![Esoteric Lore]( "Esoteric Lore") | Esoteric Lore
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 | Shiva Lingams
Shiva Lingam
The non anthropomorphic Lingam form of Shiva is what is held in reverence in temples all over the sub continent. The Lingam is a symbol. It is a symbol of that which is invisible yet omnipresent. It is hence a visible symbol of the Ultimate Reality which is present in us (and in all objects of creation).
The Shiva lingam denotes the primeval energy of the Creator. It is believed that at the end of all creation, during the great deluge, all of the different aspects of God find a resting place in the Lingam; Brahma is absorbed into the right, Vishnu to the left and Gayatri into the heart. The Shiva lingam is also a representation of the infinite Cosmic Column of fire, whose origins, Vishnu and Brahma were unable to trace.
Legend has it that Parvati fashioned a Shiva lingam with a fistful of sand at Kanchipuram and worshipped Shiva; this lingam is known as the Prithvilingam, denoting the primordial element earth. Shiva lingams in several temples are swayambus, or that which appeared on their own, or that which is untouched by a chisel. On the other hand, there are temples where the Shivalingam is carved out of stone and installed. The highly polished Shivalingams of the Pallava period bear several stripes, as in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram.
The Shiva lingam is generally mounted on a circular or quadrangular receptacle called the Avudaiyar. This pedestal is designed so as to drain off the water offered during ablution ceremonies. In temples such as Kanchipuram, abhishekam is offered only to the pedestal and not to the Shiva lingam made of sand. The bottom of the pedestal represents Brahma, the octagonal middle represents Vishnu and the upper circular portion represents Shiva. The upper portion of the Shiva lingam may be of various shapes, cylindrical, elliptical, umbrella shaped. Images may also be (rarely) carved on a Shiva lingam.
Nandi, the bull is depicted facing the sanctum in all Saivite temples, symbolizing the human soul Jeevatma yearning for realizing its oneness with Paramatma, the ultimate reality.
Typically, the processional bronze images of Shiva are those of Somaskanda, Chandrasekhara, Bhikshatana and Nataraja. Although in most Shiva temples, the central shrine enshrining the Shiva lingam is of the greatest importance, the Nataraja shrine is of greater importance at Chidambaram, the Somaskandar - Tyagarajar shrine is of greater significance at Tiruvarur.
Aum Namah Shiva
© Brilliant Gems 2002
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Pendulums I
Divining and Healing.
Pendulums have been used for centuries by people concerned with the unknown, for matters that the eye cannot see. From finding lost items to magical energy fields known as ley lines, to hidden wells of water deep beneath the earth. They have also been used by more spiritual people to divine future events, to answer questions where a yes or no answer will guide and also for the healing of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies. This article is primarily concerned with the later as this is the field I specialise in, but will also cover the basics of how to use a pendulum for all the above as well.
Divining.
Before anyone can begin to dowse they must first choose for themselves the right dowser/pendulum. But which is the right dowser for me? And how do I know it is right for me? These questions I hear every day and are very easy to answer, firstly always trust your intuition to help you choose the pendulum for you. You will instinctively know which one you will like out of the selection you see before you at the crystal shop; we at StoneAge have a vast selection of pendulums and always find one to suit every body's uniqueness. If you cannot see one that appeals to you then just try them all out!! Pick one up and play with it, then the next and so on until you find one that reacts the best for you. So after picking the one that " jumps out at you " the most, or that responds the best by moving about, the first thing to do is to find out how it will "talk" to you. This may sound absurd at first but after a few minutes of your effort you will soon see for yourselves that the pendulum seems to have a life of its own.
So when you have your dowser, allow yourself to relax and just let the pendulum hang freely. Voice to yourself or say out loud "Please give me a motion for yes". There are three distinct types of motion dowsers can make:-
i) They can move in circular motion, clockwise or anti- clockwise. This is the motion for my yes answer, but remember, it is different for every body.
ii) Backwards and forwards in a straight line. This is the motion to answer no to my question.
iii) The dowser jiggles on the end of the chain but does little else. This kind of motion is significant when tuning a dowser into an object.
