Cernic poem

Cernunnos

At the edge of the glade
In liminal places,
Arms branch out, feathered leaves
Rustling in a soft breeze.

Softly green merging with space
Antlers garlanded with grace,
and ‘Who am I?’ written on his face.

A question? Or a statement?
My heart flutters, my soul sings…
Poised on a moment of eternity,
All is within and without.

Was it a voice in my head?
An aching echo of a long distant past?
‘Know me’ it said,
‘Embrace me’ he echoed down the halls of emptiness. 

My soul reaches out…

Out into the space, into the trees, into the leaves,
With green and golden tints.
Swallowed up by the coolness of dew,
The musky odour of hide,
The moist earthiness.

And we were one – are one!
Cernunnos and I.

Written by Deep~Glade

 

[Humbly borrowed from A Sacred Path blog]

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Grisly 800 year old remains of a young pagan woman discovered

A grisly end: 800-year-old remains of witch discovered in Italian graveyard… with seven nails driven through her jaw

By Nick Pisa - Daily Mail (UK) - September 25, 2011

These are the 800 year old remains of what archaeologists believe was a witch from the Middle Ages after seven nails were found driven through her jaw bone.

The grim discovery was made during a dig on what is thought to be a 'witches graveyard' after another woman's skeleton was found surrounded by 17 dice - a game which women were forbidden from playing 800 years ago.

Experts say they believe the women are aged around 25 - 30 years old and were found buried in a simple shallow grave in the ground with no coffin or shroud.

The macabre remains were found during a dig close to the sea at Piombino near Lucca in Italy's Tuscany region and the woman had seven nails through her jaw as well as another 13 nails surrounding her skeleton.

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione, from L'Aquila University, who is leading the dig, is convinced that the women were suspected witches because of the circumstances in which they were buried.

He said: 'It's a very unusual discovery and at the same time fascinating. I have never seen anything like this before. I'm convinced because of the nails found in the jaw and around the skeleton the woman was a witch.

'She was buried in bare earth, not in a coffin and she had no shroud around her either, intriguingly other nails were hammered around her to pin down her clothes.

'This indicates to me that it was an attempt to make sure the woman even though she was dead did not rise from the dead and unnerve the locals who were no doubt convinced she was a witch with evil powers.

'The second skeleton we have found was buried in a similar fashion but this time we found 17 dice around her - 17 is an unlucky number in Italy and also dice was a game that women were forbidden to play.

'The way the bodies were buried would seem to indicate some form of exorcist ritual and the remains will be examined to see if we can establish a cause of death for them.'

One puzzle that the archaeologists have been unable to explain is why the women if they were evil witches were buried in consecrated ground as the area is the site of an 800 year old church.

He said: 'The only possible explanation is that perhaps both women came from influential families and were not peasant class and so because of their class and connections were able to secure burial in consecrated Christian ground.'

The team is trying to find the burial place of the St Cerbonius, a bishop who died more than 1,500 years ago and who is the local patron saint of the area.
Pictures traditionally show him having his feet licked by a bear after legend has it the animal refused to eat him after he was condemned to death for sheltering Roman soldiers by the Barbarians who had invaded Tuscany.

Two years ago a Medieval woman's skull was found near Venice with a stone driven through its mouth - which experts said was the traditional way of dealing with vampires and preventing them from rising from the dead.

It comes a day after the skeleton of a Maya Queen - with her head mysteriously placed between two bowls - was found among treasures in a 2,000-year-old rodent-infested tomb.

Priceless jade gorgets, beads, and ceremonial knives were also discovered in the cavern - which was found underneath a younger 1,300-year-old tomb which also contained a body - in the Guatemalan ruins of Nakum.

The two royal burials are the first to be discovered at the site, which was once a densely packed Maya centre.

[See article link above for images]

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Heavener Runestone

Heavener Runestone (Wikipedia)

The Heavener Runestone is an inscribed stone located in Heavener, Oklahoma. The land on which it sits is now a state park on Poteau Mountain, just outside the town limits. The origin of the stone's runic carvings is disputed.

