roots (Low).

High Magic(k):

Ceremonial magick involving the actions of deities or spirits.

High Priest:

A male witch within a coven who has been initiated into the 3rd degree. Abbreviated in written rituals as HP.

High Priestess:

A female witch within a coven who has been initiated into the 3rd degree. Abbreviated as HPS in written rituals. Often the head of the coven.

Higher Self:

The True Self.  The real being who expresses the soul and the body, as opposed to what the person seems to be or thinks they are..  The Christ

Hijra: (Arabic, "emigration")

The emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622. For years, Muhammad had preached to the Meccans with little success, losing the essential support of his own clan. Yet, Muhammad's moral prestige and statesmanship impressed Medina's wrangling tribes, who agreed to defend him and his followers if he would arbitrate their disputes. The persecuted Muslims then emigrated from Mecca, followed by Muhammad, with his confidant Abu Bakr, who left secretly to avoid ambush. In Medina, Muhammad quickly attained sovereignty. In Muslim historiography, 622 equals a.h. 1 (anno Hegirae). Since then, occasional calls for hijra have been made by Muslims advocating emigration from infidel lands.

Hinayana: (Sanskit, "small boat"

A term used by some members of the schools comprising the Mahayana ("Great Boat") schism of Buddhism to refer to the practitioners, practices, and scriptures of their non-Mahayana counterparts. 

Hinduism:

The major world religion that originated from the ancient religions of India. The ancient gods (especially the triad of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) are commonly interpreted as representations of the various aspects of the divine (Brahman).  Human beings progress to the ultimate realization of their oneness with Brahman (often called Nirvana) through reincarnation according to the law of karma. Some of the concepts of Hinduism are incorporated, modified, and expanded upon in the New Age Movement.

Hocus-Pocus:

Jibberish formula used in magical procedure. Some argue that the term is a corruption of the central words of institution in the Catholic Mass, "this is my body" (hoc est enim corpus meum).

Holism:

The theory that all reality is organically one. Everything in the universe is viewed as interrelated and interdependent.

Holistic Healing:

A view of health care focusing on the �whole self� (body, mind and spirit) and natural or spiritual cures.  The system embraces both traditional and New Age therapy.

Holocaust:

A sacrifice in which the offering is wholly destroyed by fire,  Usually used to describe the mass destruction of the Jews under Nazi rule, or of the Witches during the Inquisition.

Hologram:

A three-dimensional projection resulting from the interaction of laser beams. Scientists have discovered that the image of an entire hologram can be reproduced from any one of its many component parts. New Agers use this to illustrate that each object in the universe is merely one component of the whole.

Holotropic Breathwork�:

A non-drug technique of self-exploration and healing using controlled breathing, evocative music, focused body work and mandala drawing to access all levels of human experience. Created by Stanislov and Christina Grof.

Holy, Holiness:    

A quality of perfection, sinlessness, and blessedness.

Holy Ghost:

Older Christian term for Holy Spirit.

Holy of Holies:

The innermost and most sacred room of the Jewish temple, restricted to all but the high priest on the Day of Atonement.

Holy Order of MANS:

Monastic New Age group founded by Earl W. Blighton that practiced esoteric, mystical religion blending biblical themes with reincarnation and other concepts from Eastern religions and the occult.  Blighton, an ex-engineer who was once fined for practicing medicine without a license, began the order in 1968. "MANS" was an acronym for a phrase revealed only to initiates.  After advancing through the order, men reached the status of Brown Brother of the Holy Light, while women might become an Immaculate Sister of Mary for Missionary Training. After the death of Blighton, the group underwent radical changes. The majority of followers converted to Eastern Orthodoxy and the order eventually was transformed into Christ the Savior Brotherhood, a sect of Eastern Orthodoxy. Several competing groups later formed claiming to preserve Blighton's original purpose and message.  They include the Gnostic Order of Christ, Science of Man, and the American Temple.

Holy Rollers:

Popular name for ecstatic American Christian groups (most frequently Pentacostals) who manifest experience of the Spirit by jumping, dancing and rolling on the ground.

Holy Spirit, The:     

 The third person of the Christian godhead.  He is called the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost,  and Eternal Spirit in Christian scripture. The Holy Ghost was considered female until around the fifth century. (See Trinity and Holy Spirit.)  

