4.1. Structure⁑
Although the Hermetic Synaxis prescribes a number of practices to be done at various times with varying levels of importance, the foundation of everything is the Leitūrgia, the daily prayer routine, consisting of a regular set of prayers, affirmations, and contemplations grounded in the Hermetic texts and their teachings to guide and support a person in their spiritual development.
The Leitūrgia may be performed alone or with other people, whether as a formal group of the Hermetic Synaxis or with anyone willing to pray together in general. If said with others, all prayers should be said aloud in unison, although the pacing and timing of it established by the prayer leader. Whenever possible, the Leitūrgia should be done at a bōmos, but it may be performed anywhere.
Personal prayers beyond those explicitly listed below may be recited as part of the Leitūrgia both before and after the core portion of the Leitūrgia, and need not have a Hermetic origin. When the Leitūrgia is performed with others, for the sake of coordination, personal prayers should be sorted out ahead of time so that all present can recite them together, or otherwise the leader may make that time a period of silent prayer.
Any time sigōdia is called for in the Leitūrgia, if others are present, the leader judges how long to spend in silence. At their discretion, they should gently ring a bell (preferably a chime) once to let others know to continue.
4.1.1. Diminished Prayer Routines⁑
In the case one is unable to perform the full routine, one should do as much as one is able, at least to recite the Triple Trisagion and including other prayers as possible. To that end, so as to keep up at least some level of practice and effort towards a daily prayer routine, one may consider a diminished prayer routine that omits certain prayers; doing so is not preferred or encouraged if one does not have a true need to diminish the prayers to be recited. From the most complete to the most diminished and omitting the optional Call to the Way, Salutation to Others, Study, and Offerings portions of the daily prayer routine:
Most complete
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Personal Prayers, Prelude Supplications: Opening, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Prelude Supplications of the Time, Prelude Supplications: Closing, Triple Trisagion, Sigōdia, Consideration of Actions, Personal Prayers, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Partially Diminished
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Prelude Supplications: Opening, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Prelude Supplications of the Time, Prelude Supplications: Closing, Triple Trisagion, Sigōdia, Consideration of Actions, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Triple Trisagion, Sigōdia, Consideration of Actions, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Triple Trisagion, Sigōdia, Consideration of Actions, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Triple Trisagion, Sigōdia, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Seven Requests, Triple Trisagion, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Prologue of Aid, Triple Trisagion, Singing of the Child, Foundation: Closing, Final Salutation
Foundation: Opening, Triple Trisagion, Final Salutation
Most diminished
Triple Trisagion
If the Leitūrgia is done with others, only a complete Leitūrgia may be done without diminishing it.
4.1.2. Timing and Frequency⁑
Whenever possible, one should strive to pray twice every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Although the Leitūrgia is fundamentally the same prayer at both times, there are slight differences for the morning Leitūrgia and evening Leitūrgia. Although praying twice a day at the prescribed times is ideal, praying once a day at any point is sufficient.
Ideally, one should rise from bed shortly before sunrise and perform the morning set of prayers at sunrise; later, sometime at or after sunset, one should then recite the evening set of prayers before retiring to bed. However, sometimes there may be a delay between rising from bed and one’s morning prayers, or between evening prayers and retiring to bed; for most people with a diurnal schedule, one should try to perform the morning Leitūrgia while the Sun is rising, either near to or above the horizon, and the evening Leitūrgia while the Sun is setting, either near to or below the horizon. However, if one has a nocturnal schedule, the senses of “morning” and “evening” may be reversed, such that one might perform the morning Leitūrgia in the evening and the evening Leitūrgia the following morning, if one were to rise from bed at six o’ clock in the evening and go to bed at noon the following day.
If one normally performs or intends to perform the morning Leitūrgia upon rising or but distractions arise to delay them sufficiently as to prevent them from making any prayers until just before they retire to bed, they should only perform the evening Leitūrgia instead.
Although performing the complete Leitūrgia is encouraged in all circumstances, it is acceptable when necessary to perform a diminished prayer routine instead. If one is accustomed to performing the Leitūrgia twice a day, if one Leitūrgia becomes diminished, the other should not be diminished.
If one wishes to perform the Leitūrgia outside the twice-a-day morning-and-evening framework, or even as a second set of prayers when one is only accustomed to performing either the morning or evening Leitūrgia and such a second set is done at a time other than that which is appropriate for the opposite Leitūrgia than one is accustomed to, the whole Leitūrgia should be performed but omitting the Prelude Supplication of the Time and the Consideration of Actions. Otherwise, a diminished prayer routine that also omits these prayers may be used instead. Offerings may not be done with an additional Leitūrgia; such offerings should be done on their own in instead of or in addition to an additional Leitūrgia. However, Anagnōsis or a reading of the Epitomai may be done if desired as part of an additional Leitūrgia, or they may be done on their own instead.
