Posts Tagged ‘religion and culture’

Demons are the exact opposite of angels and they are usually present in religion, folklore and mythology. They are supernatural beings and they are generally described as deceiving, malevolent spirits.

In Greek mythology, demons are used and applied referring to a God or Goddess but generally, it was referred to as a force or spirit that comes between gods and human. Overtime, it gathered negative connotations and therefore settled to becoming associated with devils and the likes. Both demons and devils are considered as evil spirits and fallen angels of God and they are usually mistaken for one another although they are quite different in meaning and definition.

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Hieroglyphics or hieroglyphs are graphical characters made to symbolize animals or objects during those times when the universal language is yet to be developed. Some even considered hieroglyphics as the earliest form of art. These ancient writings are priceless and treasured since a set of hieroglyphics tells stories of ancient times allowing us to experience and catch a small glimpse of it. Hieroglyphs were used under different eras and by various civilizations such as Sumerian and Babylonians.

Ancient Egyptians are well-known for their extensive collection of hieroglyphs. These are the ones you will remember when you say hieroglyphics although there have been many types in existence. Apparently, ancient Egyptians chart every phenomenon and occurrences made during their time. These are documentations that are very important in their society during those times; these are considered as sacred writings so no one even dared messing them up back then. Hieroglyphs were written in stones, cloths, and wood. There have been attempts of deciphering these inscriptions but only few succeeded in doing so.

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Can’t resist a good urban legend? Apparently, you are not alone. Urban legends have been around for a very long time as the first recorded story dated back far in 1968 but the term itself was introduced by Jan Harold Brunvand of the University of Utah when he authored a series of books in 1981. Since then, all stories with questionable authenticity and authorship are considered as an urban legend.

Urban legend goes by the name of urban myth and urban tale as well but contrary to what the name implies, they don’t exist in urban settings exclusively. They also “occur” in homes of famous celebrities and city dwellers. It can also appear on brand names and manufacturing facilities. The word urban is only used to differentiate a traditional folklore from an urban legend.

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Feng Shui is a traditional Chinese practice prevalent in Asian countries then and now. This Chinese custom is well respected and has followers especially around Chinese communities worldwide. In a person’s point of view, this is creating an arrangement, in and out of the home to make way for good luck and prevent bad luck from coming in. Good qi or good energy flow is encouraged believing that in doing so, it will improve the lives of the dwellers.

Feng Shui is heavily dependent on the Chinese compass for proper placement of your furniture, objects and rooms in the house. The Chinese compass is more or less, similar to a regular compass which directs the person using it to locate North, East, South and West respectively except that, a traditional Chinese compass or a luopan is embedded with formulas needed to conduct Feng Shui. That, aside from other functionalities a loupan has. Feng Shui’s number one goal is to invite good vibes and drive away the bad ones.

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Numerology is the study of numbers and its relationship with the things around us. Numerology practitioners firmly believe that numbers represent universal value to us and how our lives are going to be; that, numbers correspond to certain life patterns that we, as humans, tend to follow.

In numerology, numbers are considered as symbols and these symbols are language yet to be understood. Numerology is developed and defined by Pythagoras, the father of western numerology. To date, Pythagorean numerology is still practiced by some although it is not quite popular nowadays as compared to what it was before. Although numerology is largely based on mathematical equations and was acknowledged by mathematicians in the early ages, numerology is no longer considered as part of mathematics but is deemed as pseudomathematics—often associated with cults and divination.

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Astrology by definition is the study of positions and movements of astronomical bodies in relation to how it affects all events on Earth; past, present and future. Astrologers believe that celestial bodies directly influence all natural occurrences we experience on Earth, either individually or collectively. Studies are made to help us predict future events that may affect how we conduct our daily living thus we come fully prepared for it.

Someone who practices the art of astrology is then called an astrologist or astrologer. He or she is consulted for forecasts, predictions, birth charts, compatibility and for better understanding of one’s self. An astrologist will derive his readings through time of events such as date and time of birth.

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Mysticism comes from the Greek word “mystikos” meaning to conceal.  Mysticism is the pursuit of a higher level of devotion or meaning to the ordinary allegorical interpretations of religious practices.  Mysticism can be found not only in a lot of religions but also in psychic activities or paranormal activities.  “Mystikos” is the origin of the word mystery or mysterious.

The term mysticism is used to denote beliefs or practices which go beyond the mainstream by seeking inner esoteric means of the conventional.  Kabbalah for example is a mystic form of Judaism which seeks to amplify and seek the hidden meaning of the scriptures in the Torah.

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