On Friday morning, Frigga's Hearth Keepers light a candle, linking
the energy fire to fire from one home to another. The energy builds
as each goes about her work. When evening comes, sometime
between 6 PM and midnight, each of Frigga's Hearth Keepers lights a
candle in a cauldron or builds a small fire in a grate or out of doors.
If anyone has concerns they are working on, the hearth keepers add
these to the fire.
How this is done: Take a piece of parchment, a bay leaf, a piece of
thread you've spun in a color that enhances the spell/prayer, or a
piece of bark (birch for purity, oak for strength, pine for protection,
maple for prosperity...etc).
Enchant this token with the imprint of intent to purpose. Use words,
rhymes you've created, or simply thought to GIVE the intent into the
token. When you feed this token to the flames, what you've created
drifts to Otherworld in the smoke and affects the inner planes here,
which in turn, calls to the energy stream in this world and what you
have called comes into the area of manifestation for the one whom
you are aiding in this working.
Before doing any work for a person you don't know, ask the runes if
it should be done and heed any bad omens you see. If all is well with
the request, you will be given a rune of good energy.
the energy fire to fire from one home to another. The energy builds
as each goes about her work. When evening comes, sometime
between 6 PM and midnight, each of Frigga's Hearth Keepers lights a
candle in a cauldron or builds a small fire in a grate or out of doors.
If anyone has concerns they are working on, the hearth keepers add
these to the fire.
How this is done: Take a piece of parchment, a bay leaf, a piece of
thread you've spun in a color that enhances the spell/prayer, or a
piece of bark (birch for purity, oak for strength, pine for protection,
maple for prosperity...etc).
Enchant this token with the imprint of intent to purpose. Use words,
rhymes you've created, or simply thought to GIVE the intent into the
token. When you feed this token to the flames, what you've created
drifts to Otherworld in the smoke and affects the inner planes here,
which in turn, calls to the energy stream in this world and what you
have called comes into the area of manifestation for the one whom
you are aiding in this working.
Before doing any work for a person you don't know, ask the runes if
it should be done and heed any bad omens you see. If all is well with
the request, you will be given a rune of good energy.
WEEKLY NEEDFIRE Think of the cauldron as the place where your magic is cooked, and under it the fire needs tended. Whatever need you put into the cauldron will need the fire you’ve tended in daily rites to give it enough power to manifest. Magic takes work and perseverance. Nauthiz is a rune that means perseverance, among other things. It means you have needs but are able, from the fire within you, to manifest the answer to that need. What you put into the fire beneath the cauldron, will fuel your spells and bring the desired result. Monday, seek Var’s help with the center, with the hearthfire within you. This is the moon time, go within the enclosure and find sacred space. Seek Var’s help, she of the sacred ring, of the hearth fire, of the home. She is Mother energy. Tuesday, seek protection with Syn and Hlin. Syn protects with an outward and very open show of her strength. Hlin is behind the scenes and much more aggressive. Practice protection spells. Exercise your ability to stand up for yourself. Wednesday is all about communication. Both with Goddess and with your own inner wisdom, and with your body, for it’s also a day of health consciousness. Write. Pray. And pay attention to your health needs. Gna and Eir are the Handmaidens for today. We work with both Poetry and Runes on Wednesday. Thursday, besides being Thor’s day and a great day to touch base with the wider community by performing the hammer rite is good for learning lore about the Gods and Goddess who are the kith and kin of Frigga and the Handmaidens. This is because it is Saga’s day and a day for Vor, as well. Learn about the customs and heritage that is so strong in the Northern Way. Learn the myths, the history and scry the future. Vor is all about the web of interconnectedness. Seek Her wisdom in kennings and seek Saga’s knowledge of history. Together they will blend a mighty thread to connect you to Source. Friday. This is Frigga’s day. It is the day to manifest your will in a tangible exercise called Needfire. Fulla shows her energy by helping shoe our feet to the path, while Sjofn inclines our hearts toward love and commitment. Saturday, we link to the ancient wisdom through Gefjon who knows the ways of the wise and the ways of giving and receiving. Gefjon, through perseverance and wise thought, wrested a good harvest from the earth. She didn’t concern herself with weak ideas, but hitched her plow to magic and turned a plowshare into a homeland. Both Gefjon and Snotra give us much ability to stick to our goals and to learn the structure and order that it takes to keep foundations sure, therewith to give us the ability to rise. Sunday gives us a chance to shine. To create and to be in the spotlight. Lofn helps us break free of other’s constraints and she holds the key which allows us to “ever seek our highest goals, and never be turned aside from them, for in them lies the fountain of youth.” Go outside and do something outside of self. Seek the sun and friends and joy and family. Be with those who are part of your tribe. In all these ways, Needfire is supported throughout the week, and we come refreshed and ready for the magic of Frigga’s fire. |
SUMMARY of times of celebrations and Blots
If I listed all the Heathen celebrations from which you can pick and choose, I’d be
listing for several pages and several of those pages would be on timing. If you have
two Heathens, you have three opinions and that includes on when to celebrate.
