F is for Frigga (PBP2014)

Frigga ("beloved one"; also known as Frigg) is the All-Mother of the Norse pantheon. She is the wife of Odin and the Queen of Asgard, Goddess of marriage, childbirth, motherhood, wisdom, homemaking, weaving, and spinning. As Goddess of weaving, Frigga is associated with Wyrd, and is said to possess powers of prophecy, yet She does not reveal what She knows or attempt to change it. She is associated with constellation the Orion's Belt which was known as the Frigg’s Distaff upon which She is said to spin the wool that the Norns use to weave the Web of Wyrd.

There is a woman who weaves in the sky
See how She spins, see Her finger fly
She's been before us from beginning to end
She is our mother, lover and friend
She is the weaver and we are the web
She is the needle and we are the thread.
- from "Changing Woman" by Adele Getty

F is for Fehu (PBP 2014)

Fehu (pronounced, "fay-who") is the first rune of Freyr's aett, and the first rune of the Elder Futhark. The word fehu means, "cattle." In Viking society, livestock were a measure of an individual's success and ability to provide for the needs of the community. Fehu can represent wealth, property, prosperity, abundance, new beginnings (kinda), financial strength in the present or near future, fertility, and luck/hamingja. This rune is very helpful in spells involving prosperity, fertility, and money.

Rune Secrets says this about Fehu: "Fehu is actually the rune of ‘luck’. The universe is not so much made up by chance, as by luck. Luck is a hidden but real energy field inherent in your ‘hamingja’. Fehu governs the capacity to hold this luck and use it like a magical ability. This basic energy, your accumulated luck, is the foundation of the wealth and power in your life."

For more information on hamingja, check out The Parts of the Self at Norse Mythology for Smart People.

Fehu by Wardruna

E is for Eihwaz (PBP 2014)

Eihwaz (pronounced "yew-was") is the 5th rune of Heimdall's aett. The meaning of the word eihwaz is, literally, "yew tree."

I really like what Magin Rose says about Eihwaz: "It is the rune of the Yew tree, a symbol of age, endurance, death, and eternal life. The Yew tree is an evergreen, in the depths of winter it lives on, reminding us of the tenacity of life and the will to survive."

Eihwaz can represent protection, defense, strength, and endurance (from Runes, Alphabet of Mystery). This rune is associated with the driving psychological forces that spur us into action. Eihwaz works to remind us of the bigger reasons why we do the things we do when we are struggling to feel motivated. Eihwaz's energy, which is the energy of the axis mundi, of Yggdrasil connecting Asgard, Midgard, and Hel, can be helpful for communication with the underworld and the dead. Eihwaz is sometimes compared to the Death card in the tarot, being a rune of transformation.

E is for Ehwaz (PBP 2014)

Happiest of Fridays to all you fine folks! It is bitterly cold here and unfortunately we're expecting another storm front over the weekend (hoping the weather people are wrong about that). Seems like winter will not go away quietly. My poor husband came down with a nasty cold yesterday, so when I got home from work I was focused on caring for him, and last night when I laid down for bed (after watching the premiere of Vikings Season Two on the History Channel, of course!), I started sniffling myself. I've already fought off one cold this winter without going to the doctor so hopefully I can do it again!

I may end up doing an extra entry for 'E' because I want to do a post about Eir, but there are two 'E' runes. But I digress...this week's blog is about Ehwaz, the third rune of Tyr's Aett.

Ehwaz (pronounced "ay-was") literally means, "horse." This rune is thought to represent transportation, movement, and change. Ehwaz can also mean teamwork, trust, harmony, and loyalty, as in an ideal marriage or partnership, as well as the horse/rider relationship. Rune Secrets notes that Ehwaz governs establishing trust and bonds with animals.

D is for Doom of the Gods-Ragnarok (PBP 2014)

I have enjoyed reading all the articles that have been popping up on my news feed this week on Facebook about Ragnarok.

According to Facebook, Ragnarok is trending. I find that extraordinarily amusing. Anyhow, here's some of the articles for your perusing pleasure:

Are you ready for the Viking Apocalypse? Norse myth predicts world will end this Saturday

This weekend is Ragnarok. But it isn't the end of the world.

