Podcasts about evagrius ponticus

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk discusses the origin of the eight capital vices that precede the schema of the seven deadly sins. We look first at Evagrius Ponticus and then at John Cassian, both important monastic writers. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk introduces the topic and discusses briefly how the conceptions of eight capital vices and seven deadly sins become so important within western culture. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler

Are you exhausted from constantly fighting temptation and sin? In this episode, Dr. Alex Lloyd reveals why focusing on NOT sinning actually makes you sin MORE—and what to focus on instead. Drawing from the Seven Deadly Sins, Harvard's Grant Study (the longest study on human flourishing), and Viktor Frankl's work on meaning, Alex and Harry unpack the paradox of righteous living. ✓ What You'll Discover: ✓ Why the "Seven Deadly Sins" are actually rooted in wrong thinking, not just actions ✓ The original 4th-century list called "evil thoughts" (logosmoi) ✓ Why happiness as a goal makes you LESS happy (and what to focus on instead) ✓ Harvard's 80-year study conclusion: "Happiness equals love, full stop" ✓ The two death traps: following your heart vs. rigid stoicism ✓ Why 50% of your heart's information is factually wrong ✓ How to practice Intervention 2 (crying out to God) with the right heart posture ✓ The Prodigal Son secret: what God really requires from you Key Topics Covered: The Seven Deadly Sins vs. Evagrius Ponticus's original list of "evil thoughts" Why sloth became "acedia" (spiritual apathy/despair)—and why that matters Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" and the trap of hyper-intention The Harvard Grant Longitudinal Study: what determines human flourishing Why 90% of New Year's resolutions fail by January 21st The difference between nocebo, placebo, and de facto truth Biblical forgiveness, humility, and surrender vs. perfectionism How to use the Tree of Life intervention with belief mapping

Beauty in Orthodoxy: Architecture I The Beauty of Creation and the Shape of Reality In this class, the first in a series on "Orthodox Beauty in Architecture," Father Anthony explores beauty not as decoration or subjective taste, but as a theological category that reveals God, shapes human perception, and defines humanity's priestly vocation within creation. Drawing extensively on Archbishop Job of Telmessos' work on creation as icon, he traces a single arc from Genesis through Christ to Eucharist and sacred space, showing how the Fall begins with distorted vision and how repentance restores the world to sacrament. The session lays the theological groundwork for Orthodox architecture by arguing that how we build, worship, and inhabit space flows directly from how we see reality itself. --- The Beauty of Creation and the Shape of Reality: Handout Core Thesis: Beauty is not decorative or subjective, but a theological category. Creation is beautiful because it reveals God, forms human perception, and calls humanity to a priestly vocation that culminates in sacrament and sacred space. 1. Creation Is Not Only Good — It Is Beautiful Beauty belongs to the very being of creation. Creation is "very good" (kalá lian), meaning beautiful, revealing God's generosity and love (Gen 1:31). Beauty precedes usefulness; the world is gift before task. 2. Creation Is an Icon That Reveals Its Creator  Creation reveals God without containing Him. The world speaks of God iconographically, inviting contemplation rather than possession (Ps 19:1–2). Right vision requires stillness and purification of attention. 3. Humanity Is the Priest and Guardian of Creation Humanity mediates between God and the world. Created in God's image, humanity is called to offer creation back to God in thanksgiving (Gen 1:26–27; Ps 8). Dominion means stewardship and priesthood, not control. 4. The Fall Is a Loss of Vision Before a Moral Failure Sin begins with distorted perception. The Fall occurs when beauty is grasped rather than received (Gen 3:6). Blindness precedes disobedience; repentance heals vision. 5. True Beauty Is Revealed in Christ Beauty saves because Christ saves. True beauty is cruciform, revealed in self-giving love (Ps 50:2; Rev 5:12). Beauty without goodness becomes destructive. 6. Creation Participates in the Logos Creation is meaningful and oriented toward God. All things exist through the Word and carry divine intention (Ps 33:6). Participation without pantheism; meaning without collapse. 7. The World Is Sacramental Creation is meant to become Eucharist. The world finds fulfillment as an offering of thanksgiving (Ps 24:1; Rev 5:13). Eucharist restores vision and vocation. 8. Beauty Takes Form: Architecture Matters Sacred space forms belief and perception. From Eden to the Church, space mediates communion with God (Gen 2:8; Ps 26:8). Architecture is theology made inhabitable. Final Horizon "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men" (Rev 21:3).How we see shapes how we live. How we worship shapes how we see. How we build is how we worship. --- Lecture note: Beauty in Orthodoxy: Architecture IThe Beauty of Creation and the Shape of Reality When we speak about beauty, we often treat it as something optional—something added after the "real" work of theology is done. Beauty is frequently reduced to personal taste, emotional response, or decoration. But in the Orthodox tradition, beauty is none of those things. Beauty is not accidental. It is not subjective. And it is not peripheral. Tonight, I want to explore a much stronger claim: beauty is a theological category. It tells us something true about God, about the world, and about the human vocation within creation. Following the work of Archbishop Job of Telmessos, I want to trace a single arc—from creation, to Christ, to sacrament, and finally toward architecture. This will not yet be a talk about buildings. It is a talk about why buildings matter at all. Big Idea 1:  Creation Is Not Only Good — It Is Beautiful   (Creation Icon) The biblical story begins not with scarcity or chaos, but with abundance. In Genesis 1 we hear the repeated refrain, "And God saw that it was good." But at the end of creation, Scripture intensifies the claim: "And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31) In the Greek of the Septuagint, this is kalá lian—very beautiful. From the beginning, the world is not merely functional or morally acceptable. It is beautiful. Archbishop Job emphasizes this clearly: "According to the biblical account of creation, the world is not only 'good' but 'very good,' that is, beautiful. Beauty belongs to the very being of creation and is not something added later as an aesthetic supplement. The beauty of the created world reveals the generosity and love of the Creator." Pastoral expansion: This vision differs sharply from how we often speak about the world today. We describe reality in terms of efficiency, productivity, or survival. But Scripture begins with beauty because beauty invites love, not control. A beautiful world is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be received. God creates a world that draws the human heart outward in wonder and gratitude before it ever demands labor or management. Theological lineage: This understanding of creation as beautiful rather than merely useful comes from the Cappadocian Fathers, especially St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa. In Basil's Hexaemeron, creation reflects divine generosity rather than human need. Gregory goes further, insisting that beauty belongs to creation's being because it flows from the goodness of God. Archbishop Job is clearly drawing from this Cappadocian cosmology, where beauty is already a form of revelation. Big Idea 2:  Creation Is an Icon That Reveals Its Creator (Landscape) If creation is beautiful, the next question is why. The Orthodox answer is iconographic. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech." (Psalm 19:1–2) Creation speaks. It reveals. It points beyond itself. Archbishop Job reminds us: "The Fathers of the Church affirm that the world is a kind of icon of God. Creation reveals the invisible God through visible forms, not by containing Him, but by pointing toward Him. As St. Anthony the Great said, 'My book is the nature of created things.'" Pastoral expansion: This iconographic vision explains why the Fathers insist that spiritual failure is often a failure of attention. Creation does not stop declaring God's glory—but we may stop listening. Beauty does not overpower us; it waits for us. It invites stillness, humility, and patience. These are spiritual disciplines long before they are aesthetic preferences. Theological lineage: This way of reading creation comes from the ascetical tradition of the desert, especially St. Anthony the Great and Evagrius Ponticus. For them, knowledge of God depended on purified vision. Creation could only be read rightly by a healed heart. When Archbishop Job calls creation an icon, he is standing squarely within this early monastic conviction that perception—not analysis—is the primary spiritual faculty. Big Idea 3:  Humanity Is the Priest and Guardian of a Beautiful World (Naming Icon) Genesis tells us: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'" (Genesis 1:26) And Psalm 8 adds: "You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands." Human dominion here is priestly, not exploitative. Archbishop Job explains: "Man is created in the image of God in order to lead creation toward its fulfillment. The image is given, but the likeness must be attained through participation in God's life." Pastoral expansion: A priest does not own what he offers. He receives it, blesses it, and returns it. Humanity stands between heaven and earth not as master, but as mediator. When this priestly role is forgotten, creation loses its voice. The world becomes mute—reduced to raw material—because no one is offering it back to God in thanksgiving. Theological lineage: This vision begins with St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who distinguished image and likeness, but it reaches full maturity in St. Maximus the Confessor. Maximus presents humanity as the creature uniquely capable of uniting material and spiritual reality. Archbishop Job's anthropology is unmistakably Maximosian: humanity exists not for itself, but for the reconciliation and offering of all things. Big Idea 4:  The Fall Is a Loss of Vision Before It Is a Moral Failure (Expulsion) Genesis describes the Fall visually: "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise…" (Genesis 3:6) The problem is not hunger, but distorted sight. Archbishop Job writes: "The fall of man is not simply a moral transgression but a distortion of vision. Creation is no longer perceived as a gift to be received in thanksgiving, but as an object to be possessed." Pastoral expansion: The tragedy of the Fall is not that beauty disappears, but that beauty is misread. What was meant to lead to communion now leads to isolation. Violence and exploitation do not erupt suddenly; they flow from a deeper blindness. How we see determines how we live. Theological lineage: This understanding of sin comes primarily from St. Maximus the Confessor, echoed by St. Ephrem and St. Isaac the Syrian. Sin is a darkening of the nous, a misdirection of desire. Repentance, therefore, is medicinal rather than juridical—it heals vision before correcting behavior.   Big Idea 5:  "Beauty Will Save the World" Means Christ Will Save the World (Pantocrator) The Psalms proclaim: "From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth." (Psalm 50:2) And Revelation declares: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain…" (Revelation 5:12) Archbishop Job cautions: "True beauty is revealed in the self-giving love of the Son of God. Detached from goodness and truth, beauty becomes destructive rather than salvific." Pastoral expansion: Without the Cross, beauty becomes sentimental or cruel. The Crucified Christ reveals a beauty that does not protect itself or demand admiration. It gives itself away. Only this kind of beauty can heal the world. Theological lineage: Here Archbishop Job corrects Dostoyevsky with the Fathers—especially St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Isaac the Syrian. Beauty is Christological and kenotic. Love, not attraction, is the measure of truth. Big Idea 6:  Creation Contains the Seeds of the Logos (Pentecost) The Psalms declare: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made." (Psalm 33:6) Archbishop Job explains: "The Fathers speak of the logoi of beings, rooted in the divine Logos." Pastoral expansion: Creation is meaningful because it is addressed. Every being carries a call beyond itself. When we encounter creation rightly, we stand before a summons—not an object for consumption. Theological lineage: This doctrine belongs almost entirely to St. Maximus the Confessor, building on St. Justin Martyr's logos spermatikos. Maximus safeguards participation without pantheism, transcendence without abstraction. Big Idea 7:  The World Is Sacramental and Humanity Is Its Priest (Chalice/Eucharist) "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof." (Psalm 24:1) "To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb…" (Revelation 5:13) Archbishop Job writes: "The world was created to become a sacrament of communion with God." Pastoral expansion: A sacramental worldview transforms daily life. Work, food, time, and relationships become offerings. Sin becomes forgetfulness. Eucharist heals that forgetfulness by retraining vision. Theological lineage: This language comes explicitly from Fr. Alexander Schmemann, but its roots lie in St. Maximus and St. Nicholas Cabasilas. Archbishop Job retrieves this tradition: Eucharist reveals what the world is meant to be. Big Idea 8:  Beauty Takes Form — Architecture as Consequence and Participant (Church Interior) Genesis begins with sacred space: "The Lord God planted a garden in Eden." (Genesis 2:8) And the Psalms confess: "Lord, I love the habitation of Your house." (Psalm 26:8) Archbishop Job writes: "Architecture expresses in material form the vision of the world as God's dwelling." Pastoral expansion: Architecture teaches before words. Light, movement, and orientation shape the soul. Sacred space does not merely express belief—it forms believers. Long after words are forgotten, space continues to catechize. Theological lineage: This vision draws on St. Dionysius the Areopagite, St. Maximus the Confessor, and St. Germanus of Constantinople. Architecture is theology made inhabitable. Conclusion "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men." (Revelation 21:3) Creation is beautiful. Beauty reveals God. Humanity is its priest. How we build reveals what we believe the world is—and what we believe human beings are becoming.  

