Offerings of Praise

Posted on by Alain Joly
‘The Olive Grove’ – John Singer Sargent, 1908 – WikiArt

I don’t know if you have ever been in a gathering of truth seekers. Men and women willing to learn the truth of their being. Rendered humble enough to go through this discipleship. Battling to overcome their suffering. Journeying through the opening of their heart. Relinquishing their endless identities. Embracing infinity and friendship. If you haven’t, then I’ll leave this blessed and prominent ancient Christian theologian Ephrem the Syrian speak for it. Describe it in its own poetical terms. Tell you what it is like. Literally. And if you have, well then you have.
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“Who has ever beheld gatherings of people
whose sustenance is the giving of praise?
Their raiment is light,
their countenance full of radiance;
as they ruminate
on the abundance of His gift
there burst forth from their mouths
springs of wisdom;
tranquility reigns over their thought,
truth over their knowledge,
reverence over their enquiry,
and love over their offering of praise.”

~ Ephrem the Syrian (Hymns on Paradise, IX:28)

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Quote by Ephrem the Syrian (c.306-373)

Painting by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)

Additional text by Alain Joly

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Bibliography:
– ‘Hymns On Paradise’ – St. Ephrem the Syrian (trans. Sebastian Brock) – (St Vladimir’s Seminary Press)

Websites:
– Ephrem the Syrian (Wikipedia)
– John Singer Sargent (Wikipedia)

Suggestion:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)

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The Glorious Reality

Posted on by Alain Joly

“Do nothing that may be unworthy of the
glorious reality within your heart and you
shall be happy and remain happy.”

~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

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Quote by Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1981)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography:
– ‘I Am That’ – by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj – (Chetana Pvt.Ltd)

Website:
– Nisargadatta Maharaj (Wikipedia)

Suggestions:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)
– Khetwadi Lane (Homage to Nisargadatta Maharaj)

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The Sober Life

Posted on by Alain Joly

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“To be sober means not to let the heart cling to anything except God.
Cleaving to other things makes the soul drunk,
and it begins to do quite unaccountable things.”
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~ Theophan the Recluse

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Quote by Theophan the Recluse (1815-1894)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography:
– ‘The Art of Prayer: an orthodox anthology’ – Compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo (Trans. by E. Kadloubovsky and E. M. Palmer) – (Faber & Faber)

Website:
– Theophan the Recluse (Wikipedia)

Suggestions:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)

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Treasures of Grace

Posted on by Alain Joly
In Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome

.“The heart is but a small vessel;
and yet dragons and lions are there,
and there likewise are poisonous creatures
and all the treasures of wickedness;
rough, uneven paths are there, and gaping chasms.

There also is God, there are the angels,
there life and the Kingdom,
there light and the apostles,
the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace:
all things are there.”

~ Macarius of Egypt (Homilies 43:7)

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Quote by Macarius of Egypt (c. 300-391)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography:
– ‘Fifty Spiritual Homilies of Saint Macarius the Egyptian’ – by Macarius of Egypt – (Aeterna Press)

Website:
– Macarius of Egypt (Wikipedia)

Suggestions:
– Sayings of the Church Fathers
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)

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The Essence of Life

Posted on by Alain Joly

We hardly ever listen to the sound of a dog’s bark,
or to the cry of a child or the laughter of a man as he passes by.
We separate ourselves from everything, and then
from this isolation look and listen to all things.
It is this separation which is so destructive,
for in that lies all conflict and confusion.
If you listened to the sound of those bells
with complete silence, you would be riding on it —
or, rather, the sound would carry you
across the valley and over the hill.
[…]
Meditation is not a separate thing from life;
it is the very essence of life,
the very essence of daily living.

~ J. Krishnamurti (‘The Only Revolution’)

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Quote by J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography :
– ‘Krishnamurti’s Notebook’ – by J. Krishnamurti – (Krishnamurti Publications of America, US)

Website:
– J. Krishnamurti

Suggestions:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)
– A Day at Brockwood Park (Homage to J. Krishnamurti)

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The Sadness of Life

Posted on by Alain Joly

“The sadness of life is this –
the emptiness that we try to fill
with every conceivable trick of the mind.”

~ J. Krishnamurti

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Quote by J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography :
– ‘Krishnamurti’s Notebook’ – by J. Krishnamurti – (Krishnamurti Publications of America, US)

Website:
– J. Krishnamurti

Suggestions:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)
– A Day at Brockwood Park (Homage to J. Krishnamurti)

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The Final Action

Posted on by Alain Joly

“The first step is to perceive,
perceive what you are thinking,
perceive your ambition,
perceive your anxiety,
your loneliness, your despair,
this extraordinary sense of sorrow,
perceive it, without any condemnation, justification,
without wishing it to be different.
Just to perceive it, as it is.

When you perceive it as it is,
then there is a totally different kind of action taking place,
and that action is the final action.”

~ J. Krishnamurti 

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Quote by J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

Photo by Alain Joly

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Bibliography :
– ‘Krishnamurti’s Notebook’ – by J. Krishnamurti – (Krishnamurti Publications of America, US)

Website:
– J. Krishnamurti

Suggestions:
– Beauty in Essence (other pointers from the blog)
– A Day at Brockwood Park (Homage to J. Krishnamurti)

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