Wight of the Nine Worlds

welcome

I welcome thee free spirit, which thou shalt come with an open heart, open mind and an open soul, for what you are about to read can only be understood by the wise who are eager to learn and to embrace the roots deep and forgotten in the hearts of the free people of Europe, by accepting who you are and where your roots lie, is half way into the great road of life. We will journey unto where our spirit takes us with the knowledge we gained. Learn and teach.

Mythology around runes: Eihwaz


Mythology of Eihwaz:


Ullr, the great hunter and wanderer of the northern wastelands, is the god connected with this rune. A sure shot with his yew bow, Ullt was accustomed to taking risks. It is even Claimed that he once impersonated and replaced Odin as King of the gods of Asgard for a while. More usually, Ullr lived in a place called Ydalir, The "valley of the yews", when he was not out terrorising wildlife with his bow. The myth of Ullr's replacement of Odin is very ancient. It may be that both gods were considered to be two sides of the same coin, Odin governing the summer months and Ullr the winter. The legend of a wild huntsman careering through the skies of northern Europe survived beyond the middle ages and entered the folklore of many countries.

Eihwaz


"Eoh is a tree with rough bark, hard and fast in the earth, supported by its roots."
                                                                        
                                                        
"The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem"


This rune was known as Eoh, its pronunciation is "Y" or the alternatively "E" or also "Ei" in words like "Einherjar".
Most of the concepts associated with Eihwaz relate to trees. The rune is said to symbolise variously the apple tree, the poplar and the yew. The latter identification seems to be the most potent, because it was from the yew that bows were made. The yew is often found in vicinity of graveyards, so it becomes a symbol of the past growing into the future. It is probably also connected with Yggdrasil, the "world tree", the backbone of the universe. Eihwaz is another rune associated with horses, too, especially the mighty Sleipnir, The eight-legged steed of Odin. The herb bryony is the vegetable symbol of the rune.


Meaning:

The appearance of Eihwaz in a reading idicates progress. Even if your life seems to be moving at a snail's pace, a new situation will soon manifest itself and events will speed up so much that you may find it difficult to keep track of everything. You'll need to pay close attention to happenings around you to keep up.
adaptability and a readiness to make speedy decision will be vital if you are to make the most of this positive rune. Eihwaz is closely associated with hunting skills, so you must act as though you were an archer of old: wait until your target is in your sights and then, when the moment is right, strike out for it. Don't worry that you may miss your moment, or, indeed, miss the target: you have the acumen and shrewdness to choose the correct time and to act boldly when the accasion arises.
Eihwas shows that bravery has every indication of success.
This rune encourages you to gather your courage and take a risk. Its message is one of  ''nothing ventured, nothing gained '', and now is the time to take action. Eihwaz is thus considered to be a lucky rune for gamblers and those who live by their wits. Its appearance in a reading may show the positive influence of a strong-willed person, especially a woman.
Another good aspect of Eihwaz is that , under its influence, expected problems will not arise. The rune also indicates long-term benefits, even if you have ti put up with an uncomfortable or stressful situation for a short while, eihwaz is said to be a beneficial indicator for students and is also held to dispel storms and to calm tempestuous emotions.
Eihwaz has no inverted meaning.

Body Part: Skin, your body's first line of defense.
Associated Maladies:
Skin diseases, skin infections, oversensitivity, rashes.
Action:
Overdefending.
Solution:
Help build up the body's defenses.

Holy Tides / Yule 20th-31th December


Note: The drawing was made by me.

First of all i would like to talk about this season that is upon us, the Christmas, what in truth is this season, its roots, its importance and the true spirit of it.

Our ancestors have celabrated this season long before christ had even born, and still today all the free people with no christian belifs, still do, this is not the time where Jesus Christ had born, he was a real man all right, but no one realy knows the time of his birth.
When the Christian church started to spread all over Europe, they have adopted this season from the pagans and adapted its time to the story of jesus, they have invented this all thing that christ had born in the 24th of december, so that the pagans would see any meaning in the story and see that an important figure had born in this special day of their celebrations, it was a way to infiltrate Christianity into the so old roots of the free european peoples, and this was the start of the forgetfulness and almost the oblivion of the pagan roots.
Just as our pagan cousins the Celts celebrate the eight major sabbats that comprise the Wheel of the Year, for those of us in the Northern Tradition we too have somewhat similar key celebrations that we call holy tides (from the Old Norse hátíðir). Some of these celebrations are more significant and special than others, and these especially important holy-days are known as high holy tides.
Of these three documented High Holy Tides, it is Yule that far and away seems the most sacred to modern practitioners in the Northern Tradition, if for no other reason than so many of the ‘Christmas’ traditions that have survived into the present day. While the association of Christ with this ancient pagan holiday came about in Roman times as connected to the festival of Saturnalia and the Mithraic cult, the spread of Christianity into Europe brought the pagan customs in the root cultures of the Northern Tradition (Germania, Scandinavia, and Anglo-Saxon England) into direct connection with the newly Christianized holiday export. While some aspects of other pagan solstice practices were common throughout, it is explicitly a number of Northern Tradition practices that we see surviving in our modern Christmas traditions, including: carols, feasting and drinking, gift-giving, Santa Claus (and other variants), evergreen decorations and the Yule log.

