Hearthside

It seems like some heathens focus a lot of energy on the gods, and not on matters closer to home, the ancestors, the landwights, and housewights. A healthy hearth practice recognizes that there are other beings besides the gods who demand our respect. Working with your housewight(s) is a rewarding relationship that is worth fostering. Being aware of other beings in your environment helps you understand your environment better and will help your life to be healthy, happy, and whole.  I know… it sounds like a bad sales pitch, but there really is truth to it. Getting to know the spirits of place is always rewarding. Ritualizing the routine of maintaining a gifting cycle gives it meaning and can make you feel more purposeful. Being respectful to the beings around you and engaging in the gift cycle with them will build your luck and the luck of your family/hearth.  Housewight is a rather broad term that can refer to a number of beings that you may share space with in your home. The...

I was recently watching a video by Arith Härger entitled “Animism: The Trickster Spirit.” In it Arith is talking about what the purpose of Trickster spirits are in lore from around the world. Of course he is using Loki as an example in this context. However, it had me revisiting one of my recurring thoughts about Odin and how he sometimes also plays a Trickster role in the lore.  Odin is able to shapeshift into animals, but also disguise his own appearance to men, and the Jotunn, and even his own son, Thor. It is always through a mix of wile and charm that he gets his way. Odin disguises himself as Gagnráðr to challenge Vafþrúðnir, wisest of the Jotunn in a battle of wits. In another story Odin disguises himself as Grimnir to check his foster-son Geirroth’s hospitality in a wager with Frigg. Further on in the Poetic Edda, Odin disguises himself as Greybeard, a ferryman, and taunts Thor. In the Prose Edda Odin takes on the persona of Bölverkr to gain access to the mead of poetry. T...

I don’t intend to post just rants on here, although I am sure that will happen from time to time. Today’s topic is bound to ruffle a few feathers. Sorry, not sorry. I am totally okay with you not agreeing and I don’t mind hearing alternative views as long as they are meaningful and respectful.  Today I want to delve into the topic of menstrual taboos in heathenry. I started to write this entry and was completely unsatisfied with the initial product and started again. There is a lot of ground to cover, and honestly this is going to be longer than I had initially intended. Stick around or don’t.  First of all, I want to lay out a bit of a plan so you can see where I am heading without getting lost. This is as much for me as it is for you, because there are so many side topics that I could get onto… I think the crucial place to start is discussing gender roles in historical context and comparing them to how gender roles are viewed in more modern times. Then I will lay the groundw...

I wasn't planning on doing this, but it has been a nagging thought for some time that there just isn't enough heathen content out there. More recently, it was pointed out to me that there is even less female driven heathen content. I vaguely have been thinking of starting a podcast, but the timing for me is just poor to take on a project of that magnitude. So maybe that will happen sometime, or maybe it won't. For now I am starting this blog. I will post when I feel like it, and not on a schedule. Get over it. Also, don't bother to try to friend me on Facebook. I keep my friend list under 300 very intentionally. I will make a page on Facebook, and you can follow that if you want. No idea how much I will update it. So this post is mostly going to be a bit of a rant, and some housekeeping.  I am going to state this very plainly right here that I absolutely support Declaration 127. I am not signed on there under my name or the name of this blog, but the kindred I associate...