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Publishing an eBook version of Elder Futhark by Steven Speers, along with developing and implementing a marketing strategy for the book.

Steven Speers

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Brand Management

Raido. The Journey.

The steps we take tell us where we're going. Sometimes we walk in circles to brag about mileage, but haven't gone anywhere at all. How far have you gone?

Wanting grand adventures and actively engaging in them is not the same. A spectator is not a champion.

Are you cheering on the marathoner or are you on the track? How many times have you been the "moral support" of those who are up and at 'em every day? You can join in and get on the path at any time. Are you ready? Demonstrate that.

Hail the Folk!

Wunjo. Contentment.

What's wrong with being satisfied? With being cntent and appreciative of what you have and what you're doing?

Each of us wanted everything we have got, so why complain daily about your circumstances? Having to get up at this time, having to do that, having to deal with them, on and on, ad infinitum. Isn't that exhausting and discouraging? To reject all the things and individuals you sought and desired so long ago?

What makes the circumstances of your life so bad is your attitude, your outlook, your perspective. You can be happy if you choose to, just as readily as you choose to focus on negativity. What choices are you making today?

Hail the Folk!

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Steven Speers on Facebook

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="color: #333333;"> The Elder Futhark Runes are a proto-Germanic cypher that is both phonetic as well as esoteric in Nature. This means that each Rune has an associated vocal as well as Metaphysical value.</p>
<p>  While similarities and parallels exist between the Futhark and other forms of written communication, thus is by no means evidence that any or all are derived from foreign sources.</p>
<p>  The name FUTHARK is the combined phonetic values of the first six Runes in the first Aett. An Aett is a series of Runes in sequence. There are three Aetts of eight that comprise the Elder Futhark. Other Futharks have varying numbers of Runes based upon phonetic values within the corresponding dialect.</p>
<p>  Since the Runes have dual value, they can be used as both a form of writing in addition to being employed as divination tools. The physical shape of the Rune itself is also linked to these meanings.</p>
<p>  Divination practices are highly individualistic, varying greatly even within each basic framework. The two main bodies can be described as casting and pulling.</p>
<p>With casting Runes, there is a designated area often marked or delineated, a specific surface (such as a table or countertop), tray, large bowl, animal skin or pelt, or a casting cloth onto which the Runes are &#8220;cast&#8221; or ritually tossed onto the aforementioned space. The manner in which the Runes are positioned are then interpreted. Which Runes are facing up, their orientation in relation to the caster as well as each other, their positionin the casting area, and any number of other factors deemed pertinent by the caster are weighed in consideration of the interpretation of a given casting.</p>
<p>  The other approaches to Runic Divination can be summed up as pulling. With pulling, you are withdrawing one or a number of Runes from the set being employed for divination.</p>
<p>Single Rune pulls are most common, but three, seven, nine, and other choices depending on the individual and circumstances are performed as well. Most often, the Runes are pulled directly from the bag or pouch in which they are kept. Others deposit them in some bowl or container prior to conducting their pull. Stirring or mixing them is a matter of preference that is overwhelmingly favored.</p>
<p>  I am personally biased against multiple pulls for one main reason. Each subsequent pull is coming from an increasingly incomplete set of Runes. If you would not use an incomplete set for a single pull, why use an incomplete set on a 2nd and 3rd pull on a three Rune spread?</p>
<p>  If someone is doing a &#8220;past-present-future&#8221; reading, I recommend doing three separate Rune pulls. One for past, one for present, and one for future. Multi-tasking in Divination is unwise from my perspective.</p>
<p>  My personal practice is to sit before my Runes. Center myself with a short breathing exercise. Pour my Runes into my bowli (ritual vessel) and stir them three times with one hand while not looking at them. This can be done by closing one&#8217;s eyes, looking up, or away into the distance. Once they have been stirred, I pull them one by one, placing them back in my pouch without looking until the last one remains. This is the Rune for that pull.</p>
<p>  Whatever divination method you employ is entirely up to you and the best metric for if you are doing it correctly is how intuitive and natural it does or doesn&#8217;t feel. If Whatever you are doing feels confusing or awkward, then listen to your instinct and adjust accordingly.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></span></p></div>
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Elder Futhark Personal Divination Methods

