I talked in my first post about the importance of integrating our spiritual beliefs as Pagans with our everyday mundane lives. Most of the Witches and Pagans I know strive to do just that. I also think most of us struggle to find the time and energy to do so, when we are already overwhelmed by our busy, hectic existence and our obligations to others. Certainly I wrestle with this dilemma: how do I find the space and time to practice my Craft when I barely have time to eat and sleep? (And forget having a social life or taking a vacation. Vaca-what?)

 

But I also firmly believe that walking a spiritual path helps us greatly as we endeavor to navigate the tricky waters of the rest of our lives, so it is worth the effort it takes to find practical ways to practice regularly. Of course, what is practical for one person isn’t necessarily practical for another, but here are a few suggestions for quick “5 Minute Rituals” that you can use to put a little more magick into your busy days.

 

GREET THE DAWN: I start every day (usually while still lying in bed with a cat or two) by saying some variation on a greeting to the god and goddess. It’s a way of reaching out to touch that spiritual part of my life before I get busy and forget. [I always plan to light a candle and stand at my altar…and sometimes I even do. But more days than not I would be getting ready to go to bed and say, “Drat! Forgot again!” By doing it first thing in the morning and making a daily habit of it, that doesn’t happen.]

 

You can use whatever words you want, of course, but feel free to borrow some or all of mine. I usually add in requests for help with whichever challenges I am facing on any particular day, such as “help my meeting go smoothly” or “please don’t let the mechanic find anything expensive wrong with the car.”

 

5 Minute Morning ritual: Great goddess, great god, I greet you at the start of another day and ask you to send me the best day possible. Help me to feel my best so I might do my best for myself and others. Send me the strength and energy to do the things I need to do and the focus and creativity to do them well. Send me prosperity in any and all positive ways, and guide me on my path.[Add whatever specifics you need help with for the day.] Help the world to move in a better direction and watch over me and those that I love. So mote it be.

 

SAY THANK YOU: Unlike my morning ritual, where I ask for assistance, every night after I turn out the light I take the time to say “thank you” to the god and goddess for all the good things in my day, and for getting me through the events that might not have been so good. This serves two purposes. Not only do I express gratitude (always a good thing), but it makes me stop and think about what was positive about my day.

 

 Sometimes, when things are rough, that may be something small, like a kind word from a friend or something beautiful I passed along the way. Instead of lying there and focusing on the things that went wrong, it helps me to turn my attention to the things made me feel better—and focusing on the positive instead of the negative is always a good thing. Here too, you are welcome to substitute some or all of your own words, and insert the specifics you are grateful for in your life. And you don’t have to wait until the end of the day to do this, if another time works better for you. You can always stand at your altar and light a candle after dinner, for instance, if that fits better into your routine. The important thing is to try to do it as regularly as possible, and make it a habit like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Gratitude is a good habit to have.

 

Note: The things you say thank you for don’t have to be perfect. For instance, I have some health issues, but I always say thank you for “health” to recognize that things could be much worse, and to show I’m grateful for the body and the strength I have. The same for prosperity; you don’t have to be rich to be grateful that you have a job, or a roof over your head, or food to eat. Even if you only have two out of three, that’s still something to say thanks for. The idea here is to be as positive as possible about what you DO have. No matter how tough we might have it, there is always someone (often many someones, if you look at other countries) who is worse off.

 

5 Minute “Thank You” Ritual: Great goddess, great god, I greet you at the end of another day and thank you for all the blessings in my life. For friends and family (and pets), for home and health, and food to eat. Thank you for my job and the chance to make a positive difference in the world. Thank you for [insert the names of any people who have been good or kind or helpful to you throughout the course of the day]. Thank you for those I love and for those who love me, and for all the wonderful gifts you bring to my world. Help me to fall asleep quickly and easily and to sleep well so I might wake in the morning feeling refreshed and energized, and greet the new day with joy and enthusiasm. Watch over me and those that I love, so mote it be.

 

These are just two examples of simple rituals you can do every day—they take very little time and effort, but can still bring you closer to deity and help you to walk your talk as a Pagan. Let me know if they work for you!