Book of Shadows: February 2011

Pyromancy

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: Divination

There are many ways of using fire as a form of divination. Here are a few - but you can develop your own technique as well!

Fire Gazing

Pyromancy is basically simple fire gazing, divination through analyzing the flames of an object as it burns, or allowing the flames of a burning object to induce an altered state of consciousness. This core method, coupled with intuition and symbolic thought, is often effective, but it should be remembered that, via the laws of magick, specific magickal emphasis can placed upon the object to be used. For instance, in ages past, a replica of an enemy's castle might be constructed and ignited. If it burns quickly and evenly, the battle will be short and the enemy will fall. But if the flames gather at the front of the miniature edifice and it burns slowly, it should be assumed that the fortress is well defended and the battle will be arduous, if undertaken at all. So if you are being pulled in multiple directions (for example have several job offers) and you want to determine which is the prospect that will work out for you and endure, divide a piece of flammable material into as many parts as is needed. Charge each piece with the appropriate energy and cast the material into an open flame. The piece which lasts the longest before being consumed is your best bet. As an interesting footnote, divination through interpreting shadows, specifically those cast by open flames, is called sciomancy. If you're looking for a final note of closure after engaging in pyromancy, this method would provide that desired exclamation point.

Another ancient technique for Fire Gazing that can produce surprising results (I call it Coals Gazing)- Sit before a roaring fire. Ask your question. Gaze into the flames while the fire burns down. Within the flames, or in the sparkling, glowing coals below them, images of the future may appear. Interpret them with symbolic thought. It's best to limit gazing time to about five minutes, but there's no need to check your watch. Allow the images to come to you for an appropriate time.

Burnings (Spodomancy) mirical

Write a question concerning the future on a small piece of paper. Place it face down on a flat, heat-proof surface. Light one corner of the paper with a match. If the entire paper burns, the answer is yes. If only part of the paper is destroyed, the answer is no.

Candles (Lampadomancy)

Lampadomancy is an ancient tradition, the elements of which have spawned a thousand and one tales of adventure and romance. It is divination through the observation of flames specifically from a candle, torch or lamp. This includes lynchomancy, divining the future through studying the flame at the base of the candle's or lamp's wick and the actions of the wick during burning. Ironically, in ancient times, only children could engage in lynchomancy, as their vision and imagination were untouched by incredulity and cynicism (and isn't that the sort of prescience we all long for?). In fact, an early form of lynchomancy, practiced by the Greeks presaged the use of the triangle by ceremonial magickians. Four candles were used. Three were placed in a triangle with the fourth placed in the center. The triangle was believed to attract the proper spirits who would act upon the fourth candle which was the true divinatory tool.
To perform any of the following rites, choose a room not usually subject to winds or drafts. Night is the preferred time, and it's best to lower the lights. Use whits candles except where otherwise indicated.

1. Light a candle and place it in its holder. Sit or stand before it and search for signs from the flame itself and its wick. If the flame seems dim, it may be best to hold off on plans for the time being. An extremely bright flame is a sign of good fortune, but if it quickly grows smaller, the luck will be temporary.

If the flame waves about, bad weather may be coming, or a great change in circumstances is foretold. A spark visible in the wick indicates the imminent arrival of good news. If the flame turns in a circle or seems to form a spiral, danger is forecast. Finally, a halo around the flame indicates an approaching storm.

2. Another method of reading candles involves watching the manner in which the molten wax drips down the candle sides. Place the candle in a holder. Ask a yes or no question while lighting the wick. Watch it for some time. If the wax drips only on the left side, the answer is no. If on the right, yes. If equally on both sides, no response is possible. If no wax drips down, ask again later.

3. A rather unusual form of candle divination involves the remarkable properties of fresh lemon juice. Obtain a clean, non-ball point or felt-tip pen. (The type used for calligraphy). Since neither an ink-filled pen nor a pencil can be used, a sharpened, short stick may be substituted.

Squeeze the juice from a lemon into a small bowl. Lay three, five or seven pieces of paper on a flat surface. Dipping the pen into the lemon juice, (write) a possible future on each piece of paper with the juice; the juice here acts as the ink. Since lemon juice is invisble and difficult to write with, reduce these futures to just a few words. Allow them to dry.

Light a candle. Place the slips of paper into a bowl. Mix them with your left hand, then choose one at random. Hold the chosen piece of paper close enough to the flame to heat it but not enough to burn it. The heat will reveal the future written on the paper as the lemon juice darkens. This will determine the possible future.

Smoke (Capnomancy)

Just as autumn's chill touch is being felt, comes capnomancy, using the patterns of smoke made by the burning of various materials for the purpose of divination. Once the age of the burnt offering had passed (divination using this source of smoke was called extispicy), laurel leaves were a common choice (so common it had a specific label: daphnomancy), as were various herbs and incenses (the use of sacred incenses was specifically referred to as libanomancy) as well as certain tree barks and seeds.

A variation of this method is the Halloween tradition of foretelling the future by placing hazel nuts close to a raging fire and assigning each a name, goal or the like. If the nut exploded, the forecast was good, if it merely smoldered and caught fire, the outlook was poor.

1. One method is known as "smoke reading." Light a candle. Pass a plain white card through the flames three times while asking a question. (do this quickly to avoid setting the card on fire.) Interpret the resulting carbon deposits left on the underside of the card with symbolic thought.

2. There are many older techniques. For example, build a fire outside in a safe place while asking a yes/no question. Watch the smoke. If it rises straight and lightly into the air, a positive answer has been received. If, however, it hangs heavily around the fire, the reverse is true.

Ashes (Spodomancy/Tephromancy)

Collect ashes from dead fires or the fire place. Outside, in a place where the wind usually blows at some time, scatter the ashes to a good depth in a rectagular shape on the ground. While asking your question regarding the future, use a finger to write the word yes in the ashes to the right and no to the left. Leave them undisturbed overnight.

In the morning, study the ashes. If both words are clearly legible, no answer is possible at this time. If one has been erased by animal tracks, the wind or by some other force, the remaining word reveals the answer to your question. If both words are gone, again, no answer has been given.

Scrying

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: Divination

Scrying is a means of foretelling the future, gazing into the past and interpreting the present by gazing onto a flat still surface. Each practitioner may use something different from which to scry. You can use almost any reflective surface to scry from. If you use a crystal ball make sure it is flawless or the flaws will distort the images you are trying to see.
The best time to scry is during the Full Moon and your scrying tools should be consecrated by moonlight (not sunlight) - and during the Waxing moon.

The most common media used for scrying are:

Crystal balls, crystals, precious stones, polished quartz, or another transparent body; this is called crystallomancy. Sometimes "crystal gazing" refers specifically to crystallomancy. Crystal balls are also called shew stones. A stone or crystal is also called a seerstone or peepstone.

Water or another liquid; this is called hydromancy.

Mirrors; this is called catoptromancy, also known as captromancy, enoptromancy, or mirror gazing.

Specific objects that have been used for scrying include:

a pool of ink in the hand (Egypt)

the liver of an animal (tribes of the North-West Indian frontier)

a hole filled with water (Polynesia)

quartz crystals (the Apachesand the Euahlayi tribe of New South Wales)

a smooth slab of polished black stone (the Huille-che of South America)

water in a vessel (Zulus and Siberians)

a crystal (the Incas)

a mirror (classical Greece and the Middle Ages)

a fingernail

a sword-blade

a ring-stone

a glass of sherry

the burning of a poppy flower-bud on hot coals

a flat, polished portion of obsidian

(the above lists are from www.wickipedia.com)

Crystallomancy

Scrying with a Crystal Ball:

Rest the ball on a background of black cloth or paper. (The black background is to help the eye focus on the ball alone). It is best to scry in a temple or your sacred space (as your psychie is most comfortable here in using great power). Also I always suggest working this kind of magick within a circle as you are vulnerable to negative energies while focused on the reading. Have a candle for illumination - but not so that the flame is seen in the ball - so the candle must be close enough to see but not close enough to reflect. Your favorite incense may help you concentrate.

I sit in my circle in front of my crystal ball and imagine my circle filling with the most beautiful white light, until all the space around me is soft and bright. I close my eyes and take several deep breathes forcing my body to relax and my mind to quiet. Slowly, I open my eyed gazing softly (not forcing my eyes to focus on anything in particular) at the crystal ball - trying to keep my mind blank. After a time (anywhere from a couple of minutes to like 15 depending on your skill level at keeping you mind blank) the white misty light will shift from being all around me to being within my Ball. It gradually grows more and more dense. Eventually (again a couple of minutes have past) the White mist thins from within the Ball - leaving behind a scene (like a t.v. or a snow globe) It might vary from black-white to color or be moving-still; it might be from the past, present, future. It is also most likely to be a symbolic scene - meaning it is not the definite representation of what will (has) happened, but a scene I would relate to something that will (has) happened. When I first started I had no control over what was shown or how long the image lasted (generally because I was thinking too much) - but over time I learned to keep my MIND clear but my WILL focused on what I wished to see. So, the images may be slightly erratic at first- Keep a pad and pencil near by and write absently while not taking your eyes off of the ball. You will probably end up with a list like the following: dog, cloud, woman, child, running, grave, etc.