News

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department announced in March 2011 that it would close the Heavener Runestone State Park on August 15 due to budget cuts. However, the City of Heavener agreed to assume ownership and operation of the 55-acre park beginning July 1, 2011.

Inscription

The inscription has been rejected by Scandinavian philologists and runologists, who consider it most likely modern (19th or early 20th century). The reading of the "Elder Futhark" style runes is probably "GNOMEDAL" (meaning "Gnome Valley", or perhaps a personal name "G. Nomedal").

The difficulty of using the Heavener Runestone to demonstrate Viking exploration of the area is that the Elder Futhark had become obsolete by the 8th century, long before the Viking expeditions to Greenland and Vinland. Also, only six of the eight characters are correct Elder Futhark runes. A transliteration would read "G [rough backwards N] O M E D A [backwards L]."

Alternative hypotheses

Amateur researcher Richard Nielsen proposed that a Viking explorer hastily reversed the last letter and substituted a letter from the then-extinct Gothic alphabet in the second position. According to this interpretation, the inscription reads "GLOME DAL" -- the "Valley of Glome." Unfortunately, this explanation would require the Norse explorer to have known two extinct alphabets. Author Gloria Farley also attributes the inscription to wandering pre-Columbian Norsemen.

Cultural significance

*In 1991, Carl Albert State College in nearby Poteau changed its mascot to a Viking in the stone's honor.

*Don Coldsmith's 1995 novel Runestone, offers a speculative theory about how an 11th century Viking could have made his way to the area of Heavener.

Other local stones

Two other, much smaller inscribed stones have been found near Heavener. In the 1970s scholars translated these stones.

Heavener stone #2 is said to show the letter "R" and a "bind rune". This would be in the Anglo-Saxon character set since in the Norwegian this might be an "M" and a small cross.

Heavener stone #3 is said to show the letters "G", "R" and "T". This could be in the Anglo-Saxon character set since in the Norwegian set this might be an "M", a "T" and the small cross COULD be an "N."

Ostara in Oklahoma - 2011

Here's a glimpse of an Asatru moot at Wister State Park in Oklahoma in celebration of the holiday known as Ostara. The event was hosted by the AFA Folkbuilders for Texas and Oklahoma, and drew together heathens from neighboring states, as well as California, Minnesota, and Florida. A highlight for all was a day trip to the mysterious Heavener Runestone. Enjoy!

For upcoming events in the Oklahoma/Texas region, write to the Tharps at asatru_of_enid@yahoo.com or the Floyds at jfloyd@runestone.org.

Video produced by the Asatru Folk Assembly: afa@runestone.org.

[www.runestone.org]

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Three other inscriptions in nearby eastern Oklahoma:

Poteau Runestone

Shawnee Runestone

Turkey Mountain inscriptions

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Guido von List: Part 8

Synchronicity: Part 2

I should point out that I am not even remotely an authority on Guido von List. However, his work seems to draw many parallels with subjects and spiritual concepts which I am interested in. In 'Guido von List: Part 7', I was looking at the tie-ins with my own experiences with synchronicity. One good way to trigger these experiences is simply by reading a book on a subject close to you and/or your interests. Either the book will correspond with your daily experiences, or you will see things within the book which will correspond with you.

It's important to note that the "proof," sufficient to satisfy yourself, will be in the volume of mystical-like connections which are made. Then you may notice that the phenomenon is beyond mere "chance." Other than that, there is probably no pragmatic way to "prove it" to anyone other than yourself; because only you truly know what is inside of yourself. In other words, what numbers, letters, concepts, politics, particular business, words, elements, animals, colors, or even landforms, correspond to either you or your family history.

Just to give an example, you possibly could be reading a book partly based on a particular politic. When reading it, you suddenly notice that a word pops up out've nowhere which is just one letter off from the birthplace of your grandfather who just happened to have been a supporter of that particular politic. The universe is communicating with you, and ONLY you. It doesn't mean that you're necessarily special since this phenomenon is available to anyone. It is possible that you might have more ability than most to access these messages. It's difficult to say. My guess is that if you are going in a meaningful direction in your life, some unknown force is letting you know it via these affirming messages.

