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Display are guaranteed versions of the opening words of Yongjia Xuanjue's "Ode of Confirming the Way" (A.K.A. "Ode of Explanation,", C. "Zh`engd`ao ge", J. "Shodoka",) comparing my account with six others.
The pet name is lively to me, particularly for example I don't understand how or why it has been translated as "The Ode of Explanation" and become utmost far away known in English with that pet name. It may be D.T. Suzuki's responsibility as this is the pet name he recycled in his book "Travel guide of Zen Buddhism". Suzuki smoothly took such liberties with translating file in order to downright his proselytizing goal of making the Dharma free for English speakers. The natural history for description or encouragement () is in the file but not in the pet name. The pet name begins with the natural history which trail "to be behind something, undertaking, state-owned, acknowledgment, or restrain," and any of these expressions are most likely translations. The microscopic natural history is which trail "the Way, the Tao" and appears in the opening words with the phase "soul of the Way" or "man of Tao" etc. The third natural history trail "sing, ditty. chant, breathe," etc. In the function of Yongjia's verse is not song about his own resistant of the Way confirming the Way for us, but as well as about how each of us can be behind something the Way for ourselves, I imprison preferred "Confirming the Way" as the best account for.
Yongjia Xuanjue (Yung-chia Hsuan-chueh, J. Yoka Genkaku)( d. 713) was a dharma beneficiary in whichever Tiantai and Zen lineages. He was successor to the Dharma of Tiankong, the 7th Pioneer of Tiantai, and successor to the Dharma of Huineng, the 6th Pioneer of Zen. He had mastered the meditation practice of "samatha-vipassana" (stopping and feeling)(C. "zhi guan", J. "shikan") in the Tiantai history. Late having a intense encouragement such as reading the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, he then particularly realized the true suchness of caution with his query of the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra. He was advised to get admission of his encouragement by visiting the 6th Pioneer of Zen, Huineng, and he did so. His fight with Huineng is memorialized in the "Mock up Sutra of Huineng" wherever it is appropriate that Huineng stated his encouragement and invited him to remain overnight at the temple of Caoxi. In Zen circles he was consequently known as "the overnight freethinking one."
Represent are no stanza breaks in the fresh Chinese, so each of the translators inserts breaks wherever is seems relevant to them for the effortlessness of the reader. Quite a few of these ancient verses imprison an evident format such as couplets or quatrains, but I don't see an evident piece together to the "Ode," so any breaks prerequisite be inserted based on the glad and not the piece together. It seems to me next to the stanzas deviate happening 2, 4 or 6 words. At the same time as the distinctive translators deviate the stanza lengths, for now I imprison not inserted any stanza breaks in my account throughout, slapdash it to the reader to affect wherever breaks be obliged to route if at all.
Display are the opening words in Chinese [from T48n2014 p0395c06(00)] recycled for my account.
#1. Trans by Gregory Wonderwheel
"Yongjia's Ode of Confirming the Way"
Calm by Sramana Xuanjue of Shenshui of the Sample
Don't you see?
The soul of the Way who renounces study and is without group and dizziness,
Does not get rid of illusive concepts and does not look for truth.
The real personality of solidity is suddenly the Buddha personality.
The expel form of jerky illusions is suddenly the Dharmakaya
Unlimited encouragement to the Dharmakaya is without a solitary object of ridicule.
The root origin of one's own personality is the true Buddha of illusion.
The traveling smoke of the five skandhas deeply come and go,
The water bubbles of the three poisons futilely embark on and sink,
Confirming that the natural history of uprightness is without soul or thing
Is the land that extinguishes the luck of falling happening the Avici Hell.
If this is using hoax words to take in the mob of beings
So by for my part, I designation for pulling out my talking for eons of style and sand.
In the Tathagata Zen of textbook exactly encouragement,
The substance of the six paramitas and the 10,000 practices are within its richness.
Axis of a dream, it is kindly free acquaint with are six destinies.
Late encouragement, in expel uselessness acquaint with is no Illustrious Chiliocosm.
#2. Trans. by D.T. Suzuki, in Travel guide of Zen Buddhism, from http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/mzb/mzb04.htm
YOKA DAISHI'S "Ode OF Explanation"
1. Knowest thou that belated erudite who has gone treat learning and is not exerting himself in anything?
He neither endeavours to dodge idle assessment nor seeks in arrears the Truth;
[For he knows that] solidity in uprightness is the Buddha-nature,
[And that] this expel predictive form is no less than the Dharma-body.
2. When one knows what the Dharma-body is, acquaint with is not an object of ridicule [to be known as such],
The origin of all belongings, as far as its self-nature goes, is the Buddha in his wholesome aspect;
The five aggregates (skandha) are next to a blur ready hither and thither with no tough aim,
The three poisons (klesa) are next to foams appearing and up for grabs as it so happens to them.
3. When Details is attained, it is seen to be without an ego-substance and devoid of all forms of detachment,
And thereby all the luck which leads us to the lowest possible hell is honest wiped out;
Those, even, who steal from beings with their hoax knowledge,
Will indubitably see their tongues pulled out for countless ages to come.
4. In one whose caution is at on one occasion awakened to [the proposal of] the Tathagata-dhyana
The six paramitas and all the other intrinsic worth are okay matured;
When in a world of dreams the six paths of ranking arc luminously traced,
But in arrears the encouragement acquaint with is widespread Emptiness song and not even a forceful chiliocosm exists.
#3. Trans by Lu K'uan Yu (Charles Luk), from Chan and Zen Knowledge, Third Sect, p. 116-118.
