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Heathen Witchcraft, Brighton, CO (2025)

10/10/2022

Little life update: We are welcoming our second child in March of 2023. 😊 We will be having a little girl and we could not be more excited!

We all came down with COVID the beginning of July and then I found out I was pregnant shortly after. My first trimester has been a whirlwind of nausea, exhaustion, mood swings, anxiety, and food aversions 😅

I'm in my second trimester now and feeling much better now. I would like to be more active here again, but I'm just going to go with what feels right.

Hope you all are having a good year so far and I wish you blessings as we enter the dark half of the year 🖤

So much love,

Your local heathen mama

07/03/2022

I DISSENT.

04/15/2022

🏆Blessed Sigurblöt/Varblöt!🌱

Today is the first day of Summer according to the old Icelandic calendar. Different cultures across Scandinavia celebrated this day differently!

🏆Sigurblöt literally translates to "victory blessing." For those whose tribe was primarily warriors and vikings (explorers/pirates), they would celebrate Sigurblöt. It is customary to blöt and make sacrifices to Odinn on this day.

Today there aren't many true warriors (save for those in military service). So how can this be applied to modern day? Victory can be won in many arenas outside of war. Perhaps you are studying for a big exam, working towards a promotion, or trying to buy a new home. "Sigr" can also mean success, results, and achievement. So you can blöt, sacrifice, and perform ritual for those things while still honoring Odinn. Runes to help you invoke Odinn and harness victorious energy are Othala, Tiwaz, Sowilo, and Ansuz.

🌱Varblöt is the other celebration that was commonly held on this day. It's name means "Spring Blessing" and it was common to honor the goddess Freyja on this day. She is responsible for the victory of light over darkness as we enter the warmer months. Varblöt was more common among agricultural peoples.

Obviously, today, farming and growing gardens, be they flower or vegetable gardens, is still a common practice! So blöt and sacrifice in honor of Freyja for victory in growing your garden or raising your animals! Runes to help you invoke Freyja and harness success in agricultural endeavors are Fehu, Berkana, Laguz, and Sowilo.

🔥In my home we do a little of both. We will likely hold Sumble to reflect on what we struggled with these past months and set our intentions for the summer. Then we will blöt to both Freyja and Odinn for victory in all aspects.

Will you be celebrating either of these holidays? Which one? Talk to me about it in the comments! Also, make sure you're following me for all things Asatru and heathen. Skål!

04/14/2022

🌳Let's talk about the animals that live around and within Yggdrasil, the great cosmic tree of Norse Mythology.

🐍Yggdrasil has 3 massive roots. At one root is where the dragon, Nidhogg, lives, gnashing and biting at the root. At another lies a serene pond where swans swim. 🦢

🦌Up above the roots, four stags by the names of Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, and Durathrór, munch on the leaves of Yggdrasil. Bees fly all around drinking from the sweet honeydew that drips down the bark of the great tree. 🐝

🦅Up higher in the branches, at the top of the tree lives a great eagle, who's name has been lost to us. Between the eagle's eyes lives a hawk by the name of Vedrfolnir.

🐿️And we can't forget the mischievous squirrel, Ratatoskr, who scurries up and down the trunk of Yggdrasil all day and night exchanging insults between Nidhogg and the great eagle.

04/11/2022

🌱What does gardening have to do with heathenism?

🧑‍🌾A lot! Primarily, it has to do with the noble virtue of self sufficiency. The more that you can do for yourself, the better. It can also apply to the virtue of hospitality. If your garden produces more than enough food for you and your family, you can donate the excess to those less fortunate or give it away to those in your community. You can also use these foods in your meals shared with friends to build stronger community.

💚Beyond that, growing your own food is profoundly satisfying and fulfilling. It brings you closer to nature and beings a new appreciation for the magic of life cycles and everything working together in symbiosis. You also tend to waste less when you've seen first hand the labor that goes into growing these things!

🌎Growing your own food is also a great way that you can help the climate crisis. Industrial agriculture is a huge contributor to carbon emissions and soil erosion. Tilling releases tons of stored carbon in the soil into the atmosphere. Also, when the same crop is grown in the same spot year after year, it depletes that soil of the nutrients that that specific crop consumes, leaving the land barren and infertile. Furthermore, these nutrients are not put back into the earth when the plant dies because the carcass is not allowed to decompose in the spot it grew. It is removed and chemical fertilizers are put in it's place.

