The Phillpian Star for the Nativity Fast

Such a beautiful tradition! It comes from the Slavic cultures and Eastern Europe, and is popular with many Eastern Christians. Similar to the Western tradition of Advent, the Nativity Fast (or The Phillipian Fast, or Philipovka/Filipovka) is the 40 day count-down that is marked by fasting, prayers and readings, and increasing light from the Phillipian Star: the beautiful candle holder in the center of it all. In this post I'll show you four styles my family has had, and how to use them.

In short: it is a six-sided candle holder in the form of a star, often the Star of David. A candle is lit each week of the Nativity Fast until you get to Christmas Eve and then the center candle is also lit. This evening light service is often accompanied by scripture readings, or a Jesse Tree, or some ritual that celebrates the story of this liturgical season.

This was our first Phillipian Star given to us by my eldest's godmother. I believe the men's group at the church made them as part of a workshop project with the children. It's wooden and holds standard size taper candles. You can see where the paint is worn from where I melted & chipped away the dripped wax. We put red candles at all the points of the star, and a gold or specially decorated candle in the center. Some people have many different colored candles with a theme to each week (more about that below). You can also make your own wooden taper candle holder easily; detailed how-to here. 

This one is not a candle holder at all. I sewed it for my little kids to do themselves without concern for fire. It's also space-saving since it hangs on the wall and doesn't take up precious counter or table top. The felt triangles and center circle (which used to have a golden design on it) adhere to the spots with velcro, and the little pocket at the bottom holds the unused pieces It folds up easily for storage till next year.

This one is pretty unique. It was made as a gift by the Sunday School/ECF teacher at church for the kids' families. Instead of a Star of David shape, it is a wooden board with an iconographic star shape painted on it with a Nativity icon in the center. The candles (either wax or battery operated) are set right on top, and each colored candle has it's own week's theme:
week 1: green, faith
week 2: blue, hope
week 3: yellow, love
week 4: white. peace
week 5: purple, repentance
week 6: red, communion
center candle: golden for the Incarnation

Here is another wall-hung example. You can see the details and instructions for this incredibly easy and affordable project here. Made from a place-mat and ribbon, it uses battery operated tea lights. I appreciate it so much since we have a small house and usable space is at a premium. I can leave it on and not be overly concerned about fire-curious children.


Your observance and use of your Phillipian Star can be as complicated or as simple as you want. The fullness of what this tradition can offer is beautiful! but only if it doesn't stress you out.
Sometimes, I can't add one more thing to the to-do list. In the years where a new child was welcomed, holidays (and life in general) got simplified a lot. We've just lit the candles, drank a warm beverage (hot cider, tea, hot chocolate), and the kids did a coloring page from the Nativity story while I read or sang something related. Other years, I made a pocket wall calendar that had an icon for every saint for every day, and also had a piece of paper with an activity suggestion on it.

Some additional links for further web-searching:
activity workbook:  https://ucymb.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/pilipivka-workbook.pdf
guide for phillip's fast for families: https://ucymb.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/st-philips-plan.pdf
ideas for the fast: http://www.sttheophanacademy.com/2011/11/living-nativity-fast.html
about in general: http://antiochian.org/nativity/pre-feast
excerpts of reflections by Thomas Hopko: http://puluka.com/home/liturgy/winter-pascha-reflections-on-phillipian-fast/

Intro to Human & Animal 4th Grade Lesson Block

In the fourth grade of Waldorf education there is a lesson block that looks at the relationship between humans and the rest of animal creation. I had a hard time making sense of it.  Having been taught something very different in my grade school days (ideas that have not served well, by the way) it was a whole new perspective to explore, and the full-on Anthroposophic Steiner model didn't work for me. The more I got into it, tho', I could see the core parts were good, and they integrate well with our Eastern Christian understandings.

For further reading to understand better the Waldorf/Steiner mode of seeing this topic, the book  "The Human Being and the Animal World" by Charles Kovacs is especially good at delving into it. This blog post from Five of Us does a decent job of summarizing.
Of course, this is a natural opportunity to include the idea of humanity as the truest icons of the Divine, and that may lead into a further lesson about what icons are and how we use them. I particularly like this blog post on the topic.

