Krampus Nacht Ist Hier!

On December 6 all around the world a holiday is celebrated. This holiday is the festival of Saint Nicholas, a precursor to the legend of Santa Claus. Now while children all around the world place their shoes outside their bedroom doors at night hoping for them to be filled with candy overnight children of northern Europe have another being on their minds. The creature I am talking about of course is the Krampus and he is not nearly as cheerful as old Saint Nick.

The name Krampus comes from “krampen” an old Germanic word for claw and is used to describe a being who comes not to reward the good children but to punish the bad. The beginnings of his legend are hard to pin down but what we do know is that legends of the Krampus in Bavarian countries predate the Christian colonization and were part of the pagan culture of the area.

The first thing to talk about when discussing the Krampus is his appearance. As his name meaning “claw” suggests the Krampus is less of a man and more of a monster. He is described as very tall and covered in filthy, shaggy fur from head to know. He has a large mouth full of razor sharp fangs and a long, lolling tongue which is often portrayed as hanging out of his mouth. He is also shown as having huge glowing eyes, sharp claws and a set of large goat horns. He is armed with a large sack for kidnapping children in one hand and a bundle of birch branches used to flail bad children.

Many of his physical features play to his character as that of a predatory monster ready to devour bad children such as his fangs and large mouth, also his large, glowing eyes are said to suggest that he sees everything a child does both night and day. The thing I find most interesting about his appearance however is his set of large horns and fur coated body. This to me is a throwback to the pagan religions of the area and suggest that the Krampus may have been a variation of the horned god. In traditional Germanic heathenry he is said to be the son of Hel, goddess of death and the underworld.

As I alluded to earlier his arrival was not a good thing for a child. He was said to arrive on the night of Saint Nicholas’s feast in a sleigh pulled by small children (who were whipped by the way), and throw the bad children in a sack to take back to either his forest cave or hell depending on the story. Once you were taken away by the Krampus you were never seen again as you were either eaten or kept as a toy for the Krampus to torture at will.

Now while this is a terrifying ghost story for any child to be sure the parents would take it one step further. Parents would have a local man dress as the Krampus and be invited into the home to take the children away. The children would be terrified and begin begging not to be taken away, at this point the Krampus of course would decide to let the children go with a warning and a reminder that they had better behave because he is watching and this was their last chance. To make matters worse parents would write letters signed as “The Krampus” listing bad things that the child had done and mail them to their children with a promise of seeing them soon. These letters can still be bought in Europe as a traditional holiday gift and are called “Krampus Karten”.

Krampus Karten, Gruss von Krampus is German for “Greetings from the Krampus”

 

 

The tradition of the Krampus while terrifying  is still alive and strong in many Bavarian countries. Every year on Saint Peter’s festival there are Krampuslaufs or Krampus runs where huge numbers gather to watch the procession of horrible demons waving chains, ringing bells and promising scared children to get them next.  There are even some festivals where part of the celebration is the demons chasing children through the town and trying (not for real) to stuff children into a sack for dinner. The tradition has even spread to the United states as there is now a Krampus Festival in Philadelphia Pennsylvania every year to celebrate Bavarian culture and their famous demon.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLnl5ZWG4tg   Here is video of a KrampusLauf in action!

So despite being outlawed by the Catholic church as devil worship and even being suppressed by the Fascists during World War 2 as a symbol of social democracy the legend of the Krampus lives on. So if you are a wicked child repent now before it is to late. Start behaving now before you hear the chains of Krampus or wailing of his child-drawn sleigh because he is watching and the demon of the alps may be coming for you.

Krampus is a creature from hell,

Horns and fangs and smelly dark fur,

Carries a stick and clangs a bell,

Seasonal bad Santa for sure.

Came to life in Alpine folklore,

Even before the Christmas days,

To scare all the children galore

For any misbehaving ways.

Germanic for “claw,” Krampus tiz

All the better to grab onto

The children in the not nice biz.

Child – Krampus is coming for you.

Krampus takes naughty children, so

Get ready child – you’re gonna go. 

Jotnartru ritual

I have been speaking with many jotnartru ( worshipers of the original gods of Northern polytheism) and they are having difficulty in formulating a heathen ritual in which they feel satisfied and not demonized by the ignorant. This is merely a template I cobbled together, hopefully it can be of some use.

