New Age Dictionary  J-K

Jagatha: (Sanskrit)

The universe.

Jahnu: 

In Hindu lore, an ancient king who adopted the Ganges River

Jaimini, Maharishi: 

A sage who wrote an elucidation of sections of Maharishi Parashara's work. This became the basis for another system of Astrology in India

Jainism: 

A world religion begun as a reform movement of Hinduism. by Mahavira (b. 599 BC ) who denied the existence or worship of a supreme deity and taught enlightenment through strict self-denial and non-violence. Later followers deified Mahavira himself, calling him the 24th Tirthankara (last great savior teacher) who descended from heaven without sin and with all knowledge.

Jalapatanasaham: 

A sensitive point in Vedic astrology relating to going on a voyage. One of many used and similar in idea to Arabic parts

Janmarashi: 

In Vedic astrology, the sign occupied by the Moon at birth 

Janu-shirshasana: 

The head-knee yoga posture

Janus:

Ancient Roman god of gates and doors, hence the god invoked at the beginning of any undertaking.  Usually portrayed as having two faces, one looking forward and one looking into the past.

Jataka:

A type of Buddhist literature consisting of stories of the previous incarnations of the being who became the Buddha. A collection of 547 such stories is included in the Pali canon. Many of the Jataka tales include ancient folk motifs from pre-Buddhist India. In Buddhist communities, the Jataka tales are often used to teach and reflect upon the virtues of generosity, loyalty, and self-sacrifice.

Jathara-parivartanasana(Sanskrit)

 The belly-turning yoga posture

Jeffers, Joseph: 

Founder of Temple of Yaweh?

Jehovah:

Incorrect reading of the proper name of Israel's deity, joining the consonants of YHWH to the vowels of Adonai. A medieval Christian invention, Jehovah became popular in some traditional English translations of the Bible.  The four letters are not a word, but a sentence, which reads literally, "I AM WHAT IS". When you smooth it out, it reads, I AM (all) THAT IS.  The name of the Roman god, Jove, is also derived from YHVH.

Jehovah�s Witnesses: 

Official name of the religion that accepts the authority of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society

Jerome:(348-420) 

Also known as Eusebius Hieronymous, greatest of the early Roman Catholic Bible scholars. Jerome was the leading translator of the authoritative Latin translation of the Bible, the Vulgate.

Jesuits:

A Catholic religious order for men founded by Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) in 1534 and approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. The constitution for the community, written by Ignatius and approved in 1550, focused on two tasks: the reform of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly in response to Protestantism, and service in the foreign missions, especially in those areas that had been just discovered. To fulfill these tasks, in addition to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience (to one's superior in the order) Jesuits were required to take an additional "fourth vow" of obedience to the pope and were freed of traditional obligations associated with religious life, particularly a distinctive garment and the recitation of the Divine Office, daily prayers at specified hours. The Jesuits were most associated with spiritual revival, especially through the Spiritual Exercises (1522-41) of Ignatius, and education. Many of the important theologians of the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Catholic Reformation period were Jesuits. Although marred by several conflicts during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, including their dispute with Jansenism, the Chinese rites controversy, and the suppression of the Society by Clement XIV in 1773 (although later restored by Pius VII in 1814), the Jesuits remain one of the most important orders in the contemporary Church, particularly in the field of education.

Jesus:

1)The leader of group of religious radicals in Jerusalem.(approximately 25 AD) 2)An avatar who attained a high level of attunement which enabled him to become a bodily vehicle for the Christ for a period of three years.  3) An aspect of God, according to the Jesus cults. The name �Jesus� corresponds with the Hebrew �Joshua� and means �Jehovah is salvation.� (See Jesus)

Jesus Christ: 

The mythological founder of the Christian religion. Christ is the Gnostic title of the only begotten Son of God.  By giving this title to Jesus, the Christians are proclaiming that their Jesus is the only true manifestation of God.

Jesus Only Movement:

A movement in some Pentecostal circles which maintains that there is only one person in the Godhead: Jesus. It teaches that the person of the Father became the person of the Son who then became the person of the Holy Spirit and that the persons are consecutive not simultaneous. This is in opposition to the Trinitarian interpretation. They also believe that baptism is necessary for salvation and that speaking in tongues are evidence of true conversion.