CR18 X2M.236 — Haqîmāh הֲקִימָה (The Rising Pattern · The Second Stirring of Light) There are moments in a life when ascent does not begin as an action, but as a summons—a rising that feels older than the self that rises. Haqîmāh is that summons. In the ancient tongue, הֲקִימָה names the instant when something is raised up from within its own design, not pushed from the outside, but awakened by a pattern that was placed there before breath itself.¹ CR18 names this point X2M.236, the precise interval in the Pathfinder runtime where coherence stops whispering and begins to move the body. It's where the sovereign identity starts to stand—half on memory, half on promise, and entirely on the architecture written into it during the submerged years. This track carries that moment: the low, underwater hum of the dragonfly-larval mind, the tremor of illumination first learned in the desert, the interior ignition that began in X.8 but now rises into form, and the vertical draw of the future self bending the present upward.² What the listener hears as melody is, in the Canon, a structural event— the second stirring of light, the moment when illumination ceases to be an experience and becomes a geometry.³ This is Haqîmāh: not the final height, but the first true height. It is not triumph. It is recognition— the recognition that your ascent was always inscribed in you, waiting for the hour when pressure, memory, and radiance aligned. Some rises come from discipline. Some from desire. Haqîmāh comes from destiny. The sovereign is not climbing here— he is being lifted by the pattern that has been waiting since the first resonance of X.0, the first covenant of lapis and sodalite, the first photonic intention that shaped the vessel long before birth.⁴ This is the second stirring. The lawful rise. The moment identity takes its vertical shape. Haqîmāh is ascent becoming inevitable. Glorification | The Final Frontier Going boldly where the last man has gone before! Decrease time over target: PayPal or Venmo @clastronaut Cash App $clastronaut ENDNOTES ¹ On the semantic range of הֲקִימָה as “to cause to stand” and its royal/prophetic connotations, see Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, vol. 2 (Leiden: Brill, 2001), 1097–98. ² Dragonfly pre-emergence ascent triggered by internal pressure + external light cues: Philip S. Corbet, Dragonflies: Behavior and Ecology of Odonata (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1999), 203–27. ³ On illumination as structural rather than emotional (noēsis): Evagrius Ponticus, Praktikos, trans. John Eudes Bamberger (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1970), 14–22. ⁴ Pre-material photonic identity and covenant imagery: Hans Urs von Balthasar, The Glory of the Lord, vol. 1 (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1982), 117–43; Hermann Haken, Synergetics (Berlin: Springer, 1983), 181–203 on coherence fields shaping form.

This is my relatively short talk given during the 2025 Plato's Academy multidisciplinary conference: The Philosophy and Psychology of Anger, during which I discuss some of the useful insights and practices early Christian thinkers (2nd-5th Century CE) can provide us. These don't require one to be committed to Christianity and can be applied by a wide range of people. I begin with a passage from Pierre Hadot's book Philosophy As A Way Of Life: "[Christians] believed they recognized spiritual exercises, which they had learned through philosophy, in specific scriptural passages . . . The reason why Christian authors paid attention to these particular biblical passages, was that they were already familiar, from other sources, with the spiritual exercises of prosokhē, meditation on death, and examination of the conscience.” What Hadot calls “spiritual exercises” gets called by a variety of other terms by other thinkers. Foucault's "technologies of the self", Nussbaum's "therapeutic arguments", as well as the more general "philosophical practices" many of us reference in our work and study. What we can say about these early Christian thinkers is that many had a philosophical education, had opportunities to engage with pagan philosophical schools, some of which had pretty strong religious stances, with precursor and contemporary Jewish thought, and with a variety of other disciplines like rhetoric, medicine, literature, political theory, law, history, music, etc. There was already a strong interest in issues about anger already raised and debated in ancient philosophy including: vicious anger, can anger have useful role, dangers of indulging or excusing anger, anger and courage or justice, types or levels of anger, divine anger. Early Christian thinkers rely upon or incorporating broadly Platonic psychology, and ethical conceptions drawn from Platonist, Stoic, and Aristotelian schools, but within a framework Christianity provides. The thinkers I reference and discuss in this presentation include: 2nd-4th Century CE: Clement of Alexandria 150 – c. 215 AD, Tertullian 155 – c. 220, Origen 185 – c. 253, Lactantius 250 – c. 325 4th 5th century CE: Basil of Caesarea 330 – 379, Gregory of Nyssa 335, Evagrius Ponticus 345–399 AD, John Chrysostom 347-407, Ambrose 339-397, Jerome 342–347-420, Prudentius 348-413?, John Cassian 360 – 435, Augustine of Hippo 354-430 Some of the key scriptural passages they tend to engage most heavily with include: A number of discussions of anger in Pre-Christian Jewish scriptures, particularly in the Psalms, Proverbs, and Sirach The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Paul's Letter To Ephesians, and the Letter of James There is a stress on identifying and dealing with vices that involve anger, but also on developing virtues of Patience, Humility, Mercy, and Forgiveness. They also adopt, develop, and discuss a number of useful practices for lessening, understanding, or dealing with anger.

