Download or read book Icon Gazing and Sacred Image Meditation written by John Stangle and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2017-03-14 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enter into an ancient method of meditation and prayer using sacred icons and sacred images as has been done since the beginning of the Christian Church. Icons and sacred images are said to be, -windows into heaven-.
Download or read book Visio Divina written by Carolyn Shields and published by . This book was released on 2019-01-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Josef Pieper claims, "The ultimate fulfillment, the absolute meaningful activity, the most perfect expression of being alive, the deepest satisfaction, and the fullest achievement of human existence must needs happen in an instance of beholding." He adds, "A particularly venerable form, particularly neglected as well, is religious meditation, the contemplative immersion of the self into the divine mysteries."But, we say, our attention spans are but seconds. We live in a fast paced world. It's static. There's noise pollution. How can we ever foster an attitude of contemplation? We close our eyes during the homilies, determined to listen without much gain. We kneel, opening our hearts to hear the Lord, and then our phone buzzes, breaking that fragile peace. We buckle down, eliminating the noise from our instagram accounts to only fill it with beauty, yet overexposure dulls our sense of wonder and awe. We are a visual generation, and we're lightning. But there is a yet. It looks like this: yet, there is a new way to draw us back to our Holy. And it is called Visio Divina.Visio Divina: Praying With Sacred Art is a compilation of nearly one hundred paintings with corresponding scripture passages and reflections to guide oneself into deeper prayer through focused meditation.This book can be used privately or within a group setting and is available in both soft and hardcover, as well as an electronic version.
Download or read book Icon and Devotion written by Oleg Tarasov and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2004-01-03 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Icon and Devotion offers the first extensive presentation in English of the making and meaning of Russian icons. The craft of icon-making is set into the context of forms of worship that emerged in the Russian Orthodox Church in the mid-seventeenth century. Oleg Tarasov shows how icons have held a special place in Russian consciousness because they represented idealized images of Holy Russia. He also looks closely at how and why icons were made. Wonder-working saints and the leaders of such religious schisms as the Old Believers appear in these pages, which are illustrated in halftones with miniature paintings, lithographs and engravings never before published in the English-speaking world. By tracing the artistic vocabulary, techniques and working methods of icon painters, Tarasov shows how icons have been integral to the history of Russian art, influenced by folk and mainstream currents alike. As well as articulating the specifically Russian piety they invoke, he analyzes the significance of icons in the cultural life of modern Russia in the context of popular prints and poster design.
Download or read book Behold the Beauty of the Lord written by Henri J. M. Nouwen and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2007-09-15 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This twentieth anniversary edition (more than 111,000 copies sold) brings Henri J.M. Nouwen's writings on Eastern Orthodox icons to a new generation and adds to the Nouwen collection published by Ave Maria Press. With a foreword by Br. Robert Lentz, a well-known painter of contemporary icons, this classic Nouwen book invites readers to pray with four Russian icons with their eyes open by emphasizing seeing or gazing, which are at the heart of Eastern spirituality. Nouwen's meditations reveal his viewing of the icons not as decorations, but holy places. The book includes four full-color icons for private contemplation or meditation.
Download or read book The Sacred Gaze written by David Morgan and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-09-01 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Sacred gaze" denotes any way of seeing that invests its object—an image, a person, a time, a place—with spiritual significance. Drawing from many different fields, David Morgan investigates key aspects of vision and imagery in a variety of religious traditions. His lively, innovative book explores how viewers absorb and process religious imagery and how their experience contributes to the social, intellectual, and perceptual construction of reality. Ranging widely from thirteenth-century Japan and eighteenth-century Tibet to contemporary America, Thailand, and Africa, The Sacred Gaze discusses the religious functions of images and the tools viewers use to interpret them. Morgan questions how fear and disgust of images relate to one another and explains how scholars study the long and evolving histories of images as they pass from culture to culture. An intriguing strand of the narrative details how images have helped to shape popular conceptions of gender and masculinity. The opening chapter considers definitions of "visual culture" and how these relate to the traditional practice of art history. Amply illustrated with more than seventy images from diverse religious traditions, this masterful interdisciplinary study provides a comprehensive and accessible resource for everyone interested in how religious images and visual practice order space and time, communicate with the transcendent, and embody forms of communion with the divine. The Sacred Gaze is a vital introduction to the study of the visual culture of religions.