🐝Industrial farming also contributes to the decline of honey bee and other pollinator populations due to their use of pesticides. Organic crops do avoid this usually, but they still practice tilling and many don't practice crop rotation.

Furthermore, these massive crops completely destroy local ecosystems and much if the food produced goes to waste. It is either thrown out because it looks weird (nature is imperfect), it went bad by the time it hit the store, or it sat on store shelves too long.

By growing your own food, you essentially remove yourself from playing a part in any of this. And the more of us that grow our own food, the smaller the industrial agricultural complex will become. As demand goes down, so too must supply.

Do you garden?

04/10/2022

✨I am absolutely in love with this handmade rune set that gifted me last Wednesday when we got together! The colors are so vibrant and beautiful and their energy is bright 😍

⚡It's important to me to properly cleanse and bind a new rune set to myself before I begin using them in readings and magical workings.

💨I begin by cleaning them with smoke. In this case I used cedar smoke to cleanse and neutralize their energy. Then I buried them in sea salt to purify their energy and rid them of any possible negative attachments.

☀️To charge them I placed them in my bowli on my altar with the specific herbs that correspond to the different energies I wanted to infuse these with. Specifically, for me, I like to use rose, mint, basil, rosemary, calendula, and cinnamon, but you can use whatever you like or whatever calls to.

🩸Now I am in the process of binding them to me. To do this, I make a small prick in my finger and smear a tiny amount of my blood on each one and then place them back in their drawstring bag which I will sleep with and carry with me for 9 days and 9 nights. I use this specific ritual and timeframe to mimic the sacrifice that Odinn made to learn the runes when he pierced himself with Gungnir and hung from Yggdrasil above the well of Mimir.

Do you do any type of ritual when you acquire a new rune set? What do you like to do?

04/06/2022

🧚Vaettir✨

Also called wights, vaesen, fae, spirits...

The Vaettir are the spirits that exist in everything all around us. They live in the trees, bushes, and plants, in the rivers, lakes, and streams, in the dirt and rocks, in the seasons, in the rain, snow, and wind, in everything.

Some stay year round while others may come and go with the seasons and the weather.

With Walpurgisnacht approaching at the end of this month, I've been thinking a lot about the Vaettir. The wights of winter are having their last hurrah before they depart for the summer. You can witness them in the cold wind, in the frost on the fresh leaves and grass sprouts, in the frozen ground and barren trees. On the eve of Beltane, we will give these spirits a proper send off so that we can welcome in the warmer weather vaettir.

Do you work with the fae?
illustration credit goes to this is one of his pieces from his illustrative book, "Vaesen"

04/05/2022

🌳Yggdrasil Day is coming up towards the end of this month! Most of us know this day by the name Earth Day.

🌎I've been thinking a lot about how I can give back to the Earth and be a better Ally for plants and animals and nature as a whole. So for this month on my page, there's going to be a heavy theme of eco-consciousness as well as mythology surrounding the World Tree and animism.

🌌If you've never heard of Yggdrasil, it is the giant ash tree that holds all of the nine realms in Norse mythology. There is an abundance of animals and symbolism that I'll be getting more into as we move through the month of Ostara. 💚

What are your questions about Yggdrasil? Let me know in the comments and make sure you're following me to learn all there is to know about this amazing cosmic tree! ☺️

04/03/2022

🍯Making Mead🍺

I've decided that for Walpurgisnacht, I would like to brew my first ever batch of mead 😋 This is something I've always wanted to do, but have never had either the space, equipment, or time.

I plan to start the brew on the day of Walpurgisnacht so that it will hopefully be ready to drink for next Walpurgisnacht and Beltane 🖤 Depending on how it goes, I'd like to make a batch for each of the major pagan holidays. This is a new tradition that I would love to set in stone for my family in hopes that it will carry on for generations to come 🍻

I'll be following Kveldulf Gundarsson's recipe in his book, "Teutonic Religions." It is a very straightforward recipe and seems easy enough to follow.

