Walking On Fire

New Research on Neolithic-Mesolithic U5 Patterns

2012-05-27T19:04:00.002-05:00

From a new U5 research paper [Emerging genetic patterns of the european neolithic: Perspectives from a late neolithic bell beaker burial site in Germany - Lee et al.], although the analytical methods and conclusions of this paper are being questioned by other researchers who believe present day European U5 haplogroups may be mostly descended from Mesolithic European U5 with some contribution from Neolithic European U5 and Neolithic U5 immigrants from the Near East and/or Asia.

To further investigate if U5-lineages from the Mesolithic/Neolithic are present among contemporary Europeans, modern DNA sequences were combined with those obtained from ancient individuals. The median-joining network does not show a clear center and aDNA sequences are distributed within shared haplotypes toward the central as well as derived haplotypes at the tips of branches (Fig. 3). And, most strikingly, the Mesolithic and Neolithic singletons placed at the tips of the branches suggest that these lineages did not continue into the present. Based on this haplotype distribution, due to genetic drift or some demographic event modern U5 haplotypes do not appear to have had significant contributions from the Mesolithic/Neolithic gene pool. At least for this haplogroup, it appears there is no simple story of continuity from the Neolithic to the present and that central Europe may have experienced complex demographic events since the Neolithic involving groups that harbored distinctive maternal lineages.

My Name is Heid

2012-05-27T18:04:00.001-05:00

Last night I petitioned my Ancestors and the Ancestral Masters for acceptance of me as an individual into the sacred mysteries of my Clan, and for guidance. Before retiring to bed, I drew a rune from my runebag to see what my ancestors had to say. I drew Laguz. Edred Thorsson writes regarding Laguz:

This is a potent rune of initiation - especially the initiation into life. In heathen times a newborn child was sprinkled with water and given its name, after it had shown itself worthy of life. This reintegrated the child into the lifeforce of its Clan. The mystery of vatni ausa (the ritual of sprinkling with water) predates Christian influence and is a feature of the ancient Nordic doctrine of rebirth - aptrburdhr.

The rune as I drew it was also associated with brightness in my mind, so I looked brightness up as it might pertain to Norse shamanism. Brightness refers to the name Heid. My personal birth name may be translated into Lorilla, but the sacred shamanic witch name given to me my Clan and Teutonic Ancestors is Heid. In Norse mythology, Heid is a prophetess older than time, immortal, ever present and ever knowing, and a völva (a shamanic seeress of Norse tradition). This name fits me, especially given my pre-incarnate memories and experiences of pre-physical conscious seership.

Thorsson also writes that Laguz provides

guidance through difficult initiatory tests and supports the development of second sight.

In addition to acceptance and guidance, I have been given a Sacred Name and Ancestral support to develop the gift inherent in my Name.

U5b Distribution in Northern Eurasian Populations

2012-05-26T23:40:00.001-05:00

This table [1] shows the distribution of my U5b (motherline mitochondrial) mtDNA haplogroup among different northern Eurasian populations. Populations highlighted in yellow are among the exact matches on my own mtDNA results profile. Populations highlighted in blue are among the top matches on my (nuclear) autosomal STR DNA analysis results.

Interestingly, in this table, none of my top motherline and autosomal populations overlap. On my motherline map (previously posted), Scandivanian Iceland is an exact match. I'm still trying to figure out the Celtic-Nordic-Jewish connections of my ancestors, and how it all fits together. My autosomal STR results are highly Celtic-Nordic and Northwestern European, while my motherline results are highly central-eastern European. In the literature, it is noted that U5b originated in central-eastern Europe and migrated north (when the ice sheets retreated) into Scandinavia and northwestern Europe.

Germanic Teutonic peoples originally came from Scandinavia during the Bronze Age. Austria and Hungary have Teutonic roots. Spain and Russia also contain Teutonic elements. Prehistoric Poland may have been Slavic, although the truth of that is hotly debated among scientists, so it is not a certain fact. Prehistoric Romanians were Dacians (Getae, Thracians). "During the Middle Ages Romanians were mostly known as Vlachs, a blanket term ultimately of Germanic origin, from the word Walha, used by ancient Germanic peoples to refer to Romance-speaking and Celtic neighbours." So, Celts lived in Romania, as well as in Northwestern Europe.

