Monday, May 28, 2007

Astrological Timing of Spells, Prayers, and Rituals

Astrological Timing of Spells, Prayers, and Rituals

Author: Bob Makransky
Posted: May 20th. 2007


The most important method which we are employing here is known as the Planetary Hours, which has historically been the main astrological technique used in magical operations such as charging talismans; and also is the main astrological technique recommended by the spiritual guardians of astrological knowledge for all sorts of elections. It is based upon an ancient Chaldean system of astrology, which supposedly antedates even the zodiac of signs.

The reason why astrology (and magic generally) doesn't work as well nowadays as it did in the past is because it is peripheral to the central concerns of our society: very little energy is presently being focused in that direction. Warlike societies tend to be successful at war; commercial societies like ours tend to be successful at commerce; spiritual societies tend to be successful at spiritual endeavors; and magical societies tend to get magic to work quite well. Whatever a society (or an individual) has faith in is what it tends to manifest.

Most of us have rationalist-materialistic or spiritual-materialistic backgrounds and hence have little native faith in magic or astrology: faith, like knowledge, is handed down from generation to generation, and our New Age generation is the first of the new magicians. It is necessary for us to plug away at magic on blind faith for a while until we eventually start seeing positive results, which is what builds real faith. However, we can take a faith short-cut by tuning in to existing wavelengths of knowledge: by using the Planetary Hours we are forging a link with the ancient magician astrologers and the spirits who guided them.

Let�s look a the procedure step-by-step:

1) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS DAY:

First identify what it is you are praying for with the relevant planet (see Table of Planetary Rulerships). For example, if what you want is money, then you must look to the planet Jupiter. In an astrological ephemeris (most monthly astrology magazines include current ephemerides) scan ahead for a day when there is a good transiting aspect to Jupiter, and note the time when this aspect is exact. Don't forget to convert the time given in the ephemeris to clock time for your locality, taking Daylight Saving Time into account (if it's in effect).

Optimally, the other planet involved in the aspect should also be relevant to what you want: if you want a steady income and a sense of security, then try to find a good aspect between Jupiter and Saturn (permanence); if what you want is money so you can afford some luxuries and enjoyment, then try to find a good aspect between Jupiter and Venus; if you want money so you can get ahead in life, then try to find an aspect between Jupiter and the sun. Most of the time, unless you're willing to wait for some months, you will be circumscribed in what choices are available, so in a pinch you can always go with aspects to the moon, which forms every possible aspect with every planet every month. Only favorable aspects should be used (conjunctions, sextiles, and trines); ignore unfavorable and minor aspects, and parallels of declination.

2) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS HOUR:

Once you have located a propitious day, scan the Tables of Planetary Hours for your latitude, and locate an hour ruled by the planet in question (Jupiter in our example). If you�re not paying attention to the transits, then just choose a Jupiter hour that is convenient for you. Otherwise, if the transiting aspect does not involve the moon then you can use any of the Jupiter hours that fall within twenty-four hours before the exact time of the aspect; and if the transiting aspect does involve the moon then you must use that one Jupiter hour which falls just before the exact time of the transit. If the aspect becomes exact during a Jupiter hour, then use the space in time between the beginning of the Jupiter hour and the exact time of the transit.

To obtain a weekly table of Planetary Hours for your location, go to www.dearbrutus.com => Makransky Miscellany => Astrology Articles => Planetary Hours and download the free Excel worksheet. Because this worksheet contains macros you may have to lower your security option in Excel, and when it asks if you want to enable the macros click Enable macros.

3) CHOOSING A PROPITIOUS MOMENT:

You can just go with the transiting aspect and planetary hour, but if you like doing calculations you can refine the technique further by using a table of houses to see whether a natal or transiting planet (preferably the one which rules whatever it is you are praying for) crosses any of the four angles during the planetary hour in question. However, this isn't all that important, so if you don�t know how to do these calculations, don�t worry about it.

