Glossary: U

Table of Contents

Ultra mare vitae

(Latin) ultra, “beyond” + mare, “sea” + vitae, “life,” thus meaning “the sea of life beyond” or “superior.” A reference to the superior worlds, also called heaven. Compare with:

“And Elohim called the firmament שמים (Heaven).” —Genesis 1:8

The Hebrew word translated here as heaven is שמים schamayim, composed of ש shin (fire) plus מים mayim, “water, sea.”

Unction

See also Eucharist.

“Every Gnostic Unction in whatever cult or belief, sect or religion, is associated, intimately united with the Last Supper of the Adorable one through the blood pact. The Holy Primeval Christian Gnostic Church, to which we have the privilege of belonging, preserves in secrecy the primeval rituals used by the Apostles. These were the rituals of the Christians that met in the catacombs of Rome during the time of the Caesar Nero. These are the rituals of the Essenes, a humble cast of great initiates to which Jesus the Christ belonged. These are the primeval rituals of the ancient Christians.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

Undines, Spirits of Water

A term from Paracelsus derived from Latin unda , meaning “wave.” Undines are elemental intelligences related to the fluidic, humid aspect of nature (water). In Tibetan, they are called lhu.

“Just as visible Nature is populated by an infinite number of living creatures, so, according to Paracelsus, the invisible, spiritual counterpart of visible Nature (composed of the tenuous principles of the visible elements) is inhabited by a host of peculiar beings, to whom he has given the name elementals, and which have later been termed the Nature spirits. Paracelsus divided these people of the elements into four distinct groups, which he called gnomes , undines , sylphs , and salamanders . He taught that they were really living entities, many resembling human beings in shape, and inhabiting worlds of their own, unknown to man because his undeveloped senses were incapable of functioning beyond the limitations of the grosser elements… “As the gnomes were limited in their function to the elements of the earth, so the undines (a name given to the family of water elementals) function in the invisible, spiritual essence called humid (or liquid) ether. In its vibratory rate this is close to the element water, and so the undines are able to control, to a great degree, the course and function of this fluid in Nature. Beauty seems to be the keynote of the water spirits. Wherever we find them pictured in art or sculpture, they abound in symmetry and grace. Controlling the water element—which has always been a feminine symbol—it is natural that the water spirits should most often be symbolized as female. “There are many groups of undines. Some inhabit waterfalls, where they can be seen in the spray; others are indigenous to swiftly moving rivers; some have their habitat in dripping, oozing fens or marshes; while other groups dwell in clear mountain lakes. According to the philosophers of antiquity, every fountain had its nymph; every ocean wave its oceanid. The water spirits were known under such names as oreades, nereides, limoniades, naiades, water sprites, sea maids, mermaids, and potamides. Often the water nymphs derived their names from the streams, lakes, or seas in which they dwelt. “In describing them, the ancients agreed on certain salient features. In general, nearly all the undines closely resembled human beings in appearance and size, though the ones inhabiting small streams and fountains were of correspondingly lesser proportions. It was believed that these water spirits were occasionally capable of assuming the appearance of normal human beings and actually associating with men and women. There are many legends about these spirits and their adoption by the families of fishermen, but in nearly every case the undines heard the call of the waters and returned to the realm of Neptune, the King of the Sea. “Practically nothing is known concerning the male undines. The water spirits did not establish homes in the same way that the gnomes did, but lived in coral caves under the ocean or among the reeds growing on the banks of rivers or the shores of lakes. Among the Celts there is a legend to the effect that Ireland was peopled, before the coming of its present inhabitants, by a strange race of semi-divine creatures; with the coming of the modem Celts they retired into the marshes and fens, where they remain even to this day. Diminutive undines lived under lily pads and in little houses of moss sprayed by waterfalls. The undines worked with the vital essences and liquids in plants, animals, and human beings, and were present in everything containing water. When seen, the undines generally resembled the goddesses of Greek statuary. They rose from the water draped in mist and could not exist very long apart from it. “There are many families of undines, each with its peculiar limitations, it is impossible to consider them here in detail. Their ruler, Necksa , they love and honor, and serve untiringly. Their temperament is said to be vital, and to them has been given as their throne the western corner of creation. They are rather emotional beings, friendly to human life and fond of serving mankind. They are sometimes pictured riding on dolphins or other great fish and seem to have a special love of flowers and plants, which they serve almost as devotedly and intelligently as the gnomes. Ancient poets have said that the songs of the undines were heard in the West Wind and that their lives were consecrated to the beautifying of the material earth.” —Manly P. Hall, Secret Teachings of All Ages