It looks like my motherline may be largely of Teutonic and Celtic stock, even though my motherline map focuses on eastern central Europe, while my autosomal map focuses on Northwestern Europe, with splashes from other cultures having made their mark as well.

Also, the Nordic/Teutonic and Celtic peoples seem to be very closely related in my mind. Untangling the complexity of it all is going to be a job.

I'm anxious to get the results back from my full sequence mtDNA analysis to find out my subclade. At that point, maybe I can get a clearer picture of the migration path of my own ancestral mothers.

[1] Source - The Peopling of Europe from the Mitochondrial Haplogroup U5 Perspective

Ages of U5b Subclusters

2012-05-26T22:48:00.000-05:00

Actual breakdown in ages for the U5b groups, note the following:

U5 - 30,400 BP
U5b - 23,800 BP

U5b1 - 17,700 BP
U5b1b - 11,100 BP
U5b1b1 - 7200 BP

U5b1c - 12,800 BP

U5b1e - 6,600 BP

U5b2 - 23,700 BP
U5b2a - 19,900 BP
U5b2b - 19,000 BP

U5b3 - 10,600 BP

Source: The Peopling of Europe from the Mitochondrial Haplogroup U5 Perspective

Geiranger Fjord Waterfall

2012-05-25T22:29:00.002-05:00

Geiranger Fjord waterfall in Norway ... my soul sings with it!

Living Magick

2012-05-25T21:06:00.001-05:00

I love Norway too! Here is my dream home overlooking a fjord in Norway. It's living magick! Just wow.

In Love

2012-05-25T04:11:00.001-05:00

I love Sweden. It's been a homeland and a sanctuary for all of my ancestral peoples.

Motherline Migration Map

2012-05-25T01:47:00.001-05:00

While the previous two maps look back up to the past 500-1000 years and several thousand years respectively (and look at nuclear genes I have inherited from both of my parents), this map looks back up to the past 300-500 generations (6000-13,000 years) and looks at mitochondrial DNA I have inherited from my mothers down through the generations. Nuclear DNA and mitochondiral DNA mutation rates are very different - my motherline doesn't show up in Northwestern Europe as Scandinavian except in Iceland.

I have to digest this scientific paper while I wait for my full sequence mtDNA results to weigh in with information regarding which u5b subcluster I hail from.

The Peopling of Europe from the Mitochondrial Haplogroup U5 Perspective

Celtic Druid & Jewish Remnants and the Viking Raids

2012-05-25T01:35:00.000-05:00

While the previous map looked back approximately 500 years (up to 1000 years even, landing in the Middle Ages and possibly covering some of the period of the Viking raids), this map looks at the world regions where my ancestors (both maternal and paternal) have roots for the last several thousands of years. The timing is important, because I have a hypothesis related to my ancestry and the history of Europe. In this map, it looks like I have strong more ancient roots in the Celtic lands of Wales, Scotland, UK, Ireland and to the Viking land of Finland. So, my more ancient ancestors are also significantly Celtic, as well as Finnish Vikings (with a splash from Spain and Eastern Europe, which could have been from people "acquired" by the Vikings during raids or who joined up with the Vikings and Celts against the Romanization of Europe - perhaps even refugees from ancient Israel as well following destruction of the Temple - as suggested by my motherline genetic map). Interestingly, both the Celts (think Boadicea and the Druids on Anglesey) and the Vikings famously fought Rome and/or the spread of Christianity during the period this map covers (as did my Jewish ancestors fight Rome in ancient Israel). It's not inconceivable then, that perhaps my Celtic Druid ancestors fled to Viking Sweden following defeat by Rome at Anglesey, and there, together, the remnant of Celtic Druids joined up with the Vikings, and together plotted the revolt against the Romanization of Northwestern Europe (the land of the Vikings and the haven for a Celtic Druid remnant) - resulting in the Viking raids. All of this is supported by my genetic ancestry results and my dream of being a half-blood Celtic Druid Jewess on the run from Roman soldiers. I bet I ended up in Sweden and joined up with the Vikings, who were after all, my relatives too (in Finland).

