Daily Devotional: October 12th

Daily Prayer IV

Blessed are those who shun the grip of selfish greed,

With a wisdom that forbids harmful deeds.

In emulation of the gods, they seek the good,

Endeavoring to mirror divine brotherhood.

They hold in reverence the common good of the race,

Aware that gods' concern resides in this shared space.

They do not abandon the communal thread,

For in unity, the divine essence is spread.

Blessed are those who, with gratitude, give thanks,

To the gods for every boon, with hearts that flank

Jove, the source whence fair and good first spring,

In all things, a hymn of gratitude we sing.

Daily Meditation

"Avoid as much as possible hating your friend for a slight fault.”

—Pythagoras

Golden Verses

We should forgive our friends for their faults and not seek to find fault in them. We all make mistakes and the bonds of friendship are greater than any small imperfection. However, we should never allow our friends to turn us toward vice. We don’t need to hate them for their own vices but if they encourage us to slip into vice with them, we should encourage them back on the path of virtue. If they persist in their vice, we must leave them behind until they turn back toward the Good.

Monthly Ascesis: Breath and the Pneuma

“In the Western classical tradition, the words for spirit and soul - pneuma, psyche, anima, and spiritus hold profound significance. Interestingly, each of these words also carries the meaning of breath or to breathe. This linguistic connection underscores the belief that breath is the essence of life. In the myth of Prometheus, for instance, it was Minerva’s breath that animated the clay figures of man, giving them life.”

The breath is one of our most powerful tools for spiritual practice and is directly linked to our souls. When we speed up our breathing, our mind speeds up. When we slow it down, our mind slows. Controlling our breath is a leap forward for control of the self and our passions.

“Once you have fixed your breath, you can start to focus on it and use it as an instrument to still the mind. With each breath, there will be a slight pause at the top of the breath and a slight pause at the end of each exhalation. To increase stillness, we will let our minds come to rest in the pause following the exhalation. Breathe out and rest in that moment between breaths. When you feel the need to breathe in again, then do so and come back around to the rest point of the next exhalation.”

-Excerpts from, Ascesis: the Handbook of Platonic Practice

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