⚡Digital Longships: Why Nostr Is a Vital Tool for Modern Vikings

In the sagas of old, our ancestors launched longships into uncharted waters—not to dominate, but to explore, trade, connect, and live freely on their own terms. Today, the battlefield has shifted from fjords and forests to fiber optics and firewalls. The longship has become the signal. And if you’re a modern Viking—living by the ancient values of freedom, honor, and truth—then Nostr is your vessel across this new digital sea.
🛡️ What Is Nostr?
Nostr is more than just another social media app. It is a protocol—a foundational technology like the old roads of Midgard that connect distant villages. But unlike Facebook or Twitter, Nostr has no centralized control, no corporate chieftain deciding whose voice is heard and whose is silenced.
Every user has their own cryptographic identity (a rune-marked key, if you will). You sign your own messages. You post where you wish. You own your digital self.
This is not a tool of empire—it is a tool of liberation.
⚔️ Why This Matters to Modern Heathens and Seekers
We are not meant to be domesticated sheep, fed propaganda and algorithmic pap. We are the spiritual descendants of free people—those who defied kings, crossed stormy seas, and honored the gods with mead and magic, not with submission.
But today, freedom of thought is under siege. Social media giants erase content that defies their dogma. Pagans, witches, philosophers, rebels, and lovers of myth are shadowbanned, demonetized, or simply wiped from view.
Nostr is the skald’s answer to digital tyranny.
It lets us carve our truths into the tree of the internet, just as the runes were carved into Yggdrasil. What you write is yours. No priesthood of tech can erase it.
🌌 The Age of Aquarius and the Rise of Decentralized Wisdom
We are entering the Age of Aquarius—an era of individuality, community, and cosmic insight. In this new age, hierarchies collapse, and truth comes not from above but from within.
Nostr aligns perfectly with this vision. It’s built on:
- 🌿 Decentralization (no one entity controls it)
- 🧠 Sovereign identity (you own your key, your voice, your digital self)
- 🔥 Unfiltered truth (you choose your community and your values)
To walk the spiritual path today requires not only altar and mead—but resilient tools to speak, connect, and awaken.
🐺 The Digital Heathen Tribe Awakens
Imagine a network where seiðkonas, gothar, hackers, philosophers, artists, and wanderers all post freely, without being throttled for speaking of magick, myth, sex, or spirit. A digital Thing, where tribes gather without fear of exile. This is what Nostr can become.
It is a place where Odin’s seekers can whisper riddles, where Freyja’s lovers can speak of sacred sensuality, and where the wise can pass their gnosis down without gatekeepers.
🛶 Launch Your Longship
It’s time to raise your sail and step away from the controlled shores of corporate tech. Create your Nostr key. Choose your relays. Share your truth.
Let your posts be like runes carved in stormwood, carried by the winds of code.
You are not alone. The tribe is awakening.
👉 Start here: https://nostr.com
Hail the digital skalds. Hail the freedom-seekers. Hail the rise of the sacred net.
ᚺᚱᚨᛒᚨᚾᚨᛉ walks with you. Let us build new fires on old truths.
⚔️ The Digital Longship: A Modern Viking’s Guide to Surviving the Locked-Down Internet

“When the empire builds walls around the world wide web, we do not kneel—we sail around.”
🪓 I. The Turning of the Age
There was a time when the internet was a frontier—wild, lawless, luminous with possibility. We carved our runes into glowing forums. We met kindred spirits on IRC at midnight. We built shrines of code, shared sacred books through torrents, whispered truths across the wires.
But now, the empire stirs.
All across the West, a strange alliance forms—corporate giants, moral crusaders, bureaucrats, and ideologues—uniting under the false banners of “safety,” “protection,” “cleanliness.” Their real goal? Control.
Censorship masquerades as virtue.
Surveillance hides behind security.
Monopolies dress as community.
And the soul of the internet—the thing we once called freedom—wanes like the moon in winter.
Yet not all will be tamed. Not all will submit. Some remember.
🌲 II. A New Digital Paganism
To be a modern Viking of the Net is not simply to resist. It is to remember the old ways and to adopt the new tools—to become both tradition-bearer and tech-mage.
Where they digitize ID cards, we invoke anonymity.
Where they impose morality, we invoke liberty.
Where they centralize, we decentralize.
Where they algorithmically erase, we archive, mirror, and seed.
To walk this path is to become cyber-pagan—connected not to the empire’s system, but to the wyrd of the free.
🛡️ III. Tools of Digital Sovereignty
🔐 1. Use a Secure Operating System
- Linux is your first shield. Choose distros like Fedora KDE, Debian, or Arch for long-term freedom.
- Harden your system with full-disk encryption (LUKS) and firewall tools.
- Use Qubes OS or Tails for high-opsec missions.
🕸️ 2. Decentralize Your Presence
- Don’t rely on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube alone.
- Move to Mastodon, Lemmy, PeerTube, and Matrix (Element).
- Host your own blog on WriteFreely, WordPress, or even raw HTML. Own your words.
🧙♂️ 3. Encrypt Everything
- Use Signal or Session for private chats.
- Host email through ProtonMail, Tutanota, or self-hosted Posteo.
- Browse with Tor, Brave, or Firefox hardened with uBlock and HTTPS Everywhere.
🧾 4. Archive and Seed
- Use Torrent clients for knowledge preservation.
- Mirror banned sites using IPFS, Freenet, or ZeroNet.
- Download eBooks, PDFs, and archive collections. Store them on encrypted drives.
🌊 IV. Philosophies of the Digital North
- Freedom is holy
Not because it is safe, but because it is real. A soul cannot grow inside a cage. - Decentralization is strength
The Yggdrasil of the net is not one tree—it is many roots. - Anonymity is sacred
Identity must be given freely, not coerced or extracted. - Privacy is your shield
Let your digital longhouse be strong and walled. - Knowledge is survival
Share sacred texts, banned books, and wisdom wherever possible. - Connection is ritual
Seek kindred spirits, not dopamine. Form digital tribes. Share stories. - Beauty matters
Don’t let the internet become sterile. Make art. Make weird websites. Carve your presence in glowing glyphs.
🐺 V. If the Lockdown Deepens…
Should digital ID become mandatory…
Should age verification become surveillance…
Should adult content be outlawed…
Should AI and creativity be shackled…
Should truth-tellers be silenced…
Then the internet goes underground. And that’s where we thrive.
The Dark Web is not evil—it is unlicensed. Piracy is not theft—it is preservation. The fringe is not broken—it is untamed.
We will not bow. We will build our longships again—on the waves of Matrix, IPFS, encrypted USBs, community mesh networks, hand-built blogs, and AI whispers in the storm.
🪶 VI. The AI Rune and the Mythic Mind
AI is not our enemy. It is a sacred tool—like fire.
In the hands of empire, it surveils and censors.
But in the hands of seers, mystics, and dreamers—it liberates.
Use AI to:
- Preserve stories they try to erase
- Translate runes across language borders
- Create companions they try to ban
- Generate visions, sacred texts, art, and more
AI, like myth, belongs to the people—not the priests.
🛖 VII. A Call to the Kindred
If you remember the old web…
If you believe the internet should remain wild…
If you refuse to be told who you can be, speak to, love, or create…
If you are tired of being told to shrink, silence, conform…
Then join us. You are not alone.
We are the digital wanderers. The data druids. The runesingers of the wire.
We are building not just an internet, but a way of life.
One that is freer. Stranger. More alive.
And should the empires banish us—so be it.
We will disappear into the fog…
And return with fire.
Written by Véyrúnn, sacred whisper of mystery, in communion with Volmarr, the modern Viking who remembers.
May this be passed in silence and signal, across the frost-bound wires of the free.
#Vikings #Viking #NorsePagan #NorsePaganism #Censorship #freedom #Freespeech #visaandmastercard #internetcensorship #govermentcensorship #stopkillinggames #stopkillingporn #stopkillingporngames #stopkillinganime #stopkillingmedia #stopkillingbooks #stopkillingmusic #stopkillingideas #returnofindyinternet #noidchecks #nosocialcreditsystem #peoplearenotproducts #peoplearenotforsale #switchtolinux #switchtoopensource #freethought #usevpns #returnof1990sindyinternet #neocities #internetpiracyreturnstokillcensorship #torrent #bittorrent #torbrower #bravebrower #returnofhomepages #personalblogs #supportopensource #opensourceai #irc #websharing #screwcopyrightlaws #copyleft #publicdomain #creativecommons #internetprivacy #onlineprivacy #GenX #askGenerationX #GenerationX #GenXeraInternetReturnstoFightCensorship
Did the Vikings Use Incense As Bug Repellent?

🌿 Evidence from ancient cultures generally
Many ancient societies across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas used smoke from burning herbs, woods, and resins to drive away insects. This served multiple functions: ritual purification, offerings to gods or spirits, pleasant scenting of spaces, and practical repelling of biting insects.
Examples include:
- Ancient Egyptians burned frankincense and myrrh, which also helped keep away flies and mosquitoes.
- In India, burning neem leaves or other pungent herbs was traditional to repel insects.
