Month: October 2022

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The Tarot Minor Arcana: Introduction and Suit of Pentacles

The Tarot Minor Arcana: Introduction and Suit of Pentacles by W1tchsbrew

Be sure to check her Etsy shop Wood ov Wyrd

Introduction: What is the Minor Arcana?

Of the 78 cards in a Tarot deck, the majority of them belong to the Minor Arcana. However, just because they’re called “minor” does not mean that these cards have a minor or unimportant influence in your life.

The Minor Arcana describe the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of the universe. They point out situations, events, challenges, and lessons to be learned in this lifetime. Sometimes, they also show specific people.

These typically have a temporary influence – that is, they represent an energy that is moving through your life right now and that can be easily changed, depending on the actions you take.

Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards within the Tarot deck and is broken into four suits of fourteen cards each: the suit of Pentacles, the suit of Cups, the suit of Wands, and the suit of Swords. Each suit is numbered one (Ace) to ten, followed by four Court Cards which are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.

Each of these four suits represents a different area of your life, so you know where to direct this guidance when one of these cards shows up in your Tarot reading.

Each suit is also associated with an element (earth, water, fire, and air). Some occultists maintain that each suit is also representative of a chakra, picturing the life lessons that are associated with it. Numerologists posit that the numbers on the cards are predictive of their meanings. We believe all such connections hold true, as the deck is replete with mystical connections. 

Get To Know The Minor Arcana Cards: The Suit of PENTACLES

Ace of Pentacles 

Upright: The Ace of Pentacles represents both a gift and an opportunity. This Tarot card suggests that better days are ahead and that the divine source will accomplish this by putting first things first.

Reversed: When reversed, the Ace of Pentacles Tarot card points out an imbalance in the way you are using your resources. This would suggest that your material success is actually enabling you to engage in some very unhealthy behaviors.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone, Emerald

Two of Pentacles 

Upright: This card says that others are marveling at how you manage to get it all done. The two of Pentacles embodies the principle of balance through constant motion and intuitive awareness. 

Reversed: When The Two of Pentacles card presents itself inverted in a Tarot reading, you’re discovering that there is only so much you can do at a time is a painful but important lesson that you must learn. Constantly living on the edge will burn you out quickly and you need to slow things down.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Three of Pentacles

Upright: When The Three of Pentacles card presents itself in a Tarot reading, it’s a beautiful omen that your life is about to enter a self-sustaining rhythm. This card is giving signals that the time has come when you can be trusted with more responsibility.

Reversed: When reversed, the Three of Pentacles warns that the interplay of work, passion, and vision is disrupted. It is also important to acknowledge your own worth and assert yourself.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Four of Pentacles 

Upright: If the Four of Pentacles card appears in your Tarot reading, the universe is about to bless you with wealth. There is no shame in taking pride of your accomplishments. As long as you don’t overdo it, this allows others to rejoice in your success as well.

Reversed: This may imply a radical step, such as counting your blessings and walking away, or dropping long standing attitudes and hangups that have been holding you back for too long.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Five of Pentacles 

Upright: When this card appears in a reading it’s an urge to stop feeding into your current turmoil, and to take an honest look at your situation. It’s time to  open your eyes and your heart to truth, so that you can truly move forward.

Reversed: When reversed, the Five of Pentacles Tarot card shows that a painful situation is about to end. You’ve been given the tools to dig your way out of that hole. Now, you have to use them.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Taurus

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Six of Pentacles

Upright: Generally, the Six of Pentacles Tarot card announces some kind of financial benefit. However, it is not always in the form of money itself. Whatever this gift may be, it will get you back on track.

Reversed: When reversed, the Six of Pentacles reminds you to focus on your needs rather than your wants. It may also warn that you are overextending yourself when being generous. 

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Taurus

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Seven of Pentacles 

Upright: The Seven of Pentacles Tarot card tells you that the time is now. While growth is always good news, it also means that the old way of doing things doesn’t cut it anymore.

Reversed: When reversed, this card warns you that you have been pushing yourself too hard for too long. If you don’t take some time to recharge your batteries, the universe may decide to pull the breaks for you.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Taurus

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Eight of Pentacles

Upright: When the eight of Pentacles appears in a reading it is a reminder that you should look ahead in order to see what needs to be done to make your life’s ambition a reality over time. Keeping the big picture in mind.

Reversed: When reversed, the Eight of Pentacles points out distractions or blocks in your energy flow. These may leave you feeling exhausted and restless. Looking for ways to improve your life is a good quality, but it’s easy to lose your way if you can’t see the forest for all the trees.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Virgo

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Nine of Pentacles

Upright: Besides being a card of wealth and joy, the Nine of Pentacles also speaks of fertility. All things are now in place so that a major life goal can be manifested. Whatever it may be, it can happen at any moment.

Reversed: When reversed, the Nine of Pentacles Tarot card suggests a premature withdrawal from the material world in order to pursue higher goals. Refocus and tap into those hidden reserves. You will need them going forward.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Virgo

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Ten of Pentacles

Upright: The Ten of Pentacles Tarot card spells good news in all money related questions. This is a good time to think about ways to expand your business or making long term investments – career related or otherwise.

Reversed: When reversed, the Ten of Pentacles is a stern warning that you have lost sight of the big picture. You are viewing life in terms of how lucky or unlucky you are. But you’re not seeing how you are contributing to your own fate.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Virgo

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Page of Pentacles

Upright: If the Page of Pentacles card is upright in your Tarot reading, the universe is sending you back to school. New information is challenging you to rethink everything you know about a person or situation – perhaps even your place in the world.

Reversed: When the Page of Pentacles appears reversed, it could be a sign that your mind and energies are scattered. It suggests that you need to treat yourself with kindness and patience as you move forward. 

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Knight of Pentacles

Upright: The Knight of Pentacles is all about reputation, reliability, and results. Whether it be a business plan, your financial picture, or even a specific person, this card predicts success and stability in your future endeavors. 

Reversed: When the Knight of Pentacles Tarot card is reversed, the universe cautions you to look before you leap. Everything must be in the place, and the timing must be right.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

Queen of Pentacles

Upright: This card says that the universe is showering you with its generosity because you have been intuitively sending out all of the right energies. The Queen of Pentacles spells extremely good news in all aspects of your life. 

Reversed:Reversed, this card warns that now is not a good time for new beginnings. You need to resolve old issues first, or you will bring them into your new situation.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

King of Pentacles

Upright: When the King of Pentacles appears in a reading, it is time to think about your next step, no matter how comfortable you feel where you are right now. Under your care, people are prospering. You’re a great parent, a wise counselor, and a fair boss. This card encourages you to take the next step and to give the faith that others have in you, to yourself. 

Reversed:When reversed, the King of Pentacles Tarot card challenges you to adopt a more flexible attitude. The good news is that coming to terms with this personal growth will enrich your life immensely.

