Saturday, August 31, 2013

Review of Posts


rewiew

~A review list of posts and the date where to find them over the first year.~


Element

Air (Spring, Spirit is enchanted) March 2013

Earth (Winter, Earth is home) November 2012

Elements Compare Table December 2012

Fire (Summer, Body a temple) June 2013

Water (Autumn, Mind is divine) August 2013

 

Animal

Bovine January 2013

Dragon August 2013

Eagle April 2013

Fenrir May 2013

Goat May 2013

Horse February 2013

Squirrel February 2013

Stag January 2013

Wolf February 2013
 
 
God / Goddess / World

Alfheim (Elves) April 2013

Asgard August 2013

Crone Goddess September 2013

Dark Goddess December 2012

Dwarf February 2013

Freya July 2013

Freyr December 2012

Frigg January 2013

Gods Compare Chart Divine Tree March 2013

Hela September 2013

Helheim October 2013

Idunn May 2013

Idunn's Blot April 2013

Jotunheim (Giants) April 2013

Loki July 2013

Maiden Goddess May 2013

Mani (Moon) September 2013

Midgard February 2013

Mother Goddess July 2013

Muspellheim August 2013

Niflheim October 2013

Odin March 2013

Sif October 2013

Sunna (Sun) June 2013

Svartalheim February 2013

Thor May 2013

Vanaheim October 2013

Yggdrasil Tree April 2013



Observation

Autumn Equinox, Winter Finding (Balance & thanksgiving) September 2013

Beltane, May Day (Flowers & mothers) April 2013

Imbolc, Charming of the Plow (Love & light) January 2013

Lammas, Freyr Fest (Bread & ancestors) July 2013

Samhain, Winter Nights (Fire & death) October 2013

Spring Equinox, Summer Finding (Renewal & nature) March 2013

Summer Solstice, Midsummer (Sun & fathers) June 2013

Winter Solstice, Yule (Moon & birth) December 2012

 

Principle

Acceptance (Acceptance of one another) November 2013

Dignity (Inherent dignity of every being) May 2013

Justice (Justice in human relations) December 2012

Love (Give out love) June 2013

Strength (Strength to achieve in the face of opposition) August 2013

Temperance (Temperance protects the rhythm of life) September 2013

Truth (Free search for truth and meaning) February 2013

Wisdom (Wisdom inspires ethical and spiritual life) March 2013








Rite of Passage

Birth December 2012

Death October 2013

Handfasting Ceremony July 2013

Marriage Handfasting May 2013

 

Other

A Year and a Day November 2013

Altar November 2012

Background Information November 2012

Creation December 2012

Dietary Foods June 2013

Faith vs Religion November 2012

Meaning of Life November 2013

Meditation November 2013

Modern Norse Influence February 2013

 

Prayer Bead Example March 2013

Prayer March 2013

Ragnarok October 2013

Rune Poems January 2013

Runic Alphabet January 2013

Runic Yoga July 2013

 

Supermoon May 2013

Volunteer August 2013

Weather March 2013

Wiccan Recognized History April 2013

 

Thank you to the blog's followers and readers.  May you enjoy exploring your journey.  Blessed Be!

 









 

Friday, August 30, 2013

Water: Mind is Divine


Water  l                                                                                                                                        Mind is Divine

West, Waning Moon (Third Quarter) T, Autumn, September, October, November, Autumn Equinox (Winter Finding), Samhain (Winter Nights), Dusk (Sunset), Temperance, Truth, Blue, Ice, Blood, Fog, Heart, Harvest, Concerns, Rain
Crab

Crone Goddess

Dog

Dragonfly

Fish

Hela

Helheim

Sage God

Manni

Niflheim

Njord

Sif   

Skaldi

Vanaheim
 



Water is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H2O.  Water is a liquid at standard ambient temperature and pressure, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state ice and gaseous state water vapor or steam.  Water covers 70% of the Earth's surface and is vital for all known forms of life.  

The Ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles held that water is one of the four classical elements, along with fire, earth and air, and was regarded as the basic substance of the universe.  The classical element of water was also one of the five elements in traditional Chinese philosophy, along with earth, fire, wood and metal.

Water is considered a purifier in most religions.  Many major faiths incorporate ritual washing including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Taoism and Wicca.  Immersion of a person in water is a central sacrament of Christianity, Judaism and Sikhism.  In addition, a ritual bath in pure water is performed for the dead in many religions including Islam and Judaism.

The waters of life run through our bodies in our blood, which is as salty as the oceans.  For many Norse dead, they were cremated on a funeral pyre together with all their belongings. The ashes were to be spread either at sea or on the ground.  Some higher ranked Norse, were honored with a sea burial. 

Many cultures feature water spirits as part of their folklore and mythology. To the Greeks, a water spirit known as a naiad often presided over a spring or stream. The Romans had a similar entity found in the Camenae.  For residents of the British Isles, many local bodies of water such as streams and wells were host to water spirits - and often these took on the role of local deity.

