Day: June 2, 2016

6 Myth Busters About Hinduism

6 Myth Busters About Hinduism

Facts About Hinduism You Must Know

Hinduism is a unique faith! The most obvious misconception about Hinduism is that we tend to see it as just another religion. To be precise, Hinduism is a way of life, a dharma. Dharma does not mean religion. It is the law that governs all action. Thus, contrary to popular perception, Hinduism is not just a religion in the tradition sense of the term. Out of this misinterpretation, has come most of the misconceptions about Hinduism.

1. ‘Hinduism’ is a Modern Term

Words like Hindu or Hinduism are ananchronisms. They do not exist in the Indian cultural lexicon. People have coined them to suit their needs in different points of history. Nowhere in the scriptures is there any reference to Hinduism.

2. Hinduism is a Culture More than a Religion

Hinduism does not have any one founder, and it does not have a Bible or a Koran to which controversies can be referred for resolution. Consequently, it does not require its adherents to accept any one idea.

It is thus cultural, not creedal, with a history contemporaneous with the peoples with which it is associated.

3. Hinduism Encompasses Much More than Spirituality

Writings we now categorise as Hindu scriptures include not just books relating to spirituality but also secular pursuits like science, medicine and engineering. This is another reason why it defies classification as a religion per se. Further, it cannot be claimed to be essentially a school of metaphysics. Nor can it be described as ‘other worldly’. In fact, one can almost identify Hinduism with a civilization that is flourishing even now.

4. Hinduism is the Dominant Faith of the Indian Subcontinent

The Aryan Invasion Theory having been completely discredited, it cannot be assumed that Hinduism was the pagan faith of invaders belonging to a race called Aryans. Rather it was the common metafaith of people of various races, including Harappans. The Sanskrit word ‘aryan’ is a word of honourable address, not the racial reference invented by European scholars and put to perverse use by the Nazis.

5. Hinduism is Much Older than we Believe

Evidence that Hinduism must have existed even circa 10000 B.C. is available: The importance attached to the river Saraswati and the numerous references to it in the Vedas indicates that the Rig Veda was being composed well before 6500 B.C. The first vernal equinox recorded in the Rig Veda is that of the star Ashwini, which is now known to have occurred around 10000 B.C. Subhash Kak, a Computer Engineer and a reputed Indologist, ‘decoded’ the Rig Veda and found many advanced astronomical concepts therein. The technological sophistication required to even anticipate such concepts is unlikely to have been acquired by a nomadic people, as the Invasionists would like us to believe. In his book Gods, Sages and Kings, David Frawley provides compelling evidence to substantiate this claim.

6. Hinduism is Not Really Polytheistic

Many believe that multiplicity of deities makes Hinduism polytheistic. Such a belief is nothing short of mistaking the wood for the tree. The bewildering diversity of Hindu belief – theistic, atheistic and agnostic – rests on a solid unity. “Ekam sath, Vipraah bahudhaa vadanti”, says the Rig Veda: The Truth (God, Brahman, etc) is one, scholars call it by various names.

What the multipicity of deities does indicate is Hinduism’s spiritual hospitality as evidenced by two characteristically Hindu doctrines: The Doctrine of Spiritual Competence (Adhikaara) and the Doctrine of The Chosen Deity (Ishhta Devata). The doctrine of spiritual competence requires that the spiritual practices prescribed to a person should correspond to his or her spiritual competence. The doctrine of the chosen deity gives a person the freedom to choose (or invent) a form of Brahman that satisfies his spiritual cravings and to make it the object of his worship. It is notable that both doctrines are consistent with Hinduism’s assertion that the unchanging reality is present in everything, even the transient.

Author

Hinduism Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com

Hinduism

Hinduism

About 80 percent of India’s population regard themselves as Hindus and 30 million more Hindus live outside of India. There are a total of 900 million Hindus worldwide, making Hinduism the third largest religion (after Christianity and Islam).The term “Hinduism” includes numerous traditions, which are closely related and share common themes but do not constitute a unified set of beliefs or practices.

Hinduism is thought to have gotten its name from the Persian word hindu, meaning “river,” used by outsiders to describe the people of the Indus River Valley. Hindus themselves refer to their religion as sanatama dharma, “eternal religion,” and varnasramadharma, a word emphasizing the fulfillment of duties (dharma) appropriate to one’s class (varna) and stage of life (asrama).