Interpret the list by thinking of the question you had in mind before starting the process. Most of the images listed in the list - dog, child, woman, relate to family. The cloud, grave and running might signify stress or upheaval in the near future. Etc.

Hydromancy

Using a cup/plate/bowl/pool whatever of water or any other liquid - is very similar and follows the same technique as the Crystal Ball. I started with my Chalice outside during a full moon. The moon reflects slightly off of the water (like the candle to the crystal).

Pyromancy

Using a fire as your focus. Works best with a bonfire as opposed to a candle as the candle flame is too steady. When the fire has burned down, add a handful of cedar chips. Sit a safe distance from the fire. Cast your circle around the fire. Proceed with the same procedure as above once the fire has burnt mostly to embers

Tarot

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: Divination

Tarot is an intermediate Divination technique. Its harder than some because there are 78 cards and you need to become familiar with the intricacies of each - Plus the various spreads. But - Tarot is more than a divination - it can be used to reveal hidden issues in your personality or life, guide to answering questions, etc. It essentially can clear the bull to open your eyes based on your question.

The Tarot Suits

Though each card has its own unique meaning, there are broader patterns and meanings among the cards as well. In this article, I'll explain the significance of the Minor Arcana suits. All the cards within each suit have a common theme between them. These ideas are seen in traditionally designed Tarot cards, but cards that have been reinterpreted my have other themes present for in their suits.

Wands
Many of the cards in this suit pertain to ambitions, goals, and personal achievements. The wands often show challenges, but not necessarily outright obstacles.
Also called staffs, staves, rods, batons (clubs)
Element: Air

Swords
The suit of swords is a harsh one, with most of the cards showing conflict and difficulties. Though some swords are clearly negative, many reflect necessary changes that will lead to success farther down the road once the problems have passed.
Also called knives, blades, daggers (spades)
Element: Fire

Cups
These cards are full of emotion and are often representative of family and relationships (though not always romantic ones). The cups are generally happy or positive cards.
Also called chalices, goblets, vessels (hearts)
Element: Water

Pentacles
All things financial and material are found in this suit. Sometimes they may refer to your business or work life, but could also be talking about personal finances sometimes as well.
Also called coins, discs (diamonds)
Element: Earth

There is a variation to the elemental associations, namely that some schools of thought have wands as fire and swords as air. I will be covering the history of this in another article. I personally find more sense with wands/air and swords/fire, so that is the way I am presenting them.

Reversed Cards

Not everyone agrees with how to deal with reversed cards. That is, cards that are upside-down compared to the rest of the spread. I have a few different ways to handle these cards in a reading, but none are carved in stone. Feel free to make your own interpretations.

The simplest way of reading a reversed card is to interpret the card with the opposite to the regular meaning. For example, the Devil represents bondage to earthly impulses and desires. So a reversed Devil could be read as being released from these things. This is the way I read it - but there is NO right or wrong; you'll find what works for you as you practice.

Another way to look at reversed cards, is that their meanings are obscured, hidden or otherwise not so obvious. Some readers ignore the fact that the card points in a different direction they just interpret the card as if it were right side up.

Reading Tarot
Though it can take a long time before you learn the meanings of all 78 cards, and understand the nuances of your Tarot spread, the actual technique for reading cards is pretty simple. Just follow these basic steps:

1. Shuffle your cards. While you shuffle, concentrate on the issue, project or situation that you are curious about. Don't think about what you want to see, but on the situation itself. Try not to let your hopes or emotions cloud your thoughts. I can't tell you how long you should shuffle, that's something you have to develop a feel for. At least 30 seconds, I suppose.

2. Lay out the cards. Choose a Tarot spread that appeals to you, or one that is tailored to your particular question. The Celtic Cross is the most common Tarot card spread, but with 10 cards, it can be a bit intimidating to a novice. Lay out the cards in the proper order from the top of the pile.

3. Read the cards. This is the hard part. You need to combine the meaning of each card, with the position it holds in the layout. So seeing the Devil in a "past influences" position would have a different meaning than the Devil in a "possible outcome" position. You might want to have a printout of the spread details handy, until you know your spreads by heart. Don't get discouraged if the cards seem to make no sense. Reading Tarot cards is hardly a precise science.

The Spread

The most well-known and classic Tarot spread is the Celtic Cross. It can be a bit overwhelming though, with 10 cards. This is the one I use.

1. Basis (upright, beneath card 2) - The tone of the reading.

2. Crosses - The main or fundamental challenge in the situation.

3. Subconscious - Your true (and possibly unfaced) feelings about the situation.

4. Past - Recent events that are going to have an impact on your current issue.

5. Conscious - Your known feelings about this. Read together with card 3.

6. Future - Something that is going to happen involving this situation, in the near future.

7. Querent - Your general attitude towards the whole situation.

8. Environment - Your surroundings, possibly friends, family, or work relationships.

9. Hopes/Fears - What you are truly hoping for, or are afraid of.

10. Outcome - How the situation will finally play out.

There are many more spreads (each has a different meaning for each position) here's a sample list - as learning the Card explanations is only half the battle, you'll also have to have an understanding of different spreads based on what you're searching for. Here's a few:Decisions Spread (7 cards)Living Tree Tart Spread (9 cards)Build The Tower Spread (7 cards)Elemental Spread (5 cards)Hourglass Tarot Spread (11 cards)Ocean Wave Spread (7 cards)Body Tarot Spread (8 cards)

Improving Your Tarot Skills

It can take time to develop the ability to read the Tarot accurately and effectively. Time and practice are the best ways to improve, but here are some other tips that might help you with your readings.
Learn the cards thoroughly– Having to refer back to a book to figure out the meaning of a card can really ruin the flow of a Tarot reading. Or only knowing a basic one-sentence meaning can limit how you interpret your cards. Get a well-rounded interpretation for each of the 78 cards, and make sure you know your spreads as well.

Develop your own thoughts on the cards– Get away from the book explanations, and think about the images on your cards. What do you they say to you? This isn't supposed to be a substitution for learning the "official" meanings, though some people do read strictly with their own interpretations. Just allow your own instincts to help mold how you see the cards, rather than assuming the traditional meanings are cast in stone.

Read for others– Find friends to read for on a regular basis. While reading for yourself is acceptable for practice, you aren't going to be as accurate (especially as a beginner). As with any skill, practice is the key to success. Take these practice readings seriously, and let your friends know to do the same.

Change decks– If you are really finding that this is not coming very smoothly for you, try a different deck. It may not be practical to actually buy decks, but your local Pagan or New Age shop may have a good selection as well as sample cards for you to browse through. You won't be able to do actually readings this way, but perhaps some other artwork will catch your fancy.

Spend time with your cards– Many people say you should carry your cards with you, or even sleep with them under your pillow. I'm not going to insist that this helps, but it can't hurt. The theory is that by keeping your cards close, they will pick up your own energy and make them work better for you.

Keep a journal– Record all your practice readings, especially if you are reading to predict future events. You might be surprised how something you saw in a reading actually makes more sense after the fact.

For spread meanings you can look to where I got all this info http://www.allinfoabouttarot.com/home.html

Tasseography- (tea leaf reading)

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: Divination

This is one of the easiest to learn of the Divinitory arts. For best results use loose China Tea, brewed in a pot without a strainer. The tea is poured into a cup without any pattern on the inside 9or you'll go cross-eyed). The subject of the divining should drink the tea but leave sufficient amount in the bottom of the cup to distribute the leaves around the inside (just a small splash left over so when the cup is swirled the tea leaves will adhere to the sides of the cup). They should also focus on the question they are seeking guidance from while drinking. Ask the subject to take hold of the handle of the cup and slowly - 3 times clockwise- rotate the cup (again focusing on the question) - allowing the remains of the tea to spread up the sides tot he rim of the cup. Then the subject should invert the cup completely on its saucer to get rid of the excess.

To interpret the signs requires an understanding of the following list. Also there is a time consideration..The rim of the cup (and close to it) represents the present through the next 2 or 3 weeks. As you move down the sides you are moving further into the future. Until you reach the very bottom of the cup and the very distant future. The handle (starting point) represents the subject - or its symbols represent things that will directly effect the subject. The exact opposite of the handle are symbols that may have a passing effect on the subject.

