Phronema is a Greek term that is used in Eastern Orthodox theology to refer to mindset or outlook; it is the Orthodox mind. [1] The attaining of phronema is a matter of practicing the correct faith (orthodoxia) in the correct manner (orthopraxia). Attaining phronema is regarded as the first step toward theosis, the state of glorification. [2] Phronema - Therapeutic method of Orthodoxy. These terms are part of what is called the "therapeutic meth ...

Including:

• Phronema - Therapeutic method of Orthodoxy
• Phronema - Phronema in the western Church
• Phronema - Footnotes and references

Read more here: » Phronema: Encyclopedia - Phronema

The Four Noble Truths (Pali, "cattari ariya saccani") are taught in Buddhism as the fundamental insight or enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha), which led to the formulation of the Buddhist philosophy. Dukkha: There is suffering in life for all beings. Samudaya: There is a cause of suffering, which is attachment and desire (tanha). Nirodha: There is a way out of suffering, which is to eliminate attachment and desire. Magga: The path that leads out ...

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Ascetic: One who practices self humbling, self mortification, and self humiliation in order to gain spiritual benefit. There are thirteen practices that monks are supposed to perform as an ascetic. These are: 1) wearing robes made from discarded materials, 2) wearing no more than three robes, 3) begging for food, 4) not discriminating as to where to go for food, 5) only eating one meal a day, 6) eating from only the alms bowl, 7) refusing any more food than can fit in the alms bowl, 8) living in the forest, 9) at the foot of a tree, 10) under the open sky, 11) in a graveyard, 12) being satisfied with one's home, and 13) sleeping in the sitting position. Buddha denounced ascetic practices, though these have been practiced by Buddhist monks.

 (See also: Ascetic, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Ascetic, Asceticism Originally exercise, practice, applied to monastic discipline and self-mortification, very much as was the Sanskrit tapas. But the true ascetic is not one who mortifies his passions, abuses his body, or suppresses his instincts, but one whose earthly desires have been consumed or transformed in the fire of devotion and knowledge. It is used in The Secret Doctrine with special reference to Siva, the "Great Ascetic," and to kumaras who have maintained their purity by refusing to create.

(See also: Ascetic, Asceticism, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Jagrata (Sanskrit). The waking state of consciousness. When mentioned in Yoga philosophy, Jagrata-avastha is the waking condition, one of the four states of Pranava in ascetic practices, as used by the Yogis.

(See also: Jagrata, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary, )

In its simplest form, it can mean merely denying oneself certain bodily pleasures, such as by abstaining from chocolate, from meat, from food generally (fasting), from alcohol, or from sex. It can also be practised by deliberately choosing a simple or even impoverished lifestyle; this is often one reason many monastics take vows of poverty. In some of its more severe forms, it can mean actually inflicting pain and physical harm to oneself, such as by beating, whipping, or other means. Some ps ...

See also:

Mortification of the flesh, Mortification of the flesh - Forms, Mortification of the flesh - Practices in Different Religions & Cultures, Mortification of the flesh - Jewish practices, Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots, Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history, Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology, Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as means for a higher end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain is to be loved relative to the positive end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as an integral part of human nature united to the Person of Christ, Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Need for suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Process of revealing the meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Joy in suffering: sharing in the redemption

Read more here: » Mortification of the flesh: Encyclopedia II - Mortification of the flesh - Forms

The adjective "ascetic" derives from the ancient Greek term askesis (practice, training or exercise). Originally associated with any form of disciplined practice, the term ascetic has come to mean anyone who practices a renunciation of worldly pursuits to achieve higher intellectual, emotional, or spiritual goals. Many warriors and athletes, in Greek society, applied the discipline of askesis to attain optimal bodily fitness and grace. The manner of life, the doctrine, or principles of someone who engages in askesis< ...

