Outdwellers Among the Gods

Throughout history, we have learned the stories of changes in power, typically as told through the eyes of the victors. A common phrase, “on earth as it is in heaven,” or “as above, so below,” reminds us that similar battles occur among the Deities to whom we devote our prayers. This lecture covers a few of the most prominent changes in power in our shared mythology.

The Titans and the Olympians

The story of Kronos and Rhea is well-known. Rhea bore Zues many children, and each child she bore, he devoured, because of a prophecy that told of his son rising against him to take his place. Lovely Hestia he devoured first, then Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. When Rhea was pregnant with Zeus, Gaia conspired with her to replace the babe with a stone of like size and weight, which Kronos gobbled up without a second thought. Gaia fostered Zeus among the richest gardens in his youth until he came of age. He fought his father valiantly, and at last, Kronos spat up his siblings in the order he swallowed them: Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. Zeus further freed those his father had enslaved, including his grandfather, Ouranos, and the Kyklopes, who gifted Zeus with the thunder and lightning bolt in tribute. Kronos was fettered in chains and sent to the outermost edges of the world to live with his wife, Rhea, in the land set aside for them, on the Isle of the Blest.

Once Kronos was out of the way, the Titans, who were loyal to him held their own, fighting from atop Mt. Othrys against the children of Kronos who fought from atop Mt. Olympus. Several of the Titans decided to fight with Zeus and the Olympians, and when the Olympians won, the remaining Titans loyal to Kronos were enchained and thrown into Tartaros, deep within the earth and covered over by the roots of the earth and the sea. Those who were loyal to Zeus were permitted to keep their stations, Hekate, Eos, Helios, Selene, Nyx, and Gaia. It is important to note that the names of those who did not choose the side of the Olympians are lost to us. (Kerenyi, 24-25)

Archaeological evidence shows that Ancient Greece has been inhabited since the Paleolithic age, including some of the earliest settlements that transitioned from hunting and gathering to an agrarian way of life. The agrarian ways seem to have originated in the Fertile Crescent to the east, since none of the grains (barley, wheat) or chief domesticated animals (goats, sheep) were native to the area. Once the area was settled, however, there is little evidence of much change from surrounding cultures. The largest changes where those of the peasant cultures from the Danube Valley beyond the Balkan Mountains in the fourth millennium. It was during the Bronze Age that the peoples we refer to today as the Hellenes came into the area and made it their home (Burkert 10). Anthropologically, these tales harken to a time before the Greeks can remember. It is speculated that the people of the “Titans” were those Paleolithic folks from before the Etruscans came and settled in what became Greece proper. The names of the peoples are not recorded and are as lost to the annals of history as the names of the Titans who died with them.

The Aesir and the Vanir

In the "golden era" of the distant past, the gods lived in harmony, playing games in the meadows. One day, Gullveig of the Vanir visited Óðin in his hall at Ásgarð. Gullveig could talk of nothing but her love for gold. The Æsir loathed listening to such talk, and decided that the world would be better off without her. They seized her, riddled her body with spears, and threw her onto the fire in the center of the hall. She burned to death, but stepped whole out of the flames. Twice more, she was seized, killed, and burned. Twice more, she walked whole out of the flames. She was a seer and enchantress, a mistress of magic.

When the Vanir heard how the Æsir had treated with Gullveig, they swore vengeance and began to prepare for war. Óðin, sitting in his high seat in Valaskjálf, saw the preparations, and soon the Æsir, too, prepared for war.

The gods moved against each other. Óðin cast his spear into the host of the Vanir. Thus, the first war began. The Vanir quickly gained the upper hand. Using magic, they reduced the walls of Ásgarð to rubble. The Æsir moved forward, and caused similar damage to Vanaheim. The battle raged, and the longer it went on, the more clear it became that neither side was likely to win.

