The Guilds of Practitioners

This blog is written and maintained by members of the Oley Freindschaft Guild of Braucherei Practitioners and of the Guild of Urglaawe Braucherei and Hexerei Practitioners.


The Oley Freindschaft recognizes the totality of the practice of Braucherei, which includes the contexts of Christianity and of Urglaawe.

The Guild of Urglaawe Braucherei and Hexerei Practitioners is dedicated to the advancement of these traditions within the Urglaawe context.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Hinkeldreck

This post is about a well known (and often jokingly cited) charm for bruising (Schrunn) or for a "boo-boo" (Weh). 

Heili Heili Hinkeldreck
Bis mariyefrieh iss alles weck

Most translations set "Heili" as “Holy," but there are some reasons that lead me to disagree with that translation. For starters, the word for "holy" as an adjective is "heilich." 

Additionally, there is a grammatical issue with that translation because "Hinkeldreck is a masculine noun. Thus, the phrase would have to be "Heilicher Heilicher Hinkeldreck" in order for it to be translated as "Holy Holy Chicken Dirt."

Third, the way that most folks pronounce "Heili" actually produces a different word: "Heele" or "Heeli," which means "hail" or "hails." 

Thus, instead of the chicken dirt being described as being holy, it is instead being hailed to bring about the healing. As bizarre as that sounds to the modern ear, chicken dirt was considered to have healing properties (and that may actually have some truth to it), and people originally did rub it on bruise site while saying the chant three times. 

Farmers were not quite as skittish in those days.  :)

Thus, the translation we end up with is as follows:  

Hail, Hail, Chicken Dirt
By tomorrow morning everything is gone.

The Deitsch chant is normally said three times while drawing a circle with the application hand (right hand for most people) clockwise over (or on) the bruise site. After doing so, the site is sealed by drawing the Naudhiz rune over it with the application hand with the thumb extended ("thumbs up" sign).



Thursday, November 27, 2014

Seidel (Stein) Blessing

The subject of a stein blessing came up today on the Urglaawe group on Facebook; thus, it seems like an opportune time to talk about what happened with one of Distelfink Sippschaft's steins this summer. Distelfink has two steins: one with an alcoholic libation and the other with a non-alcoholic libation. The two steins are always equal in every way spiritually, even if they are not physically identical.

The stein that we use for alcoholic libations, unfortunately, was shattered on the return trip from Trothmoot in June of 2014. We have not yet found the right replacement, so we have had to use a different stein for the time being.
The replacement stein

I chose a stein that I have had at home for a couple of years. At the time of consecration, I placed the remnants of the shattered stein inside the replacement stein and sused my right hand (fist closed with the thumb extended, like a thumbs-up sign) and drew the Perthro, Laguz, and Ansuz runes three times each over the top, sides, and bottom of the replacement stein. As I was drawing the runes, I also said the following charm three times for each rune:


Seidel, Seidel
Loss die Wadde, die gschproche warre
Vereenicht mit der Wurt  aa warre
Viele Sege wattscht du heere
Loss die uns zu uns'rer Waahheit keere
(then own free words or additional runes)
Mach's immer so!
Heel!

Translation
Stein, Stein
Let the words that are spoken
Also become one with Wyrd
Many blessing thou willst hear
Let them make us proper to our truth
(free words or additional runes)
Make it always so!
Hail!

The remnants remained inside the replacement stein until our next Sege, at which time they were placed on the altar. They were also placed on the altar for two more Seges for a total of three. This provides an opportunity for the energies to transfer to other objects on the altar.

The ground is frozen at the Graabhof now, but, when it warms in the Spring, the remnants will be buried at the site.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Speciality Guilds

The Guild of Urglaawe Braucherei and Hexerei Practitioners has opened up three new "specialty" or "sub-guilds" toward the goal of advancing the understanding and utilization of Braucherei and Hexerei in the Urglaawe context. These guilds are designed to remain true to the spirit of the practices and to the  cultural context from which they have emerged.


http://www.braucherei.org/p/guilds.html

This lists links to all five of the Urglaawe specialty guilds that are currently functional: Fiber Arts, Herbalism, Artisans, Customs, and Musicians speciality guilds. 

