Glossary A - M


Please note: The following terms are provided as basic definitions, and are by no means comprehensive. Many definitions came from the Internet, but I do not endorse any of the attributed websites. I encourage you to do your own research if a particular subject is of interest. Sources and further information can be found at the website links highlighted at the end of the definitions.

Hint: Use the Find this page (Ctrl+F) feature on your computer to search for a key word.

Abraham (Esther Hicks) – “Abraham” refers to a group of spiritual teachers channeled through Esther Hicks. While Abraham didn’t originate the “Law of Attraction,” they did coin the term and helped bring it into mainstream understanding. For CDs, books, and other info, visit Abraham-Hicks. (See Law of Attraction)

Acronym – An acronym is an abbreviation usually made from the capitalized initials of the words it represents. For example, AOR stands for Album Oriented Rock.

Affiliate souls – In Dr. Michael Newton’s book Destiny of Souls, this is a classification of souls pertaining to members of secondary groups, outside our own primary cluster, but located in the same general spiritual vicinity. Secondary groups can total up to a thousand souls or more. There are certain affiliated souls in other groups who are selected to work with us whom we come to know over many lives, while other affiliate souls may cross our path only briefly. Quite often our parents come from one of these nearby affiliate groups.

Akashic record (also Akashic library) – The Akashic records refers to a universal filing system, like a library, which records a person’s every thought, word, and action. The records are impressed on a subtle substance called akasha. In Hindu mysticism this akasha is thought to be the primary principle of nature from which the other four natural principles: fire, air, earth, and water are created. Some believe the akashic records are similar to a Cosmic or collective consciousness and make clairvoyance and psychic perception possible. Source: Burining Man 2005

Alchemy – Alchemy is an ancient path of spiritual purification and transformation. It is the expansion of consciousness and the development of insight and intuition through images (sun, moon, king, queen, etc.). Alchemy presents to the initiate a system of eternal, dreamlike, esoteric symbols that have the power to alter consciousness and connect the human soul to the Divine.  Source: The Alchemy Website on Levity.com

Anagram – A word or phrase formed by reordering the letters of another word or phrase, such as anger and range. Alchemists loved using anagrams and constantly hid names and dates in their illustrations. Robert Fludd’s manuscripts were printed in Germany but written in Latin, the language most alchemists used in their works. He penned a treatise on life, death, and the resurrection using the name Rudolfo Otreb, which was an anagram of Roberto Floud (the German spelling of his name). Told ya these guys were kinda weird.

Ancient mystery schools – In ancient Babylon, Rome, Egypt and Greece, schools for studying the mysteries of the soul and the inner nature of man were abundant. “By understanding these mysteries, the student perceives his intimate relationship with divinity and strives, through self-discipline and devotion, to become at one with his inner god.” The mystery schools influenced the Rosicrucians, who trace their traditional connection back to ancient Egypt. Source: The Mystery Schools

Anima and animus – “One of the most difficult archetypes to understand is the anima/animus figure. Jung believed that every person is a duality: every man has a feminine side, every woman a masculine side. These opposite sides are called the anima/animus, and are given separate life in myth. A good example of an anima is Princess Leia in the Star Wars films: she is the anima of Luke Skywalker, the feminine to his masculine, and it is revealed that she is, indeed, his sister and his flesh and blood. The Amazons of Greek myth could be argued to be animae of the (male) Greek heroes….”  Myths Across Time; Jung, Archetypes, and Strange Journeys © by Helen Steele, 1998

If one is on good terms with one’s anima/animus he/she can prove a valuable messenger between the unconscious and the conscious, a connecting link, a veritable Hermes. The guys in TBIF represented my animus, especially in my dreams, and offered symbolic messages about my fears around power and femininity.

Archangel Michael
– Michael’s name means “He who is like God.” Michael’s chief function is to rid the earth and its inhabitants of fear. Leader of the archangels, he is the angel of protection, justice, and strength. Michael gives guidance and direction for people who need help or assistance in their life’s purpose or career path.

Archetype – I think of archetypes as energetic blueprints we unconsciously follow. “[Carl] Jung believed not only in the personal unconscious, but also in a ‘collective unconscious.’ He thought that each person has deep in his unconscious mind a racial memory, linking him to the rest of humanity, and that myths come from this collective unconscious. Within this racial memory, there are “Archetypes” and myths are the conscious manifestation of these archetypes. These archetypes link myths and legends across cultures and across time.” Myths Across Time Jung, Archetypes, and Strange Journeys © by Helen Steele, 1998

The hero, the shadow, the wise old mentor (think Yoda from Star Wars), the anima and animus, mother, father, and the trickster are well-known archetypes. (See Trickster for detailed example.)