If you’ve ever heard the Christmas Carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” modern heathens opt to celebrate this as the Twelve Days of Yule, with the last day culminating on 12th Night. Since ancient calendars followed a different method of time, the solstice celebrations as well as later ‘Christmasy’ style observances can vary from place to place as to when they occur. Today, most pagans and heathens celebrate the yuletide as running from approximately December 20 – December 31 (but there are variations).
We do know that the celebration of Yule wasn’t always twelve days long. In the Norse text Heimskringla: The Saga of Hakon the Good talks about it once lasting for three days, or as long as the ale lasted. The night it began was known as the slaughter night, where animals would be ritually slain. Their meat later used to feed the community, as well as the Gods.  It was King Hakon of Norway, who as a Christian passed a law that the Christian Christmas Day (which was already a weird bastardization of the Christian story of the Nativity and Saturnalia/Mithraic customs) and the pagan yuletide celebrations were to henceforth be celebrated at the same time. While this only specifically impacted Norway (and its territories), it illustrates an intentional combining of the holy-days into one celebration.

These 12 nights are:
  1. Mother’s Night
  2. The Winter Solstice (and/or The Wild Hunt)
  3. Virtue – Courage
  4. Virtue – Truth
  5. Virtue – Honor
  6. Virtue – Fidelity
  7. Virtue – Hospitality
  8. Virtue – Discipline
  9. Virtue – Industriousness
  10. Virtue – Self-Reliance
  11. Virtue – Perseverance
  12. Twelfth Night
Well, about the Santa Claus mythos, you can also see my other post of December, about a very special mushroom, of course it is all about shamanism, but in the Northern Tradicion Paganism, it also about Odin the hight king of the Aesir, he also gives gifts and for that imformation, check what i i've written in the runes.

This celebration is also the time where winter begins, the dark nights of the world, and at the first day of Yule, the day and the night have the same hours, and after that the sun starts to grow in power and light, and the days will grow again, till we reach spring and the rebirth of nature. It is a time to survive, and to thank to the Gods and to Nature for all the good things you have got, all the food you have gathered to your family, the importance to be with your loved ones, happy and cozy. All you have made throughout the year, is reflected in these hard days of could, where nature is cruel and there is no way to escape its powers.

Yggdrasil: The World Tree Part 2 ( History and seasons )


Note: The Drawing to illustrate this part was also made by me, and because the first part was so extensive, i decided to make a second part about this history and the seasons arround Yggdrasil.


Before i write, we must see how Nature works, how a world/worlds are done in the natural way of things, and we all know it is from the forces of fire and frost, and all the
atoms colliding with each other, we all study that in fisics, history, geology and biology, so we have to see beyond the myths, but what is realy interesting, is that we have learned this in times not so long ago with the help of tecnology, and the ancients knew it well, better even, thousands of years before Christ has even borned, but they have turned it into myth, so we could understand everything about the natural course of life and the universe, be glad with that and have motivation to know more and be amazed.


History: In the beginning there was the Void, and the Void was called Ginnungagap. That eternal nothingness, where there is neither existence nor nonexistence, lies at the beginning of many creation myths. Then, somehow, the Tree came into existence, and around it spun the first three worlds that came into being: Niflheim, the world of ice and frost and mist, with the great well Hvergelmir, the Roaring Kettle; Muspellheim, the world of fire, and Jormungrund, or 'Giant-Land", the underworld that lay beneath these two. (This last world is rarely mentioned, and it is not the same as Jotunheim, which came later. It was the land of the Dead.) Surt the Black was apparently already living in Muspellheim; whether he was there alone is unknown. This would, however, make Surt the oldest living creature in the Nine Worlds, a fact about which he is silent.

Niflheim and Muspellheim drifted in and out of each other's orbits. Finally, they drew close enough together that melted ice from Niflheim flowed out over the gap and formed the river Elivagar, whose every particle held a shard of ice-poison. This ice piled up into an iceberg, but it slowly melted as Muspellheim grew closer. As it melted, it revealed the body of a sleeping giant, Ymir. Ymir was an enormous mountain-sized frost-etin, without much of a brain; he mostly lay there semi-paralyzed and mewed.

Also thawing out of the ice was a great cow, Audumhla. Ymir suckled on her udders and found nourishment; she licked at the salty ice for her own food and uncovered yet another creature, a much smaller creature named Buri, who would be the ancestor of the Aesir. Meanwhile, as Ymir slept, his sweat gave rise to a male and female etin, and his two legs rubbed together and gave birth to yet another male giant. Meanwhile, Buri grew up in the company of various giants. (There seems to be some discrepancy about how many giants were actually created; it may be that there were already some about before Ymir, or that more than just three were created. Like all creation stories, the reality of it was lost in the mists of the previous generations.) After many generations of giant-breeding, Buri had a son named Bor by an unnamed giantess, and Bor eventually sired three sons by another giantess named Bestla. These sons were Odin, Vili, and Ve, and they began all the trouble by taking it into their heads to kill the enormous, helpless Ymir.

Up until this point, the two worlds of Muspellheim and Niflheim were separated; the great void that lay between them was called Ginnungagap. It was apparently possible, with difficulty, to pass from one to the other across the Gap. Some giants had already done so, living under the leadership of Surt the Black, and were busily evolving into fire-etins. The sons of Bor apparently felt that more useful land was needed, so they killed Ymir and used his corpse as a variety of magical anchors to create new worlds. Some pieces floated off and created worlds by themselves - Svartalfheim, populated by duergar who also sprang from Ymir's body, is one example, Jotunheim is another - and some, like Asgard and Alfheim, the sons of Bor created themselves, for Bor's people and the otherworldly Alfar.

The problem was that Ymir's blood gushed out and caused a huge flood, washing away most of the unwarned denizens of the two worlds. It was so great that it actually put out the fires of Muspellheim for a time, and plunged the world into darkness. The sons of Bor worked fast to triage the damage; Ymir's body was placed across the gap to form a world-bridge, but it fell apart. They grabbed for whatever pieces they could get, and anchored them to the Tree. Meanwhile, Bergelmir the leader of the frost-etins shoved his wife and whatever of his people he could find into a lur, a hollowed-out tree trunk that could serve either as a boat or a coffin. They washed up on the piece of Ymir's back that would become Jotunheim.

