Annual "Burning Man" in northern Nevada desert

Burning Man (Wikipedia)

Burning Man is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, in the United States. The event begins on the last Monday in August, and ends on the first Monday in September, which coincides with the American Labor Day holiday. It takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, which is set alight on Saturday evening. The event is described as an experiment in community, art, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance.

Burning Man is organized by Black Rock City, LLC. In 2010, 51,515 people attended Burning Man. 2011 attendance was capped at 50,000 participants and the event sold out on July 24. In April 2011, Larry Harvey announced that the organization had begun the process of transitioning management of the festival over to a new non-profit organization called the "Burning Man Project."

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This event has become larger over the years, and I find it interesting that it is held in a remote location. I think that "radical self-reliance" is a pagan-value; although it may be interpreted in different ways. Also, I don't think that it would be accurate to say that this is "New Age" because many pagan concerns are not New Age... and do not believe that "we are gods and goddesses," but are group constructs "in fellowship" with the goddesses and gods. There is a well-funded radical anti-Christian milieu that wishes to be the polar opposite of what Christianity is, so it leads to this type of spiritual imbalance. However, I think the Burning Man can be--as the organizers seem to say--what you wish it to be. It's really the same as what was portrayed in the movie 'The Wicker Man'... an ancient pagan-European spiritual tradition. As I wrote in the movie review, a ritual of hope. I believe that Odinists and other folkish pagans should embrace this event as something with a lot of possibilities. The above link has a lot of interesting history and links, including the official website.




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VA approves Thor’s hammer for gravestones - Part 2

A Victory for Those Who Paid the Ultimate Price

By Vikingreverend - VikingReverend.wordpress.com - July 23, 2013

Finally the Veteran’s Administration has come to their senses – even though it may cost them a few cents to implement the new ruling for marking KIA’s grave-site at Arlington or any other VA approved burial plot.

Our beloved Thor’s Hammer – the identifying symbol of most Ásatrú Folk – was approved as one of the now 56 symbols the VA will allow to mark a soldier’s grave.

The story on National Public Radio’s interview with John Brownlee can be heard HERE

The story that broke this news can be found HERE

Fortunately for many active soldiers and veterans who already are familiar with Nordic Mythology and Odhinnism in general, the VA actually acknowledged that Thor’s Hammer is not linked to other form of paganism, such as Wicca, Satanism or Hedonism, and following Teutonic/Germanic Beliefs, stand for the Nine Noble Virtues which is in large part embraced by the majority of Ásatrú Folk.

For those of you not familiar with the Nine Noble Virtues or the Six Fold Goal of Ásatrú Folk:

The Nine Noble Virtues

Courage – being brave enough to do what is right in all circumstances.

Truth — to always speak what is true to one’s heart and mind.

Honor — one’s inner value towards their endeavors, knowing they are of a good and true nature.

Fidelity — being true to one’s Self and loyal to one’s Folk and mate.

Discipline- the ability to be hard with one’s Self first, and then others. The heartiness to carry out goals and endeavors.

Hospitality- sharing what one has with all Folk, when there is a feast to be had, feast. When there is but bread, break it gladly.

Work Ethic- to joyfully carrying out the tasks of life that support home, family. To be glad and respectful of one’s abilities.

Self-Reliance – to know with heart and mind that one’s Spirit is independent and free among all men.

Perseverance- is the Spirit of success. The ability for one to follow one’s path regardless of failure or success. To learn from mistakes and recognize the progress of a situation.

For once (is there a blue moon out tonight?) the VA has made a proper decision that will greatly effect many of our Army. Air Force, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and National Guardsmen who have paid the ultimate price in Service to their, and our, Country.

Blessings of Peace


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I had forgotten to post this earlier. Yes, it's a miracle. A bonafied "European spiritual tradition" is officially recognized by the U.S. government. When a spiritual tradition is European in origin, then it's called mythology, pagan, small movement, subculture, etc.; but when it's a spiritual tradition from any other origin, then it's serious stuff. Well, better late than never. I should add that Wicca--although based on ancient European traditions--is eclectic as well. It's interesting to read some of the comments from the article link in part one. Some are very good.

