| RELIGIOUS BELIEFSWhen we speak of
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| | brain that "causes" a sense of self is
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| religious beliefs we mean its theological
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| | likewise not yet discovered. This concept
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| tenets. Christianity and Islam share
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| | of the "brain causes consciousness" is
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| common ideas and beliefs having their
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| | fundamentally the viewpoint of the
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| roots in a common source--Judaism. This
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| | mechanists that sees man as merely a
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| religion in turn derived many of its
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| | machine. The above concept is flawed,
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| doctrines and beliefs from the Persians,
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| | however, because portions of the brain
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| Egyptians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, and
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| | have been known to be destroyed and yet
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| the Sumerians. Perhaps it would be true
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| | the presence of a sense of self still
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| to say that almost every religion is
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| | remained. In the condition known as
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| syncretic, though they may try very hard
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| | hydrocephalus, for instance, large
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| to cover this up.Eastern religions such
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| | sections of the cerebral cortex may be
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| as Buddhism and Taoism are more mystical
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| | destroyed or missing, being filled
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| in nature and differ greatly from the
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| | instead with cerebro-spinal fluid, and
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| Semitic religions in many basic
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| | yet individuals suffering from such a
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| principles; Hinduism comprising of many
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| | condition may lead normal lives without
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| philosophical schools of thought,
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| | suspecting their blight. They may even
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| embraces various theological ideas. Some
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| | have an I.Q. above average.The
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| schools of Buddhism teaches that there is
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| | mechanists, Freud (1856-1939) among them,
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| no permanent entity called the soul; that
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| | claim that our behavioral actions are
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| what is thought to be the soul is simply
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| | automatic responses to external stimuli,
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| a collection of karmic tendencies
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| | and that life is a result of the right
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| transmittable from one incarnation to
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| | combination of chemicals derived from
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| another. Their extreme views are
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| | food and oxygen. That an animating force
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| nilhilistic in nature; however, it is
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| | exists to vitalize the organism they may
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| doubtful whether this was implied in the
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| | concede but this force is looked upon as
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| teachings of the Buddha. For instance, if
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| | a physical energy akin to electricity.
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| there is no Self, then there is also no
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| | The mechanistic theory describes how
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| Gautama Buddha in existence; and yet,
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| | perception takes place through the
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| prayers are still being directed by the
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| | stimulation of the senses that creates
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| faithful to this exalted being.
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| | nerve impulses, and how these nerve
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| Fundamentally, although these religions
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| | impulses travel to the sections of the
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| have diverse concepts regarding the soul
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| | brain related to the senses, and how they
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| they all point or refer to the One where
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| | form sensations; but the theory does not
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| all sentient beings originate. All have
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| | consider the real perceiver that tries to
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| their own particular name or names for
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| | make sense of the sensations. To
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| this Source, and all have their personal
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| | mechanists, the perceiver is thought to
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| ideas regarding this Divine
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| | be one of the functions of the cerebral
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| Essence.Theological precepts are often
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| | cortex. In short, the mechanistic concept
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| tainted with the frailties of the human
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| | leaves no room for the existence of the
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| ego and intellect and thus offer a poor
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| | soul. To a mechanist the purported
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| basis for the study of true religion and
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| | existence of the soul is considered as an
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| its revelations concerning the soul.
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| | absurdity.If the eminent
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| Nevertheless, we will strive to present
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| | neuropsychologist Karl Lashley
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| its beliefs with as little bias on our
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| | (1890-1958), author of Brain Mechanisms
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| part as possible. This section will be
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| | and Intelligence, after years of research
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| brief, for to do justice to the subject
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| | could not discover the seat of memory in
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| would require many pages and go beyond
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| | the brain, how much more difficult would
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| the scope of this work.In Christian
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| | it be to discover the seat of the self or
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| theology it is believed that the soul
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| | soul--not withstanding Descartes'
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| prior to birth is devoid of any
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| | (1596-1650) assertion that the pineal
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| individuality or personality. It is only
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| | gland is its locus. This French
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| when God breathes through the nostrils of
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| | philosopher and mathematician also
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| man that the soul acquires
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| | declared, "cogito, ergo sum," or "I
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| self-consciousness, and is a "living"
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| | think, therefore I am" thus implying that
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| being--and this condition of being alive
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| | the Self arises into existence as a
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| is believed to remain with the soul after
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| | result of thought, or as a function of
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| death. In the Book of Genesis it is
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| | the mind. Nevertheless, mystics have
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| recorded that,"God made man out of the
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| | proved to themselves the possibility of
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| dust of the earth, breathed the breath of
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| | transcending thoughts and yet remaining
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| life into his nostrils, and made man a
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| | in existence, and possessing an exalted
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| living soul." (Gen 2:7)The phrase "living
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| | sense of Self, unified with the Cosmos.