*If the symbols you can see clearly or really well - than the subject is lucky. The less defined mean they are less decisive and prone to hindrance.

*Shapes -

Stars: success;

Triangles:

fortune;

Squares: protection;

Straight Lines: definite plans;

Wavy Lines: uncertainty;

Dotted Lines: a journey;

Numbers: indicate years, months, days, weeks, or hours {Usually in the upper 1/2 of the cup is in terms of hours or days, in the lower 1/2 is in terms of weeks, months, or years.}

The following list is the general interpretation of symbols found in tea leaves. BUT as with most divinitory techniques - rely on your Feeling from the shapes rather then any Set definitions.

Tea Leaf Symbols:

Anchor: end of a journey; safe landing; successful end to a business or personal affair; problems unexpectedly solved.

Arrow:disagreement; antagonism; instructions for a journey; a letter.

Bell: good news; a wedding

Bird: news - good or bad; possible journey; companionship

Boat: travel; end of a friendship

Bottle: celebration; success

Bridge: travel abroad; partnership; introduction to new friends or business

Broom: end of a problem; change of jobs; domesticity

Butterfly:insecurity

Camel: long journey; temporary relocation

Car: local travel; introduction to new business associates

Candle: innovation; sudden new ideas
Castle: legacy; unexpected financial luck; good living

Cat: female friend; domestic problems

Chair: entertainment; relaxation

Church: marriage; serious illness (not death)

Clover: good fortune; unexpected success

Cross: hardship; discomfort; misfortune

Crown: honors; credit; promotion

Cup: love; close friendship; harmony

Dagger:danger; tragedy; business complications

Dog: friendship; companionship

Elephant: advice needed - preferably from an old friend

Fan: indiscretion; disloyalty; infidelity

Flag:defense necessary; warning

Flower: unhappy love affair

Gate: opportunity; possibility of advancement

Gun: trouble; argument; adultery

Hammer: hard work - which will be rewarded

Hand: friendship; help when needed; advice

Harp: contentment; ease

Heart: love or lover; confident

Horse: work

Horseshoes: good luck; start of a new successful enterprise

House: security; authority

Key: opportunity

Kite: exercise caution; think before acting

Knife: treachery; duplicity; misunderstanding

Ladder: advancement; opportunities taken

Man: stranger; visitor; help from an unexpected source

Mushroom: disturbance; complications in business

Palm Tree: a breathing-space; a rest period; temporary relief

Pipe (smokers): thought and concentration ahead; investigate all possibilities

Scissors: quarrel - usually domestic; double-dealing

Snake:an enemy; a personal hurt; a love affair

Tree: goal achieved; comfort; rest

Umbrella: temporary shelter

Wheel: advancement through effort; money

Windmill: big business dealings

(This list is built from Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland)

About Yule

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: The Basics

A guide to the Sabbat's symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: December 21-23 (usually, the date of the calendar winter solstice).

Alternative names: Winter Solstice, Alban Arthan, Meán Geimhridh, Midwinter, Christmas.

Primary meanings: Renewal and rebirth. The dark force, which the sun battles all winter, gives way. People celebrate the shortest night and anticipate the return of the light and warmth. Yule or Winter Solstice celebrates the rebirth of the Sun Child.

Symbols: Mistletoe, holly, ivy, Yule logs, strings of lights, wreaths, candles and gingerbread men.

Colors: Red, green, white, gold and silver.

Gemstones: Cat's-eye and ruby.

Herbs: Bay, cedar, holly, ivy, juniper, mistletoe, rosemary and pine.

Gods and goddesses: All newborn gods and sun gods, and all mother goddesses and triple goddesses. Gods include the Greek Apollo; Egyptian Ra, Osiris and Horus; Irish-Celtic Lugh; Norse Odin; Native American Father Sun; and Christian-Gnostic Jesus. Goddesses include the Irish-Celtic Morrigan and Brigit; Egyptian Isis; Greek Demeter, Gaea, Pandora, Selene and Artemis; Roman Juno and Diana; Middle-Eastern Astarte; Native American Spinning Woman; and Christian-Gnostic Virgin Mary.

Customs and myths: Light a Yule log or candles; bring light into the dark! The Yule log is burned ceremonially in the main hearth, kindled with a piece from last year's fire and allowed to smolder for 12 days before being put out ceremonially. The log must come from your own land or be given to you as a gift. Decorate it with greenery and douse it with cider or ale. Sing and be merry! The seasonal Santa Claus, or Kris Kringle, comes from the Norse traditions. During the Yule season's stormy nights, Odin rode his eight-footed horse throughout the world bestowing gifts on worthy people and dispensing justice to wrongdoers. Kris Kringle ("Christ of the Wheel") is the title of the Norse god born at Winter Solstice. Our ancestors believed that by decorating with evergreen plants such as holly, mistletoe and ivy, they were helping to bring the Sun through a dangerous time of diminished light.

Widdershins

About Samhain

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: The Basics

A guide to the Sabbat's symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: October 31.

Alternative names: All Hallow's Eve, Halloween, the Witches' New Year, Third Festival of Harvest.

Primary meaning: Samhain, pronounced "sow-en" -- not "sam hain" -- marks the beginning of the cold months or winter; it is the Day Between the Years. Primary elements to contemplate are endings and beginnings, change, reflection and reincarnation. Celebrations honor the dead, ancestors, the wisdom of the Crone and the death of the God.

Symbols: Cauldrons, jack o' lanterns, masks, balefires, besoms (brooms), bats, owls, ravens and the ever-present witch and black cat.

Colors: Orange, black, brown, golden yellow and red.

Gemstones: Carnelian, jet, obsidian and onyx.

Herbs: Aborvitae (yellow cedar), acorn, allspice, apple, autumn flowers, catnip, corn, chrysanthemums, dittany of Crete, fall leaves (especially oak), ferns, flax, fumitory, gourds, grains, hazel, heather, mandrake, mugwort, mullein, nightshade, pear, pumpkin, sage, straw, thistle, turnip, wormwood.

Gods and goddesses: Crone goddesses, the Father or dying gods, gods of the underworld or death including Arawn, Cerridwen, Cernunnos, the Dagdha, Dis Pater, Hades, Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Ishtar, Kali, Lilith, Macha, Mari, the Morrigan, Osiris, Pomona, Psyche, Rhiannon, Samana, Sekhmet, Teutates and Taranis.

Customs and myths: In England, it formerly was the custom to go "a-souling" on this night, asking for little "soul cakes" and offering prayers for the dead in return. In the British Isles, lanterns carved out of turnips (in the New World pumpkins) were at one time used to provide light on a night when bale fires were lit, and all households let their fires go out so they could be rekindled from the new fire. Another custom was the Dumb Supper, in which an extra plate was laid for the dead and the meal was eaten in silence. Bobbing for apples, roasting nuts in the fire and baking cakes that contained tokens of luck are ancient methods of telling the future now. Ducking for apples was a divination for marriage. The first person to bite an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. Apple peeling was a divination to see how long your life would be. The longer the unbroken apple peel, the longer your life was destined to be. In Scotland, people would place stones in the ashes of the hearth before retiring for the night. Anyone whose stone had been disturbed during the night was said to be destined to die during the coming year.

About Oestara

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: The Basics

A guide to the Sabbat's symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: March 21-23 (usually the date of the calendar Spring Equinox).

Alternative names: Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox, Alban Eiler, Mean Erraigh, Eostre.

Primary meanings: Oestara is light and dark balanced, with light gaining power. It's the turning point from winter to spring. It is a beginning of the agricultural year, and its rites ensure fertility of crops and flocks; it is a time of planting, nurturing and growth. The God and Goddess begin their courtship now. Oestara was not originally a part of the Celtic year but was named for a Teutonic goddess of spring and new life, Eostre. The holiday was probably brought to prominence in the Celtic world by the Saxons.

Symbols: The hare or rabbit, eggs, seeds, potted plants, the New Moon, butterflies and cocoons.

Colors: Lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink, all pastels, robin's-egg blue and white.

Gemstones: Aquamarine, rose quartz and moonstone.

Herbs: Crocuses, daffodils, ginger, jasmine, Irish moss and snowdrops.

Gods and goddesses: All youthful and virile gods and goddesses, sun gods, mother goddesses, love goddesses, moon gods and goddesses and all fertility deities. Goddesses include Persephone, Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Aphrodite, Athena, Cybele, Gaia, Hera, Isis, Ishtar, Minerva and Venus. Gods include Robin of the Woods, the Green Man, Cernunnos, the Dagda, Attis, Mithras, Odin, Thoth, Osiris and Pan.

