A Book of Pagan Prayer

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This synthesis of Christianity and paganism can best be exemplified in Lund. Where once the city housed a great pagan temple following the Christianization of Sweden, it would become the ecclesiastical center of the country. Mother of Creation, thank you for your bounty. All around the earth has grown to maturity. So too, I pray, may I see signs my own maturity. Help me to recognize the progress in my spirit, to see the fruits of character and insight that have developed since spring. Let me hold those gifts close to my heart as sacred and special. This northern branch of Germanic paganism, steeped in ritual sacrifice and worship, dominated the Viking's homeland in Scandinavia and the surrounding region.

Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard – writing from a Christian perspective, of course – said “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” And while I would argue the first part from a polytheist perspective (and probably from a Christian perspective as well), I completely agree with the second part. As Paganism is a very diverse religion with many distinct though related traditions, the forms of Pagan worship vary widely. It may be collective or solitary. It may consist of informal prayer or meditation, or of formal, structured rituals through which the participants affirm their deep spiritual connection with nature, honour their Gods and Goddesses, and celebrate the seasonal festivals of the turning year and the rites of passage of human life. Those of us who call ourselves Pagans owe a debt to all those who came before us. Before trying to define our own, modern Paganism, therefore, we should find out as much as we can about what the ancient Pagans did. To do that, we'll look at their prayers. Then we can either follow their lead, or, if we choose to be different, we can at least choose from knowledge rather than from ignorance. Ancient Pagan Prayers On the divider beads that follow each decade, say the Glory Be to Gaia, the Sun and the Great Spirit: 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 Sabbat

Like most religions, Pagans place certain meanings to different plants and flowers. But they also might hold certain magical significance. It’s common for flowers and plants to be chosen that have protective qualities, or that are associated with peace.

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. Wherever a relationship has grown cool, bring warmth. Wherever secrets dwell, let them be revealed. Wherever any lingering darkness hides, chase it away with brilliant light. Let the embers that embody you ignite in me a love-based passion: for my job, for my art, for my mate, or for just cause for all that is my life. So be it.” Pagan Prayer for the Season of Fall Worship of the Norse gods often involved rituals that included giving offerings, feasting (especially drinking!), praising (flattery, it seems, would get a Viking somewhere in the afterlife), or, most disturbingly, making sacrifices. Today, I was having a sad morning, was feeling a bout of depression, and then the postman delivered into my hands something wonderful.It is best to string your own beads. Follow the instructions below, which is the same procedure for the Goddess Prayer Beads, but substitutes Gold for Silver, because Druid spirituality is Sun oriented rather than Moon oriented. Lord of the Sun, thank you for warming the soil to bring forth earth’s bounty. As the flowers and fruits grow to fullness around me, likewise mature the fruits of my spirit. As you burn brightly in the summer sky, so, too, burn in my heart and soul. This northern branch of Germanic religion, developed from the 1st century BCE, was mostly transmitted through an oral culture. 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?

Further south, Christian missionaries had been flooding to Scandinavia from, at least, the very early 8th century CE. Not all pagan religions and traditions have the kind of spiritual authority that one would expect to preside over a funeral, but some do. High Priestess As a witch practicing folk witchcraft, I found much of this book unrelateable. It is a well-written book and the author has done a fine job of creating this work. It’s detailed, well researched, and carefully organized. It’s got a wealth of prayers to call upon depending on the need. And if my path was the same as those whom the book was written for - Wiccans, Pagans, and polytheists - this book would be a great reference to have in any personal library.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