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Author Topic: Daily Incoprorations of Faith  (Read 9183 times)

LostEnvoy

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Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« on: November 17, 2014, 02:47:13 pm »
So I'm pretty new at this, but I have been trying to find ways to incorporate my faith into my everyday life a little bit more. I know that what someone does might not work for other people but I'm looking for suggestions and who knows I might find something that resonates with me.

Currently I'm a purely Goddess worshiper, but I may soon have some Hellenic leanings. I make sure to ask the Goddess to bless my food and I use music to keep my mind on Her as I work, among other small things.

What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2014, 04:45:21 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563

What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

 
Erm, I just talk. I chatter at my god all day. It doesn't matter if He responds (and if I get a feeling of annoyance then I'll shut up) but it's just a nonstop stream of consciousness. Sometimes I'll ask Him about something, and if I'm eating a particularly good meal I'll share a bit with Him. Meat always gets a thanks from me, even though I buy it in the grocery store.

But really, that's all I find I can do on a consistent basis.

I try to do a ritual once a week, but that doesn't always work out.

Something I've found that really helps me keep mindful are prayer beads and pieces of jewelry I use for devotional purposes.
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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2014, 07:06:20 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
So I'm pretty new at this, but I have been trying to find ways to incorporate my faith into my everyday life a little bit more. I know that what someone does might not work for other people but I'm looking for suggestions and who knows I might find something that resonates with me.


Things I do, some of which probably won't apply, but which may give you ideas.

- My single longest running religious devotional act is that I paint my toenails blue (I've done it since late 2002, so I've been doing it for a dozen years.)

- Having jewelry that is meaningful to me (though generally not overtly religious)

- Using seasonal and functional playlists for different things. (My tradition has some ongoing elemental workings as part of our training, so I did playlists for that, I do them for longer-term magical workings, that kind of thing.)

- Choosing passwords that I change regularly based on current magical or religious goals/focus/whatever. (My work password, I'm required to change it regularly, for example, and I type it a dozen times a day)

- Setting my computer desktop background to things related to my current goals/focus/etc. (Usually a set of rotating images). Again, often seasonal if I don't have something else in mind.

For the last couple, I've found that it usually works better for me if it's more symbolic/metaphorical than explicit - so, for example, if I were working with, say, Demeter, I would do images of fields of grain, rather than a picture of a statue or image of Her. There's something about the oblique nature that helps me have a moment of reconnection each time that sticks longer (and it's also more obscure if you're doing some of these things at work or around people who don't know about your religious practice.)

There's some other ideas in an article on my website about practice and chronic health issues that are also low-key and easy to work into daily things or regular things: http://gleewood.org/seeking/practices/chronic-illness/
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Redfaery

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2014, 09:18:43 am »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
So I'm pretty new at this, but I have been trying to find ways to incorporate my faith into my everyday life a little bit more. I know that what someone does might not work for other people but I'm looking for suggestions and who knows I might find something that resonates with me.

Currently I'm a purely Goddess worshiper, but I may soon have some Hellenic leanings. I make sure to ask the Goddess to bless my food and I use music to keep my mind on Her as I work, among other small things.

What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?


How deep a relationship do you have with your Goddess? One thing I like to do with Sarasvati is buy food that I know she likes and consume it as a special meal. She likes ice cream and frozen yogurt, so.... :D:
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LostEnvoy

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2014, 10:07:22 am »
Quote from: Redfaery;165681
How deep a relationship do you have with your Goddess? One thing I like to do with Sarasvati is buy food that I know she likes and consume it as a special meal. She likes ice cream and frozen yogurt, so.... :D:

 
That's what I'm working on, I feel that I should have some ways of incorporating Her into my daily life. I get the feeling my Goddess doesn't like ice cream or fro-yo...if only.

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2014, 12:55:43 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

 
I'd say my most consistant practice would be non-obvious devotional jewelry.  Currently, it takes the place of a skeleton key stud-earring or possibly necklace for Epona.  I'm also a lover of stones so I always have a few in my pockets selected based on what I'm working on and/or feel is needed for the day.  It's great to be able to slip a hand into a pocket and re-connect tactilely for a few moments.  Oh, yeah, something else that is a long term practice - picking clothing based on the color vibration either to fit my mood or to project a particular energy space.

