Sikh means disciple or learner and was originally founded in the 15th century in Northern India by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and is unlike Islam and Hinduism. Guru Nanak emphasised love and that God was universal and not limited to a religion, colour, race or gender. This religion is monotheistic, it emphasises that men and women are equal and has three basic fundamentals: meditating on God’s name, earning a living honestly by working or even winning big with sports betting…
The 12 centuries of Ancient Roman civilisation were defined by a religion which developed from a local, pantheistic animism and was incorporated into the early institutions in the city. As the Empire and the Republic advanced, the Roman religion adopted the Greek pantheon and took on Emperor worship before eventually embracing Christianity in the final years of the Empire’s rule. Much like many pagan faiths, success in life was only possible through having a good relationship with the gods. The…
The practice of Shamanism centres on practitioners reaching altered states of consciousness in order to interact with what they believe to be the spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into our plane of existence. Through typically entering into a trance-like state, Shamans are regarded as having access to, and influence upon, the world of both benevolent and malevolent spirits and are able to perform divination and healing. Shamans are said to enter supernatural realms and dimension which in turn…
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world and has over 500 million practitioners worldwide. Said to be started by Buddha himself, Buddhism is a spiritual tradition founded over 2,000 years ago. In Nepal, a young man sat beneath a Bodhi tree to meditate and after becoming enlightened he began to lay down the foundations of this ancient spiritual tradition. What Does ‘Buddha’ Mean? In Sanskrit – the classical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism – the word…
The Norse, also known as the Vikings, were an incredibly prosperous people that reigned around 1000 years ago. Based in the Scandinavian countries of Northern Europe, the Vikings became famous around the world thanks to their raids, many of which took place in England and France.
Culture has been a part of mankind since the dawn of history. Over the last few millennium, we’ve seen thousands of different cultures come and go, with most eventually succumbing to the passage of time. Despite this, there are many ancient cultures that still exist today. Not only do they exist, but they permeate the lands on which they were originally created, and can be seen in beliefs, customs, and architectures of many countries around the world. Whether it’s the…
Dating as far back as 4th century BCE, the teachings of Druidism are fixed in the observation of Nature, in tradition, and in inspiration. With a deep love and reverence for the Earth, her seasons, and nature, the curriculum of Druidism focuses on the lore of stars, stones, plants, animals, and trees and combines scholarship with spiritualism and science. The practices and teachings of Druidism grow and develop as humanity evolves. What is Druidism? Druidism is a spiritual practice and…
Are you superstitious at all? If you don’t think so, you’re not alone, as most of us deny the label. But maybe you’ve found yourself knocking on wood once or twice, or crossing your fingers and hoping for the best? For every person who doesn’t take these kinds of beliefs seriously, there is someone who does, and the practices linked to getting lucky spring from many cultures. A Range of Ways to Bring Good Luck Gamblers are widely held to…
The loss of baby teeth is a rite of passage that every child around the world will go through, but once the tooth has been shed, what do you do with it then? Well, that depends on which country you reside in. Whether left in a slipper or under the pillow for collection by the tooth fairy or tooth mouse, tossed into the sky or buried, each country has their own myth surrounding this process. Tooth Fairy and Tooth Mouse…
All major religions and belief systems in the world are the ultimate outcomes of thousands of years of evolution and adaption – and they can all be traced back to one, single belief system that spanned the entirety of the human race: animism. Animism was what our oldest ancestors first believed in; it’s what all of our modern religions stem from, and it can be traced back to at least 40000 years ago, when humans began migrating across the world…