Hearthside

You may have read my last post on Sigrblót and Lunisolar Reckoning, if not you can find it [here] . It is not vital to understanding the following post, but if you are interested in the topic of Sigrblót already it might be of interest to you. Sigrblót has not really taken off as a Holy Day in modern Heathenry, oftentimes assuming that it is about Victory in raids and battles, but also most modern Heathens who do celebrate it tend to celebrate it as Victory over Winter. Both of these takes on the celebration probably historically had some truth, and I would add that we can perhaps learn even more about it by understanding the Lunisolar calendar in juxtaposition with the Gregorian Calendar and by examining modern folk traditions in Scandinavia. In modern Scandinavia the word “Sigrblót” is not one used for any Spring festivals. (I am using Spring here in the scientific sense of any dates between the Vernal Equinox and the Summer Solstice.) The closest link we have to Sigrblót in modern ...

I have been thinking a lot about Var holidays this year, which is to say the holidays occurring in the Springtime, surrounding the planting season. There has been a lot of discussion in the heathen community about Valborg’s night (Walpurgisnacht) and the historical meaning behind it. I have not been in the habit of practicing anything for Valborg’s night in my personal hearth practice but I know plenty of heathens who do. I also don't wish to expand on it much because there is copious information on it out there right now. I also know plenty of heathens who do some sort of charming of the plow ritual in Spring or who celebrate Summer Day by planting juniper for fertile fields. Many heathens also bring traditions from various other traditions, such as the celebration of the Vernal Equinox/Ostara. Admittedly, I recognize the Vernal Equinox in my hearth practice, although this comes more from the recognition of science than any particular tradition in my case. That said I engage in so...