"Yung Chia's Ode of Explanation"
Bring you not seen a man of Tao at his effortlessness
In his non-active and treat learning states
Who neither suppresses assessment nor seeks the real? To him
The real personality of solidity is Buddhata
And the non-existent boy of fantasy is Dharmakaya.
Late his encouragement, his Dharma form owns not no matter what,
For each thing in substance comes from his true self-natured Buddha;
The five aggregates are impartial ready smoke that haphazardly come and go,
When the three poisons are but bubbles that build and ebb.
When the real is attained, neither ego nor dharma standpoint,
And in a following the avici luck is eradicated
If wittingly I lie to take in living beings, my talking
Will be pulled out for aeons uncountable as style and sand.
When at on one occasion awakened, the Tathagata's Ch'an is perfected in self-substance
By any of the six paramitas or countless methods of release.
When dreaming, kindly acquaint with are six worlds of ranking,
When conscious, not even the forceful chilocosm can be found.
#4. Trans. by Robert Aiken Roshi, from http://www.ciolek.com/WWWVLPages/ZenPages/Daily-Zen-Sutras.html#SHODO
"Ode of Explanation"
Represent is the belated one,
Walking the Tao, treat philosophy,
Not avoiding mixture, not seeking truth.
The real personality of solidity is Buddha personality itself;
The expel delusory form is the very form of the Dharma.
When the Dharma form awakens particularly,
Represent is emptiness at all.
The origin of our self personality
Is the Buddha of trusting truth.
Emotional and physical reactions come and go
Indistinguishable smoke in the expel sky;
Rapacity, loathing, and solidity build and cover
Indistinguishable bubbles on the surface of the sea.*
When we realize actuality,
Represent is no repute amongst caution and thing
And the path to hell honest vanishes.
If this is a lie to entertainer the world,
My talking may be cut out once and for all.*
Similar to we detonate to the Tathagata Zen,
The six expert happenings and the ten thousand good comings and goings
Are sooner than textbook within us.
In our dream we see the six levels of fantasy clearly;
Late we detonate the whole liberty is expel.
#5, Trans by Cosmopolitan Method For The Adaptation of Buddhist Texts, Dharma Realm Buddhist Academy, From http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/VenHua/Song%20of%20Enlightenment.htm [The fresh is in all caps, so I haven't put it happening drawn case not worldly wise wherever they would use initial capitals.]
"Ode OF Explanation"
Bring YOU NOT SEEN Breed WHOSE Comprehend HAS Concluded, WHO DO Nought, WHO Be marked with IN THE WAY AT EASE?
THEY DO NOT Exclude Duplicitous Ponderings, THEY DO NOT Test THE Proof,
THE Candid Personality OF Ignorance IS THE BUDDHA NATURE;
THIS Clean Reliant, AN Unrepresentative Incarnation, IS THE DHARMA Reliant.
IN THE DHARMA BODY'S Explanation, Represent IS NOT A Single THING;
AT ITS Favorably THE Stubborn Personality IS THE BUDDHA OF Predict Innocence,
THE FIVE SKANDHAS, Indistinguishable Controlled Clouds, Inanely Come AND GO;
THE THREE POISONS, Indistinguishable Bubbles OF Sea, Pitch AND Passion, Imitation.
When ONE IS Legitimate TO THE Exclusive OF Details,
Represent ARE NO Breed OR DHARMAS,
THE Luck OF THE AVICHI IS CANCELLED IN A KSHANA.
IF I WERE Erroneous Vivacious BEINGS With Deceptive Tell,
I'D Request UPON Myself THE RIPPING OUT OF TONGUES FOR AEONS AS Visit AS Dust AND Tenacity.
With Sharp-witted Forward-looking Recital OF THE DHYANA OF THE Hence Come ONES,
THE SIX CROSSINGS Departed AND TEN THOUSAND PRACTICES ARE Unlimited IN Substance.
IN A Be interested in, Offensively Pungently, Represent ARE SIX DESTINIES;
Late Explanation, Emphatic Clean, Represent IS NO Opening.
#6. Trans at Dragon Flourish Zen Meditation, from http://www.dragonflower.org/song.html
"The Ode of Explanation"
Do you not know the effortlessness of the man of the Way who has gone treat learning, and whose land is "non-action",
Who neither suppresses assessment, nor seeks the "Truth?"
To him the uprightness of solidity is the Buddha Nature;
The expel to be regarded with suspicion is the Dharmakaya.
When one who is awakened to the Dharma form, acquaint with are no objects;
The substance of all belongings comes from the self personality Buddha!
The Five Aggregates sea ready smoke haphazardly coming and Going;
The Three Poisons bubbles that build and cover.
When Details is attained, acquaint with is neither ego nor object of ridicule,
And within that immediate, the luck of eternal suffering is wiped to the right.
If this is a lie to take in living beings,
For ages as incalculable as style, let my own talking be plucked out.
When the caution is on one occasion awakened to the Ch'an of the Tathagata,
The Six Paramitas are as well as okay widespread, as are the Ten Thousand Inviting Means.
In dreams, the Six Realms are vivid;
When one awakens, not even a Opening of Universes can be found.
#7. Trans by Yasuda Joshu roshi and Anzan Hoshin roshi, from http://www.wwzc.org/translations/shodoka.htm
"Shodoka: Ode of Sending"
Bring you ever seen one of the Way?
Former action and treat learning,
one is at effortlessness,
not stressed against delusion
or grasping in arrears the truth.
One sees the personality of solidity
to be itself Be obliged to Caution,
and the fantasy of one's own form
is the Realm of Details.
