Caim Prayer - Encircling
What is it?
God is the circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.
A Caim prayer or Encircling pray is a protection prayer. Now, as we step into mystery, we remember that we don’t have perfect understanding of who God is or why God acts sometimes and not others….so, we pray this protection prayer knowing that it’s not some kind of magic trick. But, what this kind of prayer offers us is the comfort of God’s nearness. God is in the circle with us. There is nowhere we can go that God won’t meet us.
Also, this kind of prayer enables us to connect to others, whether they are near or faraway.
Caim prayers are simple, short—it’s the kind of prayer you pray when you don’t know what else to say…
This kind of prayer grows out of Celtic Christianity which is known for:
A deep connection to nature
A high view of the Trinity
Nondualism
Integration into daily life and ordinary tasks
Other Resources
How to Begin?
Circle me Lord Keep protection near And danger afar Circle me Lord Keep hope within Keep despair without Circle me Lord Keep love nearAnd hatred afarInstead of “me”: Fill in someone else’s name or a certain situation(example: Circle our church Lord, Keep love near, and hatred afar)****(Point your finger toward the ground straight in front of you)Bless to me the sky that is above me, (Keep finger extended, turn a quarter to the right)Bless to me the ground that is beneath me, (turn another quarter)Bless to me the friends who are around me, (another quarter turn)Bless to me the love of the Three (one last quarter turn so that you are back to your starting position, notice how you drew a circle around yourself)Deep within me and encircling me. Amen_St. Columba***
You may even want to make a circle out of wire or dried grass. This can act as a tangible access point as you engage the intangible.