Even the snakes / leave her alone."īut Thurston's book is not just poetry. She chose our desert, persevered here, / flourished in her way, / came to love ours.
The desert lion adds its voice: "I watched them meet, / the pompous old priest, / the wizened old woman. I offered the choice / to all comers, / Laughed, then moaned / as they put their hungry / hands to the plow." In the voice of Mary she writes: "The only body I wanted / was a live and lively one" and "At its center, / my insatiable center, / was luscious fruit, / carnal knowledge/ of good and evil.
Illuminate book series#
In Saint Mary of Egypt: A Modern Verse Life and Interpretation, author Bonnie Thurston details Mary's narrative and then writes a series of poems in the voices of Mary of Egypt, Zossima, the Virgin Mary and the desert lion, in order to help the reader reflect on the story's eternal truth. Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem, as the universal story of penance and forgiveness. In the seventh century what had been oral tradition of these dual stories of harlot and monk were recorded by St.
The next time he returned, he found Mary dead, her body uncorrupted, and buried her with the help of a desert lion. When he returned a year later, Zossima gave her the Eucharist and saw her walk on water and levitate. Mary told him her story and he recognized her as an incarnation of humility. Near the end of her life, a monk named Zossima (also known as Zosimas or Zosimus) also went to the desert and there encountered Mary, to whom he gave his mantle to cover herself. There a voice commanded her to cross the Jordan River, assuring her that there in the desert she would find peace.įor years Mary lived naked in the desert wilderness doing penance. There she is said to have prayed for forgiveness before an icon of the Virgin Mary and when she was finally allowed to enter, she venerated the holy cross. One day, she boarded a ship bound for Jerusalem where she visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but a powerful force kept her from entering. Tradition holds that at age 12, Mary left her rural home along the Nile and went to the flesh pots of Alexandria where she lived for 17 years working as a prostitute not for financial security, but for pleasure. Now two contemporary authors are exploring the story of St. You have a light to share with the world, and now is your time to shine.In Naples, Rome and Jerusalem there are churches and chapels dedicated to a saint unknown to most of us and whose historical existence lacks actual evidence despite ample devotion among early Byzantine, Orthodox, Coptic and Roman believers. Through the guided journaling and self-care suggestions you too will learn to love yourself, just as you are.
Illuminate book how to#
Nia explores how to move from pain to joy, insecurity to confidence, to help you find your own individuality and power. The Book of Light is your travel companion on your own journey of self-discovery, guiding you every step of the way. It was a bold move, but it proved to be one of the most significant days of her life-the day she began her journey of self-love. Then, in 2018, surrounded by friends and family, she cut off her hair. Nia was an in-demand international model and brand ambassador with a glorious afro which landed her magazine covers, billboards, and international brand ads. She knows how to help you on this journey, because she's lived through it, learnt from it, and blossomed because of it. She knows how hard it is to struggle under the weight of her own expectations. She knows what it's like to strive to be the perfect daughter, the perfect friend, the perfect boss. What if you celebrated everything that makes you unique, and embraced every flaw and imperfection? Nia the Light can help you achieve this. Join body positivity advocate Nia the Light on an empowering journey towards self-love, confidence, individuality and learning to love yourself, just as you are.
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