I wrote this prayer in 2007 after the mass shooting at Virginia Tech.

​Hermes! Hermes! Listen, the people call to you!

O, great Hermes Psychopompos, conveyor of souls,
Many lost ones showed up on the threshold last night.
Guide them gently to the shore of the River Styx and beyond.
I offer this bag of coins for their passage.

O, great Hermes Enodios, he who travels over the lands
Many souls are wandering, unsure of the road they travel.
Watch over their journey as they cross the last boundaries.
I offer this grain for their last pilgrimage.

O, scheming Hermes Dolios, charming trickster of the night,
The souls in your care found death in violence unsuspecting.
Help them escape from the pain of their last moments.
I offer this honey to sweeten their memories.

O, divine Hermes Diaktoros, translator between gods and men,
Heavy are the hearts that mourn today’s loss.
Whisper sweet words to cleanse their wounded hearts.
I offer this wine to ease their pain.

Hermes! Hermes! Hermes! Listen, this person calls to you!

I pour out the wine in your honor.
I pour out the oil in your honor.
I pour out the milk and honey in your honor.
​
Hermes! Hermes! Hermes!
Do not let the lost souls wander forever in the wild darkness.
Take them safely to rest in the Realms of the Dead.

I open my heart to my ancestral guiding spirits,
those who lived well and died well and met the challenges of their lives. 
May their presence guide me on the right path to live well 
and meet the challenges of my life.

I open my heart to Hanuman
and to his devotion, strength of purpose, and commitment.
May his presence support my dedication and commitment to my life's work
and to the service of my community.

I open my heart to Hekate
and to the light of her torches that illuminate the dark paths.
May her presence lead me to make decisions at the crossroads of life
and to step safely into the unknown future.

I open my heart to Oshun
and to her beauty, sweetness, and joy.
May her presence lift the burdens from my soul and the souls of all who need relief
and fill our lives with love and joy.

I open my heart to Dionysus
and to his wildness and vital generative life force.
May his presence fill my day with the ecstasy and boundlessness
of life triumphant and vibrant.

With these spirits around me, inside me, and guiding me,
I walk into this day with love, confidence, and purpose.

Inspired by Khi Armand, host of On Sacred Ground, episode 22

I sing to you, O Bridghid, queen of sacred poets,
Burning flame in the night.
Your light points the way out of the mental fog
And towards a higher purpose.
Every speck of paint, every smudge of charcoal,
Every song written and sung, every word written and shared,
Is within your power.
I dedicate them to you.

Let my words bring beauty,
Let them move the people to the saddest sweetest tears
And to the highest cries of ecstasy.

I dedicate my voice to you,
Lady of bards, poets, and madmen.

May I serve you with honor.
May my songs make you proud.
May my life make you smile.

Hail, Lady Bridghid, I honor you.
Accept my sacrifice.

written on Mohegan Island, Maine, 2000

The river for herself
The river as herself
without human reference
without outward justification
her purpose known to herself
her path known to many

The river is a boundary impossible to cross without sacrifice.
The river is a fount of bounty for those who ask.
The river is a road to the underworld.
The river is a goddess of birth and death.
The river is a god of longing and searching.
The river is a shape-shifter of water and earth.
The water of the river purifies us.
The water of the river washes away our tears.
The water of the river carries us under.
The water of the river redeems us.
The water of the river takes in our despair and turns it into abundance.

Written March 2005

m Shri Hanumate Namah
Greetings to you, Lord Hanuman!

You are the Remover of Distress.
You are the Lord of the Senses.
You are an ardent listener, always so keen to listen.
You are a Great Warrior, capable of supporting all.
You are the sentry at the door of the Divine Abode.

Swift as thought and powerful as the wind are you, great Hanuman!

Your heart is filled with love and devotion for the Divine.
You are the repository of learning, virtuous and fully accomplished, always keen to be of service to the Divine.
You have been embraced by the Divine and have felt its heart full of joy.

The burden of all difficult tasks of the world become light with your kind grace.
I honor you, Hanuman, and seek your blessings.

Embrace me as you have been embraced.
Bless me as you have been blessed.
Fill my heart with love.
Fill my mind with intelligence.
Fill my soul with purpose.

I enshrine you within my heart and soul.

Om Shri Hanumate Namah

Written July 2005

WaterMaker,
Out of your womb,
Flow the waters of life;
Out of your eyes,
Flow the waters of our souls;
Out of your heart,
Flow the waters of love.

WaterMaker,
Rejuvenate us;
Cleanse us;
Love us.

Teach us how to pour
Forth your compassion
To each other and our ailing world.

I will catch your love and
healing in my arms, in my heart.
And I will share it with
the dry, parched world.

I am RainCatcher.

Written February 2007

Hermes! Hermes! Hermes! Listen, the people call to you!

O, great Hermes Psychopompos, conveyor of souls,
Many lost ones will show up on the threshold tonight.
Guide them gently to the shore of the River Styx and beyond.
I offer this bag of coins for their passage.

O, great Hermes Enodios, he who travels over the lands
Many souls are wandering, unsure of the road they travel.
Watch over their journey as they cross the last boundaries.
I offer this grain for their last pilgrimage.

O, scheming Hermes Dolios, charming trickster of the night,
The souls in your care found death in violence unsuspecting.
Help them escape from the pain of their last moments.
I offer this honey to sweeten their memories.

O, divine Hermes Diaktoros, translator between gods and men,
Heavy are the hearts that mourn today’s loss.
Whisper sweet words to cleanse their wounded hearts.
I offer this wine to ease their pain.

Hermes! Hermes! Hermes! Listen, this person calls to you!
I pour out the wine in your honor.
I pour out the oil in your honor.
I pour out the milk and honey in your honor.
Hermes! Hermes! Hermes!
Do not let the lost souls wander forever in the wild darkness.
Take them safely to rest in the Realms of the Dead.


Written April 16, 2007

Penetrate me, Kali
Move through my every pore
Consume me in thy fire
Until I am no more.

Melt down my skins of iron
That shield me from my wounds
Break my bones of falsehoods
That would support me to my ruin.

Break my chains of reason
That tie me to my pain
Kick out the excuses from under me
That I lean on for a cane.

Leave me empty, Kali
A vessel to be filled
Leave me broken and battered
A body to be healed

Then come again, Kali
Move through my every pore
Mold me in thy likeness
Fuse strength into my core

Teach me ways of healing
My people’s broken souls
Teach me ways of freedom
Courage to walk through man’s hot coals.

Destroying for creating
Transforming old to new
Kali Ma, Dark Mother
I live my life for you.

Written July 1989, when I was 18. What was I thinking?

O holy Brighid of the Eternal Flame
You who inspire the hearts and minds of the poets, warriors, and healers,
You of the flaming hair and starry cloak,
We honor you and give you thanks.

You breathe the words that evoke beauty, honorable deeds, and commitment.

Your spirit incites us to do great things beyond what we think we are capable of.

You lay your hands upon us and heal our hearts, bodies, minds, and spirits.

O holy Brighid of the Burning Forge,
Temper us in the heat and pressure of life,
That we may be strong and steady.

O holy Brighid of the Sacred Well,
Quench the thirst of our bodies and souls,
That we may be compassionate and true.

O holy Brighid, today we call to you
Inspire us.
Temper us.
Strengthen us.
Heal us.
Work through our hands and speak through our mouths,
That we may make this world a better place,
That we may live in freedom and fullness.

Blessed be.

Written November 15, 2011