Posts

Lammas/Lughnassad/Freyfaxi coming up!

Image
Now is the time of the hay harvest, typically for Freyfaxi a white horse is part of the celebrations (but this is a picture of my horse).  In one of the Icelanders’ sagas, Hrafnkel’s saga Freysgoða, we learn how important the horse Freyfaxi was to chieftain Hrafnkel: He axes his own shepherd Einar and keeps his promise that he will kill anyone who rides his horse without permission. The saga that is believed to have been written down in the second half of the 13th century, takes place in northeast Iceland in the early 900s. It is describing chieftain Hrafnkel as mild and fair towards his own men, but harsh against all others. (continue reading here) This is also a festival of Lugh, the Celtic god of every skill. Lughnassadh is the feast of Lugh, typically thought to be the funerary feast for his foster mother Tailtiu who cleared the plains of Ireland so that they could cultivated. Unfortunately she lost her life due to the exertion. Horse racing often figures into Lughnassadh cel...
Read more

Success!

Image
  The Flagstaff Meet Up was a success! We started off at the Mead Hall, hit up Crystal Magic and then ended up at the Cornish Pasty Co. A fun time was had by all!  You should join us next time!
Read more

Flagstaff Meet-Up

Image
Flagstaff Meet-Up When:  Saturday April 9, 2022 2:00 PM Where:  Drinking Horn Meadery 108 E Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 What:  Meet-Up Please bring money if you plan to eat or drink. Come on out and hang out with the other Pagans from  FLAGSTAFF ! This is the first ever NAPH meet up in Flagstaff.  Don't wait, the only way this works is if YOU (yes YOU reading this right now) decide to leave your cave and support your local pagan community!
Read more

Mabon, Midfal, Autumnal Equinox, Harvest Home, Meán Fómhair, An Clabhsúr, or Alban Elfed 2021

Image
  The NAPH Working group took off to the forest again, to celebrate Mabon/Autumnal Equinox! There were no cows to be seen, but we did see a few other creatures, most notable a bright green frog. There were some rain showers, which we felt was a blessing.  Names were also given based on deeds! Axe, Wanderer and Swissy (aka Ever Prepared). There is a long naming tradition in Heathenry, you receive a name based on a deed or action you performed.  As an example the ever popular "Ragnar Lothbrok." While Lothbrok is used as a sir name or last name in the "Vikings" TV show, Lothbrok actually means "shaggy breeches" or we might say "hairy pants". Legend holds (the Sögubrot) that he killed a giant snake while wearing, what at the time was an unusual protective equipment, hairy pants. Perhaps he was wearing the first version of "chaps".
Read more

Lammas/Lughnassadh 2021

Image
  The Northern Arizona Pagans and Heathens (NAPH) Wiccan Working Group took off to the mountains to hold their Lammas/Lughnassadh camp out/rite.  Some folks went fishing while some stayed back at camp and made friends with a cow.  They had been told that there was black bear activity in the area and they brought out an air horn to hopefully scare the bear off, if one approached. While s'mores were being enjoyed around the fire a loud crack was heard. One of the number shined a flashlight into the night and exclaimed, "those are eyeballs!" All flashlights were trained in that area and it was.... The cow! Stalker cow had been circling camp all day! If you are interested in the Wiccan Working Group, please visit their website: NAPH Working Group
Read more

FLAGSTAFF MEET-UP!

Image
Flagstaff Meet-Up When:  August 7, 2021 3:00 PM Where:  Drinking Horn Meadery 108 E Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 What:  Meet-Up Please bring money if you plan to eat or drink. Come on out and hang out with the other Pagans from  FLAGSTAFF ! This is the first ever NAPH meet up in Flagstaff.  Don't wait, the only way this works is if YOU (yes YOU reading this right now) decide to leave your cave and support your local pagan community!
Read more

Quarter Candles and Fire Restrictions...

Image
The Working Group had the honor of performing a funerary ceremony, which fell on the day that the forests were shut down. I don't want to get to much into the details of the event itself due to it's personal nature. A permit to be on the National Forest was procured under the proviso that there would be zero fire. As you all know candles are typically used to represent the Quarters and the God and Goddess, but with the fire restrictions what were we to do??? The High Priest came up with the idea of luminaries, but instead of candles, we would use glow sticks of the appropriate colors! This worked out great, the only issue was that we probably should have put out more luminaries that were just plain to light the circle up a bit more.
Read more