Tonight on this New Year’s Eve and black moon, I spoke into being, banishing words. Banishing the unhealthy, the negative thoughts and habits from my own mind and from others directed towards me. I stood in utter amazement of these stars. Little twinkling pinholes in the fabric of the universe that do not have to compete with the light of their sister moon tonight. I breathed in the cold clear air, in awe of creation. How small my little house feels amongst the vastness of the sky, yet how important she feels. How important the land feels, even how important I feel to the cocreation of the awen of the universe. I stood in flow of the energy of darkness. The stars were beacons of the light of spirits that I could not fully grasp in my mind but felt their presence. I felt messages and lessons being conveyed to me but they have not risen to my consciousness yet. I did not perform any fancy spells or rituals. I just was. Tonight when I sleep under the roof of my home who in turn sleeps under the blanket of stars, I hope to have my lessons and messages from the stars conveyed to me in dreams.

Happy New Year from me and I wish you nothing but good blessings and strength and fortitude for those moments you may need it.

See you soon magickal friends.

Xo

YULE. WINTER SOLSTICE
December 20-23
On the longest night of the year, another turning point occurs, one that sums up all that has been done. Yule is the conclusion of the battle and its result — whose victory is it?....
Yule is almost here, bringing 12 days and 13 nights of celebration starting on the Winter Solstice, December 21st. As we embrace the darkest time of the year, it's the perfect moment for transformation and a journey of personal growth, filled with new insights and revelations.
Come be a part of our enchanting Yule ritual, where you'll forecast the year ahead and discover the symbol for each month.
More details coming soon!

Gall Goídil by Danheim, a song that has inspired a powerful vision, a story that plays in my mind each time I hear it..

Under the light of the full moon, far in the frozen north, deep in midwinter.
My village has come under raid.
My mother and younger brother hide from enemy spears and swords.
A battle rages, as all capable men rush to action.
Women protect the children, and do what they can to stop the flames that gorge upon the houses and tents.
My Father, slain before me.
There is no time to weep for this loss.
His wolf mantle I wear, his axe I take.
A young man I am, a young man I shall die.
I fight with all that is within me, and slay many in the rage fueled by my fathers death.
The wolf spirit rides my mind, as I do all I can to save my village.
The men of my village all slain before me, the last bit of the raiders still stand.
I take them on, down to their last man.
I am met with a spear, and he an axe.
My axe sinks deep within his skull as it's thrown, but I am not so lucky, as his spear was thrown, and into my chest it was buried.
There I lay, reddening the snow.
My village has been saved, but I know not what is to come for those that remain, as all I can hear is the sound of the Valkyries wings as I am carried to Valhöl.

"I'm a Druid/Mystic, which means I walk a path where the natural world is my teacher, and I seek deep spiritual truths through meditation and ritual. I blend the cycles of nature with mystical exploration, using divination to interpret the signs around me, and I cherish moments of personal revelation or gnosis. My practice involves creating art or poetry as expressions of my spiritual insights, balancing solitude for my mystical journeys with community to share and learn wisdom. I strive to live in harmony with nature while constantly exploring the mysteries beyond the physical, integrating druidic respect for the earth with the mystical quest for inner and universal truths."

Some of the Norse/Saxon history podcasts im enjoying at the moment. Anglo-Saxon England podcast - is a at times whimsical narrative journey through the history of Anglo-Saxon England, easy to listen too and not academically 'stodgy'. Next: Exploring the Viking Age - is an enjoyable 'fireside chat' with a guest of the month. It is also on Youtube but works better as an audible podcast imo.
Next: Will I Vike it - a cosy chat with various re-enactors. Works better on a visual level, and ideal for a wet Sunday afternoon. Finally: Saga Thing - introduction, synopsis and exploration of all of the Icelandic sagas - good for swatting up on the intricacies of the saga meanings.

Let's talk Laugardagr, being clean and having hygiene.
I'll start with, I apologize if this offends you for some reason, as unfortunately it has before.

I commonly see the days of the week posted quite regularly in Norse Pagan groups,
Sunnadagr
Manadagr
Tyrsdagr
Odinsdagr
Thorsdagr
Friggsdagr
And
Saturns Day.
Wait thats not right...
I see this all the time, everyone puts Saturns Day, and the entirety of Laugardagr is just tossed to the side.
So today, the reason i want to speak on it, of course is knowledge, since many people dont know of Laugardagr.

Laugardagr is Wash Day. The day to get clean, wash yourself, wash your clothes. And just be clean, because that was an important thing to the culture. The Norse people, Vikings ect, weren't dirty hobos. They valued their cleanliness. And so should you.
And this is why I prefaced the beginning with the sorry if this offends, because in my experience, going to events, Blóts, festivals ect. I see, and have met so many Norse Pagans that only have a fantasy concept of a Viking, being a barbarian, with unkempt hair and beard, covered in dirt, and is tbe ultimate man who doesn't need no baths! I've even met some who have directly told me "Im a Viking, Im a man so I don't need to do all that gay shit". While smelling like unwashed scrotum and feces.
Of course majority of this is men, but I've seen it with women too in all the Norse Pagan and Viking things I've attended. It's baffling.
So remember, Laugardagr (Saturday), the day to clean yourself and freshen up. Though in today's time most of us have the convenience to clean up each day and always be presentable. Comb your beard, brush your hair, throw on some deodorant, make yourself presentable, and "Be a Viking" and tackle your days everyone, and remember our ancestors valued their cleanliness.