Ragnarok: will the world end in Viking apocalypse tomorrow?

Want to meet the end smelling fabulous? Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, my favorite scent wizards, have developed an entire line of limited edition oil blends in honor of the impending doom. It was difficult to choose, but I finally decided on the Waters of the Well of Mimir:

Ragnarok Archives

How am I spending the Doom of the Gods? With an early morning marathon of Game of Thrones!

All joking aside, I personally don't believe that Ragnarok is the end of our linear timeline; rather, I see it as symbolic of the immanent cycle of life, death, and rebirth that all things, even the Gods themselves, are subject to.

Feel free to share your own thoughts below!

D is for Dagaz (PBP 2014)

We're back to the runes this week! D is for Dagaz, the 23rd rune of the Elder Futhark and 7th rune of Tyr's Aett. Dagaz (from Runes, Alphabet of Mystery: pronounced "thaw-gauze"; voiced th as in "the"; never unvoiced th as in "thick" or d as in "dog") represents new beginnings, daylight, the coming of the dawn, awakening, awareness, receiving the gift of inspiration (the gift of Odin), breakthrough, clarity, transformation, hope/happiness, and the power of growth and change. Pulling Dagaz can indicate that it is a good time to start planning or beginning a new project.

Rune Secrets says this about Dagaz: "Dagaz is the counterpart to the rune Jera. Both refer to time, Jera on an annual cycle and Dagaz on a daily cycle. Both are runes of change – Jera is a rune of gentle change, Dagaz is a rune of bold change, for example, the burst of light at the moment of illumination...Much has been written on the psychology and metaphysics of uniting left and right brain functions. Dagaz holds dominion over this union and is a tool that gives you great potency for present awareness and future growth. It is reminiscent of the lemniscate, the symbol of infinity, and the moebius strip, timelessness and illimitable potential, as well as an overturned hourglass."

C is for Cakes and Ale (PBP 2014)

I'm not afraid to admit that cakes and ale is my favorite part of ritual. For me, my spirituality is a very personal path, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember. I intentionally choose to be a part of a group not because they all believe or practice the same way that I do (they certainly don't)--it is because of the community it provides, and I see cakes and ale as a major part of fostering that community.

It is very important to me that I bring something to contribute for cakes and ale, because it means that I am helping to nourish and sustain the community. Last week for Imbolc, I brought a bottle of home-brewed mead (the Rocky Mountain Red, for those of you who are longer-time readers of this blog), and a bowl of fruit salad. As we were honoring several triads of goddesses, including the Norns, I chose 3 different types of berries-strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, sprinkled a little raw sugar over them and let them mascerate. By the end of ritual the entire bowl was demolished, and most of the mead was gone! I enjoy being mindful of what I choose to contribute and connecting it to the ritual or the season we are celebrating somehow. For Yule I brought my crockpot and served heated spiced cider (wassail!) and citrus solstice cookies stamped with my sun cookie stamp (those were a huge hit with my friends' son who kept grabbing them off the plate and running from his father!). I also made a deep, dark gingerbread Yule Log topped with 'snow' (powdered sugar) in my mother's bouche de Noel pan. For a food-based ritual last summer I made fiery red curried lentils. For our annual Beltane picnic I usually make what I refer to as 'Freya's Salad' with baby spinach, strawberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and home-made fig balsamic vinaigrette. For Ostara, I usually make something with eggs (sorry vegans!). You get the idea.

For me, cakes and ale is a time to ground, get to know the other folks in my group, as well as allow them to get to know me. I think that's a part of the work we do, too. It's not always easy for folks to be themselves, their true selves, to open up, communicate without fear, and trust others. Food has an amazing way of comforting and relaxing people, and it provides a vehicle for this.

Another part of cakes and ale that I really enjoy is libation; taking a portion of our food and drink and offering it to the Gods with thanks. It reminds me of the Asatru ritual of blot. I think this simple action can be very powerful.