This had truly been a struggle. Since the U.S. military is the only governmental institution which has private cemetaries, it then represents the bare-bones of what society/government accepts. Governmental foreign policy is a separate issue. If this were Christian society vs. Asatru/Odinism, then I could at least understand the issue; but when almost everything under the sun is accepted... then it starts to get a little strange in my opinion. However, this should be a joyous occasion if you're a "native believer" (not necessarily Asatru).

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VA approves Thor’s hammer for gravestones - Part 1

VA approves Thor’s hammer for gravestones

By Gina Harkins - MilitaryTimes.com - July 23, 2013

Marines who label themselves modern-day heathens and wish to mark their grave with Thor’s hammer — their religion’s version of a cross or Star of David — now have Veterans Affairs approval to do so.

While some only know of Thor as a comic book hero, he actually dates back to Norse mythology. Thor used his magical hammer to protect humans and other gods from giants.

But today, that hammer means something special to those who practice Ásatrú and worship the Norse Gods. And as NPR’s “The World” reported last week, those who identify as such and served in the military now have the option of marking their gravestone with Thor’s hammer.

NPR interviewed John Browlee, a Boston-based writer who reports on technology, about the tie between those who practice the religion and Thor’s hammer. He estimates there are between 10,000 and 20,000 self-labeled modern-day heathens in the U.S.

To them, Browlee said, Thor’s hammer is their sort of crucifix — the symbol of their religion. It symbolizes what Thor stands for: honor, bravery, loyalty and virtue.

Many of the same traits respected in the military, he added.

But getting Thor’s hammer recognized as a legitimate religious emblem by the VA wasn’t easy, he said. Reason being that the VA had a problem with pagan symbols, and Thor’s hammer got lumped into that debate.

Now Thor’s hammer is one of 56 symbols approved by the VA that those who served in the military can request to have added to their headstones.

You can hear NPR’s whole story on how it happened here:


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'Willow's Song' (from 'The Wicker Man')

The description from the Roddy Melville YouTube channel:

Despite being loved by soundtrack fans, the music from "The Wicker Man" didn't receive a proper release until 2002 (discounting the 1995 C.D on Trunk which merely recorded music direct from the film). The 2002 release (on Silva Screen records) contains different versions of the songs & music from the film. These versions were recorded at the time for an intended soundtrack l.p, which never saw the light of day due to the film's troubled release history. Music is by Paul Giovanni.

'Willow's Song' (Wikipedia) 

Heigh ho! Who is there?
No one but me, my dear.
Please come say, how do?
The things I'll give to you.
A stroke as gentle as a feather
I'll catch a rainbow from the sky
and tie the ends together.
Heigh ho! I am here.
Am I not young and fair?
Please come say, how do?
The things I'll show to you.
Would you have a wond'rous sight?
The midday sun at midnight.
Fair maid, white and red,
Comb you smooth and stroke your head.
How a maid can milk a bull!
And every stroke a bucketful

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Guido von List: Part 24 - 'The Blair Witch Project' and the Vehmic Symbol

This is not a movie review, as 'The Blair Witch Project' doesn't really directly tie into any of the subjects covered on this blog. However, the movie's curious use of a little-known ancient rune makes it worth looking at. After having viewed the movie again, I will try to make sense of it within the context of the 1999 film.

To start with, the movie itself was one of those unusual low-budget, box office success stories. It was filmed as an amateur documentary about a fictional "legend" around the tiny town of Burkittsville, and the surrounding Black Hills Forest, in Maryland. It's more of an interesting one-time-watch thriller; although it was a forerunner for a lot of similar thriller/horror movies since that time.

I don't want to do a review, but I'll just mention three small interesting factoids before looking at the symbol. One, the main character was played by a then 24 year old Amanda Donohoe; and instead of becoming a star, she has all but disappeared from the industry. That's in stark contrast to the way it usually works with a big box office success. Two, apparently there is no "Black Hills Forest," and the movie was filmed in a small wooded area with a few trails. Three, the real town of Burkittsville (pop. 151) soon became the involuntary recipient of many, mostly young, "tourists" who seemed to believe that the movie was real.

Guido von List called the ancient five-pointed symbol the "Vehme star rose" (Vehm/Feme = "5"). However, he did not include this symbol among his runes in his famous book 'Secret of the Runes'. He did include it among the modern expressions of the ancient symbols, but it appeared as a Sumerian Pentacle. He only hinted the Vehme as a symbol of ancient Europe, but never expanded--that I could see--upon this. From his enthusiasm of the ancient Alpine/Germanic "Feme" symbol, one would think that he surely would have included it among his bread-and-butter Listian runes. He did not.

