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Showing posts with label Eastern Orthodox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eastern Orthodox. Show all posts

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Mount Athos Documentary--

This is a smaller production documentary than the CBS "60 Minutes" one done several years back.  Of course CBS has more money at their disposal.  In many ways this documentary is mysterious and beautiful!  I have been fascinated with Mount Athos, Greece for ten years now, ever since I read Basil Pennington's, "The Monks of Mount Athos" book.  Since then I've read a dozen books on the Holy Mountain and watched countless videos as well.  Check this out, stay calm, and pray, "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner." Amen.

https://youtu.be/tT_xNQxGNtU

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Sts. Perpetua & Felicity Icon


Saint Perpetua (d. 203, Carthage, Tunisia) (Relics: Carthage, Tunisia; Vierzon, France) Saint Felicity (d. 203, Carthage, Tunisia) (Relics: Carthage, Tunisia).
Saints Perpetua and Felicity (believed to have died 7 March 203) are Christian martyrs of the 3rd century. Perpetua (born around 181) was a 22-year old married noblewoman and a nursing mother. 
Her co-martyr Felicity, an expectant mother, was her slave. They suffered together at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa, during the reign of Septimius Severus.
Saint Perpetua (d. 203, Carthage, Tunisia) (Relics: Carthage, Tunisia; Vierzon, France) Saint Felicity (d. 203, Carthage, Tunisia) (Relics: Carthage, Tunisia).
Saints Perpetua and Felicity (believed to have died 7 March 203) are Christian martyrs of the 3rd century. Perpetua (born around 181) was a 22-year old married noblewoman and a nursing mother.
Her co-martyr Felicity, an expectant mother, was her slave. They suffered together at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa, during the reign of Septimius Severus.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Excerpt from Wounded By Love: On Dispositions of the Heart [Eastern Orthodox Book]


"Wounded By Love" is an interesting book.  Kind of a hard read for some
reason.  I've read through it at least twice, and skipped around a half dozen
other times.  It's a great looking book, and sturdily bound.  I'm sure the
difficulty in digesting the book is due to my shortcomings, not the authors.

Excerpt from Wounded By Love: On Dispositions of the Heart [External Link]

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Many Books from My Library--Including Recently Received-- that I am Currently Reading [I Read About Ten Books at a Time!]


"Joseph Barnabas: His Life & Legacy" 







"Decoding the Heavens"
 by Jo Marchant




"Cocaine Kids"
 by Terry Williams



"Direct Action"
 by David Graber



"Death Dealer: Rudolf Hoss Autobiography"
 by Rudolf Hoss




"Marcus Aurelius"
 by FrankMcLynn



"You Don't Have to Fuck People Over to Survive"
 by Seth Tobocman


"The House of Rothschild: 1849 -
 by Niall Ferguson



"Synchronicity"
 by A. Combs & M. Holland



"Rommel's North Africa Campaign: Sept. 1940 - Nov. 1942"
 by Jack Greene & Alessandro Massignani



"Reborn in the West: The Reincarnation Masters"
  by Vicki Mackenzie



"The Many Faces of Christ: The Thousand Year Story of the Survival & Influence of the Lost Gospels"
 by Philip Jenkins



"God's Breath: Sacred Scriptures of the World"
 by J. Miller & A. Kenedi

"Reckless Rites: Purim and the Legacy of
Jewish Violence"
 by Elliot Horowitz

"Riding With the Lion: In Search of Mystical Christianity"
 by Kyriacos C. Markides

"Goering: Hitler's Iron Knight"
 by Richard Overy

"Holocaust™ Revisionism: The Arguments"
 by Juergen Graf & Bruno Montoriol

"The Zionist Factor: The Jewish Impact on Twentieth
Century History"
 by Ivor Benson

"Holocaust High Priest: Elie Wiesel,  Night, The Memory
Cult, And The Rise of Revisionism"
 by Warren B. Routledge

"Listen to the Desert: Secrets of Spiritual Maturity from
the Desert Fathers & Mothers"
 by G. Mayers

"Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God"
 by James Finley

"The Price of Whiteness: Jews Race, and American Identity"
 by E.L. Goldstein

"Big Gods: How Religion Transformed Cooperation and Conflict"
  by Ara Norenzayan

"Hitler, Germans, and the "Jewish Question""
  by Sarah Gordon

"One Nation Under Zion: Zionist Influence on America"
 by Peter Christian

"The Devil and the Jews: The Medieval Conception of the Jew and Its
Relation to Modern Anti-Semitism"
 by Joshua Trachtenberg