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="color: #333333;">One of the things I do not bother with in my divination practices is Merkstave positions of the Runes. For those unfamiliar with the term, Merkstave indicates that a rune is upside down or reversed. This indicates an inverse meaning to the forces in question. Strength becomes Weakness, Contentment becomes Resentment, Success becomes Failure, Insight becomes Confusion, and so on.</span></p>
<p>I am not saying that Runes being in Merkstave are insignificant, far from it. When a Rune or other esoteric symbol is inverted or an attempt to alter it is made, this is indeed significant. But for the purpose of this discussion, I am speaking solely of divination readings and not the carving, placing, charging, or activating Runes, sigils, wards, or charms.</p>
<p>Divination involves interpreting the ebb and flow of the manifestation of potentialities. Considering this, with each Rune, all potentialities are to be acknowledged, the &#8220;good and bad&#8221;, the &#8220;light and dark&#8221;, the &#8220;positive and negative&#8221;, and so forth.</p>
<p>Whether the forces a Rune represents manifests &#8220;as it should&#8221; or in Merkstave is determined by you and the choices you make. Focusing on negative potentialities increases the chance of manifesting negative potentialities, so putting too much emphasis on Merkstave casts is often a self-fulfilling prophecy that could easily have been avoided. And if that negative potentiality is what is to come to pass, then it was not negative or Merkstave, but simply what is.</p>
<p>When a Rune comes up in a pull, consider ALL of its aspects, both desirable and not. With foreknowledge of all aspects of a given Rune you can more effectively capitalize on any situation you face. There&#8217;s no reason to squander an opportunity to turn adverse circumstances to your advantage.</p>
<p>Another point to include in this would be to consider the Runes normally seen in a negative light. The foremost being Hagalaz, but Thurisaz, and Tiwaz are also seen in a negative connotation, or dealt with hesitantly because of fear based thought focused on negative potentialities. With Hagalaz representing Sustained Hardship, what would the &#8220;negative&#8221; version of that be? Do we simply chalk it up to &#8220;opposites&#8221;? In which case, Hagalaz in Merkstave would represent the END of Sustained Hardship, or would it be the indicative of an easily overcome struggle? See how quickly and thoroughly Merkstave can muddy the waters?</p>
<p>Staying with the example of Hagalaz, but discarding any thoughts of Merkstave, let us focus on Sustained Hardship and what that means. Those hard times can last as long as you let them drag on. However long it takes for you to figure it out or get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Hagalaz is a catalyst Rune, it is rattling you out of your cage of complacency. Sometimes what you need most is what you want least, but how many of us actually admit that beyond spouting platitudes as vapid as we want them to seem insightful?</p>
<p>Merkstave interpretations lead to compartmentalizing the forces that are intertwined and inseparable. I&#8217;m not saying Merkstave readings are invalid, inaccurate, or anything of that Nature. But they can hinder far more than they help on a multitude of levels, from intimidating those just beginning to practice divination, to amplifying the manifestation of negative potentialities. Neither of those are outcomes I find satisfactory.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></p></div>
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Why I Don’t Incorporate Merkstave

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="color: #333333;">I will state empirically that Frigga and Freya are distinct and separate Entities. I&#8217;m not ignorant as to their similarities, but that is all they are, similarities. Similar qualities, shared characteristics.</p>
<p>  Nowhere in all the Lore is Frigga stated to have a brother, much more likely to be mentioned would be a twin brother, as with Frey and Freya. This alone to me is ample evidence that two separate and distinct entities are being discussed.</p>
<p>  Let us also look to their lineages. Freya is of the Vanir. Her father is Njord, of the Vanir. Nowhere does our Lore state anything about a paternal relationship between Frigga and Njord. Nowhere does our Lore state anything about any association between Frigga and the Vanir.</p>
<p>  Frigga and Freya have distinct Halls, roles, and associations. Frigga is not known for having cats, Freya is not known for working a distaff. Freya was wed to Odin after the Aesir-Vanir War, Frigga is the Queen of Asgard and first wife of Odin. Frigga is Greatest of Matrons and Sanctifier of the Hearth, Freya wanders the Realms seeking her lost love and her domain is the sensuality of femininity as opposed to the maternal aspects embodied by Frigga.</p>
<p>  Frigga has as little to do with Folkvangr as Freya does with Fensalir. Their homes do not overlap or resemble each other in any way. They are as distinct and unique as Frigga and Freya are to each other.</p>
<p>  Freya has the Brisingaman and is not spoken of in association with keys, while Frigga is known for wearing a ring of keys at her belt and nothing is said about her wearing a necklace of note. I don&#8217;t see one as interchangeable for the other.</p>
<p>  Attempts to merge or compare the two disregards the sanctity of each of their respective jurisdictions, regardless of how you rank or associate with them each in your own personal practices. I personally connect to Frigga much more so than Freya, yet I love cats and without fail have a feline companion. I feel resonance with Fensalir that I don&#8217;t with Folkvangr.</p>
<p>  Nothing in our Lore indicates the faceted, compartmentalized view that is involved in seeing Frigga and Freya as one and the same. It is a reductionist mentality that does a disservice to the vibrant tapestry that is our Lore.</p>
<p>  When seen in this light it is hard to justify comparing the two. This isn&#8217;t an argument of which is better, or one being &#8220;based off&#8221; the other, or any of that nonsense. I hope this helps to understand not only the layered interplay of the social structure of the Aesir but the layered interconnected facets of your life.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></span></p></div>
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Frigga and Freya

