A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book (43 page)

Sun:

• Feeling the shadow creeping upon me from behind
  

  I pray to the last of the light to sustain me through the darkness with the knowledge of your return.
  

   
  

  Keep me in this awareness:
  

   
  

  Dark follows light, as it must,
  

   
  

  but it must as well surrender to light when the proper time comes.
  

   
  

  Just as you, setting Sun, may I know the proper time to come out of my sorrow as that time arises.
  

   
  

Wind:

• The wind that blows through empty human halls
  

  is the wind that blows through the empty deserts
  

   
  

  is the wind that blows through the emptiness of all empty spaces
  

   
  

  is the wind that blows through my own empty time.
  

   
  

  But if you blow, wind, then there can be no emptiness.
  

   
  

  Blow in my heart and keep this lonely one company.
  

   
  

Ares:

• Spear against shield strikes fear in those arrayed
  

  against me,
  

   
  

  but not in me,
  

   
  

  because you and I are brothers, Ares,
  

   
  

  in arms and at the table.
  

   
  

Athena or Minerva:

• Armored one, with the aegis on your breast:
  

  to you, praise,
  

   
  

  from you, protection.
  

   
  

  The one deserved, the other hoped for.
  

   
  

Castor and Pollux:

• On either side of my AFV ride,
  

  sons of Zeus.
  

   
  

  May my treads be as well-placed and unfaltering as the hooves of your own steeds.
  

   
  

  May each piece of ordinance that flies from me be like your spears,
  

   
  

  as sure in aim and as certain in destructive power.
  

   
  

  Bring me through this battle successfully,
  

   
  

  Dioskouri;
  

   
  

  may my mission be fully accomplished.
  

   
  

  Then, when you have brought me back to base unharmed,
  

   
  

  I will offer to you in thanks.
  

   
  

  This is my vow to you, Castor and Pollux.
  

   
  

• Saviors at sea,
  

  Sons of God,
  

   
  

  Divine brothers:
  

   
  

  Watch over this ship as it sails into danger.
  

   
  

  Protect it and all who sail on it,
  

   
  

  that we may return home safely to port when our mission is accomplished.
  

   
  

The Elements:

• I put you in the hands of the ones whose realms are in the elements.
  

  I put you in the hands of the Air Beings:
  

   
  

  may they protect you when you enter their lands;
  

   
  

  when you think, may you be safe and true.
  

   
  

  I put you in the hands of the Fire Beings:
  

   
  

  may they protect you when you enter their lands;
  

   
  

  when you act, may you be safe and true.
  

   
  

  I put you in the hands of the Water Beings:
  

   
  

  may they protect you when you enter their lands;
  

   
  

  when you feel, may you be safe and true.
  

   
  

  I put you in the hands of the Earth Beings:
  

   
  

  may they protect you when you enter their lands;
  

   
  

  when you are still, may you be safe and true.
  

   
  

  I put you in the hands of the Spirit Beings:
  

   
  

  may they protect you when you enter their lands
  

   
  

  when you are, when you do, when you are in the midst of all,
  

   
  

  may you be safe and true.
  

   
  

• If wind blows you away, you will be protected by Air.
  

  If flames rise around you, you will be protected by Fire.
  

   
  

  If waves overwhelm you, you will be protected by Water.
  

   
  

  If gravity drags you down, you will be protected by Earth.
  

   
  

  In all of these dangers, Spirit will never abandon you,
  

   
  

  as you lie within the protection of the elements.
  

   
  

Manannán mac Lir:

• Wheel wells not awash,
  

  rims not even damp,
  

   
  

  on a flowery plain a chariot comes to me here in my boat.
  

   
  

  Amazement not even relevant, since gods perform miracles,
  

   
  

  and you, Manannán, are most certainly a god.
  

   
  

  If the waves on which I sail can never be flowers under my keel,
  

   
  

  may they at least be your horses carrying me safely,
  

   
  

  with still manes.
  

   
  

Marduk:

• Marduk, whose mace is ever ready to crush the enemies of those who worship you,
  

  of your faithful servants,
  

   
  

  of we who pour out this beer,
  

   
  

  who lay out this bread,
  

   
  

  before your image.
  

   
  

  Destroyer of Tiamat,
  

   
  

  Defender of cities:
  

   
  

  Protect us,
  

   
  

  protect those who offer to you today.
  

   
  

Morrígain:

• A snake that is not a snake,
  

  A dog that is not a dog,
  

   
  

  A cow that is not a cow—
  

   
  

  You are not these things, Morrígain,
  

   
  

  and I am not sure I want to know what you
  are
  .
  

   
  

  If my offering pleases you, though,
  

   
  

  protect rather than destroy.
  

   
  

Ocean:

• All life began in you;
  

  preserve my life while I sail on you.
  

   
  

• I draw myself under the seen,
  

  entering your hidden water world.
  

   
  

  I rise up to where your waves reach over me,
  

   
  

  where sense meets the incomprehensible.
  

   
  

  May this gift of honor to you inspire a gift in return:
  

   
  

  may you keep me safe when I sail on your surface.
  

   
  

Peace:

• Far from home,
  

  living with fear,
  

   
  

  I pray for Peace to pull all the world into Her embrace.
  

   
  

Poseidon, against an earthquake:

• Still the earth beneath me
  

  and I will pour you a libation of wine,
  

   
  

  blue-maned hurler of the trident.
  

   
  

Thor and Odin:

• Arriving won't do you any good unless you arrive safely,
  

  but arriving safely won't do you any good unless you arrive at the right place.
  

   
  

  Be blessed with the company of Thor, for safety.
  

   
  

  Be blessed with the company of Odin, the Knower of the Way,
  

   
  

  for arrival at the right place.
  

   
  

Varu
a:

• As I have sought forgiveness from,
  

  and given compensation to,
  

   
  

  those I have wronged,
  

   
  

  I seek forgiveness of,
  

   
  

  and burn this butter to,
  

   
  

  you, Varu
  a:
  

   
  

  may your snares, which enclose wrongdoers, pass me by.
  

   
  

• If we have done that which is wrong,
  

  breaking the laws of gods and of men,
  

   
  

  may Varu
  a's snares still miss us.
  

   
  

  Next time we will do better.