exploration.

c // mid20s // they/them. heathen in training. honouring freyja, hel, freyr, njord, and odin.

[thehikingvalkyrie]

My friend sent me this today and I thought it was very important to share for all my fellow Viking/Norse mythology lovers. Daily reminder: fuck white supremacy.

[khangi]

What Native people say about the use of sage: you can use sage, but you cannot smudge as nothing you are doing (waving sage around) is actually smudging. Smudging is a ceremony and you are, we promise, not smudging. Please buy sage from either us, or someone who sources the sage from us. White sage may not be considered endangered by the US government but corperate sourcing is making it difficult for us to source sage for our own religious purposes. Let alone to sell it.

What white people hear: never use sage ever, don’t ever buy it, don’t own it, don’t even look at it.

Look, y’all. There’s a couple of facets to my talk today.

1) Yes! You can buy sage! You really, truly can! Buy it from either native sellers (go to a powwow! Eat our food, buy our stuff, watch some dancing!) Or buy it from a seller who sources the sage from native people. Pick one. And no, buying it from 5 Below doesn’t count.

2) you CANNOT smudge. This isn’t just you “shouldn’t”— this is a YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF SMUDGING. Waving a sage stick around your doorways IS NOT SMUDGING. It is smoke clensing. Smudging, depending on the tradition and tribe, could easily have dancing and drums involved. You, as a white person, do not have the cultural BACKGROUND to even know how it works. At all. Period.

3) please, for FUCKS SAKE, stop making posts here on tumblr where you tell other white people about cultural appropriation and what they can and cannot do. Please stop, your license has been revoked because none of you bother to get the facts right. We native people are FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES. Consider instead: a) reblogging our posts where we talk about it! We’re here! We have made posts!! b) Making a post that states what we said and then LINKS BACK TO US. Screenshot with a link if you must. Stop centering your own voices in these conversations. You are already centered in everything, stop centering yourselves in a native space.

I’m tired of this nonsense, y’all.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk ™

[freyjasheir]

I’ve been slacking in my practice recently, but today I managed to go outside and gather some sage from my garden for drying. It’s all hung up now, and doing just that little bit has put my heart at ease for now.

[hexiest]

Witchy Mood Music

[north-of-annwn]

hexiest‌:

I responded to a post about chants and music to help raise energy (for hausofsageandcrystals & ace-of-pentacles) before or during practicing magic, and I thought instead of just helping that person, I’d just make a master post to help anyone who might be looking for a list like this.

Each artist is listed here with a link to an example of their music… I would 10/10 recommend all of these artists to anyone with a taste for the medieval/pagan/witchy feel. I will do my best to define the genre of music they all fall under for you guys.

hexiest‌:

Blackmore’s Night - English Renaissance Inspired Medieval Folk Rock 

Loreena McKennit - Eclectic Celtic (good for Christo-pagans)

Faun - Medieval Folk (German)

Lyriel - Folk Metal

Nightwish - Symphonic Metal/Folk Metal

Celtic Woman - Modernized Celtic/Covers

Enya - Synthesized Celtic Folk

Elane - Gothic Folk (German)

Edenbridge - Symphonic Metal/Folk Metal

Clannad - New Age Celtic Folk

The Moon and The Nightspirit - Medieval Folk/Neofolk

Lunatica - Symphonic Metal/Folk Metal

Inkubus Sukkubus - Pagan Gothic Rock

Xandria - Symphonic Metal

Mediæval Bæbes- Medieval Folk

Kamelot - Power Metal with Medieval Themes

Capercaillie - Gaelic Funky Folk

Gregorian - Gregorian Chant versions of Modern Pop 

Altan - Celtic Folk

Within Temptation - Symphonic Rock 

Corvus Corax - Neo-Medieval Folk Metal

Cruachan - Pagan Metal

Haggard - Medieval Folk Metal

Celtic Spirit - New Age Celtic Folk

Era - Gregorian Chants/New Age/Ethereal

Moya Brennan - New Age Celtic Folk

Abney Park - Industrial Gothic Folk with a Steampunk Vibe

Lindsey Stirling - Violin Folk/Rock/Pop 

Sava - Medieval Folk ☆

Gaelic Storm - Traditional Celtic/Pub Songs

Avantasia - Symphonic Metal

Edguy - Power Metal

Battlelore - Symphonic Metal with a Medieval/Viking Theme

Vanessa Mae - Modernized Classical

David Arkenstone - New Age Celtic with LotR Themes

Angelzoom - New Age

The Corrs - Folk Pop

T-Rex - 70s Rock with Pagan Flair

The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud - Gothic Medieval Neofolk ☆

