Prayers and Chants

[Bjorn]

Do any of you incorporate specific prayers into your walk? What about chants? Share them here, along with any ritual that accompanies them! They can be from books, poems, songs, whatever, I just want to see what inspires you and gather some more ideas for my own.

This is probably my favorite prayer that I have found. I am making it a goal to memorize it.

O Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,
whose breath gives life to all the world,
Hear me, I need your wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain strong and calm in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every rock and leaf,
Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy; myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes
So that when this world fades,
as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Prayers and Chants

The only one I have memorized is this:

Strength of day,
Strength of night,
Give me strength,
Beyond my sight.

I've been using it since I was a teenager, and I say it over and over again in my head when I'm starting to panic. I suppose it's just like counting to ten when you're mad, or whatever - but it works for me!

[Amber]

Re: Prayers and Chants

Those are both very nice!!

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Prayers and Chants

I tend to keep things as simple as possible with regard to chants and prayers.... so if I am out walking I tend to talk directly to the Universe/Great Spirit/ Green Man etc. more or less like this: 'Oh, this is lovely! Thank you so much for sharing with me!'

I might say 'bloody wonderful' if I'm particularly moved

[Taiga Pagan]

Re: Prayers and Chants

Here's a couple I know... altho they are probably bogus... cuz recons do not like this.

One from Aidan Lucid

I'm standing on the ship
looking out towards the sea,
glancing at the waters
that soon will carry me.
Beating of distant drums
coming from the battlefield,
a thousand Viking warriors
their weapons they won't yield.
I hear Valhalla's call
coming yonder from the sky,
my time will soon be up
I know then that I must die.
I call upon mighty Thor
to be always at my side,
so that I may fight bravely
after each oncoming tide.
Let blood be on my sword
let sweat fall from my brow,
as I go on the battlefield
to strike my foes down.
And if I should be last to fall
let me die a death with pride,
then my children will proudly know
a hero is how I died.

And the 13th warrior one...

Lo, there do I see my Father..
Lo, there do I see my Mother
And my Sisters and my Brothers..
Lo, there do I see the line
Of my people back to the beginning..
They do bid me to take my place among them..
In the Halls of Valhalla,
Where the Brave may live forever.

Here's one from my faith...

In the name of the born, thou shall be named.
In the name of the child, thou shall find your way.
In the name of the youth, thou shall find love.
In the name of the man, thou shall be strong.
In the name of the woman, thou shall do care.
In the name of the elder, thou shall be wise.
In the name of the ancestors, be revered they shall.

In the name is will, In the will is deed, so shall you live.

[Caelia]

Re: Prayers and Chants

It's not really a chant, but I guess it could be a prayer...

I tend to see something that reminds me of one of my gods. When I see that I tend to say, "Dua ___!"

[Ravenix]

[Bjorn]

Re: Prayers and Chants

I tend to keep things as simple as possible with regard to chants and prayers.... so if I am out walking I tend to talk directly to the Universe/Great Spirit/ Green Man etc. more or less like this: 'Oh, this is lovely! Thank you so much for sharing with me!'

I might say 'bloody wonderful' if I'm particularly moved

I speak with the Great Spirit like that as well, but sometimes I feel like, in my private moments, I have the tendency to ramble. Focusing my intent is important to me, especially when it comes to the Great One. If I'm simply struck (as I was today when I recited a prayer and the sun shone in directly on me and my altar) then I'll just fall prostrate (if I'm already AT my altar) and say something like, "WAHOO! YA HEARD ME! Thanks for the reminder, you're the best."

But when it comes to trying to shut up some of the more "WAHOO!" thoughts and get deeper, I need the help of an eloquent and fitting prayer or chant.

---------- Post added at 09:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 PM ----------

Here's one from my faith...

In the name of the born, thou shall be named.
In the name of the child, thou shall find you way.
In the name of the youth, thou shall find love.
In the name of the man, thou shall be strong.
In the name of the woman, thou shall do care.
In the name of the elder, thou shall be wise.
In the name of the ancestors, be revered they shall.

In the name is will, In the will is deed, so shall you live.

I like this one a lot, thanks for sharing. How do you use it?

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Prayers and Chants

I often write prayers, invocations and meditations, although these days they tend to be getting shorter and shorter ...
one of my all-time favourites, which I put in my first book, Seeking the Green, is this one:

I have many questions
What, who, how, where, when and why
You have all the answers
Lady of the Midnight Sky.

Very useful. You're welcome to use it!

[Taiga Pagan]

Re: Prayers and Chants

Bjorn, most Heathen prayers are to honor the dead, remember a pledge, or to remind who we are.

In the case of the prayer you have asked, it's the reminder of what it is to be, who we are.

[Bjorn]

Re: Prayers and Chants

I often write prayers, invocations and meditations, although these days they tend to be getting shorter and shorter ...
one of my all-time favourites, which I put in my first book, Seeking the Green, is this one:

I have many questions
What, who, how, where, when and why
You have all the answers
Lady of the Midnight Sky.

Very useful. You're welcome to use it!

This is beautiful. I am going to use it! Thanks so much for sharing.

[GypsySeaWitch]

Re: Prayers and Chants

I cheat. I look them up on the internet. lol

Actually, I've started a notebook of collected prayers and chants that I have found and liked. There are lots of chants available on the net for all different purposes, but I've found that ones I make up work the best. When I'm with my coven is when I use standard chants. Most of the time it isn't hard to find me singing away while gardening these days or making pagan oriented crafts. If only I could remember later what I sang that worked so well....that is my biggest problem.

[Bi0P0is0n]

Re: Prayers and Chants

So many beautiful words here. They shall be strung into my dailies for sure.

[Shahaku]

Re: Prayers and Chants

When I was having a lot of panic attacks, this one helped me a lot:

I am a tower of strength within and without
I am a tower of strength within

I let all burdens fall from my shoulders
all anxieties drift from my mind.

I let all fears slip away slip away
All fears slip away from my heart

I let every Chakra (shackle) be loosened
I let all my Chakra (shackles) be loose!

That's because...
(back to beginning)



It was on yahoo in a group I signed up for at UI, but never could fit into my schedule to attend.