Saami National Day!

Lihkku Sámi álbmotbeivviin! (Northern Sami for Happy Sami Nationalday!)

Today, February 6, is the saami national day. Even if our land have been taken away from us we are still here, standing proud as a nation.

❤️ 💚 💛 💙

Fun fact: Our flag.

There was a priest in 2013 who expressed his disconsent of the flag because it has heathen symbols. His name was Malvin Børresen and was a pastor in Tana, northern Norway. All the other nordic flags has a cross to show that they are christian countries. The Sami flag is the only nordic flag that doesn’t have a cross, but instead the circle that symbolises the moon and the sun, which is connected to shamanism.

🔴 The red part of the circle represents the Sun  🔵 The blue part of the circle represents the Moon

🟥 The red rectangle represents Fire for heat/love 🟩 The green stripe represents Nature for surviving  🟨 The yellow stripe represents Sun for long life 🟦 The blue square represents Water for elixir of life.

⭕️ The circle is a symbol of spirituality and represent that the Saami are united as one people even if Saami is divided in several languages and spread out in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

I was reading about the Wild Hunt and how apparently, Odin Allfather was a typical father in that he refused to ask for directions during his annual Yule ride through the night sky, and instead of turning his fun, flying sleigh around or taking a slightly different route, he’d just plow on through the same route he always took, regardless of who or what was in his way. 

And if your house or land WAS in his way, he STILL wouldn’t reroute. He’d just burn the house down instead.

Which is THE funniest thing I have read in years. And it just got funnier when I pictured the whole thing turning into a buddy road trip with Loki and Odin and Sleipnir, and voila, a wild comic appeared.

(File those two kids under unimpressed.jpg.)

Havent posted in such a long time! Here is a peek at my personal altar setup ❤ This has changed a lot recently

A depiction of the nine realms of Norse Mythology from the fantasy novel, “The Sword Of Summer” by Rick Riordan.

Frøy & Frøya (Freyr & Freyja) by Johan Egerkrans

Loki loves and supports all LGBTQ+ people, and yes that absoutely includes non-binary folk, aro/ace people, and non-dysphoric trans folk.

Loki and the Elements

I see the Bringer of Revolution in untamed wildfires, at once destroying all that has been and rejuvenating for all that may be. I see Him also in the lights of candles and campfires, a source of warmth and light for those cast into the lonely dark. Some say that fire was a gift to mankind, something divine that guided them out of the dark ages. It would be foolish to refuse a gift, although I suppose much worse to ask for more of it.

I see the Wearer of Falcon’s Feathers in high speed winds, tearing leaves from branches and casting dirt upwards. He is in the spring and autumn breezes, as natures rapidly changes into the next part of the year. He is in the whirlwinds of summer and blizzards of winter, the harshness at the peak of the season. There’s something crisp and fresh and hopeful in this breath of fresh air. I wonder what happens if you breathe too deep, if you choke on it?

I see the Tester of Minds in the dark depths of water, the giver of life that also drags souls away. What person has not been tempted to wade deeper? To go further into the clear water? To feel free from land? It is beautiful far from shore, and oh so difficult to go back. 

I see the Maker of Mischief far off the path, in the unturned Earth under leaves of jade. He can be seen between the trees, tempting you to come closer, see all that man’s world of concrete has withheld from you. He will leave you deeply inhaling the rotting leaves until you hear someone calling your name, you need to return to the path, it’s nearing dark. Say, did you bring a companion into these woods? 

I see the Parent of Monsters in the shadows of the mind, in the spirits of the wandering. Not all souls are heaven sent, yet He accepts them all the same. One day you’ll look into the mirror and see your own aura. He hopes you like the color, He’s never seen a shade quite like it.

wow, that's beautiful

Solitary Heathenry

Growing up I found comfort in solitude. Not isolation, but solitude. Naturally, this preferred mindset found its way into my religion, seeping through my core causing me to practice as an individual alone in the world of the gods. When I grew older I looked to branch out to find others like me. Not because I felt something was missing, but because my curiosity had the better of me. What would it be like to have others like me all practicing together? Was I missing out? The only accessible way to test the waters before making yourself known was the internet, so I started there. I added those who identified as Ásatrúar and Norse Heathen to my facebook page and looked for local kindreds as well.

Still, though, it felt against the grain to make my religion into something social when instead my religion was quiet whispers I sent and received in the early morning, or the still reflection when all the sound around me disappeared and I felt nothing but the gods. It wasn’t just in communal blóts. Quiet moments with my gods alone was my religion, and anything different would change the core of how I honored them.

At one point there was a thread on the page of someone I had added discussing whether or not solitary heathens are practicing the religion properly. All, except one or two, were adamant about the need for a kindred and the social aspect of heathenry. The argument was that the recon religion was based on the participation and kinship between a group and solitary practice takes out 99% of what it is to be heathen. I was upset, not wanting to see that I am not valid because I prefer to not surround myself with other heathens but instead wish to experience my faith the way I experience it. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of a kindred is lovely and nothing makes me happier than a familial bond based on the gods where people come together to celebrate and honor them. I think it’s beautiful. But it’s not for me. It made me sad that people on that thread, for the most part, couldn’t fathom a solitary heathen. What of the wandering völvur? Was their worship not as real as the communal heathen? They took their worship to the innermost parts of themselves. They made their worship a primal and visceral aspect of their being. Was their worship any less? No, it was not any less nor was it any more. It just was, and was as real as any other type of worship.  You are valid if you are a solitary heathen. You are valid if you belong to a kindred. You are valid if you only interact with heathens online. The relationship you have with the gods is between you and them, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

put some maintenance work and upgrading into my space for Freyja. added new tablecloth, cleaned away wax drippings, rearranged, etc.

look at all those fuckin’ candles. they’re good candles

Völuspá - The Spae of the Volva

1.Hljóðs bið ek allar helgar kindir,

meiri ok minni mögu Heimdallar.

Viltu at ek, Valföðr, vel fyr telja

forn spjöll fira, þau er fremst um man.

1.I bid a hearing from all holy wights,

the greater and lesser of Heimdall’s children.

It is your wish, Valfather, that I speak

the old spells of the world, the earliest I can recall.

Blood Magick 🌘

ᚢᛊᛒ - Easing of days

An incantation used on your morning drink of choice, could be anything from a brew to normal water, to make your days easier 🥛 🍵 

Repeat the first 3 lines as many times as you feel necessary. 

As with all my spells and incantations, I use the norse gods in them, so don’t know if it has any effect if you remove/rewrite the lines with them in

English

Make this day without toil Make this day without hardship Make this day without evil Balder watch over me and protect me So will it be

Norse

Gera sjá dagr rétt-ligr Gera sjá dagr retsinga-laust Gera sjá dagr útan illt Balder gæta mér ok ásjá mér Sō munu þat vera

Today I’m starting the sequel to “The Illustrated Hávamál,” “The Illustrated Voluspa.” In The Voluspa, Odin calls on an “Volva” or wise-woman, bidding her to rise from the grave and foretell a great prophecy.

I will be posting a new image every week day, until I’m done. I hope you will follow along and enjoy.

And the old gypsy woman said to me, “Draped in your animal furs, protect yourself from the cold, my child, my child. Live off the land the Gods have given us, for they can as easily forge a monster strong enough to take it away. A monster within, my child, my child.”

Yes, this is me, I may start posting pictures of myself to put a face to this blog.

Spiritual Question of the Day: Is there an animal that you have a spiritual connection with? What animal is it and does it appear often in your life or your dreams? 🐍🕷🦉🦌🦇🦋