Author Topic: Prayers? Do you pray to everyone in your pantheon? (Read 6580 times)

Jainarayan · « **Reply #15 on:** October 13, 2014, 08:55:15 am »

Quote from: Kylara;162097

When I use them, I tend to say short little prayers to honor each deity. It's all spur of the moment, whatever I am feeling in relation to the deity that day. One day I might say "Hail Odin, All-Father, he who watches over us all, keep me in your sight," while another day I might go with, "I honor Odin, Master of Runes."

I've considered making a more formalized wording (taking inspiration from the Rosary), and I've read some really pretty wording for Pagan Prayer Beads, I just haven't settled on something that works for me yet.

That is very cool, I like that. Thanks.

I've taken to mentally chanting:

Hail Thor, show thy might,
Let thunder roar and lightning strike!
Hurl thy hammer into the fray,
And let thine enemies know fear this day!

I may take a cue from you and think up a few other little "mantras". Consider your idea copyright infringed.

:

Kylara · « **Reply #16 on:** October 14, 2014, 08:57:54 am »

Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;162102

That is very cool, I like that. Thanks.

I've taken to mentally chanting:

Hail Thor, show thy might,
Let thunder roar and lightning strike!
Hurl thy hammer into the fray,
And let thine enemies know fear this day!

I may take a cue from you and think up a few other little "mantras". Consider your idea copyright infringed. :

Your chant is lovely

I am always glad to hear other people find something I do interesting!

Jainarayan · « **Reply #17 on:** October 14, 2014, 09:14:11 am »

Quote from: Kylara;162197

Your chant is lovely I am always glad to hear other people find something I do interesting!

Thanks... the idea to use that just came to me. When I was practicing Hinduism I could never connect with any mantra for japa (repeated chanting), and there are plenty of them. It's funny how things hit like lightning (no pun intended).

Caffeinated Autumn · « **Reply #18 on:** December 09, 2014, 02:46:51 am »

Quote from: Gunnar Thorbjorn;161941

Being polytheists, some of us have large and eclectic pantheons. It's probably not possible to say prayers of praise and thanks to all of them, especially during an offering at the shrine or altar. Or even have representations of all of them in a shrine. I've always felt a little creepy not addressing every single deity in the pantheon, or even all the ones in my shrine. For example, I have a picture of Baldr, but I have no prayer to him, nor would I know what to say. He's there because he represents something to me. I'm wondering what other people who have rather eclectic pantheons do about prayers and offerings.

The deities I worship are a lot to say the least and praying to everyone would be impossible to do everyday. However, I have given offerings and thanks to Brighid, Merlin, Morrigan, Rhiannon, and Arianrhod. I've worshiped mainly the Gaelic and Welsh deities more than the Gaulish, Brythonic, and Celtiberian deities.

I've been feeling drawn to Morrigan since I started getting into Wicca so I think I might start giving daily offerings to her along with the God and Goddess.

By the way I have a question for you guys. When you make offerings to your patron/matron deity, Do you also offer something to the God and Goddess (for those of you who do worship them)?

BeardedBoggan · « **Reply #19 on:** December 09, 2014, 07:30:45 am »

Quote from: Caffeinated Autumn;167051

The deities I worship are a lot to say the least and praying to everyone would be impossible to do everyday. However, I have given offerings and thanks to Brighid, Merlin, Morrigan, Rhiannon, and Arianrhod. I've worshiped mainly the Gaelic and Welsh deities more than the Gaulish, Brythonic, and Celtiberian deities.

I've been feeling drawn to Morrigan since I started getting into Wicca so I think I might start giving daily offerings to her along with the God and Goddess.

By the way I have a question for you guys. When you make offerings to your patron/matron deity, Do you also offer something to the God and Goddess (for those of you who do worship them)?

I see my own worship of the Dagda, the Morrigan and Bride as an extension of worshiping the Divine (or God and Goddess) in a particular manifestation. So, basically, any offerings and prayers I make to my patron deities, I am also, by association and through recognizing that these are extensions of the Divine, offering up to them as well.

Kylara · « **Reply #20 on:** December 09, 2014, 10:23:05 am »

Quote from: Caffeinated Autumn;167051

By the way I have a question for you guys. When you make offerings to your patron/matron deity, Do you also offer something to the God and Goddess (for those of you who do worship them)?

Typically no. If I am offering to one (or more) specific deities (patron or otherwise), I don't feel the need to extend that to the more general God and Goddess. I have done rituals where I offer up to the God and the Goddess specifically.

RecycledBenedict · « **Reply #21 on:** July 16, 2015, 06:07:56 pm »

Quote from: Thorbjorn;161941

Being polytheists, some of us have large and eclectic pantheons. (...) I'm wondering what other people who have rather eclectic pantheons do about prayers and offerings.

In Religio Romana it is possible to make one single libation to all deities at the same time, without mentioning any particular names, but it is considered good form to precede such a ritual with something to Janus and follow it with something to Vesta and a Piaculum.

