#north pagan

[fo-rokkatru]

I solemnly swear that I'm up to mischief, mischief only, and nothing but mischief 🤞

I'm a serious person, sometimes too serious, but let's not deny the obvious: Loki likes to joke and laugh.

And now my eyes are already lighting up with mischievous lights, like the glow of Redbeard's hair and I'm intentionally creating a funny situation.

Uh-huh, the Lokian woman's advice won't work for everyone. Only those who really want to see, want to know, and are willing to laugh at themselves.

What about me, I'm fine. Fools have their way, crazy people have their way.

[poeticnorth]

For those that are interested in my attempts to write the Poetic Edda into the so-called haiku meter, I've posted a free to read excerpt of Loki's Haiku Duel to my Ko-Fi page

If there's enough interest, I may consider (read: definitely will) post the full poem to my Ko-Fi page.

[niilasnordenswan]

© Niilas Nordenswan Photography – Polulla, North Karelia, Finland

[yoga-onion]

[Image above+below: works of an Estonian artist, Kaljo Põllu (28 November 1934 – 23 March 2010) ]

Legends and myths about trees

Forest myths, Estonian traditional beliefs (2)

The world of the Estonians’ ancestors - Proto-Estonian mythology

The world of the Estonians’ ancestors is believed to have turned around a pillar or a tree, to which the skies were nailed with the North Star. The Milky Way (Linnutee or Birds' Way in Estonian) was a branch of the World tree (Ilmapuu) or the way by which birds moved (and took the souls of the deceased to the other world). These myths were based on animistic beliefs.

Some traces of the oldest authentic myths may have survived in runic songs. There is a song about the birth of the world – a bird lays three eggs and starts to lay out the nestlings – one becomes Sun, one becomes Moon and one becomes the Earth. Other Finnic peoples also have myths according to which the world has emerged from an egg.

It has been suggested by ethnologist and former president Lennart Meri and among others, that a Kaali meteorite crater which passed dramatically over populated regions and landed on the island of Saaremaa around 3,000 - 4,000 years ago was a cataclysmic event that may have influenced the mythology of Estonia and neighboring countries, especially those from whose vantage point a "sun" seemed to set in the east.

There are surviving stories about Kaali crater in Finnish mythology (Description of indigenous paganism by Finns who always believed in spirit beliefs). 

In the Karelian-Finnish folk epic, the Kalevala, cantos (songs) 47, 48 and 49 can be interpreted as descriptions of the impact, the resulting tsunami and devastating forest fires. It has also been suggested that the Virumaa-born Oeselian god Tharapita is a reflection of the meteorite that entered the atmosphere somewhere near the suggested "birthplace" of the god and landed in Oesel.

Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging to Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology, and the systematic documentation of Estonian folklore had only began in the 19th century. 

Therefore, information on Proto-Estonian mythology before the conquest of the Northern Crusades, Christianisation and incorporation into the European world and during the medieval era, is only scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in ecclesiastical registers.

It can be difficult to tell how much of Estonian mythology as we know it today was actually constructed in the 19th and early 20th century. Friedrich Robert Fehlmann, one of the compilers of the Estonian national epic, Kalevipoeg in the introduction to Esthnische Sagen (Estonian Legends), states.

"However, since Pietism has started to penetrate deep into the life of the people...singing folk songs and telling legends have become forbidden for the people; moreover, the last survivals of pagan deities are being destroyed and there is no chance for historical research."

木にまつわる伝説・神話

森の神話・エストニアの民間伝承 (2)

エストニア人の祖先の世界 〜 原始エストニア神話

エストニア人の祖先の世界は、柱または木の周りを回っていたと信じられており、その柱には北極星とともに天空が釘付けにされていた。天の川（エストニア語ではリヌーテーまたは鳥の道）は世界樹（イルマプー）の枝であり、鳥が移動する（そして亡くなった人の魂をあの世に連れて行く）道であった。これらの神話はアニミズム的な信仰に基づいていた。

最古の本物の神話の痕跡が、ルーン文字の歌詞の中に残っているかもしれない。ある鳥が3つの卵を産み、雛を産み始める。ひとつは太陽になり、ひとつは月になり、ひとつは地球になる、という世界の誕生の歌がある。他にはフィン族にも、世界が卵から生まれたという神話がある。

3,000～4,000年前に人口密集地域の上空を劇的に通過し、サーレマー島に落下したカーリ隕石 (ｶｰﾘ･ｸﾚｰﾀｰ) は、エストニアや近隣諸国、特に「太陽」が東に沈むように見えた国々の神話に影響を与えた可能性がある、と民族学者で元大統領のレンナルト・メリらによって示唆されている。

