B
Babylon: Modern-day Iraq. Home of one of the seven wonders of the world; the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Similar to Atlantis in as much as myth plays its part but also has great staying power in the imagination. As regards amulets, the Babylonians believed the liver to be the seat of the soul. Amulets made of clay were commonly used in divination. The Babylonians were great astrologers with their philosophy of ‘As above, so below’. Ruled by Nebuchadnezzar for whom the writing was on the wall.
In the Bible, there are many great prophecies for and against Babylonia. Although now destroyed, in those times this region of the world was lush and green. This, together with usurption and conquest, goes some way to describing their demise. For further biblical reading, see the Old Testament story of Esther.
Babylon's Hanging Gardens, foreground, and the Tower of Babel in the background.Banshee: Figures in Irish Folklore. The wailing spirit of a female warns of impending doom and disaster.
Baptism/Baptists: You can’t receive baptism in youth or as a child, it is only as an adult that you can truly receive and understand its significance. A domination of Christianity. Based on the teachings of the Apostles. You must confess your sins and your faith upon total submersion in the water which is symbolic of the spirit of God.
Battery Healing: Often practised in the Healing Circle. The Approved Healer lays on hands whilst the remainder send out healing thoughts to the ‘Channel’. The power can be multiplied many times. Or alternatively, the healer places their hands on the client whilst the rest of the group, in stratas, lay their hands on the healer, still sending their healing through him/her, in order to deliver an amplified surge of channelled healing power. Hence, Battery Healing. Harry Edwards practised ….
B.C.: Before Christ.
Bewitch: Cast a spell over someone. To bewitch a person into loving and/or desiring you.
BahaI Faith: "The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens". A faith which teaches unity of all religions and all mankind. Originated in Iran under the guidance of the Bab (Mizra Ali Mohammed, 1820-50) and the Baha u’llah (Mizra Hussain Ali, 1817-92), thought to be manifestations of God. God, they taught, in his ‘essence’ is unknowable. It is still a strong belief system and has many branches throughout the world, including England. Its teachings, doctrine and philosophy are so hard to disagree with because of their deep and simplistic beauty. Following the death of Hussain Ali’s son in 1921, there have been three successors, appointed as Guardians of the Faith, each one appointed by their predecessor. Mount Carmel, along with other sights, are the Faith’s Holy Places.
Bilocation: Astral Projection. A form of Out of Body Experience [OBE] in which a person’s astral body travels to a specific place and in that location is witnessed and recognised by another person. There are many documented accounts of this phenomena even though it is quite rare. Attributed in the main to Saints.
Black Magic: Used for evil purposes. (See Black Mass).
Black Mass: According to Professor Rossell Hope Robbins, author of “Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology”, this is one of the biggest hoaxes ever, i.e; that Black Masses ever took place. They are the antithesis of the Christian Mass where white garments are replaced with black ones, prayers are said backwards, open sexuality as opposed to chastity and blasphemy instead of piety is practised. Actual living sacrifices play a part along with spells being cast over enemies and general all round idolatory.
Blavatsky [Madame]: Big subject.Founder of The Brotherhood of Luxor, which later became The Theosophical Society. The aims of the society were spelt out in a 1,200 page ponderous book called 'Isis Unveiled', dictated to her by The Masters of Wisdom from the Other Side. It is a hodge-podge of influeneces taken from the Cabala, Agrippa, Pythagoras, Buddhism, Hinduism as well as Toaism. Although muddled, its precepts were anything but objectionable for they actively encouraged the study of comparative religion, proposed the investigation of the unexplained laws of natural science and the positive powers latent in all people. The organisation moved to India, its spiritual home, in 1878. Blavatsky challenged peoples' ideas and perconceptions of what a seer, in touch with the Masters, should look and act like. For example, she swore profusely on occasions, rolled her own cigarettes, used drugs liberally, a sloppy dresser and at one point weighed 232 pounds! Further reading essential.../
Madame Blavatsky and her azure eyes.Blend: See ‘Attunement’. Simply put, a blend is two or more things coming together to produce another. The component parts put together make a whole.
Bless: Through prayer to the Divine. To wish well, to make Holy, to empower, to call upon God to protect.
Borely Rectory: Harry Price, “Paranormal Investigator” declared this house as Britain’s most haunted. He tried to use conventional technology to prove the hauntings true. Unfortunately, like most Ghost Hunters, he made the mistake of trying to prove the existence of something etheric by use of non-etheric means. So much has been written that the reader needs to make up their own minds as to what parts of the story are real and what is apocryphal.
Born Again Christian: Born again into the Kingdom of Heaven whilst incarnated in this life. To confess all sins through the Lord Jesus Christ. To accept the power of the Holy Spirit in the service of God and to look upon all others [not saved] as, yes, brothers and sisters, but misguided ~ lost brothers and sisters. Satan has control over the world and will use all manner of things to deceive you. Only through the power of prayer can you be truly saved from the fires of hell, etc.
Brahim/Brahman: Highest caste in the Hindu religion. (See Blavatsky)
Bhagavad Gita: ~ [As It Is!] ~ The most famous of all Hindu scriptures. Filled with great beauty it is a lengthy poem containing many teachings and philosophies. The way to salvation is shown to Krishna’s friend, Arjuna. It teaches love and awareness of evil. It also contains Yoga practice.
Buddhism: Massive subject. Great oriental religion founded by Buddha. Real name thought to be that of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Pre-dates Christianity by some 600 years. Buddha accepted the cycle of lives as believed by the Hindus. He was shocked by the human suffering he witnessed and from which even the death experience offered no escape. After leaving his palace, wife and children, he unsuccessfully studied for 6 years the beliefs of the Brahmins, the Hindu highest caste. He sat under a tree and through meditation, came to declare discovery of the six sacred truths which are;
1: Existence is unhappinessThe sooner you follow these principals, the sooner will you reach Nirvana. There is no allusion or description of a universal God. It is a way to liberation through ethics and discipline. The concept of God was neither denied or affirmed by Buddha, it was just ignored! Buddha would be quite horrified to think that after his death people began to pray to him, began to introduce religious rites and ceremonies, including relics. A belief in a succession of Buddhas was introduced. Tripitala: the sacred writings are segmented into three parts for the layman, the philosopher and the monks. There were three council meetings, the first being after his death at the age of 80, at which were produced these sacred writings … Buddha himself never wrote anything.
2: Unhappiness is caused by selfish desire or craving
3: Desire can be destroyed
4: Destroy it by following “the noble eight-fold path”. Do this bya) Right views,5. Awareness of past, present and future.
b) Right desires,
c) Right speech plain and truthful,
d) Right conduct including abstinence from immorality, taking life whether human or animal,
e) Right livelihood – harming no one
f) Right effort.
6. Right contemplation and meditation.
Buddhism has spread all over the world and has been adapted to particular nations’ tastes, i.e.; in Japan, known as Zen Buddhism. In the 20th century it occasionally finds favour amongst intellectuals and university students.
