Whether you are Irish, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Polish, etc… you are intrinsically tied to your people by blood. This is something to be proud of and not to be taken lightly.

I believe it comes natural as you find out more about who you are, who your family is, and where they come from.

Your people’s stories, folklore, myths, beliefs, customs, etc.. allow you to discover your true cultural interests, inclinations and ties when it pertains to spirituality and culture.

From this, you have a compass on self discovery that you would have never thought possible.

To merely say, “I am a Viking” is a fallacy and a delusion. You most certainly are not. The Viking age has been over for quite some time now.

People today need to stop LARPing and find their actual roots.

Not to say that re-enactments are not entertaining but it should honor the past and this is not meant to offend real Scandinavians or their kin.

This current fad will pass, and another one will take its place because such is the way of pop culture. Focus on your own people and don’t waste time obsessing over pretending to be something that you are not.

On that note, here is some appreciation of a beautiful cultural practice called Kulning. It has been historically tied to Sweden. https://youtu.be/KvtT3UyhibQ

Some great Kulning audio here: https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/kulning-swedish-herding-calls

Our Friend Mike has got his own channel up on telegram now, he tends to take a bit more pop culture method to it. Heavy Metal, current events, pulp fiction, British folklore, Wolves, and heroism check out his telegram Channel The Moonraker https://news.1rj.ru/str/TheMoonraker

Jarilo - Slavic god of spring, fertility, renewal and believed to be the son of Perun.

Post on him to come soon, as spring is around the corner!

New video "The Beauty of Winter." I hope you will enjoy watching this video as much as I enjoyed making it! - Myo B.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbX_yUZLnuA

Ravens: Ravens are one of the most sacred and important birds in Europe rivaled in their importance by the Owl, Swan, and Eagle almost exclusively at such a position. They are associated with death, prophecy, and magic resulting in being connected to deities such as Chernobog, Apollo, Bran, Branwen, Nanosuelta, The Morrigan, Odin, Hel, Huldr, Perchta, and more. The Raven was the messenger of the gods. Carrying messages for Apollo who eventually burned the bird black in his anger in the story of Aesculapius. While Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory) serve as the scouts and spies for Odin. Who he received from the Troll-Maiden (likely giantess) Huldr as a gift. While the Morrigan often takes the form of a raven while visiting our realm and even lands atop Cu Chulain to signify he has indeed died. The Raven was often killed during Christianzation and along with other Corvids like the Magpie were labeled “the devils birds” though they were both messengers of the gods a manifestation of the godhead on earth. Remnants of this belief still exist in fortune telling songs such as “Magpie Songs” across Great Britain. The Christians did not understand the bird itself was not the god but instead just eyes for the god to see through and communicate so their attempts at wiping out the bird did nothing to deter Heathens. The Raven was mostly demonized, but also remained in some positive form. Such as the legend of the Tower of London which likely has its roots in Bran the Blessed, when the Ravens no longer roost in the Tower of London, London will fall. The last time the Ravens were gone the British Empire fell soon after, which many have taken to mean it is true. As such the Ravens remain in the tower now as a sort of protective talisman, though efforts have been made by the current “Government” of London to get rid of them.
Another set of tales involves the Knight of the Round Table Owain fighting Arthur in a dreamscape using a game of Chess and Ravens in “The Dream of Rhonabwy”, as Owain would fight with an army of ravens. Other sources actually speak of King Arthur taking the form of a Raven after death, making it an extremely poor choice to kill such birds. Though the lore of Ravens is not all kind. Such as the story of the Valravn, a Raven who has gained the ability to turn into a knight after consuming many dead soldiers and the heart of a child. Though the enormous Valravn can also appear as a half wolf chimeric monster. The Valravn is a figure in traditional Danish folksongs. This association with the dead is also why along with many older death gods the modern figure of “The Grim Reaper” is often depicted with Ravens as is the Christian Devil. The demonized and darker image they portray often lends them the role as the evil birds in stories. Though the Raven is more often a trickster in folklore, though whether it is malicious or not depends. The Raven is also intricately tied into the “Language of the Birds” A European concept where one can understand birds, This appears in the story of Sigurd, Cu Chulain, The folktales The White Snake, The Language of the Birds, and more. In many ways it is a sign of acquired knowledge such as consuming a creature like a magical white snake, a dragons heart, a salmon who ate from the tree of wisdom. The symbol of the Raven is also present in North America though in a far removed form and should not be combined with European Lore as they are of two completely different mythic traditions. The Role of the Raven in our lore is one of prophet, messenger, eye, a sigil of many peoples, and incarnation of gods. Most important the Raven is a link between this world and the next ,the gifter of knowledge and the animal whom all are equal to in death and in dinner.

The voters have spoken! Hail to the old gods!