{"id":21039,"date":"2021-01-05T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/?p=21039"},"modified":"2020-12-29T14:41:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-29T20:41:08","slug":"rebooting-stale-devotion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2021\/01\/rebooting-stale-devotion.html","title":{"rendered":"Rebooting Stale Devotion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Of the 8 Important Events and Trends in Paganism in 2020<\/a> the one that got the most feedback \u2013 by far \u2013 was #8: the decline of devotion.<\/p>\n

A few people were surprised. They\u2019ve kept doing their devotions and hadn\u2019t noticed that people weren\u2019t writing much about them. Several offered explanations \u2013 I think they all have a piece of the puzzle. Many simply expressed sadness and wondered what we can do about it. My response was this:<\/p>\n

All I can do \u2013 and I\u2019m starting to think, all anyone can do \u2013 is to do the devotion you\u2019re called to do. And then write about it, in a \u201chere\u2019s what I\u2019m doing\u201d way (not in a \u201clook at me \u2013 I\u2019m so pious\u201d way). And then either people will respond, or they won\u2019t.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019m going to try to do more of that this year. And I want to start here, with the realization that sometimes devotion gets stale. Sometimes our devotion needs a reboot.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Devotion is forming and maintaining sacred relationships<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re a regular reader this isn\u2019t news to you. But for the benefit of those who just found this blog, I need to be clear that devotion isn\u2019t something we do just because we\u2019re told to do it. It has a purpose, and it has benefits.<\/p>\n

The purpose of devotion is to help us form and maintain relationships with our Gods, our ancestors, the spirits of the places where we live, and other spiritual persons. We know from our this-world relationships that if you ignore people, eventually they go away. \u00a0We don\u2019t want our spiritual allies to go away. Devotion demonstrates a commitment to them and makes it far more likely that our relationships will grow and thrive.<\/p>\n

Devotion to our Gods brings us closer to Them. It reminds us of Their virtues and values, which help us to become more God-like ourselves.<\/p>\n

My three primary devotional practices<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re wondering how to start a devotional practice, read this post from 2016: Beginning a Devotional Practice<\/a>. There are many ways to do devotion \u2013 these are my three primary practices.<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/a> is talking to the Gods. It can be carefully scripted or it can be spontaneous. It includes asking for what we need and giving thanks for what we receive. Prayer has always been a part of my life, but almost 10 years ago I started offering regular prayers<\/a> four times each day. Prayer remains the cornerstone of my spiritual practice.<\/p>\n

Meditation<\/a> is listening for the Gods. If we call, They will usually answer. But those answers are rarely loud and dramatic. Most times they\u2019re soft and subtle \u2013 they\u2019re easy to miss if we aren\u2019t paying attention. Meditation is hard for me, but I\u2019ve made it a weekly practice for Cernunnos, the Morrigan, my ancestors, and another person<\/em> I\u2019m not allowed to name.<\/p>\n

Offerings<\/a> are how we practice good hospitality and reciprocity. I\u2019m often asked \u201cwhat\u2019s a good offering for this particular deity?\u201d Occasionally I\u2019m told to make a specific offering, but most times it\u2019s \u201cI\u2019ll have what you\u2019re having.\u201d Unless what I\u2019m having is a whiskey I bought on someone else\u2019s recommendation, didn\u2019t really like, and I\u2019m trying to drink it up. If you\u2019re trying to get rid of it, it\u2019s not an offering.<\/p>\n

There are many other devotional practices \u2013 these are the three that are most important for me.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s OK if your devotion gets stale<\/h2>\n

Do you know what it means if your devotion gets stale? It means you\u2019ve been doing devotion regularly and diligently even when you didn\u2019t feel like doing it. And that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n

I know people who say \u201cif you can\u2019t do it with enthusiasm don\u2019t do it.\u201d I strongly disagree.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a parent, you feed your kids every night. Sometimes you make an amazingly tasty and balanced meal. Sometimes you give them a sandwich and an apple. And sometime you give them McDonald\u2019s drive-thru, because you\u2019re exhausted and that\u2019s all you can do. But you never don\u2019t feed your kids.<\/p>\n

Devotion is something we do whether we feel like it or not. One of the Top 10 Posts of 2020<\/a> was The Morrigan Demands Persistence Not Perfection<\/a>. This is true of most deities, not just the Morrigan.<\/p>\n

But just as it\u2019s not good to give your kids McDonald\u2019s drive-thru on a regular basis, neither is it good to go through the motions of devotion night after night, week after week, month after month.<\/p>\n

So while it\u2019s OK if your devotion gets stale, it\u2019s not OK to let it stay stale.<\/p>\n

Perform three special meditations<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s tempting to tell yourself you just need to try harder. Or that everything will be OK when the pandemic is over and things get back to normal (we will never get back to \u201cnormal\u201d \u2013 but that\u2019s another post for another time). I encourage you to take the time to delve into the staleness and figure out what to do next.<\/p>\n