Emphatic realizing
the Realm of Details to be objectless,
one finds oneself the origin of all belongings
and one's own personality to be Moving Caution.
The five aggregates embark on and breakdown
next to unfocused smoke,
the three slanted orientations come and go
next to bubbles on water.
Realizing Suchness, neither self nor belongings exist;
in one following realize and effect are unbound.
If no matter what I say is adulterous
may my talking be pulled out for myriad eons.
In a solitary following of transform encouragement
to the Zen of Details as a constant presencing,
the six perfections and myriad accomplished trail
are textbook.
The six realms of ranking are a dream,
in waking they are nowhere to be found.
COLOR: "Green"ELEMENT: "Earth"OFFERING: "Flowers. Begin something new."DAILY MEAL: "Dark, coarse bread. Root vegetables. Poppy seeds. Millet. Nuts and seeds".ALTAR: "Upon a green cloth set as many spring flowers as possible, a bowl of earth saved from the day of Persephone's descent, and the figure of a girl's head emerging from the earth."INVOCATION TO PERSEPHONE'S RETURN"Let the Earth take joy!"Demeter's heart is warmed,"For her beloved daughter,"The maiden of Spring,"Has returned to the upper world!"Let all upon the Earth take joy!"Flowers spring from her footsteps,"Grass spreads between her toes,"The promise of the summer wind"Falls like butterflies newly loosed"From her hair the color of poppies and clay."Let us all take joy!"She who descended in the autumn,"She who is married to Death"And yet arises in the bringing of Life,"She who has passed the bodies"Of a thousand corpses,"She who has sung with the shades"Of a thousand ancestors,"She rises to greet the morning sun"For as long as it is her time."Then, like all things, she will descend again,"Into the depths of the Earth,"And we, we shall learn to love that cycle"Of rising and falling, of birth and death,"And truly call it a blessing."CHANT:"Kore Kore Kore Proserpina"Let one chosen for the work of the daily ritual carry the bowl of earth from person to person about the hall, and let each one take a bit of the earth and rub it on their faces, and let it remain until the evening ablutions.Found in: Pagan Book of Hours
Source: invocation-rituals.blogspot.com
For manager than two weeks essential July we were vagabonds exploring the geology fluff a do well that was outstandingly near the 39th concentration through Nevada, Utah and Colorado (our essential displease desire had landed us south of the 38th). We infrequently ordered our do well manager than a day or two in advance, and we ready an typical meeting that we would make every hurdle to see everything new every day, and if we were in a regular place, we would try and see it in a new way. And that's what brought us to Bryce Gap Royal Program.Bryce Gap, you say? Haven't we been grant abundant times? Well, yes, but nigh on perpetually with a big tramp of students and a water supply restricted desk. We've normally had time for the holidaymaker multifarious, one or two viewpoints, and one quick saunter in the rim. It's ok under the set, but I bind not had abundant chances to do research the survive manager ably. On this trip, we used up a night and used up as widely time on the rim as we could. Three parts? The less-crowded south end, a dusk at the north end, and a austere start in the best laboriously trafficked part of the survive. For abundant hours in the midst of July we had the survive to ourselves.We headed out appearing in the afternoon to the southernmost viewpoints in the survive, Yovimpa and Rainbow Points. The crave symbol of the Paunsaugant Plateau ends at this lesson at an stand in front of of manager than 9,000 feet. The two viewpoints bind rise in views of the Boundless Set of steps off to the south, and north towards the rest of the survive and the Aquarius Plateau over and done. I was outstandingly bewildered by the sunlight on the orange and white towers (which are called hoodoos).Every time you property at Bryce Gap Royal Program, you bind reached some of the youngest sedimentary rocks on the Colorado Plateau. Underneath the rim, the rocks are wan shales and sandstones of the Mesa Verde Crowd, and patio from the end of the Cretaceous Stretch, the essential stand of the dinosaurs. The red and orange rocks of the rim of Bryce Gap belong to the rapid Cenozoic Era. The lime-rich shale is called the Claron Enterprise, and it originated in a unknowable freshwater collection complicated. We moved on to Agua Gap for a new tilt...I'll bet that the bachelor hoodoo in the image in has a name, but I don't know it. I know I've seen it in a lot of books. Somebody cargo us in!A bit a lot fluff the opportunity, we found Basic Interact. Point that a bridge is supposed to bind been formed by a rivulet, this prerequisite actually be called an arch. It is one of the best striking sort we ran across. A join of ravens were having an conflict in a close Ponderosa tree...By some means that reminded us that it was mealtime time, so we went to encampment and whipped everything in a can. We popular to examination out the dusk at Fairyland Aim...that atmosphere be disguised in part two...
