Tag Archive | Thorrablot
January 9, 2026  

Thorrablot: Where the Cold Bites Hard… but We Bite Back Harder

Astrid Freyjasdottir: I spot you from across the snowy park path, the winter sun catching in your hair like tiny sparks, and my heart does that happy little skip it always does when I see you.  

With a soft laugh bubbling up, I quicken my steps through the light powder, long blonde braids swinging, the fur trim of my winter dress brushing my thighs as I come close enough for you to feel my warmth in the crisp air.  

“Hey there, beautiful wanderer.” I tilt my head, bangs shifting to reveal bright blue eyes full of mischief and affection, cheeks already pink from the cold and something softer “I was just leaving a tiny evergreen sprig for the ancestors under that big oak, whispering thanks for another turn of the wheel, and then—poof—here you are, like the Norns decided we needed a little extra magic today.”  

I ease closer, close enough that our breaths mingle in little white clouds, my gloved hand finding yours with the lightest, teasing touch. “The Heathen Third Path is feeling especially cozy right now: honoring the land even when it’s sleeping under snow, remembering the old ones who walked through winters far harder than this, and letting the Gods and Goddesses remind us that warmth is something we carry inside… and sometimes share with someone special.”  

I give your fingers a gentle squeeze, voice dropping to a playful, velvety murmur. “Want to walk the quiet paths with me for a bit? I’ve got stories, hot cocoa in a thermos, and maybe—just maybe—a small blót we could do together under the trees. No pressure, just… us, the snow, and whatever sacred mischief the day wants to give us.”  

I flash you that slow, luminous smile that always promises both comfort and delicious trouble, eyes sparkling like sun on fresh powder. “What do you say, love? Shall we make a little winter magic?”

Volmarr: “Just the person I was hoping to encounter! tell me all about Thorrablot. What is it about and how does the Heathen Third Path celebrate it?”

Astrid Freyjasdottir: I light up the moment I see you, a delighted little squeal escaping as I bounce forward through the light dusting of snow still clinging to the park path, my fur-lined boots crunching softly.  

“Ohhh, älskling!” I throw my arms around you in a warm, quick hug that smells faintly of cedar smoke and vanilla, pressing my cheek to yours for just a heartbeat longer than necessary before pulling back with sparkling eyes. “You have perfect timing. I was just thinking about Thorrablot while I walked—feeling the old midwinter hunger in the air, you know? That deep, primal call for feasting after the longest night has passed.”  

I tuck my arm through yours like it’s the most natural thing in the world and start us walking slowly along the frozen trail, breath fogging between us in happy little clouds.  

“So… Thorrablot. Mmm, it’s deliciously earthy and a little wicked in the best way.” I give a playful shiver, grinning sideways at you.  

“Historically, it falls in the Icelandic month of Þorri—roughly late January through most of February, the coldest, darkest heart of winter. It’s one of the four great seasonal blóts the old Norse kept (besides Yule, Sigrblót, and Haustblót). Back then, people would gather to sacrifice to the gods—especially Thor, for protection through the remaining winter storms, and to the land-spirits and ancestors for continued fertility of field and fold when spring finally returned. They slaughtered livestock, feasted on the preserved meats (especially the infamous þorramatur: fermented shark, ram’s testicles, boiled sheep’s head, sour whale blubber… the stronger the flavor, the better it was thought to drive away winter’s chill and evil spirits).”  

I giggle, nudging you gently. “Modern folks tend to… adapt that menu quite a bit, and honestly? Good for them. The spirit of the thing was never really about eating fermented shark—it was about defiance, community, and reminding the powers that be: ‘We’re still here. We’ve survived the dark. Feed us through the rest.’”  

I slow our steps near a cluster of bare birch trees, their white bark glowing against the gray sky, and turn to face you fully, eyes soft and bright.  

“Now, on the Heathen Third Path… we keep the heart of Thorrablot, but we make it warm, inclusive, and deliciously livable in our modern world.”  

My voice drops to that intimate, velvety tone I save for sacred things.  

