A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book (20 page)

Spirits of Food:

• Praise to you, souls of the plants and animals whose lives were spent to make this food:
  

  May these words turn your deaths into a holy sacrifice.
  

   
  

Vedic Gods:

• You are fire in water, Agni, in the lightning-filled rain.
  

  You are fire in water, Soma, in the inspiring plant.
  

   
  

  You are fire in water, Apam Napat, in the gold palace.
  

   
  

  Fire in water is the source of greatest power
  

   
  

  and fire in water is what I drink here.
  

   
  

Water Spirits:

• Praise to all the spirits, the gods and goddesses, of all the rivers of the world.
  

  This drink is of their waters, filling me with them.
  

   
  

  Praise and thanks.
  

   
  

Most prayers seek either to put us into a relationship with the divine, to ask for something from the divine, or both. Consecrations and blessings are perhaps the purest forms of these.

Both put something (or someone) into the keeping of a deity. The difference is that a consecration transfers
to
the divine, while a blessing asks for a transfer
from
the divine. Consecration is a gift
to
the divine, while blessing asks for a gift
from
the divine.

• I separate you from mundane use by these words
  

  spoken in the presence of the holy;
  

   
  

  I dedicate you to its service.
  

   
  

• Sacred and holy be this [tool] of mine,
  

  through it, may I know the blesséd and the divine,
  

   
  

  by ancient laws and by new design,
  

   
  

  my gods invoke, my space define.
  

   
  

• This tool will be used in the service of the Holy Ones, so may it be made holy by them through this prayer,
  

  may it be suitable to the purpose
  

   
  

  to which I will put it,
  

   
  

  to the sacred service it will perform.
  

   
  

• May this cloak be consecrated to the Mighty Ones,
  

  that covered by it I might be covered by them,
  

   
  

  wrapped in their protecting embrace.
  

   
  

• May this tool be infused with a bit of their power,
  

  the Goddess, the God,
  

   
  

  that through it I might perform great deeds in their names.
  

   
  

• May this knife be all knives, so all that I cut with it
  

  might be cut in all the worlds.
  

   
  

A deity or deities:

• When I bless this [tool], may it be with the power of [name of deity/deities].
  

  When I hold it, may it be [him/her/them] holding it.
  

   
  

  When I use it, may it be with [his/her/their] power.
  

   
  

  May it be [his/hers/theirs].
  

   
  

  May it be mine.
  

   
  

The Elements: (First purify the tool. With the mention of each element, touch the tool with an appropriate tool or symbol.)

• Air, look at this carefully.
  

  Remember it so that you'll recognize it again next time you see it,
  

   
  

  next time you run across it in your sphere of influence
  

   
  

  or if you have yourself wandered out of it.
  

   
  

  You're responsible now.
  

   
  

  If the past is a guide, I know you won't fail.
  

   
  

  Fire, look at this carefully.
  

   
  

  Remember it so that you'll recognize it again next time you see it,
  

   
  

  next time you run across it in your sphere of influence
  

   
  

  or if you have yourself wandered out of it.
  

   
  

  You're responsible now.
  

   
  

  If the past is a guide, I know you won't fail.
  

   
  

  Water, look at this carefully.
  

   
  

  Remember it so that you'll recognize it again next time you see it,
  

   
  

  next time you run across it in your sphere of influence
  

   
  

  or if you have yourself wandered out of it.
  

   
  

  You're responsible now.
  

   
  

  If the past is a guide, I know you won't fail.
  

   
  

  Earth, look at this carefully.
  

   
  

  Remember it so that you'll recognize it again next time you see it,
  

   
  

  next time you run across it in your sphere of influence
  

   
  

  or if you have yourself wandered out of it.
  

   
  

  You're responsible now.
  

   
  

  If the past is a guide, I know you won't fail.
  

   
  

• Air, I place you on one side, where you can bless and protect this [tool].
  

  Fire, I place you on one side, where you can bless and protect this [tool].
  

   
  

  Water, I place you on one side, where you can bless and protect this [tool].
  

   
  

  Earth, I place you on one side, where you can bless and protect this [tool].
  

   
  

  Spirit, I place you around and in the center,
  

   
  

  all through, where you can bless and protect this [tool],
  

   
  

  as if it were yourself.
  

   
  

• With all impurities removed,
  

  may this [tool] be filled with the sacred power
  

   
  

  of Air,
  

   
  

  of Fire,
  

   
  

  of Water,
  

   
  

  of Earth,
  

   
  

  and with the spirit that joins and enlivens them.
  

   
  

• [Hold object] I bless you.
  

  [Lift the object up and then back down] Air
  

   
  

  [Rub the object until there is a feeling of warmth] Fire
  

   
  

  [Softly stroke the object in a clockwise inward spiral] Water
  

   
  

  [Hit object with an open palm, not allowing it to bounce back] Earth
  

   
  

  [Hold object in cupped hands and blow on it] Spirit
  

   
  

  You are blessed with words and actions.
  

   
  

• With each drop of water,
  

  with this consecrated water,
  

   
  

  receive the blessings of the Holy Ones.
  

   
  

• With the touch of this flower,
  

  this beauty of the earth, this glory of nature,
  

   
  

  be filled with beauty, be filled with glory,
  

   
  

  be filled with the blessings of the earth, of nature,
  

   
  

  be filled and blessed by that which surrounds us.
  

   
  

• May this [object] that I put around your neck be a sign of the protection and concern of [god's name], and as a constant reminder to you and to others of [his/her/their] ever-watchful presence.
  

The Elements:

• Not a whirlwind, but a cooling breeze.
  

  Not an inferno, but a cheerful hearth.
  

   
  

  Not a flood, but a quenching draught.
  

   
  

  Not an avalanche, but a ground on which to stand.
  

   
  

  No dangers from the elements, but blessings:
  

   
  

  may my words bring this gift to you.
  

   
  

• By Air be blessed, be blessed by the four.
  

  By Fire be blessed, be blessed by the four.
  

   
  

  By Water be blessed, be blessed by the four.
  

   
  

  By Earth be blessed, be blessed by the four.
  

   
  

  By Spirit be blessed, be blessed by the five.
  

   
  

  By the four and the five be blessed.
  

   
  

The God and Goddess, for a child:

• Just for a moment, it's not your father standing here, but the God.
  

  Just for a moment, it's not your mother standing here, but the Goddess.
  

   
  

  From past days,
  

   
  

  through this day,
  

   
  

  to all days:
  

   
  

  they are here,
  

   
  

  and they are blessing you with all they possess.
  

   
  

  For all your life, it is your father standing here.
  

   
  

  For all your life, it is your mother standing here.
  

   
  

  From past days,
  

   
  

  through this day,
  

   
  

  to all days:
  

   
  

  we are here,
  

   
  

  and we are blessing you with all we possess.
  

   
  

• Look, overarching sky, under whose gaze we pass our days,
  

  see this person I bring before you:
  

   
  

  bless them!
  

   
  

  Look, long-extending earth, upon whose breast we live our lives,
  

   
  

  see this person I bring before you:
  

   
  

  bless them!
  

   
  

  Look, see, bless, Sky and Earth!