Protection and Prayer

Each month I send out a newsletter to my subscribers. In that newsletter, I usually give sneak peaks at new prayer cards, updates on my work, recipes, reviews, and occasionally special prayers. (Y’all can subscribe at the link provided here). 

In last week’s newsletter, I included the following prayer and I decided to share it here for everyone, because I think prayer is important, and this particular type of prayer incredibly helpful. 

 We are living in some very troubled times, and above all else, we’re living in spiritually troubled times. Evil exists and as people devoted to our Gods, we are called upon to stand against it. What that means is that we co-create. We stand with our Gods in maintaining right order and alignment in our world, in the cosmic architecture the Gods have created. How we do that may vary – some of you are parents committed to raising devout children, some have intense prayer practices, some love the Gods and carry that into everything you do – and everything we do can be infused with that consciousness whether you’re a mechanic or artist, homemaker, teacher or doctor, or anything else. 

Each of us has the power to transform our world for the better and whatever we may be doing day to day, a key component of that is prayer. It has the potential to change the world. It also nourishes us and keeps us from being beaten down and crushed by the vitriol and hate, by the pollution and poison, by the misery and sheer wickedness that all too often seems to shape the modern world. I want to share a prayer that we use in my House and home to maintain balance, to restore harmony, to help (along with other prayers and cleansings) banish pollution. This prayer was written by H. Jeremiah Lewis (Sannion). 

We have an entire panoply of prayers that we do to consciously align ourselves with that sacred architectural order. This is the first in that assembly and one that anyone, layperson or specialist, may do. I share it with you now because Heimdallr is a God of purification and consecration, a God Whose presence drives back pollution and evil in a very special way. He will restore harmony to a person, place, or thing that has experienced spiritual attack or disorder. I urge you to use this prayer as needed (though please don’t share it without attribution) and call upon Heimdallr and our other Gods regularly for blessings, for care, and for protection. 

If you are feeling shaky and uncertain and scared, you’re not alone. Don’t give in though, because I firmly believe that there is evil that will feed on these things, amp them up, in an attempt to drive a wedge between us and all that’s holy. The thing is, whatever evil is out there can only do this if we give it the opening. Prayer helps us prevent that. Prayer is our guard, our armor, the weapon in our hand, and our guide. So I urge you all to pray regularly and know that our Gods are there and They are bigger and more powerful than anything that might attempt to stand against Them. There is no need to ever fear. 

To Heimdallr 

Heimdallr who hears all, hear my prayer
from the turrets of Himinbjörg where 
shimmering Bifröst meets the sky
and leads to numerous other realms
like a second mighty World Tree.

You see all that transpires 
in these far-off places, scanning 
the horizon for signs of Ragnarök’s arrival
when you will sound Gjallarhorn 
and rouse the Gods to battle
against that which would threaten 
the divine order established by the three brothers 
from the remnants of their Giant ancestor 
long, long ago. 

You hold in your mind an image 
of how things should be, 
and act to bring things into alignment 
with their ideal pattern, 
creating order and harmony, 
hale and concord 
where there was chaos, violent 
disagreement, defect and disease. 

I beseech you, Heimdallr, drive out
these negative influences and anything else
that might cause me to stray 
from my destined path of devotion to the Holy Powers,
and restore what is missing or damaged within me 
so that I might better fulfill the will of my Gods and Spirits.

This I ask, Heimdallr, you who traveled about in secret, 
propagating the lines of humanity, 
and all their distinct crafts and customs, 
and so know what it is for us to strive
and through great focus and direction of will
attain our particular glory.   

Hail to you, most radiant God,
strong and stubborn as a ram on his mountain,
whether it pleases you to be called Heimdallr,
Rig, Hallinskiði, Gullintanni, Vindhlér 
or any of the many other names you have adopted
during your travels with Loki, Þórr and the Alföðr;
may your praises always be upon my lips 
and your shrine piled with plentiful offerings. 

(prayer by H. Jeremiah Lewis)