wolfandthevalar

[wolfandthevalar]

I feel sorry for Melkor and his ridiculous problems with women x) 

**actually Varda had choose Manwe and rejected Melkor before the Music,so they didn’t have bodies then*

***I didn’t make any design for Varda xC I can’t even imagine her. Except for stars as a part of her body and hair**

[wolfandthevalar]

Rose’s Tears: A Healing Bath

“Steven, your mother had healing tears that flowed from her gem. She felt real love for those around her. She felt real sorrow when they were hurt.“

Intent: A feel-good bath to promote healing

What you need:

Epsom salt (scented or unscented)

Candle(s)

Pink rose petals

Rosemary

Lemon/Orange/Lime slices or Lavender

A piece of Rose Quartz (any size)

Gather your ingredients beforehand. It’s much easier and less stressful (and possibly less dangerous if you’re slicing fruit!) than hurrying to slice up a lemon or trying to remember where you left your candles while the water is running and worrying that the tub may overflow when you’re not looking.

Step one: Draw a bath at your preferred temperature. Hotter would be better to help the herbs release their aromas, but don’t burn yourself!

Step two: While the water is running sprinkle a desired amount of the Epsom salt under the running faucet. Most bags recommend 2 cups. I prefer to use the unscented kind, though I’ve also seen it in lavender and eucalyptus scented varieties. You can usually find Epsom salt in any store that has a pharmacy section (such as CVS, Walmart, or Target).

Epsom salt is wonderful for drawing pain out of achy muscles and is a great ingredient for a bath after a long, stressful day. It also adds salt to the water to imitate the salt in someone’s tears.

Be sure to add it while the water is running. You could add it at any time, but it dissolves much faster when the tub is filling and the water is moving and will distribute more evenly.

Step three: Add in the herbs and/or fruit.

If you want a more invigorating bath that will help bring you ‘back to life’, throw some citrus slices into the water. You can pick one fruit or mix and match. Oranges are energizing, while lemons and limes also help with confidence and can draw toxins out of the skin. Citrus is a wonderful pick-me-up and some of my favorite scents.

If you’re looking for a more relaxing bath, de-stressing sort of bath, you may want to opt out of the citrus and add in some lavender. It will help you calm down after a long day and can aid you in getting to sleep more easily. It also promotes love and happiness.

Rosemary is a super versatile, catch-all kind of herb that can work for you in a number of different ways. It will help to promote love, protection, and strength.

Pink rose petals floating in the water help bring Rose and her garden to mind. They will also help to promote love, either for yourself or others.

Step four: Light some candles! This is optional, but I love having at least one candle lit whenever I take a bath. Running with the Rose Quartz theme I would pick either a rose scented candle, or one that smells like the beach where she lived.

Feel free to pick any other scent(s) you like that will help you feel good, though.

Step five: Also optional. Grab a chunk of rose quartz and, once in the water, rest it on your chest and allow the love energy to seep into you. Let the stone help you feel love for yourself and/or those around you. Imagine Rose Quartz wrapping you in a warm hug and telling you how wonderful and important you are.

Play or download some relaxing SU music to help you relax and feel the love while you enjoy your bath!

Disclaimer: Different people are allergic to different things! Be sure you know what allergies you may have and remove or substitute ingredients as necessary!

Another note: Lemon juice can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so if you plan on spending time outside after a citrus bath, bring sunscreen!

This is my first attempt at writing any kind of spell or ritual so please be gentle. If you’d like to offer feedback, feel free! :)

[wolfandthevalar]

Thu'um Magix: Animal Allegiance

RAAN           MIR            TAH

Animal      Allegiance       Pack

 A Shout for help from the beasts of the wild, who come to fight in your defense.

 ANIMAL ALLEGIANCE: MAGIX TO TAKE ON THE ASPECT OF AN ANIMAL

Things you’ll need

Your voice                        

An idea you want to take on to yourself (cunning, strength, wisdom, etc)

Everyone has an animal they admire. They love the qualities they see in that animal and wish they could embody those qualities. A cunning fox, or a wise old owl, or a strong lion. That is what this magix is for.

