Pagan and Wiccan Prayers
for the Dying

- Adapted from Ancient Gaelic Runes -

http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/northernway.org/school/onw/prayers.html

You will walk hand in hand with the Lord and Lady
and with your ancestors who came before you.

Great Mother, welcome [name of person]
back into your womb.

And Great Father welcome [him/her] back
into your divine instruction.

Let [him/her] come to you and
know that [s/he] has been blessed
by your gracious gift of Life.

Let [him/her] come into your Divine Love,
and let [him/her] know
that [s/he] has left behind a life of legacy,
that [s/he] shall be remembered and loved.

As [s/he] enters your world,
wrap [him/her] in your loving arms,
and welcome [him/her] back home.

Let [him/her] speak to the Ancient Ones
to learn the greater mysteries
that lie beyond the veil.

Give [him/her] the strength to take these final steps,
and allow [him/her] to do so with peace and dignity.

Those of us left behind
shall indeed mourn [his/her] death,
but we shall also know
that [his/her] Soul and Spirit
is coming back
to Holy Mother and Holy Father,
and that [s/he] shall be made whole again.

We shall cry, but we shall also laugh,
for we shall celebrate the Life
that had been given to [person's name.]

And let [him/her] also know
that as we now merry part,
that we shall also merry meet again.

And we now, with these candles {light candles}
respect the flame of [person's name]'s life,
and though these candle flames shall die out,
we know that [person's name] shall live on,
and [his/her] flame shall never cease to burn,
and we also know that [s/he] shall be reborn anew.

Take [him/her] by the hand and
guide [him/her] back into your heart,
for this is what is right and just.

Let [him/her] walk unerringly
down the path that leads to your Love.

This is our will and so mote it be.
Amen and Amen.

- Crimson Peaceful Wolf -
- Wiccan Prayer -

Of the brave person who was so strong,
the strength has departed.

Of the righteous servant,
the force does not return.
In this bodily frame
s/he lies dangerously ill.

But Ishtar, who in her dwelling,
is grieved concerning this being,
descends from her mountain
unvisited of humans.

To the door of this sick person she comes.
The sick person listens!
Who is there? Who comes?

It is Ishtar, daughter of the Moon God!

Like pure silver may this garment be shining white!
Like brass may s/he be radiant!

To the Sun, greatest of the gods, may s/he ascend!
And may the Sun, greatest of the gods,
receive this soul into these holy hands!

- An Assyrian Prayer for the Dying -

We are here with you,
the beloved dead await you.

You go from love
into love.
Carry with you
only love.

May our love carry you
and open the way.

- Carry Only Love -

http://www.globalideasbank.org/ndw/NDW-6.HTML

Goddess of death,
I stand here as your priest/ess
knowing that life
must be winnowed
to thrive.

This is a holy act I perform:
to open a gateway
for a willing one
to come to you.

This is an act of healing,
a release from suffering,
an end to pain.

Here is one
whose arms are open
to embrace you.

http://www.angelfire.com/stars/GoddessAngels/blessing.html

Mother of life,
Mother of death,
here is a spirit so new
that the gates of life and death
are just an archway in [his/her] dancing ground.

[S/he] has danced [his/her] way back to you.

[His/her] passage is easy
but mine is hard.

I wanted to hold [his/her] living flesh
and feel [his/her] soft breath and [his/her] heartbeat.
I nurtured [his/her] in my body;
I would have fed [his/her] from my breasts.
I would have cared for [him/her]
and watched [his/her] first steps
and listened for [his/her] voice.

No other child that may come to me
will ever be what [s/he] would have been.
Nothing, nobody, will ever replace [him/her].

Whatever healing I may find,
this loss will always be a part of me.

Bless my womb,
which has the power
to create life and death.

Bless my arms that would have embraced [him/her].

Bless my hands
that would have lifted [him/her].
Bless my heart that grieves.

http://moonlightmuse.creationsbymoonlight.com/

May the blessed sunlight shine on you
like a great peat fire,
so that strangers and friends may come
and warm themselves at it.

And may light shine out of the two eyes of you,
like a candle set in the window of a house,
bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.

And may the blessing of the rain be on you,
may it beat upon your Spirit
and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there a shining pool
where the blue of Heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.

And may the blessing of the earth be on you,
soft under your feet as you pass along the roads,
soft under you as you lie out on it,
tired at the end of day;
and may it rest easy over you
when, at last, you lie out under it.

May it rest so lightly over you
that your soul may be out
from under it quickly;
up and off and on its way to Heaven.

And now may Spirit bless you,
and bless you kindly.

- Pagan Invocation -

http://www.faithandworship.com/Celtic_Blessings_and_Prayers.htm

Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth
Firmness of rock.

- Anam Cara:
A Book of Celtic Wisdom -
- By John O'Donohue -
- Translation by Kuno Meyer -
- P. 3 -

Circle us, Spirit
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.

Circle us, Spirit.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.

Circle us, Spirit.
Keep peace within.
Keep evil out.

- A la David Adam -

http://www.northernway.org/school/onw/prayers.html

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical east,
O’ guardian of air, heed our prayers
At behest of wiccan words.
As on wings of warding we soar
This song of wicca we hear,
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical south,
O’ guardian of flame, heed our prayers
And spare us lengths of drouth.
As your touch warms our souls
This song of wicca we hear,
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

Magic of Samhain dreams,
Spirits of mystical west,
O’ guardian of water, heed our prayers
And deem we sisters and brothers blessed.
As your rushing rivers flow
This song of wicca we hear
Open the gates that our loved ones may pass
And our words draw them near.

- Samhain Chant for the Dead -
- A la Wesley Lowe -

http://wesleylowe.com/covsampchap.html

Time has passed, the Wheel has turned.
It is time for me to move on.

I will walk hand in hand with the Ancient Ones,
and with my ancestors who came before me.

Great Mother, welcome me back into your womb,
I come to you and know I am blessed,
for my life has been one I am proud of.

As I enter your world,
wrap me in your loving arms,
and welcome me.

Lord of Death, I wait for you to take me,
I come to you willingly, with eyes wide open,
as my last moment approaches on the horizon.

May I look upon you without fear, without pain,
and knowing that those who walked before me,
await me on the other side.

O Ancient Ones, give me strength to take these final steps,
and allow me to do so with peace and dignity.

Let my family mourn my passing but not my loss,
and let them heal knowing I will see them again.

Time has passed and the Wheel has turned.

It is time for me to move on.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/prayersandincantations/a/Dying_Prayer.html