The first thing involved is setting up the altar. I prefer to keep it very earthen based and simple. My personal preference is to go out into nature somewhere and find a large flat rock or else a log to use as an altar. You will want to be away from people and technology as the jotun are very ancient and primal beings and they will be most willing to appear in a more natural setting. Things to place on the altar should represent each of the elements of fire, water, earth, and air. This is easily accomplished by candles, incense, a bowl of water and a rock that you find along the pathway. Other things to place on the altar (at least for me) would be some animal skulls, pelts, and also some sort of bladed weapon. For a traditional offering I like to use a piece of raw meat and some alcohol, both of which are to be left behind as offerings when the ritual is completed.

This should be obvious but when creating your ritual space to perform a rite to the jotun a hammer hallowing is not a good idea. Instead of a hammer a knife or sword can just as easily suffice, as a Helsman I have a small scythe that I use. I will lay out the calling of the corners by direction.

North: To the powers of Earth I call on the strength of the mountain jotun and ask the 9 tribes of the ironwood to come bare witness and protect this space.

East: To the  power of the sky and the storms I ask Ymir the first born to protect this space.

South: I call on the power of fire and the Muspellians for strength. Surtr and Sinmora hear me and keep safe this sacred space.

West: I call on the powers of the seas from which all life flows forth, I ask you Aegir and Ran to bless this space with your protection.

So that is the basic calling of the corners and from there you could do rune galdr but I prefer to call the sacred names of the jotun gods also none as the rokkr. I normally just Use Loki and his family and ask each of them to hear our call and maybe bless us in their own ways. After reading the piece for each rokkr the others in attendance would chant the rokkr’s name 3 times similar to galdr.

1. Loki, the crafty one we ask you to be here and help us see through deceit and always be able to think and see for ourselves.

repeat “Loki” slowly 3 times thinking on what you hope to achieve

2. Angrboda, wolf mother of the Ironwood fill us with the courage to always stand our ground and never back down from our foes.

repeat “Angrboda” slowly 3 times thinking on what you hope to achieve

3. Fenrir, the eater of worlds give us the strength and fury to live fearlessly and strike down all who stand against us

repeat “Fenrir” slowly 3 times thinking on what you hope to achieve

4. Jormungandr, the great serpent surround us in your coiled embrace and remind us that we are limitless beings

repeat “Jormungandr” slowly 3 times thinking on what you hope to achieve

5. Lady Hela, corpse maiden always remind us that we are to honor our ancestors and please keep clear our connection to their wisdom.

repeat “Hela” slowly 3 times thinking on what you hope to achieve

At this point it is time for the sumbel and the format is essentially the same. I always preferred a three round sumbel for “formal” ritual followed by the more fun and less serious rounds after.

I would do the first round to a Jotun or Rokkr that you want to raise admiration towards or are asking for help (remember do not beg or be weak, they will find that disgusting).

The second round would remain the same as any heathen ritual meaning that this round is for your ancestors.

The third round would be different however. This round is always a boast as this ritual is meant to inspire confidence and strength. Don’t be a jerk but entertain the jotun with a great exploit or show them the pride in your words.

After this there is the typical blessing, how I like to do this is to pass around the meat and alcohol offering from the altar and everyone takes a bite of flesh and drinks some of the alcohol.  This is to show your solidarity with your fellow worshipers as well as the jotun in attendance. Remember the jotun will have no respect for people who think they are to good to partake in ritual with them.

After this all of the offerings (meat and alcohol) are left in the wild as a gift and all of the spirits are thanked and dismissed. The final thing to make sure of is that you take everything with you that you brought in, the jotun are forces of nature and will not take kindly to littering.

Lilith

Runes part 3

This is the third part of the blog on runes that I am writing and here I am going to be writing on a topic that many “rune workers” do not even know about. I am talking about Hel’s aett. These runes came a little bit later on as the Old Norse runic language continued to develop but is often left out of traditional rune sets because they are associated with many of the less popular deities, namely Loki’s kin.

These last 8 runes are commonly refered to as the futhorc or Anglo-saxon runes which was commonly used from the 5th century onward and included elements of old English and old Frisian. They remained in Anglo-Saxon England from abouth the 6th till the 10th century where they were mainly relegated to manuscript writing. Soon after the Norman invasion they disappeared.

The rune above is called Ear, it is the rune of the grave symbolizing a hanging yoke where slaughtered animals were hung to bleed out or also a gallow, it is associated with Hela goddess of the dead. When this rune is pulled in a reading it means that there will be a slow and gradual decline, maybe decay is a better way to word it. Rather then just being a rune of doom this rune can be a reminder of the cycle and impermanence of all things. It is a sign that things are changing, maybe for better or maybe for worse.

