In
religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
and
esotericismEsotericism or Esoterism is a term with two basic meanings. In the dictionary sense of the term, it signifies the holding of esoteric opinions, and derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward", mystic. Its antonym is exoteric...
, the term "
physical universe" or "
material universe" is used to distinguish the
physicalNature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
matterThe term matter traditionally refers to the substance that all objects are made of. One common way to identify this "substance" is through its physical properties; a common definition of matter is anything that has mass and occupies a volume...
of the
universeThe Universe comprises everything that physically exists, the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter and energy, and the physical laws and constants that govern them...
from a proposed
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
or
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
essence.
In the
Book of VelesThe Book of Veles is claimed to be a text of ancient Slavic religion and history written on wooden planks.It contains religious passages and accounts of history interspersed with religious morals...
, and perhaps in traditional
Slavic mythologySlavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs prior to Christianisation.The religion possesses numerous common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion....
, the physical universe is referred to as
YavYav , Prav and Nav are three worlds described in the Book of Veles. References to them became popular among Russian neopagans....
.
GnosticismGnosticism refers to diverse, syncretistic religious movements in antiquity consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge; this being is frequently identified with the...
holds that the physical universe was created by a
DemiurgeDemiurge in philosophical and religious language is a term for a creator deity, responsible for the creation of the Universe.In the sense of a divine creative principle...
. In Dharmic religions
MayaMaya , has multiple meanings, and refers to concepts of "illusion" in Hinduism and Sikhism. Maya, is the principal concept which manifests, perpetuates and governs the illusion and dream of duality in the phenomenal Universe...
is believed to be the illusion of a physical universe.
PhysicalismPhysicalism is a philosophical position holding that everything which exists is no more extensive than its physical properties; that is, that there are no kinds of things other than physical things...
, a type of
monismMonism is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry, where this is not to be expected. Thus, some philosophers may hold that the Universe is really just one thing, despite its many appearances and diversities; or theology may support the view that there is...
, holds that only physical things exist.
In
religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
and
esotericismEsotericism or Esoterism is a term with two basic meanings. In the dictionary sense of the term, it signifies the holding of esoteric opinions, and derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward", mystic. Its antonym is exoteric...
, the term "
physical universe" or "
material universe" is used to distinguish the
physicalNature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
matterThe term matter traditionally refers to the substance that all objects are made of. One common way to identify this "substance" is through its physical properties; a common definition of matter is anything that has mass and occupies a volume...
of the
universeThe Universe comprises everything that physically exists, the entirety of space and time, all forms of matter and energy, and the physical laws and constants that govern them...
from a proposed
spiritualSpirituality is relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material. Synonyms include immaterialism, dualism, incorporeality and eternity....
or
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
essence.
In the
Book of VelesThe Book of Veles is claimed to be a text of ancient Slavic religion and history written on wooden planks.It contains religious passages and accounts of history interspersed with religious morals...
, and perhaps in traditional
Slavic mythologySlavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion that was practised by the Slavs prior to Christianisation.The religion possesses numerous common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European religion....
, the physical universe is referred to as
YavYav , Prav and Nav are three worlds described in the Book of Veles. References to them became popular among Russian neopagans....
.
GnosticismGnosticism refers to diverse, syncretistic religious movements in antiquity consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge; this being is frequently identified with the...
holds that the physical universe was created by a
DemiurgeDemiurge in philosophical and religious language is a term for a creator deity, responsible for the creation of the Universe.In the sense of a divine creative principle...
. In Dharmic religions
MayaMaya , has multiple meanings, and refers to concepts of "illusion" in Hinduism and Sikhism. Maya, is the principal concept which manifests, perpetuates and governs the illusion and dream of duality in the phenomenal Universe...
is believed to be the illusion of a physical universe.
PhysicalismPhysicalism is a philosophical position holding that everything which exists is no more extensive than its physical properties; that is, that there are no kinds of things other than physical things...
, a type of
monismMonism is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry, where this is not to be expected. Thus, some philosophers may hold that the Universe is really just one thing, despite its many appearances and diversities; or theology may support the view that there is...
, holds that only physical things exist. This is also known as
metaphysical naturalismMetaphysical naturalism , characterizes any worldview in which reality is such that there is nothing but the natural things, forces, and causes of the kind that the natural sciences study, i.e...
.