The Viking revolt against Romanized Europe spanned the late 8th to 11th centuries.

Swedish Scandinavian Ancestry

2012-05-25T01:28:00.001-05:00

In follow-up to an earlier post, it makes perfect sense that Frau Holle, the great mother goddess of the Teutonic people, is revealed to be my patroness as a witch, and as a descendent of the Vikings. In the photo, are the results of the autosomal DNA test (by STR analysis) I had done which looks at the genes I inherited from all of my ancestors. According to these results (numbers also shown for my top six population matches), which look back approximately 500 years, Sweden is clearly the top land of my modern ancestors - no other land even comes to close it in terms of the raw Match Index number result, although my Norway Tribe Score (in parentheses) is equal to my Swedish Tribe Score, indicating a strong Viking ancestry and family blood ties to Norway as well. Wales, Scotland and the UK in general are also in my top five matches - lands where Vikings heavily settled during the Middles Ages. On top of all this, my motherline mtDNA haplogroup is U5b, called Clan Ursula among genealogists, and is a Northwestern European haplogroup. My motherline and autosomal DNA tests were both done through different labs in different countries. Even as I await my Family Finder results (to confirm and add more detail to my ancestral genetic research), I think it's pretty clear that my ancestors were heavily Viking.

Teutonic Divine Femiine Mysteries Initiation

2012-05-24T00:26:00.001-05:00

After finishing my work for the evening, in interesting synchronicity with earlier events, I reached into my runebag and pulled out a single rune to mark the energy of the day - Berkano, the rune of Hel (Frau Holle, the earth mother goddess) and initiatory rites of passage. My patroness Frau Holle has initiated me into the Divine Feminine mysteries of my Scandinavian Ancestors and marked it with this specific rune.

Teutonic Patroness and Sacred Witch Name

2012-05-24T00:22:00.001-05:00

In follow-up to my dream post and my synchronous stumbling upon this video, it clear to me that my Scandinavian patroness is revealing herself! Teutonic FRAU HOLLE is the ancient mother witch goddess of the Teutons. This artistic image shows her with a crown of candles on her head. Along with finding the ancestral patroness of my magickal candle crafting, I have claimed my Teutonic sacred witch name. It is Lorilla, the Teutonic version of my actual birth name. My Teutonic name describes my personality exactly:

Meaning: Elfin Laura.

Soul Urge: People with the name Lorilla have a deep inner need for quiet, and a desire to understand and analyze the world they live in, and to learn the deeper truths.

Expression: People with the name Lorilla are excellent at analyzing, understanding, and learning. They tend to be mystics, philosophers, scholars, and teachers. Because they live so much in the mind, they tend to be quiet and introspective, and are usually introverts. When presented with issues, they will see the larger picture. Their solitary thoughtfulness and analysis of people and world events may make them seem aloof, and sometimes even melancholy.

The candle I create for my patroness is going to be something very very special.

Sweden During WWII

2012-05-08T03:13:00.000-05:00

Sweden During WWII

Sweden during World War II maintained a policy of neutrality. When the Second World War began on September 1, 1939, the fate of Sweden was unclear. But by a combination of its geopolitical location in the Scandinavian Peninsula, successful realpolitik maneuvering during an unpredictable course of events, and a dedicated military build-up after 1942, Sweden managed to maintain its official neutrality throughout the war.

At the outbreak of hostilities, Sweden had held a neutral stance in international relations for more than a century, since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. Twenty nations held a policy of neutrality in September 1939, but only seven other European nations found themselves capable, like Sweden, of officially maintaining this stance throughout the entire war: these were Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Vatican City and Switzerland. The Swedish Government made a few concessions, and sometimes breached the nation's neutrality in favor of both Germany and the Western Allies. During the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Sweden allowed the Wehrmacht to use Swedish railways to transport (June–July 1941) the 163rd Infantry Division along with howitzers, tanks and anti-aircraft weapons and associated ammunition, from Norway to Finland. German soldiers traveling on leave between Norway and Germany were allowed passage through Sweden — the so-called permittenttrafik. Iron ore was sold to Germany throughout the war. And for the Allies, Sweden shared military intelligence and helped to train soldiers made up of refugees from Denmark and Norway, to be used in the liberation of their home countries.[page needed] It also allowed the Allies to use Swedish airbases between 1944 and 1945.

