Tyra Ulfdottir, Author at The Rational Heathen

Are You Genuine? Heathenry as an Adult Choice

May 16, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Saturday I went down to the food bank to drop off some eggs from my chickens. They had been
laying up a storm and there was no way for me to use them all up or sell them before they went bad. So, I went to one of the many food banks we have in the town nearby and dropped them off.

Eggs and Christians

It happens that this is a food bank run by Christians. You go in there and chances are you’ll hear some talk about Jesus. I expect that. But what I didn’t expect to hear was one of the folks saying that they were helping the poor “because they love Jesus.”

I almost asked, “Would you still do this if Jesus didn’t exist?” But I didn’t feel like taunting the people who were helping me out. After all, I was under their roof. But it did get me thinking. Would these people really operate a food bank and help the poor if their god didn’t promise some sort of reward, i.e. eternal salvation, for it?

This is the problem with being a follower of Tyr. You get lots of uncomfortable and unpopular ideas.

Are They Giving Because it’s the Right Thing to do?

To me, the whole idea of helping the poor because they expect a reward in return seemed disingenuous. I mean if you’re helping the poor because your god commands it and not because you genuinely care about other human beings, you’re basically a fraud. Granted, you’re a fraud doing good work, but you’re expecting something instead of being as altruistic as you claim to be. Now, one can argue with me that the motivations really don’t matter; it’s the actual act of providing food to poor people that makes the difference. And you’d be right to a certain extent, because people can’t eat intentions. People eat food. But by the same token, it helps to understand what the motives are because it may be the difference between feeding people and not.

My Intentions aren’t Pure, Either

I’m not saying my intentions are lofty. To be brutally honest, I had too many eggs and I hate to see them wasted. I also will take a tax write off, if I can find the slip they filled out for me. I suppose I could have used the eggs to feed my dogs or even thrown them out, but as I said, I hate wasting things and if I can’t use the eggs, I’ll give them to people who will use them. But I don’t expect an eternal reward over just being nice to other people. I suppose one could argue that I am helping those within my “tribe,” and I am just offering help to those in need.

Ethics of Reciprocity (or the Golden Rule)

No doubt you’ve heard Jesus’s proclamation to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That “Golden Rule” is actual a version of Ethics of Reciprocity and all religions generally have their own versions. Even ours. We should treat people the way we want to be treated. (Or don’t be an asshole.) The reason is pretty clear–if everyone is nice to others, we all get along. Look at the way we’re told to treat travelers: we are to open our homes and treat them well. We hope to have that same treatment should we travel. In earlier times, those who traveled needed hospitality in a dangerous world. While our world isn’t quite as dangerous (at least in developed countries), hospitality in a strange place is welcome. It is a form of Ethics of Reciprocity.

Which Came First: the Christian or the Eggs?

Getting back to the whole Christian thing, I really had to wonder what kind of people I was dealing with. If these people did acts of kindness only because their god commanded it, what kind of people did that make them? Would they act another way if their god didn’t tell them to behave? And what if they found out I was Heathen and not Christian? Would they change their behavior after finding out?

There are other food banks around town, some run by Christians and some that are simply nonprofit without any religious affiliation. It happens that I was in town on a day when the Christian food bank was open and the unaffiliated food bank was closed. To me, it didn’t really matter what the affiliation was as long as it went to someone who could use them, but you see, the unaffiliated food bank volunteers didn’t necessarily work in the food bank because a god dictated it.

Heathenry as an Adult Choice

One of the things I like about Heathenry is the lack of divine handouts of rewards and punishments. We really don’t have a code of conduct that commands us to behave, although the Havamal highly recommends certain behaviors. It makes sense that our gods want us to act like adults, rather than kids who need to be afraid of a punishment if we don’t behave. Adults usually don’t expect gold stars when they do something nice, nor they expect external damnation for being shits. Now, if we break the law, there are certainly punishments, and there are certainly consequences to our actions, but that is usually handled within our interactions with other people. You act like a shit and people will behave negatively toward you. You behave and act nice, people are more likely to be positive.

I guess the upshot to this very long–and getting longer–post is that Saturday I got a really good look at the differences between Christianity and Heathenry– besides just the monotheistic versus polytheistic mindset. As a follower of Tyr, I’m pretty transparent in my motivations; Christians, however, do nice things because they’re earning brownie points with their god (assuming he exists). While heathens can be sneaky and crafty, one of our big no-nos is breaking oaths. Christians, however, have a whole slew of commandments where many believe if they just believe in Jesus, they will be forgiven. Their commandment to not “bear false witness against thy neighbor” generally means to not lie, but oaths seem to not exist, except perhaps in marriage. And those can evaporate into thin air with divorces and annulments.

Perhaps it’s a matter of being genuine. I spend each day trying to live honestly, so when I see duplicity, it sort of gets on my nerves. It’s that Tyr thing again.

Heathenry, Unplugged

May 9, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I’m really a technophile, despite all my attempts at leading a semi-subsistence lifestyle. I was one of the folks who helped bring about the whole technological revolution we see today, (don’t get too excited–lots of people did more than I did). Even so, if I had been smarter with money than I had with technology, I probably would be in some huge place enjoying retirement rather than working for a living. Ah, hindsight being 20/20.

Technology Addictions

That being said, one of my not-so-secret addictions is technology. No, I don’t have to have the latest and greatest things, but I wouldn’t object if someone handed them to me to play with. I spend a ridiculous amount of time on my laptop and now, my cellphone. A goodly portion of it is for work, but let’s face it, with Netflix and Hulu, I get some entertainment there. I wouldn’t be putting out this little Heathen blog without computers and the Internet. So, it has become a necessity.

Before the Dark Times. Before the Silicon Chip…

And yet, I remember a time without computers. (I can hear your collective gasps as you read this: “Just how fucking old is the Rational Heathen?”) Okay, computers existed, but they filled government and University server rooms. You used punch tape and punch cards and printers. My first experience with computers was an HP that had 1 MB of RAM that was time shared with 33 other users across the state. Hey! That was downtown!

