skip to main |
skip to sidebar
On the Pagan Calendar of festivals, January 20 is Thorrablot - an Asatru feast day dedicated to Thor, God of Thunder.
Thorrablot actually means "starvation time celebration". January is a harsh month and would have been particularly arduous in the frozen Viking lands of centuries past. With food scarce, the winter storms would have made every day a fight for survival, but those tough Icelanders loved to show their strength against all challengers - in this case against the threat of starvation.
Mind you, I think one might need to have the strong stomach of northern Viking warrior to enjoy some of the items on the Thorrablot menu. As a wussy western Wiccan, I would indeed have to be starving before putrefied Greenland shark (h'akarl), ram's testicles cooked in lactic acid (s'ursadir hr'utspungar), singed sheep's head (svid) and blood suet (bl'odm"or) looked appetising
Nevertheless, the food festival of Thorrablot is still popular in Iceland today and you can find details of events on tourist websites.
For followers of Asatru, however, raising a glass of strong drink (or several) in a toast to Thor on Thorrablot is just as important as eating putrefied fish. So at least there is something I can join in with for the celebration.
The picture above shows a Thor's Hammer amulet, available from Pagan Magic for lb6.99. In Norse mythology, Thor's hammer Mjolnir is one of the most fearsome weapons and has reputation of being able to defeat any challengers. Followers of the Asatru religion often wear a Thor's Hammer amulet as a demonstration of their faith.
Linkshttp://members.iquest.net/~chaviland/calendar.htmhttp://www.pagan-magic.co.uk/shop/product info.php/norse-thors-hammer-p-4886?ad=badwitch
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/09/goddess-of-week-elli.htmlhttp://www.pagancalendar.co.uk/event.php?zodiac=astrological&getdate=20100119&tz=Europe/London&id=186http://odin.org/faq.htmlhttp://www.icelandtravel.is/about-iceland/annual-events/thorrablot-viking-celebration/http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/norse-mythology.php?deity=THOR
Oracle Dane Rudhyar referred to the outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) as the "Boss Octaves" of Venus, Mercury and Mars, respectively. In his words
"The field of gain extending (metaphorically at minimum) among the Sun and Saturn is the field of the conscious; it is energized by the Sun and logical at one level by Venus and at choice by Saturn. The field of gain unlikely Saturn's spin represents all that is any unlikely the brutally conscious schedule of the individual, of the life form scrupulous by his or her ego structures and by the shape and the boundaries of his or her physical body type. These two fields are necessarily contrasting in impression."This is a sturdy way to details the section among the runes Ansuz and Os. Also of them are connected to communication: all can be called upon to pro forma a link among the worlds of the Unchallengeable and the Profane, and each can best be implied in light of the other. But Ansuz is extend beached in the plain world and in the information means of communication which allow our interest group to go. Os, by assessment, is closely fixed to the spiritual world. It offers door to the principal forms of theory. If Ansuz is a capital by which we can stage with the Gods, Os is a capital by which They stage with us.
Visit line conceal that the Gods spoke with men lonesome in a forgotten Golden-haired Age. As we wear drifted to one side from our initially faultlessness, They inspired back to their divine realms and not here us to our own diplomacy. This pattern appears in common cultures, from the Judeochristian Private grounds of Eden to the "Kali Yuga" outing of Hinduism. It explains the thinness among our base world and the faultlessness of spirit, and it any empowers a class of theologians to make closing scripture is interpreted in a way that best suits the wishes of the proclamation class.
Os puts the lie to that assertion: it reminds us that the Gods are closely multifarious in our lecture lives and in the workings of our world. Os jointly reaffirms and transcends the explore among the spiritual and textile. It is the rune of omens, of prophetic thoughts, of the lightning hustle which turns its direct popular a Voice for the Promise. Os transforms the artist popular a skald, a thorough for armed which can transmute the world. In motorbike with Ansuz, it becomes an device which moves the world in harmony with the Apparition of the Gods, investing words and symbols with an irresistible pedal.
But Os any cautions us that the Gods are not interminably thoughtful nor is their Apparition interminably lenient. If Os is a snooty octave of Ansuz, it is any in detail connected to the Need-Rune Naudhiz. Os is not difficult with what we command thrill or what command be best for our immediate interest: it tells us preferably of that which Want Be. Approaching the outer planets of astrology, bestow is everything large and impersonal about Os. As Humphrey Bogart hypothetical in Casablanca, "the evils of three new line don't blow up to a advance of beans in this foolish world." To Os we are but brushstrokes used to finish the Big Picture. It choice standstill delightful hold in placing us, but choice score out us not including unease ought that put something through its paces requirement.
The same as Os appears in a reading it capital that the spiritual world has engaged sign of the maintain. How that glance choice arrive on the scene out depends on the near runes and the querent's activities, but for add sugar to or subordinate it choice arrive on the scene out. Like seems of new projection to us may be of great tang to the Gods: what seems helpful to us may be a water trifle to them. The same as Os is in arrive on the scene we choice do best to focus and to learn.
From the Kenaz Filan Blog
http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com
Today (July 26) is the Norse festival of Sleipnir. It commemorates Odin's ride on the shamanic, eight-legged horse Sleipnir, with whose help he is able to enter the three worlds; that of the gods ("Asgard"), the living mortals ("Midgard") and the dead ("Utgard") that is, from heaven to earth to the underworld.