Adrian Von Ziegler - Traditional Celtic

Dead Can Dance - Darkwave/Gothic World

Omnia - Neo-Celtic Pagan Folk

S.J. Tucker - Pagan Folk

TÝR - Pagan Symphonic Metal

Wardruna - Nordic Folk

Lumsk - Viking Folk Metal

Krauka - Viking Folk ☆

BrunuhVille - Fantasy Instrumental

Fleetwood Mac - everyone knows Stevie Nicks is a Witch ok

Lorde - Alternative pop 

Aurora - Indie synth pop with really neat vibes

Florence + the Machine - Alternative indie rock

Haroula Rose -  Indie psych folk with haunting vocals

Lewis Watson - Indie acoustic singer-songwriter

Lana Del Rey - Indie pop with a haunting cult vibe

Forndom - Dark, ambient Swedish neofolk with Norse references

Anilah - Ethereal, ambient neofolk chants

Eluveitie - Celtic pagan folk metal 

Heidevolk - Dutch pagan viking folk metal

Korpiklaani - Finnish viking folk metal

Nechochwen - Native American inspired neofolk

Hoopy Frood - Psychedelic ambient chill electronic

Carved in Stone - German acoustic neofolk

Matt Norris & The Moon - Alternative folk with Scottish roots

Kerli - Estonian alternative pop-rock (English lyrics)

Eivør - Icelandic Faroese folk/alternative pop-rock (English lyrics)

Dark Sarah - Finnish symphonic gothic metal

Jonne - Finnish folk rock

Eurielle - Classical crossover, synth/acoustic folk with melodic vocals

The Soil Bleeds Black - Medieval neofolk

Wendy Rule - New age neo-pagan folk

Gaia Consort - Celtic neo-pagan folk 

Pragnavit - Dark ambient pagan folk

Damh the Bard - Celtic-inspired pagan Druid folk

Zolita - Electronic indie cult-pop with heavy lgbt & feminist themes

Sevdaliza - Ambient alternative art-pop/trip-hop

Grimes - Electronic experimental psychedelic dream-pop

Nyxx - Dark electronic pop-metal

Elyose - French symphonic gothic electro-metal

Blackbriar - Symphonic gothic electro-metal

Ivy Levan - “Blue-eyed soul”/Pop (modern female witch aesthetic in vids)

Ulvesang - Neofolk from Nova Scotia

Louise Lemón - “Death-Gospel”, slow-paced alt rock w/ relevant themes

Darkher - Darkfolk, ethereal wave, gothic neofolk

Vodun - Psychedelic Metal with a funk vibe and voodoo themes

Heilung - Nordic neofolk/darkfolk

Skuggsjá - Norwegian darkfolk/black metal

Sangre de Muerdago - Spanish darkfolk/neofolk

Jethro Tull - 1970s progressive folk rock

Lurte - Aragonese medieval folk rock

Nebelhexë - Pagan darkwave

Emerald Rose - Pagan neofolk/chants

Stille Volk - French celtic neofolk/chants

Ataraxia - Italian neoclassical darkwave

Kellianna - Neofolk with Hellenic references & Wiccan themes

Laboratorium Pieśni - Polish/Slavic acoustic neofolk

Whirling Pope Joan - French folk/Hurdy Gurdy

Braia - Brazilian progressive rock with an Irish Celtic sound

Claudiney Prieto - Brazilian Wiccan neofolk

Kajiura Yuki ( 梶浦由記 ) - Japanese anime instrumentals

See-Saw - Japanese experimental pop (anime themes)