The sons of Bor continued their world-building, creating skies and solid ground, anchoring worlds to the Tree, and making stars out of sparks from half-drowned but still-sputtering Muspellheim. Ymir's broken bones made mountains, his teeth rocks and boulders, and when the final flood of his blood went down, the remaining fluid made the rivers, lakes, and oceans of the various worlds. Ymir's brains were flung into the sky, where they became clouds. The sons of Bor then called into the world by some arcane process the Four Guardians of the directions, whom they charged to guard the four corners of the World Tree.

There are conflicting stories about the creation of humans. One says that after having finished their world-building, the sons of Bor were walking along the beach and came upon two washed-up logs. These they breathed life into - Odin giving them breath, Vili giving them movement, and Ve giving them identity - and the race of humans was born from these first two human, Ask and Embla (Ash and Elm). On the other hand, there is a conflicting account that states that Ask and Embla were actually called into this world before the great flood, and that they were saved by the giant Bergelmir, who stuck them high in a dead tree that he hoped would survive the flood. With this other account, there is no knowledge of who actually called them into the world; both the sons of Bor and the giants take credit for it. At any rate, Midgard was created as a place for them to live.


Time And Seasons: Yggdrasil itself is suspended in space, in the black nothingness of Ginnungagap. It has no seasons per se; the Sun and Moon-chariots pass from world to world around its trunk, but outside them, there is no discernable seasonal change. As the worlds rotate around Yggdrasil, however, each of them comes close to our world and then draws apart. Midgard is always close, for some reason, which is why it is referred to as our "sister world".  It is possible to visit any of the worlds at the time of (our) year that they are furthest away, but it is simply easiest to do it when they are close. Sometimes, during that period, they come so close that things "leak" over. For example, "interference" from the Elves on Beltane has a long and legendary history.
Yggdrasil itself is a source of light, as is the land of Muspellheim, and these were originally the only source of light. However, when the last worlds were built, the Aesir decided that there needed to be a more regularized and brighter light source, and they recruited (some tales imply a nonconsensual draft) certain etins to eternally ride the skies, bringing greater and lesser light to all things in turn. The Sky-Etins are not a specific variety of jotun; rather, they have created their own tribe and culture out of necessity. They are a close-knit clan, and while they are interested in the problems of those below - and who wouldn't be, with all that perspective and vision during every day? - they will not brook interference with their schedules, because they know that granting it to one would mean granting it to all.

he Sky-Etins
Before the Aesir set up their day-and-night technology, the three ancient worlds were lit by the pale greenish light of the tree, and the glowing fires of Muspellheim. This gave a permanent twilight to Niflheim and the underworld. After the flood, Jotunheim was formed, and as it was closer to Muspellheim it got more light, a dull orange glow seeping through the world-barrier. When the Aesir set up Asgard, they put together a system whereby the Sun and Moon roll through the sky of each world on a set path.

The gods of the Sun and Moon are Sunna and Mani, respectively. They were originally the children of a giant named Mundilfari, who was known as the Turner of Time. They were snatched up by the Aesir to forever ride the sky in turn. Their track takes them through all the Nine Worlds; while Mani is over one world, Sunna will be over another one. This strange schedule reminds us that these are actually separate worlds and not just regions of a single world; although they may share an artificial sun and moon, they do not exist in the same space together. Sunna can be over Midgard for fourteen hours, and then pass through eight other worlds with varying day-lengths spent in each one, and then be back in Midgard ten hours later. This is due to the time dilation that occurs as she passes through the world-barriers. One circuit for her may be several days' worth of ride, yet each world is only in darkness for the length of its night. It's one of those things that make your head hurt if you think about it too closely.

Sunna is tall, golden, and beautiful, and has been called All-Bright, Everglow, and Fair Wheel. Her personality is impulsive and fiery, almost childlike in her innocence and enthusiasm. She is married to a fire-giant, one of the sons of Surt, whose name is Glow. Since her job never stops, he generally visits her in the chariot. (One assumes that she gets the day off occasionally.) He cares for their young daughter, who is being groomed to take over Sunna's dangerous job should something happen to her (such as Ragnarok).
Sunna charges across the sky every day with wild abandon, never swerving from her path in the sheer love of chariot-driving. Her Sun Chariot is drawn by two golden horses, Allsvinn (All-Swift), and Arvaker (Early-Waker), who pull the sun behind them. Its heat would be too much for them, except that Odin created a talisman called the Isarnkol, which hangs above their shoulders on the double yoke and constantly spreads cool mists, protecting them from heatstroke. Ahead of Sunna, as a herald, travels Daeg, or Day, a sky-etin who rides the red-bay horse Skinfaxi. The horse's mane sheds light as it goes.

Mani is calmer and more thoughtful than his sister. He has a compassionate heart, and is struck by seeing those in need, especially children who are being abused, and he is often prayed to in order to protect specific children. He is known to have rescued two children, Bil and Hjuki, snatching them up from the earth and sending them to live in Asgard. He is also a god of calendars, mathematics, and other rational thought that requires counting and numbers. He plays a flute as he walks, and is especially revered by the Dark Alfar and the Duergar. Those who work with Mani say that his moon-cart is pulled not by horses, but by large dogs, and sometimes he simply walks, being a patron of travelers and walkers in general.
Mani is preceded and heralded by Nott, a Jotun goddess who rides a black horse named Hrimfaxi. The dew drips off of Hrimfaxi's bit as he passes over the worlds. Nott's father Norfe was the first architect of Jotunheim, and designed many of the great halls, including the halls of Thrym and Utgard-Loki. Nott herself is a very old giantess, one of the oldest from before the flood, which she survived by being in the realm of the Dead at the time. She has been married three times (that we know of) and had numerous affairs. Her first husband was named Nagifari and to him she bore a son named Aud; her second was a cliff-giant named Annarr who sired on her the earthy etin-bride Jord, eventual mistress of Odin and mother of Thor and Meile. Her third and current husband, Delling ("Dawn") gave her a son who later become Dag, the god of Day and Sunna's herald. She also had an affair with the old Vanir-god Frodi, and bore him Njord the sailor-god before leaving him with the infant boy. Nott is not known for being maternal; she tends to be a wanderer, leaving her various children to be raised by their fathers.