Atwater, P.M.H. – Prominent near-death researcher P.M.H. Atwater underwent three near-death experiences in three months in 1977. The following year, in an effort to understand what had happened to her, she began to seek out and interview other near-death survivors. Her initial findings about the aftereffects of near-death were published in Coming Back to Life: The After-Effect of the Near-Death Experience.

After 15 years of intensive research, and speaking with or interviewing 3,000 near-death survivors, she published Beyond the Light: What Isn’t Being Said About the Near-Death Experience. As of 2008, Atwater has published nine books on her findings. (See Future Memory Episode)

Bowman, Carol – Internationally known author, lecturer, counselor, past life regression therapist, and pioneer in reincarnation studies. Her first book, Children’s Past Lives (Bantam, 1997), is Carol Bowman's first non-academic book to explore the phenomenon of children’s spontaneous past life memories. It tells Carol’s story of how her own children’s past life memories led her to do research. Her research presents reincarnation as a practical reality in our lives and within our families.

Brennan, BarbaraDr. Barbara Brennan is a world-renowned spiritual leader, healer, and educator. A pioneer and innovator in the field of energy consciousness, the former NASA physicist has been researching and exploring the human energy field for more than 30 years. Her best-selling books, Hand of Light and Light Emerging, are considered classics in the field of complementary medicine.

Campbell, Joseph (1904-1987) – American writer on mythology and comparative religion, Joseph Campbell gained fame with such works as The Hero with A Thousand Faces (1948) and an examination of the archetype of the hero, The Masks of God (1959–1968). Campbell’s theories were made popular through the Public Broadcasting System’s series of television interviews with Bill Moyers. The PBS interviews were published as a book, The Power of Myth, which became a bestseller. Campbell made myths interesting and relevant for millions of people, including me!

Cathars –A Gnostic religious sect which flourished primarily in France during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Cathars claimed there existed within mankind a spark of divine light. This light, or spirit, had fallen into captivity within a realm of corruption—identified with the physical body and world. They believed in reincarnation, and dualism (good vs. evil). Ultimately, many Cathars were persecuted and put to death because of their protests regarding the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church.

  Chakras – Chakra means wheel in Sanskrit. Chakras are thought to be seven energy nodes in the human body. These spinning energy centers are located along the spine and also correlate to levels of consciousness, archetypal elements, developmental stages of life, colors, sounds, and body functions such as various organs of the endocrine system.

The following descriptions and more chakra info can be found at the Sacred Centers website.

Chakra one: red; musical note, C; earth, physical identity, oriented to self-preservation
Located at the base of the spine, this chakra forms our foundation. It represents the element earth, and is therefore related to our survival instincts, our sense of grounding, and our connection to our bodies and the physical plane. Ideally this chakra brings us health, prosperity, security, and dynamic presence.

Chakra two: orange; musical note D; water, emotional identity, oriented to self-gratification
The second chakra, located in the abdomen, lower back, and sexual organs, is related to the element water and to the emotions and sexuality. It connects us to others through feeling, desire, sensation, and movement. Ideally this chakra brings us fluidity and grace, depth of feeling, sexual fulfillment, and the ability to accept change.

Chakra three: yellow; musical note E; fire, ego identity, oriented to self-definition
This chakra is known as the power chakra, located in the solar plexus. It rules our personal power, will, and autonomy, as well as our metabolism. When healthy, this chakra brings us energy, effectiveness, spontaneity, and non-dominating power.

Chakra four: green; musical note F; air, social identity, oriented to self-acceptance
This chakra is called the heart chakra and is the middle chakra in a system of seven. It is related to love and is the integrator of opposites in the psyche: mind and body, male and female, persona and shadow, ego and unity. A healthy fourth chakra allows us to love deeply, feel compassion, and have a deep sense of peace and centeredness.

Chakra five: blue; musical note G; sound, creative identity, oriented to self-expression
This is the chakra located in the throat and is thus related to communication and creativity. Here we experience the world symbolically through vibration, such as the vibration of sound representing language.

Chakra six: indigo; musical note A; light, archetypal identity, oriented to self-reflection
This chakra is known as the brow chakra or third eye center. It is related to the act of seeing, both physically and intuitively. As such it opens our psychic faculties and our understanding of archetypal levels. When healthy it allows us to see clearly, in effect, letting us “see the big picture.”

