Fall asleep/meditate to the sound of rain/thunderstorms
Taking care of yourself physically
Exercising; making sure to stretch/move your body in general
Spending time with loved ones, especially any younger relatives you feel close with
Supporting human rights, abuse survivors, or homeless care organizations
Cook a warm meal for someone in need; give bottled/warm drinks to someone in need
Have a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)
Keep a picture of him in your wallet
Wear jewelry that reminds you of him
Donate food, clothes, umbrellas, raincoats, winter clothes, and general supplies to a homeless shelter
Have imagery of Mjölnir, lightning/storms, or the Helm of Awe symbol around
Have a stuffed animal goat
Participate in a protest for something you believe in
Engage in activities that you're passionate about
Eat a hardy meal, especially with meats or filling foods
Drink mead, coffee with honey, tea with honey, etc.; raise a glass to Thorr
Make a list of your personal strengths; acknowledge all that you've overcome
Ground yourself often, decompress after a tough day
Play in the rain (safely please)
Work hard on something, especially with your hands; crafting, wood-carving, building, etc.
Be kind to your fellow humans; practice compassion and generosity
Honor your ancestors; learn about your family history
Keep your space clean; make it your own
Help with household chores or errands
Support local farmers
Volunteer at a homeless shelter
Take responsibility for yourself and your actions
Be kind to retail/customer service workers; leave good tips when you can
Learn to trust yourself more; trust that you can protect yourself, listen to yourself, and have faith in yourself
Be patient with yourself, especially if you struggle physically
Hold the door for someone; offer help to anyone who seems to need it
Collect rain water (feel free to use it to water plants)
Start a garden; tend to plants, especially produce and herbs
Listen to music that empowers you; dance to it
Practice venting your anger through healthy avenues; be comfortable with any of your negative feelings/emotions
Take a walk outside with a cloudy sky or during a rainstorm (be safe with this please)
Pour a drink for someone else; pour a drink in honor of your ancestors
Stand up for yourself and others
Celebrate your accomplishments often; celebrate your loved ones, too
-
I'll add more to this later! For now, this is my list of discreet ways to worship Thorr. I hope this helped, and please take care, everyone! May your cups never be empty. ❤️
1. There are manny gods, you dont have to like them all or give offerings to all of them, work with those you feel close to and vibe with. If you dont like a god, then dont work with them, no shame. Try things and dont be afraid to do things wrong.
2. There is no such thing as a bad offering, or to little. A poor mans grain is worth more to the gods than a kings gold. Its about what the offering means more than the offering it self.
3. You dont have to drink or offer mead, its good, but if you cant or dont want to have anything to do with alcohol then thats fine, I recomend honey water and Milk mixed with honey as non alcoholic toasting.
4. Tbh, the gods are not that important for every day, the animistic is more. And if you have a hard time to conect to the gods, then trying to conect and work with with your local nature and house spirits is a good start. They are in no distant realm, but right there with you.
5. You dont have to know evrery myth to have a strong connection to the gods and nature, its good to read and know things but its not a who can read the most contest.
6. You dont have to follow or litsen to others, walk your own path in the heathen forest, and when you feel ready, walk with others if you like, but dont feel like you have to join a group or follow some "spiritual leader".
7. The less money you spend the better, your spirituality should be personal and grounded in what you feel is important. Buy the mead horn and god statue if you like, but your not a bad heathen for not having the space or wealth for a sick as altar.
8. Every forest is a temple and evey stone is a altar, and for you city heathens out there, remeber, the gods are not magically band from city parks and towns. You can conect to them wher ever and when ever.
Trying not to focus too hard on the fact I should have raised the skull's eye a bit higher (may rework that section later), but otherwise I'm pretty proud of this devotional piece for the Norse goddess of death, Hel💀🖤🕯️
I absolutely adore Jord, although I don't interact with her as often as I'd like (I mean, insofar as one can "avoid" interacting with the Earth herself).
I see her as the ultimate mother and provider, though don't be fooled into thinking that she's a pushover based on how much she gives to all of us and how much abuse she has endured and continues to endure. She is still very much a Jotun - just as present in the fury of the earthquakes that rock the land as much as the gentle and warm abundance of spring. I believe her to be incredibly patient but incredibly powerful. I think she has the power to annihilate us if she really wanted to. With or without mankind, Jord will survive.