To make sure that the Sun and Moon chariots ran on time, the Aesir made a deal with two fierce Jotun werewolves, Skoll and Hati, sons of Fenris by an Iron Wood giantess. They gave them the power of flight, which they can use only to chase the sun-chariot or the moon-chariot. The truth is that neither of them spend their entire time chasing chariots; they are simply on call if something goes wrong and the moon or sun are not on time. Sunna is almost always on time; if anything, she tends to be early in her enthusiasm. She treats Skoll, the wolf who is in charge of chasing her, like a fun, competitive game, and enjoys racing him. Mani, on the other hand, is much more interested in what is going on down below, and as such has a regrettable tendency to stop and watch, or even interfere. Hati, the greater of the two wolf-brothers (also referred to as Managarm), will eventually show up and chase him back onto his scheduled path. Mani despises the wolf, and hates being shepherded in this way. He is also well aware that should Ragnarok start, the two wolves will attack and kill them. (Sunna seems to have a "let 'em try to catch me!" attitude about that.)

The amount of time that Sunna and Mani spend in each world varies wildly from world to world. Asgard gets the most light, with some days as long as summer-solstice days at our Arctic Circle, without the accompanying long nights during the rest of the year. This is one reason why it is the "Shining Realm". Ljossalfheim also gets a great deal of light, and Vanaheim somewhat less but still more than Midgard.

Yggdrasil: The World Tree


Note: The Drawing to illustrate this was made by me and what i am about to right it not the mythology arround Yggdrasil, but what is behind it, i will talk about personal experience and about all the knowledge of others who have helped me greatly.


In order to understand the geography of the Nine Worlds, it is crucial to start with Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Conceptions of the World Tree have been found in tribal societies from Siberia to Polynesia; they differ in some aspects, but generally come with some kind of upper world in the top branches of the tree, some kind of ancestral world of the Dead at the roots, and various other worlds in the middle. It has been theorized that they are different trees on the same model, or that they are the same tree existing in many different dimensions, with different worlds in each, from my point of view and for what i have study, seen and understand, yggdrasil is a connection, a spiritual one, that leads us to an other realm, and other place / world, see it as a channel, and where you will jorney is a vast world/place where many diferent landscapes are, which to the ones who jorney there and travel, led them to belive that there are diferent worlds, but it is just one with so many "countries" and few dont have the chance to travel from one place to an other at the same time, they just "fall" in one and come back and then "fall" into an other diferent, it is like being in a countrie in Europe and then suddenly you are in a place in Africa and then again in an other place in North America, the landscape is diferent and it comes to the mind that it is diferent worlds, but with all the studying, you actualy can understand that there is connection from one place to an other by foot or sea. At least i can almost draw a map and we can see the connection by foot from Jötunheim to Muspelheim and from Jótunheim to Vanaheim by sea passing through isles.

Now back to the subject, we refer to the dimension of the Tree explored by the ancient Norse/Germanic/Saxon peoples as Yggdrasil. Ygg is a byname of Odin, and Yggdrasil means "Odin's steed", a kenning. This doesn't mean that Odin owns or controls the Tree - he doesn't - but he was hung on it once as part of a pain ordeal, and the reference is to him "riding" the tree in this way. The Tree itself is sentient, and has been known to send messages to people (and through them), but the messages are usually long, slow, and cryptic. The Tree is not a humanlike being, and its way of knowing and communicating is much longer and slower than ours.

Yggdrasil exists in a void of nothingness called Ginnungagap. Nine worlds spin around the tree - Asgard, Ljossalfheim, Vanaheim, Jotunheim, Midgard, Muspellheim, Svartalfheim/Nidavellir, Niflheim, and Helheim. As i have told before back there, these worlds are places, realms, landscapes, vast and great in the same place. The ancient Norse, not understanding the concept of a round world, or for that matter anything larger than their own small flat piece of Earth, told of them in the only ways that they could conceive of - as countries or continents on a flat plane. They spoke of moving between worlds as one would move from Germany to France (by crossing a river) or from Denmark to Britain (by crossing an ocean), many will disagree with me, but from what i have seen and study hard about this matter, the ancient people where not so far from the truth, the world is the same but with many many realms, it would be impossibel to one who did not die yet, to see it all and walk or swim in it from one place to an other, because that is not allowed, just in shamanic journeys and trance, you can "visit" a place and be there for a while and see it, but there is not enough time to make a great journey, it is just possible for those who have all the time of eternity.
Denizens: Yggdrasil is generally pictured as an ash tree, but this may be human interpretation. On the very top of the tree sits an eagle, Hraesvelg ("Corpse-Eater"), who is actually a wind-giant locked in eagle form. He is very old, of the first generation of Ymir's kin. Winds - or rather, energy currents - blow from his wings, and are controlled by the wind-deer. At the bottom of the tree, crawling back and forth between Helheim and Yggdrasil's exposed root in Niflheim, is the great dragon Nidhogg. She gnaws on Yggdrasil's root, forcing it ever into new growth. Ratatosk, a squirrel-wight whose name means "Teeth That Find", runs up and down the bark of the tree carrying messages (mostly insults) between Hraesvelg and Nidhogg. All three of them do not generally talk to most visitors and are not very approachable.
Four deer run through the upper branches. They are the keepers of the power of the Four winds, and are named Duneyr (Rest), Durathor (Slumber), Dvalin and Dain. Dvalin was once a Duergar, the son of the great Duergar leader Dvalin the Old. Dain was once an Alfar lord. Duneyr and Durathor were both mortals from Midgard. All four agreed to take on the forms of immortal deer and control the winds that blow from world to world.
This does not mean that they necessarily control the atmospheres of the various worlds. However, there are "winds" - currents of energy, really - that "blow" from world to world, and can sweep things and beings with them. Magically skilled folk can learn to "ride" these currents, but attempting to control them for one's own purpose will bring one or more of the Wind Deer down upon you. While they do not engage in combat as such, their control of the winds means that they can sweep you quite literally off of Yggdrasil and into Ginnungagap.
The Guardians of the Four Directions are four Duergar known as Austri, Vestri, Sudri, and Nordri. Actually, it is unknown as to whether they are or ever were actually Duergar, or (more likely) whether they are divine entities who simply take on Duergar form. They are quite capable, and often do, take on other forms as well - elemental spirit-forms, birds, horses, dragons, etc. The Duergar of Nidavellir worship them as gods, and consider them to be divine entities who give the race of Duergar the honor of taking their forms. The four of them can be called on to help out if you have lost your way, as they know all the paths between worlds (and many within worlds) like the backs of their hands. They like to be invoked and poured for at gatherings and workings, but other wise do not require much in the way of offerings.