“The four elements of Nature—earth, fire, water, and air—are merely condensations of the four types of ether. These four varieties of ether are densely populated by innumerable elemental creatures of Nature. The salamanders live within the fire (the Tejas Tattva). The ondines and nereids live within the water (the Apas Tattva). The sylphs live within the clouds (the Vayu Tattva). The gnomes and pygmies live within the earth (the Prithvi Tattva)… The physical bodies of the ondines are the elementals of the plants that are influenced by the zodiacal signs of water.” —Samael Aun Weor, Esoteric Medicine and Practical Magic

Upadhi

(Sanskrit उपाधि) Literally, “addition.” A limiting factor. A philosophical term used in a variety of ways, such as “substance, basis, matter, vehicle.” In generally, upadhi refers to anything that conceals reality (the Absolute, Brahman). A term used by Shankaracharya in the philosophy of Hindu Vedanta to point out the fundamental impermanence of the sheaths or bodies we use during manifestation, but which confuse our perception of what is real: the Innermost. “The reflected image of the Sun expands when the surface of the water expands; it contracts when the water shrinks; it shakes when the water is agitated; it gets divided when the water is divided. It participates in all the qualities and conditions of the water, while the real sun is unchanging throughout. Even so, Brahman although never changing participates, as it were, in the attributes and conditions of the body and the other Upadhis or limiting adjuncts or vehicles within which He dwells, He grows with them, as it were, and so on, but not in reality.” - Sivananda “Sense-organs, physical body, mind, Pranas, intellect, etc., are the products of Avidya (nescience). They are Upadhis (limiting adjuncts). Negate them, sublimate or eliminate them through Vedantic doctrine Neti-Neti (not this, not this). What remains behind, the balance or the residue left is Atman or Brahman only.” - Sivananda “Matter is Eternal. It is the Upadhi (the physical basis) for the One infinite Universal Mind to build thereon its ideations.” - Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine “This world of delusions appears good; The fool surrounded by darkness, bound by ‘Upadhi’ [Substratum of being, or basis of individual existence], Regards it as eternal. To him who sees aright, it is all nothing.” - Buddha, Udana 7:Cula “[The Three Traitors] are the Demon of Desire, the Demon of the Mind, and the Demon of Evil Will. They are the three Upadhis, bases, or lunar foundations that are within each human being.” - Samael Aun Weor, Magic of the Runes

Upaya

(Sanskrit, “skillful means”) In Mahayana Buddhism, upaya summarizes the first five paramitas (conscious attitudes), and are therefore “methods” or attitudes of upright action. In Tantric scriptures, upaya refers to sexual transmutation (Tibetan: sbyor-ba).

“The Tibetan Vajrayana school is different; and although its two principal pillars are also “Vision and Action,” [prajna and upaya] it is unquestionable that it places special solemnity on the latter [upaya], and tirelessly struggles to lead its devotees to the Ninth Sphere (sex). It is not irrelevant to assert in this chapter that the aspirants of the Mahayana School truly long for and have an infinite yearning for direct experience of the Illuminating Void [prajna]. We are in no way exaggerating if we state with a certain fervor that disciples of the Vajrayana school labor tenaciously in the “forge of the Cyclops” (sex) [upaya] with the intelligent objective of achieving Innermost realization of the Illuminating Emptiness [prajna].” - Samael Aun Weor, The Mystery of the Golden Blossom

Urania

(Greek: Ourania) One of the nine Muses of Greek Mythology. Urania is related to astronomy or to the celestial realms, the heavens.

Uranus

Chaldean for Ur = “fire,” Anas = “water.” The planet of sexuality.

“Uranus was a Divine King from primeval Atlantis. Uranus reminds us of UR-ANAS, the Primordial Fire and Water. This is equivalent to the establishment of the First Luni-Solar Cult of the Androgynous “IO,” in other words, the apparition of the Astrological Chaldean; therefore, Uranus, the Asura-Maya, the First Atlantean, is factually the first revealer of Sexual Mysteries.” - Samael Aun Weor in the lecture The Mysteries of Life and Death

Urdhva Padmasana

(“Above Lotus Pose”) From Swami Sivananda: “Perform Sirshasana. Slowly bend the right leg and keep it on the left thigh and keep the left leg on the right thigh. You must do this very carefully and slowly. If you can stand in Sirshasana for more than 10 or 15 minutes, then you can attempt this. Otherwise you will have a fall and injure your legs. A gymnast, who can balance on the parallel bars on the ground, can do this. The benefits of Sirshasana can be realised from this Asana.”

Uriel

( Hebrew אוּרִיאֵל from אוּרִי “my fire” and אֵל God ) An important angel in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is related to the planet Venus.

“We learned that when Uriel was seen upon the altar in the likeness of a mighty lion that crouches on its prey, the priests and Yisrael saw and were glad, for they knew that their sacrifice was welcome to the Holy King. Another fire, Holy and supernal, came down, against the lower fire. The man would then go trembling before his Master and complete repent.” - The Zohar 28 Tzav 19