Kalafina - Japanese neoclassical pop-rock

Wagakki Band ( 和楽器バンド ) -  Japanese folk fusion rock

Angelit - Finnish electronic folk rock

Kari Rueslåtten - Norwegian neofolk

AURORA - Melodic synthpop/neofolk with chanting

Cellar Darling - Melodic folk rock

Rainbow - 1970s metal/rock with Richie Blackmore of Blackmore’s Night

Richard Einhart - Modern classical

Christopher Tin - Modern classical composer for video games

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares - Bulgarian folk

Globus - Epic cinematic rock

E.S. Posthumus - New age orchestral instrumentals

Villa-Lobos - Modern orchestral composer

Break of Reality - Cello covers of modern songs

2Cellos - Cello covers/mashups/originals

David Garrett - Violinist who covers modern songs/soundtracks

Trobar de Morte - Spanish medieval neofolk

Mägo de Oz - Spanish power folk metal

Danheim - Nordic pagan darkfolk/neofolk

Garmarna - Swedish medieval folk rock

Schandmaul - German medieval folk rock

Subway to Sally - German medieval folk rock

In Extremo - German medieval folk metal

Santiano - German folk-rock shanties

Heather Dale - Celtic medieval neofolk

Ghost - Psychedelic occult metal (Satanic/Luciferian vibes)

Separate list for OSTs! Selections from these will also be included in the playlist if I can find them.

Black Sails OST - Bear McCreary (Pirate shanty-style instrumentals)

Journey OST - Austin Wintory (Peaceful, melodic intrumentals)

Ori and the Blind Forest OST - Gareth Coker (Surreal instrumentals)

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag OST - Brian Tyler (Pirate shanties)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt OST -  Marcin Przybyłowicz, Mikołaj Stroiński, Percival (Cinematic orchestral with celtic vibes and chants mixed in)

Dragon Age: Inquisition OST - Trevor Morris (Cinematic orchestral with gregorian-style chanting)

Violet Evergarden OST - Various Artists (Cinematic instrumentals with very whimsical emotion-driven sounds)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim OST -  Jeremy Soule, Mark Lampert (Cinematic orchestral with gregorian-style chants in the game’s dragon-tongue as well as tavern songs)

I hope this list is helpful for people! These are just some of my favorites, if there is anyone you think I should add to this list, message me! :)

Also adding a link to a new spotify playlist that includes all of the artists from this list that spotify has. I’ll mark the ones that aren’t on it with “☆”

WITCHY MOOD MUSIC SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

☽hexiest☾

Hello again friends!

I know it’s been quite some time but I do read all of your comments and messages, and I have updated this list again today with additions and amendments from several Tumblr users!

Thank you so much to the following users for their recommendations to this list:

@icarusskycruiser @dunnimagining @panspanther @artemis-devotee @cukibola @nakedpagan @chaosqueen2222 @herbs-and-nerds  @darkfellartist

And similarly, a huge thanks to the following users who left comments with helpful information about certain artists:

@halethevampire  for their advising that Loreena McKennit is great for Christopagans, as well as @sara8181 & @johyejung for letting me know that  Eivør is actually Faroese rather than Icelandic! 

I really appreciate everyone’s comments and helpfulness in building this list, and I will be slowly adding all of the new additions into the Spotify playlist linked at the bottom of the original post.

Much love to all!

☽hexiest☾

[meiselr]

June Challenge Prizes - Hel

[samijen]

illustrations from my senior project! my,, sweat and tears :’D

[fornsidramerica]

Does your Heathenry spark joy? #heathenry #heathen #heathenmemes #inclusiveheathenry #norsepagnism #mariekondo https://www.instagram.com/p/B1flpRhJLxj/?igshid=1ngto6xit4qe8

[polarvargen]

[lokissed]

Odin at the beginning of time: Wow it’s been so peaceful and quiet forever

Loki: *Adele voice* Hello

[narikkaphoto-deactivated2021082]

Way to Hel.

[farnorthcloset]

Dinner time ! 

Apple cider chicken recipe by Borghild :

- 6 beautiful boneless chicken breasts or legs - 4 yellow onions - 250gr ( 0.5 lb ) of butter -  A bottle of cider - 1 pot of crème fraiche - salt -  cumin ( or other spices ) Heat the butter in your cauldron and make it melt, add cut onions and make it brown for 10 minutes.  Add the chicken, let it heat then add the cider. Skim and spin often until chicken is cooked through, about 15/20 minutes, then remove from the fire and add the crème fraiche.

