The conversion of The Lord's Prayer from the original Aramaic directly to English, rather
than Aramaic to Greek or Latin, then to English.
Much more esoteric than the prayer most commonly recited today.
This is from a Rosicrucian list I'm on that's currently
discussing The Passion of the Christ...
The Prayer To Our Father
-- in the original Aramaic --
Abwûn
"Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes,
d'bwaschmâja
who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
Nethkâdasch schmach
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
Têtê malkuthach.
Your Heavenly Domain comes.
Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d'bwaschmâja af b'arha.
Let Your will come true - in the universe (all that vibrates) just as
on earth
(that is material and dense).
Hawvlân lachma d'sûnkanân jaomâna.
Give us bread (understanding, assistance) for our daily need,
Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna daf chnân schwoken l'chaijabên.
detach the ropes of faults that bind us, like we let go the guilt of
others.
Wela tachlân l'nesjuna
Let us not be lost in superficial things (a common temptation),
ela patzân min bischa.
but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose.
Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l'ahlâm almîn.
>From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act, the
song that
beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.
Amên.
Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
I confirm that with my whole being
Friday, June 8, 2012
ARHAT
traditions of ancient India (most notably those of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha) arhat (Sanskrit) or arahant (Pali) signified a spiritual practitioner who had—to use an expression common in the tipitaka—"laid down the burden"—and realised the goal of nibbana, the culmination of the spiritual life (brahmacarya).
Such a person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn after biological death into any samsaric realm.
The Buddha himself is first named as an arahant, as were his enlightened followers, since he is free from all defilements, without greed, hatred, and delusion, rid of ignorance and craving, having no "assets" that will lead to a future birth, knowing and seeing the real here and now.
This virtue shows stainless purity, true worth, and the accomplishment of the end, nibbana.
Buddhists see the Buddha himself as the ideal towards which one should aim in one's spiritual aspirations.
Hence the arhat as enlightened disciple of the Buddha is not regarded as the goal as much as is the
bodhisattva.
Bodhisattva carries a different meaning in Mahayana
Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism.
In the Pali scriptures the Tathagata when relating his own experiences of self-development uses a stock
phrase "when I was an unenlightened bodhisattva".
Bodhisattva thus connotes here the absence of enlightenment (Bodhi) of a person working
towards that goal.
In Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand a
bodhisattva is someone who seeks to put the welfare of others before their own, forfeiting their own enlightenment until all beings are saved.
Such a person is said to have achieved a sort of
proto-enlightenment called bodhicitta.
Such a person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn after biological death into any samsaric realm.
The Buddha himself is first named as an arahant, as were his enlightened followers, since he is free from all defilements, without greed, hatred, and delusion, rid of ignorance and craving, having no "assets" that will lead to a future birth, knowing and seeing the real here and now.
This virtue shows stainless purity, true worth, and the accomplishment of the end, nibbana.
Buddhists see the Buddha himself as the ideal towards which one should aim in one's spiritual aspirations.
Hence the arhat as enlightened disciple of the Buddha is not regarded as the goal as much as is the
bodhisattva.
Bodhisattva carries a different meaning in Mahayana
Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism.
In the Pali scriptures the Tathagata when relating his own experiences of self-development uses a stock
phrase "when I was an unenlightened bodhisattva".
Bodhisattva thus connotes here the absence of enlightenment (Bodhi) of a person working
towards that goal.
In Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand a
bodhisattva is someone who seeks to put the welfare of others before their own, forfeiting their own enlightenment until all beings are saved.
Such a person is said to have achieved a sort of
proto-enlightenment called bodhicitta.
TAROT
The Tarot has a fragmented history that intrigues historians,
scholars, hobbyists, and spiritualists alike. Drawing on the concrete
facts that are available, we will attempt to briefly explain the
origins of the Tarot, and trace some of its milestones through the
centuries.
The designs of the 22 cards in the Major Arcana can be traced back as
far as 1440, when the first known deck appeared in Italy. The 3 decks
called the "Visconti Trumps" are generally regarded as the
"forefathers" of the decks that are widely available today. It is
believed that they were originally created as a game for Nobles. It is
not until centuries later that the cards reemerged, this time as a
tool of divination. In the latter half of the 15th century, the card
makers in Marseilles, France began to standardize the Trumps. Before
this organized production, those who played the Trumps could dictate
which they wanted to include, and which they wanted substituted or
eliminated. Certain cards; Death, the Devil, and the Tower in
particular; were considered offensive by the more conservative Nobles.
