Esoteric Prayer

The subjects covered in this book were finally observed, and from the chapter: “The Wisdoms of Heavenly Love”, we felt that the most elegant name for this book should be “Heavenly Love”. God willing! Our dear friends and honourable readers will also like this name. The reason for this name is not that the entire book is devoted to the theme of heavenly love; rather, its wider meaning and indication is that I have mentioned heavenly love throughout all my writings, especially in my poems. Furthermore, I believe that this [heavenly love] has made my personal world flourish and prosper. Thus, to receive blessings and benedictions, I am giving this blessed name of “ᶜIs̲h̲q-i Samāwī (Heavenly Love)” to one of my favourite books, so that the wise people may, if they wish, do research into the background of this title.

This article offers a class-conscious critique of modern Wicca, contrasting the revolutionary, grassroots spiritual archetype of Aradia with the elite-constructed tradition of Gardnerian Wicca. Here we argue that Wicca, rather than being an authentic revival of ancient pagan spirituality, is, in large part, a synthetic spiritual system manufactured by upper-class esotericists like Gerald Gardner andembedded in Masonic, colonial, and patriarchal ideology. The analysis situates Wicca within a broader historical pattern of elite appropriation and containment of spiritual symbolism, akin to the Freemasonic manipulation of the tarot. It concludes that while Aradia represents a connection-driven, empowering form of authentic spirituality, Gardnerian Wicca exemplifies elite mystification and ideological control, an example of safe mysticism stripped of its revolutionary and healing potential.

Als Seder Pidyon nefesh, „Ordnung der Auslösung einer Seele“, bezeichnet man eine kurze Folge von magischen Gebeten und Praktiken, die im Fall einer Erkrankung auf der Basis kabbalistischer Vorstellungen ihre besondere Wirkung entfalten sollen.  Alter und Herkunft dieser Segulla wie auch des meist damit verbundenen Shinnui ha-shem („Wandel des Namens“) sind nicht sicher geklärt.  Das Konzept der Auslösung durch ein Lösegeld als Ersatzleistung anstelle der Vollstreckung eines göttlichen Urteils ist dabei schon biblisch belegt , und seit rabbinischer Zeit wurde damit der Gedanke verbunden, dass das Spenden von Almosen an Bedürftige vor dem frühzeitigen Tode bewahrt wird. Hier unersucht wird eine zufällig erhaltene Version aus einer improvisierten Handschrift aus der heute nicht mehr existierenden Synagoge in Obermoschel, Nordpfalz.

Dependence Day Tom Myers message to the Men July 5 th , 2025 Yesterday, the 4 th of July, Independence Day. We celebrated the birth of our nation, our independence from the King of England, our right to rule ourselves, our freedom. Independence comes at a cost. We have freedom in this nation to choose our religion or to choose no religion, we can choose to work where to work, where to live, we can choose who to vote for, we can even choose what gender to identify as, is short we can choose to rule our own lives. But there is always some one in charge someone who leads. We have mayors, governors, and presidents. We have employers, and supervisors at work and in the church we have pastors and elders. In the home, ideally, we have fathers and mothers. There are formal leaders like the president of the U.S. and informal leaders, like the one in the group of friends that everyone looks to or follows. Informal Leadership can be good or bad, it is the influence exerted over other for good or bad. As Christians each one of us has a responsibility to lead in our circle be that among our friend, coworkers, in the church or the community...even on social media. Are you a good influence?

This article examines the concept of holiness in Jewish literature, focusing on sixteenth-century ethical Kabbalah in Safed, using distant reading tools. It focuses on two influential moral-kabbalistic works, The Gates of Holiness (Shaarei Kedusha), by Hayyim Vital, and the Gate of Holiness (“Shaar ha-kedusha”), a section in the work Reshit Hokhma, by Eliyahu de Vidas. Utilizing computational and statistical methods, it analyzes shared and distinct holiness terminology. Both texts highlight holiness as a fusion of spirituality and the physical realm, emphasizing contemplation through ritual practices and the threat of impurity and material desires. The article also underscores disparities in holiness definitions, which were not yet observed in previous scholarship. While Vital’s definition of holiness encompasses the fulfillment of all commandments and the correction of human traits, de Vidas takes a more restricted view. He associates holiness with the sanctification of specific aspects of corporality, particularly sexuality and eating, achieved through intentional practices.

Modern theories about witchcraft propose it as an ancient religion, possibly originating in the Old Stone Age with the worship of a Horned God. While some argue it was a distinct cultus with elaborate rituals and theology, others view it as mere diabolism, influenced by Christianity and other cults. The truth likely lies between these extremes, acknowledging witchcraft’s complex origins and evolving nature.

Witchcraft, originating from primitive European beliefs in natural powers, was misunderstood as diabolical by the Church. It evolved from shamanistic practices, incorporating elements of pagan cults and later Christian organization. The “Dianic” associations of witchcraft, though significant, were a later development, influenced by both ancient paganism and Christian demonology.

