| Prayers |
 |
| Every religion has prayer, including Wicca. Prayer takes a bit of a different role in this religion, however. We don't pray just when we need things, and we don't beg diety for things we want. Prayer for Wiccans is a sacred act in which we connect with the God and Goddess. Sure, you can ask them for help when praying, but that is not the only reason why we pray. The God and Goddess will know if you need something, you don't have to beg them for it. We pray at meals, thanking diety for the food that sustains us and being thankful that it has been provided for us. We pray when we wake up, and before we go to bed, asking diety to protect us through the day and thank them for all the blessing they have given us. Basically its just a time to talk to diety and thank them for what they have given us. Now, I personally dont believe in the God and Goddess as two seperate entities who are listening to us - I pray more to calm myself. It makes me feel better to talk about my troubles, fears and triumphs, even if I'm just talking to myself. Even a simple act of acknowledging the beauty of a flower, or realizing the power of the earth (in its many ways) is a mini-prayer in itself. Walk outside in nature, see its beatuty and you will be thankful for what you have, believe me, when I'm down I take a walk and am instantly cheered up when I notice all the small, but wonderful details in nature. That is like a prayer as well. Prayers don't have to be spoken words, although that does make it easier for some people. Just quietly thanking diety every-once-in-awhile is a prayer. Here are a few examples of prayers that I found around the Internet. I would recommend you write your own though. Prayers before meals From forest to stream; From mountain to field; From fertile Earth's Nourishing Yield; I now partake of Divine Energy; May it lead to health, Strength and love me. Blessed Be (author unknown) O Goddess within, O God within, I now partake of the Fertility of the Earth. Bless this food with Your love. -Scott Cunnungham Morning Prayer O Gracious Goddess, O Gracious God, Lend me health, strength and love During this coming day. Assist me with the challenges ahead. Share Your divine wisdom. Teach me to respect all things. Remind me to respect all things. Remind me that the greatest power of all is love. Blessed Be. - Scott Cunningham Prayer Before Bed O Gracious Goddess; O Gracious God, I now enter the realm of dreams. Weave now, if You will, a web of protective light around me. Guard both my sleeping form and my spirit. Watch over me Until the sun once again Rules the Earth. O Gracious Goddess, O Gracious God, Be With me through the night. - Scott Cunningham Sometimes people like to write out lenghty prayesr and recite them at their altar, and thats good because you can really put a lot of focus and detail into what your saying, which helps you express your desires. Written-out prayers that are recited at a specific time every day also helps you connect with your religion and tends to make people more enthusiastic, especially if they are just beginning. Beginners often stray from Wicca because they dont see it fitting into their daily lives at first, but if you set a time each day and recite a prayer, it will connect your mundane life with your spiritual. Same goes with doing other 'witchy' things - making pagan-related crafts, reading books on Wicca, writing rituals, writing in a Book of Shadows, etc - those things will remind you that yes, indeed you're Wiccan, so go out and practice your religion and live the life of a Pagan! |