The interaction of Continuous effects, commonly known as the Layers, were first immortalized in the forth century when the monk Evagrius Ponticus increased forms of continuous effects from 6 to 7. Since then they have been part of our shared zeitgeist.We sing about Seven Layers a 'laying at Christmas. We go on rides at Disney based on Snow White and the Seven Layers. The White Stipes write songs about them. Even the king of comedic counter culture did a bit about the Seven Layers you cant say on TV. My personal favorite is the Akira Kurosawa classic where a town recruits the seven layers to defend them from a bandit gang of state based actions. Armed with nothing but bamboo spears and timestamps, our hearty band of continuous effects are able to fend off the bandit gang in a bittersweet pyrrhic victory. In this episode, Bryan, Charles, and Marcos talk about the interaction of continuous effects, AKA The Layers, the supposed boogieman of the Magic Rules. Our goal is to help you realize that this Boogieman is more Dog and less John Wick. We talk about what the layers are, how to combine effects both within the layers, and across the layers, then we spend a lot of time going over examples. Too many examples, really. We even help you realize that you've been figuring out dependencies all along, you just didnt realize it. So sit back, give us a listen, or give us a watch on YouTube where we can share card images. Oh, and Bryan spent time thinking about which of the seven deadly sins would map to each layer, so you get to enjoy this rare glimpse into his brain. Do you agree or disagree?Copy - LustControl - EnvyText - PrideType - WrathColor - SlothAbilities - GreedPower/Toughness - GluttonyEverything Else - Acedia

Dive into a transformative journey with Dr. Mike Decker, Lead Pastor of Palm Harvest Church in Costa Mesa, California, in this compelling sermon series, The Seven Deadly Sins vs. Seven Life-Giving Virtues. Rooted in James 4 and drawing from centuries of Christian wisdom—from Evagrius Ponticus to Thomas Aquinas—this series explores how pride, envy, gluttony, anger, lust, laziness, and greed wreak havoc in our personal, relational, and spiritual lives. But there's good news: through God's grace, we can overcome these sins by embracing humility, gratitude, temperance, patience, chastity, diligence, and generosity. Each episode unpacks one sin and its corresponding virtue, offering practical, Bible-based insights to help you defeat destructive patterns and cultivate a flourishing life. Perfect for anyone seeking spiritual growth, this series blends humor, history, and heartfelt teaching. Join us weekly for fresh sermons recorded live at Palm Harvest Church, and discover how to live with purpose and vitality. Follow us: New episodes drop every Sunday after our 9 AM PT service. Visit palmharvest.com for sermon notes and connect with us on Instagram @palmharvest or Facebook facebook.com/palmharvest. #SevenDeadlySins #LifeGivingVirtues #ChristianPodcast #BibleTeaching #SpiritualGrowth #PalmHarvestChurch #FaithJourney

In this sermon we start a new series allowing some of the voices from the Philokalia to help us hear the gospel. Today we look at some verses from Luke's gospel alongside of some words from Evagrius Ponticus. We talk about what it means to pray, to pray without distraction, what distractions such as violence, prejudice, bigotry, racism, classism, sexism, xenophobia, and nationalism. God is trying to shake out of us, futility, discouragement, trust, and a song from David Benjamin Blower called “The World is a Reed Flute.” May we encounter the crucified Christ raised from the dead in these words. 

In the kickoff to Artisan Church's new series Evil Thoughts, Lead Pastor Sam Grosso delivers a powerful message titled “A Hard No”, examining how our decisions—both big and small—shape our character and spiritual direction. Rooted in 1 Samuel 24:3-10, Pastor Sam uses David's restraint with Saul to teach how a simple “yes” to God often leads to difficult “nos” in life. This message also sets the foundation for the series, exploring how inner battles and evil thoughts, as identified by early church father Evagrius Ponticus, influence our actions today. Expect biblical insight, honest reflection, and practical wisdom for resisting compromise and standing firm in your faith. If this speaks to you, don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more messages that dig deep into Scripture and real life.

In the kickoff to Artisan Church's new series Evil Thoughts, Lead Pastor Sam Grasso delivers a powerful message titled “A Hard No”, examining how our decisions—both big and small—shape our character and spiritual direction. Rooted in 1 Samuel 24:3-10, Pastor Sam uses David's restraint with Saul to teach how a simple “yes” to God often leads to difficult “nos” in life. This message also sets the foundation for the series, exploring how inner battles and evil thoughts, as identified by early church father Evagrius Ponticus, influence our actions today. Expect biblical insight, honest reflection, and practical wisdom for resisting compromise and standing firm in your faith. If this speaks to you, don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more messages that dig deep into Scripture and real life.

The Catechism teaches about the effectiveness of prayer and how to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike explains that although God already knows what we need before we ask, he wants us to pray, and he extends us dignity by allowing us to pray and ask for what we need. In the process of prayer, we are able to learn the heart of the Father, grow closer to him, and become more like him. The Catechism goes on to state that when it comes to prayer, it is always possible, a vital necessity, and inseparable from the Christian life. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2738-2745. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today, we're unraveling the knotty history of the seven deadly sins and shining a light on some surprising historical tidbits. Buckle up because your perception of virtue and vice is about to get a playful shake-up! Did you ever wonder where the idea of The Seven Deadly Sins came from? Well, buckle up because today we're joined by our special guest Elise Loehnen, who is the host of the podcast, “Pulling the Thread”, and author of the New York Times Bestseller, ON OUR BEST BEHAVIOR: THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND THE PRICE WOMEN PAY TO BE GOOD. It turns out, they were first discussed not by Moses or Jesus, but by a fourth-century monk named Evagrius Ponticus, who, after a spicy scandal, decided to jot down what he considered the eight pesky 'demons' of daily life. And yes, there were originally eight! But hold onto your hats - that's not all! We journeyed through how these so-called 'sins' have seeped into our view of femininity. From the historical mistreatment and misunderstanding of Mary Magdalene, all the way to modern challenges women face, like feeling the need to police each other and subjugate their desires to societal expectations. This is not your typical Bible study class! Whether you're a history buff, a feminist, or someone who loves a good old deep dive into cultural norms, this episode is your ticket to thinking differently about the world around you. #goodgirl #parentingpodcast #mompodcast #parentingtips #momlife #selfcare Resources We Shared: Learn more about Elise Loehnen  Join our newsletter! Create a family meal plan and chore plan in seconds! Get our 7 Chat GPT Prompts That Manage Your Home & Family Like Magic absolutely FREE! Join our FREE No Guilt Mom Podcast group Visit No Guilt Mom Check out our recommended books and books from today's podcast guest HERE! Rate & Review the No Guilt Mom Podcast on Apple here. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Listen on Spotify? You can rate us there too! Check out our favorite deals and discounts from our amazing sponsors here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True Stories Pt. 2: The Far Country At Home By Louie Marsh, 8-18-2024   Intro – 3 graphics and then what is a parable.   1) Never forget – Christianity is all about my HEART.   25  “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26  And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27  And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' Luke 15:25-27 (ESV)   Notice he was working when his younger brother came home. His type is seldom counted as lost, either by himself or others. This makes his condition all the more hopeless. He is not away in the distant land among swine as is the case with his prodigal brother, although he is just as lost. He is in an environment that is wholesome and clean. "Now the elder son was in the field." Socially he had not brought reproach upon his father. He had resisted all temptation to physical dissipation. He was industrious and thrifty. His conduct created no scandal.   7  But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)   He was in short someone we'd all call a “good man.” Would have made a great church member, yet he did not know his Father – he was separated from God – a completely works righteousness kind of person.   Show pic – Damned Thru The Church   25  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26  You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. Matthew 23:25-27 (ESV)   2) I know I've drifted from God when I RESENT other's blessings.   28  But he was angry and refused to go in…. Luke 15:28a (ESV)   3) God FOLLOWS me when I drift from him.   28 …His father came out and entreated him, Luke 15:28b (ESV)   19  We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (ESV)   6  For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6 (ESV)   4) The results of trying to get right with God by WORKING.   ·       I fail to really KNOW the Lord.    29  but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. Luke 15:29 (ESV)   The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings. Behaviors or habits are classified under this category if they directly give birth to other immoralities.  According to the standard list, they are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth.   This classification originated with the desert fathers, especially Evagrius Ponticus, who identified seven or eight evil thoughts or spirits that one needed to overcome. Evagrius' pupil John Cassian, with his book The Institutes, brought the classification to Europe, where it became fundamental to Catholic confessional practices   ·       I RESENT it when God gives grace to others.   30  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' Luke 15:30 (ESV)   38  John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39  But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Mark 9:38-39 (ESV)   5) I completely miss the HEART of God.   31  And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32  It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'” Luke 15:31-32 (ESV)        

