On Sunday, December 21, parts of the blót kindred gathered at Ale Viking Farm to hold a rite in honor of the winter solstice. For all of us, this was a new way to observe and celebrate the year’s darkest day. We gathered at the farm, and as always, many were happy and expectant.
Since this is a new ceremony performed differently from the usual blóts, we needed a little time to go through the rite together. We began by collectively creating a sun cross. Nature does not provide much at this time of year, but with combined effort and solutions, we managed to assemble the sun cross that would be used during the rite. To see the energy and joy in solving something together is part of a living blót kindred that spreads happiness and community.
At the farm, there is a place specifically for various ceremonies, and a fire was lit there before we went through the rite and how it would be conducted. Ceremony officiant Uwe Pötter led the rite and started it, and with gentle guidance, all moments flowed as expected. We invited Sunna and gave thanks for her return, and Odin, of course, with all his wisdom. The sun cross was passed around, and everyone charged it with the energy needed before we handed it over to the powers and the fire. A rite is quite different in nature from the usual blót, but it felt very meaningful to perform it. Being able to now honor the different transitions during Sunna’s annual journey is something long-awaited.
After the rite, two new members were sworn into the blót kindred by DBR Lena Hildebrand Svensson. Beatrice Nylander Ludvigsen and Walther Ludvigsen are now our newest members. They have been probationary members during the year and with this became part of our blót kindred.
Before parting ways, we shared a communal swedish fika and debrief in the cookhouse where the fire burned; laughter and happy faces, as well as deeper questions, were discussed within the fellowship that a blót kindred represents.
Uwe Pötter, writer.
