another simple daily devotional

Lately I’ve gone through a period of very little personal spiritual practice. I’ve been wanting to get back into using my altars; I have kind of a sprawling altar on the mantle and adjacent shelves in the den, and a compact version in the kitchen. Most days I do a variation of Sigrdrifa’s prayer at my bedroom window in the morning. This seems to be my default setting for bare minimum personal spiritual practice. I have had several kinds of daily devotionals in the past, usually taking the form of ADF-lite, a simple CR ritual, or a blot/hussel. For consistent daily practice, however, none of these forms have staying power for me. Also, though my background is in Norse and Celtic hearth cultures, sometimes I don’t want to be very culturally specific. I am a squishy/soft polytheist after all, and I have embraced (my own version of) Waincraft in recent years.

So after much procrastination, I’ve come up with a new routine. It was important to me to find a spiritual routine that has a non-verbal option. There are several reasons for this:

1. While other people are at home, I’d rather not be overheard.
2. When I have a spoken daily devotional, I often end up saying the same things every day, to the point of meaninglessness.
3. There are many times I just really don’t feel like speaking.
4. Also, not feeling obligated to speak frees up my mind for deeper contemplation and also allows me to concentrate a little more on actions.

So concentrating more on actions and contemplation, I’ve come up with this sequence of events in personal daily ritual:

Altar Refreshing and Preparation

Before doing ritual, I make sure the altar surface and items on it are clean, arranged well, and dusted. Then I refresh the water bowl/cauldron. Before replacing it on the altar, I first lift it in reverence to the deity/spirit images.

Water Blessing

I dab some of the water from the water bowl on my forehead and do a clearing/grounding. I then anoint the statues on the altar with the water. If I’m drawn to saying something here, it may be “Water cleanse me.” or “The Waters of Danu flow through all.”.

Fire Blessing

I light the candle on the altar and raise it to each of the statues as I did with the water (when refreshing the altar). I then set the candle back in place, cup my hand above the flame, then touch the same hand to my forehead to receive a fire purification/blessing. Here I might say “May the fire of the gods, hallow.” or “Thunor hallow.”.

Incense (and other) Offerings

I light an incense stick or cone and circle it around each of the statues/images. I say a simple hail to each entity being honored or make a mental connection equivalent to an evocation. Occasionally, I may place other offerings in a bowl on the working surface of the altar, if I’m at the altar in the den. At this point, if I’m not rushed, (and especially if I’m at the altar in the den instead of the kitchen,) I take a little time to meditate, contemplate, and further connect to the deities/spirits/powers.

Omen (optional)

I ask for guidance (mentally or aloud) and draw a rune for the day.

Giving Thanks & Closing

I end this daily devotional with simple words or thoughts of thanks and touching the edge/feet of each statue/image in reverence. When I feel the need, I use my usual words of ending inspired by the Carmina Gadelica: “As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be, with the ebb, with the flow, blessed be.”.

This may be the simplest daily ritual I have ever adopted that still involved the use of materials and an altar. There’s really nothing to memorize nor ways to goof it up, and though I’ve just begun to use it, the feel of it is timeless. If it inspires you too, feel free to use it.

moving house

My little family has started out the new year with a big change. We’ve bought a house! It’s not a new house, it’s over fifty years old, has had a bit of updates done already, and will need more over time. We are excited about the change, for we’ve been living in apartments for far too long.

I got all the items on my house wish list: wood floors, fireplace, and a porch. However, I also got a lot of fix-up projects, but I’m excited about those as well. We were a bit disorganized with the move; we started moving stuff before completely packed, and not having gone through and organized/ thrown stuff out enough ahead of time. However, before moving anything, I did make a trip out to the house to clear and claim the space. This is what I did:

Before even going in, I stood at the front of the yard and lit a candle in a glass holder. I announced to the spirits of the land that this property is under new ownership, that I am the matron of the family, and that we seek to live in harmony with the landvettir of this place. I also announced that all baneful spirits must go in peace for we are under the protection of the gods. Then I walked sun-wise around the property with the candle singing the Anglo-Saxon Hallowing Charm.