This intro to the difference between human and animals helps support and make some important underlying foundational concepts that are needed in Eastern Christianity:
-- understand the nature of the flow of the spirit through our bodies will be useful later on when breathing & spiritual practice are taught
--  the beauty of the head, trunk, limbs metaphor is not lost later on when we learn about the purpose of humanity in God's creation
-- no judgement is placed on the rest of God's creation as lesser or lacking, just functionally and different in purpose
-- it also does not overemphasize intellect as tho' that is our most important tool; this sets up the importance of thinking and listening from the heart, and not accidentally giving the intellect and "monkey mind" too much significance

 

Here are the beginning pages to our block (the following pages are physical animal studies and observations).

Orthodox Nativity Study for the Advent Season

This year, I am going through this book of reflections: Orthodox Advent Study by Sylvia Leontaritis who is the blogger at Orthodox Mom. Our season of preparation towards the Feast of the Nativity, The Incarnation, begins mid November so we have a little extra time in our Eastern tradition to get into things.

Described as, "This 66-page eBook was created with the hope of assisting us to overcome the spirit of secularism by offering some simple things to ponder every day during the next six weeks.  We’ll also discuss some common misconceptions (Was it a stable or a cave? Were Mary and Joseph betrothed or married?) that will help us gain a better understanding of what really happened that holy night so many years ago in the city of Bethlehem.  
Included in this Advent Study are weekly devotionals, daily readings, and activities to help us remember who and what we are really celebrating at Christmastime."

The thing I like the most is that each reflection is _short_.  I'm a busy mom of five kids with a husband who provides for us by working many many hours -- getting time for basic self-care like a shower is nearly impossible so I am definitely not going to be able to get into depth with deeper readings, nor get all tied into learning & researching some deeper theology (much tho' I would love to).  The things presented here are partly reading scripture and writing your own short reaction/reflection to it (right on the page in the book -- no extra work or finding other pages or journal), and also thrown in are learning thing form our holy tradition (like, what is the symbolism of a particular related icon, and there are even some recipes for festive treats at the end.

Red Matryoshkas

The matryoshka (commonly known as Russian nesting dolls) has a place in my family's ethnic history as well as some religious identification.  They are a symbol of the generations of women before and after us, and our place in that line. A nod to motherhood and the continuation of women, but also as a reminder of all the stages of life we as individuals also experience. We are born, we grow into childhood, we explore young adulthood, we engage with our adult lives, we work for our own children, we learn the deep lessons of the connectedness of Life, and we see with wisdom in our older years.  For women, the flow of our cycles and the nature of our life giving bodies have a focal point in all of it. 

Recently I have been thinking about my own issues/difficulties with generation-al-ness (just made up that word), working on this graphic was a kind of meditation for me. But not an intellectual musing -- through art I can be more open to letting an idea sit, and wait for the right wisdom to come to me. No doubt this will be a theme worthy of consideration and a focal point through all the different phases of my life.  I look forward to passing on the richness of the matryoshka to my daughters.

Of course, I had to make several variations of it. I love the symbolic visual simplicity of it, and find it a powerful reminder of our connection in the line of womanhood.















I was grateful to find that the original artist (who I have sadly lost touch with) let me play around with the image and re-create a digital image of my own to use. I, too, make these images available for others to use: These artworks are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Do Not Deny Your Body! The Great Fast

I hope the title of this blog article caught your attention; it's meant to. But what do I mean by that?

It is that time of year when people are participating in the Great Fast (Lent) in preparation towards Pascha (Easter).  The inevitable conversations and questions come up about the rules, the guidelines, what we are allowed to eat, and so forth. These things are good, as they give us a baseline to try from, but they are not the end goal of fasting. And if you already eat in this way (perhaps you are a vegan), you might have met the guidelines, but they don't serve you as tool towards growth. Or, you are able to eat veggie burgers instead of hamburgers, or make the perfect vegetarian cake from categories of foods that are "fast friendly" -- you have denied the spirit and usefulness of fasting by only looking at the letter of the law.


Your body needs nutrition to work properly, and the different stages, ages, and genders of your family members may need different physical nourishment to fulfil that. Are you a physical laborer? You cannot deny your body the proper fuel to make a living and support your family, and do your duty as a good worker. Are you a mother? Your ascetic life requires constant self denial and your bodily resources are used to nourish others; often literally! Are you a child? Your job right now is to learn and grow. Do you already have physical and health challenges that make life difficult? Do not worsen them by choosing a poor diet, even if it's temporary.

Do not deny the body what it needs -- the fast is not meant to deny the body, it is meant to deny the ego; it is meant to deny passion's control over you. If you make yourself sick, tired, ill, or lacking in energy, how will you fulfill your vocation in life? Be good to your body -- it is a valuable, sacred tool to be respected & loved. Do not allow your fasting understanding to become a semi-gnostic understanding of the body being bad, and the physical something to punish.