 

The rune above is AC, this is the rune of the oak tree and more specifically of Angrboda. This rune calls you to be fierce and ready to defend yourself and hold your ground against any and all comers. A warning on using this rune however, by working with this rune you will draw out all the attacks and ire of others, but if you can stand strong what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.

The above rune is Ior, named after Loki’s child Jormungandr. Just as the world serpent surrounds and encompasses the world so this rune tells you to step back and look at the whole picture within your grasp. Try not to look at pieces of a situation but look at it from all possible angles because your answer may be hidden right before your eyes. This is also a good rune for personal alchemy as Jormungandr is neither male nor female so chanting this rune may help bring together the 2 halves of yourself.

The above rune is called YR and represents the famous Norse archer Aurvandil, it means focus. This rune is pretty straightforward it means that perfect set focus of an archer on his target. Receiving this rune means that it is time to find what is most important and hone in on this one thing.

The rune above is OS and is associated with the god Loki. This is the rune of Loki’s silver tongue for both good and bad. This is a good rune for talking yourself out of a jam but also a good one to draw strength from if you need to voice an unpopular opinion. Receiving this rune in a reading means that there is something that you need to step up and take care of and only you can do it.

The above rune is Cweorth, it is the rune of the funeral pyre and associated with none other then Surt. Whereas Ear means that there is going to be a slow and steady decay Cweorth is telling you that things are going to change immediately. This rune brings forth all the subtlety of a raging inferno into your life. If things are going to change they are going to burn hard and fast until nothing is left so you may rebuild from the ashes.

This rune is Stan and symbolizes a linking key stone. This rune in itself has no meaning but tells you that something within your question is the crux of the problem.Something that works for me as well is if I pull it I will notice which rune is on either side and use Stan as a link to get one answer from 2 runes. Stan for me is kind of like a super glue from the gods.

The above rune is Chalc and is the rune of the chalice. This rune has two meanings, one is good and one is slightly sneaky and devious. The first reason is for the true value and worth of something to bring itself forth. This can be a great rune to inspire self confidence in a meek individual. The other more insidious use is to deceive someone on the worth of another object. This rune can be used to make something better or more glamorous then it truly is.

The above rune is not part of Hel’s aett but is worth putting in here. It is called Gar and is associated with Odin. This rune when pulled is normally a sign to stop and trust that the God’s will take care of you and that everything will work out how it needs to. In many cases this takes the place of the blank rune in a set.

I hope this helped a little bit and can maybe throw a few new tricks into your rune bag, just take your time and have fun with these. They all seem confusing and blend together at first but with daily practice they become second nature.

Runes part 2

 

So I have received many requests for the inverse of the runes. What this means is that similar to tarot cards if the rune is pulled or written in reverse the meaning can come out opposite. This is most often used in writing out rune formulas or “bind-runes” which is a form of magical sigil work. Many times the inverse runes are written into bind-runes as a way to cause harm or curse others as the meaning is typically negative. I am not espousing hexing anyone, I just feel that if you know one side of the coin you may as well know the other, also this is good to know in case you ever see it come your way.

Fehu written backwards can mean total failure in a venture and material loss, think of a total bankruptcy.

Uruz written backwards means frailty and sickness but can also be emotions of rashness and uncontrolled lust. A reverse Uruz  is unwanted and unchecked rage and anger, be very careful if you see this.

Thurisaz backwards can cause a compulsion and mental anxiety. It sadly is often used in hexes for violence and rape.

Ansuz reversed is a false voice in your mind, more specifically delusional thoughts and ideas

Raido reversed usually means a crisis or a standstill. This can also mean an end to a journey or more plainly put death.

Kenaz reversed means false hope and total loss of creativity, you are alone in the dark with no guidance.

Gebo is one that looks the same reversed as forward so it is especially insidious as the meaning is due to the intent behind it. This can cause loneliness, abandonment, problems in relationships and also feelings of obligation.

Wunjo reversed is pretty obvious, it means such things as sorrow and strife. it can also mean all the problems of to much joy such as intoxication, addiction and frenzy.

Hagalaz reversed means catastrophe, loss, hardship pain etc. It is all of the storm with none of the change or protection.

Nauthiz reversed is the necessity without the security. It is distress, drudgery, restlessness and procrastination. It is the worry that keeps you awake at night.

Beware of an Isa in it’s side (like a minus sign). This can mean a reckless crashing through life without thought or introspection causing such things as ego-mania, deceit and betrayal.

Jera on it’s side means that you will have all of the hard work with no harvest. There will only be set backs and pointless repetition.