フィンランド神話 (精霊信仰を常に信仰していたフィン族による原始宗教的な伝説) にカーリ隕石に関する物語が残っている。カレリア・フィンランドの民俗叙事詩『カレワラ』の第47、48、49カント (聖歌) は、その衝撃と、その結果生じた津波、壊滅的な森林火災についての記述であると解釈できる。また、ヴィルマア生まれのオイセルの神タラピタは、この神の「出生地」とされる場所の近くで大気圏に突入し、オイセルに落下した隕石の反映であるとも言われている。

エストニア神話は、エストニアの民間伝承と文学的神話に属する神話の複合体であり、エストニアの民間伝承の体系的な記録が始まったのは19世紀になってからである。そのため、北方十字軍の征服、キリスト教化、ヨーロッパ世界への併合以前、そして中世のエストニア神話の原型に関する情報は、歴史年代記、旅行者の記録、教会の記録に散見されるのみである。

今日私たちが知っているエストニア神話のどれだけが、19世紀から20世紀初頭にかけて実際に構築されたものなのかを見分けるのは難しい。エストニアの民族叙事詩『カレヴィポエグ』の編纂者の一人であるフリードリヒ・ロベルト・フェールマンは、『エストニア伝説』の序文で次のように述べている。

“しかし、敬虔主義が人々の生活に深く浸透し始めて以来......民謡を歌い、伝説を語ることは、人々にとって禁忌となった； さらに、異教の神々の最後の生き残りは破壊されつつあり、歴史研究のチャンスはない。"

[wearytaco]

Blessed be, y'all

[maddiviner]

[Book Review] New World Witchery, by Cory Thomas Hutcheson

I’ve always enjoyed New World Witchery (the podcast). Here, Cory Hutcheson addresses some of the same subjects, plus more.

The title alone excites. So many works on folk magic focus on Europe and the British Isles. It’s great to see a shift in focus towards the traditions on the left of the Atlantic. It’s also much appreciated by us American witches!

North America’s magical traditions speak to the unique history of the continent. Hutcheson doesn’t shy away from the painful aspects of that history.

We’ve recently seen a (welcome) acknowledgement of colonialism’s psychic trauma. New World Witchery discusses this, and provides resources for further exploration.

This book does mention live animal sacrifice. It’s such a ubiquitous feature of ancient (and some modern) religions. I would’ve found the book incomplete without some mention of it.

The details on it that the author provides are appropriate. New World Witchery doesn’t give any how-to information for animal sacrifice, of course. Still, expect to learn a lot about its history in America.

This book mentions corpses (human) too. For millennia, locks of hair, bits of clothing, etc, have all connected sorcerers to their dearly departed. This book discusses the historical role corpses have played in North American magic. Hutcheson writes respectfully and with nuance, doing justice to this serious topic.

The author admits that magic can veer a person into strange situations. Hutcheson willing dives into the spooky stuff. This is fitting in a book about North American traditions, so many of which connect with local High Strangeness experiences. Mothman wants you to read this book, in other words. I asked him.

I love the author’s look at how secular North American holidays might relate to magical timing. The book also raises questions about the origins of magical materials, like gemstones. I would like to see this topic expounded upon by other authors - I think we, as a community, need to talk about this more.

There’s a lot of folklore in this book - spells, formulas, charms, leaving me with quite the appetite for it. I realize that much more would’ve made the book massive, though. Hutcheson provides ample sources for further reading.

The author’s treatment of recent New World occult phenomena interests me most of all. The book includes instructions for a classic creepypasta game hailing from online haunts. This brought me fond memories of life online in the illustrious mid-2000s. As online occult spaces become increasingly relevant, I love seeing authors address it. This book’s a gem.

Some will question the author’s choice to include a chapter on the Satanic Panic. I find it apt, timely, and important. We currently see the resurgence of a new such fear outbreak, spurred by the likes of Qanon and Pizzagate. Hutcheson shows how modern conspiracy theories often copy older blood libel legends. Not a fun thing to read about, but definitely important!

This is more than a collection of folktales and rituals from the Americas. New World Witchery gives us a vivid, dynamic picture of America’s psychic landscape. I give this book five out of five stars. It’s available from most online book retailers, and I highly recommend it!

[unhonestlymirror]

It's a bit surprising to me to find out that many people think Ukraine is the Orthodox country. Yeah, we have a lot of Orthodox churches, but we also have A LOT of Catholics (in the West, mostly), a lot of sinagogues everywhere, many mosques (mostly in the South). In general, we have about 120 religions here. You can practice whatever religion you want, and people will be rather indifferent about it.