The gods wearied and decided to meet to discuss terms. They argued about the origin of the war, and whether the Æsir alone were responsible, or whether both sides were entitled to tribute. In the end, they decided to live together in peace. To enforce this agreement, leaders from the two sides were exchanged as hostages. Njorð, his son Freyr, and his daughter Freyja, who were the leading Vanir, traveled to Ásgarð. In exchange, the Æsir sent Hœnir and Mímir to Vanaheim.

The Vanir appointed Hœnir to be one of their leaders. With the wise Mímir at his side, Hœnir was unfailing. But without Mímir, Hœnir seemed incapable of making a decision. "Let someone else decide," he would always say. The Vanir suspected that they had been tricked, and that they had gotten the worse part of the bargain in the exchange of leaders. For revenge, they hacked off the head of Mímir and sent it by messenger back to Óðin and the Æsir. Óðin cradled the head, smearing it with herbs and chanting magical charms over it. The head was preserved from decay and given the power of speech, so that Mímir could always share his wisdom with Óðin.

Freyja taught Óðin the magic called seiðr, which carried great power. He could learn men's fates, see the future, bring death and misery, or transfer intellect and strength from one man to another. But this magic was so unseemly and effeminate that it was thought shameful for men to have anything to do with it. (Davidson, 78-84)

Though there seems to be more of a balance of power, the Vanir took a much larger beating that the Aesir, and Óðin remained the High One. Again, the names of those who were not loyal to the Aesir are lost to us.

It is useful to note that Loki, who has become a despised character among many American heathens, is Óðin’s blood brother, but also a half-breed, and as such, he is never allowed to fit in. Óðin’s son, Thor, swears to protect the realm from giants, and in order to be accepted, Loki assists Thor in outwitting the giants, typically leading to their demise, time and time again. How must Loki feel to betray his own kind to fit in, just because they are not the same as those with the most power?

Anthropologically, it was during the third wave of the Indo-European expansion, the Kurgan peoples migrated through the Balkans, eventually settling in the river valleys east of the Rhine (Winn 342). The theory to explain the driving force behind the migrations centers on the Kurgan practice of animal husbandry. As their people expanded and their herds grew, they would need to seek further resources to meet the demand of their semi-nomadic, pastoral society.

During their migration, the Kurgan peoples interacted with the people known as the Trichterbecher (TRB), the “Funnel-Necked Beaker” culture, a non-Indo-European people of Old Europe named for the funnel-necked pots they crafted. The TRB peoples not only kept and bred animals like the Kurgans, but they also engaged in agricultural practices as a means to support their society—a practice that was not common at such an early time among the IE peoples who were more nomadic. The TRB peoples introduced the social concept of more permanent living spaces as well as introducing several different forms of tools, the plow and the wheel (Adams 596-598).

The archeological findings that date before 3000 _BCE show that the TRB Culture buried their dead in communal plots with little to no personal possessions, but the Kurgan influence is evident in the later findings where personalized burials like those of their counterparts. There remains speculative evidence that a battle waged between the two cultures led the Kurgan peoples to move on and may possibly be the root of the epic battle between the Aesir (Kurgans) and the Vanir (TRB peoples) found in the Germanic lore (Adams 596-598). The Indo-European language maintained prevalence during this migration, as well as the societal structure based on patriarchy and a propensity for war (Winn 351).

Even with the influences of the TRB agriculture society, the Kurgans maintained their lust for exploration long after they settled into Germania. The Germanic peoples assumed few words into their language from surrounding peoples, preferring to “conquer and assimilate” those they invaded. The languages in the various Germanic hearths, such as Norman and Anglo-Saxon show distinct similarities that indicate the language evolved in a modestly linear fashion with variations easily attributed to the different peoples with whom they traded (Mallory 84-87).

