June 7, 2025:
My spiritual practice has always been eclectic. I've tried to join specific spiritual paths and traditions but I can't just be on one type of pagan or magikal practitioner–rules that I respected and thus left those groups. I have Kindreds from all over the world, and mine have always said to research and study to understand and show respect, but overall, just do what I know. Be authentic. Do what feels right, don't force it. If they don't like what I'm doing, the Kindreds will let me know. I am mostly Kindred guided on my spiritual path.
Even after learning that ADF was flexible and involved many hearth cultures from Europe, I was still a little hesitant. I've had good, neutral, and bad experiences with other groups. Most of my Deities are part of the PIE, so I figured that it wouldn't be too difficult. Especially as I was coming from a mostly Hellenic-Roman spiritual background. I was a Hellenic Pagan for several years, until the bossiness and hate (because I was a witch) of other humans caused me to have a spiritual crisis–it became a fear-filled obligation and lacked joy and love.
I floated for a bit, finding my footing again. Rebuilding what was me and tossing what was others.
After Loki and Oðin entered my life in 2020, I began studying Germanic and Norse Paganism. I wanted to find a local group, but with many hate groups also being Norse, it was difficult! I also wanted to deepen my Priestess Path education. Freyja and Baba Yaga convinced me to finally join ADF for the clergy part. I joined the eclectic Virtual Fire Proto-Grove and a local group, the predominantly Gaulish Three Cranes Grove.
I was curious about the Gaulish Kindreds, but only two really showed an interest in me, so that hasn't gone anywhere. It's not unusual for Gods to come to me wanting a follower but not expecting me to convert or learn about the culture. If I don't know them, I will do a little research. I'm a lover of mythology, history, and art, after all (art history minor).
I continued to study the hearth cultures that did call to me, which were Hellenic and various Germanic and Northern. I'm still learning about Norse Paganism, but due to password issues with the old ADF website, I haven't had the chance to look at, much less practice a Norse COoR script. Although I have read Heathen ritual scripts (5)–adapting them shouldn't be too difficult. I've attended many Virtual Fire Norse rituals, with different hosts doing things their own way.
Most mornings, I do my Hearth Keeper stuff, using the Opening Prayer that Three Cranes often uses at their rites, as well as other prayers from Song of the Flame by Rev. Dangler or any of Molly Remer's prayers. Whatever calls to me that day.
Next, I read Anna Franklin's Hearth Prayer, with minor edits, so I can include all of my Hearth Mothers and Spirits: Hestia-Vesta, Hekate, Brigando, Frigg, Loki, the Disir, the Tomten, and the Nisser.
Lastly, I move onto the Hearth Keepers Prayer and light the ADF Unity Flame. When using a new candle, I cleanse and speak the Unity Flame Prayer.
Once a week, I feed my ancestors anything from water to coins (they prefer dark rum, especially if we work magik together).
On Dark Moons, I give blood offerings to Hekate, and I may do divination with the ancestors.
On Full Moons, I give blood offerings to Freyja, a Gyðia Seiðkona Guide, and to my seiðr Spirit Stick; I also give oatmeal with cinnamon and butter to our Guardians, and the Tomten and Nisser house spirits (oatmeal/porridge is a traditional offering to these house spirits). I also give cornmeal offerings to Nature Spirits (5).
Anywhere from once a month to once every three months, I cleanse my home, inside and out, with either a Hellenic lustral water called khernips, an herbal smoke, or a rattle.
Sometimes I do celebrate certain days that are Kindred specific, like this month's Vestalia (June 7-15th). For Vesta, I will either wear all/mostly white, veil my head, wear sandals–at least on the feast day, which is the 9th. Traditionally a bread called mola salsa was made, in the past I usually had a tray of salted flour out for offerings and made white bread for myself and my female circle mates. These days, due to celiac, I'm not a bread fan, so I leave out a dish of gluten-free flour and salt. I don't bother with baking, because my friends live too far away to celebrate with me. I clean my altars and shrines, my sacred garb, and have a ritual, with Greek-themed decks or the Greek Alphabet.
I also learned how to crochet and loom knit back in 2014, to honor Hestia-Vesta, the Vestals, and my Ancestors. Since Frigg, Freyja, and seiðr entered my life, I've been wanting to learn how to make yarn, straight from the animal/plant to my hook. I'd also love to get a regular sized loom, too, for that sacred work.
