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    The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

    If you have a daily ritual of prayer, devotion, and/or meditation what is your purpose? Is it solely to honor/worship your deity(ies)? What does your deity gain from this worship? Is there something that you yourself gain from it? If so, is it purely spiritual or are there mundane aspects? Do you often ask for material gain during these rituals or do you most often reserve mundane requests for spellcraft (supposing magic fits into your path)?
    Children love and want to be loved and they very much prefer the joy of accomplishment to the triumph of hateful failure. Do not mistake a child for his symptom.
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    #2
    Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

    There was a study I found to write a blog post similar to this topic. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&...prayer&f=false

    For me, there's the type of prayer that allows you connection to your Higher Power / entity of choice (e.g. ritual) and then there's the prayer where one asks for something. I believe in the connection to my gods prayer in that sense brings me lots of peace, not to mention establishes a connection should I ask for something. As for magic: I don't necessarily feel magic and prayer are synonymous. One could argue with ease that it is, but I see it filling a different niche.
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      #3
      Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

      If you have a daily ritual of prayer, devotion, and/or meditation what is your purpose?
      The only thing I do daily is affirmations. It's not at a specific time but randomly throughout the day. I've gotten REALLY good at changing negative thoughts into positive thoughts! I do this to raise my vibrational energy and become closer with the Divine. It makes me happy and brings positivity to my life.

      Is it solely to honor/worship your deity(ies)? What does your deity gain from this worship?
      My daily affirmations don't have anything directly to do with my deities. I don't pray to Hekate, Artemis or Athena daily. They're saved for special occasions when I need a kick in the butt. However, affirmations bring positive energy and that's the most loving form of the Divine IMO so... in a way it is honoring the Divine.

      Is there something that you yourself gain from it?
      Yes, I gain happiness, positive thinking, and things just.. happen. For example I do this "prosperity" affirmation, and.. I know it sounds funny, but I've been getting extra on "things", even small things! lol - for instance I bought something and I didn't have to pay extra cents for it, or.. like, extra highlighters at work in the colors I want lol, small things but things I notice!

      Also, we randomly found 10.00 in my hubby's wallet...

      If so, is it purely spiritual or are there mundane aspects?
      It's both. It's spiritual because, again, positive energy and the Divine yadda yadda, but it's also mundane because it affects my daily life (the cents, highlighters, other stuff...)

      Do you often ask for material gain during these rituals or do you most often reserve mundane requests for spellcraft (supposing magic fits into your path)?
      Spiritual and mundane equally, as to me, it's all connected!!!

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        #4
        Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

        Originally posted by Clive View Post
        If you have a daily ritual of prayer, devotion, and/or meditation what is your purpose? Is it solely to honor/worship your deity(ies)? What does your deity gain from this worship? Is there something that you yourself gain from it? If so, is it purely spiritual or are there mundane aspects? Do you often ask for material gain during these rituals or do you most often reserve mundane requests for spellcraft (supposing magic fits into your path)?
        I do a daily devotion to Ganesha and Dionysos. It helps make sure I maintain my connection to them - kind of like communicating and spending time with one's significant other to keep a healthy relationship - as well as to give them the worship they deserve. I always thank them for past help, and always ask for their continued blessings, but only as for something specific when I need it.

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          #5
          Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

          I do not currently do anything daily, though I am now starting to realize the gap in my spiritual notch that can be filled by nothing BUT this daily practice of love.

          As for prayers, I find I most often talk to The Great Spirit when I am exalting "him." For example, I will lift my eyes and suddenly notice a rave flying overhead. I make sure to thank The Great Spirit for sending me that sign that he is alive and is actively loving me and shaping me and guiding me as I step. This morning he sent me a spider, the other day he sent me a flock of geese, sometimes he just breathes life into me with the wind in my face, and other times bathes me in the silvery light of his feminine moon. Those are the times when I speak to him. I want to make sure that he knows I am paying attention and filled with gratitude for the small blessings that he is keeping my eyes sharp to.

          If I need to pray for something selfish, I usually like some kind of offering. They're generally very simple: perhaps I sewed up a little pouch with a few coins, crunched leaves, a drop of blood/some of my skin, a stone, a feather, berries, etc - hings that I have gathered while thinking of ways to give back unto he who has given already without hesitation to me. Then I spent a bit of time just talking. I believe that talking and explaining myself as clearly and comfortably as possible is the best way to express my intent of what it is I am truly asking for.

          When asking for SPECIFIC things, I use spellcraft. IE: I'd like to attract someone to love, I'd like to have more clarity of thought, etc.
          No one tells the wind which way to blow.

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            #6
            Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

            I don't pray every day. Sometimes the outside world gets in the way, but I do try to take five minutes to just talk to my gods. I don't know that they get anything out of it, but I get issues off my chest talking to someone who won't judge and just listens.

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              #7
              Re: The purpose of prayers, daily devotions and so on

              I mentioned this a bit in the "how often do you pray" thread, but my purpose is to go over my day, to share thanks for my joy and to receive guidance for the things that make me angry or upset. I don't speak to my deity, but to Uriel, one of my guiding spirits (I don't know who or what the second one is yet). What I think he receives from it is my showing him how I am doing on the things that I need to work on, and my thanks for the things that he has helped me with. I don't get the sense that he requires my adulation; only that I'm striving to be a better person.

              I don't do spellwork, but I never pray for material gain. I often find myself praying for emotional peace and answers to questions. That is what I hope to gain from praying. Sometimes I get them. Sometimes I don't.
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