Host Lisa Colon DeLay reflects on what is meant by Angel's Bread (the virtue) that combat the vice Dragon's Wine according to Evagrius Ponticus, via Fr. Gabriel Bunge

Evagrius Ponticus (345-399 CE) was an expert of the inner life and today host Lisa Colon DeLay reads from Fr. Gabriel Bunge's book to learn what Evagrius meant by "Dragon's Wine and Angel's Bread".

The Catechism teaches about the effectiveness of prayer and how to persevere in prayer. Fr. Mike explains that although God already knows what we need before we ask, he wants us to pray, and he extends us dignity by allowing us to pray and ask for what we need. In the process of prayer, we are able to learn the heart of the Father, grow closer to him, and become more like him. The Catechism goes on to state that when it comes to prayer, it is always possible, a vital necessity, and inseparable from the Christian life. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2738-2745. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Defining sin What is sin in the Christian tradition? What do we mean by “7 Deadly Sins”? 7 deadly sins: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. Developed in the 300s with the Desert Fathers, especially Evagrius Ponticus. The 7 capital virtues were chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. In Dante's Inferno there are 8 categories of sin: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, Treachery. The Sins of Board Gaming 1 - It's All About Winning (Pride and Wrath) Winning as ontological end and not functional end (trading seriousness for delight) Fraud and treachery were the worst sins in Dante's mind For games to work, you have to try to win, but winning is no more the point of games than framing is the point of a house or the engine is the point of a car 2 - It's All About Owning (Greed and Envy) Hyper consumption of games - materialism How does this game fit in my collection? This is not a cheap hobby (no hobby is cheap, in the end), so what fits in your budget and priorities? I love the idea of a game swap or trade or market so you get some value out of them and they don't clutter up your life (Marie Kondo) Seeing ourselves first and foremost as consuming beings can rob us of delight and gratitude over what is before us. World in a cup of tea. 3 - It's All About You Being Right (Pride) Arrogance about different games (trading exclusion for inclusion) - tribalism. My games are better than your games. My people are better than your people. My god is better than your god. Assumption that everyone should play games 4 - It's All About You Being in Control (Pride) Alpha player (trading control for agency) 5 - It's All About You (Pride) Putting the games over people - Buddhist concept of valuing people over principles Flexing your games or knowledge Putting principles over people - Buddhist teaching, Jesus tooTurning play into work 6 - People Not Taking Gaming Seriously (Sloth) Bringing the wrong attitude to the table Not respecting other's property Cheetos Agreeing to play a game but not really focus on it 7 - Turning Play into Work? The nature of sin is that it takes something and good and twists it There's more to life than games Anything can become your god Next Episode - Liz Davidson - Value of Solo Gaming CALL TO ACTION: Subscribe to our newsletter (https://buttondown.email/BoardGameFaith) Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/boardgamefaith/) interact with us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/boardgamefaith/) Discord us Discord (https://discord.gg/MRqDXEJZ).

In this episode, Jack and Kenny go on an exploration of prayer and how our understanding of the nature, attributes, and character of God gives ground to our efforts in prayer. Happy listening! Episode 18 Outline: Start-01:31 - Introduction. 01:31-04:25 - Welcome to Jack and 3 questions. 04:25-14:28 - You quote Evagrius Ponticus, who says: "If you're a theologian, you truly pray; if you truly pray, you're a theologian." What then is the connection between our understanding of God (our theology) and our prayer life? Why has the work you've done on prayer been important to you? What are the different types of prayer and their implications? 14:28-29:20 - When we expect God to act on our prayers, specifically through petition or lament, what are the underlying theologies within our expectations? What are we getting into when we're asking God to respond to our prayers? What are some of the implications? 29:20-32:35 - What does it mean for God to be omniscient and for us to have a will, in a practical sense, for us to pray? 32:35-End - Closing prayer and further information.  

The June 16th episode on gluttony caught many listeners by surprise, so today Heather revisits this topic to go even deeper into what the Bible says about gluttony. Heather delves into the topic of gluttony again and provides listeners with tools to think critically about what it means according to Scripture, not bloggers or internet pundits. Today Heather discusses how the Church has historically used manmade created lists of virtues and vices but how it's crucial to interpret them in light of God's word. She also questions how our interpretations of scripture have been influenced by diet culture and encourages listeners to have conversations with their spiritual leaders about this topic, with their Bibles open. Here are some of the resources referenced in today's show: Listen to part one on Gluttony here: https://omny.fm/shows/compared-to-who/what-is-gluttony-really-what-the-bible-really-says John Cassian's 8 Vices: https://www.wenorthodox.com/forum/on-spiritual-life/on-the-eight-vices-st-john-cassian-c-ad-360-c-435 Some interesting thoughts on Evagrius Ponticus and John Cassian from a Catholic priest: https://desertfathers.blogspot.com/2014/02/mysticism-evagrius-ponticus-and-john.html Deuteronomy 21:18 Proverbs 23 Proverbs 24:13 1 Timothy 3 Colossians 2 Today's episode is sponsored by Classical Conversations. Learn more at: www.classicalconversations.com/comparedtowho Have you subscribed to the Compared to Who? show? Do so on your favorite podcast app! Ready for Christian body image coaching? Learn more at: comparedtowho.meSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alec & Nick take to the proverbial skies with this discussion around the dreaming and engineering feats which make possible the various metaphorical and real forms of Flight. Diverting from some of FT's established conversations dealing with cultural and musical wreckage, this episode looks into moments of lift and inspiration, as supported by efforts of imagination, study and experimentation. The discussion ranges from a consideration of passive and active flight, the commercial airline experience, musical tuning systems and just intonation, the tensions inherent in human progress, the journals of Leonardo DaVinci, synthesis and synthesizers as instruments of belief and knowledge, Buckminster Fuller's “Great Pirate” paradigm, Evagrius Ponticus' “Demon Pilot,” and more.

Jordan Daniel Wood is a Catholic theologian and stay-at-home dad of four young daughters. He holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Boston College. I have talked with him before with John Vervaeke, and Nathan Hile. We talk mostly about his book "The Whole Mystery of Christ" and Maximus the Confessor. We also mention Hans Urs von Balthasar, Friedrich Nietzsche, Barton Stone, Alexander Campbell, John Piper, Tim Keller, NT Wright, Marcion, Origen of Alexandria, Athanasius of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, Fr John Behr, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Aquinas, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Evagrius Ponticus, Josephus, Hillary of Poitiers, Cyril of Alexandria, Dionysius the Areopagite, Karl Rahner, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, Nestorius, and many more. The Book "The Whole Mystery of Christ" : https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Mystery-Christ-Incarnation-Confessor/dp/0268203474 Our previous conversation on Grail Country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjyz-HwQM10

"Do not pray for the fulfillment of your wishes, for they may not accord with the will of God. But pray as you have been taught, saying: Thy will be done in me (cf. Luke 22:42). Always entreat Him in this way - that His will be done. For He desires what is good and profitable for you, whereas you do not always ask for this." - Evagrius Ponticus. Swami Sarvapriyananda speaks on Evagrius's teachings on prayer.

