www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Seeking pen pal to teach; On the mind and perception of "the ultimate reality"

Peace be with all!
Hello, I was hoping there may be someone out there willing to private message me with their e-mail address so that we may engage in a dialogue that I hope to learn from. I would prefer someone who is either Ukrainian Catholic/Orthodox or someone who is very familiar with Slavic Byzantine practice (I am new to the entire field). In particular, I would like to know on this forum what the expostition of the Plaschanytsia is and how to venerate it. I have heard it is an icon of the Christ as He is laid down from the cross. Would the proper veneration be kissing the wounds of Christ on the icon?

Secondly, I know my posts have been very frantic (just look at my history..."Catholic or Orthodox...Seeking Faith...Evolution...A friend against the faith...etc.) but it is simply that all my questions have been answered perfectly in this forum by people who are on the same side of the fence as me. I ask so many questions because I have been raised in a secular society (my parents encouraged going to church, however) with a tv as my guide. You can just imagine how corrupted my world-vision is right now.

Anyways, I have heard of recent studies that have shown that the entire mystic experience is in the mind, that it has to do with the way that the brain perceives reality and how it responds, etc. Long story short, there is a large controversy behind it. Some say that it proves that God does not exist, though others (myself included) point out that this is simply proof of the "divine architecture" that the human body is composed of. In other words, the mind is the "gateway" to perceiving the superior or ultimate reality, where the soul, angels and God are in full view. Am I validated in this opinion? Is there anyonw who is familiar with this research and who has a comment?

Please keep in mind that the last thing I would like to do is stir up controversy, I would simply like the opinions of people out there.(After all, I would hate to disrupt this most Holy Week and the ecstatic state of the soul over this silly argument of man).
Thank you for all you input.
Slava Isusu Christu!
Slava Na Viki!
-Justin, sinner

Justin,
On Ukrainian/Litugics and faith, here is a great site with many articles about our faith, icons, and saints:
www.ukrainian-orthodoxy.org [ukrainian-orthodoxy.org]

I have found this site very imformative and overall very good. I hope it can help.
With 5 days 'til Holy Pascha,
-ukrainiancatholic

Dear Catholic servant,

I am not as familiar with this research yet as I would like to be, but, as an undergraduate psychology major, am headed in that direction. In the meantime, I offer only this thought from logic. Hopefully it will help and not further confuse:

If the Transcendant, the other-worldly does not exist, where des our ability to perceive its existence come from? Or, in other words, if matter, that which can be seen, touched, tasted, etc., is the only thing which exists, how could matter - hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, etc. - possibly create in our minds the idea of something which is totally foreign to cold, hard "reality". The idea of some Superior Transcendant Being (God), of spirits (angels), etc. just doesn't make any sense to a universe composed only of matter.

Does this make sense? To sum up, I have a feeling that, yes, you've hit the nail right on the head.

Mystic

Peace be with you all!
Firstly, I would like to thank you for that web page, it is most helpful. Secondly, I would like to thank you for your input on the recent theory put forward. But something I feel I should clarify is that the atheists claim that the entire realm of higher is merely an illusion, that the feeling of "oneness" with the universe and the ultimate existence is merely a human error. I of course find their interpretation completely false, but I felt I should just put that forward for more discussion.

Secondly, as most Holy Friday approaches, I would like to know a couple of things. Once again, what is the veneration of Plaschanytsia, as I could not find lenten devotions on that website. Also, there are many services to be offered in the coming days, mainly in ukrainian. As such, I would not understand a word of them. I look at my church schedule and I see it, so beautifully "Easter sunday... Matins of the resurrection... solemn eastern divine liturgy... divine liturgy, english". As such, I would like so much to participate in the matins and solemn liturgy but I would have no idea what would be said. I can read Cyrillic, though I do not understand what is read. Should I follow along in an english service book as I say the ukrainian? What may you all recommend?
-Thank you,
Justin, sinner

Hi Justin,


I'm sorry, but I don't have too much more to add to what I have already said. It simply doesn't make sense for pure matter to be creating illusionary things that are "of another world". It just isn't consistant with logic.

And speaking of matter, atheists have some explaining to do. Ever heard of the second law of thermodynamics - Entropy? It's the law that states that every isolated system, left on its own, will always tend toward a more and more disorganized state. Well, our universe being the isolated system that it is is moving toward a more and more disorganized state, which necessarily implies that at one point in time, the universe was perfectly organized (if it is now becoming progressively "more" disorganized). What happened to alter that organization in the first place? If the universe was floating along perfectly organized for however long before that point at which it started disorganizing, what (or shall we say "Who") caused that to change? It had to be something outside of itself since nothing an "cause itself". An "uncaused Cause", as St. Thomas Aquinas would put it, is necessary - a.k.a. God. I hope this has helped.

Mystic

I hope this partially answers your question about the Plaschanitsa. We have done the following in the two parishes I have belonged to in my life.

1. Approach the stand that the plaschanitsa is on; when you are about six or eight feet away kneel down and take a step or two on your knees.

2. cross yourself, make a prostration, and then come closer on your knees, cross yourself again and make another prostration.

3. Kiss the wounds on the hands of Our Savior, and then the wound in the side, and then the wounds on both the feet.

4. make sign of the cross and one more prostration, and then retreat a couple of steps on your knees before standing up.

This is an intimate time between you and Jesus. Use this time to open your heart to his love for you. Remember those for whom you have promised to pray. It's ok to just say "Lord Jesus Christ remember so-and-so", and not go into great detail; God knows the needs of each before you ask, just as he knows your needs.

I hope this is a holy experience for you, and I hope this information helps. Please remember me at this time, and to be sure, I'll remember the Servant of God, Justin.

Stefan