Monday, November 14, 2005
CONTEMPLATIVE MUSICIANSHIP
is taught through the Chalice of Repose Project. The focus is on palliative care, which means that the intention is to minister to the dying. The first picture at this website shows the "Epiclesis", which is the moment when the Holy Spirit is invoked to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ during Mass. In this website, it seems to have a somewhat different meaning. The moment when you are near death and a spirit enters your body perhaps?
There is a quarterly journal, "Zoe". Themes for Volume II, Jan.-Dec. 2005 includeded "The Alchemical Harp". Volume I, No. 5 & 6 tells the story of Hermetics and speaks of Orpheus, the Thracian bard. There is a harp pictures on the cover of both issues of "Zoe". The website makes me think of music played in the funeral home on the morning of the funeral while waiting for everyone to arrive.
Schroeder-Sheker has written a book, TRANSITUS: A BLESSED DEATH IN THE MODERN WORLD which has the endorsement of some academics plus Christopher Bamford, editor of Anthrosophic Press, Jean Houston who has her own Mystery School, Joan Borysenko who has worked with Wayne Teasdale, and Robert Sardello who has written for "Sophia: Journal of the School of Spiritual Psychology".
The application process is explained here. Once you complete the online course you become eligible to apply to the Certificate in Music-Thanatology Program. Therese Schroeder-Sheker is the founder of the Chalice of Repose Project.
One of the reasons why the Hail Mary ends with "Pray for us now and at the hour of our death" is that those last moments of life are said to be full of temptation. Now it appears that we are to be tempted to invite a disembodied spirit in the last moments of our life when we are at our weakest since this is a ministry that will minister to the dying. I wonder if this will be optional in the future?
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
