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TAI CHI
Chinese martial art derived from Kung Fu, which consists of a series of postures linked to slow, graceful movements and accompanied by meditative breathing techniques, The purpose of Tai Chi is to enhance a person's chi or universal life force and boost health and well-being.

Tai Chi is believed to have originated in the thirteenth century. A Taoist priest, Chang San Feng, adapted the hand techniques of the martial arts he had learned from the Buddhist monks of Shaoln into smoother, softer movements after he had had a visionary dream of a snake and a crane dancing and fighting. His teachings evolved into five main styles, which are still practiced today: Yang, Wu, Chen, Woo and Sun. The most commonly practiced in the West is Yang style, with its sweeping, open gestures.

Tai Chi is believed to balance out energies in the body to ensure a smooth flow of chi. Studies have indicated that the regular practice of Tai Chi has a number of health benefits, including stress reduction, the lowering of blood pressure and an improved quality of health in people suffering with age-related ailments, such as arthritis.

 

TANTRA, TANTRIC
School of Hindu and Buddhist thought which attempts to seek enlightenment through ecstatic religious and sexual practices. There is an emphasis on carnal pleasure and intercourse with the aim of awakening kundalini energy, the primal psychic force that is believed to lie dormant at the base of the spine. This is done by invoking both the female and the male energies of the universe, embodied by the Hindu gods Shiva and Sakti, and delaying orgasm for as long as possible to stimulate the upward movement of kundalini.

TAO
Fundamental mystical principal in the Chinese religion of Taoism. Although often translated as 'the Way'. The term Tao is a state of being that incorporates three aspects of mystical Chinese thought which have no real English translation: ultimate and unimaginable reality, the universal life force and wise order in a person's life which harmonizes with the universal whole In other words Tao is a state of being, of 'doing but not doing', that accepts that everything is a part of the flow of chi. The Tao is everything and everywhere and it flows unchallenged. It is always changing but never changes. It can be experienced but not defined. It simply is.

TAOISM
Chinese religion that is based on the concept of Tao. Taoism is a religion that places great emphasis on non-action, on going with the flow and letting nature take its course. Choosing to do nothing is in itself a choice, and a choice that is thought to balance out the natural energies of ying and yang. It is believed that the secret to a happy life is a continuous balancing of ying and tang, to achieve harmony in all aspects of life.

The origins of Taoism are thought to date back to the Tao Te Ching, supposedly written in the sixth century BC by the sage Lao Tzu. The gentle harmonizing philosophy of the Tao Tee Ching had great appear to the Chinese who had grown weary of constant feudal warfare and it quickly became a popular faith. In 440 BC was adopted as a major religion.

The goal of Taoism is positive inaction. This goal is based on Lao Tzu's statement, 'The way to do is to be.' Latter dau followers interpret this as the need to achieve harmony with the universal life force and for those with a more magical turn of mind it is about the exercise of power generated by the fusion of opposites.

The influence of Taoism has spread beyond China and has served as a conceptual basis for many practices of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and meditation and martial arts like Tai Chi. Taoism, with its emphasis on being, not doing, also appeals to many Westerners exhausted and stressed by the pace of modern life.

TAROT
Card deck that is used for divination, self help, the development of intuition and spiritual and psychic growth.

The deck of cards known as the tarot is divided into two parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Acana. The word Acanda is from the Latin word for secret. The Major Aracana consists of 22 cards, each separately titled. These cards depict symbolic figures, such as the Fool, the Magician, the High Priestess and the Empress,e aliments of nature such as the Star, the Moon and the Sun, and human experiences on the spiritual journey as well as joys, hopes, fears and sorrows. The symbols are universal, drawn from legend and from magical belief. Typically the Major Arcana cards are subject to broad interpretations. IN essence they are archetypes and their sequence from 0 to 21 is believed to represent the soul's journey to awareness, the process of becoming whole or the alchemical process of spiritual transformation. Some have equated the Major Aracana with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet and work them with the Kabbalah's Tree of Life.

TELEKINESIS
The spontaneous movement of objects and people through the air without physical intervention. These objects are either moved through paranormal means, like levitation by spirits or a poltergeist, or by thought or will power alone. If the movement is intentional, it is known as psychokeinesis. Perhaps the most famous demonstration of deliberate telekinesis occurred in the 1970s when a young Israeli psychic called Uri Geller came to public attention for his ability to bend spoons and other metal objects using mind power alone.

