Resources for Pagan Prayers

Pagan prayer takes as many forms as there are individuals who practice it. Some of us have been reluctant to use the word prayer because of the images it conjures up of kneeling in submission to an authoritarian male god. But this attitude is changing as we grow in our acceptance of the fact that prayer has been used for centuries by Pagans and non-Pagans alike as a large part of their respective faiths.

Below is an example of how to construct your own prayers as well as resources to learn more.

No one can tell you how to pray. This process should come from the heart and soul first, then the mind. There is nothing wrong with praying to your gods as if they were friends. In fact, many Pagans prefer this style of prayer. Sometimes however, we all get stuck on the words to use, especially if we are trying to break free of the negative connotations of praying.

A simple but effective technique for prayer construction is as follows:

• State the deity’s name and what they are most known for, i.e. love, peace, plentiful harvest and prosperity.
• State your petition and/or offering.

Here is an example using the Celtic god Lugh:

Lugh, great warrior and god of many arts; bright shining god of light; grant that my skills and craft increase to bring honor to your name and prosperity to my household.

If you don’t want to pray to a specific deity or have a universalist approach, then use terms such as Spirit of prosperity, love, etc. or Great Spirit, God, Goddess, All That Is.

Pagan chants are an excellent source of prayers. Some of the most famous in the general Pagan community are from the Reclaiming Tradition led by Starhawk and other goddess traditions. You’ve probably heard and sung some of these if you’ve attended Pagan gatherings.

This famous chant from Z. Budapest and Ian Corrigan can be used as a prayer to the Goddess:

We all come from the Goddess

And to Her we shall return

Like a drop of rain

Flowing to the ocean

Visit the Reclaiming Quarterly website to read a PDF or text version of a collection of their most beloved chants.

Daily devotionals can be used from published work such as from Caitlin Matthews' Celtic Devotional or constructed from other sources. The Havamal from Northern European tradition is one such source.

The Carmina Gadelica, which is mainly Christian in context has been successfully adapted for Pagan prayers. It is believed that this collection of prayers from Celtic lands has roots in Paganism, especially the prayers relating to Bride (or Brigid).

The links to the side will take you to several good prayer resources including the Internet Sacred Text Archive, aka Sacred Texts where you can find the Havamal and Carmina Gadelica for free. There are several translations of the Havamal including one good for meditation use, the Auden and Taylor version, presented on the Asatru Alliance website.

You can also find Pagan Prayers by Marah Ellis Ryan at Sacred Texts. This book was published in 1913 and is focused on prayers from Native American, Eastern, Muslim, and Hindu traditions.

Prayer beads are becoming increasingly popular among pagans.

The Order of Horae, part of the Asphodel tradition, has an instruction page on the website on how to make your own rosary as well as prayers to print and use in your own practice.

More and more authors are addressing this need for prayer and devotion within Paganism including Caitlin Matthews, Ceisiwr Serith, and John Michael Greer to name just a few.

While you don’t have to follow any guidelines for prayer but your own personal feelings, hopefully these resources will be a starting point to help enrich your personal practice.