I have discussed prayer, where it comes from, and my own prayers in the article entitled Prayer. I have come across the following prayers that spoke to me. I find them interesting and meaningful. My hope is that you find something here that speaks to you. Take what you will. Integrate one or more into your life. Make your life your prayer.
These prayers are for various occasions. My sister Xia starts her day with the following, setting the tone for the day.
“Great Mother,
thank you for this day,
for my life,
my strand on the web,
the vibration it makes.
Keep me in tune,
in harmony, with your purpose.
Let me serve.”
When I shower, feeling glorious hot water cascading down over my body, I honor one of the most refreshing of the five elements (air, fire, water, earth, spirit). At the end of the shower, I either let the water flow onto my face or gather water in my hands and splash it on my face.
“Thank you Pachamama
for cleansing my body and my spirit.”
I say this three times. You may choose to do it once or as many times as seems right. I splash water on my face in between each “thanks”.
Then, I thank the Goddess for being with me on this portion of my path, such as:
“Thank you for supporting me
on this portion of my path
as I work through the day.
Please continue to give me your wisdom,
support, love, and guidance,
and may I never lose sight of my goal.”
As I turn the water off, I leave the shower with:
“Blessed Be”
That simple ‘Blessed Be’ brings into my consciousness the sacred unity of all life.
We eat three times a day (give or take) so thought should be given to what is said before each meal. The following is an example of what one could say.
“I thank all the plants and animals
who gave their lives to sustain mine.
May your next life be fulfilling, long, and blessed.”
Many cultures besides the mainstream have beautiful prayers for anytime in the day.
Navajo Prayer aka Beauty Road Prayer
O you who dwell In the house made of the dawn,
In the house made of the evening twilight…
Where the dark mist curtains the doorway,
The path to which is on the rainbow…
I have made your sacrifice.
I have prepared a smoke for you.
My feet restore for me.
My limbs restore for me.
My body restore for me.
My mind restore for me.
My voice restore for me.
Today, take away your spell from me.
Away from me you have taken it.
Far off from me you have taken it.
Happily I recover.
Happily my interior becomes cool.
Happily my eyes regain their power.
Happily my head becomes cool.
Happily my limbs regain their power.
Happily I hear again.
Happily for me the spell is taken off.
Happily I walk.
Impervious to pain, I walk.
Feeling light within, I walk…
In beauty I walk.
With beauty before me, I walk.
With beauty behind me, I walk.
With beauty below me, I walk.
With beauty all around me, I walk.
It is finished in beauty. It is finished in beauty. It is finished in beauty.
Sometimes the previous prayer is shortened to the last two verses.
A Thanksgiving Prayer by Tom Barrett
In the spirit of humility we give thanks for all that is.
We thank the great spiritual beings who have shared their wisdom.
We thank our ancestors who brought us to where we are now.
We are grateful for the opportunity to walk this planet,
to breathe the air,
to taste the food,
to experience sensations of a human body/mind,
to share in this wonder that is life.
We are grateful for the natural world that supports us,
for the community of humankind that enables us to do many wonderous things.
We are grateful that we are conscious,
that as intelligent beings we can reflect upon the many gifts we have been given.
Native American Prayer by John Yellow Lark
Oh Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to the world,
Hear me!
I come to you as one of your many children.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things that you have made,
And my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know the things
That you have taught your children–
The lessons that you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, not to be superior to my brothers,
But to be able to fight my greatest enemy: myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes, so that
When life fades as the faded sunset
My spirit will come to you without shame.
The following is a prayer composed by Sue Monk Kidd (author of Secret Life of Bees) and her daughter Ann, specifically for Ann’s marriage to Scott Taylor.
Eternal Spirit, Mother, and Father who art in earth and heaven
We acknowledge your presence on this holy occasion,
Like the oak branch that reaches into heaven,
And the roots that travel into the earth,
You are above us and below us, and everywhere around us.
May we know You in the beauty of the green earth,
In the music of the flowing river, and
In the hearts that rejoice together at the wedding of Ann and Scott.
Amen
So . . . the above samples show the variety that is incorporated in the word Prayer. The most important element in prayer, as in ritual, is that it comes from the heart–then you cannot do it wrong. Use your own words, those you find, or adapt someone else’s. Make the prayer yours and dialogue with your Deity throughout the day. You will be pleasantly surprised at the responses you’ll receive.
Blessed Be.
