Terms and Definitions

Aquarian age

There are twelve astrological ages, each about 2,150 years long. No one knows exactly when each age begins or ends, but astrologers recognize that we are in the waning days of the age of Pisces and entering the age of Aquarius. In each age earth's people are destined to assimilate an attribute of God and express the positive aspects of the sign. Aquarius can be an age of freedom, peace and enlightenment, qualities which correspond to that sign. It can be a time of technological progress combined with spiritual development.

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AUM

The Hindu Vedas describe the AUM as the one Eternal Syllable of which all that exists is but the development. AUM is the original sound of creation, which has never ceased to sound in cosmos. When you sound the AUM, you tie into the sound that is quivering throughout the universe.

The universal sound of the AUM accelerates your atoms and draws you back to the point of your creation in Spirit. When you intone the AUM, you open your spiritual centers, or chakras, for the sound of creation to flow through you, and you are immediately raised to the plane of your higher consciousness.

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Christ

Your real Self, or higher consciousness. The Universal Christ consciousness was personified in Jesus and other avatars and is present in all of us.

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I AM

You will notice the words "I AM" used in the prayers and affirmations in the meditation and exercises. When God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, he revealed his name as I AM THAT I AM. Affirmations often simply use "I AM" rather than the full name. So when we say "I AM," what we are really saying is "God in me is..." or "I am here below that which I AM above."

The sacred name of God, I AM, is an empowerment. By using it, we affirm our oneness with God and we access his infinite love, wisdom and power. Whatever you say following the words "I AM" will become a reality in your world because the light of God flowing through you will make it so.

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Mantra

A mantra is a word or combination of words held to be sacred. For centuries, Hindus and Buddhists have used mantras in their devotions. According to Hindu tradition, mantras were received as divine inspiration by mystics who were able to hear the fundamental tones of the universe.

The mantra is a vibrational pattern. And when it is spoken, because it has been recited by thousands and perhaps millions of people -certainly millions and billions of times- the action of that mantra creates a deep vibrational pattern in the ethers. And so the mantra becomes endowed with tremendous spiritual power.

Hindu writings tell us that yogis have used mantras along with visualizations to light fires, materialize food and other physical objects and even influence the outcome of battles. But producing physical change was not their main goal. They used mantras primarily to gain protection, wisdom, enhanced concentration, enlightenment and oneness with God.

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Transmutation

To transmute means to alter in form, appearance or nature, especially to change something into a higher form. It is a term that was used by alchemists, who attempted to transmute base metals into gold.

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