Jew:

Originally a term referring to an inhabitant of Judea. Later, it was applied to adherents of Judaism.

Jihad:(Arabic)

Literally, "struggle," more popularly, "holy war"; a term used to refer to the Muslim commitment to impose the teachings and law of Islam throughout the world, by force where that is considered necessary or appropriate.

Jinn:

In Islam, an invisible order of beings, created of fire, who possess extraordinary powers and, like humans, are accountable for their actions. Some jinn are good, others evil.  Angel.  Also known as djin and genie.

Jivas: (Sanskrit)

The living soul. Found in the writings of Alice A. Bailey.

Jivatman ( Jeevatman: (Sanskirt)

The soul within the human sphere,  the individual soul

Jnana Yoga:

The yoga of knowledge.  One of the seven major schools of yoga.

John the Baptist:

A first-century figure who appears in Josephus's Antiquities, the New Testament, and later Christian and Gnostic sources, and is seen by Christians as a forerunner of Jesus. Probably aligned with Essene or Zealot movements in Judaism, John preached the end of the age and preached baptism for the purification of sin.

John the Divine:(John of Patmos)

Mythological character purported to be the author of The Gospel of John and The Revelation (or Apocalypse) of John.

Judaism: 

World religion founded approximately 1500 BC by the prophet Moses (Thothmoses - prince and high-priest of Egypt)  The foundation of Judaism is the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which is said to have been written by  Moses.  The Israelites returned to the promised land of Canaan and became a small but powerful nation there under the rule of King David and his son Solomon. After Solomon�s death the kingdom split into a northern kingdom called Israel and a southern kingdom called Judah (the name of David�s tribe). The northern kingdom was conquered and decimated by the Assyrians in 722 BC, after which the term Judeans, or Jews, gradually came into use to refer to all Israelites. The Jews suffered conquests by a succession of foreign powers: the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and finally the Romans in the first century BC. Throughout this period the Jews developed a strong sense of national identity, identification with the Promised Land, and anticipation of a coming Messiah (Anointed Prince).  There are three main branches of modern Judaism: Orthodox (traditional, literal adherence to the Torah as interpreted by the Talmud), Conservative (a middle position advocating traditional beliefs and practices up to a point), and Reform (liberal, non-literal stance on the Torah and Talmud; often non-religious or secular with emphasis on Jewish culture).

Judas Iscariot:

The possible founder of the Zealot movement in 1st century Judea and author of The Book of Revelation. In the mythology of the New Testament, one of the original  disciples who betrayed Jesus to the authorities for 30 pieces of silver..The Gospel of Judas says that it was not a betrayal but that he did it at Jesus' request. See Judas Iscariot

Judiam:

Judgment Day:

Christian term for the imminent last period of time when Christ, or God, will send all human beings either to heaven or to hell, based on their righteousness.  Originally derived from Zoroasterism.

Jupiter: (derived from Hebrew "Jah"-God and Latin "Pater"-Father)  

Supreme divinity of the ancient Romans. Originally a native Italian sky god identified with Zeus, Jupiter controlled weather changes, rain, and storms. Maintaining the sanctity of treaties and oaths, he was the chief protector of Rome; he was worshiped by magistrates entering office and by generals returning victorious.

Justification by faith alone: 

Fundamental principle of the Protestant Reformation that the divine act in which God declares the sinner to be innocent of his sins. Salvation depends entirely on the grace of God rather than on human actions.

Justin Martyr: (ca. 100-165)

Early Christian apologist. Born in Samaria, he came to Rome about 140.  Rejected by  Platonic and Pythagorean schools, he later adopted a literalist view of Christianity.He developed a distinctively literalist reading of the Old Testament and was one of the first to deploy quotations from the Gospels in his attacks on Jews, Gnostics, and other Christian thinkers. His authentic works are the First Apology and the Dialogue with Trypho the Jew.

K

Ka:

In ancient Egyptian religion, one of the three aspects of the soul, a spiritual duplicate of the living person and recipient of postmortem food offerings. The etheric body.

Kaaba:

The most sacred place on earth in Islam, founded, according to Islamic tradition, by Abraham and Ishmael. Muslims everywhere face toward this black-draped cubic building--located within the grand mosque in Mecca--during ritual prayers and walk around it during the Mecca pilgrimage. Its eastern corner contains a holy black stone- a meteorite that tradition says fell from the sky as a sign to Abraham.. 