LZgZ`bhmbl =g]kbdhihnehl* Jb\d S^[[^k % /DIGE;J9I@ED Pbf^,bg\hglblm^gm [^aZobhnk bl Z ia^ghf^ghg p^ee,]h\nf^gm^] bg ma^"^e]l h_ [^aZobhnkZe ^\h, ghfb\l Zg] "gZg\^-Obg\^ma^l^fbgZe lmn]r h_ PaZe^k (0870)+ Z lb`gb"\Zgm ohenf^h_ ^fibkb\Ze phkd (=bgleb^0881; DZkkbl Zg] HZb[lhg 1/01; HZb[lhg 0886; Hhp^glm^bg Zg] Lk^e^\ 0881) lahpl maZm ^\hghfb\ Z`^gml Ziier oZkrbg`]^\blbhg,fZdbg`kne^l Zg] Z\m bg Z ]b!^k^gm fZgg^k ]^i^g]bgh g ma^mbfbg`h_ iZrh!l-# A!hkml mh ^qieZbg ln\a bgm^km^fihkZe [^aZobhnkZe mkZbml nmbebl^Z pb]k Zg`^h_ fh]^eebg`m^\agbjn^l pbma ari^k[heb\ Zg] jnZlb,ari^k[heb\ ]bl\hngmbg`(>e^b\akh]m ^m Ze-1//8; DZko^r 0878; HZb[lhg 0886; O\ahem^g Zg] N^Z] 1/0/) Zl p^ee Zl fhg^mZkr ]bl\hngmbg`kZm^l (Jhhk 1//8) Zfhg`lm ma^fhlm ik^oZe^gm hg^l-Kma^k ZiikhZ\a^l _khf ma^"^e] h_ [^aZobhnkZe ^\hghfb\l nmbebl^\nfneZmbo^ikhli^\m ma^hkr (Po^kldr Zg] GZag^fZg+ 0881) Zg] ^qieZbg mbf^, bg\hglblm^gm \ahb\^l nlbg`Zem^kgZmbo^ikh[Z[bebmr p^b`ambg`\hfihg^gml Zg] lab_ml bg ma^e^o^e h_ ma^k^_^k^g\^ihbgm h_ ikhli^\m ma^hkr (>Zkl^`arZg ^m Ze-1/02; Dn Zg] O\hmm 1//6; Ghls^`b Zg] NZ[bg 1//8; LZ`^e 1/02; Or]ghk 1/0/)-A\hghfb\ Z`^gml ma^k^_hk^Zii^Zk mh ^qab[bm a^m^kh`^g^hnl ik^_^k^g\^l ln[c^\m mh Z gnf[^k h_ ^g]h`^ghnl \aZkZ\m^kblmb\l maZm Zk^mbf^,]^i^g]^gm Zm Zee lmZ`^l h_ Zg bg]bob]nZe'l eb_^-Jhg^ma^e^ll+ gh ikbhk lmn]b^l aZo^Zmm^fim^] mh ^qiehk^ma^oZkrbg`khe^h_ bg]bob]nZe lh\bZe 'b]^gmbmr' Zg] 'l^e_,bfZ`^' hg bgm^k,m^fihkZe [^aZobhnk pbma k^`Zk]l mh ^\hghfb\ ]^\blbhg,fZdbg`-Pabl iZi^k "eel mabl `Zi [r bgmkh]n\bg`Z gho^e ZiikhZ\a _hk fh]^eebg`a^m^kh`^g^hnl ik^_^k, ^g\^l Zg] mbf^,bg\hglblm^gm [^aZobhnk maZm f^k`^l mph bfihkmZgm lmkZg]l h_ ma^ebm^kZmnk^9 map hkd hg ^\hghfb\l h_ 'b]^gmbmr' (=d^keh_ Zg] GkZgmhg 1///+ 1//4) $ Zg] maZm hg fnembie^l^e_, fh]^el pab\a Zk`n^l maZm Z ]^\blbhg fZd^k bl Z \hee^\mbhg h_ ihllb[er ]b!^k^gm l^eo^l [nm Z\ml bg Z \hgm^qm,]^i^g]^gm fZgg^k (=f[knl Zg] Nhs^g