"The Desert Fathers"
 trans by Helen Waddell

"The Young Hitler I Knew: The Definitive Look at the Artist Who Became
a Monster"
 by August Kubizek

"Inside the Concentration Camps"
 by Maja Suderland

"Nazi Germany"
 by Alan F.Wilt

"Prayers From the East: Traditions of Eastern Christianity"
 ed. by Richard Marsh

"Becoming Eichmann: Rethinking the Life, Crimes, & Trial of a "Desk Murderer"
 by David Cesarani

"Auschwitz: The Final Count"
 by Vivian Bird

"My Life in Christ"
 by St John of Kronstadt

"The SS: Alibi of a Nation, 1922 - 1945"
 by Gerald Reitlinger

"A Short History of the Balfour Declaration"
 by The Barnes Review Journal

"Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the 
Twentieth Century"
 by B.F. Pauly

"Gobekli Tepe: Genesis of the Gods, the Temple of the 
Watchers & the Discovery of Eden"
 by Andrew Collins

"The Last Jews in Berlin"
 by Leonard Gross

"How to Pray Always"
 by Raoul Plus, S.J.

"Awareness: The Perils & Opportunities of Reality"
 by Anthony De Mello, S.J.

"Germany's Underground: The Anti-Nazi Resistance"
 by Allen Welsh Dulles















Monday, February 23, 2015

"Selected Quotes of the Fathers on Forgiveness" [Wisdom of the Desert Fathers & Church Fathers]

(Borrowed without permission from 'Orthognosia' blog)


Selected Quotes of the Fathers on Forgiveness



Selected Quotes of the Fathers on Forgiveness
 
As it is not to be imagined that the fornicator and the blasphemer can partake of the sacred Table, so it is impossible that he who has an enemy, and bears malice, can enjoy Holy Communion. […] I forewarn, and testify, and proclaim this with a voice that all may hear! ‘Let no one who has an enemy draw near the sacred Table, or receive the Lord’s Body! Let no one who draws near have an enemy! Do you have an enemy? Do not approach! Do you wish to draw near? Be reconciled, and then draw near, and only then touch the Holy Gifts!’ (Homily 20) 
Thou dost not so much desire thy sins to be forgiven, as He desires to forgive thee thy sins. In proof that thou dost not so desire it, consider that thou hast no mind either to practice vigils, or to give thy money freely: but He, that He might forgive our sins, spared not His Only-Begotten and True Son, the partner of His throne.
St John Chrysostom

‘And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.’ For we have many sins. For we offend both in word and in thought, and very many things we do worthy of condemnation; and ‘if we say that we have no sin’ (1 John 1.8), we lie, as John says. […] The offenses committed against us are slight and trivial, and easily settled; but those which we have committed against God are great, and need such mercy as is His only. Take heed, therefore, lest for the slight and trivial sins against you, you shut out for yourself forgiveness from God for your very grievous sins. (Catechetical Lectures, 23.16)
For God seeks nothing else from us, save a good purpose. Say not, How are my sins blotted out? I tell thee, By willing, by believing. What can be shorter than this? But if, while thy lips declare thee willing, thy heart be silent, He knoweth the heart, who judgeth thee. Cease from this day from every evil deed. Let not thy tongue speak unseemly words, let thine eye abstain from sin, and from roving after things unprofitable. (Procatechesis)
St Cyril of Jerusalem 

Do we forgive our neighbours their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbours, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness or non-forgiveness, then, of your sins—and hence also your salvation or destruction—depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation. You can see for yourself how terrible it is.
St Philotheos of Sinai

No one is as good and kind as the Lord is; but He does not forgive one who does not repent. 
St Mark the Ascetic

Even if all spiritual fathers, patriarchs, hierarchs, and all the people forgive you, you are unforgiven if you do not repent in action. 
St Kosmas Aitolos

Forgiveness is better than revenge.
St Tikhon of Zadonsk

Abba Poemen also said this about Abba Isidore that whenever he addressed the brothers in church he said only one thing, 'Forgive your brother, so that you also may be forgiven.'
From the Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Hence, in whatever state a person is, he sometimes finds himself making pure and intense prayers. For even from that first and lowest sort, which has to do with recalling the future judgment, the one who is still subject to the punishment of terror and the fear of judgment is occasionally so struck with compunction that he is filled with no less joy of spirit from the richness of his supplication than the one who, examining the kindnesses of God and going over them in the purity of his heart, dissolves into unspeakable gladness and delight. For, according to the words of the Lord, the one who realizes that more has been forgiven him begins to love more. (The Conferences)
St John Cassian (the Roman)

