Faining Sample

Midsummer Faining
House Rowland – Fairborn, Ohio
June/Midyear 25th, 2006 E.V./2256 R.E.
By: Shawn Rowland

In the days of our Heathen ancestors, Midsummer was a time to Fain (seek to gain the kindness and favor of) to the Gods for virility, victory, and in thanks for the warmth of Sunne and the fruitful blessings of Thunor and Ingui Fréa. In these modern times, our own battles are typically not with sword and shield, and our toil is of a lesser nature (at least for those who don’t farm), but we desire and need that same spirit of joy and perseverance nonetheless. So when we gift to the Holy Esa and Wena our bedes of worship, consider deeply the blazing sunwheel within your breast, your mind, and your soul and resolve to strive for joy, victory, and abundance!

Midsummer begins as the weohfodthegn(altar knight, priest, godhi) calls the folk to gather within the weohbonds(place of worship set apart as a holy innangard). As is tradition within House Rowland, no weapons of any kind are allowed within the Faining grounds.

I) Lighting of the Nyd Fyr(Need Fire)
The very first ritual act is a setting to light the holy flame that will sanctify the rite and represent the need in our souls for fellowship with and wisdom from our Elder Kin. We shall chant:

“Need, Need, Bound within our breast
Need, Need, Listen to you we must
Need, Need, Helpful rune ablaze
Need, Need, Now we seize the day!”

II) Burning of the Recels(Incense)
Stick incense, herb incense over a burning coal, or heated oils may be used in this segment. The purpose here is to connect not only the sense of smell to the ritual act(since smell is strongly linked with memory), but also to symbolize our words and thoughts wafting into the heavens for the Gods to hear. We shall chant:

“Smoke, smoke, messenger of flame
Fire and herb, wending forth your way
Smoke, smoke, upon your whispy wings
To the ears of Holy Gods, carry now our bedes!”

III) Hallowing Bede(prayer)
For the hallowing rite, a hammer or staff may be used, and the bede lyrics changed accordingly, but typically it is the practice to sanctify the area(and all other holy objects or people) with fire. This is the Hallowing Bede:

“Fire I bear around this stead,
All folk I bond in frith,
Flame I bear around shield-wall,
Sends woeful wights to flee
Thunor make whole, Thunor make whole,
Thunor make whole this holy stead!
Thunor make whole, Thunor make whole,
Thunor make whole this holy stead!

Fire I bear around this stead,
All folk I bond in frith,
Flame I bear around shield-wall,
Sends outlaws running away.
Thunor make whole, Thunor make whole,
Thunor make whole this holy stead!
Thunor make whole, Thunor make whole,
Thunor make whole this holy stead!”

IV) All Gods’ Bede
For this segment, the English version of the creation myth as it is told in Theodish circles will be read as an offering of story-telling and a mindful contemplation of where the world we love came from, and why we have to fight for it. After the myth is told, we call the Gods saying “Hail the Esa! Hail the Wena! Idesa and Ylfes, hail!”

V) Bletsung(Blessing)
Mead is poured into the mynne(memory) horn by the Horn Bearer(typically the House Lady, weohfodthygen, or other heathen Lady) and offered to the Gods with these words:

“With hearts strong, minds sharp, and souls whole, we offer this gift to you, kind and mighty Gods and Goddesses. Bless us with your strength, wisdom, joy, love, and holy Luck. Mix your might and main with ours, and may we be as one. Hail!”

The mead is now poured into the blessing bowl and these words sung over it:

“Mead, Mead, Benefit and blessing
Mead, Mead, Given to the Gods
Speed on House Rowland and friends
Mead, Mead, Benefit and blessing!”

The mead is now sprinkled on the hands of the folk as a blessing from the Gods using a fresh leek.

VI) Mynnedrync(memory drink)
This segment is three rounds of shared ritual drinking from a holy horn stating personal thoughts and prayers to the Gods, Ancestors, and Fulltruis/truas. As is tradition with High Holy Symbel(formal and ritualized drinking, feasting, and gift giving), the female Horn Bearer passes the horn to the leading officiant to begin the rounds, and all participants will pass the horn back to the Horn Bearer who will pass it to the next person to maintain the Mains of Frithfulness(nurturing and bonding energies). As a side note, while Faining or Blot(animal sacrifice faining) contains a small portion of High Holy Symbel, it is not the same thing. High Holy Symbel is a rite unto its own and is more directed at folk fellowship and the ritualized laying down of words as deeds into the Well of Wyrd as opposed to communal or private worship of the Holy Ones. Folk Symbel is also similar, but is informal and not metaphysically associated with Wyrd or Main building.

VII) Earthing
The Faining is ended with the mead offering being poured onto a blessing tree or blessing stone with these words:

“From the Gods to the folk, from the folk to the Gods, gifts were given and orlay woven, luck built and joy increased. Hail the Esa! Hail the Wena! Idesa and Ylfes, hail!”

VIII) Husel(holy feast)
Now may the folk enjoy fellowship and food, and invite the Gods to stay with a plate of their own.