The Encircling Prayer

One of the new ways I have learned to pray comes out of the Celtic tradition and is called an encircling prayer.  It seems that it was a common practice for these ancient saints to start praying for protection while facing the east and then turning sunwise until the prayer of protection had been prayed in all four directions.  Sometimes it involved a raised hand and sometimes it was simply the body turning while praying.  It was a prayer for an encircling in time of danger.    

Last night as the strong winds starting pounding the house enough to awaken me, I laid in bed and prayed such a prayer.  I did not get up and move about, but I imagined the farm around me and in my mind and in the presence of God prayed that there would be protection on every side from the wind which had the potential to drop trees over pasture fences, or on top of the old farmhouse, or even block the road which takes us to the highway.  I prayed for protection of a place, the animals who share the land with us, and my wife and I as well.     

Of course, what I did was simply a new way of praying an old prayer.  We have all prayed in the face of some approaching storm for safe keeping in the midst of it.  And, we have likely prayed from time to time that a threatening storm would pass us without bringing harm to us or the home we treasure.  What is also true is there have been times when we spontaneously simply prayed, "Lord, have mercy," in the face of possible danger.  No matter how we pray, we know the One who lived among us and taught us to pray hears not only our imperfect words, but also knows the fears within our spirit and the hope which dwells in our heart.