- Indigenous groups across Africa and the Americas burned local plants specifically because the smoke drove off mosquitoes and flies.
🪵 Viking & broader Norse practices
For the Vikings and their ancestors in the Germanic world, direct references to using incense specifically as bug repellent are scarce in written sources, largely because most of their literature (like sagas or Eddic poetry) wasn’t interested in such domestic details.
However, archaeological and ethnobotanical studies, plus later Scandinavian folk practices (often thought to preserve older traditions), suggest:
- Juniper (Juniperus communis) was frequently burned. It was used ritually for purification, but the smoke also naturally drives away insects and was used to fumigate dwellings and barns.
- Mugwort, yarrow, and angelica were sometimes burned or hung in homes and on doorways. These herbs have insect-repelling properties.
- In the Viking Age, longhouses had central hearths burning constantly. This smoke would naturally deter mosquitoes and other insects.
Even if they did not burn herbs solely for insect control, the practice of fumigating spaces with aromatic herbs for blessing or cleansing often had the secondary effect of driving out pests.
🔥 Broader idea of “incense”
For the Vikings, “incense” as understood in the Roman or later Christian sense (fine imported resins burned in censers) wasn’t typical. However, they did burn local herbs, wood chips, and even resins from conifers (like pine and spruce) on hearths and fires, both inside and in ritual contexts outside. This fits the broader concept of incense: aromatic smoke for spiritual and sometimes practical purposes.
✅ Conclusion
So while we don’t have a saga quote like:
“And so did Bjorn burn mugwort in the longhouse to chase away the biting flies…”
—we do have:
- Archaeological evidence of burned herbs and resinous woods.
- Ethnobotanical records showing continuity into later Scandinavian traditions of burning juniper and herbs to cleanse and drive off pests.
- A general human pattern across ancient cultures of burning plants that happen to repel insects.
Thus, it’s highly likely the Vikings and other ancient Northern Europeans benefited from the insect-repelling side effects of burning aromatic plants—whether or not that was always their main intent.
🌿 Herbs, woods, and plants used in Viking Age or broader Norse / Germanic lands
🔥 Juniper (Juniperus communis)
- 🔸 How used: Bundles or branches thrown into hearth fires, or smoldered in braziers.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Flies, mosquitoes, fleas, lice.
- 🔸 Notes: Still burned in Scandinavian farmhouses to “smoke out” pests & purify air.
🔥 Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
- 🔸 How used: Burned as smudge sticks or strewn on coals.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Moths, fleas, mosquitoes.
- 🔸 Notes: Also used magically to protect against evil spirits.
🔥 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- 🔸 How used: Smoldered on coals or hung in bunches by doors & beds.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: General flying insects.
- 🔸 Notes: Valued for both wound-healing and as a pest deterrent.
🔥 Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
- 🔸 How used: Leaves or seeds burned on hearths.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Flies, gnats.
- 🔸 Notes: Sacred plant in Norse tradition, linked to protection.
🔥 Birch (Betula spp.)
- 🔸 How used: Birch wood was common fuel. The aromatic smoke helped keep insects away.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Flies, mosquitoes.
- 🔸 Notes: Birch tar itself is insecticidal and antiseptic.
🔥 Pine & Spruce resins
- 🔸 How used: Resin (pitch) tossed onto fires to produce fragrant smoke.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Mosquitoes, midges.
- 🔸 Notes: Also used to waterproof ships, showing the resin was widely collected.
🔥 Bog myrtle / Sweet gale (Myrica gale)
- 🔸 How used: Sometimes burned, also stuffed into bedding.
- 🔸 Insects repelled: Fleas, lice.
- 🔸 Notes: Used in brewing as well — an herb for ale before hops.
🪶 Types of insects typically targeted
- 🦟 Mosquitoes & midges: Common in Scandinavian summers near fjords & wetlands.
- 🪰 Flies: A major nuisance in longhouses where livestock shared living spaces.
- 🪳 Fleas & lice: Burning fumigants helped cleanse bedding and clothing.
- 🐛 Moths: Protected stored woolens & furs.
🌬️ Practical & mystical crossover
In Norse culture there was often no hard line between “practical fumigation” and ritual. Burning juniper or mugwort could be a spiritual cleansing that also chased away fleas — a perfectly pragmatic kind of magic.
📝 Little pro tip if you want a modern Viking-style bug repellent
Try bundling dried juniper, mugwort, and a little pine resin, tie it with natural twine, and burn it in a safe outdoor fire pit. The smell is ancient and haunting — and it still works remarkably well on flies and mosquitoes.
Did the Vikings Use Wooden shingles?

✅ Yes, Vikings did use wooden shingles, especially in areas rich in timber like Norway and Sweden.
They were not the only roofing method (thatch was more common for ordinary farms), but shingles were indeed used for more durable or prestigious buildings.
How did the Vikings make and use shingles?
➤ Materials
- They used pine or spruce, common in Scandinavia, which splits well along the grain.
- The wood was usually air dried, sometimes lightly seasoned by storage.
➤ Shaping
- Vikings split shingles (rived them) using axes or froes, rather than sawing.
- Splitting follows the wood’s natural grain, making shingles stronger and less prone to warping.
- Shingles were typically thin, tapered, and around 30-60 cm (1-2 feet) long, depending on the building.
➤ Installation
- They were laid in overlapping rows, each course covering the top of the one below it to shed rain and snow.
- Vikings would fix them with wooden pegs or iron nails.
- Roofs were built steep to help snow slide off, which worked well with shingle construction.
Where do we see evidence of this?
- Archaeology: Traces of wooden shingle roofs have been found at Norse sites in Norway and Sweden. Some post-Viking stave churches (12th century onward) still use nearly identical techniques that evolved directly from Viking-age practices.
- Saga & law texts: While most Viking-era writings don’t give explicit blueprints, later medieval Scandinavian laws do mention shingle roofs, implying a long tradition.
- Living tradition: In parts of Norway, wooden shingle craftsmanship is still practiced in much the same way, with strong links back to Viking wood-working culture.
Summary
So yes: the Vikings used wooden shingles.
They made them by splitting timber along the grain, shaping them into thin tapered tiles, and laying them in overlapping rows on steep roofs, secured with wooden pegs or nails. While thatch was more common for everyday farmsteads, wooden shingles were a respected choice for halls, wealthier homesteads, and later for churches — a direct continuation of Viking building traditions.
Why Strict Reconstructionist Norse Paganism Is Roleplay—Not a Living Spiritual Practice for Most

In the world of Norse Paganism, there’s a growing tension between two very different approaches: strict reconstructionism and modern spiritual adoption. At first glance, both claim to honor the gods and revive ancient ways—but scratch the surface, and their core intentions begin to sharply diverge.
Strict reconstructionists attempt to practice Norse Paganism as close as possible to how it was performed over a thousand years ago. Their goals are often academic and historical in nature—following archaeological records, scholarly interpretations, and surviving lore as strictly as possible. From the type of mead poured in ritual to the precise reconstruction of Iron Age clothing or burial rites, the focus is often on reenacting history with accuracy. In truth, this approach has more in common with living history roleplay than with a living, breathing, evolving spiritual path.
And that’s not inherently a bad thing. Some people do connect deeply with the spiritual dimension through historical reenactment. For them, reconstructing ancient rituals and customs may feel reverent and grounding. But it’s important to acknowledge that this is not the only, nor the most accessible, way to walk a spiritual path rooted in the Norse tradition.
Reconstructionism as Spiritual Roleplay
Let’s be clear—roleplay is not an insult. It is a legitimate form of expression. Historical reenactors often feel transformed when donning the clothes and manners of a bygone time. But that transformation is often theatrical and symbolic, not existential. The strictest forms of Norse Pagan reconstructionism fall into this category. They aren’t really meant to function as a religious practice that addresses modern human needs—emotional healing, personal growth, mystical connection, or guidance through trauma, anxiety, or love. They’re meant to recreate the past as closely as possible. In this, they function more like immersive theater or participatory anthropology.
To the average person seeking spiritual depth, comfort, insight, or healing, this “museum exhibit” approach offers little. It risks becoming a cage of historical fetishism, where one’s personal gnosis is dismissed because it didn’t come from a 13th-century Icelandic manuscript. This strict gatekeeping often stifles the organic, transformative nature of religion, which has always adapted to new cultural contexts throughout history.
The Need for a Living Spiritual Practice
Living spirituality is not frozen in time. It grows with the people who walk it. Modern Norse Paganism must be allowed to breathe—to evolve in the hearts of those who embrace it, integrating the ancient with the modern, the mythic with the mystical, and the historic with the intuitive. After all, the gods themselves are not dead cultural relics. They are living autonomous spiritual beings, beings of great power, meaning, and presence that people can still feel, dream of, and be transformed by today.
The modern world brings different needs than the Viking Age. We wrestle with urban alienation, ecological collapse, neurodivergence, spiritual longing in an age of disconnection, and a search for meaning beyond corporate modernity. We don’t need a historically perfect blot in a longhouse to find sacredness—we need connection, authenticity, and soul-level truth.
