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Post by roguebiologist on Oct 7, 2013 17:51:49 GMT -8
A lot of what I'm seeing from other posts here is that for many prayer is one of the most frequent means of worship. What I'm curious is what other things do you do to practice devotion?
I ask because prayer isn't as important in what I do - or rather, my means of devotion take different forms. I mostly get the impression of bemused tolerance (or smug preening) when I pray, and at times impatience because my Daeva and spirits don't find it that important. But certainly there is utter delight from my patron at least when he throws me a tidbit of obscure information and I search the literature - both books and internet - to find the historical context. When doing this I feel closer to him than I do in prayer. It's almost meditative, and I feel his attention and his approval when I reach the end of the paper trial. It's like perhaps being the arrow fired by an archer, or the hound sent after a rabbit. There's glorious unification of purpose and delight at success when I fulfill his goals. He is an embodiment of truth, and the act of searching for the truth and finding his trail through history seems more fulfilling to me and to our relationship than prayer does, but fills the same function. I commune with him, praise him by taking time out of my busy, busy schedule and devoting it to him, and learn of him and his origins. And certainly he's delighted that I chose to work in science, because the scientific method is rigorous at trying to uncover the truth, so in some ways even my working life is a devotion, for I chose research instead of becoming a clinician.
I don't worship any of the others I work with the same way. There's a pair I work with who demand strict orthopraxy in worship - they will have their offerings this way if I want to work with them, but are more relaxed in terms of what I think or do with most of the rest of my life. There's others again who appreciate meditation on their ways and offerings to their tastes.
But with none of them is prayer in the usual sense really a part of what I do, or what they prefer or ask of me. It might be perhaps because instead of working with the Gods I work with spirits and a Daeva who resents the practice associated with the Gods for reasons of his own. However, I think it's also to do with my own nature - these gestures are far more meaningful because it requires more personal effort and thought from me.
So I'm curious - what about everyone else? What do you do show devotion that is more unusual and differs from the means of worship more common to everyone? I'm pretty certain everyone has their own thing they do. :-)
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Post by fearlesslyonwards on Oct 7, 2013 18:35:38 GMT -8
I dance. Badly and without much coordination or rhythm, but I do it anyway. I make my own devotional incenses. I volunteer at an adult day centre for people with disabilities. I did a few weeks at a soup kitchen talking with the people who frequented it and trying to be of some use to them (which I will do again, when I no longer have scheduling conflicts). I try and help people where and when I can, basically. I don't proselytise but I will explain my beliefs to people when and if they ask. I cover my hair, have done every day for the last 10+ months. I speak out against bigotry in whatever form it takes, even when I wish I could just say nothing and go unnoticed - I am afraid of confrontation. Yeah, that's some of what I do.
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Post by Admin on Oct 8, 2013 8:37:41 GMT -8
I dance. I make devotional art (not as much as I should). I walk labyrinths (when I can find them). I pour libations. I donate to homeless shelters in the name of the Deity and don't take the tax write off (disclaimer, I haven't done this in a bit because things have been real tight and avoiding homelessness begins at home).
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Post by captainspellingerror on Oct 8, 2013 9:41:29 GMT -8
Write, teach, I often dedicate performances to a deity, but making offerings still forms the core of what I do.
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Post by moonwolf23 on Oct 8, 2013 17:12:11 GMT -8
This is a good thought inducing post.
For me, if the Gods need me to talk for them, that is part of my responsibility. I have yet to be called to do full possession, but I have been poked to get up and answer someones question(who didn't want to hear it, and was angry at me for it) Another responsibility is to use my empathy for good. Along those lines, I act the role of Shaman(I break, and then fix others, using what I put myself back together with).
I give offerings and take care of the land spirits that poke me. I also seem to end up living near or get poked by cemeteries and they want me to keep an eye on those.
I am also hear to answer questions and make people think, using Socratic questions. This also goes back to fixing people. I am not to do the work for them, but simply give them tools and teach them to do for themselves.
