Red wine, aged cheese and yeast bread. Three things I no longer eat. (Image by Stefan Krause)

I’ve mentioned in the comments before that I have a digestive disorder of unknown type. Food makes me sick. This wasn’t a huge deal when I was a kid; I knew to avoid chocolate and not let people put cheddar in my scrambled eggs and be careful what I ordered at a Mexican food restaurant. I got older and realized that I couldn’t drink red wine without getting ill. Then after much curious study, I realized most people got drunk BEFORE they got sick. I get sick well before I get drunk. Until I figured out that my experience is not the typical one, I was seriously confused about why people like alcohol!

But then I got into my thirties, the avoid list kept getting bigger, and I was getting painfully ill at inconvenient times. About five years ago, back when I was a high school theater teacher, I cramped up so badly after lunch one day that I folded in half and had to get a substitute for the next two hours while I curled up in a ball in the greenroom of the theater, unable to move. That was the final straw. I went to the doctor. My doctor (whom I love and have gone to for years) checked me for celiac’s disease (no), told me I had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome; it’s as fun as it sounds), gave me a prescription for muscle relaxants and sent me to a specialist to confirm. The specialist said the same thing. One thing they both emphasized was that my concerns over food being the root of my problems was bogus, that for some people cortisol (the stress hormone) makes their digestive system stop working right. That was all. So if I never stress out again, I’ll be fine. Otherwise, I’m FUBAR. And here’re some pills.They don’t fix the problem, but I’ll recover more quickly from folding in half during work hours.

This sent me into a tailspin of confusion. Yes, stress makes it worse, but I know that certain foods make me sick. Give me fudge, and I’ll be in the bathroom throwing up in less than half an hour. It’s happened since I was a wee thing. It frustrated me to no end that neither of them would listen to me. I didn’t want a pill that masked symptoms. I wanted a solution. But I couldn’t figure out what chocolate, cheddar cheese, avocados, bananas and red wine had in common. I couldn’t figure out why mushrooms weren’t really a problem…unless I mixed them with spinach, which would make me absolutely nauseous.

My DH TheScott did some research on the interwebs, home of all knowledge both real and imaginary, and found a common denominator between the things that set me off: they all contain large amounts of broken down proteins called amines, particularly histamine. There were researchers out of Australia who had decided that living with IBS, though not immediately life threatening, can seriously impair quality of life. And they believed that food, in fact, is often the problem. Their research indicated that some people, for some reason, lack digestive enzymes–much like the commonly known and understood lactose intolerance, which is a lack of the enzyme lactase, but for other enzymes as well. This malfunction of the gut can cause a whole host of problems when the body can’t handle aspects of the otherwise perfectly healthy food we put into it. Why doctors easily accept that a person can be missing lactase but not any of the other digestive enzymes baffles me. But my disappointment with the medical community over this is a whole ‘nother post.

After reading their research, TheScott proposed I lack the enzyme diamine oxidase, and therefore had what was, at the time, called an “amine intolerance.” I looked at the list of foods I would have to avoid, and while everything that set me off was on it, I thought the list in its entirety was the worst list of no-nos the planet has seen and nobody should have to live like that. I insisted I had some other problem.

Please, gods, may it be some other problem.

Over the past five years I’ve been researching different forms of digestive disorders, from celiac’s to food allergies to intolerances and more. I’ve learned a lot about how digestion works and the many things that can go wrong. I’ve gone on a variety of diets in an attempt to find one that helps. I tried a gluten-free (helped, but not enough), low FODMAP diet (somewhat successful), Paleo (got me almost, but not quite, symptom free, and I still follow a more relaxed version of this that allows for limited dairy because I likes me some butter and cheese), and various other elimination diets (never successful). Finally this year, after reading a few more articles on that intolerance TheScott found years ago–now called “histamine intolerance”–I gave a low histamine diet a try.

Oh, #$%^&. It’s working. Idunna help me.

