(click link to go to the book on Amazon)
Anyone who has read my blog knows that
I tend to be a bit rambling, so the fact that “When a Pagan Prays”
had it's own share of rambling didn't throw me off. In a lot of
ways, it was like following my own train of thought, watching it
circle around through different points, coming back to things it felt
were important, and then moving on to the next concept.
I was fascinated by the fact it was
written by a Druid non-theist. While it is not a path I follow (if
you aren't aware, I am more of a Norse heavy Pagan, and definitely a
polytheist), I really enjoyed the questioning take on such a topic as
prayer. I think that by questioning the most basic concept of prayer
(who are we praying to?) it really allowed the book to take the
examination of prayer to a much deeper level.
One of the things that really stood out
and that I enjoyed a lot were the little examples of prayers that
were used throughout the book. They weren't given as things the
reader could try, but rather as things the author had prayed to show
the standpoint of the part of the book they were included in. I
found they gave a lot of character and really made for a sense of
connection between reader and author.
I also appreciated the fact that many
tough questions were asked, and while they weren't always answered,
that was okay too. I think there is a tendency in books to try to
come off as an absolute authority, and by leaving some questions
unanswered (or with multiple answers given), it let the reader really
consider their own answers instead of just being railroaded into the
authors opinion.
For example, the question of why
prayers don't get answered was brought up several times. I think
this is probably one of the most common questions used to argue
against prayer (or divinity). And I think it is one of those
questions that can't be fully answered in this life. But that
doesn't mean it shouldn't be asked, and thought about, and debated.
I also really enjoyed the non-theist
standpoint of being open that the author took. While it is not my
own view, I have always loved thinking about how other people think
about things, and for this topic, it worked really well for me. Even
as someone who both believes in, prays to and works with specific
deities, I have had and sometimes still do have my own questions and
doubts. The author's continual questioning made my own questions
feel at home.
One of the great things the author does
in the book is to give suggestions for how to handle doubts and
questions. If she saw something about prayer that didn't work for
her, she didn't just avoid it, she looked further into it to try to
figure out how it could be made better. One of the first things she
struggled with, when starting her own journey into a prayer practice,
was who to pray to, and she talked us through the process she went
through, not only about how to handle prayer if you are not
comfortable talking directly to divinity, but also how she felt about
the possibility that something might answer her prayers.
There is plenty of practical ideas
about how to approach prayer as well. From the more basic
considerations such as where and when to pray, to more complex ideas
such as how to formulate the payers we make.
Prayer is examined not only in regards
to private practice, but also group work. I have seen public prayer
become an argument because people don't always think about how other
people might respond to their prayers. Prayer is such a personal
thing, especially in a Pagan framework where a gathering might
consist of people of very diverse paths. The suggestions given for
how to approach group prayer are very well thought out and great
guidelines for anyone being asked to pray in a group setting.
While the book is definitely focused on
prayer, because prayer is so entwined with concepts of worship,
divinity and magic, I found myself thinking about other topics as
well as I read. I took notes, and have a lot of things to think
about after reading this book.
I would definitely recommend it for
anyone wanting to explore the topic of prayer. While the authors
Druidry definitely features in the tone and subject of the matter, as
a non-Druid, I had no problem following along and benefiting from the
topic. I wouldn't call it a how to book, but more like a guidebook
to help you create your own path to prayer.
The author ended the book with a very
personal story, and I really felt connected to them by the end of the
book. Some of my fears and thoughts on prayer were put into the
words of the book and I felt a little less isolated for having read
it. Prayer is a topic that is often problematic for Pagan's,
something not always well talked about or examined, and I am very
grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this book. There
is a quite that I particularly liked that I would like to end with:
“Now I can sit with the grass, and
the dirt, and the small things and feel as much like I belong as they
do.”
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