Think of a quality you want expressed in your life right now. Wisdom, cunning, strength, what have you. And think of an animal that embodies that quality. You don’t have to know everything about the animal. And even if you only really know cultural things about the animal (the wise owl, for example, is a cultural thing not necessarily a true-to-life thing), that is perfectly okay. Cultural attachments are often rooted in fact.

Imagine that animal in front of you. And visualize that animal walking/flying/swimming toward you and becoming an aura around you. It can be a colored aura or an aura shaped like that animal surrounding you. Feel it share your wanted quality with you. Feel the strength of the lion flowing through your mind and your heart. Feel the cunning of the fox give you ideas for the situation at hand. Feel the adaptability of the coyote help you to be flexible in your actions and decisions.

 And when you are ready, Shout the words. You are the cunning fox. You are the strong lion. You are the wise owl.

[wolfandthevalar]

Valian New Moon Ritual

This is a New Moon ritual dedicated to Lórien, the god of sleep and dreams, and his wife Estë, the goddess of rest.  Silver and shadowed things are especially precious to these deities; fitting offerings could be silver coins, dark stones, dark flowers or leaves, or anything related to sleep such as lavender or chamomile. O Estë, gray lady in the garden, healer of hurts and of fears, the rest of the weary is your greatest gift, o defender of the dark night. Goddess of tired eyes and aching hearts, grant me your soothing sleep. O Lórien, god of the shadows, keeper of the land of dreams, master of visions in the liminal places, you who protect the dark night. Irmo of the sleeping silver gardens, grant me your blessed dreams.

[wolfandthevalar]

Vána is the younger sister of Yavanna, and seems to be a deity of flowers, gardens, and springtime.  In the earliest versions of the mythology, she is partially responsible for bringing the golden tree Laurelin into being.  In later versions, Arien who would go on to guide the sun through the sky was one of her handmaidens, tending her gardens.  Vána is portrayed as loving the golden light, and by extension can also be associated with sun and the daytime.

Hail Vána the Ever-Young, for whom the flowers bloom and the birds sing, you who know the songs of blossoms, who dance the steps of spring. Vána of the shining golden hair, weaving sails that set the sun aloft, bring your precious light to me and mine, a glance of life that wakes the spring. (Flora, painting by Evelyn de Morgan)

[wolfandthevalar]

Mir Da'len Somniar: A Traditional Dalish Lullaby (The World of Thedas Vol 2)

[wolfandthevalar]

                                 Study Elvish and Tengwar

There are many resources out there, but these are my favourites. The video tutorial is the best and I added a few more I found helpful.

Video tutorials

Master List

Tengwar Textbook

Learn to write your name in Tengwar

Fonts (not accurate but fun for graphics)

Translate english to Tengwar (most accurate one I could find, but double check before you get a tattoo!)

Any questions? ask this guy, Matt Coombes. Matt is a linguistic research graduate studying the Neuroaesthetics of Language, specifically Elvish and other fictional languages.

[wolfandthevalar]

Hello! I read that you're an Ardan pagan, and I wanted to know about your worldview. Do you actually believe Arda is real? And you worship the Valar? I'm sorry if this sounds rude or anything, that's not the intent, I'm just curious.

Firstly, I’d like to reassure you  - you’re fine, I didn’t think you were rude. I don’t mind honestly curious questions and I’ll do my best to answer. :) (I just don’t like it when people are all “How dare you?!” or “You worship the Valar? Hahahah!” and you were neither of those.)

Yes, I do believe that Arda is real. (Whether Arda is our world or whether it’s more of an overlapping world that Tolkien sort of tuned into (or whether it is something else altogether) is sort of dependent to how I’m feeling/thinking at the time about the specific topic at hand, but I generally say that I hold to somewhat of a multiverse theory to keep it “simple”.) 

