Designing My Priestess Life
Aug. 30th, 2009 10:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qos"Integration" is a big theme for me right now, as is "mindfulness." One of the tasks that's been in the back of my mind for a while is that of mapping out just what being a priestess means to me on a day-by-day basis.
The following is what I have so far. As always, it is subject to revision and not intended to be prescriptive for anyone else.
The heart of being a priestess is my relationship with my gods. Everything centers there; everything else grows from there. As with human beings, nurturing a divine relationship involves time, caring, and two-way communication. My spiritual relationships are nurtured by prayer (spiritual-speak for "conversation"), worship, journeying, meditation, and daily connection rituals.
The disciplines of magical practice, energy work and meditation are the tools of personal refinement. They make me more effective in serving the will of the gods, on this plane as well as others. Without the skill and knowledge to act on them meaningfully, good intentions are nothing more than warm, fuzzy feelings and only count for so much.
Ideally, the combination of relationship and refinement result in a heart and mind that are capable of experiencing and expressing deeper love and compassion, fairness, generosity, calmness, and joy -- and the will and capacity to express and act on them in meaningful ways. My own performance in this area is spotty, but I remain convinced by Emanuel Swedenborg and my friend![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lovetakesyouin that unless the spiritual life results in meaningful acts of love and service, it falls short of its purpose. What these acts are is between an individual and their gods. We all serve in different ways. The point is that my spiritual life should ultimately be about more than just my own personal development and well-being.
I also remain convinced that my physical health and well-being are -- or should be -- part of my priestess work. If I'm too tired or in poor condition, my ability to engage in relationship, to maintain my disciplines, and to be of use to someone other than myself is compromised. Similarly, keeping my hearth in order gives me a peaceful, energetically clean space in which it is easier to focus and be productive.
For me personally, everything else emerges out of this foundation. I want my priestess life to also include teaching and spiritual direction with others, magical and temple work, observing holidays with my daughter and other friends, and etc. But without the fundamentals, the rest isn't going to happen -- or if it does, it will fall short of what I'm truly capable of.
The following is what I have so far. As always, it is subject to revision and not intended to be prescriptive for anyone else.
The heart of being a priestess is my relationship with my gods. Everything centers there; everything else grows from there. As with human beings, nurturing a divine relationship involves time, caring, and two-way communication. My spiritual relationships are nurtured by prayer (spiritual-speak for "conversation"), worship, journeying, meditation, and daily connection rituals.
The disciplines of magical practice, energy work and meditation are the tools of personal refinement. They make me more effective in serving the will of the gods, on this plane as well as others. Without the skill and knowledge to act on them meaningfully, good intentions are nothing more than warm, fuzzy feelings and only count for so much.
Ideally, the combination of relationship and refinement result in a heart and mind that are capable of experiencing and expressing deeper love and compassion, fairness, generosity, calmness, and joy -- and the will and capacity to express and act on them in meaningful ways. My own performance in this area is spotty, but I remain convinced by Emanuel Swedenborg and my friend
lovetakesyouin that unless the spiritual life results in meaningful acts of love and service, it falls short of its purpose. What these acts are is between an individual and their gods. We all serve in different ways. The point is that my spiritual life should ultimately be about more than just my own personal development and well-being.I also remain convinced that my physical health and well-being are -- or should be -- part of my priestess work. If I'm too tired or in poor condition, my ability to engage in relationship, to maintain my disciplines, and to be of use to someone other than myself is compromised. Similarly, keeping my hearth in order gives me a peaceful, energetically clean space in which it is easier to focus and be productive.
For me personally, everything else emerges out of this foundation. I want my priestess life to also include teaching and spiritual direction with others, magical and temple work, observing holidays with my daughter and other friends, and etc. But without the fundamentals, the rest isn't going to happen -- or if it does, it will fall short of what I'm truly capable of.