Hinduism has no founder or date of origin. The authors and dates of most Hindu sacred texts are unknown. Scholars describe modern Hinduism as the product of religious development in India that spans nearly four thousand years, making it the oldest surviving world religion. Indeed, as seen above, Hindus regard their religion as eternal (sanatama).

Hinduism is not a homogeneous, organized system. Many Hindus are devoted followers of Shiva or Vishnu, whom they regard as the only true God, while others look inward to the divine Self (atman). But most recognize the existence of Brahman, the unifying principle and Supreme Reality behind all that is.

Most Hindus respect the authority of the Vedas (a collection of ancient sacred texts) and the Brahmans (the priestly class), but some reject one of both of these authorities. Hindu religious life might take the form of devotion to God or gods, the duties of family life, or concentrated meditation. Given all this diversity, it is important to take care when generalizing about “Hinduism” or “Hindu beliefs.”

The first sacred writings of Hinduism, which date to about 1200 BCE, were primarily concerned with the ritual sacrifices associated with numerous gods who represented forces of nature. A more philosophical focus began to develop around 700 BCE, with the Upanishads and development of the Vedanta philosophy. Around 500 BCE, several new belief systems sprouted from Hinduism, most significantly Buddhism and Jainism.

In the 20th century, Hinduism began to gain popularity in the West. Its different worldview and its tolerance for diversity in belief made it an attractive alternative to traditional Western religion. Although there are relatively few western converts to Hinduism, Hindu thought has influenced the West indirectly by way of religious movements like Hare Krishna and New Age, and even more so through the incorporation of Indian beliefs and practices (such as the chakra system and yoga) in books and seminars on health and spirituality.

Sources

– “Hinduism.” Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions.
– “Hinduism.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 2004.
– Huston Smith, The World’s Religions.
– Linda Johnsen, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism, pp. 222-24.

Main Point of Reference:

ReligionFacts

How Do You Define Hinduism & Towards Clearly Defining Hinduism

How Do You Define Hinduism?

The Basics of Hinduism

Hinduism is essentially an Indian phenomenon. It is the dominant faith of India, practised by over 80% of the population. Since religion is a way of life in India, Hinduism forms an integral part of the entire Indian tradition.

It is not easy to define Hinduism, for it is much more than a religion in the Western sense. According to some scholars, Hinduism is not exactly a religion. Also known to practitioners as Sanatana Dharma, which means everlasting or eternal religion / truth / rule, Hinduism can best be defined as a way of life based on the teachings of ancient sages and scriptures like the Vedas and Upanishads. The word ‘dharma’ connotes “that which supports the universe” and effectively means any path of spiritual discipline which leads to God.

Hindu Dharma, as one scholar analogizes, can be compared to a fruit tree, with its roots (1) representing the Vedas and Vedantas, the thick trunk (2) symbolizing the spiritual experiences of numerous sages, gurus and saints, its branches (3) representing various theological traditions, and the fruit itself, in different shapes and sizes (4), symbolizing various sects and subsects.

However, the concept of Hinduism defies a definite definition because of its uniqueness.

Towards Clearly Defining Hinduism

Vedic Origin Holds the Key

Traditional Hindu philosophers emphasize the crucial importance of clearly understanding what is Hinduism proper and what are non-Hindu religious paths. You cannot claim to be a Hindu, after all, if you do not understand what it is that you claim to believe, and what it is that others believe.

“Vaidika” and “Avaidika”
One set of antonymous Sanskrit terms repeatedly employed by many traditional Hindu philosophers was vaidika and avaidika.

The word vaidika (or “Vedic” in English) means one who accepts the teachings of the Veda. It refers specifically to the unique epistemological stance taken by the traditional schools of Hindu philosophy, known as shabda-pramana, or employing the divine sound current of Veda as a means of acquiring valid knowledge. In this sense the word “vaidika” is employed to differentiate those schools of Indian philosophy that accept the epistemological validity of the Veda as apaurusheya, or a perfect authoritative spiritual source, eternal and untouched by the speculations of humanity, juxtaposed with the avaidika schools that do not ascribe such validity to the Veda.