One theory put forward to explain telekinesis is that the concentration of energy from a persons mind somehow alters the energy structure of the object they are focusing on. When the minds stream of energy is released, the object reforms itself according to the energy patterns that have been sent. If the person has sent 'bending' the spoon bends, but if he or she sent 'floating' the spoon floats.

An alternative term used for telekinesis is teleportation, although the latter tends to imply the paranormal movement or materialization of objects across a distance whereas telekinesis tends to refer to the bending, reshaping and vibrating of objects through deliberate use of psi.

TELEPATHY
The mind-to-mind communication of thoughts, feelings and ideas trough psychic means, especially ESP. Telepathy is described in folklore all over the world. In some tribal societies it is accepted as a natural ability everyone posses but in other societies it is considered an ability that only psychics possess.

The word telepathy derives from the Greek terms 'tele' [distant] and 'pathe' [feeling] and was coined by psychical researcher Frederick Myers in 1882. Research into telepathy began with mesmerism in the late eighteenth century when practitioners discovered apparent ability of some of their subjects to read their minds and carry out unspoken commands. This phenomenon was observed later by psychologists and psychiatrists such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and William James.

Studies have shown that when telepathy occurs it frequently happens spontaneously in times of crisis, for example, when one person becomes aware of another person being in danger from a distance. Telepathic information may come in the form of a dream, a mental image, through clairaudience, through thoughts that pop into the mind or through vague feelings of dread or anxiety. The person who is receiving the information may change their plans or attempt to warn or contact the other person.

It appears that telepathy is closely to emotion and it is no coincidence that most receivers tend to be women because women are often [but certainly not always] thought to be more in tune with their emotions and intuition than men. It also seems that telepathy has some biological connection as experiments show that recipient's brain waves change to match those of the sender. Telepathy is adversely affected by drugs but positively affected by caffeine. It also improves, as a person gets older. Studies on geriatric telepathy seem to indicate that when the physical senses become impaired telepathy becomes stronger.

According to twenty first century scientists, because empathy is intrinsic to human nature we are all naturally telepathic, without being aware of it. Every time we place ourselves in another persons 'mental shoes', and wonder what it must be like to be them, or feel like them, we are using our own mind as a model for theirs and by doing so are 'reading' another persons mind.

 

 

Sharpening your telepathic skills


Here is an exercise you can do with a friend to practice and sharpen your telepathic skills.

Agree on a time when you and your friend, in separate locations, both can sit down to meditate for approximately 10 minutes. Use the first five minutes of this time to send and the other five to receive a message, and make sure your times are opposite so that one of you receives when the other sends.

At the agreed on time begin your mediation. Start with three deep breaths and concentrate on sending a message to your friend. Perceive the message in whatever way you wish but stick to a single representation. When the sending time is up take three deep breaths and shift to receiving mode. Concentrate on opening your mind to the message your friend is sending when the meditation is finished bring yourself back to physical reality.

Write down everything you can remember about the experience, both the message you were trying to send and the messages you think you received from your friend. Phone or visit each other to compare experiences. How often were you right? How often were you wrong?

Generally speaking if you are more on target than not, you've exceeded the odds of chance. Don't be discouraged if at first results are poor; most people improve with practice.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEMPORAL ACTIVITY
Electrical activity in the temporal lobes of the brain. Temporal lobe activity is often associated with strange sensations, time distortions and hallucinations. It is sometimes used as an explanation for seemingly paranormal experiences such as apparitions.

 

THEOSOPHY
The term 'theosophy' comes from the Greek words theos(god) and sophia (wisdom) and it is used to refer to a school of mystical thought and belief that arose out of the formation of the Theosophical Society. Theosophy teaches that one can gain knowledge through practice of the occult traditional and claims that all religions stem from the same roots of ancient wisdom,, and that the study of ancient myths and symbols will lead to truth and spiritual awareness.

The primary expression of theosophy is the Theosophical society, an international, nonsectarian and non-dogmatic organization. Founded in 1875 by Madame Blavtsky and others the society has three main aims:

- to form a universal human brotherhood without distinction of race, creed, sex or colour:

- to encourage studies in comparative religion, philosophy and science and,

- to investigate the unexplained laws of nature, power and magic.

 

THERAPEUTIC TOUCH
A type of energy medicine whereby the therapist moves his or her hands over the patient's energy field, allegedly directing the flow of universal life force so the patient can heal.

Therapeutic touch was developed by Dora van Gelder Kunz, a clairvoyant and meditation teacher, and Dolores Krieger, Professor of Nursing at New York University, in the early 1970s. The hands are used to identify and balance out disturbances in the energy field, or aura, of patients. It is said that this can help alleviate pain and encourage the healing process.

