The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/tag/fall)
Aside from mysterious nocturnal creatures and inner earth cults, there are also elves and dwarfs in the forest. There are dark holes in trees that are obviously the entrances to elf homes. There are ancient tree stumps clearly used by the elf-king to address his gathered followers during moonlight ceremonies.
Lyonel Perabo’s daily walk to his child’s kindergarten takes him through his hometown’s cemetery, a place to reflect on history and what has been passed down to us.
We share some fall foliage news and discuss some drives to see the autumn colors in person and online.
TWH – This year, the autumnal equinox falls on Sept. 22 at 9:54 PM ET in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the moment that officially signals the start of fall. At this time, there will be an equal amount of light and dark, after which the nights are longer as than days as we head toward winter. Outside of religious life, this season is well celebrated.
The fall equinox is celebrated in many different ways by practitioners of Ásatrú and Heathenry. Those who practice modern forms of polytheistic religions rooted in Northern Europe have revived, reconstructed, and reimagined a variety of practices and rituals to mark the turning of the year from summer to autumn. Haustblót (autumn sacrifice) is mentioned by name in the saga of the Icelandic warrior-poet Egill Skallagrímsson. The Ynglinga Saga of Snorri Sturluson tells of laws established by the god Odin, including the timing of the main annual sacrifices:
Þá skyldi blóta í móti vetri til árs, en at miðjum vetri blóta til gróðrar, hit þriðja at sumri, þat var sigrblót. There should be sacrifice toward winter for a good year, and in the middle of winter sacrifice for a good crop, a third in summer, that was victory sacrifice.