Dreaming after Seven

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Next Step #319 – July 17, 2014

Year 7 begins… Returning from a spiritual pilgrimage to the base of the sacred Mount Ararat, Fr. Vazken reflects about the power and energy for survival and building life. Here, he reflects on the current situation in the world, from wars in Syria, Iraq, Isreal and the Ukraine, and points to the spiritual answers that affect the self and then the world. At Akhtamar, a Turkish armed guard gives a reality check that was passed! This is the beginning of a series that will focus on the lessons of Armodoxy from the Cradle of Civilization.
Fr. Vazken’s Blog on Armodoxy: www.armodoxy.blogspot.com 
Song: Bazzini’s “Les Ronde des Lutins” performed by Maxim Vengerov
Jethro Tull’s “The Whistler” – www.JethroTull.com
Beatles, “The Inner Light”
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Equinox Balance: Ends and Means

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Next Step #318 – July 10, 2014

From the Next Step archives, “Equinox Balance: Ends and Means (#120 – originally broadcast on September 23, 2010). The Autumnal Equinox brings a balance of time and power, one expressed through the “Harvestest” moon. Can we find a balance between ends and means, primarily when it comes to soliciting donation for the church? A listener’s comments about the St. Leon Cathedral. And where is the balance of ego-inflation with the goals of the Church and religion? The Salvation Army REFUSES a donation of $100,000? Jethro Tull Plays in Armenia – a small tribute to a band with 40+ years of versatility and imagination gone wild.
Song: “Bouree” by Jethro Tull (A Little Light Music) www.jethrotull.com
Ani’s Bubbles: “Breast Cancer; Walk http://scrubsmag.com/author/AniBurr/
Dr. Harry Hagopian’s link: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/Armenia
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Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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Freedom to Create Through Love

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Next Step #317 – July 3, 2014

From the Next Step archives, “Freedom to Create Through Love” (#3 – originally broadcast on July 2, 2008). Independence Day is a fitting time to look at our freedoms through the lens of Armenian Orthodoxy. What has been the strength of the Armenian people to survive? Where does this spirituality come from? Christ releases us of our bonds and gives us the true freedom – His Love. God has given us the most beautiful gift, the ability to create by tapping into the power of love. In this podcast Fr. Vazken explores the ideas of freedom, independence, and creativity.
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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From Numbers to Light – it’s the connection that matters

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Next Step #316 – June 26, 2014

From the Next Step archives, “From Numbers to Light – it’s the connection that matters” (#58 –originally broadcast on July 18, 2009). The Next Step begins with an interesting number theory from listener Yuri in St. Petersburg, Russia. Is it by chance that #57 had all the digits in the date stamp? If so, what about zero? Can you shed some light on that? Jesus did exactly that – with the Transfiguration. Light was not spared to tie us into the beginning of all creation and the end of time as we know it. God’s promise to open our hearts to love and the well-lit path is explored by Fr. Vazken’s expose of the feast of Transfiguration. But don’t fret the esoteric themes, there’s a serving of fish and chips in this episode. It happens to be everything you need and more. Listen in to a wild ride from numbers to light and realize that they are all connected.
Song: “Arev, Arev” by Mariam Matossian
“About Light” by Gor Mkhitarian (Spirit Album – BUY NOW)
Bubbles by Ani: Feeding the wolves;
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Three Funerals and an Identity

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Next Step #315: From the Next Step archives, “Three Funerals and an Identity” (#48, originally broadcast on May 6, 2009). The collective and past moments in our individual lives has contributed towards our identity. Earlier this year, Fr. Vazken’s trip to Armenia initiated a discussion at Etchmiadzin, the Holy Mother See, about identity. And this week with the passing of three people, Ankine Mouradian, Jora Markarian and Rev. Fr. Vartan Dulgarian, the line is drawn between their lives and ours. Using the metaphor of the onion, we can imagine ourselves as being composed of layers, and each layer around us there for a reason, including the hurts and the pains we’ve lived through. These are the experiences that today give us the strength to reach out to someone else now experiencing the same. What about the purity of the message? Well, time to tune in and find out how to keep it pure.
Ani’s Spiritual Bubbles talks about priorities.
Global Perspective with Hratch Tchilingirian: World Press Freedom Day and the theme of media potential in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and reconciliation to focus on the moral responsibility of reporting the truth.
Musical selection is Melineh Kurdian singing “As Good as You” from her album, From Where You Are.
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Deep Breaths …

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“No Step”

 

