by Phoebe Lyra: Weekly Purification Ritual -- for New-Age Oriented Apollonians

Weekly Purification Ritual -- for New-Age Oriented Apollonians

1.  Khernips and settling down -- light candle and take some deep breaths.

2.  Invoking prayer and libation

Phoebus Apollo, we invite you to be near us and our fellow Apollonians around the world as we turn our thoughts toward your sanctuary at Delphi.  We ask you to help us create sacred space wherever your people may be.  May all that is not of your spirit be far away from your sacred space.  And just as the sun is rising at Delphi, may the Light of your Spirit rise in our souls.  We greet you here in love as we pour this libation for you.

3.  Bring concerns about areas of self-improvement needed to Apollo, or wrongs committed.

Apollo, these are the areas of concern that I bring to you...

4..  The Python Verses (modified) -

Then Phoebus Apollo boasted over the slain Python: 

"Now rot here upon the soil that feeds humanity.  You at least shall live no more to be a bane to human beings who eat the fruit of the all-nourishing earth, and who will bring forth perfect offerings.  Against cruel death neither Typhios shall avail you nor ill-famed Khimera, but here shall the Earth and shining Helios make you rot."

Thus said Phoebus, exulting over it, and darkness covered its eyes.  And the holy strength of Helios made it rot away there, wherefore the place is now called Pytho, and people call the lord Apollo by another name, Pythian, because on that spot the power of piercing Helios made the monster rot away.

5.  We ask Apollo to destroy guilt and self-loathing and replace it with motivation to improve OR a more realistic assessment of own abilities.  We now erase the stuff we have written on the slate, or put a big "X" through the stuff that we wrote on paper. (This can go into the recycle bin later.)

Apollo, just as you were able to make the carcass of the python rot under the sun, we ask you to burn away all the monsters of our ill deeds and guilt with your White Light.  We ask you to strengthen us so that we do not take on guilt from having unreasonable expectations of ourselves, and so that we make improvements in the areas where we are able.  Help us to know ourselves and our abilities, and to let go of all self-loathing so that we have more energy to put toward making a meaningful effort to improve.  May your White Light purify us.

6.  We thank Apollo for his support and ask for blessing for ourselves and for the world.  Pour libation.

Phoebus Apollo, we thank you for the purification you have given us today at the time of Delphi dawn.  Thank you for helping us to become more aware of our downfalls so that we can do something about them at the time, and so that we may put our energy toward rational thinking and genuine self-improvement.  Thank you for the constant support you give us each day.  May you and we extend that support to the rest of the world. May we be surrounded by your White Light at all times so that nothing but good comes to us and nothing but good goes from us.  So mote it be.

7.  Extinguish candle.