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="color: #333333;">To understand the nature and function of divination one must understand the nature and function of the temporal dimension and what is labeled as &#8220;time&#8221;. The associated Entities of the Norns, and Mother Frigga, have much to teach us in this respect.</span></p>
<p>  The Norns, Weavers of the Fates of Men, are not dictators, arbitrarily determining the destinies of each of us. We are not resigned to the role of marionettes just going through the motions directed by outside Entities. Yet they inarguably contribute to the process of shaping and merging that which was, that which is, and<br />That which is yet to be. That supportive role is what is often overlooked or misattributed.</p>
<p>  Like mothers, wives, and daughters, the Norns are at the Nexus of all these threads of lives that can either be a tangled mess, or a gorgeous tapestry that tells the tale of majestic feats and magic made real. This is their role, this is their duty. Whether it is embraced or shirked at each turn or opportunity is on those who step into that role.</p>
<p>  It is said the Mother Frigga knows the Fates of all men but stands silent, choosing never to speak on them. This is another commonly misinterpreted clue as to the Nature of Time and Potentialities.</p>
<p>  What do I mean by &#8220;Potentialities&#8221;? Let us look at the function and structure of time and how it relates to what we experience. All time occurs simultaneously. Past, present, and future are just drops of water in the Well of Urd.</p>
<p>  When you are born, every choice that you can make exists as a Potentiality. And as you make choices in your life, each Potentiality you did not chose ceases to be, reducing to a singularity. The Thread of your Existence. Your Doom. The Norns only work with what you give them. And how does this relate to Frigga? The Lady of the Distaff, who Weaves and Knows yet sits silent, for the one time cited where she acted on foreknowledge it ended disastrously. Again we look at the Nature of Potentialities, and how we Manifest our Intent.</p>
<p>  There are outcomes that could or will occur no matter what choices YOU make. The sun will set today in ever potentiality no matter what you do. Except in those where it doesn&#8217;t. That is an interesting caveat and paradox, but I don&#8217;t make these rules, I just detail what I witness. But I digress…</p>
<p>  As I have said before, we Manifest our Intent. What does that mean? It means we create what we focus on. If you focus on negative Potentialities, negative Potentialities are more likely to Manifest. The inverse also applies.</p>
<p>  So if all Potentialities Exist until they are reduced to a Singularity, which of these Potentialities should Mother Frigga speak on or act upon? The one she desires the most? The one most likely to occur? The one she fears the most as was the case with Baldur? Do you see the paradox in attempts to &#8220;shape the future&#8221;? Do you see the Wisdom in remaining silent and letting things unfold s the will, merely guiding and shaping in due course as befitting the station and role as Queen of Matrons?</p>
<p>  And where does that leave the rest of us who Dabble in Divination? What purpose are we fulfilling where we presume to speak when the Mother of Matrons, the Queen of Asgard herself would hold her peace?</p>
<p>  For a Tru practitioner of the Arts of Divination, one identifies patterns or cycles to manifest the desired potentiality or to make the most of the occurrences of the potentiality you are experiencing. That is it. We identify and seek to foster the manifestation of desired potentialities. What my purpose is in what I do is to facilitate understanding regarding the interconnectedness and flows of energies not just through us all but across the Realms. I seek to assist in elevating States of Consciousness to perceive things as the were, as they are, and as they may come to be.</p>
<p>  What we do with our lives is up to us, even if there are forces beyond our control. So we shape what we can as we will. We can foster the manifestation of benevolence or malevolence. Each of us has that ability.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></p></div>
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The Nature of Divination

