Science of Relations: Delightful Connections

The other day I was reading a paragraph of the Little Russian Philokalia and I gasped! Right there in front of my eyeballs I was seeing the same images I had just seen in the Grimm brothers’ version of Sleeping Beauty (originally called Little Briar Rose). 

I enjoyed a little rush of excitement and shook my head once again at the connection. What did I see?

Both writings share these words: 

 

thorns, touch, lips, life

 

In the original Sleeping Beauty she herself is cursed, but the curse also affects the world around her. The servants fall asleep, the horses fall asleep, and even the land is cursed with thorns surrounding the castle. 

 Only the son of the King can reverse the curse.

When the True Prince traverses the thorns, they transform into flowers. When the prince touches her lips with a kiss, the curse is broken and she awakens to new life. 

 

 

In The Little Russian Philokalia, Volume 2, Elder Nazarius is writing advice to his monks and says that the Body of Christ will “consume all your sinful thorns which grow in you… as soon as you see the priest’s hand stretched out with the Holy Sacrament and touching your lips… picture and believe with your whole soul that you receive it from the hand of Christ Himself, Who stands invisibly and places it within your mouth… (giving you) life” (pg 66).         

 

Image from St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKinney, TX

What exactly is the Science of Relations? 

It’s just a name for something we all do anyway, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. We notice connections between things. And this is normal! We should notice the connections because everything is connected! All of creation is organized by God as one big WHOLE and all the sub-creators within it are a part of that creation. 

The term “Science of Relations” is the name British educator Charlotte Mason gave to this connection-making.

Ambleside Online explains: “Charlotte Mason defined education as a series of relationships formed by the learner as he developed intimacy with a wide range of subjects - something she called "The Science of Relations." 

A series of relationships formed by the learner. That’s me - I’m the learner. 

 

I read a fairy tale one day.

I listen to a podcast or take an online class to dig deeper and take special notice of some images. 

The next day I read from the Philokalia and see the same images. 

I relate the fairytale to the Eucharist.

I write a blog post and in writing remember Jane Meyer’s book The Man and the Vine and how when the little girl took communion, the “love filled her mouth”

 

All these connections add meaning to what I read and think and my understanding of the world and reality grows.

 

The love of the Son of the King touches my lips and I am saved from the sinful thorns of death and given life!

 

Of course, I’ve been talking about me, not just my children. As I heard at the end of The New Mason Jar podcast, “children are born persons, and so are their moms."

We all get a lifetime of education!

What about you? What delightful connections have you made recently? I would love to hear them!