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In keeping with my criteria of summarizing faiths held by large numbers of people that are recognized by a body outside of that religion, I selected the following from a list of religions officially acknowledged by the United States Veterans Association.
For hundreds of thousands of people scattered across dozens of countries around the world, Eckankar is the faith of choice.
Founded in the early 1960’s by Paul Twitchell, Eckankar means “Co-worker with God”. The basic idea is that every day is a divine experience because all people are literally little pieces of God. God is not so much a personified being, but rather a Life Force (the ECK) that pervades all things, though it can be communicated with in a personal way by traveling to it in the form of a disembodied soul. In 1981 (a mere 10 years after his death) Sri Twitchell passed the mantle of Living ECK Master to Wah Z (pronounced whaa zee, formerly known as Harold Klemp)
Their mission is to help people around the world find their inner divinity and thereby achieve the following helpful things.
Solve problems
Master your fate
Achieve self-discipline
Meet with the Inner Master
Dream consciously
Protect yourself spiritually
Achieve balance and harmony
Soul Travel into the splendorous worlds of God
Some basic comparison points to other religions:
Scriptures: The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad ("Way of the Eternal”) translated directly from the from the planes of God by Paul Twitchell in the early 1960s.
Afterlife: Since your soul is a little piece of God, it never really dies. It either dwells on one of the other planes of God or reanimates another body as best fits its eternal purpose.
Places of worship: While for a chela of ECK, anywhere on Earth is a spiritual place suitable for Spiritual Exercises, there are several temple scattered across the world. Headquarters is near Minneapolis, Minnesota, but the largest Temple is in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Typical life event ceremonies are observed, Births, Weddings, Funerals.
No particular dietary, fashion, or sexual practices are either proscribed or required.
Simultaneous observances of other religious customs are welcome.
For more information visit www.eckankar.org
The following glossary of Ekankarese terms will help you , should you ever find yourself in a conversation with an Ekankarian.
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Arahata. ah-rah-HAH-tah An experienced and qualified teacher for Eckankar classes.
chela. CHEE-lah A spiritual student. Often refers to a member of Eckankar.
ECK. EHK The Life Force, the Holy Spirit, or Audible Life Current which sustains all life.
Eckankar. EHK-ahn-kahr Religion of the Light and Sound of God. Also known as the Ancient Science of Soul Travel. A truly spiritual religion for the individual in modern times. The teachings provide a framework for anyone to explore their own spiritual experiences. Established by Paul Twitchell, the modern-day founder, in 1965. The word means "Co-worker with God."
ECK Masters. Spiritual Masters who can assist and protect people in their spiritual studies and travels. The ECK Masters are from a long line of God-Realized Souls who know the responsibility that goes with spiritual freedom.
God-Realization. The state of God Consciousness. Complete and conscious awareness of God.
HU. HYOO The most ancient, secret name for God. The singing of the word HU is considered a love song to God. It can be sung aloud or silently to oneself.
initiation. Earned by a member of Eckankar through spiritual unfoldment and service to God. The initiation is a private ceremony in which the individual is linked to the Sound and Light of God.
Living ECK Master. The title of the spiritual leader of Eckankar. His duty is to lead Souls back to God. The Living ECK Master can assist spiritual students physically as the Outer Master, in the dream state as the Dream Master, and in the spiritual worlds as the Inner Master. Sri Harold Klemp became the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master in 1981.
Mahanta. mah-HAHN-tah A title to describe the highest state of God Consciousness on earth, often embodied in the Living ECK Master. He is the Living Word. An expression of the Spirit of God that is always with you. Sometimes seen as a Blue Light or Blue Star or in the form of the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
planes. The levels of existence, such as the Physical, Astral, Causal, Mental, Etheric, and Soul planes. Click the thumbnail image at right to view The Worlds of ECK chart (PDF).
Satsang. SAHT-sahng A class in which students of ECK study a monthly lesson from Eckankar.
Self-Realization. Soul recognition. The entering of Soul into the Soul Plane and there beholding Itself as pure Spirit. A state of seeing, knowing, and being.
Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad. SHAH-ree-aht-kee-SOOG-mahd The sacred scriptures of Eckankar. The scriptures are comprised of about twelve volumes in the spiritual worlds. The first two were transcribed from the inner planes by Paul Twitchell, modern-day founder of Eckankar.
Soul. The True Self. The inner, most sacred part of each person. Soul exists before birth and lives on after the death of the physical body. As a spark of God, Soul can see, know, and perceive all things. It is the creative center of Its own world.
Soul Travel. The expansion of consciousness. The ability of Soul to transcend the physical body and travel into the spiritual worlds of God. Soul Travel is taught only by the Living ECK Master. It helps people unfold spiritually and can provide proof of the existence of God and life after death.
Sound and Light of ECK. The Holy Spirit. The two aspects through which God appears in the lower worlds. People can experience them by looking and listening within themselves and through Soul Travel.
Spiritual Exercises of ECK. The daily practice of certain techniques to get us in touch with the Light and Sound of God.
Sri. SREE A title of spiritual respect, similar to reverend or pastor, used for those who have attained the Kingdom of God. In Eckankar, it is reserved for the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
Sugmad. SOOG-mahd A sacred name for God. Sugmad is neither masculine nor feminine; It is the source of all life.
Wah Z. WAH zee The spiritual name of Sri Harold Klemp. It means the Secret Doctrine. It is his name in the spiritual worlds.