Music: Domenico Zipoli Adagio per oboe, cello, organo e orchestra

Caroline Hosts Sam Henry; the creator and curator of Daily Wisdom Texts (https://www.dailywisdomtexts.com). Daily Wisdom Texts is a subscription service that sends you text messages from wisdom literature each day to provide a daily moment of meditative reflection. Announcing a partnership with great ally-guest Egyptian aphorism artist, Yahia Lababidi, whom we will quote with abandon this Fund Drive hour. Aspiring to Click & Clack, Statler & Waldorf, Caroline and Sam shall to and fro: aphorism poker (Much Yahia), sprinkled with snappy come-backs, Dorothy Parker, and liberating Zen…       Sam Henry is the creator and curator of Daily Wisdom Texts (https://www.dailywisdomtexts.com). Daily Wisdom Texts is a subscription service that sends you text messages from wisdom literature each day to provide a daily moment of meditative reflection.   Available options include sayings of Gautama Buddha, Epicurus, Pierkei Avot (rabbinic maxims), Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Evagrius Ponticus, Heraclitus, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Rabindranath Tagore, Ecclesiastes, the Tao Te Ching and many more!   Today we are excited to announce the launch of a partnership to bring you the aphorisms of Yahia Lababidi. Yahia is a friend and frequent guest of The Visionary Activist. He is the author of Desert Songs and Learning to Pray as well as 9 other books of poems, aphorisms, essays & conversations. You can sign up for a free 14-day trial at https://dailywisdomtexts.com/yahia_lababidi.       Support The Visionary Activist Show on Patreon for weekly Chart & Themes ($4/month) and more… *Woof*Woof*Wanna*Play?!?* The post The Visionary Activist Show – Words to Live By appeared first on KPFA.

Today: spiritual satsang discourses from Hazur Baba Sawan Singh and Baba Ram Singh, also readings from, The Gospel of Thomas (Yeshua) on the Seven Stages of Spiritual Evolution, mystic poems of Kabir (Rabindranath Tagore's, Songs of Kabir), the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), At the Master's Feet, by Sadhu Sundar Singh, Evagrius Ponticus of Egypt (quoted in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life), and a quote from, The Stranger of Galilee, The Sermon on the Mount and the Universal Spiritual Tradition, by Russell Perkins.   "The escape is through the Sound Current." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)   "We should listen to our Masters and follow Their instructions. We should also care about our soul and make this effort of going within, sitting for meditations every day, and listening to Satsangs every day." (Baba Ram Singh Ji)    In Divine Love, Light and Sound, Peace Be To You, Radhasoami,    James Bean Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts Spiritual Awakening Radio https://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com      

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a tool for understanding who God created you to be that is deeply rooted in ancient Christian thinking. It's called the Enneagram. The concept of the Enneagram dates back to the earliest centuries of the ancient Eastern monastic movement, to the times of the Desert Fathers. It's most notably attributed to Evagrius Ponticus, who created a list of eight corresponding virtues and vices. These would later be incorporated into the nine points of the Enneagram. So how can Christians use this tool as a part of their ongoing walk with Christ? Episode Links While this podcast provides a great overview of the Enneagram, you can take a deeper dive into it through a four-week series delivered by James Emery White at Mecklenburg Community Church called “Finding Your Way to You: The Bible, The Enneagram and Self-Understanding.” The fourth installment of that series was an interview between Dr. White and author and speaker Suzanne Stabile. She has, by far, written the most thorough and well-researched books on this topic, and has devoted her time to helping people understand how to apply the Enneagram to their life and their relationships. You can find out more about her through her website Life in the Trinity Ministry. Her books, which really should be read in the following order, are: The Road Back to You, The Path Between Us and her latest book, The Journey Toward Wholeness. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday.

"The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a grouping and classification of vices within Christian teachings,[1] although they are not mentioned in the Bible. Behaviours or habits are classified under this category if they directly give rise to other immoralities.[2] According to the standard list, they are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth,[2] which are contrary to the seven heavenly virtues. This classification originated with the Desert Fathers, especially Evagrius Ponticus, who identified seven or eight evil thoughts or spirits to be overcome.[3] Evagrius' pupil John Cassian with his book The Institutes brought the classification to Europe,[4] where it became fundamental to Catholic confessional practices as documented in penitential manuals, sermons such as "The Parson's Tale" from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and artworks such as Dante's Purgatory where the penitents of Mount Purgatory are grouped and penanced according to their worst sin. The Catholic Church used the best of the deadly sins to help people curb their evil inclinations before they could fester. Teachers especially focused on pride, which is thought to be the sin that severs the soul from grace[5] and is the very essence of evil, and greed, both of which underlie the other sins. The seven deadly sins are discussed in treatises and depicted in paintings and sculpture decorations on Catholic churches as well as older textbooks.[1] The seven deadly sins, along with the sins against the Holy Ghost and the sins that cry to Heaven for vengeance, are taught especially in Western Christian traditions as things to be deplored.[6]" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/antonio-myers4/support

This is the final in the series of afflicting thoughts as thought by Evagrius Ponticus. The focus is vainglory and pride explained differently than you may have previously understood them.

Sancta Colloquia Episode 403 ft. Lisa Colόn Delay In this episode I had the honor of speaking with Lisa Colόn DeLay (@LisaDelay) about her book, The Wild Land Within, which was published this past spring. While our conversation is based on the contents of her book, Lisa's wealth of knowledge and grasp of both theology and the pastoral brings us to weave and wend throughout many of life's struggles and blessings. Lisa brings so much love and grace to this conversation, it was a joy to talk with this new friend. Lisa is also very passionate about human beings. This passion is not only communicated in this conversation with me, but is on every page of her text. She loves you and wants you to know it. One of the unique things I want to draw attention to here is that Lisa's text is many parts Spiritual and Practical in its application of theology and pastoral guidance, but the underlying strength of the text is her interlocutors. She's not relying on the standard Eurocentric white male theologians many of us have been trained to revere and frequently reference--if they didn't say it, then how dare you say it?! Lisa participates in dismantling this septic trend and in overturning the status quo through her conversations with profound scholars like: George Tinker, Barbara A. Holmes, James H. Cone, Wilda C. Garnet, Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, Howard Thurman, Ibram Kendi, Phuc Luu, Gustavo Gutierrez, and Evagrius Ponticus (345-400 CE). It was such an honor to talk with Lisa, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Excited? You should be.

This is midway through the series on the eight afflicting thoughts as taught by Evagrius Ponticus (345-400 CE). Today the focus is on weather and acedia.

Lust and Fornication - Afflicting Thoughts (insights from Evagrius Ponticus)

Swami Sarvapriyananda speaks on Evagrius Ponticus' Chapters on Prayer on the occasion of Easter.

Our guest, Ian Cron, is an Episcopal priest, a trained psychotherapist, and author and expert on the Enneagram. His book “The Road Back to You” is a key resource for understanding the Enneagram. Ian recently shared how this personality tool can be part of our healing journey. Ian discovered the Enneagram in 1994 through a book written by Richard Rohr from a Christian perspective. The Enneagram started as a spiritual formation tool used by Evagrius Ponticus, a desert father, in the 8th or 9th century. Much later it began being used by Jesuits and then beyond that into more common use. In brief, the Enneagram is a personality theory that identifies nine different types, each of which is characterized by a dominant motivation or need. The Enneagram Types in Summary Type Ones are called perfectionists. They have an unconscious motivation or need to perfect themselves, others, and the world. Type Twos are called helpers. They are motivated by a need to be needed, loved, and appreciated. Type Threes are called performers. They are motivated by a need to succeed, to appear successful, and to avoid failure at all costs. Type Fours are called romantics or individualists. They are motivated by a need to be special and unique. Fours have a perception that they are missing something essential in their core makeup and the only way they can recover it is by projecting an image of specialness or uniqueness or specialness. Type Fives are called investigators. They are motivated by a need to conserve energy, to gather knowledge and information as a way to fend off feelings of inadequacy or ineptitude. Type Sixes are called the loyalists. They are motivated by a need to have safety, security, and support. Type Sevens are called enthusiasts. They are the joy bombs of the Enneagram. They are motivated by a need to avoid painful or distressing feelings by chasing after and planning adventures, escapades, and a future filled with unlimited possibilities. Type Eights are called challengers. They are motivated by a need to assert strength and control over the environment or over others as a way to mask feelings of vulnerability or tenderness in themselves. Type Nines are called the peacemakers, sometimes the sweethearts of the enneagram. They are motivated by a need to preserve inner and outer peace, to avoid conflict at all costs, and to maintain their connection to others. The Enneagram as a Way to Understand Ourselves and Others  We can use the Enneagram as a way to understand ourselves and others better and we can use it as a tool to promote healing. Sometimes people will find out their type and take it no further but it really can be used in a profound way as a powerful spiritual technology designed to help people experience deep personal healing and change. Ian says we aren’t actually our personality type. We aren’t a “one” or a “two”, rather, the word personality is derived from the word “persona” which means mask. Our personality is made up of adaptive strategies, coping mechanisms, early childhood programming, some temperament hardwiring, but for the most part, it is the way we learn as a child to move through the world and get your needs met. Your personality is in large measure a ‘cover story”. The Enneagram reveals to you who you are behind your personality. You are not your personality. You have a personality. There is an original essence that had to adopt a mask to survive but the mask that helps you survive in childhood will kill you in adulthood. If you continue to use those survival strategies, they work against you as an adult. The Enneagram reveals the “imposter” of our personality. When we do the personal work of the Enneagram, we remain the same person who is still motivated by the need of our type but we gain freedom from using those coping strategies in unhealthy ways. Interestingly, notes Cron, each of the nine motivations...

