9/7/03
On this date, I saw a doe standing by the old home place. She was standing there as if to be waiting for me to see her. She stared down the road in my direction. She stood perfectly still as I moved towards her. I had the impression that I was being given a message. I have sat down these ideas in search of that message. The poem "The Deer's Cry" is the most powerful feeling I got regarding a message. I would like to believe the poem is the message I was being given.
Rhonda Cooley
(Saint Patrick's Breastplate)
I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today through the strength of
Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the judgment of Doom.
I arise today through the strength of the
love of Cherubim
in obedience of Angels,
in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs,
in predictions of Prophets,
in preaching of Apostles,
in faith of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins,
in deeds of righteous men.
I arise today through the strength of
Heaven:
light of Sun,
brilliance of Moon,
splendor of Fire,
speed of Lightning
swiftness of Wind,
depth of Sea,
stability of Earth,
firmness of Rock.
I arise today through God's strength to
pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to secure me:
against snares of devils, against temptation of vices,
against inclinations of nature,
against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and
in a crowd.
I summon today all these powers between me
and these evils:
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body
and my soul,
against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of pagandom,
against false laws of heretics,
against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.
Christ to protect me today
against poison, against burning,
against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ
behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Attributed to Saint Patrick. The Prayer is preserved largely in the "Thesaurus Paleohibernicus."
Credit for Source:
http://208.50.7.241/stpatrick.htm
Deer - Running scared
Source: http://www.soulfuture.com/dream_dictionary/symbols_d/deer_dream_dictionary.asp
DOE - Despite the gentle appearance of a doe, it has a demonic attribute according to mythological legends.
DEER - In China, the deer symbolizes wealth and filial piety. Source: http://www.church-of-the-holy-grail.org/animal2.htm
The Deer - Considered to be the oldest creatures in existence by the Celts, the Deer often represented the primary Gods and Goddesses - the Stag represented the Male, and the Doe, the female. Stags were particularly associated with Cernnunos, the Celtic horned god of nature and hunting. Source: http://www.ancientspiral.com/celticsymbols.htm
Deer or Mahjrah in Huichol symbolize Kayumahli, the spirit guide. Kayumahli is the guide, teacher and channel of knowledge for the Shamans. The deer hunt, capture and slaying is a very ritualized ceremony. Only the "pure" may participate. For the insurance of a good crop the deer blood is offered to the Deer Mother. Tah Tay Mahjrahlee. As a guardian spirit she is one of the animals of primary importance in the shamanism of the Huichol. The unity of men and women on their spiritual journeys is symbolized by the male and female deer depicted together. Source: http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/huichol/abt_ht~3.htm
The prayer is called "Deer's Cry" because, as the story goes, he became as a deer in the eyes of those who would do him harm and was able to make his trip safely with his fellow monks. This is the earliest example of vernacular poetry and is a beautiful blend of Celt and Christian. Source: http://208.50.7.241/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SOTS&Category_Code=O