Sweden also became a refuge for anti-fascist and Jewish refugees from all over the region. In 1943, following an order to deport all of Denmark's Jewish population to concentration camps, nearly all of Denmark's 8,000 Jews were brought to safety in Sweden. Sweden also became a refuge for Norwegian Jews.

"The Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg and his colleagues may have saved up to 100,000 Hungarian Jews."

Sweden is a top result on my autosomal STR genetic test, and Hungary is a top result on my mtDNA genetic test.

Viking Jewish Khazarian Connection

2012-05-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

More on the mutation shared by the Vikings and the Jews.

Laura Spinney. "HIV protection via the Vikings?" BioMedNet News (July 23, 2003). Excerpts:

"A common genetic mutation that confers protection against HIV and possibly also multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes may have arisen over 1000 years ago in a lost kingdom in what is now Russia, according to an Australian geneticist. Marc Buhler of the Institute for Immunology and Allergy Research at the University of Sydney thinks that the delta32 deletion mutation in the CCR5 gene is now a target for selection because it protects against certain strains of HIV, but that initially it may have been selected for because carriers survived small pox... The CCR5-delta32 mutation is particularly common among Ashkenazi Jews... among Ashkenazis from Western Europe, for instance, it occurs with the same frequency as in Caucasian non-Jews... He then genotyped the 26 Ashkenazi Jewish individuals who turned out to be homozygous for the mutation, and measured the degree of recombination that had taken place in the region in which the mutation occurs to come up with an estimate of when the mutation first arose. To his surprise, his calculations generated an age of 50 generations, or just over 1000 years. The Ashkenazi Jews left Israel around 2000 years ago... Since the mutation is not common among the Sephardic Jews who stayed in the Middle East, and since it appears to be older than the Ashkenazis' Germanic period - the last time they were concentrated as a population - Buhler surmises that it had its origins elsewhere [other than Germany]. There were several other pieces to fit into the jigsaw: for instance, the incidence of CCR5-delta32 is relatively high among Scandinavians... When he gathered information about his Ashkenazi volunteers' forebears, he found that the frequency of the mutation leapt to 20% in a subgroup whose grandparents came from Russia or Eastern Europe - almost 10% higher than the frequency among Western European Ashkenazis... Since small pox kills around one third to a half of its untreated victims, Buhler says selection would have been very strong for CCR5-delta32 if heterozygotes did indeed avoid death... [U]pper class Khazars adopted Judaism in the mid-10th century... 'The Jewish Khazars had the main block of the mutation,' says Buhler, 'But a few [Khazar] slaves kidnapped by the Vikings would have been enough for them to take it away as a souvenir.' Khazaria ceased to exist around the 13th century, when it was absorbed by Russia, and from then on the Khazar Jews would have blended with the Ashkenazi ancestors of Buhler's Australian volunteers."

"Geneticist finds Ashkenazi immunity." Australian Jewish News (August 22, 2003). Excerpts:

"...In a study of 1400 subjects, Marc Buhler found that Jews originating from Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Russia are prone to carry CCRS-delta 32 - a gene modifier that alters the immune system. ...Buhler said that the gene modifier fends off the symptoms of HIV/AIDS for anywhere between four years and a lifetime. ... Presented in Melbourne at the International Congress of Genetics, the study found CCRS-delta 32 in as many as 35 per cent of Jewish subjects originating from Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Russia. The proportion for non-Jewish subjects hailing from that part of the world was around 25 per cent. However, Jews from other parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East are no more likely to carry the gene modifier than their non-Jewish counterparts from the same region, he said. CCRS-delta 32 was also discovered in nearly 30 per cent of subjects from Iceland - an observation that prompted Buhler to speculate that the mutation first emerged among medieval Russian Jewish communities and was spread to Northern Europe by the Vikings. Buhler believes that the first carrier of the gene mutation was probably born in Khazaria (in Southern Russia) between 800 and 1000AD. ... Buhler said that CCRS-delta 32 may have also protected Jews against the smallpox. The gene modifier has thrived, he said, because it can ward off adverse symptoms and keep carriers alive long enough to procreate."

