Something for the New Year
Four good Tru Folk (and four halflings) met at the Munson stead on the afternoon of December 31, 2007.
While the kids ran amuck, we did two small projects before starting a blot that was both the ending of the year and the beginning of something new and challenging.
Becky worked out a bind rune for us which she inscribed on the back of the paper on which we had written our oath. It included Wunjo, Eihwaz, Elhaz, Othala, and Dagaz. We all worked on making an Oath Ring. It is made out of copper wire I recycled from some old electrical cable (we’re pretty proud of that in and of itself). It includes four strands; one for each of the founding members - braided loosely into a piece of jewelry and hammer hardened. It turned out to be an “oath torc” though since we used more wire than we really needed. It’s still cool though!
Jen led the hallowing using a bell, which we passed around for each person to ring. This is a new practice we learned from Svan Svanersen, a Freyrsman from down south.
We invited the Elder Kin, Ancestors and Wights to join us. In particular, Jesse invited Odin, Becky invited Frigga, I invited Freyr, and Jen invited the Alfar and Disir. The group does not have a “patron deity” per se, but these Aesir are closest to our hearts.
We talked about the meeting of the Aesir and Vanir in council of peace and how they all spat into a vessel which then gave birth to Kvasir - the spirit of knowledge. No, we didn’t spit, but we did pour several meads into a common pot to represent all the people and influences of the past which have helped us to grow. These included Aegir’s Cauldron Plum, Brimming Horn's ‘Free Gold’ (made with Ravenstead Farm maple syrup) Chuck Mongiovi’s pepper mead, Tim Bender’s Polish honey cordial (dubbed "fire water"), and Eric’s cranberry. The result was interesting, but not unpleasant. Certainly complex, which is fitting.
We then brought out the oath ring and swore our oath. We all recited the words while holding on to the ring with one hand. The kids held on too, though they didn’t recite with us since they are all just a tad too young to read anyway.
The words were a combination of our kindred’s statement of purpose (or mission statement if you prefer) and words from an Icelandic Gothi’s oath translated by William Bainbridge. The closing line is based on a Havamal passage…
We swear this solemn oath upon the sacred ring:
As a family, to bring the human into a positive relationship with the
godly, and by doing this to build frith between all the realms of being.
To help one another to gain worthiness in the eyes of the Folk and
the eyes of the Gods and eventually to fulfill our greatest spiritual potential.
Wherever possible, to support the Heathen community and to build awareness of Asatru.
So long as the fire burns, the wind blows, and the waters flow to the sea;
So long as the sun shines, and the earth yields harvest;
So long as the mother nurtures her child, and men tend the fields;
So long as the fires flame, ships sail, and the sun melts the snow;
So long as people live in Midgard, and the worlds turn;
So long as the green tree grows, the fish swim, the stag runs, and the hawk flies;
May we be loyal through life to our Kin.
Hail Haukafell!
We agreed that “…or die trying” is in there tacitly.
Next we poured the mead into the horn and passed it around for each of us to speak and hail the new kindred. Jesse and Jen very wisely pointed out that they had to feel equal gratitude to all of the Elder Kin for their various blessings and for bringing us together. Becky made sure we also hailed the spirit of Hawk Mountain. We next passed around pieces of homemade bread with salt on it followed by a final round of mead -- representational of the rewards of work, the salt of tears and joy, respectively.
Finally, we placed the Oath Ring in the blot boli and poured the mead over it saying those classic words, "From the Gods to the Earth to Us...From Us to the Earth to the Gods...A Gift for a Gift!" We also burned our paper with the oath written on it and added the ashes to the mead. Half of this was poured out on the horgr out back, the other half went home with Jesse and Becky so they could pour it on their own earth.
That was about it other than the eating of some Chinese food and a lot of hugs. Our next meeting, aside from socializing and some planning to be done, will be at the Reading Berks Pagan Alliance's Imbolc Festival where we will be hosting a Heathen Charming of the Plow blot. Wish us Luck!
The Kindred's offical website is here (includes a link to our LJ blog)