Spiral Nature

Review: William Blake’s Sexual Path to Spiritual Vision, by Martha Keith Schuchard

Mike Gleason — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:00:10 +0000

William Blake’s Sexual Path to Spiritual Vision, by Martha Keith Schuchard
Inner Traditions, 9781594772115, 415 pp., 2008

This is the first paperback issue in this country of a book originally published in 2006 in the U.K. It had its origin in scholarly research but has been diminished in size and complexity, although not in quality, to produce a book more likely to appeal to a non-academic audience.

There is a large amount of background data provided on the subject of 18th and 19th century esoterica. This is important to provide a solid base for the understanding of Blake and his works.

As I have commented in previous reviews of books issued by this company, this is not a book for the casual reader. It presupposes a certain level of familiarity with the general topic right from the outset. If you know nothing about William Blake or the esoteric milieu of his time, you will find yourself playing catch-up from the start.

For those readers whose perceptions of our ancestors are summed up in the word “puritanical,” this book will be a real eye-opener. Those who are familiar with the Hell Fire Club and similar societies will not so easily be offended. There is a great deal about the works of William Blake, poetic and artistic, which has gone unnoticed because of censorship and suppression by religious conservatives and his descendants.

Similarities between the beliefs espoused by William Blake and some of his contemporaries and the “sexual revolution” of the late twentieth century are easily seen. So too are the similarities between the reactions by the conservative elements in both societies.

Dr. Schuchard (Ph.D. in British literature) has worked diligently to present information which expands our understanding of William Blake’s lifetime (1757-1827), and its impact on his own and subsequent generations. He has been praised and vilified; exalted and suppressed; called a genius and a pervert. Modern research has done much to flesh out the perceptions which have existed, and the author has made a major contribution by assembling much of this newly discovered information into an easily accessible, and readable, book. You don’t need to lock yourself away in a musty library (remember them – the pre-Internet information sources?) to find this information.

There are numerous illustrations throughout the book, although I would have liked to see several more, especially in reference to some of his major works.

The end-notes and bibliography comprise nearly a fifth of the entire book, which gives you an idea of the depth of research which went into this book. They offer a rich source of further information for those individuals who desire it.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: William Blake’s Sexual Path to Spiritual Vision, by Martha Keith Schuchard

Related Posts:

Review: Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition, by Marjorie G Jones

Psyche — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:56:45 +0000

Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition, by Marjorie G. Jones
Ibis Press, 9780892541331, 262 pp. (incl. end notes, bibliography and index), 2008

Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition is the first full-length biography of Frances Yates, who was among the first wave of late Victorian female historians. Notes were compiled for an autobiography, but it remained incomplete at her death, though she did leave instructions for future biographers.

The account of Yates’ early years are taken in part from the unfinished autobiography, and the journal her father kept about her growth and progress from birth to a young child, with notes on her character and conduct.

Jones traces her personal and scholastic interests through her published books and essays, correspondence, early versions of her works and their notes, and her journals, and the black and white plates reproduced here offer additional insight into her home and professional life.

Citing examples of other women historians and the reasons they may have undertaken studies of the Renaissance and more modern cultures, Jones writes:

For women, another reason for the attraction may have been a lack of training in Greek and Latin, which were prerequisites for university students and the study of Classical civilization. More than likely, female scholars who, like Yates, were tutored at home would have had knowledge only of modern languages such as French and Italian. Thus Renaissance studies were a more comfortable fit for them.

I was surprised to learn that though Yates was early at work in translating Giordano Bruno’s La Cena de le Ceneri (“The Ash Wednesday Supper”), it took nearly thirty years to “place Bruno in the context of the Hermetic tradition”. After the publication of Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition and The Art of Memory she moved from relative obscurity to renown, and, later, controversy.