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span color="#D5DADE" style="color: #333333;">Ostara is the celebration modern Easter traditions are based upon. The Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, the feasting and all of it are taken directly from our ancient history and were things our Ancestors refused to forsake. And now that Folkish Heathenry is being revitalized we can again recognize the true purpose and meanings of these facets of our spirituality and history.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">The story begins with Ostara as a woman who traveled from village to village within her realm of jurisdiction. She would do what she could as a healer, a match maker, a mediator, a counselor, a comforter, a friendly ear, or whatever manner of service was needed in the communities she would visit. And the children all loved her. They would rush to her excitedly as she would walk and surrounding her ask to see tricks and magic, for she was wise in the esoteric arts as well.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">One day in a particular village, a small child cried out, &#8220;Ostara! Ostara! Show us a new trick, something we have never seen before!!&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">And at that, Ostara held her hand out and whistled a melodic chirping birdcall. At that, a robin flies from the edge of the square and lands in her palm. She placed the bird in her cloak and when she pulled her hand back out, she now held a hare! Upon releasing it, the hare hopped about the square and &#8220;laid&#8221; several brightly speckled eggs, as per it&#8217;s true form as a robin. The hare then hopped away around a corner and the children saw a robin fly up and away where they would have expected the hare to have emerged!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">It didn&#8217;t take long before a tradition took hold where the children would decorate eggs and place them about the square to Honor Ostara when she was due to visit their village. Feasts to celebrate the warmth and brightness of the season.  Once Ostara was no longer in physical form, it was up to the Folk to carry on as they saw best.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">Ostara&#8217;s Hare became the Easter Bunny. The Feasts to Honor and welcome Ostara became Easter Dinner. As a gift calls for a gift, we reinforce the reciprocal nature of exchange by placing candies and trinkets and coins inside brightly colored eggs.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">The manner and degree in which these traditions are maintained vary from Hearth to Hearth, but have overlaid the very fabric of society. This, to me, is a shining example of the Glory of Ostara. Her kindness and generous Nature has seen her traditions endure and spread far beyond the collection of villages she saw to in her life.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">Hail Ostara!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #333333;">Hail the Folk!</span></p></div>
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Ostara

