A Short Meditation with Nehalennia as a Gatekeeper

by Waldfee posted on February 6, 2022
Related: Meditation and Trance, Norse Culture

Close your eyes and take a few relaxed breaths in and out. Soon you will notice how your body
moves with the rhythm of your breath. You rock slightly forward and back again on the exhale.

Back and forth, back and forth….

Imagine you are on a ship. It is YOUR ship, loaded with everything that is important to you. The
deck rises under your feet with the waves and sinks again. Around you is the big, wide sea,
gray-blue waves merge into a gray-blue sky.

The coast stretches out before you, and your destination, the harbor, is not far away. You can
already see the lighthouse at the harbor entrance. But first you have to pass the shallows that
lie between you and the harbor: sandbanks, underground rocks and old wrecks obstruct your
way.

Worried, you glance up at the wheelhouse. Next to the helmsman stands a woman. Long blond
hair is tied in a tight braid, peeking out from the hood of her long blue jacket. She calmly returns
your gaze and raises her hand as she gives instructions to the helmsman. You see dark
shadows of rocky peaks left underwater to the left of the boat, leaving lighter patches indicating
shoals behind you.

Suddenly the headlight of the lighthouse catches you. The beam of light reaches far out into the
ocean, like a life preserver on a string. The pilot smiles and gives final instructions. Your boat
passes the lighthouse and glides into the harbor.

At the pier you are already expected. The woman leaves the bridge, comes over to you and
shakes your hand. You thank her and pay her for her services. Only now you discover the dog
that accompanies her. He runs ahead of her as she crosses the footbridge to the wharf and
disappears into her temple.

Slowly become aware of your breath again. The rocking has stopped, you have once again
reached the harbor safely.

Nehalennia, watch over us today as well, and support us as we meet with the Kindred!
Between land and sea, between wind and waves: Smoothen our path and smooth the waves!
Between all realms, above and below: Support us with your power as we now open the gates!


by Waldfee posted on February 6, 2022 | Related: Meditation and Trance, Norse Culture
Citation: Birgit Reinartz, "A Short Meditation with Nehalennia as a Gatekeeper", Ár nDraíocht Féin, February 6, 2022, https://ng.adf.org/ritual/a-short-meditation-with-nehalennia-as-a-gatekeeper/