collapse

* Recent Posts

Re: "Christ Is King" by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:06:51 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 10:30:17 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Darkhawk
[Yesterday at 08:31:19 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Darkhawk
[Yesterday at 07:54:40 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sefiru
[Yesterday at 07:44:49 pm]

Author Topic: Resources for Writing Prayers  (Read 3508 times)

Aster Breo

  • Senior Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 2990
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 144
    • View Profile
Resources for Writing Prayers
« on: January 30, 2012, 11:17:08 pm »
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.  :o

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
"The status is not quo."  ~ Dr. Horrible

ccardinot

  • Sr. Apprentice
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Banned!
  • Posts: 69
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2012, 01:21:49 pm »
Quote from: Aster Breo;40976
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.  :o

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

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • *
  • Posts: 975
  • Total likes: 2
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2012, 08:52:44 pm »
Quote from: ccardinot;41055
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
« Last Edit: January 31, 2012, 08:53:54 pm by Marilyn/Absentminded »
I smile when I\'m angry.  I cheat and I lie
I do what I have to do to get by
But I know what is wrong, and I know what is right
And I die for the truth in my secret life

   In My Secret Life, L. Cohen

SunflowerP

  • Host
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Location: Calgary AB
  • Posts: 9911
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 732
  • Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs!
    • View Profile
    • If You Ain't Makin' Waves, You Ain't Kickin' Hard Enough
  • Religion: Eclectic religious Witchcraft
  • Preferred Pronouns: sie/hir/hirs/hirself
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2012, 02:48:12 am »
Quote from: Marilyn/Absentminded;41087

My god likes lies and limericks.

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

Sunflower
I'm the AntiFa genderqueer commie eclectic wiccan Mod your alt-right bros warned you about.
I do so have a life; I just live part of it online!
“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.” - Oscar Wilde
"Nobody's good at anything until they practice." - Brina (Yewberry)
My much-neglected blog "If You Ain't Makin' Waves, You Ain't Kickin' Hard Enough"

ccardinot

  • Sr. Apprentice
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Banned!
  • Posts: 69
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2012, 08:14:31 am »
Quote from: Marilyn/Absentminded;41087
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

  • Adept Member
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 2195
  • Total likes: 3
    • View Profile
    • http://www.flamekeeping.org
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2012, 09:08:32 am »
Quote from: ccardinot;41229
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

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • *
  • Posts: 975
  • Total likes: 2
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2012, 10:14:20 am »
Quote from: ccardinot;41229
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
I smile when I\'m angry.  I cheat and I lie
I do what I have to do to get by
But I know what is wrong, and I know what is right
And I die for the truth in my secret life

   In My Secret Life, L. Cohen

Finn

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2011
  • Posts: 860
  • Country: 00
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
    • http://seanchasfinn.wordpress.com
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2012, 12:26:14 pm »
Quote from: ccardinot;41229
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.
Fight evil: read books.

Blogging at: An Seanchas Finn

Waldhexe

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jul 2011
  • Location: Essen
  • Posts: 684
  • Country: de
  • Total likes: 46
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Druidry
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her/her
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2012, 05:43:16 am »
Quote from: Aster Breo;40976
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

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 21
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2012, 10:21:45 am »
Quote from: Waldhexe;41347
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.

Charon

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 3
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Resources for Writing Prayers
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2012, 08:17:52 pm »
Quote from: ccardinot;41229
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!


This is really awesome and what I have found, too.
 
Quote from: Aster Breo;40976
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.  :o

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


Something that worked exceptionally well for me, even once I had come to accomplish the personally numbing success of deep meditation in such a way that subtle issues and even moderate drama would fall away with a good night's sleep, is deeply reading the personal experiences of others who have shared my passions in various forms and fields. I don't bother reading anything that seems to be written by an adventurous mind who is merely curious, however. One of my most favorite books,ever, is the Necronomicon written by Donald Tyson. It may seem fictitious to most, but so much of the depth of the subject's journey I can personally relate to and it really helped me to re-establish a lot of those old, thought to be dead and buried emotions. Sometimes, or, rather, more times than not, much of our most provoking emotions that wraught the most effective and spiritually ratifying prayers cannot be shared. It would be impossible to trap such emotionally induced thought into understandable language without depowering the invoked power achieved.

Best wishes, Aster.

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
15 Replies
7560 Views
Last post September 15, 2011, 11:35:19 pm
by Asch
3 Replies
2016 Views
Last post November 21, 2011, 05:07:15 pm
by Lonstar
4 Replies
1681 Views
Last post June 11, 2012, 08:01:25 am
by Stardancer
7 Replies
1448 Views
Last post July 09, 2015, 03:07:17 am
by Seax_Blade
11 Replies
2516 Views
Last post January 27, 2018, 11:33:24 am
by mona lizard

Beginner Area

Warning: You are currently in a Beginner Friendly area of the message board.

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 102
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 0

There aren't any users online.

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal