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Beginner’s Mind

The odd thing Is that every Westerner Approaches the practice of meditation With a goal in mind Without exception The even odder thing Is that from an Eastern point of view [Particularly Daoist/Zen Buddhist Which are very related and symbiotic…
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Reason and Logic: The Precursors to Science

It's clear in studying early religion and philosophy that mythology and cosmology in antiquity was not only theological in nature, but also had a political motive as well.  But at some point in antiquity there was a break from which reason and knowledge was…
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The Book of Changes: The Wisdom of the Far East

One of the most unique, lasting and influential texts that has come down to us from the Far East that in antiquity is the Yijing (I Ching), also known as the Book of Changes.  The work has a long history, its roots dating back at least to Bronze…
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Stoic Philosophy in Antiquity: Its Origins, Metaphysics and Ethical Principles

Introduction Consistent across all of the Hellenistic philosophical schools was the importance of the Soul, the distinction of the human soul as having the capability to reason (what came to be known as logos, a very important term in early…
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Vedic Cosmological Narratives (Part II)

The Hymn of Purusha: God Takes Shape[1] While the preceding passage from the Rig Veda contains some of the root kernel philosophical elements of Vedic philosophy, there is another passage from the same collection of hymns dating back to the…
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Vedic Creation Narratives and Philosophy: Brothers in Arms (Part I)

When looking at the Indo-Aryan tradition, given its age and maturity and its fundamental belief and faith in the unity of man and the universe from which he emerged (unique to the Eastern religious traditions in general), a line can be drawn…
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Creation Stories of the Ancient Egyptians: Order (Maat) from Chaos

Cultural Context As Charlie began to delve into the mythology of the Ancient Egyptians, and in particular their cosmology, or mythological description of the origins of the known universe, he found that a narrative of mythology or a book of…
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Creation Mythology in Antiquity: Order out of Chaos

Introduction: Creation Myths in Antiquity Any cursory study of Egyptian and Sumer-Babylonian creation mythology yielded parallels and similarities, but was much less clear and open to debate was whether or not these similarities, these mythemes…
Sanskrit symbol for "Aum"
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The Philosophy of the East: The Legacy of the Indo-Aryans

Introduction Throughout academic parlance in the Enlightenment Era intellectual and philosophical development throughout mankind’s history has been divided into Eastern and Western branches.  The Eastern branch of thought and development…
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The Gnostics: Jesus as the Revealed Logos

In contrast to what we would consider the more orthodox interpretation of Jesus through the doctrine of Logos, and incorporating the Wisdom tradition of the Jews at the same time, we find another influential Gnostic teacher who comes from the…