Pagan Meditations and Sacred Words

I am A pagan

I am a Pagan. I am a part of the whole of Nature. The rocks, the animals, the plants, the elements are my relatives.

Other humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors, ages, nationalities, creeds, or sexual preferences.

The earth is my Mother and the sky is my Father.

The sun and moon are my Grandparents, and the stars my ancestors.

I am part of this large family of Nature, not the master of it.

I have my own special part to play and I seek to play that part to the best of my ability. I seek to live in harmony with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect, not abuse...

I am a Pagan. I pay attention to the seasons within myself - of beginnings, growth, fruition, harvest, endings, rest, and beginnings again.

Life is a Circle with many cycles...

I am a Pagan.

I acknowledge that the Divine is everywhere in the energy of life.

I am Animistic. I sense the life force in the oak tree on the hill, in the herbs in the garden, in the birds singing at my window, in the boulders on the hill, in myself, and yes, even in "things" such as my car and computer.

I understand that everything has its physical and non-physical aspects. The physical and spiritual are deeply intertwined, not separate, and one is not better than the other.

I am a Pagan. My worship is one of communion, not groveling.

I share my views with others when I sense it is right, but I do not proselytize there are many ways, not one way, of spiritual growth.

My holy places are under the open sky ... in the Stone Circle ... in the oak grove .. on the top of the mound ... on the Vision Rock on the high cliff ... in the Garden...in the fields ... in the Sweat lodge ... by the stream ... by the clear pool of the Sacred Spring ... in the Rainbow Cave. .. in the valley.

Yet my worship can be anywhere ... my magic circle is portable.

I can call to the four quarters, to the earth and sky, and to the central spirit point wherever I may be.

I am a Pagan. I journey to the Otherworld in my dreams, my meditations...

I fly with my consciousness through time and space.

I return with insights. I go between the worlds for healing, growth, and transformation. Psychic perception is a natural, not supernatural, part of my daily life.

I am a Pagan. I attune myself to the four elements of Nature - Earth, Air, Fire, Water - and to the fifth element, Spirit, which is the force that connects all. I see these elements as parts of my self - my physical body is my earth, my intellect my air, my will my fire, my emotions my water, and my inner self is my spirit.

I endeavor to keep myself healthy and in balance in all these parts of Self.

I am a Pagan.

I hear the cries of Mother Earth.

I see the pollution of the air, the soil, and the waters.

I see the games being played by nations with the fire of nuclear weapons.

I see spiritual pollution, too - selfishness, hatred, greed for money and power, despair.

I sense these things, but I sense, too, a cleansing, healing energy

manifesting on the planet at this time.

I know that I can help bring the planet into greater balance by seeking

balance in my own life.

I know that my attitudes and my way of living can make a difference.

I endeavor to be a channel for healing and balance.

I am a Pagan.

By Selena Fox

The Druid's Prayer

Dyro, Dduw, dy nawdd;
ac yn nawdd, nerth;
ac yn nerth, deall;
ac yn neall, gwybod;
ac o wybod, gwybod y cyfiawn;
ac o wybod y cyfiawn ei garu;
ac o garu, caru y Dies
y Dies daioni.

Grant, O Goddess, Thy protection;
And in protection, strength;
And in strength, understanding;
And in understanding, knowledge;
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it;
And in that love, the love of all existences;
And in the love of all existences, the love of Goddess, and all goodness

Charge of the Goddess

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis; Astarte; Diana; Melusine; Aphrodite; Cerridwen; Dana; Arianrhod; Isis; Bride; and by many other names.

Whenever ye have need of anything, once in a month, and better it be when the Moon be full, then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all Witcheries.

There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not yet won its deepest secrets: to these will I teach things that are yet unknown.

And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye are really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise.

For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and mine also is joy on earth; for my Law is Love unto all Beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it; let naught stop you or turn you aside.

For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth; and mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.

I am the Gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of All Living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven; whose body encircleth the Universe; I, who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the heart’s desire, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me.

For I am the Soul of Nature, who giveth life to the universe; from me all things proceed, and unto me must all things return; and before my face, beloved of gods and mortals, thine inmost divine self shall be unfolded in the rapture of infinite joy.

Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou know this mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee.

For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

Doreen Valiente

Death

Elegy For A Dead Witch
To think that you are gone, over the crest of the hills,
As the Moon passed from her fullness, riding the sky,
And the White Mare took you with her.
To think that we will wait another life
To drink the wine from the horns and leap the fire.
Farewell from this world, but not from the Circle.
That place that is between the worlds
Shall hold return in due time. Nothing is lost.
The half of a fruit from the tree of Avalon
Shall be our reminder, among the fallen leaves
This life treads underfoot. Let the rain weep.
Waken in sunlight from the Realms of Sleep.