Many of these cultures also have several country folklore that goes along with the tales.  An English rural custom says that a woman who splashes too much water around as she does laundry or washes dishes will be cursed with a husband who drinks to excess.  In the Viking Age, water was sprinkled on the nine day old baby, it was named and thus admitted into the family.
According to Norse mythology, Ice was one of the two Primordial Elements. In the beginning, before the world was created, there existed only the great yawning void of Ginnungagap.  On either side of the void was Muspelheim, the primordial fire, and Nifelheim, the primordial ice. it was only when these two came into contact that the world was created.

The moon is tied to the ebb and flow of tides around the world. A phenomenon known as lunar tide occurs during the full and new moon phases - during these phases, the gravitational forces create a very high tide, and a very low tide.

Water is often associated with emotions, art, time and especially healing and philosophy.  In rituals, it is represented in the forms of pouring water over objects, cups, brew making, healing spells, ritual bathing, and tossing objects into of water.  The manifestations of the element of water are rivers, oceans, lakes, wells, snow, streams and all drinks.  Animals, especially the seal, dolphin, frog and all types of fish are also thought to personify the water element.

Water is a feminine energy and highly connected with the aspects of the Goddess.  Used for healing, cleansing, and purification, water is related to the West, the color blue, and associated with passion and emotion.  In many spiritual paths, including Catholicism, consecrated water can be found – holy water is just regular water with salt added to it, and usually a blessing or invocation is said above it.  In Wiccan covens, such water is used to consecrate the circle and all the tools within it.

On its most basic level, the whooshing sound of water literally drowns out all background noises.  By washing away our distractions, water gives us the space to become more serene, more peaceful.  Water opens us up to the possibility of receiving love.  Water flushes away our peripheral concerns and helps us in focusing on our work.  Water releases us from pain and removes harmful influences in our lives.

As do all the elements, water has a shadowy side we need to be aware of. Too much water in our magical lives puts us in the hands of our emotions, possibly causing our actions to be erratic, undisciplined and unfocused.  Water can also make us too sensitive, too easily impressed and too easily upset.
 




The Mind is Divine.  It has been estimated that the average person has sixty thousand separate thoughts a day.  It is noisy and busy, with a new visiting thoughts every second or so. The sage, Yogananda says that the mind is like an unruly child.  Each and every day many of yesterday’s thoughts cycle back around, as do thoughts about tomorrow or anything else about the future.  You need to vigilantly care take these thoughts regularly, clearing negative energies, sweeping up unworthy behaviors, cleaning insecure ideas and throwing out self-centered thought-moguls that prevent you from loving and serving unconditionally.  It puts thoughts and things in perspective and order.  This allows your mind to find refuge in the Divine.


 

Mead is a type of ale brewed from honey and water and thought to be the nectar of the Gods. It is the celebrated drink of Beowulf, made from fermented honey.  In certain European countries, mead is still a popular home-brewed drink and is very simple to concoct.

Mimir's Well is the source wisdom and intelligence,  This well lies under the roots of Yggdrasil and is guarded by the head of Mimir. Odin came there and asked for a single drink from the spring, but he did not get it until he had given one of his eyes to Mímir.

Njord is the God of seafaring.  His most famous children are Freyr and Freya.  He had eight more daughters.  He was briefly married to Giantess Skadi who picked him for his beautiful feet, by mistake, thinking he was Balder. Njord and Skadi could not agree on where to live. She didn't like his home and he didn't like hers, so they split up.

Jormungand is the World Serpent, who is extremely formidable but an essential part of the world's structure, and cannot be removed.  Odin, fearing evil intent, flung the serpent into the sea, where it grew so large that it surrounded the Earth biting its own tail.

 

Hagalaz is the name of the h-rune h, meaning hail, precipitation, transformation.  The Elder Futhark letter has two variants, single-barred h and double-barred h. The double-barred variant is found in continental inscriptions while Scandinavian inscriptions have the single-barred variant.  The Hagalaz rune, above all others, represents the concept of balance; yin/yang, male/female, positive/negative, black/white.  A hailstorm, may seem daunting and scary at first, but if you catch a hailstone you will realize that it is only water and is not to be feared.

Isaz is the name of the i-rune i, meaning ice, lack of motion, blockage.   In Ancient times, ice was a constant factor in the day to day lives of the Norse.  It threatened their crops, their ships and their livelihoods, almost throughout the entire year.  To the people though, it also served as a symbol of creation from which all life eventually springs forth.

Laguz is the name of the l-rune l, water, lake, flow, inner strength.  To the ancient Norse, water of all kinds including the ocean, lakes, streams and rivers were considered a source of wealth and fertility.  The Aegir, the Gods and Goddesses of the sea in Norse mythology, both gave and took life and offered fertility and wealth.

 

 

 

Water

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

The water understands

Civilization well;

It wets my foot, but prettily,

It chills my life, but wittily,

It is not disconcerted,

It is not broken-hearted:

Well used, it decketh joy,

Adorneth, doubleth joy:

Ill used, it will destroy,

In perfect time and measure

With a face of golden pleasure

Elegantly destroy.