Next week, I’ll talk more about HIT (histamine intolerance). Meanwhile, if you have any questions about food reactions, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned! The most important thing I want people to know is that digestive disorders are real, and they wreak serious havoc on people’s lives. Meanwhile I’m working on prayers to Idunna, the goddess who tends the apple orchard of Asgard that keeps the gods young and healthy. If anyone has any experience working with her, I’d love to hear about it.

+ Featured Image: Still Life with Cheese and Wine by John F. Francis

The last time I had insomnia was in 2003 (I think), when I was preparing for my comprehensive exams in graduate school. Comprehensive exams are a sort of trial-by-fire ritual many students experience in grad school. It’s a sadistic game where your professors ask, “Hey, why don’t you demonstrate everything you’ve learned in the last four years in the next four hours?” Or at least you have to be ready to share everything you’ve learned because you don’t know what the questions will be. It was a major and stressful ass-kicking. And I didn’t sleep fully for a good six weeks before the exams. I can’t remember how long it took for my circadian rhythm to return to normal afterwards. And it sucked.

I’d give a month’s pay to be back there again. To be getting a major ass-kicking from a finite stressor. The major ass-kicking I’m getting now is from a stressor that seems to have no end in sight. I know, I know. Time heals all wounds and broken hearts mend and all that crap. But right now…it sucks. And honestly, that this will end, that I will eventually let go, makes me just as sad as the loss in the here and now.

Back to the matter at hand. I am not sleeping through the night. I seem to be getting to sleep all right, but I can’t stay asleep. Over the last three weeks, my sleep has ranged from zero to maybe five hours with no consistently. It appears I have acute insomnia, “also known as short term insomnia or stress related insomnia.” So far, I’ve been dealing with it like a good little soldier (or whatever), but I am starting to feel the effects. I can see it in my skin pallor. I am spacing out during the day. I am losing control of my emotions in public settings. If this goes on for another few weeks, I will ask my doctor to recommend an over-the-counter drug. I hate to do that, but I’m worried if it goes on too long, the consequences could get worse.

The other consequence of my insomnia, which is less dire (if that’s the right word) but still alarming to me, is that I am not remembering my dreams. I usually remember a good bit from the night before. I usually work through anxiety and problems through dream recollection and interpretation. Now there is nothing. Tabula rasa. Part of why this is so disconcerting to me is that I usually dream about family (my ancestors) to help my mind work through trouble. And now I can’t see them. I miss them. I need them. But they are elusive. And so my anxiety remains heightened and I am not making progress towards resolve. Have I mentioned this sucks?

Honestly, being Sleeping Beauty sounds pretty good right about now. Especially if I had three fairy godmothers to watch over me, to intervene on my behalf and diminish the effect of this spell. What about you? Have you ever suffered from insomnia? How did you get past it?

* “The male gaze” started as a feminist theory of film, but applies to other art forms. It is the idea that women are displayed — usually passively — for the pleasure of the heterosexual male audience or viewer. It’s a fairly well-known “women are objectified in media” argument.

+ Featured image, “Sleeping Beauty” by Henry Meynell Rheam (1899).

We were building a fort together
Not intentionally at first
We piled rocks and sticks willy-nilly without concern for function or form
But form they did
And soon our fort was wonderful, full of warmth and charm the likes neither of us had seen
We dallied and let the building get bigger
So true were our efforts, we did not think to consult a plan
That we had built a maze struck suddenly
“We can tear down what we don’t need and save the fort,” I said
“No. It’s too late. We should have noticed our mistake much earlier,” he replied
“We see the problem now. Let’s fix it together,” I pushed against a wall
“No matter what we build we will still need direction and we have proven we can’t plan together,” he replied
“But we are so happy here,” I cried near desperation
“Yes, we were happy,” his heart weighted

We were dreaming a life together
Not intentionally at first
We invited thoughts joyful and sad without considering if our images would blend
But blend they did
And soon our dream was bold and bright, full of shapes and symbols the likes neither of us had seen
We found joy in sleeping and embracing and sleeping again
So intoxicating this dreamy state, we did not notice one of us was waking
He emerged from the dream suddenly
“I will wake up too, so we can be together,” I said
“No. It’s too late. I feel myself leaving and you can’t come with me,” he replied
“We love each other. I’d rather be awake with you than dreaming alone,” I lifted my head
“No matter awake or dreaming, I am changed and we have proven we can’t change together,” he replied
“But we are so happy here,” I cried near desperation

I hear nothing in return
He is gone from the dream

Featured image: Japanese garden in San Francisco.

