Sacrament-A RELIGIOUS rite of the BESTOWING or imparting of DIVINE GRACE, i.e. EUCHARIST, COMMUNION, BAPTIISM, marriage, etc.
Sacramental Meal-A element of many ancient religions where the purpose of a religious-oriented meal was to establish a basis of partnership with GOD (or a god), or others used this as a means of savoring the SACRED food in which the DIETY was thought to be present.
Sacred-Something that is HOLY or worthy of respect of RELIGION, or relating to RELIGIOUS themes. Referring to or involving something that is beyond human boundaries, and usually involves vibrations or power from unknown sources that enables us to perform the complexities of our lives with only nominal input from us.
Sacred Music-The use of music to contact, or be in tune with, the DIVINE. Could also be used to raise one's energy to a higher level of CONSCIOUSNESS, or to attain a higher experience.
Sacred Place-A place where the world is blotted out. A place of silence, music, peace or a bliss station, and where you do not know of the outside world. "A place where you can experience and bring forth what you are, or MIGHT be ... a place of creative incubation," says Joseph Campbell (6).
Sacrilege-A violation, misuse, or desecration of a RELIGION or a religious place.
Sagacity-Quickness to understand, shrewdness, or unusually wise discernment or judgment.
Saint-A person who is distinguished for GODLINESS and high MERIT, or one who has been acknowledged by the Church as deserving of respect. Can also mean the SPIRIT of a recently departed person that will now be able to act as a SPIRITUAL GUIDE.
Salvation-A deliverance from damnation and liberation from sin. The act of receiving REDEMPTION followed by SPIRITUAL fulfillment.
Samsara-In HINDUISM, the repeated eternal circling cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth. HINDU beliefs are that samsara affects all worldly existence. In BUDDHISM, it is the world and existence as experienced by ENLIGHTENED beings, characterized by lack of substantially, impermanence, and the endless cycle as seen in Hinduism (see above). It literally means passing through, wandering, circling.
Sanctity-GODLINESS, or righteousness of life and temperament.
Sanga or Sangha-A community of RELIGIOUS (usually BUDDHIST) monks and nuns, whose SPIRITUAL accomplishments are above the beginner levels. In broad terms, it refers to those who follow the teachings of the BUDDHA, and in this case, a community who follows the teachings of the Buddha.
Sanskrit-The ancient, classic language of the Hindus of India, and the language in which the VEDAS and other sacred texts were written. It is written in the Devanagari alphabet (partly syllabic and partly alphabetic), and is the linguistic ancestor to the dialect of Sanskrit called Prakrits, which is used in some portions of India.
