A prayer can be an expression of gratitude or praise addressed to a higher power--such as a deity or spirit. Yet a prayer can also be a sincere request for assistance (a petition) to a higher power--such as a deity or spirit.
Here’s an ancient Roman prayer by Horace:
Gentle Moon, Ilithyia, Lucina, by whatever name you wish to be called, Gentalis, watch over mothers, may You give them gentle deliveries.It’s a request to a Goddess of childbearing and contained a little bit of praise. The Romans applied the title/name, “Ilithyia” to Goddesses associated with midwifery collectively known as the “Ilithyiae.” For those who are curious, the “Ilithyiae” included Lucina, Juno Lucina, Hecate, and possibly the Greek Artemis as a form of the Roman Diana. (Indeed, the Greeks has previously identified Artemis with Eileithyia, a pre-Helenic divinity of birth.)
A spell is a set of words (verbal formula) and/or actions (manipulating objects, making gestures), which is intended to magically cause change to occur in conformity with will. One does not have to involve either deities or spirits to cast a spell. It can draw upon the natural power inherent in yourself, plants, or human-made objects.
Here are two very simple spells.
A. To make a charm against the evil eye, take a lemon, pierce its skin with many holes, filling each hole with a clove bud. Bind the fruit with a red ribbon. Display this charm so that the power of the eye against you will be pierced. Probatum est.However, these lines drawn between prayers and spells can become fuzzy, as spells may also praise and/or petition a higher power, especially in magico-religious practices. Here is one example:B. The words, SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS, are written in a square. Historically, this SATOR-ROTAS word square has allegedly been used to remove fevers and extinguish fires.
Spell to Stop Harassment at Work or SchoolYet some prayers seem to contain elements used in magic or spells. Below is a genuine Catholic prayer to a saint. Often, prayers to saints are repeated a certain number of times and the words should be repeated as written. The use of a prayer can be similar to the use of a specific set of words (verbal formula) in a spell.This spell should be performed during the waning phase of the moon for best results. Prepare your altar with white candles. Use a brown image candle to represent the person who is harassing you. Anoint this candle with Rosa Ava or Bendover oil. Write the person's name on the candle, front and back. On a piece of parchment paper write:
From now on (name) will say nothing but sweet words about me and to me. By the power of Aradia, so mote it be!
Put a drop of honey in the middle of the paper and roll it into a ball. Heat your athalme, make a gash in the candle's mouth and stuff the paper ball into it. Burn High Priestess incense. Let the candle burn a little while every night for an odd number of nights for a maximum of nine nights. Throw the remnants into a living body of water, but save some of the ashes from the incense burner to sprinkle in the path of your oppressor.
--Zsuzsanna Budapest, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, Complete in One Volume, 1980, 1989, First Wingbow Edition 1989, pp. 23, 44, 27. Special thanks to Z. Budapest for granting her permission to use this material.
Interestingly, this prayer is addressed to Santa Lucia, known as Saint Lucy in English. The Italian name, Lucia, is derived from the Latin name, Lucina. She was a Goddess of childbearing and midwifery. Her name, Lucina, means "light," as does Lucia. In particular, Lucina was to attend the birth process and be part of opening the newborn infant's eyes to light. It is a thin connection, but some scholars speculate that there is a historical connection between worship of the Roman Goddess Lucina and veneration of Saint Lucia, born in Rome.
Prayer to Santa Lucia, Patron of Eye AilmentsCopyright 2017, Myth WoodlingRelying on your goodness, O God, we humbly ask You, through the intercession of Santa Lucia, virgin and martyr, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for Your greater honor and glory. Santa Lucia, hear our prayers, and obtain our petitions.
--Catholic prayer