Doreen Valiente

Pietro Antonio Rotari, Young Girl Crying

A Meditation with Hecate at the Crossroads

Hecate is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy.

She was the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria from whom she received her power over heaven, earth, and sea.

Hekate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. After the mother-daughter reunion became she Persephone's minister and companion in Haides.

Hecate's position as a liminal figure and a goddess of roads and entryways illuminates her position as a lure, extending an invitation. She meets you are the crossroads. Which direction will you go? She illuminates the possibilities.

Maximillion Pirner, “Hekate,” 1901, pastel on paper

Meditation

Become aware of the night around you, listen to the noises of the dark.

You see a path stretched out before you. It is illuminated by a lantern held in your hand. It is a familiar path. Step onto it. As you begin to walk forward, become aware of the path beneath your feet. It is made of dark black stones of obsidian..... In the light of the lantern the path glistens silver.

Travel down this path, down ...down..... deeper and deeper...walking along the path....until you come to a crossroad.

Here at the crossroad Hecate awaits you.

Here at the crossroad you can see, sense, or feel the Ancient One, the Crone Goddess. She is standing in front of you She holds a box. Within it is a gift she has brought for you to take along the road you will walk in the coming year. As you stand before her, the box opens. You see what she has brought for you. You reach out and receive the gift and offer your gratitude.

You will have time to reflect on the gift’s message and how you will use it.

She now holds out Her hand and you take it.

Here at the crossroad, where the path that you are on is met by two intersecting paths, you have a choice to make.... All paths reach out to you. Which one will you choose?

They are all enticing and all promise something that you need.

They all sparkle and shine before you.

Ask Hecate for help in choosing. She already gave you a message in the gift.

Here at the place where the paths intersect Hecate sits and motions for you to sit next to Her. Become aware of the power of the intersecting paths vibrating beneath you. Relax...

Take a deep breath and feel the vibrations in your body...Feel the energy of the Earth Mother.

The vibrations increase so that they are like gusts of wind sweeping through you. They engulf you, surround you, hold you...

The strong vibration energy will help you on your journey tonight...

You let go of everything,...all thoughts, feelings, all doings. A sense of peace surrounds you as you remember that Hecate is with you should you need any assistance...

The winds envelope you, and you begin to fly with them. They take you swinging from side to side, then up, up, up. Hecate flies with you, higher and higher.

She suggests that you notice the paths below you. The crisscross patterns of shining silver threads spread out below, like a large web. Many paths, twisting and turning, as they cross and re-cross each other. A giant web that is your life path. Thousands and thousands of tiny paths, crossing and forming the patterns of your life's choices. Tiny lines now, as you float above them. They seem small and insignificant, just paths, just possibilities, just choices. As you look around, you see other webs all around you... Some threads passing right through your web, some close enough that you could reach out and touch them. These are not yours to walk upon... As you float above your web, you see that these paths that are ever so close to yours, are someone else's paths to walk.

You focus on your own web, with all its intersecting paths and all the many ways that you may travel around it...see the tiny threads that crisscross in wondrous complexity

to make up the patterns of your web.

Your life...

The winds die down and you gently float back towards the ground. You are back at the crossroads with Hecate.

She speaks:

I sit in the blackness of the dark moon night

with my hounds at the crossroads

where three roads converge at the crossroads

the place of choice

All paths lead to the crossroads

and all are desirable

but only one can you travel

only one can you choose

choice creates endings

and all beginnings come from endings at the crossroads

Which one will you choose?

which way will you go?

which?

Though the choice is yours

here’s a secret I’ll share

The way to choose is to enter the void

the way to choose is to let die

the way to choose is to fly free

Hecate takes your hand and leads you back up the path of obsidian, up....up....up the path you walk, feeling energized and relaxed.....feeling calm and centered. With each step you feel the Earth's energies mingling with yours, until you reach the end of the path. Back where you started.

Hecate embraces you and you thank Her for the gift and the perception and clarity. You give Her a token of gratitude.

She turns and is gone, back into the night with Her hounds.......

Take a deep breath and as you exhale start to bring some awareness back into your body. Take a few more deep breaths...when you are ready open your eyes.

The Night of Enitharmon’s Joy (formerly called ‘Hecate’), by William Blake. c.1795