This rare extremely hard to find and valuable book is a seminal work in the tradition of early modern devotional literature, offering a structured framework for spiritual formation through meditative prayer, moral introspection, and ascetic discipline. Rooted in the broader intellectual currents of medieval and early modern spirituality, the text integrates elements of patristic theology, scholastic moral philosophy, and mystical contemplation. It provides a systematic approach to self-examination, emphasizing the regulation of the passions, the cultivation of virtue, and the progressive refinement of the soul toward a state of spiritual illumination. The work reflects the influence of classical moral psychology and Neoplatonic thought, drawing upon an intricate synthesis of ethical philosophy and mystical practice to guide the reader toward a transformative interior life. Horstius' methodology aligns with traditions of structured spiritual exercises, echoing the didactic strategies found in earlier ascetical manuals and monastic literature. His emphasis on meditative techniques, drawn from scriptural exegesis and contemplative praxis, situates the text within a broader discourse on the mechanics of devotion and the psychology of religious experience. Furthermore, Paradise of the Christian Soul exemplifies the increasing systematization of spiritual practice during the early modern period, reflecting a shift toward introspective piety and regimented personal discipline that parallels developments in both mystical theology and early modern moral philosophy. As a historical document, the text offers valuable insights into the intellectual, ethical, and psychological dimensions of religious life in early modernity. It serves as a crucial point of reference for scholars examining the evolution of devotional literature, the transmission of mystical traditions, and the intersections of moral philosophy with ascetic spirituality. Through its synthesis of theological speculation and practical guidance, Paradise of the Christian Soul remains an enduring artifact of structured devotional practice, meriting further study within the broader context of intellectual history and the psychology of religious experience.
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Hasan ÇELİK ii ÖZ Abdâl Musa, Anadolu'daki özellikle Bektaşi gelenek içerisinde örgütlenmeyi geliştiren, kurumsallaştıran, yüzlerce kişiye eğitim verip irşat eden erenlerden biridir. Hacı Bektaş-ı Veli'nin manevî halifelerindendir. Kendi döneminde ve sonraki dönemlerde Anadolu ve farklı coğrafyalardaki Alevi ve Bektaşiler için bir gönül eri olmuştur. Yaşadığı dönemde Alevilik inancına olan hizmetlerinden dolayı Abdâl Musa'nın bu inancın içerisinde özel bir konuma yerleştirildiğini ifade etmek gerekiyor. Ona nispeten, Bektaşilikteki on iki posttan on birincisi olan Ayakçı Postunun diğer adı "Abdâl Musa Sultan Postu" olarak zikredilmektedir. Yine, bütün canların katılımıyla tohumlar ekilmeden önce ekinlerin bereketli olması, yıl içerisindeki kaza-belalardan korunulması ve birlik beraberliğin yaygınlaşması için yapılan ve diğer adı da Bereket Cemi olan Abdâl Musa Ceminin onunla aynı adı taşıyor olması bu açıdan önemlidir. Abdâl Musa Cemi ve Kurbanı olarak adlandırılan bu ibadet, Alevi ve Bektaşi toplulukları arasında yaygın olarak yaşatılmaktadır. Alevi nüfusunun yoğun olarak yaşadığı Tokat yöresinde inanç sisteminin ve geleneğin günümüze kadar varlığını devam ettirmesinde kuşkusuz Alevi Ocakları büyük roller üstlenmişlerdir. Tokat'taki Alevi Ocaklarının ve talip topluluklarının gerçekleştirdikleri,

The question of whether Christian ministry constitutes a vocation, or a divine calling remains central to theological and ecclesiastical debate. The New Testament provides a compelling model of ministry through the apostles, characterised by servanthood, self-sacrifice, and an unwavering reliance on the power of God. In contrast, the professionalisation of clergy in contemporary Christianity often reduces ministry to a career, subject to institutional constraints and secular benchmarks. This paper critically examines these two paradigms, arguing that modern clerical practices, shaped by professionalisation, risk losing the spiritual power necessary for transformative ministry. Drawing on biblical principles and scholarly perspectives, this paper contends that authentic Christian ministry transcends vocation, demanding a life wholly surrendered to God.

It is suggested that the impetus to generate models is probably the most fundamental point of connection between mysticism and psychology. In their concern with the relation between 'unseen' realms and the 'seen', mystical maps parallel cognitive models of the relation between 'unconscious' and 'conscious' processes. The map or model constitutes an explanation employing terms current within the respective canon. The case of language mysticism is examined to illustrate the premise that cognitive models may benefit from an understanding of the kinds of experiences gained, and explanatory concepts advanced, within mystical traditions. Language mysticism is of particular interest on account of the central role thought to be played by language in relation to self and the individual's construction of reality. The discussion focuses on traditions of language mysticism within Judaism, in which emphasis is placed on (i) the deconstruction of language into primary elements and (ii) the overarching significance of the divine Name. Analysis of the detailed techniques used suggests ways in which multiple associations to any given word/concept were consciously explored in an altered state. It appears that these mystics were consciously engaging with what are normally preconscious cognitive processes, whereby schematic associations to sensory images or thoughts are activated. The testimony from their writings implies that these mystics experienced distortions of the sense of self ('I'), which may suggest that, in the normal state, 'I' is constructed in relation to the preconscious system of associations. Moreover, an important feature of Hebrew language mysticism is its emphasis on embodiment-specific associations were deemed to exist between the letters and each structure of the body. Implications, first, for the relationship between language and self, and, second, for the role of embodiment in relation to self are discussed. The importance of the continual emphasis on the Name of God throughout the linguistic practices may have provided a means for effectively replacing the cognitive indexing function hypothesized here to be normally played by 'I' with a more transpersonal cognitive index, especially in relation to memory.

