The Power of Place, Part 1

May 24, 2011 by Galina Krasskova

Continued from Page 1

Moreover, each city has its own sentient spirit. Cities are alive. Places are alive. This is what I learned from Paris. I had never given any thought to honoring the city spirit as a shaman. I went happily about my work. We ally with plant and animal spirits, maybe runes too, right? Well, yeah, but not just. Each city has its spirit. That spirit's name is the name of the city itself. (Then there are many other vaettir, or nature spirits that inhabit the city itself, of course). When I went to Paris a few years ago with my adopted mom, that city took it upon herself to teach me about sensing and respecting this type of vaettir. I returned home to New York City and immediately poured out offerings with my apologies for not having honored him before (especially since he'd really protected me and kept me afloat in a thousand little ways during my 20s). It's worth taking the time to get to know and possibly 'make friends' with the spirit of the town, village, or city in which one lives. It's not burdensome and really not that difficult. Most city spirits seem to like people, or at least are willing to communicate in some way with them. (There are exceptions but I've traveled a lot and found them few and far between as these things go).

Next week, I'll discuss some very concrete steps that folks can take to begin honoring the spirits of place. For now, consider going to a place that you like in your town of residence and pouring out a little offering and saying thank you. Because, after all, you're living and hopefully thriving under the aegis of that particular spirit.

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5/24/2011 4:00:00 AM

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About Galina Krasskova

The author of several books on the Northern Tradition, Galina Krasskova is a Heathen priest, shaman, and devotee of Odin. She blogs at Gangleri's Grove.

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