Some Contemplative Terms and What they Mean
Aug 26, 2013 21:55:21 GMT -5
Post by schwartzie on Aug 26, 2013 21:55:21 GMT -5
Some Contemplative Terms and What they Mean
In order to help others who might be involved with some form of mysticism, it is important to be aware of these terms and understand their basic meanings:
Altered State of Consciousness
A meditative or drug induced non-ordinary state of mind.
Ancient Wisdom
The supposed laws of the Universe that, when mastered, enable one to see one’s own divinity–another word for metaphysics or occultism.
Aquarius/Aquarian Age
Sign of the Zodiac represented by the water carrier, Earth Age, associated with this astrological sign. The term New Age refers to the coming Aquarian age which is in the process of replacing the Pisces age. According to astrologers, every 2,000 years constitutes an age. New Agers predict this Aquarian age will be a time of utopia.
Biblical Meditation or Contemplation
A normal thinking process of reflecting on the things of God and biblical precepts.
Centering/Centering Prayer
Another term for contemplative meditation (going deep within your center). A type of meditation being promoted in many mainline churches under the guise of prayer.
Chakras
Believed by New Agers to be the seven energy centers in man which open up during the kundalini effect in meditation.
Christ consciousness
Taught by New Agers to be the state of awareness, reached in meditation, in which one realizes that one is divine and one with God and thereby becoming a Christ or an enlightened being.
Contemplative Prayer
Going beyond thought by the use of repeated words or phrases.
Creative Visualization
Imaging in the mind, during meditation, what you want to occur and then expecting it to happen. In simple terms, you are creating your own reality.
Desert Fathers
Monks who lived as hermits beginning around the third century who first taught the practice of contemplative prayer.
Ecstasy (or Bliss)
The hoped for outcome of contemplative prayer or mediation
False Self
The false self is the ego or personality that is observable by others. One rids oneself of the false self to find the true self through mantra-meditation. New Agers would consider people like Buddha, Ghandi, and even Jesus Christ as examples of people who found their true self.
Higher Self
Supposed God-self within that New Agers seek to connect with through meditation. Also called the Christ-self or True-self.
Interspirituality
The view that all the world's religions are identical at the mystical level and therefore there should be solidarity among them.
Jesus Prayer
A popular version of this prayer is Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner, often abbreviated to Jesus.
Kundalini
Powerful energy that is brought on through meditation, associated with the Chakras.
Lectio Divina
Means sacred reading. In today’s contemplative movement, it often involves taking a single word or small phrase from Scripture and repeating the words over and over again.
Mantra
Word or words repeated either silently or verbally to induce an altered state of consciousness.
Meditation
Meditation is practiced by all major world religions and is often described as an essential discipline for spiritual growth. Yet, like mysticism, there is great diversity in the practice of meditation. While some see mediation as simply spending time thinking quietly about life or about God, others use meditation techniques to experience altered states of consciousness that allow them to have esoteric experiences. In addition, meditation is promoted in secular society for the personal benefits of health, relaxation, and improved productivity.
Metaphysical
Beyond the physical realm or pertaining to the supernatural.
Mysticism
A direct experience of the supernatural realm.
New Age
The Age of Aquarius, supposedly the Golden Age, when man becomes aware of his power and divinity.
New Thought
A movement that tries to merge classic occult concepts with Christian terminology.
Occult/Occultism
Kept secret or hidden; the practice of metaphysics throughout history.
Pantheism
God is all things. The universe and all life are connected in a sum. This sum is the total reality of God. Thus, man, animals, plants, and all physical matter are seen as equal. The assumption - all is one, therefore all is deity.
Panentheism
God is in all things. In panentheism God is both personal and is also in all of creation. It is a universal view that believes God is in all people and that someday all of God's creation will be saved and be one with Him.
Reiki
Spiritual energy that is channeled by one attuned to the Reiki power. Literally translated God energy.
Sacred Space
Either a physical spot where one goes to engage in a mystical practice or the actual silence or the state of being during the mystical experience.
Spiritual Formation
The teaching and application of the spiritual disciplines; a vehicle for contemplative prayer
The silence
Absence of normal thought.
Spiritual Director
One who promotes or trains people in the spiritual disciplines including the silence.
