<![CDATA[Trexo: Gym for your Soul: Coffee with Coaches Archive]]>https://www.trexogym.org/s/live-coaching-from-some-of-the-earliesthttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!I2y7!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fde9114bd-1a19-42bb-998b-afcfaffbd70e_500x500.pngTrexo: Gym for your Soul: Coffee with Coaches Archivehttps://www.trexogym.org/s/live-coaching-from-some-of-the-earliestSubstackThu, 04 Jun 2026 03:07:11 GMT<![CDATA['Let the Eucharist be your school of courage']]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/let-the-eucharist-be-your-schoolhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/let-the-eucharist-be-your-schoolThu, 28 May 2026 22:44:23 GMT

Coffee with Coaches:
Ignatius of Antioch and the Eucharist

Ignatius lived in the late first and early second centuries, in Antioch (modern Turkey) - one of the major cities of the Roman Empire, and one of the first centers of Christian life.

Tradition remembers him as a disciple of the apostle John, and as the third bishop of Antioch after Peter and Evod…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[The Good Shepherd fed me at his table before I ever stood at the church’s table. ']]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/the-good-shepherd-fed-me-at-his-tablehttps://www.trexogym.org/p/the-good-shepherd-fed-me-at-his-tableThu, 21 May 2026 14:29:10 GMT

Who Was Perpetua?

Vibia Perpetua was a 22-year-old noblewoman living in Carthage, North Africa (modern-day Tunisia) around 203 AD.

She was educated, well-connected, nursing an infant son - and a brand-new Christian, still preparing for baptism, when she was arrested and publicly executed under the Emperor Septimius Severus’s persecution of the church.

I …

Read more

]]><![CDATA['May every joy and every wound draw you nearer to Him']]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/may-every-joy-and-every-wound-drawhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/may-every-joy-and-every-wound-drawThu, 14 May 2026 14:24:53 GMT

Coffee with Coaches: Gorgonia

The religious landscape of the fourth century was defined by a transition from the ‘age of the martyrs’ to the ‘age of the ascetics’.

Because of this, the ‘Cappadocian’ region - in what is now Turkey, became very important for a new kind of Christian ‘synthesis’ - Greek influenced, devoted to the ancient Creeds.

At the heart o…

Read more

]]><![CDATA['Do not imagine that holiness requires a different life than the one you have']]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/do-not-imagine-that-holiness-requireshttps://www.trexogym.org/p/do-not-imagine-that-holiness-requiresWed, 06 May 2026 20:42:02 GMTMacrina the Younger (c. 327 – 379 AD) was a pivotal figure in early Christianity, often referred to as the ‘Fourth Cappadocian’

While her brothers - Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, along with their friend Gregory of Nazianzus - are the famous trio known as the ‘Cappadocian Fathers’, Macrina was the intellectual and spiritual teacher who shaped th…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[So may your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/so-may-your-church-be-gathered-togetherhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/so-may-your-church-be-gathered-togetherThu, 30 Apr 2026 17:24:15 GMTThe Didache

also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is an ancient Christian manual dating back to the late 1st or early 2nd century.

It’s one of the oldest surviving pieces of non-biblical Christian literature.

The document serves as a bridge between the era of the original Apostles and the formal establishment of the early Church, providing a …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[A monastery isn’t a shelter; it’s a school for the Lord’s service. ]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-gym-intake-form-and-ancienthttps://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-gym-intake-form-and-ancientWed, 08 Apr 2026 20:06:59 GMTThis week, we are talking about the “Gym Intake Form.”

The earliest spiritual training began with a conversation: ‘what do you seek?’
Physical trainers begin with lifestyle and fitness assessments, so they know how to guide their clients.

The Trexo gym intake form is a little of each.

We want to know what brought you here, and what your relationship with G…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Holy Wednesday with Egeria]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-wednesday-with-egeriahttps://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-wednesday-with-egeriaWed, 01 Apr 2026 19:46:35 GMTWednesday: The Roar of Betrayal

“This afternoon, the atmosphere in the city turned heavy. We gathered in the inner sanctuary of the church as the shadows grew long. A priest stood before us and began to read the account from the Gospel of Matthew - the moment when Judas went to the chief priests to strike his bargain to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Holy Tuesday with Egeria]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-tuesday-with-egeriahttps://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-tuesday-with-egeriaTue, 31 Mar 2026 19:46:24 GMTTuesday: The Teaching in the Cave

“Today, we used our legs to find the Word. Late in the afternoon, the entire city left the safety of the walls and began the long climb up the Mount of Olives. We went to a church called the Eleona, which is built directly over a deep, ancient cave. Sisters, this is the very cave where the Lord sat with his Apostles to t…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Holy Monday with Egeria]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-monday-with-egeriahttps://www.trexogym.org/p/holy-monday-with-egeriaMon, 30 Mar 2026 19:46:53 GMTMonday: The Rhythm of the Hours

“Sisters, I must tell you about the heartbeat of this city. In Jerusalem, we do not pray only when we feel an emotional spark; we pray because it is the hour to pray. At the first light of day, before the sun has even crested the mountains, the Great Church of the Martyrium is already filled. But the ‘work’ does not end th…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Coffee with Coaches: St. John Cassian]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-john-cassianhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-john-cassianWed, 25 Mar 2026 19:58:26 GMTSt. John Cassian (360–435 AD)

St. John Cassian (c. 360–435 AD) was a pivotal monk, theologian, and “bridge-builder” who serves as one of the most important links between the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. He is best known for transplanting the ascetic wisdom of the Egyptian Desert Fathers into the soil of Western Europe, effectively laying the…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Coffee with Coaches: St. Augustine]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-augustinehttps://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-augustineMon, 16 Mar 2026 20:01:58 GMTSt. Augustine of Hippo

Introduction

Aurelius Augustinus, known as St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD).