Do you make your own mead? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

04/02/2022

✨How often do you cleanse and charge your ritual tools?

Today I'm working on charging my bowli so that we can use it in ritual. It's sat in a drawer in my altar cabinet for over a year, untouched. So I assume the energy is pretty stale.

The first thing I did was give it a nice little wipe down with rosemary essential oil to energetically cleanse it and get rid of any stale or stagnant energy as well as any potentially negative energies it may have absorbed over the past year. Then I used lavender incense to neutralize and welcome in calm energy.

Inside I placed a rose quartz to symbolize the love I have for my practice and for the gods and the universe, tiger's eye for strength and abundance, and amber to make the sacred connection to Freyja, my patron goddess. I then sprinkled rose petals to amplify the loving energy of the rose quartz, cinnamon for passion, and calendula for good health and to channel the sun's energy as we enter the warmer months.

Finally, I placed the lid atop the bowli, a large clear quartz point to amplify, and lit a white tea light which I allowed to burn all the way down. I also pulled a rune to read the connection between the bowli and my spirit and I pulled Raidho. This actually brought me to tears. Raidho is the sacred chariot that allows you travel amongst the 9 realms and is often a powerful indication of spiritual ascension. My deities are telling me loud and clear that a connection has been established.

Like and follow for more altar care tips!

04/01/2022

🎭Happy April Fool's Day and first day of Ostara (April)!

🙂Just remember to keep your pranks and jokes lighthearted, lest you be bound by your sons' entrails and tied in a cave where a venomous snake is allowed to drip it's venom on your forehead 😬

🎨Painting done by the amazingly talented Definitely go give him a follow!

03/31/2022

🚫DON'T SCROLL YET🚫

🕯️Breathe in deep and exhale long. Allow any irrelevant or scattered thoughts to exit your mind. Place your hand upon your chest. Feel your heart beating. Use it's rhythm to connect mind, body, and spirit. Listen to which rune is calling to you. When you are ready, scroll to see your divine message.

From left to right:

🐴 ᛖ | Ehwaz: Harmony, trust, loyalty, partnerships. This rune comes to you today to remind you that it's ok to ask for help if you need it. While it is understandable that you don't want to be a burden, some things are better accomplished in a pair or a group. What are you struggling with right now that someone could help you with? Allow a trusted friend or partner to carry some of the weight of your situation.

🌊 ᛚ | Laguz: Life, growth, vital power, ebb and flow, intuition. This rune comes to you today with a message that you are going through a period of tremendous growth. Laguz is the life force that drives all manner of growth and fruition. If things feel tumultuous or unsteady right now, it is because you're riding the tide that is Laguz's energy. Trust that you are sailing in the right direction and everything happening serves your growth.

🎁 ᚷ | Gebo: Sacrifice, gifts, ecstacy, s*x magic, giving. This rune is a gentle nudge to remind you to be a bit more generous with your resources. Perhaps you have been doing a lot of the taking in your relationships as of late and Gebo is here to tell you it is your turn to do the giving. Offer to do the dishes, run an errand, buy a thoughtful gift, share your food, donate to charity, or give your partner an or**sm 😘. Where in life have you been in a "take" mindset? How can you give back?

Comment what rune you chose and if its message resonated with you!

03/29/2022

🤚🏻Happy Tyr's Day!

⬆️Tuesdays are a great day to work with energies associated with the Tiwaz rune and the Norse god, Tyr.

⚔️Tiwaz is all about justice, sacrifice, honor, and courage. All of these aspects are represented in the Eddic poem, "The Binding of Fenrir." Fenrir was the great wolf who was foretold to swallow the sun and ultimately kill Odinn. The gods feared the great wolf as he had a quick temper and was prone to dangerous behavior.

🐺The gods hatched a plan to trick the wolf and bind him so that he could not run loose. Fenrir believed there was no material in the 9 realms that could tie him down. The gods had fetters created for him out of 6 impossible things: the sound of cat's footsteps, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird. They dared the wolf that he could not break free from these chains. Tyr offered to allow the great wolf to hold his hand in his jaws as a show of good faith, that if he could not break the chains, he would be allowed to eat Tyr's hand. Fenrir's arrogance got the best of him and he allowed them to tie him down. The wolf was unable to break free and thus ate the hand of Tyr, leaving him with the nickname "The One-Handed God."