Mythology around runes: Jera


Mythology of Jera :

"The brightly decorated Christmas tree is the most familiar aspect of the rune Jera. Its image evokes happy memories and the yuletide spirit."


The symbolism of jera relates to the tragic tale of baldur and hodur, two of the sons of Odin. Baldur, who was known as "the Beautiful", shone like the sun. Poor hodur, on the other hand, was blind and so quiet that he was often ignored. Baldur was so beloved of both gods and humans that his mother, Frigga, spent a long time extracting a promise from every living thing that they would not harm him. However, she ignored the mistletoe because it was so puny that she could not imagine that it could possibly hurt her beloved son. Unfortunately, Frigga had not considered the malice of the deceiful fire god, Loki. Loki incited the other gods to trow weapons at baldur, all of which bounced off him. The he suggested other objects, such as pots and pans. No harm came to Baldur. Only blind Hodur held back because he could not see his brother, but wily Loki persuaded him to join in the game and offered not only to guide his hand, but to procide him with an unlikely weapon: a dart made from the puny mistletoe. This small dart alone hit its mark, and baldur fell down dead, slain by his brother's hand. But all was not lost, for Baldur eventually conquered death and was later resurrected, just like the sun on midwinter's day.

Jera


"Jera is a joy to men when the gods make the earth to bring forth shining fruits for rich and poor alike."
                                                                        
                                                        
"The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem"


This rune was also called Jer by the Anglo-Saxons of Northumbria, England, and Ar by both the Norwegians and Icelanders. The letter of the comun alphabet are the letters J and Y, although i use an other rune for Y but that one i will talk about in time.
Jera is connected with the yearly cycle of nature, particularly with the harvest celebrations that go with it. It is also symbolised by the strenght of the venerable oak and the humble herb rosemary. It is a rune of joy, of plenty and of rich blessings. Jera's association with celebration connects it with yuletide, or the Christmas season in todays Europe after its christianisation, and it expresses much of the warmth and happiness of this time. In this sense, Jera is symbolically assigned the winter solstice, when the sun is at its weakest, yet begins to gain strength once more. Jera is the twelfth rune and therefore the halfway point of the elder futhark. The year also has twelve months, and in ancient times the day was in addition held to cosist of thwelve hours.
The Christmas period isn't the only celebration associated with jera: the harvest festival that follows the reaping of abundant crops is also symbolised by this rune.



Meaning:

Jera is connected with the endings and new beginnings. Its presence in  a reading predicts a time when your present trials will end and you can make a fresh, optimistic start. The rune's association with the harvest also associates Jera with the concept of reaping the rewards of your past efforts. Its appearance signifies a completion of some project, which be celebrated with joy and relif. Jera shows that your optimism will not be misplaced and that personal success is very likely. A new home or the signing of contracts is also suggested by the rune. It may be that you will have to employ the services of a professional person, such as a lawyer or an accountant to put the final seal on some kind of advantageous agreement.
Jera's connection with the number twelve may suggest that a piriod of twelve months or a year is indicated.
This need not necessarily mean that you will have to wait a year for the good times to come again, just that the abundant good luck of the rune may last a considerable period, such as twelve months. After all, it may take some time and effort to reach the successful conclusion that you desire.
Like the preceding rune, Isa, Jera has no inverted interpretation.


Body Part: The liver, the Well of Plenty, the place where nutrients are broken down and "harvested".
Associated Maladies:
Liver disease. Cirrhosis. Substance abuse. Toxicity - a polluted well.
Action:
Working hard, but still healthy.
Solution:
Long, hard, slow work to get better. Good nourishment.

Mythology around runes: Isa


Mythology of Isa:


Verdandi, the Norn of The present, is the third goddess of fate to appear in this sequence of runes. Her iron will, as guardian of the status quo, fits perfeclty with the nature of Isa. Another goddess whose cold heart resisted warmth and persuasion of all kinds is Rind, who refused Odin the means to avenge the death of his son. Rind is symbolic of the frozen earth of winter.