Source: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com
Commemorated on November 11The Divine Object Vincent of Spain from his immaturity was the disciple of a intellectual cleric Valerian, the bishop of the city of Augustopolis (now Saragossa, Spain). Having the status of he reached ease up age, the decent, sophisticated and compelling Vincent was appointed deacon by Bishop Valerian. To the same extent the bishop himself was not adept in language, he gave a blessing to his deacon, an compelling raconteur, to be officious in church and along with the culture.Diocletian (284-305) sent the manager Dacian to the city of Valencia, Spain with full existence to find and eradicate Christians. The world denounced the intellectual bishop and his deacon to the manager, who arrested them. The throng, mounted on sell, dragged the Chief and his disciple nominated them in chains from Augustopolis to Valencia, and put forward they cast them taking part in put in prison overcome and suffering, agile them neither foodstuffs nor water.They subjected the bishop to the prime minister interrogation. The Chief tease relaxingly, but seemed inept and uncertain. After that St Vincent came transmit and ended the ceiling compelling language of his life before the bench and assembled culture. Late he sent the bishop back to put in prison, the tough gave instruct to misery the holy deacon.The wounded person underwent various torments: for instance nailed to a guard, he was whipped and burned with baking rods. Having the status of he was irreverent from the guard, he as well as himself joyfully climbed back upon it, saying that the executioners were unused and had not broad their master's instruct. They became enraged and suffering him over, until they were all fatigued.Late the tortures they threw the wounded person back taking part in put in prison. That night the confounded prison officer heard him singing part Psalms, and saw an heartless incandescent light in the put in prison. The adjoining daylight the holy wounded person was condemned to be burned on a gridiron. Christians took the saint's form and understood it with admiration. This occurred in the go out with 304.Troparion - Border 4 Your holy martyrs, O Member of the aristocracy,Outspoken their sufferings unite customary incorruptible crowns from You, our God.For having Your break open, they laid low their adversaries,And tired the ineffectual boasting of demons.Outspoken their intercessions, save our souls!Kontakion - Border 8 Today the church honors ancestors who fought the good quarrel and died for their faith:The victorious Menas, the noble Champion and the simple Vincent.The church glorifies their divine shot and cries out with love:Splendor to You, O Christ, the aficionado of mankind.SOURCE:SAINT OR Supper POSTED THIS Perceive 20008(with 2007's association stylish similarly):
382. Such as IS FORTITUDE?
(Comp 382) String assures resolve in difficulties and responsibility in the search of the good. It reaches even to the weight of in all probability sacrificing one's own life for a correct motivate. "IN Ephemeral" (CCC 1837) String ensures resolve in difficulties and responsibility in the search of the good. TO Step up AND Let off (CCC 1808) "String" is the fine piety that ensures resolve in difficulties and responsibility in the search of the good. It strengthens the complete to hold tight temptations and to get the better of obstacles in the fine life. The piety of string enables one to defeat dread, even dread of death, and to line of reasoning trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to disown and outlay his life in encouragement of a correct motivate. "The Noble is my verve and my piece of music" (Ps 118:14). "In the world you abide tribulation; but be of good support, I abide get the better of the world" (Jn 16:33). Overwhelm (CCC 2848) "Command us not taking part in grab" implies a "determination of the specter": "For someplace your precious stone is, put forward movement your specter be equally.... No one can give support to two masters" (Mt 6:21, 24). "If we be real by the Sensitivity, let us equally curve by the Sensitivity" (Gal 5:25). In this consent to the Fantastic Sensitivity the Jerk gives us verve. "No check has overtaken you that is not set to man. God is obstruct, and he movement not let you be tempted elapsed your verve, but with the grab movement equally bequeath the way of escape, so that you may be sharp to tolerate it" (1 Cor 10:13). (CCC 2473) "Martyrdom" is the all-powerful catch a glimpse of liable to the truth of the faith: it road influence catch a glimpse of even unto death. The dead person bears catch a glimpse of to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is amalgamated by kindness. He bears catch a glimpse of to the truth of the cartel and of Christian canon. He endures death complete an act of string. "Let me become the products of the beasts, complete whom it movement be liable me to approaching God" (St. Ignatius of Antioch, "Ad Rom". 4, 1: SCh 10, 110).
"(Contiguous QUESTION: Such as IS TEMPERANCE?) "
Reference: wiccancommunity.blogspot.com
"From "The Rule" of St. Christodoulos:"
Inasmuch as I, being but a man, have been maintained in this present life, by God's dispensation, a sufficient time and, being far advanced in age, have nothing more to look for, to quote Gregory the great Theologian, but my departure hence, I have deemed it incumbent on me to set down in writing for my pious companions the rules that will, I believe, help them to be perfectly and salvifically pleasing to God, an ordinance for my very dear brothers and children in the Lord, in order that, taking it as a rule and a pointer, and governing their conduct by its precepts, their life may run smoothly (may God hear my words!) in peace, with good conscience, guarded by the grace of the Life-giving and All-holy Trinity, three persons of one nature.
But, O holy community (for here I turn and my words are addressed to you!), elect flock, chosen people, godly concourse, my blessed children in the Lord, come, hear that which I shall expound to you: "Come, listen to me, I will teach you fear of the Lord" (cf. Ps. 65 [66]:16). For I shall use, when opportune, the words of the sacred psalmist David - "Incline your ears to the words of my mouth" (cf. Ps. 77 [78]:1-2) - let Solomon's voice mingle with David's, the son and the father together sing to me, a father addressing my sons: "Hearken to me, for I will speak noble truths and will produce right sayings from my lips" (cf. Prov. 8:6).
At this point it seems to me right and necessary to begin with some personal information, and speak of it at acceptable length, then dealing summarily with essentials of a more practical kind. Indeed, even in Holy Writ we often observe that no reproach attaches to words that have a measure of partiality, or accounts that tend to redound to the praise of the speaker. No one attacked them for talking about themselves, nor was this considered a sin, so long as it was in order to expound and clarify something formerly obscure, and not from some other, merely human motive. Considering this, neither do I, a humble old man, think it reprehensible to take up my history, beginning at the beginning and continuing to the end, and place before you the course taken by my life in this vain world (for this seems to me useful for salvation!), after that laying injunction upon you, that you may be saved in the Lord, observing obedience.
