10/10/2021
๐ As Halloween approaches, I've been reflecting a lot on my Celtic ancestry and their Samhain traditions, which were mostly brought to America by the Irish ๐ฎ๐ช and Scottish ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ during the Great ๐ฅ Famine.
I went looking for a Celtic or Gaelic oracle deck today, something to help guide me through my birth month, but ALAS! I only found a Norse deck. Since I also have Nordic ancestry, I figured I'd dive into it and see what I find.
In the Norse Wheel of the year, Vetrnaetr or Winter Nights falls on October 31, and signifies the end of the harvest. Parallel to Samhain, the veil between the living and dead is thin. The Queen of the Dead, Hel or Hela, is honored and sacrifices are made. In finding Hel in the deck, I did discover that she is associated with Saturday (today!), but she also kinda creeped me out, especially the incantation used to summon her magic. I think I'll work my way up to invoking her on Halloween so as not to accidentally awaken a horde of the ๐งโโ๏ธ undead.
So tonight, Bragi, who created poetry, fiction and music, keeper of language and expression, most eloquent master of skalds and minstrels, came skipping out of the deck. There is no time like the present for us all to examine our wishes and manifest them with our voices.
๐ฃโจPOETRY IS MAGIC! In the old religion, poetry was considered a supernatural โก๏ธ power of the ultra ๐ง intelligent.
Speak your truth! Speak your desired reality into existence. Instead of "I want to..." or "I'm going to..." make it "I am..." to actively shift the paradigm. And say it loud! Of course silent prayer and meditations hold some weight, but singing your wishes aloud gives the universe some urgency. As we continue to express ourselves in this way, we will see what paths and resources our dreams require present themselves. It is simple, just ask Spirit. And know that Bragi has your back.
แแแทแ are the runes associated with Bragi; แ (mannaz) for masculine ๐ชโจ magic, opportunity, and a deep connection with the gods; แ (dagaz) for awakening ๐ realizations and mystic light; แท (gebo) represents the exchange of power between the gods and humans, and also legacies; and finally แ (othalaz) for innate qualities and tangible possessions.
If you want to invoke Bragi in ceremony, ๐ฅ burn sandalwood and storax and chant:
See the Master Poet.
Hear his glorious song.
Wise is he and eloquent.
Writing sagas long.
Grant me creativity,
The arts as my destiny.
Bless me, Master Poet.
Sing a magic song.
