Wane Wyrds

Interesting night last night. As I was getting ready for bed, the door was cracked open to the hallway. I saw someone coast by, looking kind of old fashioned in a white Victorian maid's uniform. They seemed in a hurry to get to my daughter's room, something that doesn't phase me anymore. These spirits are never harmful, in fact the have a caring, subservient energy in relation to her. In my eyes they are akin to her spiritual "nannies." This time it was quite a bold display, almost a full bodied apparition, so I did pause for a moment. Then I continued about my business. I turned off the light and climbed in bed a few minutes later. As I turned to the right I caught a reflection of light in the glass of a picture across the room. The picture is across from the window, and at first I thought it was reflected moonlight. But as I moved in bed to get a better look, the light was static, seeming to come from outside the window. Just a three to four inch spot of light ...

Those who follow my facebook page might already be familiar with my new creation, but I thought I would explain a little more in depth about exactly what I have created and to what purpose. It is a system I have been working on for the past few weeks which I feel is finally ready to see the light of day, so I thought I would share with you all why I felt the need to create this system. I have worked with physical methods of divination for much of my adult life. I started reading tarot when I was 12 years old, but the relationship I have with the cards ebbs and flows, and at times I cannot use them at all due to a certain disconnect I have with the negative energy the are sometimes susceptible to, as well as some of the symbolism. For instance, some of the more patriarchal tendencies they illustrate, the presence of a devil concept, and the social hierarchy reflected in them. King, Queen, Knight, Page, etc. It just doesn't mesh well with my personal ideals and ph...

In the previous post, I presented the literary evidence from mostly medieval authors which illustrated how Uppsala, Sweden was once a great cultural and religious center for the Norse people, particularly those who followed the Vanir gods as well as Odin, Thor, and others as well I am sure. In this post I wanted to examine the archaeological evidence which remains at the site, as well as the cultural traditions of the town itself as a gathering place for both society and economics, many of which still continue on in the modern age. Material Record One of the most striking remaining features at the site of Gamla Uppsala are the Royal Mounds, three large burial mounds, or barrows, which have been dated from the 5th and 6th centuries. As one of the oldest archaeological sites in Sweden, these mounds have become symbolic for the Swedish identity, and are often featured in variety of media as a symbol of national pride. Royal Mounds at Uppsala Excavations at th...

The Temple of Uppsala was one of the foremost religious sites historically for the Norse pagans, and by examining it's material and literary records, many aspects of Norse Paganism and the old Heathen traditions can be better understood. It is located in a place called Gamla Uppsala or "Old Uppsala" on the cultivated river valley on the River Fyris in Sweden. Photograph of Uppsala Site in modern times, attributed to OlofE This town was once a religious center for the Norse, as well as a governmental one. The written record describes various traditional religious occasions and celebrations which occurred there throughout the year. Uppsala was the residence of the legendary Yngling line of Swedish kings which are spoken of in myth and saga. Many literary references claim that Uppsala was among the last areas to be converted to Christianity in the 11th century, and the people there were very much opposed to the loss of their pagan ways. Many of the accounts le...

Trees have always been our silent companions here on earth. From the beginning of human history they have sheltered us, shaded us, and served as an almost constant companion to us. They have grown stoically alongside us, and in turn been seen as forms of power and protection, strength and perseverance throughout the ages. Yggdrasil, from 17th century Icelandic manuscript, U.S. Public Doman This is definitely true for the Norse cultures, living in often barren environments, many of them heavily forested. The Ash Yggdrasil is the foundation of the Universe itself. Trees themselves were of immense value to the Norse and their survival, as well as their culture and religion. So I thought it might be interesting to share some Norse lore about different trees and there mythical and magical properties. It seems wise to begin foremost with the  Ash,  perhaps the most sacred of all trees to the Norse. This is most evident in that Yggdrasil, the worl...

One thing I see a lot of talk about on pagan and heathen forums is the process of communicating with the gods and spirits. I often see comments by individuals which claim they simply cannot "talk" to the gods, see spirits, or have some other sort of blockage when it comes to communicating with the divine and other spirit entities. Other times one reads outlandish claims from those who believe they are an open conduit to the gods, have special relationships with them, or claim the gods even stop by for tea and sex on occasion. In my opinion there is a fine line between sense and nonsense, and I won't focus on the latter here. The point of this post is for those who feel they simply cannot communicate with the non physical in any way. I will be honest and say that in my experience, I don't believe there is anyone outside of those with mental issues who actually cannot communicate with the divine or spiritual realms. What I see more often is simply a confusion about ...

I was recently able to purchase a kindle book for free called Knowledge from the Sacred Tree: Rune Images and Shapes of Energy by Tina Houk. I read this book and felt it deserved a review, so here we are. =) The book focuses on the Runes and their meanings, and uses the Elder Futhark for explaining the method though there is an introductory discussion that addresses the history of the other Rune systems. The book itself mainly addresses each Rune separately, and discusses its form and meaning using these shapes as the basis. I was expecting to be dissapointed by this as I often am by Rune meaning texts which simply reword the same theories and ideas we have already heard myriad times. I was pleasantly surprised by this book when I found a totally new way of looking at the Runes, that for the most part made alot of sense. This text differs in that it arranges the Runes not by traditional aetts but by groups of Runes whose general forms are interrelated. It relies on the co...