In place of Gods, the Light, shadows, spirits and other beings we communicate with I’ll simply use Divine. We communicate to them through words, prayer, and vigils. Talking to them, as I’ve wrote before, is using a different style of speech. Just as you call call your best friend ‘that jackass’ you will also change your speech when talking to, say, your friend’s mother: ‘Hello Miss’. You set aside your normal speech to speak to the Divine, making it more special.
Identifying Who You Speak to
The deities, spirits, elements, and other divine help to define the world as you see it. Do you recognize the deity of the moon? That deity’s name can tell you a lot about them. Most people outside of Kalimdor are not very familiar with Elune are not aware of how she’s connected to the druids- Cenarius is said ro be her son and she’s credited with transforming Aviana into a demigoddess for being a good messenger. Druids see that connection, and when calling upon her they recognize it.
Please keep in mind we live in a world where even the person with the most kind intentions can fall prey to terrible things. Therefore, I would recommend unless you know a name or what they are or represent, do not call or pray to it. In over five centuries of life I’ve seen three cases where it ended poorly and one creepy corn-based cult in Arathi highlands that grew from such a thing. I’ve never fled a small town so fast.
You do not have to address your chosen divine by name. You may use title or function as well. The Light may simply be addressed as ‘The light’ and Priests of the Sunwell will address the Sunwell as ‘Our Birthright, Holy well of Arcana and Light’.
Remember that the name or title should come easily in your prayer. No need to build up to much suspense or trip over something you thought sounded really fancy to say. In most cases it serves you best to use a name and a title. It gets the attention of the Divine you’re reaching out to and showing some more respect. It serves no purpose addressing several divines that are not related to your prayer on the chance it maybe involves them.
In your studies you’ll note the names of he divine are often used more than once in a prayer but not in the same way. You want your prayer to be good, not tedious and dull. The divine is complicated and making a prayer something that becomes on dimensional and dull as dishwater serves nobody. For instance when I address the Light I might say:
“Holy light, hear me. I come before you with my hands reaching towards you. I ask that you help me gracious Light: heal my own patient.”
More ancient prayers are often little more than a long list of titles and achievements for the divine. They are good for calling and praising the divine but it can become quite boring for you. It is good to turn off the mind sometimes. When your prayer works and you feel your divine it quickly stops being boring. Building up by piling title after title and achievement after achievement can help build up the presence you feel and reinforce your belief.
In place of Gods, the Light, shadows, spirits and other beings we communicate with I’ll simply use Divine. We communicate to them through words, prayer, and vigils. Talking to them, as I’ve wrote before, is using a different style of speech. Just as you call call your best friend ‘that jackass’ you will also change your speech when talking to, say, your friend’s mother: ‘Hello Miss’. You set aside your normal speech to speak to the Divine, making it more special.
Identifying Who You Speak to
The deities, spirits, elements, and other divine help to define the world as you see it. Do you recognize the deity of the moon? That deity’s name can tell you a lot about them. Most people outside of Kalimdor are not very familiar with Elune are not aware of how she’s connected to the druids- Cenarius is said ro be her son and she’s credited with transforming Aviana into a demigoddess for being a good messenger. Druids see that connection, and when calling upon her they recognize it.
Please keep in mind we live in a world where even the person with the most kind intentions can fall prey to terrible things. Therefore, I would recommend unless you know a name or what they are or represent, do not call or pray to it. In over five centuries of life I’ve seen three cases where it ended poorly and one creepy corn-based cult in Arathi highlands that grew from such a thing. I’ve never fled a small town so fast.
You do not have to address your chosen divine by name. You may use title or function as well. The Light may simply be addressed as ‘The light’ and Priests of the Sunwell will address the Sunwell as ‘Our Birthright, Holy well of Arcana and Light’.
Remember that the name or title should come easily in your prayer. No need to build up to much suspense or trip over something you thought sounded really fancy to say. In most cases it serves you best to use a name and a title. It gets the attention of the Divine you’re reaching out to and showing some more respect. It serves no purpose addressing several divines that are not related to your prayer on the chance it maybe involves them.