Download or read book Ponder These Things written by Rowan Williams and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This beautifully illustrated book invites modern-day pilgrims and people of prayer to think about some of the different ways in which Mary is regularly portrayed in the art of Eastern Christianity. Specifically, it explores three of the most common yet theologically rich images of the Holy Virgin--She Who Points the Way or Hodegetria, The Virgin of Loving Kindness or Eleousa, and The Virgin of the Sign or Oranta--all of which serve as a wonderful springboard for theological and personal reflection.
Download or read book Inner Journeying Through Art Journaling written by Marianne Hieb and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2005-08-26 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inner Journeying Through Art-Journaling introduces a holistic journaling process that combines art, art therapy, design theory and spiritual direction in order to attain personal balance, awareness of one's own inner processes, resolution of internal conflicts and enhanced wellness. The book guides the reader through the process of creative journaling and presents the key elements of the technique. Case studies and art journals of Marianne Hieb's own clients and retreat participants show the effectiveness of journaling as a therapeutic intervention and as a meditative tool. Inner Journeying Through Art-Journaling will be of significant use to anyone interested in holistic healing, and of special interest to arts therapists, counsellors, spiritual directors, and anyone dealing with people who are encountering loss, grief, resistance, or discernment issues. It will also be helpful for the individual looking to add holistic journaling to his or her own meditation, prayer, or inner exploration practice.
Download or read book Engaging with Contemporary Culture written by Martyn Percy and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theology and the churches are often considered to be at the margins of contemporary culture, frequently struggling for identity and attention. In this important new book Martyn Percy argues that a rich form of practical theological engagement is needed if the churches are to comprehend their situation in the modern world, thereby enabling them to engage more confidently with society. Drawing on a range of perspectives in the religion-culture debate, and from case studies in the USA and Europe, the book explores the myriad of ways in which culture is now shaping contemporary Christianity, and how vital an appreciation of this dynamic is for the self-understanding of churches and theology. This book explores the crucial and continuing contribution that theology can make to public life, in an era that is often perceived to be dominated by consumerism and secularity. It will especially appeal to scholars of contemporary religion, practical theologians, and all those who are engaged in ministerial formation.
Download or read book Textures of Place written by Paul C. Adams and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation A fresh and far-ranging interpretation of the concept of place, this volume begins with a fundamental tension of our day: as communications technologies help create a truly global economy, the very political-economic processes that would seem to homogenize place actually increase the importance of individual localities, which are exposed to global flows of investment, population, goods, and pollution. Place, no less today than in the past, is fundamental to how the world works. The contributors to this volume -- distinguished scholars from geography, art history, philosophy, anthropology, and American and English literature -- investigate the ways in which place is embedded in everyday experience, its crucial role in the formation of group and individual identity, and its ability to reflect and reinforce power relations. Their essays draw from a wide array of methodologies and perspectives -- including feminism, ethnography, poststructuralism, ecocriticism, and landscape ichnography -- to examine themes as diverse as morality and imagination, attention and absence, personal and group identity, social structure, home, nature, and cosmos.
Download or read book God Knows There s Need written by Susan R. Holman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-06-02 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this insightful volume, Susan R. Holman blends personal memoir and deep research into ancient writings to illuminate the age-old issues of need, poverty, and social justice in the history of the Christian tradition. Holman explores, for instance, the stories of fourth- and fifth-century bishops, showing how these early Christian writers can be allies for those who want to influence our contemporary dialogue about social justice. Throughout this deeply personal and richly scholarly work, Holman connects the ancient and the modern, helping readers understand more fully these age-old issues.