Also, the internet is lying to you: most Ukrainians are rather agnostics/atheists than religious. Paganism is also present but mostly in old families of the North, Central Ukraine and Carpathians region, and we don't call ourselves pagans (because it's a bad word). Paganism of my family is like:

Avoidance of crosses and icons in the house

Unexplainable disdain of crosses (my mother really didn't want me to be baptized, and she soft-forbade me to wear crosses, lol, although she calls herself Orthodox and her parents weren't overly religious too)

Contempt for religiosity but a sincere interest in other religions

We go to church only twice a year: on Easter and on Radunica (remembrance of the dead)

We respect any temple of any religion.

We hug the trees. Trees exchange the energy with us.

Metal, music and water washes away all the evil eye

We perform little rituals (not bloody😑) on daily basis.

Singing is the way to connect with the universe.

Basically, it's pretty close to Japanese shintoism. We have our kami to pray when we feel the need to, and our shrines are mostly giant rocks, trees and water.

We pray to ancestors. Ancestors are more respected than some random Christian Saints.

[wolverinesorcery]

I do sometimes genuinely wonder if people that pick a celtic branch pantheon or one of many varieties of celtic folk practices because they have percieved/real ancestry from those places have...any other reasons? 'Celtic blood' and 'Celtic ancestry' don't mean you get a natural boost, as well as it being absolutely no factor in how engaged or good of a fit any of it is for you.

[ndostairlyrium]

...tell me there are fanarts of such parades because this is such an interesting fact

[fo-rokkatru]

[poeticnorth]

Happy Spring!

[niilasnordenswan]

© Niilas Nordenswan Photography – Ikimetsä, North Karelia, Finland

[northatlasarchive]

Strawboy - from The Longest Shadow Attached To The Ankle: North Atlas

[catsconflictscopicsandchamomile]

why November 5th, and destielblr as a whole, is the most folklorically fascinating thing I've ever seen

hoo boi. I have a VERY busy weekend ahead of me and a major presentation on wednesday so this will (probably for the best tbh) be pretty brief by my standards.

first off, once again, the lore-accurate Archangel Cassiel (yes, archangel) :

Saturn, Time, Solitude & Tears

oh yeah aND THE *DEATHS OF KINGS*

....I really don't know how yall managed to recreate an entire angel from basically nothing but ok

but NOVEMBER 5th

is a WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL

because THIS

is a HOLIDAY

on the BORDER OF FALL AND WINTER

about the ANGEL OF TIME being THROWN INTO TARTARUS (yes, The Empty is literally Tartarus, no I will not elaborate, its the same thing) for the crime of FALLING IN LOVE with a SEMI-IMMORTAL, VAGUELY-HUMAN HUNTER WHO IS DESCENDED FROM *CAIN*

and over the past three years

this has evolved into the following pieces of folklore:

-when it is NOT Nov 5th, Cassiel still does his usual, literal-millenia-old duty of announcing the deaths (or disgraces) of powerful people. Dean is there too, now.

-Cassiel can tell Dean he loves him all he wants, but through some curse attributed to a cruel God and/or metanarrative forces, Dean is forever unable to say it back- however, he is able (or possibly forced) to announce Weird News Crap in what is usually Cassiel's role. I've even seen some memes that have Dean remembering every world event the "Destiel Meme" is used for as a twisted replay of the confession scene, while Cas doesn't remember any of them.

-Nov 5th seems to be a day of renewal/restarting for the fandom/meta effort to get Cas & Dean back together, but that is manifesting more & more as Cas and/or Dean THEMSELVES restarting their efforts to find each other. It even goes as far as posts talking about eating certain foods, or even leaving food out, as something akin to souling/other folkloric forms of "food for the dead", as some symbolic aid/allegiance to these two wandering spirits...

of a fallen angel and some kind of Clearly-From-The-Wild-Hunt demihuman Cain Guy....

who desperately want to find each other...

so that the angel can be freed from Tartarus/the void...

and the hunter can leave the eternal chase across the heavens and live happily on earth

(also the Hunt Guy has a brother who is SEVEN FEET TALL and MAGIC and has FUTURE SIGHT and *MOOSE ANTLERS* and drinks BLOOD. what in the aggressively nordic fresh fuck)

so um.

yeah.

yall did FOLKLORE

PEOPLE OF TUMBLR, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE *DONE A FOLKLORE*

congratulations, the latest heartbreaking seasonal time deity/wild hunt/cain tradition/star-crossed immortal lovers/midwinter mythos came from TUMBLR OF ALL PLACES

...also I will be separately posting a "folklorically-consistent" list of things to leave out for Destiel tonight and/or tomorrow night, if that interests anyone

[doubtspirit]

Thor's Battle with the Giants (painting, 1872) Photo: National Museum Stockholm / Bridgeman

[fornasedensgudar]

Kåre of the north winds.