How Often Do You Blót?

[Aemma]

Quite simply, how often do you blót?

[Skandi]

As I'm a lone practitioner up here I don't hold formal blot but I do speak to my chosen gods almost every day. I'm not sure if you would call that a blot though.

[woody]

We Blót once a month. This month, we had planned to go to the Florida Moot, since Steve McNallen is going to be there. We didn´t plan a local Blót. Since it took so long to get the registration info out, we decided not to go. It would have been too late to make arrangements for my girlfriend´s kids. So, I was going to have a small Blót here today, but may just do it tomorrow afternoon. I got plenty of Mead and Beer, made by my own hands, and Carley´s hands. I´m hoping to have more Folkish Heathens closer, with transportation, in order to have some Blóts here at our home soon enough.

[Loddfafner]

My kindred is on hold until a certain prison term has finished. In the meantime, I hold ecumenical "Bring Your Own Gods" pagan blots every solstice and equinox. As we pass the horn full of mead, we make small sacrifices as we see fit. Some burn scraps of paper with writing on them, some bury vegetables in the ground, some spill alcohol for the Gods of their choice. I use the occasion to pay my own respects to Odin, Thor, and Freyr.

[Ulf]

I don't.

I think I've too many Nietzschean values ingrained into me to really do it with sincerity.

I prefer to show my respect to the gods solely through my actions and, hopefully, my honor.

[Gooding]

I'd say I blot a few times a month, while I talk to the gods,goddesses,wights and ancestors whenever the fancy takes me:)

[Brynhild]

I attend blots more than conduct my own at the moment - Equinoxes and Solstices in particular - but I hope to conduct more of my own. I will hold a Yule rite again later on in the year. I honour the deities and spirits in every other way I can, every day.

[Aemma]

I think I've too many Nietzschean values ingrained into me to really do it with sincerity.

Okay Teddy-Oulf, now you've suitably piqued my curiosity :)...can you just elaborate on the above a wee bit for me please? Why would your Nietzschean values affect your sincerity with respect to performing blótar? I'm not sure I'm following. :confused:

Thanks Oulfie!...Aemma :)

[Psychonaut]

We generally only hold formal family Blóts during the major holidays. Far more often are impromptu offerings and hailings made (during thunderstorms, hiking trips, etc). As part of my personal practice, I hold monthly rites to the Moon, but since these are magical rather than religious in nature, I don't really count them as proper Blóts.

[Jägerstaffel]

I've never been much for formalities.
I praise the gods when I feel their presence or the time is right.

But I never drink a beer without dropping three drops.
One for Odin, Thor and the gods.
One for Loki and the trolls - as Odin never drinks without Loki.
and one for the honoured ancestors.

Might be more of a habit than a tradition, but I feel good for doing it.

[Ulf]

"Behold, I teach you the overman! The overman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the overman shall be the meaning of the earth! I beseech you, my brothers, remain faithful to the earth, and do not believe those who speak to you of otherworldly hopes! Poison-mixers are they, whether they know it or not. Despisers of life are they, decaying and poisoned themselves, of whom the earth is weary: so let them go!"

What matter to me most is this world, this life, my life. I observe in the world many things that speak as though there are gods behind them, and never have they demanded sacrifice nor tribute. We are similar entities born of this world, worthy of each others respect. Our wills should not conflict but become mutual.


"Man is a rope, tied between beast and overman--a rope over an abyss...
What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not an end: what can be loved in man is that he is an overture and a going under...

Towards the betterment of myself and those around me, if there truly are gods behind the veil, I hope they see that I am worthy of a little recognition.

It's hard for me to reconcile Nietzschean values while having a belief in gods. I try to focus on the here and now, when I'm dead, and if something else does truly exist afterwards, I will focus on that when I get there. Just one day at a time for now.

Although I do owe Wodan some birds...

[Lyfing]

I kind of did today..

Me and Mrs. Lyfing was down at the lake at the amphitheater. I called the Gods and Goddesses and drank with them..then some stranger showed up to fish ( in an old Ford truck with a rebel flag plate in the front ) and partied with us a minute..( I must wonder why..;) )

I don't do it as much as I used to though. When I was young and crazy I'd go out in the woods and cut runes into me and stuff..

These things are very magical to me..

Joseph Campbell taught me "The Lesson of the Mask" so I equate it all with communion..

I want to do it more within something of a community..

There ain't no kindreds around that I know of though..

And, I ain't never been part of one..