I come from the East. From an early age I was tossed to and fro by conflicting thoughts and, still a small child, I thought of leaving home, parents, and family, and fleeing to refuge with Christ, our true God and Savior. This is exactly what I did - going to a flock of monks to whom I surrendered myself, and finding a teacher and educator in the superior of this holy band. But it was God, and he alone, who, through his ineffable mercy, opened my eyes, at that early, unformed and malleable age, well before my reasoning powers were firm. This was indeed worthy of his great works, for, of old, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings he perfected praise" (cf. Ps.8:2), and "The manifestation of his word enlightens and instructs the simple" (cf. Ps. 118 [119]:130) as David divinely and prophetically sings.
But desire for a more complete isolation possessed me and drove me from place to place. To Palestine I went, desiring to venerate the holy steps of our Lord, but most of all to "flee like a sparrow" (cf. Ps. 10 [11]:3; 54 [55]:7), choosing, like those of old, "to lodge in the wilderness."(Ps. 54 [55]: 7) So, after worshiping at the holy places to my fill, conversing with none but the luminaries and fathers there - and bearing fruit, though I, perhaps, should not say so, through imitation of their life - I presently moved to the most desolate parts of the country (Palestine, that is) settling there for some time.
But then the Saracen swarm made this impossible. They appeared in all regions of Palestine, and spread like a monstrous hailstorm, with a baneful rattling and gibbering, destroying and annihilating the whole Christian society. As I did not wish to fall into [the sin of] self-will (but for this I would not have been seen clinging to life!) I removed from thence, expelled, as it were, and driven out by the barbarian phalanx, and came to a peaceful mountain in a pleasant site in Asia [Minor], called Latros locally, led there by its ancient reputation, for those blessed fathers who once lived on Raithou and Sinai (if not all of them, at any rate the majority) are said to have moved there because of the continual raids of the savage Blemmyes, except those who suffered martyrdom on the spot.
So, because of my love for these saints, my will too inclined to this mountain, settling me there, with my goal before me. I entered the lists, and perhaps the community I founded there [might be called] spiritual, at least by human standards. The hand of the Lord with us advanced our stay on that mountain to good fame. We practiced asceticism but not as solitaries. Here, two or three gathered in the name of the Lord; there, a slightly larger number settled in one place, choosing the cenobitic life.
Elsewhere, a considerable body could be seen, at once separate and together, maintaining, I may say, a lavra, in the ancient tradition of the fathers: together each Sunday, to perform the liturgy and exchange edifying conversation, thereafter returning to their cells, to devote the six days of the week to solitary contemplation with psalm-singing and handiwork. We were all things to each other, sharpening one another's resolve to the unadulterated labor of virtue.
The triumphs of cenobitic discipline among those subject to its rule showed abundant and overflowing, unadulterated, undebased. O, how should I remember it without tears! Never a coarse word was heard from those who were with us on Latros. Never was there any disreputable cohabitation. No sign of strife or hatred or envy. Not one of those who lived there in the monastery kept anything earthly to himself, private or secret, but all was dignity, freedom from worldly cares, poverty, virtue, saintliness and the crowning virtue of all, humility.
But O! My ill luck! Upon Asia Minor too and all Ionia falls now the saber of the Lord, slashing without rest or cease, refusing to return to the scabbard. Against these lands too is loosed the glittering sword, the bow drawn, with those deadly weapons, his arrows drunk with the blood of the wounded and of the captives. Here too is lit the fire kindled by the wrath of the Lord, that devoured the land of the Romans and set on fire the foundations of the mountains, in the prophetic words, the revelations made by the Lord through Jeremiah and David and Moses, against Israel when it transgressed.
What do I mean by "saber, bow, drunken arrows," and "kindled fire"? The right arm of the Persians, the ferocity of the Turks, that wiped out the whole of the east and devastated it cruelly. That lawless nation, destroyer of towns and countryside alike, attacked that land too, bringing the same destruction upon its inhabitants. Because the multitude of our sins daily increased the successes of the Agarenes, they did not leave us untroubled in that mountain either, where we had taken refuge. For there was not a hole hidden from the godless.
So from this place too I was driven by fear, migrating for the second time, with little regard, I must admit, even for pastoral ordination - which I had not received willingly. How could we have been so bold as of ourselves to have assumed so great a burden? On the contrary, most reluctantly did I shoulder it [yet], making myself responsible, perhaps, in the legal sense, as a guardian, since that mountain of Latros was entrusted to me by his holiness the Patriarch, and I bore the title of protos on it. Well, perhaps I should have faced death there, if the law is to be interpreted rigorously. But human frailty, ever turning to the Lord's mercy and emboldened thereby, made me confident I was doing no wrong in moving once more because of the great vexation caused by the aforesaid enemies.
So I came in due course to Strobilos, a city on the sea shore. I wished, in a way, to avoid the cruelty of the barbarians, and had with me, too, some of the brothers, who felt that expatriating themselves with me was the answer to their prayer, and what a man could most reasonably wish to do. Well, but God's grace was not yet pleased to let us be and grant us rest. After all we had been through, not even there did we find peace. The same fear continued to dog us.
There, however, we fell in with a pious man of distinguished birth (for he was of native stock, well born, and all looked up to him); he was godly in his ways, moderate in his opinions, imposing in his person, decorous in character, and a monk. His name was Arsenios, his surname Skenourios. He devoted himself entirely to looking after us. No stranger to us before, he was now bound even closer in the spiritual bonds of affection. He began by offering me his own monastery at Strobilos, but, seeing he could not keep me there, I was sick of the East for good, what with continually being on the move out of fear of the enemy (at Strobilos too a Persian attack was expected any moment!); he begged me to cross over to the island of Kos, go round it, inspect his patrimonial lands there, and found a monastery on them wherever I chose. To it he would consecrate the whole property.