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">  I have seen a cancerous trend that is prevalent in Norse Paganism, Asatru, Heathenry, whatever label you choose to apply to those who claim to Honor the Aesir and associated Entities within the Lore. This is most often expressed through claims of worshipping both Odin and Fenris, but I have also made note of the &#8220;pantheists&#8221; as they like to refer to themselves who engage in behaviors that are just as contradictory by treating the various Entities in vastly and distinctly different pantheons and spiritual practices as &#8220;free agents&#8221; that are so desperate for YOUR &#8220;devotion&#8221; they will &#8220;sign&#8221; with whomever. I will discuss each logical fallacy in turn.</p>
<p>  Most often it is merely aesthetic appeal and a lack of genuine spiritual connection that drives these behaviors. Claims of &#8220;supporting balance&#8221;, &#8220;embracing the totality of creation&#8221;, &#8220;respecting the forces of destruction and creation&#8221;, and other vacuous rhetoric used to justify conflicting behaviors are wholly disingenuous.</p>
<p>  You cannot be Loyal to &#8220;Dave&#8221; and be Loyal to &#8220;Ed&#8221; who intends to kill &#8220;Dave&#8221; or engage in any other malicious acts directed at &#8220;Dave&#8221; or those associated with &#8220;Dave&#8221;. To be Loyal to one, is to be disloyal to the other, and vice versa. This stems from a complete ignorance of the very concept of Loyalty.</p>
<p>  There is another facet to this, which is the Nature of &#8220;worship&#8221; and the act of seeking to Exhalt. The assertion that since an Entity is &#8220;more powerful/ancient/fill in the blank&#8221; that it is &#8220;deserving&#8221; of worship and it is foolish not to give devotion to all the Entities spoken of throughout the Lore. This mentality of subservience is rooted in fear based thought and weakness. Why would ANY Entity desire &#8220;supporters&#8221; who embody those qualities? Ponder that.</p>
<p>  I do not worship anything. I instead Honor the Aesir and my Ancestors. I keep them alive through my words and deeds, I build on their successes and learn from their mistakes. I Honor them by not repeating their follies, instead by avoiding those pitfalls as any caring individual would have it. I do not double down on the poor choices made by others in the past to amplify the issue I could be learning from and correcting. That is how I Honor the Aesir, my Ancestors, and my Folk.</p>
<p>  Yet another facet of this pattern of incongruity is quite simply the desire to be edgy, to look &#8220;badass&#8221;. There are those who are enamored with the &#8220;Wolf-God&#8221; concept and are not intellectually or emotionally honest enough to acknowledge that this is the driving force behind their silliness. Since Fenris is the most &#8220;badass wolf&#8221; they seek to Exhalt that Entity on that basis alone, yet claim it is because the &#8220;feel connected to wolves&#8221; or some variation on that theme. If you feel &#8220;the call of Odin&#8221; and feel connected to wolves, why not revere Freki and Geri? At least that would demonstrate logical consistency as they are literally Odin&#8217;s Wolves. Loyalty to one would not conflict with Loyalty to the other. But the fact is, it isn&#8217;t about Loyalty, it is about edginess, and that is hollow and makes your practice a LARPy caricature of Tru spirituality.</p>
<p>  As for the &#8220;pantheists&#8221;, the same observations listed prior apply, but in an even more kaleidoscopic manner. It is rejecting and disrespecting the fundamental structure of each spiritual path that is being bastardized and incongruously hodgepodged to suit the whims of the individual&#8217;s eclectic mania. At it&#8217;s root is a highly inflated ego, to think that one&#8217;s &#8220;devotion&#8221; is so valuable, that multiple Entities actively seek out YOUR favor. It is laughable.</p>
<p>  I readily and actively acknowledge that the Entities of these various pantheons exist and are very real. But what is it about YOU that is so special that multiple Entities from multiple pantheons would seek you out and &#8220;offer themselves&#8221; as Patron or Matron deities? Ponder that.</p>
<p>  A house divided cannot stand. A fence sitter cannot be trusted. These inconvenient truths are not lies just because it makes someone uncomfortable facing the reality of who they are and what motivates them. I hope that the words I write help others come to understand themselves and the values they support. I want to empower those who seek to better themselves and foster an environment of mutual respect. Taking a good long look in the mirror and digging deep to root out the obstacles to growth and development is a necessary component of that.</p>
<p><em>Hail The Aesir!</em></p>
<p><em>Hail The Folk!</em></span></p></div>
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Consistency in Loyalty

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">     We are the Bifrost. The Veil or barrier between Realms is pushed or stretched from an Ethereal Realm to a Corporeal Realm or Plane of Existence and can be described as forming a tube or tunnel, a two dimensional representation would appear to be a &#8220;rainbow bridge&#8221;. An oscillating, shimmering tether. We speak of the Bifrost that connects Asgard to Midgard because that is what is relevant to us.<br /></span></p>
<p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">     Jotuns have a &#8220;Bifrost&#8221; that connects them to Jotunheim. The Alfar have a &#8220;Bifrost&#8221; that connects them to Alfheim. The Svartalfar to Svartlheim. And so on and so forth.</span></p>
<p>     This is the reason we have a whorl at the crown of our heads. This is why our fingertips reduce to small circles. This is why the hairs on our arms lays a certain way. What we call a body is just a manifestation of the Consciousness that animates it, and it was formed by folding an opening in on itself. We are &#8220;alive&#8221; for as long as we are able to maintain the necessary rate of oscillation. After that, the field disintegrates, and the matter that was manipulated returns to it&#8217;s inert form, a grey ashy dust.</p>
<p>     This is the meaning of destroying the Bifrost at Ragnarok. The European Folk are the Bifrost. Quite plainly, Ethnic Genocide. Through Lif and Lifthrasir we have evidence that the Sons of Muspelheim will not be wholly successful in their endeavors, but this also serves to underscore the severity of the circumstances that it comes down to two, one man and one woman, to carry on, to reopen the Bifrost. To ensure that we endure.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></p></div>
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We are the Bifrost.