Ok when this is ascertained (be patient this may take a little while as you may not be used to channelling this kind of energy), you are ready to begin. The first obvious question is; "Is this pendulum the right one for me?" This should confirm your intuitive choice, or if you are trying many out will lead to the right one! From here on in you can make your own path, as your own personnel and unique style will mould the way your dowsing skill will develop, over the years that you practice at asking questions. Good uses are for finding out allergies, choosing aromatherapy oils, herbs, or crystals that would work best with you. Career moves, financial decisions and directions in life can all be confirmed with a dowser to give you that edge in decision-making. Healing.
What is little known is that a pendulum is not only great for divining, but when made in gemstones have a great healing effect on the body, mind and spirit. This I will go into with more depth in Part II. : Happy healing!
A wide selection of pendulums are available on this site please CLICK HERE to buy one.
© Brilliant Gems 2002
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 | Pendulums II
Healing
Hello and welcome to part II of working with Pendulums. In this section I will be discussing how to use pendulums for healing. So how do we use a pendulum for healing? I may hear you ask. Well it's simple and effective, and for those of you who already have an understanding of how to use a crystal for healing, will find these techniques very easy to apply and practise.
The Chakras.
The human body has seven energy centres or chakras. To refresh your memories they run down the centre column of the body starting at the root (muladara) chakra found at the base of the spine (depicted by the colour ray red), running up to the top of the head or the crown (sarahasrara) chakra (depicted by the colour ray violet, or bright white light). These energy centres open us to the universal energies all around us, from Heavenly influence to Earthly influence, changing our feelings, emotions and moods of the day all our lives. When these channels or doorways become blocked, "locked", closed or just over-stressed due to city life, the connection with the Heavenly and Earthly divine energies becomes obscure or even non-active. This leads to dis-ease of mind, which then leads on to disease of the body. This can however be remedied with correct use of crystal healing, which is holistic, as not only can crystal healing cure illness that is fully blown, it is also preventative, stopping any ailment from arising before the symptoms start to show.
The Pendulum.
Now we come to the fun part, practically applying crystal therapy to the body using a pendulum. Firstly it is always better to do this for someone else rather than our selves, as it is good for the patient to be relaxed and still, preferably laying down as this posture allows the spine to be straight and the chakras free from obstruction, (this just adds to the fun!!). So with your friend laying down in a draught free, warm room ask them to gently close their eyes and to relax. Playing peaceful background music can be conducive to the healing session, as this always helps set the scene and to relax the whole situation. When they have become still hold your chosen pendulum over the root chakra about an inch above the physical body, and just allow the pendulum to do as it wishes, turning and moving. The pendulum will be doing its work depending on which gem stone you use. I advise you use three pendulums (1) Rose Quartz for cleansing and purifying the chakra with unconditional love. (2) Clear Quartz for opening and activating the energy centres with divine bright light & (3) Amethyst for soothing the chakras and creating a protective energy around them. When you feel the root chakra has received enough healing (don't forget if you are not sure about this, ask the pendulum, as discussed in Part I, but usually 5 to 10 minutes is long enough), move the pendulum up to the next energy centre (chakra) this would be the sacral plexus or svadhisthana chakra, and allow the chakra to come to rest, or constant state of motion depending on how it feels! Then once again when the time is right move up to the next chakra manipura, and carry on this process all the way to the top of the chakra system, the crown sarahasrara. When you reach the crown you can change pendulums and do the process again until the three different types of gemstone pendulums have been used on every centre. By then the patient should be in a very open relaxed state of mind, feeling free of all worries and tensions of the day. Do make sure that no disturbance could interfere with the therapy session, by taking the phone of the hook, turning the doorbell off and making sure no one else is due to come around at that time, as loud or sudden noise can be quite a jolt to a person in this open state of deeply relaxed mind. When you are quite happy that all the chakras have been exposed long enough to the influence of the gem stone pendulums (ask the pendulum itself if you are unsure about this) allow the person to come around in their own time, gently opening their eyes at first then moving a finger or two, then ask them to roll onto their side before sitting up, using the hands and arms to help them so that no strain is put on the back. It is also a good idea to then pass them a piece of Smokey Quartz to ground themselves or even include this in the pendulum healing with an earthy pendulum (Agate, Jasper, Smokey quartz or Black tourmaline) at the end of the session held over the root (base of the spine) chakra before they come around.
