Prayer and the Traditional Witch

As a long-time folkloric and frankly heretical Witch, and former Missionary Baptist school-girl, I have a complicated relationship with prayer. The ancient practice has taken on new meaning for me in recent months, and I would love to explore that with you.

Prayer in the Ancient Past

My study in this topic is not exhaustive. My personal spiritual study has mostly focused on ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern practice, as well as that of indigenous European spiritualities. With that caveat in mind, I feel safe in saying that prayer seems to be a practice common to most human cultures.

When we humans have a concept of the Unseen, we want to talk to it.

More specifically, we tend to think of both cosmic and terrestrial Powers as being sentient and potent entities who have the ability (if not always the interest) to take an active hand in shaping our own experiences. In an effort to exert some control over our lives and not feel so tiny and alone during our fleeting time as living beings, we reach out in prayer.

Prayer in the ancient past seems to have served similar purposes as it does today, although the format and style might vary widely based on time and place. Those purposes are generally:

* relationship-building

* offering praise

* requesting guidance or aide

I've left those categories intentionally broad, and I don't necessarily think they are inclusive of every purpose that prayer covers -- although they might come close. Confession and repentance, for example could be considered both relationship-building and requesting guidance and aide. Meditative forms of prayer might touch on all three.

Prayer in My Upbringing

I grew up Missionary Baptist with family roots in the Southern US. I was taught to "pray unceasingly," which I came to understand as being in constant communication with the Divine. That part has never been complicated for me. In fact, it has leant me a sense of connection and support throughout my life. My understanding of "the Divine" has changed, but my ability and desire to connect to it really hasn't. I'm grateful for that, as it has given me stability in uncertain times and hope in hard times.

The form of prayer, though, and the tone of it -- I've struggled with those.

Many religions make use of scripted prayers. Our Fathers. Hail Marys. Hanuman Bahuk. Kaddish. Takbir al-Ihram.

The religion (or rather, denomination) in which I was raised had only one scripted prayer. We called it "The Lord's Prayer," but you might know it as the "Our Father." We used that prayer at communion (monthly), but I don't recall it being more prevalent than that. All other prayer was extemporaneous.

Prayer in My Early Craft Years (1990s-2010s)

For the first twenty years of my practice, I and most of the Witches I observed online (BBS boards, email groups, blogs, and very early social media) rejected formal prayer. There were a few exceptions. Ceisiwr Serith, who wrote about Pagan families also wrote several prayer books for Pagan and Wiccan use. But by and large, most of us seemed keen to give ourselves some distance from practices that felt very Abrahamic. And although prayer is pretty universal, it was also possibly part of the religious trauma we were trying to heal.

Looking back on my practices from a distance, I absolutely recognize many of them as having prayerful elements. Evocations and invocations could accurately be called prayers, as could a good number of meditative and spellwork practices. But we were calling the rose by other names, which helped us appreciate its sweetness a little more.

Hellenic Prayer

In the 2010s, I did a deep dive into modern Hellenic practice -- often called Hellenismos. During that time, I studied the structure of prayer in Ancient Greece; and while I still prayed extemporaneously, this formula was not difficult for me to follow:

Naming the Deity (often with multiple epithets)

Describing their Powers/Estate

Thanking them for past aid and ongoing relationship

Reminding them of your past devotion/service

Asking them to come close now

Explaining your need/request

Offering a favor for a favor (or simply an offering to continue building the relationship)

Thanks in advance for all they will do

Farewell

When I pray to Aphrodite, which I do frequently, this is basic structure I use.

Heretical Prayer in Folkloric Craft

Blasphemous or heretical versions of prayer have long been popular within folkloric witchcraft. We see accounts dating back to the early modern era of Witches reciting the Lord's Prayer backward as a way to divorce themselves from Christian dogma and praxis. Paul Huson's book Mastering Witchcraft is a classic text among Witches of our ilk, and it references this practice -- as do authors like Gemma Gary and Carlo Ginzberg.

This practice is not universal within Witchcraft. In fact, it carries some controversy, as many modern Witches see no need to comment on or react to Christian rituals or philosophies, and feel it is disrespectful that others do so.

However, subverting standard Christian prayers (and other ritualized elements of mainstream Abrahamic worship) is a powerful tool for a person who feels the need to prybar their mind and spirit away from the grip of powerful, pervasive, and oppressive religious institutions. It is a transgressive and subversive act that signals to one's inner Self that they are reclaiming their own power and setting their own authority at the pinnacle of their domain, rather than submitting to the will of a dominant organization like the Church.

Evolving Prayer in the SCT/RTA

Within the Red Thread Academy (an independent study school of American Folkloric and Traditional Witchcraft developed by the Spiral Castle Tradition), I have noticed an emerging trend toward the inclusion of prayer -- and particularly scripted prayer. Quite independently of each other, several folks (myself included) have had prayers "bubble up" and offer themselves for inclusion in our liturgy.

Several of those have been shared in our Discord server, which is accessible to students who have purchased the Year 1 course manual. I won't share anyone else's prayers without permission, but I happily share my own -- along with some notes about how I am using them.

Trinity Prayer -- by Laurelei Black

I pray that Goda walks with me.

I pray that She teaches me Her Mysteries.

I pray that I am Her Emissary and bring Her magic into the world.

I pray that She favors me and fills me with Her Light, Life, Love, and Liberty.

May this be so, and my it always be so!

I pray that Tubelo walks with me.

I pray that He teaches me His Mysteries.

I pray that I am His Beloved and bring His magic into the world.

I pray that He favors me and enlightens my Mind, my Heart, and my Soul.

May this be so, and my it always be so!

I pray that Kolyo walks with me.

I pray that She teaches me Her Mysteries.

I pray that I am Her Sister and bring Her magic into the world.

I pray that She favors me and covers me in Her Wisdom and Protection.

May this be so, and my it always be so!

Timing, Application, and Results (so far)

Currently, I am starting my day with a Three Soul Alignment followed by reciting the Trinity Prayer above and then either a moving meditation or a seated one. The moving meditation is usually walking with an integrated breathing practice. The seated meditation usually involves prayer beads and integrated breathing.

For me, this practice is about relationship building with both my Self and the Trinity of Godds my Tradition honors. I have been doing this most mornings and some evenings for the last few months, and it helps me feel more grounded, more connected, and more at peace.