The Fomorians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, and Tuatha De Danaan

According to the Annals of the Four Masters the Fomorians have been variously described as God-like beings, spirits of chaos and nature, giants, more descendants of Noah, farmers, or just plain old pirates from Africa. They settled Ireland after the demise of Cessair, daughter of Noah, and remained there until the arrival of even more descendants of Noah: the followers of Partholon, a man from Greece or the Middle-East depending on the sources.

Three years after arriving in South Kerry (and after he had caused several lakes to spring up from the ground miraculously) Partholon and the Fomorians came to blows in the first recorded battle of Irish “history”. The Fomorians, led by Cichol, were, apparently, a simple people who lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, while Partholon and his crowd were farmers, that is, more advanced. The battle between the two took place at least two millennia before the birth of Christ. Numbers are not made clear, but Partholon had less than 10’000 followers total. Cichol had 800 at the battle. Outnumbered, Cichol and his Fomorions were defeated and wiped out to a man, but it was not the last time that race would pop up as Irish mythologies stock villain.

30 years later, a relative of Partholon, Nemed, arrived in Ireland from the Caspian Sea. He wasn’t there long before more Fomorians, this time under Kings of the name of Gann and Segann began to harass and raid the island yet again, leading to Ireland’s first proper war. Nemed was a leader of some renown and his people were fierce warriors. He defeated the Fomorians at Ros Fraechain where both of their Kings were killed. It would seem clear that the Fomorians just weren’t that great in battle, or were more used to simple raiding.

But things were soon looking up for them. The old enemy – plague – stuck the Nemedians hard nine years after their arrival, killing three thousand of them, including Nemed himself. The Fomorians had gained great leaders of their own, in the form of two brothers, Morc and Conand. They had established a mighty tower on Tory Island and from there, were able to oppress what remained of the Nemedians, extracting huge amounts of tribute in goods and slaves.

So things remained for over two centuries (people lived long lives back then) before the Nemedians, all 60’000 of them at this point, had enough and rose up in rebellion. Led by three great champions, Semul, Erglan and Fergus Red-Side, they attacked the Fomorians, reached Tory Island, and pulled down Conand’s tower, killing him and, conveniently, all his heirs too. Morc still remained, and the two sides fought a great sea battle nearby. Whatever it was, bad weather or divine intervention, the seas rose and both fleets were wrecked, only 30 or so Nemedians surviving out of both forces. Those survivors left Ireland, leaving the land desolate once again.

Next up were the Fir Bolg, who, depending again on who you read, were descendants of the surviving Nemedians, oppressed Greeks, or former settlers of Belgium fleeing persecution from the Gaels. They held Ireland (or “Eriu” as it was at the time) for 37 years, split into three different nations. But their famous arch-rivals, the Tuatha de Danann (“Peoples of the Goddess Danu”) then arrived to upset the apple cart. Other descendants of Nemed, they arrived in 300 ships off the west of Ireland, then immediately pulled a Cortez, burning them, signalling their intent to stay and fight for the island. The Tuatha de are heavily associated with magic and sorcery, the usual tale being that they were specialising in those things during their exile in “the islands of the north”.

The Tuatha de were led by a King named Nuada (who gives his name to modern day Maynooth) who faced off with the Fir Bolg at the Battle of Magh Tuireadh, near Cong, County Mayo. Before the battle, the Tuatha de demanded half the island or for the Fir Bolg to fight: fight they did and for four days too. The Tuatha de were victorious, though Nuada’s hand was lopped off. Subsequent negotiations with what was left of the Fir Bolg resulted in them getting Connacht to rule, leaving the rest for Nuada’s people. The Fir Bolg simply vanish from the myths after this.

Things didn’t turn out so great for the victors though, as Nuada relinquished the Kingship because he was not “whole”, with a fellow named Bres taking his place. Bres happened to be half-Fomorian (yup, they popped up again) and before too long, the old raiders were back in force, holding the Tuatha de as subjects under Bres’ rule. The Tuatha de grew restless and rebelled: Bres fled to another Fomorian leader, “Balor of the Evil Eye” for assistance in regaining his Kingdom. In the meantime Nuada, with a new silver hand from the Gods, became King of the Tuatha de once more.