I was one of the few holdouts who looked for payphones to make phone calls. Even now, it has flummoxed my sisters that I don’t text (try explaining the lack of cell service where I live.) So, I am a techno-savvy Luddite. Yes, eventually even I have to stay connected.

Getting on Point

I’m not going to wax eternal about the halcyon days of the days before computers, the Internet, and cellphones, but I am going to talk about what it is doing to us as a species. Nowadays, we rely on computers to entertain us, keep our knowledge, and teach us things. Unfortunately, the more we use the technology, the more we rely on the technology. The more we rely on the technology, the more we can’t do the things we need to know if we are to survive should there not be that technology present.

Luddites and Stone Carvers

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Surely there were Luddites out there when the printing press was invented, stating that if we use printing presses, people will forget how to use calligraphy. Or maybe when paper was used, the stone carvers were up in arms because vellum could be destroyed, whereas stone was nearly forever. I can just hear the stone carver telling his son, “I don’t care how portable that contraption is! It’ll burn, and then you’ll have nothing! You’ll see!”

Somehow the portability and convenience won out. We figured out ways around having paper being burnt up, although there were certainly setbacks (i.e., the library at Alexandria), but for the most part we got beyond it. We made copies. We treated fragile manuscripts with care (we still do). But having repositories on computers make works more accessible to more people. We simply have to be more careful with the original.

Nothing demonstrates this more than with our own Declaration of Independence. The original was damaged sometime in the early 20th century in an attempt to make it more legible and the writing continues to fade even though great care has been taken to preserve it. Yes, we have made copies, but having the ability to read it right from the computer is important, too. It gives us accessibility.

Where I’m Going with This

Technology has its place. I know this. But technology isn’t everything. When I was growing up, we were promised technology would fix our problems. Well, certain problems, it has, but it has caused more problems. You see, the basic issue isn’t the technology: it’s us. We mortal, organic creatures are limited by our very nature–a nature that we’re getting farther and farther away from over time.

The past few days I’ve been in a blend of technology and nature (a weird mix, to be sure). I’ve been hunting turkeys. I’ve been working on projects on the computer. I’ve been getting new goats. I’ve been butchering a chicken and cooking it. I’ve been milking goats and collecting eggs. I’ve been setting up a podcasting studio. I’ve been enjoying the beauty of the arrowleaf balsamroots and glacier lilies that have exploded in color. Everything I’ve been doing has been taking up my time, and yet, I’ve been living in two different worlds.

The Peacefulness of Nature

Despite the hard work of hand milking, I really enjoy peacefulness. I’m working with the animals, who really don’t care what I’m writing–they only care about getting grain and getting their udders relieved of pressure. I am outside, in the forest where my home resides, and enjoy feeling the sun on my face and see the deer and other critters around me.

It can be peaceful or stressful, depending on the circumstance. We have some very big predators here: wolves, coyotes, black bear, grizzlies, and mountain lions. The mountain can kill you if you aren’t careful: the weather can turn deadly in a heartbeat for those unprepared. Then, there are the even present threat of wildfires.

Unplug for a While, and Be Present

But there is something to being with nature, despite all the hazards. And there is something to being unplugged, at least for a while. Imagine, if you would, nobody calling you, texting you, no social media to interrupt you. Just be present in the moment. Look around. Admire what the gods have created and feel what it’s like to just be alive. Sometimes just doing that is all you need to connect with them. That’s how I finally connected with Skadi, after many years of trying without success. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I’ve found if you open yourself up to the gods, they may just come to you.

Accept what they offer, even if it is only a feeling, a word, or a thought. The more time you spend with them, the more often you may hear them. And isn’t that what Heathenry is really about?

Dealing with Adversity: One Heathen’s Perspective

May 1, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

One thing that ties us all together, being gods, humans, wights, or other creatures, is adversity. With very few exceptions, most creatures deal with adversity in some manner. I would hazard to state that it’s conquering adversities in our lives that make our lives worth living. But sometimes when we’re in the thick of it, it’s hard to think that it may be beneficial in some way or a cause for growth.

My Life is Shit, or Handling the Tough Times

Honestly, nobody except the true masochist asks for a shitty life. Sometimes that’s just what the Wyrd hands you. It doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about it (after all, how do you know that you’re not fated to rise above the crap?) Poverty, disease, war, and death can really fuck up a person (duh!), but if you get through it, you’ll be stronger. I don’t care for the writings of Nietzsche, but the quote That which does not kill us makes us stronger, does ring true. I’d rather paraphrase it by saying, That which doesn’t kill us, pisses me off.

I get that the Wyrd may be what it is. I get that you may have a hamingja that is full of bad luck. And yet, how do you really know? Nobody can really say for certain that bad luck follows you around like a little black rain cloud. You may be able to dispel that spate of bad luck and turn it into good.

With few exceptions, nobody has it easy. I’ve had friends who looked incredibly fortunate, only to have adversity come crashing down. What looks good on the outside may be a total mess when you get to the fine points. And what appears to be on overnight success often was built on the unseen failures before it.

How the Gods Handled Adversity

Let’s look at how our gods handled adversity. Tyr, despite knowing he would lose his hand, stuck it in the mouth of Fenrir to ensure the wolf would be chained until Ragnarok. Odin lost his son Baldr. Thor has dealt with the Jotun in their own world with apparent failures because they tricked him. Each god has had their share of adversity in some way, and in many cases dealt with it.

We’re not told specifically how Tyr had to deal with the loss of his right hand, but we can well imagine the pain that followed. Then there was the emotional trauma and the need to relearn swordsmanship with his left hand. Now, one could say he’s a god and he’d have an easier time of it, but the stories don’t suggest that he could snap his fingers (of his left hand) and have all the abilities transferred over. In fact, we know that the gods feel pain (thanks to Loki), so we know Tyr felt pain. But we know that Tyr stood up in the face of adversity and continued onward.

What to Do When Life Hands You Lemons

You’ve probably heard the saying “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” I think that is a little too glib. Shit happens. I’ve written about when bad things happen, but I didn’t offer any good ideas for dealing with it. Here, I’m actually going to offer some constructive advice.