At last it came time to go inside. I made sure that bread and salt were the first items to be carried across the threshold. I then repeated a similar announcement to the one I did outside, this time for the house spirits. I did the Hallowing Charm again, walking from room to room all around the house, this time with the candle and a bell. I went another round, censing with juniper and sage. At last I did a third round asperging with water. Thus completed the ritual cleansing and claiming. Further blessing is yet to come, and I hope to do it with friends.

Though our move was chaotic, we are all unpacked now and settling in rather quickly. It already feels like home, which tells me we’ve chosen well.

nourishing the soul: the magic of replenishment

Most of us magical folk know what to do if we’ve been feeling spiritually out of sorts or have had negative energies around our home; we do cleansing and purification rituals. Such rituals get rid of negativity, but often something more is needed. A second step after the purification process should be to replenish one’s spiritual energy. The unhappy occurrences that are sometimes a part of daily life (the occasional upset, argument, or near miss in traffic) can have an accumulative effect on one’s soul, and while it’s not as serious as the trauma of soul loss, it is something we need to remedy. It’s not technically  healing magic, though any work of that nature needs to be taken care of first, and purifications as well. Replenishing magic is the work of recovering, building up, and strengthening one’s spirit. Many of the things that I will describe below are things that nourish the body as well as the soul, for as we live, both the body and the soul are one.

• Using your usual ritual format, perform a ritual to your patron deities and guardian spirits, giving special offerings and libations, and asking them for guidance and strengthening of spirit.

• Revitalize your ongoing spiritual practice, if you feel it is lacking. Do daily devotionals of your own devising, with grounding and centering as a vital part of it. Include affirmations and chants in your practice, if you find them helpful.

• Take a soothing balancing mineral bath with Epsom salts and herbs.

• Weather permitting, spend some time amongst trees. The effects of forest bathing are real and profound. Hug a tree and let it’s energy soak in and make you whole. Get lots of fresh air and open up windows to air out your house, if possible.

• Drink some revitalizing peppermint tea or mint water.

• Eat some nourishing foods; whole fruits and vegetables (with runes of power carved in), and soups made with miso and magic.

• Use a spiritually reviving woodsy essential oil like cedar, sandalwood, or rosewood, in a homemade room spray and/or personal fragrance spray (2 parts distilled water, 1 part alcohol, enough essential oil to scent).

• Wear deep red burgundy colors, and rich maroon. Colors that resemble lifeblood attract growth and vigor. Get a shawl or scarf to use for this purpose, and throws for your furniture. It’s even better if you can weave, crochet, or knit it yourself, as you can utilize knot magic in it’s making.

• Carry strengthening stones or resins (tiger’s eye, quartz, amber, or jasper) as charms in your pocket, a sachet, or as jewelry.

• During this period of rejuvenation, seek out some wholesome “feel good” entertainment; books, music, or movies/video clips that uplift you.

A Heathen Kitchen Witch’s Blót

My spiritual life has many layers. I have a small group and a larger spiritual community; each espouses a different belief system- one is simple and one is complex, and neither is a perfect fit for my spirituality, but each fulfills a need. So I guess you could say my spirituality tends to get complicated. My smaller group is a local chapter a religious organization that espouses long rituals, and I tend to get burned out on being the organizer (and the main ritual maker/leader, by default) for it. Because of this, I often find myself striving for more simplicity in my personal practices. For the love of simplicity, I offer this, my own ritual format. It is a simple blót. It has helped me find simplicity and peace in my solitary spiritual life. Perhaps it will be of benefit to many of you, as well.

There’s not many steps. Few words means easy memorization, freeing me up to concentrate on other aspects of my spirituality or seasonal celebration; the magic and reverence of folkways, food preparation, music, etc. It can be used for a solitary or group/family ritual without a change to wording– I still say “us” and “we” if doing ritual alone, because I mean to represent my entire household. Also, the rite is written for High Day celebrations and for daily (or weekly, or as-needed) devotions alike.

