HEALING ENCHANTMENTS:

 

 

 


 


THERAPEUTIC
PSALMODY in
EARLY CHRISTIAN
MONASTICISM
 

 David singsAshre,”  Medieval illum. Jewish Psalter   

Conference Paper (as given)      Conference Website 


 

 

 


FRIDAY MARCH 1, 2024 [Video of First Seven Presentations]


Fr. Luke Dysinger, OSB, “Healing Enchantments: Therapeutic Psalmody in Early Christian Monasticism”

Robin Darling Young, “Sources for the Early Christian Understanding of Prayer and the Mind”

Fr. Damaskinos Olkinuora, “The Renaissance of Contemplative Prayer on Mount Athos in the 20th century”

Fr. Chrysostomos Koutloumousianos, “Contemplative Life and the Last Things in the Monastic Environment”

David Elliot, “The Western and Eastern Sources of Aquinas’ Asceticism”

Fr. Steven Payne, “Contemplative Prayer in the Carmelite Tradition: Ancient Roots and Contemporary Practice”

Nathan Tilley, “Contemplative Prayer as Therapy for Self-Knowledge in Isaac of Nineveh and his East Syriac Sources”


SATURDAY MARCH 2, 2024 [Video of Last Four Presentations]


Jennifer Herdt, “Beyond the Therapeutic Mindset: Charting a Path for Empirical Study of Christian Contemplative Practices”

Brother Theophan Miskovic, “Theōsis in Light of Modern Neurobiology”

Fr. Stephen Muse, “Reflections on the Convergence of Ascetical Theology, Neurobiological Advances and Trauma Therapy in Clinical Practice”

Carrie Frederick Frost, “From the Monastery to the Living Room: A Cautionary Tale of the Laicization of Contemplative Practices”

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


1. Hippocratic Mdicine



 

 

 


 

 


1
1. HIPPOCRATIC MEDICINE
in
EARLY CHRISTIAN
MONASTICISM
 

 Hippocrates



 


 

 


 from THE EPIDEMICS of HIPPOCRATES:


 THE Art is threefold:

The patient,

the disease,

and the physician



  τέχνη διὰ τριῶν,

τὸ νούσημα,

νοσέων,

καὶἰητρός·


 The physician is the servant of the art,

 and the patient must battle the disease [together] with the physician

 ὁ ἰητρὸς, ὑπηρέτης τῆς τέχνης·

 ὑπεναντιοῦσθαι τῷ νουσήματι τὸν νοσεῦντα μετὰ τοῦ ἰητροῦ χρή.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 



 from THE DISCIPLES of EVAGRIUS


 203. There are three concerns:

the physician,

the medications,

[and] the patient. [...]

 (203) Τρία [γε μὴν] εἰσὶ πράγματα,

ἰατρός,

τὰ φάρμακα

πάσχων· [...]


 The physician of souls applies [medication] that is appropriate [to each],

 and his commands are adapted to the passions [...]


 ὁ δὲ τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς καταλλήλως προστάσσει,

 καὶ τοῖς πάθεσιν αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ [...]


 

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2_MONASTIC_PSALMODY_THERAPEUTIC_RHYTHM



 

 

 


 

 


2. THE THERAPEUTIC
RHYTHM of 
 
MONASTIC PSALMODY
 

 Monastic Schola, Med'l Illum. MS.



AN alternating rhythm of chanted psalmody and silent prayer

 

PSALMODY
vocal        
 chant        
stand /
sit    

 

PRAYER
   silent
   listen
 prostrate

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


3_PSALMODY_as_ANTIDOTE



 

 

 


 

 


3. PSALMODY
as 
 
SPIRITUAL ANTIDOTE
 

 Charles Martel in Battle



 

 

ANTIDOTE,  ἀντίδοτος:

           MEDICINAL REMEDY; COUNTER-MEASURE

 

ANTIRRHÉSIS,  ἀντίρρησις:

           REFUTATION; CONTRADICTION

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


4_PSaLMODY_HOMEOSTASIS_KRASIS



 

 

 


 

 


4. PSALMODY
and  RESTORATION
 of HOMEOSTASIS
(
Krasis /κρᾶσις)
 

 Hippocrates



 

 

KRASIS,  κρᾶσις:

