Every year I make a list of New Year's Resolutions, keeping about half of them. That's actually not a bad percentage - I usually come up with more than a dozen, so coming through on six to eight of them usually makes some positive change in my world.
Why mention this?
One of my resolutions this year is to blog at least four times a week here at Old Ways. And that's a resolution that I intended to keep.
Of course, the ol' publishing schedule is a tad backed up at the moment.
Why?
Since you asked, I'll tell ya!
There's an urban legend that, in the now forgotten dialect of some unnamed Native American people, the original name for Oregon's Willamette Valley (which I call home) was, "Valley of Sickness." That's really not a joke - it's actually an urban legend told throughout the Willamette Valley. Anyone who lives here year round can tell you why. Being surrounded by unbelievably rich farmlands (we grow everything from strawberries to irises to wine grapes to fruit trees - and we're the grass seed capitol of the world) means that we have hay fever in the spring and summer time the likes of which you simply cannot imagine. And being in the perpetually rainy Pacific Northwest (we average 40 - 50 inches of rain a year, delivered mostly in the form of a continual gentle rain or permeating mist that lasts for months) creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew to thrive.
Achoo!
All that to say that I've been feeling under the weather this last week or so. I've managed, so far at least, to avoid "the cold" - a virus that seems to be debilitating friends and co-workers for up to two weeks at a time. But I came down with a sinus infection, which in turn drained into my lungs, so I'm sleepy, miserable, and have a hacking cough. In the summer, I take locally produced honey to combat allergies (it works like a dream), but I haven't found a solution for the "rainy weather blech."
So that's the core reason why I'm a little bit behind at the moment. Also, out of respect for the gods, I tend not to publish articles or major materials on Wednesdays since the day is name in honor of the Norse god Woden (also known as Odin). You do know the origin of the days, right?
Sunday: Named after the sun. It's actually from the Old English sunnandæg which means "day of the sun."
Monday: Named after the moon. The actual word is a derivative from the Old English again.
Tuesday: "Tyr's Day." Another Norse god, but one that I feel comfortable calling on now and again, which is why this is one of the major days that I publish here at Old Ways. "Tiwesdæg" in Old English. Don't see the connection? Try was also known as Tiw, Tew or Tiu in Old English.
Wednesday: Wodan's Day. "Wodnesdæg."
Thursday: "Thor's Day." I have an especially fondness for Thor. While I have no issues publishing on Thursdays (or "Þunresdæg" in Old English since Thor was also known Þunor in Middle English), it's sort of a special day for me and I try not to do any additional work on anything other than my own path on this day.
Friday: Nope! Not another god... this time you get your pick of goddesses, either Frige, Frigg, or Freyja. Why so confusing? The Old English word is "Frigedæg," connecting it with the goddess Frige or the earlier incarnation of this goddess, Frigg. There's some possibility that it's connected with Freyja, so take your pick... or call upon all three... or some combination thereof.
Saturday: This is a tough one to figure out where the name came from. Nah... I'm kidding. It's named after the Roman god Saturn. Toss in an "n" and you have Saturnday. (Not to be confused with the automobile company with the same name.)
So for those keeping score at home, I feel a bit of a kinship with Thor and Tyr (Thursday and Tuesday), think Freja (Friday) is pretty nifty, and feel the need to throw in Roman god (Saturday) just to liven things up. While that may sound silly, there's magick behind the days when I choose to publish.
Tuesday is named after the Norse god, Tyr, who was known for his honesty and courage. By choosing this day to publish, I often share openly share things that others keep hidden and which, in all honesty, are sometimes challenging to offer you as I regularly put myself in positions that other teachers won't. Tyr also reminds me to be true to my word, which requires me to constantly reassess the example I set as a spiritual teacher. It's a challenging path to walk, but it's where my feet have led me.
Saturn is the Roman god of the harvest and Saturday's articles tend to be much more informal, conversations (Magickal Correspondences) we'd have over dinner or while working in the fields and
observations (All Around Us) that could easily be made while bringing in the harvest.
Freyja (Friday) and Thor (Thursday) have more personal meaning for me and it's in honor of that connection that I choose these two days to catch up publishing articles and such when I fall behind.
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