#ascetics

[dramoor]

April 1st – Feast Day of Saint Mary of Egypt

[divinum-pacis]

A photographer snaps pictures of new monks on January 30, 2013 on the bank of the Ganges River in Allahabad. Sanjay Kanojia, AFP/Getty Images

[fieriframes]

[(whistles) (whistles) THOUGH REDUCE US TO THE STATUS OF ASCETICS FILLING UP ON GANGSTER TOFU BURGERS...]

[1five1two]

As one advances in life, one realises more and more that the majority of men — and of women — are incapable of any other effort than that strictly imposed on them as a reaction to external compulsion. And for that reason, the few individuals we have come across who are capable of a spontaneous and joyous effort stand out isolated, monumentalised, so to speak, in our experience. These are the select men, the nobles, the only ones who are active and not merely reactive, for whom life is a perpetual striving, an incessant course of training. Training = askesis. These are the ascetics.

José Ortega y Gasset

[clexafamilyau-blog]

When the Going Gets Tough ascetics -- Woods Home (Inside) 

Downstairs: Kitchen Living room. 

Second Floor: Kids Room, Clexa’s room (up small steps)

Third floor (attic) Clarke’s home art studio

[deus-sabaoth]

If we make every effort to avoid death of the body, still more should it be our endeavor to avoid death of the soul. There is no obstacle for a man who wants to be saved other than negligence and laziness of soul.

+ St. Anthony the Great, “On the Character of Men and on the Virtuous Life: One Hundred and Seventy Texts,” Text 45, The Philokalia: The Complete Text (Vol. 1)

[fieriframes]

[AND TO MAKE IT PORTABLE, TO LET NO ONE REDUCE US TO THE STATUS OF ASCETICS AND ALL THE BAKED GOODS THAT YOU DO.]

[dramoor]

“The Repentance of Mary the Egyptian. The Theotokos embracing Saint Mary as a father embraces his prodigal son. This is the moment that often resonates with me from her life, but her meeting Abba Zosimas after 47 years in the wilderness is the one highlighted more often. This isn't your usual St. Mary the Egyptian. It's not the long-white-haired ascetic who walked the desert for years and is ready for her heavenly crown. This is the one with her jewelry still on, who just walked away from her most recent lover. The one who didn't know if she had the strength to walk away and towards Christ, so she reached to the Theotokos for help. That one. Saint Mary the Egyptian, pray for us.”

~Image and text via Creativeorthodox.com)