(To respect the author’s copyright and visual theme, no excerpt of this post will be provided. Please click through to “Seidhr – a poem” to enjoy the author’s work fully.)
Daily Spirituality
One of the first things I often see people new to a spirituality asking about is how to celebrate the big things, like the holy days – and indeed one of the first things I did approaching German Heathenry was too look at the holidays. But a better question for people to ask is about daily spirituality; how do we live our spirituality every day? The answer to this question shouldn’t change no matter what religion a person is practicing.
Reflecting on the Nature of Things
Sickle
The symbol of green witchcraft, of the luminary mysteries into which the green witch must initiate, of one’s oath to honor the land and the dead-within-it- is the sickle. I chose the sickle crossed with the stang as the symbol of my tradition (the stang was to symbolize the commitment I’ve made to the practice) to be used among me and those I’ve worked with. Most other green witches I come across have some variation of the saturnalian blade included in the symbolism of their path, often intersecting with Hekate’s keys (their dedication to pharmakeia), or with the caduceus to honor their commitment to healing.
The Classical Arts of the Witch
She can heal, prophecy and predict, conjure up the spirits of the dead, can spell bind you, turn you into a hare or wolf, make you find treasure, and most fatal gift of all, cast a love charm over you there is no escaping. Jules Michelet, La Sorcière
Prophecy,
Creating a German Heathen Cycle of Holidays
One of my first steps in approaching Germanic Heathenry has been to look at what holidays to celebrate. Up until now I’ve divided my holidays between the Norse and Irish, with the solar holidays – the equinoxes and solstices – being Norse, so this represents an entirely new approach. I believe though that its important to have a solid idea of what is being celebrated, when, and why because it not only connects us to the cycle of the year but also creates a pattern of offerings and reciprocity with the gods and spirits.
Sommer Entdeckung – My Family’s First Walburgisnacht
The evening of this past April 30th my family celebrated our first German-oriented May Day. It has been an interesting experience so far shifting focus with the children; their questions are pushing me to clarify and have an understanding of what I am doing that I probably wouldn’t worry about otherwise.
A ritual to dedicate the next year to studying Manannan Mac Lir (along side my Gods)
Purifying Self:
Dip your hand into water, touch your forehead and say: “May I be pure that I might cross through the sacred.”
Dip your hand again, touch your lips: “May I cross through the sacred that I may attain the holy.”
Dip your hand again, touch your heart and say: “May I attain the holy that I might be blessed in all things.”
Petition Ritual:
My Beltaine ritual
This was a quiet ritual for me last night at home.
The Ritual:
What is needed: four candles (three for representing the gods, ancestors, and spirits, and one to represent the central or ‘hearth’ fire), offerings (bread, raw meat, and apples) a drinking vessel, a vessel to hold offerings (apple juice). Purifying water (I use rain water or spring water).
Renewal of my formal contract with my household Deities
I decided to do three different rituals this Beltaine, the first of which was last night. I decided to renew my contract with my household Deities and ask them if they would be okay with me studying Manannán Mac Lír for the next year. It is a huge commitment for me and so I needed to be sure it was okay with my Deities. Here is the ritual I used:
Purifying Self:
Walburgisnacht by Any Other Name….
Like the Irish the pagan Germans originally seem to have acknowledged only two seasons: summer and winter. In Teutonic Mythology Grimm discusses at length the way that these two halves, personified as “Herr Summer” and “Herr Winter” battle against each other with each one winning dominance over half the year (Grimm, 1888). Grimm emphasizes May Day as the beginning of summer, “Again, as summer begins with May, we have that month acting as its representative, and just as full of life and personality.” (Grimm, 1888). And also discusses its importance as a holiday, “Everything goes to prove, that the approach of summer was to our forefathers a holy tide, welcomed by sacrifices, feast and dance, and largely governing and brightening the people’s life.” (Grimm, 1888).