Metaphysical Correspondences:

Element: Earth

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn

Healing Crystals: Amethyst, Bloodstone

What It Takes:

These are extremely brief descriptions of The Suit of Pentacles tarot cards. To fully utilize the art of Tarot with confidence takes much time and extensive learning. It is strongly advised that you do further personal research and dive deeper into the complex meanings of each Tarot card, prior to practicing this form of divination. 

The Tarot is, a powerful tool for exploring our hidden desires, tensions, and potential. This accessible and stunningly illustrated guide offers a practical overview for the modern seeker pursuing a path of personal development. It includes illuminating and instructive workshops, sample readings, interpretations of the Major and Minor Arcana, and advice on using different decks.
TAROT BASICS: The STORY of the MINOR ARCANA

Further Resources:

Tarot: An Introduction

The Tarot: Major Arcana

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Women in the Viking Age

Quite a lot of information can be found regarding women during the Viking Age but unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation or misinterpreted information that muddies the water per say of what exactly Women did indeed do regarding a lot of aspects during that time period in Scandinavia and beyond. So I wanted to bring to my readers the best of the best sources to show due respect to what roles women had during the Viking Age which is very important to me.

Introduction

The majority of women in the Viking period were housewives, who managed the housekeeping on the farm with a firm hand. It is also possible that there were female entrepreneurs, who worked in textile production in the towns. 

Just like today, women in the Viking period sought a suitable partner. The sagas are filled with stories of women competing over who has the best man. However, love did not always last. So it was good that Scandinavia was a pioneering region when it came to equal opportunities. The Viking woman could choose a husband and later decide not to marry him after all, if she so wished. However, there were limits to the extent of these equal opportunities. For example, only men could appear in court in the Viking Age.

There is believed to have been a hidden moral in the sagas in relation to a woman’s choice of husband. The family probably wanted to participate in the decision-making. When an attempt was made to woo a woman, the father did not need to ask his daughter’s opinion about the interested male.  In cases in which the girl opposed the family’s wishes, the sagas describe how this often ended badly.

The woman’s reputation and place in society was connected to that of her husband. The sagas often describe how various women compete over who has the best husband. Young girls obviously knew what to look for in a prospective husband.

The Icelandic sagas give examples of how a strong woman could overshadow her husband. It was a dangerous balancing act. Sometimes a wife’s drive and energy could make her husband respect her, whilst in other cases the man lost his reputation due to a powerful wife. The woman’s reputation, on the other hand, remained intact. Women could achieve a great reputation and wealth. We can see this at the most magnificent burial of them all: the Oseberg burial in Norway.

The literature tells us that all rich married Viking women carried keys amongst their personal items. The key symbolized the woman’s status as housewife. Or was this actually the case?

This view can at least partially be attributed to the keys that have been found in rich Viking women’s graves, as well as the legal texts, which state that the medieval housewife had the right to the keys of the house. However, archaeologists find increasing numbers of keys, but these are not necessarily from graves. This indicates that the distribution and use of keys was relatively extensive. SOURCE

One of four sleighs found in the elaborate ship burial at Oseberg, Norway, where in 834 CE two women were buried in an extremely rich setting with many grave goods such as this sleigh, an intricately carved wooden cart and various textiles including fine silks that would have been imported. This burial is classed as royal or at least as an upper-class Viking Age burial; at least one of the women must have been of very high status. The two women’s exact relation to each other is unknown. The ship itself and this sleigh are displayed at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway. / Photo by Helen Simonsson, Flickr, Creative Commons

The Elite

If some women were indeed involved in trade, this might conceivably have placed them in the upper rungs of society or least given them means and status. The Viking Age’s rich and powerful – a group which obviously was not exclusively male – peep through the gap of time and reach the modern world in a number of ways, such as the large runestones that were erected across Scandinavia, and burials ranging from just ‘rich’ to ones so over the top it leaves us no doubt as to the buried person’s importance.

Runestones – unsurprisingly, big stones covered in runes and ornamentation usually erected to commemorate the dead – were normally commissioned by wealthy families, the runes speaking of their endeavors in life. Not only can one imagine women being important within these families, some stones were actually commissioned by women themselves (either jointly or alone), leaving an “impression of high social standing of a very few women” (Jesch, 49-50). Runestones also illustrate how important the inheritance of a woman was to facilitate the transfer of wealth from one family to another. Furthermore, some richly furnished female graves (and even boat graves) found in rural settings hint at women possibly climbing to high social positions there. In this same setting, we have already seen that women might have ended up running the farm in their husbands’ absence.

Some 40 graves from Scandinavia and beyond have lent some credence to the idea, stemming from the texts and sagas related to the Viking Age, of the existence of female ‘sorceresses’. Seiðr is a type of shamanistic magic mainly connected to women in the sources, who could be vǫlva (singular: vǫlur): powerful sorceresses with the power to see into the future and mainly associated with a staff of sorcery. Similar objects have been discovered in Viking Age burials and have clear symbolic overtones, perhaps even – according to one interpretation – functioning as metaphorical staffs used to ‘spin out’ the user’s soul. These graves are often rich in terms of clothes and grave goods and include such things as amulets and charms, exotic jewellery, facial piercings, toe rings, and, in a handful of graves, even psychoactive drugs such as cannabis and henbane. How we might imagine these women’s roles in society remains mysterious. 

We also know of some royal female burials. Judith Jesch, mentioning the Oseberg boat burial (c. 834 CE) in which two women were buried in a lavishly decorated and furnished ship accompanied by lots of high-quality grave goods, explains how,

A few obviously royal burials that we have, such as Oseberg, cannot be mistaken for anything other than the monuments of persons with enormous status, wealth and power. Although they share characteristics with other Viking Age burials, they are really in a class of their own. (27)

Who exactly these women had been in life – queen and handmaiden, two aristocratic women related to each other, or otherwise – remains a puzzle but that at least one of them was of high status is beyond doubt.

Another woman of plentiful means was the late-9th-century CE Aud the ‘deep-minded’. She is said to have been born to a Norwegian chieftain residing in the Hebrides and married a Viking who lived in Dublin. After the death of both her husband and son, she took over control of the family fortunes and arranged for a ship to take her and her granddaughters first to Orkney and the Faroes, to finally settle in Iceland. Here, she distributed land among her retinue, became an early Christian, as well as being remembered as one of Iceland’s four most important settlers. SOURCE

This is the first book-length study in English to investigate what women did in the Viking age, both at home in Scandinavia and in the Viking colonies from Greenland to Russia. Evidence for their lives is fragmentary, but Judith Jesch assembles the clues provided by archaeology, runic inscriptions, place names and personal names, foreign historical records and Old Norse literature and mythology. These sources illuminate different aspects of women’s lives in the Viking age, on the farms and in the trading centres of Scandinavia, abroad on Viking expeditions, and as settlers in places such as Iceland and the British Isles. Women in the Viking Age explores an unfamiliar aspect of medieval history and offers a new perspective on Viking society, very different from the traditional picture of a violent and male-dominated world.

