http://housefamilyfire.chipin.com/the-house-family

“Path to the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism for Beginners contains
everything you need to know to begin practicing the religion of your
Anglo-Saxon ancestors. Within these pages you will be introduced to
the Gods and Goddesses of Heathenry, and to fundamental beliefs and
key concepts such as Wyrd, Frith, the Sacred and Holy, Heathen Thews (Virtues) and more. The basic rites of Heathenry are explained, holy tides are discussed, and a set of rites for each of the holy tides is
offered. Included also is a suggested reading list to deepen your
studies.”

It won’t be out on Amazon for another five to eight days, and not on
other outlets for several weeks, but you can buy it now at:
https://www.createspace.com/3847763 Note, all my royalties go to my
son for his college fund. I do not make a cent off of them myself.

My cousin Brian Smith is a afraid for his son’s life. His son Zane is currently in the custody of his mother, a dominatrix who is currently in a relationship with a convicted murderer, Christopher DiStefano. Christopher DiStefano back in the 90s strangled his girl friend and left her nude body in a parking lot. He is covered in the book “Dark Dreams” by Roy Hazelwood, a criminal profiler who has worked for the FBI. The man definitely might kill again. Therefore, Brian is asking for your support.

The Facebook page is at: https://www.facebook.com/SaveZane

The webpage is at: http://www.savezane.com

Brian is a good upstanding Heathen that has been active for twenty years or so, and needs your help. Show your support in his effort to get Zane out of a dangerous situation.

Welga!
Swain Wodening

Eastwards, I stand, for mercies I pray,
I pray the great dryhten, I pray the powerful lord,
I pray the holy guardian of heaven-kingdom,
earth I pray and sky
and heaven’s might and high hall,
that I may this bede by the gift of Woden
open with [my] teeth through firm thought,
to call forth these plants for our worldly use,
to fill this land with firm belief.

Erce, Erce, Erce, earth’s mother,
May the all-father grant you, the eternal lord,
fields growing and flourishing,
propagating and strengthening,
tall shafts, bright crops,
and broad barley crops,
and white wheat crops,
and all earth’s crops.
May the eternal Frea grant him,
and his holy ones, who are in heaven,
that his produce be guarded against any enemies whatsoever,
and that it be safe against any harm at all,
from poisons [lyblaca] sown around the land.
Now I bid Woden, who shaped this world,
that there be no speaking-woman [cwidol wif] nor artful man
[craeftig man]
that can overturn these words thus spoken.

(Dig a hole with the hoe, and bury the cakes)
:
Wassail earth, mother of men!
May you be growing in Woden’s embrace,
with food filled for the needs of men.

Field full of food for mankind,
bright-blooming, you are blessed
in the holy name of the one who shaped heaven
and the earth on which we live;

I do agree with him we should probably not seek to find functions for these goddesses. However, he seeks to localize both goddesses, viewing them much as we do the matronae. He posits a Kentish origin, assuming that Bede got his month names from a Kentish document. He also thinks that the German month names Ostermonat and Redmanot were carried to Germany and France by Anglo-Saxon missionaries, and uses this to back his claim that they were local goddesses. He makes no etymological study of the month names to prove this point. This is
something I would expect a scholar to do. I would expect proof that they are indeed borrowings from Old English. I personally find it more likely that these German month names are native, and that Éostre and Hreda were more widely worshiped than he would have us think.

His section on the matronae is disappointing. It is a mere 12 pages long, and does not go into any detail. His conclusions at the end of these 12 pages is that the matronae were local mother goddesses, and often named for a tribe. The whole point of his section on the matronae is to bolster his claims of Éostre and Hreda being local goddesses.

Overall, it is not a bad book, and I would recommend it to anyone. However, do not expect it to give much detail on the matronae despite its title. The sections on Éostre and Hreda though are worth it, even if I do not agree with all of his claims.

A similar custom exists in England called Hoodening. In Kent, horses’ heads or other animal heads or representations of them are carried around house to house. Money or alcohol is requested with each of the visits. The skulls are rigged so that the teeth clack when pulled by a cord. At one time, like the members of the Perchtenlauf, these young men dressed in animal skins. In 690 CE, Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury in the Liber Penitentialis stated that any that ?on the kalends of January clothe themselves with the skins of cattle and carry heads of animals? do three years of penance. The practice was apparently widespread as there are several prohibitions against it. Burchard of Worms ordered 30 days penance for those that dressed in stag or calf disguises on the first of January. Regino of Prun, writing in the tenth century in what is now Southern Germany and Austria, complained of folk still going about on New Year?s Day dressed as stags. Two masks found at Hedeby dating to the Viking period made of felt, seem to represent a sheep and a cow, and may confirm similar customs amongst the Norse. An illustrated manuscript from the time of the reign of Edward III, and preserved in the Bodleian library of Oxford University shows people in elaborate costumes with animal masks.

It is clear that on or sometime soon after midwinter the ancient Germanic peoples dressed in animal skins and formed processions, and that these customs persisted to modern times. What does this mean to the modern Heathen? I feel that if at all possible, young Heathen men should seek to revive these customs. Some already have, and these processions are becoming more common even in the States. It makes for a good close to the Yule tide, and could prove to be fun for all.

Despite this, many, if not most Heathens celebrate twelve nights of Yule. Should we stop doing this given its Christian origin? I do not think so. While its origins are Christian, celebrating twelve nights fits well with Heathenry. We can celebrate Mothers’ Night, Children’s Day (Christmas Day), and Twelfth Night with many smaller fainings in between. It makes Yule more of a season than a few days of celebration. Besides, the ancient tongues attest to Yule being an entire month, perhaps two months. Both Old English and Gothic have month names that translated mean “Before Yule” and “After Yule.” It is my opinion that this was a later development and that originally there was only one month of about 60 days long called “Yule.” So, technically, we could extend the celebrations to a month or longer!