And yet I see evidence of her love for us in the edible "weeds" that crop up along roadsides and in yards - in the fact that her natural inclination is to grow nourishing food without imposing a cost. Every possession we have only exists because she made those resources avaliable to us. I love her so much and it genuinely hurts to see her generosity be exploited for profit without so much as a "thank you".
That being said, some great offerings to Jord might be to pick up litter where you see it. Or to start living in alignment with the seasons. Or growing a garden, or fighting for environmental causes. Even just falling in love with some critter and deciding to go to bat for its conservation would help Jord. And if nothing else, just praying to her - a simple act of acknowledgement and gratitude - would no doubt be appreciated.
That being said, thank you for reminding me how much I love Jord! When I'm off work I'm gonna go offer to her. :)
Thank you so much for the reply!! I love the idea of picking up litter for her. I'll definitely try incorporating worshipping her into my daily life, plus the way you describe how she affects us is really beautiful.
I won't lie, wishing a trans person a "happy" TDOV this year feels inappropriate. While it is such an inspirational display of resolve to declare that this year's politics won't steal one's joy, I believe it is equally important to acknowledge and hold space for the other emotions we may be feeling today. Anger, betrayal, fear, isolation--these are all valid emotions, and you have every right to feel and process them.
So instead of wishing you a happy TDOV, I wish you this:
May your TDOV fill you with pride. You have so much to be proud of, even if all you did today was survive. You are beautiful, unbreakable, resilient, strong, and you are loved by the gods and by so many people. You are the very best thing you can be: yourself.
Today, I thank Loki for the bravery they instill in us to live authentically. I thank Frigge for the love she inspires us to feel within us, for ourselves and our Family. I thank Thor for the strength he lends us as we carry our cultures into the future. I thank Tyr for the advocacy and tireless efforts of our allies and within our communities. I thank YOU for existing.
I think feeling your grief and crying is a devotional act to Freyja, in my opinion. Her amber tears for her husband Odr, allow yourself to become grief stricken, allowing yourself to expel all the pain of loss to the Goddess is such a good devotional act, she knows that pain, she knows how all consuming it can be, how unpredictable, how it stops you from getting out of bed on time. Allow her feather cloak fjaðrhamr encircle you, bring you warmth, and meditate in her presence. It's a step closer to healing. 🪶
Sometimes, I hear about all the amazing experiences people have had with the gods and feel a little insecure.
I don't have any earth-shattering mind breaking moments with them. My practice is pretty mundane (I set out offerings, pray, do divination), and it just makes me feel like a bit of an impostor.
Maybe I'm just too surface level and need to meditate more, who knows.
understanding norse runes: a historical and modern perspective pt. 2
Here's part two! If you need clarification on anything please lmk! <3
For part 1 click here, and part 3 here.
ᚺ hagalaz
ANGLO-SAXON:
"Hail is the whitest of grain;
it is whirled from heaven's loft
tossed about by wind gusts,
then melts into water."
NORWEGIAN:
"Hail is the coldest of grains:
Christ created the primaeval world."
(not the Christian Christ, just an epithet for Odin)
ICELANDIC:
"Hail is cold grain
and driving sleet
and sickness of serpents."
INTERPRETATION: Starting out strong, hagalaz thankfully only has one meaning, and that's "hail." Unrelatedly, this rune is also one of the first overtly negative runes (of course, the meaning truly depends on the surrounding staves you pull, but nevertheless), representing uncomfortable change, possibly a crisis. Associated with the goddess Hel, it represents both her aspects: the cold goddess of death, and the plentiful goddess of life. Hagalaz shows us that change is on the horizon, but that it will be a time of learning, of becoming evermore wiser. Similar to The Moon card in tarot, this stave also represents the secrets of the runes, the dark side. A side we nevertheless have to confront in order to overcome great stressors. Doubtlessly, this transformation will cause us some pain, but hail is considered the seed of possibilities. Though in solid form it may hurt or harm us, when melted it may nourish the struggling sapling. It has great potential, especially considering this is the ninth rune, a number that appears repeatedly in Norse Mythology. This stave has us confronting our worst fears and suffering, and telling us to learn from them, to become a better person. We have to create our own inner harmony, despite whatever may get in our way.
