Creating a Pagan Prayer Journal

Journaling can mean different things to different people. It’s all about finding your rhythm, your strengths/weaknesses and figuring out what you want to gain from your writing. If you have been struggling to find new ways to use your journals, then why not try a prayer journal? 

Simply put, a prayer journal is a book where you can keep a record of what you have been praying for. Some people may choose to write their prayers in full whereas others prefer to keep bullet points of what they have been praying for. This is useful for reflection and to keep a record of your habits and life events. Maybe you can’t see how far you have come and how much you have grown or been blessed, until you are given a chance to look back. 

Many pagans and wiccans will pray on a regular basis to their deities. Many years ago, our ancestors would pray to the gods with pleas and offerings. There is plenty of evidence documented in hieroglyphs from Egypt and inscriptions and carvings from philosophers and teachers from ancient Greece and Rome. Man has always had a strong need to connect with the divine. Some prayers live on not through drawings or writings but in folktales, songs and stories passed down through generations. 

When referring to pagan prayer, it is usually custom that an offering be made to the divine being prayed to. The offering is not used as a ‘if I give you this, I’ll get my wish’ but more as a gift to show that the one praying shows respect and honour to the divine. The offering can be that of something tangible but can also be an offering of your time. Many faiths share this belief and an altar is often used to place offerings to the gods. Passing a Christian church for instance, you will often see flowers and candles lit in front of statues. One reason people pray is because it’s a way of connecting with the universe to guide you towards the things you desire. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no, right?

There is a big difference between prayer and spells. A prayer is a request, it’s a plea for help in a certain area of yours or others lives. A spell is more of a demand, the power comes directly from the person casting the spell, not seeking power or help from external sources. With a prayer, the gods essentially hold the power, you are seeking them to use that power to help answer your calls, with a spell the power is only used from internally. Some pagans do not pray to any one God or the universe, but to their ancestors. 

All in all, prayer is a personal thing, a journey within yourself and you can make that prayer wherever you please. When figuring out where your prayers should go, it’s best to do whatever works for you and whatever it is you believe in. If the message has pure intentions, chances are the right person will be listening to you.