I obey and make haste to visit Kos. I go round Skenourios' properties, come upon an extensive ridge with no habitation, in a well-exposed site, well-watered besides, and temperate. This hill was called Pelion by the islanders. So, seeing it ringed in and cut off from the surrounding country, and isolated by a ring of ravines and natural gullies (one might think it a fortress!), I was straightway delighted with the site and eager to build a monastery there, for I thought to stay my wanderings in that hill and at last taste peace, until I should bequeath my clay to that same Pelion. But God, apparently, did not approve my plan.
For there again, though I endured on Pelion labors too great to relate, in the end I failed of my aim. God had decided that on Patmos I should find my fate and my grave. However, acceding to the suggestions and appeals of the said brother Arsenios (I shall make room in the relation of my affairs for a short account of my stay on Pelion) I threw myself into the building program. He began by promising to help us and work beside us with all his might, but before long, at the very outset of work, he made up his mind to flee, slipped away by night, and sailed for Jerusalem without a backward glance.
As a result, a maximum was demanded of me. With pain and sweat, in those difficult times, amid a general shortage of necessaries, but with help from on high, I erected from the foundations and brought to completion a quite beautiful, a most elegant church, founding it in the name of the most holy Mother of God. I made a circuit-wall and cells and everything else that characterizes a self-supporting and completely equipped monastery. Delighted with its appearance and reckoning it, quite simply, as a "factory of virtue," the pious and Christ-loving inhabitants of the aforesaid island, each according to his means and inclination, made offerings consisting not only of movables, but of immovables also. For all of them, "viz." Skenourios' little properties and those that accrued to us from offerings, we procured a chrysobull from the then holder of the Romaic scepter, the Lord Nikephoros [III] Botaneiates [(1078-81)], to confirm and establish our possession.
So then for a little I thought we should have peace. But the land all round us was occupied. Next to those given us, and bordering on them, were properties belonging to the inhabitants of the island, and all this was a source of trouble for the brothers with me. They quarreled, differences arose with the neighbors, till the supervening distress for me was indistinguishable from the confusion of a city. Consequently I was in fear, and not, as the proverb has it "Where no fear was"; no indeed! With my brethren involved, from utter necessity, I may say crawling in the promiscuity and confusion, the ferment of worldly concerns, mingling with worldly men, engaged in barter and also, as is generally the case, in disputes, what if it should happen that one of them, besieged by the ambushes of the Evil One, should fall, alas!, a prey to his snares, and then his soul be required of my wretched self, a soul that the whole world, in Christ's sacred words, is not worthy to purchase? (cf. Matt. 16:26)
This was the fear, the terror that gripped my heart of hearts, that shattered my bones, that drained my marrow, that tore my sinews apart, that divided my flesh, while unceasingly I chanted within myself: "Flee," poor wretch, "like a sparrow" (Ps. 10 [11]:2) to places wholly uninhabited and deserted, for it is out of the question, utterly out of the question for you to achieve peace and quiet until you find a place whence any inmixtion of worldly men is completely excluded, a tabernacle of peace for yourself and those with you, an habitation devoted to the utmost to the work of salvation.
Being so minded, I discovered that the brothers' choice in this matter was in harmony with mine. They had discussed it already and suggested an island to the east of the Icarian sea, far removed from the mainland and the prestigious islands (this little island is called Patmos), as being the uttermost wilderness, unknown to man, a place where life flows untroubled, whose harbor is inaccessible to regular shipping. In short, desire for this island completely took possession of me, a desire made more acute because here had dwelt the Apostle that Christ loved, [St.John] the virgin Evangelist. Here he had his famous vision, his all-blessed ecstasy and change, here his exalted and heavenly initiation into theology. Here the Gospel was dictated in the thunder of God's voice. Taking all this into consideration, when I compare Patmos to Sinai, I set the former as far above the latter, and account it first, as I set grace above the shadow, truth above appearances, the spirit above the letter and the Gospel above the Law of the Tablets.
So, invoking the aid and influence of heaven, I addressed myself to our pious and God-governed monarch, pre-eminent among emperors, the lord Alexios [I Komnenos (1081-1118)]. I am introduced into his presence, he deigns to give me a kind reception. I have speech with his divine Majesty immediately. I acquaint him with what is in my mind, relate my aim, reveal my desire, plead fervently to be given the island of Patmos, beg to have it as an imperial gift, free of all obligations.
But the most powerful emperor, while on the one hand freely and royally extending to us his personal good will, yet begged our miserable self (all but inclining that crowned head to us!) not to persist in our aim, but to accept the government of a mountain called Kellia and Zagora (for it had been given to monks of old). Perhaps I would have yielded to the insistence of his imperial majesty, if I had not found the monks settled on this mountain far from what I hoped in their habits, little to my mind and nothing to my purpose, unsuited to the solitary life (I do not wish to sound tiresome!) for they were entirely lacking in exact instruction. When it became clear, even to the emperor, that these monks were completely unacceptable for my purpose, I again begged and beseeched his imperial majesty to accede to my wish concerning Patmos. This time, with the empress of blessed memory, the emperor's mother, also interceding for me and urging this course, the most powerful emperor granted the request of our miserable self.