In the modern society, despite all technological progress, addictive behaviour has become a real concern for scientists, practitioners and theologians. The tendency of pains reduction and awareness, the search for enhanced sense of control and self-esteem satisfaction, the wish for escaping the social and psychological problems of the modern world are the most common causes of addiction. The modern science has no yet solutions for it. What in the last decade of the 20 th century was seen as addictive behaviour, in our days is considered as normal conduct. The only way out from this labyrinth is living a true Christian life by keeping the commandments and leading an ascetic life, by which man triggers the grace received at the Holy Baptism, strengthens his own nature, guards the freedom gained by him in the Baptismal waters and escapes from all addictions acquired in a sinful kind of living.

Tarihî Horasan sınırları içerisinde doğan ve Anadolu’ya yerleşen,
“Horasan Erenleri”nden dostluk ve sevgi elçisi, Türk-İslam mutasavvıfı
Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli ve onun izinde Alevi-Bektaşi inanç sistemi
içerisinde yetişen ve geniş konu çeşitliliğiyle şiirler yazan ozanlar, saz
ve sözlerinde toplumsal bütünleşme referanslarına zengin biçimde yer
vermeleri sonucunda toplumsal yönlerinin kuvvetli olmalarıyla dikkatleri
üzerlerine çekmişlerdir. Sazın ve sözün sultanları, küçük yaştan itibaren
aşıklık ve halk şairliğini benimsemiş, şiirlerinde Alevi-Bektaşi inancını ve kültürünü işlemiş, derinden hissedilen toplumsal bütünleşme iletilerini vurgulayarak
birliği, bütünlüğü teşvik etmiş, ikiliğe, ayrı-gayrılığa karşı durmuşlardır.
Bu çalışmada, Hacı Bektaş Veli’nin öğretileri ve Alevi-Bektaşi şiir geleneğine
odaklanılarak sazın ve sözün sultanlarının birçok açıdan toplumsal bütünleşme için güçlü
bir model oluşturduğunun altı çizilmiştir. Dokümantasyon analizi tekniğiyle yürütülen
çalışmada, şiirlerden örneklere yer verilerek aşıkların toplumsal bütünleşme içerisindeki
yerine odaklanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda, Alevi-Bektaşilikte aşıklık geleneğinin
canlılığının ve Türkmen Alevileri arasındaki yaygınlığının temsilcisi olan ozanların
şiirlerinin toplumsal bütünleşme yönünün kuvvetli olduğuna dikkat çekilmiştir. İçerisinde
bulunduğu toplumun birleşmesi, kaynaşması, bütünleşmesi problematiğine kayıtsız
kalmayan ozanların incelemeye konu olan şiirlerinde; birliğin sağlanması ve ikiliğin, ayrı-
gayrının olmaması, din ve ırk ayrımının yapılmaması, bayrak, vatan ve millet vurgusu dikkat
çeker. Söz konusu şiirler, toplumsal bütünleşmenin sağlanmasının yanı sıra Alevi Bektaşi
şiir geleneğindeki yol ve süreğin kuşaklararasılığının sağlanmasında önemli bir işleve
sahiptir. Dolayısıyla Hacı Bektaş Veli’nin mirası ve Alevi-Bektaşi ozanlarının verimleri, her
türlü kutuplaşmayı azaltmak için evrensel ve zamana meydan okuyan, oldukça kapsayıcı,
etkili araçlardır. Onun kutlu şahsiyeti başlı başına toplumsal dayanışmayı pekiştiren ve
sürdüren bir faktör iken Alevi-Bektaşi şiir geleneği, günümüz dünyasında da güncelliğini
koruyarak, toplumda dayanışmayı ve bütünleşmeyi teşvik edebilecek potansiyele sahiptir.

In hundreds of books, in Hebrew and translation, the Kabbalistic story of creation is repeated. The story goes that before creation there was only the infinite light of God and then God contracted the light to leave a space for creation. God then again limited God's light and poured it, as it were, into the vessels of creation.  The vessels, however, could not withstand even this limited light and shattered, creating our broken physical world. It is up to the human being to repair these shattered vessels and return creation to its original intention.
How do we go beyond story-telling or imaginative pictures, to what these stories and pictures intend, without not reducing them to an allegory, a simple one-to-one correspondence where x means y?  What is their psychological significance in the Hasidic transformation (‘psychologization’) of Kabbalah? Traditional creation stories are not pseudo-scientific accounts of what happened long ago. They are ‘exemplary tales’ that teach us the nature of our world and how to live in it.  I will show this exemplary function of the Kabbalistic creation story through a discussion between a kabbalist, a philosopher and a psychologist.  Hasidic Kabbalah moves quickly between three dimensions: the symbolic and mythic world of the kabbalist; the intellectual world of the philosopher; and the psychological world of the Hasid on the eve of modern psychotherapy.

