Osculum infame is the name of a witch’s supposed ritual greeting upon meeting with the Devil. The name means The Shameful Kiss, or The Kiss of Shame since it involved kissing the devil's backside, his other mouth. According to folklore, it was this kiss that allowed the Devil to seduce women.

During the years of the witch hunts, many believed that witches worshipped the Devil and paid him homage by kissing his posterior. The osculum infame is mentioned in nearly every single recorded account of a witches' sabbat and in confessions - some of which were extracted under torture. It was called the Kiss of Shame because it was generally regarded as the ultimate act of degradation.

According to the allegations, witches would give the kiss of shame at the beginning of the sabbat, after the Devil had read the names of his followers. They would approach him by crawling or walking backwards, turn, bow and kiss his posterior. It was believed that this kiss was required for a new witch to be initiated, and the kiss was followed by feasting.

Sometimes, it was said, witches kissed not only the Devil's fundament, but lower-ranking demons' as well.

Generally considered to be an act of homage, or respect, the North Berwick Witch Trials of Scotland in the 16th century held that the kiss was an act of penance issued from the Devil. Reported in Newes from Scotland, declaring the damnable Life of Doctor Fian (1592) by W. Wright:

"...and seeing that they tarried over long, hee at their coming enjoyed them all to a pennance, which was, that they should kisse his buttockes, in sign of duety to him, which being put over the pulpit bare, every one did as he had enjoyned them."

Belief held that the Devil demanded the kiss of shame in forms other than human, including rams, black cats, and toads. Errores Haereticorum, a medieval tract, claims that the Cathars took their name "from the term cat, whose posterior they kiss, in whose form Satan appears to them."

Osculum infame is the name of a witch’s supposed ritual greeting upon meeting with the Devil. The name means The Shameful Kiss, or The Kiss of Shame since it involved kissing the devil's backside, his other mouth. According to folklore, it was this kiss that allowed the Devil to seduce women.

During the years of the witch hunts, many believed that witches worshipped the Devil and paid him homage by kissing his posterior. The osculum infame is mentioned in nearly every single recorded account of a witches' sabbat and in confessions - some of which were extracted under torture. It was called the Kiss of Shame because it was generally regarded as the ultimate act of degradation.

According to the allegations, witches would give the kiss of shame at the beginning of the sabbat, after the Devil had read the names of his followers. They would approach him by crawling or walking backwards, turn, bow and kiss his posterior. It was believed that this kiss was required for a new witch to be initiated, and the kiss was followed by feasting.

Sometimes, it was said, witches kissed not only the Devil's fundament, but lower-ranking demons' as well.

Generally considered to be an act of homage, or respect, the North Berwick Witch Trials of Scotland in the 16th century held that the kiss was an act of penance issued from the Devil. Reported in Newes from Scotland, declaring the damnable Life of Doctor Fian (1592) by W. Wright:

"...and seeing that they tarried over long, hee at their coming enjoyed them all to a pennance, which was, that they should kisse his buttockes, in sign of duety to him, which being put over the pulpit bare, every one did as he had enjoyned them."

Belief held that the Devil demanded the kiss of shame in forms other than human, including rams, black cats, and toads. Errores Haereticorum, a medieval tract, claims that the Cathars took their name "from the term cat, whose posterior they kiss, in whose form Satan appears to them."

Devil’s Bridge is a term applied to two or three dozen ancient bridges, found primarily in Europe. Most of these bridges are stone or masonry arch bridges and represent a significant technological achievement. Local lore often wrongly attributes these bridges to the Roman era, but in fact many of them are medieval, having been built between 1000 and 1600 AD.

The bridges that fall into the Devil’s Bridge category are so numerous that the legends about them form a special category in the Aarne-Thompson classification system for folktales (Number 1191). Some of the legends have elements of related folktale categories, for example Deceiving the Devil (AT #1196), The Devil's Contract (AT #756B), and The Master Builder legends.
Teufelsbrücke of St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland.
Teufelsbrücke of St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland.

