Prayer for Frithmakers
By Raven Kaldera
O Gods whom I love and honor, hear my prayer,
For the battles of a frithmaker are not fought on bloody fields
But must begin inside us,
And must begin with our surrender.
My first prayer is for those who would be my enemies,
Who speak against me in spite and bitterness,
Who work against me in fear and hatred.
In the name of Iduna, Sacred Gardener,
You whose hands work untiring for the nourishment of others,
Those who would be my enemies have time on their hands,
And their lives are empty of worthy work,
Else they would be doing it, and not wasting their time
In useless battles that do no good for anyone.
So, I pray to you, help them to find that worthy work,
Work that helps others, work done unselfishly,
Work that will turn aside some small part
Of the pain of the world. May it catch their eyes,
Their hearts, their hands; may it devour their time and attention
And fill the empty places in their lives
Until these battles seem like the foolish waste that they are.
In the name of Frey, Golden God who gave up your sword,
You who show that love is stronger than war,
Those who would be my enemies lack security in their hearts,
And the loving bonds of family and friends to build it,
Else they would be tending to those bonds, and not wasting their time
In foolish battles that add only to insecurity and fear.
May they have love so strong about them
That all fear is cast away. May there be love of the body,
If that be their wish, touch that distracts them with ecstasy,
Friends and loved ones, friendly words, no loneliness
Or empty time in which to seethe. May it catch their eyes,
Their hearts, their hands; may it devour their time and attention
And fill the empty places in their lives
Until these battles seem like the foolish waste that they are.
In the name of Gerda, Etin-Bride of Frey,
You who teach that love can step across boundaries,
Those who would be my enemies lack confidence in their souls,
And are defensive, and see enemies everywhere, and have no faith
In their own ideas, but must force validation from others.
May they have knowledge of their faith so sure and true
That the words and deeds of others matter little to them,
And opposing views garner no more than a shrug,
A smile, a shake of the head, and no more is necessary.
Let them be sure that the truth will show itself,
As truth always does. May it catch their eyes,
Their hearts, their hands; may it devour their time and attention
And fill the empty places in their lives
Until these battles seem like the foolish waste that they are.
In the name of Goodfather Njord, diplomat and King,
You whose life links earth, sea, and sky,
Those who would be my enemies lack the ability
To accept change, and the perspectives of others.
Grant them this perspective; ease their fears,
And show them that family and friends exist on any shore
Where one steps with open hands and open heart.
May they find new horizons that spread their minds
And teach them a broader life. May it catch their eyes,
Their hearts, their hands; may it devour their time and attention
And fill the empty places in their lives
Until these battles seem like the foolish waste that they are.
In the name of Hela Half-Rotted, Lady Death,
You who are the mistress of quiet endings,
May their venom and viciousness die a straw death,
May it rot away slowly, unnoticed until it goes
Back into the earth from whence it came,
And from this fertilizer may understanding, someday,
Grow like the seeds that I plant here today.
And, second, I pray to all of you,
My Gods whom I love and honor,
May all that I wish for them come also to me,
Over and over, whenever my fear and my wrath
Pull me away from those things I know
Are the matters of true importance in the world.