A Book of Pagan Prayer

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First, there is the universal desire to pray. I believe that many Pagans had a hunger that eventually burst forth in the practice of prayer. I remember all who have made bad beginnings and now wish to amend their lives, especially ……. May they receive the blessing of resolution, courage and the willingness to change that the indwelling beauty of their lives can shine forth. I also had the happy opportunity to fix a major problem with the first version. I was appalled to realize after its first publication that there were no prayers for Lugnasad/Lammas and Midsummer. I'd included a prayer for tomato season, but none for two of the eight great neo-Pagan holidays! You'll find prayers for each of these occasions in this edition. Offerings are simple. They can be anything your god or goddess would enjoy: food, beverage, water, incense, herbal blends, art, crystals, candle flame, dance and poetry. Some gods enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. Some enjoy a portion of your dinner at night. While others prefer the scent of patchouli incense. Incorporate offerings into your daily routine and watch the blessings roll in! Paganism is often about the celebration of nature and life, honouring the earth and other creatures. This is reflected in how they conduct funerals, they view death as part of the cycle of life/death/rebirth.

We’ve already established that Pagan funeral customs differ enormously from tradition to tradition, but you’d be surprised at how similar funeral rites are across the board. While there is no one preferred method for the disposition of the body, a lot of Pagans choose the most eco-friendly option. Cremation Fall’s theme is the harvest of your labors and loves. The seeds that you planted with prayer in the spring are now ready to be reaped. Be thankful for that and for the earth’s plenty Keep a dream journal at your bedside. Before you even set foot on the floor in the morning, record your dreams. This is a simple, yet effective way to tune into your higher self and gods – through dreams. The more you journal your dreams, the more dreams you will recall. And the closer you’ll become to your spirit guides and gods. 8. MeditateThis is a modern development, though. A search through the writings of the ancient Pagans turns up huge quantities of prayers. We have inscriptions left by the ancient Celts. We have many prayers from the Greeks; characters in their tragedies were wont to pray at the drop of a corpse. The most ancient Hindu texts, the four Vedas, are essentially long prayer books. From the Americas, from Asia, from Africa, from Oceania, from Australia, we find more and more prayers, building up higher and higher, until we are crushed beneath the obvious: the most common form of Pagan religious expression is prayer.

In the Baltic region and Eastern Europe, where many Slav peoples lived, they also had their own form of paganism separate and different from Norse paganism. Have a garden with herbs or vegetables? Use them in your cooking on a daily basis. If you don’t have a garden, choose spices from your kitchen cabinet for specific purposes. For example – cinnamon for money. Sugar to sweeten up situations and people. Rosemary for love. Etc. 25. Pray to the Ancestors I've only cut one prayer: The fire of Brighid is the flame on my hearth. It turned out that it was redundant, since it was also the first line of one of the mantras. Glory Be to Life-Giving Gaia, And to the Sun for His Light and His Warmth, and to the Great Spirit that dwells in all Living things on Earth. As it Was in the beginning , is now And ever shall be, World Divinely created and without end.Norse Heathens may favour verses from the Prose Edda or the Poetic Edda – 13th-century Icelandic texts written in Old Norse. Druidry If you are making an Earth Rosary, use the colors of your choice for the beads, or just use any standard rosary you already have. Wiccans often use prayer beads because they are an easy way to incorporate their spirituality into their everyday lives. Pagan meditation beads can be useful for any witch or occultist looking to deepen their relationship with the gods. As the so-called "Viking Age" progressed, the Christianization of Scandinavia became a driving force for religious and spiritual activity in Northern Europe. Wiccans believe in a limbo of sorts, a neutral oasis of peace known as the Summerland where one goes to contemplate your life before being born again. Valhalla and Folkvangr

I read this for one purpose only: to understand why folks pray. I've only known the grovelling prayers of the head-covered, trembling, fearful disciples of [fill in oppressive deity here]. What are these Pagans praying for? Aren't they supposed to be equal to gods and goddesses?

5. Connect with your ancestors

This northern branch of Germanic paganism, steeped in ritual sacrifice and worship, dominated the Viking's homeland in Scandinavia and the surrounding region.

With how crazy life can get, making grounding and centering a part of your daily pagan rituals can really do wonders for your health and wellbeing. Even if you touch a tree before going inside or walk around outside with barefeet, both of these rituals help. 31. Plan the Next Esbat The act of prayer, as we understand it today, is somewhat of a Christian invention. Norse pagans did try to communicate with the Norse gods, but not in the same way as Christians do. Often a god was called upon after an offering or sacrifice was made. An offering, commonly mead, was seen as a sign of devotion of the worshiper to that particular god. On days you feel you need an extra boost of comfort or confidence, call a pagan friend. There’s nothing like talking to someone of like-mind and kindred spirit. 30. Ground and Center On nights when the clouds are clear, go outside and gaze at the moon. Feel the lunar rays on your skin. 28. Plan the Next SabbatThese are special prayer beads that are designed to appeal to pagans. Pagans believe in the existence of spirits and gods who live among us. They worship these spirits and gods through rituals and ceremonies. Heathens have many halls of the dead depending on what occurred during the person’s life, the most obvious being Valhalla, ruled by Odin, and Folkvangr, ruled by Freyja. Otherworld Most times, things feel weird because they’re unfamiliar. This is especially true when you’re talking about practices from a different culture – and while we may all be Americans (or Irish or English or whatever you happen to be) different religions are absolutely separate subcultures. So if you grew up in an environment where you didn’t hear prayer and probably heard prayer denigrated as useless words, of course it’s going to feel odd.