Did Viking Age Warrior Women Exist?

Stories of Viking warrior women are found in a number of historical documents, but several come from factually unreliable heroic sagas, fornaldarsogur. A good example is Hervor’s and Heidrek’s Saga. After the hero, Angantyr, falls in battle his daughter Hervor takes her father’s sword and uses it to avenge his death by killing his enemies. There are similar stories of Brynhilde and Freydis, in Sigurd’s Saga and the Saga of the Greenlanders. But in each case the story is more about myth-making than fact. As well, these are tales of individual women who are highly skilled with swords and fight in battles, but give no evidence for a ‘community’ of women warriors, which the shieldmaidens are supposed to have been.

There are, however, more reliable historical resources. In the 1070s, for example, Adam of Bremen (chronicling the Hamburg-Bremen archdiocese) wrote that a northern region of Sweden near lake Malaren was inhabited by war-like women. But he doesn’t say how many women, nor does he clarify what “war-like” means. Were these women just zealously patriotic, bad-tempered, aggressive, or maybe even too independent for his Medieval Christian tastes? It’s hard to say.

Then we have the splendid references to ‘communities’ of shieldmaidens found in the works of 12th century Danish historian, Saxo Grammaticus, whose writing is sure to make every modern woman livid. Keep in mind, Saxo was likely the secretary of the Archbishop of Lund, and had specific Christian notions about appropriate female behavior. He wrote:

“There were once women in Denmark who dressed themselves to look like men and spent almost every minute cultivating soldiers’ skills. …They courted military celebrity so earnestly that you would have guessed they had unsexed themselves. Those especially who had forceful personalities or were tall and elegant embarked on this way of life. As if they were forgetful of their true selves they put toughness before allure, aimed at conflicts instead of kisses, tasted blood, not lips, sought the clash of arms rather than the arm’s embrace, fitted to weapons hands which should have been weaving, desired not the couch but the kill…” (Fisher 1979, p. 212). SOURCE

Read more about this subject at Viking Warrior-Women Existed?

Viking Age Women in Archaeological Material

The archaeological material contains more male than female burials. Female graves may, however, be just as large and as richly equipped as the male graves, but the burial gifts are different. Female graves are equipped for female purposes. Instead of tools, weapons and hunting dogs, the women get household tools, textile equipment, jewelry and small dogs on their journey to the next life.

And – the richest Viking burial we know of is for a woman: The Oseberg Queen

The sagas have little information about the first part of the Viking Age. It is first and foremost the burials that can give us information about gender roles in the Early Viking Age. The deceased is in many cases buried with burial gifts that indicate what the individual did while he or she was alive. Nevertheless, we must face the fact that archeology can also give us a picture that does not match reality.

Let us see if archeology can give us a hint about the development in women’s status:

In the Late Roman and Migration Period, some centuries before the Viking Age, the tendency is that we several places in Scandinavia have more and richer female burials than male burials.

Male burials. The quality of the burials gifts seems to be reduced the older the buried man is.

Female burials. The richest burials belong to women between 50 – 60 years old. Thus; the status of women seems to increase with their age.

In the Iron Age, including the Viking Age, young girls were given away in marriage to create alliances between families. The most prominent gift a chieftain could give way was his own daughter. But – when we then see that the richest burials belong to grown up women, this strongly indicate that these women had a different foundation for their high status and power than just being a ”gift”.

First part of the Viking Age: (9th Century) the distribution between male and female burials seems to be fifty-fifty.

Middle Viking Age (10th Century): Only every 4th grave can be certainly classified as a female burial.

To conclude,
There are indications that women in the Viking Age had to achieve a higher status than men to get the kind of burial that shows up in the archaeological record. This may indicate that there was a decline in the status of women during the Viking Age.

Others believe that this may be due to changes in fashion, it may be that the oval broches that you normally use to determine women’s graves, gradually went out of fashion during the 900’s. Some have also suggested that the burnt burials at this time may have been more common for men than for women. SOURCE

A look at the Norse idea of the women warrior or shieldmaiden (skjaldmær) in the sagas, and the recent discovery that a Viking-Age burial containing weapons also contained the bones of a woman.

Further Resources

The Vikings changed Europe forever, yet half of them have almost completely disappeared from collective memory: the viking women. Quite unjustly so, as they played an important role in the world of the Vikings and performed extraordinary deeds. Viking women commanded ships and settled colonies. The two-part documentary gives completely new insights into a fascinating culture, about which it seemed everything was already known. Based on characters of the Nordic sagas, the mini-series displays the life stories of two Viking women: those of Sigrun and Jova.

‘Women at the Thing’, Nordic women in the Viking age. Coleman, N. & Løkka, N. L. (eds.). Scandinavian academic press 2014, p. 85-100

Women and Magic in the Sagas: Seiðr and Spá

Viking Age Women

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The Tarot: Major Arcana

The Tarot: Major Arcana by W1tchsbrew

Be sure to check her Etsy shop Wood ov Wyrd

The tarot is a powerful divination tool that helps people understand more about their life journey and higher self. A Tarot deck consists of 22 Major Arcanas (also known as Trump cards) and 56 Miner Arcana cards.

What does arcana mean in tarot?

The word Arcana finds its roots in the Latin word “arcanus” which means “Secret.”

The Major Arcana is a 22 card set within the tarot that is considered to be the core and the foundation for the deck. All of the deck is filled with archetypal significance, but this is most pronounced within the Major Arcana. The Major Arcana Tarot cards represent the life lessons, karmic influences and the big archetypal themes that are influencing your life and your soul’s journey to enlightenment.

Major Arcana cards in a Tarot reading ask you to critically examine the lessons and themes you’re now encountering in your life. A Major Arcana card may frequently serve as the starting point for the overall Tarot reading, with the remaining cards connecting back to the central meaning of the Major Arcana.

Tarot cards have two positions: upright and reversed. The way cards appear in the spread can change their meaning, especially because reversed cards do not mean the simple opposite of upright cards.

Get to know the cards:

The World Tarot Card

*The World

Upright: fulfillment, harmony, completion

Reversed: in-completion, no closure

The World symbolizes harmony and unity. Drawing this card means that you’re reaching the end of a period of your life, and to look ahead with your head held high. 

Drawing the reversed World is usually a sign that you’re seeking personal fulfillment or closure, but are having difficulty. The World reversed calls you to spell some time working through whatever issues are preventing you from finding that sense of personal completion. 