Kabbalah: (Also spelled Kabbala, Kabalah, Kabala, Cabala, Cabbala, Cabalah, Cabbalah, Qabala, Qabbala, Qabalah and Qabbalah - there are potentially 36 ways of spelling it.)

Generically, Jewish mysticism in all its forms. The Kabbalah is an ancient esoteric Jewish mystic system as it appeared in the 12th and following centuries. Kabbalah has always been essentially an oral tradition in that initiation into its doctrines and practices is conducted by a personal guide to avoid the dangers inherent in mystical experiences. Esoteric Kabbala is also "tradition" inasmuch as it lays claim to secret knowledge of the unwritten Torah (divine revelation) that was communicated by God to Moses and Adam. Though observance of the Law of Moses remained the basic tenet of Judaism, Kabbalah provided a means of approaching God directly. The word Kabbalah is derived from the root 'to receive, to accept', and in many cases is used synonymously with 'tradition'.or 'secret oral tradition'  The principle at the root of the Kabbalahis the teaching that the Torah was written in code whcih deciphered will reveal great spiritual teachings. The word was coined by an eleventh century Spanish philosopher, Ibn Gabirol.  Kabbalistic interest, at first confined to a select few, became the preoccupation of large numbers of Jews following their expulsion from Spain (1492) and Portugal (1495). The philosophy was developed in Babylon during the middle ages from earlier Hebrew speculation and numerology. The classic document of the Kabbalistic tradition, The Zohar, was compiled by Moses de Leon about 1290. The doctrine of creation was built on a theory of emanations and asserted that the world derived from the transcendent and unknowable God through a series of increasingly material manifestations (sephirot). 

The ten Sepheroth: (emanations) 

Kether....Crown - Top of Head 

Hochma.....wisdom -Right Brain 

Binah.....Understanding - Left of Brain 

Hesed.....March - Right Arm 

Pechad.....Strength- Left Arm 

Tefereth.....Beauty-Heart 

Nezah.....Victory-Right of Pelvis 

Hod.....Glory-Left of Pelvis 

Yesod.....Foundation-Genitals

The sephiroth form the central image of Kabbalistic meditation, the Sephirothic Tree of Life, which describes the path of descent from the divine to the material realm, and the path of ascent to the highest level of spirituality. Each sephirath is a level of attainment in knowledge, corresponding to energy centers in the body, and is also divided into four interlocking sections or 'Worlds', which constitute the cosmos: emanation (Atziluth), creation (Briah), formation (Yetzirah), and action or making (Assiyah). Through contemplation and meditation, similar to Eastern yogic disciplines, the Kabbalist ascends the tree of life. The sephirot also comprise the sacred, unknowable, and unspeakable personal name of God: YHVH (Yahweh), the Tetragrammaton. So sacred is the Tetragrammaton that other names, such as Elohim and Jehovah, are substituted in its place in scripture. A more systematic presentation of the basic doctrine is contained in Moses Cordovero's Pardes rimmonim (Garden of Pomegranates, 1548). Kabbalah was a major influence in the development of Hasidism and still has adherents among Hasidic Jews. The Kabbalah, with its amulets, incantations, demonology, seals, and letter and number mysticism, had a profound influence on Western magical tradition. The Tetragrammaton especially was held in great awe for its power over all things in the universe, including demons. 

Kachina: (Hopi, katsina)

1) A masked being understood in ethnographic studies of Pueblo Indian  religions as an intermediary between communities and their superhuman creators. Frequently explained as ancestor spirits, kachinas may be representations of natural forces, birds and animals, aspects of other tribal groups, and figures in intertribal history, among others. Kachinas have power to bring rainfall, among other forms of weather, and to protect the health and well-being of community residents, crops, and livestock. Their annual visits to Pueblo communities are dramatized by members of religious fraternities in the form of masked kachina performances, which conclude with prayers to the kachina and assurances by the community of its continued regard for its capabilities.  Like Santa Claus, the human identity of kachina impersonators is kept secret from children before their initiation into religious life. Beginning with the children's witnessing of the unmasking of the kachinas, the long initiation process includes, for Pueblo men, their first participation in a kachina performance. 

2) Kachinas appear also in the form of dolls, constructed of cottonwood and dressed or painted and given to children to acquaint them with various kachina figures. The dolls evidently are used as fertility figures and in Pueblo healing practices. 