I do worship the Valar, though I generally like to think of it as honoring them. (Worship makes me think of church and I no longer go to church so it feels like an awkward word for me to use.) I also work with and honor (not so much worship, but hold reverence for) specific non-Valar characters for various reasons - whether I am seeking to improve myself by emulating them, or because they have been through similar trials, or what have you - I mainly see them as a guide. But I do feel that it is important to mention that I work with more than just the Valar myself. (You will find all sorts within Ardan Paganism - some who only honor the Valar, some who work with non-Valar, some who work with only one or two beings.) To be honest, it’s not so different for me between Valar and non-Valar except that I hold the Valar in higher reverence.

My own personal spiritual practices are pretty low key.  I’m really not organized at all when it comes to my practice. A lot of people do altars and rituals and things, but that’s never really worked for me. I have run some online shrines, but that’s probably the closest thing that I could say I do.  Most of my practice is through trying to better myself as a person, through talking to them in my thoughts, through answering questions like these.  

I’m not really sure what else to add right now, but if you have any other questions, feel free to ask. :) I’ll also be happy to answer your questions in private if you come off anon, if that is something you would prefer.

[wolfandthevalar]

Aule, Smith of the Valar

other names/epithets: Mahal (the Maker)

background: Aule was among the 13 Valar who came originally to Arda (excepting Tulkas, who arrived later).  He oversees the realm of earth and crafting, and is regarded by most as the patron of skilled workers and craftsmen.  He is the creator of the race of Dwarves, which were made without permission from Iluvatar.  However, the Allfather could not bear to let Aule destroy His children, and thus the Dwarves were allowed to stay.  Aule is the original master of Sauron and Saruman.  His influence lays in mountains, valleys, and any other inorganic feature of the earth.

Maiar: Mairon, Curunir

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Associations-

stones & minerals: agate, aragonite, bronzite, green calcite, chrysoberyl, copper, diopside, green garnet, hematite, leopard jasper

plants & herbs: elecampane, hawthorn, juniper, patchouli, rowan, rue

animals: domestic animals, especially dogs, livestock, etc.; burrowing creatures such as moles and badgers

colors: all shades of brown, green, and gray; metallic colors such as gold, silver, and bronze

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Though it may seem somewhat counterintuitive when His area of influence is considered, Aule is a gentle and kind-hearted soul.  He is known among the Ainur for His generosity and willingness to help others.  He is also a cheerful and jolly figure, full of jokes and reassuring words.  His Maiar, though They may have been seduced to evil later in Their lives, were in Their youth helpful and clever beings,  Aule is also responsible for creating the Dwarves, who are as a race crafty and resourceful creatures.  Aule loves to teach and share His knowledge, and taught the Noldor much of what they knew, allowing them to be legendary smiths and craftsmen.

[wolfandthevalar]

Varda Elentari- Queen of the Valar

other names/epithets: Elbereth (Star-queen), Tintalle (Star-kindler), Gilthoniel (Star-kindler), Fanuilos (Ever-white), Barathi/Baradis, Avradi, the Kindler, Lady of the Stars, Queen of the Stars, Snow-white.

background: Varda is known as ‘Star Kindler’ because, before the Valar came to Arda, She created the stars.  She is the wife of Manwe and rules beside Him, and Her powers are a compliment to His.  When They are together, Manwe sees all, while Varda hears all.  Her influence lies in the sky beyond our atmosphere, in the depths of space.  It is said that the Light of Iluvatar shines from Her face, making Her both beautiful and terrible to behold.  Of all the Valar, She was the most feared and hated by Melkor for Her power and brightness.

Maiar: Ilmare

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Associations-

stones & minerals:ametrine, blue topaz, citrine, kyanite, rutile quartz, scolecite, seraphinite, turquoise

plants & herbs: acacia, lavender, marjoram, peppermint, sage

animals: birds of all kinds, especially nocturnal birds

colors: Purples, blues, and greys; white and silver.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For those who seek a goddess of gentility and softness, seek elsewhere.  Varda epitomizes feminine strength and power, and has all the regality and sternness that one would expect of the Queen of the Valar.  This is not to say that She is cruel or even unkind.  She loves all beings with almost the same magnitude of Her husband, Manwe, though it is without a doubt 'tough love’.  She created the billions upon billions of stars that we see, and the power needed for such a feat is evident in Her.