In this essay I will endeavour to explicate more deeply the interrelation of the different concepts that direct the spiritual life (what he called the “Gnostic life”) in the Evagrian corpus. The study will allow us to see the interconnected meaning of three aspects of the spiritual life that are irrevocably bound in meaning and practice: stillness, dispassion, and peace. The Evagrian concept of stillness is a translation of the Greek word “hesychia,” which can be translated as a state of tranquility, though it really means much more than that. In order to understand this, we need to go beyond the philological nuances of the Greek term and grasp its theological, spiritual, and philosophical bearings.

R. Bahya ben Asher (13th-14th centuries) was an Iberian exegete and kabbalist whose compositions abound with highly disparate sources. This study undertakes to canvass the various outlooks of the human soul that are distilled in his oeuvre. Many of Bahya's hermeneutical interpretations emerged from a lively exchange with those of Nahmanides. However, the current study shows that he may have sought to withdraw from various aspects of Nahmanides' theory of the soul and instead leaned towards competing trends that prevailed at the time. Among the topics examined here are the soul's standing vis-à-vis the rational world of the angels, the prospects of its post mortem perpetuation, its relation to the Godhead, and how the soul returns to its upper source.

Karīm al-Qushayrī, ed. Ibrāhīm Basyūnī and Aḥmad ʿAlam al-Dīn al-Jundī (al-Qāhirah [Cairo]: Maktabat ʿAlam al-Fikr, 1994). Risāla Al-Risāla al-Qushayrīyah fī ʿilm al-tas ̣awwuf, by ʿAbd al-Karīm al-Qushayrī, ed. Muḥammad ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Marʿashlī (Beirut: Dār Iḥyā al-Turāth al-ʿArabī: Muʿassasat al-Tarīkh al-ʿArabī, 1998). Since I embarked on this journey, many of my principal guides have themselves passed beyond-my beloved parents and grandparents, several wise avuncular friends, and my greatly admired Doktorvater. As these wayfarers have reached the great beyond and passed out of my life, I have often reflected on the saying When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Of late, I have far too often had the occasion to wonder, What happens when the teachers disappear? T. Frank Kennedy, SJ, and Art Shirk in particular have in the last year taught me what it looks like to die well-the last, but not the least, of the wisdom they modeled for me and many others. This comparative theological study is the fruit of a great deal of mentoring. In particular, the intellectual communities of Boston College and Harvard University formed and nourished and refreshed me along the journey of reading Qushayrī and Gerson. In those two academic villages, I found both friends and guides. Those who taught me to read in new languages and new ways have played an especially significant role in my development and for that deserve my heartfelt thanks: Wolfhart Heinrichs in classical Arabic and Islamic thought; Frank Clooney, SJ, in comparative theology; Francis Schüssler-Fiorenza in hermeneutics; Ahmad Mahdavi Damghani in Sufi literature; Beverly Kienzle in medieval Latin and especially sermons; Kevin Newmark in literary theory and French literature; Leila Ahmed in gender studies; Lisa Cahill in classics of Christian theology;

O livro revela uma série de cartas escritas por crianças e adolescente ao jornal Mały przegląd (Pequeno Jornal) sediado em Varsóvia, no período entreguerras (1926-1939), organizado e dirigido por Janusz Korczak. Durante 13 anos, o jornal deu voz as crianças, inicialmente de Varsóvia, depois de toda a Polônia e mais tarde de várias partes do mundo. Foram aproximadamente 50.000 cartas escritas autenticamente por crianças órfãs, filhos de trabalhadores, mercadores, industriais, intelectuais, judeus polonizados e ortodoxos.

All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms * This article is a part of a wider study concerning sugüd in Muslim traditions and literature : its origin and its meaning. I started this research while I was in Jerusalem during 1993-94 as part of my doctorate program at the Dipartimento di Studi e Ricerche su Africa e Paesi Arabi of the Istituto Universitario Orientale, Naples; I would like to thank the Lady Davis Fellowship Trust that granted me a scholarship to study at the Hebrew University. I am also indebted to Prof. M.J. Ki-STER for his advice about this subject when I was in Jerusalem and for his invaluable suggestions. My thanks are due also to Prof. G. Canova, Prof. M. Lecker and Prof. U. Rubin for their comments on a first draft of this article. 1 What hadīt collections usually call suģūd al-shukr ; about this practice see R. Tottoli: The thanksgiving prostration (sujūd al-shukr) in Muslim traditions , forthcoming. See U. Rubin : The Eye of the Beholder. The Life of Muhammad as Viewed by the Early Muslims. Princeton 1995, 163-66; an introduction to the argument is at p. 163, then Rubin deals with the traditions concerning the prostration at the recitation of the sūra of the Star (no. 53); and A. Rippin, in Encyclopaedia of Islam (=