Judgement Tarot Card

*Judgement

Upright: reflection, reckoning, awakening

Reversed: lack of self awareness, doubt, self loathing

In the upright position, Judgement reminds you to approach upcoming events with compassion, logic, intuition, and strength. This card could also indicate that a time of “reckoning” is coming.

This card reversed is a call to remember to live your most authentic life without fear of outside opinion. Reversed Judgement could be a sign that you’re being too hard on yourself or those around you. 

The Sun Tarot Card

*The Sun

Upright: joy, success, celebration, positivity

Reversed: negativity, depression, sadness

Drawing the Sun card calls you to bring your enthusiasm and vitality to everything you do. If you do this, you are guaranteed to find happy outcomes at the end.

The Sun reversed could be signaling you to keep your ego and enthusiasm in check. It could also symbolize that you’re struggling to see the bright side, and to trust that you will find a way through. 

The Moon Tarot Card

*The Moon

Upright: unconscious, illusions, intuition

Reversed: confusion, fear, misinterpretation

The Moon may represent anxieties that are preventing you from reaching your full potential or that your subconscious might be harboring memories and emotions that are affecting your potential for happiness and peace.

The reversed Moon card is calling you to start listening to your subconscious and to trust your intuition. It could be a sign that you’re repressing thoughts and feelings because you’re scared of dealing with them. 

The Star Tarot Card

*The Star

Upright: hope, faith, rejuvenation

Reversed: faithlessness, discouragement, insecurity

The Star is a symbol of self-assurance and healing. If you draw the Star in a reading, it’s a sign that your challenges are almost over. This card could also be calling you to focus on your emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being.

When the reversed Star appears in a reading, it’s often a sign that you’re disconnected from your truest self. Reversed, The Star tells you that now is the time for simple self-care practices and gentle self-nurturing. 

The Tower Tarot Card

*The Tower

Upright: sudden upheaval, broken pride, disaster

Reversed: disaster avoided, delayed disaster, fear of suffering

Drawing the Tower in a reading shows that a shocking or unexpected event is coming. This card challenges you to stay true to your beliefs and values, regardless of what lies ahead.

Drawing a reversed Tower could indicate that you know you need to enter a period of change and transformation, but you’re being hesitant to do so. The Tower reversed is a reminder that change is needed in order for you grow stronger.

The Devil Tarot Card

*The Devil

Upright: addiction, materialism, playfulness

Reversed: freedom, release, restoring control

Drawing the Devil is always a sign that something needs to change. You might be struggling to overcome dark thoughts or negative energies and this card is a reminder that you can take back control.

The reversed Devil shows that you’ve reached a place of strength and control and are ready to move forward into a more balanced future. Now is the time to release yourself and let it go.

Temperance Tarot Card

*Temperance 

Upright: middle path, patience, finding meaning

Reversed: extremes, excess, lack of balance

Temperance symbolizes the long game. You have a plan, but there’s no need to rush—take it slow and stay balanced. The Temperance card is a calling to approach your life with patience and calm. 

Temperance reversed calls you to restore balance. This could also be telling you that now is your time for healing and introspection. Reversed Temperance urges you to find the source of your imbalance and realign your heart, mind, and spirit.

Death Tarot Card

*Death

Upright: end of cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis

Reversed: fear of change, holding on, stagnation, decay

Drawing the Death card doesn’t necessarily mean that death and misfortune are on their way. Instead, it symbolizes a period of transition or rebirth. This card could also be calling you to break unhealthy cycles that are harming your growth.

The reversed Death card shows that you’re on the precipice of change, but are resisting it. Or it could be saying that you need to release  unhealthy parts of your past in order to open yourself up to new experiences.

The Hanged Man Tarot Card

*The Hanged Man

Upright: sacrifice, release, martyrdom

Reversed: stalling, needless sacrifice, fear of sacrifice

The Hanged man tells you to pause and think before you do anything else. This card is a sign that you should try to find a new perspective before jumping into anything new. It could also be an indication that you need to take a break and gain perspective or clarity before continuing on your journey.

Drawing a reversed Hanged Man could mean you’re stalling before starting something new and that now’s the time for action. 

Justice Tarot Card

*Justice

Upright: cause and effect, clarity, truth

Reversed: dishonesty, unaccountability, unfairness

Drawing the Justice card is a calling to impartially weigh up all the influencing factors before making a choice. People experience the truth differently, and this card is telling you to have compassion when deciding which truth is “right”.

The reversed Justice card could be a sign that you’ve done something you’re not proud of, and that you need to step up and face the consequences of your actions. It could also be a sign that you’re judging yourself too harshly or that you need to treat yourself with the same compassion and understanding that you try to show others.

Wheel of Fortune Tarot Card

*The Wheel of Fortune 

Upright: change, cycles, inevitable fate

Reversed: no control, clinging to control, bad luck

Drawing the Wheel of Fortune may show that you need to accept that you’re not in control of everything. Instead of constantly seeking stability, you may need to learn to let go and accept that unexpected changes are always on the horizon. 

In reverse, the Wheel of Fortune may be telling you that a run of good luck is about to end or that harder times are coming. It could also signify that you’re breaking out of a bad cycle or situation, and to expect the unexpected.

The Hermit Tarot Card

* The Hermit

Upright: contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance

Reversed: loneliness, isolation, lost your way

Drawing the Hermit is a sign that it’s time to take a step away from your busy life and focus on yourself for a period of time. It could also be telling you to look deep within yourself for clarity or guidance as this will help you find the next step on your path.

If you draw a reversed Hermit, this could be a sign that you’ve isolated yourself too much or need to leave your inner world, lest you fall into a negative mindset. 

Strength Tarot Card

*Strength

Upright: inner strength, bravery, compassion, focus

Reversed: self doubt, weakness, insecurity

Drawing the Strength card is a sign that you’re looking for balance by learning to control some of your more negative attributes and raw emotions. It’s your call to stay in control during tough times, and a reminder to act from a place of compassion, courage, and love.

In reverse, Strength is a signal that you need to tame the unkind voices in your head and perhaps work on your confidence. It may indicate that you’re lacking inner strength or you’re being led by instinct or raw emotion instead of learning to control your feelings and use them more productively.

The Chariot Tarot Card

*The Chariot

Upright: direction, control, willpower

Reversed: lack of control, lack of direction, aggression

Drawing the chariot is a sign that now is your time. Don’t let anything (including your own passivity) stand in your way: take deliberate, focused action to make your ambitions into a reality.

The reversed chariot is a sign to check you’re heading in the right direction. You may need to reassess your motivation and goals before you get started.

The Lovers Tarot Card

*The Lovers

Upright: partnerships, duality, union

Reversed: loss of balance, one-sidedness, disharmony

While the Lovers often signify the sexual or passionate nature of relationships, this card isn’t only about romantic love. It also represents the vulnerability, openness, and honesty required to build a lasting connection whether that be with a friend, family member or partner. This card is calling to you to be honest with yourself. It could symbolize conflicting personalities or ideas. 