But, maybe that'll change..

Later,
-Lyfing

[woody]

I've never been much for formalities.
I praise the gods when I feel their presence or the time is right.

But I never drink a beer without dropping three drops.
One for Odin, Thor and the gods.
One for Loki and the trolls - as Odin never drinks without Loki.
and one for the honoured ancestors.

Might be more of a habit than a tradition, but I feel good for doing it.

Wow, that's something similar to what we do at Sumbel. Usually, it's a round for the Gods, one for the Ancestors, and 3rd round for Toasts, Boasts, and Oaths and possibly Gifts. Then, it's free-for-all...songs, poetry, toasting, bragging, ect...

When one toasts Odin, we don't mentioned Loki by name, but as Odin with Loki, we flick some mead into the fire for Loki. We try not to invoke his name, just out of caution.

[Jägerstaffel]

I agree with Lyfing. My heathen life has always been something I've had to figure out on my own - having a kindred folk around might make it easier to relate.

[Aemma]

I agree with Lyfing. My heathen life has always been something I've had to figure out on my own - having a kindred folk around might make it easier to relate.

Yes but isn't that part of the beauty of heathenry though Jag, that we're all responsible for our own spiritual development and make our own way(s) in the end? :)

We don't belong to a hearth or kindred either, though we do have one other folkish family with whom we do try to get together for blotar during the major holy tides. But for the most part, we're solitary. It's not such a bad thing in the end, esp. when you know that there are good online Heathen communities about. :)

Cheers!...Aemma

[Aemma]

What matter to me most is this world, this life, my life. I observe in the world many things that speak as though there are gods behind them, and never have they demanded sacrifice nor tribute. We are similar entities born of this world, worthy of each others respect. Our wills should not conflict but become mutual.



Towards the betterment of myself and those around me, if there truly are gods behind the veil, I hope they see that I am worthy of a little recognition.

It's hard for me to reconcile Nietzschean values while having a belief in gods. I try to focus on the here and now, when I'm dead, and if something else does truly exist afterwards, I will focus on that when I get there. Just one day at a time for now.

Although I do owe Wodan some birds...

Hmm nice post Oulfie. Thank you. (I ran out of rep pts :() Ok I understand this a bit more. There's more fodder in here for me to be asking questions dontcha know. ;) But I'll take it easy on both of us for now eh and chill with the questions for this evening. :)

Thanks again Oulfie!...Aemma :)

[Jägerstaffel]

Yes but isn't that part of the beauty of heathenry though Jag, that we're all responsible for our own spiritual development and make our own way(s) in the end? :)

We don't belong to a hearth or kindred either, though we do have one other folkish family with whom we do try to get together for blotar during the major holy tides. But for the most part, we're solitary. It's not such a bad thing in the end, esp. when you know that there are good online Heathen communities about. :)

Cheers!...Aemma

I agree, Aemma. I've never been much of a 'joiner' anyways. Bit of a lone wolf, for sure.

I'd rather do things on my own - but no one can deny that sometimes it helps to have a group behind you.

[Aemma]

...but no one can deny that sometimes it helps to have a group behind you.

Oh yes I won't dispute that Jag. :)

:)...Aemma

[Maelstrom]

Think you're all isolated? How about being as isolated as all of you AND having inverted seasons? :rolleyes:

About when everyone's celebrating Yule, I'm the quiet voice in the background yelling out "Midsummer!" :p

Aside from the main three Blotar, I sometimes conduct less formal rites. I try to hail the gods on a daily basis, drawing inspiration from the Odinic Rite's Book of Blotar. There are many good, simple things one can do on a daily basis to help oneself feel spiritually complete.

I don't think I would want to Blot all of the time, as I feel it would lose something.

[Vargtand]

I don't.. Though I scare witches ever Easter by lighting bonfires and shooting rockets at them :P (I kid you not)

[SPQR]

I try every month. Sometimes I give offerings several times in one month though, depends on the occasion.

[YggsVinr]

For me the issue is a combination of the "other" option as well a the major heathen celebrations. I do not consider what I do as a blót. For me it comes down to learning as much as I can and exercising my mind as a tool for greater learning on the subject of the heathen past, as well as honouring my immediate ancestors, mainly my grandparents who are now deceased for they are my true "folk heroes". However, it is through the memory of my pépère that I find my connection to Oðin and the two have been very intertwined for me since I began my path to discover more about my pre-Christian ancestors. My pepere was the one who awakened my interest in my Norman ancestry, so in order to honour him at Yule and Midsummer, my mother and I have some days of celebration where we cook pork and game birds, drink some mead from Québec and local beer, and talk about my grandparents, the old days, and read passages from the sagas and Eddas. Our practice at Midsummer is similar.

