Spirituality - Philosophy for the ages
Part of spiritual growth and evolution is being open minded to the benefits and detriments of spiritual teachings.
Understanding doesn?t only lead you to see yourself but importantly opens you to a world of forgiveness, acceptance
and inner peace.
God is decribed by many in differnt terms such as; "The Supreme Being," "Higher Power," "Love," or to some "Non-Existent".
There is no doubt concepts of God are shaped by your upbringing, your family?s beliefs, your schooling, your environment -
geographically, economically or politically. These concepts are wide and varied from an Atheist?s view of no God, to a
Pagan?s view of many gods, to the belief that there?s a superhuman-type God or "God Head" overseeing and orchestrating our very
earthly existance. Many also see a God that is Universal Love in all of us.
Religon has been the cause of much war and terror -
practising evil in the name of religon is not what we pronounce as spiritual health! Mental and emotional health also are important
in achieving spiritual health. Through history people sick mentally or emotionally have fallen prey to people preying on them
and have used religon as a guise. Sadly through the history of mankind leaders and followers
of major religons have gone off what the original teachings pronounced. To flourish within the circle of life it is
essential that we are healthy in all quadrants of our health: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual. Through KnovaLife?s workshops and seminars on spiritual health our
teachers are practitioners of spiritual strength be it through religon or nature. The key is being aware to be healthy!
In this section we look at the different Religons of the World, their histories, their intentions and their perceived strengths and weaknesses in achieving
spiritual health.
Religious Philosophies
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gotama, the historical Buddha, was an actual man born in India 2500 years ago.
At age 29 he began his quest to know, understand and solve the problem of suffering in life.
He sought understanding and release from suffering through extreme bodily deprivation and meditation. He realized that the way to enlightenment was not through depriving the body as he had been
attempting, nor through
the pampering of his former palace life. Balance was necessary. The way to truth must be a middle way between the two extremes. One must
be healthy and strong in order to learn.
The Buddha continued to wander and teach until he died at age 80. But this was only a beginning.
Click on Buddha?s icon on the left to learn how to achieve your Mind, Body and Spirit Connection.
Christianity
Christianity began over 2000 years ago with the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. From the teachings of Jesus and his disciples
Christianity has spread throughout the world through a number of denominations. There are inspiring people all around from Biblical stories and Judeo-Christian ideaology
has been used to shape many of the laws and regulations in the Western World. Many of the "good" Christian virtues are espoused daily
in the modern world - how many are practised?
An important part
of spiritual growth is being inspired but even more so being able to inspire others.
Through our capsules you will find and develop inspiration yourself and learn how to become an inspiration
to others.
Click on the Cross icon on the left to learn about Christianity.
Hinduism
Hinduism differs from Christianity and other western religions in that it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a
single system of morality, or a central religious organization. It consists of ?thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in
India since 1500 BC?.
Strictly speaking, Hinduism is a
henotheistic religion -- a religion which recognizes a single deity, but which recognizes other gods
and goddesses as facets or manifestations or aspects of that supreme God.
Yoga and Meditation is often practiced and are important parts of Hindu life and teachings.
Hinduism has a deserved reputation of being highly tolerant of other religions.
Click on the Shiva icon on the left to learn more.
Islam
Muhammad the founder of Islam was born into the trading society of Mecca in 570.
Around 610, Muhammad claimed that after meditating in the desert God had
revealed many messages to him concerning life. These revelations came from the angel Gabriel, who Muhammad claimed God had used to call him to
publish his religion.
After these experiences in the desert, Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God with the great desire to guide others by God?s message.
Muhammad?s revelations were written shortly after his death and they are now called the Qur?an.
Islam sees humans as the most special of all Allah?s creation.
The straight path is that of the prophets - a lineage which includes Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
Click on the Islam icon on the left to learn more.
Judaism
Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths and it is the anchor of Jewish faith. It affirms the existence of one God,
Yahweh,
who entered into a covenant with the descendants of Abraham, God?s chosen people. In a "wide sense", "Judaism" is the sum of the descendants
of Abraham. In a "strict sense", "Jew", comes from "Judah", the 4th of the 12 tribes of Israel, first used in 2 Kings 16:6, to mean "the
citizens of Judah". In Jeremiah means the "members of Israel", the Southern Kingdom. In the exile "a religious meaning was added",
with the distinction between "Jew" and "Gentile". There are inspiring people all around from Biblical stories. Today Judaism has three main expressions;
Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.
Click on the Judaic icon on the left to learn more.
Paganism
Paganism has developed alongside mankind for thousands of years; as cultures have changed so has Paganism, yet it is grounded in deep-rooted
genetic memories that go back to pre-Neolithic times. Thus Paganism is not just a nature religion but a
natural religion,
a religion of place, or a native religion. All Pagan religions are characterized by a connection and reverence for nature and live their lives attuned to the cycles of Nature, the seasons, life and death, and are usually polytheistic i.e. have many Gods and/or Goddesses. Nature is seen as female, often called Mother Earth or Gaia she is seen as the creator and sustainer of life, the mother of us all. Occult forms in the West include; Wicca, Druidism, and Shamanism.
Click on the Pagan icon on the left to learn more.
Taoism
Taoism is based on the,
?Classic of Tao and Its Virtue.? by Tao Te Ching.; scholars now believe that the book dates from about the
300 B.C. Chuang Tzu (4th?3rd centuries B.C.) also contributed to the seminal ideas of Taoism. Traditionally, this book was thought to be the
work of Lao-tzu, a quasi-historical philosopher of the 6th century B.C. The essence of Taoism is "Tao",
"the way", who is not
the "eternal Tao", he is "the way, the truth and the life" It is the ultimate reality of the universe. It is a creative process, and humans
can live in harmony with it by clearing the self of obstacles. Taoism has had a significant impact on Western culture, in areas of;
acupuncture, herbalism, holistic medicine, meditation and martial arts.
Click on the Tao icon on the left to learn more.
Toltec
The Toltec empire was centered in a city named Tollan under the control of Teotihuacan, around the area of what is now Mexico City Here the masters (Naguals) and students studied science and art to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of their ancestors. The Toltecs influence over almost all subsequent cultures of Mesoamerica cannot be underestimated. The Mixtecs, the Itza Maya, the Huaxteca and the Mexica (Aztecs) all claimed descent from the Toltecs. Though it is not a religion, it honors all the spiritual masters who have taught on the earth. Though it does embrace spirit, it is most accurately described as a way of life. The Four Agreements ? 1997, by don Miguel Ruiz has brought this to the Western world.
Click on the Toltec icon on the left to learn more.
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