Upon finishing Part 7 the other day, I thought that I should have given a personal example. The problem, as stated earlier, is that it's about the volume and patterns of this phenomenon that make it what it is; not just a chance color or number popping up. I almost felt unconnected due to not having this experience for a couple of weeks. I often take my book with me during the day, but for whatever reason, I hadn't even read it since the other day. Upon reading today, one such message popped up which I feel comfortable with sharing. I'm more of a letter person. I don't have many number connections. One's birthday could be one such set. However, to me, "18" always feels like my number, since I descended from a clan of eighteen families, and feel close to that fact.

It was almost as if the unknown force answered with List's words on page 48-49: ".....when the seers and wise men had to wring ideas symbolizing expressions out of the still limited language (in ancient times) in order to be able to set similar conceptions free, as they themselves conceived them in their spiritual vision. They were forced to support their speech with physical motions--the later "magical gestures"--and to enforce it with certain symbolic signs, which were thought of as "whispering" ["raunend"], i.e., conveyors of meaning, and so they were called "runes" [Runen]. The mysticism of Wuotan's runic science says all this in the Eddic 'Song of the High One', which portrays Wuotan's sacrificial death, and which reminds us of the mystery of Galgatha in more than one respect.

At first, the lay introduces Wuotan himself speaking, after which the skald, who conceived the lay, becomes the speaker and the song is ended. However, the lay begins thus:

          I know how I hung on the wind-cold tree

                    nine eternal nights,

          wounded by the spear consecrated to Wuotan

                    I myself consecrated to myself--

          on that tree, which hides from every one

                    the stead from which its roots grow.

          They offered me neither bread nor mead;

                    then I bent myself down peering;

          with a lamenting should the "runes" became known to me,

                    until I sank down from the tree.

After further explanatory strophes, the song presents characterizations of the eighteen runes with mystical interpretations. When these strophes are paired with the names of the runes they enlighten us in a very special way and essentially provide the solution of the "secret of the runes." The following verses precede that characterization of the runes, after which the skald goes immediately to the actual runic songs:

          Before the creation of the world was Wuotan's knowledge,

                    Whither he came, thither he returns;

          Now I know the songs as no other men,

                    and as no princely woman.

Of course, I am not reading too much into it. Any mystical connections would be true for me, and me only. This provides a pretty good example, and it could be interpreted different ways. As far as literal connections, there was a Camunic alphabet, and there was the runic influence of the Langobard Nation who carried the flag with the red odal rune, and the origin of the Germanic runes (and the Latin alphabet) was the old Italic script (Italic, Etruscan, or Raetic alphabets). Confusing the issue more, the Raetic alphabet likely originated from around the region of the South Tyrol, although possibly from Halstatt Celts. Although, some believe that the ancient Camunian language was rooted in the Raetic language. In any case, there are many Camunian direct or indirect ties to the runes, not to mention Wotanism. Of course, there need not be any direct connection in order to mystically connect subject matter to your life within this synchronistic phenomenon.

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Guido von List: Part 7

Synchronicity: Part 1

One thing that keeps popping into my mind, as I read 'The Secret of the Runes', is the tie-in between List's work and my own experience with synchronicity. Synchronicity is not the same thing as the concept in the last few years revolving around the book 'The Secret,' but it's part of the same "force of the universe." While the "law of attraction" from 'The Secret' seems to be based on definite happenings in one's life, synchronicity is more like a guiding light for the individual. A way of telling them: "You're on the right path." It's almost like an affirmation.

For example, a person can have some passionate areas of belief and interest; which for them would be inseparable, but for someone else would be trains of thought that would have no real connection at all. However, for that individual, these areas of belief, interest, and continued study are all tied together in their mind and soul. So while they continue their journey, apparently centered around their continued learning, the "force of the universe" gives them messages. This is not the same as intrinsic personal creativity, or merely "noticing something that they never noticed before." These messages are far beyond that. I may not be able to prove that, but I know there are coded messages which can be obtained by anyone on the face of the earth if they want to receive them. This is not like a thing where someone is going nuts. This is for anyone, and has always been a natural condition for human beings on this planet. This is nothing new, or spooky; although sometimes I smile when the universe sends me yet another "private message."