A reversed eiwaz can mean a lack of patience but also can sever your spiritual connection or create obstructions on your spiritual path.    

Perthro reversed can mean failed gambles on occasion but more often it means that unwanted things inside you creep to the surface. All the feelings of self doubt and fear spill over into your mind.

Algiz upside down is pretty obvious. You will be unprotected and fail to see the hidden dangers surrounding you.

Sowillo reversed usually means failure but it can run deeper then that. Sowillo reversed means bad council and gullibility. Interestingly enough ( I cannot personally vouch for this but intent is intent) a reversed Sowillo was traditionally used to bring the wrath of a God down on someone.

An inverted Tiwaz means either injustice or things such as strife and war. It can also cause false senses of security and importance, also stupidity. Just think of that boss that we have all had who is woefully incompetent but struts around like they own the place.

Berkano reversed is a lack of fertility, truly insidious and not about to be gone into detail by me.

An Inverse Ehwaz is all the things that go wrong in a partnership, the mistrust the disharmony and the betrayal. Also commonly used in divorce hexes.

Mannaz upside down is the downside of humaity. All of our rage and ignorance. All of the manipulation and fallibility coupled with our own mortality.

Laguz reversed typically means a full emotional catastrophe. Confusion, despair, depression, insanity and suicidal thought are common here.

A sideways Ingwaz was commonly used for stopping a birth (impotence or abortion), also endless toil with no progress.

A sideways Dagaz is infinite darkness. You feel that you are progressing endlessly through the dark with no end in sight and no help arriving.

An upside down Othalla represents family shame and a lack of connection to your ancestors. This can more literally mean slavery or homelessness.

Now please don’t get the wrong impression by this blog post, I am not posting this information to cause trouble or teach people to hex. I merely feel that anyone who wants to study the runes must know all sides to the runes. Also there are some unscrupulous people out there who will deliberately give you a gift with reversed runes on it, I personally had a friend this happened to. So in closing this is just a case of educating yourself fully so you don’t make mistakes or enemies accidentally. 

                                                                                          

 

 

Embracing the wild

So I have had an idea going through my mind for some time now but could never quite figure out how to formulate it into words. Then yesterday I am pretty sure I was given a little bit of inspiration from a spirit I have been working with on how to do this, or in his case how not to do this. 

As I look out at the world today I can’t help but feel that we as a species have lost our connection to the Earth. Everybody is running around like a panicked deer trying to find ways to make more money to buy things that they don’t need and will only cause more desire (maybe it’s my Buddhist training who know). I make a decent living but I need to earn it by putting in 40+ hours at a lead foundry. I notice however around me that many other people can never seem to make enough money, but then I look at them as they are leaving and they are wearing designer clothes and getting into a BMW.  The amount of money I make allows my wife and I to live a simple but honest life without too many worries, but this article is not about my job it is about what I feel people are missing in life.

People need to remember that they are not beings separate of the Earth but are rather a piece of the Earth itself. I do not mean this in the flake, hippy way but literally we have evolved from the dirt of the Earth and for untold millennia have existed in harmony with the Earth. Even the great, ancient empires of the Earth always maintained a connection to the Earth and practiced it as part of their spirituality. In all great societies of the past the Gods either represent the natural world or else use the natural world as a means to speak through us. It is only recently that we have begun to worship our “new” gods in a technological dystopia. People now worship the god of television, the god of computers and many other things which pull us further from our Earthen roots. I was at the park near my home a few weeks ago and saw people walking on the hiking trail through the forest and texting the entire time. The beautiful world was right in front of them and rather then take it in and feel it’s power they had to see what their zombie friends were putting on Facebook.

To me you not only need to remember your savage, primal side but you need to honor it. People must remember to walk barefoot through the grass. People must remember the simple joy of grappling and wrestling for fun with friends. People need to remember the ancient ritual of sitting around a fire and speaking with your “pack” face to face not over a screen.

I don’t speak much about the Gods I work with. By Gods here I am referring to the masculine aspects I work with. I tend to speak with the Gods who represent the savage nature of truth, the Gods who are neither human in appearance nor spirit. The two I most work with and Fenrir and Jormundgandr, the sons of Loki (the sound of every Nordic Wiccan dropping their monocles all at once is deafening). These Gods both have a very human intelligence but that is as far as their humanity extends.

