Friday, November 7, 2014

Charm of Grace


The guiding light of the Gods is before you,
The sage steps of the Ancestors are behind you,
The kind stream of the Spirits is through you,
To succour and aid you.

The bloom of the Gods is upon you,
The bloom of the Ancestors is upon you,
The bloom of the Spirits is upon you,
To bathe you and make you fair.

Grace is upwards over you,
Grace is downwards over you,
Grace of graces without gainsaying, 
The beauteous grace of The Three.

Excellence of men,
Excellence of women,
Excellence of council,
Excellence of lover, 
Excellence of sons and of daughters.

Excellence of dells,
Excellence of knolls,
Excellence of hollows,
Excellence of hills,
Excellence of horses and of heros.

Excellence of travel,
Excellence of journey,
Excellence of small town,
Excellence of great town,
Excellence of sea and of shore.

Excellence of beauty,
Excellence of radiance,
Excellence of goodness,
Excellence of the Otherworld,
Excellence of day and of night.

Excellence of form,
Excellence of voice,
Excellence of complexion,
Excellence of cattle,
Excellence of curd and of butter.

You are the star of each night,
You are the brightness of each morning,
You are the tidings of each guest,
You are the inquiry of every land.

You will travel rough ground,
And you will not redden your feet:
The Three are guarding you and The Three are by your hand.

The brilliance of the Gods is around your head,
The wisdom of the Ancestors is on your brow,
The hospitality of the Spirits is in your heart:
You will go forth and come home safely.

You will journey upward
And come down again,
You will journey over ocean 
And come back safely here;

No peril will befall you
On knoll or on bank,
In hollow or in meadow,
On mountain or in glen.

The protection of The Three is over you,
To shield and guard you 
From your head to your foot.

No man
No woman
No son
No daughter

Will make a glance or wish
Hate or jealousy,
Love or evil eye,
Envy or durance

That will sunder you,
That will lie on you,
That will subdue you, 
That will injure you.

Host will not make,
False one will not make,
Evil spirit will not make,
World will not make,

Word or accusation,
Lie or story,
Spell or sorcery,
Harm or hary,

That will affect you,
That will afflict you,
That will maim you,
That will overpower you.

Towards or from,
Earth or land,
Here or there, 
Up or down,

Above or below,
Sea or shore,
In the sky aloft 
In the deep below.

You are the nut of my heart,
You are the face of my sun,
You are the harp of my music,
You are the crown of my sense;

You are the love of the Shining Gods,
You are the love of the Wise Ancestors,
You are the love of the Gracious Spirits,
You are the love of every living creature.

~Altered prayer from Carmina Gadelica Vol III