First, bad things will happen in your life, just as good things happen in life. That is the nature of life. When it is death of a loved one, physical injury, or disease, you need to take time out to care for yourself. Get the help you need to center yourself and the strength to continue forward. You may find help where you least expect it and you might come out stronger.

If your adversity is something like unemployment, change in social status, a failed business venture, a divorce or break up, or simply a failure to perform, you’ll need to regroup for a time and consider your options. In the meantime, look for opportunities that may arise that you never considered. The times when I lost a job were simply times I needed to kick myself in the ass and find something else that worked better. Often, we mourn the complacency we had when in fact, the gods are telling us there’s something better out there if we just look for it.

Your Wake Up Call

Use adversity as a wake up call. When my dad nearly died many years ago, I realized that I could either go the path I was on and be miserable, or take a new step in a different direction. I chose the latter. When I lost both my parents within a span of two years, I realized that I could continue the way I was going, or carve a new path. Although their deaths were traumatic to me, I ended up learning something. I realized that my parents had many regrets. These regrets I didn’t want to have.

When a friend died of cancer, I saw the same issues. There are too many regrets in this world, and in the end, when we leave it, we either leave with regrets or with the knowledge that we fought a good fight, and perhaps won.

I keep repeating the Doctor’s quote that “We are all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.” The Havamal says it succinctly:

Cattle die, kindred die,
Every man is mortal:
But the good name never dies
Of one who has done well

–Havamal77

Has Religion become Irrelevant?

April 25, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Has religion become irrelevant? This is an odd question for a Heathen to ask others who believe in our gods, but it is a serious question. Those of you who have read this blog for any length of time are probably rolling your eyes and sighing because I came from fairly agnostic to almost atheist beliefs, only to be yanked into Heathenry by a few gods. Don’t get your panties in a wad; I still consider myself a Heathen. But this question of Has religion become irrelevant? echoes this pronouncement by the National Geographic. So, like most things that I write, I’m going to be trodding on some toes here.

The Fastest Growing “Religion”

The fastest growing religion in developed countries isn’t a religion at all. It’s what those wankers who compile statistics refer to as “nones.” The “nones” are those without a religious affiliation, i.e., agnostics, atheists, and those who just don’t care. They’re such a growing force that they’re considered the second largest “religious” affiliation in half the nations around the world, including the United States, the bastion of Christianity.

It’s not surprising that some underdeveloped countries and former communist countries have had an increase in religion, but overall in developed countries, religion isn’t growing. If there’s good news to be had by the pagan religions, the non-Christian faiths have grown 1.2 percent in the United States. That’s pretty small in my book, when you consider all non-Christian faiths make up a little under 6 percent in this country. However, we’re looking at nearly 71 percent of Americans consider themselves Christian in some way.

Why People Don’t Believe

I read through the article and it had some interesting points. People are quick to point to science as the reason more people are leaving the churches, and they’re not entirely wrong. As science is able to provide answers, it becomes apparent that those things that people long ago thought were miracles or impossible are actually quite explainable. But although science had a lot to do with secularism, the ability for the skeptic to meet with other skeptics online and in person helps solidify the feelings of there being no god or gods is probably a stronger pull. After all, people usually feel closer to their gods when they are together and praying than alone. (I said usually.) It helps to have people who believe the same things you do around to strengthen your beliefs (or lack thereof). The other reason for lack of belief has to do with education. The more educated you are, the less likely you’ll believe in a deity or deities. (This isn’t to say that highly educated people don’t believe in a god or gods. This simple shows that there is a correlation between education and atheism.)

Science, Dammit!

I talk quite a bit about science, and quite honestly, I tend to accept scientific explanations over things that are often called supernatural. Too often people make up stories about things and they’re retold as fact, but the reality is that without critical thinking and scientific proof, it’s just old wives’ tales and urban legends.

As science and technology continue to advance, less and less natural phenomena is ascribed to the supernatural. The Earth revolves around the sun. We do not have a sun which has a tangible chariot being driven by Sunna across the sky, nor is the moon carried in a physical chariot across the sky driven by Mani. The sun and moon appear to move across the sky because of the rotation of the Earth. But neither are fixed. The moon rotates around the Earth, and the sun is moving and dragging us along in the Sagittarius Arm at 45,000 miles per hour.

Does Religion and Science Conflict?

It’s easy with the talk of science to discount religion in its entirety. Religion was often used to answer the tough questions of the universe: How did we get here? How was the earth made? In much earlier times, people told stories to explain how these things happened. They weren’t accurate or factual, but they were satisfying stories and were told by people to others in a way to understand the world around them.

Logic and reasoning gradually took hold. As we searched for answers, we eventually came up with theories that fit the overall evidence that we found. As our methods and testing became more advanced, we could actually accept the theories as fact, or near fact. Stories about Odin and his brothers forming humans from trees are interesting, but we know from archaeology that humans evolved over millions of years to what we are now.

Religion and science often clashed over dogma, especially when the Roman Catholic Church held power. Heretics were often excommunicated, or worse. But facts are facts. People can claim that the world is flat all they want, but because the world is really round, eventually the truth wins out.

Is Religion Relevant?

So, the question remains is if religion is still relevant when we have science to explain nature and the physical laws of the universe. More and more religion has taken to explaining what is in the gaps rather than coincide with what we know is true. Known as the “god of the gaps” or divine fallacy among atheists, many religious types use that as a reason for why their god(s) exist. It goes something like, “well we don’t know what started the big bang, therefore the Christian God (or name your favorite creator god, i.e., Yahweh, Odin, Atum, Vishnu, etc) must have created it.” It’s a fallacy because it assumes that we won’t find an answer.

If we take our myths at face value, we can say with certainty that they are wrong. The gods didn’t carve humans from trees; the Earth isn’t the bones and body of some frost giant named Ymir. But if we take them at a metaphorical level, we begin to see the mindset and even the understanding of our ancestors and recognize certain elements in them that science postulates is true.