Suffice it to say, I find I have enough in common with Hinduism that I feel comfortable in its practices.

Just south of Austin is Radha Madhav Dham, one of the largest ashrams (a location for Hindu spiritual retreat) in the U.S. For years I’ve been wanting to visit it. Last weekend I finally decided to take the girls there to experience Hindu culture with me. We arrived on a misty Saturday morning to an almost empty parking lot. The building is large and ornate (with plenty of signs warning us not to take photographs, which other people ignored. But we followed it, so I have no photographs to share) We headed to the front of the temple where signs instructed us to take our shoes off. After complying, we entered the lobby. 

Immediately we were greeted by the front desk and offered a mix of raisins and almonds which they called something like “parti” (if somebody knows the real name, I’d appreciate it!). My four-year-old was happy to partake. At the temple, the statues of the gods are only viewable at certain times a day (called darshan) and covered by a curtain for the rest of the day. I’d made sure we arrived during darshan. With our almond mix in hand, we headed into the temple (they encouraged us to go in, even with the food). The temple interior is a square room with a ceiling painted to look like the sky. Across from the entrance, the deities stand in colorful display, with a female in the front sitting in the most honored position. At this particular temple, they believe all gods are manifestations of the same one god, and that any form of the god can be worshipped depending on what the seeker wishes to attain in his or her life. At Radha Madhav Dham, they have chosen Radha Krishna, a representation of divine love, as their focus of worship.

Radha and Madha by Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906)

I was excited to show my girls a place where a female was worshipped as a supreme being. Watching the smile on a girl’s face when she sees her own gender as worthy of worship is a pretty cool experience. My eldest even pointed out that their representations of Krishna, the blue god who plays the flute and is generally recognized as male, looks very feminine. When one of the parishioners explained to her that he is both male and female, she took it in stride and accepted that as okay. It makes me proud to see my girls growing up with open minds.

After the temple viewing, we walked the grounds. They have a beautiful pool in the back of the temple as well as a lovely walk out to a natural pond. We viewed sculptures of Krishna and Radha, and the girls were entranced by bas relief of elephants and peacock feathers, and highly disappointed that the damp weather had driven the live peacocks into hiding. I promised we’d come back to see them.

Before we left, the youngest asked if we could go back into the temple one more time. Not knowing when we’d get a chance to come back, I agreed that we could. The girls took a longer look at the statues of Radha, Krishna and others, and we looked at the sacred writing on the temple walls. I pointed out the sanskrit to the eldest and we talked about how that was a different alphabet. They also both spent time sitting in the chairs and just looking around.

A few devotees entered at this point, and then a spiritual leader of some type (I’m not sure what to call him) came in. He came up to the three of us and asked if we would be interested in joining them for a silent arti, a short ceremony that received the gods’ blessing through a lamp (the kind with fire). I asked the girls if they were interested. They were, and after they promised to stay silent, we gathered with a few other people in front of the shrine. Everyone stood except me. I knelt so that I could put an arm around each girl and help them keep their promise to be silent. (A necessary precaution, it turned out. They were good, but they’re curious children and had questions.) The leader raised his lamp to the statues and circled it as the rest of us watched. After a couple minutes, he turned to us. Each person in turn placed their hands over the lamp and drew them up to their face, bringing the blessings from the candle to them. When the leader offered the candle to us, my elder daughter immediately followed suit, and I helped the younger do the same. Afterward, we thanked everyone for letting us participate, and headed home. The girls seemed to find the whole experience interesting and were very well behaved. I was proud of them.

