Hypnotizing Yourself
When you think of hypnosis, two images probably come to mind. The first is from a B-grade movie where you see some Svengali-like doctor — usually deranged — dangling a pocket watch in the face of some [more…]
Spiritual Rebirth: The Samaritan Woman at the Well
The Samaritan woman at the well is no angel. Mixed up with a wrong crowd, this poor woman from Samaria has quite a reputation. She had been married five times and was living in sin with a man who wasn't [more…]
Adding Fasting to Your Prayer Life
Fasting isn't a complicated business. When you fast, don't eat. You stay away from all food or refrain from specific types of food for a set amount of time. [more…]
Jesus Picks His Disciples
It seems likely that Jesus picked 12 followers during his lifetime. The gospels don't explain why Jesus picked these particular guys, and they don't agree about how early in the movement's history they [more…]
What's Not on the Mormon Menu
Many non-Mormons know very little about what their Mormon friends believe about Christ, the afterlife, or the plan of salvation. But they almost always know about the Mormon health code! Maybe they had [more…]
Coming of Age: Confirmation
Soon after the kids are born and get fed, they start to grow. Growth is as vital to human life as nourishment. The body and mind must grow to stay alive. Catholics believe that the soul also needs to grow [more…]
Focusing on Some Catholic Symbols and Gestures
Kneeling and praying with beads, crosses depicting a crucified Jesus, and sprinkling holy water on this and that are telltale Catholic practices. The meaning behind them relates to the body and soul — [more…]
Freemason Lodge Officers
Officers are elected by the members of the lodge, although a few are appointed by the Worshipful Master. In most lodges, the officers serve in their positions for one year. The names and duties of the [more…]
Discovering What Meditation Is All About
Meditation is simply the practice of focusing your attention on a particular object — generally something simple, like a word or phrase, a candle flame or geometrical figure, or the coming and going of [more…]
Taking a Look at Jewish Religious Beliefs
Judaism was the first tradition to teach monotheism, the belief that there's only one God. As Judaism evolved, the idea of God evolved, too, focusing on One unknowable, universal, image-less Being, Who [more…]
Christian Holy Days, Holidays, and Seasons
Many in postmodern society downplay tradition. This change has rippled through some parts of the Church as well. However, tradition remains an important part of what the Christian faith is all about, because [more…]
Preparing for Meditation: Sitting Still
If you examine the meditation poses depicted in the world's great spiritual traditions, you'll find that they all have one thing in common — the unshakable stability of a mountain or tree. Look at the [more…]
Sizing Up Satan in the Bible
Surprisingly, most of what people believe about Satan does not come from the Bible. For instance, the common image of Satan as a forked-tailed horned demon with a goat's body from the waist down derives [more…]
Wicca Theory
The Wiccan view of an interconnected world isn't just a mystical, spiritual notion. Modern science, especially cutting-edge ideas in quantum physics, supports the ideas of life's interconnection and interdependence [more…]
Exploring the Meaning of Spirituality
One of the great gifts of spiritual knowledge is that it realigns your sense of self to something you may not have even ever imagined was within you. Spirituality says that even if you think you're limited [more…]
Debunking Common Myths about Freemasonry
Modern Freemasonry has been around since 1717. The first concocted untruths about the Order appeared in print at almost the same time. The United States was consumed by anti-Masonic hysteria in the late [more…]
Introducing Some Important People from the Bible
Limiting the Bible's cast of thousands to a handful of notables seems to be impossible task — if not an injustice. Consider this list a just a good beginning to knowing the prime players, a snapshot of [more…]
Introducing Influential Women of the Bible
Some women in the Bible are standouts because of their long-lasting influential power. Some of them, through their actions, provided a direct and obvious influence, but others were influential in a more [more…]
Understanding Jesus' Sermons
Even if Jesus never performed a single miracle, his teachings would have secured his place as one of the greatest moral philosophers who ever lived. In fact, Jesus is a moral philosopher in the true sense [more…]
Understanding Polygamy in Mormon History
Outsiders sometimes ask Mormons — often in jest, occasionally in concern — whether they practice polygamy. (The Mormon response is usually to roll the eyes and recite for the thousandth time that the Latter-day [more…]
Exploring Religious Ethics in Daily Life
Religious ethics are the moral principles that guide religions and that set the standard for what is and isn't acceptable behavior. Surprisingly similar from one religion to the next, these fundamental [more…]
Harnessing the Power of Symbols
You may not even realize it, but your life is shaped by symbols that are passed to you or inherited from your culture, your race, your peer and social groups, and your family. Newspapers, magazines, TV [more…]
Grappling with the Definition of Sin
Sin is any deliberate action, attitude, or thought that goes against God. You may think of sin as an obvious act, such as murder, adultery, or theft. Although that's true, sin is also wrongdoing that's [more…]
Practicing Religion in Places of Worship
For some religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, communal worship is important. The faithful gather at particular times on particular days and interact in a faith experience. For other religions [more…]
Understanding Salvation by Faith
The notion that salvation is totally of God and is the result of nothing that anyone does is hard to grasp. To many, this solution is too easy. Human nature almost demands us to tack something onto the [more…]
