I'm not being disrespectful....

[pat]

Just intensely curious: do pagans have hymns?

Comments

I'd say so

[runeshower.livejournal.com]

Certainly there are reverent songs.

"We all come from the Goddess
And to her we shall return
Like a drop of rain
Flowing to the ocean."

Re: I'd say so

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

What a wonderfully spiritual image, that of a drop of water returning to the ocean.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

As runeshower noted, there are reverent songs. And the place of music in ritual varies with the tradition. I'm aware of songs to invoke certain gods being part of several non-Christian traditions, like Asatru/Norse paganism.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the information. Music is such an important part of my spiritual life, that I wondered to what extent it is for others who do not share my belief structure. I hope I wasn't out of line.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

Trust me, that was far from being out of line. :)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Music is an intense part of my spiritual life, and I don't identify as Christian (very bent towards those traditions, though) and though I identify as pagan, many people would not consider me Pagan with a big P. But music goes somewhere deeply within, beyond dogma.

"Christ the Lord has Risen Today" is one of the most important hymns in my spiritual gut, though it doesn't suit me theologically. It suits me spiritually. I grew up on it. It's in my gut.

Have you ever read Madeleine L'Engle's adult non-fiction writing? You might love it. This is a good time of year to start reading either "A Circle of Quiet" or "The Irrational Season."

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

Well, good. Maybe it's just my experience with one too many Mormon missionaries, but I'm nervous that if I ask about people's spiritual beliefs, they'll see this as a prelude to my trying to "convert" them to my way of believing, which was not my intent at all.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

No, all I've ever read of L'Engle was "A Wrinkle in Time." I'll have to check out the ones you mention.

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" is a wonderful hymn. The most important ones for me spiritually are "Seek Ye First", "Simple Gifts", and "Be Thou My Vision" and in each case it is the music that touches me most deeply, not the words. Interestingly enough, I did not grow up with these hymns... I heard each of them for the first time as an adult.

One of the reasons I think I love fall and winter so much is that I can go around singing songs that are spiritually meaningful to me like "What Child is This" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" without people giving me strange looks : >

Re: I'd say so

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's an image that resonates for me, too. We are all a part of the greater whole.

There's a second part to that chant:

Hoof and horn, hoof and horn
All that dies shall be reborn.
Corn and Grain, corn and grain
All that falls shall rise again.

The two can be sung simultaneosly.

I'd say Pagans mostly don't have "hymns," which refers to the structure of music as much as anything else. Most of the "hymns" that pagans have are filked from Christian hymns. And there are a VERY few hymns that were ORIGINALLY Pagan, and were filked by the Christians, and have now been re-claimed. But mostly, Pagans have chants--they tend to be simpler than hymns, usually one or at most two melodic lines, are shorter, and are often used while dancing, or doing some other action in a ritual.

[lizw.livejournal.com]

In my Hearth we tend to chant the names of the runes rather than singing songs, but we did have the pleasure of hearing an Icelandic visitor sing a traditional song at one blot.

Some pagans also adapt the favourite Christian hymn tunes of their childhood: this site has some of the better efforts, I think. (http://members.tripod.com/~Willow_Firesong/YulCarls/index.html)

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

Neat thread. The music for Be Thou My Vision (even in the typical SATB arrangement accompanied by piano) reaches me on some deep level, but I'm not sure the words fit with my theology. Similarly Amazing Grace. Maybe it's those wailing bagpipe harmonies in my racial memory? I also have strong positive feelings about To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Hath Done - but those ones are also connected with a particular spiritual experience I had in 1978.

From a different tradition, I'm very fond of Solstice Carole. "Fire is burning, the long night draws near, all who are [something, I forget] are welcome by here." I think it's a Wyrd Sisters song but I'm not sure. My women's choir used to sing it. Dunno if that counts as a pagan hymn?

Louise

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

The music for Be Thou My Vision (even in the typical SATB arrangement accompanied by piano) reaches me on some deep level, but I'm not sure the words fit with my theology.

I think "Be Thou Mu Vision" is based musically on an old Celtic melody. I have a similar reaction to "Greensleeves"/"What Child is This" which is a medieval melody.

And it was great to hear from you... I've added you to my friends list : >