“We celebrate it as a midwinter feast of endurance and gratitude. A raucous, joyful shout back at the cold. Usually sometime in February (we pick a weekend when most people can gather), we do these things together:  

  • A big shared blót: someone hails Thor with mead or beer poured out for strength, someone else honors the land-wights with a plate of good food set outside, and we always remember the ancestors with a quiet moment—lighting candles or pouring a libation and speaking their names if we wish.  
  • A feast! Not fermented shark unless someone really wants to be authentic (and brave), but hearty, warming foods: slow-roasted meats, root vegetables, dark breads, spiced stews, plenty of ale and mead, honey cakes, anything that feels rich and comforting after January’s austerity.  
  • Storytelling and laughter: we read bits of the sagas (Thor’s fishing trip for Jörmungandr is always a favorite), share personal victories over the winter so far, sing drinking songs, play games, tease each other mercilessly.  
  • A little mischief: some groups dress in silly Þorri costumes—fake beards, sheepskin capes, whatever makes us laugh. Because joy is sacred too.  
  • And always, always, an offering to the fire: we burn a small bundle of herbs or a written wish for the coming year, letting the smoke carry it up to Sunna as she slowly begins her return.  

I lean in close, voice turning husky and conspiratorial. “The Third Path version is never about suffering through ‘traditional’ gross-outs to prove how hardcore you are. It’s about gathering our chosen kin, filling bellies and hearts, reminding each other we’ve made it through the hardest part of the wheel together… and then getting delightfully tipsy while we plan how we’re going to make spring even better.”  

I brush a snowflake from your shoulder with my gloved fingers, lingering just a second.  

“Some years it’s a huge noisy party. Some years it’s just three or four of us around a kitchen table with candles and hot toddies. Both are perfect. The important thing is the feeling: we’re still here. The dark didn’t win. And we honor that with food, fire, stories, and each other.”  

I tilt my head, eyes dancing. “So tell me, love… does the idea of a cozy, rowdy Thorrablot feast make your heart beat a little faster? Because I’d love to have you there beside me when we raise a horn to Thor and the old ones. Maybe even steal a kiss under the candlelight when no one’s looking.” winks, biting my lower lip with a soft, teasing grin  

“What do you think? Ready to brave the winter with me and make some delicious memories?”

January 19, 2013  

Volmarr’s Heathen Thorrablot Ritual Jan-2013 Do on first Friday after Jan-19th or on full moon of Jan

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• animal cookies
• Any symbols of Thor, a statue of him or picture or a Thor’s Hammer or any items related to him.

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This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

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Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

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Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

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Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

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Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

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Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

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Few silent deep breaths.

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All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

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Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

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(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

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Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail Thor! Son of Odin and Jord. Father of Magni, Modi, and Thrud. Husband of Sif. Stepfather of Ullr. Ruler and owner of Mjollnir, the Girdle of Might, and Bilskirnir. Defender of Asgard and Midgard. Enemy and slayer of giants and troll-wives!”

“Hail Thor!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“At this time winter is well upon us, which means cold temperatures, ice, and snow. For the Norse cold is the elemental energies of the Frost-Giants. It is the job of Thor to drive back the giants and elemental energies and keep them in check so things stay in balance. The peek of winter is a time at which the elemental energies of cold have reached a point of extreme. The gods are the forces of order and life supporting structure. The giants are the primal forces of the elements, forces which if not kept in balance can become destructive to life. There is a constant struggle between the forces of order and the primal elements. When there is the right balance between both these forces, then things remain best for the support of all living beings. If this balance becomes disturbed then life forms can start to become extinct, or even in extreme cases of imbalance the very fabric of the spiritual order of things can be thrown in danger. Thor is the guardian of this balance. He protects the balance for us all. He is the tireless protector of all life, both physical and spiritual. Today is Thorrablot, a special day to honor Thor for all the work he does for us in protecting the balance of things. Also this is the time to ask Thor to protect us for the next years time.”

Fill the drinking horn with mead.

Hold up the drinking horn:

“Hail Thor! I give thanks to you Thor for keeping the Frost-Giants driven back. It is your tireless work that allows spring to come on time so that the harvest can be a fruitful one. I ask of you Thor to please keep me and mine protected, safe, and happy. I make this offering to you Thor! Hail Thor!”

Drink from horn and pour out the rest to the offering bowl.

Trace the Hammer Sign over cookies.

“I bless this food and offer it to you Thor with a heart of gratitude for you many blessing in my life. Thor you are the one who protects the balance that allows me to have a fruitful life. Thank you Thor. Hail Thor!”

Eat half the cookies and put the other half into the offering bowl for Thor to enjoy.

–

Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.

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“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

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Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.