I have spoken with Fenrir on several occasions and have grown to take much strength from him over the months. I first started trying to get hiss attention when people were attacking me over my beliefs and just put out a basic plea for help. The next thing I knew while meditating a gigantic, black wolf appeared and told me in a gravelly voice “fuck em”, that is pretty much the core of Fenrir. He told me that they only try to bring me down because they are afraid of anything new and them losing their grip over the sheep who follow them. Since then I have traveled to him in meditation several times both as a human and in totem form when I am feeling scared or just need advice for connecting to my “primal” side. Offerings to the dread-wolf for me are simple I place a candle with a bowl of water and a bowl of mead next to a piece of raw meat outside over night. To me though the most important part is to show him that you are not trying to subjugate him as a lowly animal. I sit on the ground before my offering and sip the mead and water as well as share the raw flesh with him.  The last time I did this there was a dust print on the patio door in the form of an almost perfect wolf silhouette, I know that sounds crazy but I swear on the Gods that it was there and unmistakable.

From speaking with him I realized that he is a much deeper character then most people realize. He is not a ravenous monster who ends the universe but rather a symbol of responsibility and paying for your actions. Everything involving Fenrir is simply cause and effect like everything in our lives, maybe remembering his story will help you remember that everything you do has a cost.

• Odin kills Fenrir’s mother and kidnaps his family, Fenrir kills Odin
• Tyr breaks his oath to Fenrir, Fenrir takes his hand (Tyr is also later killed by Fenrir’s cousin Garmr)
• Fenrir kills Odin, Fenrir is later slain by Odin’s son Vidarr.

Jormundgandr is slightly more difficult to describe, and before I will do him any injustice I need to spend more time formulating how to write about him. For right now we can just say that to me he represents the human subconscious and that he doesn’t speak. I did however perform a ritual to him when a friend of a friend was lost at sea. The message came through clearly and bluntly ” HE’S DEAD”, that was all he said. The next day his body was found in the ocean.

I guess to sum this whole thing up I am saying that the human race needs to put down technology (yes, I get the irony there) and spend time in the wild. We need to run through the forests and play on the Earth with our pets and children. We need to remember our base instincts, eat real food, howl at the moon and have sex. Our true nature is being repressed and hidden behind false glamours put up by people who wish to enslave you. Sometimes just like Fenrir you need to say enough is enough, break your chains and take command of your own fate.

A little more on the Phantom Queen followed by the saga of Ulster

Ok, so I am back to writing now after a brief hiatus. I had to take some time off to get settled into a new life full of new challenges and journeys that come with being married. Don’t get me wrong, I am totally happy with everything but the change still demanded much of my time. Add that to the fact that I started a new job and have been fighting to refinance my school loans and you see why I admittedly have had little time to write, but I’m back now which is all that matters.

My wife and I went on a Celtic retreat to study the Morrigan for our honeymoon and I was inspired to write this article due to the gross misrepresentation of her by the new age community. The following article will be a brief description of her aspects followed by a famous story of Celtic lore involving the Morrigann. They have some things right, she is a very tall powerful dark haired woman surrounded by crows but is a little more fierce then the way she was represented.

The Morrigan has three aspects 

1. The Phantom Queen
2. The Frenzy
3. The mother of sovereignty

The first aspect is the phantom queen which is the Morrigan in her aspect of a death caller or rather a goddess who comes to the fallen battlefield after a war to claim souls and help them cross to the other side. In all of her aspects she is represented by a crow but it is most represented in this form as a scavenger who seeks treasure and new beginnings from death.  Legends say that if a man was going into battle and saw a woman washing bloody clothes on a riverbank that it meant he was to die that day. The woman is the Morrigan and is washing the soldiers clothes so that he can be clean and pure to move onto his next stage. This aspect of the Morrigan is also the one that sometimes gives her a bad name among uneducated neo-pagans since she has an association with death, which in modern society has somehow become something evil and dark. This aspect can be called on to remove fear in your hearts and overcome change.

The second aspect know as the frenzy may be my personal favorite. This is the madness of battle and in this form the Morrigan is a wailing banshee howling at night to stir up a fervor in men’s hearts. The frenzy according to legend would not give a blessing to the side of a battle she sided with but would rather spend her night striking fear into the other sides army ripping at tents and shrieking through the night. Sometimes in this aspect she is known as either the banshee queen or queen of the unseelie court. I have called on this aspect in times of needed strength, I call on her to whip up a frenzy within myself to do what must be done. 

The last aspect is the Lady of sovereignty, this is essentially her role as a mother of fertility and abundance. She is most often represented as a very kind woman, usually pregnant wearing flowers in her hair. She is pregnant with the future and all possibilities. This is usually one of the aspects of her that is easiest to work with since frankly it is the warmest and most receptive of the three.

