prayer

Novena rites are common in Filipino churches.

Novena

Novena A novena (from Latin: novem, “nine”) is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost, when the disciples gathered in the upper room and devote themselves to prayer, is often considered...

Burning of incense during a veneration at Mengjia Longshan Temple, which is dedicated to Guan Yu, Mazu, and others

Veneration Of The Dead

Veneration Of The Dead The veneration of the dead, including one’s ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors....

Bathing the dieties - 'Abhisheka' at Krishna Janmashtami

Abhisheka

Abhisheka Abhiṣeka or abhisheka in Sanskrit means “bathing of the divinity to whom worship is offered.” It is a religious rite or method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on an image or murti of a God or Goddess. Abhiṣeka is common to Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Hinduism An abhiṣeka...

serenity yoga

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga Karma yoga, also called Karma marga, is one of the three spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the “yoga of action”. To a karma yogi, right action is a form of prayer. It is one of the paths in the spiritual practices of Hindus, others being Jnana yoga (path of knowledge) and Bhakti yoga...

Christmas goat sacrifice in Isla de Margarita, Venezuela

Ritual Slaughter

Ritual Slaughter Ritual slaughter is the practice of slaughtering livestock for meat in the context of a ritual. Ritual slaughter involves a prescribed practice of slaughtering an animal for food production purposes. This differs from animal sacrifices that involve slaughtering animals, often in the context of rituals, for purposes other than mere food production....

One of the altars at the Monte d'Accoddi in Sardinia, where animal sacrifice may have occurred.

Animal Sacrifice

Animal Sacrifice Animal sacrificeis the ritual killing and offering of an animal usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favour with a deity. Animal sacrifices were common throughout Europe and the Ancient Near East until the spread of Christianity in Late Antiquity, and continue in some cultures or religions today. Human sacrifice, where it existed, was always much more...

Little Girl Praying People Wishing Pray Religious

Affirmative Prayer

Affirmative Prayer Affirmative prayer is a form of prayer or a metaphysical technique that is focused on a positive outcome rather than a negative situation. For instance, a person who is experiencing some form of illness would focus the prayer on the desired state of perfect health and affirm this...

Asking for forgiveness

Shab-e-Barat

Shab-e-Barat Shab-e-barat or Barat Night, is a Muslim holiday celebrated on the 14th night of the month of Sha’aban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the entry of Muhammad into the city of Mecca. The Arabic name “Laylat al Barat” (ليلة البراءة‎) means Barat Night where “البراءة” meaning...

Three styles of hair covering common among married Orthodox Jewish women. From left to right: snood, fall, and hat.

Shituf

Shituf Shituf (שִׁתּוּף‎; also transliterated as shittuf or schituf; literally “association”) is a term used in Jewish sources for the worship of God in a manner which Judaism does not deem to be purely monotheistic. The term connotes a theology that is not outright polytheistic, but also should not be seen as purely monotheistic. The term is primarily used in reference to the...

A priest marks a cross of ashes on a worshipper's forehead, the prevailing form in English-speaking countries.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day of prayer and fasting. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. Ash Wednesday is traditionally observed by Western Christians. It is observed by Catholics in the Roman Rite, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Moravians, Independent Catholics, as well as by many...

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Contemplation

Contemplation Whilst in the life of the intellect ‘contemplation‘ refers to thinking profoundly about something, in the religious life contemplation is a kind of inner vision or seeing, transcendent of the intellect, facilitated by means of practices such as prayer or meditation. Definition The word contemplation basically means ‘to think about an action before you...

Thanksgiving Quotes

Thanksgiving Quotes

Thanksgiving Quotes We have collected and put the best Thanksgiving Quotes. Enjoy reading these insights and feel free to share this page on your social media to inspire others. May these Thanksgiving Quotes inspire you to never give up and keep working towards your goals. Who knows—success could be just...

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Inner Peace

Inner Peace Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm despite the potential presence of stressors. Being “at peace” is considered by many to be healthy (homeostasis) and the opposite of being stressed or anxious, and is considered to be a state where our mind...

prayer Praying man in the desert salah

Does God Almighty Need Of Our Worship?

Does God Almighty Need Of Our Worship? We hear many people who are idle in performing the daily Prayers ask: What need does God Almighty have for our worship? Why in the Qur’an does He severely reprimand those who do not worship and threaten them with such a terrible punishment...

Ash Candle light

Spiritual Health: Lecture

Spiritual Health: Lecture This lecture covers Spiritual Health. These lecture notes are copied from the multimedia version of the lecture that is posted online. Some of this information may only make sense if you view the multimedia slides. See What Is Spiritual Health? Nature Scene Anyone who has ever encountered a...

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What Is Spiritual Health?

What Is Spiritual Health? This article covers the answer to the question: “What Is Spiritual Health?” Spiritual well-being, and the role it plays in your life, is stronger than you may believe. The word “spiritual” refers to that core dimension of YOU – your innermost self. It provides you with...

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Spiritual Health

Spiritual Health This article covers Spiritual Health. Spirituality is unique to each individual. Your “spirit” usually refers to the deepest part of you, the part that lets you make meaning of your world. Your spirit provides you with the revealing sense of who you are, why you are here and...

Mongolia Travel Yurt

How Can I Be More Spiritual?

How Can I Be More Spiritual? So how can you improve your spiritual health? Identify things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love, and connection. Take time for yourself each day. Solitary activities, no matter how long you spend doing them, give you...

Spiritual Happiness

Top 10 Ways to Boost Spiritual Health

Top 10 Ways to Boost Spiritual Health This article covers how to boost spiritual health. Faith is a tremendous gift from God. But in the midst of our busy lives it takes some extra effort to stay spiritually healthy. A lot of things compete for our attention. We yearn to...

meditation

Definition: Spiritual Health

Spiritual Health Most of us are unaware of the health of our spirit or life energy. We go about our daily business without ever giving a second thought to this very vital part of our lives. For the majority of people, spiritual health is intangible, invisible the notion of the...