Radical Reposts: Winter Solstice Poems and Prayers

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lthough the 3^rd Annual November Prayer and Thanksgiving Month has ended, those who plan Winter Solstice celebrations want to consider using some of these prayers and meditations for your ceremonies. If you’ve never done a winter solstice gathering, here’s a how-to repost, Fully Seasoned: Astrology and Ritual.These are my favorite poems to write every year, as I love the transition of winter into the Inner Time. Early Solstice Blessings!

Winter Solstice Prayer (15-Dec-09)

God, Goddess, All That Is:

Help me see in the dark …

A Prayer on Winter Solstice (17-Dec-10)

Great Spirit,

You are glue that joins us all

the gravity that binds us …

Winter Solstice Blessing (19-Dec-11)

In your heartbeat

this darkest night

in the quiet

lies the pulse of peace …

Prayer for Winter Solstice 2012 (14-Dec-12)

Winter asks a lot:

the most drastic changes

severe conditions

inner work

quiet …

And the Sun Stood Still (17-Dec-13)

A Winter Solstice Poem

In a moment so magical

it happens only twice a year:

the Sun balanced light and dark
so perfectly
it stopped.

It invited us

to do the same …

Silent Night (17-Dec-14)

A Winter Solstice Meditation

Silence.

Holy.

Between your thoughts

a winter without words …

Look for the 2015 Winter Solstice poem later this month ….

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Photo Credit: © Susannoblesmith  Dreamstime.com

Prayer for Social Networking

© 2015 by Joyce Mason

May I share from the highest part of me:

Information

Inspiration

Well-thought opinions

Humor and play.

May I avoid “ain’t it awful”

Soap boxes

Breeding anger or hate

Gossip

Making fun of others in an unkind way

Categorizing (us and them).

Spirit of Oneness,

Help me appreciate the miracle

Of the Internet

Its capacity to join diverse and distant

Human beings in a dialogue about

What we have in common

Where there’s no such thing as “foreign.”

May I use this blessing of interconnection

To heal the earth and the beings on it--

To love, enjoy and expand my consciousness.

Help me envision the day where this link is so strong

No false ideology can sever the bonds of people

Getting to know one another

One-on-one

And changing the world

One relationship at a time.

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 Photo Credit: © Rawpixel.com - Fotolia.com

This completes our 3rd Annual Prayer and Thanksgiving Month on The Radical Virgo. Hope you enjoyed the prayers and articles, both old and new.

Prayer Songs

Post © 2015 by Joyce Mason

Before we wrap up the Third Annual Prayer and Thanksgiving Month on The Radical Virgo, it occurred to me that there are many sung prayers and many musical forms of thanksgiving—in houses of worship or via recordings loved in your car, home or anywhere you want. Singing your prayers is, in many ways, more potent for the synergy of words and music. Here are some of the ones I love best, both traditional and modern. They are Judeo-Christian, the songs I have mostly been exposed to. Enjoy!

Traditional

Amazing Grace – Sung by Chelsea Robinson, first appeared in hymnals in 1779

The only thing I don’t like about this hymn is calling myself a “wretch.” I substitute soul. I recommend expanding and reading the liner notes on YouTube for this scripture-based, all-time fave.

Ave Maria  (Hail, Mary) – Franz Schubert, 1825

There are many versions on YouTube. This one is sung by Andrea Bocelli.

Czech Christmas Mass – Jakub Jan Ryba, 1796

When I was growing up Catholic, liturgical music was seldom as joyful as this upbeat favorite find, which I first heard 20 years ago on my local NPR radio station. It’s among my holiday musical treasures.

Hava Nagila – “Let’s rejoice …be happy … awake … with a happy heart.” Traditional Israeli folk song composed in the 1920’s. (More history here.) What's not to love about such dancing and singing? Here is Neil Diamond singing this Jewish joy song at Ben’s bar mitzvah in one of my favorite movies, Keeping Up with the Steins.

                                                    

Messiah – George Frideric Handel, 1741

This version is sung by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge and accompanied by the Brandenburg Consort.

Theresienmesse (Mass in B^b Major) – Joseph Haydn, 1799

I was introduced to this gem while singing in the Unitarian Universalist choir in the early 1980s. Another heart chakra, joyous (and sometimes raucous) Mass. The end of the Credo always sounds like calliope music to me.

Modern/Pop

The 23^rd Psalm (Dedicated to My Mother) – Written by Bobby McFerrin, 1990, sung by Cantus

Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) – Bing Crosby, 1954

Written by Irving Berlin, this song is featured in the movie “White Christmas”

He – Jerry Vale, 1973

I Believe – Perry Como, 1953

I Say a Little Prayer for You – Dionne Warwick, 1967

Let There Be Peace on Earth (and Let It Begin with Me) - Jill Jackson Miller and Sy Miller, 1955, sung by the Harlem Boys’ Choir

My Prayer – The Platters, 1956

One Hand, One Heart – Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, West Side Story, 1961

The song Tony and Maria sing as they fantasize about their wedding.

Sabbath Prayer  – Chaim Topol and Norma Crane, Fiddler on the Roof, 1971

Turn, Turn, Turn – The Byrds, 1965.

This catchy popular tune written by Pete Seeger,  made a bible verse famous even among non-believers—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8—original author, Solomon.

 

Genres

Finally, there are genres of musical prayer that I love more for their type than singling out specific songs. It’s probably obvious by now that I have very eclectic tastes in music and spirituality. Here are some of my favorites categories with examples.

   

•     Gregorian Chant

•     Modern Chant

•     Klezmer Music  -  Not all Klezmer music is expressly spiritual, but it is so spirited, even the more secular or non-vocal selections capture and/or ignite the Jewish spirit. Music that makes you happy and want to dance is the most spiritual of all in my book.

Keeping praying—and singing!

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Photo Credit: © highwaystarz – Fotolia.com

A Simple Thanksgiving Grace

Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the world so sweet,
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you God for everything.  Amen.

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Photo Credit: © carmelod – Fotolia.com

Harvest Thanks

For the promise of harvest
contained within a seed
we thank you.
For the oak tree
within an acorn
The bread
within a grain
The apple
within a pip
The mystery of nature
gift wrapped
for us to sow
we thank you.

Source: Faith and Worship—Christian Prayers and Resources

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Photo Credit: cjrobnme – Fotolia.com