Balor, a giant with one eye in his forehead (that could spit fire or something) and another on his back, was a powerful guy, and had soon raised a massive army to face Nuada. The two sides met at the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh, where Balor killed Nuada before being killed in turn by his own grandson Lugh, another half-Fomorian fighting on the Tuatha de side. Balor could apparently destroy people with the gaze of his front eye: he used it to kill Nuada, before Lugh tore it out and used it against the other Fomorians. Defeated, they fled, leaving Lugh as the new King of the Tuatha de Danaan.

Peace reigned for over a century, before the Tuatha de faced trouble from more invaders. The Milesians, held to perhaps be representative of the Celts, were a nominally Iberian race, who invaded the land to avenge the death of Ith, a Milesian wizard, at the hands of Tuatha de. The Milesian army landed in the south and fought their way to Tara, the traditional seat of power in Meath, to demand their claim over the island be recognised.

The Tuatha de struck a deal: the Milesians could be rulers of Ireland if, after three days of being anchored at sea, they could land on the island. The Milesians duly sailed out, only to be caught in a magical storm of the Tuatha de’s creation. Only a small number of the Milesians, led by the brothers Eber and Emiron, survived and these led the Milesians to final victory over the Tuatha de at the Battles of Tailtiu, Meath and Sleigh Mis, Antrim. The land was divided between the two, north to Erimon and the south to Eber.

One last battle of this mythic age was yet to be fought, as Eber grew unhappy with his lot and made war against his brother for the whole island. They fought the Battle of Airgetros, somewhere in Kilkenny, where Eber was defeated and killed. Thus, Erimon won control of the whole island, becoming the sole “High King”, still over a thousand years before the birth of Christ. (Rees, 32-37)

These are claimed as the “History of the Irish People,” and there are some who believe, much like the Greek and Germanic IE followers, the Deities are actually deified humans who took on an immortal persona for the good, or at least memorable, deeds that they performed—and Irish sort of Hero Cult, if you will.  Again, we see the names of the conquered people always as the evil characters, and the victors seen in a positive light. These stories have more names in them than the Germanic and Hellenic, because of the unapologetic Christianization of the mythos.

The Romans

The Romans have a well-documented history, moving through miles after mile, conquering the peoples, resulting in assimilation to the ways of Rome or the adoption of the Deities the conquered people refused to stop worshipping into the Roman pantheon. Rome sometimes adopted a deity, usually a war-god, because they liked what they stood for, and rebranded them to fit the Roman cause. Once the Roman elite converted to Christianity, it became increasingly difficult for the polytheist folks to maintain their identity. Entire tribes were wiped out, or near to it, if they refused to convert. The Balts were almost completely lost to us during the crusades.

Over time, the Christian Romans overtook the old holy days, Saturnalia lost it’s name, but most of the symbols remained, again, rebranded to fit the Roman cause. The church eventually adopted all of the pagan feast days and rebranded them for the Roman calendar. With the Pope-figure as the “new Ceasar,” religious rule made it easy to justify crimes against the remaining pagan folk, with words like “barbarian” added to the language, so used because of the “bar bar bar” that marked the sound of their language to the Roman ear, trained to the lyrical latin.

Fortunately for us, the Roman scholars had a thirst for preservation, and we did not lose all the myths. 

Discussion:

What patterns do you see here that directly relate to patterns we see currently? If we look at the migration of the American Christian across the plains, we can see the repetition of the new God(s) replacing the conquered people.

Bibliography

Adams, D.Q. and Mallory, J.P. Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. Chicago, IL: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997. Print.

Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1985. Print.

Davidson, H.R. Ellis. The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe. New York, NY: Routledge, 1993. Print.

Jones, Prudence, and Pennick, Nigel. A History of Pagan Europe. New York, NY: Routledge, 1995. Print.