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The First Book of Urglaawe Myths

After three years of engaging in interview, piecing together the notes from those interviews, and connecting dots in our folklore, we are pleased to present The First Book of Urglaawe Myths. There is, of course, a reason that it is called the "first" book; there are still more notes to pore through! Cryptozoological creatures, deity interactions, and ancestor interventions are all here!

This little booklet consists of eight myths, most of which have been published on the Deitsch Mythology blog in the past. 

All profits from the sale of this book go to Distelfink Sippschaft's operations, which include engaging with the community to find the myths, remnants of myths, and folklore that is critical to understanding the Heathen mindset in the Urglaawe context.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Horse Protection Charm


This is an Urglaawe protection charm. It is a new construct taken from notes regarding various traditional Braucherei and Hexerei practices relating to the protection of a horse. It is the first charm to appeal to the twin gods, the Alhiz, for aid in protection.

-----------

Set Up:

Be near a fire.

Have on hand a glass or cup of water. Take a small sip of the water and let it seep onto your right hand.

Then say: 

Geischt un Wasser
Geischt un Wasser
Geischt un Wasser

[While intoning the Ehwaz rune 3x - sprinkle a bit of water on the horses muzzle or place your dampened hand onto the muzzle. If the horse has a "Bless," (a white spot on the forehead), sprinkle it there. Then place the right hand on the dampened spot]

[Elhaz rune 3x]

Alhiz Alhiz ruf ich eich
Hietet mei Gaul gegge yede Schtreich
Darrich mei Hend yetz sinn mir gleich
die en Deck baue, schtarrick un reich

Kelt un Hitz
Mei Deck beschitzt

[Ehwaz rune 3x]

Ich bau die Deck [repeat while running the right hand along the horse's body]

[Elhaz rune 3x]

Geischt un Wasser
Heeret mei Ruf zu Hiet
Mei Wadde yetz ich schmied

[Take another sip of the water and spit it into the fire]

Use your left hand to pat the muzzle of the horse dry.

Leave offerings to the Alhiz.

--------------------------------------

Set Up:

Be near a fire.

Have on hand a glass or cup of water. Take a small sip of the water and let it seep onto your right hand.

Then say: 

Spirit and Water
Spirit and Water
Spirit and Water

[While intoning the Ehwaz rune 3x - sprinkle a bit of water on the horses muzzle or place your dampened hand onto the muzzle. If the horse has a "Bless," (a white spot on the forehead), sprinkle it there. Then place the right hand on the dampened spot]

[Elhaz rune 3x]

Alhiz, Alhiz to ye I call
Heed my horse against every strike
Through my hands now are we alike
they build a cover strong and rich

Cold and Heat
My cover protects

[Ehwaz rune 3x]

I build the cover [repeat while running the right hand along the horse's body]

[Elhaz rune 3x]

Spirit and Water
Hear my call to Heed
My words now do I forge

[Take another sip of the water and spit it into the fire]

Use your left hand to pat the muzzle of the horse dry.

Leave offerings to the Alhiz.


Sunday, March 23, 2014

Hollerbeer Haven 21


The Winter 2014 issue of Hollerbeer Haven is now available as a free .PDF download

Featured in this issue is an article in which Jennifer Milby describes the Urglaawe perspective on Heathen virtues. Although the article is referring specifically to the seasonal focus during Yule, the consideration of the virtues is applicable throughout the year.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Kannsege (adapted for use outside of Braucherei guilds)

Der Kannsege 

(Adapted for use outside of Braucherei guilds; there is no Verbot on any section of this rite.)

The Butzemann should already be constructed out of plant remnants from the prior season. If you use only one type of plant for the construction (e.g., corn), you may edit the calls to relate only to that specific plant. In my case, I use many different plant remnants, so the calls refer to "plants."