 

THIRD EYE
The location of the third eye in the middle of the forehead corresponds to the brow chakra; psychic energies are believed to be connected to the energy that supposedly emanates from this chakra.

Certain mystical and esoteric belief systems postulate that in the far reaches of prehistory, the predecessors of humanity possessed a third eye in the middle of their foreheads which allowed them to see the spirit realms directly. According to this theory, as millions of years passed the third eye was used less and less so that it disappeared into the folds of the brain, with the result that spiritual perception was all but lost.

Incredibly there may be a degree of trust in this obscure occult doctrine. Scientists have discovered that the pineal gland, a smallish organ buried within the brain at the approximate site of the third eye, has been found to retain a small degree of sensitivity to light, leaving scientists to suggest that it might have been an evolutionary remnant of an organ of sight. Only recently has the actual function of the pineal gland been discovered, It has been found to be one of the triggers in physical growth and the hormonal changes of puberty. It also secretes one of the so called 'feel good' chemicals known to boost mood, serotonin.

Occultists believe that the pineal gland is unusually active in psychics and can be stimulated by techniques such as massage, acupuncture, concentration, meditation and so on, to produce psychic powers.

TIBETAN BOOK OF THE DEAD
Also known as the Bando Thodol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead is basically a guide to the afterlife. Translated, bardo thodol means 'liberation by hearing on the after death plane' and aims to be an instruction manual for the soul during the state that intervenes between death and the next rebirth. It suggests that following death the soul is faced with the possibility of absorption into the godhead, but for the average soul this possibility is terrifying and so the soul flees through a succession of dream worlds in which the environment is unconsciously created by the expectation of the soul.

It teaches that awareness, once freed from the body, creates its own reality like that of a dream. This dream projection unfolds in ways both frightening and beautiful. Peaceful and wrathful visions appear, and these visions can be overwhelming. Since the awareness is still in check from no longer being attached to and shielded by a body, it needs guidance and forewarning, so that key decisions that lead to enlightenment are made.

The Tibetan Book of the Dead teaches how one can attain heavenly realms by recognising the enlightened realms are opposed to being drawn into the realms of seduction that pull incorporeal awareness into cyclic suffering and rebirth. The unevolved soul pines for the pleasures of the flesh and draws close to the physical world. Sexual fantasies attract it towards couples making love and it is trapped in the womb for another incarnation.

The origins of The Tibetan Book of the Dead are unknown. For centuries it was passed down orally and was first put into written form by the legendary Padma Sambhava in the eight century AD. This Tibetan Buddhist scripture was traditionally read aloud to the dying to help them attain liberation. It guides a person to use the moment of death to recognize the nature of mind and attain liberation.


TRANCE
State between sleeping and waking, when a person is half conscious and focusing exclusively on their internal thoughts and visions and is unaware of what is going on around them. This altered state of consciousness can occur spontaneously or be induced (and self induced) by hypnosis, by shamans via sensory depravation, by a medium during a seance, by hallucinogenic drugs, by meditation, and by rhythmic chanting, music and movement.

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION
Type of meditation, popular in the United States, Britain and Australia, that was advocated in the 1970s by Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, where the mediator concentrates on a particular mantra known only to them. The aim of transcendental meditation (TM) is to increase spiritual awareness and find inner peace by achieving transcendental consciousness.

TMI is said to bring results more quickly that any other type of meditation, especially Yoga and Zen. It has been shown to decrease drug use, to increase energy, alertness, concentration, coordination and to ease stress and illness. Physiological changes include lowered blood pressure and increased brain wave activity, and practitioners report overall health improvements.

According to the Maharishi, TM is so powerful because it is rooted in traditions that are thousands of years old, for practices that resemble TM can be found in the Hindu Vedas. The knowledge was, however, lost and found many times over the centuries.

After founding the TIM movement in the 1970s the Maharishi turned his attention to health and world peace. His work in Ayurvedic medicine of India and find the key to reversing ageing. His world peace programme states that if 7,000 people collectively practise TM the coherence of the brain waves will lead to a reduction in crime, accidents and illness. According to the Maharishi, 7,000 people represent the square root of 1 per cent of the world's population, which is the minimum necessary to cause mass change.

TM differs from traditional Eastern teachings in that there is no requirement for withdrawl from daily life in order to achieve enlightenment. Instead the Maharishi insists on the importance of well-being in the natural world, but without attachment to it. TM also differs from other forms of meditation in that it does not involve concentration or contemplation, but the use of sacred sound.