Kerenyi, Karl. The Gods of the Greeks. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 1951. Print.

Littleton, C. Scott. The New Comparative Mythology: An Anthropological Assessment of the Theories of Georges Dumezil. Revised Ed. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, 1973. Print.

Mallory, J.P.  In Search of the Indo-Europeans. London, New York: Thames & Hudson Inc., 1989. Print.

Puhvel, Jaan. Comparative Mythology. London: Johns Hopkins Press, 1989. Print.

Rees, Alwyn and Rees, Brinley. Celtic Heritage. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 1961. Print.

Winn, Shan M. Heaven, Heroes and Happiness. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1995. Print.

On Taking an Omen...

Omens in public rites begin far before the actually pulling of the staves. I first begin with feeling the space prior to the beginning of the rite, getting a solid baseline for the energies of the place before we begin. Without this baseline, it is more difficult to detect the changes in the atmosphere, which may be subtle. Once the rite has begun, I pay close attention to the words of the ritual celebrants, the words of the folk, the body language of the folk, animal-kin signs, and patterns of clouds or changes in the sky. All of these are ways in which the natural environment responds to the moving energy and influences the folk in attendance.  Once the final sacrifice has been made, I take a drop of Water from the Well and place this upon my third eye to attune myself to the words of the Wise. I wave my hand over the fire and touch the tree, as well, if we are in a space to do so. I speak a blessing that is a variation of the following:

May the true sight be upon me.
May my eyes be opened that I may see the truth.
May I speak clearly the blessings as the Kindreds wish the folk to hear them.

I rub the runes between my fingers in the bag as I am speaking the Seer’s Blessing. Once complete, I place my hand in the bag and take up a handful of runes. I let them fall out of my hand until the heaviest in left. I pull each stave in succession of “part, present, and future” to get a full sense of the omen. The “past” is that which the Kindreds wish to remind us that is relevant to the present. The “present” is that which is coming to pass that leads us to the future. The “future” is the potential outcome of these events. Taken together, the omen provides information regarding how we ended up where we are, where we are going, and what guidance the Kindreds have for us moving forward.

When taking an omen for an individual, it is different. I typically begin by asking the other person who their allies are in order to make offerings and prepare myself to listen to these Spirits. I ask them if they would like the three- or the five-rune spread. I have the individual make offerings, if appropriate for their relationship, and to think on their question, making it a single question, as clear and concise as possible. After a few moments of introspection and light trance induction for myself, I open myself to the influence of their allies and begin to feel the runes in the bag. After I feel the connection between myself and their allies, I place my hand in the bag and draw the same as listed above, letting the heaviest runes stay in my hand until I have the number of staves desired by the individual. I allow the inspiration of the allies to speak through me and the runes as I explain what I am seeing. When it feels as though the message is done, I declare, “This I have seen,” to let the individual know I have completed. Then, I ask, “Do you understand?” From here, further clarification via another rune may be provided at the discretion of the individual. There are times when the message is not one the individual understands, and I have had to tell someone I do not see or hear anything, and ask if they’d like to ask another question or try again at another time.

In my work with public omens, you will note that I do not call to a spirit ally of my own. I have found that taking the omen in public is very similar to taking an omen for another individual. It is not about me and my allies. It is about the folk and what message the Kindreds has for us as a whole. If I limit myself to only that which my allies wish to share, I filter the entire experience through myself. In order to be a better servant, I have learned when to listen to my own allies and when a greater audience is to be given to the hosts.

In a post-Axial world, why do we still make offerings?

If we don’t need to make offerings to recreate the cosmos and uphold the world, if we don’t need to make offerings to appease the gods, if we don’t need to make offerings to keep the sun and moon and stars in their proper places in the heavens, and if we don’t need to make offerings to make the growing things sprout and grow, because all the forces of nature just go on their own, why do we need to make offerings?

