Daily Devotional: January 8th

Daily Prayer VI

Blessed are those who tend to their immortal soul,

Seeking its excellence, making it their goal.

Unconcerned for the mortal, sparing not if need be,

Prioritizing the eternal, their spirits free.

In the face of thoughtless attacks from mortal kin,

They stand unenslaved, their soul's fortress within.

Firm in resolve, above wickedness they soar,

Holding their essence steadfast, forevermore.

Blessed are they who do not grieve when fortune turns,

Heaven-sent trials borne with resilience, as it churns.

They mark as good only what's in their immortal core,

In serenity, they face what fate has in store.

Daily Meditation

"It is a fact, Clea, that having a beard and wearing a coarse cloak does not make philosophers, nor does dressing in linen and shaving the hair make votaries of Isis; but the true votary of Isis is he who, when he has legitimately received what is set forth in the ceremonies connected with these gods, uses reason in investigating and in studying the truth contained therein.”

—Plutarch

Isis and Osiris

The true devotee and philosopher is the one who seeks the deeper mysteries of the gods using their reason. The desire to know and understand more about the gods we venerate is part of our longing for union with them, just as we long to know the hearts and minds of those we love so that we may be closer with them.

Monthly Ascesis: Praying for Virtue

“Ask from God those things that you cannot receive from man.”

-Sextus

“In the Pythagorean sentences, we are also advised not to pray for things that we can do for ourselves. For example, we should not pray for money or material goods because these are things we can work to gain by ourselves. Rather, the things we should ask the gods for are things that are, like them, immaterial and perfect. The best things for us to ask the gods for are virtues.

When we pray, we should ask the gods to show us the way to immaterial things that are aligned with their perfect nature. Cardinal virtues like prudence, courage, justice, and temperance are great starting points. But any virtue is worthy of our prayers of petition.”

Excerpt from Ascesis: The Handbook of Platonic Practice

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