Now that you have found a propitious time to launch your prayer, you must consider the form that your prayer will take. Write down ahead of time exactly what you want, so that you don't forget anything when the time comes. However, it's best not to be too specific in what you're asking for, such as to win the lottery, or to have such-and-such a person fall in love with you. It's best just to ask for wealth, or love from some unnamed person. Let the Spirit handle the details - it knows what it's doing.

If you have an accustomed mode of prayer, then just pray the way you usually do. If not, then you can adapt this formula to suit your own taste and needs: "Spirit please bring me (whatever you are asking for), and please bring it to me really soon! Thank you!" It's important that you say "really soon", or else any contradictory subconscious agendas you may have will use this loophole to defeat the prayer. It's also important to say "thank you" at the end, as a reminder that the Spirit doesn't owe you (or anybody) anything. After all, the Spirit has given us life; after that anything else is gravy.

When the time draws near, prepare a little altar with something that symbolizes the Spirit above it (this can be a picture of Jesus if you're a Christian, or just a cut-out picture of an eye, or whatever symbolizes the Spirit for you). Put a stick of sweet-smelling incense on the altar, and a candle whose color symbolizes what you're asking for (green for money, pink for love, white for health or spiritual illumination, etc.). Also put on the altar objects that symbolize what you want (money if you want money; cut-out pictures of lovers if you want love; pictures of healthy, active people if you want health, etc.).

Just prior to the chosen time light the incense; and then, at the precise moment chosen for the prayer, light the candle. Then recite the prayer you've written down. It's okay to read it, but you should do this with feeling; true longing for whatever it is that you want. Picture in your mind's eye your prayer coming true as you pray, and let yourself feel all the joy you would feel if your prayer came true. Don't worry about whether you are doing it right; if you�re doing it in good faith with true longing, then you're doing it right.

If you don't feel comfortable with all the ritual, you can dispense with it. The ritual is just for your own sake, to lend a sense of importance and ceremony to the occasion; not to impress the Spirit. The only things of importance are to pray with true longing, at a propitious time.

When you finish your prayer, leave the area and let the incense and candle burn down, and then dismantle the altar and dispose of what's left of the candle and incense by burying them. Once a prayer has been launched theres no need to repeat it unless you feel your own resolve weakening and want to strengthen it.

Sometimes astrologically guided prayer works so fast that the results are startling. At other times, when there are powerful contradictory subconscious agendas in place, it takes a while for your prayer to come true; but nonetheless you ought to be able to feel your prayer working right away in the sense of feeling your inner obstructions dissolving and your inner attitude changing. Be assured that prayer carried out in good faith always works, so don't waste prayer on anything frivolous, since then you're committed to it. Be sure you really want what you're praying for. Good luck!

Table of Planetary Rulerships

Note that the planetary hours can be used to find propitious times for commencing all sorts of activities, not just prayers; therefore the general uses of each planet are listed.

Sun Hours: General success and recognition; spiritual illumination; decisiveness, vitality; activities requiring courage or a mood of self-certainty; making big decisions, scheduling meetings for reaching decisions, giving speeches, launching new projects; seeking favors from father, husband, boss, authorities.

Venus Hours: Love; friendship; artistic and social success; enjoyable, sociable and aesthetic activities such as parties, social gatherings, recitals / exhibitions, weddings, visits, dating and seeking romance; planting ornamentals; buying gifts, clothing, luxuries; beauty treatments; seeking favors from women.

Mercury Hours: Success in studies / communications; children; making a good impression; routine activities and activities needing clear communications; teaching / learning; important business letters / phone calls; meetings to develop or communicate ideas; buying / selling; routine shopping, errands, travel; job applications / interviews; seeking favors from neighbors, co-workers.

Moon Hours: Health; home (buying home, moving); journeys / vacationing (time of leaving home or takeoff); activities remote in time or space; meditation, making reservations, finding lost objects or people; planting food crops; hiring employees; seeking favors from mother, wife, employees.