One version of the tale presents the bridge builder and the Devil as adversaries. This reflects the fact that in many cases—such as the Teufelsbrücke[1] at the St. Gotthard Pass, pictured left—these bridges were built under such challenging conditions that successful completion of the bridge required a heroic effort on the part of the builders and the community, ensuring its legendary status.

Other versions of the legend feature an old lady or a simple herder who makes a pact with the Devil. In this version the devil agrees to build the bridge, and in return he will receive the first soul to cross it. After building the bridge (often overnight) the devil is outwitted by his adversary and is last seen descending into the water, bringing peace to the community. Each of the bridges that have received the Devil's Bridge appellation is remarkable in some regard; most often for the technological hurdles surpassed in building the bridge, but on occasion also for its aesthetic grace, or for its economic or strategic importance to the community it serves.


Partial list of Devil's Bridges

France

* Pont du Diable - Aniane (Gorges de l'Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)
* Pont du Diable - Villemagne-l'Argentière (Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)
* Pont du Diable - Beaugency
* Pont du Diable - Céret
* Pont du Diable - Foix
* Pont du Diable - Olargues
* Pont du Diable - Valentré

Italy

* Ponte del Diavolo - Ascoli Piceno, Marche
* Ponte del Diavolo - Blera, Lazio
* Ponte del Diavolo (officially Ponte Vecchio, also Ponte Gobbo) - Bobbio, Emilia Romagna
* Ponte del Diavolo (or Ponte della Maddalena) - Borgo a Mozzano, Tuscany
* Ponte del Diavolo - Cavallara (a frazione of Gualdo Cattaneo, Umbria)
* Ponte del Diavolo - Cividale, Friuli
* Ponte del Diavolo - Dronero, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont
* Ponte del Diavolo - Lanzo Torinese, Piedmont
* Ponticello del Diavolo (‘the Devil’s little bridge’) - Torcello, Veneto

United Kingdom

* Devil's Bridge - Devil's Bridge (Pontarfynach), Ceredigion
* Devil's Bridge - Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria
* Devil's Bridge - Horace Farm, Pennington Parish, Cumbria

Other countries

* Ponte do Diabo - Vila Nova, Portugal
* Ponte do Diabo - Misarela, Portugal
* Puente del Diablo - Martorell, Spain
* Teufelsbrücke - St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland
* Tüfelsbrugg - Commune of Egg, Switzerland, Switzerland
* Dyavolski most (Дяволски мост) - near Ardino, Bulgaria
* Hudičev most - Bohinj, Slovenia
* Duivelsbrug - Breda, Netherlands
* Moara Dracului - Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania

In Christianity, the Fall of Man, or simply the Fall, is believed to refer to the transition of the first humans from a state of innocent obedience to God to a state of guilty disobedience to God. In the origin stories of Christianity, the first humans, Adam and Eve, live at first with God in a paradise, but are then deceived or tempted by another creature to eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from which God had forbidden them to eat. After doing so, they become ashamed of their nakedness and God consequently expels them from paradise. The Fall is not mentioned by name in the Bible, but the story of disobedience and expulsion is recounted in both in different ways.

In other religions, such as Judaism, Islam, and Gnosticism interpretations of the Fall vary.

In Christianity, Fall of Man can refer to the wider theological inferences for all humankind drawn from Eve and Adam's sin, which was called original sin, such as the biblical teachings of Paul as recorded in Romans 5:12-19 and 1 Cor. 15:21-22. Some Christians believe the Fall corrupted the entire natural world, including human nature, causing people to be born into original sin, a state from which they cannot attain eternal life without the gracious intervention of God. Protestants hold that Jesus' death was a "ransom" by which man was made forever free from the sin acquired at the Fall, and other denominations believe that this act made it possible for man to be free without necessarily ensuring it.

The term "prelapsarian" refers to the sin-free state of humanity prior to the Fall. It is sometimes used in reference to sentimental recollections of a past time when conditions stood in sharp contrast to the present; this situation is called nostalgia.

From the Book of Genesis

In Genesis, the first book of the Jewish and Christian Bibles, God creates Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, in his own image. God places them in the Garden of Eden and forbids them to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (often symbolized in European art and literature as an apple tree). A serpent persuades Eve to eat fruit from the forbidden tree. Eve shares the fruit with Adam and they immediately become ashamed of their nakedness.