These images caused religious leaders to attempt to ban the Trumps.
The first detailed reference to the Trumps of the Tarot is in the
form of a sermon. This sermon, given by a Franciscan friar in Italy
sometime between 1450 and 1470, contends that the Trumps were invented
and named by the Devil. It condemns the use of the cards, and
generally credits them with the triumph of the Devil. According to the
friar, the Devil wins through the loss of the souls of those who play
what was then, quite probably, nothing more than a simple game.
The rebirth of the Tarot, and its beginnings a means of divination,
are attributed to Antoine Court de Gébelin in 1781.He believed it was
Egyptian in origin, and that it contained mystical knowledge that had
been purposefully encoded in the symbolism of the Trumps.
Specifically, he theorized that the cards were the key to lost
Egyptian magical wisdom written by Thoth, the Egyptian God of inspired
written knowledge. The Trumps themselves began to noticeably evolve
from this point forward. Changes were thought to have been introduced
by the different secret societies that produced the decks.
The first account of divination through the use of cards is
attributed to cartomancer Jean-Baptiste Alliette, better known as
"Etteilla", in 1770. He was the first to publish divinatory meanings
for cards, and only 32 cards (plus one, representing the querent) were
included in this edition. At this time, only regular playing cards
were mentioned.
Later, Etteilla published several works that involved the Tarot Trumps
specifically. It is no surprise that these later writings coincided
with deGebelin's then-recently-public treatment of the Tarot as a
wellspring of Egyptian occult knowledge. Etteilla must have
anticipated the Tarot's jump in popularity: his was the first deck
available to the public expressly for the purpose of Cartomancy.
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone that translated the hieroglyphs of
the Egyptians in 1799 did not yield any support to the theory that the
Trumps hailed from Egypt. Still, the belief endured and was augmented
in 1857 with the introduction of the notion that the wandering Romany
people - "Gypsies" thought to be descendants of Egyptians - had
carried the deck with them on their travels through Europe.
In the nineteenth century, the famous occultist known as Eliphas Lévi
developed a correlation between the Tarot and the Kabbalah: the Hebrew
system of mysticism. This fueled a new belief that the Tarot
originated in Israel, and contained the wisdom of the Tree of Life.
The new theory brought all 78 cards together as keys to the mysteries,
but again, there were no concrete facts to support it. Nevertheless,
something important was accomplished. The theory would later serve as
proof that the symbolism of the Tarot crossed all boundaries. From
this point forward, many magical and esoteric groups recognized the
Tarot as a timeless body of knowledge that had significance in every
mystical path.
Since that time it has been linked with almost every magical system or
religion known to humankind. The Tarot is comprised of archetypal
images that cross linguistic, cultural, geographical, and temporal
barriers.
The Theosophical Society, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the
Rosicrucians, the Church of Light, and the Builders of the Adytum
(B.O.T.A.) all secured the Tarot's position in the 19th and 20th
centuries. In the United States of America, the Tarot became popular
and more readily available in the 1960's, when a period of exploration
in spirituality began.
Arthur Edward Waite is credited with the renaissance of the Tarot in
the Twentieth Century. He commissioned artist Pamela Coleman Smith to
create what he called the "rectified" Tarot. Created by a member of
secret societies also known as a revered mystic, Waite's version has
been widely accepted as the standard, and is by far the most popular
deck of the century, rich in symbolism and easily understood due to
the simple nature of the artwork.
In the opinion of many learned Tarot enthusiasts, the most
significant change the deck has experienced is Smith's treatment of
the Minor Arcana. Hers are the first "pip" cards to contain images
depicting the meaning of the cards. These graphics allow readers to
explain the significance of each cards nuance to querents who, in most
cases, have never encountered the cards before. This artistic trend
can be traced through the majority of the decks produced after the
Rider-Waite (1910), and Smith's influence is readily recognized, as
many of the images echo her drawings.
Today's Tarot card designs reflect specific trends in sexuality,
religion, culture, and philosophy. There are literally hundreds of
interpretations, and more are being conceived as this is being
written. The diversity of the styles allows Tarot Readers to choose a
deck that suits their personalities, the subject of the reading, the
person receiving the reading, or any other variable as they so choose.