Frequent allusions are made to the lack of formal training Yates received as a historian, but the specifics of these deficiencies are never spelled out. I would have appreciated more commentary on her work with specific examples of its influence and the responses it received to help place Yates’ work in context today, but these are minor criticisms in what is otherwise an excellent biography.

Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition may be Yates’ first biography, but I hope it will not be her last. Jones has laid the groundwork for further study into Yates’ life, and it’s an excellent beginning.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition, by Marjorie G Jones

Related Posts:

Review: Dancing God, by Diotima

Mike Gleason — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:01:23 +0000

Dancing God: Poetry Of Myths And Magicks, by Diotima
Neos Alexandrian, 9781438210643, 197 pp., 2008

This is the second book issued by Bibliotheca Alexandrina in an attempt to promote the revival of traditional polytheistic religions through publication of a series of books dedicated to the ancient gods of Greece and Egypt (although the contents are not restricted to those two cultures). I reviewed the previous book Written in Wine earlier. Both of these books are primarily composed of poetry (Written in Wine has a few stories as well), although this book is primarily the work of a single author.

The title of this book refers to Pan, although numerous other deities make an appearance on these pages. Most of the poems are very short, but there are occasional longer works as well.

There are occasional dropped letters in some of the poems – at least I have to assume that the moderately frequent appearance of “the” where it seems “they” was meant is a case of a dropped letter and not intentional. I have to say, having said that, that this was a very enjoyable book of poetry.

I have read and reviewed Diotima’s previous offerings Refuge: Tales of Myth and Magick and And Banish with Laughter and was thrilled to see that she has authored another book. Her approach is one which renders poetry accessible and understandable to everyone. You won’t find yourself scratching your head trying to figure what she means.

One can never know what inspiration led to each poem, nor what depths have been stirred up to what extent, but that doesn’t limit one’s ability to appreciate the feeling that was gone into them. One may make assumptions about the poems in the section title “Love,” but the poet warns the reader not do to so, for “…you will almost certainly be wrong.”

The sections of this book are, in many ways, a map of life – “Gods, Myths and Sagas” followed by “Love” followed by “Life” and ending with “Death.” They move us from the most abstract of ideals to the most concrete “reality” we have to deal with in each life. The overall tone of this work is introspective, but there are undertones – some subtle and some not-so-subtle – to be experienced and to add seasoning to your reading

I heartily recommend this book for a variety of reasons, the most important being that it is good poetry. Almost as important, in my opinion, is that the purchase of this book will both ensure and hasten the publication of the next book by this organization, whose aims I fully support.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina is not going to give us more “101” books. It is going to give us inspiration and encouragement to bring our thought and beliefs to a wider audience. It will encourage us to examine, personally, why we believe and what we believe. I doubt that they will every become a “major” publisher, a but a few quality books a year from a company that cares are worth far more than flood of mediocrity from a company that cares only about profits.

Now is the time for us to return the encouragement. Buy this book for your own enjoyment. Then buy a copy for someone you care for. This will be a gift they will remember, as it continues to give pleasure long after the first reading.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Dancing God, by Diotima

Related Posts:

Review: Aleister Crowley, by John Moore

Psyche — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:25:06 +0000

Aleister Crowley: A Modern Master, by John Moore
Mandrake of Oxford, 97801906958002, 215 pp. (incl. bibliography and index), 2009

A Modern Master aims to present itself as a cultural examination of Crowley, yet Moore does not seem quite up to the task.

Moore wries that one of his goals in writing this book was “to make excuses for him, defending what has been criticised as a more contemptible side of his character”. This is severely misguided. Crowley was who he was, excuses are rather moot at this point. (Do we excuse Baudelaire? Rimbaud? Berber?) Rather than attempt to shine up the unsavoury bits Moore would have done better to explore them in context and describe how they influenced his work.

Continuing, he writes:

While my main target audience is people [sic] who already know about Crowley and are intrigued enough to want to explore the context of his ideas, I am also writing for anyone interested in modern thought who is curious to discover if a case really can be made for his importance.