Tradition labels the penalties assessed by God on Adam and Eve for their sin "curses"; however, the passages from Genesis explicitly curse only the serpent and the ground, not the man and the woman.


From the Quran

God announced to the angels that he would create a vicegerent (man) on the earth. The angels questioned this, wondering why God would create something with the capacity to disobey him
God then commanded the angels to prostrate (bow down) to Adam. The angels prostrated but Iblis (Satan, Devil), out of loyalty, refused to bow to anyone else but God. God cursed him because of his disobediance. Iblis sought respite and vowed to mislead Adam who was the cause of his disgrace. He misled Adam and his wife Eve to eat from a tree that was forbidden for them by God.

This disobedience displeased God and He ordered Adam and Eve to leave paradise and go to earth. God promised that the earth will be a dwelling place for them and their children a limited time (Until the Day of Judgment).

God warns men and women that they should not allow themselves to be deceived by Satan and fall into disobedience (disbelief, polytheism and sins) which will eventually lead them to Hell. If men and women obey God, they will lead a successful life on earth and will get paradise as a reward.

God punishes them by expelling them from the Garden of Eden. God's punishment extends to Adam and Eve's descendants, who must strive, suffer, and die.

The Qur'an Al-A'raf (The Elevated Places) verses 7:11-27 detail the story of the Fall.

Other traditions

In Gnosticism, the snake is thanked for bringing knowledge to Adam and Eve, and thereby freeing them from the Demiurge's control. The Demiurge banished Adam and Eve, because man was now a threat.

Ancient Greek mythology held that humanity was immortal during the Golden Age, until Prometheus brought them fire to help them live through cold. The gods punished humans allowing Pandora to release the evil (death, sorrow, plague) into the world due to her curiosity.

In classic Zoroastrianism, mankind is created to withstand the forces of decay and destruction through good thoughts, words and deeds. Failure to do so actively leads to misery for the individual and for his family. This is also the moral of many of the stories of the Shahnameh, the key text of Persian mythology

Interpretations
Judaism and Islam

Judaism and Islam interpret the account of the fall as being simply historical, Adam and Eve's disobedience would have already been known to God even before He created them, thus draw no particular theological implications for human nature. Quite simply, because of Adam's actions, he and his wife were removed from the garden, forced to work, suffer pain in childbirth, and die. However, even after expelling them from the garden, God provided that people who honor God and follow God's laws would be rewarded, while those who acted wrongly would be punished. Some Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were clothed in the Garden and stripped when they were expelled


Christianity interprets the fall in a number of ways.

Traditional Christian theology accepts the teaching of St Paul in his letter to the Romans"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and of St John's Gospel that "God so loved the world that he sent his only son (Jesus Christ) that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
The doctrine of original sin, as articulated by Saint Augustine's interpretation of Saint Paul, provides that the fall caused a fundamental change in human nature, so that all descendants of Adam are born in sin, and can only be redeemed by divine grace. Sacrifice was the only means by which humanity could be redeemed after the Fall. Jesus, who was without sin, died on the cross as the ultimate redemption for the sin of humankind.

One tradition within Christianity is that the serpent of Genesis was Satan.

Catholicism

Catholicism teaches that "the account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man."

Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God's command. This is what man's first sin consisted of.

This first sin was "transmitted" by Adam and Eve to all of their descendants as original sin, causing humans to be "subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin." Baptism is considered to erase original sin, though the effects on human nature remain, and for this reason the Catholic Church baptizes even infants who have not committed any personal sin.[7]