ASSOCIATIONS: Hel, the Norns (specifically Urdh, the past), Heimdall
ᚾ nauthiz
ANGLO-SAXON:
"Need is nearest to the breast,
yet often proves to children of men
a source of help and healing
if they heed it betimes."
NORWEGIAN:
"Need leaves little choice;
the naked man is chilled by frost."
ICELANDIC:
"Need is distress of thrall-woman
and state of oppression
and hard work."
INTERPRETATION: A rune often associated with the Norns, especially Skuld (the future), nauthiz is all about "necessity" and inevitability. The future is inescapable, but it can be used to our advantage. To understand this rune, we have to understand our own needs and purpose(s) as well. Usually, these are outside of our control. A lack of food caused by war creates a necessity for food. It is outside of the individual sufferer's hands. However, it can spur a person to act in whatever way they can, it's the spark of what is called the "needfire," vital to cause and effect. Need defines action defines life. Yes, this rune can be interpreted as a negative one, no doubt. But, again, runes are not as simple and straightforward as Tarot. If you pulled kenaz with nauthiz, you might look more closely at the "needfire" aspect of this reading, or if you pulled wunjo you might see this as more of a needs to an end. Which, really, that's all this rune represents: the needs to an end. You are not stuck in this state of lack, rather it is the lack that will turn the Norns' bow-drill to usher in a new era. Whereas hagalaz is more of a rigid, set in stone, nauthiz is about moving on from that suffering.
KEY WORDS: Necessity, inevitability, the future, constraint, hardship
ASSOCIATIONS: The Norns (specifically Skuld)
ᛁ isa
ANGLO-SAXON:
"Ice be overcold, unmeasurably slippery,
glisteneth clear as glass, to gems likest;
a floor by frost wrought, fair to be seen."
NORWEGIAN:
"Ice we call the broad bridge;
The blind man must be led."
ICELANDIC:
"Ice is bark of rivers
and roof of the wave
and destruction for doomed men."
INTERPRETATION: Isa, true to its similar pronunciation, just means "ice." In this way, it has two divinatory meanings: one as an unmoving, unwavering shield, and one as a static, frozen object/individual. It can help to lessen disturbances and chaos, to soothe the fires of the earlier runes. This stave can mean stasis, but it can also mean clarity, a deep concentration. Stuck in the ice, you would have an awful long time to think, no? Rest is important for all things, but especially so in times of chaos. When the fires of kenaz or thurisaz get too hot, isa is there to cool things down. Furthermore, though, this rune can represent an unwilling stagnation, a frustrating situation or relationship. Stuck quarreling with a lover, this rune would be emblematic of how the reader would be feeling in that moment. Similarly, we can take this rune to represent the present, the Norn Verdandi. As a rune of advice, the reader is being told to watch and wait, to get a lay of the land before continuing onward. As much as a swirling blizzard can freeze you out, an igloo can keep you safe from the perils of frostbite, so it all depends on the adjacent runes in the reading. What do you need before you can continue? What is the crux of what's holding you back? All of these are things you need to consider.
INTERPRETATION: An often encouraging stave to pull in a reading, jera's literal translation is "year." In the harsher climates of the North, it is easy to lose track of the four seasons, and have the warmer and colder months blend together. In this way, jera represents not only summer, but also a good harvest. Every year, as the wheel of the year makes its rounds, crops must be yet again sown, cared for, and yielded. The old is reborn and the young turns to old. A symbol of dance, play, and marriage, this rune can also be associated with Freyja and Freyr, two deities strongly associated with the summertime. In divination, jera advises us to see everything as a constantly moving cycle. As soon as bad things come, they will leave, and good things replace them. Nothing is permanent, not even our most cherished. If blocked or neglected, a poor harvest is almost assured, and suffering is indicated. But when nurtured the right way, it can heal the deepest wounds and give rebirth to the greatest joys. An emphasis is also placed on creating new relationships and strengthening existing ones. Cherish your friends and family whenever possible.
KEY WORDS: Harvest, cycle, repetition, plenty
ASSOCIATIONS: Freyja and Freyr
ᛇ eihwaz
ANGLO-SAXON:
"The yew outside is a rough-barked tree,
but strong and firm, guard of fires,
by deep roots upheld, joy to the home."
