Walter Was So Fucking Autistic With The “well This Plane Crash Isn’t Even That Bad When Compared

reblog if your name isn't Amanda.

2,121,566 people are not Amanda and counting!

We’ll find you Amanda.

So I had written this post, promising something similar on Nordic types of magic. I’ll say this to begin with: even though it is my branch, it’s not something I’ve approached academically very often, so purists might catch me saying something not entirely correct, but whatevs.

The standard disclaimer still applies–this is my impression of these terms based on what I’ve read and seen, and aren’t meant to be concrete definitions.

SEIÐR (Proto-Indo-European *h₂seut-, “to move about, roil, seethe” +  Proto-Germanic *seuþaną, “to seethe, boil”) is considered a Vanir magic, having been taught to the Æsir by the goddess Freyja. It is worked the majority of the time after utiseta, and involves communication with wights or other spirits. Seiðr is usually worked in an altered state of consciousness (ASC) and primarily utilized for divination, illusory magic, astral travel, or channelling. Practitioners may be called seið-worker, seiðkona (seiðwoman) or seiðmaðr (seiðman).

UTISETA (Old Norse, “sitting out”) is a preparatory practice for seið-workers. Traditionally, the practitioner goes out into a place of the dead and seats themselves upon a burial mound, with the object of task being to come into communion with the spirit that will be worked with during the practice of seiðr.

SPÁ (unknown origin, possibly Proto-Indo-European *spey-, “stick, staff”) is the power of prophesy or foresight, by ‘the determination of ørlög’. Ørlög is ‘the law of fate’ as determined by the Norns. Practitioners may be called spá-worker, spákona, or spámaðr. The term ‘spáwife’ is also commonly used. One who is highly skilled with spá or born with the innate ability may be called a völva, which is a traditionally feminine title, since such magics were seen as being in female domain.

VARÐLÖKKUR (Old Norse “warding songs”) are songs to be sung in preparation for seiðr or spá which are intended to help bring one into ASC. Unlike galdr, varðlökkur can be very melodic, and are today widely inspired by joik and kulning, two traditional singing styles amongst certain Nordic peoples.

GALDR (Proto-Indo-European *ghAl-, “to shout, to sing” + Proto-Germanic *galdrą, “incantation”) is viewed as a more Æsir brand of magic due to its seeming rigidity, but is similar to varðlökkur in the intent to induce ASC. Galdr is often called “runic chanting” and refers to the repetition of the sounds of the runes, i.e., if one meditates upon the rune fehu, then one may continuously gald the sound fe. Practitioners may be called galdra-worker, galdrakona, or galdramaðr.

ı always prefer pink guns 💋🤭

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida - Clotilde in the beach (detail)

Unfriendly reminder that while you're busy mourning the loss of your childs old gender, claiming you need to mourn the death of your son/daughter, there's a group of boys/girls/enbies scrambling to take your kid clothes shopping, snatching up the chance to take those "first" experiences from you forever. Your sons first fishing trip is gonna be with his best bros, your daughters first makeover is going to be with her girl friends, your kids first camping trip out as themselves is gonna be with the besties. Good luck getting those bonding experiences back. While you're busy trying to guilt-trip your kid with your weird manufactured parental trauma, there's a whole community ready to take your place as the better family.

Your loss, someone elses gain.

A 10,000 person protest could flip and torch a few cop cars, but 100 people acting independently could cut the valve stems on 100 different cop cars and render them unusable and unrepairable

A 10,000 person protest could smash some windows of businesses and offices, but 100 people could superglue 100 buildings’ locks shut overnight

A 10,000 person protest could loot a few stores, but 100 people skillfully and persistently shoplifting could liberate just as much over time

1,000 people could blockade the construction of an oil pipeline, but it only takes 1 to turn the emergency shutoff valve on an existing one

100 people could camp in treehouses and prevent a clearcutting, but it only takes 1 to spike a few trees to drastically slow them down or even destroy their equipment

I’m not saying that mass actions aren’t important - no doubt, they accomplish things that couldn’t be done otherwise - but be aware of what can get done independently when those protests aren’t coming together. Get creative, stay active, direct action gets the good

My favorite part about being sapphic is when the things I love about other women become things I love about myself. One day I was tracing another woman’s stretch marks in a dim bedroom light. And then, seemingly by accident, I was doing it to myself in my bathroom mirror. I loved the feeling of a full hand of flesh when I grabbed a woman’s hips, and then mine didn’t need to be so skinny anymore. I looked at a woman’s lower stomach pudge and thought it was so soft and cute, then never wanted a flat stomach again. Loving women can be so healing when you come from a world that doesn’t.