Isa


"Ice is too cold and slippery, it shines like glass and is most like to gems. A floor wrought by frost fair to see."
                                                                        
                                                        
"The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem"


To the vikings, this rune was known as is; to the icelanders, Iss, which literally means "ice". The respective letter in the common alphabet is the letter " i "
The shape of this rune represents an icicle: cold, hard, unyielding and capable of causing pain when grasped. By extension, ice in general is associated with the rune, especially the type of ice that makes walking difficult. It is connected with the slow-moving, inexorable glacier, too. Being notable for its hardness, Isa is also associated with the cold iron from which weapons are meade. The symbolic beasts associated with Isa are the herds of Reindeer, that roam the snowy wastes, as well as ferocious wild boars. The vegetable symbols of Isa include the alder tree and the poisonous herb henbane. The rune is also connected with the number seven


Meaning:

Like the infinitely slow-moving glacier, the force of the rune Isa is unstoppable. All you require when this rune is found in a reading is that rarest of virtues, patience. The appearance of Isa is most distressing when a question is asked about relationships, because this icy rune foretells a period of emotional cooling. Yet this is not necessarily a permanent state of affairs, because a thaw will eventually come and the icewill melt. In other affairs, Isa also slows events down to a crawl. Business partnerships may go through a rocky patch because expected events will not happen when they are supposed to. You may also find that any blocks to your ambitions will turn out to be disguised blessings because your aims and desires will change during the period of the delay.
Even though this rune is not the most comfortable to live with, and can be most distressing for afairs of the heart, the cool clarity of ice bestows a calmness conductive to quiet contemplations. The true gift of Isa is a respite from cluttered thinking, which will allow you to see your situation and prospects more clearly. It may even show you how to progress in the future to avoid the pitfalls and slip-ups that would otherwise occur.
If you are involved in a creative venture of any kind, it would be a good idea to take a pause from it. Even of you belive that you are wasting time, nothing could be further from truth. This interval will allow you to recharge your tallents, and when the thaw sets in you will thus be able to pursue your tasks with renewed vigour.
Traditionally, the rune Isa is associated with the number seven, so its appearance as a final rune could indicate a period of seven days. If it falls in the middle of a reading, it is said to emphasise the message of the other runes.
Isa is said to have no inverted meaning. However, if you choose to interpret, it in the reversed position, the immobility that it suggests can be taken as a message that you can go no further and must completely change your direction.





Body Part: Joints - which can slip freely like slippery ice, or freeze up.
Associated Maladies:
Osteoarthritis. Paralysis.
Action:
Blocked, stopped, stuck
Solution:
Stop, block, prevent movement or action.

Possible Origins of Santa Claus.


The Amanita Muscaria, a well known mushroom throughout the world, and still a mysterious fungus with hallucinogenic properties.

What i am about to write, may be the origins of the myth of Santa Claus.
Many of the traditions we see across the world that are tied to the Christmas holidays have a suprising similarity to the ancient traditions of  the Siberian Shamans. Through the description bellow, you can easily see the role of Santa Claus being filled by the local shaman. His gift to everyone on Christmas (Winter Solsitice), was to give dried out mushrooms that were hung by the fire with care.

In ancient times, our ancestors had a great connection with nature, so it is obvious that this tale starts with something from nature, a mushroom, it was not something that was man-made, far back, humans had a great care, love, respect for earthly things.
The name of the mushroom is Amanita muscaria, also called Fly Agaric. Muscaria is a psychotropic, causing visions and altered states.  It is also toxic, and must be handled in a particular manner so as to get the psychedelic effects without the toxic ones, there is no record of someone that has died because of these mushrooms, most animals love them and eat them and they dont die, of course animals have a diferent metabolism then ours and are use to these things, but also human eat it, no one has ever died so far, but yes.. it is dangerous.The shaman would collect the mushrooms in a bag and deliver them to families, who would then often hang them in socks around the fireplace to be dried, the mushrooms would be ready to "share" their revelatory gifts in the morning of the solstice.

Amanita Muscaria grows only beneath a Christmas tree (coniferous/pine tree) in a symbiotic, non-parasitic relationship with the roots of the tree. It used to be thought to be the fruit of the tree.

To this day Siberian shamans dress in ceremonial red and white fur-trimmed jackets to gather the magic mushrooms. First they pick and place the mushrooms to partially dry on nearby pine boughs which prepares them for ingestion and makes the load lighter. This may be why we decorate our Christmas trees with ornaments and bulbs, because the gatherers would always adorn trees with drying mushrooms.
The tradition of the Shaman was to go into the forests and collect these mushrooms that grow under pine trees or evergreen trees. The Shaman would collect enough for the entire tribe and then go to each of the houses, sometimes due to heavy snow the doors would be snowed in and the Shaman would have to enter through the smoke hole in the roof.
I am not telling that Santa Claus is of Red and White in is clothes because of this tradition, because everyone knows his comercial figure is in those colours because of Coca-Cola, this may be a
coincidence, because shamans can dress in other colours in this specific day.

Also there is the myth of the flying Reindeers, well, that may be because reindeers love to eat these specific mushrooms, even at winter reindeers dig the mushrooms from the snow to eat them, shamans belive they can talk and
interact with the reindeers that are also under the efect of the mushroom.

The Earth Element


Note: The Painting to Illustrate this was made by me.

The Earth Element, it is the very ground you live in, the very place you make your daily life, all the other elements together and their powers, make this last one, the forces of chaos, harmony, beauty, power and energy, combined, make the perfect natural heaven.

The Earth is the home and origin of humanity, and has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition, for thousands of generations.
All over the world, many people from many diferent cultures have worshiped the natural elements, and even for the shamans, it was and is a goal to master them, at least the knowledge they possess.