Conclusion
After the therapy it is always fun to chat about the therapy, so that you both share your feelings and experiences of the healing session, as this can help shed light on any problems that might be underlying in the individuals state of health. Also then you can swap around, taking it in turns to receive healing from each other using the gem stone pendulums, such that both friends are giving and receiving energy to create a healthy flow of energy between yourselves. You may also like to experiment with these techniques and develop your own styles of pendulum healing unique to you, maybe with different gem stones used or by asking questions about the individuals state of health at each chakra, enabling a deeper insight to each others needs and requirements. Play and enjoy!! Most importantly make healing fun!! Until next time best wishes, and good-bye for now.
A wide selection of pendulums are available on this site please CLICK HERE to buy one.
© Brilliant Gems 2002
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Angels
Angels
Ever since man has had a belief in a higher force or God, that influences our lives, that can be called upon in times of hardship through prayer or chanting sacred mantras, there have been the messengers.
Angel is derived from Latin angelus; Greek aggelos; from the Hebrew for "one going" or "one sent"; messenger, so the power that we perceived as all pervading had messengers or as we call them Angels to bring to Earth and our ears the word of God. The angels are represented throughout the Bible as a body of spiritual beings intermediate between God and men: "You have made him (man) a little less than the angels" (Psalm 8:6). Visions of Angels have been reported by many people and now more than ever there is a revival in the belief of Angels as more and more people experience these visitations. Usually the visitations last only for the duration of the message, and once this has been relayed they appear to vanish! But many experience the presence of angels in their lives acting as guardians, protecting them through all kinds of mishaps.
Traditionally there are 3 Hierarchy of Angels. The first hierarchy consisted of the Seraphim and the Cherubim followed by the Thrones. The second Hierarchy are the Powers, Dominions and Principalities. The third hierarchy was seen as the realm of Virtues, Archangels and Angels.
During the Middle Ages these levels were reconsidered and changes were made. The first Hierarchy became the angels known as Seraphim, Cherubim and Archangels. The Second Hierarchy was seen as Dominions, Virtues, Principalities, Rulers, Authorities, Powers and Thrones. The third Heirarchy was seen as the Angels. These Angels are associated to different realms of Heaven called Spheres . The angels of the first sphere were thought to serve as heavenly counselors.
Seraphim
The Seraphim are the highest order of angels, serving as the caretakers of God's throne and continuously singing his praises. It is said that they surround the throne of God, singing the music of the spheres and regulating the movement of the heavens as it emanates from God.
Cherubim
The Cherubim are beyond the throne of God; they are the guardians of light and of the stars. It is believed that, although they are remote from men's plane of reality, their light still touch their lives; the divine light that they filter down from Heaven. The Cherubim are thought by some as an order or class of angels, though others hold them to be a higher class of heavenly beings than angels. Their rank among angels is uncertain, but they are always categorized in the First Sphere.
Archangels
The Archangels are usually considered the lowest order of the First Sphere; these angels tend the larger arenas of human endeavor and act as the administrative leaders of the Heavenly beings. An archangel is usually given a task of great importance to men. However, the Archangels lie just above the lowest of the angel orders, the common Angels.
The Second Sphere Angels are those who work as heavenly governors.
Dominions
The Dominions, also known as the Hashmallim, hold the task of regulating the duties of lower angels. They receive their orders from the Seraphim, the Cherubim or God Himself, and are responsible for ensuring that the cosmos remains in order. It is only with extreme rarity that the dominions make themselves physically known to mortals, instead quietly concerning themselves with the details of existence.
Powers
The Powers are angelic beings shaped like hazy fumes in bright colors. They are the bearers of conscience and the keepers of history. The angels of birth and death are in this category. They are academically driven, and are concerned with ideology, philosophy, theology, religion, and documents pertaining to those studies. Powers are the brain trusts: a group of experts who serve as advisers and policy planners. Their duty is to oversee the distribution of power among mankind, hence their name.
Rulers and Authorities
These two types of angels are equal in power and authority. Rulers develop ideologies, while Authorities write the documents and doctrines. Both Powers and Rulers are involved in formulating ideologies; the difference is Powers are all encompassing, and Rulers are more focused on specific lines of thought. Authorities specialize in putting those ideas into print and in producing actual documents.
Thrones
The Thrones are angelic beings shaped like shiny orbs of shifting colors. Their duty is to carry the throne of God around in paradise, hence their name.They are the companion angels of the planets. Thrones are fully equal in authority and power in comparison to the Powers. However, Thrones are politically, militarily and economically oriented, and their main concerns revolve around people and world events. Thrones have authority over major divisions of the world.
