Over the course of the last few months I’ve gained a particular interest in Abnobâ. She was worshipped in the Black Forest by Iron-Age Gauls and Gallo-Romans, sometimes (but not always) syncretized with Diana. We even have ruins of a temple left behind, and an altar with a clear dedication – far more archeological evidence than many other dêwoi. Yet we still know so little, and I wanted to know more.
I started worshipping her as Diana, and looked into Iron-Age worship of her – Roman writings, archeological evidence, and Christian writings capturing the practices they sought to discourage. From Diana Nemorensis, to ethereal queens of the Hunt in Welsh and Irish myth, and inevitably to comparisons with the Gundestrup Cauldron, I eventually settled on a personal gnosis of who this dêwas might be. She had auroch horn cores deposited at her spring, her name was tied to the river, she is a goddess of the surrounding forest, and one of the hunt – which represents a spilling of blood to renew the cycle. During meditation I connected her to Kybele, and the “Lady of the Mead Cup” with strong influences from Tegos Runos. Early in my attempts at worship, I made an oath to acquire an idol of her if I was successful on the hunt; I was, so since November I’ve been considering how to deliver. When I made the oath, I viewed her uniquely as Diana, but my understanding of her developed. Still interested in a Classical depiction, I also liked the idea of “kit-bashing” an idol from various other components, and have spent the last few months considering different statuettes and how their symbols might pertain to her. Would a spear be more fitting than the bow? Should I include auroch horns? Should she be sitting or standing? Eventually, I resolved to ask her directly.
I am quite new to divination, and have been resistant to even trying it, but I like making things so I quickly made a set of Ueletorunoi from the Carnutian Nemeton out of oak. After a year of using them only during major rituals, I became comfortable with them, and brought some on travels that promised to push me to my limits (drawn in a ritual partly to Abnobâ, I should add). I finally felt ready to try something I had heard community members discuss: asking a deity how they want to be worshipped. After talking to a few trusted friends, I decided to try a simple process of asking a direct question, and drawing 3 runoi at a time in a vertical line to form a “tree”: crown, trunk, and roots. I invoked some familiar dêwoi to help me, and offered Abnobâ fresh mead. It was during a New Moon, which at the very least, felt significant. Below is the result, with runoi, their names, and keywords included:
Would you grant me the honour of answering questions?
Thunder – Reactive forces, Regeneration, Directed force, Divine protection, and assistance, Will, Discipline, Luck, Danger, Compulsion, Defenselessness.
Orbios – Union, Customs, Group, Family, Home, Freedom, Group Order, Interactions, Inheritance, Heritage, Material possessions, Property, Increase of possessions, “reaping what you sow”/achieving reward through effort and planning. Slavery, Totalitarianism, Homelessness, Lack of Customs, Poverty.
Sonnos – Guidance, Goals, Hope, Success, Victory, Health, Energy, Vitality (life-force), Power, Health, Solar deities, Psychic powers, Magic, Connection between higher self and unconscious, Purity/purification, False Goals, Bad Counsel, Gullibility.
INTERPRETATION
Positive affirmation, but making the point that I will only get what I put into it.
What should my worship of you look like?
Uissus – Harmony, Fellowship, Prosperity, Good Health, Happiness, Fulfillment, Spiritual reward, Sorrow, Strife Alienation, Bad Health. A seer.
Trexos – Rationality, Self-sacrifice, Warrior, Courage, Honor, Integrity, Victory, Mastery over self, Authority, Rules, Law, Justice, Success in legal matters, Success in competition, Strength but more importantly knowing when and how to use it, Mental paralysis, Injustice, Slow-moving, Too analytical. A tribesperson.
Cridion – Wisdom, Knowledge, Artistry, Creativity, Passion, Love, Sex, Strength, Inspiration, Courage, Endurance, Transformation, Offspring, Disease, Inability, Lazy. The Smith.
INTERPRETATION
Each symbol presents tenets to live by, and pitfalls to avoid: living life to the fullest / a sad existence, self-discipline / paralysis, creation / stagnation. Each runos’ interpretation as an individual – the Seer, Tribesperson, and Smith, are also archetypes to strive for, representing different struggles and strengths within me.
Should I worship you as the Queen of the Mead Hall?