The reversed Lovers might signify that you’re out of sync with the people around you. It can also be seen as a call to align your actions with your values and find balance in yourself.

The Hierophant Tarot Card

*The Hierophant 

Upright: tradition, conformity, morality, ethics

Reversed: rebellion, subversiveness, new approaches

Drawing the Hierophant is a recommendation that it’s time for you to start studying again, either professionally or by exploring your religious heritage.

The reversed Hierophant might be a call to leave convention behind and start innovating and creating or to let your inner wisdom guide you confidently onto your new path. 

The Emperor Tarot Card

*The Emperor

Upright: authority, structure, control, fatherhood

Reversed: tyranny, rigidity, coldness

The Emperor tells predicts that you may be someone who naturally commands authority, thrives within a set structure or demonstrates the traits of a born leader. Drawing the Emperor could also be a signal that you need to step up and take control of a situation. 

A reversed Emperor being drawn could signify that you’re abusing the power you have or perhaps affecting those around you in a negative way. It could also be a sign that now is the time to step up and lead.

The Empress Tarot Card

*The Empress

Upright: motherhood, fertility, nature

Reversed: dependence, smothering, emptiness, nosiness

Drawing the Empress is a reminder that while pursuing spiritual growth is admirable, appreciating the beautiful world we live in is just as important. It’s a call to experience life with all five senses, explore your creativity, and enjoy the fruits of everything you’ve worked hard for. 

The reversed Empress might signify that you need to reconnect with nature and the energy that flows through the world. You could also be struggling with self expression or co-dependency. 

The High Priestess Tarot Card

*The High Priestess

Upright: intuitive, unconscious, inner voice

Reversed: lack of center, lost inner voice, repressed feelings

The High Priestess symbolizes an awareness of things that are beyond our standard cognition. This card is a sign that instead of silencing the voices in your mind or relying solely on intellect, you should start listening to what your subconscious is trying to tell you. 

If you draw this card in reverse it may be a sign that you’re pushing down your gut instinct about a situation or perhaps acting in a way that contradicts how you truly feel.

The Magician Tarot Card

*The Magician

Upright: willpower, desire, creation, manifestation

Reversed: trickery, illusions, out of touch

This card represents manifestation and inspired action. The Magician shows that you have all the resources and willpower you need to make your dreams come true. When you draw this card, it means that now is the time to put your plans into action and make your intentions a reality.

The reversed Magician symbolizes illusion. If you draw it, it might mean you’re struggling to take action to bring your dreams to life or that you’re unfocused and have let go of something you were working towards.

The Fool Tarot Card

*The Fool

Upright: innocence, new beginnings, free spirit

Reversed: recklessness, taken advantage of, inconsideration

This card wants you to embrace the open, free, carefree parts of yourself and see the world as a wonderful, beautiful, curious place. It’s an invitation to bring more fun and freedom into your life, especially as you undertake a new adventure.

In the event of drawing a reversed fool, it would be seen as a warning that you’re displaying some of his more negative traits. For example, you might be so busy living joyously in the moment that you’ve forgotten to plan ahead for the future. It can also be cautioning you to be aware of the people around you, as someone may be trying to take advantage.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TAROT CARD INTERPRETATIONS:

When it was first published nearly 40-years-ago, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom was an instant classic and inspired generations of tarot students. Often referred to as the “bible of tarot books” it has now helped to launch the “tarot renaissance” we’re seeing today. Drawing on mythology and esoteric traditions and delving deeply into the symbolism and ideas of each card, the book offers a modern psychological interpretation of the tarot archetypes rather than a system of esoteric symbolism.
Joan Bunning’s “Learning the Tarot—An Online Course” has helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide discover the personal value of the tarot. Drawing on the material offered in this popular online course and from her previous books, Joan has created a complete guide to tarot for beginners, which serves as a handy and in-depth resource for more experienced tarot card readers as well.

Sum up:

The Major Arcana cards are the most recognizable and impactful cards in a tarot deck.  Their story-line is a great description of the accomplishments, setbacks, and lessons we all learn as we go through the trials and tribulations of our lifetime, growing into whole, complete beings by the end of our  journey.

All 78 Cards of the Tarot and their Meanings. Tarot deck is the Golden Universal Tarot.
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Dragonflies: Folklore, Spiritual Meaning and More

Long before Humans walked on this planet and even before Dinosaurs existed there were winged hunters gliding across primordial ponds and through wind blown grassy fields looking for their prey. They come in a variety of shapes and colors from glowing blue to looking like red dragons to even having the appearance of a stained glass mosaic. For about 300 million years Dragonflies have been an apex predator of the insect world and it is not a surprise that during ancient human civilization to present time the Dragonfly has melded into folklore, mythology and deep spirituality.

I personally have always enjoyed watching them fly around and even hearing other’s stories regarding them and even more spiritual experiences regarding Dragonflies. So this inspired me to put together this blog post for my readers to enjoy.

The Dragonfly in Folklore: Good Luck Symbol and Weigher of Souls

by Icy Sedgwick

Seeing swarms of dragonflies mean rain is on the way.

In some cultures, dragonflies represent good luck or prosperity. So make a wish when you see a dragonfly and it’ll come true.

Fishermen used them as an indicator of good fishing grounds. Plenty of dragonflies meant there were plenty of fish around. If a dragonfly hovered near the fisherman, he took it as a good luck sign. In various spiritual pathways, the dragonfly acts as a messenger between the worlds. They teach those who see them to ‘go with the flow’. But seeing one in your dreams is a warning.

If a dragonfly lands on you, you’ll hear good news from someone you care about. Seeing a dead dragonfly means you’ll hear sad news. And catching a dragonfly meant you’d marry within a year.

In Japan, dragonflies bring good fortune. The dragonfly often appears in haiku poetry, representing strength and happiness. The red dragonfly is thought of as sacred. One name for Japan is ‘the Island of the Dragonfly’. That’s partly because its curved shape is believed to resemble a dragonfly at rest.

One of the reasons dragonflies are so beloved in Japan is due to a legend about the 21st emperor, Yuryaka Tenvo. While out hunting, an insect bit his arm. Some legends say it was a horsefly, others say it was a mosquito. Either way, a dragonfly appeared and ate the insect, rescuing the emperor from further harm. Continue reading HERE.