I have always enjoyed visiting various religious institutions and experiencing ceremonies from other ways of looking at the divine. This was my first time to do so with children. It’s strange in that the experience becomes less personal–I can’t get lost in my own meditations or feel quite the same “spirit” that I do when I’m not responsible for shepherding young ones–but it was still a unique and special experience to be able to see their wonder at being a part of something so foreign from their own experience and yet so deeply meaningful to others.

Do you have any experience with Hinduism? What about with taking children to experience other faiths?

+ Featured Image: Radha-Madhava Deities in Mayapur Chandradoya Mandir 2005 by Atma

And hey! Look! That’s my name again on the cover of a book! *dances for joy*

A fantastic article by Elysia over at Llewellyn details the new shift in the Book Industry Standards and Communication (BISAC) coding, which typically dictates where a book is shelved in a bookstore. Pagan books, which have traditionally been shelved with “Body, Mind and Spirit” (alongside astrology, divination, Feng Shui, and UFOs), has been moved* into the Religion section right alongside Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and other, you know, religions. Books strictly on witchcraft which do not contain a religious component will still be shelved with Body, Mind and Spirit.

This makes me happy. There are some people worried that the shelving space we’re granted will shrink, as we’re jumping into waters with much bigger fish–and it might. But with such an incredible shift toward electronic buying anyway, I don’t thinks this is going to seriously impact our sales. Being shelved with the major world religions is a sign of our growing public acceptance. The book industry has declared us a religion. It changes nothing for the millions of us practicing the faith, but I am in the camp that thinks being taken seriously by the rest of the world is a good thing. It is these sorts of small things that help erase prejudice and build a society that is less hostile toward people of minority faiths.

I do want to be clear that I’m not knocking books in the Body, Mind and Spirit category. But the books in this space, like astrology and divination, aren’t religions. They are tools used to achieve something (which is why I agree with non-religious witchcraft remaining behind). Paganism isn’t a tool, it’s a religion (or faith or spiritual path or belief system or whatever term you want to use). It is technically correct that we be placed on the same shelving–and symbolically the same footing–with other faiths.

So far Wicca is the only branch that has its own subheading. The rest of us will be shelved under the generic “Paganism & Neo-Paganism” label. Yes, I know some of us don’t like being labeled under the Pagan umbrella, and I’m sure this will spark up words from some of the virulently opposed. As a Heathen who’s perfectly content to also be labeled Pagan, I have no angst over this. Hey, I’m in a seriously tiny religion; I get that I’m going to have to go with the flow a bit where practical decisions made by businesses are concerned. The important thing to me is that books on Ásatrú now go in the same section as books written about the other many religions of my fellow bookbuyers.

What do you think? Have you seen us in stores under our new shelving yet? I’m excited to go check it out!

* I also noticed that Viking romances are getting their own code. This also makes me unabashedly happy.

+ Featured Image: A bookstore in Bethesda, MD, released to the public domain by photographer Chris Spielmann

1: of or relating to astronomy <astronomical observations>

2: enormously or inconceivably large or great <astronomical numbers>

Earlier this week, several of my friends shared a poster via the Grand Overseer that lists skyward observation events for 2013. Depending on where you are in the world and how close the Earth the event is — you may be able to see them with the naked eye.

Poster from Grand Overseer

These events are certainly astronomical as they are astronomy related. While the list from Facebook may seem hefty, 2013 will not be an unusual year in terms of the number of events — at least not when you compare it to surrounding years. Indeed, the list of Facebook is actually a few events shy, so I’ve added to it using Sea and Sky’s Astronomy Reference Guide and a few other sites. The first few events were earlier this month. I don’t want anyone in the Realm to miss any of the others, so mark your calendars! Here’s a quick review of what we can view later this year.