Kali: (Sanskrit, "the black one")

Hindu goddess. Fierce and bloodthirsty, she haunts battlefields and cremation grounds, wears a garland of severed heads and a girdle of severed arms, and holds a severed head and bloodied sword. Despite her fierce appearance she is regarded by her devotees as a beneficent mother figure, perhaps Mother Nature.

Kaliyuga:(Sanskrit)

In Hindu cosmology, the current, pleasure-loving age - the last of four repeating ages (yugas): that of iron in which the law (dharma) is like an animal on one leg. In bhakti (devotional) texts salvation is only possible in the Kali Yuga.

Kama:(Sanskrit , "desire")

1) One of Hinduism's four goals of life (purusharthas), together with dharma (religion), artha (profit), and moksha (liberation). 2) Kama incarnate is the god of erotic love, who incites lust by means of arrows made of flowers shot from a bowstring made of bees. 

Kamala:(Sanskrit)

Lotus

Kapalabhati:(Sanskrit)

 A process to clear the sinuses

Karaka:(Sanskrit)

In Vedic astrology, the planetary Significator which remains the same for all houses

Karma: (Sanskrit "deed," "action," "ritual," "result") 

A central Indian term with various meanings.  1) Any mental, verbal, or physical action or intention, especially a morally correct or textually prescribed activity. 2) The results or consequences of actions or intentions.  3) The Hindu principle of cause and effect,  originally developed in South Asian religions, that determines one's past, current, and future existences.  Everything we do produces some effect, now or later, on the physical or astral planes.  Representing neither good nor evil, all actions and events cause corresponding actions and events in the past or future (including past and future lives through reincarnation).  4) Ritual activity, particularly the ancient Indian rites propitiating a pantheon of gods as prescribed in the Vedic texts. Ritual performance might be done to meet religious obligations, such as initiation into the community, to honor one's ancestors, or to fulfill individual desires such as wealth, progeny, or immortality. The results of ritual, which are also called karma, were sometimes interpreted as "unseen" (apurva), that is, postponed or not yet noticeable in order to explain apparently delayed consequences. While all could admit that actions would eventually bear consequences, the doctrine of unseen results provoked lively debate and reconsideration of the importance of ritual.  5) The erroneous western interpretation: That the good and bad deeds that we do adds and subtracts from our accumulated record, our karma. At the end of our life, we are rewarded or punished according to our karma by being reincarnated into either a painful or good new life. (see Karma)

Karma Yoga:

The art of unselfish actions...

Karnapidasana:(Sanskrit)

The ear-press yoga posture

Kartikeya:

The Hindu god of war, raised by the Pliaedes

Katikasana:(Sanskrit)

The front-stretching yoga posture

Kemadruma:

In Vedic astrology, when no planet is flanking the Moon sign.  Traditionally a sign of great misery and mental instability

Kenosis:

A teaching concerning Jesus' incarnation. The Kenosis attempts to solve some paradoxes between the nature of God and of man as united in Jesus. For example, how could an all knowing God become a baby, or how could God be tempted? The Kenosis maintains that God, when becoming a man, divested himself of some qualities of being a man. In a sense, the Kenosis is God minus something; God subtracting some qualities of deity to become a man.   The opposing doctrine is  The Hypostatic Union 

Key of Solomon the King: 

A magical treatise of medieval origin, of which a number of manuscripts exist. It is claimed to be the work of King Solomon, but is clearly of a more modern origin, and was probably written in the fourteenth or fifteenth century. It is permeated with late Jewish ideas, and its chief intention appears to be the finding of treasure, and the creating of spells to interfere with the free will of others. The power of the Divine Name iis found throughout the work

The Lemegeton, or Lesser Key of Solomon, is much more noteworthy. Its earliest examples date from the seventeenth century, and it invokes the hierarchies of the abyss~ by legions and millions. It is divided into four parts which bind the actions of all spirits to the will of the operator. The first part, Goetia, contains forms of conjuration for seventy-two demons with an account of their powers and offices. The second part, Theurgia Goetia₄ deals with the spirits of the cardinal points, who are of: mixed nature. The third book is called the Pauline Art -- the significance of which name is unaccountable. It deals. with the angels of the hours of the day and night, and of the, signs of the Zodiac. The fourth part is entitled Almadel, which enumerates four other choirs of spirits. The usual. homilies regarding purity of life are insisted upon, as is the circumstance that none of the conjurations shall be applied to the injury of another

Khala Yoga:

The yoga of swindling or the trickster

Khandapitasana:(Sanskrit)

The ankle-twist yoga posture

Ki:

Japanese word for the universal life force, synonymous with the Chinese term, Chi

Kiddush: (Hebrew., "sanctification [prayer]")

In Jewish ritual, a blessing properly known as "sanctification of the day," inaugurating holy time, and recited at the onset of Sabbaths and most holidays.