I find this surprising. Does a case really need to be made? Important historical figures are not in need of excuses to demonstrate their greatness; they need their context explained, and the repercussions of their actions and influence explored. With Crowley, this is especially true in relation to his profound relevance to today’s occulture. Unfortunately, that’s not the direction Moore takes.

I was disappointed that the brief biographical sketch remained rather superficial, skipping over several significant details. For instance, Moore asserts that Raoul Loveday “tragically died by drinking infected water, against Crowley’s explicit warning”, ignoring other possibilities, such as the cat’s blood, or sharing infected needles. Many other salacious or otherwise morally ambiguous details are left out of Moore’s account of the Abbey, despite their continuing influence.

Moore writes that “the whole Golden Dawn system is a poetic fiction”, which is not untrue, but he then goes on to dismiss it as an influence on Crowley’s life and work which seems rather absurd. While Crowley was familiar with much of the system’s early content through his extensive reading and independent practice, its framework and lesson structure framed the basis of the order he later revised for his own purposes, the Ordo Templi Orientis. Its internal mythology and practices would continue to be influential throughout his life, often serving as a comparative tool for his preferred methods.

Further, Moore assumes a familiarity with subjects and people mentioned, with no attempt to define or clarify terms. It is assumed readers will be familiar with Florence Farr and William Budge without introduction, yet no “case” can be made without contextualizing their relevance for a reader unfamiliar with their history.

“Excuses” for racism and sexism are not just in poor taste, they betray ignorance.

Crowley is these days sometimes denounced for racism and sexism, as if the mere expression of such tabooed sentiments, irrespective of the fact that he elsewhere expresses opposite ones, is something that must always be intolerable.

Under what circumstances does Moore honestly think racism and sexism are tolerable? More to the point, why attempt to excuse Crowley for these sentiments? Why not accept him as a brilliant, but deeply flawed individual? Perhaps “accept” isn’t quite the correct term; “acknowledge” might be better suited. Is it the moral complexity that seems disquieting?

Odd typographical errors make the book difficult to follow at times. For example, the footnotes in chapter 3 do not seem to correspond to the notes at the end of the chapter as the numbers repeat part way through.

The book is far from perfect, but it will certainly spark discussion, which is a start.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Aleister Crowley, by John Moore

No related posts.

Review: Written in Wine, by Bibliotheca Alexandria

Mike Gleason — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:21:44 +0000

Written In Wine: A Devotional Anthology For Dionysos, by Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Neos Alexandrina, 9781434836731, 220 pp., 2007

This work, a collection of thought by modern worshippers of Dionysos, includes essays, poetry, rituals and fiction as well as personal accounts of experiences. There are over 50 contributions by more than 30 writers.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina exists as a non-profit organization dedicated to re-establishing the worship of Hellenistic and Kemetic gods. Every book purchased, and there will a series of them forthcoming, furthers that goal. If you are willing to put your money to a good cause, this is one well worth supporting. Neos Alexandrian, the publisher, is helping to re-establish the Library of Alexandria, one book at a time.

This collection starts off with a short story…a piece of fiction. Or is it fiction? Might it have been a privileged channelling of Dionysos’ thoughts following the horrors of Hurricane Katrina’s damage to a city where his revels were a vital part of daily life? It doesn’t matter which it is. It is an appropriate way to open this book.

The editors made a conscious decision not to impose standardization in style, spelling, etc., which may send the reader into a moment of head-scratching when unfamiliar terms are encountered. But Dionysos does that every day.

The articles, which comprise almost half of the book, range from light-hearted to scholarly; from intensely personal to detached retelling of history. In other words, they reflect the various ways devotees of Dionysos experience his presence in their lives.

The poetry consists of translations of the Orphic Hymns on the one hand all the way through to modern forms.