Uros – The Auroch – Defense, Freedom, Form, Understanding, Strength, Health/healing, Energy/vitality, Magic, Change (likely sudden, likely self-imposed, likely for the better), Adventure or a quest, Weakness, Obsession, Domination to others or by others, Ignorance.
Adgarman – Intellectual achievement, Communication, Receiving a message or messages, Insight, Foresight, Clear vision, Truth, Wisdom, Success in negotiations and transactions, Words, Secrets, Ancestors, Leaders. Manipulation, Delusion, Misunderstanding, Boredom.
Alcos – The Elk – Connecting to the Dewoi, Awakening, Higher self, Protection and the desire to protect, Victory, Success, Achievement, Accomplishing goals, Consumed by the Dewoi, Loss of connection to the great Cauldron.
INTERPRETATION
I asked this question in response to a vision of an ancestor drowning then emerging from the Well at the base of Drus, and entering the Mead Hall where I saw a seated Queen. Abnoba had auroch horns deposited to her by the Senogalatis, and I have harvested a deer in her name.
I see this drawing as confirmation of how I’ve been worshiping her, with the middle runa connecting the Auroch (ancestral) and Stag (personal). Each runa also contains elements of this worship: a goddess of healing, freedom, change, magic, adventure, visions, truth, ancestral connection of the mead hall, personal awakening, actualisation, and being the key to access to the Great Cauldron / Well.
Additionally, in my invocation I said that “it is within your groves that we first found the Dêwoi”. The recurrence of Alcos in these drawings (continuing below) indicate that Abnobâ worship will include a stronger connection to the Dêwoi in general, perhaps as a somewhat primordial Dêwas. The negative aspects of each runos point towards disconnection from the great mysteries found within the Well and Mead Hall, perhaps as a warning of her true power.
Should I worship you as the Queen of Winter?
Ðirâ – Change through overcoming trials and obstructions, Turning back opposition, Rebirth, Liberation, New visions, An Awakening, Truth coming out to the open are not always pleasant. The pathway between extremes is seen clearly, New cycles, Renewal at the highest level, Balance between polarities, Creation, Blindness, Unpreparedness.
Alcos – The Elk – Connecting to the Dewoi, Awakening, Higher self, Protection and the desire to protect, Victory, Success, Achievement, Accomplishing goals, Consumed by the Dewoi, Loss of connection to the great Cauldron.
Locos – Life, Prophecy, Divination, Revelation, Intuition, Imagination, Creativity, Vitality, Flow/Change/Growth/Renewal (water associations), Success, Mysteries, The Deep, The hidden, The unknown, The Underworld, The fickleness and unpredictably of Nature and Fate, Unconscious, Fear, Avoidance, Decay, Withering.
INTERPRETATION
Before going on a trip to the high arctic in the middle of winter, I drew 3 runoi – Ðirâ and Locos were 2 of those 3. The former, growth via challenge, is key to surviving Winter; the latter, revelation and intuition, are from connecting to the raw forces of Giamos. The return of the elk alongside them shows a deepening of this theme of awakening and achievement. Notably, the lack of Iagis – Ice – points to a Dewas of the raw forces of Giamos: creation, magic, and renewal; as opposed to stagnation and contemplation, which were earlier themes of my spiritual journey. Warnings to avoid fear and to be well prepared fit well, since these are key to surviving true winter.
What symbols should I know you by?
Orbios – Union, Customs, Group, Family, Home, Freedom, Group Order, Interactions, Inheritance, Heritage, Material possessions, Property, Increase of possessions, “reaping what you sow”/achieving reward through effort and planning. Slavery, Totalitarianism, Homelessness, Lack of Customs, Poverty.
Thunder – Reactive forces, Regeneration, Directed force, Divine protection, and assistance, Will, Discipline, Luck, Danger, Compulsion, Defenselessness.
Alcos – The Elk – Connecting to the Dewoi, Awakening, Higher self, Protection and the desire to protect, Victory, Success, Achievement, Accomplishing goals, Consumed by the Dewoi, Loss of connection to the great Cauldron.
Uros – The Auroch – Defense, Freedom, Form, Understanding, Strength, Health/healing, Energy/vitality, Magic, Change (likely sudden, likely self-imposed, likely for the better), Adventure or a quest, Weakness, Obsession, Domination to others or by others, Ignorance.
