Spiritual Words and their Meanings
A glossary that has been specifically developed to help with your spiritual development
I thought you might find it helpful to have a glossary of words and terms that are used throughout Transcend posts to support your spiritual development and growth.
Please feel free to refer back to this list at any anytime and if there is anything missing from the list, put it in the comments and I’ll add it.
Warmly, with Love and Light.
Enjoy.
A
Astral body: The astral body takes the same image as the physical body but is formed of finer matter. This is the link between cosmic energy and the nervous system. A subtle counterpart of the physical human body accompanying but not usually separated from it in life and surviving its death
Aura: The aura is the energy field that resides in all living beings. Some are born with the ability to perceive auras. When seen, auras sometimes appear as colours that reveal an individual’s spiritual and emotional personality. It can also appear as a bright light around living being.
Avatar: An avatar is a person who had been born as a god and therefore is not in need of spiritual training.
Astral realm or plane: The place where a persons spirit goes after dying. It is a place of existence inhabited by astral bodies. It is located directly above the earth.
Astral projection: Astral projection, is a term used to describe an out-of-body experience that assumes the existence of a subtle body called an "astral body" through which consciousness can function separately from the physical body and travel throughout the astral plane.
B
Body-Mind centering: A movement-reeducation approach that explores how the body’s systems contribute to movement and self-awareness. The approach also emphasizes movement patterns that develop during infancy and childhood. Incorporates guided movement, exercise, imagery, and hands-on work.
Buddhi: Inner wisdom or intellect.
C
Chakra: There are seven main chakras in the body and they are energy centers. They are located in the crown of the forehead, between eyebrows, in the neck, heart, navel, genitals, and rectum. They are linked to different mental states and colors. The word derives from “Chakra” which, translated from Sanskrit, means “Wheel.”
Chi: The universal lifeforce that forms the basis of traditional Eastern medicine and Taoist principles.
D
Determinism: The philosophical assumption is that all behaviour and observable events have been caused.
Dualism: In philosophy and theology, a system that explains all phenomena in terms of two distinct and irreducible principles, e.g., ideas and matter (as in Plato, Aristotle, and modern metaphysics) or mind and matter (as in psychology). In theology, the term refers to a concept of opposing principles, e.g., good and evil.
E
Ego: A person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
Enlightenment: Awakening /becoming enlightened to ultimate truth (in Buddhism). Or, in Hinduism, the state of divine experience is represented by the god Vishnu. This is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. Perhaps the most famous example is the Buddha, who achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Extraterrestrial: In or coming from a place outside the planet Earth.
Ethereal body: The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, a name given by neo-Theosophy to a vital body or subtle body propounded in esoteric philosophies as the first or lowest layer in the "human energy field" or aura. It is said to be in immediate contact with the physical body, to sustain it and connect it with "higher" bodies.
F
Feng Shui: Ancient Chinese spiritual art form which integrates spirituality into decoration and environment.
G
Guru: A spiritual master.
H
Holistic/Wholistic: An adjective that means targeted to the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. Wholistic medicine considers not only physical health but also the emotional, spiritual, social, and mental well-being of the person.
K
Karma: In Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, Karma is the idea that this life is the result of mental and physical actions in previous lives. In the modern day, it is often used to mean that good or bad actions in the past have led to certain consequences.
Kundalini: Derived from Sanskrit to mean “Coiled.” Refers to the psychic energy in our being that is dormant at the base of the spine and which may be activated through specific practices.
L
Lucid dream: A lucid dream is a type of dream in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is not actually necessary for a dream to be described as lucid.
M
MANTRA: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the mystic words are used in rituals and meditation. It is believed to have the power to bring into being the reality it represents. The use of such mantras usually requires initiation by a guru or spiritual teacher.
Meditation: The action or practice of meditating. A core technique in Buddhism and Hinduism, and general health practice. Discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practise gained greater notice in the postwar U.S. as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; known to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. Enhances recuperation and improves the body’s resistance to disease.
Medium: The practice of being the communication point between a deceased person (or animal) and a living being.
Mindfulness: A type of meditation originating in Buddhism. The practice of being consciously aware of the present moment in a non-judgmental fashion. Rapidly growing as a general health practice.
N
Namaste: A spiritual word derived from Hinduism. Used to greet someone. Translated, meaning “I see the sacred in you.”
Non-physical: Having no body, form or substance.
O
Om: The primordial sound and the root of sounds and letters.
Oneness: The realization and condition of being in a state of oneness with all reality. Cessation of self.
P
Prana: The breath that sustains life. Prana is the essential energy that sustains life. In Yoga, the cosmic life force. Often called ‘Chi.’ Prana enters through the mouth and nose and fills the body, sustaining life.
S
Shaman: Among tribal peoples, a magician, medium, or healer the Sharman owes his powers to mystical communion with the spirit world. Characteristically, a shaman goes into auto-hypnotic trances, during which he contacts spirits. Shamans are found among the Siberians, Eskimos, and Native American tribes, in S.E. Asia, and in Oceania.
Spirit: The non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.
Spiritism or Spiritualism: The belief is that the human soul survives death and can communicate with the living through a medium sensitive to its’ vibrations. The communication may be psychic, as in clairvoyance or trance speaking, or physical, as in automatic writing or ectoplasmic materializations.
Spiritual/Shamanic Healing: Practitioners regard themselves as conductors of healing energy or sources from the spiritual realm. Both may call upon spiritual helpers such as power animals, angels, inner teachers, the client’s Higher Self, or other spiritual forces. Both forms of healing can be used for a range of emotional and physical illnesses.
T
Third Eye: One of the chakras activated by meditation. Activation of the third eye chakra leads to improved clairvoyance.
If you would like to add a spiritual word or phrase to this list, please put it in the comments below and I’ll add it. This list will be continually updated.
Look out for the next post from me. And don't forget to leave your comments and questions below.
As we journey together.
Sheila