Devotional went pretty well today, for the most part. I lit my charcoal and waited for it to heat up. Once that was good and hot, I lit my Three Kindred candles, sat down in front of my altar, and began.
I honor my Ancestors. I named my recent Ancestors as I placed rosemary on the lit charcoal as an offering. The scent surrounded me as I shuffled my Wychwood Oracle deck. Ancestors, what do you want me to know today? I shuffled three times and drew XV – The Wolf. I looked up the meaning and smiled, since it shows the Ancestors have my back and my relationship with them is improving. I placed it on the floor in front of me.
I honor the Nature Spirits–those of bud and leaf, fin and feather, fur and scale. I honor all of you. I placed the offering of lavender onto the lit charcoal and inhaled the scent as I shuffled the Wychwood Oracle three more times. Nature Spirits, what do you want me to know today? I drew XXII – The Coins upright and smiled. I placed the Coins next to the Wolf in front of me.
I honor the Vanir–Freyr and Freyja, Nerthus and Njord, Skadhi and Gerd, Odr and Kvasir, Hnoss, Gersemi, and Gullveig. And I honor any I may have forgotten. I placed the offering of oats onto the charcoal and let the smoke waft around me as I shuffled the deck three times again. Vanir all, what do you want me to know today? I drew XXI – The Horseshoe upright. I smiled again, for the Three Kindreds have given me such a positive Omen.
The only one left to honor that remained was Lady Freyja. I lit her candle, picked up her prayer card in my left hand, and raised my right hand towards the sky. I was up on my knees, facing my portrait of Freyja I have on the wall above my altar. I spoke with a strong yet loving voice:
Hail to the Lady of amber. Hail to the Lady of steel. Hail to the Lady of passion, Bringer of luck, Bestower of wealth. You are the envy of all the Gods, the treasure of the nine sacred worlds. Freya, mighty and magnificent, I praise Your name with my Passions. Ignite within me an awareness of my own creative fire. Ignite within me hunger, to burn through the pale shadow of my life and find integrity: in all I do, in all I dream, in all I am. Bless me, Freya, Lady of the Vanir, and I shall hail You always. (Prayer by Galina Krasskova, modified to be in the singular.)
I squeezed some honey on to the lit charcoal as an offering. I put the lid on the incense burner and allowed the scent of the honey to suffuse the air. What do you, Lady Freyja, want me to know today? I shuffled the Wychwood Oracle deck a final three times and drew XXIV – The Wand, reversed. I frowned as I looked at the meaning. Admittedly I was a bit distracted while shuffling the cards. I put the reversed Wand under the other three cards. I looked at Freyja’s portrait and smiled. Thank you, Lady Freyja, for your insight. I will figure out what this means.
I looked back to the lit candles on my altar. For your blessings today and every day, I thank you. May I continue to honor you today and every day. I blew out the candles and left the charcoal to burn out on its own.
The Wolf in the upright position comes from the Ancestors. The Wolf is a sign of loyalty, bonding, and conformity. Bonding was the meaning that stuck out to me the most. I am bonding with my Ancestors. The Nature Spirits give me the Coins upright. The Coins represent good fortune, fiscal gain, and security. Perhaps this means I am secure in my relationship with them. This could also mean that the meeting I have today with a lawyer to discuss disability will ultimately result in fiscal gain. The Vanir give me the Horseshoe, in the upright position. The Horseshoe is a card of good luck, peace, and contentment. All of these are good omens.
Lady Freyja, however, gave me the Wand reversed. This card means disconnection, lack of intention, and distraction. I was a bit distracted while drawing her card, but I felt like this had some sort of deeper meaning. I noted that the last three cards (including this one) I have drawn for her were all reversed. The Hand was the first. I felt that this card represents her reaching out to me, and now I see that perhaps Lady Freyja is giving me tools to help me. These last few days have been part of an ongoing conversation with her. The Crown from yesterday was also pointed towards me–another tool she is giving me, perhaps in preparation for something. The Crown (upright) means recognition, authority, and pride. Lady Freyja is giving me the pride and authority to stand up for myself as the first tool. The second tool she is giving me is a Wand, often a symbol of magic. She is giving me the power to change my reality.
I really hope that over the next few days I’ll find out what these tools are for–if they are even for a specific task. This conversation has been very insightful so far, and I look forward to future communication.
The Druid's Cosmos 