Ritual and prayer are both a form of connecting with the God and Goddess in a personal and powerful way. Wiccan prayer is essentially the same as prayers from other religions. When a Wiccan prays, he or she can use a formal prayer such as this:

The Earth is my Mother.
I shall not want.
Her hand brings forth the green pastures.
She tarries within the still waters.
She leads me in fields of fruitfulness for my Glory.
Yea, as I walk through the summer of life unto death,
I will not be afraid, for You are with me.
Your womb in the earth will enfold me.
You prepare a harvest before me and bless my home with children.
You fill me with milk and honey.’
My cup overflows.
Surely, goodness and beauty will nurture me all the days of my life,
and I will become part of the earth forever

This prayer is adapted from the Shepard’s Psalm from the Hebrew Scriptures. You can also pray informally throughout the day. I do this often to keep myself connected to the God and Goddess.

Ritual is the heart of Wiccan practice. Unlike prayer, which you can do anywhere and at any time, ritual requires some ‘prep time’ and some time set aside to complete the ritual. Rituals are observances that are performed alone or as part of a group. Rituals can be performed for a variety of reasons; for observance of holidays, honoring the God and Goddess or performing a specific magickal rite. The purpose of the ritual is to directly connect with the God and Goddess and harness their power for magick. Rituals are normally planned to coincide with a specific moon phases and astrological occurrences. Rituals also normally include the use of tools, such as candles and herbs, to complete the magickal workings.