If there was so much peripheral symbolism surrounding the "Feme" spirituality, then it would seem that there must have been some chief symbol... even if it were a very simple five points. According to Crossroad.to, RadioLiberty.com, and other sites, the "Blair Witch" (Feme) is A five-pointed compound symbol with a center triangel (see below) pointing down. The five lines resemble the microcosmic man with arms and legs outstretched inside a circle (with a pentagram in the background)-- a magic symbol or charm among medieval alchemists and wizards. That would place the symbol in the Medieval time period (5th to 15th centuries).

According to CastleOfSpirits.com......

The stick figures in the forest - what do they mean?
 
The producers of the film say that the stick-man is based on and taken from an ancient Rune, it basically means a warning - they say that with the large amount of stick figures hanging in the forest which mean "warning", Josh, Heather and Mike just don't get it - it's a BLOODY BIG WARNING!!! right there in front of them.

It is also said that the figures hanging in the trees in the forest represent spirits of the dead being able to travel between earth and the spirit world.

The trees, with their roots in the earth and branches up in the air, serve as bridges between the earth and spirit world. When the stick men are hung in a tree they provide a way for the spirit to travel between worlds. Although it is not shown, Heather cut down one of these figures to have a closer look. You hear Josh later on tormenting her with the camera yelling "you cut down one of the Blair Witch's Trinkets and now she's after you". Well it's not just that the Blair Witch is after Heather for cutting it down and giving the witch the sh**s, but when she cut the figure down it supposedly traps the spirit in one of the worlds. Heather therefore trapped the spirit on earth, and the spirit didn't seem terribly impressed by that fact!.

So far they've done numerous amounts of things to really piss off both the Blair Witch and the spirit world. BOY ARE THEY IN FOR IT!

If the producers of 'The Blair Witch Project' said that the symbol was from an "ancient rune," then that may add some credibility to "the Feme" legend (Feme=Five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit) of ancient Europe. If so, then it would have likely been from pre-Germanic Europe... the proto-Europeans.. the Alpine sub-race; which then crossed over into expressions of later Germanic culture. Also, the concept of the figures hanging in the trees in the forest represent spirits of the dead being able to travel between earth and the spirit world is right out of List's writings! Now, to me, that lends greater credibility to the "ancient rune" legend.

During one scene later in the movie, the main character (apparently a fictional "Heather Donohoe" played by Heather Donohoe)--while frantically fumbling around something with her hands--is wearing a Pentacle ring. It was just shown for a split second, so it was one of those clues for the more observant viewers. Of course, the Pentagram and the Vehme mean the same thing. In other words... the irony that she is terrified of the five-pointed Vehme, while actually wearing a five-pointed Pentagram of the same spiritual meaning, on her five-pointed/fingered hand. Of course, these symbols are not to be feared... and are merely ancient symbols of science, including the metaphysical/spirit world.

Although the movie doesn't offer a whole lot for repeated viewings, I find remote areas to hold endless appeal. The simple trails through wood and brush, where you may find yourself temporarily "lost," are a refreshing change from the increasingly micro-managed society that we live in. In our genetic memory, the sight of the coming night holds an ominous feeling; as during the scenes which reflected this, and the portrayed reality of this concept, and further reinforced by the rural surroundings.

Our ancestors feared the night, which was one of the main reasons that they loved the Sun... and the Moon... "the Alfather" and "the Almother." The Alfather = the Sun, the law of the universe, the hunt and agriculture of the day; The Almother = the Moon, especially the full moon giving light and symbolically protecting us when we are the most vulnerable at night, the Justice of our planet. Law + Justice = Family (and ancient clan, tribe, and nation... and "freedom" itself); not domination by one, or the other, but both.

Note: On the cover drawing of Guido von List's 1898 book 'The Invincible' is shown two five-pointed flowers of some type. Is this List's "Vehme star rose?" I have not read that book yet, but it's nice to see that it was translated (now out-of-stock) so that I may have a chance to purchase it at some point.