These messages come in the form of numbers, letters, words, elements, animals, colors, etc. For me, it comes mainly in the form of either words or letters. Most of us have heard of numerology, but I think there must be some type of "letterology" as well. I have definite letters, words, etc., which have been established for me. Words are a natural for this simply because it's the language which ties together different concepts for the individual receiving the messages. Synchronicity is positively not "magic," and would not be in any direct opposition to any religion or spiritual tradition. However, ironically, it might be in opposition to atheism. As to whether this almost mystical reality is from God, the universal mind, Mother Nature, or something else; it's for the individual to decide for themselves... assuming that they would be willing to receive these messages in the first place.

I can recall as a child, listening to a young woman speaking of the messages which she had been receiving and the chance happenings in her life. Actually, this sounded like a borderline case of the "law of attraction" and synchronicity mixed. She had been a recent born-again Christian, and was certain that this was all "from God." Okay, that was true... for her. For someone else, it would be attributed to something else. I can recall another time, not so long ago; a man, whom I consider very highly intelligent, conveying a little bit of skepticism of another man who was revealing these types of messages which he was receiving from his own research into subjects of personal interest. The person was obviously linking his messages not only to some type of providence, but falsely believing that he was some sort of "chosen one." His complex tie-ins were true... for him! For him only! Therefore, both of these men had come to a false conclusion.

Regarding the highly intelligent man, of whom I have great respect for, and is more intelligent than I am on pragmatic matters. Still, on some level, however, he reminds me of a quote from Guido von List's dedication at the beginning of 'The Secret of the Runes'. Actually, this wasn't a quote from List or Flowers, but from a letter to List from his close friend Friedrich Wannieck. In that letter, from 1902, Wannieck quotes Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace: "Science always opposes the discovery of new Truths, and it is wrong every time! The true scholar may say this as well!" Many of these concepts were studied by Carl Jung, and his name needs to be mentioned here as well.

Synchronicity, for me personally, happens in spurts. A month will go by without anything, then things will be hot for a week or two, next, nothing for five or six weeks, then a hot three weeks, and so forth. I think it depends on how much time we have to study and experience things which are close to us. It also depends on how much we are receptive to it. I don't think we can force it. I can say at least one thing for certain. The complex patterns of these messages, in as these seemingly unrelated areas are processed and packaged together by some unknown force, could not be mere coincidence. I just can't prove it. Attaching scientific method onto these mystical messages could prove it, but that would be difficult and time consuming, and one would have to take the person's word for it.

I will just say that there is a complex pattern to it, which mystically ties totally unrelated ideas together for you. These coded messages seem to tie together such diverse areas as your families history, your political beliefs, places you or your ancestors lived, land forms, symbols, colors, or even specific offbeat interests which have absolutely nothing directly to do with you. It all gets merged together with letters, numbers, words, or even phrases. There's a clear pattern! It's not just chance; although it can be concurrent with mere chance. As the best I can figure goes, it's an affirmation that we're on the correct path for us. It's saying "Good. Keep going. Build on the past."

You might see these messages anywhere. It might be an obscure word in the title of an article on the back page of a newspaper being read by someone on a park bench. That word may directly link absolutely different parts of you, your interests, your concerns, your families history, etc. Over a weeks time, there could be a clear pattern of connections. I suspect that these mystically-connected messages cannot be proven to exist. They're for you, and only for you. Maybe that's the way it should be.

Guido von List seems to have tied a lot of these ideas together, but I will see as I read some of this work. You may have heard references comparing, in one form or another, "spiritual people" to "economic people." These concerns, as well as others, don't necessarily have to be at odds with one-another. Synchronicity seems to show certain connections for us, in a variety of life concerns. I should point out that there is, at some point, a magical element. Numerology, for example, has a magical component to it. I wouldn't suggest going there. Accept the messages, use inspirations, and use your brain pragmatically to make things happen.

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Sweet Lombardy

Sweet Lombardy - Italy

Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia Italian pronunciation: [lombarˈdiːa], Western Lombard: Lumbardìa, Eastern Lombard: Lombardia) is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country. Major tourist destinations in the region include the historic, cultural and artistic cities of Milan (which is Italy's second top tourist destination), Brescia, Mantua, Pavia, Cremona and Bergamo, and the lakes Garda, Como, Maggiore and Iseo.