Certain decks have a serious tone, some have a dream-like quality, and
others are full of cartoon images. The true beauty lies in the Tarot's
ability to retain its "soul" through each metamorphosis and
incarnation. It is, on many levels, a mirror of those who work with
it, and allows them to make each reading a truly personal experience.
By: Janita/Seatere
scholars, hobbyists, and spiritualists alike. Drawing on the concrete
facts that are available, we will attempt to briefly explain the
origins of the Tarot, and trace some of its milestones through the
centuries.
The designs of the 22 cards in the Major Arcana can be traced back as
far as 1440, when the first known deck appeared in Italy. The 3 decks
called the "Visconti Trumps" are generally regarded as the
"forefathers" of the decks that are widely available today. It is
believed that they were originally created as a game for Nobles. It is
not until centuries later that the cards reemerged, this time as a
tool of divination. In the latter half of the 15th century, the card
makers in Marseilles, France began to standardize the Trumps. Before
this organized production, those who played the Trumps could dictate
which they wanted to include, and which they wanted substituted or
eliminated. Certain cards; Death, the Devil, and the Tower in
particular; were considered offensive by the more conservative Nobles.
These images caused religious leaders to attempt to ban the Trumps.
The first detailed reference to the Trumps of the Tarot is in the
form of a sermon. This sermon, given by a Franciscan friar in Italy
sometime between 1450 and 1470, contends that the Trumps were invented
and named by the Devil. It condemns the use of the cards, and
generally credits them with the triumph of the Devil. According to the
friar, the Devil wins through the loss of the souls of those who play
what was then, quite probably, nothing more than a simple game.
The rebirth of the Tarot, and its beginnings a means of divination,
are attributed to Antoine Court de Gébelin in 1781.He believed it was
Egyptian in origin, and that it contained mystical knowledge that had
been purposefully encoded in the symbolism of the Trumps.
Specifically, he theorized that the cards were the key to lost
Egyptian magical wisdom written by Thoth, the Egyptian God of inspired
written knowledge. The Trumps themselves began to noticeably evolve
from this point forward. Changes were thought to have been introduced
by the different secret societies that produced the decks.
The first account of divination through the use of cards is
attributed to cartomancer Jean-Baptiste Alliette, better known as
"Etteilla", in 1770. He was the first to publish divinatory meanings
for cards, and only 32 cards (plus one, representing the querent) were
included in this edition. At this time, only regular playing cards
were mentioned.
Later, Etteilla published several works that involved the Tarot Trumps
specifically. It is no surprise that these later writings coincided
with deGebelin's then-recently-public treatment of the Tarot as a
wellspring of Egyptian occult knowledge. Etteilla must have
anticipated the Tarot's jump in popularity: his was the first deck
available to the public expressly for the purpose of Cartomancy.
The discovery of the Rosetta Stone that translated the hieroglyphs of
the Egyptians in 1799 did not yield any support to the theory that the
Trumps hailed from Egypt. Still, the belief endured and was augmented
in 1857 with the introduction of the notion that the wandering Romany
people - "Gypsies" thought to be descendants of Egyptians - had
carried the deck with them on their travels through Europe.
In the nineteenth century, the famous occultist known as Eliphas Lévi
developed a correlation between the Tarot and the Kabbalah: the Hebrew
system of mysticism. This fueled a new belief that the Tarot
originated in Israel, and contained the wisdom of the Tree of Life.
The new theory brought all 78 cards together as keys to the mysteries,
but again, there were no concrete facts to support it. Nevertheless,
something important was accomplished. The theory would later serve as
proof that the symbolism of the Tarot crossed all boundaries. From
this point forward, many magical and esoteric groups recognized the
Tarot as a timeless body of knowledge that had significance in every
mystical path.
Since that time it has been linked with almost every magical system or
religion known to humankind. The Tarot is comprised of archetypal
images that cross linguistic, cultural, geographical, and temporal
barriers.
The Theosophical Society, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the
Rosicrucians, the Church of Light, and the Builders of the Adytum
(B.O.T.A.) all secured the Tarot's position in the 19th and 20th
centuries. In the United States of America, the Tarot became popular
and more readily available in the 1960's, when a period of exploration
in spirituality began.
