A Druid Rosary

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Song of Presence
(opening pendant prayer)

Glory to you, O God, Lord of all creation!
Holy are you, who are in all things,
In whom all things abide.
Behind and before, you encircle me
And rest your hand upon me.

If I ascend to the heavens, you are there.
If I lie down in hell, you are there also.
If I fly with the wings of dawn
And alight beyond the sea,
Even there shall your hand guide me.
Your right hand shall hold me.

Darkness is not dark for you.
Darkness and light are but One.
You knit me in my mother's womb.
My bones are not hidden from you
When I am being made in secret,
Fashioned as in the depths of the earth.

O God, know my heart.
See if my way is crooked,
Then lead me in the ancient paths.
Awen.

The Gorsedd Prayer
(for each wooden bead)

Grant, O God, thy protection,
And in protection, strength,
And in strength, understanding,
And in understanding, knowledge,
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice,
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it,
And in the love of it, the love of all existences,
And in the love of all existences, the love of God and all goodness.
Awen


The Cry of the Deer (or, St. Patrick's Rune)
(alternative to the Gorsedd Prayer)

In this place and at this fateful hour,
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And fire with all the strength it hath,
And lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness
All these I place,
By God's almighty help and grace,
Between myself and the powers of darkness.
Awen.

A Druid Prayer for Peace
(for each stone bead)

Deep within the still center of my being,
May I find peace.
Silently within the quiet of the Grove,
May I share peace.
Gently within the greater circle of humankind,
May I radiate peace.
Awen.


Song of Honey Isle
(alternative to the Prayer for Peace)

A deep cavern
opens before me,
shadowed by great rocks.
The dragon comes out
and crawls towards
the cups of song,

of the song
of the cups of gold.
The golden cups
are in his hand,
his hand is on the knife
and the knife is
above my head.

Glory to you,
victorious Spirit.
Awen.

Song of Consciousness
(for the medallion/central bead)

I have been in many shapes
Before I assumed a constant form:
I have been a narrow sword,
A drop in the air,
A shining bright star,
A letter among words
In the book of origins.
I have been lanternlight
For a year and a day,
I have been a bridge
Spanning three score rivers.
I have flown as an eagle,
Been a coracle on the sea,
I have been a drop in a shower,
A sword in a hand,
A shield in battle,
A string in a harp.
Nine years in enchantment,
In water, in foam,
I have absorbed fire,
I have been a tree in a covert,
There is nothing of which
I have not been a part.
Awen.

Notes:

• Song of Presence, adapted from Psalm 139, and the Golden Dawn's Ceremony of the Equinox, Prayer of the Hegemon.
• The Gorsedd Prayer, from The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg
• The Cry of the Deer, as found at AnceintTexts.org
• Druid Prayer for Peace, provided by The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids
• Song of Honey Isle, adapted from "Protection of the Honey Isle," attributed to Taliesin, trans. by John Matthews
• Song of Consciousness, adapted from "Cad Goddeu," attributed to Taliesin, trans. by John Matthews