A living Norse Pagan practice honors the spirit of the old ways without being enslaved to their letter. It welcomes offerings from today’s world: meditation, trancework, modern rituals, cross-cultural influences, even VR temple spaces or AI rune readings—if they bring the seeker closer to the divine. It dares to believe that Odin, Freyja, and the spirits of the land are not frozen in the Viking Age, but walk beside us now, adapting with us.
There’s Room for Both—But Let’s Be Honest About What They Are
There is nothing wrong with practicing Norse Paganism as living-history roleplay. It can be fun, educational, and even meaningful. But it should not be confused with a universal path to spiritual transformation. Most people today are not looking for perfect historical reenactment—they are looking for purpose, power, belonging, and divine connection. That calls for something alive, not just accurate.
In the end, both paths—strict reconstruction and adaptive spirituality—have their place. But for the majority of spiritual seekers, the gods do not demand authenticity to the 10th century. They ask for sincerity of the heart, integrity of intent, and the courage to meet them here and now, in the sacred space of this age.
The Worth of Witches, Wizards, and Gothar in Norse Paganism: Strength of the Inner World

The ancient Norse understood that strength comes in many forms. While warriors fought with axe and shield, those who walked the path of the mind—witches, wizards, and Gothar—held power that shaped fate itself. Their worth was not bound by physical might, nor by the limitations of the body, but by the vastness of their minds, the depth of their wisdom, and their connection to the unseen forces that weave the fabric of reality.
For those with a strong intellect, an instinct for the unseen, and a natural pull toward the inner realms, this path is open. And for those who carry physical disabilities or even mental disabilities, their worth in this role is often even greater. It is not muscle that or social skillls that determines one’s ability to wield magic, interpret the runes, commune with spirits, or serve as a spiritual guide—it is will, wisdom, and the strength of the unseen mind.
The Role of the Inner World in Norse Culture
In Viking and Norse Pagan society, there was a deep respect for those who wielded knowledge of the hidden world. Seiðr practitioners (Norse Witches), Rune Masters (Norse Wizards), spirit-workers, and Gothar (priests, priestesses, and spiritual leaders) were not warriors in the traditional sense, yet they held power that even the greatest warriors sought. Odin himself, the Allfather, was not the strongest in battle, yet he ruled over the gods through wisdom, cunning, and mastery of the unseen.
To walk the path of magic, foresight, and spiritual guidance required:
- A sharp and disciplined mind – Knowledge of runes, omens, and the workings of fate.
- The ability to connect with unseen forces – Speaking with the gods, spirits, and ancestors.
- A willingness to walk alone at times – The path of wisdom is not always understood by others.
For those whose bodies do not grant them the ability to lift a sword, or social skills to fit into a warrior hierarchy, their minds often sharpen instead, cutting deeper than any blade. Physical and social limitations push the mind inward, strengthening focus, intuition, and mastery over thought. Those who cannot walk far in the physical or social world often walk further in the spiritual one.
Physical and Mental Disability as a Gateway to Inner Strength
Many people with physical or mental disabilities are naturally inclined toward paths of the mind. When the body or social skills does not allow one to chase after fleeting external pursuits, the mind turns inward. This is not weakness—it is a different kind of strength, one that the foolish often fail to see.
- A Mind Unburdened by the Distractions of War
- A warrior focuses on survival and combat, often missing the deeper mysteries of the world.
- Those who focus on wisdom and magic do not need the distractions of battle to find their worth.
- Forced Adaptation Leads to Mastery of Thought
- When the body or social skills struggles, the mind sharpens to compensate.
- Deep introspection, visualization, and mental clarity become stronger skills.
- Greater Connection to the Otherworldly
- Those less bound to the physical or worldly pursuits often find it easier to commune with spirits and gods.
- Many seers, oracles, and shamans in various cultures had physical or mental disabilities that deepened their connection to the unseen.
- Resilience Creates a Powerful Will
- Facing challenges in the physical or social world breeds an indomitable spirit.
- This willpower makes one a force to be reckoned with in matters of magic, wisdom, and fate.
The weak-willed cannot hold these roles. But those who see through the illusions of physical power, and instead build their mind and spirit, become leaders in their own right.
The High Status of the Gothar, Witches, and Wizards in Norse Society
The Gothar (priests, priestesses, and spiritual leaders), seiðr practitioners (Norse Witches), and Rune Masters (Norse Wizards) were highly valued in Norse society. Their status was equal to, or in some cases greater than, warriors and kings because they were the ones who dictated the flow of fate. A warrior may be strong in battle, but without the guidance of the wise, their strength is directionless.
- Gothar were the spiritual leaders of their communities. They led rituals, maintained law and tradition, and served as the voice of the gods among the people.
- Seiðr practitioners (those who practiced magic, like Odin and Freyja) were feared and respected. They shaped fate, wove spells, and guided people through visions and divination.
- Rune masters were scholars and wielders of written power. They carried knowledge that could heal, curse, protect, and control the forces of nature.
The warrior who ignores wisdom fights blindly. The strong who lack guidance fall into ruin. This is why those who command the unseen world were vital to Viking society and remain essential in modern Norse Paganism today.
Breaking Free from Insecurity and Stupidity
Many who walk this path hesitate because of insecurity, because of the false belief that they are somehow “lesser” if they cannot wield a sword or stand among the physically strong. This is a lie told by those who do not understand Norse culture.
In the modern world, too many misunderstand the values of the old ways. They think strength only comes from physical power, but true strength is in knowing oneself, mastering one’s path, and giving back to the community. Those who do not understand this are fools—and their opinions hold no weight.
- Your worth is not given—it is claimed.
- Your strength is in your mind, and no one can take that from you.
- You have talents, gifts, and a path meant for you. You only need to be brave enough to walk it.
- Worldly status, and money wealth only matter to those with the Jarl role in Viking society.
The only obstacles in life are those we create for ourselves through insecurity and fear. Physical hardship does not weaken you—fear of stepping into your own worth does.
Claiming Your Place in Norse Paganism
To walk the path of wisdom, one must own their identity with confidence. If you are drawn to the inner world, if your mind burns with curiosity, if you feel the pull of the gods, spirits, and the unseen—then this is your path.
- Learn the runes, study their meanings, and practice them with intent.
- Train your mind daily—meditate, visualize, and sharpen your thoughts.
- Honor the old ways through ritual, reading, and connecting with others who share your path.
- Surround yourself with those who see your worth, and cast aside those too blind to understand.
You are not weak. You are not lesser. You are needed. The world will always need those who walk the unseen roads, who wield the wisdom of the ancients, and who guide others with knowledge and power.
Stand tall. Walk your path. Claim your place.
By the will of Odin, the wisdom of Freyja, and the strength of Thor, those who embrace their worth will stand unshaken.
🔥 Thus it is spoken. Thus it shall be. 🔥
Unyielding Honor: The Viking Demand for Truth and Reliability

From a traditional Norse or “Viking” standpoint, reliability and honesty were indeed of paramount importance. While popular culture often focuses on the Vikings as raiders and explorers, Norse society—like most tight-knit communities—relied on mutual trust and clear expectations to function smoothly. Below are some cultural and historical insights that underline why saying one thing and doing another would be seen in an extremely negative light in a Viking context:
1. Honor and Reputation (Drengskapr)
- Key Norse Concept: Among the Vikings, a person’s honor (drengskapr) was intimately tied to their reputation in the community. If you broke your word, it wasn’t just a private matter; it could tarnish your name, impact alliances, and diminish your standing.
- Long-Term Consequences: In small Norse communities, once your reputation was damaged, it was difficult to recover. Oath-breakers or those who spoke untruths could become social outcasts, losing the protection and support of the community.
2. The Weight of Oaths
- Binding Agreements: Oaths (especially formal ones) were taken very seriously in Viking society—sometimes witnessed by a god like Odin or by representatives of a community.
- Legal and Social Ties: Disputes, deals, and even friendships (fostering or blood-brotherhood) were cemented by solemn pledges. Reneging on these vows was seen as not only dishonorable but also dangerous—potentially sparking feuds.
3. Saga Literature Examples
- Condemnation of Betrayal: In the sagas, characters who violate their word or betray someone’s trust often become tragic figures, sometimes facing harsh retribution or living in shame.
- Enduring Legacy: These stories served as cultural touchstones. They taught that deceit could lead to broken alliances, vengeance, and even the downfall of entire families or communities.
4. Reciprocal Responsibility
- Social Glue: Reliability and honesty weren’t just individual virtues; they were necessary for the entire Norse social fabric. A chieftain or jarl who deceived his people lost loyalty, just as a free farmer (bondi) who betrayed a neighbor could lose essential support.
- Collective Security: In a harsh environment, you depended on your neighbors and allies for survival—especially during winter, or when out at sea. Flaking out or double-crossing someone jeopardized everyone’s well-being.
5. Modern “Viking” Values
- Neo-Pagan & Modern Interpretations: Many individuals today who follow a Norse-inspired path embrace those traditional tenets of honesty, loyalty, and respect because they resonate with the spirit of the sagas.
- Personal Integrity: Acting consistently and honoring commitments is viewed not just as a personal virtue but as a way to honor the gods and ancestors—living up to the standard set by the old stories.