Arthur Edward Waite is credited with the renaissance of the Tarot in
the Twentieth Century. He commissioned artist Pamela Coleman Smith to
create what he called the "rectified" Tarot. Created by a member of
secret societies also known as a revered mystic, Waite's version has
been widely accepted as the standard, and is by far the most popular
deck of the century, rich in symbolism and easily understood due to
the simple nature of the artwork.
In the opinion of many learned Tarot enthusiasts, the most
significant change the deck has experienced is Smith's treatment of
the Minor Arcana. Hers are the first "pip" cards to contain images
depicting the meaning of the cards. These graphics allow readers to
explain the significance of each cards nuance to querents who, in most
cases, have never encountered the cards before. This artistic trend
can be traced through the majority of the decks produced after the
Rider-Waite (1910), and Smith's influence is readily recognized, as
many of the images echo her drawings.
Today's Tarot card designs reflect specific trends in sexuality,
religion, culture, and philosophy. There are literally hundreds of
interpretations, and more are being conceived as this is being
written. The diversity of the styles allows Tarot Readers to choose a
deck that suits their personalities, the subject of the reading, the
person receiving the reading, or any other variable as they so choose.
Certain decks have a serious tone, some have a dream-like quality, and
others are full of cartoon images. The true beauty lies in the Tarot's
ability to retain its "soul" through each metamorphosis and
incarnation. It is, on many levels, a mirror of those who work with
it, and allows them to make each reading a truly personal experience.
By: Janita/Seatere
ESP (EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION)
The ability to perceive information without the benefit of the senses.
Such perceptions, collectively called PSI phenomena, are grouped in
four main categories: telepathy, or mind-to-mind communication;
clairvoyance, or the awareness of remote objects, persons, or events;
precognition, or the knowledge of events lying in the future; and
retrocognition, or the knowledge of past events in the absence of
access to information about those events.
Scientific theory does not recognize modes of perception other than
those mediated by the sense organs and other body systems, so ESP by
definition lies outside the realm of scientific explanation. Claims
for the occurrence of ESP therefore remain controversial, although the
converse condition also holds, that the existence of ESP cannot
positively be disproved.
In the twentieth century, attempts at controlled study of ESP
phenomena have been undertaken by various persons and groups (see
parapsychology). Such researchers often claim that ESP experiences can
be induced by hypnosis, chemicals, or other artificial means so that
they can be measured precisely under laboratory conditions. The
scientific community as a whole does not accept ESP research reports,
because it does not find them verifiable or reproducible.
Parapsychologists and others, however, maintain that ESP exists and
should be explored even should it remain beyond the bounds of
scientific understanding.
The number of ESP experiments in modern times is enormous. Relatively
few have been conducted under proper supervision, and it must be
admitted that some have been found to have involved cheating. For
example, one of the first properly recorded tests was arranged in
1882, soon after the formation of the British Society for Psychical
Research, when its first President, Henry Sidgwick, announced that the
five young daughters of an English clergyman had convinced independent
investigators of their telepathic abilities. However, six years later
they were caught using a code to communicate with each other.
A more successful experiment in telepathy was conducted in 1937 by
Harold Sherman and Sir Hubert Wilkins, when Wilkins, an Australian
explorer, was hired by the Russians to find a pilot who had
disappeared in the Arctic. Sherman suggested to Wilkins that during
his trip they should try to communicate by telepathy. Three days each
week Wilkins sat down and reviewed the day's events; in New York,
Sherman sat in near-darkness and wrote down anything that came into
his head. Among other incidents, Sherman learned of a fire at a place
called Aklavik before the news came by radio.
There have been some spectacular results under strictly controlled
conditions. One of the most famous was reported in 1937 by Professor
Riess of Hunter College, New York. On a number of evenings, Riess
turned face-upward a series of cards from a newly shuffled pack on his
desk, and his subject wrote down the cards that came to mind. Two
packs of 25 cards were used each day. Gradually, the subject became
more accurate; and on the last nine days of the experiment her score
of successes was 17, 18, 19, 20, 20, 19, 20, 21 and 21 â€" so far
above chance as to be astonishing, and by far the highest score ever
recorded in a series of ESP experiments.
Such perceptions, collectively called PSI phenomena, are grouped in
four main categories: telepathy, or mind-to-mind communication;
clairvoyance, or the awareness of remote objects, persons, or events;
precognition, or the knowledge of events lying in the future; and
retrocognition, or the knowledge of past events in the absence of
access to information about those events.