I am not a member of any pagan organisation, but just as inhabitants of the Roman Empire trusted members of the Senate to perform sacrifices on behalf of the entire Empire (citizens and non-citizens), I trust dignitaries of Nova Roma, Res Publica Romana and other such organisations to perform sacrifices on the 'public' level. On a daily basis, I give it just as much thought that an ordinary inhabitant of Germania Inferior, Britannia, Pontus or Cilicia would give the equivalent sacrifices in the city of Rome back in the days.

Meso-Druidry (of which I am not member of any organisation) on the other hand does not have any fixed pantheon mandatory to all and every Druid, so the question does not apply to Meso-Druidry (OBOD often invoke 'Spirit' in general, AODA encourage each member to make their own informed choice, and RDNA have members of every faith, including Agnostics: It is perfectly possible to interpret 'Earth Mother' as a metaphor).

Jainarayan · « **Reply #22 on:** July 16, 2015, 07:41:00 pm »

Quote from: FraterBenedict;177431

In Religio Romana it is possible to make one single libation to all deities at the same time, without mentioning any particular names, but it is considered good form to precede such a ritual with something to Janus and follow it with something to Vesta and a Piaculum.

Thanks, it's nice to learn about other traditions.

As I've been going along I've found "templates" for blót (libation offerings) prayers and structure. The first one I made hails all the gods, goddesses, wights, and ancestors in general terms. These templates can be adapted to perform a blót for a single god(dess) by changing the prayers and praises section of the "holy offering" for the specific deity. So it's not unlike what you described.

As I've gone along I've also been drawn to a small inner circle of deities I feel something special with. Thor is my fulltrui (the god I am closest to) but I am also drawn to Tyr, Freyja and Freyr for their particular attributes. There may be times I need to ask one of the deities for special favors, or to thank them, so I will use the template and make it specific to them.

Thanks to people who are a lot more experienced than I am, and have written prayers and rituals.

SunflowerP · « **Reply #23 on:** July 16, 2015, 08:33:52 pm »

Quote from: FraterBenedict;177431

IMeso-Druidry (of which I am not member of any organisation) on the other hand does not have any fixed pantheon mandatory to all and every Druid, so the question does not apply to Meso-Druidry (OBOD often invoke 'Spirit' in general, AODA encourage each member to make their own informed choice, and RDNA have members of every faith, including Agnostics: It is perfectly possible to interpret 'Earth Mother' as a metaphor).

A side question: I find this a bit puzzling, as it appears to count RDNA as a Meso-Druidic organization. I'm wondering why you class it that way (if you do; I might have misunderstood), and/or how you define 'Meso-Druidry' and 'Neo-Druidry'.

Sunflower

RecycledBenedict · « **Reply #24 on:** July 17, 2015, 07:29:24 am »

Quote from: SunflowerP;177453

A side question: I find this a bit puzzling, as it appears to count RDNA as a Meso-Druidic organization. I'm wondering why you class it that way (if you do; I might have misunderstood), and/or how you define 'Meso-Druidry' and 'Neo-Druidry'.

Sunflower

I borrowed the words Meso-Druidic and Neo-Druidic from Isaac Bonewits (who, by the way, identified himself as Neo-Druid in conscious contradistinction to RDNA).

Personally, I look for the following things, when I try to figure out which category an organisation falls in:

1. Does the organisation call itself 'Pagan'? Meso-Druids normally don't, at least not without qualifications. The split between RDNA and NRDNA took place over this issue, which places RDNA in the Meso-Druidic category.

2. Whom does the organisation welcome as members? Meso-Druids are inclusive, and welcome Deists, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Neo-Pagans, Pantheists, Newagers, Unitarian-Universalists et.c. Neo-Druidic organisation serve the spiritual needs of self-identified Neo-Pagans. The percentage of Neo-Pagans within RDNA is probably higher now than in the 1960's, but the organisation is still open for anyone, and does not have a mandatory worldview. It is delightfully anarchic. I wish it had some groves over here.

3. Is the focus on Nature or on present day accurate reconstructions of Celtic/Indo-European religion? Meso-Druids gravitate towards the first alternative, Neo-Druids to the second.

4. Are mythological characters of recent coinage tolerated? Meso-Druids would say 'Yes!': Among Meso-Druids of British/European origin you will find a ritual place for Celi, Ced, Hu Gadarn and Niwalen. Among Meso-Druids of American origin you find Beal and Dalon ap Landu. Neo-Druids would tend to say 'No!'. They are of a more reconstructionist kind, which is good for them, of course. To each their own!

Moonstone · « **Reply #25 on:** July 17, 2015, 03:00:00 pm »

Quote from: Thorbjorn;161941

Being polytheists, some of us have large and eclectic pantheons. It's probably not possible to say prayers of praise and thanks to all of them, especially during an offering at the shrine or altar. Or even have representations of all of them in a shrine. I've always felt a little creepy not addressing every single deity in the pantheon, or even all the ones in my shrine. For example, I have a picture of Baldr, but I have no prayer to him, nor would I know what to say. He's there because he represents something to me. I'm wondering what other people who have rather eclectic pantheons do about prayers and offerings.