King James Version:

An English translation of the Bible commissioned by King James I of England, edited by poet laureate Francis Bacon in1610 and published in 1611. Also called the Authorized Version, it was for more than 250 years the unrivaled translation used by English-speaking Protestants. Though later English translations, using better manuscripts and increased knowledge of the cultural world of the biblical periods, are more accurate, the impact of this version on English literature remains undiminished. Many conservative Protestant groups still consider it to be the only inspired text.

Kingdom of God:

1) Originally, the Hebrew kingdom as established by God.  2) A future divine kingdom to be ruled over by Christ.  3) The heavenly kingdom of God. 

King Solomon: (Hebrew- peaceable)

Third king of Israel (965-925 BC), son of David by Bathsheba, built the famous first temple of Israel and established the great empire of the Jews, (the kingdom of God). the legend is told in I Kings 3 that God offered the young Solomon, either wisdom or wealth, he chose wisdom.  God was so pleased that he gave him both wisdom and wealth.  The  wisdom of Solomon has become proverbial.

Kinesiology:     

Techniques for obtaining and using information from the position, movement, and tension of parts of the body, especially from the nerves, muscles, tendons, and joints. For example, diagnosis of physical ailments may be obtained from the subconscious level by naming the ailment, asking the subject to tense an arm and noting whether the tension is maintained or released when the arm is depressed.

Kirlian Photography:

A photographic process using a high voltage, low amperage field of 50,000 volts or more. Invented by Semyon and Valentina Kirlian. It picks up radiation around objects and humans which is not visible to the eye.  Often used to photograph the energy field (Aura) that surrounds the human body.

Kitchen Magick, Kitchen Witchcraft:

A practical tradition of witchcraft mainly for suburban or lower budget witches that allows one to utilize household items instead of the often difficult to obtain ritual items.

Kiva: (Hopi)

Semisubterranean, round or rectangular structure, entered by a roof opening and/or a side door, used by Pueblo Indians (American Southwest) for ceremonial purposes, including initiation into religious societies. The kiva serves also as a gathering place for discussions of religious matters and other community concerns.

Knight, J.Z.:

20th century channeler of spirit entity called Ramtha.

Knox, John: (ca. 1514-72)

Scottish Christian reformer, an ordained Catholic priest who became a Protestant and was an influential and founding figure in the Church (Kirk) of Scotland. Knox wrote or participated in the writing of the Scottish Confession (1560), the First Book of Discipline (1560), and The Book of Common Order (1556-64). He also wrote the History of the Reformation of Religion within the Realm of Scotland (first complete edition, 1644).

Koan (Chinese kung-an, "public case")

Anecdotes or stories of question-and-answer sessions between Chinese Ch'an Buddhist masters and their disciples. Devised as pedagogical tools, kung-ans pose paradoxical questions or problems, the nonintellectual, nonconceptual resolution of which represents a spiritual breakthrough. Kung-ans were collected and published during the Sung dynasty (960-1279).

Kolob:

According to Mormon teaching, a great governing planet (or fixed star) near  the residence of God; It was the farthest heavenly body  ever discovered by the ancients.  It was known by Methusela and also by Abraham  "the first creation which is nearest to the celestial, or theresidence of God", - Book of Abraham 

Koran:  (See Qur'an)

Koresh, David: 

Founder of Branch Davidians.

Kosmon:

See Universal Faithists of Kosmon.

Kosher: (Hebrew kashrut, "fit," "fitness")

The Jewish dietary laws. Jewish religious practice includes a complex set of rules about permissible and forbidden foods. Their origin is biblical, and they are elaborated in postbiblical Jewish law.

Krieger, Dolores:

See Therapeutic Touch.

