“The old forefathers lived in their posterity, filled them out with their will, and wrought their achievements through them anew. A scornful reference to the departed actually strikes a living soul; for whereas the soul transmigrant merely repeats itself, and, saves itself by again and again coming into existence when he slips from one body into another, the kinsmen actually are their fathers and their fathers' fathers, and maintain them by their being. Since it is the same soul which animated the ancestors and which now makes bearers of honour and frith out of the living generation, the present does not exclude the past. The identity of hamingja which bears the clan includes all the departed.”

-Vilhelm Grønbech
Culture of the Teutons

The Heroes of the Iliad as Indo-European Gods: A Mythological Rosetta Stone

It's been over a year since we first published O'Gravy's series of articles on the mythical and theological substructure of the Iliad.

Read here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
All parts on 1 page

This series is one of my personal favourite pieces of content we have ever produced here at the Sun Riders, if you haven't read it yet I highly recommend that you do.

- Owen, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

Necromancy and its Uses Among the Branches of Indo-European Paganism: A Glimpse into Tales of the Living and the Dead

https://telegra.ph/Necromancy-and-its-Uses-Among-the-Branches-of-Indo-European-Paganism-A-Glimpse-into-Tales-of-the-Living-and-the-Dead-03-24

Life and death are inherently tied to one another. Death gives way to life and life gives way to death in an endless cycle of symbiosis. But what if death was interrupted? What if the eternal slumber often granted to those who have died is disturbed? What can be gained from denying death itself, or what knowledge can be obtained by those who have seen what follows thereafter? The Gods are known to have used the practice of necromancy to seek counsel, or advantage, in furthering their aims in a wide array of sources.

- Grief, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

Hail to all who completed the Mars Challenge.

I simply want to state something obvious: Have you discovered fasting that is good for you? Are you keeping to a better sleep routine? Reading more? Working out more?

Well, anything you have developed this month, why not keep it up forever? If you've enjoyed fasting, reading, a new workout plan, keep it up.

These types of challenges are good to try things, and for those of you that tried, well done! Now to keep going!

Keep improving.

- Owen, The Sun Riders
@Solarcult

Ragnarok: The Twilight of the Gods in Germanic, Vedic, Celtic, and Greek Branches

https://taliesinsmap.blogspot.com/2020/04/ragnarok-doom-of-gods-in-germanic-vedic.html?m=1

Do the gods die twice or are the Great Wars in which the gods or their incarnations die equivalent to one another in the various branches?

Can we then truly see the Irish Great War as a Celtic Ragnarok?

- O’Gravy, the Sun Riders
@solarcult

Gabija - Lithuanian Goddess of Hearth and Flame

When thinking on domestic divinities, gods and goddesses invoked in our everyday lives, no better examples come to mind than the various Goddesses of the Hearth found throughout the Indo-European world.

Many of us may know of Hestia from our Greek brothers, however a lesser known example of a hearth goddess can be found in the little Baltic nation of Lithuania. Known as Gabija, she was considered highly-revered and certainly no goddess to trifle with or displease.

Gabija lives within the flame in the family fireplace. Offerings of salt, bread and water are proper gifts to this Goddess; however, only water of high quality should be set to the side of the hearth as an offering. Because fire is Her abode, and fire purifying and holy, one must treat the hearth with respect. One must not spit into a sacred fire, trample it, and when using water to put it out, only that which is acceptable for drinking is proper for Gabija. When rekindling fire, great care must be taken with the coals so-as to not anger the Goddess.

All of this care was taken because Gabija, and the flame, were critical to the survival of the family. And even more, Gabija was seen as not only a messenger of the Gods, but also as a messenger to the family’s ancestors.

So next time you gather around the family fireplace, make an offering to the Goddess of the Hearth. Strong families are the lifeblood of our people, and the Hearth Goddess a good ally to have on our side.

-Hariwulfaz, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

For further reading on the role of Fire and Hearth in the Lithuanian Romuva faith, see the words of Inija Trinkunienė: https://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/h_es/h_es_trink_i_fire_frameset.htm

The Temple of Kukulcán located in the Mexican city of Chichen Izta, was built by a Mayan people for their God, Kukulcán (or war serpent), who was the equivalent to the Aztec God, Quetzlcoatal. Like other ancient temples it is lined up perfectly on it's sides with North, South, East and West. On the Equinoxes one can see a purposely made serpent like shadow descending to Kukulcán himself at the bottom of the temple. A fascinating piece of pre-abrahamic religious architecture.