If this is a representative sampling of the quality of work which is in the offing, all I can say is that I look forward to upcoming volumes. My only fear is that there won’t be enough support generated to continue this enterprise. Therefore I strongly recommend that you add this book to your “must buy” list, even if you are not particularly interested in Dionysos. The only way we can be assured of volumes dedicated to other deities is by offering our support to this effort.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Written in Wine, by Bibliotheca Alexandria

Related Posts:

Review: Fire Child, by Maxine Sanders

Mike Gleason — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:00:52 +0000

Fire Child: The Life & Magic of Maxine Sanders ‘Witch Queen’, by Maxine Sanders
Mandrake, 9781869928780, 309 pp., 2008

I have been waiting for this book to be written for years, if not decades. As I have said in previous reviews, we need more autobiographies (as well as biographies) concerning those people who helped to bring our religion out of the broom closet. We already had Gerald Gardner: Witch and King of the Witches: The World of Alex Sanders as well as several books relating the life and works of George Pickingill, Doreen Valiente, Sybil Leek, and more modern practitioners such as Fiona Horne. The Internet has made it easy to find out about individuals’ actions. Their motivations, however, may not be so easily determined.

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was Maxine’s lack of pretension. Far too many Elders in the Craft had, seemingly, flawless introductions to our religion, and smooth sailing throughout their careers. Not so with Maxine. She honestly recounts the bumps in the road and reveals the hidden warts. It may give hope to the next generation of witches to realize that snafus and bad decisions can be overcome with minimal bad effect in the long run.

Reading the accounts of the early days of public Craft brought back memories. Not that I was involved – I wasn’t. She and Alex were in England and I was just beginning my studies in Michigan and Illinois. Still, I knew of some of the individuals involved – Gardnerians, American Alexandrians, and the Process Church of the Final Judgment, among others. The constant sensational “news” stories, the blurring lines between Witchcraft, magic and the occult all had to be dealt with on a regular basis. It was refreshing to hear that the Elders at the time had to deal with the same day-to-day realities.

On a totally mundane level, I was disappointed with the quality of the editing. There were numerous sentence fragments which made to work appear disjointed. Allowances must be made, I am sure, since Maxine is not a professional writer. I say that with all love and sincerity since I have been an Alexandrian initiate for more than three decades. I am grateful for her sharing of her memories and, while reading, felt as if I were sitting down and having a pleasant chat over an afternoon cup of tea.

I am sure that this book will appeal to the many Alexandrian initiates. I hope it appeals equally to those who simply want to know about how the Craft was seen and practiced in the days before the explosion of Craft “traditions” and the easy availability of information via the Internet.

There are lessons to be learned from Maxine’s writing, some so simple that they are often forgotten in training since “everyone knows” them, and some much more profound. Even more important, in my opinion, is her admonition that the best way to become a teacher is the experience with the heights (the exhilaration of a successful ritual) and the depths (when Murphy’s Law looks like the writings of a hopeless optimist) of magical workings.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Fire Child, by Maxine Sanders

Related Posts:

New esoteric book club on Plutonica.net

Webmaster — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Plutonica.net, our sister site is an esoteric blog dealing with philosophy, spirituality, magick and occulture. It’s launching an esoteric book club starting Monday, February 1st.

What’s this?

From the book club‘s About page:

The Plutonica.net Esoteric Book Club isn’t just another general occult forum. It’s a space dedicated to esoteric and occult literature and what people do with it.

It tackles the same themes our blog is focused on: philosophy, spirituality, magick and occulture, with a little biography and occult lit tossed in for good measure.

As stated in the blog, the real focus will be on engaging in what we’re reading, as we’re reading it. Sharing thoughts, asking questions, hopefully going deeper into material together than we might have the opportunity otherwise, alone.

First pick

The first pick is Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World, by Robert Anton Wilson.

The official start is February 1st, but the forums are open and ready for use now.

How it will work

We’ll gather suggestions a month or so beforehand in Recommendations, vote on what we’d like to tackle next, then start the process over again.