Chakra seven: violet; musical note B; thought, universal identity, oriented to self-knowledge
This is the crown chakra located at the top of our head. It relates to consciousness as pure awareness. It is our connection to the greater world beyond, to a timeless, spaceless place of all knowing. When developed, this chakra brings us knowledge, wisdom, understanding, spiritual connection, and bliss.

Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz – Written in 1616, the [Al]Chemical Wedding has been considered to be the third Rosicrucian manifesto. It is an anonymously written allegoric romance (story) divided into seven days, or seven journeys, and describes how Christian Rosenkreutz was invited to go to a castle full of miracles in order to assist the chymical wedding of the king and the queen. Written in coded and highly symbolic language, the book is also important in understanding spiritual alchemy or ritual magic in the Golden Dawn or Rosicrucian traditions.

Long ago, the marriage theme appeared in a dream with the lead singer of TBIF and two women in wedding gowns. Are rock musicians marrying sound with intention and emotion which may lead us to us personal transformation?

Chessboard – According to A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe by Michael S. Schneider, the ancient game of chess is a cosmological model in the form of a board game in which the opposing forces of the universe are brought to a more personal level. The 64 alternating black and white squares represent the world’s polarities and the choices that we must make between dark and light, good and evil. That’s why the band’s checkerboard motif became highly symbolic for me. It is an alchemical symbol, and holds a world of insights into the nature of reality and human consciousness.

Chiromancy (palm reading or palmistry)
– Chiromancy is the art of characterization and foretelling the future through the study of the palm. The practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. The three most important lines are the heart (emotions), life (life experiences), and head (thinking and intellect) lines.

Chopra, Deepak – An Indian medical doctor who synthesized healing, spirituality, and eastern philosophies together throughout his numerous books (he’s written over 40). Dr. Chopra has significantly contributed to raising the spiritual awareness of millions of people in the United States.

Chronogram – A chronogram is a sentence or inscription in which specific letters, interpreted as numerals, stand for a particular date when rearranged. In 1617, a book by Robert Fludd was published with the date hidden in a natural chronogram on the cover (natural chronograms use the letters in precise order, not rearranged) with the Latin words ChrIsVs MvnDoVIta. The savvy reader can solve the chronogram by adding the capitals in the words: CIVMVDVI—the Roman numerals for the year 1617.

Collective unconscious – A term of analytical psychology originally coined by Carl Jung. Jung distinguished the collective unconscious from the personal unconscious particular to each human being. The collective unconscious is also known as “a reservoir of the experiences of our species.” Whereas the personal unconscious consists for the most part of our personal complexes, the content of the collective unconscious is made up essentially of archetypes that all humans share. Source: Wikipedia

Companion soul mates – According to Dr. Michael Newton, author of Journey of Souls, this designation is used to describe a smaller group of intimate souls within a cluster group who make up our spiritual family. Normally companion souls are siblings, children, and good friends in our physical life.

Clairvoyants and intuitives – Basic classifications follow:

Channelers – I see, hear, and sometimes feel discarnate entities that often haven’t taken physical form on earth. Sometimes, I get a message from what appears to be one entity, other times there are thousands of souls that communicate with me simultaneously. I can receive past life images as well. Abraham, Seth, Michael, and Orin and DaBen, are popular entities that have been channeled through people. Edgar Cayce is probably the most well-documented channeler of all time. The information he received helped thousands of people heal.

Mediums – I see dead people. I try to talk to them as well. John Edward and James Van Praugh are popular mediums.

Psychics – I get all kinds of impressions, sometimes from dead folks, but usually, when a client asks a question, I receive visual images. Sometimes the images are metaphoric or symbolic in nature. Sylvia Browne is a well-known psychic.

Tarot readers, palm readers, astrologers – We get intuitive information from the physical world, be it a card, a hand, or the time and place of birth of the inquirer (person asking the question).

Dharma – Dharma is the path of righteousness and living one’s life according to the codes of conduct as described by the ancient Hindu texts, the Vedas and Upanishads. To find your dharma means to discover your purpose in life.

Discarnate –A deceased person; an individual no longer having a material body or form, or a spirit not possessing a physical body.

Divine feminine – The feminine aspect of divinity. If the masculine principle focuses on logic, thinking, and doing, the divine feminine is not only the goddess, but the part of each person that embodies intuition, patience, knowing, and receptivity.

Divine timing – Sometimes referred to as being “in the flow,” divine timing is the perspective that all things happen when they are intended from our soul or higher self’s vantage point. Our ego has difficulty acknowledging that there is such a thing as divine timing and is often impatient (“I want it now!”). My journey taught me to trust that all events are interconnected and that all things unfold at the right place and at the right time.


Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyd
e – One of Robert Louis Stevenson’s best known novels, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published in 1886. It illustrates how an individual is made up of contrary emotions and desires: some good and some evil. When I wondered what archetype TBIF might represent, their black/white checkerboard motif, as well as the physical contrast between the band members’ visual appearances, prompted me to think of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde as a similar archetype.


Dyad – Greek philosopher's principle of "twoness" or "otherness." Basically it means “consisting of two parts,” and polarity. TBIF’s black and white checkerboard squares represent a dyad.

Ego – Carl Jung viewed the ego as one's sense of self and how we portray ourselves to the world. However, the word “ego” represents numerous concepts throughout psychology and spiritual circles. To me, Eckhart Tolle’s description is spot on.

"Most of the so-called bad things that happen in people’s lives are due to unconsciousness...they are self created, or rather ego-created…‘drama.’ When you are fully conscious, drama does not come into your life anymore...the basic ego patterns are designed to combat its own deep seated fear and sense of lack. They are resistance, control, power, greed, defense, and attack. Some of the ego’s strategies are extremely clever, yet they never truly solve any of its problems, simply because the ego is the problem itself." Eckhart Tolle, The Power of the Now, (New World Library, 1999), 150

I highly recommend Mr. Tolle’s books The Power of Now and The New Earth for in-depth discussions of the ego and its impact upon human consciousness.

Ego-shadow – Not a clinical term. I have combined ego and shadow because differentiating between them is a tad difficult, and I’m not a licensed therapist. For illustrative purposes, I use ego-shadow to describe the hidden, repressed, or unhealed parts of myself that I didn’t know were influencing my perspective.

Our ego-shadow has most likely been triggered when we find ourselves defending why we are right. Everyone else is wrong, stupid, or just doesn’t get it. It complains woe is me, blames another, holds grievances about the past, and one of the biggies—it acts very irrational. When we have no logical explanation as to why a person or group brings up strong negative emotions in us, that’s a sign our ego-shadow is having a fit. I became a poster girl for the ego-shadow around the band I followed and their fans.

Entrainment – A physics phenomenon of resonance, first observed in the 17th century, often has an unconscious effect us. Entrainment is defined as the tendency for two oscillating bodies to lock into phase so that they vibrate in harmony. It is also referred to as a synchronization of two or more rhythmic cycles. Sound and music often entrain the rhythms of our physiology .

The principle of entrainment is universal, appearing in all areas of science. The classic example shows individual pulsing heart muscle cells. When they are brought close together, they begin pulsing in synchrony. Another example of the entrainment effect is women who live in the same household often find that their menstrual cycles will coincide.

In the “world according to Laura,” a rock band entrains fans with their powerful, loud music, especially during our teen years.

For more articles and research on entrainment, sound and music, check out  Jonathan Goldman's Healing Sounds website.

Face reading – (see Physiognomy)

Field of Intelligence – According to Deepak Chopra, the physical world is a mirror of a deeper intelligence. Intelligence is the invisible organizer of all matter and energy, and since a portion of this intelligence resides in us, we share in the organizing power of the cosmos. We are inseparably linked to everything.

  Flamel, Nicholas – Born around 1330, here’s the legend of old Nick, “Father of Alchemy.” As an adult, Nicholas Flamel worked as a bookseller in Paris. One night, Flamel had a strange and vivid dream in which an angel appeared to him. It presented to Flamel a beautiful book with pages that seemed to be of fine bark and a cover of worked copper. Flamel later wrote down what the angel spoke to him: "Look well at this book, Nicholas. At first you will understand nothing in it—neither you nor any other man. But one day you will see in it that which no other man will be able to see."  Source: About.com

Soon after, a guy comes into the bookstore with the very same book from the dream. He sells it to Nick for some cash. It’s a freaky book with weird letters. Nick ultimately travels for a few years, finds some old dude to translate part of the text, returns home, studies the book for a couple more years, and figures out how to transmute metals into gold. Not only that, but legend has it he discovered the elixir of life, and never died.

Fludd, Robert (1574–1637) – British physician, author, and mystical philosopher, Robert Fludd is remembered for his occultist opposition to science. As Fludd crisscrossed Europe as a traveling scholar, he came in contact with advocates of the medical teachings of Paracelsus. After that time, Fludd devoted much study to the philosophy of the Rosicrucians, a movement that the physician later strongly supported. Source: Art Directory

In his writings and work as a physician, Fludd continually searched for a connection between the modern natural sciences and theosophic mysticism. Theosophy, or divine wisdom, refers to the mysticism of philosophers who believe that they can understand the nature of god by direct apprehension.