Let us not be pharisaic about the fast, desperately seeking the easy road of following the letter of the law: "Do not eat this; eat this" will not help you in your path. It is simply a tool to help you remember the power of your will, and your ability to direct your will towards that which it is most meant for: your vocation in life that leads you towards greater union with God, and union with one another in God.

Why the movie "Frozen" is Acceptable for Eastern Christians

I am very aware and picky about media and what we allow in our house.  The overt and subtle and implied messages of such impactful mediums like tv and movies are not to be underestimated.  

You can imagine my own surprise when I previewed a Disney film and found it acceptable for my family. But I actually found the themes in this film bolstered our family's understandings. I was dumbfounded.I think that's one of the reasons I like this movie so much -- it jives with our o/Orthodox world view & much of our view of how human nature works.


My qualms with the movie "Frozen" and so small that they're almost not worth mentioning. A sexist gibe about blond hair being unmanly, and the sexy clothing Elsa changes/transforms in to are not really age appropriate (but there is truth about human life phases presented in that, as well). 

There are several themes in the film that are worth exploring -- and wonderfully noteworthy that they are presented in such a commercial children's film. This blog post is going to focus on the meaning/s of "Let It Go" and the nature of Elsa' transformation as surrender and release; the letting go of fear, anger, and resentment.  Through relationship Elsa actually gains a kind of control through surrender. It's one of the major paradoxs of Christian life.

Fr Michael Mandelas once told me that all fear and anger are a reaction to lack of control. Elsa's powers were out of control and harming others becasue she was out of control -- her own attempts at control were an illusion. All control is an illusion, and when we give in to the ego's whisperings that we can in fact control life, control others, we are very possibly falling into a spiralling trap that feeds on itself and takes us further away from our desired path with God. 




In the moments of the song, Elsa lets go of the fear & resentment -- but not entirely. She takes the first steps to be a conscious & active agent in her own life by moving beyond, cutting free the past, and trying to start new. She is taking the powerful first steps in shedding the abuse and cultural expectations that are holding her back from her potential and happiness.

It is not until Love is re-established in Elsa's life by the grace of her sister Anna's actions that she can really release the fear and anger, and surrender the control. That is when the path is clearer to her to become healed and moving rightly again. In the Eastern Christian view of the world, our salvation is not an individual pursuit -- the key lies in communion with on another, community and active participation in one another's lives. Elsa can't do it alone. 


When we live in love and trust in God, we no longer need the clinging to control, and the fear, resentment, and anger will begin to no longer have a place in our lives; they will no longer control us.

fear does not prevent death -- it prevents life

It seems very Eastern to me -- letting go of the ego, and not letting one's passions control oneself is the way to peace, self control, and however a person practices their asceticism, whatever path gets them there, the eventual goal is to "let it go" so that the block to relationship with God is no longer there.

When Elsa surrendered & understood that she was really, truly loved and valued as evidenced by Anna's act, she was able to let things flow and her abilities were able to finally be manifested for good instead of a reaction to the abuse & isolation she had suffered for years.The talents she had been given by God, and purposefully created with, were finally about to come to real fruition and use. 

Book: "The Aescetic Lives of Mothers"

Based on the below review from Orthodox Christian Parenting. 

Also available here from Amazon. 


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Gleanings from a Book: "The Ascetic Lives of Mothers: a Prayer Book for Orthodox Moms" by Annalisa Boyd

“I heard it said once that motherhood is a type of asceticism. Like the ascetics, mothers find themselves in a situation that requires their utter devotion, self-denial, daily emotional exercises, facing extreme challenges, and much prayer.” (p.17-18)

Those of us who are mothers know this to be true. There are many moments in each day when we give up our own desires to meet the needs of those around us; especially those of our children. How, then, do we have time to “pray without ceasing” while meeting those needs? Annalisa Boyd meets that question head-on in the introduction to her uplifting and helpful book, The Ascetic Lives of Mothers: a Prayer Book for Orthodox Moms.

This book is a must-have for any Orthodox mom who wants to prayerfully raise her children in the Faith. The heartening chapters at the beginning of the book set the reader’s mind at ease that she is not the only mother going through tough circumstances or wondering how on earth to live her Faith in the midst of the mundane tasks of motherhood. The bulk of the book is the myriad of prayers for various situations, which have been carefully gathered and organized by topic, and can therefore be easily found. The book includes basic daily prayers, prayers for times of trouble, prayers for the sick, preparation for confession, prayers of blessing and thankfulness, prayers through the stages of motherhood, prayers for godchildren and other “bonus” children, prayers for the future, and more.