As i have always said and written about, we must respect nature and its powers, when its fury is awakened, it has the most destructive powers we have ever seen, and there is no way to stop it, but also it has the most wonderful natural beauty, we must preserve the places were we live in, we must respect and be glad, and try to change the ways of the humanity, and led them into a more respectful way, with conscience, with the knowledge that we need this world to survive. Many think that in ancient times, humans were dependend 100% of nature, and needed it to survive, that is why most of the pagan religions of old, are turned to a great respect and careful way to deal with nature because humans depended on it to live, and that today we dont need it anymore and we dont depend of it, and that is a wrong thought and selfish! We always depend on it to live, the very air we breath, all we eat, the water that flows in our body, the ancients knew it better, to respect and take care of nature, for it without respect will turn its wrath against us, that is the way of things, and we see that today, the works of our own, not natural ones, the lack of attention and respect and care, has led us to a era of the world, were we are in constant danger and fear, the world is breaking and its vey fundations are being torn asunder. But we still have a chance to deal with this, making the diference, every day teaching others and our own children to respect nature and do everything they can not to ruin it, as i always say, do not fill the children's mind with nonsense and rubbish, without a specific religion, politics etc.

The Earth as a
therapy has many strands that you can find for yourself, meditation in a beautiful place, even just looking at it, the sond of the runing waters, the deep forest music, the singing of birds, all is a part of nature, even the simplest thing to make a sand castle, to creat something out of clay, moving your hands into soft material, relaxation is the goal of it. Find for yourself the many ways you can contact with nature and be also a part of it, because we descended from it and we will turn to it one day, be in harmony and take a while just to listen the sounds that nature produces.

Nauthiz


"Nyd is oppressive to the heart yet often proves a help and is the salvation of children of men who heed it in time"
                                                                        
                                                        
"The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem"


To the Anglo-Saxon, this rune was known as Nyd, while in Scandinavia it was called Naudr, which became Naud in Inceland. All of these words mean "need" It is the Letter "N" in the common alphabet.
This is the rune of necessity
, as its very name means "need". As the words of the rune poem say, that which is necessary is often "oppressive to the heart", but it can be a great teacher about the reality of the world and our place within it. Of course, managing life often relies upon little good luck, and it is possible that the custom of crossing one's fingers harkens back to the shape of the rune Nauthiz. This rune also has associations with the so-called "need-fires" or famine, and with rowan and beech trees, too.


Upright Meaning:

This rune is likely to appear when you are assailed by doubt an insecurity. Indeed, it indicates that you should think very carefully before acting. A realistic attitude is vital, but it is also important to remember that realism is not equated with pessimism. Nauthiz is fundamentally the rune of necessity, so some action is required of you, no matter how much anxiety and lack of confidence may hamper your activities. Strength of character and a determination of control these negative emotions will see you through this period. Another aspect of the rune is the importance of recognising your own limitations and acting accordingly. Pushing yourself too hard will solve little at this time.
Irritation with your limitations may make you intoletant of failings of others, too. Although the period forcast by Nauthiz is not likely to be pleasant, good will come out of it. Luck is waiting around the corner, and good fortune is particulary likely to come from older relatives and true friends, who will stick by you through thick and thin.


Inverted Meaning:


When casting the runes, you make a drawing or carve this rune Nauthiz, with a shorter "leg" so when it comes out, when it appears, you will know if it is upright or inverted.
The furstrations and stress of the upright Nauthiz are even more evident when the rune is inverted. The Norn of the future seems more heavily veiled then usual, and you will find it difficult to anticipate forthcoming events. You may lack a clear sense of direction and so may be easily led into taking unwise actions. Beware of get-rich-quick schemes and false friends. On the other hand, the appearance of the inverted Nauthiz may simply be an indication that the answer to your question is at present unknown... even to the runes!


Body Part: Stomach. The place that burns that which you need.
Associated Maladies: Malnutrition. Eating disorders.
Action: Crossed or stopped by a lack of something needful.
Solution: More nutritious diet, making sure to get necessary nutrients.


History of Europe - Prehistoric


In the great continent of Europe, people have always been free with their belives, the first human settlements in Europe were between 45,000 and 25,000 BC. We have been free of mind and spirit for so long, you can put it in these words, taht we have been pagans for more and less then 45,000 years and we have been christians for considerably less then 2,000 years, by that time, Europe started to live in a close mind, restricted from our roots and beliefs for a terrible long time now, why have we forgotten the good ways? the healthy traditions? The valours? We have been in the shadow of Christianity for too long.
The bones of the earliest Europeans were found in Albania and are dated at 1.8 million years ago.

The first records of the use of tecnology by the first Europeans were made by the Aurignacian culture. The origins of this culture can be located in what is now Bulgaria (proto-Aurignacian) and Hungary (first full Aurignacian). By 35,000 BC, the Aurignacian culture and its technology had extended through most of Europe. The last Neanderthals seem to have been forced to retreat during this process to the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula, what is today the countries of Portugal and of Spain.
Around 24,000 BC two new technologies/cultures appeared in the southwestern region of Europe: Solutrean and Gravettian. The Gravettian technology/culture has been theorised to have come with migrations of people from the Middle East, Anatolia, and the Balkans.
Around 19,000 BC, Europe witnesses the appearance of a new culture, known as Magdalenian, possibly rooted in the old Aurignacian one. This culture soon supersedes the Solutrean area and the Gravettian of mainly France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine. Around 12,500 BC, the Würm Glacial age ends. Slowly, through the following millennia, temperatures and sea levels rise, changing the environment of prehistoric people. Nevertheless, Magdalenian culture persists until 10,000 BC, when it quickly evolves into two microlithist cultures: Azilian, in Spain and southern France, and Sauveterrian, in northern France and Central Europe. Evidence of permanent settlement dates from the 7th millennium BC in the Balkans. The Neolithic reached Central Europe in the 6th millennium BC and parts of Northern Europe in the 5th and 4th millennium BC.