Fludd believed that spiritual and physical truth are identical, and that the dualism of light and darkness is inherent in all things. FYI: TBIF’s black-and-white checkerboard motif, the dark and the light, reflect the concept of duality. Nice coincidence.

Fludd had a heated exchange of views with astronomer Johannes Kepler concerning the scientific and hermetic approaches to knowledge. He was criticized often by his peers for using tools such as astrology and numerology to provide medical insight, but he’s also thought by some to be a pretty smart scientist, and the original inventor of the weather barometer.

  Freemasons – According to the book Freemasons for Dummies, Freemasonry is a fraternity of men, bound together by oaths, based on the medieval stonemason craft guilds. Freemasonry teaches lessons of social and moral virtues based on symbolism of the tools and language of the ancient building trade, using the building of a structure as a symbol for the building of character of men. Although of a religious nature, Freemasonry is not a religion. It urges its members, however, to believe in a supreme being and to be faithful and devoted to their own religious beliefs.

I’m very drawn to some of the symbolism of Freemasonry. This illustration shows a Masonic First Degree tracing board. The letters S, W, and B represent strength, wisdom, and beauty. Note the checkerboard. The image originally caught my attention on the 10 of Pentacles Tarot card because it is TBIF’s motif.

Can women become Freemasons? Depends upon who you ask. Technically, only men can be a member of an official Freemason Lodge. However, in the mid-1800s the fraternity created separate co-ed organizations, so that men and women could share Masonic ideas. The Order of the Eastern Star (the largest of these Masonic-related groups) was established in 1855, the Order of the Amaranth in 1873, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem in 1894.

Frequency + intention = healing – A formula developed by sound healer Jonathan Goldman. Frequency is the actual sound used. Healing is a term used to describe the process of putting something into its healthy resonance. Intent, in this formula, is the important ingredient. It is the energy and consciousness that is encoded into the sound.

Future memory episode – Term described by researcher P.M.H. Atwater that closely describes my experience of “knowing” I wrote a book that had a major impact on the people of my generation. Details are in her book, Future Memory, but here is a brief description from Atwater’s website:

Future memory may last a few seconds to a minute of clock time, while foretelling several hours that later manifest. It can be rather lengthy and encompass several days or months of future activities.

During this brief interlude the time traveler often experiences the following: 1) a physical sensation of rushing heat with a feeling of exhilaration; 2) heightened senses, yet nothing moves in the present; 3) a feeling of expansion while surrounding elements diminish; 4) a future scenario manifests without warning or guidance and is nearly impossible to differentiate from the present; 5) the scenario ends as quickly as it began and the present time-space dimension resumes, although there is a lingering feeling that something has happened; 6) emotional aftereffects help to keep the event alive, but eventually it is forgotten or set aside; 7) the future event physically manifests and a key element triggers the memory of the entire affair as having done this before, but with the idea of self control rather than resignation to fate; and 8) a resolution that future memory instills a sense of orderliness or gift from God.

Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion – Here’s the list of Grand Masters of the Priory of Sion , but as to the validity of whether the Sion existed for hundreds of years and was a secret organization, I can’t say. Many websites made it seem like a hoax. What evidence exists is murky at best. However, the 16th name on the list gave me an intuitive tingle, and became a major character in my possible past lives.

Several sources claim that many of the reputed Grand Masters have a common thread— being known for having an interest in alchemy.

1. Jean de Gisors (1188–1220)
2. Marie de Saint-Clair (1220–1266)
3. Guillaume de Gisors (1266–1307)
4. Edouard de Bar (1307–1336)
5. Jeanne de Bar (1336–1351)
6. Jean de Saint-Clair (1351–1366)
7. Blanche d'Evreux (1366–1398)
8. Nicolas Flamel (1398–1418)
9. Rene d'Anjou (1418–1480)
10. Yolande de Bar (1480–1483)
11. Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi a.k.a. Sandro Botticelli (1483–1510)
12. Leonardo da Vinci (1510–1519)
13. Connetable de Bourbon (Charles, Duke of Bourbon) (1519–1527)
14. Ferdinand de Gonzague (1527–1575)
15. Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers (1575–1595)
16. Robert Fludd (1595–1637)
17. Johann Valentin Andrea (1637–1654)
18. Robert Boyle (1654–1691)
19. Isaac Newton (1691–1727)
20. Charles Radclyffe (1727–1746)
21. Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine (1746–1780)
22. Archduke Maximilian Franz of Austria (1780–1801)
23. Charles Nodier (1801–1844)
24. Victor Hugo (1844–1885)
25. Claude Debussy (1885–1918)
26. Jean Cocteau (1918–1963)

