Lawrence Abwoon

Prayers of the Cosmos: Meditations on the Aramaic Words of Jesus, by Neil Douglas Klotz is available at www.abwoon.org

Cover art is Christ of the Desert by Brother Robert Lentz. See more information at www.trinitystores.com/artwork/christ-desert.

What IS Lawrence Abwoon?

When Jesus instructed his followers at the Sermon on the Mount, he would have used the word “Abwoon” as the first word of what came to be known as The Lord’s Prayer. We use this word in our title as a way of honoring that historical moment, when Jesus first spoke those Aramaic words of his teachings. Neil Douglas Klotz, also known by his Sufi name Saadi, became an Aramaic scholar so that he could more deeply understand the words spoken by Jesus. He used an Aramaic Bible used by modern-day Aramaic-speaking Christians to access the Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes and other sayings of Jesus. These he retranslated directly from the Aramaic and discovered that there are rich and powerful meanings that have been lost in our usual translations.

We strive to complete our understanding of the words of Jesus by studying the Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes as presented by Saadi, Neil Douglas Klotz in his books.

What happens at a Lawrence Abwoon event?

We study the Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase or the Beatitudes one at a time. Participants begin by learning to recite and understand the Aramaic words. Then, participants will learn to sing these Aramaic words in several lovely melodies. We also use gentle repetitive movements to dance the Prayer or the Beatitudes in a deeply meditative celebration. Our aim is to embody the sayings, to pray with our entire being. There is some historical evidence that suggests that Jesus sang and danced with his disciples. By singing his words in Aramaic and breathing together and moving as one, we strive to deepen our connection with each other and with Christ’s teachings.

Who is invited?

Anyone who is interested in learning. No language skills or singing or dancing talents are needed to engage in this practice. Everything is carefully and patiently taught.

Is there a cost for participating?

Sometimes.

If there are expenses involved, for example to cover the fee for the use of a venue, a sliding scale donation may be requested. However, no one is turned away for inability to pay.

Church groups may request a course to be taught as part of their community’s gatherings and there is generally no charge for these events. Contact us if you would like to request a course for the interested members of your congregation.

Use the button below to request an Abwoon event or to obtain more information.