That's about all I can think of at the moment for long term practices.
Reality is but perception.

veggiewolf

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2014, 12:59:20 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165682
That's what I'm working on, I feel that I should have some ways of incorporating Her into my daily life. I get the feeling my Goddess doesn't like ice cream or fro-yo...if only.

 
I actually gave a talk on this topic at Paganicon 2014.  A recap is here if you want to take a look and see if any of it resonates.

There's also a worksheet that grew out of the talk.
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LostEnvoy

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2014, 05:12:34 pm »
Quote from: Oaksworn;165707
I'd say my most consistant practice would be non-obvious devotional jewelry.  Currently, it takes the place of a skeleton key stud-earring or possibly necklace for Epona.  I'm also a lover of stones so I always have a few in my pockets selected based on what I'm working on and/or feel is needed for the day.  It's great to be able to slip a hand into a pocket and re-connect tactilely for a few moments.  Oh, yeah, something else that is a long term practice - picking clothing based on the color vibration either to fit my mood or to project a particular energy space.

That's about all I can think of at the moment for long term practices.


The stone idea sounds really interesting, something grounding. Thank you for the suggestion!
 
Quote from: veggiewolf;165708
I actually gave a talk on this topic at Paganicon 2014.  A recap is here if you want to take a look and see if any of it resonates.

There's also a worksheet that grew out of the talk.


These resources are amazing thank you!
 
Quote from: Jenett;165651
Things I do, some of which probably won't apply, but which may give you ideas.

- My single longest running religious devotional act is that I paint my toenails blue (I've done it since late 2002, so I've been doing it for a dozen years.)

- Having jewelry that is meaningful to me (though generally not overtly religious)

- Using seasonal and functional playlists for different things. (My tradition has some ongoing elemental workings as part of our training, so I did playlists for that, I do them for longer-term magical workings, that kind of thing.)

- Choosing passwords that I change regularly based on current magical or religious goals/focus/whatever. (My work password, I'm required to change it regularly, for example, and I type it a dozen times a day)

- Setting my computer desktop background to things related to my current goals/focus/etc. (Usually a set of rotating images). Again, often seasonal if I don't have something else in mind.

For the last couple, I've found that it usually works better for me if it's more symbolic/metaphorical than explicit - so, for example, if I were working with, say, Demeter, I would do images of fields of grain, rather than a picture of a statue or image of Her. There's something about the oblique nature that helps me have a moment of reconnection each time that sticks longer (and it's also more obscure if you're doing some of these things at work or around people who don't know about your religious practice.)

There's some other ideas in an article on my website about practice and chronic health issues that are also low-key and easy to work into daily things or regular things: http://gleewood.org/seeking/practices/chronic-illness/


I've started music at different times of day and I'm looking for some appropriate jewelry. I also really love the password idea, I may take that up.

Thanks to everyone that has offered suggestions and added to the post!

Nyktelios

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2014, 01:19:48 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
So I'm pretty new at this, but I have been trying to find ways to incorporate my faith into my everyday life a little bit more. I know that what someone does might not work for other people but I'm looking for suggestions and who knows I might find something that resonates with me.

Currently I'm a purely Goddess worshiper, but I may soon have some Hellenic leanings. I make sure to ask the Goddess to bless my food and I use music to keep my mind on Her as I work, among other small things.

What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?


Morning and/or evening prayer is always good. It helps ground a person and connect with the divine for the day and before you go to sleep, and if you have a regular rhythm it helps you to remember to do it.

Jenett

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2014, 03:53:12 pm »
Quote from: Nyktelios;166043
Morning and/or evening prayer is always good. It helps ground a person and connect with the divine for the day and before you go to sleep, and if you have a regular rhythm it helps you to remember to do it.

 
It's good that it helps you - but I'm one of those people it actually *hurts*. So I want to chime in here and say that a lot of people find them helpful, but if anyone reading this finds it doesn't work for them, they're not alone.

(And, unless you are following a practice that absolutely requires such things, you don't need to do them if they don't work for you.)

In my case, I have chronic medical issues that mean both mornings and evenings are particularly challenging (and, at the moment, a work schedule that's different during academic semesters and not-semesters). I can sort of manage something that is *absolutely rote* and takes no more than a minute every day, but only if it is absolutely rote.

