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     (_|  |_ | | (/_ (_) |_) (_| (_| (_| | |   \/\/ |  |_ (_ | |
                         |        _|

I share this in the hope that anyone looking to build their own spiritual practice might get some benefit out of it. I don't claim to be a master of ritual technology, and these rituals have absolutely nothing to recommend them except that I thought they might work for me.

Hearth

To Dispel a Curse of Procrastination

As Durmak of Habdur has taught us, procrastination is caused by a curse which surrounds the activity, making it painful to even think about. We procrastinate to protect ourselves from the curse. Here is a ritual I devised, based on his advice, to break a curse of procrastination.

• Gather the cursed objects, or objects which symbolize the cursed activity. Have a source of cool fresh water or peppermint tea available.
• Sanctify the space.
• Spend a few minutes contemplating the curse, and the emotions associated with it.
• Call on an appropriate deity to cleanse you and the curse of these feelings.
• Sprinkle yourself and the objects with the water or tea, declaring that the curse is broken, that you are free/forgiven/whatever is appropriate.
• Call on Paktikai to guard against the return of the curse, and to help you find whatever joy may be inherent in the activity.
• Spend a few minutes in mindfulness. Thank Talien for the miracle of your life

To Prepare Yourself and a Space for Cleaning

The act of cleaning -- doing the dishes, tidying up, vacuuming, and all related tasks -- is ultimately an exercise in enhancing your physical space. You are dispelling a hostile, chaotic miasma (sometimes literally, if things have begun to smell) and replacing it with an aura of peace and comfort. Cleaning is the act of making a space better suited for life and habitation, and it is therefore sacred. (This is not to say a space must always be pristine; a lived-in space can be thoroughly comfortable! Clean only as much as increases your joy and comfort.)

• Grab a refreshing drink, whatever sounds good to you at the moment.
• Face the East (if you can find it), take a few deep breaths, and let your thoughts and concerns slowly evaporate.
• Take a sip of your beverage. Contemplate the experience of drinking it, the comfort and refreshment it provides. Continue drinking, letting this feeling build up inside you.
• When you are ready, imagine that feeling of comfort, refreshment, and life spreading out to envelop the space. Imagine that the furniture and walls are absorbing the energy, ready to slowly release it back out over the coming weeks.
• Begin cleaning, letting your effort further enchant the space with an aura of life and peace.