Consecration – Purification

Consecration(Vigja)

Tools: knife or sword, compass, wooden Elgr ( Algiz, Elhaz) rune, bowl of ice or water, flame, bowl of salt.

This ceremony is used to consecrate the most sacred utensils of your ceremonial practice. It is not necessary to perform a full ceremony every time you need to consecrate something, for often times a Hammersigning will do. Use your best judgment in deciding when and how you will sanctify certain items.

To begin, carve a large Sunwheel into the ground, approximately nine feet in diameter. Use a compass and make sure that the crossing lines match the cardinal directions. You can use an edged blade, such as a knife or a sword to do this, or even build it in stone or wood. How elaborate you want your Sunwheel is up to you. You are going to place an Elgr or Elhaz or Algiz rune made from the branches of a tree (Symbolizing Yggdrasil) in the center, a bowl of ice water in the north, a flame in the south, nothing will go in the east as of yet, and a bowl of salt will be used in the west.
Beginning in the center take up the item you wish to consecrate in your off-hand, and the Elgr (z) rune in your dominant hand. Touch the rune to the item three times and say:What is was notwhen this age began— there was only Ginnungagap; with hallowed wordsdo we here bless,and sanctify this sacred device.Now walk to the northern end of the Sunwheel, take up the bowl of ice water and sprinkle the item three times, saying:

In the ancient north,in Niflheim,the rime flowed forth from the void;mirthful Njordmake this objecthigh and holy before you!Hail Njord!Now walk along the line towards the southern end of the wheel, and pass the item three times over the flame. Then say:

Then from the south,where Sökkdalir lie,the fires blazed and burned; magnificent Heimdall make this objecthigh and holy before you!Hail Heimdall!Next, walk along the outer edge of the wheel to the East. Take a deep breath and blow onto the item three times, giving it the blessing of the önd, saying:

The winds did whipas rains did wend,into Ginnungagap; majestic Óðinn,make this objecthigh and holy before you!Hail Óðinn!Now walk along the axis from east to west. Take up the bowl of salt and sprinkle the item three times with some of it, saying:

Layer upon layerthe lands were formedas the ground grew from the void; Mother Friggamake this objecthigh and holy before you.Hail Frigga!Now return to the center of the Sunwheel and Hammersign the object with your fist. Then say:

We consecratewith your strength,

Mighty Þórr with Mjölnir in hand;

now it is cleansed,

now it is signed,

now it is pure and protected!

Hail Þórr!

Excerpt from the Sendabok