Establishing a Devotional Practice
What is a Devotional Practice?
A devotional practice is “the art of honoring and connecting to deity, usually through offerings, prayers, and other acts of devotion.”. (Woodfield, 2017, pg. 19). Essentially, you are building a relationship with deity. You talk with them, seek their wisdom and guidance, negotiate with them, plead for boons in times of need and sing of your gratitude when things are great. A devotional practice is a very personal and individual thing. While no two practices will look the same, there are foundational components that traditionally comprise a devotional practice:
- An altar or sacred place dedicated to a particular deity
- Offerings are given to deity on a regular basis, usually either as tokens of love and respect or to gain the favor of deity
- In addition to devoting time to spend with the deity on a regular basis, much time and effort is invested in researching the mythology and traditions related to that deity.
Creating your Altar
Typically, the first step to devotional work is creating an altar for the deity you wish to work with. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. I have an entire table and corner of my room dedicated to my Matron deity. The wall is adorned with drawings of her and…