Before the Butzemann is completed (or sewn up, if applicable), I insert a heart (cut from paper or cardboard) and various prayer slips (with my own expressions of goodwill and prosperity) and rune slips (with any combination (or all) of Ingwaz, Jera, Othala, Fehu, Ansuz, Berkano, and Laguz).

A knowledge of runes is most helpful. Appropriate runes can be intoned or envisioned at any time throughout the rite. However, for the purposes of this adapted rite, I only am mentioning the runes that are central to the function of an Urglaawe Kannsege.

There is an element of otherworldly travel involved in this adapted rite.

---------- Incantation ----------

Daer Bau, Desi Luft
(This Earth, This Air)
Daer Bau, Desi Luft
Daer Bau, Desi Luft

Ich bitt vun de Ziewe die Erlaawing, fer die hallich Scheid neizuschteige. 
(I request of the deities the permission to step into the heavenly partition).

Ich schteh mit eem Fuus uff em Hatzholz un schteig mit zwettem in die Weschtbledder nei. 
(I stand with one foot in Hatzholz (Midgard) and step, with the second, into the West Leaves).

Ich ruf zu de mitleidiche Blanzeseele reizukumme, fer ihre Nochkummer auszuhelfe. 
(I call to the compassionate plant spirits [change if using only one plant, e.g., corn spirits] to come to the aid of their descendants).

Ich bin die Brick. 
(I am the bridge).
Ich bin die Brick.
Ich bin die Brick
[Repeat in multiples of three as often as you feel is needed]

----------- 

At this point, you do not want to close out your connection to the West Leaves, but you can speak freely in Deitsch or English.

Here is where you can state in more detail to the spirits what your purpose is (for them to meld with the static spirits in order to awaken them within the plant material of the Butzemann, to give the breath of life to the Butzemann, etc).

Your promise is to name and to take care of the Butzemann, to honor his purpose, to make offerings to the spirits within him, to aid him in the care of his "children," etc.  This is an oath and you must abide by your words.

Most important: you must promise to relieve him of his duties at an appropriate time and to help the melded spirit within him to return to the otherworld. This is an oath. It must be kept. He must be burned between the autumn equinox (Erntfescht) and Allelieweziel (Halloween).

----------- Butzemannsege -----------

Ich geb zu dir der Ochdem. Loss dei Megge aufaerweckt sei.

(Breathe onto the "mouth" of the Butzemann),

Intone the "Ansuz" rune (known also as "Antwatt" in Deitsch) and draw the rune with your right thumb over where the mind's eye would be on the Butzemann. If skilled in otherworldly experience or in runes, do this repeatedly until you sense that you have received the rune back in response from the now-activated spirit.

Alternate: Intone the Ansuz, Berkano, and Laguz runes while drawing the runes upon the Butzemann. 

Now give a name to the Butzemann. There is a traditional naming convention. Please see http://tinyurl.com/crjohmm for more information. The only thing I would add is that a first-generation Butzemann would have the appellation of "der Nei" follow his name (if his name is Arnold, he'd be 'Arnold der Nei').

Be sure to keep a record of his name. You will need it when he is burned. In fact, consider calling him by his full name frequently. The naming serves as recognition of, and respect for, the plant spirits as beings.

Der Butzemannsege watt gschlosse.
The Butzemannsege is closed.

----------- Closing -----------

After the activation rite is completed, it is important to serve as a bridge back.

Ich bedank mich zu de Ziewe un de mitleidiche Blanzeseele. Ich schteh noch zwische em Hatzholz un de Weschtbledder, fer die zerickzuschteige. (I thank the deities and the compassionate plant spirits. I stand still between Midgard and the West Leaves for them to go back).

Ich bin die Brick. 
(I am the bridge)
Ich bin die Brick.
Ich bin die Brick.

Der Kannsege watt gschlosse.
The Ceremony of the Corn is closed.

------------
Copyright 2014
Robert L. Schreiwer
Published by Deitscherei.com
Bristol, PA