Shamanic Astrology


Note:  The Drawing to illustrate this was made by me.

Because i've made your Signs with the Celtic ones in Trees, i will now do it with the animals, but now a more European Shamanic view. We must respect all living things, for we are all part of a great web that connects us all, and all living things have a soul and feelings, we should and have to love them as if they were a part of our own souls.

Bullet; Green October 23 - November 21
Birth and animal totem: Snake
Moon: Cold Winds Moon
Season Aspect: The Frosting Time
Elemental Clan: Frog Clan
Plant totem: Mums
Polarity with: Beaver
Personality: Impulsive, ambitious
Emotions: Hidden, Keeping things inside
Spiritual Path: Expressing inner intuition
Strengths: Creativity, ability to change and sensitive to others


Bullet; Green November 22 - December 21

Birth and animal totem:
Elk


Moon: Snowy Moon
Season Aspect: Starry Night Moon
Elemental Clan: Hawk Clan
Plant totem: Poinsettia
Polarity with: Deer
Personality: Laugh-hearty, loving and independent
Emotions: Caring
Spiritual Path: Spiritual Evolution
Strengths:Optimistic, Happy and focused
Compatibilities:  Falcons and Salmon


Bullet; Green December 22 - January 19

Birth and animal totem: Snow Goose

Moon: New Moon
Season Aspect: The renewal Time
Elemental Clan: Turtle Clan
Plant totem: Bramble
Polarity with: Woodpecker
Personality: Reliable, high standards of self
Emotions: Self concerned
Spiritual Path: To learn patience and the flow of life
Strengths: Sociable, well spoken
Compatibilities:  Beavers, Bears and Crows

Bullet; Green January 20 - February 18

Birth and animal totem: Otter

Moon: Cleasing moon
Season Aspect: TThe cleasing time
Elemental Clan: Butterfly Clan
Plant totem: Fern
Polarity with: Salmon
Personality: Sociable, talkative and independent
Emotions: Creative, unconventional
Spiritual Path: Applying spiritual knowledge to daily life
Strengths: Tolerance, courage

Compatibilities:  Crows, Falcons and Deer


Bullet; Green February 19 - March 20

Birth and animal totem: Wolf

Moon: Worm awakening moon
Season Aspect: in-between time
Elemental Clan: Frog ( water ) clan
Plant totem: Plantain
Polarity with: Brown Bear
Personality: Compassionate, Benevolent, Generous, Artistic and gentle
Emotions: Deep
Spiritual Path: Love
Strengths: Intuition, creativity and understanding
Compatibilities:  Woodpeckers, Brown Bears and Snakes.

Bullet; Green March 21 - April 19

Birth and animal totem: Red Hawk

Moon: Budding trees moon
Season Aspect: The awakening time
Elemental Clan: Hawk Clan
Plant totem: Dandelion
Polarity with: Falcon
Personality: Active
Emotions: Quickly aroused
Spiritual Path: Expanding the individual through discernment
Strengths: Persistence and patience with others
Compatibilities:  Salmon and Owls

Bullet; Green April 20 - May 20

Birth and animal totem: Beaver

Moon: Frogs return moon
Season Aspect: The growing time
Elemental Clan: Turtle Clan
Plant totem: Wild clover
Polarity with: Snake
Personality: Resourceful and methodical
Emotions: High strung
Spiritual Path: To discover that which has lasting value
Strengths: Accepting change, compassion, inner security and confidence
Compatibilities:  Woodpeckers, Brown Bears and Geese

Bullet; Green May 21 - June 20

Birth and animal totem: Deer

Moon: Corn planting moon
Season Aspect: the flowering time
Elemental Clan: Butterfly Clan
Plant totem: Lily of the valley
Polarity with: Owl
Personality: Talkative, congenial, moody
Emotions: Sensitive
Spiritual Path: Sharing what one has learned or experienced for growth
Strengths: Persistence and Concentration
Compatibilities:  Crows and otters

Bullet; Green June 21 - July 21

Birth and animal totem: Woodpecker

Moon: Strong sun moon
Season Aspect: Long days time
Elemental Clan: Frog clan
Plant totem: Wild rose
Polarity with: Goose
Personality: Emotional, Vulnerable but protective
Emotions: Protective, wanting to protect
Spiritual Path: Fitting in with the greater good
Strengths: Resourcefulness, self acceptance and Forgiveness
Compatibilities:  Snakes, Wolves, Beavers

Bullet; Green July 22 - August 21

Birth and animal totem: Salmon

Moon: Ripe berries moon
Season Aspect: the ripening time
Elemental Clan: Fish Clan
Plant totem: Raspberry
Polarity with: Otter
Personality: Confident and Energetic
Emotions: Passionate and intense
Spiritual Path: To find the underlying purpose of life
Strengths: olerance, humbleness and letting go
Compatibilities:  Owl and Falcon 

Bullet; Green August 22 - September 21

Birth and animal totem: Bear ( Brown Bear )

Moon: Harvest Moon
Season Aspect: Harvesting time
Elemental Clan: Turtle Clan
Plant totem: Violets
Polarity with: Wolf
Personality: Practical and Industrious
Emotions: Warm and thought out
Spiritual Path: Understanding it all
Strengths: Optimism, tolerance and self acceptance
Compatibilities:  Geese and Beavers


Bullet; Green Septemver 22 - October 22

Birth and animal totem: Raven or Crow

Moon: Ducks Flying Moon
Season Aspect: Falling leaves time
Elemental Clan: Butterfly Clan
Plant totem: Ivy
Polarity with: Falcon
Personality: Tolerant and friendly
Emotions: sensitive
Spiritual Path: peace and balance
Strengths: caution, making decisions and letting go

Compatibilities: Otter and Deer


Note2:  This was scheduled to this day.

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