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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">&#8220;Odin is the All-Father, not the Some-Father!&#8221;<br /></span></p>
<p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">     I have seen this statement being thrown around misleadingly to justify Universalist Heathenry and want to explain how and why this is erroneous and inaccurate. It is used to imply that since Odin is known by the name of All-Father, among numerous others which are conveniently overlooked, that Norse Paganism is and should be for &#8220;everybody&#8221;. This is an arrogant selfish demanding mentality rooted deeply in entitlement. It is also false.</p>
<p>     Let me here and now say this: I. DO. NOT. CARE. who or what you identify as, you can be black, white, pink, purple, or speckled. You are welcome to do as you wish and it is of no significance to me. You do not, however, dictate to me who I must associate with, or who I have to like or dislike, who I have to agree or disagree with, on ANY metric. To DEMAND to be included, especially where you are not particularly wanted, is inarguably rooted in a sense of entitlement and wholly disrespectful of boundaries in every sense. A large part of my Ancestral Folkways are linked to the concept of Innangard and Utgard. My Inner Circle, those with whom I share a Kinship bond, with whom I have sworn Oaths or endured trials that have bound us as Brothers. That is not a term I use lightly. For the more lightly that label is given, the more freely it is cast forth, the less value it holds. If everyone is your &#8220;brother&#8221;, what is the value or significance in that? That makes that position in your Innangard the same as a casual acquaintance. But this is something that gets either ignored or taken out of context based on the narrative being pushed.</p>
<p>     Now that that baseline has been established, let us return to the subject at hand. Why is Odin known as the All-Father? Because anyone who has even casually studied Norse Lore KNOWS he is not, in fact, &#8220;everyone&#8217;s father&#8221;. Is he Heimdal&#8217;s father? Is he Njord&#8217;s father? Is he Tyr&#8217;s father? Is he Ask&#8217;s or Embla&#8217;s father? Is he Sindri&#8217;s or Brokkr&#8217;s father? Is he Loki&#8217;s father?</p>
<p>     Odin is known as the All-Father because he was the first of us to set foot upon Midgard. He was &#8220;born&#8221; in Niflheim, the same as his father, and his father before him. But the critical thing to understand is that our physical bodies are a manifestation of the Consciousness that animates it. Our physical bodies are a manifestation of the Consciousness that animates it. Odin came from Asgard. That is the Ethereal Plane or Realm his Consciousness initially came into Being. He, like every one of us, came here to experience Corporeal Existence. And he was the first of us to set foot upon Midgard, to initiate shaping this Realm to suit us.</p>
<p>     Odin is the son of Bor. Bor is the son of Buri. Why are THEY not named All-Father? Would it not be most appropriate to name Odin&#8217;s grandfather as the All-Father based on genealogical evidence as cited in our Lore? Or is it apparent that the name of All-Father holds a different meaning to you now?</p>
<p>     Odin was the Pioneer who through his actions made it possible for his Folk as well as other Folk from different Realms to experience Corporeal Existence. To touch, to smell, to see, to do all the things that are impossible in an Ethereal or non-physical Plane of Existence. THAT is why he is known as the All-Father.</p>
<p><em>Hail Odin!</em></p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></span></p></div>
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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span color="#333333" style="color: #333333;">When reading the Lore, or anything, for that matter, it is important to have an understanding of how much perception is relevant to the way information is presented.</span></p>
<p>Not doing this has led to a great many misconceptions regarding what is recorded by those long gone. Understanding the role of metaphor in our communications is a key component. Yes even more critical is understanding the fundamental differences in perspective between various groups.</p>
<p>How would a bird describe a man, or an alligator? They would make note of our odd, featherless wings, an alligator&#8217;s misshapen beak, our bafflingly dense bones and impractically proportioned musculature. We unconsciously do the same thing, as did our Ancestors.</p>
<p>We use slang terms that even across generations are misunderstood due to lacking a point of reference. When we speak of &#8220;watching something unfold&#8221; we do not mean literally observing origami undo itself. When we say &#8220;I&#8217;m on a roll&#8221; we don&#8217;t mean we are standing on a small loaf of bread. And yet this literalist, face value interpretation tied to a contemporary lens is exceedingly prevalent.</p>
