Pagans/Wiccans, do you have a favorite piece of liturgy?

Question

And so we embark on Pagan Friday...

Fellow Pagans and Wiccans, do you have a favorite piece of liturgy that really resonates for you and that you would like to share?

For me, it would be the Charge of the Goddess in its various forms; this is one that I particularly like:

http://www.reclaiming.org/about/witchfaq/charge.html

Answer 1

I think I would have to go with the Descent of th Goddess, a beautyful piece of Wiccan liturgy, and a key to some of the inner mysteries of Wicca.

Now the Goddess had never loved,
but she would solve all the Mysteries,
even the Mystery of Death;
and so she journeyed to the Nether Lands.

The Guardians of the Portals challenged her,
“Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels;
for naught may ye bring with ye into this our land."

So she laid down her garments and her jewels, and was bound,
as are all who enter the Realms of Death the Mighty One.

Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and Kissed her feet, saying,
"Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways.
Abide with me, let me place my cold hands on thy heart."

She replied, "I love thee not.
Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?"

"Lady", replied Death, "tis Age and Fate, against which I am helpless.
Age causes all things to wither;
but when men die at the end of time I give them rest and peace,
and strength so that they may return.
But thou, thou art lovely. Return not; abide with me."

But she answered, "I love thee not."

Then said Death, "An thou received not my had on thy heart,
thou must receive Death's scourge."

"It is Fate; better so", she said, and she knelt;
and Death Scourged her, and she cried, "I feel the pangs of love."

And Death said, "Blessed be", and gave her the fivefold kiss,
saying, “Thus only may ye attain to joy and knowledge”.

And he taught her all the Mysteries.
They loved and were one,
and he taught her all the Magics.

For there are three great events in the life of man;
Love, Death, and Resurrection in a new body; and Magic controls them all.
For to fulfill love you must return again at the same time and place as the loved one,
and you must remember and love them again.
But to be reborn you must die,
and be ready for new body;
and to die you must be born;
and without love you may not be born.
And these be all the Magics.

BB,
Lord AmonRaHa

Answer 2

The Law

We are of the Old Ways, among those who walk with the Goddess and God and receive Their love.

Keep the Sabbats and Esbats to the best of your abilities, for to do otherwise is to lessen your connection with the Goddess and God.

Harm none. This, the oldest law, is not open to interpretation or change.

Shed not blood in ritual; the Goddess and God need not blood to be duly worshipped.

Those of our ways are kind to all creatures, for hurtful thoughts are quiet draining and aren't worth the loss of energy.

Misery is self-created; so, too, is joy, so create joy and disdain misery and unhappiness. And this is within your power. So harm not.

Teach only what you know, to the best of your ability, to those students who you choose, but teach not to those who would use your instructions for destruction or control. Also, teach not to boost pride, forever remember: She who teaches out of love shall be enfolded in the arms of the Goddess and God.

Ever remember that if you would be of our way, keep the law close to your heart, for it is the nature of the Wicca to keep the Law.

If ever the need arises, any law may be changed or discarded, and new laws written to replace them, so long as the new laws don't break the oldest law of all: Harm None.

Blessings of the Goddess and God on us all.

~*Ariel*~

Answer 3

Not liturgy per se, but I love the Book of Invasions.

Answer 4

I wouldn't call it a liturgy, but the Aesirian Code of Nine.

Answer 5

Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
--Tao Te Ching

Really I like the whole thing, of course, it just depends on what's appropriate of the moment.

Answer 6

The Prayer of Sigrdrifa:

Hail to the day! Hail to the sons of day!
Hail night and her kin!
With gracious eyes may you look upon us,
And give victory to those sitting here!

Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Asynjur!
Hail to the mighty, fecund earth!
Eloquence and wisdom may you us, all ye mighty ones
and healing hands while we live!

Answer 7

I like to read Beowulf and the sagas...
Not esp. religious but it does "connect" with me...