If not already done so, the daily salutation and libation to one’s Agathē Tykhē and Agathos Daimōn should be done at the morning Leitūrgia after settling down for the Leitūrgia but before beginning the Leitūrgia proper. Because these salutations should be done as early in the day as possible, they may be done at the morning Leitūrgia but they should not be done at an evening Leitūrgia or an additional Leitūrgia, even if the evening Leitūrgia is the only time one prays on a given day.
Along with following the Kanones leading up to a ceremony, one should strive to perform the whole Leitūrgia for at least three days leading up to it; if at all possible, both the morning and evening Leitūrgia should be performed. However, even if it is necessary to forego some prayers, at least one non-diminished Leitūrgia must be performed on the same day as a ceremony prior to the ceremony itself. Although there are some ceremonies that may be included in the Leitūrgia when permissible and appropriate, the Leitūrgia should generally be performed separately from and not include nor be included with most ceremonies. If such a ceremony is performed in the morning, the morning Leitūrgia should be done beforehand; if in the evening, if the morning Leitūrgia was already done, the evening Leitūrgia should be done after the ceremony, but if the Leitūrgia was not performed yet before the ceremony, the ceremony should be performed after the evening Leitūrgia.
4.1.3. Preparation⁑
Before engaging in the Leitūrgia, follow the Kanones of hygiene (full bathing preferred, only washing hands and face required) and abstinence (only strict abstinence preferred but not required); one need not dress as one would for a ritual. A hormos does not need to be worn for the Leitūrgia if one is performing it on one’s own, but it may be worn if desired or if routine prayers include other offerings where wearing one is called for. The hormos should be worn if one is leading the Leitūrgia with other people, with or without involving other offerings.
If the Leitūrgia is performed at a bōmos, the bōmos should be set up appropriately before the Leitūrgia to accommodate any offerings or other works made during it; the Leitūrgia is to be performed while facing the bōmos. Otherwise, if the Leitūrgia is performed away from a bōmos, especially if one is able to pray under the open sky, the Leitūrgia is to be performed while facing east in the morning, south in the afternoon or evening, and either east or south for an additional Leitūrgia depending whether it is closer to morning or evening.
If the Leitūrgia is performed with multiple people, the prayer leader is to sit closest and directly in front of the bōmos and others are to to the sides or behind the leader as space allows. If the Leitūrgia is performed at someone’s bōmos, the person who maintains that bōmos should lead the Leitūrgia, but they may offer it to someone else as a gesture of goodwill or honor to guests. If the Leitūrgia is performed without a bōmos at all, the seniormost person present should be the prayer leader, but they may delegate or offer it to someone else as a gesture of goodwill or recognition of skill or eloquence. If there are multiple bōmoi in a given space and one of them is a permanent bōmos, only the permanent bōmos should be used for performing the Leitūrgia; if none of them are a permanent bōmos, then one may be picked as such or a direction chosen as if there were no bōmos at all.
If the Leitūrgia is being performed at a new bōmos that is to be dedicated as a permanent bōmos, the Opening of the Doors of Divinity should be recited after the Foundation and before the Prologue of Aid. This should only be done at a morning or evening Leitūrgia, not an additional Leitūrgia.
4.1.4. Hymn of Devotion⁑
If one is unable to even perform even the most diminished prayer routine due to illness, injury, travel, lack of privacy, or other reasons that prevent one from having the necessary time or energy to engage in prayer, the Hymn of Devotion may be recited instead, which may also be recited at any point at any time in any state for any reason; besides being recited if desired as a personal prayer outside the required Leitūrgia process, it may also be used to fulfill one’s daily prayer requirements if there is no feasible way to recite the Leitūrgia satisfactorily or safely.
Holy are you, who grants goodness in times of grief and in times of ease.Holy are you, who guides, leads, protects, and shelters us who follow.Holy are you, who illumines, enlightens, empowers, and frees, Light in Life and Life in Light.Holy are you, who as One is All and within whom are All as One.May every idea be thought for you!May every word be spoken for you!May every letter be written for you!May every emotion be felt for you!May every motion be moved for you!May every path be walked for you!May every action be made for you!All that we are, all that we have, all that we do, for you.All that I am, all that I have, all that I do, for you. ※