A Wound in Time: Pagan prayers for a modern world
“Beautifully written […] sensitive, humorous, angry and wry”
Did you ever feel the need to pray but you couldn’t find your voice? Sometimes words fail us when we need them most. Established prayers can feel out-of-date, irrelevant, or foreign to our spiritual beliefs.
In the middle of the storm of the pandemic, that’s just how the authors felt. So they decided to write for themselves the book they needed but couldn’t find: 21 prayers, blessings and other devotional pieces that deal with global and individual concerns in the twenty-first century such as sickness, death, climate change, technology, community, self-worth and mindfulness.
Using the techniques of poetry and rhetoric, and drawing from a wide religious heritage and tradition, Lucía and Gwyneth write with simplicity, sincerity and a light touch of humour. Neopagan in origin, and suitable for all modern-day Pagans, including Druids, Pantheists, Polytheists, Wiccans, and Devotees of the Goddess, many of the pieces will also sit comfortably in Interfaith services.
The collection encompasses different perspectives and styles and uses a variety of voices to address three Divinities – Our Lady of Corona, the Weaver of Worlds (aspects of the Goddess), and the Horned God – and reflect on issues that might fall within the authority of each. The result is a compilation of themed pieces that can equally be used in personal devotions or group rituals.
The section dedicated to Our Lady of Corona offers an insight into our relationship with sickness and death, while that of the Weaver of Worlds prompts us to consider and question our attitude to others and to some of the amenities and conveniences of the modern world that we often take for granted. Finally, turning to the Horned God’s domain, we take a step back to see the bigger picture of the planet and the environment, and reflect on our relationship with it and with the others who live here.
The repetition, rhythm and poetical structure of the pieces will encourage and facilitate participation in group rituals and also inspire other forms of worship including drumming, music, song and dance. There is space at the end of the book to write your own notes or personal prayers and devotions.
With its overriding mood of optimism and gratitude, the book offers consolation, comfort, and occasional challenge, for all who face the ills of the modern world.
Whatever your spiritual tribe and no matter what prayer means to you – communion with the Divine, a meditative practice, or ritual devotion – in this book you will find memorable, beautiful pieces to use in your personal practice or with your community.
