A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book (48 page)

The Goddess, for peace:

• Peace, sweet Peace,
  

  bring to this divided land,
  

   
  

  Comforting Mother of the soothing hand.
  

   
  

Peace:

• On wings that light away war's shadows, fly swiftly to us, Peace,
  

  to those who wait impatiently after praying.
  

   
  

  We pray for Peace,
  

   
  

  we pray to Peace.
  

   
  

  To Peace, Goddess of Promise,
  

   
  

  Holy and Pure One, we pray for peace.
  

   
  

• Spirits of plants and animals,
  

  of water and stone;
  

   
  

  All the Spirits of this land:
  

   
  

  Our ancestors weren't kind to your ancestors when they came to this land.
  

   
  

  Today, hear our words,
  

   
  

  taste our offerings,
  

   
  

  so we might begin a new relationship with you,
  

   
  

  a few small steps on the road to trust.
  

   
  

  May they bless us, these beings of numinous presence,
  

   
  

  when we bring them our gifts of offerings and words
  

   
  

  with minds well-intentioned, with hearts well-inclined,
  

   
  

  in worship, in honor, with well-deserved reverence.
  

   
  

  May those worthy of blessing bless all who pray:
  

   
  

  Holy Ones, this prayer from me to you.
  

   
  

Gods have personal tastes just as we do, and offerings to them will vary from deity to deity. If you're expecting a dinner guest you know doesn't like peas, how rude is it to serve peas? You're not likely to develop a relationship that way. Or worse; who would knowingly serve pork to an observant Jew? That would not only be offensive; it would be an offense. The same is true with deities.

Some are offended by certain offerings—most commonly, meat, which is particularly bothersome to some domestic deities. Sometimes, you can find out what to offer deities through research. Cultures often have traditions: water mixed with wine for Greek deities, sake for Japanese kami, etc. Individual deities may also have preferences. For instance, we know from Apuleius (
Golden Ass
, 3.27) that Epona liked roses. But sometimes, you will need to experiment, starting with what seems best and seeing what happens.

There are some patterns linking deity type and offerings that can help with this. The following list gives some of them. These suggestions are not meant to be taken as hard and fast rules—a deity from a culture that does not drink milk may be confused by a milk offering—but they can give you a starting point for experimentation.

In the following list, animals can be replaced with meat or symbolic offerings.

A
NCESTORS
:
Food and drink from the family table, bread (especially dark), beer, beans, caraway, hair. If you are offering to a particular ancestor, use their favorite foods.

B
IRTH DEITIES
:
Bread, eggs, milk, sandalwood, mint, roses.

B
ORDER GUARDIANS
:
Pigs, eggs, honey, milk, wine, flower garlands.

C
ULTURE DEITIES
:
Songs, poems, prepared food.

D
EATH DEITIES
:
Pork, dogs, beer. This is one exception to the rule of sharing; you don't want to share with death.

D
EITIES IN GENERAL
:
Bread, butter or oil (burned), wine, beer, frankincense.

E
ARTH DEITIES
:
Bread, pigs, beer.

F
IRE DEITIES
:
Flammable items, especially liquids like vegetable oils, whiskey, or melted clarified butter.

G
ARDEN SPIRITS
:
Bread, grain, fruit, water, milk, honey, bay leaf incense, flowers.

H
EARTH GUARDIANS
:
Bread, butter, milk, pine incense, rosemary. Generally not meat.

H
OUSE SPIRITS
:
Bread, salt, wine, milk, food from the family table, butter, beer.

L
UNAR DEITIES
:
Milk, bread, white flowers.

N
ATURE SPIRITS IN GENERAL
:
Local grain (cornmeal in America, wheat or barley in England, etc.), bread, beer, flowers, shiny things.

N
ATURE SPIRITS
(A
MERICAN
):
Cornmeal, sage, tobacco, shiny things.

S
OLAR DEITIES
:
Horses, white wine, mead, gold, butter.

S
TORM DEITIES
:
Cattle, beer, meteorites, sledge hammers, axes, flint.

T
ECHNOLOGY DEITIES
:
Tools, products of labor.

T
HRESHOLD GUARDIANS
:
Barley, bread, wine, juniper.

W
AR DEITIES
:
Cattle, goats, iron, weapons.

A
ENGUS
Ó
G
:
Irish. God of youth, love, and inspiration.

A
GNI
:
“Fire.” Vedic. God of fire, priest of the gods, intermediary between us and the gods.

A
IRMED
:
Irish. Goddess of healing, especially with herbs.

A
IRYAMEN
:
“The People.” Vedic. God of society, healing, and marriage; of bringing things together happily.

A
MATERASU
:
Japanese. Sun goddess.

A
PAM
N
APAT
:
“Close Relative of the Waters.” God of fire hidden in water; often identified with Agni.

A
PHRODITE
:
Greek. The Greeks translated her name as “foam born,” but it probably has its origin in “Ashtorerth,” the name of the Phoenecian version of Astarte. Goddess of love, beauty, and passion.

A
POLLO
:
Greek and Roman. God of healing, truth, civilization, music, and the sun.

A
RES
:
“Strife.” Greek. God of war.

A
RIOMANUS
:
Roman. A god in Mithraism depicted with a lion's head and wings. He likely was a god of fire who served to purify the soul on its journey toward the celestial realm.

A
RTEMIS
:
Greek. Goddess of the wild, the hunt, virginity, and the moon.

A
SKLEPIOS
:
Greek (in Rome, he was called “Aesculapius”). God of healing.

A
THENA
:
“Of Athens.” Greek. Goddess of wisdom, communication, and the practical arts; also of politics and protection. Equivalent to the Roman Minerva.

A
USHRINE
:
“Rising.” Lithuanian. Goddess of the dawn and spring.

B
RIGHID
:
“Exalted.” Irish. Hearth goddess, mothering goddess. As patron of poets, smiths, and healers, she is also a goddess of inspiration.

C
ASTOR AND
P
OLLUX
:
Greek and Roman. Twin gods, protectors, especially of sailors and soldiers. Patrons of cattle and horse ranchers.

C
ERES
:
“Grower.” Roman. Goddess of growing things, especially grain, and of prosperity.

C
ERNUNNOS
:
“Antlered One.” Gaulish. The one who goes between opposites; god of prosperity, especially that acquired through trade.

C
YBELE
:
Phrygian. Mother goddess.

D
IONYSOS
:
Greek. God of wine, the vine, and ecstasy.

D
OMOVOI
:
Russian. House guardian who lives behind the stove.

D
YÉUS
P
TÉR
:
“Shining Sky Father.” Proto-Indo-European. Chief god, dispenser of wisdom and justice, enforcer of the natural order of things.

E
OS
:
“Rising.” Greek. Goddess of the spring and dawn.

E
OSTRE
:
“Rising.” Germanic. Goddess of the spring and dawn.

F
IREBIRD
:
Russian. A bird that dwells in a faraway land, guarding the Tree of Life. It may bring blessings or disaster on those who encounter it.

F
REYR
:
“Lord.” Norse. God of friendship, fertility, and sexuality.

G
A
E
A
:
“Lord of Categories.” Hindu. An elephant-headed god, overcomer of obstacles.