Daily Devotional: October 1st

Hymn of the Calends

Juno, guardian of the fleeting days,

In each month's dawn, thy presence arrays.

At the threshold of time, where moments unfold,

In thy grace, Juno, the tale is told.

With each new moon, thy scepter in hand,

Juno, we honor, as the days expand.

In the dance of months, thy sovereignty clear,

Crowning the year, in each premiere.

At the inception of the calendar's page,

Juno, thou art the guiding sage.

Blessing the weeks with thy regal decree,

In the rhythmic cadence of eternity.

Month by month, thy influence profound,

In Juno's name, our reverence resounds.

As the sun rises on each new morn,

Juno, in thy honor, our spirits are reborn.

Daily Meditation

"‘Hear (O Sun), spinning ‘round in a circle of distant revolving rays,

Ever turning ‘round the orbit in heavenly whirls.

O shining Jove-Dionysus, father of the sea, father of the earth,

O Sun, father of all, all radiant, and glittering like gold!’ ””

—Orpheus

Quoted in Macrobius, Saturnalia Book 7, 1:23

King Jove, Dionysus, and Apollo all have the same essence. We may see them as separate gods, but they are unified. The gods may present themselves to us in many masks, but they are often interrelated in ways humans can scarcely understand.

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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