In pre-Christian times, avaidika schools were clearly identified by Hindu authors as being specifically Buddhism, Jainism and the atheistic Charvaka school, all of whom did not accept the Veda. These three schools were unanimously considered non-Vedic, and thus non-Hindu (they certainly are geographically Indian religions, but they are not theologically/philosophically Hindu religions).

Views stated in the “Manava-dharma-shastra”
Manu, one of the great ancient law-givers of the Hindu tradition, states the following in his Manava-dharma-shastra:

“All those traditions and all those disreputable systems of philosophy that are not based on the Veda produce no positive result after death; for they are declared to be founded on darkness. All those doctrines differing from the Veda that spring up and soon perish are ineffectual and misleading, because they are of modern date.” (XII, 95)

Stated in simpler terms, “vaidika” specifically refers to those persons who accept the Veda as their sacred scripture, and thus as their source of valid knowledge about spiritual matters.

Views stated in the “Sarva-darshana-samgraha”
In his famous compendium of all the known Indian schools of philosophy, the Sarva-darshana-samgraha, Madhava Acharya (a 14th century Advaita philosopher) unambiguously states that Charvakins (atheist empiricists), “Bauddhas” (Buddhists) and “Arhatas” (Jains) are among the non-Vedic, and thus non-Hindu, schools. Conversely, he lists Paniniya, Vaishnava, Shaiva and others among the Vedic, or Hindu, traditions. Likewise, in his Prasthanabheda, the well-known Madhusudana Sarasvati (fl. 17th century C.E.) contrasts all the mleccha (or “barbaric”) viewpoints with Hindu views and says that the former are not even worthy of consideration, whereas the Buddhist views must at least be considered and debated.

The differentiation between “orthodox” and “heterodox”, from a classical Hindu perspective, rests upon acceptance of the Vedic revelation, with the latter rejecting the sanctity of the Veda.

“Astika” and “Nastika”
As a further attempt to clearly distinguish between Hindu and non-Hindu, Hindu philosophers regularly used the Sanskrit terms astika and nastika. The two terms are synonymous with vaidika and avaidika, respectively. Astika refers to those who believe in the Vedas, nastika to those who reject the Vedas.

Under the astika category Hinduism would include any Hindu path that accepts the Veda, such as Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Advaita, Yoga, Nyaya, Mimamsa, among others. The nastika religions would include any religious tradition that does not accept the Veda: Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity, Islam, Baha’i, etc.

Thus when it came to the importance of unambiguously differentiating between the teachings of Hinduism and the teachings of non-Hindu religions, the most historically important sages of Hindu philosophical and theological thought are clear advocates of “Vaidika Dharma” – Hinduism – as a systematic, unitive tradition of spiritual expression.

Main Point of Reference:

How Do You Define Hinduism –

Clearly Defining Hinduism –  Dr. Frank Morales

Articles published on & owned by About.com

Hindu History

Hindu History

What is the story of the Hindu faith?

The history of Hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it has no founder or date of origin. While most major religions derive from new ideas taught by a charismatic leader, Hinduism is simply the religion of the people of India, which has gradually developed over four thousand years. The origins and authors of its sacred texts are largely unknown.

Although today’s Hinduism differs significantly from earlier forms of Indian religion, its roots date back as far as 2000 BC, making it one of the oldest surviving religions. Because of its age, the early history of Hinduism is unclear. The most ancient writings have yet to be deciphered, so for the earliest periods scholars must rely on educated guesses based on archaeology and contemporary texts.

In the last few decades, the history of India’s religion has also become a matter of political controversy. The history of any nation (or individual) is an important part of its self-identity, and this is especially true of India, which so recently gained independence after centuries of colonial rule. The controversy over India’s history centers on the origin of the Aryan culture, as we shall see in more detail below.

The Hindu religion: past and present

The Indus River Valley Civilization

In 1921, archaeologists uncovered evidence of an ancient civilization along the Indus River, which today runs through northwest India into Pakistan. The so-called Indus Valley civilization (also known as the “Harappan civilization” for one of its chief cities) is thought to have originated as early as 7000 BC and to have reached is height between 2300 to 2000 BC, at which point it encompassed over 750,000 square miles and traded with Mesopotamia.