Swedish Viking Jews

2012-05-07T18:41:00.004-05:00

In additional follow-up to my dream this morning, I've found this on specifically Swedish Viking Jews on the Tracing the Tribe, the Jewish genealogy Blog:

Researcher Marc Buhler believes he has tracked down the source of a genetic marker shared by individuals with Jewish and Viking ancestral origins. The marker in question is a mutation that may be an inherited shield against AIDS. Buhler believes the genetic marker came to Scandinavia when Swedish Vikings visited the [northeastern area of the Black Sea] area between 800-1000 CE, and was distributed to Ashkenazi Jews when many of them left Germany after a 1350 bout of plague and traveled east, mingling with the Jews of the Khazar region. He says that a previous study indicated the incidence of this marker in about one in three Ashkenazi Jews and one in four Icelanders.

Iceland is one of my exact mtDNA genetic matches by autosomal STR analysis.

Original article is here.

The Viking Jews

2012-05-07T18:25:00.000-05:00

Given my dream early this morning, it became more imperative to turn my attention back toward my Scandinavian roots right now to discover some more Viking connections and intersections between all the peoples of my ancestries.

Though Denmark isn't mentioned specifically on my autosomal STR analysis results, Sweden, Norway and Finland are mentioned significantly.

New addition to my bookshelf - THE VIKING JEWS by Rabbi Dr. Ib Nathan Bamberger

The small Jewish community of Denmark, one of Europe's smallest countries, was virtually unknown to the rest of the world until the Danes' heroic rescue of their Jews from the Nazi invaders became a universal symbol of courage and hope.

Beginning with King Christian IV's invitation to the Jews, in 1622, to settle in his land and culminating in their miraculous escape and triumphant return after World War II, The Viking Jews details the struggles and successes of the Danish Jews in securing civil, economic, and political equality with their countymen.

Dr. Bamberger's deft prose and thorough knowledge of the subject make The Viking Jews a fascinating and informative introduction to a noble country and its people.

Swedish Laplander

2012-05-07T13:48:00.000-05:00

This morning I dreamt. I was trying out a handcrafted hand carved beautiful javelin I was considering buying. The javelin was very very long like a ship. It was made by a Norseman. I walked the road to Sweden, javelin in hand, and as I did, my surroundings changed sharply from american day to swedish night and from late spring to winter with snow covering the ground. The night snow stirred me inside with a profound recognition.

With my small traveling group, along the walk deeper into the snowy landscape towards Sweden in the North, my ex-husband (from whom I acquired the Lapland name Lappin) approached my path from my right (coming at me from the Northwest direction going Southeast as I walked going North from the South) carrying a smaller Norseman javelin. He almost bumped into me with his javelin, but before he did, his path veered tangentially away from mine.

My javelin was unusually long, longer than most others. It was in a special honored class of javelin which looked like it had been shaped from the side of a Viking longship. It was functioning like a divining rod and compass for me as I walked towards Sweden. It was no ordinary javelin at all. I wanted to keep this javelin. It was working out well in my hand. I felt deeply connected to the javelin and to Sweden. It was a deep sacred connection and in my hand, it belonged to me now.

Poignant Power of the Hand

2012-05-06T18:49:00.000-05:00

"I never assumed only cavemen created art on the walls of their homes, but apparently some people did. Now a new study shows that women made cave paintings too." Read more ...

Cavewomen made cave paintings too

Supermoon Full Moon ידיד

2012-05-06T16:57:00.001-05:00

In short follow-up to my previous few posts pertaining to the supermoon full moon and to the dream associated with it, the Hebrew word ידיד, yedid, meaning “friend”, is composed יד + יד, meaning “hand + hand”.

Adorned Perception of Reality

2012-05-06T16:45:00.000-05:00

In follow-up to my earlier posts on the yod-aura of last night's supermoon full moon, this afternoon I came across this article regarding the quality of synesthesia, an "adorned’ perception of reality."

Scientific evidence proves why healers see the ‘aura’ of people

House of Yosef and Yedid

2012-05-06T13:49:00.000-05:00

After a long, complicated dream, right before waking, these words were communicated to me:

"Everyone from the House of Yosef dies by Yedid."

