tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718171739088568902.post5659942620242417967..comments2017-04-19T17:12:29.432-04:00Comments on Discernland: Lectio 10/4/07 Frank's Feast day, love dem doggies!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06046905136842863354noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718171739088568902.post-55220928384046500612007-10-09T21:59:00.000-04:002007-10-09T21:59:00.000-04:00on the lines of spiritual direction and therapy--i...on the lines of spiritual direction and therapy--it has recently become very clear to me that a good spiritual director is quite a rare thing these days, which may be why we have such a need for therapists. <BR/><BR/>Have you seen the books on Orthodox Psychotherapy by Archimandrite Hierotheos Vlachos? You have one of his books, "Night in the Desert on the Holy Mountain" concerning the Jesus Prayer--it also gets into this subject and the way the Orthdox view the Geronda or Staretz as Psychotherapist--but in an augmented way.Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448016845428568421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718171739088568902.post-16042522734543181032007-10-09T19:44:00.000-04:002007-10-09T19:44:00.000-04:00What silence! as our Unknown Friend would put it. ...What silence! as our Unknown Friend would put it. Fun to consider the word illumination. We shed a light, the light, into the dark recesses. Wake up those dirty dogs, dem boys are up, and now they are mad and hungry!<BR/><BR/>Through all this, lectio and discernment, I've made arrangements to continue the inner work. I want to get a spiritual director, but in the meantime I've gotten a therapist which is an interesting relationship. More later.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046905136842863354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718171739088568902.post-64242932869666035802007-10-08T21:03:00.000-04:002007-10-08T21:03:00.000-04:00Also...this entire journey you are on is about sac...Also...this entire journey you are on is about sacred listening which is at the heart of lectio. How does one listen without the feelings? It would be very strange indeed! Its almost as if you are outside of the doors of the sanctuary of catacomb +Christianity, as an Auditor again before becoming a Catechumen and then one of the Faithful. This could temper your experience of lectio and keep it within the framework of illumination--bringing to light more of those sleeping dogs in the shadows or those beautiful geodes beneath the crust. <BR/> Again, Union is something else entirely. Not higher or deeper, in my opinion--but something where feelings and listening simply cease. Eckhart called it super-essential darkness. Mechtild of Magdeburg called it the abysmal love. <BR/>There isn't the typical silence where one is waiting on a word or something else to happen--there is simply SILENCE! Louder than bombs.Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448016845428568421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718171739088568902.post-82550439955544213152007-10-08T20:46:00.000-04:002007-10-08T20:46:00.000-04:00I like this beginning discussion, even though I'm ...I like this beginning discussion, even though I'm several days late!<BR/><BR/>Lectio, for me, has always fit into the ancient, Three-fold method of prayer rather nicely. I've always considered it to be predominately a form of illumination. In other words, during lectio--we listen, we look inwardly, we are very receptive. Feelings are ABSOLUTELY involved in lectio. I was just talking with Br. Cassian (Holy Spirit Monastery) about how the heart speaks during lectio and directs us to our conscience. <BR/> It CAN, however, lead one into Union (not that these are water-tight compartments) Once the word or words penetrates deeply enough--then yes, feelings are gone because YOU as a separate ego are gone. It seems to me that this is a matter of degree of contemplation. Illumination has things to tell us, teach us, inform us of--whereas Union is more apophatic and words, feelings, etc. become clumsy. Thus, the stoic, Zen like talk. <BR/><BR/>What ye think?Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448016845428568421noreply@blogger.com