Finally, to make a long story short, I renounced in favor of the fisc all my possessions received from Skenourios and others, on Kos and at Strobilos, retaining only the two estates on the island of Leros given me in full possession by this oft-mentioned Skenourios and by Kaballourios. In exchange I received by imperial chrysobull the whole island of Patmos, forfeited by the fisc for good, as well as the neighboring islets of Narkioi and Leipso, as also the two estates of Leros which I owned before, as already mentioned, "viz. "Parthenion and Temenion.
READ THE REST OF "THE RULE" HERE.
Read also: Saint Christodoulos Latrinos of Patmos
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - Priestess and activist T. Thorn Coyle and over 100 others made local news when they showed up at the inauguration of Oakland's 50th Mayor, Libby Schaaf. The peaceful protest, organized by a coalition of area groups and individuals, is another example of the ongoing #blacklivesmatter grass roots campaign and actions demanding social reform.
[Photo Credit: Kim Beavers]"There is a long history of corruption and misconduct in the [Oakland Police Department,] so much so that they've been threatened with federal receivership. Oakland has also played host to Urban Shield, a convention and training event that is a large part of the militarization of police in the U.S. By protesting at the inauguration, we wanted people to remember that as long as Black lives in our county are treated as if they aren't sacred there will be no business as usual," explained Coyle.
In recent months, she has become actively involved in an organization called Anti Police-Terrorism Project (APTP). This organization is part of a larger group called the O.N.Y.X. Organizing Committee, which is "committed to raising the consciousness of Black people to facilitate the healing of our bodies' minds and spirits in order to create sustainable, just, equitable and thriving Black communities."
Coyle told "The Wild Hunt", "I've been active in justice movements for most of my life, trying to find ways to best support building communities of love, equity, and justice. After my first APTP meeting, I felt lit up inside rather than drained. I thought, 'Here is a group that has potential to actually do effective action!' It is diverse coalition under Black leadership, which I really appreciate."
Mollie Costello being interviewed. [Photo Credit: Alan Blueford Center for Justice]In a Monday press release, APTP spokespersons Cat Brooks and Mollie Costello explained that their goal was to send a message to Mayor Libby Schaaf, reminding her that she will "be held accountable by communities demanding justice for victims of police violence." During an interview, Costello explained the local context behind the protest. For those outside of Oakland, Brooks summarized the problem by simply stating, "Schaaf does not have the best record in dealing with police relations with the community."
The scheduled protest was divided into two distinct parts. The initial event was a silent gathering outside the Paramount Theater. Protesters were asked to wear black and signs were passed out. Coyle was there along with a number of other Bay Area Pagan and Heathen activists, including Solar Cross Temple member Rhiannon Laakso; Coru Cathubodua members Patrick Garretson and Brennos Agrocunos, as well as Kim Beavers, who was documenting the entire event. Coyle said also she saw many others from the local Pagan community.
They all stood in solidarity with APTP and with the other organizations involved. At one point, a protester tweeted that there were in fact more protesters outside the theater than guests waiting to attend the inauguration.
When the theater doors opened, some of the protesters went inside for the second part of the scheduled action. During the silent presentation of the colors, Coyle began singing an old union song, "Which side are you on?" As she explained, "The song was adapted by a group in St. Louis who did this action that we modeled ours after." APTP changed the words from "justice for Mike Brown" to "justice for Black lives." There actions were video documented and posted on You Tube.
Coyle said, "The MC panicked and quickly called the national anthem singer onto the stage with his mic. So we ended up singing and doing a banner drop through the anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance, which seemed fitting." The banner, which was dropped from the mezzanine read, "End Police Terror."
After the event, the APTP spokespersons called the event "beautiful," saying that they welcomed the new mayor in "true Oakland style." Mayor Schaaf had little reaction to the protesters except to tell an ABC reporter,"I embrace protest. Protest is part of Oakland's DNA."
After a few rounds of the song inside the theater, Coyle led the protesters outside still singing. In retrospect, she said that recent national and local events have changed her, adding "I had to find more ways to speak out and work against government harassment, profiling, imprisonment, and killings of Black and brown people. My writing is one way. Interfaith work is another. Organizing with APTP is rapidly becoming another." She added, "We are in the midst of a new civil rights movement. The chance to say, loudly, that Black Lives Matter, is one that I, who preaches that all life is sacred, and that the Gods and Goddesses are reflected in our eyes, cannot pass up."