Customs and myths: Spell-work for improving communication and group interaction is recommended, as well as for fertility and abundance. Oestara is a good time to start putting those plans and preparations you made at Imbolc into action. Plan a celebratory walk (or ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest or other green places. A popular Oestara activity is decorating and coloring or dying hard-boiled eggs, or other eggs such as those made of wood or papier-mâché. Use gold and silver paint pens to draw pagan designs and magickal symbols all over your eggs, or use other color combinations. Try interconnected triangles symbolizing the Triple Goddess, pentagrams and other God and Goddess symbols, or words written in magickal scripts. Other traditional activities include gardening and practicing all forms of herbal work -- magickal, artistic, medicinal, culinary and cosmetic.

Widdershins

About Litha

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: The Basics

A guide to the Sabbat's symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: June 20-23 (usually, the date of the calendar summer solstice).

Alternative names: Summer Solstice, Midsummer, Midsummer's Eve, Alban Heruin, Alban Hefin, Gathering Day, Vestalia, La Festa dell'Estate (Summer Fest), the Day of the Green Man.

Primary meanings: This Sabbat celebrates the abundance and beauty of the Earth. From this day on, the days will wane, growing shorter and shorter until Yule. It is a time to absorb the Sun's warming rays, and to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and beginning of the waning year in preparation for the harvest to come. Midsummer is another fertility Sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. This is a time to celebrate work and leisure, to appreciate children and childlike play and to look internally at the seeds you've planted that should be at full bloom. Some people believe that at twilight on this day, the portals between worlds open and the faery folk pass into our world; welcome them on this day to receive their blessings.

Symbols: Fire, the sun, blades, mistletoe, oak trees, balefires, sun wheels, summertime flowers (especially sunflowers), summer fruits, seashells and faeries. If you made Sun wheels at Imbolc, display them now prominently, hanging from the ceiling or on trees in your yard. You may want to decorate them with yellow and gold ribbons and summer herbs.

Colors: White, red, maize yellow or golden yellow, green, blue and tan.

Gemstones: All green gemstones, especially emerald and jade, and also tiger's eye, lapis lazuli and diamond.

Herbs: Chamomile, cinquefoil, copal, elder, fennel, fern, frankincense, galangal, heliotrope, hemp, larkspur, laurel, lavender, lemon, mistletoe, mugwort, oak, pine, roses, saffron, St. John's wort, sandalwood, thyme, verbena, wisteria and ylang-ylang. Herbs gathered on this day are said to be extremely powerful.

Gods and goddesses: All father gods and mother goddesses, pregnant goddesses and Sun deities. Particular emphasis might be placed on the goddesses Aphrodite, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar and Venus and other goddesses who preside over love, passion and beauty. Other Litha deities include the goddesses Athena, Artemis, Dana, Kali, Isis and Juno and the gods Apollo, Ares, Dagda, Gwydion, Helios, Llew, Oak/Holly King, Lugh, Ra, Sol, Zeus, Prometheus and Thor.

Customs and myths: One way to express the cycle of the Earth's fertility that has persisted from early pagan to modern times is the myth of the Oak King and the Holly King, gods respectively of the Waxing and Waning Year. The Oak King rules from Midwinter to Midsummer, the period of fertility, expansion and growth, and the Holly King reigns from Midsummer to Midwinter, the period of harvest, withdrawal and wisdom. They are light and dark twins, each being the other's alternate self, thus being one. Each represents a necessary phase in the natural rhythm; therefore, both are good. At the two changeover points, they symbolically meet in combat. The incoming twin -- the Oak King at Midwinter, the Holly King at Midsummer -- "slays" the outgoing one. But the defeated twin is not considered dead -- he has merely withdrawn during the six months of his brother's rule.

On Midsummer Night, it is said that field and forest elves, sprites and faeries abound in great numbers, making this a great time to commune with them. Litha is considered a time of great magickal power, one of the best times to perform magicks of all kinds. Especially effective magick and spells now include those for love, healing and prosperity. Wreaths can be made for your door with yellow feathers for prosperity and red feathers for sexuality, intertwined and tied together with ivy. This is also a very good time to perform blessings and protection spells for pets or other animals.

Nurturing and love are key actions related to Midsummer. Litha is a good time to perform a ceremony of self-dedication or rededication to your spiritual path as a part of your Sabbat celebration. Ritual actions for Litha include placing a flower-ringed cauldron upon your altar, gathering and drying herbs, plunging the sword (or athamé) into the cauldron and leaping the balefire (bonfire) for purification and renewed energy. Considered taboo on this holiday are giving away fire, sleeping away from home and neglecting animals.

Widdershins

About Lammas

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: The Basics

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: August 1 or 2.

Alternative names: Lughnassadh, Lammastide, August Eve, Harvest Home, Ceresalia (Roman, in honor of the grain goddess Ceres), First Fruits, Festival of Green Corn (Native American), Feast of Cardenas, Cornucopia (Strega), Thingtide and Elembiuos. Lammas, an Anglo-Saxon word, means "loaf mass." Lughnassadh is named for the Irish sun god Lugh (pronounced Loo), and variant spellings are Lughnasadh, Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa and Lunasa.

Primary meanings: This festival has two aspects. First, it is one of the Celtic fire festivals, honoring the Celtic culture-bringer Lugh (Lleu to the Welsh, Lugus to the Gauls). In Ireland, races and games were held in his name and that of his mother, Tailtiu (these may have been funeral games). Second, the holiday is the Saxon Feast of Bread, at which the first of the grain harvest is consumed in ritual loaves. These aspects are not too dissimilar, as the shamanic death and transformation of Lleu can be compared to that of the Barley God, known from the folksong "John Barleycorn."

Lammas celebrates the first of three harvest celebrations in the Craft. It marks the beginning of autumn, the start of the harvest cycle, and relies on the early crops of ripening grain and any fruits and vegetables ready to be harvested. It is associated with bread because grain is one of the first crops harvested. Those in the Craft often give thanks and honor now to gods and goddesses of the harvest, as well as those who represent death and resurrection.

Symbols: All grains, especially corn and wheat, corn dollies, sun wheels, bread, harvesting and threshing tools and the harvest full moon. Altar decorations might include corn dollies or kirn babies (corncob dolls) to symbolize the Mother Goddess of the Harvest. Other appropriate decorations include summer flowers and grains. You might also wish to have a loaf of whole cracked wheat or multigrain bread upon the altar, baked in the shape of the sun.

Colors: Red, orange, gold, yellow, citrine, green, grey and light brown.

Gemstones: Yellow diamonds, aventurine, sardonyx, peridot and citrine.

Herbs: Acacia flowers, aloes, chamomile, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, frankincense, heather, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, passionflower, rose, rose hips, rosemary, sandalwood, sunflowers and wheat.

Gods and goddesses: Lugh, Thor, John Barleycorn (the personification of malt liquor), Demeter, Danu, Ceres, sun gods, corn mothers, all grain and agriculture deities, mother goddesses and father gods.

Customs and myths: Spellwork for prosperity, abundance and good fortune are especially appropriate now, as well as spells for connectedness, career, health and financial gain. Sacrifice is often associated with this holiday. Visits to fields, orchards, lakes and wells are also traditional. It is considered taboo not to share your food with others now.

Activities appropriate for this time of the year are baking bread, wheat weaving and making corn dollies or other god and goddess symbols. You may want to string Indian corn on black thread to make a necklace, or bake cornbread sticks shaped like little ears of corn for your Sabbat cakes. The corn dolly may be used both as a fertility amulet and as an altar centerpiece.

Some pagans bake Lammas bread in the form of a god-figure or sun wheel -- if you do this, be sure to use this bread in your Lammas ritual's cakes and ale ceremony, if you have one. During the Lammas ritual, some consume bread or something from the first harvest. Some gather first fruits; others symbolically throw pieces of bread into a fire.

About Imbolc

Posted by Witch of the West |

A guide to the Sabbat's symbolism

by Arwynn MacFeylynnd

Date: February 1 or 2.

Alternative names: Imbolg, Candlemas, Oimelc, Brighid's Day, Lupercus, the Feast of Lights, Groundhog's Day

Primary meanings: The name "Imbolc" derives from the word "oimelc," meaning sheep's milk. It is considered a time of purification, preparation and celebration for new life stirring, anticipating spring. The holiday is also known as Candlemas; the custom of blessing candles at this time signifies awakening of life and honors the Celtic goddess Brighid, to whom fire is sacred. This Sabbat also celebrates banishing winter.

Symbols: Candle wheels, grain dollies and Sun wheels, a besom (witch's broom), a sprig of evergreen, a bowl of snow and small Goddess statues representing her in the maiden aspect.

Colors: White, yellow, pink, light blue, light green; also, red and brown.

Gemstones: Amethyst, aquamarine, turquoise, garnet and onyx.

Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, clover, dill, evergreens, heather, myrrh, rosemary, willows and all yellow flowers.