NORWEGIAN:
"Yew is the greenest of trees in winter;
when it burns, it sputters."
ICELANDIC:
"Yew is bent bow
and brittle iron
and Farbauti of the arrow."
INTERPRETATION: Eihwaz is known as the "yew," and often represents Yggdrasil, the World Tree that Odin hung himself from over nine days and nine nights for the knowledge of the runes. Because of this, this stave often represents spiritual enlightenment, and connection between the physical and metaphysical realms. As the yew was consistently used for bow-making, this is a rune also associated with hunting and the wild (and furthermore masculinity, but I find that to be a bit sexist). A bridge between life and death, sky and earth, the heavens and the Underworld, eihwaz is a great rune for communing, divination, or necromancy. It is a connection between paradoxes, between opposites, and is also associated with graveyards. But no matter what, these connections have to be made thoughtfully, and with great trepidation. Carelessness has no place in this space, as it could just as easily turn from good to bad. -==32
INTERPRETATION: Considering it was a letter commonly used, perthro has a fairly ambiguous meaning of "lot cup" or "game piece." Either way, the literal interpretation involves the drawing of lots, and chance. Divination wise, perthro is said to represent both the dice and the mode of throwing the dice, simultaneously mysterious and all-knowing. Considering this wealth of knowledge that perthro is said to contain, it is no wonder that it is heavily associated with Mimir, who is renowned for his wisdom. Furthermore, because of it's association with vessels (odd, I know), this stave also represents with the female womb and childbirth. For this reason, it is also associated with Frigg, a seeress and goddess of childbirth. Frigg, though she is said to know all, she also tells nothing. This doubles down on the mysterious, hidden powers of perthro, being both the runes themselves and their meanings. Additionally, being a rune of fate, it represents the Norns as a whole, and their powers.
KEY WORDS: Fate, luck, mystery, secrets, feminine energy
ASSOCIATIONS: Mimir, Frigg, Norns
ᛉ algiz
ANGLO-SAXON:
"Elk-sedge is found most often in fens,
waxes in water, wounds grimly,
with blood burns whatever warrior
that goes to grasp it."
INTERPRETATION: Aha! My favorite rune, how exciting. A rune meaning "elk," algiz is a powerful protective symbol. Considering the imagery of an elk, we can draw connections to god of the hunt, Freyr, who is often depicted with antlers. From Freyr we can then discern meanings of sexual awakening, the fighting spirit, and divine communication. With it's three pronged appearance we can create a number of different interpretations: the elements, a sacred forest grove, masculinity/femininity, the Yggdrasil, and even the Bifrost. I've also seen people consider it as a double-edged sword of a stave, a protective symbol but only as long as you have enough power and discipline to wield it. This is especially pertinent if we consider this as a rune of divine protection, as it would be doubtlessly foolhardy to demand protection from the gods while giving nothing in return. A weapon that can be wielded by you or against you.
KEY WORDS: Protection, guardian, sanctuary, the hunt
ASSOCIATIONS: Freyr
ᛊ sowilo
ANGLO-SAXON:
"Sun to seamen is a hope on high
when they ferry over the fishes' bath
until the sea-horse brings them to land."
NORWEGIAN:
"Sun is the light of the lands;
I bow to heaven's doom."
ICELANDIC:
"Sun is shield of the sky
and shining ray
and destroyer of the ice."
INTERPRETATION: Alright! Last one for this aett, sowilo means "sun." Not only the literal sun, this stave represents the force of the heavens, the wealth that it provides and the harm that it can cause. It brings illumination and clarification, as it also shows us where our path lays--what our goals may be. If we consider a connection between the sun god Apollo (a bright, beautiful youth) and Baldr (also a bright, beautiful youth), then new aspects can be revealed to us such as victory, strength, life force, and energy. It encourages us to have hope in our future, and to look towards the horizon. Just like the wheel of the sun whirls around the cosmos, so too does sowilo encourage us to break our stagnation and act. What we desire is within our grasp, all we have to do it reach out and grab it! This rune is one of great positivity and encouragement, and is a pleasure to see in a reading.
KEY WORDS: Success, illumination, achievement, energy