Holy Water:

Water consecrated by the blessing of the priest in certain Christian churches for use upon entering a church and in ceremonies. The water and its use symbolize purity and regeneration.

Holy Week:

The remembrance of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus celebrated annually in Christian churches. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the week, followed by Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening, and Easter Sunday. This complex of feasts began, probably, in fourth-century Jerusalem. See also calendar (Christian).

Homeopathy:

A school of medicine based on the theory of "like cures like."  It was developed by Samuel Hahnemann. Minute quantities of natural substance that have been potentiazed by a process of dilutions and succession (vigorous shaking with impact). stimulate the body's own self-healing ability. If taken in larger doses, they would produce side effects similar to those of the disease being treated It claims to manipulate the "vital force" of the human body by transferring the power of homeopathic medicines

Homily: (Greek, "discourse")

An address given during the Christian liturgy, often synonymous with sermon (Lat., "speech"). In Catholic usage, the short explanation of the Gospel given by a priest or a deacon during the celebration of the eucharistic liturgy, required at each public Mass on Sunday and recommended at each weekday Mass.

Homosexuality:

Sexual relations between members of the same gender. Religious traditions place both negative and positive value on homosexuality as a boundary-crossing activity. For some, the power to invert culturally sanctioned relations is a mark of, or a means to acquire, supernatural power; for others, it is a forbidden activity.   Until recently, homosexuality was regarded merely as a choice of sexual activity and not as indicating a particular type of personality.

Homunculus: (Latin: little man)

Small, artificial humanoid produced in a vat or flask by an alchemist.

Hora:

In Vedic astrology, a varga. The division of a sign into solar and lunar or division into halves. Used for determining wealth among other things

Horned God:

Pagan or Wiccan father God. Usually wears goat or deer's horns, but in ancient times, wore bull's horns.

Horoscope: 

A chart drawn up through the art of astrology. See Astrology.

Host:

A common designation for the thin, usually round, wafers of unleavened bread used for Communion in the Roman Catholic Church.  So named because the wafer is the "host" to the spirit of Christ.

Hubbard, L.Ron: (1911-1986)

Theologian and science-fiction writer, he authored of Dianetics and founded of the Church of Scientology

Human Potential Movement (or, Emotional Growth Movement)  

This is a collection of therapeutic methods involving both individualized and group working, using both mental and physical techniques. The goal is to help individuals to advance spiritually. Examples are Esalen Growth Center programs, EST, Gestalt Therapy, Primal Scream Therapy, Transactional Analysis, Transcendental Meditation and Yoga

Humanistic Psychology

The school of psychology originated by Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers and others, that emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual self and the integration of the whole person: feelings, intellect, physical and spiritual.

Huna:

Ancient Hawaiian religious system of goal attainment and spiritual growth based on a knowledge of three levels of consciousness and the use of "mana," the vital force that heals and energizes.

Hutterites:

Also called Hutterian Brethren, an Anabaptist group of Moravian origin taking its name from Jacob Huter (martyred 1536). After years of enforced migration through central and eastern Europe, the Hutterites finally abandoned the Ukraine to settle in the northern American prairies in the 1870s. Hutterites differ from other groups of Anabaptist origin such as the Amish, whom they resemble in many ways, primarily in holding goods communally. This practice, together with their use of modern farming equipment, has given them an economic advantage often leading to friction with their neighbors and has led in part to their migration from the Dakotas to the prairie provinces of Canada. Currently, there are about three hundred Hutterite colonies, or family-based settlements, in North America.

Hydra:

A Greek mythological monster with many serpent heads, guardian of the spring at Lerna in Greece, who was killed by the hero Herakles.

Hymen:

Hymn:

Song that invokes or celebrates the divine.

Hypnotism:

Hypnosist/Hypnotherapy:

A state of mind in which one's focus of attention is narrow and a higher level of awareness of the focal point is attained than is normal when one is awake. The power of conscious criticism is suppressed and suggestions move directly into the unconscious mind. Suggestions are acted upon more powerfully than is possible in the normal waking state.