I looked out of my window, saw a stencil black, NO STEP. NO STEP.
There were nervous mothers with children crying in the back. NO STEP. NO STEP.
Someone bought me my ticket, now I’m on the wing.
Hope my angels are watching me, do I hear them sing?
NO STEP. NO STEP.
Those afterburners cut in and kicked us high. NO STEP. NO STEP.
The thin air shimmered, the sun cut through and burned my eye. NO STEP. NO STEP.
Someone bought me my ticket, now I’m on the wing.
Hope my angels are watching me, do I hear them sing?
NO STEP. NO STEP.
Give me a jet stream schooner or a crew-legged goose. NO STEP. NO STEP.
I’m a clear-air jockey when they turn me loose. NO STEP. NO STEP.
Someone bought me my ticket to the captain’s seat.
Will the shakes soon leave me, will I find my feet?
NO STEP. NO STEP.
– (Ian Anderson)
—
The words “NO STEP” are stenciled on the wings of planes. I’m assuming the words are on Aeroflot planes as well. Taking some deep breaths on advice of a loved one and looking forward to the deeper ones I can take in the homeland. 
 
Armodoxy has roots: Partly found in the land around Ararat, but the greater part comes from the universe itself. To be connected with the land and culture is necessary to understand. A trip now and then helps. But to be connected with the energy of the universe – to be in the flow – is essential to live. 
 
Deeper breaths….
 
 

 

The Rock & the World Cup

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Next Step #314 – June 12, 2014 

Finishing up the sixth year of broadcasting with a two-step, one back and one forward. Topics: The Rock of Christ, The fallacy of the people-church; Technology changes from the Brick to the Smart phone.
Song: “Shalakho” by Hosharian Brothers
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Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for epostle.net
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The Human Condition: Sex, Pentecost & the Church

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Next Step #313 – June 5, 2014

From the death of a young girl on the streets of Glendale, opens a discussion about domestic violence and personal sexual imaging. The Pentecost – the birth of the Christian Church – opens a candid discussion about marketing and selling the Body of Christ. Keeping the message of Christ and salvation real and accelerating the revolution. Continuing on the road to Ascension. Themes in this episode may be disturbing to listeners.
Dr. Maya Angelou: “It’s Sacred: Church”
Slut-Shaming 
One More Important part of Sex
Fr. Vazken’s Blog: http://www.armodoxy.blogspot.com/
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Ascension: Beyond Resurrection via Healing

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Next Step #312 – May 29, 2014

In the continuing quest for relevance in traditional Orthodoxy, Fr. Vazken challenges listeners to find healing in life beyond the message of resurrection. Appealing to the story of Jesus’ Ascension (the feast is today), here is a fresh look at the story found in Matthew 28. Destiny, fortunes, superstitions are discussed in religious folklore. Pope Francis in Jerusalem – the schisms not because of our misunderstanding of God but caused by our misunderstanding of each other.
The “In” in In His Shoes is the operative word and it makes all the difference as the Christian story of salvation. Forgive and forgetting is the difference of resurrection and ascension. Preview to the 100th Anniversary of Commemoration.
Song: “Vijag” by Zulal
“Foreplay” by Boston
Pope Francis in Jerusalem with Patriarch Bartholomew
Pope Francis & Netanyahu
Ascension – Healing
Dr. Harry Hagopian;  MENA Analysis
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Ascension: Full Authority and No Wounds

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Road to Healing: Day #Easter +40

Today is the day of Ascension. It’s the celebration of healing. I never understood it the way I do today.
The celebration of Ascension is 40 days after Easter. Whereas Easter celebrates victory, this feast celebrates the upward movement and healing momentum after the resurrection.
It’s interesting that the Christian story does not end with Resurrection.
The Crucifixion is the ultimate story of betrayal, hurt, pain, suffering and loss. Following the Crucifixion, we find ourselves at the Empty Tomb – a place from which we can look at the Cross and call that day, “Good” Friday. In the context of Resurrection the Crucifixion is done. It’s over. The pain and suffering are finished, conquered and defeated. But the wounds are still there. And that’s why the Christian story does not end with Resurrection.
A week or two following the Resurrection, one of the Disciples of Christ, Thomas, asks to feel the wounds of Christ. The holes in his hands where the nails were driven in were still open, as was the gouge in his side.  Resurrection was a victory over death, but the wounds were still open and had not healed.
At the Ascension, Jesus proclaims “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He ascends to Heaven in full authority. It is to the state of perfection that he ascends. The wounds have been healed!
This is the feast of Ascension – the celebration of healing. It is the celebration of leaving the wounds behind and finding the completeness of life.