1. January 3, 4 — Quadrantids meteor shower
2. January 21 — a near Moon-Jupiter conjunction
3. February 2-23 — clear view of Mercury
4. March 10-24 — PANSTARRS comet (this comet was discovered two years ago)
5. April 21, 22 — Lyrids meteor shower
6. April 25 — partial lunar eclipse
7. April 28 — Saturn at opposition (Opposition means the planet will be directly opposite the sun and in clear view from Earth)
8. May 5, 6 — Eta Aquarids meteor shower
9. May 9 — “Ring of Fire” annular eclipse (An annular eclipse is when the moon lines up between Earth and the sun. The ring of fire eclipse is when the moon’s visible diameter fits inside the visible disk of the sun, leaving a ring of fiery light around the edges.)
10. May 24-30 — “Dance of the Planets”
11. May 25 — penumbral lunar eclipse (A prenumbral eclipse happens when the moon is caught in part of Earth’s shadow. You can still see the moon, but instead of looking like a pale bright white, it will look like a pale bright grey.)
12. 

    An easy view of our solar system

    May 28 — conjunction of Venus and Jupiter

13. June 23 — supermoon (A supermoon happens when a full moon is in perigee — closest to Earth in its monthly elliptical rotation around Earth.)
14. July 28, 29 — Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower
15. August 12, 13 — Perseids meteor shower
16. August 27 — Neptune at opposition
17. October, November — ISON comet (this comet was discovered last year)
18. October 3 — Uranus at opposition
19. October 18 — penumbral lunar eclipse
20. October 21 — Orionids meteor shower
21. November 3 — hybrid solar eclipse (A hybrid eclipse is an annular-total eclipse combo. In some spots on Earth, the eclipse will look total — where the moon totally blocks out the sun. In other parts of the world, the eclipse will look annular, like a ring of fire — where the moon fits inside the sun. These are rare compared to other eclipses.)
22. Mid-November, December — clear view of Venus
23. November 17, 18 — Leonids meteor shower
24. December 13-14 — Geminids meteor shower

I hope this helps you mark your calendars for these awe-inspiring events! If I have left out any event that is likely to be visible, please let me know. Keep a look -out for announcements from your favorite astronomical Facebook pages as these dates get closer. Dates and visibility may vary slightly depending on where you live. My favorite astronomy pages are Milky way scientists, NASA, I f&%@ing love science, and Neil deGrassi Tyson.

+ Featured image, annular solar eclipse photographed over China.

Does anybody else watch this? I’m just finishing Season 2 and man this show is addictive. For those unfamiliar, this CW show is the story of the Winchester brothers–Dean, the party hardy  man’s man older brother and Sam, the sensitive boy-next-door type with a dark destiny he’s trying to escape. When Sam was a baby, the boys’ mother was murdered by a demon, sending their father into a dark career as a hunter of all things supernatural. Dean followed in the family business out of obligation to his father’s wishes, whereas Sam tried to live a normal life… until his girlfriend was murdered the same way his mother was, driving him to join his brother in the life of a hunter.Together they travel the country in a ‘67 Impala fighting for the safety of the rest of us using their brains, brawn and a journal of information left to them by their father.

While I love both brothers, Dean (played with wise-cracking aplomb by Jensen Ackles) is easily my favorite. This might be because, despite lacking any religious faith (though the character believes in magic and other phenomena, he’s a self-declared atheist), he embodies Heathen virtues. Dean is the best example of a modern Viking I’ve seen in television. Dean’s primary virtue is his loyalty to his family and extended family followed quickly by his courage. He follows his father’s wishes and legacy to pursue the demon that killed his mother and still threatens his brother. He never contemplated a future outside of this destiny. He regularly risks everything to protect those closest to him and never gives up on family, even when it seems like all is lost.

Like any good Viking, Dean is a man’s man. This can sometimes be an annoying character trait, but Ackles pulls it off quite likeably, primarily through a great sense of comic timing. Dean will show his deep love of his brother through saving him in some deeply dangerous and heroic fashion then stop his brother from thanking him with lines like, “No chick flick moments.” There’s a forced stoicism to Dean that you can tell isn’t natural to him, but he feels it’s necessary to carry so he can get the job done. On the other hand, when they’re not on the job he lives like tomorrow may not arrive, drinking and womanizing his way through whatever town they’re in. Like the Viking heroes of old, he doesn’t expect to die of old age, so he’s living it up now.