The affinities between Ramon Lull and Jewish mysticism have been dealt with by several scholars. 1 Two basic issues have been addressed in this context: the combinatory theory of the Catalan mystic and his view of the dignitates. The first topic involves the question of the possible impact of Sefer Yetzirah, the «Book of Formation», tiiat is the main source of the medieval Jcwish theory of combination of letters. The assumption that such a Jewish theory had a certain impact on the Lullian ars combinatoria, has been advanced by several scholars: Gcrshom Scholem, 2 Frances A. Yates, 3 more recently Mario Satz, 4 but more eminently Erhard W. Platzeck. 5 It seems however, that it was Pico della Mirandola who had becn the first to point out the affinity between the combinatory Kabbalah and LulFs views. 6 More recently I have attempted to point out the possible influence of a very peculiar type of Kabbalah, which combincd the combinatory thcory of Sefer Yetzirah with some sephirotic theories as fonnulated by Catalan Kabbalists, especially Rabbi Ezra of Gerona. In an anonymous commentary on thc Jcwish prayer, apparently ' The lecture was originally delivered at a congress on Ramon Lull in Valencia, in 1993. 1

In the paper * debreceni egyetem, történelmi és néprajzi doktori Iskola, néprajz szak. * Дебреценський університет, Докторська школа історії та етнографії, спеціальність "етнографія". * University of debrecen, historical and ethnographical doctoral school. 1 máté evangéliuma 7:7 2 megjegyzendő: erdélyi zsuzsanna kötete az egész magyar nyelvterületről tartalmaz imákat, kárpátalját kivéve, ami az akkori politikai helyzettel magyarázható.

As we reflect on this verse, we are encouraged to embrace an all-encompassing love that flows from the depths of our being and fully engages our emotions, spiritual essence, and physical strength. This kind of love requires an unwavering commitment and a willingness to surrender ourselves fully to the will of God. It is a love that transcends mere words and actions, penetrating the core of our being and shaping our thoughts, desires, and priorities.

To love the Lord with all our hearts means --------

Excerpt: Manar, manarah and minar: mean the place of light, lamp stand, tall pillar, tower, lighthouse etc. The light of a lamp placed in a low place inside a house becomes limited due to obstacles in shedding light and the shadows of the surrounding objects increase. This is why lamps are placed on a lamp stand or niche. Similarly, the electric lights of the bazaar of a city can spread their light only from tall pillars. You may also be aware that lighthouses are built to guide ships on the sea. Most importantly observe the system of nature that God has kept the glowing sun, the resplendent moon and the bright stars on the height of heaven so that they in their respective times may pour the rain of light lavishly on the people of the earth. According to this Divine law, He has thus arranged the system of the city of the Qur'an, placing the great and Perfect Men in the form of various minarets. The hearts of the people of insight become illumined and delighted by the way the light of knowledge and wisdom is shedding from the eminence and excellence of these minarets of guidance.

Prayer, while being perhaps the most important part of daily life has been for far too long misunderstood by most people and limited to a few precious moments by the bedside. This book attempts to explain the full force of prayer and how much our faith can expand from further understanding on this practice.

An appreciation of Ronald Hutton's mode of revisionist historiography, and its utility for the study of historical witch trials in early modern Europe and their relation to recent Paganisms. Part of a Discussion forum celebrating Hutton: see the whole forum at http://magic.pennpress.org/home/

William Paynter (1901-1976) is a fascinating figure who deserves to be better known. Born in Cornwall at the turn of the century, in 1928 he became a founder member of the Callington 'Old Cornwall Society', having been inspired by others working in the West of the Duchy to collect and preserve the culture, folklore and language of Cornwall. As part of this effort he helped revive the tradition of the Cornish Midsummer bonfires, and every year, after giving a short speech to the gathered crowd, he would set the nearby beacon at Kit Hill ablaze. He is of special interest to readers of 'The Enquiring Eye' because he also collected information on the activities of local cunning folk and charmers, much of which he published in local newspapers. This was reflected in his bardic name 'Whyler Pystry' or 'Searcher out of Witchcraft'. In addition, he can claim to have started the first Museum of Witchcraft in Cornwall, preceding that in Boscastle by a matter of months. His 'Cornish Museum' in Looe opened on 18 th June, 1959, though to be accurate, whilst it included his own considerable collection of charms and other occult artefacts, it also included a large number of other objects unrelated to witchcraft 1. Except for a brief appearance in cult film 'The Power of the Witch' (1971) 2 , and mentions in Hamilton Jenkin's 'Cornwall and its People' (1943) and Ithell Colquhoun's 'Living Stones' (1957), Paynter has not left much of a mark on history. Indeed he would be almost completely forgotten now were it not for the pioneering work of Jason Semmens, who has published two books on the man. This photo, taken in the 1960s, is in the William Paynter archive at Kresen Kernow. It suggests Paynter visited Cecil Williamson's museum in Boscastle but it is not clear, given that they were business rivals, what kind of relationship the two men had.

