It is almost that special time of the year where I take a step back to enjoy the warmth of family and friends (okay, good food and wine too). I especially like the twelve days around midwinter. I can't celebrate it exactly the way I want because I live in a christian world and that would mean that I would have to celebrate it alone but I prefer the warmth of the seasoning so I always go back to my family. I always try to incorporate some of my believes into their christmas celebration (my family is non believing). I use those twelve days to reflect on my believes, which do I still stand for and what has changed this year in my life? Do I still feel the same connections with the Gods? What can I change so make myself a better person (no, I will never became Mother Theresa but I still can try sometimes to bring some good ;)). My spiritual path is a strange one that especially needs evaluation this year. Asatru is calling really badly but I don't want to fall for it without thinking and praying it over and that is really hard. I have fought for years to keep standing in the modern witchcraft/paganism and by changing directions so drastically I feel like that fight is going to start all over again.
A part that I especially like during this season is the tree. I like to decorate it and putting the lights in. This year I still haven't set up a tree because I don't know how to get one to my home ;). I hoped my parents would put one up for christmas but they don't want to do it because they think it is to much of a work :(. So probably I won't see a christmastree this year :(.
How do you celebrate christmas/midwinter/yule? And what is your favourite part?
If Asatru is calling you so strongly, perhaps it's time to answer that call to see what the message is?
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI found this to be an excellent and informative interview:
http://youmereligion.blogspot.com/2011/11/vincent-enlundvikingjack.html
And this website is very nice!
http://www.wandererkindred.org/
Of course, these are for American Asatru so that won't help you in the Netherlands...but it might be a good jumping off point.
We celebrate a secular Christmas with Santa. Our family tradition is that Santa does a treasure hunt to find his pressies =-) The Solstice is pretty quiet, but this year Thadd is showing a bit more interest so maybe we'll observe it some how.
Hi Cora!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThanks for your reaction, I found the websites really usefull. I started reading the Edda this week and it is really great, my only problem is all those long names ;) it feels like Lord of the Rings ;).
The interview was especially helpfull because it gave me the insight that this is a path I can't walk entirely alone. So now I need to find out even more wath I want ;). Thanks!!!! If I ever can help you, let me know :).
Glad to help!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenCurious if you've heard about this yet:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2011/12/unleash-the-hounds-link-roundup-37.html
Go to the second bullet point. I wonder if because of this sick moron if there will be ramifications for other Norse folks in Europe.
Hi Cora!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThat didn't even make the news over here ;). There was a much larger masacre in Luik Belgium last week (by a muslim). So no, I don't think this will become a big problem. They will just think he was a total nutjob especially because he is talking about the northern ways (neo-nazi written all over).