Image by FerenghiFoto [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr

Dragonfly

Dragonfly with wings of Blue, what makes me wonder just like you
You hover over a yellow flower, mesmerized by her power
I see myself attracted to, the colours of life, just like you
Something bright will pull me in, to take my light deep deep within
Oh dragonfly Oh dragonfly lets savour life, just you and I

© johnnydod 2010

Folklore & Nature: Dragonflies

by Keller Brenner

Devil’s Darning Needle, Snake Doctor, Devil’s Horse, Horse Stinger, Mosquito Hawk, Adderbolt, Ear Cutter, Water Witch, Hobgoblin Fly — dragonflies have had many names owing to the folklore and superstitions surrounding these colorful insects.

The ‘snake doctor’ name for dragonflies comes from Pennsylvania and the belief that they acted as guards of the serpents found there, warning them of any danger. Some believed that the dragonflies could even revive a dead snake, bringing it back to life. Killing the servants of the snake was inadvisable lest the serpent retaliate.

On the Isle of Wight, residents believed the dragonflies possessed a painful sting and legend had it that the dragonflies could tell if a child was good or bad. When good children went fishing, dragonflies would hover over the water’s edge where the fish were, but when bad children went near the water, the dragonflies would instead sting them.

Dragonflies possess no stingers, the appendages on their tails are only for mating and they have no venom. The shape of the dragonfly’s body has led to another of their names, ‘devil’s darning needle’.

In several areas of the United States the dragonfly was thought to sew shut the mouths, eyes or even ears of misbehaving children or profane men. Others believed that dragonflies would sew fingers or toes together if they were exposed while sleeping. In parts of Europe, including Sweden, dragonflies could tell if children were lying, and would stitch their their eyes or mouths closed as punishment. Today, the Aeshnidae family of dragonflies is still called darners in North America. Continue reading HERE.

Dragonflies and damselflies are often called birdwatchers’ insects. Large, brightly colored, active in the daytime, and displaying complex and interesting behaviors, they have existed since the days of the dinosaurs, and they continue to flourish. Their ancestors were the biggest insects ever, and they still impress us with their size, the largest bigger than a small hummingbird. There are more than 6,000 odonate species known at present, and you need only visit any wetland on a warm summer day to be enthralled by their stunning colors and fascinating behavior. In this lavishly illustrated natural history, leading dragonfly expert Dennis Paulson offers a comprehensive, accessible, and appealing introduction to the world’s dragonflies and damselflies.

In most cultures dragonflies have been objects of superstition. European folklore is no exception. Many old myths have been lost during the history, but fragments of these old myths are still living in old local names for dragonflies. Only in Germany dragonflies have had over 150 different names. Some of these are Teufelsnadel (“Devil’s needle”), Wasserhexe (“Water witch”), Hollenross (“Goddess’ horse”), Teufelspferd (“Devil’s horse”) and Schlangentöter (“Snake killer”). Also the name Snake Doctor has been used in Germany. In England the name Devil’s darning needle and Horse stinger have been used. In Denmark the dragonfly have got such different names as Fandens ridehest (“Devil’s riding horse”) and Guldsmed (“Goldsmith”). Different names of dragonflies referring to them as the devils tools have also occurred in many other European cultures, some examples are the Spanish Caballito del Diablo (“Devil’s horse”) and the French l’aiguille du diable (“Devil’s needle”).

The Swedish name for dragonfly is trollslända, which means “hobgoblin fly” in English. Long time ago people in Sweden believed that hobgoblins, elves, brownies and such creatures lived in our great woods. In that folklore the dragonflies was considered to be the hobgoblins twisting tools. During the history the dragonflies even have been connected with love and female, the names damselfly (England), Demoiselle (France) and Jungfer (Germany) are some examples of those nice associations. An old Swedish name for dragonfly is Blindsticka (“Blind stinger”), this name comes from the opinion that a dragonfly could pick out your eyes. Other people thought that the dragonfly could sew together your eyelids. The same name appears as well in Norway (“Öyenstikker”) as in Germany (“Augenstecher”).

In certain parts of Norway, the dragonfly is also known as “ørsnildra”. The exact meaning of this word is unknown to me but the part “ør”, does obviously refer to the Norwegian word for “ear”, as people (and especially children) often thought that the dragonfly would poke holes in their ear-drums if it got inside their ears!

An other old Swedish name is Skams besman (“Devil’s steelyard”), this name probably depends on the dragonfly’s body shape that, with some imagination looks like the weighting tool. In the folklore this was interpreted as that the Devil used the dragonfly to weight the people’s souls. When a dragonfly flew around your head, your soul was weighted and you should expect seriously injury as punishment. It is very interesting that, despite of those ideas that the dragonfly should be the Devil’s tool, the dragonfly have been a holy animal in Scandinavia. In the Æsir cult the dragonfly was thought to be the love goddess Freya’s symbol.

Some of the Latin names of dragonfly families have interesting meanings: The name Libellula might have been derived from the word libella (“booklet”) referring to the resting dragonfly, which wings, with some imagination, looks quite like the pages of an open book. The name Odonata was created by Fabricius in 1793 as name for the whole dragonfly order, means “toothed”. In some countries, e.g. Indonesia, many African and South American countries both the adult and larva dragonflies are caught to be eaten fried or in soup. In China and Japan the dragonflies has been treated as holy animals, and believed to have medical qualities. Even today the dragonfly Sympetrum frequens is used as fever reducing drug. SOURCE

They hover over ponds and pools and inhabit the banks of rivers and streams. With their dazzling metallic colours and unique ways of flying they are truly jewels of the air. This film presents dragonflies as they have never been seen before. Fascinating close up shots take us into the world of these insects, which have lived on earth since the age of the dinosaurs. Spectacular super slow motion shots and elaborate computer animation uncover, for the first time, how dragonflies capture their prey at lightning speed while flying and how they mate in the air. Underwater photography reveals the development of the predatory dragonfly larvae while time lapse sequences show the emergence of the fully grown insect. However these amazingly colourful flying acrobats are in danger. The dragonfly’s preferred habitat in and around water is rapidly diminishing, which, in Europe alone, has pushed around 80 species to the brink of extinction.

Further Resources

Dragonfly Meaning & Symbolism & the Dragonfly Spirit Animal

Worldwide Dragonfly Association

Dragonfly Symbolism & Meaning

Native American Dragonfly Mythology

Dragonfly Folklore and Mythology

Dragonfly Symbolism in Europe

Scary Myths About Dragonflies

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Plants of the Dead

Plants of the Dead by The Herb Witch

Be sure to check out more from The Herb Witch HERE.

When working with herbs, we have an innate knowledge that they provide us with a connection
to the sacred and assist us in transcending the mundane. Like our ancestors before us, we can
use herbs as a conduit to the “other”, to the world of the dead. I will be discussing the herbs that
I use in my practice and by no means is this a list that must be strictly adhered to as you are
most welcome to explore the herbs that truly resonate with your practice.