The following study examines the story/parable of the Grammarian and the Boatman within the Mathnavī of Rumi. We have striven to provide an account of the allegorical aspect of the story and the messages that Rumi attempted to convey. We demonstrated that the primary objective of the story is to signify the Sufi concept of maḥv (self-effacement/annihilation) and prioritize it in the life of the Sufi disciple. We examined and analyzed how the theme of maḥv is presented through an earthly experience, and explored the symbols Rumi, and the Sufis for that matter, utilized in conveying their teachings. We have also drawn parallels with Qur’anic verses, prophetic teachings, and the teachings of earlier Sufi masters. The Sufi epistemological approach, the experiential knowledge, has been the primary examination of our research, and we drew attention to how the Sufi masters imparted knowledge to their audience. Other poetic formulations of Rumi in various parts of Mathnavī have been enliste...

Статья посвящена словам λειμών и λιμήν в греческом языке, в которых современная лингвистика видит изолированную группу в рамках греческого языка, не имеющую точных соответствий в других индоевропейских языках. В статье показывается, что у семьи λειμών, λιμήν и их производных обнаруживается целый ряд параллелей в балтийских и славянских языках, сопоставимых с древнегреческим материалом как на уровне морфологии, так и на уровне семантики и словоупотребления. Таким образом, λειμών и λιμήν оказывается возможным связать λειμών и λιμήν с русск. лить, лит. líeti, латыш. líeti и их производными. Ключевые слова: λειμών 'луг', λιμήν 'гавань', этимология.

In this study, the collective cultural structure of the Alevi belief structure, which appears under the name of Sofilik in Adıyaman province of Turkey, will be analyzed through the relationship between ritual and music. This community, which has an Alevi-Kurdish identity, differs from other Alevi groups living in Turkey with its unique cultural, belief and musical structure. It is not possible to talk about complete homogeneity among Alevis in terms of belief and non-belief rituals. This is due to factors such as ethnicity, language, ocak and geography. Music and semah/dem, one of the most important cultural elements of Alevism, exhibit a unique structure among the Sofis. This unique structure, like the Sofis within the Alevi belief, ensures the continuity of the tradition by carrying collective and cultural memory. There are no written sources on the tradition of sofism in Adıyaman province. For this reason, the study we have conducted has the characteristic of being a first in this field, as well as being difficult due to the lack of scientific resources on the group we have identified and the fact that they continue their belief structure as a closed community. The geographical limitation of the study is the provinces of Adıyaman and Istanbul. The data obtained through faceto-face interviews with the people reached are subjected to evaluation in the relevant parts of the study. The study includes the analysis and evaluation of the historical and belief narratives obtained as a result of the field research, as well as the analysis and evaluation of the determinations about the music and semah/demand in the ritual they call möhbet/muhabbet. In addition, the creation of the universe, the place of women in the faith, the sanctity of Hz. Ali, Hz. Hussein's position in the hierarchy of beliefs, the Karbala incident and the position of Hz. Hussein in the hierarchy of beliefs, their perspective on the twelve ministries and the cults of visitation were tried to be conveyed in line with the data obtained from field research. Music, which has an important place in the Sofism tradition, is presented with its social and contextual dimension rather than its technical dimension.

This thesis is an intensive, multi-layered analysis of an unpublished, English language, handwritten, mid-20 th century manuscript. Originally undated, untitled and unsigned, it has now been positively identified as "Text A", a Wiccan proto-Book of Shadows compiled by Gerald Brousseau Gardner (1884-1964) in the last half of the 1940's. Different methodologies were applied to the document: transcription using Leiden conventions, handwriting analysis to identify the author, archival research to uncover photographs of the manuscript in use, historical and bibliographical research to situate the manuscript and its author, and finally, an in-depth and exhaustive source analysis to uncover literary and documentary influences on the text. Subsequently, the manuscript was identified as handwritten by Gerald Gardner, from 1940 to 1949, and contains almost no original material other than a handful of pages for a speech or oral presentation. The rest of the document is comprised of extracts from published sources available to Gardner. These include books on Free Masonry, Templars, British Folklore, Kabbalah, Magic-ancient and ceremonial, and books by Aleister Crowley. The document also includes ritual passages and ceremonies, most of which also appear in Gardner's published novel, High Magic's Aid. Two theme-lines, "Magic-ancient and ceremonial" and "the writings of Aleiser Crowley", comprising almost 40% of the total page count, were chosen for thorough analysis. Based on the information revealed by the various methodologies applied to this document, one can assert that Gardner's claims to have been initiated into an ancient indigenous tradition, Wicca, and to be making available its long secret rituals are not supported by this document.

