Stand With Texas Women

Protestors are descending on Austin today to speak out about the new special session. I have a dozen friends heading down there to shout and protest, while I’m stuck here at work. Knowing I’d be stuck out of the action, though, I wrote myself a little prayer. Keep in mind, I’m a pagan. I’ve always believed that prayer and magic have a huge influence on the world around us. By doing a prayer and creating a talisman, I’ve added my energies to those of the people who are actually there protesting in person.

My talisman was pretty simple. I bought some little cardboard tags, and I used some watercolors to paint a powerful (and angry) goddess. I also collected together a red candle, some flowers, my prayer, and elemental symbols (salt, incense, etc.). With my sisters, we blessed our talismans with the elements before staying the prayer over them. I’m sharing this mini-ritual, largely for those who want to take a stand but can’t. Energy is a powerful thing. Every voice matters.

The prayer is as follows:

We gather here as Texas women, seeking our rights when our representatives do not. Our hearts burn with righteous anger at the injustice served to us by our leaders.

We gather here to pray for our rights, for the rights of women throughout our state and women all over our country.

The right to choose… motherhood or virginity, fertility or contraception, sexuality or abstinence, money maker or homemaker.

We have the right to choose our fate, to walk the path we see before us, or to choose to walk the other way.

Great Goddess, aid our cause! Let our intent be clear, Let our strategies be well thought out. Let our sexuality be freed from shame. Let our stand be firm and our rights unhindered.

We pray to thee, Great Goddess! Charge these prayer talismans. Guide our hands, lift our voices, and let us be heard!

So mote it be!

Please, if you’re a pro-rights supporter, take a moment to send your thoughts and prayers our way. You don’t have to be pagan, and you don’t have to use my prayer. We could use all the help we can get!