This week just gone marked Diwali (Deepavali) - the rather aptly translated 'Festival of Lights'. Which, as seemingly every once-over-lightly-for-a-Western-audience writeup seeks to swiftly remind us, exalts the 'Victory of Light over Darkness". It's a simple enough concept - and has near-infinite potential saliency (c.f., for instance the Solar Eclipse occurring in Svati immediately the … Continue reading On Indo-European Solar Warfare – An Over-View
Terry Pratchett
On Prayer – An Indo-European Commentary Upon Purported Germanic ‘God-Bothering’ With Same
Recently, our attention was drawn to a post from a "Reconstructionist Germanic Heathenry" page which made some claims about prayer that we feel deserve a bit of a closer look. The post itself had been taking aim at "Christian Baggage" in Germanic revivalist adherents - and had singled out … well, we'll quote for you: … Continue reading On Prayer – An Indo-European Commentary Upon Purported Germanic ‘God-Bothering’ With Same
For Guru Purnima – And The True Making Of Heroes
Tonight marks one of the most pervasively resonant of the Hindu religious observances - that of Guru Purnima. It is an occasion wherein we honour, as the name should imply, our Gurus and other Teachers. Those who have so enriched our world through the bestowal of that most precious of gifts - their illumination of … Continue reading For Guru Purnima – And The True Making Of Heroes
On The Nature Of Stories (viz. Myth and Mythic Resonance) – From Terry Pratchett
"Because stories are important.People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around. Stories exist independently of their players. If you know that, the knowledge is power. Stories, great flapping ribbons of shaped space-time, have been blowing and uncoiling around the universe since the beginning of time. And they have … Continue reading On The Nature Of Stories (viz. Myth and Mythic Resonance) – From Terry Pratchett
On Sin
Recently, we were asked to weigh in on this perennially popular style of claim that there's no such thing as 'Sin' in Indo-European religion, or European (IE) religion pre-Christianity. We shall quote our (brief) reply, with some minor additions: "Ultimately, the way to argue it is quite simple. The existence of Cosmic Order as a-priori … Continue reading On Sin
Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
The Sixth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Katyayani - in many ways, perhaps the most iconic understanding for Devi amidst the modern Hindusphere. When we think of Durga - this tends to be Whom we are praising. For She is MahishasuraMardini - The Destroyer of the Buffalo-Demon - Herself ! However, as … Continue reading Katyayani for Chaitra Navratri – MahishasuraMardini (The Destroyer of the Demon) Herself
Kushmanda for Chaitra Navratri – The Power of the Sun
The Fourth Night of #NavRatri is dedicated to Ma as Kushmanda - which I have figuratively chosen to render as 'the Power of the Sun'. In essence, the reason that the Sun is ... well ... the Sun - rather than some abstract 'ball of flaming gas', or even simply an inanimate, lifeless object, is … Continue reading Kushmanda for Chaitra Navratri – The Power of the Sun
Indo-European Worship Of The God As Guest – A Ritual Primer Overview
'Dost thou know how to ask, dost thou know how to offer,dost thou know how to send, dost thou know how to spend?"- Havamal, verse 143 Something we have often been asked for is a simple 'how-to' for regular devotional offerings / observances. There are certainly a few of these out there for various Indo-European … Continue reading Indo-European Worship Of The God As Guest – A Ritual Primer Overview
Midhvan for Monday – Lord Rudra’s Day
It is Monday - Lord Shiva's Day. And therefore - fine Roudran (A)Art-i. In this case - potentially - as Midhvan, and we shall explicate that term momentarily. Now, when one thinks of a figure of rather … apocalyptic significance turning up riding a white horse, it is perhaps rare that one's mind would immediately … Continue reading Midhvan for Monday – Lord Rudra’s Day
Arktos, Ursa, Rksa SaptaRsi – The Seven Bear-Seers Amidst The Stars And The Foundational Act Of Piety Of The Maidens Of Milk And Fate
Encoded within the Stars - and more specifically, the Constellations, the manner in which we project out up, upon them - is a wealth of archaic mythic meaning. We have earlier looked at some of these manifestations as applies Orion and the Pleiades (Krittikas) - now we shall turn our attentions briefly to an intricately … Continue reading Arktos, Ursa, Rksa SaptaRsi – The Seven Bear-Seers Amidst The Stars And The Foundational Act Of Piety Of The Maidens Of Milk And Fate
arya-akasha 