I pray to both irish and welsh pantheons and i choose the deity depending on what the prayer is about. I have to admit though i have started favouring Brighid recently. I also often say a small prayer to Mannanan when i see the sea or our fabled "Mannanan's Cloak" sea mist that we get here in the Isle of Man.

SunflowerP · « **Reply #26 on:** July 18, 2015, 08:12:18 pm »

Quote from: FraterBenedict;177472

I borrowed the words Meso-Druidic and Neo-Druidic from Isaac Bonewits.

I figured that much; those are clearly his distinctions. In particular, I've never seen 'Meso-' in these contexts when it wasn't directly an application of his distinctions.

Quote

Personally, I look for the following things, when I try to figure out which category an organisation falls in:

Thank you; that makes sense. It's not how I would distinguish the categories, but I don't think there is (or even can be) a single 'right' way to distinguish, and since it was just a side question for clarification purposes, I won't get into where I differ in this thread (though I might, if I have time, start a spin-off thread).

Sunflower

RecycledBenedict · « **Reply #27 on:** July 19, 2015, 07:04:02 am »

Quote from: SunflowerP;177582

Thank you; that makes sense. It's not how I would distinguish the categories, but I don't think there is (or even can be) a single 'right' way to distinguish, and since it was just a side question for clarification purposes, I won't get into where I differ in this thread (though I might, if I have time, start a spin-off thread).

Sunflower

I don't think that there is a single 'right' way to distinguish Meso-Druidry and Neo-Druidry either, which is why I started my sentence with 'personally'. I suspect, however, that other distinguishing definitions will have some similarities to the one I - tentatively - use. I am in for starting a spin-off thread in the sub-forum about Druidry.

cletus90851 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 04, 2016, 09:35:31 am »

Quote from: Thorbjorn;161941

Being polytheists, some of us have large and eclectic pantheons. It's probably not possible to say prayers of praise and thanks to all of them, especially during an offering at the shrine or altar. Or even have representations of all of them in a shrine. I've always felt a little creepy not addressing every single deity in the pantheon, or even all the ones in my shrine. For example, I have a picture of Baldr, but I have no prayer to him, nor would I know what to say. He's there because he represents something to me. I'm wondering what other people who have rather eclectic pantheons do about prayers and offerings.

There are so many Hellenistic deitys, it would be nigh-impossible to properly honor them all daily and be able to still get work done. My ''solution'' to this, is to honor first the deitys I am closest to, and those I wish to thank for helping me with anything, then make my prayers to whomever I would like to assist me with something.
then I make an offering to "anyone else who may wish to partake of it." Additionally to this, I make a point to honor Deitys on their days before doing anything else.

There is also the issue of jealousy among the Gods. It would not feel appropriate to honor certain deitys together at the same altar, at least to me anyway. Ideally I feel each Deity should have their own shrine, but unfortunately this too is not always practical, depending on the space you have to work with. I personally feel that as the King of the Gods, Zeus should always have his own separate shrine at any rate. Some of the other Gods and Goddesses, in my experience, are willing to share.

StagTracker · « **Reply #29 on:** February 20, 2016, 02:07:33 pm »

Quote from: Caffeinated Autumn;167051

By the way I have a question for you guys. When you make offerings to your patron/matron deity, Do you also offer something to the God and Goddess (for those of you who do worship them)?

The focus at my altar is basically the Great Mother, God and Goddess. They are kind of the touchstones by which I connect with varying gods and goddesses. The Great Mother is similar to the Star Goddess... basically the totality of divinity, consciousness, life, etc. For the God and Goddess I really liked Ceisiwr Serith's take on them. I'm more of a "fluid polytheist"... not quite so soft as "all are the one," but resonating with the idea that the many are indeed individual but also part of a greater whole. Ceisiwr's take on it was a reverse of the usual facet analogy. Rather than the many emerging from the God and Goddess the two are the convergence of the many. They are kind of a Pagan Tao rather than hugely distinct beings.

I sometimes call it the "Voltron Theory" in reference to the anime shows where you had numerous robots forming one big robot.

Drawing again from Ceisiwr Serith, I generally refer to the Goddess as "Maghya" for "Lady of Power"... or sometimes Gwouwinda from the PIE cow goddess that is the "mother" aspect and the God as "Kerntos" or "He Who Bears the Horns/Antlers." Since Herne was one of the first beings I had contact with I figure that's not a huge stretch for him.

Basically, in honoring them I honor all others who influence my life. If any particular ones want special note they're always welcome to let me know. (If the Red Lion wants a bit of special attention as more than Voltron's right arm it can speak up.

)

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Author Topic: Prayers? Do you pray to everyone in your pantheon? (Read 6580 times)

Jainarayan

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Kylara

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Jainarayan

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Caffeinated Autumn

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BeardedBoggan

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Kylara

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Jainarayan

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SunflowerP

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RecycledBenedict

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Moonstone

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SunflowerP

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