 

 

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Dragon


Dragon

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that features in the myths of many cultures.  The English word dragon derives from Greek meaning, "serpent of huge size".  There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European Dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the Chinese Dragon, with counterparts in Japan, Korea and other East Asian countries.  There is also sometimes a third tradition that covers unknown animals found in Central America, Africa and Australia. 
Dragons occur in many legends around the World, different cultures have varying stories about unknown and strange animals that have been grouped together under the dragon label.  Some dragons are said to breathe fire or to be poisonous, such as in the Old English poem Beowulf.  They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing typically scaly or feathered bodies.  The European Dragon also has bat-like wings growing from its back and guards a hoard of treasure.

In many Asian cultures dragons are revered as representative of the primal forces of nature, religion and the universe.  They are associated with wisdom and longevity.  They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernatural power and are often associated with wells, rain and rivers.  In some cultures, the Chinese Dragons are also said to be capable of human speech.

The most famous Dragons in Norse and Germanic mythology are:

¥      Nidhogg who gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil, the World Tree

¥      Jormungand the giant sea serpent which surrounds Midgard, the world of mortal humans

¥      Fafnir who was a dwarf - turned into a Dragon because of his greed and was killed by the Hero Sigurd

¥      Lindworms were monstrous serpents of Germanic myth and lore

¥      Landvaettur, the benevolent Dragon whom King Harald's servant met and is also depicted on the Icelandic Coat of Arms

¥      The Dragon encountered by Beowulf, the poem is one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature in the English language

Nidhogg or Nidhoggr (the "Dread Biter") was one of the most feared of the early Nordic dragons.  He lived at the foot of the World Tree, Yggdrasil.  Nidhogg was a dragon that devoured the corpses of evil-doers, and he would gnaw at the roots of Yggdrasil when he got tired of the taste of dead flesh. Since the world tree supported all life and Nidhogg attempted to destroy it, Nidhoggr was personified as evil itself.  Both Yggdrasil and Nidhogg were destined to survive the final catastrophe of Ragnarok.
Jormungand or Jormungandr (the Midgard Serpent) is the World Serpent that lies in the seas with its tail in its mouth, encircling the land and creating the oceans.  In Norse mythology it was the serpent son of Loki, God of fire.  At Ragnarok he would be slain by his arch-rival, Thor. Thor would also die - by Jormungand's venom.

Viking ships were vessels used during the Viking Age in Northern Europe.  Scandinavian tradition of shipbuilding during the Viking Age was characterized by slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel.  The Norse had a strong sense of naval architecture and during the early medieval period they were advanced for their time.  According to the historical sources, the ships' prows carried carvings of menacing beasts, such as dragons and snakes, allegedly to protect the ship and crew and to ward off the terrible sea monsters.

 

Draconic Wicca is the study of the way of the Dragon, using Dragon Magick and being a Dragon Magi.  There are many types of dragons to study including: Guardian Dragons, Fairy Dragons, Elemental Dragons (fire, water, earth and air), Dragons of chaos, Dragons of the mountains, Dragons of the forests, Oriental Dragons and more.  The Dragon is the combined powers of the God and the Goddess and is invoked during Sabbats.

 

In many Pagan and Wiccan spell instructions, you’ll see a reference to an ingredient called Dragon’s Blood.  Dragon’s Blood is actually a resin, which is harvested from a variety of different plant species. The bright red pigment is what lends it the name Dragon’s Blood.  In some Wiccan traditions of magic, Dragon’s Blood is used for healing, incense, protection or banishing.   


Some creationists believe that dragons of mythology were actually dinosaurs and that they died out with other creatures around the end of the Ice Age.   Skeletons of whales, as well as dinosaur and mammalian fossils may have been occasionally mistaken for the bones of dragons and other mythological creatures.  Dracorex was a dinosaur whose name means "dragon king of Hogwarts".

In the early 20th century, dragons are a frequent theme—as symbols of sin but also as a nature force, fighting against or for humans.  Dragons and dragon motifs are featured in many works of modern literature, particularly within the fantasy genre.  The popular role playing game system Dungeons & Dragons makes heavy use of dragons, and has served as inspiration for many other games' dragons.


The Dragon rune can be used in chaos, as a destroyer or nothingness.  In many cultures dragons are viewed as representing the primal forces in nature and the universe. Their varied views gives them the abilities to demonstrate that they are both creators and destroyers. In this context, dragons can be thought to symbolize the ability to see the “big picture” as well as the ability to see far off danger or future circumstances.

 

Iar rune is used for io/ia - serpent, binding or encircling.  Occasionally, serpents and dragons are used interchangeably, having similar symbolic functions.  Ior symbolizes dual natures.  In Norse mythology the World Serpent known as Jormungand encircled the world in the ocean's abyss biting its own tail. Like the serpent that it symbolizes, it entwines itself around life, causing change by bringing death and subsequently allowing new life to begin. 



 

Dragons flying in the sky, swooping down and soaring high. 

Mighty wings, so awe inspiring, always moving, never tiring.