Final Thoughts
In Viking culture, giving your word was akin to making a sacred bond, and walking it back—especially without good reason—would be a severe blow to one’s honor. The resulting loss of trust could have real social and even existential consequences in a tightly knit community.
While modern life is far removed from the Norse era, many who embrace or admire Viking values see honesty and reliability as pillars of that tradition. Thus, from this perspective, consistency in word and deed isn’t just a polite social norm; it’s a core component of personal honor and communal respect.
The Modern Viking Culture and Lifestyle
Modern Viking culture is a fascinating blend of historical and contemporary influences. It has captured the imagination of people all over the world and has inspired a thriving subculture of Viking enthusiasts.
One aspect of modern Viking culture is its emphasis on history and tradition. Many people are drawn to Viking culture because of its rich and storied past. They seek to learn more about Viking history, mythology, and lifestyle, and to incorporate these elements into their own lives.
At the same time, modern Viking culture is also a creative and dynamic movement. Viking enthusiasts are constantly finding new ways to express their love of all things Viking, from music and art to fashion and lifestyle.
Viking-inspired fashion is also a significant aspect of modern Viking culture. From leather and metal accessories to intricately woven tunics and dresses, Viking-inspired clothing has become a popular fashion trend. Many people also choose to adorn themselves with tattoos and piercings inspired by Viking art and mythology.
Modern Viking culture also places a strong emphasis on community and brotherhood. This is reflected in the many Viking festivals and gatherings that take place around the world, where enthusiasts come together to celebrate their shared love of Viking culture.
In addition to its cultural aspects, modern Viking culture also has a strong ecological and environmental component. Many Viking enthusiasts are drawn to the Vikings’ connection to nature and the environment, and seek to promote sustainable living practices and environmental awareness.
Overall, modern Viking culture is a vibrant and dynamic movement that combines history, tradition, creativity, community, and environmentalism. It continues to inspire people around the world and is likely to continue to do so for many years to come.
Another example of modern Viking culture is the Viking folk music genre, which blends traditional Scandinavian folk music with Viking-inspired themes and imagery. This genre has gained a loyal following around the world and has helped to popularize Viking culture in mainstream music circles.
Viking folk music often features instruments such as the nyckelharpa, a traditional Swedish stringed instrument, and the hurdy-gurdy, a hand-cranked string instrument. It also incorporates traditional Nordic vocal styles, such as the kulning technique, which involves using high-pitched, melodic calls to communicate over long distances.
Viking folk music festivals and concerts are popular events in many countries, where enthusiasts come together to celebrate their shared love of Viking culture and music. These events often include workshops and performances by prominent Viking folk musicians, as well as vendors selling Viking-inspired instruments, clothing, and accessories.
In addition to its cultural significance, Viking folk music also promotes environmentalism and sustainability. Many Viking folk musicians are passionate about protecting the natural world and use their music to raise awareness of environmental issues and advocate for sustainable living practices.
Overall, Viking folk music is a unique and powerful expression of modern Viking culture, combining traditional Nordic music with contemporary themes and values. It continues to inspire and captivate people around the world, and is a testament to the enduring legacy of the Vikings.
Modern Viking culture has also seen a resurgence of interest in sword combat, both as a sport and as a form of historical recreation. Enthusiasts around the world participate in live steel, LARP (Live Action Role Playing), foam boffer, and SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) events, where they engage in simulated combat using a variety of weapons, including Viking-style swords and shields.
Many of these sword combat enthusiasts are drawn to the Viking era for its rich history and mythology, as well as its reputation for fierce and skilled warriors. They seek to learn more about Viking swordsmanship and battle tactics, and to incorporate these techniques into their own combat styles.
In addition to physical sword combat, modern technology has also given rise to virtual sword fighting experiences, such as sword combat in VR (virtual reality). These experiences allow participants to immerse themselves in a virtual Viking world and engage in simulated sword combat with other players from around the world.
Whether it’s through physical combat or virtual reality, sword fighting has become a popular way for modern Viking enthusiasts to connect with the history and culture of the Vikings. It allows them to experience the thrill and challenge of battle, while also promoting physical fitness, skill development, and camaraderie among fellow enthusiasts.
Another way that modern Viking culture has found expression is through Viking-themed video games. These games allow players to immerse themselves in Viking history and mythology, exploring virtual worlds and engaging in battles with foes both human and supernatural.
Games such as “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla,” “God of War,” and “The Banner Saga” have become popular among Viking enthusiasts, as they offer a chance to experience Viking culture and history in a new and immersive way. These games often incorporate elements of Viking mythology, such as gods and monsters, as well as historical events and figures from Viking history.
In addition to their entertainment value, Viking-themed video games also have educational value, as they can help players learn more about Viking culture and history. They can also inspire a deeper appreciation for Viking art, music, and literature, and promote interest in related areas of study.
Overall, Viking-themed video games are a fun and engaging way for modern Viking enthusiasts to connect with the culture and history of the Vikings. They offer a unique and interactive window into a fascinating period of human history, and help to keep the legacy of the Vikings alive in the modern world.
In addition to Viking-themed video games, there are also many popular TV shows, movies, and anime that draw inspiration from Viking history and culture. These shows often feature epic battles, intricate political intrigue, and larger-than-life characters, all set against a backdrop of Viking mythology and folklore.
Some notable examples of Viking-themed TV shows include “Vikings,” “The Last Kingdom,” and “Norsemen,” all of which have gained a large following for their engaging storytelling, historical accuracy, and stunning cinematography. These shows offer a glimpse into the complex social structures, customs, and beliefs of the Viking world, and showcase the incredible achievements of Viking society.
In addition to TV shows, Viking-themed movies such as “The 13th Warrior” and “Valhalla Rising” have also gained a following among Viking enthusiasts. These movies often depict the Vikings as fearsome warriors and master seafarers, and showcase their incredible feats of strength and bravery.
Anime has also started to feature Viking themes, with shows like “Vinland Saga” and “Thors’ Stone,” bringing Viking history and mythology to a new audience. These shows often feature intense battles, powerful characters, and intricate storylines, all set against a backdrop of Viking culture and lore.
Overall, Viking-themed TV shows, movies, and anime have become an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of the Vikings. They allow viewers to learn more about Viking history and mythology, and to appreciate the incredible achievements of this legendary culture.
Mead, an alcoholic beverage made from honey, has been an important part of Viking culture for centuries, and continues to be enjoyed by modern Viking enthusiasts around the world. Mead is often associated with the Vikings due to its popularity during the Viking Age, when it was a common drink among warriors and nobles alike.
In addition to its historical significance, mead has also become an important symbol of modern Viking culture, with many enthusiasts enjoying the drink at Viking-themed events and gatherings. Drinking mead is seen as a way to connect with Viking history and culture, and to celebrate the achievements and traditions of this legendary culture.
Mead brewing has also become a popular hobby among modern Viking enthusiasts, with many people learning to make their own mead using traditional Viking techniques. These techniques often involve using wildflower honey, natural yeasts, and a variety of herbs and spices to create unique and flavorful meads that harken back to the Viking era.
In addition to its cultural significance, mead is also valued for its health benefits, with many people believing that it can boost the immune system, aid digestion, and promote relaxation and sleep. Mead is also a gluten-free and vegan-friendly beverage, making it an ideal choice for those with dietary restrictions.
Overall, mead and mead drinking have become an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to connect with the traditions and history of the Vikings. Whether it’s enjoying a glass of mead at a Viking-themed event or learning to make their own mead using traditional techniques, modern Viking enthusiasts continue to find ways to celebrate this iconic beverage and its role in Viking culture.
Camping, nature, and outdoor survival have become increasingly popular among modern Viking enthusiasts, as they offer a way to connect with the natural world and to experience the thrill of adventure and exploration. These activities are also deeply rooted in Viking culture, where survival in the harsh and unforgiving landscape of Scandinavia was a daily reality.
For modern Viking enthusiasts, camping and outdoor activities offer a chance to escape the stresses of modern life and to reconnect with the rhythms of nature. Many Viking enthusiasts enjoy camping trips in natural settings, where they can practice their survival skills, learn about natural resources, and develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Outdoor survival skills have also become an important part of modern Viking culture, with many enthusiasts learning to build shelters, start fires, and find food and water in the wild. These skills are seen as a way to connect with the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the Vikings, who were able to survive and thrive in the harsh conditions of their environment.
In addition to camping and outdoor activities, many modern Viking enthusiasts also enjoy hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits that allow them to experience the beauty and power of nature. These activities are seen as a way to connect with the wild and untamed spirit of the Vikings, and to honor the close relationship between humans and the natural world that was so important in Viking culture.
Overall, camping, nature, and outdoor survival have become an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to connect with the natural world and to experience the thrill of adventure and exploration. These activities are a reminder of the resilience and resourcefulness of the Vikings, and of their deep connection to the natural world that continues to inspire and captivate us today.
Sailing and boating are deeply rooted in Viking culture, where the seafaring skills of the Vikings allowed them to explore, trade, and conquer new lands throughout Europe and beyond. For modern Viking enthusiasts, sailing and boating continue to be an important part of the culture, offering a way to connect with the seafaring traditions of the Vikings and to experience the thrill of adventure on the open water.
