New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| This is the Festival of Woden. In 998 AD it became a Christian festival, All Souls' Day, drawing inspiration from the original heathen one. Asatruar celebrated Woden as god of the dead. They paraded the Hodening "wild horse," also known as the winter mare of Cailleach. They dressed in costumes for sacred theater, presenting plays that revealed the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Women baked "soul cakes" for living and dead alike, another custom that survived into later versions of this holiday. Chances are, you just honored the dead on Samhain, so let's do something different for Woden's festival. Honor the wild horses. They symbolize liberty and independence; it uplifts even the most downtrodden spirit to see wild horses running free over open ground. Visit their sanctuaries, read about them, or make a donation to help ensure that there will always be wild horses in the world. |
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