Daily Devotional: September 15th

Daily Prayer XVII

Hail, Bacchus, liberator of our captive souls,

Breaking chains that bind, releasing from cyclical tolls.

Thy revelry transcends earthly strife and birth's decree,

Purifier divine, setting our spirits forever free.

In thy ecstatic dance, the soul finds its release,

From the shackles of rebirth, you bring sweet peace.

Thou art the vine, the nectar of divine elation,

Bacchus, our guide to the realm of transformation.

Through the chalice of thy grace, impurities dissolve,

As the soul ascends, in thy mysteries we evolve.

Oh, Bacchus, in thy rapture, our essence refined,

The soul's salvation, in thy presence enshrined.

Daily Meditation

"Luxury is censured because it emasculates man by begetting cowardice in him.”

—Iamblichus

Exhortation to Philosophy

Luxury means excess. It is having more than you need. That can mean more comfort than is necessary, more lavish food, more clothes, etc. There is a certain amount of material stuff we require in our lives, but to live with less, without luxury or excess, is ideal, for too much comfort weakens our souls and bodies and turns us toward vice. After all, how many people shrink from their duty toward virtue for fear of what comforts they may lose?

Monthly Ascesis

Developing a practice of watchfulness is a powerful and effective way to create stillness in our souls, allowing us to behold God's presence in our lives.

This month, add this meditation practice to your morning prayers. This is particularly effective following a chanting session.

“The most basic and fundamental meditation practice is watchfulness or Nepsis in Greek. Watchfulness is the act of observing the mind while not chasing any thoughts or emotions that arise. You only need to sit down, close your eyes, and relax to do this practice. Then, watch your thoughts as they arise and fall away. Thoughts will continue to pop into your mind, and that’s ok. The key is not to follow them. For example, if your mind starts thinking about a project at work, don’t follow that idea and start working on the project in your mind. Just acknowledge that thought and watch it. Don’t feed that idea with more ideas; just leave it alone. Eventually, it will pass by, or a new thought will take its place. If that happens, just watch that thought without following it or allowing it to disturb you.”

-Excerpt from our new book, Ascesis: the Handbook of Platonic Practice

If you would like to subscribe to the Daily Romanist Devotional, please follow the instructions here.