Protestantism

* Among the teachings of Protestants John Calvin and Martin Luther were, in a variation and adaptation of the Pauline-Augustinian teaching, that God foresaw and predestined those who were to be redeemed by grace and those who were to be eternally condemned, thus giving humanity, in its sinful state, no real choice in spiritual matters, except to act at God's direction. (See Calvinism.) Calvinists (and others) holding this view are named Infralapsarians. Those who hold predestination to be superior to the Fall, and the creation, fall, and redemption to be part of God's eternal purpose are named Supralapsarians. (See supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism.)
* Some Protestants (including some of the above mentioned Lutheran and Calvinist groups) understand the account of "the fall" in Genesis 2 and 3 not as a historical-factual account of the origins of human sin, but rather as the narrative myth that the Israelite people used to express their recognition that man's relationship with God was broken, (a "myth" in the sense that the truth contained in the narrative does not depend upon its historical factuality). This view has the advantage of not conflicting with the evolutionary description of human origins, while preserving the traditional biblical idea of man's moral failure and need for redemption.
* Some more liberal Protestants [8] see the person and work of Jesus Christ as God's act to restore relationship, but tend not to view this restoration in terms of a sacrifice necessary for an unpaid debt.

Eastern Orthodoxy

Eastern Orthodoxy rejects the idea that the guilt of original sin is passed down through generations. It bases its teaching in part on a passage in Exodus saying a son is not guilty of the sins of his father. The church teaches that in addition to their conscience and tendency to do good, men and women are born with a tendency to sin due to the fallen condition of the world. It follows Maximus the Confessor and others in characterizing the change in human nature as the introduction of a "deliberative will" (θέλημα γνωμικόν) in opposition to the "natural will" (θέλημα φυσικόν) created by God which tends toward the good. Thus according to St Paul in his epistle to the Romans, non-Christians can still act according to their conscience. Nonetheless, as a consequence of Adam's sin, seen merely as the prototype (since human nature has been degraded) of all future sinners, each of whom, in repeating Adam’s sin, bears responsibility only for his own sins, humans became mortal. Adam's sin isn't comprehended only as disobedience to God's commandment, but as a change in man's hierarchy of values from theocentricism to anthropocentrism, driven by the object of his lust, outside of God, in this case the tree which was seen to be "good for food", and something "to be desired" (see also theosis, seeking union with God).

Pelagianism

Pelagianism rejects the doctrine of original sin entirely, holding that the fall did not permanently taint human nature, and that humans are therefore capable of choosing good even without divine aid.

"Cut Every Fingernail And Toenail.
Take Three Strands Of Hair From The Mold Of Your Head.
Parch All Of These Together,
Then Powder Finely.
Sprinkle Over His Food And Add To His Drinks.
He Will Remain With You".


She cut off all of her fingernails off de left hand, she cut off all of
her right an' each one of de five toenails an' three strands of hair from de mole of her head an' parch all dat together. Grind it up right real fine
an' pound it up an' if he drinks coffee or tea, why when he comes, why when she
fix his supper, jes' put dat - dust dat over his tea. Let him stir it up
with his sugar. Yo' couldn't run him 'way from dere. [She laughs.] Dat'll hold him right dere.

Comfort
Arch Angel Azrael


I am with you in your time of need helping your heart heal

Additional Message:
Even the strongest person experiences upsetting situations and there's no shame in taking time to heal
your heart. This is a good time for quiet reflections upon your true feelings. Write them down and then call upom me to bring comfort to your heart and mind. I can help you sleep better at night and put your mind at ease.

working with this Angel:

Azrael's aura is a beautiful shade of vanilla creme. a very pale yellow tone he surrounds greiving and dying persons with the loving light ti bring them comfort...When Azrael is around tou may see an eggshelled colored twinkling light in the room. The crystal creamy yellow low calcite is calibrated to Azrael's energy so holding or wearing this crystal may lend additional comfort.

A hexagram is a six-pointed geometric star figure, , the compound of two equilateral triangles. The intersection is a regular hexagon.

While generally recognized as a symbol of Jewish identity it is used also in other historical, religious and cultural contexts, for example in Islam, and Eastern Religions as well as in Occultism.

In mathematics, the G2 root system is in the form of a hexagram.

Mandala symbol called satkona yantra or sadkona yantra found on ancient South Indian Hindu temples built thousands of years ago It symbolizes the Nara-Narayana, or perfect meditative state of balance achieved between Man and God, and if maintained, results in "Moksha," or "Nirvana" (release from the bounds of the earthly world and its material trappings).