For this style of ritual, all that’s needed is a flame (candle/lamp/or fireplace), a blótbolli (offering bowl for libations), a tine (evergreen sprig) for the asperging blessing, and a beverage (this is usually mead for most Heathens, but I like to use hard cider) with a drinking horn or cup (I just use a single serving bottle of cider, if doing ritual alone- it’s easier to pour libations from a bottle). My altar is sometimes a shelf in the dining room, or the dining room table itself, or even the kitchen counter (-if I had a fireplace, I’d use the mantle). If you want to try this style of ritual, use any surface or space that represents for you your hearth and home.

• Warding: Anglo-Saxon Hallowing Charm (*Note: you need not ward your home every time you do ritual. You may wish to do it periodically; monthly, yearly, or as needed.)

• Fire Lighting: “In honor of the Holy Ones, I light the sacred flame.”

• The Call: “Hail the Gods. Hail the Goddesses.Hail the Ancestors and Holy Wights. (Or call on specific deities/spirits.) Come to us, your kindred. Be welcome at our hearth and home. Open our eyes that we may see you. Open our hearts to hear your wisdom. Bring to us your blessing bright.”

• Loading & Hallowing: pass drink over the fire and say,“May the Gods hallow and bless.” or “Thunor hallow.” Pour some into the blótbolli.

• Asperging Blessing: Dip a tine into the blótbolli and sprinkle hallowed drink on altar and on yourself and any participants. This may be wordless, or you may say something like: “May the blessings of the Holy Ones be upon us.” (If worshiping alone, you could skip this step and go straight to toasts and libations, if you want.)

• Toasts & Libations: Make personal hails and prayers to specific deities/wights asking for blessings of the season or occasion. (After this step, you can go straight to “Offering & Closing” or proceed with the day’s festivities as follows.)

• Seasonal Customs: if blót is for a holiday, commemorate the occasion with blessings, symbolism, and a special meal. (You may want to have another offering bowl for food offerings.)

• Offering & Closing: At the end of your festivities, give thanks in your own words and pour contents of the blótbolli onto the ground at the base of a tree or onto a hörgr outside. Say: “From the Gods to the earth, to us. From us, to the earth, to the Gods. The cycle continues. The rite is ended.”

serpent’s stone divination

The elegantly simple method of divination known as serpent’s stones (or awen stones) is probably not ancient, but is destined to be a classic. It is ideal as an early divination method to teach children, and as an easy method of augury for solitary or group ritual.

All that is needed are three stones and a pouch to keep them in. For the stones, select:

• one white/light colored stone to represent all things positive and the answer “yes”

• one red colored stone to represent yourself

• and one black/dark colored stone to represent anything “crossing” you and the answer “no”.

To use serpent’s stones for divination, simply roll them around in your hand, with your question in mind, until it feels right to toss them out onto the ground or other surface. The stone landing closest to the red stone indicates your answer. If they are an equal distance from the red stone, then the answer is unclear or unknown, or you should try again later.

The most obvious value of the serpent’s stones is its usefulness in getting a yes or no answer. However, more detailed readings are possible through observing how the stones landed, how they interacted in the air, etc. Read Druid Divination: The Serpent’s Stone by Mark Bailey for a thorough explanation and use of the serpent’s stones, and some insights on Druidic divination methods. As with any divination tool, I recommend preparing divination tools for use by cleansing, hallowing, etc.

Three Stones
“Three stones are drawn into the light,
…one at a time as is their right
 Red for the question that burns in your mind
…setting the balance we all hope to find
 Light for the forces that help you along
…people and places that won’t do you wrong
Dark for the forces that hinder your path
…people and places inspire your wrath
Framing the question while feeling the stones
…asking for Awen from deep in your bones
Three stones are thrown into the light
…the answers gleaming in your Second Sight.”
–Mark Bailey