The first meditation simply asks \u201cwhy did you start your devotional practice?\u201d Was it a mystical experience? A story that grabbed your attention? Curiosity about what might happen? Whatever it was, remember why you started, how you started, and what things were like when you did. This is a meditation, not an analysis \u2013 it\u2019s OK if your answers are more images and feelings than hard reasons.<\/p>\n

The second meditation asks \u201cwhy did it get stale?\u201d When the answer comes to you, ask \u201cwhy did that happen?\u201d Keep asking \u201cwhy?\u201d until you get past the surface reasons and into the deep reasons. When you get there, then ask \u201cwhy else?\u201d and start the process over again. There\u2019s never one reason a spiritual practice grows stale. Keep digging until you find them all. But make sure you focus on what happened, not on blame. This isn\u2019t about guilt. This is about figuring out what went wrong so you can do something different.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The third meditation asks \u201cwhat do I do now?\u201d Einstein didn\u2019t say it<\/a>, but if you keep doing the same things you\u2019re likely to get the same results. \u201cTry harder\u201d is what you\u2019ve been doing \u2013 it\u2019s why your devotion is stale instead of non-existent. You need a different approach. Sit quietly (or walk outdoors, which works better for me) and listen until the answer or answers come to you.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible to do all three meditations one after the other, but it\u2019s best if you do them on three consecutive nights. Do the meditation, make notes, clear your mind, sleep on it, then review your notes the next morning. What is unclear in meditation may become clear in dreams. Then do the next meditation that evening.<\/p>\n

Mix up something<\/h2>\n

The easiest way to reboot something stale \u2013 devotional or otherwise \u2013 is to mix things up.<\/p>\n

Have you been making offerings in the evenings? Make them at dawn instead. Praying at your altar? Go outside and pray. Stuck on red wine for the Morrigan? Try whiskey, or better yet, offer a portion of your dinner.<\/p>\n

What if you can\u2019t change what you\u2019re doing? What if you\u2019ve been told to perform specific devotions in specific ways, without fail? Then add something new. Make two offerings instead of one. Add a noon prayer to your evening meditation. While most deities are patient with beginners, they often become more demanding with intermediate and advanced practitioners<\/a>. But I\u2019ve never known any person \u2013 divine or otherwise \u2013 who got upset at receiving more devotion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Plan and perform a ritual<\/h2>\n

Sometimes just breaking a stale routine isn\u2019t enough. Sometimes you need a full restart. If that\u2019s where you are, it\u2019s time for a major ritual.<\/p>\n

Do not try to wing<\/a> this. Take the time to write a full script, whether you ultimately read the script, memorize the script, or use the script as an outline. Wear your good robe and jewelry, set an altar, light candles. Sometimes I say \u201cit\u2019s just me \u2013 I don\u2019t need a bunch of ritual props.\u201d For this ritual you do.<\/p>\n

Use your full liturgy<\/a>: cast a circle and call the quarters, if that\u2019s what you do. Invite your spiritual allies to witness your rite. Acknowledge the good you\u2019ve done in previous devotion, even if it\u2019s incomplete, and even if your devotions have gone from stale to non-existent. This is not the place to \u201cconfess your sins\u201d \u2013 you\u2019ve done the best you could.<\/p>\n

Say what you want, such as \u201cI want my devotions to be full of life again.\u201d Even if you didn\u2019t do the best you could, you\u2019re not asking for forgiveness \u2013 you\u2019re beginning the process of doing better.<\/p>\n

And then do it, as part of the ritual.<\/p>\n

Pray. Find prayers of devotion that speak to you. If you can\u2019t find ones you like, write your own. Make offerings \u2013 be generous, even extravagant. You can be extravagant with your Gods every so often. And then listen for Their response.<\/p>\n

When it\u2019s over, say what you will do going forward\u2026 and as always, do not promise what you cannot or will not do.<\/p>\n

Pour yourself a drink (of whatever you\u2019ve been offering, or just water) and share it with all those present. Then close the ritual in your normal method.<\/p>\n

When I\u2019ve done rituals like this I\u2019ve done them alone. Doing them with other living humans adds witnesses, which adds an element of accountability. Either way will work \u2013 decide which is best for you.<\/p>\n

Persistence is a virtue<\/h2>\n

The fact that you recognize your devotions have gotten stale is the first step toward revitalizing them. Stale devotion is better than no devotion, but so much more is possible.<\/p>\n

Meditate on your devotions, how things got stale, and what you can go to reboot them. Mix things up. Perform a devotional ritual.<\/p>\n

And then keep it up.<\/p>\n

May your devotions draw you closer to your Gods and other spiritual allies in the coming year.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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