Daily rituals and prayers

[dolphinpatronus]

If it's not too personal to ask would any of you care to share some of your daily rituals and/or prayers? I've been having trouble keeping on spiritual track recently and would welcome some advice for somethings I could do daily to help because meditation doesn't seem to help me. Every single time I try to meditate I either completely lose focus or fall asleep. I can't find an in between.

[Siona]

My daily devotion is done in honor of Hestia. Her shrine is on the back of my stove, so before I begin cooking dinner I light her candle and welcome her with a short prayer. I make an offering while cooking, or offer a bit of the cooked dinner, something like that, and I usually like to recite part of the Homeric hymn to Hestia at that point. After dinner is done I might make some private (unscripted) prayers, or I might not, either way after I thank her and I put out the candle. Pretty simple ritual, but it was important for me to incorporate the ritual into something I do (almost) daily anyway, or else I'd probably forget to do it or just put it off or something.

Just generally speaking, I've always found more active devotions to fit me more than the more calm, still sorts of things, so I create them around things like walking/hiking, cleaning, cooking, making something, putting out bird feed, drumming, or making a fire or something...

[dolphinpatronus]

I used to do a morning & a bedtime prayer but I can't recall them because I used them years ago. I don't have a specific Goddess & God so I do remember that both prayers where to Mother Moon & Father Sun. I also recall that the prayers asked for as well as thanked for protection & basically good luck. I just can't recall the wording & to be honest it doesn't feel like enough...almost too needy & ungrateful. I also never know what to use as an offering or what exactly to do with it. I don't know it seems like I'm very lost lately & I'm just not sure how to get back. I just know that I want to.

[Siona]

I also recall that the prayers asked for as well as thanked for protection & basically good luck. I just can't recall the wording & to be honest it doesn't feel like enough...almost too needy & ungrateful.

That was a problem I found with a lot of devotions others had written when I was looking for inspiration. They were all built around asking for something, even if it was something sort of 'abstract' like protection or guidance. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that in itself, but it wasn't what I was looking for. Occasionally during private prayer I might ask for help or guidance with something, but I wanted the base ritual that I did to be about honoring and communing with Hestia without really asking for anything.

I also never know what to use as an offering or what exactly to do with it.

For me that was another benefit of the cooking ritual, because the offering can just be a bit of whatever I'm making, if nothing else. I try to put the offering outside later in the night, if I'm able to do so. Any food and drink can be a good offering. There are lots of things you can do with offerings too, depending on how you feel about them... in some traditions the offering is actually eaten after the ritual as a sort of blessed food, for example.

But you don't have to use food or drink. Incense is also a nice offering if you can use it, and there's no wondering what to do with it after. I sometimes offer bird feed to Artemis, which I then put outside for the birds, which I think works well for her to honor her protector of animals role... could also easily work for any sort of earth or animal deity.

[dolphinpatronus]

In the past I have put any "organic" offering outside. I like to give them back to the earth. I figure the birds or other critters will eat them or if it's flowers or herbs they'll just blend back into the soil. Do you tailor your offerings to your deity? Since I've never really worked with any specific I'm curious about that.

I wouldn't mind working with a pantheon but honestly none grab my attention & since I'm terrible at meditating I don't know how to have one find me.

[Siona]

I do change up offerings depending on who I'm offering to. Some things can be pretty standard across a pantheon, like wine is an acceptable offering for almost every Greek deity, but there are other things which can be a bit more deity specific at times, or specific offerings for particular celebrations, stuff like that.

Sometimes people also find their deities/pantheons through divination, dream work, just by doing general rituals, or even just by reading about something and being very drawn to it - but there's also nothing wrong with sticking to more 'general' deities like a Goddess and God, or mother earth, that sort of concept.

[dolphinpatronus]

I've thought of the Christian saints because there are tons to work with but I'm not sold on the idea. I think I prefer the more general concept. I feel like it gives me more options.

[AnaisStar]

I mostly work with the Hindu patheon so they each have their own mantra. I usually just chant the meditation and thank them. I want to get in the habit of taking time to sit at their altars, light candles, chant and meditate twice a day. Even if its only 5 minutes.

[dolphinpatronus]

Thanks. I wish I had more space to keep an alter up all the time...I think I'm going to check out Pinterest for some ideas.

[MsMollimizz]

When I go to bed I say either out-loud or quietly,
depending on if he's awake !

M'Lady Isis, my Goddess my Queen
please watch over my body as I lay sleeping,
keep me safe from harm, physically and psychically
'til I rise again.
arms crossed as I bow:
Blessed Be

Just recently added:
holding hands down fingers slightly apart-
We give thanks to Mother Earth for nurturing
and sustaining us everyday.
hands upwards as if cradling the Moon:
We give thanks to Sister Moon whose light
lights a path we follow.

higher than cradling Moon swaying them
back and forth:

We give thanks to Brother Wind whose
breath bring the healing rains.

fingers trickle down as if rain, bringing
hands up ward to highest point:

We give thanks to Father Sun for without
his light none of this is possible.

hands outward as I say "none of this..."

right hand stretches towards left side and
left hand stretches towards right using a
fluid motion crossing arms & bowing thrice

Blessed Be
Blessed Be
Blessed Be


Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

[dolphinpatronus]

When I go to bed I say either out-loud or quietly,
depending on if he's awake !

M'Lady Isis, my Goddess my Queen
please watch over my body as I lay sleeping,
keep me safe from harm, physically and psychically
'til I rise again.
arms crossed as I bow:
Blessed Be

Just recently added:
holding hands down fingers slightly apart-
We give thanks to Mother Earth for nurturing
and sustaining us everyday.
hands upwards as if cradling the Moon:
We give thanks to Sister Moon whose light
lights a path we follow.

higher than cradling Moon swaying them
back and forth:

We give thanks to Brother Wind whose
breath bring the healing rains.

fingers trickle down as if rain, bringing
hands up ward to highest point:

We give thanks to Father Sun for without
his light none of this is possible.

hands outward as I say "none of this..."

right hand stretches towards left side and
left hand stretches towards right using a
fluid motion crossing arms & bowing thrice

Blessed Be
Blessed Be
Blessed Be


Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

I like that...it covers everything

[MsMollimizz]

You can use any or all if you so desire, I borrowed it myself !
When I first started down this path eons ago, it was Mother Earth
and Sister Moon. After awhile I thought I felt a tug from Isis, She
has helped me in my time of need. Since I did not go full out
Egyptian I began to wonder...maybe if it was just me, I might have
gone full out ? ...or not ?
Now, since I've added the second part I know I am being pulled
back to Mother Earth and Sister Moon.
I use to have a pic of Isis sitting on the Moon with wings spread
I had printed up was over my alter. A statue of Isis with wings
spread was on my alter. It's now hanging next to my desk. I took
a (pot metal) Sun and put it over my alter. The attached is going
down below the Sun, 'til I find a statue I really like; I also thought
about making one from modeling clay (attached also). I found out
using play-doh doesn't work !

Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

[dolphinpatronus]

Those are all so beautiful. The bottom one has a Native American feel.

[MsMollimizz]

I'm changing my alter now, I'm looking for a Mother Earth statue;
I'm going to pack up my Isis statue and replace it with the Mother.
Isis is known by a lot of names, including and not limited to a few.
At this time I guess I'm going back to my original "Goddess"...
I'm probably going to wind up getting modeling clay and make
my version of the "standing Goddess" in pic. When finished or
have new one statue I'll share the image !
Gentle Light
MsMollimizz

[dolphinpatronus]

Cant wait to see it. If you're willing to share of course.