Njordrs Nook

In modern society there is a lovely shameful quote that people like to use. "Blood is thicker than water." Which refers to, family first, all else second. And by family, they mean blood relations, the people whom share your genetic material. But this quote is grossly inaccurate and used incorrectly. And it is one of the few things in life that brings my anger to an overflowing boil in under three seconds flat.

"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." Is the actual saying. And it means the complete opposite of what shamers use it for today. The blood of your comrades is a tighter bond than those of your family. In other words, the bonds YOU CHOOSE to have, hold more power than the bonds you are born in to. This can mean anything from soldiers on a battle field to people in a group creating a blood oath, to the friends whom you've chosen to be your family; your tribe.

The point is, being born into something does not make you entitled to anything. A personal example, which is something that I have been struggling with over the last four years...you do not owe your family anything just because your genetic code has similarities. And you are completely allowed to choose your own family in life if the one you were brought into is no good. If your family uses this saying, it is a means of control and power to get you to do something they want, but you don't want to.

Do not feel guilty or ashamed for separating yourself from toxic people even if they are "family". They don't even have to be toxic, it is your right to SAY NO to your genetic relatives. Your number one concern in life is YOUR well being. The greatest way for us to benefit society is if we are first at peace and happy with ourselves and our lives. Goodness towards others happens in greater magnitude when we express SELF-CARE. We have more to give when we are taken care of.

Our society likes to shame people for all of the above things. And I am here to tell you, it's ok, to look after yourself and look after your mental, physical and spiritual health. It is not selfish. You deserve the best. You owe it to yourself, so do it. Do not let anyone try and guilt trip you if they don't like a decision you made. That is their problem, not yours.

This week I will discussing how to live like a Heathen.

Some of you are familiar with the Nine Noble Virtues. For those of you who are not, they are: Courage, Discipline, Fidelity, Honour, Hospitality, Industriousness, Perseverance, Self Reliance and Truth.

Now, these virtues are mere guidelines. Some disagree with them, but I am a huge fan. I feel they are great examples to live by. I often don't think about them because honestly, I am already living most of them already. Discipline is probably the only one I need to spend a lot of time working on haha. And also Truth, because lets face it, I can be pretty brutal and need to keep refining my tact. :P

Aside from trying to be the best person you can be, being a Heathen is about community. Making your people and your faith a priority in life. We all drown from the everyday tasks of what it is to be human, but we need to make an effort, and actually make time for our people. Instead of spending hours watching movies or tv to wind down from a shit day of work, go and have a coffee with a few Heathens and discuss what ways you can work together to make your community better. Get your children involved. So many people have families, get your kids to be a part of it. They don't have to adopt your belief system, but get them involved in the community.

Promoting a positive image in your community is KEY. Especially with Heathens due to the amount of Nazis waving around Thors Hammer and Valknut flags etc. Talk with your city and set up a day to go and clean up garbage from one of the parks. Have a food and clothing drive and donate to a local church. Show the world that we are tolerant and inclusive beings. Be a visible face at LGBTQ pride parades. Anything that gets you noticed in a positive light.

So not only is living like a Heathen, a way for personal and spiritual growth, but it's a way of putting your community first. Having long term goals that benefit the many. We are few, but we are strong. And if more people can incorporate not only saying or being Heathen, but living it every day with the decisions you have to make. We will all be in a much better place.

Welcome to the first in what will be a weekly of topics chosen by you, my readers.

Not only are runes a language, but they are also a powerful magickal tool. Which is what we will be focusing on today. Like any language, words hold power. So you must use them with caution when using them for magick. Because sometimes shit backfires lol.

The first thing I should mention is that, the patron of the Norse pantheon is Odin. He discovered the runes by hanging himself on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nine nights. He even shoved a spear through himself as sacrifice to show his worth and determination as a never-ending seeker of knowledge. This is why we treat such things with the utmost respect. And do not be surprised if the runes test you and ask for a sacrifice before they reveal themselves to you.

There are many types of runes. I use the Elder Futhark and there are some who use the Younger Futhark. For me the choice was mere convenience. The Elder runes are the ones I've been exposed to over the last 14yrs of my spiritual journey. If you are deciding to take up runes, use the ones that call to you the most, the ones that look and feel right.

Here is a link to explain the different Rune Meanings.

Now, many of you are familiar with the Wiccan rule of 3. What you give out comes back to thee threefold. That's not how our magick works. Everything in magick has balance. What you put out comes back to you, but in an equivalent manner, otherwise it upsets the balance. Regardless of what your intentions may be.

Make sure that you are prepared mentally, physically and spiritually before attempting any sort of magick. Cause when it goes sideways, and it WILL happen sometimes, no matter how careful you are, you have to be ready to accept the consequences.

There are different methods in which you can use runes. You can use them for writing; stories, poems and spellwork etc. You can use them for divination. Be sure to ask a clear and concise question for a proper answer and draw a rune out of a bag. You can speak them, spellwork by chanting aka Galdr. You can use them to create bigger and more potent symbols, like the Helm of Awe, aka Runecraft.

Hopefully this is a good enough overview of the runes. Feel free to post questions, comments and concerns. Let me know if there is something you wish to know more about, or if I missed something entirely as I am still a student of the runes, and quite possibly, will always be.

No matter what happens in life, once a Priestess, always a Priestess.

I recently transitioned into a new job a few weeks ago. I am only working part-time now which is a huge step down from what use to be 50hr weeks. Since leaving my old job, not only have I been a lot happier, but I am reconnecting with myself and my spirituality. I also have a lot more free time to focus on my business.

Not working in an environment that causes me anger and stress, does wonders for my creativity level. I have been such a busy bee. I am sleeping better, I am eating better, I have more energy and most importantly, I am able to help others again.

One thing, possibly my favourite thing about being a Priestess is being a person others come to for advice. Being a wise woman who helps others through pain or life struggles. A voice of tough love so that you hear what you need and not what you want.

This role isn't just for my spiritual life, it creeps in to my work and personal life. I am always wearing that hat. It doesn't come off. No matter how I may be feeling in a particular moment, I am always there to listen and guide. Compassion is starting to ooze out of me. Which has its' pros and cons.

And I love it. Wholeheartedly. It brings me so much joy, to know that I made a difference to someone. With our current tumultuous world problems, there is nothing I can do to fix them. The way I can create a visible change, is to be the best version of myself that I can be. Putting forth that energy to the universe creates change. When others receive it, they pass it along. And little by little, the greater good weaves through adversity and comes out unscathed.

It is a calling. I take as many people under my wing as I can comfortably carry and we fly together until they are mended and able to flap their own wings. When I was young, there were others who carried me, there are still others who carry me when times are hard. It is an endless cycle of giving. That is the Heathen way. A gift for a gift. And I wouldn't change it for the world because I finally know where I belong.