Outside of the portal entries the other side of this journal includes prayers. Prayers to deity, animal spirits, plants, my higher self, my inner child, archetypes, colors, places, spirit guides, a piece of writing, astrological sign, or the universe. There is no limit here.
What do I mean by prayer? Many of us think of the act of petitioning the Divine during this process, such as asking for a blessing before a meal. But prayer is so much more than that. It opens us up, allowing us to dive deep within ourselves in appreciation, gratitude, reverence. Prayer can help us to learn as an act of devotion; it can hold space for us in the ways we need.
So, when I approach a prayer journal spread, I be first have a theme, topic, entity or what have you chosen, and I pull ephemera that seems aligned with my focus. Note that while ephemera and sticker packs on Etsy are definitely an option, you can also make your own ephemera by pulling pages from old books, painting, coloring or even cutting pictures from a magazine. As your journaling practice evolves your collection of scraps will grow.
And then I simply glue, stamp, tape, paint, and stick to my hearts content. This time is an act of devotion. Sometimes I light a candle, I may chant or say a prayer. Other times I will listen to a podcast or book, especially if it touches on what I am expressing in the pages. Sometimes I annoying myself with oil, or pull out crystals to help me sit with my emotions as I build the page.
The beautiful part is, there are no rules. One example of delving into a prayer for traits I wish to embody: I wanted to become more studious in my passions. Over the years I am finding it harder and harder to sit and read a book. So, I did a “student” or “bookworm” spread to help me step into that character. If I needed a refresher, I could simply open the spread while reading, or build a new one.
Each time we approach these themes will be a different experience and result, as we are coming from the perspective of our current reality. Every second our being grows into a new version of ourselves, so there is no reason to not approach one of these prayers again and again, especially for longer term goals.
A personal practice I enjoy is journaling for Mother Mary after praying the rosary. Building a spread for her helps to bridge our connection, and strengthen the foundation. It’s peaceful, setting up an environment for Our Lady to hold me.
Of course, this idea can be applied to any deity you work with, or no deity at all. Again, there are no rules.
Allow your imagination to dance across the paper, and bring visuals to your feelings…become enthralled with your passions in a place just for you. It’s an open path with many roads, and you get to choose the way.
moth and magick 