Daily Devotional: December 25th
Birth of the Sun and Dionysia
The Birth of the Sun and the Beginning of Dionysia
In the depths of winter, as the longest nights give way to the promise of returning light, we honor the birth of Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun. This sacred day, when the sun begins its ascent, reminds us of the eternal triumph of light over darkness, renewal over decay, and order over chaos. Just as Sol Invictus marks the rekindling of vitality and the promise of growth, so too does it reflect the divine illumination brought forth by Phanes, the radiant deity of creation. Emerging from the cosmic egg, Phanes is the source of all light, the spark of life, and the architect of the cosmos, whose luminous essence permeates the cycles of time.
Through Phanes, we see the seamless union of creation and renewal, embodied also in Dionysus, the Son of Jove. Dionysus is not only the god of wine and revelry but also a manifestation of Phanes’ divine power, representing the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In this sacred season, as the light of Sol Invictus grows stronger, we enter the joyous celebrations of the Dionysia, honoring Dionysus as the bringer of ecstasy, renewal, and the profound mystery of transformation.
The Dionysia begins in harmony with the celestial rhythm of Sol Invictus, uniting the cosmic and the earthly. As the light returns to the world, we revel in the gifts of Dionysus, who teaches us to embrace both the joy of life and the sacred stillness of renewal. Together, these deities remind us that in every darkness lies the seed of light, and in every ending, the promise of a new beginning. May this season inspire us to honor the eternal cycles, celebrate the divine spark within all things, and rejoice in the enduring harmony of the cosmos.
Hymn to the Unconquered Sun
O, radiant and unconquered Sun,
In the tapestry of the cosmos, you are the chosen one.
Sol Invictus, born anew in celestial embrace,
A beacon of light, a symbol of eternal grace.
In the quiet of the winter's night,
When shadows dance and stars ignite,
You emerge, a promise of warmth and might,
A celestial symphony, a guiding light.
As we witness the dawn of your rebirth,
Grant us strength and courage on this Earth.
May your golden rays illuminate our way,
Dispelling darkness, bringing forth the day.
Sol Invictus, in your radiant glow,
Let love and compassion abundantly flow.
A symbol of hope in the darkest night,
Guiding us toward goodness and endless light.
On this sacred day, we celebrate your birth,
A cosmic miracle, a wondrous mirth.
As we bask in your celestial glow,
May our spirits with gratitude overflow.
Sol Invictus, bless us with your grace,
As we journey through time and space.
In your eternal light, we find solace and peace,
May your presence in our hearts never cease.
Hymn for Dionysia
O Dionysus, god of wine and revelry,
In the joyous festival of Dionysia, we set spirits free.
As the vineyards flourish and the grapevines entwine,
In your honor, oh Dionysus, the festivities shine.
Dionysia, a time of theater and song,
Where the chorus echoes, and celebrations prolong.
In the sacred dance and the ecstatic trance,
May your presence in our hearts enhance.
God of ecstasy, in your divine embrace,
As we revel and dance in a joyous pace.
In the revelry of wine and laughter's song,
May the spirit of Dionysia be strong.
Dionysus, whose spirit in the grape does dwell,
In the symphony of joy, where stories swell.
As we honor you in the theater's grand play,
May your blessings descend like rain in May.
In the streets adorned with masks and costume,
Dionysus, in your festival's bloom.
May the spirit of liberation be our guide,
In the Dionysian revels, side by side.
O Dionysus, in this festival night,
Fill our hearts with the purest delight.
As we toast to life and the joy it brings,
May Dionysia's celebration forever sing.
Daily Prayer VIII
O gods, restrain my taste for excess delight,
Impose limits on pleasures, in wisdom's light.
Lest harm befall my body or soul,
Guide me towards temperance, make me whole.
May I not crave boundless material gain,
In measured abundance, let my needs attain.
Moderation in all, the body's requisite,
Grant me independence, a balanced fit.
Shield me from the chains of empty words,
Grant discernment, where true wisdom girds.
May I deem useful only words divine,
That lead to genuine excellence, a path benign.
Daily Meditation
“This divine and wholly beautiful universe, from the highest vault of heaven to the lowest limit of the earth, is held together by the continuous providence of God, has existed from eternity ungenerated, is imperishable for all time to come, and is guarded immediately by nothing else than the Fifth Substance whose culmination is the beams of the sun; and in the second and higher degree, so to speak, by the intelligible world; but in a still loftier sense it is guarded by the King of the whole universe, who is the center of all things that exist.”
—Julian the Philosopher
Hymn to King Helios
Orpheus revealed, “One Jupiter, one Pluto, one Sol, one Dionysus, one God in all things.” When we look carefully, each of these gods are one. When we speak of Sol, we also speak of Jove and Dionysus. On this day, we celebrate the birth of the Unconquered Sun, Sol Invictus. However, this is one of the many masks of God that shows us His nature as the bringer of life and light to the world. May God and the gods bless this day.
Monthly Ascesis: Repentance
"Repentance is the beginning of philosophy"
—Hierocles
“Repentance is often seen as a particularly Christian idea, but philosophers were quite fond of reminding people to repent. Pythagoras, in particular, suggests two ways that we can begin to repent and take a better inventory of who we are. The word ‘repent’ is related to the Latin word for regret. The idea is that we should look over our actions and judge them if they are unworthy. However, the Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means the transformation of the mind. Platonic repentance is about creating an inner change that leads us back to a life of holiness in harmony with the divine.
Pythagoras says we should “do nothing shameful, neither in the presence of others nor privately; Thus, above all things, sit as a judge over [ourself].” This suggests we should watch our actions, and when we do something wrong or shameful, we should repent, that is, regret that action. If we never do this or shun it as a practice, we effectively say we have no reason to regret our actions. However, regretting an action is recognizing an area where we fell short of our ideals. If we never regret or repent, we make any spiritual or ethical growth impossible. This is why Hierocles, commenting on Pythagoras, says, “repentance is the beginning of philosophy.””
Excerpt from Ascesis: The Handbook of Platonic Practice
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