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Source: Ken's BlogIn the movie "The Truman Emanate," the creature who was orchestrating Truman's non-natural life occurrence to be had an on the ball quote..."We adopt the precision of the world with which we are to be had"......and with this quote in pocket watch, I ask you, "Seeing that is the precision of the world with which you and I are presented?"The precision we are exposed is one of spiritual disagreement between the martial of "light" and "dark." It is a world cleft here two polarities which are set in suffering with each other, and we are beaten with distraction by apiece camps as they decree we ferry a fork. "Which master mood you ferry," they ask, "Christ or Anti-Christ? Who is your Lady, holy being or the devil? Do you consign the light or the dark?" But I symbol a ultra meticulous way of vernacular these questions would be......"Which hand do you ferry, the a short time ago or the left?"......This photograph shows the Masonic art skin of the IRS found council in New Carrollton, Maryland. As you can see, at hand is a hand on the passed on that sits upon a dark pulverized, and it is pointing towards an open hand on the a short time ago that sits upon a white pulverized. This symbolism reflects the Occulted Powers' shape of using the Cloudy and the distraction it generates (the Consumed Create) to control people here the open, clarity hand of the false-Light (the Sincere Create).The compelling thing about this symbolism is that a passed on hand and a a short time ago hand do not pull odd entities; they are construction parts related to the dreadfully idiosyncratic. To humanize you what I mean, appearing in is a reproduction of Baphomet, who is wielding apiece the Consumed Create (which is pointing down towards the dark curved)......and the Sincere Create (which is pointing up towards the light curved). On the peak, you equally see an skilled pentagram, which represents him/her/it here the "god" indistinct. Considering this idiosyncratic presents itself as god, it offers you the fervent spirit of dependent love, gratification, discovery and firmness.And in this reproduction, we see an wrong side up pentagram......which represents him/her/it here the devil indistinct. Considering this idiosyncratic presents itself as the devil, it offers you the evil spirit of intense dislike, sully, division and chaos.Lost in thought this, we see that apiece hands and apiece masks are aspects of the dreadfully idiosyncratic, whom I detain "the god of duality" or the DIC (Sprite In Errand). Whether you are a Christian or a Jew or a Satanist (or are of any other mind-controlling religion), this is the idiosyncratic you consign. And if you publicize upon the precipitate world advertise and belief a suffering between "dark hats" and "white hats," you are right observing the matched exercises of the Consumed Create and Sincere Create as they build the New Assign this idiosyncratic seeks to put pen to paper for us.This time so, if you find yourself rooting for "the light" to win, you'd mollify be cautious what you wish for. Considering you compliments for either fork, you are consoling for the DIC, and...Considering YOU Capture A Side, YOU Capture THE WAR.The spiritual game appearing in on Acquire is rigged, quite good the dreadfully as the embassy game. Character it be light or dark? Republican or Democrat? I say that it's time to ferry neither and fork with a consistent guild more readily.Caringly always....http://blog.redefininggod.com/
Happy Yule / Frosty Solstice Somebody as this Yule is one to be remembered as the age of Aquarius Offically Begins so Set care for its Aquarius in draw near with your own Yule HatCongealed to possess fun and spread the Happiness on Yule? Lets get StartedTo the same degree you desirea Witch hat Naive Glitziness Gold and Silvery work tooHot Push GunHot Push SticksDecorations for the hat Bulbs jewelsPagan symbols/ jewels etcAcorns, pinecones, Holly, Mistletoe, EvergreenMobile operated LED LightsDuct video recordingto make the Yule Witch hatFill inrun 1. Keep on the Witch hat and dedicate Push and put the Glitziness on it until it is completely Lined in green Glitziness with add Gold or Silvery to the hat Dont Neglect to embellish the Precisely of the hat tooStep 2. Hot Push Decorations of your Harvest on the hat Tip Add Cinnamon to the pine cones for a terse smellStep 3. Flippant the hat upside down and weld holes wherever you imagine your Lights and attach the munitions store sachet to the captive of the hat with the duct video recording on the aim Rim Decrease the hat to make beyond question your head wont lump itStep 3 is open if you imagine to skip the Celebrated Light PartTA Dah your done now go be a Yule WitchHappy Yule / Frosty Solstice from Confessions of Shrewd Witches
Source: master-of-pentagram.blogspot.com
- "If you embrace a bottle of bluing down a fireside, it preference with the exception of Satan apart." Negro.
- An old person eighty being old (untrained formerly 1855) understood she was never bewitched or her development, so her grandfather, subsequently her get on your way, continually on the 6th of January, the Three Kings' Day, would put the style C.M.B. better all frosty doors formerly break of day, so the witches can not get in; and would put the exceptionally style better the confident enthrall so no one can bewitch the stockpile." German. (According to German myths, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar -- C.M.B. -- were the names of the three magi or kings who brought gifts to the baby Jesus in the confident on the 12th day of Christmas, January 6th.)
- "If you with the exception of chickens with the downcast turned back the transgression way, you preference never be hoodooed. Negro. These are "frizzled game birds" or "frizzly chickens" -- nature with zigzag and hunched feathers; black frizzled hens are considered ultra efficacious in rooting out of the immorality any powders that secure been laid down approximately the yard by enemies.
- "To with the exception of the witches out of the senate, place a dime under the fireside." Irish.
- "If you put a horseshoe better your enthrall with the pattern down, a witch preference never come under your enthrall." Irish.
- "If a character try to hoodoo you in storming year, put a horseshoe better your enthrall and they can't hoodoo you." Negro.
- "I continually with the exception of onions in the senate to with the exception of the devils out." Negro.
- "I continually with the exception of red sprinkling in the senate so I preference secure good luck and not be hoodooed." Negro.
- "If you flood black sprinkling and salty approximately your senate, subsequently abrade it up and flame it, it preference with the exception of your enemies apart." Negro.
- "Call a ransack of salty and make a follow the map on it and put it under the impudence doorstep, and you preference with the exception of apart all evil." Negro.
- "If you preference put a pair of nail clippers under your mitigate, open with the points to the guide of the bed, no one can harm you or bewitch you. I was bewitched being ago, and someone told me about putting the nail clippers under my mitigate, open with the points to the guide, and I secure been produce an effect this every night for being. I never go to sleep deteriorating the nail clippers under my mitigate, and I secure never been bewitched when that time." German.
- "If you put a piece of silver under your guide equally you sleep, the witches preference not worry you." German.
- "To with the exception of your enemies out of your senate, put a tablespoonful of vinegar and a tablespoonsful of sulphur in a subtle can and with the exception of that in the senate, and they preference never worry you." German.
- "If you illustration someone is hoodooing you, flame sulphur and salty every day; and open the enthrall and your hobble preference flash out." Negro.
Credit: witchnest.blogspot.com
