Friday, December 9, 2011

Quiet Winter Solstice

Quiet Winter Solstice Image
Sweetie and I had a quiet private Winter Solstice celebration on Monday night. We managed to wait to break into the stockings and gifts until after the sun had set. I lit the magic candles on the tree and sitting on the floor by the tree we pulled treasures from our stockings and then handed each other presents from family, loved ones, and ourselves. Moj got an antique Dionysian pitcher and plate for ritual cakes and wine, Dionysus oil and incense, as well as many witchy books, more incense, candy, and homemade preserves. I received a ton of witchy books (love my witchy man!), chocolate, an evil eye doll from Toadbone's Apotheca, pairs of beautiful handknit socks from my Mom, books from her trip to Scotland, handmade soap, and also some powders and animal curios for magic. For both of us I had purchased an authentic set of Welsh horse brasses as a house protection and blessing charm. Most horse brasses are just for show - this one was made from an actual well-used thick piece of saddle with a lovely pattern stitched into it. The leather is so old it is starting to decay and a few of the leather strips holding on the brasses had broken so I had to repair them. The symbols on the brasses are personal to us, so I just showed a few in the picture.

In honour of the occassion I set to work after presents preparing the Yule feast we'd share with the God. First I started the wassail by adding a bottle of last year's apple mead, apple juice, lemons stuck with cloves, sliced apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg into my crock pot to warm while cooking dinner. My apple mead turned out tasting a bit like sherry and a pretty red colour - strange but delicious! I made a wintry feast of pork schnitzel with maple syrup-roasted root veggies (beets, carrots, parsnips, and maple syrup my Dad harvested on his farm last February), mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, and some homemade gravy to pour over half of it. We put a bowl of the wintry feast on the God's altar and left him some wine and then went off to watch Terry Pratchett's Hogfather while eating our own plates of the feast.



Labels: books on greek gods and goddesses  egyptian gods and goddesses pictures  norse god  egyptian gods and goddesses pictures  ancient rome religion  norse gods and goddesses  belief was christian  dear ones service  writer seeks dna  

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Nordic Paganism

Nordic Paganism Image
Nordic Paganism is a Reconstructionist form of Paganism. The primary source materials are literary texts written in medieval Iceland in the historical range of 1100 to 1300, in the Germanic-Scandinavian language variously known as Old Norse or Old Icelandic, which is indeed quite similar to modern Icelandic. These texts are believed by modern Nordic Pagans to preserve Pagan beliefs from long before Iceland’s conversion from Norse Paganism to Christianity in the year 1000, an event that will be discussed in a later section. Several categories of texts are important to modern Nordic Pagans. First, there is the collection of largely mythological poems known as the Poetic Edda, with individual Eddic poems providing accounts of the past creation and future destruction of the world, the nature of the Norse universe, and the adventures and misadventures of the various gods, as well as the exploits of certain nondivine heroes and heroines. Further information on the same topics is given in a supplementary text, the Prose Edda, written by the medieval Icelandic scholar and statesman Snorri Sturluson.

The leader of the Norse gods is Odin, the one-eyed god of wisdom, war, magic, and poetry, among other powers and functions. Other prominent Norse deities include Thor, the reliable protector of humankind who brandishes a hammer to smash malevolent giants and other foes; Tyr, god of war and oaths; Frigg, the wise wife of Odin; Baldur, the son of Odin, fated to first be slain by his own brother and then return from death to rule the world; Loki, the sometimes harmful, sometimes helpful god of guile and trickery; AEgir and Ran, god and goddess of the sea; Freyja, the goddess of fertility, love, and war; her twin brother Freyr, also associated with fertility; Njorthur, god of seafaring, fishing, and commerce and father of Freyja and Freyr; and Hel, the goddess of death. Other deities are described in less detail in the Old Norse literature, and other classes of supernatural beings such as Elves and Landspirits, worshipped in both ancient Norse tradition and modern Nordic Paganism.

Labels: pictures of egyptian gods and goddesses  death of balder  athens gods  roman gods and goddesses list  gods and goddesses of egypt  all greek gods and goddesses  heaven and hell  lucid dreaming book  anglo saxon  heathen god  

Friday, December 2, 2011

Ancient Occult Symbols The Aegishjalmur

Ancient Occult Symbols The Aegishjalmur Image
The traditional Occult Symbol - Aegishjalmur commonly referred to as the "helm of awe" is a an ancient Scandinavian runic viking symbol.

The symbol is said be worn over the forehead or used as a tattoo and in modern times has been used in t shirts or necklaces.. In history it was said to be scratched or drawn on the inside of one's battle helmet to give the wielder power. Its magical purpose is said to be protection and "irresistibility" in battle..

(Image Source above from - The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft )

OCCULT SYMBOLS - THE AEGISHJALMUR IN HISTORY AND USE


It is said to be able to be used on one's forehead with saliva or blood. In modern times it has been used in many more ways than this including necklaces, t-shirts or tattoo's as seen below. Within the symbol is Algiz as shown by the images which is the rune of protection. In the center is the circle most likely representing one self surrounded by protective energy. This was a very powerful symbol from the pagan era, it is indicated to be used in battle as well as protecting the wielder in general from magickal or physical attack including the abuse of power.

As you can see from the images it has been used in many ways this ancient Occult symbol. Interestingly enough it is another symbol that has been passed down through the ages.. In a previous post I went over general Occult Symbols used today, this is another to add to the list.

The runes originate from the history of Odin, Thor, Freya and other ancient viking history. They were used as a magical alphabet that finally developed into the English alphabet we use today and if used used right were said to bestow powers onto the user. The Aegishjalmur symbol is a symbol within the same understanding of the runes. In a future post I will write more detail on the history and power of the Runes as well as the history of the Viking Gods..

Labels: drawings of greek gods and goddesses  runes of magi  northern mysteries  gods and goddesses of greek mythology  ancient gods and goddesses names  writer seeks bal  buddhist government protests  mayberry buddha predicts  man 2600 buddha