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| soul" is equated to the state of being
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| | The mystic's standpoint is supported by
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| self-conscious. According to this notion
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| | Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), French
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| unless there is an awareness of the
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| | philosopher and writer. To Sartre,
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| existence of an ego, or a self, a person
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| | existence does not depend on the
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| or being does not truly have a soul. Such
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| | functions of the mind, that a being does
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| a creature is "soulless." A person may be
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| | not exist simply because it thinks.
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| alive imbued with the soul-essence, the
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| | According to Sartre, existence precedes
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| life-force, and yet remain soulless, in
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| | the mind--or thinking.Rene Descartes'
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| the sense that it is not self-aware. Some
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| | statement is therefore erroneous, or
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| states of insanity may represent beings
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| | perhaps our interpretation of his
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| who are "soulless." While the living soul
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| | statement is wrong. "I think, because I
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| is associated with the awareness of the
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| | am" would be closer to the truth. In
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| ego, immortality is associated with the
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| | spite of this, Descartes was somewhat
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| awareness of the superego, the Higher
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| | accurate in believing that the pineal
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| Self. This idea, though, falls in the
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| | gland plays an important role in man's
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| province of metaphysical
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| | occult physiology as we shall see later
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| thought.Basically, theology consider the
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| | when we discuss the metaphysical
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| soul to be a substance implanted in man.
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| | purview.Mainstream science may disavow
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| It is believed to be an entity divinely
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| | the existence of the soul on the pretext
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| created and bestowed upon man when man
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| | of its immateriality, undetected by their
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| takes his first breath. Christian
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| | instruments; and yet, matter in its
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| theology formulated the idea that man is
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| | actual state in similarly immaterial.
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| a divine creation, the highest of all
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| | This was the proposition of Leibniz
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| beings, and that the whole universe was
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| | (1646-1716), the German philosopher, who
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| created for man alone in support of his
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| | considered matter as a manifestation of
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| existence.In Christianity the terms "lost
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| | Mind--"a stupid variety of mind." To
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| souls" or "degraded souls" are often
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| | explain this graphically, for instance,
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| expressed. The moral quality of a
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| | what we call concrete matter is actually
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| person's life is believed to be able to
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| | made up of moving molecules. Molecules in
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| affect the soul. However, from the
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| | turn are made up of whirling atoms, and
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| metaphysical point of view soul-essence
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| | these are composed of even smaller
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| is immaculate, perfect, immutable and
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| | particles. Should these sub-atomic
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| divine. What may be affected is not its
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| | particles be magnified "nothing" would be
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| essence but its conscious expression. The
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| | found. Matter, is therefore, made up of
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| consciousness arising from soul essence
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| | "emptiness." We may call this void
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| is that which evolves and strives to
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| | "energy," "mind," or "spirit," but
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| reflect the image, archetype or blueprint
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| | whatever we call it, the fact remains
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| that God created for man. This is stated
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| | that matter is actually as insubstantial
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| emphatically in Genesis; however the
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| | as the soul. If the reality of one is
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| statement is often interpreted literally.