Some writings of this period has been discovered, but unfortunately in such small amounts that they have yet to be deciphered. Knowledge of this great civilization’s religion must therefore be based on physical evidence alone. Baths have been found that may indicate ritual bathing, a component of modern Hinduism. Some altar-like structures may be evidence of animal sacrifice, and terracotta figures may represent deities. An important seal features a horned figure surrounded by animals, which some conjecture is a prototype of Shiva, but it could be a bull parallel to that found on Mesopotamian seals.

The Controversial Aryans

The Indus Valley culture began to decline around 1800 BC, due possibly to flooding or drought. Until recently, it was held that the Aryans (an Indo-European culture whose name comes from the Sanskrit for “noble”) [3] invaded India and Iran at this time. According to this hypothesis, both the Sanskrit language and the Vedic religion foundational to Hinduism is attributable to the Aryans and their descendants. The original inhabitants of the Indus Valley are thought to have had a Dravidian language and culture, which became subordinate to that of the invading peoples.

Proponents of this hypothesis point to similarities between Zoroastrianism (the ancient religion of Iran) and the Vedic religion of ancient India, as well as similar finds in ancient cemeteries in modern-day India and Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In addition, no trace of horses or chariots have been found in the remains of the Indus Valley culture, but were central to Aryan military and ritual life.

Since the 1980s, this “Aryan Invasion” hypothesis has been strongly challenged as a myth propagated by colonial scholars who sought to reinforce the idea that anything valuable in India must have come from elsewhere. Critics of the hypothesis note that there is lack of evidence of any conquest, among other historical and archaeological problems. One alternative hypothesis is explained by Encyclopædia Britannica as follows:

Between about 2000 and 1500 BCE not an invasion but a continuing spread of Indo-Aryan speakers occurred, carrying them much farther into India, to the east and south, and coinciding with a growing cultural interaction between the native population and the new arrivals. From these processes a new cultural synthesis emerged, giving rise by the end of the 2nd millennium to the conscious expressions of Aryan ethnicity found in the Rigveda, particularly in the later hymns.[4] The 19th-century Aryan Invasion theory has generally been abandoned as inaccurate, but most scholars do not reject the notion of some outside influence on the Indus Valley civilization. For many, it is a political issue as well as a historical one, with the original theory is regarded as racist and offensive. BBC Religion & Ethics summarizes the matter this way:

Many people argue that there is now evidence to show that Muller [original proponent of the hypothesis], and those who followed him, were wrong. Others, however, believe that the case against the Aryan invasion theory is far from conclusive. Resources:

    – “History of Hinduism.” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service, 2004).
    – “Indian Religions and the Hindu Tradition” The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
    – “Aryan.” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service, 2009).
    – “India » History » India from the Paleolithic Period to the decline of the Indus civilization » Post-Harappan developments » The appearance of Indo-Aryan speakers.” Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service, 2009).
    – “Hinduism: History: Aryan Invasion Theory” – BBC Religion & Ethics

External Links – Indus Valley Civilization – Wikipedia
– Indo-Aryan migration – Wikipedia
– The Myth of the Aryan Invasion of India by David Frawley, hosted at Hindunet.org

Main Point of Reference:

ReligionFacts

Hinduism for Beginners

Hinduism for Beginners

An Introduction to Hinduism for Beginners

If you’re new to this faith, here’s where to begin. In this simple introduction to a complex religion, get your basic questions on Hinduism answered and explained in brief.

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the world’s oldest extant religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world’s third largest religion. Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

 

How is Hinduism unique from other religions?

Hinduism cannot be neatly slotted into any particular belief system. Unlike other religions, Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology.

The religious tradition of Hinduism is solely responsible for the creation of such original concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotish, Yajna, Puja, Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc.

 

How and when did Hinduism originate?

Hinduism has its origins in such remote past that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Some scholars believe that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B.C. and that the earliest of the Hindu scriptures – The Rig Veda – was composed well before 6500 B.C. The word “Hinduism” is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term “Hindu” was introduced by foreigners who referred to people living across the River Indus or Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is believed to have originated.

 

What are the basic tenets of Hinduism?

There is no “one Hinduism”, and so it lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas. Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, in which the prominent themes include:

  • Dharma (ethics and duties)
  • Samsara (rebirth)
  • Karma (right action)
  • Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara)

It also believes in truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious company.

 

What are the key Hindu scriptures?