10-31-13 ADDITION - 'Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2' (2000)

The sequel produced nothing new as far as insight into the vehmic star. It was shown a few times, and that's about it. The film was about a "research team"--called "The Blair Witch Hunt Team"--which ascends upon Burkittsville, Maryland amid "Blair Witch movie tourists" doing the same. The five members (the five points of the vehme?) were pretty much like most semi-annoying young adult characters cast in B-horror movies. While sometimes these types of characters grow on you, this group did not. The group included a Wiccan woman and a "Goth" woman who was the hanger-on of the team.

The Wiccan character was habitually complaining about negativity and exploitation of her religion... yet the title of this movie was a major exploitation of the "book of shadows," which is simply a Wiccan's spiritual diary. A "Goth" is usually a youth or young adult who dresses in all black, with black makeup, sometimes dyes their hair black, and is attracted to dark imagery.

This movie received low critical reviews. I had seen it once before, probably late one evening, and wasn't really impressed with it. However, when watching it the other evening when I was feeling more awake, it's actually not a bad movie. It's very captivating at the end, and would have been fine as a low-budget horror flick. Apparently, there is going to be a third movie in the series.

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'The Wicker Man' (movie review)

   

'The Wicker Man' (from Wikipedia)

The Wicker Man is a 1973 British horror film directed by Robin Hardy and written by Anthony Shaffer. The film stars Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Ingrid Pitt, and Britt Ekland. Paul Giovanni composed the soundtrack. The film is now considered a cult classic. Inspired by the basic scenario of David Pinner's 1967 novel Ritual, the story centres on the visit of Police Sergeant Neil Howie to the isolated island of Summerisle, in search of a missing girl the locals claim never existed. Howie, a devout Christian, is appalled to find that the inhabitants of the island practise a form of Celtic paganism.

The Wicker Man is generally well regarded by critics. Film magazine Cinefantastique described it as "The Citizen Kane of horror movies", and during 2004 the magazine Total Film named The Wicker Man the sixth greatest British film of all time. It also won the 1978 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. A scene from this film was #45 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments. During the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, the film was included as part of a sequence that celebrated British cinema.

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2013 marks marks forty years since 'The Wicker Man' was released. This is one movie that I can recall watching as a kid on the local Creature Features weekend horror double features. Some don't see it as a "horror movie" at all, but more of a mystery-drama-thriller. For me, this movie has a little different feel to it each time as I've viewed it over many years. Naturally now, I saw more in the pagan element to it. There was a lot of symbolism in it; more than I can spend time regressing in this text. I didn't see it as any great statement of somehow "the pagans getting revenge," however the Christian vs. Pagan theme was played up... but more in line within the artistic mystery of the movie.

Edward Woodward is a familiar face from a lot of work from the UK, and is the protagonist.. as a policeman who is lured to the remote Scottish Island to search for a missing little girl. Famed British actor Christopher Lee is well suited as the chief official or Lord of the island community of Summerisle. According to the movie, he actually owned the island. A number of those from the cast are very well-known actors. I was familiar with Britt Ekland, a Swedish actress who played one of the island women. "Summerisle" is fictional, and the film was shot on the west coast of Scotland.

One aspect to the film, which is very memorable, is the neopagan-style music. After viewing it this time, I would like to purchase the soundtrack. I really enjoy that type of music. The main theme--'Willow's Song'--reminds one strongly of the movie, but the rest could fit in well within that genre that has developed mostly since the film; although it remains something of an underground genre.

I can see that there is a lot online about this movie, and it is one of those that a big film buff could have a field day researching and collecting. It's a very unique movie, and although presented in a semi-horror movie style, in many ways it captured a certain non-violent Heathen spirit. The sun flag of "Summerisle" was a sun face on white background, and I think it is a flag of some part of that region of the world.

There was so much symbolism that I can't recall all of it, but the "Green Man Inn" pub with the green face on the sign was one. I even thought that Sergeant Howie's police cap, with the Masonic-occult checkerboard pattern on it, was a symbol of something... perhaps an irony of the Christian society that he came from. Maybe a masked clue that the "Christian society" had it's own element of deep-rooted secrecy and occultism. The island society was clearly Celtic-pagan. Another interesting symbol was the ancient symbol of Saturn, known to the modern world as the Star of David. I don't think the Celts/Druids ever used that symbol, but it was curious that they presented it. The standing stones with the simple center altar was another strong symbol.