If you already have a Plutonica.net username and password you can log in using the same ID for the forums. If not, registration is very simple.

How you participate

You can dig out your already dog-eared copy and comment as you re-read it, or purchase it from your local occult shop, local independent bookstore, from or from Amazon.com, etc.

Read along, do the exercises, ask questions, comment on others, share insights and discuss the material.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

New esoteric book club on Plutonica.net

Related Posts:

Review: Abraxas, Issue One, Autumn Equionx 2009

Review: Abraxas, Issue One, Autumn Equionx 2009

Psyche — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:00:30 +0000

Abraxas, Issue One, Autumn Equinox 2009, edited by Robert Ansell and Christina Oakley Harrington
Fulgur, 128 pp., 2009

Abraxas isn’t just “An International Journal of Esoteric Studies”, this first issue is also an art book. At 290mm x 232mm it’s a large quarto, beautifully bound, and printed on high quality paper, including a handtipped sheet. Richly coloured paintings are beautifully reproduced, along with many lovely illustrations in monochrome. And then there’s the text.

This first issue focuses largely on witchcraft, and while I can’t detail every essay that appears, I would like to highlight several that I felt stood out in this already exceptional collection.

Stephen Grasso’s piece “Skip Witches, Hop Toads”, illuminates the difference between magickians and witches in a way that is raw and present.

Witchcraft is an old animism felt in the heart. It is non-verbal and cannot be described in language without its substance getting lost in translation. It can only be alluded to and suggested. The lens of science will never observe an undine or dryad, but these terms are a convenient and poetic way of describing a very real congress that takes place between human consciousness and the manifest mysteries of nature, when you approach the latter in the mode of a witch.¹

It almost makes me wish I were a witch. (Almost.)

An essay on flying ointments by Sarah Penicka-Smith, “Caveat Anonyter!”, discusses their origin and possible components using various historical sources. She also remarks on their rejection by practitioners of modern witchcraft and Druidry, along with other (unspecified) “illegal drugs” in favour of trance states achieved by other, often unspecified means.

Phil Hine’s informative and sympathetic account of the many (fabricated) adventures of Tuesday Lobsang Rampa and his more earthly counterpart Cyril Henry Hoskin is a fascinating read in “The Third Eye”. An alleged Tibetan Buddhist, Hoskin turned out to be an Englishman who’d never left the country of his birth. Many readers were genuinely inspired by his works, despite their dubious veracity and this is what Hine would have use take from his stories. It seems the best possible outcome.

Also included are the paintings and lithographs of Francesco Parisi are lovely, and his interview with Robert Ansell discuss Parisi’s influences, including Austin Osman Spare. As well as a previously unpublished poem by Aleister Crowley, “BABALON”.

It is expensive, yes, but gorgeous and decadent and worth it. As stated on Fulgur’s website:

We might not be hand-numbering these, but then, we won’t be reprinting them either. There are less than you think…

If this is the future of occult journals, then it is in very capable hands. Pick it up while you can.

Previously published on Plutonica.net as “Review of Abraxas, No. I“.

Copyright © 2000-2009 the author and SpiralNature.com.
For the original source of the content please see SpiralNature.com. Also check out our sister site, the occult blog Plutonica.net.

Review: Abraxas, Issue One, Autumn Equionx 2009

Related Posts:

Review: The Morning of the Magicians, by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier

Gesigewigu's — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:16:09 +0000

The Morning of the Magicians: Secret Societies, Conspiracies, and Vanished Civilizations, by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier
Destiny Books, 9781594772313, 414 pp, 1960, 2009

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to get out of this book when I picked it up, and must say the introduction already had me very concerned when the authors said “so as not to weigh down the book too much, we have avoided a multiplicity of references, footnotes, and bibliographies.” It should be pointed out that a “multiplicity” of bibliographies means not including any bibliography, multiplicity of references and footnotes refers to a sparse inclusion that information was taken from somewhere, but rarely stated where.

