The Eastern Occult and Prejudices
Emblem of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) described at [2]
Source
Throughout history, "Asia has had a reputation for mystical beings, devil worshiping, and sorcery". However, when the British arrived in Tibet in 1904, they were amazed by the wonders the surrounding area had to offer. There were mountains of unworldly beauty and rituals, mysteries, and beliefs promoting enlightenment and clarity in this Eastern World of myths.
After many travelers started documenting their travels to this country, more information was becoming available to westerners who had a skewed opinion about the country.
As outlined by Walter Martin in "The Kingdom of the Cult", these theosophies in spiritual enlightenment and reincarnation offer the sinner no redemption, nor do they guarantee a relationship with the heavenly father.
Martin takes these religions and places them neatly in a niche, comparing them to the "true theology".
Although I personally do not choose to express my religious affiliations, I feel his account is a bit short-sided. To place a culture, shown to be revolutionary to many, in a category of cults is quite easy don't you think?
Potala Palace
Source
The former quarters of the Dalai Lama. The figure in the throne represents Tenzin Gyatso, the incumbent Dalai Lama
Potala was on record as being constructed in the 17th century, although the residents disagree. They believe it was raised by the gods in a single night. It was built for the priest-king the Dalai Lama, who was believed to be the reincarnation of all Dalai Lama's.
Himalayas
Mount Everest
Cho Oyu
One of the most fascinating and bizarre urban legends resides in the peaks of the Himalayas. The Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, is believed to protect the mountain from people who seek to harm it's beauty.
Interestingly enough, the mountains themselves are legend to hold immense power, wiping out the sins of all who dwell in the landscapes. One of those powerful areas includes Manirung Pass, which is named "The Abode of Gods". The God of the Sky, God of Life, and God of Wealth are all legend to live there.
Banaras
Source (Varanasi (Benares) in 1922)
Along the Gangas River in Banares, there are temples called "Ghats". These temples allow India's sick and elderly to ask for the escape of rebirth, so they themselves can become part of the universe.
To once again revisit Martins ideals, he believed that reincarnation offered no redemption to the heavenly father. However, the Hindu sick and elderly were asking not to be reincarnated or reborn, they wanted to be part of the universe. and if the universe was said by the Christians to be created by the heavenly father, do you not see a conflicting statement here? And if you don't, do you see a relationship between reincarnation, the universe, and heavenly father, your thoughts?
Buddha Amida
Source
The Buddha Amide is a Japanese deity of "Pure Land" Buddhism. Those who follow Amida will reach an enchanted world of mystical rivers and lotus flowers. The "Pure Land" can also be reached by chanting the words "Namu amida Butsa, meaning "I adore thee. O Lord of Boundless Beauty".
Christian Priests in the Himalayan Mountains
Around 1624, Father Andrade became abreast to a group of priests in the Himalayas that wore black robes and were practicing communion and Baptism. Along with two Hindu pilgrims, Andrade made his way through Mana Pass and into the state of Guge, a Tibetan town.He found Buddhist priests practicing the same rituals as the Jesuits. And although he was able to covert many of them to Christianity while he was there, that all changed one year later when the King was overthrown.
Does this mean that Christianity still holds a place in Hindu and Buddhist belief systems?
The Forbidden City
Source
The Forbidden City is a site of nested dolls, where each section is separated by a wall. There is a wall that separates the inner city and another that encloses the Forbidden City. The entire area is close to 250 acres and was built on the residence of Kublai Khan.
Chinese astrologers had linked a luminous constellation (The Big Dipper), with Polaris the North Star at it's center. It was said the heavens revolved around the North Star and the Earth revolved around the emperor.
Min River Banyon tree
Typically, Banyon trees do not grow in rocky areas, so the growth and birth of this tree was seen as a divine vision of the Chinese Goddess of the Sky. As outlined by the traditional Hindu beliefs, the Banyon tree was seen as sacred as well. The Hindu deity Vishnu was born under such a tree.Interesting Eastern Photography and Tidbits
Tattoo
Source
Did you know that tattoos were outlawed in Japan until the 19th century? They believed they would offend the Westerners.
Burning Skulls
Burning Skulls source
Near Bangkok, Buddhists cleanse and clean the unknown dead. If a year passes by, the bodies are separated by gender and burned at a ceremony called Lang Pachaa. Being that the land is not only sacred but scarce, it's a way for the surrounding culture to celebrate the dead in a ceremony to appease their souls.
Fakirs
Source
Fakirs would often tell fortunes to gain wages and achieve spiritual enlightenment. This particular photograph taken in 1907 was of a Hindu Fakir that believed sacrificing his flesh would bring him special powers and knowledge.
Levitating Man
Saturday June 6, 1936
In 1936, the London News did a story about Yogi Sabbayan Pullavar who levitated in a public demonstration using mind and body power. Reporter P.T. Plunkett "passed a stick over and under Pullavars body, convinced that trickery was absent".
The Ice Shiva in Amarnath Cave
Source
In Amarnath Cave is located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Situated inside the cave is an ice pillar that shrinks and grows with each cycle of the moon.The Hindu believe it represents Shiva, the God of Creation and Destruction.
Related Articles:
Shelley Barclay shares the history and myths about the Ancient Chinese Oracle bones which display some of the earliest forms of Chinese writing.
"Ancient Chinese oracle bones are pieces of bone or turtle shell bearing the oldest body of knowledge ever found in ancient Chinese writing. The Oracle bones,that have been found, contain text that sheds a lot of light on Ancient China. The bones date back to the end of the Shang Dynasty." Read More about Oracle Bones
Buroraj of Jamalpur: A Glimpse Into the Religio-Cultural Scenario of Rural Bengal
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the ancient digger monday ground up using our carnival submission form.
Technorati tags:
the ancient digger monday ground up, blog carnival.
Keay, B. R. (1987). Banares: City of Shiva. New Delhi: Brijbasi Printers.
Martin, W. (1997). Kingdom of the Cults. Bethany House Productions.
2 Comments:
This is amazing stuff. I really love reading about things like this about mysterious history and the different ways of people. I have since I was a child. This story was a pleasure to read for me.
I was watching some documentary about fakirs and how one of them was teaching the two of his kids even how to walk on those nails. I don't quite understand that to be honest, not like you can make many mistakes doing that. Beautiful site btw, im enjoying reading your articles.
Post a Comment
We appreciate comments, but we delete SPAM.