In smaller sins, sinners may do penance for a set time and come to public confession according to the rules of discipline. Then they receive the right of communion through the imposition of the hand of the bishop and clergy.
I entreat you, beloved brethren, that each one should confess his own sins while he is still in this world—while his confession can still be received and while the satisfaction and remission made by the priests are still pleasing to the Lord.
St Cyprian of Carthage

He, then, who has received the forgiveness of sins ought to sin no more. For in addition to the first and only repentance from sins (that is, from previous sins in the first and heathen life—I mean those in ignorance), there is forthwith proposed to those who have been called, the repentance which cleanses the seat of the soul from transgressions, that faith may be established. And the Lord, knowing the heart, and foreknowing the future, foresaw both the fickleness of man and the craft and subtlety of the devil from the first, from the beginning; how that, envying man for the forgiveness of sins, he would present to the servants of God certain causes of sins; skilfully working mischief, that they might fall together with himself. Accordingly, being very merciful, He has vouchsafed, in the case of those who, though in faith, fall into any transgression, a second repentance, so that should any one be tempted after his calling, overcome by force and fraud, he may receive still a repentance not to be repented of. ‘For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.’ But continual and successive repentings for sins differ nothing from the case of those who have not believed at all, except only in their consciousness that they do sin. And I know not which of the two is worst, whether the case of a man who sins knowingly, or of one who, after having repented of his sins, transgresses again. For in the process of proof sin appears on each side—the sin which in its commission is condemned by the worker of the iniquity, and that of the man who, foreseeing what is about to be done, yet puts his hand to it as a wickedness. And he who perchance gratifies himself in anger and pleasure, gratifies himself in he knows what; and he who, repenting of that in which he gratified himself, by rushing again into pleasure, is near neighbour to him who has sinned wilfully at first. For one, who does again that of which he has repented, and condemning what he does, performs it willingly. (Stromata, Book 2.13)
St Clement of Alexandria

If your heart has been softened either by repentance before God or by learning the boundless love of God towards you, do not be proud with those whose hearts are still hard. Remember how long your heart was hard and incorrigible. Seven brothers were ill in one hospital. One recovered from his illness and got up and rushed to serve his other brothers with brotherly love, to speed their recovery. Be like this brother. Consider all men to be your brothers, and sick brothers at that. And if you come to feel that God has given you better health than others, know that it is given through mercy, so in health you may serve your frailer brothers. (Prologue, 31 March)
St Nikolai of Serbia (Velimirovic)
Often during the day I have been a great sinner, and at night, after prayer, I have gone to rest, justified and whiter than snow by the grace of the Holy Spirit, with the deepest peace and joy in my heart! How easy it will be for the Lord to save us too in the evening of our life, at the decline of our days! O save, save, save me, most gracious Lord; receive me in Thy heavenly Kingdom! Everything is possible to Thee! (My Life in Christ, Part 1, p. 27)
St John of Kronstadt

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Elder Paisios of Mount Athos.....Modern Saint--

Elder Paisios is my hero.  I have a couple of books written by or about him.  He is truly full of sage, wise advice---all freely given to those asking, " Abba please give me a word."  I like to think of him secluded on Mount Athos living on locusts and honey.

Sunday, May 04, 2014

"Mount Athos Tour 2009 --Monasteries of Mount Athos" [I edited the title slightly for clarity]



I stumbled across this absolutely beautiful video of still shots that a guy made from his trip to Mount Athos, Greece. Wow! This is so beautifully done, it's breathtaking!!! This REALLY makes me want to go to Mount Athos even more. I just got done researching everything I'd need for a visit. Now I'm prepared.....




Wednesday, October 02, 2013

"Pride versus Humility... A CRITICAL TEST FOR THE SEEKER OF GOD"


*"IT IS NOT HE WHO INSULTS OR BLAMES HIMSELF, THAT IS THE HUMBLE PERSON, BECAUSE WHO CAN NOT BEAR HIMSELF? BUT THE TRULY HUMBLE PERSON IS HE WHO STANDS THE BLAMES AND THE INSULTS OF OTHERS WITHOUT DIMINISHING HIS LOVE FOR THEM" (ST. JOHN EL-DARGY).*
Pride is a prison; it can creep into a man's heart and imprison the man from even a shadow of humility. Pride makes decisions based upon wants and desires of our human nature. It does not take into account the righteousness or the spiritual worth of the decision or choice but rather the earthly gain. It does not consider the ill effects of the desire upon those it will entail. There are many questions that can readily determine pridefulness.