I've found that doing absolutely rote prayers is actively destructive to my own practice - it actually distances me from the deities I particular honour (who have been pretty clear they'd rather have me doing specific kinds of things rather than prayer, anyway.) Doing something non-rote would be okay, but listening to my body means that there are lots of days when that doesn't work well (or at least not at a particular point in the day, reliably.)

So, personally, I pray when prayer is the useful thing, and I do other personal practices that work for me (as noted upthread) instead.
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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2014, 01:34:44 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

 
I used to go to my altar every day, but I got out of the habit. I'm working back towards it.

I try to do at least one kind act a day to honor Kwan Yin. I donate to three charities a month (If I can) as an honor to Her as well.

I wear the seal of Uriel, who is the entity I work with the most.

Those are the only things I do daily, it seems. Hm. Now I feel like I need to incorporate more.
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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2016, 10:45:11 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
So I'm pretty new at this, but I have been trying to find ways to incorporate my faith into my everyday life a little bit more. I know that what someone does might not work for other people but I'm looking for suggestions and who knows I might find something that resonates with me.

Currently I'm a purely Goddess worshiper, but I may soon have some Hellenic leanings. I make sure to ask the Goddess to bless my food and I use music to keep my mind on Her as I work, among other small things.

What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?


I ask for guidance a lot and keep my senses open for their answer.  Spending time in nature and reveling in the raw beauty of it... Like today I watched butterflies spiraling around each other as they drank nectar from the morning glories that have overtaken my fence in the backyard, or staring at the mountains, sky, and moon... Little things keep the Goddess/Gods close.

Taking a moment before I have to do something and setting intent behind my actions has its way of keeping me connected, or making a mundane task a ritual. Mostly its the recognition of the Goddess energies as they surround me... these energies are more apparent when I'm taking care of myself.

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #12 on: September 27, 2016, 03:02:12 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563


What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

 
Boy, am I late to the party!

Ideally I'd do a personal home puja (Hindu worship ritual), but I always let it slide. However, I do listen to bhajans (devotional music and songs) and mantras on a daily basis on my commute, and on errands on weekends. I sing and/or chant with them. I also chant mantras and prayers in Sanskrit on a fairly regular basis.

I try to keep Sri Krishna in mind, especially when I'm driving. If I'm going to die on the road, I want my last thoughts to be of him so I can go directly to him (per Bhagavad Gita 8.5 "And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt"). I hope to remember him and not blurt out "oh f---!" and be reborn as a porn star. :(

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2016, 05:16:18 pm »
Quote from: LostEnvoy;165563
What do other people do, if they chose to worship deities or work with them, to keep their faith/and or connections to the Gods a presence in their everyday lives?

For me it is not a matter of "faith" so to speak. I haven't done anything for years and have, as of recently, entered back into it rather tentatively.
Because I am now looking at it all with a different mindset and perspective, incense lighting and quiet contemplation is good for now.

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Re: Daily Incoprorations of Faith
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2016, 03:46:30 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;166049
It's good that it helps you - but I'm one of those people it actually *hurts*. So I want to chime in here and say that a lot of people find them helpful, but if anyone reading this finds it doesn't work for them, they're not alone.

(And, unless you are following a practice that absolutely requires such things, you don't need to do them if they don't work for you.)

In my case, I have chronic medical issues that mean both mornings and evenings are particularly challenging (and, at the moment, a work schedule that's different during academic semesters and not-semesters). I can sort of manage something that is *absolutely rote* and takes no more than a minute every day, but only if it is absolutely rote.

I've found that doing absolutely rote prayers is actively destructive to my own practice - it actually distances me from the deities I particular honour (who have been pretty clear they'd rather have me doing specific kinds of things rather than prayer, anyway.) Doing something non-rote would be okay, but listening to my body means that there are lots of days when that doesn't work well (or at least not at a particular point in the day, reliably.)

So, personally, I pray when prayer is the useful thing, and I do other personal practices that work for me (as noted upthread) instead.

 
HUH. Because I clicked this thread in hopes of some advice on how to start praying daily, which I have been trying to accomplish for months and months, and that post went ping.

Huh. Now I need to go think.

I want to do something on a daily basis, though now I am not sure what that thing might be...

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