[wolfandthevalar]

Ardan Paganism

       Introduction Ardan Paganism is a name for a diverse group of beliefs and practices found within Pop Culture Paganism that draws and bases many religious/spiritual and/or inspirational concepts and aspects from Tolkien’s Legendarium. It has various practices that may either regard concepts and beings of Arda as real entities to be worshipped or as inspirational symbols.

Is there a unifying name? So far, there is no unifying name for those who practice Ardan Paganism other than just being called Ardan Pagans; however, Eruhíni is always a viable suggestion and option as it means “Children of Eru/Ilúvatar” in Quenya, and sums up the fact that we are children of Arda (a creation of Eru), or even Ardahíni “Children of Arda.” However, it is definitely up to personal preference as to what an Ardan Pagan may call themselves, and they may have no name or a specific name for their practice.

Are there any deities? Yes and no; it’s debatable. It greatly depends on the individual as to whether they consider the entities of Arda as divinity or not, or whether they simply see them as symbolic inspirations rather than real entities. Those who take a more theistic view on Ardan Paganism could see Eru as a divine figure with the Valar as Angelic Beings or Gods in their own right, or Eru as a part of the World along with the Ainur as personifications of natural events, or some other interpretation thereof. Ardan Paganism allows for a myriad of views and interpretations when it comes to divinity, even when it comes to figures in the lore, such as Galadriel or Luthien, as some people could see them as prominent figures, heroes in their own right, or simple as “muses” who inspire something in them.

Can I be a Ardan Pagan and follow other paths/practices? Absolutely! Ardan Paganism can be a supplementary path (added onto other paths) or a primary path (a path all on its own). Most (if not all) practices fit well with Ardan Paganism; however, I would recommend asking your current deities (if you have any) as to whether it is okay to include the entities of Arda in your worship, honoring, or work if you are practicing the Theistic form of Ardan Paganism (see below). If you take a more secular slant to Ardan Paganism, it melds just fine with other practices as it is what you have personally taken from Ardan Myth (Tolkien’s Legendarium) to include it in your practices.

        Forms of Ardan Paganism Based on the aforementioned definition of Ardan Paganism, this gives us various forms of practice. (Note that the following sections are simple explanations and do not wholly encompass what can be considered under both forms. Also, note that even if the word “worship” is used for a lot of the definitions, one can still simply honor or work with an entity rather than worship them.)

The first form is Theistic* that acknowledges that the entities/beings of Arda are real entities that can be worshipped and/or honored. The entities can be viewed as gods, spirits, heroes, or other interpretations, but otherwise are seen as entities that can be communicated with. There is no one form of Theistic Ardan Paganism, as some people may worship/honor only one entity from Ardan Myth with which they have a close relationship while acknowledging the others exist (monolatry), or all or a group of entities (polytheism). Even still, some may see Eru as the only god and other entities as “angelic beings” or other types of spirits (monotheism), worship one entity at a time seeing each supreme in turn (kathenotheism), or even worship all or a group of entities but seeing one as supreme (henotheism).

The second form is Secular/Symbolic that sees the entities/beings of Arda as inspirational symbols rather than as divinity or real in any way. The entities may represent certain aspects to the practitioner they may hold in high regard to their person, beliefs, morals, etc., and/or may take what they feel are important lessons and themes from Tolkien’s Legendarium and apply them to everyday life. How one views the beings of Arda can vary between simply symbolic concepts or “muses” for that person; a concept or aspect that inspires them. Secular/Symbolic Ardan Paganism may have a heavy emphasis on the “self,” and, for some, the only “god” may be oneself.

There may be even other practices that may be seen as a combination of the aforementioned forms. Aldúlva can be considered a combination of Theistic and Symbolic, as it sees the Two Trees as both symbolic representations of a central theme (Light within Darkness) as well as actual entities to be honored.