Let’s look at another religion, for the sake of argument. The number of miracles the Christian god has performed has decreased rapidly with the advent of cameras. When multiple people can record video on their cellphones, it’s hard to claim supernatural occurrences. Those who do are highly suspect due to clever video editing. They often use pseudo-science to back up claims. In other words, I suspect a large portion of their magic is just fallacy, wishful thinking, and outright falsehoods.

I use the Christian god as an example because so many in the United States call themselves Christian, but the statement holds true for pagans in general. I haven’t seen any of the M-word* that convinces me that it truly exists that can’t be rationally explained through science in some fashion. (Granted it may be in areas such as quantum physics, but it may be able to be explained.)

That being said, I’ve experienced enough weird shit as a Heathen that hasn’t been captured on video because I don’t go around with a cellphone taking video of everything I see. Even if I did, it happen so fleetingly that I couldn’t have picked up my phone fast enough to capture it. Some isn’t visual. Some happens in my head and my dreams.

I suspect religion and our belief system will remain relevant largely because we’re human, and we may not be able to know everything there is out there. Even if science figures out everything about our universe, there are other dimensions and other universes out there, if one is to believe in the multiverse. If there is just one universe but it is infinite, then there is even more weirdness that we can’t possibly wrap our heads around because it is bigger than we can ever reach in billions of lifetimes.

The TL;DR Takeaway

Gods, if you’ve gotten this far on this post, I must thank you. If you’ve skipped everything I said above, go back and read it.

So, what do I think? I believe that the gods and probably religion will remain relevant as long as we are human. They may morph over time and may just become metaphors, or they may grow with our knowledge.

At this time, I’m willing to accept that there are other beings, more powerful than ourselves, who either set in motion the creation of our Universe, or are manifestations of the very forces they wield. We know that string theory insists that there are at least 10 dimensions, and maybe more. Who knows what is hiding in those areas we can’t see?

Yeah, maybe it is the god of the gaps fallacy written large. But all I know was I was willing to stand by my agnosticism until Tyr and Thor pulled me into Heathenry. At some point, you’ve got to make a decision about your beliefs. I know I did.

*M-word = magic

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Runecasting for Recons (not really)

April 18, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

Gods, I love alliteration. So, I couldn’t help myself with the title. But who knows? Maybe the recons will learn something when they read this.

Or probably just talk smack on Reddit. Just saying…

Anyway, I’ve decided to talk about how I do runecastings. They’re not the only way. In some heathen circles, they may not even be right. But it works for me, and if it works for me, I go with it. So, let’s go through the basic rune cast.

Equipment for Runecasters 101

I’m pretty simple when it comes to runecasting. So, when it comes to your runecasting stuff, you need the following:

Runes (duh!) — I use Elder Futhark runes. You can use whatever runes suit you, but I know the Elder Futhark best and I know the meanings (mostly).
A rune pouch to keep the runes in. — It can be something special or not. Most people will probably go with special. Most rune sets come with pouches anyway. If you make your own, you’re going to want to sew your own rune pouch. Or have someone who sews make it for you.
A cloth to do your runecasting on. — It doesn’t have to be fancy. Hel, I don’t think you need it. But it is nice to have. I use a wolf bandana that is a custom design by a woman in this area.

That’s it, essentially. You can have candles, incense, offerings, whatever, if you feel it is appropriate. I don’t worry about such things.

Basic Runecasting

I don’t have a particular casting method, though others may. Other people may shake runes out of the bag, or even dump the bag and pull out the runes that are face up, or select from those that are face down. I’ve heard of gythias and godhis using sticks and tossing them down. The rune patterns that they saw in the crossed sticks were the ones they read.

I don’t do that. I pull each rune from the pouch and place it in its spot where the cast will go. Other runecasters do that too. If I accidentally pull out extra stones or some other stones come out, I read them as well. I figure if the stone wants to be read, who am I to put it back? It might be an extra message. Or it might be garbage. Whatever.

I’ve had my cat suddenly take an interest in my reading occasionally and move the pieces. Apparently I had the runes in the wrong spots, or so she thought. I don’t argue. When you have a cat name Freyja, you listen to her.

I read my runes right to left, not left to right. I’ve heard that others do it that way, but I’ve seen it done left to right too. I don’t use blank runes, nor do I read reverse or merkstave. Those are obvious later inventions, one by Ralph Blum (or someone he knew) and one is too close to tarot. Runes are not tarot. Thank you.

The Patterns

There are plenty of patterns to cast and read your stones. I tend to stick with the simpler casts. The reason is straightforward. I don’t have to worry or pay attention to complex readings.

The pattern I tend to rely on is the three stone pattern. It’s a good pattern and on and you can decide which one works for you.

Single Rune — This is the easiest cast of all. Basically it’s the response to the matter under consideration. Good or bad. It just is.
Three Rune Spread — This is a cast that is flexible enough to gain insight while still simple enough to not have a lot of convoluted mumbo-jumbo. You can cast it the way I do as 1. matter under consideration 2. Problems or situations that may arise 3. Possible outcome. Or you can do the 1. Past 2. Present 3. Future
Five Rune Layout, Seven Rune Layout, etc. This webpage seems to have the basics of these larger layouts.
Tiwaz Shoat — There’s a pattern called the Tiwaz shoat that is in the form of an arrow. For the life of me, I can’t remember the reading directly and I need to dig out my books on it. Let’s just say it’s out there and if I find my books, I’ll try to tell you about it.
Extra Runestones — Occasionally you’ll have some runes spill out. If this happens, look at the stones and see if they have some bearing on the situation at hand. You may find that they do.

Sample Runecast

Okay, you have your runes, your bag, your rune casting cloth, and whatever else you feel is necessary to get yourself in the right frame of mind to do a cast. For the sake of argument, let’s say you’re doing a Three Rune Spread. In this case, start by pulling the first runestone out of the bag and look at it.

I pulled: ᚠ ᛒ ᚱ

Now, don’t forget I read right to left (I pulled the ᚱ first). So I start with ᚱ which is Raidho, which generally means travel, but can mean movement, journey, or a change. The matter under consideration is travel, for the sake of argument. Okay.