Download or read book Praying with Icons written by Jim Forest and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Evagrius and Gregory written by Kevin Corrigan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evagrius of Pontus and Gregory of Nyssa have either been overlooked by philosophers and theologians in modern times, or overshadowed by their prominent friend and brother (respectively), Gregory Nazianzus and Basil the Great. Yet they are major figures in the development of Christian thought in late antiquity and their works express a unique combination of desert and urban spiritualities in the lived and somewhat turbulent experience of an entire age. They also provide a significant link between the great ancient thinkers of the past - Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Clement and others - and the birth and transmission of the early Medieval period - associated with Boethius, Cassian and Augustine. This book makes accessible, to a wide audience, the thought of Evagrius and Gregory on the mind, soul and body, in the context of ancient philosophy/theology and the Cappadocians generally. Corrigan argues that in these two figures we witness the birth of new forms of thought and science. Evagrius and Gregory are no mere receivers of a monolithic pagan and Christian tradition, but innovative, critical interpreters of the range and limits of cognitive psychology, the soul-body relation, reflexive self-knowledge, personal and human identity and the soul’s practical relation to goodness in the context of human experience and divine self-disclosure. This book provides a critical evaluation of their thought on these major issues and argues that in Evagrius and Gregory we see the important integration of many different concerns that later Christian thought was not always able to balance including: mysticism, asceticism, cognitive science, philosophy, and theology.
Download or read book Big Yoga written by Meera Patricia Kerr and published by Square One Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2012-05-28 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Health Title If you think yoga is only for skinny young things, you need to think again. To expert Meera Patricia Kerr, yoga can and should be used by everyone—especially plus-size individuals. In her new book, Big Yoga, Meera shares the unique yoga program she developed for all those who think that yoga is not for them. Part One of Big Yoga begins with a clear explanation of what yoga is, what benefits it offers, and how it can fit into anyone’s life. Included is an important discussion of selfimage. The book goes on to provide practical information regarding clothing, mats, and suitable environments, and to emphasize the need to begin with care. Part Two offers over forty different exercises specifically designed to work with bigger bodies. In each case, the author explains the technique, details its advantages, and offers step-by-step instructions along with easy-to-follow photographs. If you have thought that yoga is not for you, pick up Big Yoga and let Meera Patricia Kerr help you become more confident and relaxed than you may have ever thought possible.
Download or read book Icon Painting Technique written by Mary Jane MIller and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2013-06-03 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary Jane Miller discusses her Icon Painting technique, the history and meaning of icon painting. The How to book orients icon painters and examines why icons continue to be a spiritual tool. From a uniquely Western perspective, this step-by-step study of art and teaching of a practical course in Icon Painting technique. The religion and spirituality of this technique brings to life the sacred and beautiful art of egg tempera painting. Included are egg tempera recipe guides and patterns to work from. Beginners, intermediate, and advanced iconographers will all find new insights.With in-depth information, invaluable advice, and superb illustrations of each step, this is a most comprehensive guide to the philosophy and practice of icon painting. In addition, this Icon Painting technique book can be read as a step-by-step guide of how to create your own icon. The 12-step sequence put forth here is a guideline or road map for the process from vision to creation. However, while easy to follow detailed instructions about technique and materials are provided, my main objective is to emphasize the mystical experience of the process itself, bringing the the Icon Painting technique to a better understanding of the two natures of Christ - flesh and spirit. Details; Looking at Icons Revealed, One Secret Prayer Method, Brief History of Iconography, Organic Egg Tempera, Icon of St Luke, Overview of How to Paint Icons, Wood, Linen, Gesso and Gold, First lines, Chaos of Color, Second lines, Highlights and Veils, Final Lines, Analysis of Icon Images, Mixing Paint for Lettering, Prayers for an Iconographer Egg Temepra and Earth Pigments 41 Rules for the Iconographer 42 Conclusion
Download or read book Meditation A Practical Guidebook written by Swami Tadatmananda and published by Motilal Banarsidass. This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To ask, "What is meditation?" is like asking, "What is music?" No simple answer can even hope to convey the breadth and richness of this subject. Meditation is a contemplative art, a mental discipline, and a sacred journey. Meditation is a reflective practice, a tranquil retreat, and a joyous excursion. Meditation is simultaneously an aesthetic pursuit, a scientific investigation, and a spiritual path. You could say that meditation is a rainbow of many hues. But to describe meditation with fancy words and elegant expressions is like trying to describe the flavour of a ripe peach. Meditation, like the peach, must be experienced to be understood. Words can never suffice. Yet words of description and explanation are not useless. Words can tell you how to select the ripest fruit from a bushel of peaches. And words can tell you how to meditate, leading you to develop a powerful, rewarding practice. This book provides practical, methodical guidance for all who want to develop a powerful and rewarding practice of meditation. It begins with basic principles and proceeds step by step to more advanced topics while exploring a wide range of meditation techniques. Though the subject is vast attempt has been under to create a concise and user-friendly guidebook.
