References to the natural world, particularly the four elements of Earth, Fire, Air and Water and representations of those elements. 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. For all the rules and mystery around prayer, it’s a very simple thing: prayer is talking to the Gods. Paganism is a religion (or religions, if you prefer) of relationships, and healthy relationships require constant communication. That’s why meditation (specifically, the kind of meditation that focuses on listening) is also important – we don’t want to monopolize the conversation. It remains, therefore, at the end of this discourse, for me to pray to the gods to grant both to me and to you the unalterable preservation of true thoughts, to implant in us the truth of eternal things forever, and to grand to us a participation in the more perfect conceptions of the gods in which the most blessed end of good things is placed before us, along with the sanction of the harmonious friendship between us. Since the Pagan community understands that their traditions are varied and not necessarily known or understood by the general public, they’ll nearly always inform funeral attendees of the proper etiquette before the service.

Blessed Be”: Daily Wiccan Prayer – Spells8 ”Blessed Be”: Daily Wiccan Prayer – Spells8

I’ve been wanting to integrate more prayer into my practice. But as someone who grew up Christian, I have a bit of a broken relationship with prayer itself. Those who belong to an oathbound Wiccan tradition, such as Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wicca, may well choose a private funeral with just their coven as guests. In this case, readings and poems would be made up of oathbound material from their Book of Shadows. This prayer shall be recited over a basalt scarab, which shall be set in a gold setting, and it shall be placed inside the heart of the man (i.e., the dead) for whom the ceremonies of "opening the mouth" and of anointing with unguent have been performed. The Pagan tradition centres on the reverence of the natural world, so many opt for the most natural form of interment. A natural burial involves the burial of the deceased in a way that would encourage its decomposition and the fertility of the land in which it’s interred.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

Pagan Prayer: Offerings of Praise, Gratitude, and Hope Pagan Prayer: Offerings of Praise, Gratitude, and Hope

Whether you keep an elaborate garden or just have a few plants and trees in your yard, take some time in the early morning or the evening to pay the garden a visit. You never know what wisdom the plants, trees, and wildlife have to share with you. I find garden visits comforting, peaceful, and enlightening. 20. Exercise As someone who grew up in a non-religious/atheist-leaning home, prayer and devotion feel… weird. How can someone overcome that? How do you pray? Is there a database of them, something to memorize, a formula to create one? Litha is the season of the summer solstice, and the longest day of the year. This means that the very next day, the nights will begin getting longer incrementally as we move towards Yule, the winter solstice. Many ancient cultures honored the sun as significant, and the concept of sun worship is one nearly as old as mankind itself. In societies that were primarily agricultural, and depended on the sun for life and sustenance, it is no surprise that the sun became deified. Celebrate the sun while there's time, and let its warm energy and powerful rays envelope you. Many – perhaps most – Pagans have a broken relationship with prayer. We were forced to pray as kids. We suffered through long and boring prayers in church and before meals. Some people tell us prayer is the answer to everything, while others tell us prayer accomplishes nothing. And we all know people (some Christian and some Pagan) whose prayers resemble a four-year-old’s Christmas list. It’s enough to turn us off on the practice of prayer. Other prayers are more conversational – we speak to the Gods as we might speak to someone standing bodily in front of us. Perhaps we have a great need and so we describe it in detail. Perhaps we want to negotiate the terms of an agreement – we need to clearly delineate what we will do and what we won’t. Or perhaps we want to express the yearnings of our hearts. And so we just speak.Keep a red candle in your kitchen. Light it in honor of the ancestors who came before you, who cooked hearthside to feed and nourish their families just as you do today! 14. Smoke-Cleanse Yourself I speak of “the Gods” in this post, but as a polytheist I never pray to Them collectively. I am a priest of Cernunnos and Danu, a Druid of the Morrigan, and a devotee of Brighid and Lugh. I pray to all of Them daily. I pray to Cernunnos and to the Morrigan as part of the weekly devotions They have each requested of me. This incantation calls upon the goddess Morrighan, who is a Celticdeity of battle and sovereignty. As a goddess who determined kingship and land holdings, she can be called upon for assistance in protecting your property and the boundaries of your land. If you’ve been robbed lately, or are having trouble with trespassers, this prayer comes in particularly handy. You may wish to make this as martial as possible, with lots of banging drums, clapping, and even a sword or two thrown in as you march around the boundaries of your property. Whether you have a dog, horse, or a hamster, set aside some time every day to love on your pets. This doesn’t seem like a pagan ritual, but anything done with intention and in a routine can be a ritual. And what’s more pagan than loving on animals? 13. Light a Red Candle in the Kitchen Edred Thorsson talks about runic stadhas in his book on the Elder Futhark. Stadhas are similar to yoga positions. So whether you enjoy yoga or feel a connection to the runes, try physical positions like the runic stadhas or yoga on a daily basis. Even if you only do one or two in the morning to get your day started or in the evening to relax and connect. 6. Go for a Walk

Pagan and Wiccan Rituals - Learn Religions Pagan and Wiccan Rituals - Learn Religions

To me, prayer was when you talked to God, unburdened yourself, stripped down to total naked truth of your struggles as a human being. And contemplation was when you listened to God, basked in the presence of the divine, knew that you were safe and protected by a power greater than yourself that never slept and never got distracted. It was a concept I carried with me out of my Episcopalian upbringing and into Wicca. Types of Prayerwritten. Often, the traditional prayers from remote locations contain a mix of Christian and pagan thoughts! Just as you light a candle for your gods or simply to re-connect, light incense on a daily basis. Something about the scent of incense in the air puts me into an otherworldly state of mind. It is relaxing and grounding, too. 11. Read a Spiritual Book Finally, undertaking the reflective task of writing your own prepared prayers can help you delve deep into the mythology of your deities and reach deeper levels of understanding of their stories and symbols. A handwritten or custom-designed prayer book is both an heirloom and a repository of power. Book Review & Interview – Green Witchcraft: Discover how to use Herbs, Flowers, Woods, Crystals, and Essential Oils to Naturally Heal, Increase Abundance, and Align Yourself with the Magic of Mother Earth by Madeline Silvy Pagan music tends to fall into the categories of New Age or Folk, and a lot of pagans will have favourites among these. But you might also come across live music at a funeral. It’s not uncommon to have drummers, flautists or acapella singers at a pagan celebration of life. Pagan funeral locations

Pagan prayers for a modern world

There are many Gods and Goddesses of different pantheons – such as Egyptian, Celtic, Norse, Roman and Greek – that may be referenced specifically for their association with death. Osiris, for example, is the Egyptian God of the Underworld, while Persephone is a goddess associated with death and rebirth in Ancient Greece. Done properly, prayer puts us in a state of reverence and introspection. When we realize Who we’re talking to, trivial things seem, well, trivial. What’s truly important rises to the top. We realize that however wise and powerful we may be, They’re more – far, far more.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 Take time in the morning while you’re getting ready for the day or take time just before falling asleep to say a simple prayer to the gods. Prayers of gratitude are best. The more grateful we are for the gods’ presence in our lives, the more blessings roll in. 19. Visit the Garden Make brewing tea a daily ritual. Enjoy choosing your own loose leaf herbs, hearing the tea kettle whistle on the stove, and then pouring the hot water over the herbs. Sit down, be quiet, and sip your tea while waiting for the Divine to speak to you. 22. Smoke-Cleanse Your House