* Theism is defined here as the belief in one or more gods or goddesses; the belief in God, a god, or gods, who is/are actively involved in maintaining the Universe.

       Symbolic Concepts & Themes Ardan Myths bring to each practitioner their own inspiration, understanding, lessons, and garner their own theme from the stories that are told. Some themes may ring truer to a practitioner than others, or may overshadow others as a more important theme than others. To me, it is sort of like hearing their own version of the Music. Different music instills in us different emotions and feelings, and stories and myths can do the same when it comes to interpreting themes.

It is for this reason that, in Aldúlva, the central theme is Light within Darkness. It is an understanding that there is always a ray of hope in troubled times, but also that just because times seem calm and tranquil doesn’t mean there isn’t something more troubled lurking beneath the surface. It shows that Darkness and Light can both be interpreted as good and bad things, not just Darkness being “bad” or Light being “good.” It also shows a sort of comfort, to not be afraid of the unknown whether it is hidden by the shadows or blinded by the light. This theme is drawn from the Two Trees, the first givers of light before being struck down and transformed into the sun and moon. So the central theme of Aldúlva is not just Hope and Comfort, but Perspective as well as perspective allows us a different way of looking at things, and that there is a thin line between how things are perceived. (This is a personal interpretation as the individual who started Aldúlva, and what I had in mind for the central theme of the religion. My co-conspirator, much like music, may interpret it differently.)

However, other themes can come from Tolkien’s Legendarium; many varied and different and all with different interpretations and understandings. A few that could be central themes are:

Hope

Courage

Chance, Luck

Heroism

Redemption

Faith

[Selfless] Love

Humility

Wisdom

Imagination

Camaraderie

Perspective, Points of View

       Conclusion It is because of all of the aforementioned that Ardan Paganism is about the individual; encouraging them to seek their own truths, follow their own music, find their own strength, find their hope, and be themselves.

[wolfandthevalar]

Manwe Sulimo- Lord of the Valar

other names/epithets: The Blessed One, the Lord of Airs, King of the Valar, Overseer of Arda, Lord of the Breath of Arda, the Breather, the Elder King, Lord of the West

background: Among the Valar, Manwe was lesser in power only than His brother, Melkor.  He, given His great understanding of the Will of Iluvatar, was made Ruler of Arda.  He commands air, wind, and clouds, and calls birds His servants.  He is gifted with All-Sight, and sees all that takes place in Arda.  He is the husband of Varda, and lives with Her in the Halls of Ilmarin, on Mount Taniquetil in Valinor.

Maiar: Eonwe and Olorin

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Associations-

stones & minerals: apatite, white aventurine, celestite, hawk’s eye, quartz, scolecite, seraphinite, blue topaz

plants & herbs: alder, almond, bracken, Irish broom, chicory, citron, clover, dandelion, marjoram, parsley, pine, sage

animals: birds of prey (hawks, eagles, etc.), ravens, griffons and other avian beasts

colors: all shades of blue; white, silver, yellow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Manwë, most powerful of the Ainur save Melkor, was appointed King of the Valar for His understanding of Iluvatar’s will.  He is a wise, loving, and kind, and utterly lacks darkness or evil in His being.  He cares for all living creatures, even His brother Melkor.  He is light-hearted and quick to laugh, and almost incapable of anger.  He is an ideal Patron for someone seeking wisdom, guidance, and patience as well as tenderness and cheer.

#I see him more tan but yeah

[wolfandthevalar]

Times of Reverence

There are exactly sixteen (16) holidays (previously eleven (11)) within Aldúlva, and it should be noted that some days have been rearranged or have been changed with creative liberty to fit neater into the year and may not fall where it is supposed to canonically.

(I also want to note that this calendar is different than the one that was originally made for Aldúlva, and much of the ones that fell on a different day may now be considered part of my Aldúnya instead. There are two (2) holidays that are specifically a part of my Aldúnya and are not included in this post making eighteen (18) total holidays.)

