This article is strongly based on the article “The Blot”, written in 1991-1992 by Lewis Stead. It was edited and also translated in German and Dutch in late 1992 by Gunivortus Goos and he re-edited the three editions again in 2014.
The Blot is the most common ritual in Asatru. In its simplest form, a Blot is a sacrifice to the gods. In ancient times, this was performed by consuming an animal that had been dedicated to the gods and then slaughtered. The term Blot itself originates from the Old Norse blóta and the Proto-Germanic blōtaną, meaning to sacrifice and venerate.
Since we are no longer farmers and our needs are simpler today, the most frequent Blot involves offering mead or other alcoholic beverages to the deities. Many people today may view such a ritual with skepticism. Rituals like the Blot have been deliberately misinterpreted by post-pagan sources to demean or trivialize the practice. The most common myth surrounding ritual sacrifices is that one appeases a deity by, for example, throwing a virgin into a volcano to prevent it from erupting. Nothing could be further from the truth. In Asatru, it is believed that we are not only worshipers of the gods but are also physically related to them. The Eddas recount the story of a god, Rig, who visited various homesteads and fathered humanity, establishing our physical connection to the gods. On a more esoteric level, every person is endowed with ‘ond’ or ‘the gift of ecstasy’. (The term ‚Ond‘ literally translates ‘breath’, and mythologically, it refers to what was infused into the lifeless human form to grant it life.)
Ond is a force that originates from the gods. This very essence sets humanity apart from all other beings in the world. As creatures endowed with this gift, we are inherently linked to the gods, forming part of their ‘tribe’, their kin. Thus, we do not merely bribe the gods by offering them something they desire; instead, we share with them something that brings joy to us all. Sharing and giving were incredibly significant aspects of Norse culture (and indeed most ancient cultures) and held magical connotations. Bestowing a gift was a symbol of friendship, kinship, and connection. By partaking in a Blot with the gods, we reaffirm our bond with them, awakening their powers within us and their vigilance over our realm. A Blot can be a simple affair, where a horn of mead is dedicated to the gods and then poured out as a libation, or it can be part of a more elaborate ritual. A fitting comparison is the Catholic Mass, which can be a component of a regular service or a special occasion like a wedding or funeral, or it can be conducted purely as a magical-religious practice without sermons, hymns, or other elements.
The Blot consists of three components: the consecration of the offering, the sharing of the sacrifice, and the pouring of the libation. Each part holds equal significance. The only tools required are mead, beer, or juice, a horn or a chalice, an evergreen branch to sprinkle the mead, and a ceremonial bowl known as the Hlautbowl, into which the libation is poured at the beginning.
Old Norse ‘hlaut’ is the third-person singular past indicative of hljóta – it means 1. to obtain, to get, to receive, to draw, to take, and 2. must, to have to, to be bound to. Here with the term ‘Hlautbowl’ a bowl is meant that is ‘bound’ (dedicated) to a deity.
This segment of the ritual commences with the consecration of the offering. The ritual leader, who guides the Blot, invokes the god or goddess to be honored. This is typically achieved through a spoken invocation, where the arms are held overhead in a Y-shape, reminiscent of the Algiz rune. This posture is commonly used for many invocations and prayers in Asatru. Following the spoken invocation, a suitable rune or another symbol representing the respective deity may be traced in the air with a finger or staff. Once the deity is invoked, the ritual leader picks up the horn. The assistant pours mead from the bottle into the horn. The leader then marks the Hammer sign (an inverted T) as a blessing over the horn and raises it above their head to offer it to the gods. A request is then made for the god or goddess to bless the offering and accept it as a sacrifice. Someone will at least sense the presence of the deity; ideally, participants will be able to internally feel how the deity takes and drinks the mead.
The mead is now not only blessed with divine power, but it has also passed through the lips of a god or goddess. The leader then takes a sip from the horn, which is subsequently passed around to the gathered people. While this may sound like a simple act, the ceremony can be a profoundly powerful experience. From this moment on, the mead transforms from just a drink into something infused with the blessing and strength of a deity, honored and revered. As one drinks, they absorb a portion of this power within themselves. After the horn has made its rounds, the leader takes another drink from it and pours the remainder into the Hlautbowl. They then take the evergreen branch while the assistant holds the Hlautbowl, and the mead is sprinkled around the circle, the temple, or on the altar. When a large crowd is present, the sip is skipped by all participants, and those present are merely sprinkled with the mead – this too is a form of sharing. The blessed drink is only suitable for small groups.
Once this is completed, the Hlautbowl will be poured onto the ground by the ritual leaders. This act serves not only as an offering to the deity honored in the Blot but also as a tradition to remember the Earth Mother, since the offering is spilled upon her soil. Many invocations mention the god, goddess, or spirit to whom the sacrifice is made, followed by a reference to Mother Earth, for example: “Hail to you, gods and goddesses; Hail to you, Earth, who provides for all people.”
This action signifies the conclusion of the Blot. Of course, this is a very simple ritual, and if performed alone, it could be completed in just a few minutes. This is precisely how it should be, as Blots are often conducted not only because they represent a time of gathering or serve as a celebration for people, but also in honor of or to request something from a god or goddess on their holiday or another significant occasion. For instance, a parent caring for a sick child might dedicate a Blot to Eir, the goddess of healing.
There is no time to delve deeply into the “traps” of the ritual. The goal here is to offer a sacrifice to the deity as swiftly as possible. Sometimes, due to a busy schedule, a complete ritual may not be feasible, but at the very least, a Blot should be performed for the occasion. In most instances, this involves at least a Blot that begins with a statement of intent and concludes with some form of closing remarks. Additionally, ritual theater or magic may be incorporated either during or at the end of the ceremony. For instance, our Kindred starts the ritual with a chant of “Odin, Vili, Ve,” which connects us to the gods of creation. Between the invocation of the god or goddess and the actual Blot, we typically include a meditation or something else that serves as the focal point of the ritual. Once, for example, we brewed mead through a ritual dedicated to Aegir. As part of our Blot, we let the horn circle three times. The first round is dedicated to absorbing the power of the charged mead, and everyone raises a toast to the deities invoked for this occasion.
The second and third rounds are open for toasts to other gods, to relatives, to the hosts, to promises, boasts, and anything else one wishes to say. Essentially, it serves as a “mini-sumble” right in the middle of our blot. Of course, we always keep in mind the purpose of our ritual. For instance, we would never toast to one of the Jotnar during a ritual dedicated to Thor. Additionally, we have incorporated some steps at the end of the ritual that provide a private affirmation of the kinship among our kindreds and with the gods.
Outline of the Blot Ritual:
I. Sanctifying the space with the hammer rite
II. Invocation of the deity
III. Secondary activities that support the blot: meditation, etc.
IV. Charging the mead by offering it to the deity
V. Passing or sprinkling the mead for blessing
VI. Other activities, prayers, etc.
VII. Giving thanks to the deity
VIII. Pouring the libation onto the earth
