Monday, February 24, 2014

The Triskele

The Triskele has been part of many cultures through the ages. It was quite prevalent in Celtic and Nordic cultures and can be found engraved upon stone and bone all over England and Scandinavia. Through the years, I have utilized it in magickal workings and even altar designations and in this article, I will detail some of the meanings of the this age old symbol of three -

The Symbolism of the Triskele.


The upper arm indicates the Land. This is that which you stand upon. That which makes up your bones, flesh, etc. This is the solidity of the mother of all. She that gives life unto the world.


The arm to the right indicates the Sea. This is the life giving fluid. The blood of the mother. The water that sustains life. The blood that flows through your veins is of the sea. The water that makes up your body is of the Sea.


The lower left arm indicates the Sky. The air that gives sustenance to all. That which we breath. The breath of the mother.


The Center of the Triskele is the cauldron of unknowing. The fire that fuels all. This is the gift of the All Father. His spark resides within everything and gives it shape and life. Without the Great Mother and All Father, there would be nothing.

Ones altar can be lain in the form of a Triskele. Stone for the upper arm, a cauldron of sea water for the lower right, and a brazier with incense to the left. In the center should be a fire source, or a cauldron to receive offerings.

I, at times, cast Runes upon the triskele and utilize the arm designations to determine where the influences are as the Runes fall in each section. This is a quick way to see what is happening in ones life and what one can expect in the future. This is by no means a traditional method, but I have found it very effective.

Well, that is it for now.

Until next time.........

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Worlds - The Cosmology of the Pagan

I thought I would attempt to put together a very quick and to the point essay on the worlds in the pagan cosmology as my tradition understands them. This, hopefully, will help define our way of thinking about life, death, and what else is to come.

The Middle Garth. That is where we live right now. This reality where we work, play, love, hate, live, and die. The term Middle Garth is the Anglo-Saxon term and has been used by us for a very long time. I suspect it is a hold over of Anglo-Saxon invasion, but no certain documentation details why we call it that.

The Land of the Dead - or Hell - This is where all shades end up after the body dies. It is a place of repose, if you will, and not a place of torment. Originally, the term Hell, was actually the name of a Norse goddess called Hel. She ruled the underworld and kept the dead in her halls. The Christians usurped the name and made it a place where the bad folk went, which included pagans.

Upper Garth - This is the land of the gods. The places where one can go if one is taken by a god to be at their side. This is also a place of the fey. Or the land of Faerie. Entry to this land could be gained by death, or at certain times of the year through a howe or grave mound. Some unfortunates inadvertently followed parades of merry peoples into caves and were never heard from again, or if they did come back out it was many years later.

In many other pagan cosmologies have many other world. The Norse have nine worlds each containing spirits or gods, and some even giants or Jotuns. The above is a basic outline of my tradition and how we see things.

I hope this brief introduction helps make some sense of one pagans way and will give you a guide to more investigation.

Until next time.....

Monday, February 10, 2014

Magick Day to Day

I was reading at a party not long ago and many asked me if I actually believed the things that I do.. It never occurred to me that there may be any question of validity or belief in my practices. So, I decided in this post to address the question of what we do at Arcanus and what we do in our every day lives.
Lets take a look at divination. I utilize methods every day to help guide me on the path that I have chosen. I also use it to get advice on issues that may confound me at some level. I use anything from the Tarot, to Runes, to the bones to get the answers to my questions. This helps level the playing field for me daily. Divination is not just for a once a month touch stone. It is a tool that begs usage in our day to day lives.
Now to Magick. This is always a part of my life. I may cast spells for prosperity, health, good weather, and even love. It all depends on my need and if I feel the universe could use a little more ordering or a bit of a push. In my traditions, we consider magick as another tool in the spiritual toolbox and we have no issue utilizing it to help us.
I like working up a Rune spell to bring me luck throughout the day. Also a little push for love doesn't hurt.
The important thing is that all the things that we do and present at Arcanus is a huge part of our every day living. We use it personally as well as helping others. I encourage you, if you are just starting out, to try to incorporate your practices into every aspect of your life. Hell, even use a bit of sorcery to get a better parking spot. It is a tool after all.. Why not use it...?

Until next time........