Daily Devotional: September 6th

Daily Prayer VIII

Oh 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

"We must reckon that the most precious object of worship a man can have is his father or grandfather, or his mother in a similar condition because when he honors and respects them, God is delighted.”

—Plato

Laws XI 931d

Our family and ancestors are objects worthy of worship. To honor that sacred bond between family members, especially our parents, is most pleasing to the Gods. This is because we honor the natural order bestowed on mankind by the Gods themselves. The Gods created the family as the natural and rightful place for humankind to grow and flourish.

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.