Abraham Abulafia was a unique Jewish mystic of the thirteenth century. He was well versed in the works of Moses Maimonides and other philosophers and also had a deep understanding of letter permutation mysticism developed from various commentaries of Sefer YeṢirah. These diverse influences led Abulafia to develop a world-view emphasizing the differences between philosophical, traditional and Kabbalistic discourses. However, he argued that, ultimately, they refer to similar dynamics. This article focuses on the central role of divine flow (shefa) and the holy spirit in Abulafia's thought. The concept of the holy spirit as overflow was widely used in medieval literature across various religious traditions, such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity, to understand the nature of divine agency, causality and inspiration. Abulafia utilized this broad understanding to argue that all forms of discourse, whether philosophical or religious, are limited forms of the divine overflow. The only actual reality is the unified flow transcending all forms of discourse and metaphysical and mental structures. Therefore, according to Abulafia, the mystical path is to transcend all forms of discourse and one's mental faculties and reach the state of union with the absolute divine flux.
10.18647/3587/jjs-2023

The enigmatic figure of the philosopher John Dee (1527-1609) has been the object of increasing interest amongst scholars for the past few decades. Since the 1970s, when Frances Yates began to reclaim this figure from neglect and derision, scholarship on Dee has flourished and today comprises enlightening works by Peter French, Nicholas Glulee, Stephen Glucas, Deborah Harkness, William Sherman, György Szönyi and others. Glyn Parry's book The Arch-Conjuror of England: John Dee contributes to Dee scholarship by focussing on the biography of the English magus in the context of Elizabethan Gourt politics. The book is a thoroughly researched analysis of the shifty ground of English politics in the latter part of the sixteenth century, when power play was strongly intertwined with magic, millenarianism, prophecy and alchemy. In this sense. Dee's career is used as a 'case study' of the Elizabethan Gourt, allowing Parry to delve into the intrigues of Sir William Gecil, Baron Burghley, Sir Francis Walsingham, Sir Robert Dudley, and others. In this whirlwind of politics. Dee's occult knowledge becomes an instrument in the hands of Gecil, Dudley and the Privy Gouncil. Amongst them, Gecil emerges as the most dynamic and compelling character of Parry's book, with the author closely relaying his Machiavellian manipulations, interest in 'occult philosophy' and anti-Gatholic paranoia. Several lesser characters, such as Dee's magical foes, John Prestall and Vincent Murphyn, the relentless scourge of Presbyterians, the Archbishop of Ganterbury John Whitgift, or the self-deluded Palatine of Poland Albrecht Laski, make a colourful appearance in the book. By comparison. Dee's personality appears somewhat overshadowed by the more powerful figures around him. He often gives the impression of a gullible, deluded and tactless character, who is convinced of his higher mission and ends up constantly manipulated, be it by Gecil, Dudley, Edward Kelley or even by the angels he appeals to. The title of Arch-Gonjuror is revealed as an irony in light of this image, which Parry seems to support to some degree (e.g. pp. 99-100, 147, 182, 186, 199, 203). Yet Parry also objectively renders some elements in Dee's biography that may question this assessment. For instance. Dee is shrewd enough to try to bypass Burghley in his absence by appealing directly to Elizabeth for support (p. 233). Dee's willing cooperation in Gatholic crackdowns (pp. 132-37, 221-30), set in light of his own earlier Gatholic priesthood (pp. 28-9), possible cooperation with Bonner against the Protestants in 1555 (pp. 34-40, 64-6) as well as his reconciliation with Rome in 1585 (p. 187), suggests more opportunism than naïveté. Moreover, the dangerous nature of Gourt politics makes his survival a feat of prowess, particularly his ability to re-enter the Gourt after what is shown to have been an ignominious exile to Gentral Europe. It is true that Dee navigated his entire life on uncertain waters, living on credit and on patronage commissions that varied in amount. This type of existence forced him

The present thesis is the first monograph-length study of the pneumatic prayers in the letters of Paul. Paul mentions three experiences where the spirit inspires prayer: the Abba cry (Gal 4.6; Rom 8.15–16), prayer in tongues (1 Cor 14.14–15), and the spirit’s intercession (Rom 8.26–27). While these passages have received substantial attention from previous generations of Pauline scholarship, their precise meaning and significance remain contested. Even more controversial is their potential relation to each other. This thesis proposes a taxonomy for these pneumatic prayers based on their shared descriptive features and common connections to other aspects of Paul’s theology. Descriptively, I argue that Paul describes pneumatic prayers as common and perceptible experiences of inspired speech for early Christians. Theologically, I contend that Paul believed pneumatic prayers signified the eschatological time in which believers lived and bore witness to believers’ new glorified filial status as they participated in the prayers and worship of heavenly beings.