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| | accepted why not the other? The many
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| This blueprint is the image or divine
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| | particles composing matter are filled
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| qualities of God. It does not refer to
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| | with this "nothing," or space. Another
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| form but to the inner nature of the
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| | curious fact is that if we were to remove
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| life-essence.The Hindus, generally
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| | the space inherent within a human body,
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| speaking, believe the soul to be an
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| | for instance, and all the "particles"
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| entity that resides in the physical body
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| | united, the total compaction would result
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| and is subjected to reincarnation in
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| | in a piece of matter no larger than a
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| accord with its karma. The Upanishads
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| | mite of dust. Leibniz's theory is also
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| says that, "The Supreme Person, of the
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| | paralleled by the thoughts of Ralph Waldo
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| size of the thumb, dwells forever in the
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| | Emerson (1803-1882), the American
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| heart of all human beings." Its esoteric
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| | Trancendentalist. According to Emerson
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| wisdom, moreover, tells us that the
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| | matter is "a phenomenon, not a
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| immaterial man is constituted of various
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| | substance." He also considered the
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| principles each having their own
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| | material world to be,"a divine dream,
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| particular function. The highest
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| | from which we may presently awake to the
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| principle within the microcosm of man is
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| | glories and certainties of day."Science
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| the Atma, or according to others, the
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| | informs us that nothing is destroyed.
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| Paratman.In the Bhagavad Gita, the
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| | That matter is just energy possessing a
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| microcosm is represented by Krishna,
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| | certain structure and magnetic-field. It
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| Arjuna, the carriage, and the horses.
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| | is acknowledged that everything in
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| Krishna is the Spirit, the highest aspect
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| | existence is made up of energy. Now as
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| of man; Arjuna the evolving soul; the
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| | the existence of consciousness and a
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| carriage the mind; and the horses the
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| | sense of self are undeniable, they should
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| senses. Graphically five horses are often
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| | be thought of as indestructible as well,
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| represented. They represent the senses of
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| | for Science has already implied the idea
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| man through which the vital force escapes
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| | in its equations. So why then does
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| and runs uncontrolled. In yoga and
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| | Science not accept the possible existence
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| esoteric practices the senses are subdued
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| | of disembodied consciousness--the
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| so that the vital force may be directed
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| | soul?--because it cannot be perceived?
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| within to awaken the sluggish Arjuna.
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| | Quiet an absurdity, really--even while
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| Krishna is the guide that assists Arjuna
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| | embodied the Self cannot be seen. Can you
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| in this project.ANCIENT BELIEFSAs we
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| | see your Self?From whence does the sense
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| mentioned before, the belief in the
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| | of self-identity come? It seems that
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| survival of the soul after death goes way
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| | mainstream science is still a long way in
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| back to the earliest development of
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| | finding this one out. However, new
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| humankind. Primitive Neanderthal tribes,
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| | paradigms are being formulated by
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| for instance, would bury food, tools, and
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| | open-minded scientists who are now
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| weapons along with the corpses of their
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| | considering the world-view of eastern
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| departed in order to provide them with
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| | mystics in conjunction with the new
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| the bare necessities in the afterlife.
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| | developments and discoveries in the field
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| This custom still survive in some
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| | of physics and psychology. The theories
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| cultures and is a clear indication that
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| | of quantum physics and transpersonal
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| not only is soul survival believed in but
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| | psychology are closing the gap between
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| that the afterlife as a continuation of
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| | essential religion and conventional
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| the sort of life lived in the physical
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| | science. Regarding the mystery of the
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| world is likewise presumed.Animism was
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| | Self in relation to the brain we are
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| the prevailing belief among prehistoric
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| | reminded of the words of the researcher
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| man. Everything was considered alive and
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| | and scientist George Buletza who said in
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| pervaded with a soul-force that even gave
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| | the Rosicrucian Digest (Sept. 1983)
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| inanimate objects a consciousness and an
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| | that,"Rather than the brain producing
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| intelligence of some kind. Stars in
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| | Self, it is the other way around. The
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| particular were believed to be souls long
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| | brain is a product of Self, of Being ever
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| dead and living in heaven. To the
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| | striving to be. The brain is the
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| primitive mind, the sky or firmaments
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| | incredibly fine instrument created by
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| were considered to be heaven, just as
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| | Self in the process of expressing its own
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| hell was thought to lie beneath the
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| | nature . . ."It has been observed in many
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| earth.That the soul "resided" and
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| | laboratory experiments all over the world
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| functioned in the physical body, a
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| | that human consciousness reveals an
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| location was sought for its residence.
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| | ability to extend itself beyond the
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| Some believed the heart to be the organ
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| | boundaries of the brain and body, that
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| of the soul, others pointed to the head.
