It has been a tough Winter many endings and coming to terms with the world that will be. Everybody I know has been held back in one way or another. We are all trying to trudge forwards with a great whopping chunk of elastic tied to our back. Every step we take is harder and harder, we have all been hanging on the tree, awaiting divine intervention. Finally today I feel like the elastic has snapped and we can spring into the future at break-neck speed.

Just remember all that delay, all those obstacles were teaching you stuff, preparing the old you for a new start. Whichever spirit resides in you and guides you thank them for the lessons learned and be thankful you are still here to implement them in your life.

On my spiritual path I have really struggled with ego, but not too much of it but lack of it. I know now this in itself is disrespectful to Odin and the Aesir. For they have reached out and gifted me their knowledge, their guidance and their love. It is now my job to tell of their coming, once more in the realm of man. Don't get me wrong, they never left but were hidden below a thousand years of dogma. My job is to clear away that rubble, erase the stereotypes of germanic super powers and show the unbelievable  healing and protection energies of the runes. How the language of our ancestors can  change the lives of those that the runes come in contact with. Remeber that they are so much more than just a tool for divination they are a direct connection and communication with the Gods.

"Odin, my Father, send out your ravens into Midgard to herald my coming. So I may spread the word, that the wisdom of Odin is brighter than the brightest star in the night sky and the love of Odin so more comforting than the warmth of the sun on your skin on a cold day."

My book is where this begins, my radio blog ( The Voice of Odin) where I offer the answers that the runes can deliver completely free, so everybody can experience the wisdom that is available from the "Well of Mimir"
This is a lot heavier than my usual walking in the woods with Boo yarns, I believe now is the time to stand up, to speak up and be heard.
But I will probably go back to my Boo stories tomorow, but today I feel his energy all around

Got a surprise in the post today, the draft version of my book. I know it drives everybody mad when they go on about there book. Hey but this is my book! A few small revisions and then we go to print but it is much , much better than I expected and Kelli at New 72 Media has done a great job for me along with Mary Holden who edited my work. Let us hope we sell a few now.
 I am a realist writing it is the easy bit we now have to publicise it out in the real world.
Anyway it looks really good on my rune table.

My spiritual sister, Raven Keyes, posted a blog today about how the men out there need a warrior energy to connect to. I believe this 100%. In our society to be a spiritual man is seen a a sign of weakness. If you ever met myself, Tim Raven or Bill francis, the two most spiritual men I know, you would see no glimpse of weakness but in fact the inner strength our beliefs give us.
I myself follow the path of Odin, the All father. Not only is he the god of wisdom and knowledge but also the god of Battle. He is part of all of us, men and women, this part is called your Ond, this is his divine spark that dwells deep within us. The more I and other spread his word and the words of all the Asir ( The Gods and Goddesses of Asgard) the more our collective Ond grows.
As long as I walk this Earth and still has breath in my lungs, I will share his teachings. The old dieties are rising up, even in Iceland , at this present monent, they are building temples to the gods of Asgard. Little by little that spark is woken, it doesn't take much, movies like Lord of the Rings, Vikings and Game of thrones are all parts of the reawakneing until we reach critical mass and our ancestors will call out to us from Valhalla and we will know who we are, who we were and who we are supposed to be.
Hail Odin

Strange things take place in the early hours. I had a visitation from my Mother who has recently passed over. We talked casually about that she felt like she couldn't smoke where she is now ( I know its not PC , smoking was one of my Mother's greatest pleasures, that, a good chat and a cup of strong tea, sitting around the kitchen table)  and it was a bit boring on the other side and that she worried about my Dad and was just popping round to all the kids to see if they are doing OK. Then just as she was about to leave, she said. " Sam needs your advice and guidance." Then she was gone.
The only Sam I knew was one of my Shamanic students so I emailed to see if she was alright.
From the reply my Mother's message came at just the right time and my words helped to intervene in a tricky situation.
The veil between the worlds is so thin, it does not take much to reach across, just allow yourself to believe. I follow the path of the Vitki ( Norse Shaman)  Part of this path is to enter and navigate the obstacles of the nine worlds, upon these journeys I meet many an ancestor with messages for me or others. Within the readings I hold, clients relations come through and talk within the medium of the runes.
I also take part in the ceremony of the High Seat, which is an ancient sacred event, where within the holy circle we connect with the Norns, the weavers of the web of fate and ask for guidance or blessings. I know now that my connection with my Mother is so strong, she will guide my path in the future.

Below is a pic taken of myself and Tim Raven as we prepared to journey to the other world.

Saturday was a big day for me, the first time I have ever been completely lost in the forest. I set off on my normal route but decided to skirt the path into the forest for antler sheds.  I knew that if I didnt cross the swamp and turned left when I got to it by rights I should end up on my normal path. Well I kept happily walking and searching for antlers, totally confident in my directional plan, but then I turned left and was on the other side of the swamp without actually crossing it. This freaked me out,how could it be? I checked to see the sun but this was a Pacific NW Febuary morning and a dull grey sky loomed above. I checked the trees to see which side the moss grew but as this is a rain forest and there is moss all around the trunk of pretty much every tree. Then to top it all Boo was no where, then it hit me Fucking hell I'm lost.
A deep seeded feeling rose in my belly and I had a moment of  panic but only a moment. Then I thought first things first find the dog. I called to Boo and sounething moved out in the swanp, a blur of biege then sprang up in the air and looked in as many directions as it could before gravity took over and it sank back below the long grasses of the wet land. It was Boo, we were reunited once more.
So no sun, no sea, the Ray Mears moss thing is no good, trees usually lean towards the south but in this forest they lean in every direction due to the power of the winter storms. OK I am pretty good at remembering my steps , I'll back track and see where that gets me. Carefully I retraced my steps, cursing the fact that my son's Christmas present to me was Walkie talkies, but even then had been sent to the wrong address and turned up at his home in the UK.
What I was seeing seemed familiar and I felt positive just doing something, I have a pretty good internal navigation system and now I had to totally rely on it to get me and Boo home safe. I followed my instincts for about an hour and finally light broke through the tree line ahead, trusting my senses I had a pretty good Idea where I was and headed confidently in that direction. When I arrived it was a completely different place to what I expected, in fact so different that freaked out even more as I now knew where I was.
To be where I was , was impossible to be without getting wet. I will explain in an example.
( Imagine you are on the south coast of Britain, you know France is twenty or so miles across the channel but you go for a walk, get lost for a bit and then you are in France.) I made my way back to the house and tried to explain to Tara what had happened. She just didn't get it and who's to blame her it sounds insane. I knew something weird had happened like walking through a worm hole, I looked a t Boo and she was still trembling from our experience

For me, Imbolc is from sunset tonight until dawn tomorrow morning. the last long night , when we embrace the darkness and be still within it. Think of all the dark things that have gone on in the last year, all the things you want to let go of, remember them, understand their messages and accept these events are what have led you to who you are now. As dawn breaks tomorrow, the dark night has gone and the light returns once more to the land.
Erci, takes us by the hand and leads us to the coming of Spring. So on St Brigits day, go to a spring or a well or even a calm pool of water, say prayers and thanks that you have made it through and know that this day heralds the coming of new life and soon the goddess Ostara will tread her gentle pathway through the woods and meadows bringing back the green lush plants and the glorious blooms, The animals that sleep will once again return to the world of men, just as we have been asleep, it is time to wake up.