Gods and goddesses: Brighid, the Celtic goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft; all virgin and maiden goddesses; all fire and flame gods, connected with the newborn Sun.

Customs and myths: In Irish legends of the Tuatha De Danaan, Brighid is the name of three daughters of Dagda who over time were combined into one goddess. Later, Brighid's name was absorbed into that of a Christian saint, and many of her ceremonies and traditions into that saint's worship. She was venerated in Scotland, Wales, on the Isle of Man and in the Hebrides. When celebrating Candlemas or Imbolc, spellwork for fertility, inspiration and protection are appropriate, defining and focusing on spiritual and physical desires for the future. Imbolc is a good time to get your life in order -- physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Make plans, organize, clean out drawers and closets to bring in the new and clearing out the old. Make and bless candles; light one in each room in honor of the Sun's rebirth. Carry out rites of self-purification. Burn mistletoe, holly and ivy decorations from Yule to signify the end of harsh weather and old ways.

Widdershins

Norse Deities

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: God/dess

Aegir
His name is connected with the word for water. He is also called Hler. Aegir was the god of the seashore or ocean, and called the ruler of the sea by Snorri. He was a personification of the ocean, be it good or evil. He caused storms with his anger and the skalds said a ship went into "Aegir's wide jaws" when it wrecked. Guerber states that Aegir was crowned with seaweed and always surrounded by nixies and mermaids while in his hall. He was one of the Vanir and a giant. His father was Mistarblindi [Mist-Blind], and his brother, Logi [Fire]. Aegir's wife (and sister) was Ran and they lived under the sea by the island Hlesey. Ran and Aegir had nine daughters who were the waves -- all of their names are poetic names for waves. Aegir brewed ale for the gods after Thor brought him a big enough kettle. Every winter the gods would drink beer at Aegir's home. He was, therefore, famed for his hospitality. Gold was put onto the floor of the hall to provide light, instead of having a fire. Gold is therefore called Aegir's fire. The cups in Aegir's hall were always full, magically refilling themselves. Aegir had two servants in his hall, Fimafeng [Handy] and Eldir [Fire-Kindler]. According to Lee Hollander, Aegir's function as the gods' ale brewer was suggested by the ocean's foam. After the death of Balder, the gods gathered for a feast in Aegir's hall. Loki showed up and insulted everyone (this is told in Lokasenna in the Poetic Edda). The gods couldn't do Loki harm in the hall since it was a sanctuary where no violence could be committed. Aegir was also referred to by the name of Gymir [the Blinder] (the name of Gerd's father -- it is not known if they are one and the same). Sailors feared Aegir, and thought he would sometimes surface to destroy ships. Early Saxons made human sacrifices to a god of the sea, possibly connected with Aegir.

Balder
One of the Aesir, his name means "The Glorious". He was also called the "god of tears" and the "white as". Balder, the son of Odin and Frigg, was described as a very handsome and wise god. Some consider him to be a god of light since he was so bright, light shined from him.
Balder's wife was Nanna and they had a son named Forseti. Balder and Nanna lived in Breidablik [The Broad-Gleaming], where nothing unclean could be and there were "fewest baneful runes". Breidablik had a silver roof on golden pillars.
At one point Balder had a foreboding dream. Odin rode to Hel's realm to wake a volva from the dead to find out the meaning of Balder's dream. She foretold Balder's death by Hod (Hodur), his fraternal twin. Frigg asked all things to swear not to hurt Balder but didn't ask the mistletoe because it was so young. Loki, diguised as an old woman, visited Frigg and found out Balder was invunerable to everything but mistletoe. Loki made a dart out of mistletoe and tricked the blind god Hod into throwing it at Balder -- all the other gods were playing games by throwing various items at Balder --, thus killing him. Hermod rode to Hel's realm and got her to agree to let Balder return to the living if all things would weep for him. One giantess named Thokk, Loki in disguise, refused to weep for Balder, so he remained dead and was cremated on his funeral boat, hringhorni. He is supposed to come back to life after the Ragnarok.

Bor
Son of Buri. His wife was Bestla, daughter of the frost giant Bolthorn. Bor was the father of Odin, Vili, and Ve.

Bragi
God of poetry, son of Odin and the giantess Gunlod. He was the chief poet of Odin. He was married to Idun and he had runes cut on his tounge. There was a 9th century skald named Bragi Boddason and some believe he may have been raised to a god by later writers. Others believe Bragi was a pseudonym of Odin.

Buri
The first god. The cow Audumla formed him by licking ice. He was the father of Bor.

Eir
A goddess of healing, considered the best doctor. She taught her art to women who were the only physicians in ancient Scandinavia.

Forseti
God of justice. He is the son of Balder and Nanna. His name means "presiding one" and in The Poetic Edda, it says he is "the god that stills all strife." His home is Glitnir [shining].

Frey
God of weather and fertility. He ruled over the land of the light elves, Alfheim. He was the son of Njord and Njord's sister, and the brother of Freya. His step-mother was Skadi. To make peace, the Aesir and Vanir exchanged hostages. He, along with Njord and Freya, were sent by the Vanir to dwell with the Aesir. He owned the ship Skidbladnir which was made for him by dwarves. It could sail on the land, sea, or through the air. It was large enough to hold all the gods, yet could be folded up and fit into a pocket. He also owned a chariot drawn by two boars, Gullinbursti and Slidrugtanni. He could ride Gullinbursti [golden-bristled] through the sky. It was made by dwarfs for Loki to give to Frey. His name means "Lord" and it is thought that he was at one time the consort of his sister Freya [Lady]. His wife was Gerd, a beautiful giantess who he fell in love with when he espied her from Odin's throne. He sent his servant, Skirnir, to win her for him. For this task, Frey lent Skirnir his sword which "swings itself if wise he who wields it" and his horse. After Skirnir's threatening of her, Gerd agreed to give herself to Frey in nine nights at the forest Barri. At the Ragnarok, Frey will be killed by the fire giant Surt.
Also known as Yng, Frey is named as the progenitor of the swedish royal family. There was a statue of Frey in the temple at Uppsala in Sweden, the center of his cult.

Freya
Goddess of love, fertility, war, and wealth. Originally one of the Vanir. She was the daughter of Njord, and the sister of Frey. Her daughter, by Od, is named Hnoss who is so beautiful that whatever is valuable and lovely is named "treasure", after her. She lived in Folkvang [battlefield] and each day chose half of the slain warriors to split with Odin. She had a husband named Od, whom she somehow lost and cried golden tears for. Many believe Od is Odin. Her chariot was drawn by cats and she owned the precious Brisings' necklace, which she slept with four dwarves to acquire. She also owned a feather coat which she could use to fly between the worlds. After she went to live with the Aesir as a hostage, she taught them -- including Odin -- seidr. Some sources say Friday is named after her.

Frigg
Goddess of marriage. She is the wife of Odin, and Friday is named for her (according to some). Her abode was called Fensalir [The Ocean Halls]. She weaved the clouds.

Fulla (Volla)
Listed by Snorri as one of the twelve divine goddesses, she appears mainly to function as Frigg's maid, taking care of the goddess's shoes. She also, sometimes, functions as Frigg's messenger. Some believe she is Frigg's sister. Snorri stated she was a with long golden hair who wore a gold band around her head. It has been suggested that this band represents the binding around a sheaf of grain.

Gefjon
A prophetic goddess and a member of the Aesir and Vanir. All women who die virgins go to her hall. She was also a fertility goddess. In one myth, Gylfi, king of Sweden, tells Gefjon, who was disguised as a beggar, that she could have as much of Sweden as she could plough with four oxen in one day. She traveled to Jotunheim and found her four oxen sons whom she had by a giant (she isn't a in this myth!). She returned to Sweden in Midgard with her sons and ploughed all of the land now known as Zealand so it became part of Denmark, thereby tricking Gylfi. Her name means "Giver".

Gna
Listed by Snorri as one of the divine goddesses but appears only to be a handmaiden of Frigg who sends her on errands. She has a swift horse named Hoof-flourisher which can run in the air and over water.
Gullveig
A Vanir goddess. The Aesir's attempt to kill her brought about the first war in the world (the Vanir against the Aesir) which the Vanir won. The two tribes exchanged gods and then ruled together. Gullveig [Power of Gold] has been identified by some as the Triple Goddess, which was prevalent throughout the old world. Also called Heid [witch]. According to some she is Freya.

Heimdall
Watches the rainbow bridge, Bifrost , for the coming of the frost giants at the Ragnarok, at which time he will sound his horn Gjallar. In the Ragnarok, he and Loki will kill each other. He never sleeps, can see in the dark, and can hear sheep wool growing. His dwelling place is Himinbjorg [heavenly mountains]. Nine sisters, signifying the waves, gave birth to him. As Rig, he begets Thrall, Carl, and Earl, representing the three classes of man; slave, freeman, and noble.