In short, I'm supposed to make this place better then when I came in.
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Post by liadine on Oct 9, 2013 3:30:42 GMT -8
I only just added prayer to my worship, so generally my devotional works were/are other things. Brighid has been my primary focus for a decade now, so there are a lot of things I do as devotions to her: writing, flame-tending, being a safe place for people without safe places, trying to live my life as a reflection of her, baking bread, devotional crafts, shrine-tending, and a bunch of other things that are a little harder to describe. (What category does 'sit for two hours transferring oats, one by one, from a bag to a jar' fall under?)
My relationship to Himself is a little less devotional - it's more of a 'live your life in this way' sort of deal, with offerings and celebrations in his honour as well. I do honour him through making meals, though, especially when they involve meat.
Persephone and Hekate are relatively new additions to the deities I worship, so my devotions to them are a little more scattered. Back when I was just honouring Persephone as a "we both know this is short term" agreement (for about four years, I've been her follower for a year now) it was offerings on certain occasions, making playlists for her, and doing a lot of research. Those are still in effect, but now the offerings are twice-daily, and I'm working out what else is required of me. Hekate is much newer to me, so I'm still at the offerings and research stage with her as well.
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Post by MadGastronomer on Oct 9, 2013 6:05:44 GMT -8
For Dionysos, I drink and I dance, and I serve food which will bring joy to others. Preferably with wine. For Hekate, I make my choices deliberately, and I try to take responsibility for them, as she demands of me. I work and teach magic, as she demands of me. And I offer myself to her, which she has never demanded of me. For all the gods I interact with, I cook things (I'm working on a devotional cookbook), and for many, I make thing. Woolly gods, devotional hangings, devotional figures of simple clay or salt dough (which don't need kilns). And apparently now I'm building a herm. Oh, I make offerings, and I pray for blessings, for help. But mostly, I make things.
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Post by moonwolf23 on Oct 9, 2013 8:47:13 GMT -8
For Dionysos, I drink and I dance, and I serve food which will bring joy to others. Preferably with wine. For Hekate, I make my choices deliberately, and I try to take responsibility for them, as she demands of me. I work and teach magic, as she demands of me. And I offer myself to her, which she has never demanded of me. For all the gods I interact with, I cook things (I'm working on a devotional cookbook), and for many, I make thing. Woolly gods, devotional hangings, devotional figures of simple clay or salt dough (which don't need kilns). And apparently now I'm building a herm. Oh, I make offerings, and I pray for blessings, for help. But mostly, I make things. What is a herm?
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Post by moonwolf23 on Oct 9, 2013 8:47:40 GMT -8
I only just added prayer to my worship, so generally my devotional works were/are other things. Brighid has been my primary focus for a decade now, so there are a lot of things I do as devotions to her: writing, flame-tending, being a safe place for people without safe places, trying to live my life as a reflection of her, baking bread, devotional crafts, shrine-tending, and a bunch of other things that are a little harder to describe. (What category does 'sit for two hours transferring oats, one by one, from a bag to a jar' fall under?) My relationship to Himself is a little less devotional - it's more of a 'live your life in this way' sort of deal, with offerings and celebrations in his honour as well. I do honour him through making meals, though, especially when they involve meat. Persephone and Hekate are relatively new additions to the deities I worship, so my devotions to them are a little more scattered. Back when I was just honouring Persephone as a "we both know this is short term" agreement (for about four years, I've been her follower for a year now) it was offerings on certain occasions, making playlists for her, and doing a lot of research. Those are still in effect, but now the offerings are twice-daily, and I'm working out what else is required of me. Hekate is much newer to me, so I'm still at the offerings and research stage with her as well. Oh that sounds like a story. Transfer oats from bag to jar?
