The Hamingja Podcast

Slavic paganism is perhaps the least well-known of the Indo-European spiritual branches. It is unfortunately also heavily distorted by new-age and other modern influences. This episode will remedy that! A great resource for those who seek their native Slavic roots and for those who want an even broader understanding of Indo-European culture and spirituality.

Hear the story about how Thor the Striker changed this young British man’s life at young age. Are you new to paganism? Young? Lost in life? We continue our pagan journey, our portraits of how some of our members found their ancestral spirituality and their true nature. That's exactly what us at Hamingja help people do – finding and practicing their Indo-European spirituality in an authentic way. 

Here we meet Elliot, a young man from the UK telling his story about how he came to Indo-European paganism, how Thor changed his life and about the importance of finding one’s way back up on the ancestral path. A story about how he found Anglo-Saxon paganism, or Fyrnsidu as it’s also called.  

Follow the channel and our portrait series #paganjourney for more guidance and lessons.

We help people find their true Indo-European spirituality, nature & purpose. We often see people who really want to deepen their Indo-European pagan spirituality, but don’t get going since they feel they don’t know where to start, how to do things in an authentic way and that they lack words. We’ll do something about that now. This is a guide to an authentic and well-attested morning prayer ritual aligned with Indo-European paganism.

This is a bonus episode where I go through an authentic Indo-European morning ritual step by step. It’s so important that we don’t just talk about our native spirituality, but that we actually practice it.

It’s originally a YouTube video, so for you who also want to see me perform the ritual I recommend you to go over there. But I know many of you love to listen to podcasts, so I’m posting it here too. And you’ll understand perfectly well just by listening here. At the end of this episode you’ll also hear the two prayers or mantras I offer to Dawn and Sun, but in a much better and melodic version, so stick around for that. 

And what better place to start than in the morning? As the title suggests this video is about how to perform an authentic pagan morning ritual – getting into a healthy and spiritual routine. 

A spiritual and mindful start of the day that definitely will make you feel that the day has begun in a meaningful way, and that you’ve already seen beauty.

For this morning ritual you’ll need water, a candle, incense and some barley. As you’ll see, one bowl of water will be used for purification, and a smaller amount will be used as a libation. If you have an altar at home it’s a good idea to always have holy water standing there.

I sometimes add on some more beverages as libations to the All-gods – like milk, wine or juice – but libations to the Sun and Dawn should be non-alcoholic.  

So let’s begin! Before you’ll see me perform the ritual and say the prayers there are some preparatory steps that are just as important and just as much part of the ritual.

First of all – wake up early. 6 o’clock at the latest. Already by doing that you’ll feel that you’ve done something good. Stretch a little in bed before getting up.

As soon as you get up, try to get 2-10 minutes of sunlight or daylight. There’s great health benefits of doing that. That’s of course not always possible depending on what time of the year it is and where in the world you are, but do your best. Be mindful of that the Sun represents our highest consciousness and the higher self.

Now drink one or two glasses of warm water. This kickstarts your metabolism, and activates your body’s fuel.

Take a really cold shower or bath. Start with 30 seconds. Cold showers and baths give both health benefits and a sense of uniting with nature. Be mindful in the cold water. You’ll feel connected to nature, and this purification also makes all that society forced upon you the day before.

It’s of course even nicer if you can get out in the garden or nature and pour cold water over yourself, connecting to Mother Earth. 

After that – meditate for as long as you feel you have the time for. Studies show that 15 minutes of meditation has the same physical and psychological effect as one full day of vacation! But if you only have two minutes, that’s great too!

When I open my eyes after the meditation I often think of things I look forward to or things I’m grateful for.

Young? New to paganism? Lost in life? Here's a very important message from a young Swedish pagan. Everywhere around us we see the decline of the west and the purposeless, rootless and lost people living there. But there’s hope for the future, not the least with youth like this. In the first episode of our new series of portraits of a #paganjourney you get to meet one of the members of the Hamingja Foundation – Niilo – who has a very important message to young people, new pagans and to those searching for purpose and direction in life. Leave the Empire of Nothing and start connecting to your roots!