This was not a negative thing. The words were positive, supportive and spoken within the context of celebration and dancing, and having a table and place in the Great Hall. I and those at my table were the underdog-types, but we had risen to our place despite the odds and those who worked against us. I was the House Mother (which may pertain to my U5b haplogroup and the research I have done pertaining to Asnat).

A Cherub Sans Sword

2012-05-06T00:53:00.000-05:00

In follow-up to my previous entry (Bestowing Abundance), where I discussed the appearance of the shefa of Yesod surrounding this evening's supermoon full moon, it should be also noted (as Wiki informs us) that "the archangel of this sphere [Yesod] is Gabriel, and the Cherubim is the Angelic order." In Jewish mystical tradition (as Mystical paths informs us), the Cherubim are associated with the revolving sword of consciousness which prevents re-entrance into the Garden of Eden:

The sword that prevents us entering freely into our own deeper levels of concentration and understanding is created and strengthened by misdemeanour, moral or religious errors. Thus, conversely, moral purity, as described by the Torah and Masters, can lessen or even remove this sword.

Importantly, according to the Zohar (as Kabbalah Online informs us), the magickal Hebrew letter associated with a sword of the Cherubim, that is, the sword of judgment, is the Hebrew letter vav (ו):

The vav is the body of the sword, the six directions of the world ...

The power which showed its face in my world tonight was the hand of the Cherubim (as opposed to the sword of the Cherubim).

The Encyclopedia of Angels informs us about the hands of the Cherubim:

Their hands are under their wings and their feet are covered by their wings; they have horns of glory upon their heads.

Sounds alot my artistic photographic rendition of tonight's supermoon (see picture) - I've got got a cherub here tonight sans sword.

Bestowing Abundance

2012-05-05T23:38:00.002-05:00

Associated with the Moon in Jewish mystical tradition and the Foundation of the Tree of Life, the Hebrew word Yesod (יסוד) begins with the letter yod (י) which looks like a drop in its Masoretic (traditional) form. The letter yod corresponds to Wisdom. Here is a photo I took of tonight's supermoon (taken during the moments of its perigee and complete fullness)- the artistic charcoal effect of my image editor placed the magickal letter yod around the supermoon. A Wisdom drop for my world ...

Frog Prince

2012-05-01T20:15:00.001-05:00

Despite numerous frustrations today, I had to slow down when a frog prince jumped into my life. Trapsing out to the garage for some supplies after a calming thunderstorm, a frog blocked my way into the side door of the garage. He wouldn't move. He just kept looking at me with those big lonesome eyes until I bent down and shooed him away from the door so I could enter it without tripping or scaring him into running into the garage and trapping himself inside.

On my way out of the garage door, carrying an armload of supplies, there he stood on the edge of the sidewalk, just looking at me. Okay then, I set all my supplies down on the sidewalk, stooped down, and sat beside him there in the dusky damp twilight. We talked for a few minutes until I needed to go. I told him goodnight, and he hopped off the sidewalk to let me pass. I picked up my supplies and smiled him a kiss goodnight. Such a wonderful creature, a frog.

Frog Totem

Portions in Israel

2012-04-29T04:02:00.001-05:00

Interestingly, Midrash assigns a portion to Asnat equal to that of each of the male tribal heads of Israel:

Gen. 43:24–34 relates that Joseph invited his brothers to eat with him when they went down to Egypt to procure food. In the midrashic depiction, this was a family meal in which Joseph’s wife and children also participated. Joseph sat his brothers before him, “from the oldest in the order of his seniority to the youngest in the order of his youth” (v. 33), and brought the portions to the meal. Joseph gave each one, including Benjamin, his portion, and then he took his own portion and gave it to Benjamin. Asenath took her portion and gave it to Benjamin, as did Ephraim and Manasseh. Thus, there were five portions next to Benjamin, as is recorded in v. 34: “But Benjamin’s portion was five times that of anyone else” (Tanhuma, Vayigash 4).

Asnat (as the granddaughter of Jacob and a nameless woman) has an equal portion (of Israel) in her own right distinct from the portions of her husband, her sons and Joseph's brothers. Asnat has inherited what Leah may have feared a son of Dinah's mother (Asnat's mother's mother) may have inherited after all.