Book of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess

by Galen Gillotte

Book Overview

Prayer is an intimate way of connecting with the Goddess. It is as easy as breathing, gently guiding you beyond the conscious mind into the realms of the heart and spirit. "Book of Hours: Prayers to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567182739
• ISBN13: 9781567182736
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful and spiritually moving

Llewellyn has outdone themselves with the presentation of this book. It comes in a hardcover edition with lovely gold cover writing and a ribbon marker. It looks like a book to treasure and leave by the altar, which is exactly what I do.After such a spectacular outside, the inside doesn't disappoint. There are 3 prayers for every day of the week (Morning, Evening, and Night) and 3 prayers (likewise Morning, Evening, and Night) for each Sabbat. She even includes 3 daily prayers for each moon phase. Galen Gillotte has an absolutely amazing way with words. Even the introductions to the sections roll beautifully. As for the prayers themselves, I have found spiritual insight in every single one, and I find it comforting and relaxing to make time every day for prayer. Using this book, I definitely feel like my spiritual practices have been kicked up a notch.You might think "3 prayers a day! No one has time for that!" but really it only takes a few minutes for each one, and the result is a closer connection to the divine. If you want to add daily prayed to your spiritual practices, then this is the book to have! I highly recommend it for pagans and those exploring Goddess spirituality. Both beginners and the highly advanced can get something out of this book.

A Spiritual Gift

There is a sacred energy around this volume. The wisdom of design, yes, but this is not a hollow package. The comfort and spirit inside far exceed the outer beauty. The word "prayer" is not commonly heard among Pagans, why? The Book of Hours fills a deep need for simple daily devotion, meditation and joy, that requires only you. When you may not have time to perform a New Moon ritual, you'll have an outlet that allows your dedication. It is the purest ritual you can undertake. Light and thin, this is a book you can carry with pride that won't cause stares or unwanted questions, as well. To tell non-Pagans that you are "praying" is a spiritual bridge and shield at the same time. This is a book to which people of other religions are very receptive, because it is after all, a book like their own. There are modest poetic prayers for waking and sleeping, morning and night, each day of the week, and the Moon cycles and Sabbats. Most blessed is the (too short) section of "Common of our Lives Prayers" which has the wonderfully memorable "Prayer for a Safe Journey", among others. This also contains the "Prayer for the Loss of a Pet" which was what sold the book to me. Anyone who writes with such compassion should be rewarded. The Book of Hours is inexpensive as well, and my copy still looks new after a year and a half of reverent use. I cannot recommend it enough. Dare I say it's like a bible to me?

Can You Improve on Perfection?

Yes, just ask Galen Gillotte. Book of Hours - Prayers to the Goddess, is a lovely collection of poetry, prayers, and devotions to the Lady. Many have written of her and to her, and Gillotte is among the best. In paganism, sometimes, the Lord is often overlooked. (I would have to plead guilty to this myself.) But Gillotte knows Him, and adores Him, and definitely not as some old guy with along white beard handing out rules! These verses opened my eyes and my heart. And also blew me away, for if anything, they are even more beautiful that her words to the Goddess.

Just lovely.

I find the prayers in this book to be just lovely. I admire and respect the author for composing such poetic and heartfelt prayers to the Goddess. They brighten my day, every day.

Beautiful, well-crafted prayers for Goddess Worshippers

Breathe. Breathe. Wingspans reaching into eternity. The everlasting filling my lungs until all I can do is breathe. Goddess is within and without, Now Goddess is within and without-- me. (From the introductory chapter of the Book of Hours)Though somewhat small in scope (you just want more once you start reading this collection), this 118-page hardcover book is absolutely wonderful. Many people would like to bring themselves closer to the Goddess, but don't know how, or lack the words to express themselves confidently. Many would like to just thank the Lady for the light of day, the depth of night, the turning of the wheel, honor the cycles of their lives, or pray for an intercession. Author Galen Gillotte, a solitary 20-year practitioner of Wicca, does a beautiful job of evoking the magic and mystery the Goddess, giving both the novice and experienced alike, a collection of prayers to use on a daily, moon cycle, or seasonal basis. She also includes prayers for those seeking divine interventions, or just to celebrate special occasions or life transitions.This book is far deeper than the Wiccan Prayer Book. Gillotte exhibits a truly devout spirit and seems to capture the spirit of the Goddess and the moment well through her simple, yet profound, use of poetry and metaphor. In the introductory chapter, Gillotte adequately describes the four types of prayer she emphasizes in the book, prayers of expectation, prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of celebration and prayers of contemplation. She speaks on setting up sacred space for praying, thoughts concerning praying alone or in larger groups, and how the book should best be used. At the back is some nice background information regarding the Goddesses used in her invocations.The book has a morning, evening, and night prayer for every day of the week, for the wheel of the year, and for the full and new moon. For each, there is a small introductory prayer and a closing. For the morning and evening prayers there is also a very brief meditation, and affirmation. The night prayer has a meditation and dream images in place of the affirmation.The final section is comprised of brief prayers for special occasions, such as the birth of a child, for a handfasting, before meal prayers, etc. There are also prayers to release anger, to bring love into your life, for self-blessing, healing, to help one find their life path, and for coping with loss or grief.My only complaint is that I want more from this author who seems to capture the spirit of Goddess worship so well. The only complaint I have is about layout. I wish the morning, evening and night prayers for each day of the week could have been lumped together under the day of the week rather than subdivided in chapters by morning, evening and night prayers...it just makes a little more sense keeping it all together by day of the week. The seasonal and moon prayers are done the opposite way, which I believe works far better.I highly recommend this for those Pagans, W