Grounded – Grounding is the act of consciously creating an energy connection (sometimes visualized as a cord) from your body into the physical earth. Grounding acts kind of like an "electrical ground" (keeps you from getting "zapped" by an overload of energy). The act of grounding also brings power to your work because it aligns you as spirit with your physical body. In addition, it increases spiritual and energetic awareness. Source: Body Wisdom

Group soul reincarnation – A soul reincarnates to work through karma. A bunch of souls might reincarnate to help each other transcend karma that they have accumulated as a group in another lifetime. I’ve concluded that some rock music fans and their bands are drawn together, due in part to past life associations, and unconsciously want to heal their past via the healing power of the music.

Harmony of the spheres – (see music of the spheres)

Healing power of music – For thousands of years, music has been a tool for healing. Music therapy specifically attempts to use sound and music with the intention of helping a person find more balance within their emotional and physical body.

Based upon the principle that certain frequencies and rhythms impact various parts of our mind and body, many people use music solely or in conjunction with other healing modalities. Other ways to use music and sound for healing include toning, drumming, mantras, singing, bio-feedback, etc. Source: Sound Transformations

  Hermes – In Greek mythology, Hermes is a messenger from the gods to humans (Mercury in Roman mythology...think FTD florist logo of sprinting dude with wings on helmet). Hermes seemed to enjoy music, and is credited with creating the first lyre out of a turtle shell and sheep guts. Bet it sounded awesome.

Both the Egyptian god Thoth and the Greek Hermes were gods of writing and magic in their respective cultures. Thus, the Greek god of communication was combined with the Egyptian god of wisdom as a patron of astrology and alchemy. Hermes is sometimes considered a deified trickster.

Along with all of these other responsibilities, Hermes also served as a psychopomp, an escort for the dead to help them find their way to the afterlife (the underworld in the Greek myths). Interesting parallel. I sense that modern musicians are partially fulfilling the role of Hermes in our culture as conduits between god and humans, by spiritually waking us from the dead (unconsciousness regarding our spiritual nature). (See also Rosicrucians).

Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn – Founded in 1888 by Dr. William Robert Woodman, William Wynn Westcott, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, the Golden Dawn was an extension of the ancient Mysteries of Light. It was possibly the single greatest influence on twentieth century western occultism. Source: Golden Dawn

The Universal Waite Tarot deck I primarily used was created by Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Golden Dawn. (See also Universal Waite). Aleister Crowley was also involved with the GD.

Hero's journey – A “hero” is not necessarily a person who rescues someone. The mythological hero embarks upon a journey of self-discovery and overcomes adversity. According to the Major Arcana cards of the Tarot, we’re all on a hero’s journey. The Tarot is a psycho-spiritual tool for the exploration of one's personal myth and each card visually represents every phase the hero (Fool) traverses. Amazingly, my odyssey with TBIF followed this archetypal journey in numerous ways.

Mythologist Joseph Campbell noted that myths from around the world, which have survived for thousands of years, all share a fundamental structure when relating the hero’s journey. This fundamental structure contains a number of stages, including:

1. A call to adventure, which the hero has to accept or decline.
2. A road of trials, at which the hero succeeds or fails.
3. Achieving the goal or ‘boon,” which often results in important self-knowledge.
4. A return to the ordinary world, at which the hero can again succeed or fail.
5. Applying the boon, where what the hero has gained can be used to improve the world.
Source: Wikipedia

Hicks, Esther – See Abraham.

Holy Grail – There are several derivations of the meaning of the Holy Grail that come from Christian mythology. For example, some people believe it was the cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper which would bring healing and eternal life. Numerous legends of the quest for the Holy Grail’s sacred and mysterious powers have been recounted in ancient treatises.

The Grail has been known as an object of legendary quest for the knights of Arthurian romance. Many other works of literature also describe the search for the Grail, though this quest did not always involve a physical object. For some, the Holy Grail represented a religious state of grace or union with God. Source: Myth Enclyclopedia

Hu – The Supreme Being has been called by various names in different languages, which mystics have described as Hu. The sound Hu is most sacred and is hidden in all sounds and in all words, as the spirit is [hidden] in the body. According to ancient texts, it alone is the true name of God, a name that no people and no religion can claim as their own. Source: Wahiduddin's Web

Hu-man – In English, the word ‘human’ points to two characteristics of humanity: Hu meaning God and man, from the Sanskrit mana, meaning mind. The two words united represent the idea of the God-conscious man. In other words, Hu, God, is in all things and beings, but it is through man that God is known. Human therefore may be said to mean God-conscious, God-realized, or God-man.