A Collection of Celtic Three Realms Blessings

Rhyming Invocation
Our world is made of the Sacred Three,
We invoke you Sky and Land and Sea.
We stand at the center of the Realms this night,
And may all be purified by the fire’s sacred light.
Within the cauldron of the Gods are we,
Connected and made whole by the Sacred Three.
~~~
Three Realms in Gesture
(Kneel or squat where you stand. Inhale and exhale deeply.)
We are at the center of the world.
(Exhale, move to one knee with palms on the ground before you.)
We stand firmly upon the Land.
(Inhale and rise to your feet, moving your hands behind at hip height, palms up, cupping. Exhale and move your hands in an arc until they meet in front.)
The Sea always surrounds us.
(Inhale, move your hands to the sides, spread your fingers wide, palms forward.
Exhale and raise your arms, bringing your hands together above your head,
thumb and forefinger meeting to create a triangle.)
The Sky spreads itself above us.
(Inhale, lower your hands to the heart.)
We are at the center of the Three Realms.
(Exhale and lower your hands to your sides.)
~~~
The Three Worlds (ADF)
Three Worlds symbols are passed deisil around the ring,
and each anoints themselves. Each or all say:
The primal Sea around me
The shining Sky above me
The holy Land beneath me
The Order of the Worlds stands firm
Around me and within my soul.
~~~
Eternal Three Realms
As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be
I stand at the Center- of Earth, Sky and Sea.
~~~
A Three Realms Meditation:
The Tree of Life
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath, and as you let it out, imagine you are a tree sending a taproot down into the Earth… Now begin to feel the roots growing outward, spreading all around… Every time you exhale, send more and more energy down through those roots, until you feel firmly rooted to the ground…
We stand firmly upon the land.
Your roots grow deeper… Be aware of the cavernous Underworld kingdoms below you, where underground rivers seep through the unutterable darkness to their ultimate destination…
The Sea always surrounds us.
Now feel your roots absorbing water and nutrients from the soil. As you breathe in, feel this energy rising up though your roots, into your body… With each breath, the energy rises… until your entire body is filled with the energy of earth and water… Breathe deeper and let it flow out through the top of your head like a fountain of light… Feel your branches reach up and outward through the air… Become aware of your green leaves and how they turn toward the sun to receive warmth and light… Feel the energy of the light charging the chlorophyll in your leaves… Breathe in the air and life giving energy of the realm of Sky…
The Sky spreads itself above us.
We are at the center of the Three Realms.

A MIDSUMMER RITE

(A part of my “little ritual” series.  Materials from, and adapted from ADF, the Carmia Gadelica, and other sources.)  In preperation for this ritual, gather some midsummer herbs and flowers and fashion into a circlet to wear on your head, in addition to usual “little ritual” supplies.

*(Edited to note: I wrote this ritual when I was a Celtic Reconstructionist and scheduled it for this later date. For info on how to convert this ritual to an ADF format, see the “little rituals” article highlighted above.)

Circumambulation (Circle ritual area three times.)

Purpose
“I am here to keep the old ways
and honor the Kindred at the time of Midsummer.”

Three Realms Blessing
“As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be —
I stand at the Center of Earth, Sky and Sea.”

Fire Lighting
“I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power.”
(light fire)  “Sacred fire, burn within me.”

Hail to the Spirits
“Hail, Earth Mother, whole and holy, honor unto thee!” 
(touch the earth, give offering)
“I offer now as the ancients did to the Kindreds Three!”
“To the Fair Folk, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)
“To the Ancestors, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)
“To my Deities, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)

Greeting to the Summer Solstice
(from the Celtic Devotional by Caitlin Matthews- page 71)

Walk or dance around fire, singing, praying.  Leap over the fire for luck.
Lift the herb and flower circlet from your head and hold up to the sun while reciting the following:

Prayer to the Sun
“The sun is high above all- shining down upon the land and sea,
making things grow and bloom.
Great and powerful sun, I honor you this day
and thank you for your gifts.
Aine, Belenus, goddesses and gods of light and life,
you are known by many names.
You are the light over the crops,
the heat that warms the earth,
the hope that springs eternal, the bringer of life.
I welcome you, and honor you this day, celebrating your light,
as we begin our journey once more into the darkness.”

Burn herb circlet as offering to the sun.  Watch it burn completely before ending ritual.

Parting Blessing
“I offer my thanks to the Mother of All. 
I offer my thanks to the Deities, Ancestors and Fair-Folk.
May the Three Sacred Kins bring joy to all beings,
and renew the ancient wisdom.
As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be.”