Below is a general list of the main "spokes of the wheel"
YULE December 20 through January 1 (to twelfth night, Jan 6th)
DISTING and charming of the plow -- January 31 through February 2
OSTARA First full moon after spring equinox (or ON spring Equinox)
MAY EVE april 31, followed by Beltane DAY
MIDSUMMER June 21
FEAST OF THE ALFAR --FREY FEST – Celebration for male Gods of Harvest and
male Ancestors: July 31 through August 2
FALL FEAST or Harvest Home (Fall equinox), September 23
WINTER NIGHTS -- October 31 (the tide runs from October 15 through November
10). Pay special attention to 15% Scorpio.
The dates vary, as you can see. But what you need to get in your mind is the visual
of the wheel of eight spokes.
Think of the spokes in two sets of four. Four spokes are lined up to point North,
South, East and West. These are the Solstices and Equinoxes – directly across
from each other. The growing of the light begins at Yule, the waning of the light
begins at Mid-Summer. At Spring and Fall Equinox, the day-night is in balance,
equal hours of daylight and darkness. Sometimes during these times of balance,
we tend to lose ours. That’s a good thing to keep in mind.
In between these spokes are four more points, one between North and East –
Between Yule and Spring Equinox (at which time Ostara is often celebrated) is Day
of the Distaff, when you honor Goddess and Female Ancestors at or near February
2nd.
The day across from this is Feast of the Alfar, sometimes called Thing’s Tide or
Frey Fest, on or near August 2nd. On this day, we celebrate the Gods of Harvest
(Frey) and Male Ancestors.
Then comes Spring Equinox and across from this is Fall Fest or Harvest Home,
which is the second harvest celebration is held at Fall Equinox, around September
21st to 23rd. Some make a loaf of bread to honor Frey at Fall Fest. Gefjon is good
to honor now, as well. We have a Gifting Meal called Kintacoy in Her honor, and in
honor of the Fey.
The spoke between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice is Walburga night and
Mayfest (some call it Beltane). Across the wheel from this is our New Year's Eve. I
call it Hella's eve, since She is in the realm of the Dead and this is a night to honor
our beloved ones who have died -- especially anyone who has died in the past
year. The veil is thin at this time, and the Dead can visit us, it is said. Nearly all
cultures celebrate this season in one way or another. The Dumb Supper is still
remembered by older people here in the hills of West Virginia. The last generation
who remembers the tradition of Dumb Supper and Maypole dances is now dying
off. But once again, these customs revive. Not Norse, necessarily, but part of our
culture from many blendings of past times.
Together with your group of Hearth Keepers decide whether you will time these by
the calendar or by the moon and sun. Choose what names you will call these days.
The Handmaidens can also be honored according to their special gifts of the
season.
Frigga is remembered for her ordeal on the night before Winter Solstice. This is
known as Mother Night, and we give thought to the truths of death-in-life and life-in-
death. It is a night of travail that ends in triumph at the dawning of the sun, after the
longest night (and Hod’s rule – rule of the blind God) has ended.
We also celebrate November 1 through the 10th as these are the days of
transformation, Hlin’s domain; Hella’s Day on the first, Norn’s rule on the tenth.
Though not of the same culture, I like the Feast of the White-Haired One, honoring
Old Mother Winter -- this is November Eleven. And On March 1st, I like Whoopity
Scurrie, when you go out and give apple drink offerings to the apple trees and wake
up the earth and tell her it is nearly morning, to arise and tend the fire, for Spring is
surely coming. This is fun and hopeful, especially if snow and ice are still all
around and the only sign of Spring is a snow-covered crocus or a brave dandelion.
We also celebrate the Moon seasons with New, Full and Darktide. We celebrate
the week with Frigga’s fire on Friday. We celebrate the days in ways meaningful to
the energy of the day. We celebrate the hours by paying attention to dawn and
twilight, the between times of Gna’s and Vor’s knowing, respectively.
Every fall, our family and friends who are nearby celebrate KINTACOY with a gifting
in which we tell the story of Gefjon and have a giveaway (usually something
homemade). We have this same kind of gifting for Olde Christmas on January 6th.
Gifts must be made or found, and nothing pricey.
Another family custom is to serve something made from BLACKBERRIES on New
Year's eve/day.
BLACKBERRY MOUNTAIN PIE
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Stir it together and add 2 cups blackberries (drain them first).
Bake at 350 until it's done -- about 45 minutes -- and serve hot with milk poured on.