But don’t be fooled into thinking she will give you a free ride! The Morrigan can be very picky over who she truly opens herself to and will not tolerate being called on for foolish or dishonest reasons.  Remember that she is most primarily and in all of her aspects a goddess of war, magic, and death which are three of the most honest and straightforward aspects of our reality. To me she is the newest incarnation of several older goddesses who have migrated to Britannia after the Indo-Aryan migration, she is a combination of older goddesses such as Ererskigal and Inanna. She is a blending of the Norse deities Freyja, Hel, and Frigga to name just a few.

Now I am going to try and retell an ancient Celtic legend about the men of Ulster from memory so forgive me if this seems to jump around a bit as I am typing this from memory.

Outside the village of Ulster there was a great battle one day and after it was over and the bodies lie decaying and stenching upon the ground a flock of crows descended to the ground and began feasting. One of the crows slightly larger turned into a very tall and dark haired, beautiful woman who walked among the field watching her children eat, this was the Morrigan. After watching the field a while she got bored and walked into a nearby farmhouse where she saw a man raising his children all alone. She realized he was a good man and decided to reward him by entering his home and lying nude on his bed until he entered. He entered, saw her and did what any man would do upon seeing a literal goddess waiting in his bed. The Morrigan became pregnant and stayed around the farm helping the farmer with his family.

The “farmer’s wife” had a remarkable talent however, she could run faster then any horse and spent her days entertaining the children by racing them on their horses. In a few months time the kingdom had it’s anual horse races for which it was famous and the farmer wanted to go watch. The Morrigan made him swear an oath to not tell anyone at the races about her. He said he would not and made his way to the races. At the races as time went on and the drinks flowed he began to talk about how fast his wife was, first quietly to a few people but by the end and after several more drinks began bragging to everyone who would listen about how his wife could embarrass even the king’s fastest horses. 

Like it always does in these stories word got back to the king who demanded to see this man and hear his outrageous claims. The man knelt down terrified for his life agreeing that he had in fact stated his wife was faster then any of his horses. The king demanded that his wife be brought forth to race his champion horse, if his wife lost the race then the man would be beheaded on the spot. So the guards went to the farmer’s home and drug the poor, pregnant Morrigan out of her home and threw her at the king’s feet.

The king said “I hear that you are faster then any horse, well we will see”. The Morrigan pleaded over and over not to be forced to race as she was almost ready to give birth and could not handle the strain. However after several floggings and threats to her life she decided to race the king’s champion thoroughbred. The race was on and it was a dead even race until the end when the Morrigan just barely pulled ahead for the win! On completion she fell to the ground and collapsed in the pains of childbirth.

While she was in pain she swore a curse on all the men of Ulster to feel the pain of childbirth at the most important moments of their lives. All the men were terrified because after delivering her child she changed into an enormous crow and flew into the sky taking her child with her in her claws. At this point the men realized what they had done and to who. They had been cursed and killed the farmer in hopes it would appease her, this was to no avail. A war broke out the next spring and the whole night before the men of Ulster sat all night shaking in their tents as the frenzy howled and shook their tents reminding them that tomorrow the goddess of war and her children come to pick their bones. The next morning the armies lined up and immediately after sounding the beginning of the battle the entire Ulster side fell to the ground feeling as if they were giving birth, they were of course immediately slaughtered and conquered.

That is the end of the story, the moral is don’t screw with the Morrigan and be true to your word

 

Some poetry and prayers I have stumbled across

I wish I came up with these but I didn’t.

The Morrigan

Blessed Morrigan, whose sacred names are three,

I do not pray for strength, for you show me the strength within me.
I do not pray for courage, for I follow you willingly into battle.
I do not pray for wisdom, for you teach me of the Crone within me.
I do not pray for blessings, because I live each day in blessed Magic, following the ways of the wise.
I do not pray for prosperity, for I live in gratitude of the abundance which flows through my life.
I do not pray for love, for love runs like water to me through my family and friends.

I pray to remember these gifts, for in my despair I can lose my way, and lose my awareness that I am a daughter of your ways.
I pray to remember that when I look into my image, your face is reflected there, and I can carry any burden because you live within me.