The problem or situation that may arise: Berkana or ᛒ. This is the rune of growth, nurturing, fertility, etc. Not necessarily a problem, unless it is growth due to pain or loss. I’m not seeing that in the runes just yet, because

Fehu or ᚠ means wealth or cattle. This rune is associated with fortune and positive outcomes. Usually requires work to achieve them, but what doesn’t?

What the Runecast Might Mean

Here comes the million dollar question: What does the runecast mean? I wasn’t really asking any questions, I just did a general cast. What it suggests is that the travel I take in the future gives me an opportunity for growth and a chance at achieving good fortune or wealth, if I choose to take advantage of it. Overall, it’s a positive spread and I’d be glad to have such outcomes.

I hope this gives you some ideas as to how you can do runecasting for yourself. Let me know about your own castings. I’d be curious to hear about them.

Runecasting and the M- Word

April 10, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I really hate the M- word. It suddenly puts Heathenry into the realm of Wiccan and other m(agic) based beliefs. It suggests that there isn’t a good reason why something happened. And for the Rational Heathen, that drives me batty.

I’ve been accused in the past of being atheistic because I waffle on certain elements of our beliefs. And yet, there are plenty of nonbelievers in the ranks of heathens, who don’t necessarily believe in the gods as people, but still wish to preserve the old ways. And yet, I have had more encounters with our gods, and even the wights, than some of the staunch believers have.

Go figure.

About Runecasting

So, when I talk about runecasting, understand that this is my interpretation of it. It isn’t necessarily the only way to do it. It’s not even the right way. But it is my way and if you can learn some things from my methods, then terrific.

Before I get started on this, I don’t consider myself an expert in the runes. I know the Elder Futhark and I cast those runes. There are other runes that are equally valuable such as the Younger Futhark, the Anglo Saxon runes, and others. None of them are inferior. But unless you make yourself a set, or find someone who makes these runes, chances are the runes you’ll pick up are Elder Futhark. Which is okay. There’s a lot more written about them than the other runes, anyway.

How I Got into Runecasting

My sister (who, weirdly enough is a devout Christian), gave me Ralph Blum’s Book on runes when it first came out when I was in junior high or high school (yeah, it was that long ago). I dinked around with them throughout high school and college, not knowing what the Hel I was doing. Even so, the runes had a tendency to give me consistent, true readings. As I started reading other rune material, I outlined the rules in my own mind, what the runes meant, and how to runecast. Even now, I follow these rules when I do a runecast.

It works for me. It may not work for you.

My Rules to Runecasting

These are my rules when it comes to runecasting. Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV), and you probably have a method that suits you.

Choose Runes that Speak to You

I’m not talking about actual speech here. I’m talking about what feels right in your hands. I have probably around 10 rune sets, some which I do not like or connect with. There’s one runeset, a runeset made from hematite, that feels right in my hands. I have one runeset I totally despise that is a card runeset (similar to Tarot) that I picked up because I thought it would be different. (Boy howdy, it was.) I’ve been ambivalent on some wooden runes I bought. I don’t know the wood and they don’t seem to have a connection to me. So, I don’t use them. YMMV. Again.

Abandon Conventional Tarot Wisdom

Don’t treat the runes as though they were Tarot cards (they’re not). That means there is no merkstave (upside down) readings. We have enough negative implications with some of the runes, depending on how you read them. The rune, whether you pull it out upside down or sideways, or whatever, is the rune. However, can you read a different interpretation with an upside down rune? You can do what you like. I think it’s incorrect, but hey, that’s my interpretation. Again, YMMV.

Abandon the Blank Rune

This is clearly a Ralph Blum invention, although someone might call me on this and tell me somewhere in yada…yada… lore someone used one. Pertho is more the unknown rune, so we use that. Someone always says to use it as a spare. For the life of me, I don’t know how I would cut into the hematite to replace a lost stone. I’d probably just rob a stone from another set.

Read Right to Left

Okay, I’m sure there’s no real cause for this other than learning it this way. You can read anyway you want, as long as you have the rules settled in your mind and with the runes.

Read as Much as You can on Interpretations

This seems a no-brainer, but I would argue that you need to read as much as you can on the various interpretations of a particular rune. Even when I think I’m settled on an interpretation, I’ll get an odd reading that causes me to go back to the books.

How I Believe the Runes Work

I’m avoiding the M-word when it comes to runes, because I sincerely don’t believe in magic. I suspect how they work is that they tap into our subconscious which pays far more attention to the world than our conscious selves. I remember having the runes come up with a positive outcome to a particularly difficult time in my life and later discussing them with a physicist friend of mine. He thought they worked because they offered only general interpretation that could fit any circumstance, and yet, I’ve hit the nail on the head more times with runes than not. So, if there’s something else going on, I suspect it’s largely subconscious. But occasionally I’ve seen the gods intervene in the runes, which suggest maybe they have a hand in tipping the scales, subconsciously, or through quantum means.

Remember what I’ve quoted Arthur C. Clarke so many times about technology being indistinguishable from magic?

Next week, I’ll do a sample rune reading…

Conversation with Bob the Car Wight

April 1, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

The other day, I stumbled onto a smallish fellow sitting on the hood of my Dodge, smoking what appeared to be hand-rolled cigarette. His skin was bluish and he wore a stained blue jumpsuit, smudged with grease. It had a name tag which said Bob. He also wore a pink hat.

Normally if I saw someone sitting on my car and smoking, I’d be upset, but this guy was maybe a foot tall, if that. Blue eyes squinted at me from an impossibly wrinkled face as I walked toward him.

“You’re 1000 miles late on your oil change.” His voice sounded like gravel crunching under tires.

I halted and stared at him, taking him all in. A car wight? Good gods. And a petulant one, too. Well, at least he spoke English. “Those are guidelines. The three to five thousand miles are guidelines.”

He glared at me with some disdain. “And when was the last time you vacuumed your car? It’s not intended to haul hay.”

I frowned. “You know, it’s my car, and the goats need hay. And anyway, you’re not supposed to be smoking, you know.”

Bob, the car wight, grimaced. “Bad habit, I know. Picked it up from my Model-T days. Mike used to keep a pack or two in the old girl and I picked up the habit.” He glared at me. “You never buy cigarettes, you know.”