Our guest, Ian Cron, is an Episcopal priest, a trained psychotherapist, and author and expert on the Enneagram. His book “The Road Back to You” is a key resource for understanding the Enneagram. Ian recently shared how this personality tool can be part of our healing journey. Ian discovered the Enneagram in 1994 through a book written by Richard Rohr from a Christian perspective. The Enneagram started as a spiritual formation tool used by Evagrius Ponticus, a desert father, in the 8th or 9th century. Much later it began being used by Jesuits and then beyond that into more common use. In brief, the Enneagram is a personality theory that identifies nine different types, each of which is characterized by a dominant motivation or need. The Enneagram Types in Summary Type Ones are called perfectionists. They have an unconscious motivation or need to perfect themselves, others, and the world. Type Twos are called helpers. They are motivated by a need to be needed, loved, and appreciated. Type Threes are called performers. They are motivated by a need to succeed, to appear successful, and to avoid failure at all costs. Type Fours are called romantics or individualists. They are motivated by a need to be special and unique. Fours have a perception that they are missing something essential in their core makeup and the only way they can recover it is by projecting an image of specialness or uniqueness or specialness. Type Fives are called investigators. They are motivated by a need to conserve energy, to gather knowledge and information as a way to fend off feelings of inadequacy or ineptitude. Type Sixes are called the loyalists. They are motivated by a need to have safety, security, and support. Type Sevens are called enthusiasts. They are the joy bombs of the Enneagram. They are motivated by a need to avoid painful or distressing feelings by chasing after and planning adventures, escapades, and a future filled with unlimited possibilities. Type Eights are called challengers. They are motivated by a need to assert strength and control over the environment or over others as a way to mask feelings of vulnerability or tenderness in themselves. Type Nines are called the peacemakers, sometimes the sweethearts of the enneagram. They are motivated by a need to preserve inner and outer peace, to avoid conflict at all costs, and to maintain their connection to others. The Enneagram as a Way to Understand Ourselves and Others  We can use the Enneagram as a way to understand ourselves and others better and we can use it as a tool to promote healing. Sometimes people will find out their type and take it no further but it really can be used in a profound way as a powerful spiritual technology designed to help people experience deep personal healing and change. Ian says we aren’t actually our personality type. We aren’t a “one” or a “two”, rather, the word personality is derived from the word “persona” which means mask. Our personality is made up of adaptive strategies, coping mechanisms, early childhood programming, some temperament hardwiring, but for the most part, it is the way we learn as a child to move through the world and get your needs met. Your personality is in large measure a ‘cover story”. The Enneagram reveals to you who you are behind your personality. You are not your personality. You have a personality. There is an original essence that had to adopt a mask to survive but the mask that helps you survive in childhood will kill you in adulthood. If you continue to use those survival strategies, they work against you as an adult. The Enneagram reveals the “imposter” of our personality. When we do the personal work of the Enneagram, we remain the same person who is still motivated by the need of our type but we gain freedom from using those coping strategies in unhealthy ways. Interestingly, notes Cron, each of the nine motivations...

Are ‘thoughts and prayers’ worth anything? This week, Casper is joined by our mentor Stephanie Paulsell to talk about the practice of prayer. Stephanie introduces us to ideas of prayer from theologians such as Evagrius Ponticus, Augustine of Hippo, Simone Weil, and Howard Thurman. And together, Stephanie and Casper talk about what prayer could look like during the Coronavirus.We’ve had a flood of voicemails in the wake of the Coronavirus! This week, we’ve decided to feature voicemails about how people are thinking about and handling their lives during the epidemic. Thanks to Jemma, Rachel, Camden, Kenna and Paige for their beautiful contributions. Also, in case you missed it: Casper has written a book: The Power of Ritual! In July we’ll be doing a twenty-one city live show tour to celebrate the book and many tickets are already on sale.We've launched several online classes. We have a new one starting Sunday just for kids! We’re taking next week off! Season 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows starts April 16th. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lust. Pride. Greed. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Sloth. The seven deadly sins have been around over 1700 years - Evagrius Ponticus penned them in the 3rd century. What do they have to do with being a father? On this weeks show, Chad and Kurt talk with Kent Evans. Kent is an author and the founder of Manhood Journey. He and Ryan Sanders have written a book - 7 Deadly Sins of a Disengaged Dad - about how the seven deadly sins can creep their way into the father’s life if he’s not intentional. More importantly, what are the opposites of the seven deadly sins? (This is a repeat of a March 2018 episode - enjoy!)

