Some responses to different postings:
Bryan wrote:
> But it seems to me that maybe that would be a day that you private
> devotions to the ancestors. After all, that was the day your soul
> left their ranks to be incarnated in a new baby, and no doubt they
> have a lot to do with that happening succesfully.
Out of interest, how do you think Heortlings view "quickening" and ensoulment? You write as though ensoulment happens at birth. I suggest that an Ernaldan might well say that ensoulment happens when the child quickens in the womb, i.e. when a pregnant woman becomes aware of the child's movements.
Benedict wrote:
> The Anglo Saxons, to judge by their poetry, reckoned people's age by the
> number of winters they had lived through, so the thing to celebrate
> might by the spring equinox rather than your birthday.
And that was indeed one of the ideas behind our choice. In this culture sacred time seemed more significant that winter, though.
Rob wrote:
> I was wondering exactly how hung up on calendar dates people
> actually are? I know the priests and devotees are going to keep a
> close eye on observing religious dates, but I bet you don't see
> calendars or organisers hanging up in the average stead.
Sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if each stead has a calendar stick.
(For those not familiar with them, a quick Google search turns up this page with information about calendar sticks: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/primstav.htm)
> I also loved the comment about the Humakti not being invited to
> weddings!!
It's a flow-on from various comments that people such as John Hughes have made over the years about it being an ill omen for a Humakti to share a hearth with a pregnant women.
In "normal" circumstances I might be tempted to argue that Humakt represents truth, discernment and the sworn oath as much as death. In this particular case, the fertility of this marriage is too important to take chances. Of the five children of my parents' marriage, the oldest is the son who's just married, the older daughter has married out, the middle child was lost at initiation, I'm a Vingan, and my younger brother is a PC who doesn't want to be tied down. Although I have hopes of getting my younger brother married some day, our dynastic plans are pretty firmly tied up with our older brother's future progeny.
Cheers,
Jennifer (& Víkka)
-- Jennifer Geard
Powered by hypermail