In your studies you’ll note the names of he divine are often used more than once in a prayer but not in the same way. You want your prayer to be good, not tedious and dull. The divine is complicated and making a prayer something that becomes on dimensional and dull as dishwater serves nobody. For instance when I address the Light I might say:
“Holy light, hear me. I come before you with my hands reaching towards you. I ask that you help me gracious Light: heal my own patient.”
More ancient prayers are often little more than a long list of titles and achievements for the divine. They are good for calling and praising the divine but it can become quite boring for you. It is good to turn off the mind sometimes. When your prayer works and you feel your divine it quickly stops being boring. Building up by piling title after title and achievement after achievement can help build up the presence you feel and reinforce your belief.
Prayer is communication with the sacred and divine- whether it be the local woodland deity, Elune, the Light, or the Eternal Sun. it is a form of speech and like speech it can be divided between formal and informal. Informal speech can be called conversational speech. It’s everyday speech with nothing fancy. In prayer this informal speech is most appropriate for the divine you are on good terms with and likely to be friendly to you. The light, for example, that i hear often I will repeat informal prayers to- I am however, always respectful. The divine that I am not familiar with I tend to use formal prayers only. As a Priest of the Light I’m certain, for example, Elune will accept my prayers. I doubt Elune would not appreciate me acting as though we were on excellent terms.
If I were to pray to the Eternal Sun or the Sunwell, as some do, however, then I would retain some formality but I would not worry as much.
Formal prayers tends to have grammatical niceities observed, with more prose and the older forms of speech are used. It may contain archaic terms that still exist and are rarely heard or words that are more common now but that are used with archaic meaning. These words are used for their psychological and social implication- always aim for clarity and make sure your formal prayers are carefully chosen and arranged.
Others will note that battlefield healers tend to use a mix of both or not need words entirely. That requires practice and skill, your intent clear and your will strong. In the case of, for example, a priest of the light whose skills healing on the battlefield are legendary. Those skills are honed through experience and blood. Many healers new to a battlefield have found themselves fumble, unused to the short time they have to react to what goes around them.
Power words are short prayers, easily and quickly spoken. Often three lines or less. A good example is:
“Heal these wounds forevermore, these injuries do Restore!”
At the simplest, prayers are talking to the Divine. But the divine is different from us, talking to it is different than talking to another elf. You show this by the style of speech you use when you address them. What you recognize as Divine and its name can tell you much.
Blessed Light, turn your gaze on the ill. In your grace, ease their suffering. In your compassion, cure his ailment. In your benevolence, heal his aches.
Holy Light above, your servant turns to you in moment of weakness and time of need. I ask you to be with your servant in this hour of disease, where illness seeks to make this one’s heart go still May you lend your servant your gifts of healing, as you guide me to heal this disease May you their weakness into strength, ease their suffering, and cool their fever May they be filled with tenacity to recover the disease that afflicts them May you restore them to full health so that he may see another day and praise your glory.
Light, embrace this poor soul with your love Let your wisdom fill him and aid him, Purify the poison so they may be healthy once more
Light, You who lit the Darkness, You whom disperse all fears, Warden of the sick, protector of the weak, Hear me now, in this hour of need.
I am your instrument to do as you please, With my hands, I lead your will, With my eyes, I grant you sight, With my heart, I give you my soul.
Cleanse your child’s poison, Heal the damage in their body, Weave the magic of gold, And return to them to full health.
Heed me, As I undo, what should not have been done, As I heal, what should have remained whole As I cleanse, what pure was meant to be.
Some things should not be spelled Light grant me Dispel!
I am the wind on the sea. I am the wave of the sea. I am the bull of seven battles. I am the eagle on the rock. I am a flash from the sun. I am the most beautiful of plants. I am a strong wild boar. I am a salmon in the water. I am a lake in the plain. I am the word of knowledge. I am the head of the spear in battle. I am the Silver Goddess sharing my light. Who spreads light in the gathering on the hills? Who can tell the ages of the moon? Who can tell the place where the sun rests?
Elune be between you and harm in all the empty places you walk.
Elune, protect and bless these living beings. Keep them from evil and let them sleep in peace.
Tyleril Silversword 