On those days I also take the time to go sit by my grandparents' grave as well as on a small clearing on a small mound in our back woods with some beer, bread, and cheese. At that point I just sit and think of back when they were alive, as well as contemplating on the development of my own personal philosophy as I am ever doing. To me those times are not only maintaining the bond between my grandparents' memory and myself, but also maintaining the one I feel I have with the figure of Oðin particularly during Yule. Those times were also the times when my grandfather used to always tell me the story of the chasse-galerie (French Canadian Wild Hunt) that would fly through the sky around the winter holidays.

So I guess I'd say I do not "blót", really, but take those times to commemorate my grandparents, my heathen ancestors, and Oðin (for he is the one I feel most connected to especially at Winter Nights and Yule) and Frey (Frey especially at Midsummer because its become a bit of a personification and connection to the coming hay and wheat season for me). All that matters is maintaining one's inherent connection with the soil one's family has poured all their labour and life into, keeping alive the old traditions both recent and in the distant past, as well as dedicating one's life to researching and reconstructing the heathen past. The way I see it, I honour all that every day with my chosen path of study and lifestyle so there is no need to make any big, official ceremony, but to just live my life in a way that fits my ideas. So I'm not sure it should come down to how often one blóts but, rather, that one remembers and learns of the past, and continually tries to better one's self every single day. That should be the highest honour one can grant to the memory of the past.

[Solwyn]

Firstly, I'm going to Vargtand's house for Easter. That sounds like fun!!!!

We have a small hearth up here in Winnipeg although due to the extremely cold winter (-25 to -47 Celcius) we have been big wimps and not all getting together for blots. We do have one every month at home, though, as we three in the family make up 75% of the Prairie Sky Hearth. :D

I prefer blots at home to be honest, and I figure this probably makes me strange amongst most of the Odinists/Asatruar/Garden-variety Heathens I know, who seem to really enjoy going outside and visiting wooded areas, beaches, or historic public sites. I feel closest to my gods and ancestors, though, in my home - particularly in the kitchen, around the table, when we're all eating our blot feast and passing the homemade wine and bread around, and raising toasts.

There are no really "private" places to go to that are outside in Manitoba because once you leave the city it literally turns into big flat farms right away. I'm fairly certain the Mennonites and Hutterites are not going to understand, us standing in their lower 40, raising a horn, LOL. Any time I've been outside to blot in Winnipeg it just feels like I'm on display and POOF!! The moment is gone.

[Aemma]

Firstly, I'm going to Vargtand's house for Easter. That sounds like fun!!!!

We have a small hearth up here in Winnipeg although due to the extremely cold winter (-25 to -47 Celcius) we have been big wimps and not all getting together for blots. We do have one every month at home, though, as we three in the family make up 75% of the Prairie Sky Hearth. :D

I prefer blots at home to be honest, and I figure this probably makes me strange amongst most of the Odinists/Asatruar/Garden-variety Heathens I know, who seem to really enjoy going outside and visiting wooded areas, beaches, or historic public sites. I feel closest to my gods and ancestors, though, in my home - particularly in the kitchen, around the table, when we're all eating our blot feast and passing the homemade wine and bread around, and raising toasts.

There are no really "private" places to go to that are outside in Manitoba because once you leave the city it literally turns into big flat farms right away. I'm fairly certain the Mennonites and Hutterites are not going to understand, us standing in their lower 40, raising a horn, LOL. Any time I've been outside to blot in Winnipeg it just feels like I'm on display and POOF!! The moment is gone.

LOL! Yes you poor lot in Winterpeg! Ha! Oh you know I had to now eh Solwyn? ;)

But I so understand that feeling of wanting to perform blot in one's home though. This is what is meaningful for us as well, living in the 'burbs. I suppose that if we did have acreage somewhere we would be feeling differently...but then again maybe not. Home is where the heart is, and our ancestors, and where we always are. It just really feels right. :)

In the summertime though, we do blot outside in our gazebo, free from prying eyes yet in the outdoors by our wee Rowan tree and flowers in the garden and birdbath and feeders and windchimes swaying in the breeze. This is the outdoor heart of our home. :)

Home sweet home, eh? ;)

Cheers Solwyn!...Aemma