Imprinting – In psychology, imprinting is a term used to describe any kind of phase-sensitive learning (learning occurring at a particular age or a particular life stage) that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behavior. Though humans appear to have a speech imprinting window, the best known form of imprinting is filial imprinting, in which a young animal (particularly ducks, chicks and geese) learn the characteristics of its parent.

Austrian zoologist and animal psychologist Konrad Lorenz demonstrated how incubator-hatched geese would imprint on the first suitable moving stimulus they saw within what he called a “critical period” of about 36 hours after hatching. Most famously, the goslings would imprint on Lorenz himself (more specifically, on his wading boots), and he is often depicted being followed by a gaggle of geese who had imprinted on him. Source: Wikipedia

Based upon my experience and observations, some teenagers may become imprinted by a specific band or artist’s music between the ages of 15 to 20.

Intuitives – See Clairvoyants

Jung, Carl (1875-1961) – Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology. He emphasized understanding the psyche through exploring the worlds of dreams, art, mythology, world religion and philosophy. Although Jung was a theoretical psychologist and practicing clinician, much of his life's work was spent exploring other realms, including Eastern and Western philosophy, alchemy, astrology, sociology, as well as literature and the arts. His most notable ideas include the concept of archetypes, the collective unconscious and synchronicity. Source: Wikipedia

Kabbalah – Kabbalah is an aspect of Jewish mysticism. It consists of a large body of speculation on the nature of divinity, the creation, the origin and fate of the soul, and the role of human beings. It consists also of meditative, devotional, mystical, and magical practices which were taught only to a select few and for this reason Kabbalah is regarded as an esoteric offshoot of Judaism. Some aspects of Kabbalah have been studied and used by non-Jews for several hundred years. Source: Hermetic Kabbalah

Robert Fludd, as well as other alchemists and Rosicrucians, incorporated aspects of the Kabbalah (such as the Tree of Life) into many of their illustrations. In recent years, studying the Kabbalah has become popular with some celebrities such as Madonna.

Karma – Karma means the “action” of cause and effect. The soul reaps what it sows. There is a wide range as to how to interpret karma, but most sources claim that there isn’t any good or bad karma; karma is basically neutral. Our ego labels experiences and situations as “good” or “bad.”

If a soul has intentionally harmed or helped another at some point, the energy of that action comes back in some form. Possibly not even in this current lifetime, but eventually the soul experiences a similar energy. It is as if the universe is a gigantic mirror, and whatever you put out comes back to you sometime, some place. Karma is one way in which the soul learns and expands.

Khan, Hazrat Inayat (1882-1927) – Founder of Universal Sufism and the Sufi Order International. Born in Baroda, India, in his youth, Kahn was brilliant in the arts of poetry and music. Later, he wrote and lectured extensively with a message of unity: bringing together all of humanity, aiming to rise above the differences and distinctions that have separated us. His books on the esoteric qualities of music are classics.

Law of Attraction (LOA) – You may have heard about the LOA because of the movie or book called The Secret. I’ve been studying this principle since 1995 via Esther Hicks, who channels a group of entities who call themselves “Abraham”. (See Abraham)

The law of attraction states: Like attracts like. Pretty simple. Most of us get the “birds of a feather flock together” concept. People at a Rolling Stones concert like the Stones’ music, hence, they are drawn together to share the love and joy that’s felt at a show.

The other aspect of Law of Attraction, which may not be so apparent, is our ability to draw similar energy to us. This is comparable to the principle of entrainment. If all things vibrate, then the law of attraction (or resonance) pulls the people and situations of a similar vibration together. Everything that occurs is drawn to us via our thoughts (subconscious or conscious) and feelings (i.e., our vibration).

Lightworkers – A lightworker is a person who feels inspired to help others through spiritual meditation, teaching, healing, prayer, writing, and speaking through unconditional love. The term was popularized by Doreen Virtue in her book The Lightworker's Way published in 1997.

Magicians – This book explores magicians in terms of their relationship to musicians and alchemy, not as masters of optical illusion, such as Houdini. Magicians attempt to transform thoughts into matter by speaking their intention. The Magician card in the Tarot holds a rod pointing upwards, and a finger pointing to the earth. This symbolizes the Magician as a link between the spiritual and the material world.

According to the online Llewellyn Encyclopedia, magic is the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will. The tools of magic are the human faculties of mind, willpower, aspiration, and imagination. When the human will is purified and in harmony with that of the Divine Source of the Universe, then the magician can cause change to occur in the physical realm “in conformity with will.”