If I listed all the Heathen celebrations from which you can pick and choose, I’d be
listing for several pages and several of those pages would be on timing. If you have
two Heathens, you have three opinions and that includes on when to celebrate.
Below is a general list of the main "spokes of the wheel"
YULE December 20 through January 1 (to twelfth night, Jan 6th)
DISTING and charming of the plow -- January 31 through February 2
OSTARA First full moon after spring equinox (or ON spring Equinox)
MAY EVE april 31, followed by Beltane DAY
MIDSUMMER June 21
FEAST OF THE ALFAR --FREY FEST – Celebration for male Gods of Harvest and
male Ancestors: July 31 through August 2
FALL FEAST or Harvest Home (Fall equinox), September 23
WINTER NIGHTS -- October 31 (the tide runs from October 15 through November
10). Pay special attention to 15% Scorpio.
The dates vary, as you can see. But what you need to get in your mind is the visual
of the wheel of eight spokes.
Think of the spokes in two sets of four. Four spokes are lined up to point North,
South, East and West. These are the Solstices and Equinoxes – directly across
from each other. The growing of the light begins at Yule, the waning of the light
begins at Mid-Summer. At Spring and Fall Equinox, the day-night is in balance,
equal hours of daylight and darkness. Sometimes during these times of balance,
we tend to lose ours. That’s a good thing to keep in mind.
In between these spokes are four more points, one between North and East –
Between Yule and Spring Equinox (at which time Ostara is often celebrated) is Day
of the Distaff, when you honor Goddess and Female Ancestors at or near February
2nd.
The day across from this is Feast of the Alfar, sometimes called Thing’s Tide or
Frey Fest, on or near August 2nd. On this day, we celebrate the Gods of Harvest
(Frey) and Male Ancestors.
Then comes Spring Equinox and across from this is Fall Fest or Harvest Home,
which is the second harvest celebration is held at Fall Equinox, around September
21st to 23rd. Some make a loaf of bread to honor Frey at Fall Fest. Gefjon is good
to honor now, as well. We have a Gifting Meal called Kintacoy in Her honor, and in
honor of the Fey.
The spoke between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice is Walburga night and
Mayfest (some call it Beltane). Across the wheel from this is our New Year's Eve. I
call it Hella's eve, since She is in the realm of the Dead and this is a night to honor
our beloved ones who have died -- especially anyone who has died in the past
year. The veil is thin at this time, and the Dead can visit us, it is said. Nearly all
cultures celebrate this season in one way or another. The Dumb Supper is still
remembered by older people here in the hills of West Virginia. The last generation
who remembers the tradition of Dumb Supper and Maypole dances is now dying
off. But once again, these customs revive. Not Norse, necessarily, but part of our
culture from many blendings of past times.
Together with your group of Hearth Keepers decide whether you will time these by
the calendar or by the moon and sun. Choose what names you will call these days.
The Handmaidens can also be honored according to their special gifts of the
season.
Frigga is remembered for her ordeal on the night before Winter Solstice. This is
known as Mother Night, and we give thought to the truths of death-in-life and life-in-
death. It is a night of travail that ends in triumph at the dawning of the sun, after the
longest night (and Hod’s rule – rule of the blind God) has ended.
We also celebrate November 1 through the 10th as these are the days of
transformation, Hlin’s domain; Hella’s Day on the first, Norn’s rule on the tenth.
Though not of the same culture, I like the Feast of the White-Haired One, honoring
Old Mother Winter -- this is November Eleven. And On March 1st, I like Whoopity
Scurrie, when you go out and give apple drink offerings to the apple trees and wake
up the earth and tell her it is nearly morning, to arise and tend the fire, for Spring is
surely coming. This is fun and hopeful, especially if snow and ice are still all
around and the only sign of Spring is a snow-covered crocus or a brave dandelion.
We also celebrate the Moon seasons with New, Full and Darktide. We celebrate
the week with Frigga’s fire on Friday. We celebrate the days in ways meaningful to
the energy of the day. We celebrate the hours by paying attention to dawn and
twilight, the between times of Gna’s and Vor’s knowing, respectively.
Every fall, our family and friends who are nearby celebrate KINTACOY with a gifting
in which we tell the story of Gefjon and have a giveaway (usually something
homemade). We have this same kind of gifting for Olde Christmas on January 6th.
Gifts must be made or found, and nothing pricey.
Another family custom is to serve something made from BLACKBERRIES on New
Year's eve/day.
BLACKBERRY MOUNTAIN PIE
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Stir it together and add 2 cups blackberries (drain them first).
Bake at 350 until it's done -- about 45 minutes -- and serve hot with milk poured on.
FRIDAY NIGHT
HEARTHFIRE
HEARTHFIRE
