You Can Save it, You Can Live On it, Or You Can Be Like It

I am taking chapters 8 and 9 together since they really do pair nicely like a crisp white wine goes with the snappiness of an apple.  Now I am thirsty...

These chapters start the next section of the book and involve applying Wicca to your every day life.  One of the first ways to do this is through prayer.  It’s funny, if you’re not a mainstream religious type people sometimes assume you don’t pray.  Rubbish!  I probably pray more now than I did all those years growing up.  Cunningham states that effective prayer is a “truly spiritual” way to “contact the divine.”  As a kid, I always pictured prayer like a phone line to God.  I think God was busy a lot.  Who wouldn’t be?  Creator of Heaven and Earth and now billions of people trying to reach you?  God needs call waiting and voicemail.

Anyway, prayer usually begins when we first have a need or something moves us.  Why else would we consider praying unless there was some impetus right?  Well in my upbringing, we often were told to kneel and pray at certain times of a service or before meals etc.  This is fine, but it sometimes felt like, “Hiya God.  Not sure what to say.  Shall I ramble while I watch this baby three pews up gnawing on the hymnal?”  It wasn’t very satisfying.  Now—was this because of me not being focused enough as a child to grasp the point?  Maybe.  There was one prayer growing up that I loved—prayer to my guardian angel.  It made me feel safer when I thought the monster under the bed was drooling over my toes which sometimes dangled over the side.

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
I still find that to be a beautiful prayer.  I have a lot of fond memories of my guardian angel prayer.  
I suppose that is part of why I find myself naturally praying spontaneously.  Now I am moved to it--not told to do it.  I suppose for kids you need to model and practice to help them get the point.  I also figure that the sense of calm repeating words like my Angel of God prayer brought me is why I find those little prayers like "Oh Goddess guide my words"  or "oh Goddess build within me calm and serenity for my day" etc come to my mind so easily.  I try to remember to say thanks before meals whether it is aloud or just a mental "Wow! I am fortunate to have this meal.  Thank you."    It's a fact that chanting slows the heart and calms the mind, so it stands to reason that prayer will bring about similar positive effects for a person.  It may just be mumbo jumbo to some people, but I think it builds within a person a sense of gratitude--a sense of humility.  Both of those I think are important and prayer is one thing that helps me remember to value what all I have.  
Of course, there is the old pray when you have need and all else has failed.  Ah the prayer of desperation!  Long may it reign!  However, if you're not praying all along, is that not rather rude?  There is no bargaining with the deities.  I know people try and all & we laugh about it in pop culture, but that seems to run counter to the whole purpose!  Of course, prayer in need is consoling as I have said.  However, having a prayerful attitude helps in daily living and therefore keeps you in tune with the Lord and Lady or other deity when you do have a deep need.  I don't think that the powers that be won't listen--please don't misunderstand, but I think the restorative and calming effects will be more profound if you practice praying more regularly.  I love that Cunningham refers to prayer as little acts of magic.  They are!  If more people would try to understand that then maybe Wicca wouldn't be so misunderstood.  Oddly enough it was a priest who rewrote the Our Father who helped see the true nature of prayer.  I love that prayer.  I should try to find a copy of it.  Essentially, he rewrote the prayer so that instead of being based on power and hierarchy, it based on God's love--and not a strictly masculine God either.  That man was one of the holiest men I have ever met and he opened my mind to so many possibilities.  I think it was his encouragement to learn and understand other religions that helped me see how they are so similar rather than different.
In chapter 9 Cunningham gives several examples of prayer for different purposes.  He also gives an outline to help you compose your own prayers. Always the teacher this guy.  I love the morning and evening prayers.  This morning for example I saw the full moonlight shining under the drapes in the living room so I pushed them aside to see the full brightness and wow!  It took my breath away.  Consequently, I was moved to a short prayer for the morning.  Here's my evening prayer for you:
Gracious Goddess within and among us,
Horned hunter of the Sun and within us, 
We thank you for this day,
And ask that you guide us through a peaceful night,
Blessed be.