Hypostatic Union:

The Christian doctrine decribing the union of the two natures (divine and human) in the person of Jesus. According to this doctrine Jesus is fully God and fully man, thus he has two natures: God and man. He is not half God and half man. He is 100% God and 100% man. He never lost his divinity.  He continued to exist as God when he became a man and added human nature to himself, therefore, there is a "union in one person of a full human nature and a full divine nature. This doctrine is called a Mystery because no one can make any sense out of it.(See Eutychianism, Monophycitism, and Nestorianism.)

I AM Movement:

Founded in 1930 by Guy and Edna and Guy Ballard (aka Godfry Rey King). King claimed to have met St. Germain on Mt. Shasta, where he was taken inside the mountain and shown the White Brotherhood.  Author of 20 volumes of material channeled from the White Brotherhood.

I Ching: (Yi King or The Book of Changes)

Traditional Chinese divination method that involves tossing three identical coins or objects six times and using the patterns they form to receive answers to personal questions from the I Ching or Book of Changes.

Iblis: (Arabic, probably from Greek diabolos, "devil")

Satan. A complex demonic figure in Islamic religious thought, understood as the fallen angel, the tempter, and the head of the hosts of devils. As an angel, he pridefully refused God's command to bow down before the newly created man Adam and thus was cursed and banished from Paradise. Until the Day of Judgment Iblis will lead the legions of devils in tempting humans to do evil. His major act of cunning was to persuade Adam and Eve to disobey God and eat of the tree of immortality in the Garden, which resulted in their consignment to earthly existence.

Icon: (Greek, "image," "portrait")

Especially in Byzantine and Orthodox Christianity, a visual representation of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels, individual saints, or events of sacred history. Varying in size from small portable to wall-size icons, these sacred images were made of mosaic or painted colors, never carved or sculpted.

Iconoclast:(Greek, "inage breaker")

One who attacks and exposes the error of religious dogma or that attacks the use of images in worship.

Ida:

An astral or etheric tube or channel which conducts the Shakti force of the Kindalini.. This subtle female energy coils around the central spinal column and intertwines with the Shiva force in its opposite polarity known as Pingala.  Ida terminates in the left nasal sinus.

Idol: (Greek eidolon, "image")

A pejorative term designating, narrowly, any three-dimensional or sculpted figure, or, more broadly, any bas-relief or painting, mosaic, or mural of a figure representing a god or goddess and used in religious practices. The figure can be in human or animal or other form, including mixed human and animal. Most world religions --ancient and modern, oriental and occidental--view such images as proper representations of divine beings to be the focus during worship. By contrast, some religions--ancient Hebraism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--ban all representation of God in any form.

Idolatry

Idolatry is the adoration, prayer, or worshipof an image. It is only an issue among the Protestants and Moslems. In a loose sense, idolatry does not necessitate a material image nor a religious system. It can be anything that takes the place of God: a car, a job, money, a person, a desire, etc. 

Ikhnaton: See: Akhenaton

Illuminati:(�Enlightened Ones�)

 A rationalistic society founded in Germany soon after 1776 by Adam Weishaupt, a  professor of canon law.. Originally promoted free thought and democratic political theories. It had close affinities with the Freemasons and seemingly was organized on a Masonic plan. For ten years it was very popular among German rationalists, but as a society it had limited influence. The Roman Catholic Church, which Weishaupt left in his youth and rejoined before his death, condemned the Illuminati; in 1785 the Bavarian government dissolved the organization, believing it was secretly trying to take over monarchies. All members were arrested except for Weishaupt who fled, and is believed by some to have escaped to America.  In Spain and Italy in the 15th cent. the term Illuminati referred to persons believed to hold supernatural mental powers. Other groups using the name have included a mystical sect that flourished in the 16th cent, in Spain and France, the original Rosicrucians, and certain followers of Boehme and Swedenborg.  There is also an order of Freemasons called Illuminati. Many people today believe that Weishaupt recreated the society in America and that today it is the power behind all the world's governments and giant corporations.

Imam: (Arabic, "leader")

Leader of Muslim ritual prayers and, occasionally, a title for an authoritative religious scholar. By extension, this quranic term evolved to refer also to the overall head of the Muslim community. While Shia Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad designated Ali as the first Imam, initiating a tradition of hereditary succession, continuing leadership, and spiritual authority, Sunni Muslims have held to choice by consensus, citing the selection of Abu Bakr as the first caliph. Thus, the two groups have differed in history over the choice of the imam, his status, and the nature of his custodial role.