Dean uses disguise and deceit to further his missions, particularly when seeking information about his foes. (Like any good hero–I would hope at least some Vikings did this, although no stories one way or another are coming to mind–he does his research instead of going into a dangerous situation half-cocked and underprepared.) He’s adept at playing all kinds of roles, and slips into different names and characters with ease. He has no compunction about playing fast and loose with the truth if it’s for the greater good or for the good of his family. He’s even lied to his brother in order to keep him safe. This characteristic is seen in Odin and his Viking followers who have no problems putting on a disguise or taking on a new name to aid in a quest or put one over on their enemies.

And, of course, when it finally comes down to a fight, Dean is a badass, kicking ass, taking names…and getting back up to fight again whenever he goes down. He’s not a bruiser, but he’s well versed in weaponry, cunning in a fight and knows how to team up with his brother to get the edge on their opponents.

Have you seen the show? What do you think of Dean as a modern Viking? Are there any other awesome shows out there I should be watching with Viking-style leads?

Seriously, some of these may challenge your inner-princess. I’ll start with things low on the ick scale and move up the ladder.

1. Keep your spoiled food and compost it

I’m lucky enough to live in a neighborhood where I can compost leftover, unused, and spoiled food (and other organic materials). You may not think composting is an option for you, but there are lots of places around the nation that accept organic materials for composting. Go to www.findacomposter.com and find the facility nearest you. There may not be a location close or convenient for you, but you can still keep your commitment to composting. Consider dedicating one of the shelves in your freezer to save food items. That should help the food stay as non-icky as possible while you drive to the nearest location once a month — or however often you can manage. You can also buy containers to store food for composting. Or you can try composting yourself! Just make sure you follow any state, regional, or city ordinances regarding composting.

2. Skip a shower for a day or two

Is he happy because he’s showering after skipping a day? Or is he happy because he’s letting go?

I don’t mean to send us back to the dark ages where people are covered in muck and mire and feared bathing. I’m just suggesting that we don’t all exert ourselves daily to the point where a shower is necessary. Maybe you stayed in bed and read Harry Potter all day. Maybe you got caught up in an 8-hour [Downton Abbey, Dexter, AbFab, The Wire] marathon on television. Maybe you went to a theatre a watched all the Lord of the Ring films before The Hobbit opened. These things happen. And they don’t make you dirty. Er…I guess it depends on what you are watching / reading. Anyway, you could skip a shower on a day like this and not cause wrinkled noses. In fact, bathing too much is bad for you skin.

3. Wear your clothes more than once before washing

Most of us already do this with our dry cleaning because dry cleaning can be expensive. It isn’t too much of a leap to apply this philosophy to all our clothes. Well, maybe not underwear. I don’t know if I can reuse my skivvies between washes. But other apparel…I’m okay with that. Especially on an aforementioned — and totally hypothetical — day where I spent most of my time watching / reading. But if you spend the day working in dirt or mud (or worse), you should totally wash those clothes (and yourself) after one use.

4. Don’t flush the toilet every time

What color is the water? Your guess is as good as mine!

You may have heard the saying, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” That’s pretty much what I’m suggesting. You won’t save much money, but like #1 above, leaving #1 in the toilet will save water. Saving water is pretty important for us Texas gals. Water use and water conservation are hot green and hot political topics here. Letting it mellow can cause toilet stains, though, so be sure to stay on top of cleaning your toilets. If you’re still creeped out by this idea, here’s step-by-step on how to adjust to this advice.

5. Pee in the shower

Maybe it’s the sound of falling water. Maybe it’s the sensation of being engulfed in warmth and steam. But there’s something about being in the shower that makes me do the toddler pee-pee dance. But apparently, I shouldn’t fret. I should just relax and…well, you know. Don’t judge! Lots of people pee in the shower. In a 2009 survey of nearly 1,000 women, about 75% of respondents admitted to Glamour magazine they tinkle in the lavatory, but not in the toilet. And rightly so! Not flushing the toilet can save between 365 and 2,555 gallons per non-flush per year. Heck, Brazil encourages peeing in the shower and even produced a public service announcement to educate the populace. So open the floodgates people! At least in the shower. [Note: This advice does not -- in any way, shape, or form -- apply to taking baths.]