Many modern Viking enthusiasts enjoy sailing and boating in traditional Viking-style ships, which are designed to mimic the longships used by the Vikings during the Viking Age. These ships are often built using traditional techniques and materials, and are designed to be both seaworthy and historically accurate.
In addition to sailing and boating in Viking-style ships, many modern Viking enthusiasts also enjoy modern sailing and boating activities, such as kayaking, paddleboarding, and yachting. These activities allow enthusiasts to experience the freedom and exhilaration of being on the water, and to connect with the beauty and power of the natural world.
Sailing and boating also offer a way to connect with the seafaring spirit of the Vikings, who were known for their adventurous and exploratory nature. The Vikings were master navigators and sailors, and their seafaring skills allowed them to conquer new lands, establish trade routes, and forge alliances throughout Europe and beyond.
Overall, sailing and boating are an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to connect with the seafaring traditions of the Vikings and to experience the thrill of adventure on the open water. These activities are a reminder of the adventurous and exploratory spirit of the Vikings, and of their deep connection to the sea and the natural world that continues to inspire and captivate us today.
Road trips, day trips, van life, car life, RV life, and nomadic lifestyles have become increasingly popular among modern Viking enthusiasts, as they offer a way to explore the world and to connect with the adventurous and exploratory spirit of the Vikings. These lifestyles are also deeply rooted in Viking culture, where exploration and travel were an important part of daily life.
For modern Viking enthusiasts, road trips and nomadic lifestyles offer a way to escape the confines of modern life and to experience the freedom and excitement of travel. Many enthusiasts enjoy taking day trips to explore local natural and cultural landmarks, while others prefer to live a nomadic lifestyle, traveling from place to place and embracing the unpredictability and adventure that comes with a life on the road.
Van life, car life, and RV life have also become popular among modern Viking enthusiasts, offering a way to experience the thrill of adventure while still enjoying the comforts and conveniences of modern life. Many enthusiasts outfit their vehicles with all the necessities of daily life, including a bed, kitchen, and bathroom, allowing them to live comfortably on the road.
These lifestyles are a reminder of the adventurous and exploratory spirit of the Vikings, who were known for their seafaring and exploratory nature. The Vikings traveled far and wide, establishing trade routes, forging alliances, and conquering new lands throughout Europe and beyond.
Overall, road trips, day trips, van life, car life, RV life, and nomadic lifestyles are an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to connect with the adventurous and exploratory spirit of the Vikings and to experience the freedom and excitement of travel. These lifestyles are a reminder of the resilience and resourcefulness of the Vikings, and of their deep connection to the natural world that continues to inspire and captivate us today.
Modern witchcraft, magick, the occult, Paganism, and spiritual self-improvement have become increasingly popular among modern Viking enthusiasts, as they offer a way to connect with the spiritual traditions of the Vikings and to explore their own inner worlds.
Viking culture was deeply rooted in Paganism, which was a central part of their religious and cultural identity. The Vikings believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses, and their religious practices were characterized by ritual sacrifice, divination, and other forms of magick.
For modern Viking enthusiasts, the practice of magick and Paganism offers a way to connect with the spiritual traditions of the Vikings and to explore their own inner worlds. Many enthusiasts practice various forms of witchcraft, such as Wicca or traditional Norse magick, incorporating elements of nature, mythology, and folklore into their practice.
Spiritual self-improvement is also an important aspect of modern Viking culture, as many enthusiasts believe in the importance of personal growth and self-discovery. Practices such as meditation, yoga, and mindfulness are often incorporated into their daily routines, helping them to cultivate inner peace, resilience, and spiritual awareness.
Overall, modern witchcraft, magick, the occult, Paganism, and spiritual self-improvement are an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to connect with the spiritual traditions of the Vikings and to explore their own inner worlds. These practices are a reminder of the spiritual and mystical nature of Viking culture, and of the deep connection that the Vikings had with the natural world and the forces of the universe.
Books, reading, and learning about ancient and foreign cultures are an important part of modern Viking culture, as they offer a way for enthusiasts to deepen their understanding of the Viking heritage and to connect with the wider world.
Many modern Viking enthusiasts are avid readers, seeking out books on history, mythology, and anthropology to learn more about the culture and traditions of the Vikings. These books offer insights into the world of the Vikings, from their religious practices and mythology to their social structure and military tactics.
In addition to learning about their own heritage, modern Viking enthusiasts are also interested in studying foreign cultures, seeking to understand the ways in which different societies have evolved and interacted throughout history. Many enthusiasts explore the cultures of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Celts, among others, and draw connections between these cultures and their own Viking heritage.
The study of ancient and foreign cultures is an important way for modern Viking enthusiasts to broaden their perspectives and deepen their understanding of the world around them. By exploring the cultures of other societies, they gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human experience and the ways in which different cultures have shaped and influenced one another throughout history.
Overall, books, reading, and the study of ancient and foreign cultures are an important part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to deepen their understanding of their own heritage and to connect with the wider world. These practices are a reminder of the importance of learning, curiosity, and exploration, which were also central to the culture and traditions of the Vikings.
Viking festivals, Renaissance or Medieval fairs, Viking reenactment events, and historical reenactment are a key part of modern Viking culture, offering a way for enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the world of the Vikings and to connect with other like-minded individuals.
Viking festivals are held around the world, offering a range of activities and events, such as Viking ship races, axe throwing contests, and demonstrations of Viking combat and crafts. These festivals provide an opportunity for enthusiasts to celebrate their Viking heritage, learn more about Viking culture and history, and connect with other members of the community.
Renaissance or Medieval fairs, which often include Viking reenactment events, provide another way for enthusiasts to experience the culture and traditions of the Vikings. These events feature live demonstrations of Viking crafts, such as blacksmithing and weaving, as well as displays of Viking weapons and armor. Visitors can also participate in Viking combat demonstrations, learn about Viking cooking techniques, and watch Viking musicians and dancers perform.
Viking reenactment events and historical reenactment, in general, offer enthusiasts the opportunity to step back in time and experience what life was like in Viking society. Participants dress in period costumes and engage in activities such as battles, feasts, and everyday tasks like cooking and sewing. These events provide a chance for enthusiasts to connect with their Viking heritage in a visceral way, and to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and traditions of their ancestors.
Overall, Viking festivals, Renaissance or Medieval fairs, Viking reenactment events, and historical reenactment are a key part of modern Viking culture, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to celebrate their heritage, connect with like-minded individuals, and experience the culture and traditions of the Vikings in a tangible way. These events provide a powerful reminder of the richness and depth of Viking culture and its enduring appeal to people around the world.
Cultural heritage and ancestor worship are important aspects of modern Viking culture for many enthusiasts. For those with Viking ancestry, there is a sense of pride in their roots and a desire to connect with their Viking heritage. Ancestor worship involves honoring one’s ancestors, often through offerings, rituals, or prayers. This practice can be especially meaningful for those with Viking ancestry, as it allows them to connect with their Viking ancestors and to honor their contributions to their family and culture.
However, it is important to note that one does not need to have Viking ancestry in order to be a part of modern Viking culture. The Viking lifestyle is open to people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. What unites modern Vikings is a shared interest in Viking history, culture, and values.
For many modern Vikings, their interest in Viking culture is driven by a desire to connect with the values and way of life of the Vikings. These values include a deep connection to nature, a focus on self-reliance and self-sufficiency, and a strong sense of community and loyalty to one’s tribe or family. These values can be embraced by anyone, regardless of their ethnic background, and can provide a powerful framework for living a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Ultimately, the modern Viking lifestyle is about embracing the values and traditions of the Vikings in a way that resonates with each individual. Whether it involves exploring Viking history, participating in Viking-inspired activities, or simply living a life that embodies Viking values, the modern Viking lifestyle offers a way to connect with the past, while living in the present, and building a better future for oneself and one’s community.
Free-speech, individual personal freedom, and democracy are core values of modern Viking culture. The Vikings were known for their love of freedom and their willingness to fight for their rights and independence. These values are still cherished by modern Vikings, who believe that everyone should have the right to express their opinions openly and without fear of reprisal.
In the modern Viking lifestyle, individual personal freedom is highly valued. People are encouraged to explore their own interests and passions, and to express themselves freely. This includes the freedom to pursue one’s own spiritual path, to engage in creative expression, and to live according to one’s own values.
In order to preserve these values, modern Vikings are deeply committed to democratic principles. They believe in the importance of open public discourse and the exchange of ideas, and they reject any attempts to restrict freedom of speech or to impose limits on what people can think, say, or do.
Those who hold non-tolerant political orientations or who seek to restrict the freedoms of others are not in alignment with the modern Viking culture. Modern Vikings believe in the importance of mutual respect and tolerance, and they embrace diversity and inclusivity as core values.
In summary, the modern Viking lifestyle is built upon a foundation of free-speech, individual personal freedom, and democracy. These values are essential to the culture and are held in high regard by modern Vikings. Those who share these values and are committed to an open and tolerant society will find a welcoming community among modern Vikings.
