Wane Wyrds

In searching for some possible posts for this week's letter, the concept of Vanic kingship came to mind. While researching I came across a fascinating academic article called "Scandinavian sacral kingship revisited" by Rory McTurk. In this paper McTurk discusses the evolution of different scholarly views on the prescence of sacral kingship in Scandinavia in ancient and medieval times since the publication of his own original work on the subject in the late 70s. Published in 1999, McTurk overviews and dissects the conclusion of his own and several other authors works which have drawn conclusions in 80s and 90s. Illustration from Ynglingesaga by Gerhard Munthe Much of this discussion of Scandinavian kingship originates with Yngvi Freyr, which most heathens view in modern heathen paths as an aspect of the God Freyr. While the paper focuses mainly on the limitations of dating various sources for lineage based information, I have been engrossed by this article. Such a ...

Dualism at it's most sentimental and least truthful... One of the catch all phrases of modern paganism is OPEN MINDEDNESS. I myself am not immune to it's use, because it implies something that I feel is positive, in moderation. This post is about what happens when Open Mindedness becomes something less positive, and in some cases transforms itself into it's exact opposite. “Beware: open-mindedness will often say, 'Everything is permissible except a sharp opinion.”  ― Criss Jami Positive open mindedness needs a heavy dose of discretion. Negative open mindedness can be summed up by the phrase, "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything." This is the paradox of open mindedness. If we increase open mindedness to a level that encompasses all perceived reality, we cannot truly believe anything. Why? Because extreme open mindedness is close mindedness. If all beliefs and all perceptions are viewed as truth, even contradictions, are negated....

Jasmine is a fragrance that most of us cannot conjure, yet when it's presence the recognition is instant. It is soft yet  potent. It is cloying yet aggressive somehow. It has been a scent traditionally associated with the ripeness of femininity throughout the ages. It is, in my experience one of the most powerful scents, both on the sensual and spiritual levels. Yet in its purest forms, it can overwhelm any other scent around it, and holds a power which can cloud the mind very easily if not used responsibly. Jasmine in bloom The jasmine plant is a perennial, and grows in vines up to 15 ft high. In bloom it shows bunches of small pure white flowers, and later in the season purple berries. The purity of the flowers has been associated with innocence, yet this innocence, in my opinion, is of the latest stages. If their is innocence in jasmine I see it as symbolic of the transition from girl to woman, a time when the sensual shape and desires of woman are begi...

I woke the other morning and remembered a dream I had that night. The dream was so vivid in my mind, I can still play it back. It was very simple. I was trying to paint a small canvas, and was looking for a design. I found a picture of one I like and was doing my best to copy it. Basically copying the design of someone else. Yet no matter how careful I was with each brush stroke, it always looked like a sad and pathetic copy of something beautiful someone else had created. I was angry. I threw the brush away in disdain. I picked another brush and began to paint pointlessly, mixing what looked like a meaningless mass of varied colors on the canvas in anger. I was so very angry I ripped the canvas from it's framed and crumpled it, throwing it onto the floor near the trash. I stared at it laying there sadly on the floor, yet had a sudden urge to open it and look again. So I did. I picked it up and pulled it open again. I saw that in crumpling it up,the random colors had mix...

As a Vanatruar, I have an interesting relationship with the Runes. I do not use them regularly in practice, but there are certain Runes I do use in other ways. These are Runes I feel are more suitable to the Vanic ways. One of these Runes is Jera, of the Elder Futhark. Jera (pronounced YEHR-AH) translates literally as "year", in Old Norse languages. Symbolically, this stands for the cycle of the seasons, and specifically the harvest. It is invoked for a "good season" or "good year." Jera is a Rune of bounty, abundance, and the manifestation of energy into the physical. In short, the work that we do grows and expands into substance, material, and reward. The interaction of the two seperate v shaped symbols most likely represent the two halves of the Northern year, winter and summer. In the far north, spring and fall are nearly nonexistant climatically. In essence Jera is similar to the ying yang in that it symbolizes the union of extreme forces. In th...

Well, it's rant time again...Most of those who know me know that I strive to keep this blog informative as well as insightful. I try to bring as little drama as possible into this environment, simply because Vanatru is a fairly new and oft misunderstood part of both heathen and pagan beliefs which have coalesced in the last few decades into a real meaningful and serious new tradition. However, most also know, especially those who participate in groups or forums I frequent, that I am a HIGHLY opinionated woman. So every once in awhile I have to spew a little venom about the constant flux of douchebaggery which I normally strive to avoid at all cost. Apparently, my attitude is at times misconstrued as "holier than thou" as a woman of opinion and self respect. For example, an old male friend that I had not spoken too in some time approached me in the early hours of the morning a few weeks ago and regaled me with his long pent sexual desires. This was a person that I hav...

Yngvi Frey Ingvi is a historical and mythological figure that is considered by many to be an aspect of the Vana God Freyr. There are many indications that the connection between these two may indicate that Freyr himself was called by the name Ingvi, or atleast that Ingvi was a direct descendent of the God himself. Ingvi, or Ing, is considered to be the progenitor of a legendary dynasty of Swedish kings from which the historically documented lineage of Norwegian kings are descended. He is also the forebear of the Ingvaeones, one of the early germanic tribes which occupied coastal areas of the North Sea. It is important to note here that the Ingvaeones are a seperate cultural group from the similar sounding Angles, which would later colonized England (Anglo-Saxons). The Anglo Saxons did include Ingvaeones, as well as a blend of several other tribes. As the name Ingvi appears in such a variety of forms historically, it is often easy to become confused. Here is an exerpt from Wikip...