Saturn Hours: Discipline and patience; giving up bad habits; overcoming obstacles; success with difficult tasks or difficult people; projects of long duration; breaking ground, laying foundations; planting perennials; treating chronic illness; making repairs; seeking favors from older people (not relatives) or difficult people.

Jupiter Hours: Wisdom, optimism; money (borrowing / lending/ investing / earning / winning); activities necessitating enthusiasm; buying lottery tickets; seeking advice / consultation; settling disputes; seeking favors from grandparents, aunts and uncles, advisers (doctors, lawyers, accountants, astrologers).

Mars Hours: Courage, adventure; enforcing your will; success with drastic action (lawsuits, conflicts, going to war, surgery); sports, exercises; risk-taking; making complaints; firing employees; seeking favors of husband or boyfriend.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Witchcraft and 'The Secret' - The Law of Attraction

Witchcraft and 'The Secret' - The Law of Attraction

Author: Khalell Zen Paraldan
Posted: May 20th. 2007

Recently, I have encountered many Pagans who have spoke a great deal regarding how the televised documentary and companion book The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne, affected their approach to witchcraft. I too have personally found ways of applying the idea of the Law of Attraction, as it is called, into both my daily life as well as my magical endeavors.

About a month ago I was going through some hard financial times and asked my patron deity to help me with new insight to fix the situation. I went to a local bookstore and felt guided to once again browse the occult section. To my surprise, my eye caught the cover of a small book with a large white "S" on the cover. From the feel of the graphics and iconography, I assumed The Secret was yet another text discussing the theories behind the DaVinci Code.

I opened the book and discovered something amazing: The Law of Attraction. Here in my hands was a book of philosophers and motivational speakers as well as scientists, physicians, and well-known authors talking about how to live magically!

What is The Secret?


For those not familiar with the concept, let me explain what it is that we are discussing. In 2006, Rhonda Byrne, an Australian native who runs the production company Prime Time Productions, worked together with a panel of contemporary philosophers, authors, public speakers, physicians, and scientists to produce a televised inspiration program called The Secret. Consequently, the contributors to the documentary have been featured on television shows such as Larry King Live and Oprah.

In this program, she revealed how a book had come to her as a gift when things were going sour for both the company and in her personal life back in 2004. This book called The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles published in 1910 outlined a new way of thinking about one�s connection to wealth and finances � from the point of view of applied positive thinking! It inspired her through references outlined in the text to research the concept of the Law of Attraction. This quest helped her discover that this concept was found in the writings of many authors and significant people throughout history, including Plato, DaVinci, and even Einstein. Under different names and language, all of these great men were discussing the same thing. She felt compelled to share with the world.

As a modern Pagan, I was fascinated to see that through The Secret someone spoke of the Emerald Tablet, Hermetic sciences, and magical thinking to the public in a well produced and marketed form without any stigma of magical lifestyle attached. Here was a group of people from various walks of life discussing and elaborating on things that I have come to understand for years through my own magical training. The true power to manifest desire and create your reality was coming into every household!

As Above so Below, As Within So Without

It is common among magical thinkers to conceptualize the idea that any thought you create, with intention and focus, will manifest. Through prayer, ritual, spellwork, and other devices we of the Craft try to maintain our lives in comfort and happiness. What we sometimes lack as a magical community is a true understanding of how to master that process, especially in a world where we have conscious and unconscious fears of persecution, negation, and hostility. Since all thoughts in one way or another manifest, we bring our own sorrows and magical failures just as we bring about our successful changes and manifestations. When the Law of Attraction was labeled and identified for me in the way presented both in the film and book, it unlocked some pathways of thinking I had not considered before in my 15 years of magical living. Since then I have seen an exponential increase in the way I manifest.

I have great joy and happiness that major philosophers, motivational speakers and authors such as Bob Proctor, Lisa Nichols, Jack Canfield (the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul), John Gray (the author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus), John Assaraf, James Ray and Joe Vitale, explain how they have created lives of phenomenal success utilizing the Law of Attraction in an easy to understand format.