The early scene in the Green Man Inn pub caught my attention a bit in a cultural way. The local festive patrons were singing and dancing, and the songs reminded me of some combination of Irish folk songs, fisherman's hymns, and of course pagan elements. Also, the outward expressions of pagan sexuality stood out, and frustrated the equally-dedicated Christian Sergeant Howie.

The sergeant, throughout the entire movie, just couldn't wrap his mind around the essentric local culture. Not just the frustrations he encounters during his investigation, but just the fact that they "had the nerve to even be pagan." Apparently the character was Scottish, therefore the conflict was paganism vs. mainstream society at large... and not "English vs. Scottish."

I don't want to give away the movie in case any of you haven't seen it. I'm basically just bouncing around some of the themes. This is a movie that would be fun to research in-depth.

Another strong image was the power of ritual. Costumes, masks, singing, musical instruments, etc., can have a powerful affect on the mood... and work well with ceremony. There's a certain cutesy and festive thingie with those masks... especially animal masks! It was the festival of Beltane after all. Another theme portrayed in this film, which has been shown in many other movies, is the powerful human expression of "singing upon one's own death."

If you have already seen the movie, Elaine MacIntyre gives a really charming review of it here. There is so much to read online about this film! I know I barely grazed the surface. You could watch this movie and be engrossed in the protagonist's plight; and maybe at some later point you could just watch and enjoy the music, mood, and festival of it all. I think it's a special movie that also strongly captured the time period it was from.. in sort've a rural way.

"Thriller, fantasy or musical. art house film or horror flick... undisputed cult classic. Call it what you will, there's no doubt that The Wicker Man is a truly great film. In the words of director Robin Hardy, 'there has never been a film like this' - and there probably never will." --Elaine MacIntyre

Spoiler alert beyond this point!
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There's a certain feel to the end. The dusk sun is lowering in the ocean horizon. I felt more sorry for Sergeant Howie while viewing this time than during the times I watched in the past. I guess I thought of him as more of a victim of circumstances. As the wicker man burned... there was something eery about those flames roaring along the cool winds of the north Atlantic coast as twilight approached. That would have been a scene that existed in different environments in past milleniums. Perhaps on a mountain top, along a lake, in a forest, or on a grassy plane. A ritual of hope.
 
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'Why Lombardy should secede from Italy' by Giacomo Consalez

'Why Lombardy should secede from Italy'

Giacomo Consalez - April 1, 2012


Italy is a failed experiment. Started in 1861, it was foisted upon its inhabitants by an oligarchy assembled by Savoy monarchs and the English masonry. The Piedmontese imposed their version of the centralized regime coined in France by Napoleon the 1st and subsequently exported by French armies halfway across Europe. When the Piedmontese were welcomed into Lombardy, our institutions, once citizen-friendly and efficient, took a 100-year leap back in history.

The idea of Italy as a nation was (and still remains) a pure artifact. Only 1-2% of the population of today's italy could speak or write the language at the time of unification. Local tongues spoken in the north were not understood in the south and vice versa. The piedmontese rule was enforced through slaughtery and mass executions in the south, as well as armed repression of popular unrest in the north.

In an attempt to unite a highly heterogeneous population and foster a sense of belonging to a shared national identity, italian cabinets, which failed in promoting basic literacy, building roads and railways, or setting up public services, played the colonialist card, undertaking a disastrous series of armed expeditions culminating in military defeats in northern and eastern Africa.

Meanwhile, the north continued developing its industries and trades, turning into one of the most productive territories in Europe, while the south failed to instate a functional economy and started living off of government subsidies supported by north italian taxpayers. At the beginning of the XX century, a series of corrupt and inept governments paved the way to the advent of the fascist regime.

After the bloodshed of two world wars that were lost by italy and rescued by its allies (WW1), or former foes (WW2), italy became a republic through a referendum, despite the fierce opposition of the south italian public opinion. WW2 was followed by a period of economic growth fostered by the Marshall plan. Instead of capitalizing on its sudden and unexpected wealth, italy turned into a pseudosocialist economy, run by an endless series of short-lived cabinets that thrived on political patronage, exchanging improductive government jobs for votes, particularly in the south.

