Sepânioi Rotî

May 1st is rapidly approaching and spring has finally reached my frozen homeland. Preparing my garden has been an anchor for me, a reason to get some sun, fresh air, and exercise. It’s a new hobby for me, and seems like an excellent avenue to explore my polytheistic faith – after all, crop fertility was kind of a big deal for the ancestors who inspire my practice. A time for the Ploughman.
But it’s also a time of action, and May 1st isn’t just a significant holiday in pagan culture – it’s also International Worker’s Day, a time to reflect and act on the sacrifices working-class people have made to earn basic human rights from an oppressive ruling class. Though this holiday has been watered down in North America, instead replaced with a lax “Labour Day” in September, its roots are re-emerging during a time of rising income inequality. A time for the Warrior.

The Ploughman
The snow has melted, and April showers have finally brought a downy green coat to life from the grey, littered landscape the melt left behind. These rains have special properties, and are the source of the spring renewal alongside the warm sunlight that takes the edge off the cold winds that still blow in every now and then. The sun came first, a gift from Belinos to reawaken life, and though the snow is long-since melted, this isn’t the case every year. Sometimes the snow doesn’t melt away completely until early May, when the tulips emerge from thawing ground to meet the warm sun. It’s these flowers, the warmth of spring light, and the dripping of melting snow that bring me closer to him. But spring is also known for rains, and these are also a powerful force, a force that can be less pleasant – and sometimes dangerous as river banks threaten to burst – but a source of fertility nonetheless. Though the rains come from above, Gallo-Brittonic polytheism is nothing if not muddled in it’s distinction between the ouranic and chthonic. Nodons, cloud bringer, King of the seas above Dubnos, sends us new life from the depths. The cycle of water in our world keeps the cycle of seasons turning, and we give Nodons thanks for the health and fertility his rains bring.
It’s this latter concept that piqued my interest when looking into celebrations around this time. Nodons is commonly thought to be cognate to Lludd Llaw Eraint (“Nudd of the Silver Hand” if you will), a king from Welsh myth who, among other feats, captured 2 dragons whose battling was causing strife to his lands. He did so, in part, by burying a cauldron of mead in the center of Britain and luring them in, on the eve of May Day. This imagery brings to mind the Gundestrup Cauldron, and a statue of British Mars holding 2 horned serpents, but the story also came to mind when I noticed that the Feast of St George falls on April 25th. St George, of course, was a Middle-Eastern saint who was brought back to Britain during the Crusades and is now known as the slayer of dragons. Additionally, he was said to have slain his dragon near Oxford, which is also the the location of this mead ritual performed by Lludd…
I then began looking into St George, and learned that there may be an etymological link to “plougman”, which also caught my attention. Ambactonos, the Brittonic “divine plougman” god, has previously caught my eye as I explored hunting mythos in the fall; the general idea is that the hunter and the ploughman are divine opposites, a theme I hope to explore and develop as my practice grows. So here we have a dragon-slaying holiday with possible ties to ploughing at a time when I’m preparing my vegetable garden, with mythical ties to burying mead and restoring life to the land. The deal was sealed when I learned that a bit of wine can act as a fertilizer when mixed into soil.
I did have 3 problems: the first is that I ordered a load of compost for later in May (like I said it’s cold up here). Oh well, I can still sprinkle some mead around the area this year and time it better next year. The second: turns out I shouldn’t be digging up all my soil, as it musses up all the good soil bacteria (information courtesy of Drunertos, who is knowledgeable in these sorts of things). Again, better luck next year. For now, I’ll just do the ritual in the patch that is already turned over. The third is that I missed St George’s Feast completely due to a horrible bout of stomach flu – at least I’d booked the day off, I needed it. But Drunertos very kindly wrote me a ritual, I have a bottle of mead in my fridge, and I have recovered just in time for May Day eve – I’ll take my wins where I can get them.
So I invite anyone who’s interested, particularly if you’re also exploring crop fertility and polytheism, to join me in a little May Day ritual (you can find the script here). If you don’t have mead or wine, I’d replace it with some sort of juice or even fertilizer/nutrients – we are asking for a good harvest after all.

The Warrior
Social justice cultus is an inherent part of Sepânioi Rotî’s theology, so the inclusion of International Worker’s Day into our calendar of holidays made perfect sense when it was brought up by Aerioitos Aldwyn. This can be a day of somber reflection – particularly during a Feast – or a day of action. My city happens to be hosting a May 1st rally for worker’s rights, a perfect time to take part in some social justice cultus. Now as I mentioned earlier, last weekend wasn’t nearly as restorative as I had hoped, instead costing me several days of severe illness. The result is that I was unable to draft a ritual in preparation for this protest; a shame. I will include, instead, some guests of honour one could invoke for anyone wishing to craft their own ritual or say some prayers, either in preparation for action, in absentia for others carrying the torch, or in reflection for the actions of others that cost so much for basic human rights:
• Brigantiâ: source of Galâ (Valor, Courage, Ability), she inspires us to fight for our touta (tribe, home, friends and family), a defensive goddess of war and creation; for creation of safe havens.
• Cocidios: the shielder/striker, a god who guards against attack and strikes with ferocity when attacked, inspiring us to take action against injustice; for proactive social justice.
• Camulos: the classic warrior, god of the boundary, he rouses the warband to battle when external forces threaten the livelihoods of the working class; excellent for counter-protesting against fascism, protecting the vulnerable.
• Taranos: as steward of the Wheel, he grants us the strength to turn it, enacting change and breaking free from stagnation; a god of justice and order.
• Cernunnos: as a liminal deity, he watches over periods of revolution and change; as a god of prosperity, he inspires the fight against wealth disparity; when syncretized with Dionysus, a god of revolutions, breaking of the status quo, and people pushed to the boundaries of society
• Senisamanos: the ancestors, those who came before and have continued this fight through the generations; to be remembered on this day, and to make sure their sacrifice was not in vain.

I hope my health recovers in time to attend this May Day rally, but I also need to remember to find balance and prioritize my own needs every now and then. Writing this post has been a good reminder of that, so I will play this weekend by ear. If all else fails, a short rest, some mead in the ground, and some prayers to those who came before will inspire me for my next step.

So to all who celebrate this time of year, I hope the sun shines warmly, the rains bring life to the land around you, and the ancestors rest peacefully.

An snemude rotos aiwi

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.

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?

Thunder – Reactive forces, Regeneration, Directed force, Divine protection, and assistance, Will, Discipline, Luck, Danger, Compulsion, Defenselessness.

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.

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?

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.