Another theory about the origin of the shape is that it is simply 2 of the 3 letters in the name David: in its Hebrew spelling, David is transliterated as 'D-W-D'. In Biblical Hebrew, the letter 'D' (Dalet) was written in a form much like a triangle, similar to the Greek letter "Delta" (Δ). The symbol may have been a simple family crest formed by flipping and juxtaposing the two most prominent letters in the name. The letter "W" in this case could reference the compositing operation of the two Deltas.

Some researchers have theorized that the hexagram represents the astrological chart at the time of David's birth or anointment as king. The hexagram is also known as the "King's Star" in astrological circles.

In antique papyri, pentagrams, together with stars and other signs, are frequently found on amulets bearing the Jewish names of God, and used to guard against fever and other diseases. Curiously the hexagram is not found among these signs. In the great magic papyrus at Paris and London there are twenty-two signs side by side, and a circle with twelve signs, but neither a pentagram nor a hexagram.

Therefore, the syncretism of Hellenistic, Jewish, and Coptic influences probably did not originate the symbol.

It is also possible that as a simple geometric shape, like for example the triangle, circle, or square, the hexagram has been created by various different peoples with no connection to one another.

Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity and is also known colloquially as the Jewish Star or "Star of David". Its usage as a sign of Jewish identity began in the Middle Ages, though its religious usage began earlier, with the current earliest archeological evidence being a stone bearing the shield from the arch of a 3-4th century synagogue in the Galilee . A more enduring symbol of Judaism, the menorah, has been in use since BCE.

The hexagram may be found in some Churches and stained-glass windows. Example of this is one embedded in the ceiling of the Washington National Cathedral. Because the similar-looking sign called the encircled pentagram used in occultism, it was not used in church architecture until Christian architects, both Protestant and Catholic, began to accept the notion that the Star of David is an old Jewish sign.
In Christianity it is often called the star of creation.

The Bible makes no direct mention of the Star of David, however, the Catechism of the Catholic Church of the year 528 refers to the star which led the Magi to Christ as "the Star of David". In the context, the phrase most likely meant "the star of the king of Israel" rather than the double triangle-shaped symbol used today


The Star of David is also used less prominently by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, chiefly in architecture. It symbolizes the Tribes of Israel and friendship and their claimed affinity towards the Jewish people. Additionally, some independent LDS theologians such as LDS Daniel Rona have further suggested the possibility that the Star of David was actually modeled after the Urim and Thummim, but this is not official doctrine of the Church.

Zion Christian Church

A Star of David badge is worn by members of the Zion Christian Church, which has over three million members and is the largest African Initiated Church in southern Africa.

Usage by Arabs and Muslims

The symbol is known in Arabic as نجمة داوود, Najmat Dawuud (Star of David) or خاتم سليمان Khatem Sulayman (Seal of Solomon), but the latter name may also refer to a pentagram.

Professor Gershom Sholem theorizes[citation needed] that the "Star of David" originates in the writings of Aristotle, who used triangles in different positions to indicate the different basic elements. The superposed triangles thus represented combinations of those elements. From Aristotle's writings those symbols made their ways into early, pre-Muslim Arab literature.

The Arabs and Muslims were interested in arithmetics, and were also strongly drawn to biblical and Islamic tales. In fact, one of the most important persons in early Arab and Islamic literature was King Solomon (Arabic, Suliman or Sulayman). The Babylonian Talmud contains a legend about King Solomon being kidnapped by Ashmedai, the king of demons. He succeeded in kidnapping the king by stealing his "seal of Solomon", although according to the Talmud this seal was simply a metal coin with Hebrew letters meaning the name of God, inscribed on it. It is possible that the seal was altered in the Arab tales. The first appearance of the symbol in Jewish scriptures was in oriental Kabbalistic writings, so it is possible that it was an alteration of the pentagram under Arab influence.

In various places in the Qur'an, it is written that David and Solomon were prophets and kings and therefore they are revered figures by Muslims. The Islamic Turkish beyliks of the Karamanid and Candaroglu dynasties used the star on their flag. Even today, the star can be found in mosques and on other Arabic and Islamic artifacts.

