מפגש רביעי- 27.06.23

Fourth meeting – 27/06/23

We read a chapter (steps) from The Ladder of Divine Ascent, a work written by John Climacus around 600 CE. This text, originally sent from the monastery on Mount Sinai to the Raithu monastery, led us to delve into discussions about Christian monks and monasteries during that era. We explored concepts such as the alternation of the mind, abstaining from comfort and will, and pushing oneself to an "extreme" as practices to attain elevated states of consciousness. We drew comparisons to similar practices encountered in the Tantric tradition, which we had discussed in a previous meeting. It is now evident that states of consciousness are present in various religious frameworks, and we highlighted the significance of transitioning and moving between these states. Our conversation touched upon the goals and motivations behind achieving such states, such as overcoming demonic powers, attaining a spiritual state, and surpassing material restrictions.