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Author Topic: Meal Blessings/Prayers  (Read 13187 times)

MysticRayne

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Meal Blessings/Prayers
« on: July 25, 2011, 01:27:50 pm »
So, I've been thinking on it for awhile and I'd really like to start saying a short blessing/prayer before each meal.  The problem is, I can't seem to figure out what exactly to say so I was curious as to what others say/do at mealtime.   For one, I'm not sure who/what exactly to address with it.  The universe, one or both of my Patrons, a different deity from my Pantheon, the food itself(i.e. the animals/plants themselves)? I'm just not sure and I could sure use some ideas.  I've done a google search for Pagan meal blessings but that search yielded mostly Wiccan blessings which isn't altogether helpful since I'm not Wiccan.  Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?
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victoreia

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2011, 10:24:43 pm »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
So, I've been thinking on it for awhile and I'd really like to start saying a short blessing/prayer before each meal.  The problem is, I can't seem to figure out what exactly to say so I was curious as to what others say/do at mealtime.   For one, I'm not sure who/what exactly to address with it.  The universe, one or both of my Patrons, a different deity from my Pantheon, the food itself(i.e. the animals/plants themselves)? I'm just not sure and I could sure use some ideas.  I've done a google search for Pagan meal blessings but that search yielded mostly Wiccan blessings which isn't altogether helpful since I'm not Wiccan.  Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

 
Well, I don't normally say anything. If extended family members insist that I say the prayer at a holiday gathering, I usually say something flippant. (Generally along the lines of "Yub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, Yay God!") But that's because I'm (in my mother's words) a smart-ass.

Sorry, I know that's not very helpful. I feel, though, a similar "thank you for this meal" would probably work.
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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2011, 12:25:05 am »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
 Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

 
I've taken to blowing on my food if I decide it's good enough to offer; ie. when I have actual quality food in front of me, like fresh ripe fruit, newly baked bread, etc... I don't typically offer things like Cheetos. When I blow on my food, I am focusing on the energy in it, blowing a bit off and using my intention and breath to send it into the unseen for the gods and/or spirits to have. I should mention that this is a mindful practice and not something I just "do", I really do have to concentrate to do it properly otherwise the breath goes empty and just kind of fizzles. Sometimes I direct who it's for with my intention, sometimes I don't. I also sometimes do this in the context of ritual as well, where I may accompany the gift of that energy with spoken words if the mood strikes me.
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caelestisraven

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2011, 11:06:48 am »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
So, I've been thinking on it for awhile and I'd really like to start saying a short blessing/prayer before each meal.  The problem is, I can't seem to figure out what exactly to say so I was curious as to what others say/do at mealtime.   For one, I'm not sure who/what exactly to address with it.  The universe, one or both of my Patrons, a different deity from my Pantheon, the food itself(i.e. the animals/plants themselves)? I'm just not sure and I could sure use some ideas.  I've done a google search for Pagan meal blessings but that search yielded mostly Wiccan blessings which isn't altogether helpful since I'm not Wiccan.  Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

 
I just say a short prayer something like-

Goddess thank you for this food. May it be blessed to nourish me inside and out. May I always keep in mind the sacrifices of the earth so that I may take in this sustenance. May that which I take be returned three fold. In thanks & love Blessed Be.

Just something for me to take a moment and be thankful that I have food to eat and to remember where it came from.

I don't think the words really matter as long as the intent is there. idk what path you follow, I am not Wiccan either but usually if I get stuck on trying to write something I will just find something I like and change it up a bit to fit me lol
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Waterfall

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2011, 06:04:32 pm »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
So, I've been thinking on it for awhile and I'd really like to start saying a short blessing/prayer before each meal.  The problem is, I can't seem to figure out what exactly to say so I was curious as to what others say/do at mealtime.   For one, I'm not sure who/what exactly to address with it.  The universe, one or both of my Patrons, a different deity from my Pantheon, the food itself(i.e. the animals/plants themselves)? I'm just not sure and I could sure use some ideas.  I've done a google search for Pagan meal blessings but that search yielded mostly Wiccan blessings which isn't altogether helpful since I'm not Wiccan.  Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

 
I usually just thank the people who work at Chipotle. Or whoever made the food. My Christian friends always want to pray before meals, so when it's my turn, that's what they get. Either that or I'll say some random song lyrics and call it a blessing.

MysticRayne

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2011, 11:48:18 pm »
Quote from: caelestisraven;8344
I just say a short prayer something like-

Just something for me to take a moment and be thankful that I have food to eat and to remember where it came from.

 
This is exactly why I've been thinking of incorporating a mealtime blessing/prayer into my daily routine.   As far as my path, I'm Heathen.  I honor the Norse deities (most specifically Thor and Freya), my ancestors and the wights.  I was thinking maybe trying to figure out a way to word a meal blessing/prayer that gave thanks to the plants and/or animals making up my food as well as the farmers who grew it and all the people involved in getting it on my table.  I think that's for the most part what I've got in mind, but I was curious as to what others did, if anything.
"Sometimes you need the rain in order to appreciate the sun." - Me

acidrica

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2011, 03:23:46 pm »
Quote from: Waterfall;8472
I usually just thank the people who work at Chipotle. Or whoever made the food. My Christian friends always want to pray before meals, so when it's my turn, that's what they get. Either that or I'll say some random song lyrics and call it a blessing.


As a side note: I love Chipotle!

Back on topic: I usually just bow my head and mutter 'Dua Yinepu' under my breath. I'll then set aside my food for a short amount of time as a way to offer some of it to my deities. It may not sound like much, but I -love- food, so waiting for me is a big deal, and it's a gesture I hope they appreciate.