Krishna:

One of the primary Hindu gods, who, according to some Hindu sects,  is the eighth or ninth incarnation of Vishnu and possibly the manifestation of the supreme demigod/God incarnating as Vishnu. The name Krishna means black or darkness in Sanskrit, probably referring to Krishna's dark skin..Devotion to Krishna has been introduced in the West especially through the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Krishnamurti, Jiddu:(1895-1986)

A Hindu who was proclaimed as the world�s messiah by Theosophy leader Annie Besant in 1906.and sought to unify Eastern religion with Western philosophy and science.  He later renounced that role aand spent the rest of his life teaching personal philosophy and clear thinking.

Kriya Yoga:

The yoga of cleansing or purification.

Kronos: (Cronus)

Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans,  the divine children of  Gaia, the earth, and Ouranos, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own sons, Zeus, Hades, Poseidon and imprisoned in Tartarus or sent to rule the the Elysian Fields (Paradise).   Kronos was worshipped as a harvest god, overseeing crops such as grains, nature and agriculture. He was usually depicted with a sickle, which he used to harvest crops and which was also the weapon he used to castrate  and depose Ouranos. Kronos was also identified with the  Roman god, Saturn. The etymology of the name is obscure. It may be related to the word χρόνος,  Chronos, meaning time. 

Kryon:

Kryon is a spiritual entity channeled through Lee Carroll.  Kryon's message is about a New Age that gives us new gifts of human enablement. According to Carroll, Kryon is of the family of Lord Michael - .they have the same inter-dimensional spiritual overlay. In 1989 Carroll  reluctantly went to see a psychicwho told him that a "magnetic master" by the name of Kryon was trying to get in touch with him. Three years passed, and he went  to see another well-known psychic who also told Lee that an entity was trying to contact him, and actually spelled out the name K-R-Y-O-N. This time, Carroll did not ignore the message and has been channeling Kryon eversince 1992

 

Kujadosha:

In Vedic astrology, an affliction caused by Mars occupying the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th houses. There are some more details and it is best to learn more about this before delineating marital relationships

Kumbhaka: (Sanskrit)

Holding the breath in yoga

Kunda:(Sanskrit)

Serpent, The starting place of the kundalini

Kundalini:

A coiled female serpent.  The elemental, creative force of the astral body which, like a serpent, rests coiled at the base of the spine. The male and female forces are exactly balanced in the Ida and Pingala subtle channels. Everyone uses Kundalini power to think with and to maintain consciousness, but it very seldom rises up the central spinal channel of Sushumna beyond the first center. Various disciplines areused to  arouse the "sleeping serpent" to ascend tothe higher centers.

L

Labyrinth: (Latin: labyrinthus, from the Greek: labyrinthos of the labrys, the Cretian double-headed ax)  

It is believed that the Greeks found the complex interwoven, up and down of the Cretian streets confusing and it is from this that the word developed. 1) a specific and intricate design or path along which individuals walk.  It is believed by many that walking the labyrinth can produce healing. 2) An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it diffiicult to find the way from the interior to the exit.  3) Any intricate or involved inclosure, expecially an ornamental maze or enclosure in a park or garden.

Lakshmi:  

Goddess of wealth, beauty and luck, wife of Vishnu, one of Krishna�s consorts. Also, a Hare Krishna term for money in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Lamia:

A fabulous monster supposed to have the body of a woman and the body of a serpent, and who preys upon human beings and sucks the blood of children. Also, a witch who was supposed to suck children's blood, a sorceress

Lammas

A Pagan holiday  or Wiccan sabbat which takes place on or about August 1st.

Lao-tzu:

The founder of  Taoism

La Vey, Anton Szandor:

Authored the Satanic Bible, founded the Church of Satan.

Lawyer:

In the New Testament, one who argues and interprets the Law of Moses and its many intpretations and exceptions.

Laya Yoga:

A system of yoga using the latent power of kundalini

Lazaris:

Spirit entity channeled by Jach Pursel.

LDS:

Acronym for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Left-hand Path

A word for people who use what they consider to be evil or negative forces and rituals and who  use they to harm others.

Legalism:

1) The belief that the Bible or some other book of scripture is a spiritual book of laws binding upon God and man alike. And,  that spirituality or salvation is dependent upon strict observance of laws and/or rituals. 2) a system of religious rules must be kept to please God or religious leaders, ..