“Wait a second. You were the car wight to a Model-T?” I considered the little guy. Did car wights get reincarnated when their machines were crushed and melted? I never considered the possibilities.

He seemed to follow my train of thought. “Yeah, I hate switching brands, but that’s what you’ve got to do when the cars get crushed. Then, you don’t have much choice when it comes to recycling. I mean, you can hang out at the local junkyard for a while, but it gets kinda crowded with car wights, and it’s a rough neighborhood.”

“Rough?”

“Yeah, we get a lot of trolls around there.” He looked sidelongs at me. “You don’t think all the trolls ended up on the Internet, do you?”

“So you don’t hang around the junkyard with your car?”

“They crush them into these really flat pieces. A lot of car wights don’t bother with them then. So they hang out and join gangs. They really like giving junkies and other drug users bad trips.” He paused and took another drag on the cig. “But they have nothing to do, really. I’d rather follow my car and see where the pieces ended up. They recycle the metal, which often means it goes into other things. I lucked out and got a Jeep, a Chevrolet Camaro, and a Dodge. Poor Jenny got her car recycled into a building support. Tough luck.”

“Hmm,” I said. “Couldn’t she just find something else?”

“I suppose, but it was the frame for a Starbucks, and she’s now wired all the time. She doesn’t want to leave. The manager keeps accusing the employees of drinking all the coffee.”

“I can see that,” I said. “So, why have you decided to grace me with your presence? Certainly not to tell me about changing the oil, or to stop me from picking up a few bales of hay every few days?”

“Well, those are valid reasons,” Bob said. “And don’t forget the cigs. But I thought I’d show up since you’ve written two pieces about us.”

“About you? You mean the car wights?”

“Yeah.” He smiled impishly. “You got it wrong.”

“What wrong?”

“Car wights. We really don’t exist. Just ask the recons. Their arch-heathens wouldn’t have believed in us, so therefore we can’t exist.”

“Then how do I explain you?”

He shrugged and took another drag on the cigarette. “Hey, you claim you’re the rational one. You tell me.”

“Good point.” I considered the little guy. “Suppose I said I don’t believe in you?”

“Are you trying to prove a negative?” Bob chuckled. “You could say you’re delusional, and in which case, you might be right.” He paused. “But no. Try again.”

“Well, lack of evidence…”

“Absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence.”

“But the burden of proof is on the person who asserts it as truth,” I replied.

“But you see me. You talk to me. That means I’m here.” Bob flicked the ash away from his cigarette.

“Hey,” I said. “You don’t need to start a fire, imaginary or not.”

“Good point,” Bob said. “Got an ashtray?”

It was my turn to look askance at him. “I don’t smoke. Remember?”

“Good for you. Don’t start. It’s a nasty habit.” He pinched the cigarette out with his fingers. “So, since you can see me, you can tell the naysayers out there that there are car wights.”

“They won’t believe me.”

He shrugged. “I’ll talk to my buddy, Guido.”

“Guido? A car wight named Guido?”

“Who else would hang out with a Ferrari?”

He had a point. I had to concede that. “What about?”

Bob’s eyes held a wicked gleam. “Guido can talk to their wights. We have a nasty habit of causing break downs at the most inopportune times. Especially when people dis the car wights.” He paused. “Which reminds me, when are you getting the oil changed again?”

I sighed. “Okay, I’ll make an appointment.”

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How Heathens can Celebrate Easter with Christians

March 27, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

If you’re like me, chances are you have Christian relatives who celebrate some form of the Christian holiday of Easter. If you’re the only Heathen in your family, you may get an earful about what is considered the most holy time that Christians celebrate. Still, unless you’re looking to cut ties with your family–and I don’t recommend that–you may be looking for ways to enjoy the Easter celebrations. If you’re a Heathen who loves to get into fights with family members over Christian holidays, or at least not willing to put aside your differences for one or two days, this post isn’t for you.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can get involved with minimal headaches.

Put Your Pride on the Back Burner (or Don’t be an Asshole)

Unless you have an extremely open-minded family/extended family, most of them are going to take a dim view of you not being Christian. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. They’ve been indoctrinated into the Christian belief system, and it’s unlikely you’re going to change their minds. You’re going to the Christian hell, and that’s all there is to it, (unless they can persuade you into the fold/back into the fold), and they really don’t get why you would worship pagan gods. At this point, all you can do is grit your teeth and hope to get through the Christian talk without losing your cool.

That being said, understand that this is a Christian holiday, even if they took on the pagan trappings surrounding it. Easter is considered to be more important to the Christian religions than Christmas, so realize that you are the outside here. It is you who is extended the olive branch, not them. So, don’t expect for them to understand/accept you being Heathen in their most holy time.

Because this is their most holy time, mentioning the appropriation of Eostre’s holiday at the Easter dinner is probably not going to do you any favors. Yes, they eat ham, which honors Freyr, but let it slide. Yes, they decorate eggs. Yes, they associate chicks and bunnies with Christ’s death and resurrection, but pointing out the incongruity of it all won’t cut it. If we want to maintain the peace in our celebrations, it is better to sit and listen rather than fight a foolish battle. This is their Easter–not ours, so let’s respect their religion, just like we’d want them to respect ours.

So, What Can You Enjoy?

At this point, you’re wondering what you can enjoy out of Easter. There are a lot of cool things you can do and still be part of the Easter celebration. Here are some of the things I recommend.

Egg Coloring

We color eggs for springtime, so there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy coloring eggs with your Christian family. Talking about spring and its renewal, as well as the cycle of life, is fairly safe.

Easter Egg Hunt

Why not hold an Easter egg hunt? Put together some of those plastic eggs and fill them with goodies. Hide them and watch as your family searches for them. You’ll all enjoy it.

Chicks and Bunnies

Whether live, toy, or simply drawings, the images of chicks and bunnies are pretty much safe territory. You may want to talk about the Oschter Haws which was brought into Pennsylvania by German settlers. Avoiding the Urglaawe references, your Christian family may be delighted to learn that that’s where the Easter bunny who laid colorful eggs came from.

