A Short Morning Prayer

Ritual is crucial in Romanism, and we should all aspire to daily ritual practice, including offerings, singing of hymns, and prayers to the Gods.

However, this is only sometimes possible. The constraints of modern life can make more extended rituals challenging to fit into our daily schedules. It's easy to feel like we are failing the Gods or causing ourselves misfortune by our lack of consistent practice. We must remember that the Gods do not need our prayers; we need prayer to bring ourselves closer to the Gods. The Gods are never angry, spiteful, or cruel to us because we miss our obligations and practice duties.

If we go to the gym regularly for years and put in reasonable effort, we will reap the rewards of our hard work by having a more robust and muscular body. Likewise, if we stop going, we will become more soft and weak. The Gods don't need to hate you for not attending the gym. You didn't fail the Gods. After all, what use do the Gods have for your fit body? In reality, you failed yourself. The Gods have laid the laws of the universe before us. If we use them to be healthy and strong by exercising our bodies, we will reap those rewards. If we don't, then we won't get there.

Similarly, spiritual practice is for our own development. We practice to get closer to the Gods and experience their subtle blessings in our lives, gradually raising our souls to their perfection. If we choose to avoid spiritual work, then we will not make spiritual progress. The Gods are not on a schedule. They know that union is the ultimate end for every soul, and we will all make our way down that path at our own pace.

So the choice is yours. We have to ask ourselves, what do I really want out of life? The Gods cannot make you want to seek communion with them. We must choose that for ourselves and then dedicate ourselves to the actions that bring that to fruition.

That being said, a little goes a long way. Much like exercising, it is better to practice a small amount every day than to go to the gym once a month and wreck your body with a four-hour workout. The goal should be consistency, especially when beginning spiritual practice.

I'd like to share a simple prayer chant I have found effective for daily practice when I am away from my altar or have less time to devote to a complete rite.

5 Minute Prayer Chant

I've had many days when I only have a few minutes to devote to practice. Rather than skipping it altogether, I use this short chant and meditation to start and sometimes end my day. This can also be used throughout the day if you need a moment with the Gods.

The chants are broken into sections of nine which are called enneads. The number nine is sacred as it is 3 sets of 3 or a triad of triads and reflects the structure of the cosmos.

I begin with nine repetitions of the chant.

O, Mercurie, Laudo Te (O, Mercury, I praise thee).

Mercury is the guide of souls and helper to mortals in need. He is also the messenger of the Gods, so invoking Mercury can help us connect with the Gods and bring our souls into harmony with divine law.

Next, I speak nine repetitions of the chant.

O, Bacche, Laudo Te (O Bacchus, I praise thee).

This powerful chant may be used independently whenever we meditate. Bacchus is the transgressor and remover of all boundaries. For this reason, he is our focus when we seek union with the Gods. He was long known in antiquity as the savior and liberator of humanity.

Bacchus is beyond any bounds; thus, he is within us and permeates all things.

Lastly, I use nine repetitions for an affirmative prayer. An affirmative prayer is a positive statement you want to focus on. It can be a simple statement like, "All my needs will always be met," or "Bring me what is good, deliver me from what is bad" or “The Gods are always with me”.

This can be something you want to ask the Gods for or a simple statement you want to focus on for your development. Affirmative prayers can help set the day on the right path and give me a prayer to return to if my day is challenging.

So, to sum up.

O Mercurie, Laudo Te x9

O Bacche, Laudo Te x9

"The Gods are always with me" x9

(Having prayer beads can be helpful for counting. Many Buddhist and Hindu prayer beads are arranged as 12 sets of 9 beads. If you get one to help count, make sure the beads are separated into sections of 9 beads.)

After the chant is a great time to sit in silent reflection. Picking one of the Golden Verses of Pythagoras as an object of contemplation is a great way to keep the divine front of mind throughout the day. 

Finally, we always close our prayer sessions by saying, Fiat, which means “let it be done”.

For the Peace of the Gods