Yet Another Daily Practice Revision

For those of you who have followed my previous blog, you will know that I value deeply the importance of a strong, daily personal practice. It is not enough to simply do ritual or core practices when 'intuition' tells you to. If you want to become a master of the guitar, you play the guitar every day (whether you want to or not) so that eventually when you really want to play well, you can. Simple.

I am a big fan of constantly examining, refining and altering one's personal practice. It should never descend into habit or obligation. 

A couple of weeks ago I decided to experiment with using the Pentacles as portals to each of the core Feri practices. I still love this idea. However, stopping after each practice to do another Pentacle felt stilted and restricted a flow of energy. So, yet again, here is my daily practice:

1.  Star Goddess Prayer and Statement of Practice
2.  Prayer to the Twins
3.  Prayer to the Ancestors
4.  Prayer to the Guardians
5.  Prayer to the Lemniscate Gods
6.  Running of all Four Pentacles
7.  Kala
8.  Ha Prayer
9.  Sitting Practice
10.  Three Souls Affirmation
11.  Dedication of Merit
12.  Self-Love Rite
13.  Gratitude to the Allies

Once again, we'll see how this goes.

Prayer to the Divine Twins

"As two lips come together to form a kiss, and two hands together send a prayer, I call to the Divine Twins, the blue bird and the winding snake, who together form the radiant Peacock, Melek Ta'us. Brothers, lovers, each reflected in another’s eyes, listen to my prayer. Teach me to know both the earthly and celestial realms. As two candle flames can burn as one, help me to recognise and hold within myself both polarity and resonance. Divine Twins, the Marassa, the Ibeyi, by all your names, help me to know myself in all my parts. Thank you and blessed be."

Voices of the Past, Voices of the Future

Prayer to the Ancestors Before Divination

"The power of the Ancestors, the blood of the Ancestors and the Protection of the Ancestors are with me this day. All those who have gone before me, the Beloved and Mighty dead, hear my prayer. Guide my hand and guide my voice as I pierce the veil of the unknown. Bring to me that which I seek, oh Ancestors, and reveal to me that which I need to know. Blessed be the Ancestors, blessed be the Ancestors, blessed be the Ancestors."

Prayer to the Descendants*

"Descendants, hear me. I call to you through the mists of time, all those that are yet unborn, hear my voice as it pierces the veil. I call to the Descendants of a thousand generations, may the work done here be in your honour. May the work done here serve your lives. May the work done here bring joy to the earth and all peoples. Descendants, as we do our Work this day, bring us your blessings, teach us what you need. Fill us with your presence and give us the capacity to bless you for a thousand generations and beyond. Give us cause for you to honour us in the future. Blessed be the Descendants, blessed be the Descendants, blessed be the Descendants." 

Short Invocation to the Ancestors and the Descendents 

 

"Voices of the Past, Voices of the Future, whisper to us who live in the Present. Let our voices rise up in your honour. May the blood that flows through our veins connect us all throughout time. Let us be connected this day, and always. Blessed be, blessed be, blessed be."

*Praying to the Descendants was first introduced to me during this year's WitchCamp at Avalon Spring. Deborah Oak called upon the Ancestors and then proceeded to invoke the Descendants. This, to me, was one of the most powerful things I had heard in a ritual. It made so much sense...how much better we are if we take into consideration the lives of those who come after us.