There was great surprise in finding that non-Pagan minded individuals have been teaching the fundamental concepts that my own magical endeavors are based upon for years; for the record there are some metaphysical specialists present as well who contributed to the project.

The Secret and Divinity

One issue that has come up in discussions about applying the reorganized ideas of The Secret to Paganism that I find fascinating is the subject of Deity. At no time is there any apparent religious doctrine presented to the viewer that alienates. Many of the speakers encapsulate the multitude of faiths by stating that the Law of Attraction and its process is governed by the nature of the Universe. They leave it up to the viewer to decide on how to relate to that cosmic power, and in this I take pleasure that as a Wiccan I can be grateful everyday for how the Law of Attraction proves the love of the God and Goddess in my life.

Using the Secret in Magick

Taking the steps in mind, as a magical practitioner, one must clearly state and visualize what the desire is. Draw a picture, make a vision board via collage, paint your goal, offer in prayer. Most Witches and Magicians do this already, but for the beginning student of the Craft this can be a difficult first step to master. In the process outlined in The Secret, this is the Ask step. Do not focus on how it will come, only on the end result. Say it out loud if necessary. Think of this as placing an order in a catalog.

The next course of action to take would be Believe. For us Pagans, this is performed through ritual, more direct visualization, spellwork whether in-group or solitary, and journaling the experience. This step also for us implies praising and acknowledging the God and Goddess as well as any other spiritual forces that were called upon to help with the manifestation.

The final piece of the process is what they call the step of Receive. Here we know that the request was received in the Astral and we are waiting for the manifestation to occur physically. Many occult authors have emphasized time and time again to picture and state your manifestation as already present or being experienced in the current moment. This crystallizes for your inner-self and unconscious mind the verification of power.

So next time you are doing a ritual to achieve something that seems almost out of your reach, remember to Ask, Believe, Receive and the Universe will respond in kind: Your Wish is My Command!

Rather you are Wiccan, Teutonic, Druid, Kabbalist, Thelemite, or any other magical worker-Remember this: Think positive, intend love and happiness, avoid negative thought patterns and the wellspring of creation will move to bring it back to you in whatever form you truly wish. You not only can have anything you want, but you can also help heal the World with this knowledge.

Our duty, as Pagans, is to give back to the World that nurtures and protects us.

To discover the wonder of this documentary, visit http://www.thesecret.tv

Friday, May 25, 2007

Freemasonry

Wow, this is an interesting site! Since wiccan and pagan rituals are covered here, I guess a little needs to be discussed about the Freemasons, one of the longest-lasting of the "secret" societies.  

The basic question asked for almost 300 years by the general public and surprisingly by many masons themselves;  "If Freemasonry is simply a fraternal and charitable organization, why is there an almost a fanatical obsession with secrecy and mysterious masonic rituals?’"

If you've been curious about the "One World Order," and all the other conspiracies surrounding the freemasons, you might be interested in the following book, it's an interesting read.

<a href="http://garryc.mcfarland.hop.clickbank.net/" target="_top">Secrets of the Freemasons</a>