Download or read book Sacred Stories written by Mark D. Steinberg and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2007-01-24 with total page 867 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sacred Stories brings together the work of leading scholars writing on the history of religion and religiosity in late imperial Russia during the critical decades preceding the 1917 revolutions. Embodying new research and new methodologies, this book reshapes our understanding of the place of religion in modern Russian history. Topics examined include miraculous icons and healing, pilgrim narratives, confessions, women and Orthodox domesticity, marriage and divorce, conversion and tolerance, Jewish folk beliefs, mysticism in Russian art, and philosophical aspects of Orthodox religious thought. Sacred Stories demonstrates that belief, spirituality, and the sacred were powerful and complex cultural expressions central to Russian political, social, economic, and cultural life. Contributors are Nicholas B. Breyfogle, Heather J. Coleman, Gregory L. Freeze, Nadieszda Kizenko, Alexei A. Kurbanovsky, Roy R. Robson, Bernice Glatzer Rosenthal, Gabriella Safran, Vera Shevzov, Sarah Abrevaya Stein, Mark Steinberg, Paul Valliere, William G. Wagner, Paul W. Werth, and Christine D. Worobec.
Download or read book Medieval Images Icons and Illustrated English Literary Texts written by Maidie Hilmo and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-10-30 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The function of images in the major illustrated English poetic works from the Anglo-Saxon period to the early fifteenth century is the primary concern of this book. Hilmo argues that the illustrations have not been sufficiently understood because modern judgments about their artistic merit and fidelity to the literary texts have got in the way of a historical understanding of their function. The author here proves that artists took their work seriously because images represented an invisible order of reality, that they were familiar with the vernacular poems, and that they were innovative in adapting existing iconographies to guide the ethical reading process of their audience. To provide a theoretical basis for the understanding of early monuments, artefacts, and texts, she examines patristic opinions on image-making, supported by the most authoritative modern sources. Fresh emphasis is given to the iconic nature of medieval images from the time of the iconoclastic debates of the 8th and 9th centuries to the renewed anxiety of image-making at the time of the Lollard attacks on images. She offers an important revision of the reading of the Ruthwell Cross, which changes radically the interpretation of the Cross as a whole. Among the manuscripts examined here are the Caedmon, Auchinleck, Vernon, and Pearl manuscripts. Hilmo's thesis is not confined to overtly religious texts and images, but deals also with historical writing, such as Layamon's Brut, and with poetry designed ostensibly for entertainment, such as the Canterbury Tales. This study convincingly demonstrates how the visual and the verbal interactively manifest the real "text" of each illustrated literary work. The artistic elements place vernacular works within a larger iconographic framework in which human composition is seen to relate to the activities of the divine Author and Artificer.Whether iconic or anti-iconic in stance, images, by their nature, were a potent means of influencing the way an English author's words, accessible in the vernacular, were thought about and understood within the context of the theology of the Incarnation that informed them and governed their aesthetic of spiritual function. This is the first study to cover the range of illustrated English poems from the Anglo-Saxon period to the early 15th century.