Major
Arcana – The Tarot’s Major Arcana consists of 22 cards. These represent, in sequence, the journey through life from birth to enlightenment. Major Arcana cards, also known as Trumps, point toward significant life issues. A high number of Major Arcana cards in a spread indicates that the issue is a matter of great importance in the questioner's life.

Shown is the Universal Waite deck's version of The High Priestess. The second album title of the band that I followed is remarkably similar (in my twisted mind) to this Major Arcana card because the Priestess is in color, and the columns are in black and white.

Mantra – “Mantra” means protection for the mind. When repeated, a mantra can bring one to the experience of the inner self. Mantra is pure consciousness in the form of a sound. I used the vowel sounds uh, ooo, oh, ah, eye, aye, and eee, as mantras while studying Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing correspondence course.

In Hinduism, Om (ohm) is the greatest of all mantras. It symbolizes the representation of the Supreme Being. Past, present, and the future are all included in this one sound. Meditation on this sacred syllable is said to satisfy every need and leads to liberation.

Maslow, Abraham (1908-1970) – One of the founders of humanistic psychology, perhaps best known for his hierarchy of needs pyramid. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states that only when the lower needs of physical and emotional well-being (such as food, shelter, etc.) are satisfied are we concerned with the higher order needs of influence and personal development. His definition of a peak experience (feelings of ecstasy, awe, and wonder) got my attention because it closely described my spiritual awakening.

Message boards – A discussion board (also discussion group or online forum) is a general term for any online “bulletin board” where you can leave opinions and later find responses. You can also just read the board and not post. After years of feeling isolated from TBIF fans, I finally felt a part of the TBIF community after discovering the band’s message boards.

Metaphor – From the Greek for "transference," metaphor is the use of language that describes one thing to designate another in order to characterize the latter in terms of the former. For example, “my daughter is an angel” is a metaphor, since the young girl really doesn’t have wings or a halo. The metaphor in this example pertains to her actions. Our sleeping dreams often contain metaphors, where an image symbolizes something else. The band member’s images in my nocturnal reveries were frequently a metaphor for the masculine part of my psyche.

Minor Arcana – While the Major Arcana expresses universal themes in the Tarot, the Minor Arcana brings those themes down into the practical world to show how they operate in our daily lives.

There are 56 cards in the Minor Arcana, divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. Each of these suits stands for a particular approach to life. The following descriptions are from Tarot author Joan Bunning’s website.


Wands
(symbol: fire)
The Wands are the suit of creativity, action, and movement. They are associated with such qualities as enthusiasm, adventure, risk-taking, inspiration, religion and/or philosophy, and confidence.

Cups
(symbol: water)
The Cups are the suit of emotions and spiritual experience. They describe inner states, feelings, and relationship patterns. The energy of this suit flows inward and expresses feelings of love as well as heartache and grief.

Swords (symbol: air)
The Swords are the suit of intellect, thought, and reason. They are concerned with thinking, communication (with speaking, words, or thoughts), justice, truth, and ethical principles.

Pentacles
(also known as Disks) (symbol: earth)
The Pentacles are the suit of practicality, security, and material concerns. They represent the body and dealing with the physical world, especially health and money or abundance. They also deal with anything having to do with work, a job, a task, or a craft.

Mudra – A gesture or position, usually of the hands, that locks and guides energy flow and reflexes to the brain. By curling, crossing, stretching, and touching the fingers and hands, we can talk to the body and mind as each area of the hand reflexes a certain part of the mind or body. For example, the Om mudra is made by connecting the index finger with the thumb on the same hand (both hands). It makes an “O” shape, and the mudra helps bring balance when your life is in need of peace and tranquility.

  Music of the spheres (see also harmony of the spheres) – The belief that the entire universe is constructed according to a musical scale dates back to Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras. To the Pythagoreans, the distances between the planets had the same ratios as those that produced harmonious sounds in a plucked string. To them, the solar system consisted of ten spheres revolving in circles about a central fire, each sphere giving off a sound the way a projectile makes a sound as it swishes through the air; the closer spheres gave lower tones while the more distant spheres moved faster and gave higher pitched sounds. All these sounds combined into a beautiful harmony, the music of the spheres. Source: Pythagoras and Music of the Spheres

This illustration by Robert Fludd, called the Celestial Monochord, sets forth his theory of universal music and shows correspondences between pitch, proportion, and astral bodies. The interval between the element of earth and the highest heaven is considered a double octave, thus showing the two extremes of existence to be in harmony. Source: Gallery of Alchemy and Magic 1