We make offerings because the symbolism of sacrifice as a means of keeping the worlds in order brings peace to the mind. Offerings made to appease the gods and keep the cosmic order were a part of what kept the people feeling secure in their place in the cosmos. If the gods are truly daemones who have little interest categorically in the affairs of humanity, then making an offering is likely one of the best ways to gain their interest. If the gods, daemones, spirits, angels, guides, or whatever words used to describe them do not exist, we make offerings because the shared sense of community restores our capacity to empathize with one another and experience compassion both as a giver and receiver of love.

Humankind is a social species. The practice of religion is one of the strongest avenues for social connection between us. When we create opportunities for shared experiences, we create opportunities for increased depth in our social connections, which aids in individual health and well-being. Human interaction increases the brain chemicals responsible for mental health, happiness, and harmony. The sense of connection between us is innate, biological, and necessary for living a good life, a life we enjoy. Even if we as individuals see ourselves as the most important thing in our world, the notion that each of us sees the individual Self as most important should elicit the response of empathy because of the mutual understanding borne of intellectual connection and shared belief.

Making offerings around the fire may not be what keeps the sun and moon in their proper place, it may not help the plants to grow, the animals to breed, or the seasons to turn, but it does provide the unique opportunity to participate in a tradition far older than any of the Ancestors in our lines whose names we can remember. It is an action that ties us via shared experience to the most ancient of peoples, teaching us the lessons of every age between the beginning of human time and now. It is the unbroken lineage neopagans long for and hope to find in the new age teaching whose books are available at Barnes & Noble. But the fact remains that the only unbroken line we have is the ability to tap into the current of behavioral practices of the ancestors and participate in the greater spiritual cycles of humanity. There may not be deities or even anything at all on the receiving end of these offerings—except our Selves, and that may be the best reason of all to continue to practice. In a world that doesn’t feed the sense of community we need to thrive, sharing the ethereal experience of offering-based spirituality may be the key to creating the mindful attitude we need to achieve inner peace and enlightenment.

The Three Kindreds and Magic

The Ancestors are a source of wisdom, having passed through this world and into the next. They have moved outside of the constraints of time and space, and from this vantage, they can grant us the gift of vision through not only forward-moving information but also the gift of retrospection. The Ancestors accept our gifts of coin and food that they may know plenty in their afterlife. In exchange for these gifts, they grant us insight and assist us with ideas and motivation to work on those things for which they have laid a foundation. In my personal practice, I call to them often for insight and love. I make offerings with the intent to remember their stories that they may live on. ADF Cosmology speaks of the Ancient Ones in the Deep of the Well, feeding potential to our new endeavors through the insights of the work they have done in the past.

The Noble Kin are our Nature Spirits, those beings with whom we share the middle realm. The Noble Ones provide omens and portends as well as inspiration and insight. We practice aligns closely with ADF Cosmology in that the beings of the middle realm work closely with us, since they are the closest to us in terms of proximity, and will aid and inspire us in our work in this realm. Many diviners will see animal kin as signs, particularly when they appear as though out of nowhere and grasp our attention fully away from our ponderings to fill our minds with a potential path toward accomplishing our goal.

The Shining Ones, Denizens of the Cosmos, are more likely to assist us in endeavors that affect our role and how we fit into the greater world and worlds. The number of touch points between one life and those of others, through things such as jobs or traveling, are important to the outcomes of all involved. Each thread of the web of life, when pulled, impacts all the others. When we call to any of the Shining Ones, we are inviting them to assist us in finding our footing on the path of our lives. The Norse refer to this as the wyrd of our orlog (fate and destiny, loosely). When I call to a Deity, it is with the intent to make offerings in the hope that they will give to me those things for which I ask. Spirit Arte is the word for this.  ADF tends to follow the same notion, as *ghosti is an essential part of working with the Shining Ones.

