The land is cloaked in darkness as yellow-queen is to rise
And as light gives way, red and gold paint the sky.
Hail to you dear Sunna as the gates of darkness fade
Cloud-murk covers hawthorn’s moor and Mani no more in shade.
I turn my face to you Lady of light
Arise! Arise! With all your might!
Now in full view, elves-glory lights the land
Thank you dear Sunna, for giving life to the seat of man.
-Raysdottir 2016
As stated elsewhere on this blog, for me, being pagan is something I do, not something I believe. For me, belief is secondary.
I have scared space set up at the back door inside my apartment. On the altar I have the following: incense holder, oath ring, cup for drink/libation, bowl for offerings/libations and in the middle, the three hallows according to ADF: fire, water, and tree. That is, a flame of some sort, bowl of water, and something to represent the sacred tree or central pillar. This altar is sitting on four plastic crates which I use as storage space to store away altar items I am not using. There’s a series of nine stones on the floor–three in front, three in the middle and three in the back of the scared space to make a distinction between the sacred and mundane. I do not enter the sacred space without first showering or at the very least washing my hands.
If I am washing my hands prior to entering the sacred space, I say a prayer? while washing my hands. This idea is not my own, I borrowed it from The Troth.
“By the sacrificial blood of Ymir, I wash away all ill will, all ill thought, and all ill luck in both body and spirit.”
Once I’ve washed my hands and entered the sacred space, I bow three times. Some heathens believe they should not bow to the gods and that is okay. My opinion is, if I think they are more powerful and mightier than myself, I would want to show them respect by at least bowing to them.
I primarily have two different offerings I make indoors. One is honey mead which I make myself and the other is Three Kindred herbs I purchased from The Magical Druid. Although, there’s sometimes a variation, these of the ones I primarily use.
If I need to dispose of the offerings by sinking, trashing, or putting them in my flower bed (for plant matter), I use the prayer from ADF’s Hearth Keepers Way
“Offerings I have made and offerings you have received. I dispose of these offerings now, knowing that you have taken your fill of them. May they be removed from human use so that they may be fully yours.”
This is the basic beginning of spending time in my sacred space.
-Raysdottir
My mission is to challenge the status quo and create a meaningful, lasting impact…first, for myself…and then for others who find this material useful…through pagan adaptations of psalms, poems, prayers, etc from various authors and religions.
Currently (in 2025) I have been on a pagan path for 37 years. Does that make me an expert? It makes me an expert on MY path, not yours. No one person is the gatekeeper of a particular path and no one person or organization holds a monopoly on the “right” or “correct” way. Religious experiences and practices are both subjective and individualistic and therefore deeply personal and pluralistic.
People have asked me about the path I follow. I do not have a name for it but I can tell you some of the elements. My beliefs are both animistic and polytheistic. At the same time, I hold the belief that being pagan is something you do, not what you believe. With that in mind, I honor the spirits of the land where I live by making sure the area is neat and tidy. When trash blows into my yard from wherever, I get it up and put it in the trash can. I’m also conscious about what offerings I make on the ground. For example, offering milk on the ground in the summer time when the weather is very humid and very hot (where I live) is not a good idea.
My prayers and rituals are either to praise a specific god/dess or to ask for help. In which case, I always give an offering. My prayers and rituals are very liturgical and scripted because I feel that is the best way for me to connect with a particular deity. The pantheon that I most closely align with is Norse, primarily Thor and Celtic, primarily Brigid, Morrigan, Dagda, Taranis, and Cernunnos.
Honoring and making offerings to my ancestors are also an important part of my worship. My “shrine” is filled with various pictures of my ancestors to help me focus when offering prayers or libation to them.
My path is influenced by Heathenry and Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) as well as from growing up in an atheist household in a culture where the only religion was Christianity.
This is my story and my path. Feel free to use what is meaningful to you.
-Raysdottir
Praise the Gods 