The calendar was made to have fixed dates and to not change or move throughout the year. Leap years, are not done canonically, and instead a day is simply added to ensure there is no complexity of counting when the 12 years starts and ends for the extra three (3) days to be added to the Enderi.

High Days The High Days are the days that are of the most importance in Aldúlva, as they deal with the Two Trees specifically and their waxing and waning throughout the year. Even if I am unable to celebrate the other holidays in my religion throughout the year, I usually make sure these two days are the one I make sure to celebrate due to their importance.

Silmenya: (Midwinter) Day dedicated to the honoring of Telperion, the oldest of the Two Trees. It translates to “Telperion’s Day,” “Day of Starlight,” or “Day of Slpion’s Light.” It takes place at the middle of winter on the Elven Calendar. It is focused on the light of the Moon, the Flower of Telperion, and recognizes the guiding Maia Tilion.

Laurenya: (Midsummer) Day dedicated to the honoring of Laurelin, the youngest of the Two Trees. It translates to “Laurelin’s Day,” or “Day of Golden Light.” It takes place at the middle of summer on the Elvish Calendar. It is focused around the light of the Sun, the Fruit of Laurelin, and recognizes the guiding Maia Arien.

The Three Prayers These are known as the “Middle Days” of the Aldúlva calendar.

Erukyermë: (Spring) First of the Three Prayers. It translates to “Prayer to Eru.” It is a day of fruit offerings and prayers to Eru, and a hallowed day of silence.

Erulaitalë: (Summer) Midway point between Erukyermë and Eruhantalë. It translates to “Praise of Eru.” It is a day of fruit offerings and prayers to Eru, and a hallowed day of silence.

Eruhantalë: (Autumn) Last of the Three Prayers. It translates to “Thanksgiving to Eru.” It is a day of fruit offerings and prayers to Eru, and a hallowed day of silence.

Transition Days – “Days out of Time” These are days that are considered “Transitional Days” or “Days out of Time” as they do not belong to any particular season.

Mettarë: Last day of the Elvish Sunyear. It translates to “End/Last Day.” It is the equivalent to New Year’s Eve, and occurs just after the season of Coirë ends and before the season of Tuilë begins. It is a day of contemplation and reflection of the year behind us.

Yestarë: First day of the Elvish Sunyear. It translates to “First/Beginning Day.” It is the equivalent to New Year’s Day, and occurs just before the season of Tuilë begins, after the season of Coirë ends, and follows immediately after the end-day. It is a day of contemplation and reflection of the year ahead of us and celebration of the New Year.

Enderi: Middle days of the Elvish Sunyear. It translates to “Middle Days,” and consists of three (3) consecutive days between the seasons Yávië and Quellë. They are days to stop and reflect, and a time to come together in fellowship and/or family.

Seasonal Days These are known as “Low” or “Quarter Days” on the Aldúlva calendar. They mark the first day of the Elvish seasons/months.

I Sovallë: First day of Coirë, or Stirring, on the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “The Purification.” It is a day of cleansing, washing, and cleaning.

Nost-na-Lothion: First day of Tuilë, or Spring, on the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “Birth of Flowers.” It is a day to celebrate the passing of winter.

Tarnin Austa: First day of Lairë, or Summer, on the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “Gates of Summer.” It is a day that marks the ending of spring and beginning of summer. Ceremony is held at midnight, and silence it taken until the break of day.

Minyáve: First day of Yávië, or Autumn, of the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “First Fruit.” It is a day to celebrate the first fruits; their ripening and harvesting.

Erumerendë: First day of Quellë, or Fading, on the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “Feast of Eru.” It is the main harvest festival, which fall after the Enderi, but not considered one of them. It is a day to feast on the fruits and harvests of autumn and begin preparation for the winter.

Turuhalmë: First day of Hrívë, or Winter, on the Elvish Calendar. It translates to “Log-Drawing.” It is a day to get the preparation done for the cold winter. It is centered on and around the family (whether blood or not), and is the time where ancestors (whether blood or not) may be celebrated, or given special significance to the rest of the year.