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Grace
New Member
Posts: 8
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Post by Grace on Oct 9, 2013 9:27:42 GMT -8
A good part of my devotional work is writing poetry and I do research, hunting down those threads to try to find the pieces of the broken puzzle that seems to be the Gaelic lore. I work with poet-gods, among others, so this is a natural fit. I do pray, but it's never been an easy thing for me, at least not praying with words.
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Post by MadGastronomer on Oct 9, 2013 18:03:25 GMT -8
It's a post (stone or wood) with a set of male genitals carved on it, and sometimes a face at the top. They used to set them up at crossroads and gateways, and people passing by would add a stone to a pile built up around it, as an offering and a request for a blessing. I spotted the suggestion of collecting rocks to start a pile once you have enough, a little cairn even if you couldn't erect a post, on some blog (probably Sannion's, but maybe not, I forget), and when I needed Hermes' help with my job hunt, I offered him a herm. So now I have to built it. (And I don't even have the job. Yet. That was just for getting there on time and doing well at the first interview.) But starting a herm now will give me a nice way to leave him simple offerings for as long as I live in the area, as long as no one takes it down. I just have to pick a place, once I have enough stones.
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Post by moonwolf23 on Oct 9, 2013 18:09:49 GMT -8
Hmmmmm..... That sounds interesting.
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Post by holdasown on Oct 10, 2013 7:31:40 GMT -8
I do pray on occasion but I mostly try to do things with intent I guess. I sometimes try to talk myself out of house work but it's the one thing Holda holds me too. Both magical and mundane. I make incense as well. I have been working on poems for the runes I have written myself (I suck at it) and I want to do a Nine Sacred Herbs garden in the spring. My practices tend to be more wight/ancestor focused or witchcraft focus than god focused though that has been changing. At least Holda isn't to pushy on anything really. I have started washing and keeping my change nice and I recently did a budget and am paying things down and not using credit. I am hoping Andvari will help us out by keeping us on track and helping my husband with sewing jobs. He sews to make extra cash and we have had a really good summer since I did the budget and we buckled down.
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lorna
New Member
Posts: 19
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Post by lorna on Oct 10, 2013 9:50:28 GMT -8
I only pray when I feel it is necessary.
I serve my patron and my local gods and spirits as a bard by learning the magic of nature and myths of this land and sharing them in poetry in my communities. This involves research into history, natural history and folklore combined with walking, meditation and shamanic journeying. I see writing as divination and often find myself entering a trance where the gods or spirits guide me in the construction of a poem.
I also take care of the valley at the back of my house, litter picking fortnightly and running a Friends group where we've planted wild flowers and run wild medicine walks. I see this an act of devotion to the local spirits.
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Monica
New Member
Canaanite Polytheist & Unitarian Universalist
Posts: 15
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Post by Monica on Oct 10, 2013 18:59:47 GMT -8
Erm, a lot of things that don't look particularly devotional from the outside. Applying make-up in the morning. Doing the laundry. Assisting clients at work with the daunting task of navigating their health insurance benefits and limitations. Refilling the bird feeders. Grabbing a few extra items at the grocery store to add to the bag of monthly donations to the food pantry. Being a participating member of my UU congregation. Collecting photos and stories of my grandparents and great grandparents. Things related to beauty, to service, to supporting family, to strengthening community, to remembering the dead.
Some things are more clearly devotional in nature. Like pouring out olive oil and wine to the gods, burning incense to the ancestors. Today I made apple and honey treats and left them in the hollows and forks of trees around the property. Last weekend I planted trees to honor a vow I made to the land spirits.
I don't worry so much anymore about meditating on how sacred these acts are as I do them or expecting a mystical experience. The acts themselves are holy and in service to the gods, spirits, and ancestors. I know why I do them and like to mentally touch on it for a moment, but then I just focus on doing the work that needs done. I'm a woman of few words these days so my prayers are often short and are really just a formality to get the recipient's attention and let them know that I remember and honor them. I don't ask for much and never expect a response. *And this concludes the devotional activities of The Ho-Hum Polytheist*
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