Calligraphy

This post won't be strictly about heathenry, but more general spirituality. Maybe.

Once in a while, I get a fierce itch to wallow in creative endeavors. Among these are photography, poetry, jewelry making (still in the early stages of this newest interest!), knitting (plain scarves only, haha), and calligraphy.

As an English major, teacher, and general lover of wordsmithing, calligraphy was a natural creative extension for me. I bought a book, some pens and paper, and I was off and running. I've been wanting to get back into it lately... over the summer break from school I want to establish an Etsy shop, which may feature some calligraphy items.

There is power in words. Language is what makes us human, what I think truly separates us from other animals. Animals have emotions, social structure, and even culture; all things that were previously believed to be unique to humankind. But spoken and written language places us in a unique space on this planet. By tapping into the power of words, we tap into the core of human identity.

Calligraphy is only one facet of this, however. I've done some simple rune magic and divination (yes, I know there's no historical basis for rune divination; no, I don't buy into the "blank rune" bit), always with good results. I've written poems as offerings, and I think I'd like to do some more of that and make nice calligraphy copies for my altar. Or copy quotes from the lore for my altar.

As a small side note, Odin, warrior poet, is a god I feel close to, and I believe a big part of that is my vocation. As an English teacher, my days often require a certain warrior attitude and definitely a poetic state of mind. I like to think Odin could have been one of those fierce, intense, tough, but brilliant English professors I love so much. :)

Community

I've always been an introvert, a homebody, a loner. So community has never been something at the forefront of my mind. When I got interested in heathenry, however, community was a focal point of the religion. As I spent more time thinking about it, I realized that community is a crucial part of my life, even if I'm not a social butterfly.

The barn where I ride is a key community for me. Having been there close to 20 years at this point, they've known me since I was a kid. My role in that community has changed as I've grown up. I started out where my only job was to open and close the aisle doors for wheelbarrows to go in an out when they mucked stalls in the morning. I was about six or seven, and too short to be of much use for anything else. I remember the first time I could reach the hook to get my own reins. Later on, I bedded stalls, swept aisles, and was allowed to ride on my own. Those humble beginnings graduated into going to A-rated shows and being a head groom, working and showing others' horses, and coaching clients on the rail. My barn community is a second family, and one of the spaces that truly allowed me to become who I am today.

In less secular realms, I have been mostly limited to online communities. This is partially by choice and partially by circumstance. I wouldn't mind being involved with a live group, but my personality and schedule suits solitary practice just fine. Meanwhile, online communities give me a place to stay connected, share ideas, and challenge myself. Let's face it, without the internet, I'd probably still be agnostic.

I am part of different communities, and my roles are different in each of them. But heathenry has brought me a new appreciation for my dependence on others for support and affirmation. And despite my fierce independent streak, that is not a bad thing.