See the title above. It is incredibly *hard* to write anything that seems worth reading, but I soldier on. The down-time is over, and now I’m back to my in-shrine reflections.
I’ve been feeling kind of insecure lately about the way I do things in shrine. I talk with people about their spiritual practices and they tell me about different things they’ll do in shrine or meditations they’ve received during ritual, and I always feel this pang of guilt. ‘I don’t do anything half as involved as *that*.’ I have my own habits and ways of doing things, and I’m just grafting a whole new role onto my existing spiritual life; but still, it feels too simple. It feels like I should be doing something else.
So I thought, and I talked to other people, and it comes down to something like this.
I have a candle in my shrine. Originally, I put the candle in point A, because it Had To Go There – but it was logistically the worst place it could be. It was in the way, I kept knocking into it, I kept almost singeing things – it was not right. I kept it there, though, because I truly believed it Had To Go There.
Then I had a radical idea. I would move my incense holder, because it wasn’t quite right and move the offering dishes… pretty soon I had moved the candle. I decided that I would move it back if it really felt wrong. Much to my surprise, it felt more right then when it was in its new location. There was a sense of comfortable satisfaction, as if the Gods were saying “ah… this is cozy!” So it stayed put.
Replace the candle with all those things I worry that I’m missing, and there’s the answer. Just because someone else incorporates something different doesn’t mean it Has To Go in my spiritual practice. It can be in a different place for me, or for anyone. The thing that I lost sight of – and others do too – was how in the end, the details are pretty insignificant. It’s the bigger picture, the devotion and earnest relationship with the gods, that really need attention.
Was that a fun story? I don’t even know. It was fun to write, even if it was frustrating to experience! Enjoy. I’m hoping to continue with my 30 Episodes thing in the near future.
carrying their light 
And don’t forget the biggest thing: it’s YOUR practice. Even in KO, where we have the same rite to use, we’re all going to do it very differently. I do things super simple, and I wish I could be more elaborate somehow, but that wouldn’t be me. Or at least me right now.
Is this making sense?
Makes perfect sense. 🙂 I am in the simple camp as well. I think it appeals to Dad’s pragmatic nature but I do wish I could elaborate as well, sometimes. But you’re right – it wouldn’t be me!
I always wish I could do more ritual-wise, but it’s not the way my brain (and my practice) works.
one thing I have enjoyed doing over the years is periodically reading different hymns. I have both the prayerbook and Hymns, Prayers and Songs (which I need to buy) to use for inspiration. Writing my own is still beyond me at this stage.