Daily Devotional: October 8th

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

"One must be free from all disturbances of the spirit, whether it be excessive desire or fear, sorrow, pleasure, or anger so that tranquility and peace of the soul can come about.”

—Cicero

On Duties I.XX.69

The peace and stillness of the soul is always under the surface. Our passions and thoughts stir up the soul, obscuring its underlying tranquility. When we quiet those disturbances, we can allow that inner peace to come about.

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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