Imbolc:

Pagan holiday or Wiccan sabbat, celebrated on or about February. 2.

Immaculate Conception:

A Roman Catholic doctrine about Mary's sinlessness, declared as a divinely revealed dogma by Pope Pius IX (1854) that she was from conception, by the singular grace of God, free from all stain of original sin. The feast day is celebrated December 8.

Immortality:     

Life without death anytime in the future.  Not exactly the same as eternal.  Eternal means without being or end.  Immortal allows for a beginning.

Immutability:

Unchangeableness. That which is truly real.  God is immutable.  Immutability  means that God does not vary or change in any way.  Mormonism irnores the immutability of God and says that God was not always God, that he was once a man on another planet who became a God.

Inanna: (Sumerian, "Mistress of Heaven")

The Sumerian goddess of love and war, identified with the Akkadian Eshtar (Ishtar). Her name reflects her identity as Venus, both morning and evening star; her father is either the sky god or the moon god, her brother the sun god. Her main cult center was Uruk (biblical Erech), but her worship, as a hymn proclaims, was universal. Her character was complex: bloodthirsty warrior (battle was her dance), willful girl, fickle lover. She is married but also the harlot, and her cult seems to have been in part orgiastic, staffed by eunuchs, transvestites, and homosexuals.

Incantation:

The spoken part of a spell

Incarnation:      

In Christian theology, when God became a man, taking on the physical nature of Jesus, creating the second person of the Trinity, an addition of human nature to the nature of God. The doctrine is of vital importance to the Christian.  This doctrine says only God could pay for sins, therefore, God became man to die for our sins which is the atonement.  (Contrast with Kenosis.) 

Incense:

Aromatic herb or wood made into a fine powder to be burned for enjoyment of its pleasant fragrance; used as an offering at rituals or during religious ceremonies.

Incubus:

 

Indra: (Sanskit, "virile power")

Lord of heaven and king of the gods in Vedism and Hinduism. As the warrior god of the Indo-Aryans in their invasion of the Indian subcontinent, he is the supreme god of the Rig Veda, where he is invoked to help his human allies conquer their enemies, called Dasas ("slaves") or Panis, indigenous people assimilated to demons and said to have stolen cows from the Aryans and hidden them in a cave; in retrieving the cows, Indra also finds the sun. As god of rain, with the phallic thunderbolt for his weapon, he kills Vritra, the serpent demon of drought, and he is invoked for the fecundity of humans and animals. In later Hinduism he endures in mythology but is no longer worshiped.

Indulgence:

In Christianity, the remission of public penace imposed on a sinner by the church; in later Catholicism, the Church's remission of punishment in purgatory due to sin in view of prayers or good works done by a penitent. Misunderstandings and abuses of this practice were widely noted in the late Middle Ages and became one of the causes of the Protestant Reformation in sixteenth-century Germany.

Inerrancy, Biblical:    

The Christian belief that the Bible is free from error. In its most extreme form inerrancy insists that although the Bible is not primarily a book of history, geography, or science, when it speaks of these matters it is free from error of any sort. The contention is that if error is admitted at any point a similar claim could be made at every point. Total inerrancy is usually limited, in theory, to the original manuscripts (autographs), but in practice it is often applied to the particular translation used by a community committed to inerrancy, for example, the Vulgate for Roman Catholics until recently, and the King James Version for fundamentalist Protestants.   A more moderate form of inerrancy maintains that freedom of error is limited to matters of faith and practice, allowing for human conditioning with respect to historical, geographical, and scientific details that do not pertain to salvation. Proponents of this position sometimes adopt the term infallibility rather than inerrancy. This distinction is not used consistently. The notions of inerrancy or infallibility have direct import not only on theological issues but on the authority of the biblical texts for contemporary ethical and moral issues.

Infallibility: 

Roman Catholic doctrine, proclaimed at the First Vatican Council (1869-70) that an official proclamation directed to the entire Church by the pope on matters of faith and morals contains no errors.