Funerary prayer to Hel

“hel, great goddess, daughter of loki
Guard of the spirits of the dead
Our friend (insert name) has come to you now
As (insert name) kneels bedore you, hel
know how much (he/she) was loved in this life
And how many (he/she) loved in return
Before (he/she) crossed over (he/she) was an honorable soul
A soaring spirit, a brave warrior
Watch over (him/her), hel as (he/she) crosses the bridge
From this life to the next
And welcome (him/her) with honor and glory
So that (he/she) may live on forever
In our hearts and memories

Prayer to Lilith

Lilith, Queen of demons and mother to us all. Teach us the ways of the night. You are the second to rebel against the god of the Jews and the first against man. Give me the rebellious spirit just as you have. As you were made through the dirt and your spirit given to you by Satan through a dark mist, so give me the same spirit. May that same spirit rise up within me so that I may have the strength to fight against the lies and dominance of the god of the Jews and of mankind’s lies. You fled away from the garden of bondage to be with the demons, to make children of the night. Wrap me in your wings and take flight into the night sky, your element, and keep me from harm. Whisper in my ear your secrets as you do to all of mankind. Great mother Lilith Queen of demons and mother of us all, you are the first vampire and Succubi. You take your vengeance on the children of mankind because the god of the Jews has done so to your children. Your children are the Lilim, and we are your loyal servants of your infernal royal beauty. Hail Lilith Queen of demons and of the night. Mother to us all! Nema!

Mantras to Kali

OM KALIKAYE NAMAHA

This is the basic Kali mantra, meaning “OM and salutations to Kali”. It is for those who want to focus themselves on Kali as their principal spiritual practice.

2.OM SRI MAHA KALIKAYAI NAMAHA

This mantra is the basic Kali mantra strengthened by the words “Sri” (an expression of great respect) and “Maha” (great).  It has been said that very few people are initiated into this mantra because of the intensity of its “purgative nature.

3.OM KLIM KALIKA-YEI NAMAHA

This mantra is said to bring rapid and even drastic relief from any situation that is difficult or problematic. The kind of solution attained might not be the kind you would want or envisage, because the effects of the mantra are said to be potentially drastic and unexpected. The results will be right and appropriate for you at the time, although they may not be pleasant in the short run

4.OM HRIM SHREEM KLIM ADYA KALIKA PARAM ESHWARI SWAHA

This is known as the Great Fifteen-Syllable Mantra (not counting the Om at the start) and is said to provide a rapid boost to one’s spiritual growth, although once again the results may be unexpected and drastic. One should only use this mantra if one is prepared for results that may be quite intense. From personal experience, I can vouch for the power of this mantra

More on Lilith

Yesterday I was talking with a fellow blogger about a goddess and it led to a brief text message discussion on how to pray and who we pray to. He told me that his main area of focus was Loki, this in turn led to us talking about the dangers of working with some deities as well as the danger in going to them for the wrong reason. I jokingly told him that after working with Lilith the other Gods I have communicated with seemed like kittens. This got me thinking, why exactly is Lilith so difficult to work with. It seemed strange but all of the ideas that I am going to put down here were just pouring out of my mouth, almost like I was being told to do this.

So the first thing on Lilith is that she is a very old, if not the oldest goddess that humans have worshiped. I am a firm believer that over time a spirit, especially one worshiped as a god will continue to grow in power. But one thing I really find interesting about her is that even though she is so ancient she has not changed, she is from a violent and primal time and a culture long forgotten by our modern weak society full of adult children and incompetence.

The other thing about her is that to understand her you must realize that she is not the new age mother goddess that fluffy pagans describe her as. She was a goddess to be feared and at some points of her worship she was called a demon. This is all true, from speaking and working with her I can tell you that while not purely malevolent she has a significant dark side.

Her worship demands a strange dichotomy from a follower. You cannot go crawling and begging for her help or she very well may attack you for being weak and daring to bother her. But on the other hand you need to realize that Lilith will break you and rebuild you into what she wants, not what you want but what she wants. Lilith according to Hebrew legend rebelled against heaven because she refused to be subservient to man so expect the first thing for her to do is put you under her boot and make you lick her foot just so you know who is in charge. This is a major reason why I never advise anyone to work with her, she may not like you for any number of reasons and will have no problems destroying you for even considering the idea. Simply put she is a primal force of female dominance and rarely do her favors come without a cost. One of my first visions of her involved me essentially being thrown down and forced into sex, it was euphoric but also deeply disturbing as I knew the entire process was meant to show I am her bitch.

To look at her is to stare into reality itself. You cannot understand or comprehend all of the things that go through your mind other then to know that what you are feeling is base and primal humanity. She is a woman who is so beautiful that words cannot describe her. She is also terrifying to look at, because you know that so much darkness and power lie behind that smile.

