Hollerbeer Haven Issues

The Summer and Fall 2013 issues of Hollerbeer Haven are now available in the Files section. We're currently working on the Winter 2014 issue.

An Example of Heilreiwing

This is a topic that seldom, if ever, has appeared in writing before. This aspect of Braucherei has been almost thoroughly eliminated due to legal complications and licensing... and perhaps due to the complications of the esoteric aspects of this seemingly physical practice. I present this in the context of use within the parameters of the law. Per the ethics of Braucherei, no money is ever to be charged for the practice of Braucherei.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational and discussion purposes only. Nothing in these posts is intended to constitute, or should be considered, medical advice or to serve as a substitute for the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider or licensed massage therapist. The aerial parts of Solomon's Seal can  be toxic when consumed internally. Please consult with a licensed medical professional.

Heilreiwing translates roughly to Therapeutic Massage. It may be the massage of the whole body or of one particular part of the body. This form of Braucherei adds physical contact to the Energetic Healing (Meggeheilkunscht) or Sympathetic Healing (Aafehlheilkunscht) aspects of the practice.

I chose to present this example today because I had just finished describing on the Blanzeheilkunscht site the use of Siggelwatzel (Solomon's Seal) for healing connective tissue. After completing that article, I realized that, while I described the application of the salve to my own elbow, I did not describe how that salve could be used in conjunction with Heilreiwing to help another to heal.

It is very difficult for one to use many aspects of Braucherei on oneself. Some incantations, runes, and certainly herbal remedies may be applied, yes, but the transmission of healing energy from one to oneself is more difficult. Similarly, it is difficult for a person to give him- or herself a massage with the same effectiveness as if one receives a massage from another person. The transmission of energy does make a difference.

The Deitsch term for "massage" is "Reiwing," which literally translates to "rubbing." A Reiwing would be a typical massage that one thinks of when going to a massage therapist or when a loved one helps to ease the pain of a sore muscle.

A "Heilreiwing" involves more. It can include other aspects of Braucherei, particularly the energetic or sympathetic healing forms. The example below takes place in the Urglaawe context and includes the use of elemental runes. This is how I practice Heilreiwing, and, so far as I know, I am one of only four Brauchers who know or use this practice currently.

Setting

The client is a male in his mid-forties. He complains of dull aches in his left elbow and left pinky with a seemingly related dull ache in his neck. He works in a physically demanding job that includes repetitive motion.

The first thing that came to his mind was carpal tunnel syndrome due to the repetitive motion of his job. This is indeed a possibility, and I advised him to see a medical professional to check out that possibility.

The client requested help via the Heilreiwing, and I stated the appropriate disclaimers necessary. He requested that the Heilreiwing be conducted in the traditional manner of Braucherei in the Urglaawe context.

Die Effning (The Opening)

For a physical session such as Heilreiwing, I typically switch up the Effning from the usual Fire or Water runes to the proactive Spirit rune, Hagalaz. While most any rune would work to do the opening in a Heilreiwing, I find that the spirit of Hagalaz strikes a balance with the physical body. Additionally, in the case of the limited Heilreiwing in this practice, the spirit of the Hagalaz rune opening can direct me towards the thymus gland if there is an emotional or spiritual issue at the root of the physically manifested problem.

The opening with Spirit most frequently utilizes the left hand drawing the Hagalaz rune over the pineal gland. I make a fist with the left hand, leaving only the thumb standing upright (like a "thumbs up!" sign). The form of the Hagalaz rune used for this purpose is that of the Elder Futhark.

I envision the Hagalaz rune -- vibrant and in motion -- in my mind's eye.  Beginning about three inches above the client's head with the hands together, I chant the Hagalaz rune aloud, and then I open my hands and follow the outline of the client's head. I then return the hands to the starting position. This is done three times, and then the main Braucherei chants begin.

Die Suchung (The Seeking)

Due to the nature of his complaints, the decision was to focus on the left hand, arm, neck, and shoulder, unless the Suchung led to needs in other parts of the body.

The Suchung is used in Meggeheilkunscht (Energetic Healing) is similar to the Suchung used in Heilreiwing. The Suchung in Energetic Healing makes use of the overall circuit of passing the hands over the body to identify where problem areas are. In the Urglaawe context, this also includes seeking out any elements that are out of balance and are interfering with the normal flow of physical and ethereal constituents.

Now this is where the practice gets a little more difficult and where the advantages of physical contact reveal themselves. On a normal human hand, the four fingers each have three digits, thus for a total of twelve. Each of those digits becomes a signifier for the presence of one of the elements. 