Enjoy ! 

[borghildvikingcreations]

My recipe !!! Thx !

[winebrightruby]

You can worship a deity without being devoted to that deity. You can make offerings without making oaths. It is okay. Please do not stress yourselves out because you want to make a thank-you offering but don’t want to make a lifelong commitment. Why would you need to swear oaths to say thank you? It is totally okay to just make conversation without involving vows and stuff.

[north-of-annwn]

ᚠ Fehu (Cattle) 

Abundance, wealth, resources, material possessions. 

“Wealth provides comfort, but you must share it who hope to cast lots for judgment before the gods.” - Old English Rune Poem

“Money causes strife among kin; the wolf grows up in the woods.” - Norwegian Rune Poem

Fehu (F), meaning wealth is the first rune in Freyr’s aett. Freyja and Freyr who share this rune are both Vanir; deities of fertility and abundance. Fehu can refer to material possessions, resources, and wealth. Enough of these things can ensure comfort, health, and security. However, the rune poem cautions against excess and hoarding wealth. 

We’ve come to live in a society that consumes resources unsustainably and without care for those in need. Capitalism demands ‘what has a person done to earn their financial security?’ But this isn’t a Heathen concept. The rune Fehu values community, social services, and sharing of resources. It warns that good fortune can turn in an instant. Beware of seeking after possessions and gold beyond your needs, for you will soon learn that the possessor eventually becomes the possessed. 

This wisdom can be applied today in the social structures we advocate for and how we think of class. Wealth can unify or divide, depending on how it’s distributed. When shared equitably amongst our community it removes barriers or systemic oppression. 

Using Fehu in Seidr and Magic can bring about exactly what is needed, but no more. It promotes sharing and hospitality among us. Is it any coincidence that Frith starts with Fehu? Do not withhold resources from those in need, lest the lot you pull from the gods be opposite your favor. 

[forndom]

Hávamál - XXIII “Ósviðr maðr vakir um allar nætr ok hyggr at hvívetna þá er móðr er at morni kømr alt er vil sem var” - “The unwise man is awake all night and thinks of all sorts of things.  Tired is he  when the morning comes and his problems unchanged.“  © Forndom

[khangi]

What Native people say about the use of sage: you can use sage, but you cannot smudge as nothing you are doing (waving sage around) is actually smudging. Smudging is a ceremony and you are, we promise, not smudging. Please buy sage from either us, or someone who sources the sage from us. White sage may not be considered endangered by the US government but corperate sourcing is making it difficult for us to source sage for our own religious purposes. Let alone to sell it.

What white people hear: never use sage ever, don’t ever buy it, don’t own it, don’t even look at it.

Look, y’all. There’s a couple of facets to my talk today.

1) Yes! You can buy sage! You really, truly can! Buy it from either native sellers (go to a powwow! Eat our food, buy our stuff, watch some dancing!) Or buy it from a seller who sources the sage from native people. Pick one. And no, buying it from 5 Below doesn’t count.

2) you CANNOT smudge. This isn’t just you “shouldn’t”— this is a YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF SMUDGING. Waving a sage stick around your doorways IS NOT SMUDGING. It is smoke clensing. Smudging, depending on the tradition and tribe, could easily have dancing and drums involved. You, as a white person, do not have the cultural BACKGROUND to even know how it works. At all. Period.

3) please, for FUCKS SAKE, stop making posts here on tumblr where you tell other white people about cultural appropriation and what they can and cannot do. Please stop, your license has been revoked because none of you bother to get the facts right. We native people are FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES. Consider instead: a) reblogging our posts where we talk about it! We’re here! We have made posts!! b) Making a post that states what we said and then LINKS BACK TO US. Screenshot with a link if you must. Stop centering your own voices in these conversations. You are already centered in everything, stop centering yourselves in a native space.

I’m tired of this nonsense, y’all.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk ™

[artisticlog-deactivated20231213]

Lilac ritual bath 🛀💜🍃🔮✨

[witcheshaven]

Altar space 🔮