Scientific theory does not recognize modes of perception other than
those mediated by the sense organs and other body systems, so ESP by
definition lies outside the realm of scientific explanation. Claims
for the occurrence of ESP therefore remain controversial, although the
converse condition also holds, that the existence of ESP cannot
positively be disproved.
In the twentieth century, attempts at controlled study of ESP
phenomena have been undertaken by various persons and groups (see
parapsychology). Such researchers often claim that ESP experiences can
be induced by hypnosis, chemicals, or other artificial means so that
they can be measured precisely under laboratory conditions. The
scientific community as a whole does not accept ESP research reports,
because it does not find them verifiable or reproducible.
Parapsychologists and others, however, maintain that ESP exists and
should be explored even should it remain beyond the bounds of
scientific understanding.
The number of ESP experiments in modern times is enormous. Relatively
few have been conducted under proper supervision, and it must be
admitted that some have been found to have involved cheating. For
example, one of the first properly recorded tests was arranged in
1882, soon after the formation of the British Society for Psychical
Research, when its first President, Henry Sidgwick, announced that the
five young daughters of an English clergyman had convinced independent
investigators of their telepathic abilities. However, six years later
they were caught using a code to communicate with each other.
A more successful experiment in telepathy was conducted in 1937 by
Harold Sherman and Sir Hubert Wilkins, when Wilkins, an Australian
explorer, was hired by the Russians to find a pilot who had
disappeared in the Arctic. Sherman suggested to Wilkins that during
his trip they should try to communicate by telepathy. Three days each
week Wilkins sat down and reviewed the day's events; in New York,
Sherman sat in near-darkness and wrote down anything that came into
his head. Among other incidents, Sherman learned of a fire at a place
called Aklavik before the news came by radio.
There have been some spectacular results under strictly controlled
conditions. One of the most famous was reported in 1937 by Professor
Riess of Hunter College, New York. On a number of evenings, Riess
turned face-upward a series of cards from a newly shuffled pack on his
desk, and his subject wrote down the cards that came to mind. Two
packs of 25 cards were used each day. Gradually, the subject became
more accurate; and on the last nine days of the experiment her score
of successes was 17, 18, 19, 20, 20, 19, 20, 21 and 21 â€" so far
above chance as to be astonishing, and by far the highest score ever
recorded in a series of ESP experiments.
WITCH
A person who practices witchcraft, popularly believed to have supernatural powers and to also perform sorcery, and often believed to be aided by spirits or a familiar.
According to the Malleus Maleficarum, witches, men or women who have entered into pacts with Satan, are capable of changing themselves into other creatures, raising storms, bringing sickness to human and animals, causing sterility, and flying.
They consort carnally with demons and even with Satan himself.
Whether or not this diabolical form of witchcraft was ever practiced by actual people is debated among historians.
Some say that it never was or that if there were isolated pockets of Devil worshipers, they
were probably extremely rare.
According to the Malleus Maleficarum, witches, men or women who have entered into pacts with Satan, are capable of changing themselves into other creatures, raising storms, bringing sickness to human and animals, causing sterility, and flying.
They consort carnally with demons and even with Satan himself.
Whether or not this diabolical form of witchcraft was ever practiced by actual people is debated among historians.
Some say that it never was or that if there were isolated pockets of Devil worshipers, they
were probably extremely rare.
PROPHECY
A divinely-inspired vision or revelation of the future, usually of important events on a grand scale; a prediction or foretelling of what is to come.
A prophet is a person who, by divine inspiration, declares to the world the divine will or judgments; a person who foretells the course or nature of future events.
Religious prophets are men or women divinely chosen to preach the divine message, such as Jesus and Mohammed. The ancient Hebrews had
many prophets; 18 of the 39 books of the Old Testament are ascribed to prophets.
In Islam, Mohammed is the Seal of the Prophets, the last of all prophets for the rest of history.
Ordinary people with psychic gifts have also been called prophets.
In the sixteenth century Nostradamus believed his visions were inspired by God; the ancient Greeks and Romans revered oracles, whose pronouncements were treated as unchangeable.
Even today we have scores of people who claim to posses prophetic skills and wisdom.
Every age has had its share of visionaries, seers who seem to posses a kind of second sight that enables them to peer through the walls of time.
And it is not the past or the present, but the future that holds the greatest allure for would-be soothsayers; and not just any future, but the fascinating matter of human fate " be it the destiny of an individual, of a nation, of the world or of the universe.