Hel
Daughter of Loki and the giant Angurboda. She is the sister of Fenrir (Fenris-wolf) and Jormungand (Midgard serpent). She is the goddess of the underworld. Her realm was Niflheim and her hall, Elvidnir [misery]. She was described as half white and half black.

Hermod
Messenger of the gods. He rode to Hel's realm after the death of Balder to try and convince her to let Balder come back from the dead.

Hlin
Snorri lists Hlin as a goddess charged with protecting those men who Frigg wants kept safe. Called by others a goddess of consolation who was supposed to "kiss away the tears of mourners". In most sources, Hlin is just another name for Frigg.

Hod
Son of Odin. He is the blind god of winter, who is tricked by Loki into killing Balder. His name means "war". Vali, a son of Odin, avenged Balder's death by killing Hod.

Hoenir
After the war between the Aesir and the Vanir, he was sent as a hostage to the Vanir. He gave sense to the first humans. He possibly was Vili, a brother of Odin who helped create the world.

Huldra
A goddess who was attended by wood nymphs. They had cow tails which could be seen hanging out from beneath their white robes. They were the protectors of cattle, and sang beautifully. She is an aspect of Frigg.

Idun
Goddess who is married to Bragi and is the keeper of the apples which keep the gods eternally young. The storm giant Tjasse abducts her and the gods start to age until Loki kills the giant and retrieves Idun. Goddess of youth, her name means "The Rejuvenating One".

Jord
Earth goddess. Mother of Thor and Frigg.

Kvasir
His function depends on which source you read, like many of the Norse god/goddesses. In one myth, he is the wisest of the Vanir and sent to the Aesir as a hostage in a peace making process. In another tradition, he is created when the Aesir and Vanir mix together their spit in a peace making ritual. He is the wisest being. Later on, he is killed by dwarves who make his blood into mead, the mead of poetry.

Lodur
He gave appearance and speech to the first humans. He is identified with Ve by some and Loki by others.

Lofn
Goddess concerned with sparking passionate love. She had permission from Odin and Frigg to do so even for those who were forbidden to marry.

Loki
A giant. He became a member of the Aesir when Odin made Loki his blood brother. He is the god of mischief, a trickster, and very cunning. After causing the death of Balder, he was bound by the gods until the Ragnarok, at which time, he will be freed. There are quite a few sites dealing with Loki including a wonderful on-line essay by Johannes Persson, an article by Eric A. Anderson regarding Loki's offspring, and the Loki Cult Web Page.

Magni
A son of Thor, he will survive the Ragnarok. His name means "strong".

Mimir
A wise being. Possibly the son of Bolthorn. In some myths a god and in others a giant. He was sent as a hostage by the aesir to the vanir. The vanir became mad and cut his head off. Odin preserved his head so he could seek wisdom from it and placed it next to Mimir's well.

Modi
A son of Thor, he will survive the Ragnarok. His name means "courage".

Nanna
Moon goddess according to Bulfinch. Wife of Balder and mother of Forseti. She dies of heartache after Balder's death and is burned with him on his funeral boat -- along with his chopped up horse and an unfortunate dwarf who Thor kicked in at the last minute.

Nerthus
Possibly an older version of Njord (as the opposite sex) or his sister with whom he has Frey and Freya. She was a fertility goddess whose worship was centered in Denmark.

Njord
God of the wind and sea, father of Frey and Freya.He is a member of the vanir and his home is Noatun. His wife was the giantess Skadi. As compensation for the death of her father Thjatsi, the gods decided to let her pick a husband from among them -- one catch, she had to pick her new husband based only on the appearance of his feet. She picked Njord by mistake, assuming his feet belonged to Balder. Njord and Skadi could not agree on where to live. She didn't like his home, and he didn't like her's, so they split up. She was associated with skiing and hunting.

Odin
Leader of the Aesir. Odin had a myriad of names including Allfather, Ygg, Bolverk [evil doer], and Grimnir. He also had many functions including being a god of war, poetry, wisdom, and death. His halls were called Gladsheim Valaskjalf and Valhalla. Odin's high seat, Hlidskialf, was in Valaskjalf. It was from this throne that he could see over all the world. Valhalla is where he gathered his portion of the slain warriors, Einheriar, whom the valkyries had chosen.
The valkyries would serve mead which forever flowed from the udder of Odin's goat, Heidrun. They also served the warriors meat that came from the boar Saehrimnir, which the cook Andhrimnir would prepare for eating by boiling it in the cauldron Eldhrimnir. The boar magically came back to life before the next meal. After eating, the warriors would go outside the hall and fight each other to the death. They were, of course, brought back to life before the next feast. All of this fighting was practice for when Odin would lead the Einheriar in the final battle, Ragnarok.
Odin had a spear named Grungir which never missed its mark and a bow which unleashed ten arrows with every pull. He also owned a magic ring called Draupnir which created nine of itself every night. It was this ring that Odin laid on his son Balder's funeral pyre and which Balder returned to Odin from the underworld. Another one of Odin's prized possesions was his wonderful steed named Sleipnir which had eight legs. The horse was the offspring of Loki, who in mare form seduced a giant's horse named Svadilfari. Sleipnir could travel to the underworld and through the air. Odin also had two wolves, Geri and Freki, and two ravens, Hugin [thought] and Munin [memory]. He sent his ravens out every day to gather knowledge for him.
Odin sacrificed himself for knowledge by hanging on the world tree, Yggdrasil, which means Ygg's horse. Ygg is a name for Odin and horse is a metaphor for the gallows. He thereby learns the runes. Another sacrifice he made for wisdom was his eye. He gave it up in order to drink from the Well of Mimir which bestowed great knowledge. Because of this, he is typically depicted as having one eye. He is also depicted as wearing a cloak, being old, having a long grey beard, and wearing a wide brimmed hat down low over his face to conceal his one-eyed visage.
Odin was destined to die at Ragnarok; Fenris-Wolf swallowed him. Knowing his fate, he still chose to embrace it and do battle. Showing the true warrior ethic. He was the god of warriors and kings, not the common man. Many heroes genealogies start with Odin, including Sigurd. His name is not found in many place names and therefore it is believed that not many people worshipped him. He was thought to be a traitorous god, as shown in the sagas, who would strike down a warrior at his whim.

Ran
The wife of Aegir, she was the sea goddess of storms. She collects drowned people in her net.

Saga
Goddess who drinks with Odin in her hall Sokkvabekk. Her name means "seeress" and is connected with the norse word for history -- thus, some call her the goddess of history. Some consider her just an aspect of Frigg.

Sif
Goddess of crops and fertility, married to Thor. At one point, Loki stole her hair and had to replace it. He went to the dwarves and had them make her a new set of hair out of gold. An interesting thing to note is that short hair was a sign of a whore or a slave.

Sjofn (Vjofn)
Goddess concerned with causing men and women to think of love. It was her duty to stop fights between married couples.

Snotra
Wise and gentle goddess. Guerber calls her the goddess of virtue and master of all knowledge. She knew the value of self-discipline.

Syn
Goddess who was invoked by defendents at a trial. She was another attendant of Frigg and guarded the door of Frigg's palace.

Thor
The son of Odin and a member of the Aesir, he was the god of thunder and the main enemy of the giants. He would smash their heads with his mighty hammer Mjollnir. To wield this awesome weapon he needed iron gloves and a belt of strength. Mjollnir would return to Thor's hand after being thrown and was symbolic of lightning. Thor would ride around middle-earth in his wagon drawn by two goats, His abode was Thruthheim [Land of Strength] and his hall, Bilskinir. His wife was Sif.
He was foremost of the gods to the common man, who would call on him to ensure fertility, and widely worshiped. Hammer shaped amulets, a symbol of Thor because it was his weapon, were worn about the neck well into the christianization of Scandinavia. There are molds from that time which contain both cross and hammer shapes, side by side. His name occurs in numerous place names, and it was his statue which was central in the great temple at Uppsala. Thursday is named for him and he was associated by the Romans with Jupiter. Donar was an early version of Thor among the early Germans. The anglo-saxons worshiped a thunder god named Thunor.

Thrud
Daughter of Thor. The dwarf Alvis wanted to marry her but Thor tricked him into being above ground when the sun came up, turning him into stone.

Tyr
God of war. He was the only god brave enough to put his hand in the Fenris- wolf's mouth so the gods could bind it. The wolf bit off his right hand. There is much debate about his lefthandedness. In the norse culture the right hand was given for a pledge, which could be why the right hand was placed in the wolf's mouth. It has also been noted, however, that the offering of the right hand is to show that it is free of weapons. A left handed person was sometimes considered evil because he could use a weapon with his left hand even though he shook with his right hand. Tuesday is named for Tyr who was known as Tiw, or Tiu, by the Anglo-Saxons.

