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********************************************************************************** ~ Prayers ~ Daily prayer is a powerful tool. Yet, we have little archaeological/historical evidence that our ancestors practiced much in the way of daily prayers. It is quite likely, in my opinion, that they had such practices, but not much was recorded simply because these were probably common folk customs handed down as oral traditions. ~ Sigrdrifa's Daily Prayer ~ One prayer we do have a record of is Sigrdrifa's Prayer, spoken by the valkyrie Sigrdrifa, in the Sigrdrifumal (Lay of Sigrdrifa), part of the Poetic Edda. it is a beautiful prayer and there are several versions of it in translation. In the Larrington edition of The Poetic Edda, it reads thus... "Hail to the day! Hail to the sons of day! Here is my favorite:
In fact, I like this prayer so much, I made a PDF poster of it. BTW, note that "speed" is an archaeic word meaning victory or success and "bespeak" is in fact a real word, just not one used much since the 19th century. ~ Sun Hail ~ One popular one in Asatru is the Hailing of the Sun. The main goal of the ritual is to simply acknowledge the day; to show one's gratitude for life. It is a pleasant practice and very helpful for setting a postive outlook for the day. The Troth offers this as a possible prayer... Sun, hail to thee! shining in morning, I find it a bit over-wrought, personally. But I like the poetry. I find myself usually doing a Sun Hail on my morning walk or commute, with a much shorter, usually spontanious prayer. ; ) ~ The "Viking Prayer" ~ This little ditty was made famous by the film The 13th Warrior but actually originated in the novel upon which the movie was based; Eaters of the Dead. Michael Criton says he extrapolated his viking's prayer from period sources he studied. Not too sure about that one yet, but it is still cool. It has become a favorite among the Heathen folk. Lo, there do I see my father. Some folks have expanded and also improved the accuracy of the prayer. Here's my attempt:
********************************************************************************** ~ Food Blessings ~ Here is a general food blessing I found via The Troth. I feel its tone makes it more appropriate for special occasions. I edited it a tad for my own use... Hail the gods, Here is another, much simpler, food blessing I found online. I do not know the author. However, it shows that you can create your own prayers easily enough.
At dinner time, my family may recite one of these blessings or we may read something at random out of one of our favorite books; Earth Prayers. After doing so, we will lift our glasses and say, "Wassail!" That being an Ango-Saxon hail, it is a tad outside my usual Scandinavian focus, but it just sounds right. I suppose it is my mother's English blood coming through. ********************************************************************************** ~ Daily Practices ~ Daily habits can be both a comfort and a path to growth. They can help set the tone for the day, giving it a sense of beginning or a sense of closing. How we pace our days is a measure of how we pace our lives. Do you wish your life to be governed by the clock on your computer screen or by deadlines or by the rising and setting of Sunna and the passage of the seasons? While we must pay attention to mundane time factors and the necessities of making a living, in our minds and hearts we can atune ourselves to more musical rhythms. ~ Hammer Donning ~ Many heathens wear pendants which symbolize their devotion. Followers of Odin wear the Volkknot. Others wear symbols of other deities such as Freyr or Frigga. However, the most common symbol of the Folk, and the classic talisman of protection, is Mjollnir, the hammer of Thor. Here is a prayer I wrote to recite while donning the hammer in the morning... Hail Mighty Asa-Thor! One might also choose to say a similar prayer of thanks at the end of the day. ~ Touching the Altar ~ A good friend of mine is Jewish and I learned about Mezuzahs from him. These are small containers attached to the door frame of the house which contain prayer scrolls. It is customary to briefly touch the mezuzah on the way out the door, or when returning home, as an act of devotion. ~ Feeding the House Weight and Landvaettir ~ I've met several Heathens who make a habit of daily greeting and feeding spirits. One very simple way is to put food out for birds or wild animals. I once met a fellow online who always gives some of his morning coffee and some honey to his House Weight. I think that's pretty cool. This is an area where one can exercise a good deal of creativitiy, for instance by having a seperate place where a bowl is left out for the Weight's use. These practices remind us that we are stewards of the home, our land, and the earth as a whole. reciting a prayer while feeding the animals is a nice way to infuse it with more focus. Here's one off the top of my head... Hail to you of feather and claw,
********************************************************************************** ~ Special Occasions ~ ~ A Wedding Blessing ~ In a traditional Heathen wedding, the groom recieves a sword from the bride or her family to defend the home and family. The bride receives keys from the groom; she is now in charge of the household stores and wealth. I was inspired to write this for a friend:
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