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Asceticism, Asceticism - Etymology, Asceticism - Worldly vs Otherworldly, Asceticism - Religious vs Secular motivation, Asceticism - Religious Motivation, Asceticism - Secular Motivation

Read more here: » Asceticism: Encyclopedia II - Asceticism - Etymology

The early Christians fulfilled the desire of imitating Christ in his passion and death in an "ultimate" way through martyrdom and through what has been called "confession of the faith": accepting torture in a joyful way. Another way of self-denial which developed quickly in the early centuries is the practice of virginity, giving up the pleasures of sex and of having children for higher supernatural ends. Starting in the fourth century, hermits started to populate the deserts as their way of doing penance. Saint Jerome a biblical s ...

See also:

Mortification of the flesh, Mortification of the flesh - Forms, Mortification of the flesh - Practices in Different Religions & Cultures, Mortification of the flesh - Jewish practices, Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots, Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history, Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology, Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as means for a higher end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain is to be loved relative to the positive end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as an integral part of human nature united to the Person of Christ, Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Need for suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Process of revealing the meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Joy in suffering: sharing in the redemption

Read more here: » Mortification of the flesh: Encyclopedia II - Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history

The term “mortification of the flesh” comes from Saint Paul in this quote: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.” (Rom 8:13). The same idea is seen in the following verses: “Put to death what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col 3:5) “And those who belon ...

See also:

Mortification of the flesh, Mortification of the flesh - Forms, Mortification of the flesh - Practices in Different Religions & Cultures, Mortification of the flesh - Jewish practices, Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots, Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history, Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology, Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as means for a higher end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain is to be loved relative to the positive end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as an integral part of human nature united to the Person of Christ, Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Need for suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Process of revealing the meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Joy in suffering: sharing in the redemption

Read more here: » Mortification of the flesh: Encyclopedia II - Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots

Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents. Recent theology affirms the practice of mortification. The catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes” (n. 2015). "Jesus' call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at ...

See also:

Mortification of the flesh, Mortification of the flesh - Forms, Mortification of the flesh - Practices in Different Religions & Cultures, Mortification of the flesh - Jewish practices, Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots, Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history, Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology, Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as means for a higher end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain is to be loved relative to the positive end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as an integral part of human nature united to the Person of Christ, Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Need for suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Process of revealing the meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Joy in suffering: sharing in the redemption

Read more here: » Mortification of the flesh: Encyclopedia II - Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology

From a religious point of view, the solitary life is a form of asceticism, wherein the hermit renounces wordly concerns and pleasures in order to come closer to the deity or deities they worship or revere. This practice appears in Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sufism. In ascetic hermitism, the hermit seeks solitude for meditation, contemplation, and prayer without the distractions of contact with human society, sex, or the need to maintain socially acceptable standards of cleanliness or dress. The ascetic discipline can also include ...

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Hermit, Hermit - Hermits in religion, Hermit - Non-religious hermits, Hermit - Hermits in philosophy

Read more here: » Hermit: Encyclopedia II - Hermit - Hermits in religion

John Paul II wrote an entire Apostolic Letter on the topic of suffering, specifically the salvific meaning of suffering: Salvifici Doloris. It is considered a major contribution to the theology of pain and suffering. This he wrote after suffering from the bullet wound due to the assassination attempt of Ali Agca. Six weeks after meeting his attacker, he wrote what some consider to be one of the most beautiful teachings about suffering in Christianity. Some of the salient points are (italics ad ...

See also:

Mortification of the flesh, Mortification of the flesh - Forms, Mortification of the flesh - Practices in Different Religions & Cultures, Mortification of the flesh - Jewish practices, Mortification of the flesh - Etymology and Christian roots, Mortification of the flesh - Examples of mortification of the flesh in Christian history, Mortification of the flesh - Modern Christian theology, Mortification of the flesh - Recent Church documents, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as means for a higher end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain is to be loved relative to the positive end, Mortification of the flesh - Pain as an integral part of human nature united to the Person of Christ, Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Need for suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Process of revealing the meaning of suffering, Mortification of the flesh - Joy in suffering: sharing in the redemption

Read more here: » Mortification of the flesh: Encyclopedia II - Mortification of the flesh - The teaching of Pope John Paul II: the salvific meaning of suffering

Aghori: (Sanskrit) "Nonterrifying." An order of Saiva ascetics thought to be derived from the Kapalika order (ca 14th century). Following the vamachara, "left-hand ritual of the tantras," they are widely censured for radical practices such as living in cemeteries and using human skulls as eating bowls.

