Ancestry We pull those stories up into the light, like lost seeds, that are yearning to be reborn.
In recent times my path has even more meaning as I am so blessed to have discovered my Ancestry and heritage through a family DNA discovery. Yet to say its a mix of Irish and Nordic.. it answers a deep knowing that I felt for such a long time and makes sense of the path I have followed unknowingly. part 1 will give you a anchor to what I am sharing..
We are 48% Irish 48% Nordic and small mix of French... I found out as I gazed out the window onto The Full Moon.. My brother had recently researched our DNA and had a ancestry test.. That had been gifted to him...
"Their are friendships in this life that run a thread through time, yet way beyond and before this life and incarnation.. I am blessed that many of my friendships, if not all, have this elk about them... Forged on Honour, Love Care and Trust!! Woven so deeply coming from a time where a hand shake or a look, a kiss on the forehead, spoke a thousand words, and carries a thousand more memories.. Kin, Clan and Tribe..
As I sit beside the fire, I remember, The Smoke Swirls and the Embers Dance, I remember what it was to shape a place, The Land and Its Stories.. The mountains, valleys, lochs, lakes, forests and coastline of the place, she accepts all comers but quietly transforms them, shapes them in her own image.
It is time for us to remember, for their is important work to be done.. For soon we will move from harm to healing.." extracts from my journal February 2021
Writing the above words makes so much sense to what follows next.. And Part 1 of this story and journey...
The following was shared with me and truly brings a sense of belonging and roots to a path that I am honoured to walk, that has threads that run around 1000 years ago...
Its threads are of Heathen origin.. now lets illuminate that path a little more..
The original Heathens were the pre-Christian North European peoples who lived a thousand and more years ago in the lands around what is now called the North Sea. These included the peoples of Anglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, Sweden Germany and Frisia (Modern day Belgium and the Netherlands).
The Northern Tradition, and In Iceland, which did not convert to Christianity until the 11th Century, Heathenry has once again become an official (nationally recognised) religion and path.
Heathens work to build healthy relationships with Gods and Goddesses, ancestors, spirits of the land, and others in their communities, both through holy rites and through their day to day actions.
There are literary sources that tell us how Heathenry was practised before the advent of Christianity. The main such sources include medieval Icelandic Eddas and Sagas, Anglo- Saxon poetry, the works of the 8th century English monk Saint Bede, and the Germania by the Roman historian Tacitus.
Although most of these were written in Christian times, they record the religious beliefs and practices of a culture that existed before Christianity came to Northern Europe.
Gods and Other Beings.
Heathenry, like all ancient European pagan religions, is polytheistic and recognises a large number of Gods and other spiritual entities. Although the Heathen Gods are best known from Norse mythology (and often called by Anglicised versions of their Old Norse names) they were honoured by many peoples outside of Scandinavia. For example, the God known to early Germanic tribes as Wodhanaz became Odhinn in Old Norse, Woden in Anglo-Saxon and Old Saxon, and Wuotan in Old High German.