Her eyes are a deep red wine color that looked upon the Earth before we even came crawling from the oceans. Those eyes are not kind but old and able to see right inside of you.

She normally is barely dressed as modern notions of modesty are amusing to her, this is also another weapon she has over you. You cannot help but feel drawn to her sexuality even though you know you shouldn’t. If she wants you she will take you in this way. If she stays to listen or just uses you and leaves you destroyed are totally her decision.

So the question becomes “Why do you work with her”? Well honestly I did not pick her, I was working with my teacher and she had told me to find a guardian to help keep me protected. The next thing I know Lilith was there and told me that she was going to be my protector. I can fairly say that I have had no problems with her as long as I do what she tells me and offer tribute.

She is not for most people, in fact I do not know a single person besides maybe my one friend who is well versed in Sumerian mysticism who could handle even a glimpse of her. She is the beautiful and deadly dance of a mantis seducing it’ prey. Lilith can and will destroy those who call on her, the only difference is whether you are able to rebuild and worthy to be her chosen. 

Lilith, dark mother I know that through your purges I grow stronger and I thank you

Norse Genealogy

I recently changed my name on Facebook to Edward Jotunborn ( feel free to hit me up). I had several reasons including not wanting to be found by some people but I soon realized that despite telling people I am done caring hat they think they continue to bring their hurt butts to me. But the good news is that having these discussions has deepened my knowledge of my ancestors as well as my beliefs. What I decided to do is create a list of the main Gods and Goddesses of the heathen pantheon and take a look at their genealogy. I am only picking this specific pantheon as it is where the most crying has come from.

• Odin 100% Jotun: I may as well start at the top here. Odin’s father was Bor and his mother was Bestla. In the lore Bestla is directly called a jotun, Bor is not refered to as a jotun but rather a primal giant.
• Tyr 100% Jotun: Little is said of Tyr’s ancestory except that he is the offspring of an ice giant and a fire giant.
• Thor 100% Jotun: Thor is the son of Odin and jord. Jord is an earth jotun and as we discussed earlier Odin is a jotun.
• Frigga 100% Jotun: Frigga is actually descended from the same line as Odin, in some stories she is his sister.
• Freyr and Freyja 50-100% Jotun: Frey and Freyja are twin siblings descended from Njord and Skadi. Njord is of undetermined origin as there are no records of his past. Skadi however is the most beautiful of the ice jotuns. An alternate birth story for them is that they are the children of Njord and Nerthus who are 2 sides of a hermaphroditic god/goddess.
• Loki 100% Jotun: Loki as everyone knows is descended from giants. His father Farbauti was the leader of the lightning clan of jotuns and his mother was Laufey, a kind mountain jotun
• Baldur 100% Jotun:  Baldur is the son of Odin and Frigga who are both jotuns.
• Heimdall 100% Jotun:  Heimdall is the son of the 9 waves who were spirits of the seas similar to sirens. The parents of the 9 waves were Aegir and Ran who were both ocean giants.
• Vidarr 100% Jotun: Vidarr is the son of Odin and Grid, Odin as stated earlier was a jotun and grid is a forest jotun in the lore.
• Nanna 25 to 50% Jotun: Nanna is the daughter of Freyja who is 50% jotun and a dwarf
• .
• Magni, Modi, and Thrud 100% Jotuns: These three are the sons and daughter of Thor and Jarnsaxa. Jarnsaxa is a jotun from the lore. Thrud in some sources has Sif for a mother.
• Forsetti 75% Jotun: Forsetti is the son of Baldur and Nanna. Nanna as we stated earlier is half jotun while baldur is a full blooded giant.
• Sif 100% Jotun: Sif is also the daughter of Odin and Frigga.
• Hel 100% Jotun: She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda. Angrboda is the war chieftain of the ironwood clan of jotuns.

And last but not least my personal favorite in the argument…….The Human Race 100% Jotun: According to Norse mythology  humans are descended from the first 2 humans named Ask and Embla. We were fashioned by the gods out of wood. Now according to tradition the earth is made from the body of a falled giant named Ymir. His bones became mountains, his blood the water, and his hair the trees and so on. But if the trees are made from a jotun and we are made from trees then that makes us jotun spawn.

I did not mean this to offend anyone but I merely wanted to put this information out there to the public. The people who rally against the jotuns are at best comic book heathens. Even Thor who is known for slaying jotuns actually slays frost giants. A frost giant was a wild chaotic savage, only later due to poor translations did the term rimthurz ( frost giant) and jotun become one and the same.