Principalities
The Principalities are angelic beings shaped like rays of light. They lie beyond the group of archangels. They are the guardian angels of nations and countries, and are concerned with the issues and events surrounding these, including politics, military matters, commerce and trade. One of their duties is to choose who among humanity will rule.
Virtues, Fortresses and Strongholds
The Virtues, also called Fortresses or Strongholds, lie beyond the Thrones and are equal to the Principalities. Their task is to oversee groups of people. They are shaped like sparks of light that inspire humanity to many things, may it be art or science. It is unclear where the name of this order originated from. The Third Sphere Angels are those who function as heavenly messengers.
Angels
The Angels are the lowest order of the angels, and the most familiar to men. They are the ones most concerned with human affairs. Within the category of angels, there are many different kinds, with different functions. The angels are sent as messengers to men.
Hopefully this will help to clarify for many people the type of visitations they have experienced. In these unclear and difficult days for the world it is clear why the Angels are starting to re-connect with humanity, that hopefully the light of God that they emanate will bring peace and order once again to the world.
A wide selection of Angel pendants are available on this site please CLICK HERE to buy one.
© Brilliant Gems 2005
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 | Aum
The Aum
As the cross is to Christians, the Om is to Hindus. It is by far the most important symbol in Hinduism, it occurs in every prayer and invocation to most deities begins with it. As the symbol of piety, Om is often found at the head of letters, pendants, enshrined in every Hindu temple and family shrines. This symbol is actually a sacred syllable representing the Absolute the source of all existence. The Absolute in itself, is incomprehensible so a symbol becomes mandatory to help us realize the Unknowable. The syllable Om occurs even in English words having a similar meaning, for instance, 'omniscience', 'omnipotent', 'omnipresent'. Thus Om is also used to signify divinity and authority. Its similarity with the Latin 'M' as also to the Greek letter 'Omega' is discernable. Even the word 'Amen' used by Christians to conclude a prayer seems to be akin to Om.
The Aum or Om symbol comes from ancient Sanskrit and is one of the oldest names for God in any written language. It has various meanings. The Om is a well-known sound mantra or chant, as the devotees would chant the name of god over and over again, From The Bhagavad-Gita Ch.10, Verse 25 The Blessed Lord said: "Among words, I am the one syllable AUM"
The Aum or Om is chanted in 4 stages, from the lower lungs and abdomen we start with the ah then raising the sound up the wind pipe to the back of the throat to create an ou then bringing the sound forwards to the lips to create mm and finally bringing the attention to the bridge of the nose with a ngh sound that rises up to the forehead. Ah-Ou-Mm-Ngh or Aum. The mystics would chant this ancient sound, raising their own consciousness as they did so, and at the same time planting the image of their desire within their foreheads that it might come to be. Wearing or carrying the sacred image of the Aum was seen to be auspicious, as it would bring the user closer to the divine, as well as protecting and aiding you through life. The Om is written in 3 curves a separate semi curve and a dot.
The large lower curve 1 symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common state of the human consciousness.
The upper curve 2 denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream. The middle curve 3 (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds an enthralling view of the world behind the lids of the eyes.
These are the three states of an individual's consciousness, and since Indian mystic thought believes the entire manifested reality to spring from this consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon. The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence this utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states.
The semi circle 4 symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. Thus it is the illusion of maya that prevents us from the realization of this highest state of bliss. The semi circle is open at the top, and does not touch the dot. This means that this highest state is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. This effect is that of preventing the seeker from reaching his ultimate goal, the realization of the One, all-pervading, un-manifest, absolute principle. In this manner, the form of OM represents the un-manifest and the manifest.
The word AUM is not invented by any man. It is the primordial and uncreated sound, which is heard by mystics absorbed in contemplation, when their minds and senses are withdrawn from the world. It is said that all the sounds from within the universe come together to create one sound and this sound is Aum. In fact in recent years NASA recorded the sound that our Planet Earth makes while orbiting the Sun and it is exactly AUM!
Other ways to work with the AUM are to focus on the different aspects as follows:-
A stands for Creation.
U stands for Preservation.
And finally
M stands for Destruction or dissolution.
From this we can focus our attention to the different capabilities of the mind, to create, preserve or to destroy!
Aum Mani Mani Padme Aum
A wide selection of Aum pendants are available on this site please CLICK HERE to buy one.
© Brilliant Gems 2002
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