The assignment of elements to the digits does not matter, but consistency does. The  element assignment on a given digit on the right hand (proactive ) must match that of the element on the left hand (reactive). In my case, the upper digit on my right index finger seeks Venom using the proactive rune Eihwaz. Therefore, the upper digit on my left index finger seeks Venom using the reactive rune Thurisaz.

The lower digit on each thumb is neutral, which is a discussion for a future article.

It takes some time, effort, and practice to be able to coordinate the flow of the digits over the body while remaining in the meditative state. It also takes some time to be able to determine whether you're feeling an imbalance in a particular digit. 

I take each hand and skim the surface of the skin in the targeted area. I follow energy lines that emanate from the pineal gland outward through the body, and utilize each digit through this seeking process. After an initial skimming pass, I will pass twice more with increased pressure.

Then I will take note of what it was that I encountered in the client.

Heilreiwing

In the case of this example, I came across some physical knots in the deltoid muscles as well as a snarl of reactive Yeast energy in the tendons at the top of the left arm and in the left elbow. The element in opposition to Yeast is Light, so I envisioned the proactive Light rune (Raidho) in my minds eye and applied that energy to the site with my right hand while alternating my focus onto the proactive Yeast rune (Wunjo) to pull the snarl out with my left hand. 

I continued this for three passes from the neck to the fingertips on the client, and then switched to a general physical massage (still following the energy lines from the pineal gland outward). I conducted the physical massage of the site for three passes, and then I moved onto the next phase.

The next phase, since I had identified a physical knot on the client and also had taken his complaints into consideration, was to include the herbal remedy of Siggelwatzel (Solomon's Seal) from Blanzeheilkunscht.

I applied the salve to my fingers (and a bit on his shoulder and elbow), and I resumed the physical massage at a medium pressure. I began the normal Braucherei incantation (which cannot be published) and then added a charm to Siggelwatzel:

Siggelwatzel, Siggelwatzel

Die Brick iss schwach

Bau sie schtarricker

iwwer 'm Bach

Weh Weh

Weck am Geh

Zing!

Zing!

Zing!

It's a fairly simple charm, but the expression states that the bridge (Brick) is weak and needs to be built stronger above the brook (Bach; veins and arteries).

I make three, six, or nine passes with this charm, and then do three more massage passes with the runic applications.

When the session is over, I conduct the closing.

Der Schluss

The closing is the opposite of the Effning. Since the session was opened with Hagalaz using the left thumb, then the session is sealed with Hagalaz using the right thumb.

While this process may seem relatively simple, there is a lot of massage activity that takes place, particularly if the full body is the target. Also, a Braucherei treatment usually encompasses multiple visits, so the Heilreiwing can be a major endeavor. 

As time goes on, we will see more of this information emerge, and, hopefully, the instruction of my apprentices will allow for the Heilreiwing to thrive.

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If citing this information, please use the following:

Schreiwer, Robert Lusch. An example of heilreiwing. www.braucherei.org, October 6, 2013. Bristol, PA: Deitscherei, 2013.

Press Release: Philadelphia Pagan Pride Day

Philadelphia Pagan Pride Day will include a workshop on "Braucherei in the Urglaawe Context." The time of the workshop has not yet been determined, but we will post it when the schedule is confirmed.

This should be a great event, so folks may want to plan a day in Clark Park on August 31!

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FOR RELEASE August 11, 2013 

Media Contact: Robert L. Schreiwer, 
philadelphiapaganpride@gmail.com 

Philadelphia Pagan Pride, Inc., is pleased to announce the return of Philadelphia Pagan Pride Day on Saturday, August 31, 2013, at Clark Park (4301 Chester Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143). The event runs from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, rain or shine. 

Philadelphia Pagan Pride Day is a family-friendly celebration of the harvest and reflects a variety of Pagan, Heathen, Wiccan, and other religious beliefs and practices. The day's events will feature a variety of workshops and discussions on religious and cultural aspects from the various traditions.

We have an exciting array of vendors and performers who will exhibit their wares and their talents. We are accepting additional vendors, workshop leaders, performers, and children's activity ideas up until August 15, 2013. Please visit www.philadelphiapaganpride.org to participate! 

Entry to the event is free, but we do request the donation of a canned food item or other provisions for our beneficiaries. This year, our beneficiaries are the food bank at the Mazzoni Center, Forgotten Cats, and In-Reach Heathen Prison Services. 

In 2012, Mazzoni Center's food bank Mazzoni Center's Food Bank provided more than 11,000 bags of groceries for over 1,200 individuals and families. For more information on Mazzoni Center services, please see mazzonicenter.org/content/food-bank.

Forgotten Cats is a humane trap, neuter, and release organization. the organization also provides adoption services. For more information on Forgotten Cats, please see www.forgottencats.org. 

