Beautiful Day for a Norse Blot
The Orange County Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess (OCLC CoG) held a Winter Ritual on Saturday, December 3rd.
The weather was perfect, albeit a bit chilly by Southern California standards. This year guest presenters, Randy and Karen, provided the group with a modified Norse Blot. Part of the ritual was done in Old Norse that helped enrich the experience. While we couldn’t have alcohol at a public park the group made do with sparkling cider.
We received gifts after the ritual. Each attendee was able to blind-select a hand-painted rune and a key. The key was a special gift provided by our 2nd Officer and the runes were hand painted by a new friend of OCLC CoG, April. We were honored to have our ritual presenters provide interpretations of the runes and provide a brief history of the keys.
The keys are a representation of Frigga, wife of Odin. In Viking-era married women had an exalted, respected position in society. Upon marriage, the woman became the key bearer, responsible for the family’s treasures, and she wore the household’s keys on her dress as a symbol of her power.
In addition to the ritual, OCLC CoG had a pot-luck feast immediately following the ritual. We also asked visitors to bring donations for our community service in support of the homeless. A member of OCLC CoG has undertaken a personal cause to bring needed items to Southern California homeless. Susan Gagliano has been collecting clothes, snacks, and toiletries for the past couple of years, and OCLC CoG has helped support her efforts. If you are interested in providing future donations, please contact the Public Information Officer, or any OCLC CoG member through our email at OCLC4COG@GMAIL.COM.
There were card and rune readers on hand who were answering questions and providing guidance to those who sat with them.
Following our afternoon event, OCLC CoG donated remaining food to the homeless that had taken up temporary residence in the park. Goes to show that when you look, opportunities arise.
Many thanks to our guest presenters, Randy and Karen, for sharing their tradition with us. OCLC CoG wishes to thank our 2nd Officer and ritual Priestess, Camille, for her time and energy in pulling this event together and her donation of the keys given as gifts to all in attendance. We also wish to thank our friends and guests who attended our event and to April for her donation of hand-painted runes.
We hope you enjoyed the festivities both during and after our Norse Blot.
OCLC CoG
