A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book (15 page)

If the gods weren't worthy of praise, they wouldn't be worthy of being gods. Like us, they like to have nice things said about them; as with our loved ones, it is a pleasure to say nice things about them. To tell their stories is a kind of praise—it tells them that you know and care about them.

• I face east and I pray,
  

  the Holy Ones I praise:
  

   
  

  To the Shining Gods and Goddesses, praise.
  

   
  

  To the Wise Ancestors, praise.
  

   
  

  To the secretive Nature Spirits, praise.
  

   
  

  To the Sacred Ones,
  

   
  

  To the Holy Ones,
  

   
  

  To the Numinous Ones:
  

   
  

  Praise, praise, always praise.
  

   
  

• I meditate on your name, chewing it over and over,
  

  [god's name], [god's name], [god's name];
  

   
  

  with each saying it digs deeper into me,
  

   
  

  burrowing a path into my soul,
  

   
  

  where it may build a home to dwell within me,
  

   
  

  where you will live,
  

   
  

  hearing me when I seek you out,
  

   
  

  with no real seeking needed, you already there.
  

   
  

  [god's name], [god's name], [god's name].
  

   
  

• Words fail me in your presence
  

  and at your coming all that is left to me
  

   
  

  is wow!
  

   
  

Agni:

• Here in this world
  

  There in the air
  

   
  

  There above the sky
  

   
  

  Agni burns as priest.
  

   
  

• Fire is born from waters,
  

  who lovingly enclose him,
  

   
  

  feeding him like butter.
  

   
  

Agni, with an offering of ghee:

• The shining rivers flow for Agni.
  

  Three streams of gold feed him.
  

   
  

  Fed, he bears on his back our words
  

   
  

  and, rising, brings them to the gods.
  

   
  

  First of the gods, rightly given the first,
  

   
  

  he carries them into the highest of heavens.
  

   
  

Airyaman:

• If man and woman come together in marriage,
  

  be pleased, Airyaman.
  

   
  

  If those who suffer are brought to healing,
  

   
  

  be pleased, Airyaman.
  

   
  

  If people live in peace,
  

   
  

  be pleased, Airyaman.
  

   
  

  By rightful order,
  

   
  

  be pleased, Airyaman.
  

   
  

The All-Gods:

• If I try, All-Gods, can I understand one of you?
  

  No chance.
  

   
  

  Understand two of you?
  

   
  

  Calculations can't even begin.
  

   
  

  Understand all of you?
  

   
  

  A better chance, since my understanding collapses in the effort, and you pour into the gaps,
  

   
  

  filling me with you, who understand yourself completely.
  

   
  

  Maybe even then I can't say that I understand you,
  

   
  

  but at least I'm where the understanding is going on.
  

   
  

• Beyond all imagining is the glory of the gods.
  

  Beyond all imagining is the power of the gods.
  

   
  

  Beyond all imagining is the being of the gods.
  

   
  

  So I stand here and imagine the best I can.
  

   
  

• If, at any time in my prayers, I have omitted any of you,
  

  I pour out these words,
  

   
  

  All the gods who are.
  

   
  

• Fill it as I might with statues, All-Gods,
  

  my shrine could never contain images of every one of you.
  

   
  

  That would take a shrine the size of a universe.
  

   
  

  But isn't that what this universe is?
  

   
  

• I'd planned to ask you something,
  

  but now that you're here—
  

   
  

• Holy Ones, when I try to understand you, I have to wonder if it is even possible; the mortal knowing the immortal, the small containing the large. I know, though, that that's not actually your wish. I don't think you completely understand me either, and want only to stand in relationship to me. I'll try to please you, and seek uncomprehending friendship,
  

  All-Gods.
  

   
  

• Infinite in number,
  

  Mind-boggling to conceive:
  

   
  

  Only a few of you enter my life
  

   
  

  and for that I am glad.
  

   
  

  As each comes to me I will do them honor
  

   
  

  as the Order impels.
  

   
  

Any or all of the gods:

• Words fail—
  

  I pray,
  

   
  

  you come.
  

   
  

  Words fail.
  

   
  

  Your presence shatters them,
  

   
  

  and pushes the pieces away,
  

   
  

  too far from me to ever find again.
  

   
  

  I don't care.
  

   
  

  They have served their purpose:
  

   
  

  they were meant to fall before you.
  

   
  

  So small a gift for something so great.
  

   
  

Aphrodite:

• See her, rising from the foam,
  

  stepping onto land at the ocean's edge,
  

   
  

  most beautiful of all that live in both,
  

   
  

  and most beautiful than all in the land above:
  

   
  

  Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love.
  

   
  

Apollo:

• When your arrows pierce my soul, Straight Shooter,
  

  may it be only to kill any falsehoods there.
  

   
  

  Your music is true, Apollo.
  

   
  

Cernunnos:

• He's laughing at me.
  

  No sound escapes from his mouth,
  

   
  

  his eyes don't dance,
  

   
  

  and his body is still
  

   
  

  (so still).
  

   
  

  But have no doubt—
  

   
  

  he is laughing.
  

   
  

  I'm sorry I'm not as perfect as you, Cernunnos,
  

   
  

  moving without action or changing,
  

   
  

  being, in fact, the fate that allows or denies all change.
  

   
  

  But I promise I'll sit with you,
  

   
  

  until someday we will laugh together.
  

   
  

  Although still at me.
  

   
  

Ceres:

• With one hand she blesses, with the other she proffers grain,
  

  feeding spirit and body of those who pray to her,
  

   
  

  Need-provider, Ceres the Grower.
  

   
  

Earth:

• I will stand only a moment before my shrine to bow
  

  to your image,
  

   
  

  and then I will go outside and place my hands on your very self,
  

   
  

  a loving caress.
  

   
  

• Each step a child's caress.
  

Energy Spirits:

• Each sun ray,
  

  Each water drop,
  

   
  

  Each gust of wind,
  

   
  

  Each colliding atom,
  

   
  

  Each spirit that formed coal, or oil, or gas:
  

   
  

  Each keystroke is a hymn to you.
  

   
  

• A friend who is filled       with the force of life.
  

  A god who is great        with the sweetest grace.
  

   
  

  A lord who is laughing   with the might of love.
  

   
  

  A Healer is Freyr           who makes things whole.
  

   
  

  And he is the one          with wonderful gifts
  

   
  

  holding my health          with a hand that is strong.
  

   
  

The God:

• Lord of the Shining Sky
  

  who sees all we do.
  

   
  

  We praise you.
  

   
  

  We sing to you.
  

   
  

  We offer to you.
  

   
  

  The one who stands high
  

   
  

  is worthy of praise.
  

   
  

  The one who stands straight
  

   
  

  is worthy of praise.
  

   
  

  The one who stands stiffly
  

   
  

  is worthy of praise.
  

   
  

  Mystic Phallus, the Moving One
  

   
  

  Mystic Phallus, the Shining One
  

   
  

  Mystic Phallus, the Shattering One
  

   
  

  Who opens all doors
  

   
  

  Who breaks all locks.