Does your desire for accomplishment and reputation exceed your love of God? Does your apology for a wrong not readily occur because you need to stop and evaluate how it will affect others perception of you? Does the need to repay a slight enter into your consciousness more than the need to forgive? Does your heeding gossip overcome your respect of another and you favor its bearer by listening? Have you considered the gossip may be a falsehood especially with a non-witnessed act? Do actions such as these make you peaceful and prayerful or discontent and anxious?

While pride puffs up a man, humility lowers him. Lowly humility is the foundation for all other virtues to nurture and grow in strength. Humility is the graciousness of the soul of man. Humility is not an expression, an outer appearance, tone of voice, or captured into words. Humility does not come programmed into man but rather it is cultivated with each control of will, each immoral inclination defeated, and each bodily desire contained. As each ungodly act is diminished, humility begins to take a stronghold within man. Man finds that he is being raised up closer in his relationship to God. A clear sign of this is the true happiness man begins to feel dwell within him. The bearing of humiliation becomes not an impossibility but action towards achievement of it.

Many of those who battled pride in the Holy Bible often succumbed to its consequences. Those who chose the virtue of humility were often honored because of it. Pride expelled angels from Heaven, confused the language of those whom considered themselves mighty, raised a man sold as a slave, drowned a pharaoh in the Red Sea, and a man who needed another to speak for him became a leader.
  1. Pride expelled angels from Heaven and humility entreated the Son of God to come down from Heaven to become a servant of man on earth. It has often been written that before man's creation within God's fathomless eternity, there were angels. God made the angels, heavenly spirits, somewhat similar to the soul of the man he would create. Lucifer was one such angel, who was not satisfied to be a heavenly spirit of God and desired to be as great as the Lord Himself. His pride having overtaken him, Lucifer refused to worship and serve the Lord our God. Archangel Michael, the defender of our Lord led the battle which drove Satan (Lucifer) from Heaven to eternal punishment. Those angels who accompanied Lucifer in the battle he waged against our Lord became commonly known as "devils". Pride is a powerful sin, one in which even the heavenly angels are plagued with and can fall from grace if allowed to overcome them.
    "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'" (Isaiah 14:12-14).

    The Lord Jesus Christ chose to come down from Heaven to become man. He was born of humble surroundings to a humble virgin of a humble family. The Lord Jesus Christ humbly came to serve, to preach, to teach, to heal, and to save the lost. He endured ridicule, accusations of blasphemy, nails driven through his wrists and feet, and shamefulness as outer clothing was publicly taken from His Holy Body. The Lord Jesus Christ's closest male companions all, but one ran away rather than defend His Righteousness. This humble man would rise on the third day as an untouchable being. The Lord Jesus Christ's Holy Ascension would complete the union of God and man.
    "Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.''" (John 20:17).
  2. Pride confused the mighty builders of the Tower of Babel and humility scattered peoples with different languages so they would learn to seek God. After the Great Flood, the whole earth was of one race and one language. They desired to make THEMSELVES one great city with one great tower whose top would reach the heavens. They rationalized that with these accomplishments they would "make a name for THEMSELVES". They had forgotten the name of the Lord their God who had saved only their lineage in the Great Flood.

    Without warning, one solitary shared language changed into multiple incoherent languages. The mightiness of the people was quenched with the inability to communicate and coordinate tasks. The Tower of Babel's top was never raised.
    "So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city and the tower" (Genesis 11:8).
  3. Pride in the disguise of jealousy sold Joseph and humility gained Joseph control of all Egypt's vast resources. Jacob plainly let it be known that Joseph was his favorite son. It became the root of jealousy among his other eleven brothers and they planned to kill him. One man's poor judgment should not be allowed to grow and cultivate within others. The prideful nature of the brothers, rather than humility, took a stronghold among them and they plotted to be rid of him.