A highlight of the book (and the largest chapter of all), titled “Tea Time at the Abyss”, references this quote:

“Stand at the brink of the abyss of despair, and when you see that you cannot bear it anymore, draw back a little and have a cup of tea.” ~ Elder Sophrony of Essex

In this chapter’s introduction, Boyd reassures the reader, “Let us step back and take tea together as mothers. Of course we may not be able to sit at each other’s tables and sip a perfectly steeped pot together, but we can pray for one another and be an encouragement. We can make a pot of gratitude for all the Lord has blessed us with and sip it throughout the day through prayer and the reading of His word. We can choose to face the difficulties, in the strength of Christ our Lord and lay down the idea that we must somehow bear it all. How freeing is that thought alone? May we take hold of even the smallest moments each day to enter into prayer, allowing us to step back and drink in Christ, for He promises to quench our thirst and give us His peace. Thank God!” (p. 38-39) The rest of the chapter lists topics from “Addiction” to “Special Needs,” which include quotes from scriptures and saints, as well as prayers related to each topic. (Note: some of the prayers in this book are prayers prescribed by the Church. Others are “simply prayers from the heart of one mama to another… (to) be used for encouragement and to promote your own personal prayer time with Our Lord.” ~ pp. 11-12)

This book is a wonderful aid to mothers at any stage in life. While it is aimed primarily at mothers, many of the quotes and prayers will be just as uplifting and useful for fathers, as well. It will be a much-used companion to any parent who adds it to their library and then faithfully uses it to help them to “pray without ceasing.”

“It is of great significance if there is a person who truly prays in a family. Prayer attracts God’s Grace and all the members of the family feel it, even those whose hearts have grown cold. Pray always.” ~ Elder Thaddeus

The Ascetic Lives of Mothers: a Prayer Book for Orthodox Moms by Annalisa Boyd is available for purchase here: http://store.ancientfaith.com/the-ascetic-lives-of-mothers/

Follow the author’s blog, “The Ascetic Lives of Mothers,” here: http://theasceticlivesofmothers.blogspot.com/

Waiting, waiting, waiting... *argh!*

Oh, the waiting is really getting to me!  Being patient for things to happen in God's time is not exactly easy for me right now.  I feel like my whole life is on hold!  Right now we're waiting on the official papers/contract to get our own house on acreage.  I can't do much of anything until we get moved in: setting up house, nesting, homeschooling -- like, everything.  My need to nest is high, and my anxiety over getting the family into a workable space & routine before this momma can't keep for a few months is foremost in my mind. 


I feel like so much of our lives has been put in a painful kind of limbo these past many years because we have not had our own place to be sovereign over.  It has been impossible to establish a rhythm/routine in our lives: a physical routine to the keeping of the household, a rhythm to our daily activities, a schedule to meet our relationship needs, a prayer life that's more than just at meals and bedtime, and a kind of stability that we all crave.

I want that now. I want it bad. We need it for the health of our family.

Did you hear me, God? I said "now"!  Haven’t I waited long enough? Haven't I patiently endured pregnancies and births in odd situations? the extra work of every little thing I do during the day being three times harder than it should be? the relationship stress caused by it all?

The fact that my schedule is not what may be best for me is hard to take right now. The fact that God's wisdom is infinite is not a huge consolation/remedy to my current nutty-ness. 

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand;
Psalm 31:14-15

"Remember that God, during your prayers, is watching for your affirmative answer tot eh question which He is inwardly asking you: 'Do you believe I can do this?' To which question you must from the depth of your heart reply 'Yes, Lord' (Mt 9:28)" ~St John of Kronstadt

I understand the philosophy behind it. I even understand the theology and logic behind it.  I even understand in philosophically and theologically that there really is no such thing as "time". But I'm also running on hormones, here! amidst this fallen world, and very much feeling the physical aspects of it.  I've got a baby to pop out in a few months, and I can't alter that deadline.  I'm feeling there pressure of it both physically and emotionally, and this often kicks my intellect into high-crazy-gear.  It feels inescapable: I've getting hit from all sides (or should I say "insides"?)

I have little strength of faith right now, and that's okay.  I don't have to have it; surrender is just fine. Saying I'm scared is just fine.  Having strong faith would be easier, but this is what I am capable of right now. If this is the best I can do, then that is what I will hand over. May the saints and those who have come before me carry me through.

"Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him."  Pslam 37:7