Today (Jan/31/2013) is Disting. It is a holiday for Heathens that we often call "Charming of the Plough". It is also known as "The Assembly of the Disir" (Disir being the female spirits of the Northern tradition). During this holiday we often blot to Frey, asking that he makes the ground fertile over the oncoming year. A lot of the Vanir are included in work around this time.
Ploughing is something commonly done on this day. In Nore lore, the Goddess known as Gefjon (whose name means "Giver" was associated with ploughing. She was part of the Aesir and the Vanir. It is said that she ploughed the land that became Denmark. Odin sent her to look for land, and in her searching she ran into King Gylfi of Sweden. She entertained him shortly and in return he promised her that she could have as much land as four oxen could plow through in a day and night. Thus, she went to Jotunheim where the Jotuns ("Giants") lived and had four sons, who turned into giant Oxen. She went back to Sweden, and plowed through practically all of the land.
Gefjun dragged from Gylfi,
gladly the land beyond value.
Denmark's increase,
steam rising from the swift-footed bulls.
The oxen bore eight
moons of the forehead and four heads,
hauling as they went in front of
the grassy isle's wide fissure.
-Bragi Boddason
Traditionally a lot of land-taking rituals occur on this day! This can be something as simple as going out and planting something, or doing a ritual where you walk around your land with fire and make sacred fire areas. It's a good idea to include the landwights in work around this time of year. You could always build a spirit house, or leave them an offering somewhere. I'll include some useful links at the bottom.
The Disir are honored here as well, though more specifically during the Disablot. A small sacrifice is generally made, and offerings given. Sometimes a meal is made just for the Disir, and left at a small altar or shrine.
Some things you could do today would be: Raise a horn or drink to the Vanir (Freyr and Gefjon specifically), lay brown and green cloths on your altar, light a variety of candles (brown, yellow, green, red),bless the tools you work with, leave an offering for the Disir and the landwights, etc.
Awesome post Percy. I plan on honoring the Disir with a song and an offering of ale. Then I will do a blot for Frey and ask for a good harvest to come. Also after everything's said and done I will sprinkle my tractor and tools with mead for Frey's blessing.
I think I might do a land-taking ritual this evening. It's been awhile since I've done anything for the wights, so I think it'd be nice. I might even make a new offering place for the Vanir. Not sure yet. My kindred isn't meeting today, but this weekend instead.
Is Disfest or Disablot which is a day of sacrifice honoring the Disir.
The Disir are all the female relatives from the eons of time that have passed over and over see as well as protect their living family members
In some homes every candle and light is lit in the house to honor them.
A sacrifice of the very best food and drink in the house is given to the Land Wights as well.
It is a day of remembrance and honoring the females that passed over and to thank them for their loving protection.
The sacrifice to the Dsir - either a minor deities or a spirits.
Disablt was sometimes called disfest (Feast of the Dsir)
They were protectress of household and fertility spirits.
The sacrifices were held some time between around the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. verry little is known it seems about disablt .
If you have more information about this please share. I plan to make with and offering to dsir as well as women who have passed away in my lifetime that I respect.
This is great percy. I've never done a land-taking ritual. I'd do one today but that won't work out well today. But I will when I get a good chance to.
Hey Van you could do a land-taking ritual indoors. Just walk all around the house with a lit candle in place of circling the property. It would essentially be the same thing on a smaller scale.