Easter Candy

Easter candy originates from clever marketing by candy makers in the 19th century to capitalize on an untapped market. There’s no reason for you to mention this, nor is there any reason why you can’t have some yummy candy in pagan symbols such as rabbits, chicks, and eggs.

Easter Brunch or Dinner

Never turn down a good feast, even if it’s in honor of a god you don’t follow. All the trappings are Heathen, or at least, pagan, so enjoy spending time with family and friends. You may want to even bring some mead so your family may enjoy something a little different than the traditional grape wines. Toast to your family and to those family members who are no longer with you. You’ll be honoring the ancestors and still not offend your family.

Talk about Family, both Present and Past

Speaking of family, strike up a conversation about your family and your ancestors. Talk positively about them, or if someone in the family knows a particularly good story about an ancestor or a relative who is alive, encourage them to relay that story. As the good Doctor says, “We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.”

Listen to Your Family, Even if You Disagree with Them

If your family starts talking about Christianity, listen to them. You don’t have to agree with them, but when they tell you about their faith, they tell you about themselves. Ask questions. Ask why they believe what they believe, and don’t argue with them over their beliefs. You may discover that your mom believes in the Christian god because she finds comfort in a god who promises to care for her. Or your dad might actually not believe in the god but goes to church because the family does it. Or maybe your cousin is an atheist at heart. You can learn a lot about your family just by listening.

Go to Church with them

This suggestion is somewhat dangerous when it comes to family, not because you’re likely to change your faith, but more likely because you may offend or get into an argument with a family member. Some Christians, most notably Catholics, have rules against participating in sacraments such as the Eucharist (the bread and wine) because they believe you must be of their denomination to participate. (It has to do with transmogrification, but that’s another long post.)

Why go to church with your family? Well, first it puts you on the same page as your family members so if they discuss the sermon, you know what was said. Secondly, you can see Christianity with all its pagan influences. Third, churches often have amazing artwork that is worth seeing.

Just sit and watch as they go through sitting, kneeling, and standing routines. Listen. It may seem worthless, but in a way you are gathering intelligence about this religion. That way, you understand your family’s behavior a bit better.

Take Time Out for Our Gods, Wights, and Ancestors

I’ve given you ideas for keeping the peace with your Christian relatives. But this isn’t about Heathenry, it’s about keeping the peace in your extended family. Before you join in the Easter festivities, make an offering to the gods, especially Frigga and Frau Holle, the wights, and your ancestors for a peaceful gathering. And thank them after the day for their help, especially if things went successfully.

Hopefully, I’ve given you ideas for staying sane around Christians during their holiday. If, in the end, you do decide to try out some of these ideas, I’d be interested to learn how they worked out.
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Hail the Goddesses and Gods of Spring

March 21, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

As we approach the vernal equinox, winter starts to lose her icy grasp and spring slowly slips in. Spring for me means mud season, which isn’t something I or my livestock particularly enjoy. One of my goats gave birth on the Ides of March to a lovely buckling. I had to come up with makeshift quarters for them and bring the kids inside at night due to the cold and predators. I’m now on kid watch for the last pregnant doe of the season, which means checking on her every couple of hours. Yay me. Hence the lateness of the blogs.

Here up north, we’re still in Skadi’s grasp, although the winter goddess is slowly relenting to the gentle hands of the spring goddesses and gods. These goddesses and gods are powerful in their own right, and while we may not know everything about them, I think we can make some good assumptions about them. Let’s look at them.

Courtesy of Magickal Graphics

Eostre or Ostara

If you want to start up an argument between Heathens or between Heathens and Christians, mention Eostre, the Anglo Saxon goddess of spring and rebirth. (In German, it’s believed to be Ostara.) A goodly portion of recons think that Eostre was simply the name of April and St. Bede suggested it was the name of a goddess when it wasn’t. Christians will accuse you of trying to undermine Easter if you mention it. Nevertheless, if you wish to enjoy a feast day to Eostre, do it. I have a whole post dedicated to Eostre and why I think she was probably a real goddess.

In Urglaawe, practitioners believe in the goddess Oschdra (Ostara?) who gives the Oschter Haws (Easter Rabbit) the ability to spread color throughout the world in the spring. The Oschter Haws was brought into Pennsylvania by German settlers where the Easter rabbit laid colorful eggs.

That being said, if you’re an Eostre believer, celebrate with candy, colored eggs, bunny rabbits, and chicks. (The candy, incidentally, is a later addition of more modern times.) Have fun and enjoy yourself. Make an offering to Eostre for the spring.

Idunn

Idunn, of the golden apples fame, is the goddess of spring, renewal, and immortality, is certainly a terrific goddess to honor in the springtime. She’s interesting not only because she’s a powerful goddess, who keeps the gods young, but she wasn’t born into the Aesir or Vanir (though you can make a case for her being Vanir, being a goddess of fertility.) She hails from alfar blood, making her one of the Elves.

She’s particularly important because without her, the gods would grow old and die. Her apples bring youth to those gods who do age.

Freyja

When talking about spring, I feel that you simply must include Freyja. Freyja is a Vanir and a fertility goddess. Without Freyja we would have no beginnings when it comes to new life. She is literally the conception of life, and my own UPG suggests spring is indeed her time. As such a powerful goddess, she has many roles: goddess of war, love, beauty, seidr, and death.

Freyr

If Freyja one of the quintessential goddesses of spring, Freyr is one of the gods of spring. One could make the argument (successfully, I might add), that he is a summer god. But Freyr also has the duty of gestation and growth. He is the male god of fertility, but he is often associated with germination. It just makes sense he is a fitting god for spring.

If you think about Easter celebrations, you’ll note that a traditional Easter meal is a ham. No surprise there. I’ve read that Christianity was happy enough to incorporate the pagan traditions of eating ham at Easter when ham was originally eaten in honor of Freyr. As Heathens, having a traditional ham dinner is certainly a great way to celebrate spring and Freyr.