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| | somehow it may perceive or influence
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| Some primitive cultures thought that the
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| | events at distant places. Such mental
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| blood was the vehicle of the soul--that
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| | activities suggests to some scientific
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| the blood carried soul-substances to
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| | observers that consciousness may exist
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| every part of the body. The demon
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| | independent of the corporeal form.Many
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| Mephistopheles in a play written by
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| | branches of science such as physics,
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| Goethe (1749-1832) declares the blood to
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| | psychology, astrophysics, and biology,
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| be a "curious thing." The belief that the
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| | are investigating the soul, and each has
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| blood is the vehicle of the soul is not
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| | their own particular methods of inquiry.
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| without foundation, however. If the soul
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| | Perhaps the most important branch of
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| in this context is considered to be the
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| | science that has been developed in recent
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| life-force, prana, chi, or even oxygen,
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| | times, relatively speaking, is
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| one can only surmise how the primitive
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| | parapsychology.ParapsychologyParapsycholo
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| mind intuited this scientific fact.
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| | gy is that branch of science that studies
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| Scientifically, it has been noticed that
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| | the nature of psychic or paranormal
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| blood-transfusion often causes a
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| | phenomena. Its scope of investigation
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| temporary change in character in the
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| | covers a wide range of subjects: for
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| person receiving the donor's blood. Could
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| | instance, ESP, hauntings, poltergeist
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| it be that blood is impregnated with
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| | activity, Near-Death Experience,
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| one's soul-characteristics? As the blood
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| | Out-of-the-Body Experience, UFOs, Strange
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| was associated with the soul, many
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| | Creatures, Weird Phenomena, etc. There
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| primitive tribes such as the Scythians
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| | are now many institutes investigating,
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| evolved the custom of drinking the blood
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| | studying, and teaching this branch of
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| of their enemies or victims in order to
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| | science. The word "parapsychologist" is
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| absorb their courage, strength, power,
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| | often misunderstood. Many people seem to
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| and abilities. The custom of forming
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| | think that being a parapsychologist is
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| blood-brothers is also based upon the
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| | synonymous to being psychic. This is
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| belief in the importance of the blood as
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| | erroneous. A psychic may not be a
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| related to the soul, and its
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| | parapsychologist, and vice versa. A
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| transcendence over fleshly ties. Members
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| | psychic is someone who perceives
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| forming blood-brothers would drink the
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| | impressions through higher senses not
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| blood of fellow members thus forming a
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| | ordinarily registered by the physical
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| soul-bond overriding the normal
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| | senses. Psychics may not generally
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| flesh-and-blood relationships.The
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| | understand the impressions that they
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| ancients often depicted the soul as a
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| | register, and may simply believe and be
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| bird often human headed, perhaps
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| | fooled by illusions and appearances. A
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| referring to its ability to fly. The
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| | parapsychologist seeks to understand
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| Aztecs, ancient Greeks and Egyptians
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| | unusual phenomena through scientific
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| among the many ancient races, for
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| | analysis, and by using empirical methods
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| instance, often portrayed the souls of
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| | with the aid of carefully devised
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| their dead in murals and pottery as a
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| | instruments. A mystically inclined
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| winged bird taking flight from its
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| | metaphysician, on the other-hand,
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| lifeless corpse. Eagles, hawks, doves,
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| | basically strives to understand phenomena
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| peacocks and phoenixes were often used to
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| | with the aid of his intellect, intuition,
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| represent the soul.Not only the head,
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| | and other higher faculties. The
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| heart, and blood were believed to be the
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| | parapsychologist's basic methods are
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| seat of the soul, but likewise the
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| | three-dimensional, the psychic's
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| breath. Believing that the breath is
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| | four-dimensional, and the
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| associated with the soul and life, the
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| | mystic-metaphysician's, five-dimensional,
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| aborigines of Papua New Guinea would
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| | or even higher.To illustrate the
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| breathe through tubes into effigies of
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| | difference between a paranormal and a
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| their forefathers in order to confer a
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| | metaphysician's understanding of
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| certain vitality to their departed souls.