In general a lack of sources has me a bit worried about a book, but this book really supported that worry, for it wasn’t common knowledge, or acceptable stories, but it was wildly “out there” stories as fact, with no backing. Pauwels and Bergier felt that science was too constraining, and that people should open themselves up to the reality of other possibilities. A notion I can agree with, but a quick look at a list of their “not unreasonable hypotheses” will show where my issue arose; medieval alchemists producing atomic bombs and atomic fusion, the Nazi movement inspired by memory/dreams of Atlantis, the Earth is hollow and we live on the inside, the Moon, Mars and Jupiter and the stars are made of ice, and three Moons have crashed into Earth producing great evolutionary jumps and de-evolutionary lapses, like “Gypsies, Negroes and Jews.”

While I am interested in entertaining far-out theories as part of an intellectual exercise and exploring reasoning, Pauwels and Bergiers put their ideas forth as fact, all while suggesting the reader challenge and investigate it themselves. Yet the authors leave out any of their personal reasoning, be it an internal process, or something they learnt. While I do not believe the Moon is made of ice, I could entertain the idea for a time, if someone gave me a reason to do so, but for no apparent reason than “We don’t know science and we don’t trust scientists” Pauwels and Bergiers toss out a wide variety of theories, that they don’t consider irrational or bizarre.

In the intro, I felt like the authors want to suggest some ideas just off-centre from what we accept and believe, to shake up and challenge the unconscious belief structures of our culture, but instead they put forth ideas so far away from current thought, that I feel they can’t possibly challenge our ways of thoughts. If you’re looking for a book filled with secret societies, bizarre cosmology and physics, and bad science and history, you’ve found it. If you’re looking for something worth reading, I suggest moving on.

Review: The Morning of the Magicians, by Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier

No related posts.

Salutation to the Heroes: November 11th or 12th

boudiccaandarta — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:28:44 +0000

The Feast of the Einheriar or the Festival of the Einherjar is also known by other names including the Festival of Odhinn, the Feast of Fallen Warriors, Heroes’ Day, the Salutation to the Heroes and Old November Day. Marking the day of the full onset of winter, this festival was Christianized and transformed into St. Martin’s Day (Martinmas), a catholic saint who was given many of Odhinn’s original attributes. Originally this day was sacred to both Odhinn and Cernunnos (who has many similarities to the Wanderer Odhinn).

This festival is a special ritual to honour Freyja (the Queen of the Valkyries) and Odhinn (who welcomes all warriors). The hosts of Odhinn’s hall were called the Einherjar, the warriors who fell in battle and earned their place in Valhalla in Odhinn’s army. Valhalla is the Norse “heaven” (the Norse did not have the Christian ideas of “heaven” and “hell”) for brave male and female warriors. The Einherjar are the 432,000 spiritual warriors who guard the gods (in Ireland, this is the day of the Lunantishees, the spirits that guard the holy blackthorn trees).

The Festival of the Einheriar was where several families gathered together, each bringing food and drink for a potluck feast; a “sacrificial” feast of cookies or cakes in animal and human shapes. The day prior to the ritual, games and feasting would be held.
This holiday is now our present-day Veterans Day, a time to honor all fallen warriors and heroes, not only those who have fallen in battle (firefighters, police officers, etc.).

The Ritual

This is a very simple and short ritual that can be enacted by either one person or divvied up for a whole group. Please feel free to adapt it for fit you own needs.

Supplies

Altar in or facing the North, Candle of Remembrance and Sacrifice, plate of cookies in the shapes of animals and people (Animal Crackers would work nicely), the Roll of Honor (a list of names of Fallen Heroes to be honored with this rite), and tankard(s) of drink (mead, ale, water, juice or some other beverage).

Alternate supplies and decorations: one candle to be held by each ritual attendee, incense and incense burner, pentacle, dagger/sword, elemental candles, cauldron, and autumnal items such as apples, gourds, grains, maize, nuts, leaves, flowers, and any remaining Hallowmas decorations.

