Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
View your shopping cart Shopping Cart | My Account | Help | Become a Fan on Facebook Become a Fan | Follow Us on Twitter Follow Us | Watch Us on YouTube Watch Us | Subscribe to our RSS Feeds Subscribe
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Glossary
What's New
Most Popular
List of Articles

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

New Worlds Spring/Summer 2013 Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Get the FREE app for your tablet and mobile device. Now available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store

Also available as a PDF File.

Click for more information about New Worlds or to receive issues via mail.


The Llewellyn Encyclopedia

Term: Life Purpose

DEFINITIONS

Life Purpose:

 In John 1:1-4 of the Christian Bible, it says:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was

With God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not

Any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Here the "light" of men is identified with life. We know what light is—we see natural light every day and artificial light whenever we flip the switch. And we know that sun light is essential to life, but this statement seems to be saying something additional: that life is, or was, "the light of men." "Light" has an alternative meaning, as when we "turn light on the subject" which identifies that aspect of directed consciousness that leads to intelligence about a subject. We see consciousness everywhere, but is it this particular aspect of focused, analytical, consciousness seemingly unique to humans that is the "light of men?"

Life evolves into new forms, but the statement seems to characterize the life of men as different than other life, and relates it to a particular kind of light. We speculate that this "light of men" is that of Soul Consciousness and is the light referred to in the word "Enlightenment."

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke


ARTICLES

What is Ritual?
Ritual is the medium through which the art of magic is practiced. It consists of an action or series of actions, which may be entirely mental, or mental and physical, by which the power of magic is released and directed towards the fulfillment of a ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


The Sensual Wicca TarotReview
Summary: A brilliant attempt to present the Tarot, Wicca, and the Wiccan aspects of sexuality that doesn’t quite succeed due to limitations of format and skill. Still, at times this deck soars above the limitations and is filled with brilliance and ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


The Contemplative Tarot Review
Summary: The Contemplative Tarot is designed for meditation, for self-discovery, and for self-improvement. It is suitable for beginners and advanced tarot users if the user desires a tool for reflection not for learning traditional tarot usage, that ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Essentials for Discovery & Development of Psychic Powers
A cardinal principle of psychic empowerment holds that psychic potentials exist in everyone and can be developed through appropriate programs. Common to those programs are the following three essentials: Motivation. The number one essential in ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Review of The Pictorial Key Tarot
Summary: More than just another RWS copy, The Pictorial Key Tarot takes the original RWS concepts and brings them into the 21st century. It uses the same basic symbolism as the RWS, but enhances it in places to make Waite’s original ideas clearer ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Astral Projection Story #2 - Astral Escape
Stressful situations can cause people spontaneously to leave their bodies. The phrase "stressful situation" hardly begins to describe the plight of Ed Morrell, who as an inmate of a state penitentiary, was subjected to terrible tortures but who ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Gerald Brousseau Gardner
English civil servant, author, occultist, and Witch, 1884-1964. Easily the most important figure in the creation of modern Wicca, Gerald Gardner spent most of his life as an English colonial bureaucrat. Born to a wealthy family in England, near ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Review of the Visconti Tarots
Summary: An amazing and beautiful recreation of one of the oldest and most complete Tarot decks extant. Suitable for any reading for which you might use a Rider-Waite-Smith-based deck, it’s also ideal for working in costume, at renaissance fairs, ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Cosmic Gateway to Power Procedure
Introduction. This program promotes self-empowerment through astral projection and is sufficiently flexible so that you can adapt it to meet your own personal preferences and goals. The simple formula:            ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Synchronicity and Tarot
Most people who use a Tarot deck do so for giving readings or divinations, or for what some people would call "fortunetelling." How does the Tarot work for these purposes? I think we can pretty well ignore the "Demons control it" aspect simply ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%


Magickal Ritual Goals
The purpose of the rituals you compose in the practice of High Magick is psychological integration, otherwise known as Initiation. Your goal is to awaken, develop, cleanse, and unite your many parts into the Whole Person that is your potential. This ...
Relevance:  10 % 10%



Whatever your background is, it's bound to happen to you: the scary paranormal case. We're not talking about your run-of-the-mill haunting here. We're talking portal hauntings, negative entities, and bad earthbound spirits—in a nutshell, things that scare us! These cases usually start out as a seemingly routine investigation; then, somewhere... read this article
Evolutionary Astrology: How Our Nodal Axis Defines the Soul's Path
The Mibramig Magical Tarot
Cultivating Bliss: 4 Ways to Explore Your Inner Garden
Exercise: Asking for a Dream Visit from a Loved One in Spirit
The Final Secrets of Enochian Magick

Most recent posts:
Book Signing and Workshop In Minneapolis: June 5
I am very glad to be returning to the beautiful twin cities! I lived in St. Paul for six years, and I still miss many of my friends and the wonderful...

June 2 is My First Worldwide Webinar! Topic: Magickal Self-Defense
I have been very fortunate to be able to travel all over the U.S. and Europe giving workshops. I still do it! I have given workshops for a few people...

Fairy Lights Tarot
The Fairy Lights Tarot was created in an interesting way. The artist made paintings that were scenes containing two cards. The scenes were then split...


One of the questions I often receive is a request for contact with an occult group, order, coven, etc. As a policy, I don't recommend such...



Llewellyn's 2013 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2013 Moon Sign Book
Conscious Living by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2013 Astrological Calendar
Horoscopes for You Plus an Introduction to Astrology

By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Magical Almanac Llewellyn's 2013 Magical Almanac
Practical Magic for Everyday Living

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!