Usage by Hinduism and Eastern Religions

Six pointed stars have also been found in cosmological diagrams in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. The reasons behind this symbol's common appearance in Indic religions and the West are lost in the mists of antiquity. One possibility is that they have a common origin. The other possibility is that artists and religious people from several cultures independently created the Star of David shape, which after all is a relatively simple and obvious geometric design.

Within Indic lore, the shape is generally understood to consist of two triangles--one pointed up and the other down--locked in harmonious embrace. The two components are called 'Om' and the 'Hrim' in Sanskrit, and symbolize man's position between earth and sky. The downward triangle symbolizes Shakti, the sacred embodiment of femininity, and the upward triangle symbolizes Shiva, or Agni Tattva, representing the focused aspects of masculinity. The mystical union of the two triangles represents Creation, occurring through the divine union of male and female. The two locked triangles are also known as 'Shanmukha' - the six-faced, representing the six faces of Shiva & Shakti's progeny Kartikeya. This symbol is also a part of several yantras and has deep significance in Hindu ritual worship and mythology.

In Buddhism, some old versions of the Bardo Thodol, also known as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, contain a hexagram with a Swastika inside. It was made up by the publishers for this particular publication. In Tibetan, it is called the 'origin of phenomenon' (chos-kyi 'byung-gnas). It is especially connected with Vajrayogini, and forms the center part of Her mandala. In reality, it is in three dimensions, not two, although it may be portrayed either way.

Kingdom of Karamanoğlu

The same symbol appeared in the flag of the Medieval pre-Ottoman Turkish Kingdom of Karamanoğlu.

Heraldry
Dodge Brothers emblem ca. 1938 depicting a hexagram.
Dodge Brothers emblem ca. 1938 depicting a hexagram.

In heraldry and to a lesser extent vexillology a "star" is assumed to be a six-pointed figure, like a Star of David, but not hollow and with radiating, wavy lines. The more familiar five-pointed star shape is known as a mullet or molet.

Theosophy

The Star of David is used in the seal and the emblem of the Theosophical Society (founded in 1875). Although it is more pronounced, it is used along with other religious symbols. These include the Swastika, the Ankh, the Aum, and the Ouroborus. The star of David is also known as the Seal of Solomon that was its original name until around 50 years ago.

Raelism

The pacifist International Raelian Movement (IRM) uses a hexagram. The root of this symbol, according to the founder of the IRM, Rael, can be attributed to its use by genetic engineers from extrasolar planets who are allegedly the same entities referred to as Elohim. According to Rael, these space travellers came to Earth and synthesized life from non-living matter in 7 laboratory bases which contained the symbol.

Some meanings which involve particular variations of this symbol are supported by the IRM, such as "well being" (where "swastika" means "well being" in Sanskrit) and "infinity in time" (as Hindus see the swastika as a symbol for "eternal" cycles). In Raelism, the upper and lower triangles represent "as above, so below", which refers to either the likeness between the creators' past and created's future or the repeating fractal hierarchical structure in the universe. "As above so below" is also well known in Wicca as the last statement of an invocation or ritual in order to bring the change of events from the upper world to the lower world (our world).

The IRM has long-term plans to build a temple complex or embassy that would, at around the time of a Technological Singularity, and before 2035, support the arrival of prophets of major and some minor religions after a spectacular descent from an interstellar journey. Rael (or the Elohim, as Rael would put it) requires that the embassy contain the "symbol of the Elohim". The symbol initially used by the Raelian movement was the source of considerable controversy linked to a proposal to build the Raelian embassy in Israel since it resembled a hexagram with the image of a Swastika embedded in its center.

Occultism

The hexagram, like the pentagram, was and is used in practices of the occult and is attributed to the 7 'old' planets outlined in astrology.

The six-pointed star is commonly used both as a talisman and for conjuring spirits in the practice of witchcraft. In the Book The History and Practice of Magic, Vol. 2, the six-pointed star is called the talisman of Saturn and it is also referred to as the Seal of Solomon[1]. Details are given in this book on how to make these symbols and the materials to use.