[wolfandthevalar]

Hi! I was referred here by Gilaerlinn, she said you honor the Valar. I'm looking into Ardan paganism and hoped you'd have some advice. Also, how do you communicate with them? Is it different than communication with non-pop culture deities? And since the Valar exist, does that mean Middle Earth does too?

Hello, muinawë! You have a ton of questions and I hope I can do it justice. :3 I am going to try to answer questions before giving advice, if that’s okay.

How I Communicate with Them: I use divination methods mostly, and I have a weak “godphone” (I am not fond of this term) to where I get impressions and feelings which I have to interpret into words. I have my own divination method, called Tengwesta, that uses the Tengwar and I use it in the same manner as Runes in communication with my deities. I also use tarot and my pendulum, however, I am trying to figure out ways to take human error out of that method. Honestly, just start talking to them in any way you feel may be appropriate. It is no different than communicating with non-PC spirits. :3 Do what feels natural.

Existence of Middle-earth: This is hugely UPG, but I do believe that Middle-earth exists on the Unseen (my word for the Astral). However, this gets increasingly complicated as I believe in Mythic Time when it comes to Arda’s existence, and this would take me a whole ‘nother post to explain. XD If you have any questions in particular to this that are a bit more specific I think I can answer it a bit better. Sorry.

Getting Started: Just start talking to them. If you have a Vala that you feel particularly close to, you can begin by talking to them and maybe dedicating some time out of the day to just talk. If you wish to build a shrine for honoring that one Vala at first, it is totally fine, and then move up to something bigger for the rest of them. Just know you do not need individual shrines for each Vala. I don’t. I have one shrine with a candle that they all share and I light it in honor of either all of them during my festivals or one in particular when I am petitioning. The only ones who do not share a candle are Varda (due to closeness) and the Trees (due to religion standards and closeness).

ETA: I also want to add that if you want to just honor that one Vala and not the rest, that is totally fine too! There is no shame or wrongfulness in feeling a closeness to one particular entity and working with/honor them solely.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me. :3

[wolfandthevalar]

Aldúlva FAQs Pt. 1: General

Welcome to the first part of the Aldúlva FAQs~ These are just some general and introductory questions before delving into the more deeper stuff, and I hope they answer some of your more rudimentary questions about Aldúlva!

Note: This FAQ is written from the perspective of what I and my co-conspirator Arrin have discussed in relation to the religion.  The “individuals” I speak are reference to me, Arrin, and maybe one other person who wants to practice this with us.  This FAQ is written to share my religion with others, not to convert nor recruit anyone for this religion.

Q. What is Aldúlva and Ardan Paganism? Are they the same or different? A. Aldúlva (Quenya for “Our Two Trees”) is a self-made, polytheistic, pop culture religion created by myself and Anarron based on Tolkien’s Legendarium, and primarily seeks to recreate the practice of the Elves and Men of the First Age; focusing on the Ainur, Eru, and the symbolism of the Two Trees, but from the perspective of daily life and practice. Aldúlva has core principles and practices which are required to be known to be properly be called an Alduhína, however, it gives a lot of leeway in regards to much of the beliefs and practices, and how many of the core principles and practices are enacted. It is because of this that Aldúlva has the capability of having its own personal practices within, as well as being practiced alongside another religion or spirituality.

Ardan Paganism (or Polytheism) is a broader term than Aldúlva, and Aldúlva itself would fall under Ardan Paganism. Ardan Paganism refers to any religion or spirituality that is based on Tolkien’s Legendarium but isn’t necessarily following the tenets and practices that are held within Aldúlva specifically. So, think of Ardan Paganism as an umbrella term and Aldúlva that is a religious branch of the tree.

