Daily Devotional: September 21st

Daily Prayer XI

Temperance, virtue of balanced grace,

In life's symphony, find thy rightful place.

Harmony in moderation, a guiding light,

Navigating the currents, both day and night.

Like a gentle river, in serene flow,

Temperance, in every aspect, does bestow.

In the banquet of existence, a measured feast,

Savoring the moments, from west to east.

O, Virtue, guide us with a steady hand,

In the dance of choices, where values stand.

Temperance, keeper of the middle way,

Lead us with wisdom, each and every day.

Daily Meditation

"…steering our soul by the methods of sacred rites and right admonitions to a better harbor, we will wholly free ourselves from suffering”

—Hierocles

Golden Verses p223

Through repentance and offering to the Gods, we free ourselves from suffering. However, more than just blindly following a ritual is required. We must steer the soul back toward justice and piety. The turning of the soul back to God truly purifies us of suffering; all sacred rituals are a means to that end.

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

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