Pagans drink mead, celebrate Odin for sacrificing an eye to drink from the Well, and pour libations in rituals. But why? Why did the sacred drink become integral to the religious beliefs and practices of Indo-European peoples? It is one of the most enigmatic mysteries and at the same time perhaps the most central phenomenon in Indo-European myth and spirituality. This episode takes a deep sip of the sacred drink of our ancestors – the elixir that keeps the gods immortal and conveys divine insight, inspiration and fertility.

Happy Solstice & God Jul to all our listeners! Here's a winter solstice poem written by our founder Björn Ekdahl. The Hamingja Foundation works hard to make sure that people who want to practice Indo-European spirituality won't lack words.

Text:
In the heart of winter's chill, When shadows cloak the land so still, Amidst the longest, darkest night, We seek the glow of inner light. Oh, radiant sun, your golden rays, Chase away the night's hidden maze. Illuminate our hearts, shine ever bright, Banish darkness with your warming light. In the quiet of the longest night, Where shadows stretch and dim the light, We yearn for dawn to break the hold, On this hushed eve, so dark and cold. Oh, radiant sun, your golden rays, Chase away the night's hidden maze. Illuminate our hearts, shine ever bright, Banish darkness with your warming light. So let us welcome the growing light, With open hearts, dispelling night. In the solstice's glow, our spirits soar, Embracing the light forevermore.

Listen to the prayer to river goddess Dā́nu! (By Björn Ekdahl)
Few things are as Indo-European as Dā́nu. She is one of the oldest Indo-European deities there is. In fact, the term Danu or Danava (plural of Danu) appears to form the very substratum of Indo-European identity per se. Note how Homer continuously refers to his ’Greek’ people as Danaans in the Iliad and Odyssey. Those who know the Celtic mythology know that Tuatha Dé Danann (the people/tribe of Danu) is what the Celts called the original mythical race they were children of. The construction Don- or Dan- is an extremely common name of rivers all over Europe. We have giant rivers like Danube (Donau in German and Scandinavian), Don, Donets, Dniepr, Dnjestr and Dysna. Several rivers in Britain called Don. We have the city of Donetsk, we have the whole country of Denmark (Danmark in Danish) and the nationality Dane. And so it comes as no surprise that the Vedic river goddess is called Dānu in Rig Veda, that the Brythonic had goddess Don, the Romans called the god of river Danube Danuvius, that the Irish had Danan/Danu, mother goddess of the Tuatha dé Danann and so on and so on.
Dā́nu is the mother of primordial waters – a goddess of rivers, all holy waters and of fertility. The giver of life and of fertility to the land. This is why all Indo-European pagan peoples worshiped by rivers and gave votive offerings in rivers and springs, for fertility and health. Dā́nu is holy water personified.
Listen to this prayer while contemplating your own roots and identity!

The importance of poetry, hymns, prayers, mantras and chants within Indo-European paganism can't be overestimated. It’s possibly the most important spiritual expression – to all the divine kindreds. The Indo-European love for beauty manifests itself in poetry and songs – words for ritual, stories of the works of the ancestors, for feasts and meetings, all passed down in an oral tradition. To us pagans, singing and chanting has always been associated with spiritual practice and with the connection to nature and its spirits. This episode is about pagan poetry, the high social status of the skald or bard and about the wonderful Dawn goddess. 
Remember to participate in our new poetry competition – the Weaver Award!

Groves, temples, frithyards, wells, stafgardr, vé. Pagan rituals and worship take place within sacred space. But what do they really mean? Why are they used? And do they have to be these magnificent, pompous halls and walls?  Learn more about pagan sacred space in this episode of the Hamingja Podcast.