    Rather than kill Joseph, the brothers decided upon selling him for twenty pieces of silver to merchants whom would take Joseph to Egypt. Joseph remained humble in Potiphar's house, in jail, and with Pharaoh. He gave God the homage for all his dreams which came to fruition. Only Pharaoh on the throne of Egypt was above Joseph as ruler of Egypt. Even at that, Joseph had the signet ring of Pharaoh carrying his seal in which Joseph was trusted to sign for the king and to seal for the king. Humility made a hurtful, painful family ill deed into a prosperous one. Joseph would later feed his family during famine with the same humility that he rose to power on. Not only would the humbleness of Joseph feed his family, he would provide them with fertile lands in Goshen. Joseph's humbleness not only found favor with Pharaoh but with Jacob his father.
    "Moreover, I have given to you one portion above your brothers; I am giving you Shechem, which I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and bow" (Genesis 48:22).
  4. Pride drowned Pharaoh and humility lifted up the hand of Moses. As Moses led out of Egypt, the six hundred thousand Israelites descended from the seventy who came there with Jacob. Pharaoh and his men realized they would have to perform the tasks of the servants who no longer served them. Desiring to serve no man nor themselves, Pharaoh and his great army with chariots and horsemen went after the Israelites with feverous intent. Moses believed God would help the Israelites all the while knowing without God they had no hopes to fight and win. 

    Moses prayed for God's help. Moses was instructed by God to stretch his staff over the Red Sea. A strong wind burned through the night and the next morning the wind had divided the waters of the turbulent sea. The Israelites walked to the other side of the sea on a dry path. Then the Egyptians, close behind, attempted to follow the dry path of the Israelites. Moses lifted his hand again as directed by the Lord His God and the waters came rushing upon them, not one single Egyptian, horse, or chariot survived. Death served those whom had need of a servant to serve him. Pride drowned a ruler and a mercenary army with the raising of a humble man's arm.
    "So the Lord saved Israel that day from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore" (Exodus 14:30).
  5. Pride transformed Nebuchadnezzar into a wild beast and humility turned a brave widow into a defender of the faith. Nebuchadnezzar sought to demolish all the gods of his lands. He sought to destroy all the people's sacred places so that the all would be forced to worship him only. Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed his divinity boastfully with the titles of "the great king" and "lord of all the earth". He sent out his generals and armies to enforce religious restraint to all but him. In the end it was not Nebuchadnezzar but Judith's hand which was decisive in Whom should be worshipped.

    Judith fasted, prayed, and wore sackcloth and ashes because the Jews had placed all faith in walls and armies against the decree rather than trust in God. As a pious widow strong in faith with no previous training in either warfare or battle strategy she took the head of an Assyrian general and directed all praise to God. Judith, with trust in the help of God, defended a city without an army, military training,, or her own sword.
    "Then she approached the bedpost, near the head of Holofernes. She took out his sword which hung there. She then came closer to the bed, and taking hold of the hair of his head, she said,'O Lord God of Israel, at this moment strengthen me.' Then she struck his neck twice with all her might and cut off his head" (Judith 13 6-8; Orthodox Study Bible).
Many of the desert fathers sought to explain and continually maintain humility due to its essentiality as the cornerstone of all other virtues. Humility is a virtue that must be consciously and unrecognizably acquired rather than taking a few small steps to receive.

Shenouda El-Suriany (Late Bishop Youanis) wrote: "If pride is considered the worst vice, the mother which begets, surrounds, and strengthens many serious sins, then without a doubt humility is the top mothering virtue, which begets virtues and saves many from sins. It is considered the basis of all virtues. Hence, he who masters humility lays a good strong foundation for the building of his spiritual life. It is described by the one of the fathers' as 'The tree of life, whoever eats from it never dies.'" 

No one is exempt from the learning process as evidenced by this monk who dedicated his life to God and denounced the worldly seeking good standing of another.
"A monk once seeking the favor of St. Timothy the hermit said, '"I find that my mind is always with God.' St. Timothy the learned hermit replied, 'Better still is to see you below all creation, as there is no fall from humility.'"
Life's stories and lessons teach us to honor and seek humility. Just as Archangel Michael, Joseph, Moses, and Judith discovered God was with them when they sought Him first and pride last. 

The wise Joshua Ben Sirach said, "Because gold is tested in fire and acceptable men in the furnace of abasement" (Sirach 2:5; Orthodox Study Bible).

May we all seek to achieve undisclosed humility critically testing if we are seeking the Lord whom taught "...learn from Me for I am gentle and lowly in heart..." (Matthew 11:29)

God bless you,
Bishop Youssef
Abbot, St. Mary and St. Moses Abbey

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Some Awesome Quotes--


"The Lord has shown that we cannot have the good work of perfect love if we only love those from whom in turn we know the return of mutual love will be paid in kind.  Hence the Lord wishes us to overcome the common law of human love by the law of Gospel love, so that we may show the affection of our love not only toward those who love us but even toward our enemies."