Wormwood

Wormwood

Wormwood to put it bluntly, smells bad! But as they say, it works! Wormwood can be burned to summon spirits and to assist in manifestation. I use wormwood when calling back to my distant ancestors as I require an herb that is super potent to aid in this. Wormwood can also be burned to Honor Hel and to ask for entrance into the realm of the dead. I like to believe that because of its strong odor and the staying power of its smoke, it is also effective in keeping away any negative energies or spirits who may want to tag along with the dead you are intent on connecting with.

Cedar

Cedar

Cedar is an amazingly clean and pure burn and it is used by myself and my family as an offering to the beloved dead. It signifies to me the everlasting and the connection to the afterlife. I often bundle cedar and burn it outside in an offering fire to the recently passed members of my family or immediate ancestors such as my grand parents and great grandparents. The smoke from cedar acts like wormwood as it always repels anything negative when engaging in the burning of offerings. Cedar has an pureness that I believe is appreciated by the beloved dead, and with this pureness , comes the pureness of our intent.

Mugwort

Mugwort

Mugwort to me, is an essential herb to burn when transcending this world and traveling into the realm of the spirits. When engaging in spirit journeys, I will burn mugwort for Odin/Woden to assist me in that journeying to the land of the beloved dead. As mugwort is also associated with astral traveling, it makes sense to use it to travel between the land of the living and the dead. It is in essence, a traveler’s herb, a seeker’s herb and hence in my mind certainly with a strong correspondence to Odin.

Dandelion Leaf

Dandelion leaf

Dandelion leaf is my go-to herb when working with the dead. According to my British Nana, Dandelion leaves could be steeped in hot water and drunk as a tea to connect with the dead. She said that drinking the tea would make you temporarily invisible and able to slip into the world of the dead. Unfortunately, as soon as you urinate, you will start to lose that invisibility! Aside from my Nana’s advice, dandelion is an effective herb for communicating with the dead. Burning the leaves can ease the practitioner into the other realms, into a meditative state that serves as a roadway or path to the other side. The smoke from the burning leaves is said to summon spirits. So, either through a tea or burning as an incense, dandelion leaf is yet another conduit to the world of the dead and as such can also be offered to Hel before seeking to travel to the other realm.

Marigolds

Marigolds

Marigolds are often used in funerary rites and memorial services. This tradition began centuries ago and continues to this day. I offer marigolds in incense and will burn on the anniversary of a loved one’s passing. I often use marigolds in any offering to Baldur as to me Baldur signifies death and the great grief that often accompanies one’s passing. Marigolds can be added to bundles of cedar as an offering to your beloved dead or to your ancestors.

Black Eyed Susans

Black Eyes Susans

Black Eyes Susans are said to be connected to those who have passed away and represent the beloved dead. It is believed that they act as a conduit to the dead and can be used for connecting and talking, communicating with those that have passed. My Nana told me that it was always good to have a vase of black eyed susans in the home as it would encourage your deceased loved ones to visit you in your dreams. These flowers can also be bundled with cedar for an lovely offering to the ancestors or as a memorial bundle to the beloved dead.

I will leave you with a few incense ideas, using the plants of the dead I have discussed.

Ancestor Offering/ Beloved Dead Incense
A sprinkle of marigold petals, black eyed susans (the heads of the flower), forget me nots and
cut cedar.

Speak to the Dead Incense
Equal parts mugwort, wormwood, dandelion leaf

As we enter Winterfylleth and the dark months, this is an opportune time to connect with your house spirits, your ancestors or to engage in spirit work. Many Blessings to your home and hearth!

Further Resources

Incorporate herbs into spells, rituals, and divination with this all-inclusive guide to the benefits of using herbal magic in witchcraft.

From creating potions to using dried herbs in rituals, herbal magic is a natural way to practice witchcraft. Herbs can be used in many different ways to help set the intention through every part of a witch’s process.

In The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs, learn everything you need to use the most powerful herbs and use them as an essential part of your practice. Including information on which herbs are best for what kinds of spells, how to use herbs in divination and rituals, and step-by-step guides to making herbal bundles, potions, and sprays, this guidebook has all the important facts to make your herbal witchcraft a success.

Jam-packed with herbal ideas, this guide is perfect for both beginners and experienced witches looking to incorporate more herbs into their practice. Beautiful and functional, it is easy to navigate and offers a detailed guide to herbal magic!

A highly recommended Youtube channel is that of Freyia Norling who is extremely knowledgeable regarding the use of herbs and more with Norse Folk Medicine.

Freyia’s Herbs is a series hosted by Freyia Norling, a volva living in the wilderness of Arctic Norway who has a University Degree in Norse Folklore and Mythology. The series is about herbs, plants, trees in connection with the Norse Gods, and their use in Trolldom Norse Sorcery.

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The Nine Herbs Charm

The Nine Herbs Charm poem is quite a fascinating piece that conjures words into Galdur (spoken magic spells) a mention of Oden or Woden and is still to this day in my opinion an important piece regarding herbal remedies utilized by practitioners of Galdur and Seiðr. So today’s blog post I want to share with you all the details, background and everything important to know regarding this charm.

“These nine have power against nine poisons. A worm came crawling, it killed nothing. For Woden took nine glory-twigs, he smote the adder that it flew apart into nine parts.”

— Excerpt from The Nine Herbs Charm

This tenth or eleventh century work is a collection of remedies, prayers, blessings and charms for humans and livestock (Pettit, 2001). Its 63 somewhat curious lines of verse and seven of prose have fascinated scholars of history, religion, literature and linguistics, as well as herbalists delving into the treasures of the past for knowledge and wisdom which might inform their current practice. The charm itself is difficult to translate and interpret (Banham, 2009), not helped by the corrupt nature of the manuscript text, where some words appear to be missing and certain lines may have been transposed (Cameron, 1993). It is complex and mystifying, perhaps deliberately tantalising, so that only the cunning may unpick it; the Anglo-Saxons after all delighted in riddles (Porter, 1995). SOURCE

NIGON WYRTA GALDOR

POPULARLY KNOWN AS THE NINE HERBS CHARM

The Nigon Wyrta Galdor (NWG) or, popularly, the Nine Herbs Charm, is an Old English healing spell—a galdor—intended to remedy a wound of some kind. The charm is recorded in a single manuscript, Harley MS 585 (ff 160r—163r), commonly known today as the Lacnunga (Old English ‘remedies’), which the British Museum dates to the 9th or early 10th century. The topics, themes, and entities the charm touches upon, such as animism, emphasis on the numbers nine and other multipliers of three, and the invocation of the Germanic deity Odin (Old English Wōden) stem from the pre-Christianization beliefs of the Old English.

Remember, Mugwort,
what you brought to pass,
what you readied,
at Regenmeld.

You’re called Una, that most ancient plant.
You defeat three, you defeat thirty,
you defeat venom, you defeat air-illness;
you defeat the horror who stalks the land.