Thursday, May 17, 2007

101 Contradictions In The Bible-more

41.Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?
(a) Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16)
(b) No (Luke 9:9)
42.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus before his baptism?
(a) Yes (Matthew 3:13-14)
(b) No (John 1:32,33)
43.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism?
(a) Yes (John 1:32, 33)
(b) No (Matthew 11:2)
44.According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own witness?
(a) “If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true” (John 5:3 1)
(b) “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true” (John 8:14)
45.When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day?
(a) Yes (Matthew 21:12)
(b) No. He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he
went to Bethany to spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark I 1:1-
17).
46.The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?
(a) Yes. (Matthew 21:19)
(b) No. It withered overnight (Mark II: 20)
47.Did Judas kiss Jesus?
(a) Yes (Matthew 26:48-50)
(b) No. Judas could not get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-12)
48.What did Jesus say about Peter’s denial?
(a) “The cock will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:38).
(b) “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times” (Mark 14:30). When the cock crowed
once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore prediction (a) failed.
49.Did Jesus bear his own cross?
(a) Yes (John 19:17)
(b) No (Matthew 27:31-32)
50.Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?
(a) Yes (Matthew27: 50-5 1;MarklS: 37-38)
(b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I
commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)
51.Did Jesus say anything secretly?
(a) No. “I have said nothing secretly” (John 18:20)
(b) Yes. “He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained
everything” (Mark 4:34). The disciples asked him “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said, “To
you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given”
(Matthew 13: 1 0-11)
52.Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?
(a) On the cross (Mark 15:23)
(b) In Pilate’s court (John 19:14)
53.The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both thieves mock Jesus?
(a) Yes (Mark 15:32)
(b) No. One of them mocked Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43)
54.Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion?
(a) Yes. He said to the thief who defended him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)
(b) No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later, “I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17)

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

101 Contradictions In The Bible-the first 36

1.Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?
(a) God did (2 Samuel 24: 1)
(b) Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)
2.In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?
(a) Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) One million, one hundred thousand (IChronicles 21:5)
3. How many fighting men were found in Judah?
(a) Five hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) Four hundred and seventy thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)
4.God sent his prophet to threaten David with how many years of famine?
(a) Seven (2 Samuel 24:13)
(b) Three (I Chronicles 21:12)
5.How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?
(a) Twenty-two (2 Kings 8:26)
(b) Forty-two (2 Chronicles 22:2)
6.How old was Jehoiachin when he became king of Jerusalem?
(a) Eighteen (2 Kings 24:8)
(b) Eight (2 Chronicles 36:9)
7.How long did he rule over Jerusalem?
(a) Three months (2 Kings 24:8)
(b) Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9)
8.The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?
(a) Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)
(b) Three hundred (I Chronicles 11: 11)
9.When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?
(a) After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)
(b) Before (I Chronicles 13 and 14)
10.How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?
(a) Two (Genesis 6:19, 20)
(b) Seven (Genesis 7:2). But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)
11.When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?
(a) One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4)
(b) Seven thousand (I Chronicles 18:4)
12.How many stalls for horses did Solomon have?
(a) Forty thousand (I Kings 4:26)
(b) Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25)
13.In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die?
(a) Twenty-sixth year (I Kings 15:33 - 16:8)
(b) Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1)
14.How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the temple?
(a) Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2)
(b) Three thousand three hundred (I Kings 5:16)
15.Solomon built a facility containing how many baths?
(a) Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26)
(b) Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)
16.Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many were the children of
Pahrath-Moab?
(a) Two thousand eight hundred and twelve (Ezra 2:6)
(b) Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah 7:11)
17.How many were the children of Zattu?
(a) Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra 2:8)
(b) Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13)
18.How many were the children of Azgad?
(a) One thousand two hundred and twenty-two (Ezra 2:12)
(b) Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (Nehemiah 7:17)
19.How many were the children of Adin?
(a) Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra 2:15)
(b) Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20)
20.How many were the children of Hashum?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:19)
(b) Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22)
21.How many were the children of Bethel and Ai?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:28)
(b) One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah 7:32)
22.Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole assembly was 42,360. Yet the
numbers do not add up to anything close. The totals obtained from each book is as follows:
(a) 29,818 (Ezra)
(b) 31,089 (Nehemiah)
23.How many singers accompanied the assembly?
(a) Two hundred (Ezra 2:65)
(b) Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67)
24.What was the name of King Abijah’s mother?
(a) Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2)
(b) Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20) But Absalom had only one daughter whose name
was Tamar (2 Samuel 14:27)
25.Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem?
(a) Yes (Joshua 10:23, 40)
(b) No (Joshua 15:63)
26.Who was the father of Joseph, husband of Mary?
(a) Jacob (Matthew 1:16)
(b) Hell (Luke 3:23)
27.Jesus descended from which son of David?
(a) Solomon (Matthew 1:6)
(b) Nathan (Luke3: 31)
28.Who was the father of Shealtiel?
(a) Jechoniah (Matthew 1:12)
(b) Neri’ (Luke 3:27)
29.Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?
(a) Abiud (Matthew 1: 13)
(b) Rhesa (Luke 3:27) but the seven sons of Zerubbabel are as follows: i. Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii.
Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v. Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (I Chronicles 3:19, 20). The names
Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anyway.
30.Who was the father of Uzziah?
(a) Joram (Matthew 1:8)
(b) Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:1)
31.Who as the father of Jechoniah?
(a) Josiah (Matthew 1:11)
(b) Jeholakim (I Chronicles 3:16)
32.How many generations were there from the Babylonian exile until Christ?
(a) Matthew says fourteen (Matthew 1:17)
(b) But a careful count of the generations reveals only thirteen (see Matthew 1: 12-16)
33.Who was the father of Shelah?
(a) Cainan (Luke 3:35-36)
(b) Arphaxad (Genesis II: 12)
34.Was John the Baptist Elijah who was to come?
(a) Yes (Matthew II: 14, 17:10-13)
(b) No (John 1:19-21)
35.Would Jesus inherit David’s throne?
(a) Yes. So said the angel (Luke 1:32)
(b) No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1: I 1, I Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was
cursed by God so that none of his descendants can sit upon David’s throne (Jeremiah 36:30)
36.Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?
(a) One - a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3 5). “And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
garments on it; and he sat upon it.”
(b) Two - a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). “They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments
on them and he sat thereon.”