  - St. Chromatius of Aquileia (d. 406)

"It is certainly a finer and more wonderful thing to change the mind of enemies to another way of thinking than to kill them... The mystery [of the Eucharist] requires that we should be innocent not only of violence but of all enmity, however slight, for it is the mystery of peace."

  - St. John Chrysostom (347 - 407)


Saturday, June 15, 2013

" Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer " Documentary--

Here we have an excellent movie on prayer & meditation. More specifically, the "Jesus Prayer." It is a prayer of the Eastern Orthodox & Eastern Catholic faith's. Thousands of monks & priests have been saying this prayer since who-knows-when! It is an ancient prayer, and a simple one. "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen." There is also a great book that recently came out that is kind of the same thing as this movie. It's an interesting read.

THE BRETHREN: A Documentary About the World's Northernmost Orthodox Monastery--



Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery. Meditation time, solitude & prayers. I love this kind of stuff. One day I just may take monastic vows. I've been celibate for basically three years now, live simply & modestly, eat very little, & I don't own expensive, flashy things....Unless books, magazines, and fanzines count as "flashy!" I try to love. I try not to belittle and hurt people. Do I fall short? Yes, of course, everyday, every minute, all the time. I'm a puny human. But I'm also a child of God. I have a purpose, a reason, and a RIGHT to be here. I try to thank God everyday for giving me life. I try my hardest not to kill myself with alcohol & tobacco. I try. All I can do is try. m//r ♥

 

Friday, June 14, 2013

"The Heritage Of St. Paul In Orthodox Spirituality Pt. 1: A Word from the Holy Fathers"


Here we have a link to a great podcast from Ancient Faith Radio, one of my favorite Eastern Orthodox websites/podcasts/internet radio stations.   "A.F.R." has sooooo many GREAT shows & podcasts! 
Get into it! ♥ m//r

"The Heritage Of St. Paul In Orthodox Spirituality Part 1: A Word from the Holy Fathers" via Ancient Faith Radio--(link)

Friday, May 31, 2013

" Diadochos of Photiki: Philosophical Poems & Quotes " This Is Great!--


A fantastic site I found with extensive quotes & information from Holy Masters. Lots of great quotes from wise Christian hermits, Buddhist monks, and Hindu holy men. This is most certainly not dedicated to any one spiritual tradition, as it encompasses wisdom from all of the world's great traditions!  Loving it! ♥♥♥ m//r


Diadochos of Photiki: Philosophical Poems & Quotes (link)

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Some New Books I'm Currently Reading ( May/June )


"We've Never Been Alone: A History of Extraterrestrial Intervention"

  -by Paul Von Ward

"Mind Programming: From Persuasion & Brainwashing to Self-Help & Practical Metaphysics"
  -by Eldon Taylor

"The Gnostic Mystery"
  -by Randy Davila
"Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, & the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind"
  -by E.L. Mayer, Ph.D.

"A Thousand Splendid Suns"  (by the guy who wrote "The Kiterunner")
  -by Khaled Hosseini

"Gnosis of the Cosmic Christ: A Gnostic Christian Kabbalah"
  -by Tau Malachi

"Teachings of the Christian Mystics"
  edited by Andrew Harvey
"Orthodoxy & the Religion of the Future"
  -by Fr. Seraphim Rose

"Brave New World"  (a classic I am revisiting!)
  -by Aldous Huxley

"The Alien Abduction Files: The Most Startling Cases of Human-Alien Contact Ever Reported"
  -by Kathleen Marden & Denise Stoner

"Navigating the Out of Body Experience: Radical New Techniques"
  -by Graham Nicholls

"Killing Jesus: The Unknown Conspiracy Behind the World's Most Famous Execution"
  -by Stephen Mansfield

"The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil"
  -by Philip Zimbardo

"Grey Wolf: The Escape of Adolf Hitler"
  -by S. Dunstan & G. Williams

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

"The Most Holy Theotokos" by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo - Byzantine Seminary Press


Here's a quick link to a book I think will be interesting. I can never read or hear enough about the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, my Mother, & the Most Holy Theotokos. "Theotokos" is a Greek word that means, "bearer of God." In the Eastern Orthodox & Eastern Catholic churches, Mary is called Theotokos. I think it's a beautiful word! I will most likely order this book this week (last week of May), but I am already about sixty books in the hole. Meaning I have around sixty books on my shelves that I haven't even read yet! Yikes!!! OK everyone, remember to TRY to love on another & TRY to take care of one another. Peace.

>>The Most Holy Theotokos by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo (link to the Byzantine Seminary Press)