It is a heavily wooded forest with copious trees so large and with trunks which seem to be smooth, yet knotted and polished to a dull shine. The forest floor is littered with spent autumn leaves in hues of orange and red. So thick is the blanket of leaves which covers the vast entirety of this great and magnificent forest which seems to be my private wonderland. Small animals scurry about and I see my own Fýlgja (fetch) there often. In fact, at certain times he seems to be his own entity, while other times I am he and he is I and I travel about in his form, with a fleetness of foot! It is always Autumn in this place. And 'he' is always there, whether he reveals himself to me, or not. I always feel his presence and hear his voice in my head and...inside my soul. A whisper of rushing wind; "Oooodddiiinnn!"

I have noticed that in times of great upheaval in my life, something pursues me and sends me back to a childhood memory from about age five. It is a truly frightening memory, one which until yesterday I have never revealed to anyone. In this memory, I am in my bedroom which I shared with my elder Schwester (sister), late at night, when the whole household was fast
asleep. Meine schwester was in her own bed about twelve, or fifteen feet across the room from me and she was soundly asleep. Something had awaken me from my own peaceful slumber and had terrified me to the point that I had gotten out of my bed and hid beneath it. I can still recall to this day, the strong and sweet fragrance of the pine wood planks which held the box spring in the bed frame, in addition to my own urine, and chocolate candy which was on my night stand. It was the Yuletide season so there were candy dishes full of various types of candy distributed all about the house. I had wet myself from fright at whatever was in my bedroom, and I recall so clearly those three smells mingling with each other!

Whatever it was that had frightened me so, was only made known to me, as my schwester slept, undisturbed and undaunted, right through it. Though it had occurred only feet from her. And no one else in the house was dist­urbed by it either. The next morning no one had said anything, including me! Whatever it was, it frightened me so badly that other than the memory of what I have recounted herein, whatever had occurred that Yuletide late night had continued to allude me for over forty years! Though, the memory has haunted me with frequency. I have always known that someday I would have to find a way to reconcile with what had transpired in that bedroom forty years ago. This seemed an improbable, if not impossible feat. Until yesterday that is. To reiterate, I spoke of this for the first time since that night long ago, only yesterday with a kinsman. While I was recounting the details of my grim memory, it hit me like an epiphany after forty some years. I excused myself and immediately went to meditate and consider what had revealed itself to me, as if divinely so!

Forty, or forty-one years ago, during the Yuletide (Wild Hunt), Allfather had come to me and awaken me from my sleep. The Wild Huntsman himself, in the form of the Terrible one; "Ygg". He reached into my mind with his hand and he activated the Wode Fury within me... Odin had claimed me as his son on that fateful night. Frightened, I clambered under my bed to hide! I was hiding from a divine blessing of which my young mind could not possibly have comprehended.

Shedding is the time of the "Winter Finding" (Sept. 23, 09:71 Univ. Time), which of course is the beginning of Fall, the beginning of the season of the shades where shadows appear at the edge of darkness!

We all have our places that only we know, where the Gods, wights and ancestors appear to us, and speak to us. It is imperative, if ever we are to enter such esoteric realms, to learn to embrace the shades and shadows and all that awaits us there. For one may not know that some frightful experience decades ago was indeed a blessing, if one is not willing to re-evaluate our own experiences and memories which occurred under less than pleasant circumstances. The natural law of balance in all things requires that we not only accept the dark with the light, but that we experience it as well. Otherwise, we are out of sync with natural order, and as such, much like an automobile which is out of alignment, as it moves down the road it is always compelled to veer. As the auto's driver seeks to keep the vehicle from veering off course, it creates an undue hardship upon the auto's tires and other parts. If the auto is not fixed to correct this state of unbalance, then it will ultimately be good for nothing but scrap as the condition worsens.

Our own personal lives are much like that automobile. As we travel the Road North, we are moving towards the purpose of our lives. Yet, if we become unbalanced and thereafter elect to remain in such a state, we too shall veer off the paths which we desire to travel. Instead, we will fall victim to any number of pitfalls and detours which will have unnecessary and unpleasant conditions attached to them.

We have been taught throughout life, that the darkness is bad. That it some-how conceals a certain evil element within. This of course is balderdash! There is nothing to fear within the realms of shadows. For therein awaits the reclamation of balance with the light in your life!

Shedding the 9th is a day of remembrance for Herman, for it was in the month of Shedding in the year 9 Common Era, in which Herman (Arminius to the Romans) laid waste to Varus' three legions (20,000 men) in the Battle of Teutoberger­wald, at Kalkriese near Detniold, Germany. Heil this brave German Chieftain for his deeds of daring in the face of what must have seemed to be insur­mountable odds, and hell the noble and stalwart Kinsmen who fought by his side to rid the Fatherland of the Romans and their imminent debauchery and whoredom which accompanied them everywhere! Raise your horns to Herman the Cherusker on this the day of his remembrance.

And of course, the Fall Equinox (the Winter Finding) is on Shedding 23rd. Perform a Blot for Winter Finding, call upon Allfather Odin and consider his own journeys into the shades, the prices he paid and the awesome rewards he won by doing so. Let this serve as your own inspiration towards such endeavors.

Galdr and meditate upon these Runes: Uruz (), Thurisaz (), Raidho () and Othala ().

Shedding:

9th - Day of Remembrance for Herman

23rd - The Winter Finding (Fall Equinox) at 09:51 Universal Time

Runic Half months are: ( ) Raidho, () Kenaz and () Gebo.

Megi Odin blessi thig, ok fara meth Gothanum! I remain in Frith and fraternal solidarity with thee...

"What terror awaits just beyond the shadows edge? What horrors, that repel so many, yet attract so few...those bold enough to cross from the light into the dark and seize what nature has promised? It is there, lurking just beyond the shadows, the balance of those who abide by the laws of natural order." -- Casper Odinson Cröwell, Ph.D., DD