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2011, 04:09:40 pm »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
So, I've been thinking on it for awhile and I'd really like to start saying a short blessing/prayer before each meal.  The problem is, I can't seem to figure out what exactly to say so I was curious as to what others say/do at mealtime.   For one, I'm not sure who/what exactly to address with it.  The universe, one or both of my Patrons, a different deity from my Pantheon, the food itself(i.e. the animals/plants themselves)? I'm just not sure and I could sure use some ideas.  I've done a google search for Pagan meal blessings but that search yielded mostly Wiccan blessings which isn't altogether helpful since I'm not Wiccan.  Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

 
Usually, it's either "Thank you for giving up your life so that I can continue to live. I will honor your sacrifice by becoming more than I am and living life to the fullest" or "Itadakimasu" which is a Japanese thing, basically thanking everything and everyone that gave it's time or life into the meal- from the plants and animals to the person who made the meal. I think it loosely translates into "I humbly accept this offering".

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SatAset

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2011, 10:43:29 am »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
 Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?


Here is a Kemetic prayer to be said at meals or just offering to the gods which was found here: http://kemet.org/letters/shomu0100.html.  

       In Kemetic:
      hotep Netjer em shabu en imenti her iabi
      (ho-TEP net-JUR em shaBU en ih-MENTI hair ya-BI)

      Or, in English:
      May Netjer be satisfied with the repast to the right and to the left.
I am the Goddess of Who I can Become. I mix the magic of the sorceress with the blade of a warrior. I walk the liminal pathways to see the face of the Goddess, both terrible and kind. As She stares back at me, I tremble in awe and ecstasy.  --SatAset

Lokabrenna

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2011, 12:03:34 pm »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8560
This is exactly why I've been thinking of incorporating a mealtime blessing/prayer into my daily routine.   As far as my path, I'm Heathen.  I honor the Norse deities (most specifically Thor and Freya), my ancestors and the wights.  I was thinking maybe trying to figure out a way to word a meal blessing/prayer that gave thanks to the plants and/or animals making up my food as well as the farmers who grew it and all the people involved in getting it on my table.  I think that's for the most part what I've got in mind, but I was curious as to what others did, if anything.

 
I don't know if this helps, but Sigrun Freyskona (AKA Svartesol) includes a Vanir Meal Blessing prayer in Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner:

"For this food we are eating,
we give thanks to the Vanir of Earth and Sea.
We bless the places it came from.
We bless the spirits of the beings it came from.
We bless those who made this food,
and we bless those who share it with us.
May this food nourish our bodies
as well as our hearts." (pp. 96-7)

She also traces the Ing rune over the food before she eats.

You could easily replace "the Vanir" with "the gods" and the prayer would still make sense. You could also omit the line about sharing the food if you happen to be eating alone. I think it has all the elements you're looking for: acknowledging the gods, the animals and the plants, the people who made the food (which, I assume, would include all the people who were involved in its production).

I don't know if that helps at all.

MysticRayne

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2011, 02:03:50 pm »
Quote from: Devo;8728
"Thank you for giving up your life so that I can continue to live. I will honor your sacrifice by becoming more than I am and living life to the fullest"


This is beautiful, thanks for sharing.  :)
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MysticRayne

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2011, 02:15:34 pm »
Quote from: Lokabrenna;8953
I don't know if this helps, but Sigrun Freyskona (AKA Svartesol) includes a Vanir Meal Blessing prayer in Northern Tradition for the Solitary Practitioner:


Ooo...I think with a couple tweaks that prayer could be just about perfect.  Thanks for sharing, it's almost exactly what I was looking for!
"Sometimes you need the rain in order to appreciate the sun." - Me

Annan

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2011, 02:57:40 pm »
Quote from: Devo;8728
Usually, it's either "Thank you for giving up your life so that I can continue to live. I will honor your sacrifice by becoming more than I am and living life to the fullest" or "Itadakimasu" which is a Japanese thing, basically thanking everything and everyone that gave it's time or life into the meal- from the plants and animals to the person who made the meal. I think it loosely translates into "I humbly accept this offering".


That's beautiful, Devo.

I most often don't give thanks for meals.  Mostly because I don't remember to.  Perhaps after today I will be more vigilant to do so.  

When I do offer thanks for sustanences, it's usually at holiday meals like Thanksgiving.  I try to include all that had a hand in my partaking of the meal and bounty.
No price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.  ~ Nietzsche

True happiness is fidelity to a working purpose.  ~ Helen Keller

Micheál

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2011, 04:35:36 pm »
Quote from: MysticRayne;8032
 Anyone care to share what you say/do at mealtime?

Thelema's Will ritual.

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Do what thou Wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
It is my Will to eat and drink.
That I might fortify my body thereby.
That I might accomplish the Great Work.
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Zeno

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Re: Meal Blessings/Prayers
« Reply #14 on: August 23, 2011, 02:01:56 am »
Quote from: SatAset;8942
Here is a Kemetic prayer to be said at meals or just offering to the gods which was found here: http://kemet.org/letters/shomu0100.html.  

       In Kemetic:
      hotep Netjer em shabu en imenti her iabi
      (ho-TEP net-JUR em shaBU en ih-MENTI hair ya-BI)

      Or, in English:
      May Netjer be satisfied with the repast to the right and to the left.


That's really beautiful, thank you for that!

Anyway, a meals I usually keep my prayers of thanks short. The Gods gave you that food your eating, it would make sense they want you to enjoy it warm!

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