Devotional Practice
"You carried my heart in your hands tonight," he said. "But I have felt as though you carried it long before that." - Valiant, Holly Black.
Devotion is a state of the mind and heart, not a list of activities. Rituals can be devised and used as part of a devotional practice, and I will be sharing some of my own in these pages, but keep in mind the following two caveats: 1) Don't get so caught up in getting a ritual "right" that the point of it--to connect with the Gods, to open to Them more fully, becomes lost in the process; and 2) Although discipline is a good thing, and it can be helpful to establish a routine, don't become so rigid about following it that the devotional activity itself becomes a chore rather than a joy. The time you set aside for communing with the Gods should be an offering both to Them and to your own spirit; it should bring you nourishment and a closer feeling of connection, and it should bring pleasure both to Them and to you. If it becomes just one more thing on your to-do list, something to be gotten out of the way before work or sleep, it's time to reevaluate what you are doing.
My own devotional practice is, at this point, fairly low-key, informal, and spontaneous. The bulk of it is centered around Odin—as He is my heart and home—and this is the way He has always urged me to approach Him, freely and from the heart, rather than with stiff formality or standing on ceremony. For a while I tried to inject more formality into what I do, but such attempts have always fallen flat because they were based on what I thought my approach “should” be (usually due to a comparison with what others were doing) rather than on what I truly wanted to do or what He wanted from me. It has been a hard lesson for me that whenever I try to emulate others too closely rather than listening to what Odin is telling me or following my own heart and my own nature, whatever I am attempting at the time is doomed to failure.
In that vein, although you are free to use or adapt the devotional rituals and ideas I present here, keep in mind that your practice is exactly that--yours, not mine or someone else's. If something doesn't work for you, change
it. Don't let anyone else intimidate you (either directly or indirectly) into feeling that what you are doing is "wrong" or that the Gods won't like it because it isn't exactly like what others are doing. Everyone has their own
approach to the Gods, their own way of interacting with Them; and conversely, the Gods don't ask the same things of everyone. The very same God can, in fact, ask completely different things of two different and equally devoted people, and that doesn't necessarily mean that either one of those people is somehow wrong or mistaken or not hearing their God correctly. Keep in mind that devotion is about honoring the relationship YOU have with your Gods--not the relationship anyone else has. If you are in any doubt about what is pleasing to Them--ask. In thefinal analysis, your devotional practice is between you and Them, no one else.
Devotion will not take on the same importance or emphasis for every single person, and that's fine. Not everyone is a God-spouse or a priest whose entire life revolves around their God/s, as mine does around Odin; in fact, most people are not, and are simply looking to set aside a few minutes a day in which to commune with their Gods. Any of the techniques included here can serve this purpose. At the same time, God-spouses and others whose relationship with the Gods is central to their lives and practice can use these techniques to build a devotional life in which any activity can be an opportunity to connect with the Gods and be mindful of Their presence and influence in our lives. Again, keep in mind that the key--and this has been a stumbling block for me personally--is to inject as many of these little rituals as possible into daily life without becoming overly rigid or dogmatic
about it.
Here are some of the brief devotional practices I try to fit into my days. Some of these also have the added bonus of being consciousness-altering activities that can help you feel the presence of the Gods more strongly and
communicate with Them more easily.
- Morning and evening altar devotions. These can be as simple as lighting a candle and some incense--or, if time is very short, even just blowing a kiss before you leave for work. Some more involved altar devotions are included below.
- Prayer beads. As with the altar devotions, using prayer beads can be simple--as simple as wearing them mindfully, or using them as a reminder to say a brief prayer or greeting to each God represented--or they can be
more complex, involving a rosary-like recitation. I wear my prayer beads almost every day, and try to go over them individually at least a few times a week.
- Food and drink offerings. This can involve cooking for the Gods and buying special liquor or non-alcoholic beverages for Them, or simply setting aside a small portion of whatever you are eating or drinking, with a prayer. Flowers, incense, candy or small gifts can also be offered, especially if you have an established altar.
- Listening to music that reminds you of your Gods and helps you feel connected to Them.
- Reading sacred poetry aloud (either traditional--taken from a sacred text--or modern, written by you or others).
- Writing poetry, prayers, songs or stories for or about your Gods. This is one of my favorites because I'm a writer, but keep in mind that anything you do well (jewelry-making, knitting, gardening, even housekeeping) can
similarly be dedicated to the Gods as an act of devotion.
- Singing, either devotional songs or chants written by you or others, or other songs that remind you of Them. Singing or chanting the names and titles of your God/s can be an especially powerful (as well as trance-inducing) activity.
- Drumming or playing other musical instruments.
- Dancing for Them. (Don't worry if you're not that great a dancer; it's the intent of the offering that counts.)
- Yoga. There is a form of yoga known as bhakti, the yoga of devotion, which focuses on union with the Divine. However, if you practice yoga generally for exercise, health, or as part of your spiritual practice, it can be made into a devotional activity as well. Simply dedicate your asana practice to your Gods, taking a moment beforehand to connect with Them and offer up your efforts, and remaining mindful of Them throughout.
- Meditation. This can take many forms, obviously. I try to meditate on a daily basis--twice a day, whenever possible. At bare minimum, I like to include a daily ten minute mindfulness meditation in which I focus on my
breathing, nothing more, as well as an additional period focused exclusively on Odin and being mindful of my connection with Him.
Not everyone will need or want to include all of the above practices on a daily basis, or even at all, but including some of them should help you stay mindful of the role of the Gods in your own life, and your connection
and devotion to Them. Building a relationship with the Gods is like building any other relationship; it requires attention and work, and is a process of give and take on both sides. Even if you haven't had to work hard to establish or maintain that connection, small acts of devotion such as these are a good way to demonstate your gratitude to Them and keep the joy of the relationship alive.
See below for some more ideas.
Chakra Anointing Rite
Altar Dedication Rite
My Shrines
Prayer Beads
Ritual/Mood Music for Connecting with my Patrons
A Guide to Offerings
(c) 2008
wodandis@gmail.com
Illustration: Circe Invidiosa by John William Waterhouse