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Mine is the sweet honey
That is the elixir of new life.

Mine are the arms that cradle the
Shell of who you have chosen to be.

Mine is the heart that calls
Out to you when you have
Forgotten me.

Mine is the hand that reaches
Out to you when no solace can be found.

Mine is the light that guides you
On the path back to me.

Mine is the truth that you desire
When life ebb’s from you.

Mine is the womb of light
To which you return
To be reborn.

I began this blog 3 years ago which much different intentions than those where the writing has taken me. Life has interjected itself and time has passed leaving at times gaps in what I wanted to say and what I was able to write. This, all part of the “human experience” where what is accomplished and what there is “time to accomplish” are often out of sync.

Ripe Woman

Even in the land
of the starving
barren of nurturing
connection
of communal cohesion
and direction for
the lost children

I gathered
what bits of
connection
I could find
built and grew
made and found
meaning

My ripe fullness
can be painful
waiting to be
picked and made
useful
bursting with fine
synthesis

I dream of others
connected
in our similar
seed-bearing readiness
across the wasted
civilization
ley lines of life

While I identify as Pagan, and more specifically as Hellenistai, I also fall into the category generally defined as "devotional polytheist." For me, the Gods are at the center of my spiritual practice. I write poetry and short stories and essays in their honor, meditate and go on trance journeys, and endlessly discuss their natures and myths and influence upon the world. As such, theophanies -- manifestations of the Gods, personal encounters with them -- are of particular interest to me. I love to read of others' encounters with Gods and Goddesses and spirits of all sorts, from every tradition, new and old.

Additionally, not all theophanies are ... well ... I have found some passages in works of fiction to be as profoundly moving and insightful as any (nonfiction) work. It leads me to wonder if the authors have either coded their true encounters, changing bits here and there to include them in novels and short stories; or if the authors have some intuitive understanding of the Gods and spirits and the world beyond the mundane.

71.

Haltr ríðr hrossi,

The last year was very happy one for me, and full of wonderful travels, meetings with new friends, and blessings were poured like rain.
I really hope that the coming year will be also fulfilling and peaceful; and "let the God/s you honor, will send you everything you wish for, and gives their blessings to your friends, families, children and neighbors"...
For my first post in 2016, I want to share some of my devotional poetry again - written in honor of Thoth-Hermes-Djehuty.

I have my soul
ignited with your light…

*

when I whisper the words of love
I feel your wings
around, protecting me;
when I speak your praises -
it’s the only reason to know how to speak,
when I live for you -
it’s the only reason to remember again,
how to breathe…

 61.

Þveginn ok mettr

ríði maðr þingi at,

þótt hann sé-t væddr til vel;

skúa ok bróka

skammisk engi maðr

né hests in heldr,

þótt hann hafi-t góðan

 

Washed and fed

shall a man ride to the Thing,

though he be not clothed well;

of his shoes and his britches

should no man be ashamed

nor of his horse neither,

though he not a good one.

 

The Thing was the assembly to settle differences, plead suits and socialise in all kids of ways; in Iceland, the annual national gathering, the Alþingi is still the name for their governing body though the no longer meet out in the valley in tents (a few politicians have suggested that doing so would make the government work a little faster). Traditionally the law speaker recited at least a third of the laws that he had to keep memorised. Thus legal matters were decided there: as much as Icelanders pride themselves on having the longest existing democracy, the medieval version demonstrates that might (usually through having supporters, but sometimes through outright violence) made right. This verse counsels that one must make the best appearance possible. If your clothes were not the best at least make sure they are clean and mended, your shoes clean and your horse stepping out the best she can, even if she wasn't going to win any races -- or in the case of male horses, any fights. Horse fights were a brutal but popular sport.

 

62.

Snapir ok gnapir,

er til sævar kemr,

örn á aldinn mar;

svá er maðr,

er með mörgum kemr

ok á formælendr fáa.

 

Snapping and stretching,

when it comes to the sea,

the eagle to the billowy sea;

so is the man,

who among the crowds comes

and has few supporters.

 

The man without sufficient supporters is like the eagle who swoops down at a fish only to see it disappear beneath the waves. Don't wait until you get to the gathering to form your alliances. Much of viking life was about gift giving and hospitality because you never knew when you would need an important ally. Feuds could break out over fairly small disagreements -- about where your land ended and your neighbour's began, or who got to use a certain path to summer pasturing.Alliances were essential.

 

63.

Fregna ok segja

skal fróðra hverr,

sá er vill heitinn horskr;

einn vita

né annarr skal,

þjóð veit, ef þrír ro.

 

Ask and reply

shall each of the wise ones,

he who wants to be called sensible;

one must know

but another shall not,

all the people know, if three do.

 

Wisdom is highly prized: we have seen several verses on that topic. But being able to hold your own counsel is also important, the poet tells us. You should shrink from sharing secrets with anyone at all if you can avoid it. If you tell someone and they tell a third, then the secret will not be kept and everyone shall know. If you are heading to the Thing and bringing a suit, it's best not to let the cat out of the bag until you are certain you have sufficient support.

 

64.

Ríki sitt

skyli ráðsnotra

hverr í hófi hafa;

þá hann þat finnr,

er með fræknum kemr

at engi er einna hvatastr.

 

His power

should each of the wise

have in moderation;

then he finds that

when he comes among the bold

that none is keenest of all.

 

Power in this sense seems to be connected to the idea of anger (as the wise man said, 'Anger is an energy.') I connect it with the previous verse: just as you should not show your cards until you're ready with a firm phalanx of supporters, you should not show your anger until you read the room (or the tent). If your opponent is even more angry, he may be able to sway your supporters -- perhaps simply to not support your action, but worse, over to your opponent's side. Hold your anger in check: the sagas are full of unwise men who let their emotions lead them into rash decisions.

 

65.

-- -- -- --

orða þeira,

er maðr öðrum segir

oft hann gjöld of getr.

 

 

[missing lines]

For those words,

which a man says to another

often he gets repayment.

 

In a similar vein, your angry words can be repaid by more of the same, while your measured speech may meet with likewise thoughtful responses. In the medieval world people were much more cognizant of being part of a community. Ostracism -- including outlawry and banishment -- put people in a truly vulnerable position that many could not survive. Men like the famous Grettir only survived such a fate because they were able to call upon both the friends they had made prior to being banished and were extraordinary enough to convince people to offer help despite the risks of aiding a fugitive.

See more of the verses here.

The start of the Egyptian year was the First month of the Inundation (named Dhwty) and was a time of great celebration, coinciding with the rising of the Nile. “You shall follow Thoth, on that beautiful day of the start of Inundation.”
During this month there were three festivals for Thoth, held on the 4th, 19th and 21st. Entries from various calendars give the following descriptions of these feast days. 4th day - a “Festival of Thoth”. 19th day - a “Festival for Thoth, the very great, in the whole country”. [...] 21st day - a festival to “celebrate ‘the triumph of Thoth’ in the presence of Re”. [...]
Bomhard suggests that the first day of the new year, which coincided with the rising of Sirius, was the 19th July.
This would give the festivals in Dhwty the following modern dates; the 4th as the 22nd of July, the 19th and 21st as the 6th and 8th of August and the 26th as the 13th of August.  (Quoted from: -- Lesley Jackson "Thoth, the history of Ancient-Egyptian God of Wisdom)

For this festival day, I'd like to share some of my devotional poetry...