<p>When we say, &#8220;That due is a real snake.&#8221; are we actually implying some one is a limbless reptile? So let us revisit the Lore and understand that when certain animals are invoked, it is the quality that animal embodies that is being spoken of, not the animal itself.</p>
<p>When it speaks of giants in the Lore some see the term Jotun as interchangeable and this is a source of much misunderstanding as well. When we talk about someone being larger than life and dominant in their sphere of influence, we say they are a giant. That does not mean they are literally a large humanoid. And on the flip side of this, an Entity that is of vastly greater proportions does not mean they share biological similarity. Using the initial example of a bird and a human, while saying humans are giants with long featherless wings and strange soft beaks that have a separate mouth beneath them would not be entirely false, but would paint an inaccurate picture by any metric.</p>
<p>This is why there are so many disputed points regarding the Lore. We have to look at not just what is being said but why a given metaphor or phrase would be employed as a descriptor.</p>
<p>When we think of Y&#8217;mir most picture an enormous humanoid either made of or covered in ice. And then double down on the Entities that spring forth from his form as his children. When we accept that something that is as gargantuan to us as we are to an ant, possibly even greater, probably has as little similarity to us as we do to the aforementioned ant. That just as skin mites live on us, there are Entities that would assuredly live on it. Like the birds that feed on the bits of food in an alligators jaws, the organisms that maintain a symbiotic relationship would seem incongruous to those who lack the perspective to recognize the fractal reality we manifest. Bestla and Mimir are not Y&#8217;mir&#8217;s children, they simply lived and fed upon him.</p>
<p>These are but a few examples that bear revisiting with another perspective. I hope that more will come to understand that our Lore is very real and were not just stories told to pass the time and amuse the ignorant. That the keys to understanding the very structure of reality is detailed, if only you have the eyes to see.</p>
<p>Odin decided that he was willing to cast away an eye that was not helping him see and know more. He discarded an unhelpful way of looking at things to see more clearly. Will you choose to see more, to see other Arcs of the Spiral? Or will ageless wisdom remain locked behind misinterpreted metaphors and discounted as foolish fantasy? Ponder that.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></p></div>
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				<div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span>Traditions are the solutions to a problem you forgot. But there is a REASON for everything our Ancestors did. There is a significance to every act and aspect of our Traditions.</span></p>
<p>The reason we begin Yule on the Winter Solstice is because once the Solstice occurs, the darkest part of the year is over, and that is cause to celebrate! We light up our Hearths, and we place things about, but when you discuss the meaning and significance with each of these, that is how traditions are maintained instead of half reminisced as &#8220;things Grandma used to do…&#8221;, by keeping each facet alive and valid with each generation.</p>
<p>In my home, the structure of our Yule celebrations are on the first night of Yule we have Mother&#8217;s Night. We Honor Frigga, the Matrons and female heads of household, the women in our lives who make a house a HOME. The first gift of Yule is given to Matron of the Hearth. With the Feast, even if it is a humble affair, is blessed by invoking Frigga. Making this day in sincere ways about the woman who guides those in attendance is what the focus is. Share stories of a memory with your mother, or grandmother, or aunt, or any significant female in your life. How anyone achieves that is up to them and how you make your celebrations unique and organic, flourishing for generations.</p>
<p>The second night of Yule we Honor Odin, the Wild Hunt, and the Hearth itself. Honoring the Hearth by acknowledging that if there is trouble to be found or faced, let it be in the darkness of the Utgard, far afield and distant from Hearth. It is to Honor those who have chosen to walk in the company of Odin and be willing to face things seen and unseen. Hail Odin before your Feast or evening meal this day and share stories of harrowing adventures that you and other family members have engaged in. A gift to the father of the house selected by the youngest person in attendance is a fun tradition to foster generational bonding.</p>
