One of the commonly misperpetuated beliefs of the Asatru afterlife is that the end goal is for us all to go to Valhalla. For these individuals that put such importance on the warrior aspects of our religion they overlook a couple of things. Foremost is that Freyja had first choice of the battle-slain, so if you qualified you may end up going to her hall, and NOT Valhalla. Secondly, while warrior aspects and cultuses were present in antiquity, ultimately the... Read more
Written by Beth A. “Wytchskate” Kelley Saturday, 01 May 2010 13:48 The gossamer shading of their voices in the opening song “Invocation” appears from the mists created by Miranda’s harp and the softness of the bells. A beautiful song with which to begin the meditative and uplifting journey. The next song makes me long for the shores of Ireland. I am aware of my being, yet transformed into just spirit form. One can feel the Ancient Ones speaking if you... Read more
This mini-article explores the nature of the rune gebo. Read more
Oh, do not tell the priest our plight, Or he would call it a sin; But–we have been out in the woods all night, A-conjuring Summer in! And we bring you good news by word of mouth — Good news for cattle and corn — Now is the Sun come up from the south, With Oak, and Ash, and Thorn! – Rudyard Kipling, “A Tree Song” April has been an incredible month at Oak and Holly, all thanks to the... Read more
May Day, Summerdaeg, Walpurgis… trying to discern the pre-Christian celebrations and origins of this holytide can be a bit tricky. Typing ‘Walpurgis’ into the ever-handy google… turns up detailed information about the Catholic saint known by that name, but when it comes to the pagan past the details seem vague at best. One has to do some digging to find anything of more substance. For those of you that LOVE to really read into the meat of the matter with... Read more
I was born at five minutes passed midnight on the night of a full moon, in the depths of winter, hence the moon has always been my solace and healer; She was there for me even before I understood who or what I was; She pulls the blood within me like She pulls the tides. This lunar affinity has always been for me the face of my Goddess, a visual sigil of Divine benevolence and a necessary part of my... Read more
Standing at the center of the Witches’ Wheel the spokes turn and the year changes and shifts with the continuous ebb and flow of existence; each point along the circumference is a pathway to the center where the sacred within joins the four provinces around and the tree of life from below through above. There is here a reflection of self and the journey of the sun and moon through the course of the year. It is when the seasons... Read more
Everyone’s talking about May Day! Here’s a few articles I thought were pretty darn awesome! The Independent in the UK has amazing pictures of Morris Dancers, Hobby Horses, Jack in the Green, May Queens and folks bearing ribbons, bells and fire! The Wild Hunt has some lovely quotes from various Pagans on what the First of May means to them. Japanese drummers are joining the Beltane Fire Festival in Scotland. Manx May Day celebrates Manx heritage. May Day is also... Read more
…well, a Pagan. I’m Wiccan and my husband is, um, well, he just “is.” He’s 100% Native American and while he doesn’t follow anything strictly, if he did, it would be the traditions and beliefs of his Navajo heritage. This is generally a good mix for us, especially with the children. The kids participate with me in ritual and sing my Pagan songs (my son’s favorites are “Circle Round” and “Cats, Dogs”). My husband tells them the stories of his... Read more
We are coming up on one of the Holy Tides common to Heathens, Wiccans, and many Pagans: Walpurgis or Beltane. While the focus of the holiday might vary somewhat depending on which tradition one is coming from, the underlying theme remains the same: May 1 is a time to celebrate the blossoming of the land, of its vibrancy and fecundity and by extension it is a holiday that also celebrates our own vibrancy, fecundity, and sexuality. This article looks at this very special holiday. Read more
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