The official language, as in the rest of Italy, is Italian. The traditional local languages are the various dialects of Lombard (Western Lombard and Eastern Lombard), as well as some dialects of Emilian, spoken in some parts of the provinces of Mantua, Pavia and Cremona. These are not widely spoken due to intense immigration from other parts of Italy whose local dialects were not intelligible with Italian.

Geography

Lombardy is bordered by Switzerland (north: Canton Ticino and Canton Graubünden) and by the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna (south), Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Veneto (east), and Piedmont (west). Three distinct natural zones can be fairly easily distinguished in the Lombardy region: mountains, hills and plains - the latter being divided in Alta (high plains) and Bassa (low plains).

The most important mountainous area is an Alpine zone including the Lepontine and Rhaetian Alps, (Piz Zupo, 3,996 m), the Bergamo Alps, the Ortles and Adamello massifs; it is followed by an Alpine foothills zone Prealpi, which include the main peaks are the Grigna Group (2,410 m), Resegone (1,875 m) and Presolana (2,521 m). The great Lombard lakes, all of glacial origin, lie in this zone. From west to east these are Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano (only a small part is Italian), Lake Como, Lake Iseo, Lake Idro, then Lake Garda, the largest in Italy. South of the Alps lie the hills characterized by a succession of low heights of morainic origin, formed during the last Ice Age and small barely fertile plateaux, with typical heaths and conifer woods. A minor mountainous area lies south of the Po, in the Appennines range.

The plains of Lombardy, formed from alluvial deposits, can be divided into the Alta - an upper, permeable ground zone in the north and a lower zone characterized - the Bassa - by the so-called line of fontanili (the spring waters rising on impermeable ground). Anomalous compared with the three distinctions already made is the small region of the Oltrepò Pavese, formed by the Apennine foothills beyond the Po River. A large number of rivers, all direct or indirect tributaries of the Po, cross the plains of Lombardy. Major rivers, flowing west to east, are the Ticino, the outlet of Lake Maggiore, the Olona, the Lambro, the Adda, outlet of Lake Como, the Mincio, outlet of Lake Garda, and the Oglio, the Lake Iseo outflow. There is a wide network of canals for irrigation purposes. In the plains, intensively cultivated for centuries, little of the original environment remains. The rare elm, alder, sycamore, poplar, willow and hornbeam woods and heaths are covered now by several protected areas. In the area of the great Alpine foothills lakes, however, grow olive trees, cypresses and larches, as well as varieties of subtropical flora such as magnolias, azaleas, acacias, etc. The mountains area is characterized by the typical vegetation of the whole range of the Italian Alps. At a lower levels (up to approximately 1,100 m) oak woods or broadleafed trees grow; on the mountain slopes (up to 2,000--2,200 m) beech trees grow at the lowest limits, with conifer woods higher up. Shrubs such as rhododendron, dwarf pine and juniper are native to the summital zone (beyond 2,200 m).

The climate of this region is continental, though with variations depending on altitude or the presence of inland waters. The continental nature of the climate is more accentuated on the plains, with high annual temperature changes (at Milan an average January temperature is 1.5 °C and 24 °C in July), and thick fog between October and February. The Alpine foothills lakes exercise a mitigating influence, permitting the cultivation of typically Mediterranean produce (olives, citrus fruit). In the Alpine zone, the valley floor is relatively mild in contrast with the colder higher areas (Bormio, 1,225 m, --1.4 °C average in January, 17.3 °C in July). Precipitations are more frequent in the Prealpine zone (up to 1,500--2,000 mm annually) than on the plains and Alpine zones (600 mm to 850 mm annually). The numerous species of endemic flora (the Lombard native species) are typical mainly of the Lake Como area.

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Odinic symbol still banned by the U.S. military for grave markers

Asatru - The Quest for the Hammer

Stephen McNallen gives an address before an audience of Asatruar and Pagans in Washington, D.C., calling for the recognition of Thor's hammer as a symbol on the headstones of veterans of the Asatru faith.

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