In-Reach Heathen Prison Services is a joint effort of The Troth and Distelfink Sippschaft to bring positive materials and messages to incarcerated Heathens. In-Reach also accepts donations of other Pagan materials and distributes them through alliances and partnerships with other Pagan organizations. For more information on In-Reach, please see thetroth.blogspot.com/p/in-reach-program.html.

A detailed list of needed donation items may be found at:

www.philadelphiapaganpride.org/2013/08/donations-info-for-pppd.html. 

Anyone interested in getting involved as a volunteer should contact us by e-mail at:

philadelphiapaganpride@gmail.com. 

For more information, please visit www.philadelphiapaganpride.org.

Froschmuun

Tonight's new moon starts the Froschmuun (Frog Moon) on the Deitsch lunar zodiac... By Urglaawe reckoning, this is the fifth new moon after the Spring Equinox. For those near lakes and ponds, the frog's voice is heard clearly on the sultry evenings of this time of year. Those born under the frog sign reflect their representative animal, starting out in one, small, quiet form and transforming as an adult into a prominent (if not occasionally overwhelming) voice. 

There are several adaptable signs on the lunar wheel, and the Frosch is among them. While a frog can live on land, though, it does depend highly on water for survival and reproduction. Thus, the recognition of humanity's use and conservation of water resources is a key folk-consciousness attribute of this time of year.

Better late than never....

The Spring 2013 issue of Hollerbeer Haven is now available in .PDF format. It is a large document, so please be patient during the download.

Holle's Mill

This post is spurred on by an article in Denali Institute of Northern Traditions' May 2013 issue of True North. The article, The Magical Mill, referred to the presence and role of mills in various European mythologies, including Norse and Finnish.

As is the case with so many European folk religions and traditions, Urglaawe retains lore and knowledge of a major mill from Braucherei oral tradition. “Die Miehl” is by the hall of Holle, and it is in this mill that Holle takes the souls of the departed for processing between lives. 

The mill is said to separate the different pieces of the soul in order to release the returning components. In Urglaawe understanding, the portions of the soul that are released are the Urleeg (Ørlög) and the eternal Hoch (Higher Self; the divine spark). The Glick (Luck/Hamingja) is sometimes also passed from construct to construct. Additionally, the Folyer (Fetch/Fylgia), which, in Urglaawe, is seen as an independent entity that attaches itself to a new soul constructs, is freed to find another symbiotic host. The Urleeg, Glick, and Hoch may remain together or be separated into new soul constructs.  

The purpose for the milling is, in Urglaawe belief, to prepare the Hoch quickly for a continuing upward spiral of advancing consciousness. In the deities’ effort to thwart the forces of chaos (which in Urglaawe feature ignorance, apathy, rootlessness, and unenlightened self-interest along with the physical threats described in the story of Ragnarök), the advancement of human consciousness is one of their biggest investments. 

With each lifetime and variation in the interaction of the soul components, the Hoch is to increase its ability to understand existence and to assert its will into improving the existence. In short, the deities want us to be, at the end of this cosmic cycle, where they were at the beginning of it. It is, therefore, in the deities’ interests to keep the Lewesraad (the cycle of life, death, decay, and rebirth) moving along expeditiously.  

In fact, the Urglaawe view of the Wild Hunt pertains directly to this battle with chaos. In our oral lore, it is Holle who leads the Wild Hunt (though Wudan and She are often together, too). Her purpose is to find any souls that have fallen out of the Lewesraad cycle and to bring them back into it. She is followed through the skies by the souls that She has found or that have sought Her out. It is for this reason that the Deitsch culture associates Allelieweziel (Halloween) with the departure of Holle from this plane.  

In Braucherei, there are intervals in the spiritual year that the veil between the physical and spiritual planes (or among the worlds of the multiverse). Allelieweziel and Grundsaudaag (Groundhog Day), in particular, are times at which many Braucherei practitioners engage in soul work to direct lost or distressed souls towards the Miehl. It is also noteworthy that the same processes and cycles pertain to animal and plant spirit constructs, though they differ from those of humans.  

Holle’s Miehl plays a central, critical role in the purpose of human existence, purpose, and advancement. Many of us believe humanity is currently backsliding due to the dereliction of responsibility for one’s own advancement (another article unto itself), and it up to us to aid our deities’ efforts by striving to live our lives more deliberately, being conscious of the impact of our thoughts, words, and actions.

Braucherei in the Urglaawe Context

This will be a discussion and workshop on "Braucherei in the Urglaawe Context" at Trothmoot, which is being held this year in California at Tehachapi State Park.

Registration at Trothmoot would be necessary. Online registration for Trothmoot is now closed, it is possible to register and to sign all necessary forms and to pay on site.

Friday, May  31, 2013, 1:30 PM PDT

http://www.thetroth.org

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/parks/tehachapi.asp