Most weeks, I attend Dedicant Path meetings hosted by Virtual Fire to talk about the DP and other spiritual things. Virtual Fire also hosts rituals once a week. Most tend to be in the COoR-style. The rituals are also from a variety of different hearth cultures as well as general and a mixing of different deities, especially if we do round robins or focus on a topic or energies. Attendees and volunteers may bring their own hearth culture/kindreds to the rite. Most of the time, I volunteer for the omen–it's my favorite part of the ritual–although I like to stand back to give others a chance to step up. People got to practice, and I love watching other diviners grow. I was timid once, too!
Most High Days I may attend rituals hosted by Virtual Fire and/or Three Cranes. I'll also usually do something with my family or friends. When writing rituals, I let the entities step up and guide me. Some of my High Days I have entities that I regularly focus on–like August 1st belongs to the Minoan/Hellenic/Roman Melissae. But if another entity steps up, I'll check with the regular entity of the occasion and see if it's okay. If they're Hellenic/Roman or Norse, I'll follow the hearth culture script for them; if not, I follow my old scripts.
Hellenic will have a rock to present Olympus, instead of the Tree, and Hestia will be honored First and Last, before any others. Norse will have Yggdrasil instead of just The Tree.
Sometimes Kindreds from different hearth cultures will come forward, and I usually just stick with Yggdrasil as the Tree, with the Hearth Mothers and Spirits being honored First and Last in the COoR.
I know for a lot of people the mixing of pantheons and hearth culture is seen as disrespectful to the Kindreds. But mine don't care–trust me, if they had a problem they'd tell me. In fact, I see it as disrespectful to not invite them all, much less have them represented in rituals. It's kind of funny–the mixing, because Hestia and Vesta, I used to hyphenate their names. But as of last year, they/I began combining their names into Vestia. Also, for my birthday, I got an oracle statue of the Delphic Pythia…however, the spirit within the statue is a Gyðia Seiðkona who serves Freyr. The Gods don't seem to care!
My rituals and daily spiritual life are a mixture of hearth cultures. Again, I do what feels right and with the guidance of my Kindreds. However, ADF's flexible, I can be, too. For June 9th, I plan on writing a Roman hearth culture ADF-style ritual for Vesta and the Vestals. And for the Summer Solstice, I'm going to create my own ADF-style Norse ritual honoring Sunna.
Thanks to the new website, I see that ADF has a Norse kin, so I'm eager to continue my learning about Germanic and Northern hearth cultures, and maybe find a safe local group to deepen my practice, too.
--------------------------------------------------
Resources
- Avende, Jan. Blackwelder, Sara. Thomas, Kirk. Malik, Lisa Wasilkowsky. The Hearth Keepers Way: An ADF Hearth Keepers Guide. ADF Publishing. 2009. Page 21.
- Dangler, Michael. Song of the Flame: A Devotional Prayerbook. Garanus Publishing. 2020.
- Franklin, Anna. The Hearth Witch's Year: Rituals, Recipes & Remedies Through the Seasons. Llewellyn Publications. 2021. Page 22.
- Gardela, Leszek. Bonding, Sophie. Pentz, Peter. The Norse Sorceress: Mind and Materiality in the Viking World. Oxbow Books. 1 February 2023.
- Heath, Cat. Elves, Witches & Gods: Anatomy of Heathen Rituals. Pages 289-293. Llewellyn. 2021.
- Lafayllve, Patricia M. A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru. Llewellyn Publications. 8 November 2013.
- Nova Roma. Vestalia. http://www.novaroma.org/calendar/vestalia.html
- Paxson, Diana L. Essential Asatru: Walking the Path of Norse Paganism. Citadel. 1 December 2006.
- Panopoulis, Christos Pandion. Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship. LABRYS. 20 November 2014.
- Smith, Ryan. The Way of Fire and Ice: The Living Tradition of Norse Paganism. Llewellyn Publications. 8 October 2019.
- Wigington, Patti. Learn Religions: What Was the Vestalia? 31 March 2018. https://www.learnreligions.com/the-roman-vestalia-festival-2562247
- Winter, Sarah Kate Istra. Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. 8 July 2008.