Dr. John Dee, the court astrologist of Queen Elizabeth I, in his book Hieroglyphic Monad, includes the following quote: "'Mahatma Letters,' page 345: 'The double triangle viewed by the Jewish Kabbalists as Solomon's Seal is...the Sri--Antana of the Archaic Aryan Temple, the Mystery of Mysteries, a geometrical synthesis of the whole occult doctrine. The two interlaced triangles are the Buddham-Gums of Creation. They contain the 'squaring of the Circle,' the 'Philosophers' Stone,' the great problems of Life and Death--the mystery of Evil. The Chela who can explain this sign from every one of its aspects is virtually an Adept.'" (John Dee, Hieroglyphic Monad, Dr John Dee, WEISER BOOKS, Boston MA/York Beach, ME, page 76)

In the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, we read: "The interlacing triangles or deltas symbolize the union of the two principles or forces, the active and passive, male and female, pervading the universe... The two triangles, one white and the other black, interlacing, typify the mingling of apparent opposites in nature, darkness and light, error and truth, ignorance and wisdom, evil and good, throughout human life." (Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, Albert G. Mackey, 33rd Degree Freemason, and Charles T. McClenachan, 33rd Degree Freemason, p. 801, as quoted from secondary Source Codex Magica by Texe Marrs.)

Bradley, author of Secrets of the Freemasons, claims: "the hexagram is widely associated with the occult, and is considered the most powerful of Satan's symbols, containing '666.' Occultists also call it the 'trud' and us it in necromantic ceremonies to summon evil spirits." (Bradley, Secrets of the Freemasons, page 45.)

Other uses

* In Unicode, the "Star of David" symbol is U+2721 (✡).
* There is a plant named Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) in the lily family.
* In alchemy, the two triangles represent the reconciliation of the opposites of fire and water. Non-Jewish Kabbalah (also called Christian or Hermetic Kabbalah) interprets[citation needed] the hexagram to mean the divine union of male and female energy, where the male is represented by the upper triangle (referred to as the "blade") and the female by the lower one (referred to as the "chalice"). Moreover, it derives four triangular symbols from it (two triangles crossed like a capital letter A and two uncrossed) to represent the four elements: water, fire, air, and earth. This use of the symbol was used as an important plot point in Dan Brown's popular novel The Da Vinci Code and the Da Vinci Code film cites this as the origin of the star.
* In southern Germany the hexagram can be found as part of tavern anchors. It is symbol for the tapping of beer and sign of the brewer's guild. In German this is called 'Bierstern' (beer star) or 'Brauerstern' (brewer's star).
* A six-point star is used as an identifying mark of the Folk Nation.

Extrasensory perception is a collective term for various hypothetical mental abilities. These abilities (along with other paranormal phenomena) are also referred to as psi.

The major types of ESP are:

* Telepathy - the ability to read another person's thoughts
* Clairvoyance - the ability to "see" events or objects happening somewhere else
* Precognition - the ability to see the future
* Retrocognition - the ability to see into the distant past
* Mediumship - the ability to channel dead spirits
* Psychometry - the ability to read information about a person or place by touching a physical object

A closely related psi phenomenon, not technically part of ESP, is telekinesis, the ability to alter the physical world with mind power alone.

All of these abilities are based on the idea that human beings can perceive things beyond the scope of known bodily senses. This concept has been around since the beginning of human civilization, under many different names, but the modern conception didn't develop until the first half of the 20th century. The term ESP itself was coined in 1934, by Duke University professor J.B. Rhine, one of the first respected scientists to conduct paranormal research in a university laboratory.

ESP believers around the world have different ideas of how these abilities manifest themselves. Some people believe everybody possesses these abilities, and we involuntarily experience moments of ESP all the time. Others say only a handful of psychics, shamans or mediums have the special power, and that they can only access this power when they put themselves into a special mental state. Most believers think that everybody has the potential for ESP, but that some people are more in tune with their paranormal abilities than others.

Believers also disagree on how ESP actually works. One theory says that, like our ordinary senses, ESP is energy moving from one point to another point. Typically, proponents of this theory say ESP energy takes the form of electromagnetic waves -- just like light, radio and X-ray energy -- that we haven't been able to detect scientifically.