<p>The third night of Yule for us is to celebrate the Virtue of Courage. For your meal blessing, call upon whichever of the Aesir you find most fully the personification of Courage. We call upon Thor. Tell your favorite tale of Thor from the Lore, and share stories of what you or one of your family has done that exemplifies Courage to you. Remind the youth of your Hearth that they come from a line to remember and revere. This is a good night to play games of an extroverted nature, like Pictionary, or charades, or any type of interactive game you choose. But the theme is stand up and stand out with Courage.</p>
<p>The fourth night of Yule for us is to recognize the Virtue of Truth. To share stories of when we came to know a Great Truth. Or when we or someone we know embodied the Virtue of Truth. Reading and sharing books is a fine tradition to maintain for this day. When the meal blessings come, call upon whomever you choose that is synonymous with Truth in your heart. For me, that is Forseti, Aesir of undisputed judgements.</p>
<p>The fifth day of Yule we take time to reflect on Honor. What it means to have Honor, to BE Honorable. We share stories of times we or someone we respect carried themselves well and represented all who knew them with distinction and pride. Share tales from our lore that make you want to be more upright and regal. For the Feast or gathering  meal held on this day, you call upon who you see embodies Honor as we have chosen Modi and Magni, as they Honor their father&#8217;s legacy by wielding Mjolnir in their father&#8217;s stead after Ragnarok.</p>
<p>The sixth day of Yule is when we examine the Virtue of Loyalty. Dedication to Folk and the benefits we reap are what we discuss and what tales from our Lore are on this theme. We share stories of our own acts of Loyalty and brotherhood, reminisce about bonds of loyalty and when they were first formed. This Feast is dedicated to the bonded couples of Odin and Frigga, Thor and Sif, Baldur and Nanna, Bragi and Idunna, Ullr and Skadi, Aegir and Ran.</p>
<p>The seventh day of Yule we ponder The Virtue of Discipline. How we demonstrate it, examples of when we have grown better in an area lacking discipline, family or friends of one&#8217;s Folk who embody the qualities of Discipline. Playing games like Jenga, chess, or putting together puzzles are all appropriately themed to this day&#8217;s Virtue. Making cookies or a cake or pie for a fresh out of the oven treat is a wonderful gift for everyone in attendance. When we bless this day&#8217;s feast, it is in the name of Tyr, the One Handed.</p>
<p>The eight day of Yule we focus on the Virtue of Hospitality. This is a perfect day to invite someone over who may have been unable to make it for whatever reasons to any previous gatherings. Tell tales of warm welcomes and happy reunions. Drinking hot cocoa and making s&#8217;mores, making calls to distant relations you wish you could be near to is what this day is for. The Feast we enjoy this day is blessed in the name of Bragi, who stands at the doors of Valhalla to welcome those who enter.</p>
<p>The ninth day of Yule is when we focus on Industriousness. We share stories of the hardest working relative we know, the ones who don&#8217;t stop or give up when it is hard. Tonight is when that tricky recipe is finally tackled, for better or worse. Tonight is when we make any Oaths of Dedication. On the ninth night of Yule Feasts, we call upon Odin to bless and dine with us.</p>
<p>The tenth day of Yule we recognize the Virtue of Perseverance. We talk of times we completed something, saw it through. Graduations, anniversaries hallmarks of time spent towards a set purpose and the attainment of goals due to that. When we Feast on this night, we bless our food in the name of Heimdall, the Watcher who guards the Bifrost, looking and listening with dedication and perseverance.</p>
<p>The eleventh day of Yule we celebrate the Virtue of Self-reliance. We share moments of independence, when we were able to do something on our own, or took charge and made the winning call. For this Feast we bless it in the name of Baldur who becomes able to sit upon the Hlidskjalf in Odin&#8217;s stead.</p>
<p>On Twelfth Night we celebrate the Folk and recognize the culmination of yet another year. Sharing favorite memories of the past year and goals for the coming year are what this night is for. Oaths are especially potent on this night and should be made with reverence and caution. All our remaining presents are opened and Folksongs are sung and traditions are discussed. As a Southerner, I eat black eyed peas at New Years. We call upon the Norns to bless our final Feast of the Year and ask for good fortune in the coming year as they are the weavers of men&#8217;s lives.</p>
<p>These are the Yule Traditions of my Hearth. They may mirror yours, diverge drastically, or perhaps inspire some to start new traditions that can now be maintained in the years to come. What you do becomes a part of your Folkways, be mindful of what you do and why. Allow yourself to be joyous and take part in things both greater than yourself and simultaneously implicitly dependent on your contribution to it.</p>
<p><em>Hail the Folk!</em></p></div>
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Yule

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