Pagans don’t pray! We’d never kneel down for anyone! Or would we? In this episode we discuss that prayer is the most common pagan spiritual expression and about the importance of prayer in daily pagan spiritual practice. We also guide you through a structure of Indo-European pagan prayer so you can integrate it into your daily life.

This is a short introduction to Vastu Shastra – the Vedic science and teachings of harmonious architecture, construction and design. Or the science of where you’re supposed to live. A body of ancient concepts and knowledge within traditional design, layout, measurements, ground preparations and space arrangements, originally founded to optimize placement of graveyards and the building of temples.

Connection to Discord server: www.hamingja.foundation/contact

Be revolutionary – go to a place where the shallow consumption society and Instagram likes don’t run your life and make the decisions for you. Do something truly Indo-European – meditate! Just like all dharmic pagan peoples have always done. In this episode you get a historical context of meditation and I also teach the Vedic meditation technique.

I challenge you to meditate 15-20 minutes every day for a month. You’ll feel more energized and revitalized, you’ll deepen your pagan spirituality and get closer to the gods you want to connect to. And you will make smarter and more mindful decisions. 

You will find the AUM chant mentioned in the episode here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sYK7lm3UKg&t=433s

Right between the winter solstice and spring equinox the Celts celebrate Imbolc. A balance act between winter and spring, between life and death. It is the longing for life and growth to come back. All the Indo-European peoples highlighted this time of the year, and this episode is about how this holiday was celebrated all over the dharmic world. 

Imbolc is often translated as ’in the belly’, and in this episode I present what that has to do with Proto-Indo-Europeans, Ullr, Uranos, Varuna, Skadi, wool and milk. 

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.

Eternal life! Odin’s raven doesn’t return! What it feels like being split into three! Nirvana! Slavs bragging! Climbing Yggdrasil! Don’t be Gollum! Don’t be a dragon either! I sing! I speak in eleven languages! The elves leaving Middle-Earth! Disclosure: You’re not Martin, Lisa or Stephanie!

This episode is about etmn – atman – and the Indo-European parts of the self and the ’soul’. About finding balance in life and following our true calling and living honorably to transcend death and become immortal.

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.

The wild hunt! Throwing ash in your neighbor’s face! Erotic cakes! Drinking beer on the floor to maximize next year’s prosperity! Magic mushrooms as stocking stuffers!

Norse Magic and Beliefs is our guest in this Yule special on the winter solstice. We answer six of the listeners’ questions about Yule tide, and we note that we need to reclaim ancient traditions. We had some technical problems, so bare with us with the sound. God jul! 

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.

Zeus knocking on doors! Odin missing dinner time! Nausicaa being naughty in exchange of a good story! People never visiting relatives but still having guest rooms at home! 

This episode is about the Ghosti principle – the sacred rule of reciprocity, hospitality and gift giving in Indo-European spirituality. To be the guest and the host as the foundation of sacrifice and prayer in paganism.

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.

Xartus is the origins of what Indo-European peoples call the web of Wyrd, Rta, Logos, Asha and so on. It is the cosmic order and the eternal natural way. In this episode we explore the world tree and how its branches and roots permeate everything, creating the pattern we all live upon and how cause and effect impacts our future.

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.

Our spirituality is one part Indo European polytheism and one part hunter-gatherer animism. To complete the picture this episode is about the hunter-gatherers that had lived in Europe for tens of thousands of years when they got a visit from the steppe herders. We also discuss animism as an essential part of paganism and western beliefs.

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality

Our spirituality is one part Indo European polytheism and one part hunter-gatherer animism. This episode is about the Proto-Indo-Europeans, and how their culture and beliefs came to change Europe and big parts of the northern hemisphere. We also discuss two main themes and principles that are key to understand paganism.

The Hamingja Podcast is the renaissance of western spirituality. The place to be to explore paganism, animism and the Dharmic path in depth. For those who want to rediscover their natural spirituality.