Prayers & Invocations

November Prayers: Day 7

When the black dog has her claws hooked in you,
threatening to never let go,
trying to pull you under, into the darkness…
When the world is too loud, and too bright,
overwhelming all your senses,
pushing you to escape into the void…
When the night seems to go on forever,
dragging into the black,
until it seems even the stars have lost their light…
Then is when the sky will lighten,
Then is when the cloud-cover will dissipate,
Then is when the Dawn will come.
So, after the storm has raged,
go to where the Waters flow more freely now,
won and blessed for you,
and find your peace in nature.

November Prayers: Day 5

A Meal Blessing of Thanks:
We thank the Earth Mother, first and foremost,
for the bounty she has shared.
We also thank:
The Ancestors, for teaching us their ways,
The Nature Spirits, for sharing of themselves,
And The Shining Ones, for walking with us.
To all those spirits we love,
Come, join us at our feast,
and be welcomed by our hospitality.

November Prayers: Day 4

Darkness is spread like a blanket across the sky
as I call out to Hypnos to let me sip from his horn.
Come to me, Mist Cloaked one,
and work your magic on me.
Bring your brothers and your sons,
The Oneiroi, Morpheus first among them,
to share their magic of sweet dreams.
A deep and peaceful sleep I desire:
Come to me, Hypnos, Come!

November Prayers: Day 3

When a tempest rages around my being,
When a maelstrom spins beyond control,
I stand centered, firm and grounded, at my core.
Rational thought continues to guide me,
my emotions acknowledged, but not my yoke.
For the God of the Deep, Lord of the Raging Sea,
I thank you as I continue my work as your devotee:
You’ve taught me perseverance in the face of turbulence;
You’ve taught me to when and where to unleash my temper;
You’ve taught me that all things ebb and flow,
and that in that cycle, balance can  be found.
Poseidon, Earth Shaker, Wave Bringer,
To you I give my deep praise and heartfelt thanks.

November Prayers: Day 2

My Day 2 #prayeraday for #nanowrimo is to one of my spirit allies I’ve met in my clergy and initiate trance work.  As much as we’ve worked closely together for somewhere around two and half years now, I’ve never felt the need to get formal with names.  In writing this, I’m feeling like I may need to ask what he’d prefer to be called, because it sounds silly and irreverent when I don’t really mean it to be.  Then again, maybe that’s okay too.  He is a bit impish in his wisdom and demeanor.
Pinpricks of light spark in the night sky.
I see you, many dancing spirits.
Falling to the earth, in brilliant streams of silver.
I see you, in your solitary glory, racing for the earth.
Alighting upon the land to dance atop the stones,
to dance atop the Mound.
In a burst of flame, dancing and flowing,
I see you, your impact spreading like wildfire across the land.
Strange and alien, fiery streak,
with your watery blue flesh belying the heat of your skin,
trailing a flickering path of crimson and gold
smoothing your way across the bosom of the mother.
Your tentacles make eye contact with me as you flow in my direction.
Slug of Fire, I welcome your presence in my life,
Just as I welcome your wisdom in my Work.
Be with me as I continue my journey.
#adfdruidry

November Prayers: Day 1

I think my contribution to #nanowrimo is going to be a variation.  I’ve not been writing as much in general, and want something to kind of kick start my devotional practice again, since there’s been a lot of changes in my life the past few months.  So, I’m going to write a prayer a day.  Since I decided this around 8 or 9 pm last night, I’ll try to manage two today 😃
Day 1:
A new step on this journey,
a new breath of life in this practice…
I call out to the Powers of Inspiration:
Be with me in my work this month.
Sing through my heart and soul
and drip your sweet honey from my lips and pen onto these pages.
Breathe life into my thoughts, and hopes, and dreams.
Invigorate my practice and my work.
Help me to notice the meaning in each moment,
be present with it, and let it inspire my voice.
Inspiration, I write this first prayer to you,
who will walk with me this month,
allowing my vision and words to flow with ease.
Powers of Inspiration, be with me!

“A Voice at The Fire: Invitations To The Spirits” Workshop Outline

“A Voice at The Fire: Invitations To The Spirits”

Speaking Praise Offerings and Invitations to the Three Kindreds is a vital part of our practice as Druids and pagans.  In this writing workshop learn to craft your own invitations to the Kindreds for use in your personal practice, or in small group ritual.  We will work with descriptive language, poetic forms, and other literary devices when writing.  The workshop will conclude with a short blessing ritual where each person will have the opportunity to take the invitation they have written, speak it before the fire and the spirits, and make offerings.
The full workshop may be viewed on the Three Cranes Grove, ADF YouTube Channel:

 Workshop Notes:

Writing Invitations to the Kindreds

  • Invocation – Beings Within (think “Drawing Down” and “Horsing”)
  • Evocation – Beings Without (Inviting to be present at the ritual)

Memorize bookends & formulas if possible

Hey, you’re a god!

Here’s why you’re awesome!

We’re honoring you on this day.

Here’s your offering.

It’s appropriate to give to you for this celebration because Reasons.

Here’s how it is given to you and how you receive it.

Yay, god! Take your gift!

Types of Prayers:

  • Praise
  • Petitions
  • Love
  • Focus
  • Thanks
  • Forgiveness

Types of Rituals:

  • Solitary (1) -private
  • Small Group (2-10) – intimate; everyone knows what’s going on; everyone welcome to speak
  • Medium Group (11-30)– some may be unfamiliar with what is going on; most people still welcome to speak
  • Large Group (31+) – many may be unfamiliar with what is going on; speaking parts generally scripted; praise offerings welcomed, but perhaps not in verbal form
  • Extra Large Group (70+) – celebrants guiding/leading; may be the only ones who are speaking or know what’s going on; praise offerings sometimes welcomed, rarely in verbal form

Literary Devices & Descriptive Language:

Excellent book is Writing With Stardust by Liam O’Flynn

  • Active verbs
  • 3×3 descriptions
  • epithets
  • extended metaphor
  • parallel structure

Write Your Own:

 

Activity

Short Devotional:

Full COoR; parts divided amongst participants