Religion

The 14th Dalai Lama is a Tibetan cultural and Buddhist icon. His wisdom is sought after with great fervor. Despite his busy schedule and abiding commitment to help all beings attain enlightenment,...

St. Sebastian is a Roman Catholic saint who was martyred for his Christian faith. Very little is known about Sebastian, and accounts of the various details of his life are more apocryphal than...

Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder? Well, yes and no. Although our interpretation of beauty does partly depend on cultural and personal preferences, there are some universal laws of...

Palm leaves obtained from church on Palm Sunday are blessed, so they should be treated with a certain amount of reverence. Blessed items should never be discarded in the trash. The proper way to...

Churches are integral parts of communities. They host useful programs like after-school activities, soup kitchens, and marriage counseling. Churches often provide these services free of charge,...

Quartz crystals are like batteries within the mineral world, offering a charge of energy to the living things they come into contact with. You can use this natural energizing effect for yourself,...

A hijab is one of the many types of head coverings that are a conservative tradition among Muslim women. The word hijab in Arabic translates to "curtain" or cover. According to Islam, it is to...

A hijab scarf is a large piece of fabric which conceals a Muslim woman's head and upper torso. While wearing hijab is based on the Quran, with most Muslims considering hijab compulsory, Muslim...

A vast number of churches seek funding to cover the costs of constructing a new facility or refurbishing an existing facility. Grants to build churches provide a foundation for developing or...

What is Lectio Divina (pronounced lex-ee-oh dih-vee-nuh)? Lectio Divina (Divine Reading, or Sacred Reading) is a method of praying with the story of Jesus, by reading, meditation, prayer, and...

Many people believe that there will be a catastrophe on 2012, perhaps even including the end of the world. Many signs point to this, including the Aztec calendar ending in the year 2012. Some...

Sermon series can help pastors significantly in sermon preparation time as well as give congregations a sense of connection between individual sermons. Sermon series can be based either on large...

Missionaries are people from one culture who travel to another culture to share their religious beliefs. Most missionaries work through a formal mission organization.

Deliverance is the removal of spiritual oppression through prayer, reading of the scriptures, casting out of demons and/or counseling. Deliverance is not about converting to a religion, or being...

This article will give you a leg up on how to ruin your life with drugs. This article will guide you on how to achieve the many great things associated with having a drug addiction such as...

Spending time in personal devotion is critical to spiritual growth. An integral part of devotion is reading the scriptures. If you are challenged in deciding what scriptures to read, consider...

Confirmation is one of the sacraments of initiation in the Catholic Church. Every baptized Catholic should eventually receive the sacrament of Confirmation. To prepare for the reception of the...

The following article will emphasize how important it is to become an expert in whatever you are passionate about in life.

The sacrament of matrimony was first initiated by God in the Garden of Eden when He created Adam and Eve. Ever since then, matrimony has been an important stage of life in every denomination....

At first glance, the Bible can seem like a daunting read. Many people start with the Old Testament and then stop. If you are interested in the Bible, you may wonder where you should start. Explore...

In the Catholic Church, votive candles, also known as vigil lights, are burned to demonstrate special devotion or to make a specific appeal. According to the New Advent and Catholic encyclopedia,...

Tibetan prayer wheels, called Mani wheels, are used to spread blessings and well-being. They contain multiple copies of mantras (prayers from Medicine Buddha, Vajrasattva, Tara, Padmasambhava and...

This concept has many names and faces: focused human attention, prayer, blessing, healing words. It used to be considered exclusively religious, but recently many impressive scientific...

During this rough economic time, many individuals are using any and all types of tools and techniques in order to manifest a job. Regardless of the economy, there are still jobs available and...

If you have ever heard something on the news or radio, seen something in person or heard it from someone else and felt the need to pray right then, here is something for you. Sometimes (actually...

Crystal balls are normally associated with a mental visual of a gypsy looking into the future, revealing significant events and circumstances approaching our lives. However, these same crystal...

The warrior monks of Shaolin have gained a worldwide reputation for their devoted study and impressive displays of traditional kung fu. The feats of athletic prowess and martial arts skill are the...

Balance energy with crystals by working with chakras or energy centers. Crystals work by creating vibrational balance and by channeling and releasing blocked chi (energy). Use crystals to amplify...

A prayer of gratitude before eating a meal remains one of the most common methods of spiritual expression. People are obviously grateful for a good feast, or perhaps simply more comfortable...

Astral projection goes by many names since there has been varied literature over the past decades and even centuries. There are many varied phenomena including out-of-body experiences, lucid...

Whether on staff or as a lay volunteer in your local church, there is something about church work that is fertile ground for burnout. Too many workers reach a place of emotional and spiritual...

A common ritual or rite used by many occultists, wiccans, ceremonial magicians, and others is called a centering ritual. It is understood in a modern context as creating a clean mental space,...

The headquarters of the Catholic Church is Vatican City, which is a city inside of Rome. Therefore, there are numerous seminaries of many countries inside of Rome for anyone considering entering...

In the holy book of Esther, Esther prepares herself to see the King by anointing herself with myrrh oil. Queen Esther oils are now sold by various retailers to Christians as a means of anointing...

Long, silky praise streamers swaying in the breeze add a beautiful touch of color and a tone of celebration to liturgical dances, music performances and worship services. Children and adults alike...

Church linens are important tools in the ministry of the church. Altar and communion cloths, dinner tablecloths and banquet cloths are used time and again for important occasions. Quality linens...

A wooden pew gives you faithful support. With a pew under them, humble church members often feel more comfortable attending services. Making the pew takes only time and devotion. Anyone with...

Crystals are more than mere colorful rocks found in nature. Each stone carries special metaphysical properties that can aid you in your spiritual development if you choose to tap into the stone's...

Dye worship flags to make them unique and individual. Create art and express vision for where your congregation is heading by dying silks or other fabric to match the feeling you have. Dye fabrics...

Christian parenting has as much variety .Formulas do not fit every kid and there is a high learning curve for how to negotiate faith and childrearing in a balanced way. However, finding resources...

A God box is a special container where you keep your notes to God. You can write a note to God and place it in your God box whenever you feel you need help, want to thank God for your blessings or...

Used faithfully by Tibetan Buddhists since at least 400AD, prayer wheels are cylinder-shaped wheels made of brass and copper, and filled with a spiritual Buddhist mantra known as "Om Mani Padme...

Wiccan energy ball exercises draw chi (energy) for healing and protection. An energy ball is not an object. It is focused activated energy. Energy ball exercises help you to gain a sense of the...

Many people subscribe to the basic tenet of "freedom of religion." Unfortunately, most of them do not apparently extend the tolerance implied by that tenet to those who choose to live by...

A prayer closet is a quiet, enclosed space to which you may retreat for meditation and prayer. They are used by people of all faiths, and you can very easily build a closet for yourself. You can...

A gospel choir is responsible for using music to inspire congregations during worship services. It is a group effort that requires experimentation, compromise and optimism during the planning...

Numerology is an ancient and popular study of numbers. The word "numerology" means "number study." In numerology, it is believed that each number carries a vibration and an energy. Traditionally,...

Meditation can improve both your physical and mental health. There are seven chakras in the body, and each have a unique technique for opening them. This is the process to open the Third Eye...

According to the book "Aromatherapy Anointing Oils," anointing oils have been used throughout history in many customs and ceremonies to bless, heal and celebrate. Anointing oil is sometimes...

Nativity scenes are a display of characters that tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Beyond the historical re-creation, they also act as decorations for the Christmas holiday. Although it...