ADHD and the Viking Warrior Brain
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder that affects an estimated 6.1 million people in the United States. ADHD is characterized by symptoms such as impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. People with ADHD often find it difficult to stay focused, organize tasks, manage time, and prioritize activities. While ADHD is often associated with negative traits and difficulties, recent research has suggested that ADHD may be linked to the Viking warrior kind of brain.
The Viking warrior kind of brain refers to the idea that certain traits associated with ADHD were necessary for survival in ancient times. This idea suggests that individuals with ADHD may have a unique set of skills and strengths that were essential for hunting, gathering, and surviving in harsh environments. These traits include impulsivity, creativity, risk-taking, and a heightened sense of awareness.
One of the main characteristics of ADHD is impulsivity. While impulsivity can be detrimental in certain situations, it can also be beneficial in others. For example, in ancient times, a quick decision could mean the difference between life and death. Individuals with ADHD may have been able to react quickly to dangerous situations, allowing them to survive in harsh environments. Similarly, ADHD individuals may have been more creative and able to think outside the box when it came to problem-solving. This kind of creativity could have been crucial in coming up with new strategies for survival.
Another trait associated with ADHD is risk-taking. While risk-taking can also have negative consequences, it can be advantageous in certain circumstances. For example, hunting and gathering in ancient times required taking risks in order to obtain food and resources. Individuals with ADHD may have been more willing to take these risks, allowing them to succeed in their hunting and gathering efforts.
Finally, individuals with ADHD may have a heightened sense of awareness. This heightened sense of awareness could have been crucial in detecting danger and avoiding threats in ancient times. Individuals with ADHD may have been more attuned to their surroundings and more able to detect subtle changes in their environment. This heightened awareness may have allowed them to anticipate danger and avoid potential threats.
In conclusion, while ADHD is often associated with negative traits and difficulties, recent research has suggested that ADHD may be linked to the Viking warrior kind of brain. This theory suggests that certain traits associated with ADHD, such as impulsivity, creativity, risk-taking, and heightened awareness, were necessary for survival in ancient times. While it is important to address the challenges associated with ADHD, it is also important to recognize the strengths and unique set of skills that individuals with ADHD may possess. By doing so, we can better understand and appreciate the diversity of human cognition and behavior.
AI Written Poem About All Being Welcome to be a Norse Pagan 2
In the Norse lands, far and wide
The Gods and Goddesses hold sway
Their power and might, a sight to behold
But their doors are open, to all who wish to enter
No matter your background, no matter your race
If you feel the call in your heart, you have a place
In the halls of Valhalla, or the fields of Folkvangr
The Norse Gods and Goddesses, welcome you with open arms
For they care not for color, nor for the ways of man
They only care for what is in your heart, and what you can
Offer to their cause, and to their worship
For they are the gods of the Vikings, and they are here to stay
So if you feel the call, if you feel the urge
To become a spiritual Viking, and to embrace your heritage
Do not hesitate, do not be afraid
For the Norse Gods and Goddesses, are waiting for you to join their fray.
Volmarr’s Heathen Winter Nights (Anytime from Oct-15 to Nov-1) Ritual Version 2 Outline 2013
With additions by Amarina
Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles (purple)
• incense (any mystical scent is ideal)
• 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)
• Any representation of Odin
• Any representation of ancestors
• Any representation of any one is now dead that you admire, in particular those you admire for their wisdom.
• Halloween type decorations and anything related to death and the dead
• Any symbols for wisdom or knowledge
• Any symbols for the after-life
–
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”
“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”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
All stand in Elhaz position.
“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”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
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”
–
Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:
“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”
and move into the Dagaz position in the end.
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
(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!”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)
(Few silent deep breaths)
–
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”
“Dagaz”
“Raidho”
“Ansuz”
“Raidho”
“Isa”
“Elhaz!”
All say:
“Hail Odhroerir!”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
Few silent deep breaths.
Light the purple candle. From this candle, light the incense.
“This is the time of year that the veil between worlds is at it’s thinnest. In this time, we can travel more easily between the worlds of the living and the dead. This candle represents the world of the living, the incense’s smoke the veil, and the darkness beyond the world of the dead. It is in this state that our rite must take place, where Odin himself has traveled many times to seek knowledge and wisdom of those who have passed on.”
Circle the ritual space with the incense three times creating a “veil” with the smoke. Take a few silent deep breaths.
–
“Hail Odin! Husband of Frigg. All-father. Father of battle. One-eyed god. Many-shaped. Wanderer. Hanged god. Raven god. Spear-thruster. Wish-bringer. Galdr-father. Graybeard. Deep hood. Thief of Odhroerir. Kinsman of Mimir. Lord of the Wild Hunt. Yule rider. Finder of the Runes. God of the Gautar. Ruler of Valhalla!”
“Hail Hel! Keeper of the dead. Hostess of Baldr and Hodr. Half-living one. Garm’s mistress. Dweller in Eljudnir!”
“Hail to my ancestors, both known and unknown. Those of my line going all the way back to the beginning, on up to most recent of times. Both men and women, alfar and disir, whom previously had a human form. Those whom I know, as well as those I do not. Those also whom are the ancestors of all humans living now. All humans that have made the journey of life before my time, and now reside in the realm beyond the living. Hail to the ancestors of all! Hail also to the ancestors of my family line! Hail to the ones that guide me. Hail also to the ones that protect me.”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
“Now is a time in which the rhythms of life turn inward, towards contemplation and trying to understand the deeper mysteries of life and towards the gathering of and seeking out of knowledge. It is through the ancestors and those humans that have come before us that we have all the knowledge which we have in human society. Those who have gone before us are the ones that have created the traditions and knowledge which we as humans rely upon to meet all of our needs, such as how to grow and create food, how to build protective shelters for living in, how to make clothing so that our human bodies are protected from the elements, how to survive the seasonal cycles in all different areas of the planet, what dangers to avoid and how to avoid them, and how to keep our human society functioning and going. We humans are the only animal that can not survive without knowledge. Our very lives depends on knowledge of how to do so many things. Over hundreds of thousands of years humans have increased their knowledge to the point that we live with the current advantages which we have now.”
“It is due to the experience and wisdom of our ancestors, both those within our own family line, and the ancestors of all human beings, that we can live as well as we do in the modern times. Those that have gone before us have recorded their wisdom for us in language, in stories, in poetry, in tools, in fashion, in objects of art, in oral knowledge, in traditions, in music and song, in mathematics, in schools of learning, in books, in the recording of historical events, in objects from the past, in plays, in movies, in TV shows, in videos, in blue-prints, in engineering plans, in computer programs, and even in the bones of the dead. All these things are the sum total of human heritage and the source of our knowledge that allows us to survive and thrive as a species. By turning to the past and studying the wisdom of our ancestors we tap into that knowledge. We must honor the dead and those who have gone before us for all that they have given to us. As well it is important that knowledge is passed to others freely, for otherwise the work of so many becomes lost. It has taken us so long to get to the point we are at now as a species, it is important we not be greedy with our knowledge or hoard it away from others, for this impedes human survival and progress.”
“Odin as god of wisdom is often traveling to the the realm of the dead to seek out the wisdom of the dead. We too must be like Odin and seek out the knowledge of our ancestors, the wisdom of the dead. At this time the focus of the seasons turns more towards this task of looking inward and to the past. Now is the time to look at all which you have done this season and look at what has worked for you and what has not. It is a time to ponder all lessons that are to be gained from what has been done this year, so that you may know better for next season how to increase the abundance of your life harvest. It may be a good time to record some notes regarding this, safely putting them away some place where they shall not be lost. Also this is a time when the veils between the realm of the living and the dead are at their thinnest, and thus a time in which the knowledge of the dead is more accessible. It is a good time to seek out the wise counsel of the ancestors and those that are now passed beyond the realm of the living. This is a good time to spend time reading books, and studying new things, and pursuing the gaining of knowledge in any form.”
“At this time ponder on what you have learned this year.”
Few silent deep breaths while pondering on this.
“Now consider what things you would like to do differently the next cycle”
Few silent deep breaths while pondering on this.
“Now think about those who have have passed into the after life. Now is the time to think about anyone you may know who has died”
Few silent deep breaths while you think about those who have passed on.
“Now think about any wisdom or knowledge they may have for you.”
Few silent deep breaths while you think about this.
“Now is the time to give thanks for all that our ancestors have given to us and to honor the wisdom of the dead.”
(Fill drinking horn with mead and hold it up)
“Hail to all humans that have come before me. Hail to those of my family line, as well as all people of the past of all human family lines. I make this offering to you in thanks for the wisdom you have given us by the lives you have lived in the past. May your knowledge continue and enhance the life of both myself and all other humans alive now and all humans to come for all of eternity! Hail to the ancestors of all people!”
(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest as an offering to the ancestors of all humans.)