Levitation:

Raising of objects or people off the ground using magickal, spiritual or psychic forces.. (see levitation)

Lesser Key of Solomon:

See Key of Solomon the King.

Liberal Christianity:

A movement that seeks to retain religious and spiritual values of Christianity while discounting the authority of the Bible. Its origins are in the German Enlightenment, notably in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and the religious views of Friedrich Schleiermacher. Liberals claim the Bible is merely inspired, not infallible. They  prefer naturalistic explanations of miracles or view miracle accounts as legend or myth. They often deny or reinterpret in mythical terms such doctrines as the virgin birth, atoning death, and even the resurrection of Jesus. Liberalism has been most influential in mainline Protestant denominations and is rejected in Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christianity.

Liberation Theology:

A movement that attempts to unite theology with social and religious concerns about oppression.  It finds expressions among blacks, feminists, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans, but it is most closely identified with the shift toward Marxism among Roman Catholic theologians and priests in Latin America.  Most traditional doctrines of Christianity are de-emphasized or reinterpreted.  Jesus and the Bible are defined and interpreted in light of a class struggle, with the gospel seen as a radical call to activism (or even revolution) promoting political and social answers usually in the form of classic Communism.

Lifespring:

New Age seminars promoting human transformation and altering belief systems. Similar to est.

Light:

Lightbody:

A vehicle akin to the spirit

Lightworker:

A New Age believer who is working on some spiritual project. 

Lingam: (Sanskrit)

Gender, the male sex organ. power

Literary Criticism:

The discipline that seeks to discover the underlying literary sources, stylistic features, type or genre of literature, authorship, unity, and date of a text, for their value in interpreting the text�s meaning in its original historical context. The application of literary criticism to the Bible is very constructive, although the Jesus cult generally regards it as Satanic because it tends to undermine their doctrines.

Little Flock: 

In the teaching of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, this phrase (Luke 12:32) refers to the 144,000 Jehovah�s Witnesses who will be allowed to go to heaven(Anointed Class).  All other worthy Jehovah�s Witnesses (the �other sheep� cf. John 10:16) will live for eternity on a new paradise earth.

Living Water: 

Moving water, as in a stream or river, as opposed to water in a pond or pool.  With reference to where baptism should be performed.

Llewellyn Publishing: 

One of the oldest and most influential publisher of occult, New Age, and Wiccan materials begun in 1901 by George Llewellyn as the Portland School of Astrology.  The current president is Carl Weschcke who in 1988 acquired the magazine Fate.

Local Church, The: 

Founded  in China in the early 1920s by Ni To-sheng (Watchman Nee). Growth and controversy developed during the administration of their second leader, the late Witness Lee, who moved to America in 1962 founding Living Stream Ministry. Among their unique doctrines are �mingling� to describe the relationship between God and believers who become both divine and human like Jesus).  The organization's exclusivity has also come under fire. According to Lee, each city can and should have only one church. Denominationalism is seen as of the Devil. Accordingly, all other churches or denominations are seen as being outside the will of God or not true churches at all. The Local Church has also gained a reputation for threatening legal action to prevent unfavorable public evaluation of its movement. 

The Lodge: 

See Freemasonry.

Logos:

(Greek) spoken word, word as an idea, logic, order.  The only begotten Son of God (John 1:1)

Loka: (Sanskrit)

World,  place, location.

Lucid Dreaming:

The term "lucid dreaming" refers to dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming. The "lucid" part refers to the clarity of consciousness rather than the vividness of the dream. It generally happens when you realize during the course of a dream that you are dreaming, perhaps because something weird occurs. Most people who remember their dreams have experienced this at some time, often waking up immediately after the realization. However, it is possible to continue in the dream while remaining fully aware that you are dreaming.  (See Lucid Dreaming)

Lucifer: 

1) The planet Venus, The light-bearer, and angel of light. 2) Mistakenly,Another name for Satan.

Lucifer Trust: 

(See Lucis Trust)

Luscher Color Test:

A test developed by Dr. Max Luscher that indicates personality type on the basis of the subject's preference for eight color choices.

Lucis Trust:

Originally incorporated as the Lucifer Publishing Company, the Lucis Trust oversees the Lucis Publishing Company, World Goodwill, and Arcane School.  Lucis Trust owns all the copyrights of the Alice Bailey books.