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| | phenomena, we will just illustrate one
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| This is a magical practice based on the
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| | out of many. As an example, supposing a
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| law of similarity. Many tribal cultures
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| | psychic were to receive impressions of an
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| practiced the placement of obstructions
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| | impending disaster, he would consider it
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| in the nostrils of their dying ones as a
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| | to be truth and proclaim it to others. He
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| last effort to saving their lives. This
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| | would make all sorts of predictions anent
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| they believe would effectively prevent
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| | the impressions that was registered in
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| the soul from escaping and causing the
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| | his mind. He would consider it as a
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| death of the body.It is believed among
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| | revelation of God.The metaphysician on
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| ancient and savage people that the soul
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| | the other hand, knowing Cosmic and
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| being associated with the life force,
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| | natural laws, understands the impressions
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| illnesses or feebleness of the physical
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| | received to possibly be
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| body are caused by the escape of the soul
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| | thought-forms-mind creations of fearful
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| from the gross form. In extreme cases the
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| | beings. Man radiates thoughts, and these
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| soul force was "captured" by some evil
| |
| | thoughts, perhaps without a basis of
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| spirit and it was the task of the shaman,
| |
| | truth, are received by psychics. The
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| the tribal witch-doctor to recapture the
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| | unfortunate thing in all of this is that
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| soul and restore it to the corporeal
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| | thoughts are creative. What we habitually
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| body. The ability of the shaman to
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| | think about with intense emotion have a
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| dissociate his incorporeal aspect from
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| | tendency to materialize. So dire
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| the gross form supposedly facilitated
| |
| | predictions often come true; however it
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| this sort of work.The Ancients' concept
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| | does not have to be. We have to learn to
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| of the soul has evolved throughout the
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| | eliminate fear. When psychics make
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| ages, and even now our scientific
| |
| | predictions they are instilling and
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| understanding is constantly in a state of
| |
| | intensifying fear among the masses. Now
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| change. Our conceptions regarding the
| |
| | this is a vicious cycle. When people are
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| soul is associated with our various
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| | made fearful by psychics they begin to
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| notions regarding God. As man evolves so
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| | imagine more catastrophic horrors and
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| does his awareness of the soul and his
| |
| | these thoughts radiate out again to
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| Source. Man has formed many ideas
| |
| | susceptible psychics who repeat the whole
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| regarding the nature of his creator. In
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| | procedure over again. The momentum
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| this context it can be seen that the
| |
| | eventually grows until it manifests
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| phrase, "God creates man, and man creates
| |
| | physically.However, let us not digress
|
| God" has a basis in truth.Among the
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| | too far and return to our subject:
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| ancient cultures, the Egyptians and
| |
| | Parapsychology has established various
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| Hindus were the most advanced in their
| |
| | avenues of research for determining the
|
| understanding of the soul. We in
| |
| | reality of the soul and the survival of
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| particular refer to their mystics,
| |
| | personal consciousness. Although the
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| hierophants, and sages. They regarded man
| |
| | results of their research are
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| as a microcosm with many aspects, both
| |
| | inconclusive by the standards of
|
| material and incorporeal, with each
| |
| | mainstream science, parapsychologists
|
| aspect having its own function to play in
| |
| | have been successful in acquiring
|
| the life and destiny of the soul. Their
| |
| | evidence and vital knowledge that when
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| many teachings live on today in
| |
| | analyzed seemingly validates the age-old
|
| contemporary metaphysico-occult
| |
| | belief in the existence of the soul and
|
| philosophy. The ancient Greek
| |
| | its survival of bodily death.
|
| philosophers and sages such as Thales,
| |
| | Nevertheless, parapsychologists have
|
| Plato and Pythagoras derived much of
| |
| | formulated various theories as to their
|
| their occult knowledge from these wise
| |
| | findings, not all of which aligns with
|
| priests of the Orient.SCIENTIFIC
| |
| | the traditional view of the soul. It is
|
| VIEWSAlong the scientific vein, certain
| |
| | also important to note that the term
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| schools of thought believe the self or
| |
| | "soul" is rarely used in mainstream
|
| ego to be a by-product of a brain
| |
| | science or parapsychology. The terms
|
| function, and yet what gives rise to this
| |
| | "mind," "consciousness," and
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| function is not known, and only given an
| |
| | "personality" are often used instead.
|
| educational guess. The section of the
| |
| |
|