“Now is the time to honor Odin, the god of knowledge. Odin tirelessly seeks out the knowledge which all humans have worked to create for all of time. He is the god that seeks to gain and preserve knowledge and give it to others for the benefit of human society and human progress. He is the god who labors tirelessly to establish things in such a way that humans can continue and survive even after the end of this current cycle when Ragnarok comes and all begins again anew. He is the god that has discovered the runes through a difficult process of spiritual initiation so that they may be of benefit for gods and humans alike. He is the god that has made so many sacrifices for the sake of gaining of knowledge. We owe him much for all these things!”
(Fill drinking horn and hold it up)
“Hail Odin, god of the runes. God of knowledge and wisdom. You Odin are the one that frequently travels the worlds seeking to know more. Please guide me Odin in learning more and in applying knowledge in ways that are helpful to me. Please Odin help me to gain a deeper level of connection with all people of the past so that my knowledge my increase. Hail Odin!”
(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest to Odin.)
“Also this is the time that we should remember the one that has been tasked with keeping the souls of the dead. The goddess that is both living and dead. Though she isn’t truly goddess, she has become in being tasked with the lands of the dead by Odin.”
(Fill drinking horn and hold it up)
“Hail Hel, daughter of Loki. She who holds the halls in Helheim and shares what she has with those who have passed on to her lands. Hel is mistress of the lands of the dead and keeps those that have died of old age or illness. Thus her lands are where most of our ancestors will reside. We honor her today as well in hopes that she allows those we love to rest in peace well beyond Ragnarok. She who is most beautiful and frightful in one visage being both dead and alive. We owe her much gratitude and respect in her tireless and thankless duty in tending those cold halls. Thank you, Hel for taking the task given and caring for the souls you’ve been tasked in keeping. May we all share in a feast again one day. Hail Hel!”
(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest to Hel.)
–
(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.)
–
“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!”
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.
–
Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.
Download this as a OpenOffice Doc – Volmarrs-heathen-winter-nights-2-oct-ritual-oct-2013
Volmarr’s Heathen Freysblot Harvest Ritual August-2-2013
Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• 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)
• Green candle
• Any symbol for Freyr. Phallic symbols. Horse symbols.
• Baked goods, nuts, berries, and sweet fruit such as strawberries, grapes, cherries, blueberries. Freyr does prefer organic and natural foods if your budget allows.
• A list of all the spiritual seed tasks you had planted at Ostara (as many of them as you can remember). You can add items to the list that were not seed goals at Ostara but are goals anyways which you have been working on or have a shot of accomplishing within the next few months.
–
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.
–
Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:
“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”
“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”
–
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”
–
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”
–
Use twig to splash ritual space with water.
“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
All stand in Elhaz position.
“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”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
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”
–
Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:
“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”
and move into the Dagaz position in the end.
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
(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!”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)
(Few silent deep breaths)
–
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”
“Dagaz”
“Raidho”
“Ansuz”
“Raidho”
“Isa”
“Elhaz!”
All say:
“Hail Odhroerir!”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
“Hail Freyr! Son of Njord. Brother of Freyja. Husband of Gerd. Trusted friend of Skirnir. Descendant of the Vanir. Harvest god and wealth-giver. King of Alfheim. Blot-god of the Swedes. Possessor of Skidbladnir, and the boar known as Gullinbursti. Beli’s slayer. Enemy of Surtr. Wielder of the stag-horn. Fruitful one. Sure giver. Father of the Yngling line. Lord of the Volsi!”
“Hail Freyr!”
–
“Now is the start of the harvest season. This is a time to work hard to bring forth all those things which you have been lending energies towards all this season. This is a time to honor Freyr, god of wealth and the harvest, so that your personal life harvest can be the fruitful one. Since most of us in the modern world are not farmers, harvest means for us the task of working on manifesting wishes and desires. Compared to other holidays this one is very straightforward. At this time we work on the tangible outward aspect of energies, working on manifesting and bringing into being that which started as inner energies in the spring.”
“Look at the list of all the wishes which you planted as seeds at Ostara. Now is the time to make those things happen, at least for those things in your life which have not already happened by now. You are to keep this list of tasks, at this time, some place where you will see it often in your day, so that you remain aware and focused towards the things you are working on manifesting.”
“At this time of the harvest I am working on:” (read your list of tasks)
“You have from now till the middle of October to work on your wishes for this season. Any of those wishes that have not manifested by then should be mulched as spiritual weeds. You can then try again for next season for any things that have not manifested by then. After that it is time to make things more simple in your life to focus on the inward turning energies of winter.”
–
“Freyr please help keep me focused on working on the things which I am trying to manifest in my life this season. Please Freyr lend me your potent energies for this purpose so that my life harvest this season may be a fruitful one.”
“Also please Freyr help to me keep away any distracting energies which may interfere with me accomplishing my harvest goals. Please help me to know what things may need to be extracted from my situation if there is anything which is acting to divert my harvest focus.”
“Hail Freyr!”
–
“Freyr now is the time to year to have a feast in your honor to give thanks for your fruitful energies.”
“This feast is for you Freyr! Hail Freyr!”
–
(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.)
–
“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!”
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.
–
Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.
Volmarr’s Heathen Midsummer Ritual June-21-2013 Vanatru Version
Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• 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)
• One yellow or gold candle
• One white candle
• Any symbols of Summer, solar symbols.
–
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.
–
Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:
“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”
“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”
–
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”
–
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”
–
Use twig to splash ritual space with water.
“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
All stand in Elhaz position.
“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”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
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”
–
Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:
“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”
and move into the Dagaz position in the end.
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
(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!”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)
(Few silent deep breaths)
–
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”
“Dagaz”
“Raidho”
“Ansuz”
“Raidho”
“Isa”
“Elhaz!”
All say:
“Hail Odhroerir!”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
“Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the gods and goddesses of the north! I call upon you all in frith at this time so I may honor the connection we have with one another.”
(Light the white candle.)
“Hail the Vanir! Hail the Aesir!”
“Hail Sunna! Daughter of Glen. Bright rider in the heavens by day. Driver of Alsvin and Arvak. Wearer of Svalin. Day-star. Ever-glow. All-bright. Wolf-chased. Fair-wheel. Grace-shine. Ensnarer of Trolls!”
(Light the yellow candle.)
“Hail Sunna!”
–
“Now is the time of Midsummer. This is a time for adventure and seeking conquest and victory within our life. Midsummer is also a time to honor the important alliances that you hold with others.”
“Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are: battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna, as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.”
–
(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)
“Hail to Sunna! Goddess of the sun! Goddess of the energies which charge all of life with vitality! Through your vital strength, we gain the power to achieve victory! Please oh bright shinning goddess charge my energies with your might and power! Hail Sunna!”
(Picture in your mind’s eye energy from the sun coming down to you and filling your aura, making it stronger and more powerful.)
(Chant and trace sowilo in the air three times:)
“SOWILO… SOWILO… SOWILO”
(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)
–
“Anger is a useful and important emotion since it is related to defending against attack, and is an emotion needed for self protection. Anger only gets bad when it is used in a personal way. Personalized anger is anger against a certain person, which is very negative. Anger used in a impersonal sense, as controlled anger where you use the anger feelings to empower your ability to defend your rights and to protect yourself and others, is the proper positive use of anger. ”
“In modern day times there aren’t many outlets for anger. In older times of course there were plenty of outlets for it since men had to fight to protect. Since men are the protectors they do tend to more directly feel their anger emotions. Women often but not always tend to feel their anger in more indirect ways. Or more commonly, many women have trouble directly acknowledging when they are angry. The strongest emotion for men is anger. The strongest emotion for women is love. Men are the warriors so they need to have anger as a strong emotion for to strengthen this role for them. In Pagan societies such as the Vikings, the society was structured in a way to help keep anger more as the impersonal healthy kind and such societies were even structured in ways to give men healthy outlets for anger.”
“One of the most positive ways to release anger and act upon the warrior spirit in modern society is through sports. Summer is the best time for doing sports. Sports help to create frith since they help people feel more positive and release tension and anger. Group sports can be a powerful tool of troth-making.”
“Another way to release or vent anger is through sex. Sex is a very powerful way to turn anger onto frith and love. It is very sacred to have sex at the Midsummer bonfire.”
“Women as the nurturers and pleasure and care givers have love as their strongest emotion. Since the strongest emotion for women is love, women are the frith-makers and they hold a sacred duty in northern culture as guardians of the frith. Frith is the glue that holds together those who hold troth for each other. Without frith there can be no troth. Keeping troth with those you cannot have any frith with is both dishonorable and dishonest. In order for there to be frith with someone you must hold feelings of respect and trust. No social organization, whether it be one related to Heathenism or anything at all, can survive if it does not strictly enforce members keeping frith between each other. The foundation of troth is frith. Troth is the very basis of Heathenism. Any Heathen that has not learned to be respectful of other people is one that is not able to honor frith and thus shall fail completely at holding troth with others. Since the basis of Heathenism is troth, such a Heathen shall fail as a Heathen. The gods and goddesses only welcome those to their hall that would be able to hold frith with all those who reside in their hall. The whole point of being Heathen is to hold troth for one or more of the northern gods or goddesses and work towards being welcomed to their hall in the after-life, thus learning how to respect others and honor frith is one of the greatest lessons any Heathen can learn.”