Universalism
The belief that all humanity has or will ultimately have a positive connection and relationship with God.
For more terms, click here.
In order to help others who might be involved with some form of mysticism, it is important to be aware of these terms and understand their basic meanings:
Altered State of Consciousness
A meditative or drug induced non-ordinary state of mind.
Ancient Wisdom
The supposed laws of the Universe that, when mastered, enable one to see one’s own divinity–another word for metaphysics or occultism.
Aquarius/Aquarian Age
Sign of the Zodiac represented by the water carrier, Earth Age, associated with this astrological sign. The term New Age refers to the coming Aquarian age which is in the process of replacing the Pisces age. According to astrologers, every 2,000 years constitutes an age. New Agers predict this Aquarian age will be a time of utopia.
Biblical Meditation or Contemplation
A normal thinking process of reflecting on the things of God and biblical precepts.
Centering/Centering Prayer
Another term for contemplative meditation (going deep within your center). A type of meditation being promoted in many mainline churches under the guise of prayer.
Chakras
Believed by New Agers to be the seven energy centers in man which open up during the kundalini effect in meditation.
Christ consciousness
Taught by New Agers to be the state of awareness, reached in meditation, in which one realizes that one is divine and one with God and thereby becoming a Christ or an enlightened being.
Contemplative Prayer
Going beyond thought by the use of repeated words or phrases.
Creative Visualization
Imaging in the mind, during meditation, what you want to occur and then expecting it to happen. In simple terms, you are creating your own reality.
Desert Fathers
Monks who lived as hermits beginning around the third century who first taught the practice of contemplative prayer.
Ecstasy (or Bliss)
The hoped for outcome of contemplative prayer or mediation
False Self
The false self is the ego or personality that is observable by others. One rids oneself of the false self to find the true self through mantra-meditation. New Agers would consider people like Buddha, Ghandi, and even Jesus Christ as examples of people who found their true self.
Higher Self
Supposed God-self within that New Agers seek to connect with through meditation. Also called the Christ-self or True-self.
Interspirituality
The view that all the world's religions are identical at the mystical level and therefore there should be solidarity among them.
Jesus Prayer
A popular version of this prayer is Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner, often abbreviated to Jesus.
Kundalini
Powerful energy that is brought on through meditation, associated with the Chakras.
Lectio Divina
Means sacred reading. In today’s contemplative movement, it often involves taking a single word or small phrase from Scripture and repeating the words over and over again.
Mantra
Word or words repeated either silently or verbally to induce an altered state of consciousness.
Meditation
Meditation is practiced by all major world religions and is often described as an essential discipline for spiritual growth. Yet, like mysticism, there is great diversity in the practice of meditation. While some see mediation as simply spending time thinking quietly about life or about God, others use meditation techniques to experience altered states of consciousness that allow them to have esoteric experiences. In addition, meditation is promoted in secular society for the personal benefits of health, relaxation, and improved productivity.
Metaphysical
Beyond the physical realm or pertaining to the supernatural.
Mysticism
A direct experience of the supernatural realm.
New Age
The Age of Aquarius, supposedly the Golden Age, when man becomes aware of his power and divinity.
New Thought
A movement that tries to merge classic occult concepts with Christian terminology.
Occult/Occultism
Kept secret or hidden; the practice of metaphysics throughout history.
Pantheism
God is all things. The universe and all life are connected in a sum. This sum is the total reality of God. Thus, man, animals, plants, and all physical matter are seen as equal. The assumption - all is one, therefore all is deity.
Panentheism
God is in all things. In panentheism God is both personal and is also in all of creation. It is a universal view that believes God is in all people and that someday all of God's creation will be saved and be one with Him.
Reiki
Spiritual energy that is channeled by one attuned to the Reiki power. Literally translated God energy.
Sacred Space
Either a physical spot where one goes to engage in a mystical practice or the actual silence or the state of being during the mystical experience.
Spiritual Formation
The teaching and application of the spiritual disciplines; a vehicle for contemplative prayer
The silence
Absence of normal thought.
Spiritual Director
One who promotes or trains people in the spiritual disciplines including the silence.
Universalism
The belief that all humanity has or will ultimately have a positive connection and relationship with God.
For more terms, click here.