           BLENDING;  MIXTURE;

           TEMPERAMENT; INNER ATTUNEMENT

 

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


5_PSALMMODY_and_TRANSFORMAION_KRISIS



 

 

 


 

 


5. PSALMODY
and
TRANSFORMATION
 (Krisis / κρίσις)
 

 Christ Heals a Leper



 

 

KRISIS,  κρίσις     ί

         CRITICAL TIME Turning Point (of DISEASE)

           CHANGE / TRANSFORMATION
                           for
BETTER or WORSE

           [~DECISION, JUDGMENT]

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


6_EVAGRIAN_PSALMODY



 

 

 


 

 


6. PSALMODY
in
THE WRITINGS of
EVAGRIUS PONTICUS
 

 Desert Monk



 


 

 



 from THE CHAPTERS on PRAYER by EVAGRIUS:


 82. Pray gently and undisturbed ,

      sing psalms with understanding and good rhythm;

   then you will be like the young eagle that soars in the heights.

 82. Προσεύχου ἐπιεικῶς καὶ ἀταράχως

         και ψάλλε συνετῶς καὶ εὐρύθμως,

    ἔσῃ ὡς νεοσσὸς ἀετοῦ ἐν ὕψει αἰρόμενος.

   

 83. Psalmody calms the passions and puts to rest the body’s disharmony;

 prayer arouses the nous to activate its own proper activity.

 83.Ἡ μὲν ψαλμῳδία τὰ πάθη κατευνάζει καὶ τὴν ἀκρασίαν τοῦ σώματος ἠρεμεῖν ἀπεργάζεται·

ἡ δὲ προσευχὴ ἐνεργεῖν παρασκευάζει τὸν νοῦν τὴν ἰδίαν ἐνέργειαν.

84. Prayer is the power befitting the dignity of the nous;

it is the nous’ highest and purest power and function.

 84. Προσευχὴ ἐστὶ πρέπουσα ἐνέργεια τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ νου,͂

     ἤτοι ἡ κρείττων καὶ εἰλικρινὴς ἐνέργεια αὐτου καὶ χρῆσις.

85. Psalmody pertains to “richly varied wisdom;” (Eph 3:10);

prayer is the prelude to immaterial and uniform knowledge

 

 85.Ἡ μὲν ψαλμῳδία τῆς ποικίλης σοφίας ἐστὶν,

   ἡ δὲ προσευχὴ προοίμιόν ἐστι τῆς ἀΰλου, καὶ ἀποικίλου γνώσεως

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 from ON THOUGHTS by EVAGRIUS


17. AND if, weary from our toil, a certain acedia overtakes us

Εἰ δέ τίς ἐκ τοῦ καμάτου καὶ ἀκηδία ἡμῖν προσγένηται,    

we should climb up a little onto the rock of knowledge

μικρὸν ἀναδραμόντες ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς γνώσεως πέτραν

and converse with the psalter (cf. Ps 48:5),

τῷ ψαλτηρίῳ προσομιλήσωμεν,

plucking with the virtues the strings of knowledge:

πλήσσοντες διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν τῆς γνώσεως τὰς χορδὰς·

LET us again tend our sheep as they pasture below Mount Sinai,

βοσκήσωμεν δὲ πάλιν ὑπὸ τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος τὰ πρόβατα,

so that the God of our fathers may also call to us out of the bush (cf. Exod. 3:1-6)

 ἵνα ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς βάτου καλέσῃ,

and grant us the logoi of the signs and the wonders (cf. Exod. 7:9, 11:9-10).

καὶ τοὺς λόγους τῶν σημείων, καὶ τῶν τεράτων καὶ ἡμῖν χαρίσηται.

   

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


7_CONCLUSION_PSALMODY_MEDITATION_MEDICAL_RESEARCH



 

 

 


 

 


7. CONCLUSION:
P
SALMODY, MEDITATION,
and
 
MEDICAL RESEARCH
 

 Hippocrates



 


MONASTIC Psalmody and Contemplative prayer exist in a dynamic rhythm in which each activity nourishes and sustains the other.  Psalmody enables the practitioner to perceive the divine meanings (logoi) present in all creation, and especially present in each human person.

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



BRAINWAVES

 


 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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