What are songs about part 3

Wyrocznia (Oracle)

The song is about a divination held by a priest at Arkona temple. We have a very good description made by Saxo Grammaticus in his chronicle Gesta Danorum, so let's just quote it as it's the best description:

"[1] As well, this divinity had many temples in the vicinity, which were
run by other, almost equally, or less respected, priests. [2] More, a
special white horse had a [unique] status, whose hair from mane or
tail was considered impious to pull off. [3] Whom only the priest had
a right to ride to pasture, not using this divine animal [for anything
else], for if [such uses] were more common, he [the horse] would be
less valuable. [4] The Rugians believed that on this horse Svantovit
(such the statue was called) was assuredly waging a war against their
enemies. [5] The surest indication of this was seen after a night time,
when most of the standing [structures] and floor of the stable were
wet from the morning dew, like [the sweat] from exercise that comes
from a long trip, [in which the horse] would run a great distance.

[1] As well, divinations with the use of that horse were conducted in
such ways: when the undertaking of war against another province was
decided, before the temple an attendant would lay out an
arrangement of three spears, in which the ends of any two were
joined [together] to point to the land of interest, making sure that the
third equally crossed/divided the angle between the first two. [2] At
the time of a military expedition, the priest, speaking ceremonial
words and leading this horse through the court [before the temple]
on a long strap, decided whether the omen for waging a war was
favorable: if the [spear] arrangement laid out would be stepped over,
first by the right feet, then the left; if, even once, the left [foot] would
precede the right, the candidate province to be attacked would be
changed, and no ships would be sent in the original direction until a
favorable way of stepping over would be noticed three [times] in a
row. "

[PL]

Święte konie Wieszcze boże
Los kopytem wskazać może
Droga włóczni ukazuje
Bogów łaskę nam daruje

Prawą nogą przestępuje
Dziś zwycięstwo nam daruje
Lewą nogą je przekracza
Zły to omen nas przytłacza

[ENG]

Holy horses divine prophets
Fate can indicate with its hoof
The path of the spear shows
Gives us grace from the gods

Steps over with his right foot
Today he gives us victory
He crosses it with his left foot
This bad omen overwhelms us

What are songs about part 1

Wieszczba (Divination/Omen)

Probably I won't be wrong if I say that in every culture that is or was, divination and reading omens are common. Currently more as a game or part of some traditional feasts. In the medieval (and not only) times, reading omens was part of everyday life. Will the crops grow big? Will my children be healthy? Will my cattle be strong and give much milk?

And young adults had one more question... Who will be my beloved one?

This song is about that particular question. Till modern times some of divination practices survived, such as wax melting and reading from its shadow.

Here are the song lyrics and English translation:

(PL)
Mieszaj, mieszaj sny, pragnienia
Ta noc magią życie zmienia
Coś dla niego i coś dla niej
Ta noc niesie swe przesłanie

Mieszaj, mieszaj, ogień płonie
Szepcze o nim, szepcze o niej
Dusze tańczą, wosk przelewa
Mieszaj, mieszaj, tańcz i śpiewaj

Mieszaj, mieszaj, losu kole
Węzły splataj, poproś Dolę
Już Narecznic trwają tany
Któż wywróży ich zamiary?

(ENG)
Stir, stir the dreams, desire
This night changes lives with magic
Something for him, something for her
This night has its message

Stir, stir, the fire burns
Whispers about him, whispers about her
Souls dance, wax spills
Stir, stir, dance and sing

Stir, stir, wheel of fate
Weave knots, ask Dola
The Narecznice are already dancing
Who can tell their intentions?

A modern rune master, like any other contemporary mage, uses millennia-old knowledge, never forgetting for a moment that mastery and weaving runes do not take place in an ancient tower atop a cliff. It is entirely possible that they live in a high-rise building in a metropolis, surrounded by human density and the effects of scientific and technological progress. But both a thousand years ago and now, a rune master weaves the fabric of reality based on the same principles as their distant predecessors.

Ksenia Menshikova

“Runes and Magic”
Available on Amazon

Today in Poland we celebrate Andrzejki (Day of the Andrew). Current name is obviously christian but the tradition is not. On this day young women make different divination practices to see if they will find a proper man and who might it be.
The most common and famous practice is a wax divination. You pour molten wax through a keyhole, into the water. Afterwards you cast shadow from the wax figure and try too see your future in the shadow. You can try it yourself at the end of our lyric video

https://youtu.be/YAyvNWOlrvI?si=ogdMzSM9HKfs36iY