I posted this to my discussion group and it was an interesting topic that I wanted to share more widely:
A teacher once said to me when talking about Wiccan forms of prayer
"Prayer Wiccans don't pray! "
Yet, We do pray, some fo us pray a lot actually. Typically the idea in Wicca is that we are partners of the divine so it's somtimes argued that we don't need to pray. Sure we do spells and we invoke the Gods and Goddesses in our rites but this is not the same as prayer. Yet I have also had the experience the longer that I practice this path the more devotional of a Pagan I become and the more that prayer becomes important to me.
So is devotional practice important to your path? What does this devotional practice look like? If you don't have one why don't you think it's important? If this topic is new to you how might you approach being devotional?
Replies
I use a specific devotional written by Raven Kaldera http://www.pagan-prayerbeads.com/index.html#egypt
Prayer and devotion help me center my mind and myself. For me, using a guided meditation can also be a devotional. I feel using these help me seek a closer relationship with my personal Deities, my Higher Self, and mental well-being.
I obtained a book a couple of months back that may be pertininent material to share in this regard, so I'll recommend, as it is dense with many beautifully written prayers across a number of useful categories & occasions, with guidelines for creating your own: A Book of Pagan Prayer (2018, Weiser Books) by Ceisiwr Serith.
As some examples from the text (pp. 220, 148, 202):
Hermes
Lord of travelers, unite this land.
We share one road, with many branches:
guide us along it to find each other's homes.
And when we find them, clear our sight,
so that we might see that we all live in the same
neighborhood
that none of us lives apart.
The Ancestors
Your blood is my blood,
flowing out of the past, through me, to the future.
Through my actions, you live.
Guide me, then, in the decisions I face today,
making clear to me the safe path between obstacles
and keeping me from false steps along the way.
And from Prayers for Dying...
At the end of my life, I put my trust in the gods of my
people.
Ancient Wise Woman, cover me with your cloak
as I walk the last path that leads to your land.
(Note: indentation of poems preserved, as per the book's text)
Love this book and the guy who wrote it is a great human, we had talked a few times as when I was in The ADF he was a member as well and shared many of the same interest as I had at the time. I have to replace my copy of it. As for the topic I have used a blessing from it in 3 weddings I celebrated for the couples who asked me & I use a prayer found in it over my meals everytime I eat (well save for snacking)
This is pretty cool. I also found one the other day that looked interesting: hymns for the gods
I noticed the book you recommended is on my Kindle Unlimited, so I grabbed it. Thank you for the additional sharing.
As a note, I donated several hundred varied books from my personal library last summer when I downsized during a move, and so I often use Kindle and Audible (and PDFs) to save valuable space. Having said that, my book noted above is a physical copy, which is generally my preferred form, space permitting.
Somehow felt I needed to qualify that, particularly given my love of new and old physical books, as often electronic forms detract from an intimate connection with knowledge and story, as could be the case with this book you suggested. I'll be mindful...