Wassail – A History, Ritual, and Recipe

The tradition of wassailing is old and very English. It took place in winter, usually sometime near the New Year or near Twelfth Night but the dates vary by region so there's really no one right night to wassail. It was and indeed is a folkloric custom that survived and persisted all the way into …

Hrethmonath – a Blot for Hrethe

This blot is intended to be in Hrethmonath, which is in that part of spring where there is still the possibility of a hard freeze but where there is a serious battle between winter and spring still raging. I wrote this blot in partnership with my friend Thorgeir Daralsson; fully half of this blot is …

Blotmonath – a Blot of Thanksgiving and Sacrifice

So Blotmonath in Bede’s Reckoning of Time was the month falling around November in which burnt offerings were made and the month in which cattle were slaughtered. Well we don’t have cattle to slaughter, so why not make some votive cattle. For this ritual I made a large bull out of hard-tack and also gave …

Yule Blot

This Yule ritual is intentionally shorter than my usual fare for a couple of different reasons. First, it is cold outside. Second, we have enjoyed having a gift exchange and a symbel. The one begs for less time outside, the second begs for more time for the inside activities. Therefore, we get this short and …

Sibb-blot, a Blot for Sibb

This blot to Sibb is intended to be performed between September and February. It is a blot which was originally written to also be paired with the home-blessing ritual in such a way that the blot precedes the blessing of the house. I wrote this blot for Sibb in such a way that it encompassed …

Æcerbot – a Blot for Eorthe and a Field Remedy

This ritual is based on the Æcerbot, an ancient ritual from England that renewed the soil. This is based on about three different translations and so I unfortunately cannot piece together if I am pulling from Pollington or Wallis or someone else entirely. What I can tell you though is that this heavily Christianized and …

Eosturmonaþ – a Blot for Eostre

This blot is intended to be performed around Easter for Eostre. It is an updated version that will divide my old Eostre ritual into two rituals. This part is for Eostre. (Hallowing) May the gods guide us, May our oaths keep us, May our deeds free us, May our ancestors aid us always. May the …

Hlafmas – a Blot for Ing

This blot is intended to fall in August and is my take on the celebration of Hlafmas. (Hallowing) May the gods guide us, May our oaths keep us, May our deeds free us, May our ancestors aid us always. May the gods banish from this land and wood all ill and wrong, Hallow this space, …

Thunorblot – a Blot to Thunor

This is a blot to Thunor. If you are a Norse heathen you can just say Thor and Midgard instead because it won't mess up any of the rhymes. (Hallowing) May the gods guide us, May our oaths keep us, May our deeds free us, May our ancestors aid us always. May the gods banish …

Eortheblot – a Blot for Eorthe

This ritual is intended to be performed in Solmōnaþ (essentially, in February). Some of the concepts in this blot may be very familiar to you if you have any experience with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the day that Christians, especially some Catholics, contemplate their own mortality and the ephemerality of life. Ash Wednesday has …