Redefining Faith: The New Scientific Humanist Priesthood
As we face serious global challenges, more and more of humanity is turning to evidence-based solutions, changing the role of traditional religious authority in politics.
The Ancient Museaum and Library of Alexandria
In the heart of ancient Alexandria once stood a monument to the highest aspirations of the human spirit—the Library and Musaeum of Alexandria, a place where science, philosophy, art, and culture converged in one of the world’s first truly international centers of knowledge.
Christian Monasticism, University, and Lectio Divina Meditation — Silence, Sacrifice, and the Sacred Life
Christian monasticism was not born in cathedrals or universities. It emerged in sand-swept caves, in stone huts beneath olive trees, in the whispered silence of the early centuries after Christ.
Veterans, PTSD, and Meditation
Rough estimates conclude that over half a million U.S. troops have been diagnosed with PTSD. About four out of five will not receive adequate care. Half will receive no care at all.
Kabbalah: Jewish Mystical Meditation
Kabbalah, in Hebrew, קַבָּלָה, literally means “tradition” and remains an important part of Hasidic Judaism. It is the cherished Jewish mystical discipline…
Ancient Conceptions of Spirit and Deity
Conceptions of the spirit have always been diverse. Physical bodies may be conceived of as being mere manifestations of immortal spirits, or gods. Thus gods are simply the forces and elements of nature;
A Brief History of the Bavarian Order of the Illuminati
In Part II of this lecture we will make a deeper examination of what kind of philosophies and practices developed within the society after its founding in 1776 by Adam Weishaupt.
An Introduction to the Original 1776 Bavarian Order of the Illuminati
The original order of the Bavarian Illuminati was founded on the First of May in the year 1776. The founder of the order was Adam Weishaupt (1748 – 1830),
Scientific Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation may be defined as nonjudgmental awareness through purposeful holding of attention, being in the moment, for mental and physical health, self-knowledge and wisdom.
Zen Buddhist Meditation
While there are a number of schools of Zen, this article will focus on the Japanese Soto sect teaching of shikantaza, or “just sitting” method of meditation, probably the most straight-forward example of Zen Buddhist meditation.
Chinese Chan Buddhist Meditation
Chinese mystics adopted and adapted Buddhism to their needs, embellishing the Indian focus on dharana, or concentration, with Daoist cultivation in meditation. This practice of sitting meditation, known as zuo chan, would eventually flower into Chan Buddhism.
Buddhist Insight Meditation
The Buddha’s meditation is a way of life, a religion, rooted in the simple act of sitting calmly and being awake to reality.