See also: Thomas, Rev. Kirk. “The Nature of Sacrifice.” Web. Retrieved from
http://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/nature-of-sacrifice.html.

Key Offerings for the Norse Deities/Nine Noble Virtues

As we gather before their Sacred Tree, we call to the Gods and Goddesses whose strengths and attributes sing the songs of the Nine Noble Virtues. As we invite them to our Fire, may we reflect on the manifestation of each of these virtues in our own lives, filling our hearts with gratitude for the many blessings—those gifts given freely and those hard-won through our struggles and triumphs over adversity. Regardless of life path, the Gods hear our prayers and lead us by example, showing us the way to right living.

Nine Offerings for those who exemplify the Nine Noble Virtues

We begin by calling to Lady Idunna of the Golden Apples, she who tends the tree of immortality with loving care, maintaining its health and well-being that she may give those blessings to the Aesir and Vanir of Asgard. Idunna, who embodies generosity through her careful tending, and hospitality through her willingness to share. Idunna, we honor you.

Next, we call once more to Heimdalr, lays order to the world and keeps watch over the realms, he who takes not more than his fill nor more than his hosts are able to give without complaint, He of Stilled Mind that hears the wool and grass grow, he who sees all. Disciplined, sharp, ruler of his own destiny that he may serve others. Heimdalr, we honor you.

We call to Lady Freyja, Mistress of the Honored, Chosen dead; Brising-Magic Maiden of Seidhr and Foresight, She who loves without fear, She who makes no apologies for following her heart, Valkyrie, Mardoll, Strongest of Women, Lady of the Vanir, She who had the courage to fill Hrungnir’s Horn when no one would approach him. For courage and boldness, Freyja, we honor you.

We call also to Fertile Freyr of the fields of Alfheim, God of Bountiful Harvest, Rain and Sun, Bestower of Peace and Prosperity, Defeater of Beli with Antler for Sword. Teaches us to remember not to battle, to lay down our weapons, and to put our energy instead into cultivating the land and our relationships with one another through determination and hard-work, for the best rewards we receive are those we reap from what we have sown. Freyr, we honor you.

We hail Skadhi, who lives alone in her mountain home, the Woman who Runs with the Wolves; She who marched upon Asgard to demand recompense for her Father’s death, to demand respect be paid to her--and received it in Odin’s Hall. For teaching us responsibility and the art of respect, Skadhi, we honor you.

We give hail to Asa-Thor, Son of Odin, Ruler of Mjollnir, Jotun’s Bane, Slayer of Hrungnir, Geirrod, and Thrivaldi, enemy of the Midgard Serpent, Drinker of the Sea who runs against thought and challenges Fire to a feast. For your strength, endurance, and steadfastness, Asa-Thor, we honor you.

We pay homage to Frigga, Goddess of the Spindle Hearth, She who sees all and yet does not wag her tongue with idle gossip, Goddess of Hearth and Home, Keeper of the Fallen Children, Queen of Asgard. For fidelity and Frith, for loyalty and honor, Frigga, we honor you.

We give great tribute to Odin, Alfather. Lord of Wisdom, Keeper of Thought and Memory, He who outwits and outthinks even Loki, Lord of Wit and Trickery. Sacrificer who gives way to knowledge and vision, taking them up screaming! That he may be bathed in truth and wisdom. Odin, we honor you.

And we call to Lord Tyr, Leavings of the Wolf, He who sacrifices of himself for the good of the tribe at great cost to maintain order. Fenris-Binder, Gloved-Spear, North Star, Granter of Direction, and Keeper of Oaths. As the eye is sacrificed for vision, so, too, must the right hand be sacrificed for justice. Tyr, we honor you.

Deities, All, accept our offerings!