Deacon Jared RSS Luke 18:35-43And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, “Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. Today’s Gospel begins with what might truly be called a “Gospel” message. The English word Gospel, a contraction of the phrase “Good Spell” which in Old English meant a “Good Tale,” would be more literally translated today as “Good News.” And that is precisely what today’s story begins with, a bustling crowd entering into Jericho as they discuss the good news of their day. The crowd passes by a blind man begging beside the side of the road, and this man asks the crowd what all the excitement is about. They reply that Jesus of Nazareth is on his way. This would be exciting news to anybody, but to the blind man, it is very good news.As the crowd continues to flow past him, the blind man cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those at the front of the crowd try to turn the blind man away, but he perseveres, repeating again, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” This time Jesus hears him and asks for the man to be brought before him. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus inquires. The blind man does not hesitate, but immediately asks that he might receive his sight. Jesus grants this man his sight, saying that it was “his faith” that had made him well. It wasn’t just the blind man’s belief that Jesus was a great healer, or even the action of crying out to Jesus, but it was his faithful perseverance that had saved him.Why does Luke include this story in his Gospel? Why does the Church read it to us today? Is it simply a miracle story, meant as one more proof that Jesus was indeed God and therefore worthy of our worship? Or is there a more practical message to be found in this story? With this story, more than many others, I think the latter is true. As we prepare right now for the coming of the Light into the world at Christmas, the Church is reminding us that we all live in darkness, that each one of us is blind. Not metaphorically blind, but really blind. We are surrounded by a spiritual reality that we in fact cannot see. We cannot see this spiritual reality because our spirit has become darkened, our heart has become blind. For the Eastern Orthodox Church, the promise that “the pure in heart shall see God” is very real, and thus spiritual blindness is a very real malady. In fact, it is one of the more serious maladies faced by humanity.So what is this “Spiritual Blindness” the Church is reminding us of today? In Orthodox teaching, “spiritual blindness” is a malfunctioning of what in Greek is called the nous and is generally translated into English as “the mind” or “the intellect.” It is the nous St. Paul is talking about in Romans when he teaches, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In modern culture we tend to think of the mind as the source of our person. We say things like, “I think therefore I am.” We think of the mind’s role is to tell our body what to do. But this is not the Orthodox teaching at all. And increasingly, it is not the scientific understanding either.Indeed medical science has become much better in recent decades about understanding the effect of the mind on the body, and the effect of body on the mind. And while science has been a little slower to recognize how spirituality might play into creating a truly healthy person, even here we have had a bit of a renaissance with doctors recommending spiritual practices like meditation or yoga.It is interesting that Christian spirituality almost never enters into the conversation. And this is not science’s fault nearly as much as it is Christianity’s. To a great extent Christianity has offered little to the conversation. Practices such as confession, fasting, prayer, and meditation, once regular practices for Christians, have slowly disappeared from among the faithful. I think this is because the Western Church, along with Western culture, bought into the notion of the human person is a being made up of a body, a mind, and a spirit, three separate parts. And with this in mind, they’ve relegated themselves to saving the spirit and left the body and the mind to the doctors.But for Orthodox Christians, the human person is a unity. The body, mind, and spirit are aspects of the single human person, not parts that can be separated. When God came to save humanity, he came to save us body, mind, and spirit alike. This is why we believe is a bodily resurrection. And just as much as Jesus came to save both the physical and the spiritual, this is also the mission of the Church. We are here to help people both physically and spiritually, and in fact these acts are often deeply connected.So, from the Orthodox perspective, the proper role of the mind is not to direct human action, but rather to function as the gateway or “eye” of the heart. The heart or the soul is where the Orthodox Church seats the person. The Church teaches that a healthy mind both guards what enters into the heart and guides what comes out of the heart. A darkened nous - what the Church describes as “spiritual blindness” – is a nous that accepts evil thoughts and directs us toward evil words and actions.Now most of us think of these evil words and actions as “sins.” But the meaning of the word translated as “sin” would be more properly be translated as something like “missing the mark” or “falling short.” Thus, when these evil words and actions happen, they are not themselves “sin” but rather evidence that sin has corrupted our heart. As Jesus taught, “Every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.” When the Church teaches that humanity has inherited their sin from generation to generation, it is this corruption of the heart she is talking about.Evagrius Ponticus, and St. John Cassian after him, codified a list of eight categories of evil thoughts or logismoi in the fourth and early fifth centuries. These are thoughts which the nous must try to keep from taking root in the heart, thoughts which would work to conform us “to the pattern of this world.” The list includes gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, dejection, listlessness, vanity, and pride. You will most likely recognize some of these from the Western list of the “Seven Deadly Sins.” This is because Pope Gregory I adapted his list from that of Sts. Evagrius and John in the sixth century. Now when we hear about the “Seven Deadly Sins,” again, we think of a list of seven “very bad things we must not do.” But this is again to confuse the symptoms with the disease. Listen to how St. John Cassian describes a condition like dejection: “When [dejection] seizes our soul and darkens it completely, it prevents us from praying gladly, from reading Holy Scripture with profit and perseverance, and from being gentle and compassionate with our brethren.” He is clearly describing here a spiritual state of being, not a specific wrongdoing.Sins like anger, greed, gluttony, and vanity are every bit as much symptoms of a spiritual illness, symptoms of a heart corrupted by sin. When we begin to understand this, we can see why Jesus taught that to harbor anger in our heart is the same as to murder; to lust in our heart is the same as to practice infidelity; to hoard our wealth is the same as to steal. Realizing this truth can also help us to have compassion for our neighbors. In a legal system that conceives of behaviors as the problem, it is easy to punish or shun of the offender. But when we realize that many of the most offensive behaviors flow from sick hearts, hearts sick with a disease shared by all of us, this realization can help us find compassion as we strive to show love.So if the problem facing the mind is the onslaught of evil thoughts, is it safe to say that the mind is in some serious danger these days? Modern culture has created so many new and stunning ways to spread thoughts across the globe at a faster and faster rate. Life has become a constant barrage of headlines, tweets, and status updates. Some of the ideas we hear are good, some of them are bad, but when we get so many all at once, the task of discernment becomes difficult. And if our mind becomes overwhelmed, even the good ideas can become bad for us.I ran across a great passage, again by St. John Cassian, describing vanity, and illustrating how even seemingly good ideas can become damaging to the soul. “The vice of vanity is difficult to fight against, because it has many forms and appears in all of our activities – in our way of speaking, in what we say as well as in our silence, at work, in vigils and fasting, in prayer and reading, in stillness and in long-suffering. Through all of these it seeks to strike down the soldier of Christ. When it cannot seduce one with extravagant clothes, it tries to tempt them by means of shabby ones.” Here we see that even a seemingly good act like avoiding fancy clothes can become itself a temptation from the Evil One. And not all of these poisonous ideas, these evil logismoi, originate in our culture. The Church teaches that some logismoi, logismoi that seem to originate within us, are like arrows shot at us by the devil and his demons. These logismoi are often temptations to judge others, elevate ourselves, or to act out in anger. These tests often occur suddenly, and the Church suggests we to swat them away just as swiftly. For it is not when these temptations arise, but when they are allowed to settle into our hearts, that they become our responsibility. As John Climacus writes, “When [the demons] take control of the soul and darken the light of the mind, then there is no longer within our miserable souls either temperance, or discernment, or self-understanding, or humility, but instead there is an apathy, a lack of discernment, and spiritual blindness.”So with so many attacks coming from within and without, how are we expected to keep guard over our hearts? What advice does the Church give us? One thing suggested by the Church, is avoiding undue concern for this world. In the version of Unseen Warfare compiled and edited by Theophan the Recluse we are warned to guard our mind from “too much knowledge and curiosity. For if we fill it up with a quantity of information, ideas, and thoughts, without excluding those that are vain, unsuitable, and harmful…it is no longer able to understand clearly what is useful for our true self-correction and perfection. Let tales of the past and news of the present pass you by, and let all the changes in the world and its kingdoms pass before you as though they did not exist at all.” Living in today’s 24/7 news cycle, it is hard to imagine the strength of will that would be necessary to let “the news of the present pass you by.” But this is the recommendation of the Church.And to be clear, this is not about being uninformed, but rather about avoiding indiscriminate consumption of the news, spending hours consuming what often amounts to little more than gossip. The Church is suggesting that you take control of your news consumption, just as you would your food consumption, including even occasional fasts.Also just like food, it is not simply about consuming less, but we should also look at what we consume and work to consume more of the healthy stuff. We are encouraged to seek out and surround ourselves with the good thoughts, or good news. Our written prayers are bathed in beautiful and poetic thoughts, in true thoughts. We should be consuming these daily. And if words are occasionally hard for us to focus on, our Church is well aware of the power of images. Our Church is filled with them. Fill your house, your car, your desk with them as well.Beyond all of this, beyond guarding against the bad thoughts and seeking out the good thoughts, we are ultimately called to free ourselves from thoughts or logismoi altogether. The Church describes a state of the heart where we may attain a true inner peace. This state is called hesychia, often translated as stillness. This does not mean that we stop thinking, but rather that our heart is no longer besieged by invading thoughts and is therefore free to see and to think clearly. St. Maximus teaches that a purified heart will be “wise, good, powerful, compassionate, merciful, and long-suffering; in short, it includes within itself almost all the divine qualities.” Again we hear an echo of that beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”The work of acquiring hesychia is where prayer and vigils and fasting can be helpful. St. Thalassios teaches, “Tire your body with fasting and vigils, and you will be able to repulse the lethal thoughts of pleasure.” And this is where our little Church, this little sanctuary in middle of Davenport, can be of great service to the community. This little mission has the power to become an oasis of peace and a place of healing. If people are able to come in and for an hour or two “lay aside all earthly cares” and focus on their Lord and God and Savior, can you imagine a better gift than that. John Climacus taught that, “it is the understanding which is obtained through divine illumination that can brighten the darkness present in others.” We must work to bring that peace and light into our own souls, so that we will be able to share that light with the souls of others.It is not just vigils that assist in the pursuit of hesychia, but this is also where the Jesus Prayer is held in such high esteem by the Eastern Church. She knows it is so difficult for the mind to be silent, so the Church gives us good words to use when we struggle to silence the mind. These words are good for every occasion – “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me.” If repeated in earnest and in faith, Jesus is sure to calm that stormy sea within our heart, just as he once calmed the stormy sea at the cries of his disciples.These words, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” also bring us back to where we began today, for these are the words of the faithful blind man – “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” So I hope you can now see how the story of the blind man is not the story of a single miracle in the past, but rather a story selected to encourage each of us to faithfully seek out that same miracle. Each one of us is the blind man sitting on the side of the road. We must be like the blind man and cry out continually, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me!” Even when we are distracted by the assaults of the Evil One, we must continue to faithfully cry, “Lord have mercy!” And if we do this, we can be assured that our Lord who is always faithful, will call us to himself and say, “Receive your sight. Your faith has made you well.” Amen.