Infant Baptism:

The practice within some Christian groups of baptizing newborn or young children, rather than only adults. When the child reaches the age of accountability, it must vow faith in Christ and commitment to the Christian church. Infant baptism has been a recurrent source of controversy in Christian history, especially during the time of the Reformation.

Infibulation:

A ritual sewing or stapling together of the labia of the genitals so as to prevent sexual intercourse. A feature in women's puberty ceremonies.

Infralapsarianism:     

An issue within Reformed Christian theology dealing predestination.  It tries to explain what may have happened in God's mind regarding the logical order of his considering whom to elect into salvation before the foundation of the world.  The word means "after the fall."  The position is that God first decided he would allow sin into the world and second that he would then save people from it.  By contrast, the supralapsarian ("before the fall") position holds that God first decided that he would save some people and then second that he would allow sin into the world.  

Initiation:

1)An event, or doorway, that acts as an expansion or transformation of a person's consciousness. An initiate's consciousness has to some degree been transformed so that he now perceives reality from a higher perspective. There are many types of initiation, either of spiritual or social nature. 2) a ritual that elevates an individual to a higher office in a social or religious organization .(See Spiritual  Initiation)

Inner Light:

Concept promulgated by Quaker theologian Robert Barclay (1648-90) in Apology for the True Christian Religion (1678). It is the certitude of inward knowledge and confidence in the Holy Spirit within the Christian that negates the need for or authority of external agencies, whether the sacraments, ordained ministry, or the Bible.

Inner Peace Movement:(IPM)

 IPM was founded in 1964 by Dr. Francisco Coll and others -  to help searchers  help themselves through the establishment of a clear two-way communication with their personal guides (or angels). 

Inner Self:

Refers to the inner divinity from which the being and personality evolve. The Unconscious, the Subconsicous, the Higher Self,  The Christ.

Inquisition:

A Roman Catholic tribunal that conducted ecclesiastical legal proceedings to identify and punish heretics. The first Inquisition was established in 1229.

Inquisition, Spanish:

A series of official Roman Catholic investigations, lasting from 1479 to 1814, to identify and condemn heretics, witches and Jewish or Muslim converts to Christianity who continued to practice their original religion. In the sixteenth century, its scope was expanded to include Protestants.

Inspiration:

The belief that   human actions of extraordinary insight, worth or power are due to inspiration - an inflow of psychic force,  life-giving breath. The idea of inspiration in Christian theology may be traced to Hebrew prophecy and to Greek philosophy. The most important theological problems of inspiration concern the subjects, the sources, the means and the criteria of true inspiration as distinguished from false, rather than the reality if inspiration itself.  The question of the proper subject of inspiration�whether a person, a community or a book may properly be said to be inspired�has been greatly confused in history by getting involved in the problem of church authority,. thus the doctrine of the inspiration of scriptures was largely developed to secure the Roman church against Protestantism when the Protestants made claims the inspiration for their special leaders The doctrine that ecumenical councils or popes are inspired when speaking on matters of faith and morals was developed partly to deal with the Protestants'  rigid scriptural �const itutionalism�. The problem of the source of inspiration was raised in Hebrew thought by the appearance of false prophecy, and by the consequent question for monotheism in what sense such inspiration came from God. In Christian theology the questions were to what extent the inspiring principle in the Godhead was distinct from the creating and redeeming principle, in what sense it proceeded from one or both of these. The question about the means of inspiration has been dealt with indirectly and in confusion with the question of subject and criteria. The orthodox Protestant and Catholic churches have emphasized the importance of Scriptures, of church discipline and instruction as the ordinary means through which inspiration comes. Mystic and sectarian groups have shown a larger interest in other means�asceticism, the practice of silence, etc. In the Protestant doctrine of the �testimony ~ the Holy Spirit�� which must accompany the reading of the word if there is to be true inspiration and in Roman as well as Eastern Catholic acceptance of monasticism the great churches have made some approach to the interests of the sects and mysticism  Among the criteria employed by religious thought to distinguish true from false inspiration the most important are: 1) the consistency of the product of inspiration not only in itself but also and primarily with accepted norms, i.e., with the moral laws, the �spirit of Jesus Christ,� the Scriptures, the common understanding of the community.  2) the test of true inspiration is the truth of prediction. This test, which the basis of  modern science, has been used apologetically rather than critically, to validate the inspiration of scriptures, as in the argument from prophecy�; 3) disinterestedness, that is the extent to which personal interests and opinions are absent or negated in the �inspired� utterance; in the extreme form, . 4) Intelligibility might be added as a fourth criterion of the validity of inspiration though not a test of its truth, since the unintelligible cannot be said to be true or false. . Also, the Protestant doctrine that the Bible was written by the influence of God. It is, therefore, without error. It is accurate and authoritatively represents God's teachings.   It is an illumination in that it shows us what we could not know apart from it. Believers know that the Bible is inspired, because it says so.

Institute of Noetic Sciences:

From Greek word nous, meaning �mind.� Founded by Edgar Mitchell in 1973 with 55,000 members worldwide.  Teaches and researches healing through mind power. 

Intention:

In magick and affirmation, the focus of the mind, the sense of purpose that leads to action.

Intercession:

The actions taken by one person on behalf of another, usually to rectify some form of religious offense.

Interconnectedness, Interdependence:

Words are used by New Agers to describe the oneness and essential unity of everything in the universe. All of reality is viewed as interdependent and interconnected.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness: (See ISKCON)

International Society of Divine Love:(ISDL)

Founded by H.D. Prakashanand Saraswati, Hindu-based organization teaching Bhakti  Yoga.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness:(ISKCON)

Founded by A.C. Bhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada. A Hindu  religion which worships Lord Krishna and uses the Bhagavad-Gita.

Investigative Judgment:

A unique doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. First taught in  by Hiram Edson, F.B. Hahn, and O.R.L. Crosier. it was accepted as doctrine after it was confirmed and taught in visions received by Ellen G. White.  The doctrine teaches that in the Holy of Holies in the Heavenly Sanctuary Christ is now conducting an investigation into the lives of all who have ever professed belief in him. He is judging all their works, by the standard of God�s Law. All those whose lives fail to measure up to the standard of the Law are rejected and condemned as not having true faith. Those whose lives meet that standard and thus manifest the perfect character and righteousness of Christ are recognized as having true faith, and so their sins are �blotted out.�  

Invocation:

The bringing of a divine power from the exterior into a ritual or magickal working through chant or prayer. An invocation is generally an acknowledgement of the deity and a request that they be present for the working.

Iridology:

A science developed by Ignatz Peczeky involving the study of the iris of the eye as a diagnostic tool to reveal health or disorders in the human body. It is based on the premise that the nerves, muscle fibers and blood vessels in the iris are connected to corresponding locations in the body.

Isa:

One of the characters, whose elements contributed to the building up of the myth of Jesus in the first centuries of the Christian era.

Ishtar: (Akkadian, "The goddessb Isis")

The goddess par excellence of the Sumero-Babylonian pantheon. She was fused with the Sumerian Inanna, "Lady of Heaven," and with the West Semitic Astarte (and Attar). Sexual and warlike, terrestrial and astral, Ishtar was associated with fertility and identified with the planet Venus.

Isis: (Greek, from  the Egyptian "Ast")

An ancient Egyptian goddess of great power, wife and sister of Osiris and mother of Horus. After Osiris's murder by Seth, she collected his dismembered body and through her magic restored him to life in the hereafter. She was best known as a protective Mother Goddess, depicted as a falcon or a woman with outstretched wings. (See Goddess, Nepthys)

ISKCON: 

Acronym for International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Islam: 

A world religion based on the teachings and life of Muhammad (570-632 AD) in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia (then Persia). Islam is the second largest world religion, and has recently become the third largest religious body in America.  Islam is composed of two major divisions � the mainstream Sunni (the largest) and the more radical Shi�ites.  The mystical tradition of Sufism includes many Sunnis and some Shi�ites.  The Arabic word Islam means �submission to the will of God� and a person who submits is called a Muslim.  The Quran (or, Koran), the Torah, the Psalms of the Old Testament, and the Gospel of the New Testament are regarded as holy books.  However, only the Quran is considered uncorrupted.  While many Muslims exhibit tolerance towards other faiths, even today Islamic fundamentalism promotes jihad (holy war), against those of other religious and political views.

Issa:

One of the characters, whose elements contributed to the building up of the myth of Jesus in the first centuries of the Christian era.