Worship: My Perspective (Under Development)

[qos]

Thanks to the friends who responded to my previous entry. Your responses helped me refine my own thoughts about worship.

According to my own sense of things, "worship" has not been a regular part of my spiritual path for quite some time. I have a close relationship with Ereshkigal, serve Her, respect Her, even love Her -- but most of our interactions tend to be on the pragmatic level.

Except for the intimacy. . . Hmmm. . . Maybe that is a form of worship? I hadn't considered that.

After reading the comments on the earlier entry, I realized that when I think of "worship" I think of it almost as a love note to the Divine. It's not my daily practices. It's not prayer or journeying or the day-to-day living out of the relationship.

Worship is time set aside to adore, to praise, to be grateful. To be meaningful it must arise from authentic love, adoration, awe, and/or gratitude. It's a time to focus on Her rather than myself. It's not a time to do work. It's a time to feel, to be still and dwell in the Presence, to offer up/back the love and gifts that have been received, to appreciate and affirm.

And as I read back over this, and contemplate my reconciliation with Her today, I think that it's something I want and need to do more of.



As always, my thoughts are not intended to negate or "correct" anyone else's ideas or practices. These are just my thoughts about my own path and practice.

Comments

[uncledark.livejournal.com]

Except for the intimacy. . . Hmmm. . . Maybe that is a form of worship? I hadn't considered that.

You seem to be drawing a distinction between devotional work and worship. If so, why do you think that is?

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. . . .
Good question. . .

When I read your comment, I realized that I've regularly used the phrase "devotional practice", conflating practices/exercises with devotion. There's nothing wrong with that, but maybe it's not the model that actually fits what I do and how I think about things.

I see my daily practices as something I do to develop myself. Ereshkigal cares about them because they are part of what I do to develop myself as a priestess, Her priestess. But the practices themselves aren't focused on Her. So while they are part of what I do as Her priestess, they aren't something I do specifically to honor Her.

Intimacy is distinct from my daily practices, and I do think that would fall under "devotional work." There's a practical aspect to it as well as an emotional one. It's a form of temple work in which I partake more fully in Her energy.

I was moving toward a definition of worship which implies that there isn't a practical or utilitarian element. It's "just" an expression of devotion. Although I guess I would not want to cut off the possibility of offering some kind of practical work as an act of worship. . . .

Clearly I need to reflect further about this.

Thanks for the comment.

OT

[godhole.livejournal.com]

have you seen this post?
http://community.livejournal.com/sumerian_pagan/38693.html

Re: OT

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Yes, but thanks for the pointer.

I'll be interested in what this person has to say. . ..