-Kalin, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

The Mitraic Path of Immortality and the Mithraic Mysteries: Part 1 of 2

https://taliesinsmap.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-mitraic-path-of-immortality-and.html?m=1

In previous articles we have reconstructed the obscured mythic pattern of the god who can be titled “Mitraic” (Lugh, Tyr, Dius Fidius, Menelaus, Yudhishthira, Mitra/Mithra, etc).

What, if anything, can this Mitraic pattern tell us about the fragmentary remnants of the mysterious Roman cult bearing the name Mithras?

Can an understanding of the mythological web allow us to identify any authentic elements in the Roman Mithraic Mysteries, underneath the many layers of syncretism?

- O’Gravy, the Sun Riders
@solarcult

Tyr, Fenrir, Sacrifice, and Oath

Pictured here is the Skyrdstrup bracteate (IK 166), from Central Denmark (440-560 BCE). Of note are the runic “charm words” ALU and LAUKAZ.

@solarcult

It goes without saying that Oath-swearing is a critical component of the pre-Christian religions of Europe, and this goes doubly for Sacrifice. However, nowhere are the concepts better represented than in the story of Tyr and the binding of the Fenris wolf, from Snorri’s younger Edda.

We all know the story, and if you don’t, it’s absolutely worth a read. It is both tragic and inspirational. Yet it casts into light a murky grey area of pre-Christian morality.

In relation to the wolf’s binding, the Aesir swore an oath:
“...if though shalt not be able to burst this band, then thou wilt not be able to frighten the gods; and then we shall unloosen thee.”
As a collateral to this oath, the wolf demanded a God place their hand in its mouth. The only one with the courage, or perhaps the honor to do so was Tyr.

Clearly Tyr knew the wolf would take his hand, and worse still, Tyr was the only member of the Aesir who cared for the wolf up to this point. Yet at the same time, he knew what the wolf would bring, the destruction it would bring. So Tyr willfully sacrificed his hand to stave off the destruction of the Aesir, and worse still, sacrificed a potential friendship in the process.

And yet, this God had the honor to hold his end of the bargain. A sacrifice for a broken oath, to a monster destined to ruin them. Yet couldn’t he have removed his hand before the wolf realized it was trapped?

Here we get a sense of the power of the oath. As we can see, broken oaths have consequences. Remember to speak forthright, and to follow through on your words and promises, with deeds.

And remember the courage and honor of Tyr. Remember that we are part of something greater, our kin, our clan, and our race, and you may be called to Sacrifice what you hold as dear to these greater causes.

-Hariwulfaz, The Sun Riders 🌞
@solarcult

Prayer to Woden

ᚹᛟᛞᚨᚾᚨᛉ:: ᚹᛁᛊᛁ᛬ᚻᚨᚾᛞᚢ᛬ᛗᛁᚾᛟ᛫ᚷᛖᛒ:ᚢᚾᛊᛁᛉ:ᚹᛁᛊᚨᛞᛟᛗᚨᛁ:ᚨᚾᛞᛁ:ᛊᛁᚷᛉᛁ᛫ᚦᛖᚢᛞᚨᚾᚨᛉ᛬ᚦᚨᛁᛉᛟ᛬ᚷᚢᛞᛟ᛫ᚺᚨᚱᛃᚨᚠᚨᛞᛖᚱ᛬ᛖᚱᛗᚢᚾᚨᛉ᛫ᛊᛖᚷᚨᛏᚱᛁᚹᚹᛁᛉ᛬ᚺᚨᛜᚨᚾᚨᛏᛁᚹᚨᛉ᛫ᚹᛁᚾᛞᚢᛏᛁᚹᚨᛉ᛬ᚨᚾᛞᛁ᛬ᚨᛚᚨᚠᚨᛞᛖᚱ᛬ᚦᚢ᛬ᚺᛖᚺᚨᛁᛊᛏ᛫ᛖᚲ᛫ᚦᚨᚾᚲᚨᚾᛉ᛬ᚷᛖᛒᛟ᛬ᛏᛟ᛬ᚹᛟᛞᚨᚾᚨᛁ᛫ᚠᚢᚱᛁ᛬ᛖᚦᛗᚨᛁ᛬ᚠᚢᚱᛁ᛬ᚦᛟᛉ᛬ᚱᚢᚾᛟᛁ᛬ᚠᚢᚱᛁ᛬ᚷᚨᛚᛞᚱᚨᛁ᛬ᚨᚾᛞᛁ᛬ᚹᛟᛞᚨᛗᛗᚨᛁ

