* Spirits In Harmony * finding unity in diversity: 2010

Monday, January 18, 2010

Breath Wind Spirit Words

In many languages the words breath and spirit are connected. My earlier article is on the many traditions which believe that God/Creator breathed the animating spirit into human beings. See The Breath and Spirit of Life.

Today's column is related in that it presents a list of words from many cultures and languages that have the double meaning of breath and spirit or life force.

Aramaic – ruach/ruakh – wind, air, gas; spirit, breath

Aztec – tona – vital energy; heat

Babylonian – vahu – wind god; breath of life

Chinese – qi – breath; vital energy

Cree Native American – oenikika – breath of life

Greek – pneuma – breath, air, wind; spirit, soul

Hawaiian Ancient – ha – breath of life, life force energy

Hebrew – nephesh – breath, soul, life

Hindu – prana – life force; the breath of god

Lakota Native American – woniya waken – holy air

Maori – nge – breath of life

Mayan – ik – breath of life, spirit, life force; name of the wind god; wind, vital energy

Zoroastrian – raman – breath of life

The "Golden Rule" is found in almost all traditions

Bahá'í World Faith: And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.

Brahmanism: This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.

Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

Christianity: And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.

Egyptian (Ancient): Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do.

Hinduism: This is the sum of the Dharma [duty]: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.

Humanism: Humanists acknowledge human interdependence, the need for mutual respect and the kinship of all humanity.

Islam: None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.

Jainism: You A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.

Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary.

Native American Spirituality: All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One.

Roman Pagan Religion: The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves.

Shinto: The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form.

Sikhism: Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.

Sufism: The basis of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you hurt someone's heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this.

Taoism: Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.

Unitarian: We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent of all existence of which we are a part.

Wiccan: An it harm no one, do what thou wilt.

Yoruba: (Nigeria): One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.

Zoroastrianism: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.

Classification of Religion into Seven Major Types

Defining religion must take into account the fact that there are several different types of religion in the world. They are all similar enough to come together in the category called religion, but they are also different enough that exploring these sub-categories is helpful in understanding religious beliefs and religious phenomena.

One thing which is important to note is that these categories are not all mutually exclusive. This means that it is not the case that a religion must be a part of one and thus cannot be a part of any of the others. Quite the opposite is true, actually - it isn't unusual for a religion to be a part of two or even more groupings. These aren't so much means to divide religions into different categories as they are means to understand the ways in which religion manifests itself in human society and human psychology.

1. Nature Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
Those systems known as nature religions are often considered among the most primitive of religious beliefs. "Primitive" here is not so much a reference to the complexity of the religious system (because nature religions can be very complex); rather, it is a reference to the idea that nature religions were probably the earliest sort of religious system developed by human beings.

2. Revealed Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
Also commonly described as Law-giving Religions, the Revealed Religions are those which find their symbolic center in some set of revelations handed down by a god or gods. These revelations are normally contained in the religion's holy scriptures which, in turn, have been transmitted to the rest of us by specially revered prophets of the god or gods.

3. Salvation Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
Salvation religions are typically founded by a prophet or religious leader who creates a basic doctrine which explains to people how salvation might be achieved. The legitimacy and long-term authority of these prophets is often dependent upon possessing a high degree of personal charisma and, sometimes, the ability to work miracles - presumably a sign of divine favor and sanction.

4. Sacramental Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
A sacramental religion is one which emphasizes or focuses upon the idea that the divine is thought to be present in some fashion in physical objects in the presence of believers and the mystery-laden ceremonies which believers participate in. Indeed, contact and communication with the divine is sought principally through those objects and ceremonies.

5. Prophetic Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
A Prophetic Religion is strongly associated with Revealed Religion and there are times when the two terms may be used interchangeably, but they aren't exactly the same. In a prophetic religion, the role of prophets over and above the actual divine revelations is given a special status. The prophets exist to guide and warn society when it stumbles - thus, they are thought to play an ongoing and dynamic role which the static text of a revelation cannot readily achieve.

6. Mystical Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
A Mystical Religion is one in which mystical experiences play the most important role in terms of understanding nature, learning about the divine, and becoming a religiously devout person. At its most extreme, it excludes all other concerns with life, society, and fellow believers - it is unsurprising that mystical religions which remain mystical religions alone do not often result in coherent and long-lived religious traditions.

7. Tribal Religions: Characteristics, Beliefs and Practices
A Tribal Religion may be best understood in terms of what it is not: it is not one which claims to have a religious message for all of humanity, it does not offer any means of universal salvation, it does not purport to have a unique insight into the will of any gods, and it does not expect anyone else to care very much about what it has to say.

From Austin Cline,
Your Guide to Agnosticism / Atheism.

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* Spirits In Harmony * finding unity in diversity

Monday, January 18, 2010

Breath Wind Spirit Words

Dao De Jing Verse 47 in song: "Inner Light" by G. Harrison

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The "Golden Rule" is found in almost all traditions

Classification of Religion into Seven Major Types

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