A prophet is a person who, by divine inspiration, declares to the world the divine will or judgments; a person who foretells the course or nature of future events.
Religious prophets are men or women divinely chosen to preach the divine message, such as Jesus and Mohammed. The ancient Hebrews had
many prophets; 18 of the 39 books of the Old Testament are ascribed to prophets.
In Islam, Mohammed is the Seal of the Prophets, the last of all prophets for the rest of history.
Ordinary people with psychic gifts have also been called prophets.
In the sixteenth century Nostradamus believed his visions were inspired by God; the ancient Greeks and Romans revered oracles, whose pronouncements were treated as unchangeable.
Even today we have scores of people who claim to posses prophetic skills and wisdom.
Every age has had its share of visionaries, seers who seem to posses a kind of second sight that enables them to peer through the walls of time.
And it is not the past or the present, but the future that holds the greatest allure for would-be soothsayers; and not just any future, but the fascinating matter of human fate " be it the destiny of an individual, of a nation, of the world or of the universe.
SPIRITUALISM/ SPIRITISM
Also called Spiritism. A system of religious beliefs centered on the
assumption that communication with the dead, or spirits, is possible.
It implies that the human personality, the spirit or soul, survives death.
Spiritualism as a movement began in the United States in 1848 with the
activities of Margaret Fox and, to a lesser extent, her two sisters,
of Hydesville, New York. The Fox sisters were able to produce spirit
rappings in answer to questions put to them. After moving to
Rochester, New York, and receiving a wider audience through a series
of increasingly elaborate public seances, their fame spread to both
sides of the Atlantic. By the mid-1850s they had inspired a host of
imitators, and Spiritualism claimed two million followers. Margaret
Fox admitted later in life that she had produced rapping noises
through manipulation of her joints.
The repertoire of the early mediums included table levitations, ESP,
speaking in a spirit's voice during trances, automatic writing, and
the manifestation of apparitions and ectoplasm. All such phenomena
were attributed by the mediums to the agency of spirits.
Early supporters of spiritualistic phenomena included American
journalist Horace Greeley and British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Support for spiritualism diminished, however, as many 19th-century
mediums proved to be fakes. Spiritualism has had, since its inception,
a large following. Many churches and societies have been founded that
profess some variety of spiritualistic beliefs. It achieved
particularly widespread popular appeal during the 1850s and '60s and
immediately following World War I.
Closely aligned with other new age beliefs, belief in spiritualism
again became popular during the 1980s, particularly in the United
States. One new facet of spiritualism is that modern-day channelers or
mediums are as apt to attempt contact with extraterrestrials or
spirits from ancient mythical societies as they are to try to
communicate with the recently deceased. Today, Spiritism's popularity
is once again on the rise.
assumption that communication with the dead, or spirits, is possible.
It implies that the human personality, the spirit or soul, survives death.
Spiritualism as a movement began in the United States in 1848 with the
activities of Margaret Fox and, to a lesser extent, her two sisters,
of Hydesville, New York. The Fox sisters were able to produce spirit
rappings in answer to questions put to them. After moving to
Rochester, New York, and receiving a wider audience through a series
of increasingly elaborate public seances, their fame spread to both
sides of the Atlantic. By the mid-1850s they had inspired a host of
imitators, and Spiritualism claimed two million followers. Margaret
Fox admitted later in life that she had produced rapping noises
through manipulation of her joints.
The repertoire of the early mediums included table levitations, ESP,
speaking in a spirit's voice during trances, automatic writing, and
the manifestation of apparitions and ectoplasm. All such phenomena
were attributed by the mediums to the agency of spirits.
Early supporters of spiritualistic phenomena included American
journalist Horace Greeley and British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Support for spiritualism diminished, however, as many 19th-century
mediums proved to be fakes. Spiritualism has had, since its inception,
a large following. Many churches and societies have been founded that
profess some variety of spiritualistic beliefs. It achieved
particularly widespread popular appeal during the 1850s and '60s and
immediately following World War I.
Closely aligned with other new age beliefs, belief in spiritualism
again became popular during the 1980s, particularly in the United
States. One new facet of spiritualism is that modern-day channelers or
mediums are as apt to attempt contact with extraterrestrials or
spirits from ancient mythical societies as they are to try to
communicate with the recently deceased. Today, Spiritism's popularity
is once again on the rise.
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