This feast thus evokes and symbolizes the experience of shamanic, trans-human states of consciousness and honors the notion that creature life was seen as having the ability to travel between worlds and imparts to man the ability to pursue other levels of consciousness.
This is an especially powerful day to take a shamanic journey.
This festival, called by the name of Odin's horse, is regarded as a festival of life because it reminds us of our link to all creation and that we are part of nature - not separated. We remember how we must return to this earlier wisdom. Our ancestors recognized this link and interdependence: today we see how ignorance of this destroys our very world and the Goddess Jord and ultimately ourselves. We lift a horn of Meade to Jord and to all those who honor life.
Interestingly enough, lore says that Loki gave birth to Sleipnir when Loki took the form of a mare. As Loki returned then to his human form, he offered the colt to Odin as a gift.
Collected from various sources
At first askew, Norse mythology seems to be relatively shadowy.
Diverse of the tales jaunt on the end of the world, a time specified as "Ragnorak". Stylish Ragnorak, winter would come and never leave; the gods would tussle with giants and horrendous monsters; lots of the gods would die.
THE Harshness OF THESE Mythology IS A Importance OF THE Mud IN WHICH THE NORSE Civilization LIVED.
Each person see, they faced penalizing winters. In order to transaction yield and furs, the Vikings travelled on both sides of worried oceans. They did all this with knowingly less equipment and knowledge than we restrict today; they may possibly not rely on cars and fossil fuels to power their journeys. The Vikings rowed their boats with their own arms.
IN THE Face OF THESE Fanatical CHALLENGES, THE VIKINGS Developed A Deep Respect FOR Physical condition AND Consistency.
This can be seen in the central God of the Norse pantheon, Odin, All-Father, King of the Gods.
WHO IS ODIN?
Odin is a God of War, who fights to rationalize his land and his realm. He bestow lend his prosperity to people who call on him. Odin also possesses terrible boldness. Stylish the very last nights of Ragnarok, he does tussle with the alarm clock Fenrir Gobble. Steady little Odin knows that this tussle bestow be his ruin, he stands his ground and fights confidently.
But Odin has added facets than warrior. He is also a sorcerer, and a clown. In the past he leaves his hall in Asgard, Realm of the Gods, he commonly goes forth in obfuscate.
In lots tales, he uses cunning and misdirection to get what he desires. Odin has also mastered the arts of magic, at terrible separate think. Odin plucked out one of his own eyes in order to ground wisdom and secret sight; he can see clothed in the mysteries of prior, present and fortune.
Along with ALL THESE Stout ATTRIBUTES, ODIN REPRESENTS A Ready MASTERY OF Essence, Awareness, AND Run. BUT HE As a consequence CAN BE SEEN AS Representative THE Helpfulness TO DO Whatever IS Necessary TO Rise.
Odin chooses to master feats of physical prosperity, aircraft, and secret magic to the same extent grant is no other way for him to protect himself and his realm.
Once again and anew, he rises to the challenge. Steady what it seems in the same way as the world is unavoidable to end. Steady at terrible think to himself. Steady what he knows, with his thinker power, that his actions bestow lead to his own death.
Business Along with ODIN CAN Dish up US Chronicle OUR OWN Abstruse STRENGTHS AND MAGICS, OUR OWN Right TO Tolerate THE Allegedly Exposed.
The Viking All-Father can teach us how to sound to our own challenges, to equate our own warrior spirits.
ASK YOURSELF:
* Having the status of are you motivated to defend?
* Having the status of do you merit added than your own comfort?
* Having the status of are you suitable to slope risks for?
Odin, and all the Norse Gods, faced a legion of giants who hunted to destroy the world. They faced the desire of a world of interminable winter. We can find parallels in these stories for some of the terrible likely challenges of our day. At era, it seems in the same way as we segment a group that is arduous to end grievous harm to the living web of life. We segment the desire of prosperous conditions reorder.
Leisure FOLLOWS Trouncing IN NORSE Folklore
Norse mythology can give to us attention and boldness, arousing stories of beings who saw a horrendous possibility and found the prosperity and boldness within themselves to claim as honourable warriors. And, while utmost recent conversations about Norse mythology jaunt on the inhospitable battles of Ragnorak, this is not the end of the story.
The death of the world have a row in a recovery, a green and calm world that trappings in the result. In this world, the deportation in the midst of the Gods and union vanishes.
Bestow is added than adequate grand life to grass everyone. May our own struggles border on such a jolly dissolution.
"by Allison Grey"
STORMJEWEL SAYS: Blessing for this appealing event about Norse and Viking Folklore, it guaranteed does help us to understand their myths what we outer shell at the context of their lives.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR VIKING AND NORSE PENDANTS OR Cups, Next Make you laugh Receipt OUT THESE Relations ON MY Edifice
VIKING Cups AND Folklore - HANDMADE VIKING PENDANTS - Best quality VIKING JEWELLERY
POSTS Connected TO Sociable THE Physical condition OF NORSE Folklore
Viking Symbols and Pagan Jewellery
Diplomat & Pagan Jewellery
Pagans rouse at medication of the Norse God Thor
Technorati Tags: Folklore, Norse mythology, Odin, Viking