Q. What are terms associated with Aldúlva, and what do they mean? A. There are quite a few terms associated with Aldúlva. The terms and their definitions are as follows:

Aldúnya: (Q. “My Two Trees”) Personal practices and beliefs that are based upon the basic principles and practices of Aldúlva, and may expand on them as well. It may include other practices as well, such as divination, magic, and other practices that are inherently found within Aldúlva.

Alduhína: (Q. “Child of the Two Trees”; pl. Alduhíni) A practitioner/follower of Aldúlva.

 Q. What is the symbolism of the Two Trees of Valinor in regards to Aldúlva? A. The Two Trees of Valinor in the Tolkien Legendarium are Telperion the Silver and Laurelin the Gold (I Aldu), that brought light to the Land of the Valar in ancient times, and existed when the only other source of light were the stars (which had been created for the Elves’ benefit by Varda from the dews collected from the Two Trees, and it was from Telperion’s dew that formed the brightest stars). Each of them would take turn and give light for seven hours then slowly let the other shine. At ‘dusk’ and 'dawn’ it would be the only times when the two trees would shine together for a few minutes, and golden and silver would merge into beautiful light. (So, they already worked in the same way as the Sun and Moon, their predecessors) Upon their destruction by Melkor and Ulgoliant, their last flower and fruit were made by the Valar into the Moon and the Sun, with Arien and Tilion guiding the vessels, respectively. It is because of this that the Trees are seen as a “light within the darkness” much like the stars were. They are symbols of hope and light to guide through darker days. The Two Trees of Valinor are, in Aldúlva, considered the original source of light other than the stars, and are powerful symbols representing life, endurance, rebirth, strength, protection, and wisdom. They are the axis mundi; the link between the sky and earth. (A post will be made later detailing more about the Two Trees.)

Q. Does usage of the Two Trees mean Aldúlva is an earth- or nature-centric faith? A. No. Aldúlva is not inherently earth- or nature-centric, however, one’s personal Aldúnya can be focused on these things. The Two Trees serve as a symbolic basis only, as Aldúlva doesn’t want to be focused solely around nature and earth when there are many who do not have these kinds of connections or relations to these concepts.

 Q. What are the sources you pull from? Any “sacred texts?” A. The main sources that we pull from are “The Silmarillion,” which is considered the sacred text as it contains the creation story of Arda, and older texts and sources written by Tolkien, such as his personal notes, older books, etc. We never pull from just one source, believing we get a more rounded picture and truth if we look into more sources.

Q. Is there a common symbol used to represent Aldúlva? A. Yes. It is a symbol personally constructed by myself from Tengwar that were meaningful to the religion and faith. It can be viewed below.

[wolfandthevalar]

Yavanna Kementári whose name means Giver of Fruits, Queen of the Earth, is the Goddess of green and growing things and also the animals and living things that roam the earth.  She was responsible for the creation of the Two Trees, and also their last flower and fruit that became the Sun and Moon.  In Tolkien’s earlier work, she is referred to as the Mother of Magics.

Hail Yavanna Kementari, Queen of the Earth who gives all bounty Protector of trees and bringer of life accept my love and devotion. On this shining day of days lit by the sun you sang to life, mother of most sacred magic, weave your songs for me and mine.

(picture from https://twitter.com/giveroffruits)

[wolfandthevalar]

A Full Moon ritual dedicated to Tilion, the steersman of the Moon, and Lórien, the god of sleep and dreams.  I find white flowers to be an especially fitting offering; but I have also used carved white branches, bits of abalone shell, small circular white cakes, or anything related to sleep such as lavender or chamomile. Yavanna Kementári, who sang the trees to life, and the flower of Telperion to growth, Aulë who forged the crystal ship, Varda who set it shining in the sky, I honor you on this night where Isil shines its brightest light.

O Lórien, who ever loved the silver tree, who interceded on behalf of rest and dreams that men might sleep peacefully, grant me your mystery and secret spaces, and the wisdom of dreams.

O Tilion, guide of the silver flower, ever-loving and chasing the brilliant sun, shining with the dew of the Blessed Realm, grant me a heart that is full of light, the sight of the beauty of your pearly ship.