What sacrifices need to be made to get you to where you need to be? Are you acting with honor? How can you be courageous today for the greater good?

These are all great journaling prompts for working with Tiwaz and honoring the sacrifice of Tyr.

03/28/2022

👑Today is the day of remembrance for Ragnar Lothbrok!

Did you know that Ragnar was a real king of Norway? History channel did a decent job retelling his saga. They took a lot of creative liberties with the characters, their relationships, and certain events, but the main points are still there. But hey, that's TV. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ragnar's saga is perhaps one of the most famous of the Norse sagas, perhaps only rivaled by the sagas of Erik the red and his son, Leif Erikson. Two of Ragnar's sons went on to become kings themselves. You may know them by the names "Bjorn Ironside" and "Ivar the Boneless."

🐍A fun fact about Ragnar: his surname "Lothbrok" translates loosely to "fuzzy breeches." He was given this surname because, according to part of his legend, he wore pants with thick, coarse hair on them to slay a dragon. The dragon was terrorizing Götaland, so Jarl Herruth enlisted Ragnar to help rid them of this wyrm in exchange for the hand of his daughter, Thora, in marriage. Unfortunately, Thora falls ill and passes away shortly after the two are happily wed.

Today is commemorated as Ragnar Lothbrok day on the Asatru Alliance calendar because today, in the runic year of 1145, is the day he led his warriors to raid Paris.

What do you think of Ragnar Lothbrok? Do you love him or hate him?

03/25/2022

🖤Happiest of Freyja's days to all my heathen sisters and brothers! May your weekend be full of laughter, joy, love, and abundance!

What do you have planned for the next couple days?

03/23/2022

🖤"It is fortunate to be favored with praise and popularity. It is dire luck to be dependent on the feelings of a fellow man." ~Havamal

🖤This passage is one that is very near and dear to my heart. As someone who has struggled with body dysmorphia for most of my life, this passage speaks to me on a profound level.

🖤I think this is something that we as a society in today's world of social media and comparison need to keep in the forefront of our mind. Self esteem is at an all-time low, su***de rates amongst teens and young people are raising at an alarming rate, and to satisfaction in relationships continues to increase. All of these things can be traced back to high usage of social media where We are constantly bombarded by images and stories of perfection and unattainable goals and standards.

🖤As with anything, social media has its place and it's fine in moderation, but it should not be used as a substitution for your own internal validation and self-love. The only person's approval that you need is your own. 🖤

03/22/2022

⛰️Heathen • Green Witch • Animist🌿

I'm not typically one for labels, but these are the ones I have chosen for myself. I feel that these particular titles encapsulate the full spectrum of my spiritual practice.

🌲I am Heathen. You might also call me Norse pagan or asatruar, however "heathen" has a special, untamed, wildness to it. It makes me think of the mountains, where I've lived my whole life. There is such a raw, primal, wild power amongst the pine trees and jagged rocks. The forest has a soul that is tethered to mine and that is what heathen means to me.

🌎I am a green witch. This is a nice broad term that includes all forms of nature magic. Yes, I work with plants. I also work with the elements, the seasons, the sun and moon, animals, crystals and other minerals, and the universe at large.

🐺I am an animist. It is difficult to call yourself pagan and not also mean animist. Pagan religions are typically very nature-centric. But what being animist means to me is knowing and respecting that everything on this earth has a spirit and serves a purpose. No one being is of greater or lesser value than another. We all work together in tandem. I do not believe that animals were put here to serve me because I am human. I believe that animals can teach me more about life and the universe than I could ever learn from a book. And I respect and admire every being on this planet. To take it a step further, I don't believe we truly "own" anything. The land does not belong to any of us. We down own the water we drink or the food we eat. We are simply borrowing these things until it is our turn to return to the soil and feed the forest.

What labels do you use to define your practice? Or do you prefer not to? Let me know in the comments!

03/19/2022

🐰The High Feast of Ostara is tomorrow!🌷

Swipe for some journaling prompts to help you get in the spirit of the season!

If you feel comfortable, share your answer to one of these prompts in the comments!

Heathen Witchcraft