To this day, the south italian economy has failed to get off the ground. Organized crime is rampant and an overwhelming majority of the population lives off of redundant and costly government jobs. Talented and wilful south italians (together with a minority of dangerous criminals) have moved to the north and integrated into the north italian society and economy.

Despite an unrelented injection of taxpayer money, the south has failed to emerge from its primeval condition and has developed a fatalistic attitude, whereby the government (i.e. north italian taxpayers) should promote growth and sustainability in southern italy. This drainage of taxpayer money is costing Lombardy (by far the main contributor to this parasitic system) a fortune, causing the Lombard economy to lose competitiveness, due to soaring taxes on labor and income.

Some people in Lombardy, including myself, believe that our region should follow its natural leaning toward a bottom-up political structure, in which the citizenry gets to control its representatives through direct democracy, thus containing government expenditure and diminishing the abuse of political authority. Many of us think that in a free market economy, with some tight rules protecting workers' rights and the environment, Lombardy could be a happy, community-driven federal democracy, open to innovation, science and the best of European civilization.

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The Sacred Pillars of the West: Malta and Iceland

Ġgantija megalithic temple complex

 The Sacred Island of Malta

It is my opinion that the very ancient culture of Malta was of the proto-European root-stock going back to the last glacial movement. In other words, at least initially, even prior to the westward migration of the Mediterranean peoples. From an objective pre-Christian Western perspective, there was ancient Greece and Rome, but the ancient Maltese culture appears to have been more deeply spiritual. Also more ancient, dating back to about 4,000 BC. To me somehow, spiritual Malta represents the southern spiritual pillar of the West.

In the above link, under the sections History and Prehistory, you may find a slew of links regarding the megalithic temples and culture of ancient Malta. The Goddess of Fertility of the ancient Maltese is, I believe, the same goddess as in many other regions of Europe; such as Hecate and Diana. The Ggantija Prehistoric Temple in Gozo is the oldest free-standing building in the world (Wikipedia).  These temples were probably linked to this ancient fertility cult; and within a much greater context, this is ultimately all linked to Margaret Mead's "Witch Cult," which existed in Europe-at-large up to about six thousand years ago.

According to local folklore, a giantess built these temples and used them as places of worship. One statue of the ancient Maltese fertility goddess is very similar to the famous fertility goddess statue found in Austria called the Venus of Willendorf, which has been dated to about 22,000 to 24,000 years ago. Malta was first populated about 7,200 years ago. This was all from one proto-European/"Alpine" culture initially; before the Germanic peoples, before the Mediterranean peoples.

Ósvör, a replica of an old fishing outpost outside Bolungarvík

The Sacred Island of Iceland

According to sources, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD by Norsemen. Apparently there was no proto-European presence prior to that time. Germanic peoples had, by this time, long been settled in northern Europe. This was the time of the Vikings, and Viking expansion. Iceland in particular has long been the last stronghold of Odinic spirituality; or what the Icelanders call "Ásatrú." The "Áses" were the gods and goddesses, and I have heard that Ásatrú means something like "being true to the gods." Being so far north, and in relative isolation, the island is something of a world unto itself.

The beautiful green volcanic island is right along the Arctic Circle. From the images, it appears to be beautifully sunny in the Summer, and wonderfully gloomy during the Winter. Apparently, historically-speaking, there has been a cultural exchange between the Icelandic Norse and Gaelic peoples. Some Icelanders look a little like certain dark haired Gaelic people; while some people from Ireland and Scotland look Norse. I see Iceland as the northern spiritual pillar of the West.

Iceland's best-known classical works of literature are the Icelanders' sagas, prose epics set in Iceland's age of settlement (Wikipedia). Ásatrú (pronounced [auːsatruː] in Icelandic, [aːsatruː] in Old Norse) is a modern Icelandic compound derived from Áss, which refers to the Æsir, an Old Norse term for the Gods, and trú, literally "faith". Thus, Ásatrú is the "faith in the Æsir" (Wikipedia).

When I think of these two islands, or island groups--within this historical/spiritual context--I think of the sacred northern pillar as "the Pillar of Freya," and I imagine it a rich light blue coming out of the cold Norwegian Sea on a dark cloudy Winter twilight. I think of the sacred southern pillar as "the Pillar of Hecate," and I imagine it to be a rich light copper color coming out of the warm blue Mediterranean Sea on a sunny Summer afternoon.

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