This past weekend Oak Ridge Fellowship celebrated not only Midsummer but it's "formal" formalizing as well. This was the culmination of about a year and a half's worth of discussion amongst us, a group of people who have known one another collectively for eight years and for three of the four of us, spent time together in another kindred for a number of years.
As usual the weekend began with me taking my customary day off on Friday to travel with my father-in-law to the farm to see Pat and pick up the blót swine. In this instance however The Baby Harry accompanied us on the first of what I am sure will be many trips to the farm. Once home the swine was set up in the shed, fed, watered and cooled down numerous times during the day as the preparations for setting the house up for our guests began. It wasn't long before guests started arriving and my sister Heather and Cat and Josh Heath were the first to arrive, Lisa arrived home from work not too long after and once we had our fill of the fried chicken my mother-in-law brought home we sat and talked and waited for J and Jenn to arrive from Delaware.
It was quite late when we all finally retired and I got up around 7am to begin the days work, pot of coffee brewed and I made my way outside to clean the cage, feed and wash down the pig, prep the pit and just other odds and ends as we waited for the rest of our guests to arrive. They began to trickle in and blót was originally scheduled to take place between 10:00 and 10:30 but waited a bit longer for everyone and to make sure everything was set. I know I have talked before about my desire to make sure I memorize what I am going to say and this time was no exception as once I went over with everyone their roles and what was to take place I went to the bedroom to go over it, thankfully there was not a lot to say, but what was to BE said was very important and even more meaningful.
We brought the torches down to the grove and set them up about a half an hour prior to blót to allow the bug population to be discouraged and shortly thereafter myself and the "pig bearers" journeyed to the grove to get everything situated and set up prior to having everyone else make their way down. As usual, those who attend our Midsummer and Yule blóts are asked to actively participate instead of just witness and this year was no different. I had asked various very close friends to help in carrying the pig to the grove and to help lift it onto the altar and hold it down as well as asking others to bring various other items necessary which I have discussed in other entries.
Once down in the grove and everyone was situated I unwrapped the idols and blót knife from their cloth swaddles and got them ready and also placed the blót bowl and wrist torque...I do not yet have an arm ring...that Jeff made for me and gifted last Yule and prepped Grandpa Harry's .22. At that point I placed some of the food offerings at the foot of the Thor pillar and turned and opened the cage and placed some carrots on the ground to coax the pig out. She took a few steps out and began to munch away, I waited for the perfect moment and Grandpas .22 did the rest. I handed the gun to my sister Heather who cleared and made it safe while the pig was hoisted onto the altar and held down while I made the cut.
My wife Lisa held the blót bowl as I cut and the minute I drew the blade across I was met with a spray across my face and chest, now considering the omen I observed the day before and now this only reinforced that the day was going to be better than expected but that the sacrifice was truly accepted. The bowl began to fill and you could hear a pin drop and the barely audible but still noticeable expressions of absolute reverence that were amongst those gathered was quite clear. The initial blót bowl was filled and the secondary one replaced it and once it too was full I then blooded the Thor, Freyr and Odin idols, both pillars and the Odin idol Cat and Josh had asked to have blooded. Once the idols were blooded they took their respective places on top/inside the pillars and I took the evergreen sprig and began.
As stated before, I was sprayed upon the first cut. I usually raise the blót bowl and sprig high before saying what I have prepared/memorized prior to asperging myself but it was totally unnecessary this time and I do not know if anyone else thought the same but I took it as a good omen. I took the sprig and began to sprinkle those gathered as I spoke the words I had actually memorized this time. It was when I got to the "end" of the line and was going to asperge the members of ORF and speak the words I prepared specifically for us that it really hit home. It is one thing to form a group, it is quite another to form a group with people you have known for so long, people you have been in a group with before and people whom with you all decided to take the necessary time to make sure this was not only the right thing to do, but the right thing to do at the right time and to basically get to know one another all over again says a lot.
Now do that during a blót and seal the bond with blood, in front of the gods, ancestors, wights, family and dear dear friends and you have something truly amazing.
I had an amazing weekend...
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