So there you have it. Am I suggesting you live unhygienically? No. Am I suggesting you be lazy and stinky? No. I am suggesting you loosen convention enough to conserve and recycle. What do you say? Can you do it?!

+ Featured image: New (in 2007) state of the art recycling facility at the Tesco Hypermarket, Irlam, UK.

Hail Day and sons of Day!
Hail Night and her daughters!

Hail to the Aesier! Hail the Asynjur!
Hail to all the bountiful earth!

~ from Sigdrifa’s prayer

Frigg, bless me as I work. Like you, I am a mother, but I have no idea how to do this. Some moments are filled with such joy. In some I can’t breathe. There are days I feel I’ve lost myself, and days I feel like I’ve found where I’m supposed to be. But through it all, I know I cannot let them down. Help me find balance.

Idunna, bless me as I work. I have taken over the cooking, and I wish to nourish my family well. Help me create food that will make them hale and help them be at peace within. I have a complicated relationship with food because of what it does to my body.* If I have finally hit upon the solution to the endless loop of pain and anxiety, please help me accept it and find ways to work within new constraints. Help me take joy in food again.

Frau Holda, bless me as I work. Help me keep good cheer as I keep the kitchen and the laundry running smoothly. Persistent effort has not traditionally been my forte, but I know the importance of this. And bless my husband as he works. Thanks to all the gods he’s in charge of the rest of the house! Help me be steady and dependable.

Freya, bless me as I work. I have a husband whom I love deeply. I appreciate the work he does and cannot fathom a life without him. Help us to keep that connection steady, to grow together in love not only as a family, but as a couple. After the girls have grown and gone, TheScott and I will remain. We must keep ourselves whole and hale throughout these challenging times. Help me to be a lover as well as a mother.

Bragi, bless me as I work. I have a job that is flourishing and I love, but I can get sucked into the newness of having my work finally out there, the vanity of it, the trappings without the real work–the words. Help me find my next project and embrace it, carry it forward and get back to what I do–writing

Odin, bless me as I work. I asked how to weather the Hunt; you answered that I already had it in me to do so. Help me keep the long term goals in mind and strive toward them with your wiles and wisdom. Help me know what I must sacrifice to achieve my ends and what I can keep.

Ancestors, be with me as I work. Help me guide our line with integrity so that we grow our good name, our good deeds and our good fortunes.

Look on us here
with loving eyes
and give victory to those gathered.

~from Sigdrifa’s Prayer

* I have had food related problems for years regarding something my body doesn’t digest right. The problems it causes range from mild to 24 hours of toilet hugging nausea. For people like me who have a harder to diagnose case, it can lead to a fear of eating because you have no grasp of what is going to cause you to spend the next day in pain. This fear can even be chemically spiked, because poorly digested food can trigger hormone responses that can do an assortment of things from create depression-like symptoms to instigating panic attacks.

I’m currently on a diet to test for histamine intolerance. I have to avoid chocolate, citrus fruit, aged cheese (but not fresh cheese), vinegar (inc. anything picked), yeast, red berries and fruit (like strawberries, cherries and plums), nuts (although almonds in moderation are okay), spinach, tomatoes, avocados, eggplant (unless peeled), smoked and cured meats, chicken skin (but the meat is fine) and alcohol (although vodka, gin and clear rum are okay in moderation). Unlike a lactose intolerance which, while a bummer to live with, is easy to figure out what foods are included, some of the more obscure intolerances like fructose malabsorption and histamine intolerance have wacky lists that don’t seem to connect, causing a lot of frustration for people who have them as they try to grasp at straws for what’s causing our bodies to freak out.

+ Featured Image: Brünnhilde wakes up and greets the day and Siegfried by Arthur Rackham