Esoteric Christianity: An introduction to the Jesus Prayer and the Hesychast Tradition
Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 10 am – 3 pm at CRS
$15 suggested donation (no one turned away)
Register here:http://www.meetup.com/GnosticNYC/events/53036622/
For more information, visithttp://GnosticNYC.com/
At the heart of Christianity is an esoteric science of liberation and transformation known as the hesychast tradition. Unlike Western interpretations of Christianity, which focus on Original Sin and a punitive model of sin and redemption, early Christians spoke of Theosis or Divinization, becoming Divine through the experience of the Uncreated Light, as our goal.
Join us for discussion and practice as we explore the noetic science together. Our discussion will include:
1) Akesis – the training of a spiritual athlete.
2) Hesychia – the inner silence or stillness whereby the nous descends into the heart through the practice of the Jesus Prayer.
3) Metanoia – often translated as “repentence,” but more clearly understood as the transformation of conciousness.
4) Nepsis – vigilance of the nous and watchfulnes at the gates of the heart.
5) The Nous – sometimes translated as “mind,” the nous is our highest – and largely neglected – faculty, that allows the contemplation of the Divine and of the inner essences of created things by means of direct apprehension. Noetic apprehension is not merely intellectual, but comes from direct spiritual experience.
We’ll begin the day with a discussion of the Tradition, followed by group practice of the Jesus Prayer. After a Q & A/ group discussion, we’ll learn how to tie a traditional prayer rope, called a chotki.
Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer: An Esoteric Christian Practice (GnosticNYC meetup)