Ull
God of archery and the hunt, according to some he was a god of skiers and the snowshoe. His weapon was a longbow made out of Yew and he lived in Ydal [Yew Dales]. He was called upon for help in duels. He was the son (or step-son) of Thor and Sif (or Ovandrill, depending on the source). His name, which means glorious, is a part of many place names, therefore, he is considered to be an ancient god who was widely worshipped. It is believed that at one time he was one of the highest gods.

Vali
In some sources, the twin brother of Vidar. In other sources, he is the youngest of Odin's sons. His mother is the giantess Rind and he was born for the express purpose of avenging Balder's death since the gods could not kill one of their own. When he was only one night old, he killed Hod. He will be one of the seven Aesir to survive the ragnarok.

Var
Goddess who punishes those who do not keep their marriage vows. Probably the same as Vor, and just a part of Frigg.

Ve
Son of Bor and Bestla, brother of Vili and Odin. He is identified with Lodur by some. Killed the giant Ymir and created the world out of its carcass along with his brothers. He gave the first humans feeling, appearance, and speech. His name means "Holiness".

Vidar He was a son of Odin and Grid (a giantess), and had a twin brother named Vali. He dwelled in Vidi. He was one of the strongest of the gods and can be considered a god of vengance. In the ragnarok he will avenge his father by killing Fenris. He is one of the Aesir who will survive the final battle.

Vili
Son of Bor and Bestla, brother of Odin and Ve. Along with Odin and Ve, he killed the giant Ymir and created the cosmos out of Ymir's carcass. He made the first man and woman, along with Odin and Ve. He gave the humans thought and motion. He is identified with Hoenir by some and only as a part of Odin by others. His name means "Will".

Vor
A goddess whose name means "vow". Nothing can be hidden from her because she is so wise. She is considered by some to be a goddess of marriage and contracts. She is probably an aspect of Frigg.

Astrological Connections

Purists of the Norse Religion may scoff at the idea of associating the various Gods and Goddesses to a system that was not originated by the Norse. However, for comparison purposes, it is helpful to be able to associate the deities with the various signs of the zodiac; if for no other reason than to help in astrological chart interpretations using a Norse background.

Aries: The fiery Loki, and Ostara, the goddess of Spring

Taurus: Both the youthful Idunna and Weiland, smith of the Gods.

Gemini: Both Freyr and Freyja as the Twins.

Cancer: Blissful mother Fricka (Frigg); also Manni; Lord of the Moon

Leo: Mighty Thor; also, Sunna (the Sun)

Virgo: Sif (Sifa), the wife of Thor and Frowe of the harvest

Libra: Tyr, the lawgiver of the Gods; also Forseti, the god of Justice

Scorpio: Hela (Holle); Goddess of Death and Rebirth

Sagittarius: Allfather Odin (mounted on Sleipnir)

Capricorn: Skadi; Goddess of Winter and the Hunt; also Ullr, Lord of the Hunt

Aquarius: Heimdall, Guardian of the Rainbow Bridge

Pisces: Both Njord and Nerthus; God and Goddess of the Oceans and Rivers.

Mayan Deities

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: God/dess

1. - Itzam Na - This diety encompasses all deities yet this Diety is beyond all comprehension. 1 - Itzam Na - "one" or "unique" He is the greatest of the Gods. Hunab Ku - "All powerful God of no Image" I listed this diety although information shows this diety did not exist until after the Spanish Conquest. It probabily came about due to christian influence.

2 - Ohoroxtotil - Father of the Sun. Ben Ich - "He of the Starry Sky" He is a great infinite Jaguar (his spots are thought to be stars and planets).

3 - Ix Chebel Yax - Mother of the Sun. Ix Hun Zipit - Lady of the Sea.

4 - Kunku Chacs - 'Kun' means "kindly" or "tender" 'Ku' means "God".

5 - Ah Hadz'en Caan Chacs - "Lash" The Sky God.

6 - Ah Kin - "He of the Sun".

7 - Ix Ahau - "Mistress" She is the Mistress of Creative Arts and the Master of Weaving (she like Athene, in the Greek myths, worked her magick on the loom).

8 - Ah Kin - as the Patron of Knowledge and Power.

9 - XAhau - "Lady Ahau" Moon Goddess Wife of Ah Kin (the Sun God).

10 - Cobel Cab - Mistress of the Earth. Ix Tan Dz'onot - The Child of She who Sits in the Mud, the Child of She who emerges from the Sand. 836

11 - Acan - God of Wine (Actually he rules over intoxicating drinks such as beer, wine, Kola, etc.) He is known for his loud "bellowing" and his foolish behavior He is Cacoch's aid (Cacoch is a God of Creation).

12 - Ah Kin Xoc - 'Ah kin' means "Priest". 'Xoc' means "to count or read". He is a great singer, musician, and poet. He won the respect of the Sun God when he took the guise of a Hummingbird and wooed the Moon Goddess. Husband of the Plumeria, the sacred flower of Itzam Na (this flower rules Divine Sexuality, its colors are red and white). This Flower contained the secret of Truth and Immortality.

13 - Ix Chel - Moon Goddess She rules over Pro- creation, birth, medicine, and wisdom. She is a Virgin but she had a secret cult which she is regarded as a Sacred Mistress to Itzam Na.

14 - Ix Ahau Na - "Palace-Lady".

15 - Canan Chul Chan - Guardian of Holy Sky. "Big Star".

16 - Itzam Na Kinch Ahau - Old Sun God of balanced judgement. Ruler of the Bacabs (Elements).

17 - Xbalanque & Hunahpu - Twin Heros Brothers who heard the Divine Call of Itzam Na which lead them to destroy the False Ones who had exalted themselves and deceived some Mayas to worship them; and defeated the Lords of Death.

18 - Nucuch Chacob - "The Great Chacs" Four horsemen who are the Rain Gods. They bring Water of Life from the Gods to the Maya.

19 - Balanke - "Jaguar-Sun" This aspect of the Sun is the essence of Strenght (warrior-type strenght). He is considered a Great Breast. All His Priests and Priestesses are His harlots.

20 - Xob - Mother of Maize. All Maize Deities sprang from Her seed (literally corn seed). 837

21 - Ek Chuah - He is the Merchant Diety, but most im- portantly is ruled the cacao which was the Mayan's biggest trade commodity.

22 - Itzam Na - as Great God who oversees Justice between the Gods and the Mayan who worships the Gods.

23 - Ku Kulcan - The Aztecs called Him "Quetzalcoatl". He is the God of Self-sacrifice which was done so the Maya could survive and gain acknowledgement of Itzam Na. Some myths place Him as the Judge of the dead (but I would take this with a gain of salt).

24 - Yum Cimil - "Lord of Death".

25 - Zip - Protector of the Deer (according to myth the Deer created the Vagina of the Moon Goddess by stepping on Her abdomen and then she was able to bear children of the Sun God. Note the sole of deer's foot looks like a Vagina). Zip would deceive hunters to believe he was shooting a deer when in fact it was a iguana (a sacred animal of Itzam Na; to kill one incites the Death penalty). To those who gained Zip's Favor meant a successful hunt.

26 - Ah Ahaah Cab - "Awakener" He is associated with the Morning Star (Venus).

27 - Cit Chac Coh - "Father Red Great Puma" The Lord God of War. Buluc Chabtan - The God of Human Sacrifice and War.

28 - Bolon Tzcab - The Ruling-Lineage Diety. He kept the Line of Itzam Na pure and made sure the Nobility of the Maya was strong.

29 - XAhau - as Moon Goddess.

30 - Kinich Ahau - "Sun-Eyed Lord" It is said He had a golden Sun eye (some say it was almond eye) at the place of His Ajna Chakra.

31 - Hun Kak - "Unique Fire" The Divine Fire that consumes all what ever remains is prepared for Divinity.

32 - Ben Ich - "He of the Starry Sky"

Cherokee Deities

Posted by Witch of the West | Labels: God/dess

Tsiskagili

The Red Crayfish. He got his coloring and his inedible flesh when the primordial animals first set the Sun in the sky but set it too low so he was badly scorched.

Woodlands, Cherokee.

Utsanati

"Rattlesnake." A Cherokee animal-spirit who is regarded as a helper of mankind, despite the dangerous nature of the animal itself.

Tsul 'Kalu

The Cherokee god of hunting.

Medicine

The coming of medicine

A very long time ago, man and animal lived together in peace and harmony. Then suddenly this changed, when some greedy people began to hunt only to sell the meat and fur. This caused the animal population to dwindle, greatly concerning the animals.