The basic scriptures of Hinduism, which is collectively referred to as “Shastras”, are essentially a collection of spiritual laws discovered by different saints and sages at different points in its long history. The Two types of sacred writings comprise the Hindu scriptures: “Shruti” (heard) and “Smriti” (memorized). They were passed on from generation to generation orally for centuries before they were written down mostly in the Sanskrit language. The major and most popular Hindu texts include the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

 

What are the major Hindu deities?

Hinduism believes that there is only one supreme Absolute called “Brahman”. However, it does not advocate the worship of any one particular deity. The gods and goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands or even millions, all representing the many aspects of Brahman. Therefore, this faith is characterized by the multiplicity of deities. The most fundamental of Hindu deities is the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – creator, preserver and destroyer respectively. Hindus also worship spirits, trees, animals and even planets.

 

Who is a Hindu and how to become one?

A Hindu is an individual who accepts and lives by the religious guidance of the Vedic scriptures. While the teachings of the Hindu tradition do not require that you have a religious affiliation to Hinduism in order to receive its inner teachings, it can be very helpful to formally become a Hindu because it provides one a formal connection to the “world’s oldest continually existing enlightenment tradition.”

Author

Hinduism Expert
Article published on & owned by About.com

Now…..

Ok, that’s not what I really wanted but I thought it was sort of cute, lol! As you know for the last few weeks we have been taking suggestions for information that you would like to see more of on the site. We started out this week on Hinduism. Unfortunately yesterday our new broadband line that was run to the office got cut in half with a weed-eater(it hadn’t been buried yet). We were immediately knocked off the net. We got the duct tape out and tried to fix it, but it just didn’t work. The repairmen got it fixed and the weeds got cut, so I guess everything is good for the moment.

 

Seriously I wanted to let you know that if you have any suggestions, we are still taking them. After we do Hinduism, we have a request for info on Voodou(which has always been of interest to me, wonderful suggestion!). Now if any of you have anything you want to see on the site, there is still time to let us know. Either leave your suggestion in the comment section or send us an email. We will more than  happy to provide you with anything you want to know more about.

 

Now off to work. Drop them suggestions off!

Love ya,

Lady A

Astronomy Picture of the Day – Three Planets from Pic du Midi

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2016 June 2

Three Planets from Pic du Midi
Image Credit & Copyright: JL. Dauvergne, E. Kraaikamp, F. Colas / S2P / IMCCE / OMP

 

Explanation: Seen any planets lately? All three planets now shining brightly in the night sky are imaged in these panels, captured last week with the 1 meter telescope at Pic du Midi Observatory in the French Pyrenees. Near opposition and closest to Earth on May 30, Mars is presently offering the best ground-based photo-ops in the last decade. The sharp image finds clouds above the Red Planet’s north pole (top) and towering volcanos near its right limb. Saturn reaches its own opposition tonight, its bright rings and gaps clearly revealed in the telescopic portrait. Jupiter is currently highest during the evening twilight and shows off its planet-girdling cloud bands and Great Red Spot in this scene. Of course close-up images of the ruling gas giant will follow the July arrival of the solar-powered Juno spacecraft and JunoCam.

Earth Sky News for June 2nd: Earth goes between sun and Saturn tonight

Earth goes between sun and Saturn tonight

Tonight – June 2, 2016 – according to clocks in North America, our planet Earth will fly between the ringed planet Saturn and the sun, bringing Saturn to what astronomers call opposition. In other words, Saturn is opposite the sun now. This is a big milestone for our year of observing the ringed planet! We go between Saturn and the sun on June 3 at 0700 UTC. For the Americas, that places Saturn’s opposition on June 3 at 3 a.m. EDT, 2 a.m. CDT, 1 a.m. MDT and midnight PDT.

How to translate UTC to your time zone

So this is Saturn’s special day, its yearly opposition, when Saturn is opposite the sun in Earth’s sky. As a consequence, Saturn rises in the east at sunset, climbs highest up for the night at midnight and sets in the west at sunrise. It is visible all night, closest and brightest for this year.

Image top of post via theakumalian.com

Although Saturn comes closest to Earth for the year on the same date that it reaches opposition, the ringed comes nowhere as close to Earth as the above diagram might lead you to believe. At present, Saturn lies some 10 times the Earth’s distance from the sun, or 9 times the Earth-sun distance from Earth. (Astronomers refer to the Earth-sun distance as the astronomical unit.) For a realistic depiction of Saturn’s size relative to that of our planet Earth, take a good look at the illustration below.

Top 3 tips for recognizing Saturn. Don’t assume this is a one-night-only event. Saturn’s opposition guarantees the ringed planet will be in good view throughout June and July 2016. Here are three tips for recognizing it:

1. Saturn near the planet Mars, which was closest to Earth on May 30 and is now extremely bright, brighter than any other object in the eastern half of the sky each evening. Find Mars, and you can find Saturn nearby.

2. Saturn is also near the star Antares in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Antares is not as bright as Mars, but it is a reddish star, bright and a great twinkler.

3. Saturn, Mars and Antares make a triangle on the sky’s dome. Very noticeable. If you have a dark sky, you’ll see that this triangle places Mars and Saturn on opposite sides of the arc of three stars close to Antares in the night sky, called the Crown of the Scorpion. See the chart above.

Saturn will remain a fixture of the evening sky until October 2016. All the while, golden Saturn shines in close vicinity of ruddy Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion, and to very bright Mars.

More tips on seeing Saturn throughout 2016

Saturn, the 6th planet outward from the sun, is the most distant world that’s easily visible to the unaided eye. Telescopes revealed its rings in the 17th century. Spacecraft in the 20th century revealed that what we thought of as three rings around Saturn to be thousands of thin, finely detailed rings – made of tiny chunks of ice. Saturn also has 62 moons with confirmed orbits. Only 53 of Saturn’s moons have names, and only 13 have diameters larger than 50 kilometers (about 30 miles).

Saturn is truly a wondrous world of rings and moons. It’s everyone’s favorite thing to celestial object to gaze at through a small telescope, so if there’s a public astronomy night near you this month – go!

Bottom line: Look for Saturn at opposition tonight – June 2-3, 2016. It will be shining in the east this evening, above the bright star Antares. Can’t see Saturn tonight? No problem. It’ll be in an excellent place to observe throughout June and July 2016.

Author

Your Daily Influences for June 2, 2016

Your Daily Influences
June 2, 2016

 

The Page of Swords
Youth if not in age then in spirit. Adept at diplomacy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingwaz
Ingwaz signifies completion, success and fertility. Your present ambitions are about to be met. You are fecund in both mind and body.

 

 

 

 

The Axe Head
As an axe cutting toward the tree your actions have set into motion a course of events in this aspect of your life that you cannot escape. You will know soon if your aim was precise or reckless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Daily Influences represent events and challenges the current day will present for you. They may represent opportunities you should be ready to seize. Or they may forewarn you of problems you may be able to avoid or lessen. Generally it is best to use them as tips to help you manage your day and nothing more.

Your Charm for Thursday, June 2 is The Eye Agate

Your Charm for Today

Today’s Meaning:
The eye represents your will to be loved. The strength of your will controls this aspect. You have neglected needed emotions of love in your life. You cannot expect to be loved if you do not show it.

General Description:
These Eye Agates(eye stones) were first worn for protection in the East, but soon the custom of wearing these charms spread to almost all countries. Implicit faith was placed in their reputed magical power to guard the wearer from the dreaded influence of the evil eye. From the very earliest times the imagined influence of the evil eye has struck terror into the hearts of the weak minded, ignorant, and superstitious. The uncanny effect of the eye is produced by cutting through the parallel bands, or layers of the different colours which form the agate.

Your Ancient Symbol Card for June 2nd is The Open Door

Your Ancient Symbol Card for Today

The Open Door



The Open Door signifies the presence of new opportunities. However, to reap the benefits of these prospects you will have to move beyond where you are now–forsake the comforts and safety of your current life and head out in new directions. Moves like those symbolized by The Open Door require courage, because fresh opportunities signify the chance of gain, but do not guarantee they will be realized. Regardless of the benefits that may be reaped, with the transitions like those required to explore these new found opportunities, something is always lost. Before launching on a voyage down new paths it is a good idea to objectively assess your current state of being and decide whether what you have now is worth jeopardizing.

As a daily card, The Open Door indicates a time that is primed for you to pursue new goals and dreams. For you opportunity exists, but there are no assurances that they will lead to a richer life. Weigh your current circumstances carefully, and if you feel there is a more fulfilling path for you, then this is the moment for you to begin your walk down that path–the moment for you to walk through The Open Door before you.