INTERPRETATION
I drew 4 runoi by chance this time. The question of symbols and drawing runoi can result in straightforward interpretations, but there are a few key elements worth digging into. The revealing of a circle and crossed wheel is significant for a Sepânioi Rotî; however, these 2 particular forms provide different information than Rotos.
Before starting this ritual, I had it in my mind to ask this question, curious about whether auroch horns are appropriate. Drawing the Auroch during this question is invigorating. Drawing Alcos again – and finally noticing that it represents the Elk – is significant in many ways: confirmation of my personal horn applying to Abnobâ cultus, confirmation of my deer hunting connection to Abnobâ, and confirmation of Diana’s deer symbolism being applicable to Abnobâ.
Also noticeable is the lack of any symbol indicating human weapons, since I was also curious if the spear or bow would be appropriate for her in considering classical imagery. I am unsure of a runos that would represent a spear though – perhaps the Thunder runos, an antler runos, and a horn runos are enough to point towards a spear. I will need to think on this further and offer different depictions to Abnobâ to gauge her interest.
Should I worship you as the bride of Taranos, or in another divine pairing?
Cridion – Wisdom, Knowledge, Artistry, Creativity, Passion, Love, Sex, Strength, Inspiration, Courage, Endurance, Transformation, Offspring, Disease, Inability, Lazy.
Uissus – Harmony, Fellowship, Prosperity, Good Health, Happiness, Fulfillment, Spiritual reward, Sorrow, Strife Alienation, Bad Health.
Orbios – Union, Customs, Group, Family, Home, Freedom, Group Order, Interactions, Inheritance, Heritage, Material possessions, Property, Increase of possessions, “reaping what you sow”/achieving reward through effort and planning. Slavery, Totalitarianism, Homelessness, Lack of Customs, Poverty.
INTERPRETATION
At first this drawing seemed to indicate a lack of interest in Taranos, but once I recognized Uissus – a symbol I have come to associate with collaboration and celebration, I interpreted this drawing in a different light: that Kridion and Orbios are where Abnobâ and Taranos share spheres of influence. Both runoi have appeared multiple times in this ritual (and in previous rituals), so it can be interpreted that I can share those parts of my practice with both Abnobâ and Taranos.
Do you have any other messages for me, something I need to know?
Locos – Life, Prophecy, Divination, Revelation, Intuition, Imagination, Creativity, Vitality, Flow/Change/Growth/Renewal (water associations), Success, Mysteries, The Deep, The hidden, The unknown, The Underworld, The fickleness and unpredictably of Nature and Fate, Unconscious, Fear, Avoidance, Decay, Withering.
Rotos – Action, Order, Rationality, Movement (physical, emotional, etc), Travel, Safe travel, Rites of passage, Moving away from old cycles, Renewal, Relocation, Career change, Move forward, Remaining stagnant is living thoughtlessly, Crisis, Injustice
Uros – Defense, Freedom, Form, Understanding, Strength, Health/healing, Energy/vitality, Magic, Change (likely sudden, likely self-imposed, likely for the better), Adventure or a quest, Weakness, Obsession, Domination to others or by others, Ignorance.
Drûið – A door to the Otherworld, Success, Forward movement, Power and energy, Self-confidence, Justice, Knowledge, Wisdom.
INTERPRETATION
This drawing was done horizontally, and resulted in 4 runoi being drawn. The running theme is Change, with each runos building on the other. In this case, I interpret it as an affirmation of a forward journey, or warning to avoid stagnation.
I fully will admit that I mostly asked yes/no questions, but used a system that provides no such answers, but I still feel like I received plenty of information for my own goals: to develop personal gnosis and be guided towards a depiction for Abnobâ’s idol on my altar. In hindsight, a few more questions were in order, for example “should I worship you as a dêwa of the Moon?” I’ll have that chance shortly, once I’ve drawn a few sketches of idols to offer to her and gauge which is more appreciated. In the meantime, I’ll eagerly await for the excerpt Tricûnos Trougocaricnos will be reading from his upcoming book on Abnobâ at the Comreton Calleios in May…
If you want to know more about the runoi I used, visit the Carnutian Nemeton. Others, like Trebomâros Auigani and Uailogenos, have developed similar systems, as have Morpheus Ravenna and Viducos.
Sepânioi Rotî 