A Working for the Children Separated at the Border

Right Action. That is the crux of our religious practice. As a religion that prides itself on orthopraxy over orthodoxy, right action over right belief, the actions of the current administration must be viewed as reprehensible. We live in a country where our leaders thought it was in our best interest to remove children from their families at the border in the name of safety. Children, feeling from violence and deplorable conditions, who believed in the façade of the United States, “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” where they thought they would finally be safe. Regardless of political affiliation or formal stances on immigration laws, the act of separating children from their primary care givers cannot be our way of protecting ourselves or allowed to continue.

Right now, especially from so far away from the border and internment camps, it may seem like there is not much we can do, but we can put pressure on our congresspersons to intervene and reunite these families.

I ask you to join me, right now, in these prayers for those children, alone in a place they’ve never been and waiting for their families to be together again.

The Children of the Earth call out on behalf of our Neighbor’s Children,
Those little ones who are alone and afraid,
Those young ones who are separated from their support and strength,
That we may be their support,
That we may be their strength,
That we may uphold them until they are reunited with their families.

Young Ones, In a place where there is no love, we ask the Kindreds to shine love upon you,
Even if from the most unexpected places.
In a place where there is fear, we ask the Kindreds to grant courage to you,
Even in the face of uncertainty and foreign words.
In a place where you are along, we ask the Kindreds to make their presence known:
May the Gods of your people stand beside you.
May the Noble Kin of the places where you wait protect you.
May your Ancestors uphold and guide you.
May Humanity not fail you during this time of separation, loss, and sadness.
So say we all.

In a place where there is far too much silence, I ask you all now to raise your voice with mine that we may be heard across the miles. Send all the love and empathy, strength and courage you can muster to these gentle souls, our Neighbor’s Children, that they may be sustained and strengthened while we fight on their behalf to reunite them with their families. If tears come, let them fall as the Waters of Life for those who need these blessings.

[Proceed with toning]

Vocational Statement as a Consecrated Priestess of ADF

What calls you to become an ADF Consecrated Priest? How does this step fit with your calling as an ADF Priest?

Consecration, for me, is an initiation into the deeper mysteries of the clergy work we do on behalf of the folk of ADF and the polytheist community. I am oath-bound to continuing my studies in the programs of ADF, and this is but the next step is honoring my promise to the Kindreds and the folk.

How have the specializations you chose within the CTP prepared you for the deeper work of an ADF Consecrated Priest?

I completed the entirety of courses offered at this level. One of the things I feel drawn toward is mentoring, and in order to be able to speak intelligently to others, I must study not only the things that are important to me, but those that will make me a better servant to those with whom I study.  

Were I to choose two courses that I feel are the most representative of my personal calling, I would choose Leadership Development and Professional Helper. These courses cover the skillset that I see as my biggest strength. As an administrative priest, these courses are ideal for the demeanor of one who offers these services, and I am hoping to assist in developing additional courses for our priests in the area of Leadership Development with the potential to offer additional courses to the membership, as well.

What does your inner work look like? How has your inner work prepared you for greater outer work with the community of ADF?

My inner work is quiet—far quieter than one might think when considering how extroverted I am. One of areas I have developed since ordination is in my ability to remain quiet in the presence of the Kindreds and allow them to speak back to me rather than expecting them to listen while I make offerings and then leaving before there is time for us to commune. This practice in active listening has opened my world in terms of relating to others within the community.  

I have also been relating to local-centric beings, and this has allowed me to better connect to the Kindreds when traveling. A happy byproduct of this work is that my ability to connect with the allies of those with whom I am working has improved. I am more able to provide divination and healing through the allies of those who seek my assistance. 

What further skills would you like to develop as an ADF Consecrated Priest, and how will these skills help grow Our Druidry?

In my next phase of study, I would like to work more to develop my ability to speak with the clergy of other faiths. I have done a small amount of interfaith work, but without a degree in religious studies, there is quite a gap between us. In order for us as polytheists to be taken more seriously as peers by those with a Master of Divinity degree, we must be able to speak to them at that level of education. Studying comparative religion and theology are the two items to which I am looking forward the most.