thecunningwif

Community, Culture, and Identity in Western Polytheism

I believe in using the gifts of our ancestors – our familial, cultural, and local ancestors – to honor them, our Gods, and other spirits. These gifts are our cultural heritage that ought to be treasured and preserved, even as we make necessary changes in the present to create better futures.

Walpurgisnacht 2022

The last frost date marks the final battle between the frost spirits and the goose women. The latter fly through the air on their wild hunt, chasing the frost spirits underground.

Rosmerta of Roanoke: Our Lady of the Valley

Roanoke is a liminal place, a place of travel, crossroads, and temporary rest and sustenance along a much greater journey. The Mother of Roanoke seems to me a liminal Goddess of journeys and crossroads as well as hospitality.

Homes Within the Earth: Death, the Afterlife, and the Soul

Gravesites deserve to be cared for, frequented, and enjoyed. They should be places that inspire warmth, love, and feelings of interconnection, while also allowing for the very natural feelings of grief that come with all transitions.

Bad Ancestors: Folklore, Ritual, and Responsibility

Our ancestors — regardless of their characters and actions — can teach us and help us make the world better than it has been.

The Light in the Underworld: “The Moon” by the Brothers Grimm

Perhaps the spirit of the moon still passes between the worlds, waking the dead from their dark sleep for brief periods. Perhaps we can more easily speak to the dead on new moon nights, when they rise under its pale silver light.