Monday, May 14, 2007

Retooling Rosaries For Pagan Rituals - washingtonpost.com

Retooling Rosaries For Pagan Rituals - washingtonpost.com

Retooling Rosaries For Pagan Rituals

Former Catholics Find A New Spirituality In Prayer Beads

By Kimberly Winston
Religion News Service
Saturday, May 5, 2007; Page B09

Picking up her Catholic rosary, Meg Williams, a 24-year-old from Maine, begins her prayers like this:

"Hail Persephone, full of strength and beauty. . . . Blessed are you and blessed is the cycle of your life. Holy Persephone, queen of life and death, pray for your children now, and in the hour of our need. Blessed be."

Williams calls herself a Christo-Pagan, a blender of traditional Christianity and pagan goddess worship. For her, adapting the Catholic rosary brings a peace that adhering only to the Christianity of her youth did not.

"It makes me feel very connected to God," said Williams, who didn't want her city named because she -- like many pagans who aren't open to their families -- still lives in what some call the "broom closet."

"Going through this cycle of prayer, it switches your brain into recognizing that something holy is happening and God is with you," she said.

Her prayer is one example of how some neo-pagans (followers of Wicca, Druidry, Asatru and other forms of ancient goddess or nature worship) are retooling the centuries-old rosary and other prayer beads for worshipping Celtic, Norse, Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.

No one knows how many neo-pagans use prayer beads. But there are now a sprinkling of pagan-oriented rosary Web sites, including http://www.sacredgrove.com and http://www.paganrosary.com, where people can find prayers for a "runic rosary" and a "Celtic goddess rosary," among others.

Yahoo has a "Mystic Rosary Group" where neo-pagans and others exchange information, prayers and support.

The "pagan prayer beads" typically feature multicolored strands of beads with charms of a goddess figure, a tree, a pentagram, bones or other non-Christian symbols.

Praying with beads is a spiritual practice with a long history in most of the world's religions, one that neo-pagans are now rediscovering, scholars and practitioners say.

"It has been very common for contemporary pagans to regard Mary in some of her manifestations as a goddess," said Chas Clifton, a professor at Colorado State University and author of "Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and paganism in America." "Language and ritual have been transferred around from goddess to goddess in the pagan point of view, and the idea of having beads on a string is cross-cultural."

Christopher Penczak, a witch who teaches how to construct "witches' ladders" -- a knotted rope that he likens to a rosary used to count spells -- said: "It is about ritual. Pagans in general, when they find something that works in a ritual, they are very apt to borrow it."