To understand the Middle Ages, the Reformation, or even modern Western philosophy, you must understand Augustine. He is a Doctor of the Church, a towering philosopher of late antiquity, and the author of The City of God and Confessions.

However, before he…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[‘Fasting leads to true freedom’ - Coffee with Coaches]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/fasting-leads-to-true-freedom-trexohttps://www.trexogym.org/p/fasting-leads-to-true-freedom-trexoWed, 11 Mar 2026 19:53:07 GMTSt. Leo the Great (Pope Leo I)

Introduction

Pope Leo I, better known as St. Leo the Great, is one of the most significant figures in the history of the Christian Church. He was a master diplomat, a brilliant theologian, and the man who arguably defined the modern papacy.

He is one of only two popes (alongside Gregory I) to be called “the Great,” and for go…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Fasting is ‘divine fire’: Coffee with Coaches Amma Syncletica]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/fasting-is-divine-fire-coffee-withhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/fasting-is-divine-fire-coffee-withWed, 04 Mar 2026 20:54:48 GMTAmma Syncletica of Alexandria (c. 270–350 AD)

She is perhaps the most “Trexo-ready” of all the Desert Mothers. While many monks of her time were focused on isolated feats of endurance, Syncletica was a spiritual director who specialized in the “gymnastics of the soul.”

She was one of the few women whose teachings were so foundational that they were inclu…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Coffee with Coaches: ‘Fasting is as old as humanity’]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-fasting-is-ashttps://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-fasting-is-asWed, 25 Feb 2026 20:59:43 GMTSt. Basil the Great: The Master Strength Coach

Introduction

Basil of Caesarea (330–379 AD) - time of the great Councils of the Church (Nicea - ‘Nicene’ Creed)

As the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey), he was a key figure among the “Cappadocian Fathers” (along with Gregory of Nyssa (Basil’s younger brother) and Gregory of Nazianzus, who …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Coffee with Coaches: St. John Chrysostom]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-john-chrysostomhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/coffee-with-coaches-st-john-chrysostomWed, 18 Feb 2026 20:53:06 GMT7. St. John Cassian (360–435 AD)

A monk, theologian, and a pivotal figure in Christian mysticism. He is best known for acting as a bridge between the East and the West, bringing the spiritual wisdom of the Egyptian desert fathers to the emerging monastic communities of Europe. He focused on “purity of heart” and provided the practical, bit-by-bit “tips” …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Getting ready to FAST for Lent!]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/getting-ready-to-fast-for-lenthttps://www.trexogym.org/p/getting-ready-to-fast-for-lentWed, 11 Feb 2026 20:59:11 GMTThe Didache: The voice of the earliest Church

Introduction

The Didache (or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) is the oldest surviving Christian manual, dating to the late first or early second century. It’s not a single person but a collective “training guide” for the very first followers of Jesus, showing us the “Way of Life” that distinguished them f…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Rule of Life with the Master - St. Benedict]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/rule-of-life-with-the-master-st-benedicthttps://www.trexogym.org/p/rule-of-life-with-the-master-st-benedictWed, 04 Feb 2026 21:03:58 GMTRule of Life with St. Benedict

The concept of a Rule of Life, regula, ruler

Latin for a straightedge or a guide, functioning as a structural framework that provides rhythm, consistency, and direction for your life.

(this is what a human ‘ruler’ should do - and that’s why we call God our ‘ruler’, or Lord).

  • Benedict of Nursia (Saint Benedict) was a 6th‑centu…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Amma Syncletica: ‘Divine Fire’ and Balance]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/amma-syncletica-divine-fire-and-balancehttps://www.trexogym.org/p/amma-syncletica-divine-fire-and-balanceWed, 28 Jan 2026 20:57:32 GMTAmma Syncletica of Alexandria (c. 270–350 AD) came to visit and teach with us today at Trexo!

She is perhaps the most “Trexo-ready” of all the Desert Mothers. While many monks of her time were focused on isolated feats of endurance, Syncletica was a spiritual director who specialized in the “gymnastics of the soul.”

She was one of the few women whose teac…

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Trexo Spiritual Trainer: Philemon of Gaza]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-spiritual-trainer-philemonhttps://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-spiritual-trainer-philemonWed, 21 Jan 2026 21:10:29 GMTPhilemon of Gaza was a 6th century monastic whose role in the community was that of gatekeeper.

His life and religious practice was a balance between hospitality - welcoming people in - and silence - spending long hours alone at his post.

Philemon was known for his humility, gentleness, patience, and most of all for his passionate - almost romantic love …

Read more

]]><![CDATA[Trexo Spiritual Trainer: Ignatius of Loyola]]>https://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-spiritual-trainer-ignatiushttps://www.trexogym.org/p/trexo-spiritual-trainer-ignatiusWed, 14 Jan 2026 21:01:59 GMT

I’m very excited about our first Trexo trainer, because I have two person connections to him.

His name is Ignatius of Loyola, and he was a 16th century Spanish soldier, who was injured he was hit by a cannonball.

So he had to spend a lot of time in recovery and he only had two books with him - the Bible and the Life of Christ. He spent all of his time …

Read more

]]>