Scottish deities series

Part Two: Brighde

‘Là Fhèill Brìghde boidheach, Cunntar spreidh air mointeach. Cuirear fitheach chon na nide, ’S cuirear rithis rocais.’

‘On the Feast Day of beautiful Bride, The flocks are counted on the moor. The raven goes to prepare the nest, And again goes the rook.’ Carmina Gadelica p.173

Hello everyone! I have recently been doing a lot of research on Brighde, or Brigid, as I hope to start working with her in the near future. So I thought I would share some of the things that I’ve learned. This isn’t really in any particular theme or order, apologies, it’s fairly random! (I also haven’t talked about even most of the things that I could talk about so perhaps I will make a part 2 sometime)

Brigid or Brighde is a Celtic goddess, of Irish origin. She is spoken of in many early historic texts within Ireland as a member of the Tuatha dé Danann. She was known as a goddess of fire, the forge, poetry, healing, farming and livestock. In Scotland, Brighde is the mirror deity to an Cailleach, controlling the summer months and the arrival of spring. She is closely associated with Imbolc, it’s Gaelic name being La Fheill Brighde. With the advent of Christianity, Brighde got her name sake in St Brigid of Kildare, who is associated with healing and water.

There are many variations on the name, Brigid being the most common, Brighde is the name most commonly used in Scotland. And there are ither variations including Brigit, Bride, Bhride and Brede, Brig and Bric.

Brighde in Scotland

In Scotland, Brighde is most commonly seen as a weather deity, controlling the arrival of spring and having domain over the summer months. In this way, she is a mirror to An Cailleach, who controls the winter months. There are various stories as to how the two interacted, and what caused the change in seasons. One story tells that An Cailleach had a son called Angus, who fell in love with Brighde. The Caileach kidnapped Brighde, locking her away underground and causing the freezing winter. When Angus rescues Brighde on Imbolc, spring and life return to the land. Another story tells that when An Cailleach grows very old, she drinks from a loch which provides youth and she transforms into Brighde. Others see Brighde simply as the mirror Goddess to an Caileach, being youthful, warm and gentle, where an Caileach is hag-like, freezing and wild. 

Brigids mantle, or a brat Brighde

A piece of folklore associated with Brighde, is that a small piece of cloth would be left out on the eve of Imbolc in order to be blessed by Brighde. This would imbue the cloth with healing and protective properties throughout the year, and it is said that if the same cloth is used, it will grow stronger with each year that it is left out. Traditionally, this cloth would be of white cotton of silk - and was used to protect women in childbirth and new born babies from the Fair Folk.

Brighde’s crosses, or Brigid’s crosses

The Christian story for the origins of Brighde’s crosses is that St Brigid was trying to show a follower a cross and had only reeds to make one with. Although the origins of the crosses could be much older than this, as the shape has parallels with pre Christian symbolism. A new Brigid’s cross would be made at each Imbolc and kept, so that people amass a collection of crosses. They are said to be protective talismans, in addition to bringing fertility and luck.

Brigid of the flame:

In the medieval era at Kildare, in Ireland, nuns tended a perpetual flame for St Brigid until the 16th century. This practise was recently restarted. This is widely believed to be a continuation of a pre-Christian practice of women tending a flame in honour of the Celtic deity.

The following are taken from research as well as my own personal gnoses

Symbols associated with Brighde:

Cows Pigs Sheep and lambs Milk and dairy products The oystercatcher (being called Gillebride in Scots Gaelic) Dandelion (in Scots Gaelic beàrnan Brighde) Snowdrops Crocuses White, violet, pastel yellow and green Water Snakes (in Scotland) Eggs Reeds Wheat and bread Beer

Brighde’s domains:

Spring and summer Healing wells Fire Smithing and craft Poetry Farming and livestock Whistling Grief The home and hearth Childbirth Medicine Brewing

Sources: Daimler, M. 2016. Brigid: meeting the Celtic goddess of poetry, forge and healing well. Brigid: goddess and saint. Carmina Gadelica. image: A la Recherche du Temps Perdu by Charles-Amable Lenoir. 

See also: my post on Imbolc, my post on An Cailleach

this fucking picture i accidentally took