“Now at this time of the season, Midsummer, is the time to acknowledge all bonds of troth which we hold. Troth is the very point of Heathenism. Heathenism is simply put the practice of holding troth for one or more of the northern gods/goddesses. In all things we do in our life we must act in ways that honor this troth we hold. By taking troth with any god or goddess we are agreeing to hold their ways holy and honor what they stand for. Take some moments now to ponder on all the gods and goddesses which you hold troth with and all the things which are sacred to them.”
(Feel free to change this next part as needed)
“I _______ (state your name) hold troth with the Vanir and Aesir, with the ways of the Vanir coming first for me. _______ (patron deity name) is my patron and thus I hold the greatest troth of all for him/her. I agree to hold sacred all the things which are holy to the Vanir and Aesir and most of all that which is sacred to my patron ________ (patron deity name).”
–
(This next section is optional. If you prefer you can change this to whatever other values you happen to follow. In no way are the Vanic Virtues, or the Nine Noble Virtues, or any other codified system of values, a requirement to be followed to be Heathen. It is up to the individual Heathen to determine what values system they shall follow, so long as they uphold the basics such as honesty, troth, and always keeping oaths to the best of their ability. But once an individual has chosen a value system to follow they must follow it faithfully to the best of their ability. What matters most is to never agree to follow any value system you don’t deeply feel in your heart is right for you. Part of troth is being true to yourself and your true will.)
“To honor the troth I hold, these are the values I have agreed to uphold in my life to the best of my ability.:”
“The Vanic Virtues ”
“Beauty ”
“The pursuit of beauty and elegance in thought, form and speech. ”
“Courage/Passion ”
“Zeal, vigor; the strength and courage that comes from a life worth living. ”
“Land-rightness ”
“The recognition of nature and the environment as worthy of respect, care and reverence. ”
“Even-mood ”
“Harmonious and balanced thought and action; tranquility, calm, serenity.”
“Openness ”
“The quality of being receptive to the world around one, non-judgmental and open. ”
“Wildness/Ecstasy ”
“Music and dance; the nurturing of inner wildness and childlike being, being like the “fey” ”
“Love”
“The all-encompassing force; love for family, for kin, for humanity, for all beings.”
“Frith ”
“The peace and goodwill between people bound together; loyalty and the keeping of one’s word. ”
“Faith/Piety ”
“The trust that the Gods exist and are worthy of our worship, and Their ways worth following. ”
“Giving ”
“The binding of two parties into one common bond, generosity and hospitality. ”
“Joy ”
“Wonder and innocence, the recognition that life is worth living, and worth living well. ”
“Brotherhood ”
“The recognition that we – humans, animals, plants, spirits – are all part of the grander scheme of life, and we share a common heritage, as children of the Earth.”
–
(This part is not optional)
(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)
“Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the Aesir! Hail to _______ (patron deity name), I make this toast to you in honor of the troth I hold for you all! Hail!”
(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)
–
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.
–
“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!”
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.
–
Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.
Volmarr’s Heathen Midsummer Ritual June-21-2013 Asatru Version
Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• 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)
• One yellow or gold candle
• One white candle
• Any symbols of Summer, solar symbols.
–
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.
–
Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:
“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”
“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”
–
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”
–
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”
–
Use twig to splash ritual space with water.
“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
All stand in Elhaz position.
“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”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
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”
–
Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:
“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”
and move into the Dagaz position in the end.
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
(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!”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)
(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)
(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)
(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)
(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)
(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)
(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)
(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)
(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)
(Few silent deep breaths)
–
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”
“Dagaz”
“Raidho”
“Ansuz”
“Raidho”
“Isa”
“Elhaz!”
All say:
“Hail Odhroerir!”
–
Few silent deep breaths.
–
“Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the gods and goddesses of the north! I call upon you all in frith at this time so I may honor the connection we have with one another.”
(Light the white candle.)
“Hail the Aesir! Hail the Vanir!”
“Hail Sunna! Daughter of Glen. Bright rider in the heavens by day. Driver of Alsvin and Arvak. Wearer of Svalin. Day-star. Ever-glow. All-bright. Wolf-chased. Fair-wheel. Grace-shine. Ensnarer of Trolls!”
(Light the yellow candle.)
“Hail Sunna!”
–
“Now is the time of Midsummer. This is a time for adventure and seeking conquest and victory within our life. Midsummer is also a time to honor the important alliances that you hold with others.”
“Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are: battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna, as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.”
–
(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)
“Hail to Sunna! Goddess of the sun! Goddess of the energies which charge all of life with vitality! Through your vital strength, we gain the power to achieve victory! Please oh bright shinning goddess charge my energies with your might and power! Hail Sunna!”
(Picture in your mind’s eye energy from the sun coming down to you and filling your aura, making it stronger and more powerful.)
(Chant and trace sowilo in the air three times:)
“SOWILO… SOWILO… SOWILO”
(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)
–
“Anger is a useful and important emotion since it is related to defending against attack, and is an emotion needed for self protection. Anger only gets bad when it is used in a personal way. Personalized anger is anger against a certain person, which is very negative. Anger used in a impersonal sense, as controlled anger where you use the anger feelings to empower your ability to defend your rights and to protect yourself and others, is the proper positive use of anger. ”
“In modern day times there aren’t many outlets for anger. In older times of course there were plenty of outlets for it since men had to fight to protect. Since men are the protectors they do tend to more directly feel their anger emotions. Women often but not always tend to feel their anger in more indirect ways. Or more commonly, many women have trouble directly acknowledging when they are angry. The strongest emotion for men is anger. The strongest emotion for women is love. Men are the warriors so they need to have anger as a strong emotion for to strengthen this role for them. In Pagan societies such as the Vikings, the society was structured in a way to help keep anger more as the impersonal healthy kind and such societies were even structured in ways to give men healthy outlets for anger.”
“One of the most positive ways to release anger and act upon the warrior spirit in modern society is through sports. Summer is the best time for doing sports. Sports help to create frith since they help people feel more positive and release tension and anger. Group sports can be a powerful tool of troth-making.”
“Another way to release or vent anger is through sex. Sex is a very powerful way to turn anger onto frith and love. It is very sacred to have sex at the Midsummer bonfire.”
“Women as the nurturers and pleasure and care givers have love as their strongest emotion. Since the strongest emotion for women is love, women are the frith-makers and they hold a sacred duty in northern culture as guardians of the frith. Frith is the glue that holds together those who hold troth for each other. Without frith there can be no troth. Keeping troth with those you cannot have any frith with is both dishonorable and dishonest. In order for there to be frith with someone you must hold feelings of respect and trust. No social organization, whether it be one related to Heathenism or anything at all, can survive if it does not strictly enforce members keeping frith between each other. The foundation of troth is frith. Troth is the very basis of Heathenism. Any Heathen that has not learned to be respectful of other people is one that is not able to honor frith and thus shall fail completely at holding troth with others. Since the basis of Heathenism is troth, such a Heathen shall fail as a Heathen. The gods and goddesses only welcome those to their hall that would be able to hold frith with all those who reside in their hall. The whole point of being Heathen is to hold troth for one or more of the northern gods or goddesses and work towards being welcomed to their hall in the after-life, thus learning how to respect others and honor frith is one of the greatest lessons any Heathen can learn.”
“Now at this time of the season, Midsummer, is the time to acknowledge all bonds of troth which we hold. Troth is the very point of Heathenism. Heathenism is simply put the practice of holding troth for one or more of the northern gods/goddesses. In all things we do in our life we must act in ways that honor this troth we hold. By taking troth with any god or goddess we are agreeing to hold their ways holy and honor what they stand for. Take some moments now to ponder on all the gods and goddesses which you hold troth with and all the things which are sacred to them.”
(Feel free to change this next part as needed)
“I _______ (state your name) hold troth with the Aesir and Vanir. _______ (patron deity name) is my patron and thus I hold the greatest troth of all for him/her. I agree to hold sacred all the things which are holy to the Aesir and Vanir and most of all that which is sacred to my patron ________ (patron deity name).”
–
(This next section is optional. If you prefer you can change these to suit your version of the Nine Noble Virtues or change them to whatever other values you happen to follow. In no way are the Nine Noble Virtues in any particular form or at all a requirement to be followed to be Asatru or Heathen. It is up to the individual Heathen to determine what values system they shall follow, so long as they uphold the basics such as honesty, troth, and always keeping oaths to the best of their ability. But once an individual has chosen a value system to follow they must follow it faithfully to the best of their ability. What matters most is to never agree to follow any value system you don’t deeply feel in your heart is right for you. Part of troth is being true to yourself and your true will.)
“To honor the troth I hold, these are the values I have agreed to uphold in my life to the best of my ability.:”
“Courage ”
“Truth ”
“Honor ”
“Troth”
“Discipline ”
“Friendliness ”
“Industriousness”
“Self-Reliance ”
“Perseverance”
–
(This part is not optional)
(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)
“Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Vanir! Hail to _______ (patron deity name), I make this toast to you in honor of the troth I hold for you all! Hail!”
(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)
–
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.
–
“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!”
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.
–
Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.