Opening the Ceremony

Either cast Circle or create Sacred Space in the manner of your own tradition before the Statement of Intent.

Say:

The Festival of Odhinn, on this Hero’s Day,
I/We honor the fallen warriors, those who passed away.
They reside now with Freyja, Odhinn and with Hel,
And tonight I/ we honor them, and I/we wish them well.”

Elemental Quarter Calls: At the North call the goddess Idhunn:

“To the North I/we call the maiden Idhunn,
Guardian of the apples bright and golden;
Grant in Valhalla to the slain heroes
Both green forests and flowered meadows.”

At the East call the goddess Freyja:

“To the East I/we call the Queen of the Valkyries;
Freyja, Leader of the Wind Riders.
Grant in Valhalla to the slain heroes
Both spring fields and gentle breezes.”

At the South call the god Thor:

“To the South I/we call the Red-Bearded Thor,
Protector of the people and God of War.
Grant in Valhalla to the slain heroes
Both feasts of plenty and sunny days.”

At the West call the god Odhinn:

“To the West I/we call All-Father Odhinn,
Keeper of the Cauldron of Inspiration.
Grant in Valhalla to the slain heroes
Rebirth through the Cauldron and warm pools.”

The Candle of Remembrance

On the altar, light the Candle of Remembrance and say:

“I/We light a flame of remembrance
The magickal flame that burns in our hearts.
May it reach those who came before,
Soul to soul, we are never apart.”

The Offering (Symbolic Sacrifice)

The plate of cookies is placed upon the altar before saying:

“There are names we know and names now lost,
But we salute them with both drink and feast.”

The Roll of Honor

Now is the time for the reading of the Roll of Honor. At this time any who wish to make toasts with their tankards to fallen family members may do so before releasing the gods and the circle.

Elemental Quarter Releases

Go to the West and release the god Odhinn:

“At the West I/we release the All-Father Odhinn,
Keeper of the Cauldron of Inspiration.
Thank You for joining this Salutation rite,
Guide me/us on my/our path of light.”

Go to the South and release the god Thor:

“At the South I/we release the Red-Bearded Thor,
Protector of the people and God of War.
Thank You for joining my/our Salutation rite,
Guide me/us on my/our path of light.”

Go to the East and release the goddess Freyja:

“At the East I/we release the Queen of the Valkyries;
Freyja, Leader of the Wind Riders.
Thank You for joining my/our Salutation rite,
Guide me/us on my/our path of light.”

Go to the North and release the goddess Idhunn:

“At the North I/we release the maiden Idhunn,
Guardian of the apples golden;
Thank You for joining my/our Salutation rite,
Guide me/us on my/our path of light.”

Closing of the Ceremony

Close the Circle in the manner of your tradition unless you created Sacred Space which will simply dissipate over rime.

After the Ceremony:

Place the cookies outside as an offering along with some of the liquid as a libation to the spirits; those of nature as well as those that you honored with this ritual. If possible, allow the candle to burn out but if need be, burn the candle daily until gone.

About the author

Rev. Merrie Hutchins (Boudicca Andarta) lives in Northern Michigan and has been a practicing Witch that follows the Wiccan Rede for the past 23 years. Called to service by the goddess Artio; besides dedicating herself to serving the needs of the human community, she tends to Artemis’ deer and cares for abused and neglected cats and dogs. She has received training through the Fellowship of Isis and founded the Iseum of the Emerald Flame dedicated to Artio the Bear, Diana of the Grove and Artemis Limnatis.

Sources:

Exploring the Northern Tradition by Galina Krasskova
Moon Magick by DJ Conway
Norse Magic by DJ Conway
Pagan Book of Days by Nigel Pennick
Rites of Odin by Ed Fitch

Salutation to the Heroes: November 11th or 12th

No related posts.