And you, Waybread, plant-mother!
You’re open to the east, yet mighty within:
Carts creaked over you, women rode over you,
over you brides bellowed, over you bulls snorted!

You withstood it all—and you pushed back:
You withstood venom, you withstood air-illness,
you withstood the horror who travels over land.

Now, this plant is called Stune, she who grows on stone:
She defeats venom, she grinds away pain.

She’s called Stithe, she who withstands venom;
she chases away malice, casts out pain.

This is the plant that fought against the wyrm.
She is mighty against venom, she is mighty against air-illness;
she is mighty against the horror who travels over land.

You, Venom-loathe, go now!
The less from the great,
the great from the less,
until for both he receives a remedy.

Remember, Chamomile,
what you brought to pass,
what you accomplished,
at Alorford,
that no one should lose their life to disease,
since for him Chamomile was prepared.

Finally, this plant is known as Wergulu,
who a seal sent over sea-ridges,
to aid against venom.

These nine plants defeat nine venoms!

A wyrm came slithering, and yet he killed no one,
for wise Wōden took nine glory-twigs
and smote the serpent,
who flew into nine parts!
There, apple overcame venom:
There, the wyrm would never find shelter.

Fille and Fennel, a most mighty pair!
The wise lord shaped these plants,
while he, holy, hung in the heavens,
he sent them from the seven worlds, seven ages of man,
for wretched and wealthy alike.

She stands against pain, she stands against venom,
she is potent against three and against thirty,
against a foe’s hand, against great guile,
against malice and bewitchment
from animal and spirit.

Now! May the nine plants do battle against nine glory-fleers,
against nine venoms and against nine air-diseases,
against the red venom, against the running venom,
against the white venom, against the blue venom,
against the yellow venom, against the green venom,
against the black venom, against the bluevenom,
against the brown venom, against the purple venom,
against wyrm-blister, against water-blister,
against thorn-blister, against thistle-blister,
against ice-blister, against venom-blister.

If any venom comes flying from the east,
or any comes from the north,
or any from the west over folk!

Christ stood over illness of every kind.
Yet I alone know water running
where the nine serpents guard.

Now, may all plants arise,
seas ebb, all salt water,
when I blow this venom from you.

Ingredients: Mugwort, Waybread open to the east, Lamb’s Cress, Venom-Loathe, Chamomile, Nettle, Sour-Apple-of-the-Wood, Fille, and Fennel. Old soap.

Prepare and apply the salve: Work these plants to dust, and mix them with apple mush. Make a paste of water and ashes. Take Fennel and mix the plant into the boiling paste. Bathe the wound with an egg mixture both before the patient applies the salve and after.

Sing the above galdor over each of the nine plants. Sing the galdor three times before the patient self-applies the salve, and sing the galdor three times on the apple. Sing the galdor into the patient’s mouth, sing the galdor into each of the patient’s ears, and—before the patient applies the salve—sing the galdor into the patient’s wound.

What are the Nine Herbs?

The Nine Herbs Source: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/05/15/the-nine-herbs-charm/

A vast rabbit hole about medicinal healing, magickal properties, and numerology related to this charm and all its translations and interpretations exists, but we’ll get right to the point. Here are the nine herbs, their Old English names, their Latin binomial names, a few interesting points involving their history in herbalism, and lastly, the symbolism behind their corresponding number in the charm.

  1. Mugwort (mucgwyrt, Artemisia vulgaris): Mugwort is one of the oldest and most powerful herbs (one of our faves!). A potent herb for intuition, visions, and dreams, it is also antibacterial, a digestive bitter, and a relaxant. You will see it all over the side of the road in summertime. One is the number of unity and a symbol of the sun: a perfect starting point for this midsummer custom. 
  2. Plantain (wegbrade, Plantago major): Plantain was called “waybread” in ancient herbal texts for its propensity to grow where the earth was most densely packed: trails and roadways. It’s excellent for bites and stings and known for its superb drawing power. Two is the number of balance and duality and represents the waxing and waning of the moon.
  3. Lamb’s Cress (lombes cærse, Cardamine hirsuta): Also known as Shepherd’s Purse, or stune in Old English, and related to the verb stunan (‘to combat’), it is another strong antibacterial herb and also a diuretic. Three, as noted above, is poignant in pagan beliefs. It is sacred to the goddess and represents her three phases: maiden, mother, and crone. And you’ve likely heard the phrase “third time’s a charm”… Well, now you know where it came from!
  4. Nettle (stiðe, Urtica dioica): As referenced in our spring column, Nettle is one of our favorite herbs. It is abundant in our region and great for relieving pain and inflammation. Its energetics are cool and dry, which makes it a great restorative spring tonic, but its fiery sting is surely reminiscent of the summertime. Four is a very meaningful number in many mythologies and represents the seasons, the elements, the cardinal directions, the moon phases, and the tarot suits.
  5. Betony (attorlothe, Stachys officinalis): The Romans listed 47 different medicinal uses for Betony and believed that even wild beasts used it as medicine and would seek it out when wounded. In pagan beliefs, five is most prominently represented by the pentacle, a talisman that is directly used in magickal evocations and symbolizes interconnected life and eternity. It is also the number of humankind (five senses, five digits, five appendages, etc.).
  6. Chamomile (mægðe, Anthemis nobilis): Externally, Chamomile can help heal wounds, and internally, when made into a tea, is wonderfully calming. It’s often taken to soothe upset stomachs and menstrual cramps, and helps with insomnia. Its flowers also resemble the sun! Six is three times two, thus having similar attributes to the number three, but intensified.
  7. Crab Apple (wergulu, Pyrus malus): It is believed all apples evolved from the Crab Apple, the original wild apple. With ties to Christian beliefs involving the serpent in the garden of Eden, the Charm also mentions it just before the slaying of the adder. Seven is considered a spiritual number and corresponds to the psychic centers, called chakras. Also, more commonly, the seven days of the week (as well as the length of one moon phase). 

The eighth and ninth herbs of the charm, Thyme (fille, Thymus vulgaris) and Fennel (finule, Foeniculum vulgare) are mentioned together. Both are considered digestive herbs, and magickally, both are associated with protection, strength, courage, and the will to live. In some translations, Thyme is replaced with Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)but in either case, they both have a direct correlation to the god Woden and his power. Appropriately, eight is a number of power. It represents the sun and the eight sabbats (seasonal pagan holidays), and of course, the number nine completes the cycle. SOURCE

The god Wōden (the Old English form of the name Odin) makes a rare appearance in a small healing charm recorded in the 900s.

Further Resources

The Metrical Charms

The Nine Herbs Charm
In Modern English

WODEN’S NINE HERBS CHARM from Lacnunga LXXIX-LXXXII

The Nine Herbs Charm

The Nine Herbs JSTOR