Ancient Beliefs

Simulacra, in ancient Egypt, were paintings and statuettes of slaves, persons, animals, and sometimes other beings that were placed in tombs. The simulacra accompanied their masters into the other world where they would render them service and minister to their comfort.

Other generic meanings:

• Unreal likeness, imitation not satisfactory.
• Representation or image.

A.G.H.

Source: 2, 269.

Shayba, the Arabic-Aramaean title of the Great Goddess, was the “Old Woman” whose spirit dwelt in the sacred stone of the Kaaba or Mecca. Shayba was the land-name and the Goddess-name of Arabian queens in the ancient seat of government, Marib in southern Arabia (now Yemen).Shebat was the Mesopotamian moon-goddess(a variation of Hebat or Eve), and the month named after her. In Assyria the ancient head of the family was called shebu, formerly a matriarch and later a tribal elder of either sex. A.G.H.

Sources

Walker, Barbara G. The Woman’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. New York, HarperCollins, 1983. p. 931

Preanimism is thought to be the first feeling of fear, of awe, of wonder instigated by supernatural events. Also, it embodies the earliest beliefs that all objects are alive with life, energy, or spirits. A.G.H.

See also Animism definition

Sourcs: 2, 227.

Palengenesisis an ancient Greek term meaning, “becoming again,” as the seed of an oak tree recreates its parental oak. This identical life in cyclical recurring phases is the essential essence of the following phrase: being the continuous transmission of the same life-stream. Paracelsus believed that when a physical plant was destroyed its astral form remained and could be brought back to life through its ashes. A.G.H.

Sources:

Riland, George. The New Steinerbooks Dictionary of Paranormal. New York, Warner Books, Inc., 1980. p. 214
Drury, Nevil. “Palingenesis” The Watkins Dictionary of Magic. London. Watkins Publishing. 2005 p. 224

Orphism is the teachings of an ancient Greek philosophical cult which exerted great influence on Greek culture, and later on Western mysticism and occultism. It began in the sixth century BC, and is attributed to the mythical Orpheus. The chief teachings are of reincarnation, a Greek version of Karma, a history of the universe which was formed by Cronus who formed an egg and created the first king of the gods — whom Zeus supplanted and fathered Dionysus — the divine child. Other teachings are that the body is the prison of the soul, animals were not to be killed or eaten, the good were to be rewarded while the evil were to be punished in Nether World, and teachings of self-denial and seriousness in religious matters. Apollo was the kindered god who demanded purification and righteousness. Orphism had a great impact on alchemy. A.G.H.

Source:

Riland, George, The New Steinerbooks Dictionary of Paranormal, New York, Warner Books, Inc., 1980, p. 212

The writings from Orphism that inspired several Greek poets. However, the greatest work attributed to Orpheus or the Orphic writers is the work Rhapsodic Theogony. This work has been quoted numerous of times by many Neo-Platonic writers, and has been important in the history of mysticism, alchemy and the occult. A.G.H.

Source: 2.