You can also ask the gods to give you strength and wisdom. So, if you want to feel protected and blessed, wearing a rosary and praying with the beads is a good idea. Can you make your own prayer beads? And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm. On the divider beads that follow each decade, say the Glory Be to Gaia, the Sun and the Great Spirit: My daughter is, of course, equally amazing. As well as being beautiful (not just my and my wife’s opinion, by the way), she is brilliant. She speaks Spanish fluently, and shows an interest in languages in general that makes me very happy. Like her mother, she has a big heart, but like her father she still can accept some of the hard facts of the world without blinking. I hope this will come in handy in her chosen field of social work. She's a truly amazing combination of the best of both of us, with her own mysterious nature added. However, the categories into which I have divided the prayers are not hard and fast. For instance, you can use a prayer of praise as an introduction to one of thanksgiving. Because of this, you should not feel bound by the chapter titles. Feel free to mix and match, to change and edit, and indeed to make these prayers your own. It is you who will be talking to the gods, and you are the one who will have to answer to them for what you say. Be clear. Be careful in how you pray. Take care how you come before the gods. Give them your best.

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.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 I recommend using pagan rosaries to pray to Hecate, who is the goddess of witchcraft and magic. Hecate is also associated with the crossroads. Hecate is a very powerful witch goddess. Second, they encourage you to develop a personal relationship with the gods. Third, they help you to remember your prayers throughout the day. Fourth, they provide a physical reminder of your prayers. Prayers may also mention figures from Pagan mythology, such as Charon, the Ferryman of the Dead. Readings or poems

May naught stand up to oppose me in judgment; may there be no opposition to me in the presence of the sovereign princes; may no evil be wrought against me in the presence of the gods; may there be no parting of thee from me in the presence of the great god, the lord of Amentet. I dig the whole take-care-of-your-surroundings belief of Paganism. I think the Earth is a pretty big deal and deserves some respect. But I'm not convinced it's inhabited by fairies. I'd like to believe it, though. Fourth, the mainstreaming of Paganism has decreased the need for Pagans to define themselves by what they aren't. This has meant a lessening of wholesale rejection of the practices of other religions. 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. Third, the development of the worship of more than two deities led to more research into the ancient information. This was further inspired by the rise of Reconstructionist Paganism, of people who wanted to worship in ancient ways; their research discovered the importance of praying in Paganism.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. Steeped in tradition based on more than a quarter century of research and practice, A Book of Pagan Prayer teaches us to pray in the ways of our ancestors for very modern times and concerns. A unique collection of nearly 500 prayers written to fulfill the needs of contemporary pagans from a variety of traditions, A Book of Pagan Prayer is a book to turn to again and again.

Great Lord and Lady, thank you for the life you have brought once again to the earth. Your magic touches the world, plants blossom, the sap in trees begins to run, animals bear young, and the entire planet sings with joy. Let this vibrant energy all around me also energize my spirit.Denmark was the first country to "become" Christian, with Viking king Harald Bluetooth converting in approx. 975 CE. Yet it would take over another century to establish an archdiocese there in 1104 CE, whilst Norway (1154 CE) and Sweden (1164 CE) would take even longer. 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. When praying to the spirits, it’s important to focus on your intentions. Rosaries are most often used to ask them to bless you and guide you in your life journey more than asking for material gain. 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 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

Not all pagans are Wiccan, but he certainly seems to think that we're all Wiccans who want to follow his rather narrow-minded viewpoint. 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 PriestessSame as above – make offerings to your ancestors one of your daily pagan rituals. Did your granny like to steal sweet n’ lows? Add a couple to your ancestor altar for her. Did your Uncle enjoy bonfires? Light a candle for him in the evening. A refreshing cup of water, a shotglass of liquor, a bowl of tobacco. 4. Rise to Greet the Sun 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. This version of the Prayer Beads is more Druid in content, honoring the Three Kindreds: The Ancestors, spirits of the ancient dead; The Earth Spirits who share this world with us; and the Gods, or the Shining Ones. It’s a good idea to ensure you don’t let too much Christian vocabulary slip out during the service – references to “heaven”, Jesus or a singular God, and Bible verses may be seen as disrespectful even if said with positive intentions. What to wear to a pagan funeral You will usually be expected to present an offering of sorts to the deceased. This may be a small token to represent them, money or a libation of food and drink. But do not approach or interact with any kind of altar set-up unless invited to. Wiccan Funerals