The Maharishi maintains it can only be taught through personal instruction by a qualified teacher. The student is given a personal mantra and instructed how to use it while meditating twice a day for around 20 minutes. The mantra has no meanings or associations and is not chanted verbally or mentally, rather it is a sound that it thought.

The chief feature of TM is that regular use of the mantra enables the practitioner to reach a higher state of consciousness, which the Maharishi describes as pure creative intelligence or pure thought. Thoughts arise from the depths of the mind like tiny seeds rising to the surface, growing in size until they reach the level of conscious awareness. TM enables practitioners to experience the origin of thought and thereby gain greater access to the state of creative intelligence where the true self lies in a state of restful alertness and where there is no mental activity. This is the fourth state of consciousness, different from waking , sleeping and deep sleep, where boundaries between subject and object disappear and the two become one to find silent joy in seeming emptiness.

Even higher states of consciousness, called the fifth, sixth and seventh states, can be achieved with practice. However, these states can only be achieved when one is permanently and totally free of stress and the aim is to attain absolute awareness of the external world and one's essential unity with all that is. The Maharishi claims that with TM it is possible to reach this enlightenment in around five to ten years, as opposed to decades or a lifetime through Yoga or Zen.

TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY
This a a controversial school of psychology that tries to understand what parts of mysticism, peak experiences and transpersonal experiences play in forming personality and character. In a transpersonal experience the consciousness overcomes space and time to identify with other consciousness, phenomena or states. Various paranormal phenomena, including telepathy, out of body experiences, clairvoyance, precognition and time travel, are regarded as transpersonal experience.

In the early twentieth century, Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli (1888 - 1974) developed what he called 'psychosynthesis'; an approach to psychology that focuses on achieving a coming together of various parts of the personality. Once a person's lower self has been psychosynthesized together they can then turn their attention to the 'higher' or 'transpersonal self'. This gives life purpose and meaning, which all people need to feel psychologically healthy.

In transpersonal psychotherapy ego is illusion, something that must be transcended so that the individual can identify with total self. Body and mind are not separate but subsystems of each other, and everyone therefore has the capacity for self-healing. Transpersonal psychotherapy includes both Eastern and Western methods of working with the consciousness, including Western methods of dream analysis and imagery and Eastern meditation and Yoga.

TREE OF LIFE
Complex symbol that is central to the practice and philosophy of Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical religion. The Tree of Life incorporates 10 circles, symbolising 10 different spheres of knowledge (known as sephiroth) that a person must achieve to attain wisdom of the 'godhead'. These sephiroth are usually perceived as energies or states on the physical level but also exist in defined places on the astral plane. Connecting each of these spheres to one another are 22 pathways, comprised of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each path is a specific astral track to be studied and investigated by the initiated.

Followers of the Kabbalah must work their way up the Tree of Life from the foundation of the tree by study and initiation into the secret knowledge associated with each level, before moving up to the next sphere of wisdom. The base sphere of the Tree is call Malkuth and it signifies the physical aspect of reality, the every world we live in. Above Malkuth is the sphere of Yesod, which is associated with imagination and the astral plane. To Kabalists Yesodis the literal foundation on which physical reality rests. As the Kabbalist moves upwards through the spheres of Hod, Netzach, Tiphareth, Geburah, Chesed, Chokmah and Binah more and more subtle aspect of reality are reached, until the final sphere, Kether, is attained, which symbolizes the essential unity of the universe. Combing the 10 spheres and the 22 paths, Kabbalists believe there are 32 ways to reach Kether and the self-development work to get there is known as pathworking.

 

MARK TWAIN 1835-1910

One of the most beloved authors in American literature, Twain achieved international aclaim when he penned such classics as 'Tom Sawyer' and 'The Adventures of Hucklberry Finn'. His interest in the paranormal began in his youth when a travelling mesmerist visited his hometown of Hannibul, Missouri, to give a demonstration of hypnotism and 'mind reading'. Later in life Twain noted on several occasions that he had premonitory dreams and joked that he was capable of 'mental telegraphy' : a term he coined to describe the mental exchange of letters and thoughts with his wife. He also reputedly visited numerous haunted locations and claimed on a few occasions to have spotted an apparition.

Twain joined the Society for Psychical Research in 1885 and his interest in paranormal research became even deeper following the death of his daughter, Susy, at the age of 24.

 

 

 

 

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