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I kind of like these guys. It seems like they have a pretty positive outlook on Life.
For hundreds of thousands of people scattered across dozens of countries around the world, Eckankar is the faith of choice.
Founded in the early 1960’s by Paul Twitchell, Eckankar means “Co-worker with God”. The basic idea is that every day is a divine experience because all people are literally little pieces of God. God is not so much a personified being, but rather a Life Force (the ECK) that pervades all things, though it can be communicated with in a personal way by traveling to it in the form of a disembodied soul. In 1981 (a mere 10 years after his death) Sri Twitchell passed the mantle of Living ECK Master to Wah Z (pronounced whaa zee, formerly known as Harold Klemp)
Their mission is to help people around the world find their inner divinity and thereby achieve the following helpful things.
Solve problems
Master your fate
Achieve self-discipline
Meet with the Inner Master
Dream consciously
Protect yourself spiritually
Achieve balance and harmony
Soul Travel into the splendorous worlds of God
Some basic comparison points to other religions:
Scriptures: The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad ("Way of the Eternal”) translated directly from the from the planes of God by Paul Twitchell in the early 1960s.
Afterlife: Since your soul is a little piece of God, it never really dies. It either dwells on one of the other planes of God or reanimates another body as best fits its eternal purpose.
Places of worship: While for a chela of ECK, anywhere on Earth is a spiritual place suitable for Spiritual Exercises, there are several temple scattered across the world. Headquarters is near Minneapolis, Minnesota, but the largest Temple is in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Typical life event ceremonies are observed, Births, Weddings, Funerals.
No particular dietary, fashion, or sexual practices are either proscribed or required.
Simultaneous observances of other religious customs are welcome.
For more information visit www.eckankar.org
The following glossary of Ekankarese terms will help you , should you ever find yourself in a conversation with an Ekankarian.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arahata. ah-rah-HAH-tah An experienced and qualified teacher for Eckankar classes.
chela. CHEE-lah A spiritual student. Often refers to a member of Eckankar.
ECK. EHK The Life Force, the Holy Spirit, or Audible Life Current which sustains all life.
Eckankar. EHK-ahn-kahr Religion of the Light and Sound of God. Also known as the Ancient Science of Soul Travel. A truly spiritual religion for the individual in modern times. The teachings provide a framework for anyone to explore their own spiritual experiences. Established by Paul Twitchell, the modern-day founder, in 1965. The word means "Co-worker with God."
ECK Masters. Spiritual Masters who can assist and protect people in their spiritual studies and travels. The ECK Masters are from a long line of God-Realized Souls who know the responsibility that goes with spiritual freedom.
God-Realization. The state of God Consciousness. Complete and conscious awareness of God.
HU. HYOO The most ancient, secret name for God. The singing of the word HU is considered a love song to God. It can be sung aloud or silently to oneself.
initiation. Earned by a member of Eckankar through spiritual unfoldment and service to God. The initiation is a private ceremony in which the individual is linked to the Sound and Light of God.
Living ECK Master. The title of the spiritual leader of Eckankar. His duty is to lead Souls back to God. The Living ECK Master can assist spiritual students physically as the Outer Master, in the dream state as the Dream Master, and in the spiritual worlds as the Inner Master. Sri Harold Klemp became the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master in 1981.
Mahanta. mah-HAHN-tah A title to describe the highest state of God Consciousness on earth, often embodied in the Living ECK Master. He is the Living Word. An expression of the Spirit of God that is always with you. Sometimes seen as a Blue Light or Blue Star or in the form of the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
planes. The levels of existence, such as the Physical, Astral, Causal, Mental, Etheric, and Soul planes. Click the thumbnail image at right to view The Worlds of ECK chart (PDF).
Satsang. SAHT-sahng A class in which students of ECK study a monthly lesson from Eckankar.
Self-Realization. Soul recognition. The entering of Soul into the Soul Plane and there beholding Itself as pure Spirit. A state of seeing, knowing, and being.
Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad. SHAH-ree-aht-kee-SOOG-mahd The sacred scriptures of Eckankar. The scriptures are comprised of about twelve volumes in the spiritual worlds. The first two were transcribed from the inner planes by Paul Twitchell, modern-day founder of Eckankar.
Soul. The True Self. The inner, most sacred part of each person. Soul exists before birth and lives on after the death of the physical body. As a spark of God, Soul can see, know, and perceive all things. It is the creative center of Its own world.
Soul Travel. The expansion of consciousness. The ability of Soul to transcend the physical body and travel into the spiritual worlds of God. Soul Travel is taught only by the Living ECK Master. It helps people unfold spiritually and can provide proof of the existence of God and life after death.
Sound and Light of ECK. The Holy Spirit. The two aspects through which God appears in the lower worlds. People can experience them by looking and listening within themselves and through Soul Travel.
Spiritual Exercises of ECK. The daily practice of certain techniques to get us in touch with the Light and Sound of God.
Sri. SREE A title of spiritual respect, similar to reverend or pastor, used for those who have attained the Kingdom of God. In Eckankar, it is reserved for the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
Sugmad. SOOG-mahd A sacred name for God. Sugmad is neither masculine nor feminine; It is the source of all life.
Wah Z. WAH zee The spiritual name of Sri Harold Klemp. It means the Secret Doctrine. It is his name in the spiritual worlds.
------------------------------------------------------------
I kind of like these guys. It seems like they have a pretty positive outlook on Life.
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