Resources for Writing Prayers

[Aster Breo]

I'm looking for resources to help with writing prayers.

Part of the Brighid-focused path I'm working on includes prayers for various times of day and events. I've been able to find a couple of things that I like or that I can adapt for my use. But I need more resources. While I'm a decent technical writer, I've never been good at creative writing.

I already have both of Serith's books on pagan prayer (which I like but didn't find useful for this specific purpose), so I need other ideas. Also, I have a preference for rhyming prayers, although they don't ALL have to rhyme.

I'd appreciate any ideas and suggestions.

Thanks!

~ Aster

[ccardinot]

I'm looking for resources to help with writing prayers.

Part of the Brighid-focused path I'm working on includes prayers for various times of day and events. I've been able to find a couple of things that I like or that I can adapt for my use. But I need more resources. While I'm a decent technical writer, I've never been good at creative writing.

I already have both of Serith's books on pagan prayer (which I like but didn't find useful for this specific purpose), so I need other ideas. Also, I have a preference for rhyming prayers, although they don't ALL have to rhyme.

I'd appreciate any ideas and suggestions.



Thanks!

~ Aster

A piece of advice I can give you is to quit reading books and start listening to your patron goddess through meditation, she'll inspire every single bone of yours.

Cheers!

[Marilyn/Absentminded]

A piece of advice I can give you is to quit reading books and start listening to your patron goddess through meditation, she'll inspire every single bone of yours.

Cheers!

Common advice, but not necessarily valid. Sometimes formality, effort, and discipline are appreciated, not just a chat or a wordless communion. Learning a skill is better in these cases than just hoping you'll be given inspiration.

Gods have spheres of influence - they're not just flowers and breezes. If your god is a patron of words or poetry then they are going to want prayers in clever words or moving poems.

My god likes lies and limericks.

Absent

[SunflowerP]

My god likes lies and limericks.

Drat, you had to say that, didn't you?

Sunflower

[ccardinot]

Common advice, but not necessarily valid. Sometimes formality, effort, and discipline are appreciated, not just a chat or a wordless communion. Learning a skill is better in these cases than just hoping you'll be given inspiration.

Gods have spheres of influence - they're not just flowers and breezes. If your god is a patron of words or poetry then they are going to want prayers in clever words or moving poems.

My god likes lies and limericks.

Absent

I respectfully disagree. Inspiration is not just to sit, wait and wish. The deeper you have intimacy with your deities, the better you can understand what suits them and what doesn't. That's a fact. And, unless I'm entirely wrong, the deeper your knowledge about your own self, the better your relationship with everything around you, even with your path and deities.

So, knowing yourself and your deities deeply are vital to be entirely inspired and be a better seeker (after all, we are continually seeking the occult knowledge throughout our lives, on the contrary, we wouldn't be witches :-) )

Cheers!

[HeartShadow]

I respectfully disagree. Inspiration is not just to sit, wait and wish. The deeper you have intimacy with your deities, the better you can understand what suits them and what doesn't. That's a fact. And, unless I'm entirely wrong, the deeper your knowledge about your own self, the better your relationship with everything around you, even with your path and deities.

So, knowing yourself and your deities deeply are vital to be entirely inspired and be a better seeker (after all, we are continually seeking the occult knowledge throughout our lives, on the contrary, we wouldn't be witches :-) )

Cheers!

I write - it is my vocation. And really, the idea that *anyone can do it* is frankly irritating.

Yes, anyone can string some words together. But there's a reason we read some people and not others. And there's NOTHING wrong with going to a pro for help with getting something to sound the way you want it instead of half-assed.

Different people have different skills. Why SHOULDN'T we take advantage of each other's abilities when we can? We are greater together than we are apart.

[Marilyn/Absentminded]

I respectfully disagree. Inspiration is not just to sit, wait and wish. The deeper you have intimacy with your deities, the better you can understand what suits them and what doesn't. That's a fact. And, unless I'm entirely wrong, the deeper your knowledge about your own self, the better your relationship with everything around you, even with your path and deities.

So, knowing yourself and your deities deeply are vital to be entirely inspired and be a better seeker (after all, we are continually seeking the occult knowledge throughout our lives, on the contrary, we wouldn't be witches :-) )

Cheers!

Again, that is not universal. My relationship with deity is transactional, not intimate, and that is a valid and long-standing custom for some people/some gods. I am not a spiritual person (except for brief periods of madness/ecstasy) but I have had a satisfying relationship with the puppy in the crib since birth.

I do not believe that all knowledge comes from within - my life is not long enough to recreate all the things that others discovered, developed, or designed and I am perfectly willing to draw on their understanding. I even share my own when I want to. To sit back and ask the dog rather than figure it out on my own, using human resources, would get my ass laughed at or bit - he's not an answer machine.

And while yes, I am a witch, I am not continually seeking occult knowledge. I only seek what I need and am interested in. I am perfectly willing to be finished when my wants are satisfied, and only go looking for more when I need it. I am far more likely to spend my time writing doggerel than looking for the truths inside truth.

Your mileage may vary, of course. I have no desire to be a profound person. It's not my cup of tea.

Absent

[Finn]

I respectfully disagree. Inspiration is not just to sit, wait and wish. The deeper you have intimacy with your deities, the better you can understand what suits them and what doesn't. That's a fact. And, unless I'm entirely wrong, the deeper your knowledge about your own self, the better your relationship with everything around you, even with your path and deities.

So, knowing yourself and your deities deeply are vital to be entirely inspired and be a better seeker (after all, we are continually seeking the occult knowledge throughout our lives, on the contrary, we wouldn't be witches :-) )

Since Aster won't be back online until this evening, I'll say this: Aster does not identify as a witch, nor indeed seeks occult knowledge (that is, to do with magic) because she has been told by her goddess not to do magic.

So, as ever, mileage varies here when it comes to seeking skills and inspiration, and indeed, getting to know your deities and yourself.

[Waldhexe]

I'd appreciate any ideas and suggestions.

Not sure how useful this is, but I'm quite interested in talking about how different people go about writing prayers.

I first write a more plain version which contain the relevant characteristics of the deity I invoke and clearly state what I pray for. After that I go through it from an artistic perspective and find ways to say everything more beautiful. I often do brainstorming on a certain keyword or symbol when I have the feeling there should be more about it.

However, I have no idea if I'm doing a good job and if my technique is useful to others.

[DaraD]

Not sure how useful this is, but I'm quite interested in talking about how different people go about writing prayers.

I first write a more plain version which contain the relevant characteristics of the deity I invoke and clearly state what I pray for. After that I go through it from an artistic perspective and find ways to say everything more beautiful. I often do brainstorming on a certain keyword or symbol when I have the feeling there should be more about it.

However, I have no idea if I'm doing a good job and if my technique is useful to others.

I think this is a good approach to it. I do the same when writing poems and/or spells and find that having the "skeleton" written down makes adding the flesh and other details easier. It essentially gives you a base to work from and allows you the ability to fine tune it to your needs. This is especially helpful when one wants rhymes to be involved.