Thor

On first blush, Thor seems out of place in the list of deities having to do with spring. But the thunderer is certainly considered a god who brings the rains which helps the fields to grow. Little wonder that he is married to Sif, who is a spring/summer goddess in her own right. Thor presides over the wind, rain, and even the crops. It makes sense that he is considered a major god and one who presides over spring and summer.

Sif

If Thor brings about rain to the crops, it is Sif, his wife, who receives the rain. She’s definitely a fertility goddess and an earth goddess. The story about how Loki cuts her golden hair and must find a substitute for her is a suggestion that her hair is the wheat crops. (Incidentally, cutting a woman’s hair was a sign that she was unfaithful — something to think about when reading that Loki found his way into her bedroom and cut her hair while she was sleeping.) But, I digress here. Sif is certainly an earth goddess and spring and summer is her time.

Honoring the Gods and Goddesses of Spring

Springtime is a transition time. As modern day Heathens, we acknowledge that the equinox is the first day of spring. However, in ancient times, our ancestors looked at spring differently. Spring was believed to maybe start with Grundsaudaag or Groundhog’s Day in Urglaawe tradition. The groundhog replaced the badger or bear in German tradition. While, we’re well past Groundhog’s Day, we can hold a feast in honor of spring and our spring gods and goddesses.

Sigrblot usually comes in April and is celebrated with offerings to Freyr and Freyja. Most pagans consider May 1st as a celebration time of spring which includes Walpugisnach. While it may be a more modern interpretation of the Heathen calendar, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it. Unless you’re a member of the recon rabble, there’s no reason why you can’t adopt Heathen and pagan traditions your own holidays as you see fit.

I mentioned coloring eggs and rabbits as part of the Eostre celebrations. Even if there wasn’t an Eostre, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take our older Heathen traditions that survived and changed, and make them in honor of the spring goddesses and gods you do wish to venerate. I think they will be pleased.

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How Close are We to Following in the Gods’ Steps?

March 13, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I was doing research for my last piece on Heaven, Hel, and Valhalla, which took me on a whirlwind tour of what science thinks about souls, the beginning of life, and other amazing things. This is when I ran into a huge post about how scientists have been putting together the pieces of life, and are very close to creating an organism.

Holy shit. What kind of implications does that have for religions, and in particular, Heathenry?

How Close Are We to Creating Life from Inorganic Matter?

How close are we to creating life from matter? The answer, much to my surprise is: very close. It seems that there are groups of scientists scattered across the world who have come up with pieces on how life may have formed. The TL:DR version is that there have been many theories but the one that seems to come closest is the formation of cells spontaneously given a group of chemical reactions. In fact, one scientist has created protocells with the ability to reproduce, carry a genetic code (RNA), take in molecules, and even compete against other cells for survival.

This has brought scientists to the point where they have figured out the type of environment necessary for life to arise. They have a pretty good clue what brought about life. They just need the right amounts of chemicals in the right conditions.

Holy shit.

Creation Myths

Every culture has some sort of creation myth to explain how life came into being. The Heathen version tells us how the gods appeared through the rime created from heat of Muspell melting the ice that flowed from Niflheim. Ymir, whose body eventually became Midgard, was the first frost giant born from the ice. Buri, the first god, was brought into being by a cow licking the rime.

I’d hazard to say that most heathens don’t take our creation myths literally, but most accept Odin as the creator god of humans and the world. Odin and his brothers, Vili, and Ve, created our world as we know it, and together they fashioned humans from trees. Odin giving humans the breath of life, Vili giving us our consciousness and feelings, and Ve giving us our senses.

It’s a nice story, but it is one that doesn’t really play with science much, especially if we can cause the same chemical reactions and “breathe” life into things that are not alive. (Although one could argue that trees are indeed alive. So, we have some issues here.)

So, Do We Throw Out Religion? Why the Hel am I Writing

This?

Religion, to a large degree, answers questions that have not been answered/cannot be answered by science. What if we do create life? What then? Does that eliminate our gods–or any god? I believe the answer is no.

I believe that our gods are metaphors for the Universe, itself. I’m not quite pantheistic, but darn close, because, let’s face it, science seems to eliminate a lot of the woo-woo in religion. And if we believe our senses and reason, it’s the only thing we have to go on. Hence, the Descartes, “I think, therefore I am.” We must start at some point, somewhere. If they’re wrong, then the whole thing is a futile exercise and we just may be some kid’s simulation in a computer down in their mom’s basement.

But Occam’s Razor suggests that the simplest solution is often the correct one. Reality is reality and the processes that occur are strictly natural. Despite all the universes in the multiverse, most that do not have our physical laws and would not support galaxies, solar systems, and life, we ended up with a natural 20 on the die roll. Luck, or something else? At some point, we just have to make sense of what we have and go with it from there, making changes to our beliefs as we discover more about our world, and how life came into being.

Is There an Odin? Thor? Freyja? What about Tyr?

Actually, I believe that Occam’s Razor is a guideline, and not an actual rule. I believe, give the weirdness of the quantum world, that our gods do exist in the other planes of existence that we cannot experience. I believe that they are controlling forces that we have seen expressed so perfectly in mathematics. And I’m not sure that they didn’t affect our development in the quantum universe. We know that a series of very happy circumstances brought about our life. Who really knows if a single quantum flip was all we needed to create what we have? And who is to say that Tyr didn’t create the conditions, and Odin didn’t cause the overall process to take form?

So, Are We Playing God(s)?

We are at a crossroads in humanity. We may be able reproduce the exact circumstances that caused our life to evolve on Earth. A handful of cells, artificially brought to life, is suddenly both exciting and scary. These cells aren’t necessarily something as complex as a human, or even an insect, but they stand for how far we’ve come. In essence, we have done what gods have done: created life from a handful of minerals and compounds. On Earth, the life that appeared through a combination of chemical reactions eventually evolved into the creatures we see today. So, it does put the question out there: are we playing god or gods?

That’s an interesting question. We may be bringing about life that could eventually become a larger, more intelligent organism through evolution, but it would take more that all the lifetimes of humanity to evolve something from our new creation to what we have present day. A bit more than 3 billion years, to give you an idea. So, until we get hold of Idunn’s apples, I think we can safely say that our god-like roll is fairly limited.
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