(See also: Aghori, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Kapalika: (Sanskrit) An ascetic sect which developed out of the Pashupatas around 500 ce and largely vanished around 1400. They earned a reputation for extreme practices. Possible predecessors of Gorakshanatha Siddha Siddhanta yogis.

See: Pashupata Saivism.

(See also: Kapalika, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Aghori: (Sanskrit) "Nonterrifying." An order of Saiva ascetics thought to be derived from the Kapalika order (ca 14th century). Following the vamachara, "left-hand ritual of the tantras," they are widely censured for radical practices such as living in cemeteries and using human skulls as eating bowls.

(See also: Aghori, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Sramana (Sanskrit) [from the verbal root sram to exert]

Making effort or exertion; toiling, laboring; one who performs acts of penance and mortification -- an ascetic of such type. Particularly applied to Buddhist monks or mendicants, to Buddha, or to a Jain ascetic.

When a sravaka from theory goes into the actual practice of self-control in all its senses, he becomes a saramana, a practicer of the esoteric instructions. Mere asceticism, however, apart from strict spiritual aspiration and intellectual training, is of little value, and too often distracts the attention of the student merely to care for the body and its appetites. The story of the Buddha himself well illustrates this, for the time came when he abandoned ascetic mortification of the body and turned his entire attention to the far greater and more difficult spiritual and intellectual discipline and evolution.

(See also: Sramana, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Talapoin (East Indian) A Buddhist monk of Ceylon, Siam, or Burma. The laws laid down for the Talapoins are very strict, particularly in regard to unchastity. Many of these ascetics have demonstrated their remarkable powers over nature, especially in medical practices (cf IU 2:620-1).

(See also: Talapoin, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Thapas:

Thapas: Ascetic practices (BV-23), process of purifying the inner equipments of man in the crucible of single-pointed speech, feeling and activity, directed towards God; discipline, spiritual exercise (sadhana), (BV-33), the discipline of austerities to propitiate the Gods (RRV-7b).

(See also: Thapas, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Dousing - Japan. Some Japanese ascetic practices, as with Shinto misogi practices, include dousing. This is seen, for example, with some Aikido martialists. Morihei Ueshiba was known to practice cold water misogi. Kamakura, Japan has a temple whose Nichiren Buddhist priests in-training practice a ritual of 100 days of fasting, meditation and walking which ends with stripping to loincloths and dousing with ice cold water. Thingyan (Water Festival) was celebrated from 13th to 17th April in 2001 and the rituals included dousing. < ...

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Dousing, Dousing - Cold water dousing, Dousing - National traditions, Dousing - Japan, Dousing - Russia

Read more here: » Dousing: Encyclopedia II - Dousing - National traditions

Many of the dervishes are mendicant ascetics who have taken the vow of poverty. Though some of them are beggars by choice, others work in common professions; Egyptian Qadirites - known in Turkey as Kadiri - for example, are fishermen. There are also various dervish fraternities (Sufi orders), almost all of whom who trace their origins from various Muslim saints and teachers, especially Ali and Abu Bakr. They live in monastic conditions, superficially similar to Christian monk fraternities. Various orders and suborders hav ...

See also:

Dervish, Dervish - Religious practice, Dervish - Historical and political use

Read more here: » Dervish: Encyclopedia II - Dervish - Religious practice

Gymnosophists (from Greek gymnosophistai naked wise men)

Name given by the Greeks to the ascetics met by Alexander in India, as mentioned by Plutarch and others. They are said in some cases to have practiced extreme asceticism, including virtual nudity in all weathers; these "learned yogis and ascetic type philosophers who returned to the jungle and forest, there to reach through great austerities superhuman knowledge and experience," are said to have possessed occult powers due to their mode of life and to the traditional knowledge which they had (TG 130, IU 1:90, 113).

(See also: Gymnosophists, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)