Showing posts with label norse. Show all posts

25,000 Followers Celebration

We did it!!  25,000 are part of the Confessions of a Modern Witch family. To celebrate I'm going to kick off a giveaway.  I have two books by Skye Alexander that I'm going to give away to two lucky members.  I'll choose one at random from the top fans list and one at random using Rafflecopter.



For the Top fan, I'll be giving away a copy of 10-Minute Magic Spells, Simple Spells and Self-Care Practices to Harness Your Inner Power.  You can find my review of that book here.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover



And for the Rafflecopter give away, you'll enter to win a copy of 10 Minute Crystal Ball, Easy Tips for Developing Your Inner Wisdom and Psychic Powers.  You can find my review of that book here.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Credit - Cover


I'll open the rafflecopter giveaway for the next five days!  You can enter by checking out some of the pages that I manage and by tweeting about the giveaway on Twitter.  On the day of the drawing I'll pick at random a winner from rafflecopter and choose one of the Top Fans on the Confessions of a Modern Witch page to send a copy of the book.

A few rules, first Facebook, Blogger, Twitter and Rafflecopter are in no way associated with my giveaway. I will need you to send a shipping address within 24 hours of being notified of winning AND you must live in the United States.  Unfortunately shipping costs are so high I can only afford to send to US addresses.

You have from July 8, 2019 at 12:00 AM - July 13, 2019 at 12:00 AM to enter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Witch's Spellbook - A Review



Today I'm reviewing The Witch's Spellbook - Enchantments, Incantations, and Rituals from Around the World.


Author Website - LINK
Author Goodreads Page - LINK
My Blog FB Page - LINK
My Goodreads Page - LINK

Image result for the witch's spellbook by sarah bartlett
Book Cover
Starting with the cover of the book, my previous review made it hard for this book to keep up. Both were bound the same. The desperate need for a dust jacket was the only flaw here. The book is hard cover with excellently aligned pages and a fabric feel to the cover. On the first page (which is completely yellow) there is a tiny little voodoo doll icon in the right corner. I love this.  It set the mood for the book in my opinion. This little touch let me know this was going to be strictly a spell book.  There is a very brief introduction with about six pages on tips, tools and tricks and then BAM! We're into the magic.

The spells are broken down by category with all the usual needs. Love. Money. Home and Career. And where would we be without a section on protection, am I right?

Each page is a spell. It covers what you need for the spell, when to cast and the history behind the spell origin or source. There are references to Minoan, Roman cultures as well as astrological references and even Hecate makes an appearance. She is called upon by the epithet - Trivia.

In the section titled Career and Success

Part of the incantation reads:

"Come hither, Trivia,
Come now to the crossroads of choice
Come, having one mind with me
Draw near, and bestow grace upon my desire." 
~The Witch's Spellbook page 120


I like this book as it pulls from different paths.  Just a short 10 pages later we come upon Norse symbolism in the spell for enhanced Charisma.  The author uses Ansuz, Hagalaz, Jera, Dagaz, Mannaz, Wunjo and Inguz to pull together an incantation to sell your ideas, market your wares or increase your charisma.

Part of the incantation reads:

"Ansuz, Laguz, golds of old
Let my powers of persuasion begin to unfold
That all I say, write or desire
Will me the dreams to which I aspire.....
~The Witch's Spellbook page 130


Over all, a really informative book and one that I could see a beginner or maybe even a skilled witch look to for references across alternate paths of study.


Special thanks to Fair Winds Press for providing this book for the review.


Pagan Blog Project 2012 - Y is for Yggdrasil



In Norse mythology, there is a giant ash tree, Yggdrasil, supporting the universe.  This tree roots travel from the underworld, Niflheim into the land of the giants, Jotunheim and a third into the Gods home, Asgard.

Urdarbrunnr or the Well of Fate, Mimibrunnr or Well of Wisdom and Hvergelmir or Roaring Kettle.  These three wells at the bottom was said to give the knowledge of Odin.  It is said that Odin gave one of his eyes for this knowledge.  

Sometimes depicted as a tree with large branches and roots that mirror them, Yggdrasil is often used in pendants and tattoos.  I’ve seen it with the words of the Wiccan rede around it and “As above so below”.

This is Yggdrasill, the World Tree, Tree of Life or Laerad.

Photo Credit - Elijah Olson - Tattooist


Within the tree four deer live in the branches and eat the buds representing the four winds.  Also in the tree is a snake (Vidofnir) a rooster and a squirrel (Ratatosk) noted for gossip. The roots of the tree are chewed upon by Nidhogg.

In the myth, demons are trying to destroy Yggdrasil this represents the constant power struggle between good and evil.  

On the day of Ragnarok, or the end of the world, a fire giant named Surt will send fire in all directions and the nine worlds held up by Yggdrail will burn causing the earth to fall into the sea.

I had read this several years ago and even played an online role playing game that referenced this story.  We always had to get back to the tree!

Namaste and Blessed Be
Sosanna
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