This theory was fairly popular in the early 20th century, but it's out of favor today due to several inherent problems. For one thing, the explanation only accounts for telepathy, not clairvoyance or precognition. Presumably, if the information travels as electromagnetic energy, it has to be sent by someone -- it has to travel from mind to mind. It doesn't explain how information would move through time or from an object to a mind.

Secondly, the theory doesn't jibe with what we know about ourselves and the universe. In most reported cases of telepathy, ESP works totally independent of distance. That is, the power of the "signal" is the same whether the transmitting mind and the receiving mind are in the same room or on opposite sides of the earth. No other form of energy behaves this way, skeptics point out, so it doesn't make sense that "psi waves" would either. Furthermore, it seems strange that we haven't found any unexplained sense organs in the body that might pick up on this energy, nor any evidence of the energy waves themselves.

In light of these problems, the prevailing theory among believers today is that ESP is a result of something beyond the known physical world. For example, many people view it as "spillover" from another reality. According to this theory, in addition to the physical universe we are consciously aware of, we all exist in another dimension that has completely different governing laws. Time and space work very differently in the other reality, allowing us to know about other people's thoughts, distant events or things that haven't happened yet in the physical reality. Normally, our awareness of this plane of existence is completely unconscious, but every once in a while, the conscious mind picks up on this information.

Needless to say, this theory is also completely outside our scientific understanding of the world. But, according to the theory's proponents, it's not supposed to fit into that conception. Like the concepts of God or an afterlife, the hypothetical reality would not rely on the physical laws of the universe. It would depend on the existence of a soul of some sort.

So, given that it's completely at odds with our understanding of the world, why do so many people believe in ESP? In the next section, we'll find out some of the reasons for this belief, and we'll see what scientific evidence supports it.

Translated from Greek, the word "astrology" means "the study of the stars." Astrology focuses on how the positions of the celestial bodies (planets, stars, etc.) impact human affairs, personality and more. Indeed, a number of people believe that astrology can be used not only to explain events that occurred in the past and that are currently occurring but also to reveal events that will occur in the future.


The Zodiac and Astrology Charts
Ancient astrologers used the constellations to develop the twelve signs of the zodiac. The signs of the zodiac are assigned to people based on their date of birth:

* Aries (March 21 to April 20)
* Taurus (April 21 to May 21)
* Gemini (May 22 to June 21)
* Cancer (June 22 to July 23)
* Leo (July 24 for August 23)
* Virgo (August 24 to September 23)
* Libra (September 34 to October 23)
* Scorpio (October 24 to November 22)
* Sagittarius (November 23 to December 22)
* Capricorn (December 23 to January 20)
* Aquarius (January 21 to February 19)
* Pisces (February 20 to March 20).

The signs listed above and their corresponding dates are those of the topical zodiac, a system on which the majority of Western astrologers base their work.

Chinese Astrology
In Chinese astrology, there are no constellations, as there are in Western astrology. Instead, the positions of the major planets (Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn) as well as the positions of the Sun, Moon and comets at the time of a person's birth are used to determine that person's destiny in Chinese astrology.

The Chinese zodiac uses 12 animal signs to represent the different types of personalities:

1. Rat
2. Ox
3. Tiger
4. Rabbit
5. Dragon
6. Snake
7. Horse
8. Sheep
9. Monkey
10. Rooster
11. Dog
12. Pig.

These animal signs are assigned according to a person's year of birth.
Astrology Critics
Although approximately 30 percent of Americans believe in astrology, many members of the scientific community consider astrology to be a pseudoscience. Ivan Kelly, a writer whose articles are often critical of astrology, once wrote that astrology:

" … has no relevance to understanding ourselves, or our place in the cosmos. Modern advocates of astrology cannot account for the underlying basis of astrological associations with terrestrial affairs, have no plausible explanation for its claims, and have not contributed anything of cognitive value to any field of the social sciences."
Despite such critics, however, a number of people continue to turn to astrology to better understand themselves and their place in the universe.