The white bear called a council of animals to decide on how to avenge themselves. They argued for a long time, but they could not agree. Then the oldest and wisest flies offered a suggestion. "Let us call upon the spirits" he said. "We will ask them to send great sickness on the people, and we will carry the diseases".

Not long after that, a great sickness spread indeed through all the Native American villages -- attacking the good as well as the bad. Since the animals only wanted to punish the bad people, they were saddened to see the good ones were suffering as well. They called another council to discuss what was to be done.

The lowly herbs came with a solution; they promised to heal the sick. Then, spirit dreams were sent to the Shamans to guide them to the herbs. This is how healing medicine was brought to the Native Americans.

Sint Holo

Sint Holo is an invisible, great horned serpent, having spiritual and cultural significance among the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and adjacent tribes. This "snake" might reveal its presence to any male youth who had demonstrated a marked degree of wisdom or intelligence beyond his peers. According to certain but vague accounts, Sequoya, regarded as the primary inventor and developer of the Cherokee written language, "must have seen Sint Holo, the horned reptile" in order to create the alphabet for the Cherokee.

Deep in a cave below the water, Sint Holo dwelled. He brought on heavy rains and could make a noise like thunder but could not make thunder, like the Thunderer spirit, its enemy. Only to those who showed they were wiser than the others, would he show himself and offer his old wisdom.

The Catawba also had many "snake tales".

[note: Certain South Eastern tribes were collectively known as the "Civilized Tribes" and claim their lineage to perhaps Mayan and Aztec or Toltec origins, where the myths of the Great Eagle (Thunder Bird) and Great Snake have varied significance. Other various "origin tales" are disputed whether the Chickasaw or the Creek where the "source" tribe. This connection of the Great Eagle and Great Serpent is prevalent throughout all of Native America. See Thunder Bird.]

[Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chicasaw. South Eastern Woodlands, Florida]

Asgaya Gigagei

The lightning/thunder spirit of the Cherokee, also called the Red Man or Blood-colored Man.

Asga'ya Gi'gôge̅, from Asga'ya = "man" Gi'gô = "blood" ge̅ = "like", "exists as", or "resembles"

Oonawieh Unggi

"The Oldest Wind". The Cherokee wind spirit.

Snallygaster

Snallygaster is an "oicotype" from the Frederick County region of Maryland, USA. Most likely corrupted German "schnell geiste", a Pennsylvania Dutch term meaning "quick spirit" often associated with those draughts that slam doors, topple over lightweight objects, or scatter papers. The visual or physical appearance of the Snallygaster is confusing since there are several variation narrative, some of which where invented after the oral tradition, having roots in the dragonlore of the early settlers. The Snallygaster more often has similarities to dragons, green and scaled, and winged.

However, of her tales exist around the South Mountain region where the Snallygaster is a monstrous bird preying on young children. Literary accounts of the Snallygaster were printed in the local newspapers. These narratives were most likely invented tales by two rival editors. To end the rivalry caused the Snallygaster demise; sent plummeting headlong into a boiling vat of whiskey. Such a just end for this unseen spirit. Of interest to scholars is the nature of the various tales likely invented, those which were patterned after Dragonlore, the absence of Native American influence (owing to the region once inhabited by Leni Lenape, Susquehannocks, Cherokee and other Northeast tribes), and its connection to Pennsylvania Dutch lore.

Nunhyunuwi

In Cherokee myth, a terrible man-eating giant made of stone.

THE CHEROKEE GODS AND THEIR ABIDING PLACES.

After what has been said in elucidation of the theories involved in the medical formulas, the most important and numerous of the series, but little remains to be added in regard to the others, beyond what is contained in the explanation accompanying each one. A few points, however, may be briefly noted.

The religion of the Cherokees, like that of most of our North American tribes, is zootheism or animal worship, with the survival of that earlier stage designated by Powell as hecastotheism, or the worship of all things tangible, and the beginnings of a higher system in which the elements and the great powers of nature are deified. Their pantheon includes gods in the heaven above, on the earth beneath, and in the waters under the earth, but of these the animal gods constitute by far the most numerous class, although the elemental gods are more important. Among the animal gods insects and fishes occupy a subordinate place, while quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles are invoked almost constantly. The uktena (a mythic great horned serpent), the rattlesnake, and the terrapin, the various species of hawk, and the rabbit, the squirrel, and the dog are the principal animal gods. The importance of the god bears no relation to the size of the animal, and in fact the larger animals are but seldom invoked. The spider also occupies a prominent place in the love and life-destroying formulas, his duty being to entangle the soul of his victim in the meshes of his web or to pluck it from the body of the doomed man and drag it way to the black coffin in the Darkening Land.

Among what may be classed as elemental gods the principal are fire, water, and the sun, all of which are addressed under figurative names. The sun is called Une'`lanû'hï, "the apportioner," just as our word moon means originally "the measurer." Indians and Aryans alike, having noticed how these great luminaries divide and measure day and night, summer and winter, with never varying regularity, have given to each a name which should indicate these characteristics, thus showing how the human mind constantly moves on along the same channels. Missionaries have naturally, but incorrectly, assumed this apportioner of all things to be the suppositional "Great Spirit" of the Cherokees and hence the word is used in the Bible translation as synonymous with God. In ordinary conversation and in the lesser myths the sun is called Nû'ntâ. The sun is invoked chiefly by the ball-player, while the hunter prays to the fire; but every important ceremony--whether connected with medicine, love, hunting, or the ball play--contains a prayer to the "Long Person," the formulistic name for water, or, more strictly speaking, for the river. The wind, the storm, the cloud, and the frost are also invoked in different formulas.

But few inanimate gods are included in the category, the principal being the Stone, to which the shaman prays while endeavoring to find a lost article by means of a swinging pebble suspended by a string; the Flint, invoked when the shaman is about to scarify the patient with a flint arrow-head before rubbing on the medicine; and the Mountain, which is addressed in one or two of the formulas thus far translated. Plant gods do not appear prominently, the chief one seeming to be the ginseng, addressed in the formulas as the "Great Man" or "Little Man," although its proper Cherokee name signifies the "Mountain Climber."

A number of personal deities are also invoked, the principal being the Red Man. He is one of the greatest of the gods, being repeatedly called upon in formulas of all kinds, and is hardly subordinate to the Fire, the Water, or the Sun. His identity is as yet uncertain, but he seems to be intimately connected with the Thunder family. In a curious marginal note in one of the Gahuni formulas (page 350), it is stated that when the patient is a woman the doctor must pray to the Red Man, but when treating a man he must pray to the Red Woman, so that this personage seems to have dual sex characteristics. Another god invoked in the hunting songs is Tsu'l`kalû', or "Slanting Eyes" (see Cherokee Myths), a giant hunter who lives in one of the great mountains of the Blue Ridge and owns all the game. Others are the Little Men, probably the two Thunder boys; the Little People, the fairies who live in the rock cliffs; and even the De'tsata, a diminutive sprite who holds the place of our Puck. One unwritten formula, which could not be obtained correctly by dictation, was addressed to the "Red-Headed Woman, whose hair hangs down to the ground."

The personage invoked is always selected in accordance with the theory of the formula and the duty to be performed. Thus, when a sickness is caused by a fish, the Fish-hawk, the Heron, or some other fish-eating bird is implored to come and seize the intruder and destroy it, so that the patient may find relief. When the trouble is caused by a worm or an insect, some insectivorous bird is called in for the same purpose. When a flock of redbirds is pecking at the vitals of the sick man the Sparrow-hawk is brought down to scatter them, and when the rabbit, the great mischief-maker, is the evil genius, he is driven out by the Rabbit-hawk. Sometimes after the intruder has been thus expelled "a small portion still remains," in the words of the formula, and accordingly the Whirlwind is called down from the treetops to carry the remnant to the uplands and there scatter it so that it shall never reappear. The hunter prays to the fire, from which he draws his omens; to the reed, from which he makes his arrows; to Tsu'l`kalû, the great lord of the game, and finally addresses in songs the very animals which he intends to kill. The lover prays to the Spider to hold fast the affections of his beloved one in the meshes of his web, or to the Moon, which looks down upon him in the dance. The warrior prays to the Red War-club, and the man about to set out on a dangerous expedition prays to the Cloud to envelop him and conceal him from his enemies.

Each spirit of good or evil has its distinct and appropriate place of residence. The Rabbit is declared to live in the broomsage on the hillside, the Fish dwells in a bend of the river under the pendant hemlock branches, the Terrapin lives in the great pond in the West, and the Whirlwind abides in the leafy treetops. Each disease animal, when driven away from his prey by some more powerful animal, endeavors to find shelter in his accustomed haunt. It must be stated here that the animals of the formulas are not the ordinary, everyday animals, but their great progenitors, who live in the upper world (galû'nlati) above the arch of the firmament.

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