I found an article here about a lady who uses a ROsary as a pagan prayer. It says:

Picking up her Catholic rosary, Meg, a 24-year-old from Maine, begins her prayers like this:

"Hail Persephone, full of strength and beauty. ... Blessed are you and blessed is the cycle of your life. Holy Persephone, queen of life and death, pray for your children now, and in the hour of our need. Blessed be."

Meg calls herself a Christo-Pagan, a blender of traditional Christianity and pagan goddess worship. For her, adapting the Catholic rosary brings a peace that adhering only to the Christianity of her youth did not.

"It makes me feel very connected to God," said Meg, who declined to give her last name because she -- like many pagans who aren't open to their families -- still lives in what some call the "broom closet."

"Going through this cycle of prayer, it switches your brain into recognizing that something holy is happening and God is with you," she said.

Meg's prayer is one example of how some neo-pagans (followers of Wicca, Druidry, Asatru and other forms of ancient goddess or nature worship) are retooling the centuries-old Catholic rosary and other prayer beads for worshipping Celtic, Norse, Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.

 I've never considered this before but it seems an absolutely brilliant idea to make use of Mantra to promote enhanced consciousness and worship. I remember in old Craft days we had something called a Witches' Ladder - which was one of the cords with knots in it used in a similar fashion. In fact, the article goes on to say:

Christopher Penczak, a witch who teaches how to construct "witches' ladders" -- a knotted rope that he likens to a rosary used to count spells -- said, "It is about ritual. Pagans in general, when they find something that works in a ritual, they are very apt to borrow it."

 A useful tool in our magical satchels perhaps?

Slán

Sylvarwolf 

In these days of loud, angry denunciations between groups of people calling themselves “witches” or wise people, it may help in locating the truly wise people to review what was said in a 17th century pamphlet about their characteristics.

These true “marks” of the Craft of the Wise are just as true now as they were then. Read for yourself the following description written in 1645…

“Hear ye then how our Fathers before us discover’d the Witche:

Mark well their manner, for it is quiet and assumeth naught. It is in peaceful tones they speak, and often seem abstracted. Seeming to prefer the company of Beastes, they converse with them as equals.

They will dwell in lonely places, there better (as they say) to know the voices of the Wind and hear the secrets of Nature. Possessing Wysdome of the feildes and forrests, they doe heals with their harvests.

They concern themselves not with idle fashion, nor doe worldly goods hold value for them.

Be not so confused as to think that only Womankynde harbour the gifts in this matter. Of men there bee many that holde mickle power.”
~ Edward Johnston, Esq, Sudbury, Suffolk, Eng., 1645

Who seems more wise to you?

I have just joined a wonderful group.

The language is Irish, the place is here and the time is NOW! For those wishing to learn Irish from the very beginning, come along and join this yahoo group. The classes are only just starting - Imbolc being the stated starting time but Jerry is waiting for a few more promised members to sign up.



Read more here.

 

Slán

 

Sylvarwolf 

'Ere, where's me profile gone???