Wōdinaz wīsī handų mīnǭ.
Geb unsiz wīsadōmai andi sigizi!
þeudanaz þaizǫ̂ Gudǫ̂,
Harjafadēr, Ermunaz,
Segatriwwiz, Hangānątiwaz
Windutiwaz andi Alafadēr þū hehaist!
Ek þankanz gebō Wōdanai,
Furi ēþmai, furi þôz rūnōi,
furi galdrai andi wōdammai.

Woden guide my hand,
Give us wisdom and victory!
King of the Gods,
Army-father, Great One,
Victory-true, Hanged-God,
Wind God and Allfather you are called!
I give thanks to Woden,
For Breath, for the runes,
For song and inspiration
————————————————-
Prayer to the Allfather Woden, written in Proto-Germanic (Runic and Latin scripts) and modern English. If you have any comments or suggestions to improve the language and grammar, please let me know in the comments!

-Hariwulfaz, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

The Dagenham idol is a wooden statue found in Dagenham in 1922. It has been carbon dated to around 2250 BC, during the late Neolithic period or early Bronze Age which makes it one of the oldest human representations found in Europe.

The left eye on the Idol was deliberately damaged which suggests that this is a representation of Woden.

The Mitraic Path of Immortality and the Mithraic Mysteries: Part 2 of 2

https://taliesinsmap.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-mitraic-path-of-immortality-and.html?m=1

King Arthur and Theseus both trace the same path, the path of the unifying King, the Mitraic Path.

We must understand the meaning of this mythic path so that it may be prepared once again for the king who is to come.

Thank you for reading.

- O’Gravy, the Sun Riders
@solarcult

Spain : a Masterfully Crafted 5000-year-old Copper Age Crystal Dagger

An extraordinary archeological finding, the most technically sophisicated found in the Iberian peninsula so far, rekindles the quest for the mythical city of Atlantis.

- Matamoro, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

We received positive feedback on our self-improvement posts for the month of March, and several people have dabbled in Intermittent Fasting.
Have you tried fasting yourself? Have you attempted any prolonged fasts?

The above chart could be helpful when setting your fasting goals, depending on the heath benefits you intend to achieve.

During a fast, you don't consume any calories at all. You do not drink any juices, milk, or bone broth during your fast, only water and, if required, electrolytes: I have been adding just a pinch of gray sea salt in my water bottle.

Don't forget that fasting doesn't only serve your physical body, but also your mind, and your spirit. Fasting can be a part of spiritual practice, a means to hone your discipline and self-control, a means to overcome bad habits and dependencies.
Fasting can be part of a sacrifice, a pilgrimage, a rite of initiation, and so on.

I hope this chart will be as useful to you as it has been to me.

- PGM, The Sun Riders
@solarcult

Strängnäs Runestone

This stone, uncovered in 1961 in Sweden, is one of the most significant finds of the previous century. The inscription is roughly dated to between 400-500 AD, and features just 2 words, (e)rilaz and Wodinz. Although the authenticity of the stone has been called into question, this inscription could be the earliest inscription invoking the chief Germanic god.

The dating of the stone matches up with its linguistic features. The loss of vowels in word endings following long vowels (wodinaz -> wodinz) would be contemporary to its dating. Such nuanced understanding of sound changes would not be known to the average person. Erilaz, which is common in Elder Futhark inscriptions, was not well known until after this stone would have been forged.

An additional point is the use of a terminal ᚨ-ᛣ bindrune at the end of Erilaz, which is something often seen in other inscriptions.

Taken together, it’s extremely likely that this inscription is authentic.

- Hariwulfaz, The Sun Riders
@solarcult