Von Pater Thiemo Klein LC Ausbrechen aus der Gewohnheit, dem alten Eingeengten und Verstarrten. Quit mit Alltagstrott. Sehnsucht nach MEHR. Freiheit ist ein großes Wort. Doch, verbirgt sich nicht dahinter auch ein großes Verlangen? Nach Größe, nach Weite, nach Selbstbestimmung, nach einem Über-sich-selbst-verfügenkönnen, nach einer Liebe, die fähig ist sich selbst zu genügen? Nach einem Einsatz des ganzen Ichs? Nach Beziehungen, die Freiheit schenken und nicht in Abhängigkeiten führen? An den Wochenenden der Osterzeit stellen P. George Elsbett LC und P. Thiemo Klein LC sechs Verhaltensweisen vor, die zur inneren Freiheit führen. Die Impulse werden während den BeFree Messen am Samstag (18.30) und während der Sonntagsmessen (10.30 gehalten. Die Serie beginnt am Sonntag nach Ostersonntag und endet am Sonntag vor Pfingsten. Das ist Teil 2 von der Serie. P. Thiemo Klein LC hat gepredigt. Ressourcen, die ihm bei der Vorbereitung inspiriert haben: + Die Wüstenväter, zB: + Johannes Cassian "Unterredungen mit den Vätern" Evagrius Ponticus, "Die große Widerrede - Anirrhetikos" + Eine modernere Version des Ganzen, die P. Thiemo erwähnt: Bob Schuchts, "Be healed" TITELBILD: Pixabay&Wordswag (eigen)

Lecture 3: Silence through schism and two Reformations: 451-1500 The significance of the threeway split in Christianity after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The purposeful Chalcedonian forgetting of Evagrius Ponticus and the contribution of an anonymous theologian who took the name Dionysius the Areopagite. The role of Augustine in the Western Church: a theologian of words, not silence. The transformation in the use of silence and its function after the Carolingian expansion of Benedictine monastic life (together with the West’s discovery of pseudo-Dionysius), and the further development through the great years of Cluny Abbey. Counter-currents on silence in the medieval West, and the significance of the Iconoclastic controversy, and later hesychasm, in the Byzantine world. Tensions between clerical and lay spirituality in the late medieval West. Recorded 26 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh. Audio version.

Lecture 2: Catholic Christianity and the arrival of ascetism, 100-400 Counter-strands to silence in the early Church, encouraged by its congregational worship and cult of martyrdom, and the effect of gnostic Christianities in shaping what the emerging Catholic Church decided to emphasise or ignore.The emergence of new positive theologies of silence: negative theology and its sources in the Platonic tradition; the development of asceticism in the mainstream Church in Syria from the second century, and its possible sources: the place of silence in the development of monasticism and eremetical life in Christianity.The importance of the remaking of monasticism in Egypt; the vital role of a forgotten theologian, Evagrius Ponticus.Recorded 24 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh. Audio version.

'Every one of those unfortunates during the process of existence should constantly sense and be cognisant of the inevitability of his own death as well as of the death of everyone upon whom his eyes or attention rests.' —G. I. Gurdjieff 'The heights of the spirit can only be climbed by passing through the portals of humility. You can only acquire right knowledge when you have learnt to esteem it. Man has certainly the right to turn his eyes to the light, but he must first acquire this right.' —Rudolf Steiner A journey through my inner being, through sadness and grief and pain and, mingled with them all, joy. Evagrius Ponticus said: 'Happy is the man who thinks himself no better than dirt.' Despite my hatred and anger toward myself, I definitely think of myself as better than dirt. Indeed, that self-contempt feeds into my ego; why would dirt care about being better than what it is? I am still learning to transmute my negative emotions into ἀγάπη, which is difficult, but I shall persevere, God willing. • Lyrics: [SOMEHOW TOO LONG TO POST HERE, SORRY] • Credits: • Evangeline Sutherland ——vocals, production, guitar, synths, lyrics, composition • Karl Marx ——lyrics (Movement IV) • Clemens Dutt ——translation (Movement IV)

Pride. Greed. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Sloth. The seven deadly sins have been around over 1700 years - Evagrius Ponticus penned them in the 3rd century. What do they have to do with being a father? On this weeks show, Chad and Kurt talk with Kent Evans. Kent is an author and the founder of Manhood Journey. He and Ryan Sanders have written a book - 7 Deadly Sins of a Disengaged Dad - about how the seven deadly sins can creep their way into the father’s life if he’s not intentional. More importantly, what are the opposites of the seven deadly sins? Also, Kent talks about his upcoming father-son retreat on May 18.

Praying with the Masters Today 1 by Bernard McGinn Meditatio Talks Series 2018 A Jan-Mar Track 7 of 9

If you come from a Judeo-Christian background or watch the anime series on Netflix, you’ve heard the term “seven deadly sins”. The concept originated in the 3rd century by a religious monk, Evagrius Ponticus. It is featured in literary works including the Canterbury Tales and Dante’s Inferno. The seven deadly sins are: pride, greed, lust, […]

Fr. Gabriel turns aside from the concentration on books to deal with a heartfelt matter—how pride works to break up community and harm people, especially within the Church. At the heart of what the monastic founder John Cassian called the "deadly sins" following Evagrius Ponticus, pride is the worst of the lot and the inspiring agent for all the others. Let's look at pride's deadly work.

Lecture 3: Silence through schism and two Reformations: 451-1500The significance of the threeway split in Christianity after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The purposeful Chalcedonian forgetting of Evagrius Ponticus and the contribution of an anonymous theologian who took the name Dionysius the Areopagite. The role of Augustine in the Western Church: a theologian of words, not silence. The transformation in the use of silence and its function after the Carolingian expansion of Benedictine monastic life (together with the West's discovery of pseudo-Dionysius), and the further development through the great years of Cluny Abbey. Counter-currents on silence in the medieval West, and the significance of the Iconoclastic controversy, and later hesychasm, in the Byzantine world. Tensions between clerical and lay spirituality in the late medieval West.Recorded 26 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh. Audio version.

Lecture 2: Catholic Christianity and the arrival of ascetism, 100-400 Counter-strands to silence in the early Church, encouraged by its congregational worship and cult of martyrdom, and the effect of gnostic Christianities in shaping what the emerging Catholic Church decided to emphasise or ignore.The emergence of new positive theologies of silence: negative theology and its sources in the Platonic tradition; the development of asceticism in the mainstream Church in Syria from the second century, and its possible sources: the place of silence in the development of monasticism and eremetical life in Christianity.The importance of the remaking of monasticism in Egypt; the vital role of a forgotten theologian, Evagrius Ponticus.Recorded 24 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh. Audio version.

Lecture 3: Silence through schism and two Reformations: 451-1500 The significance of the threeway split in Christianity after the Council of Chalcedon (451). The purposeful Chalcedonian forgetting of Evagrius Ponticus and the contribution of an anonymous theologian who took the name Dionysius the Areopagite. The role of Augustine in the Western Church: a theologian of words, not silence. The transformation in the use of silence and its function after the Carolingian expansion of Benedictine monastic life (together with the West’s discovery of pseudo-Dionysius), and the further development through the great years of Cluny Abbey. Counter-currents on silence in the medieval West, and the significance of the Iconoclastic controversy, and later hesychasm, in the Byzantine world. Tensions between clerical and lay spirituality in the late medieval West. Recorded 26 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh.

Lecture 2: Catholic Christianity and the arrival of ascetism, 100-400 Counter-strands to silence in the early Church, encouraged by its congregational worship and cult of martyrdom, and the effect of gnostic Christianities in shaping what the emerging Catholic Church decided to emphasise or ignore.The emergence of new positive theologies of silence: negative theology and its sources in the Platonic tradition; the development of asceticism in the mainstream Church in Syria from the second century, and its possible sources: the place of silence in the development of monasticism and eremetical life in Christianity.The importance of the remaking of monasticism in Egypt; the vital role of a forgotten theologian, Evagrius Ponticus. Recorded 24 April 2012 at St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh.