Daily Devotional: October 15th

Ides

Hymn for the Ides

Jove, sovereign of the vast celestial dome,

On Ides' threshold, thy presence does loom.

In the mid-month's embrace, with thunderous might,

Thy benevolence and justice take flight.

On the Ides, when the moon is bright,

Jove, we honor, in the soft moonlight.

With each lunar phase, thy influence clear,

Guiding the months, with celestial cheer.

In the midst of calendars, thy mark profound,

Ides' moments with thy grace are crowned.

Jove, the keeper of cosmic order and sway,

In the month's heart, thy blessings convey.

On this Ides, as time's river flows,

Jove, in gratitude, our reverence shows.

In celestial dance, where planets align,

Thy majesty, eternal and divine.Daily Meditation

"But this, at least, I think is well said: It is the Gods who care for us, and we men are one of the possessions of the Gods.”

—Plato

Phaedo 62b

Our lives are not entirely our own. We live within the kingdom of the Gods, and we are their possessions. When we are just and pious, we live by their laws and, by doing so, become like them. When we commit acts of passion and vice, we break their laws and move further from their good nature. Nevertheless, the Gods take care of mankind and always steer us toward the good, turning our hearts toward them if we will listen.

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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