I was asked to review this book, not something I would normally pick up, and it turned out to be quite interesting. This is a book all about examining perspectives. Why should we pray? How do people do it? How are the different ways it is done? The book is written from a Druidic perspective, but I think it would be interesting to anyone with an interest, regardless of path or even faith.
A good point brought up in this book regards what we plan to get out of prayer. Do we truly expect a response from a higher power, or are we simply praying to connect more to the world around us and/or the Universe? If we do expect a response, then we have to examine our feelings about the suffering in the world and the seeming lack of response to stopping those events. A great sentence is this: " Our prayers probably reveal far more about the human in the equation than the implicated deity. " Think about it. Now think about the people you know who do pray. Can you understand them a little more, just from their prayer method? You will if you really give it thought.
For some people, prayer to some sort of Divinity has nothing to do with belief, spirituality or religion. It's fear, plain and simple. If there isn't some sort of "something out there nothing makes sense. That "something" must have a strong tie to us and listen because otherwise we on't matter. I think we've all know people like this. Since my reader's are almost all pagans or UUs, I think it's a safe bet that all of you are beyond that. For the rest of us, prayer is usually either a way of keeping connection to a "something" that we have directly experienced. Our names & methods may differ, but in the end it doesn't matter if you bow and pray, meditate, drum, or something else. It helps us ground & find balance. If we are lucky, we will feel that connection to the energies of the universe during our practice.
Let's look at the practice of praying for others. The author makes an excellent point that this simple practice makes us more aware of the people around us. If part of our practice focuses on others, then we are more aware of the difficulties people in our life are facing. We are also more likely to notice the homeless Veteran on the street corner asking for change, or the line of people waiting outside the foodbank, and so on. It may not be in the intent, but it will completely change your perspective.
As the book goes on, the author documents the many changes she makes. She studies prayer from the perspective of many faiths, spending time in churches & other holy places. The best observance is when she points out the different outcomes from a petition prayer. the person who focuses on the negative outcome suffers the most, some will find strength and courage while dealing with the problem, and others will learn a new perspective and will transform in other ways. In the end, what matters is how the person deals with the lack of the desired outcome.
When a Pagan Prays is a fascinating look at the meaning and purpose of prayer. It is very well researched and uses a wide variety of perspectives making this an excellent resource for anyone interested in prayer, regardless of their faith. It is written in such a way that the entire book flows as though it is simply one long train of thought. Reading this will enable you to gain greater insight into those around you as well as yourself.
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