*This page is a compendium of The Order's special blend of werewolf mythos, semi-popular wolf media, real life pre-Christian Scandinavian practices, and new-age magic systems used by many different pagans today. This Lore is what the Order of the Putnar is based around. You do not have to participate in or fully-believe in the spiritual side of the Order so long as you remain respectful to those who do.
"For the strength of the Wolf is the PACK, and the strength of the Pack is the Wolf". - The Law of the Jungle, Rudyard Kipling (1895)
A pack is a family unit led by the breeding pair. It may consist of aunts, uncles, greatmas and greatpas, and/or many generations of pups. The pack mother chooses the way and the father leads the hunt.
"The Blood of the Covenant is thicker than the Water of the Womb." - Albert Jack and Richard Pustelniak (1990).
A Bishar is a large organised group of vargr made up of multiple packs with multiple breeding pairs, led by one head pack or family unit.
Fun Fact: The Order of the Putnar is neither a Bishar or a pack! Members can join individually or as a whole pack (for privacy and safety purposes, you can introduce your friend group as your pack, so long as all participants are respectful of the Order's Community Rules.) It is an organised group made up of like-minded individuals regardless of Kerl or Pack-Varg identity.
"It is through hugr, hamr, hamingja, and fylgia working together that the Self is both possible and fully realised." - Spinning Wyrd, Ryan Smith (2023)
Hamr: Your physical form and how it is percieved. Ones flesh, blood, bone, clothing, presentation, demeanor, bodily modifications (or mutations) and how they all physically come together to move you through the world.
Hugr: The mind as ones conscious thought and source of creativity and understanding. "... deliberate Will and the power to act on it.." (Ryan Smith).
"the Morwal" as seen in Wolfblood, would be a state of Hugr where physical and/or psychological stress or harm has befallen one, causing survival instincts to overpower conscious thought. A high-alert state of anger, fear, pain, confusion, and distrust that often leads to physical violence. Often referred to in modern criminology as "a psychotic break".
Fylgja: Seperate from someone's Hugry, Fylgjur are spiritual beings, often depicted as animals, that exist outside the limitations of form and mind. They are a manifestation of your subconscious mind that is also seperate from you, making them good guides, protectors, or "sounding boards" to cater to your specific needs. They cannot be seen day-to-day with the naked eye, but can be reached through meditation. It is believed that if you do see your fylgja while awake, you are probably in grave danger.
Hamingja: The embodiment of your capacity to cause change. It can grow, shrink, be cultivated, shared, or be lost. Hamingja is inherited from your parents and ancestors, shaped by their βrlog (their past, decisions, their foundations). Supposedly, if both your parents have a strong hamingja, then you will too because you basically have both of theirs added together. So, if one parent has lost theirs, you will only inherit the other parents. Almost like a spiritual energy bank account inheritance, but worth so much more.. However, Hamingja can also be shared through the bestowing of luck , favour, or support! Either by taking actions to lend support, or by completing rites or rituals to metaphysically share, pass, or pool power. Hamingja, ever-evolving as it is, is directly at the crossroads of βrlog, free will/choice, and wyrd.
We, at the Order of the Putnar, believe that a person is not limited to their physical being, and accept all transgender and nonbinary peoplefor who they are, as each and every persons Hamr is bound to change through life regardless. We understand that a persons Hugr is the same regardless of physical appearance or expression and support all in their personal transitional goals.
ANY harrassment of our trans friends within the Community will NOT be tolerated and will result in immediate termination of your place in our Tumblr Community. Re-admittance will only be accepted if the victim offers you a formal Rite of Enouwian.
Wyrd: the active weaving of Fate in present time created by every action that is currently happening all at once.
Γrlog: The past, and actions already made, laid before us... When referring to someone's βrlog, this is more specific to that persons specific past actions plus those of their ancestors. All of the good, misguided, accidental or purposeful, and wicked deeds of that person and their ancestors compiled into a giant energy storage.
Your ancestors include, but are not limited to, your biological family. They can be your grandparents, great-great-whoevers, or even recently-deceased family members of similar or younger age. This also includes family pets, lost friends, or local heroes for some. Typically, in these cases, someone of great importance or relation to you. If you are part of a certain small community, then someone past from the same community (usually a big positive influence) may be venerated as one of your "ancestors".
The Wolf Trail, the One Pack, and Friogearde: The Wolf Trail (commonly known as the Milky Way Galaxy or Via Lactea) is a wide band of stars in the sky believed to be the souls of the dead lighting the way to Friogearde (Realm of Peace) where the One Pack presides. The One Pack is a giant group of souls of the dead, running around for eternity in an afterlife of lushful forests and beautiful fields with bountiful food and rivers. It is believed that if you get lost on your way to Friogearde, without the Wolf Trail to guide you or for other reasons, you may get stuck in the Red Meadow. This is a greyscale purgatory dotted with bloodred flowers, filled with sad, confused, or dissatisfied souls. It is also believed, that one can either choose to stay on Earth as a wandering soul for a time or get stuck on Earth because of something traumatic (becoming a Local Spirit) . Some believe you can even choose to have rituals performed at your burial sites other than the Rite of Friogearde so that their spirit may reincarnate or morph into a Land or Local spirit. Such rituals are hard to come across, as they are either lost arts or reinvented from older practices.
Land Spirits are entities presiding in, guarding, watching over, or "of" a geographical location. Such as river spirits, forest spirits, tree spirits etc.
Local Spirits (which includes Land Spirits) are entities that reside in your area. Whether that be the home, neighbourhood, nearby woods, your city or country you live in. These entities can be regional or individual. Meaning, they may be specific to your area or just happen to reside near you.
Queen Canista: An ancient common ancestor of all canines, believed to be a mystical being with powers beyond belief. Not really a deity, but a venerated name steeped in myth.
Tor: The female wolf deity. She is the keeper of magic in the den of the night. Known for her love and wisdom, Tor is depicted as the Moon, looking down on the vargr. Opening her eye wider and wider, "stroking the world with her kindness" (David Clement-Davies).
Fenris: The male wolf deity. Known for his swift hunting, cunning, and order. Some say the fury of the Sun is Fenris, snarling at the vargr so that they never forget the hardship of the wild.
The Wolfstar: Also not really a deity, it is the brightest star in the night sky. It is revered as a spirit that guides and watches all those in need. Often called upon for courage, the Wolfstar protects all who are lost and all who wander.
As all aspects of spirituality are important, honouring and venerating the Ancestors, Spirits, and Deities are important. The first step is to learn as much as you can about the specific entity you are honouring and to be mindful of their importance to you and the wider universe. There are many different ways to honour important entities, and offerings create various options. Below are a few good examples:
Physical Offerings: Food, alcohol, incence, candles, teas, trinkets, statues, altars, etc. Things physically given to or set up for the entity.
Focus, Attention, Energy: Prayer, meditation, song, ritual, rites, festivals. These show the entities that we know of them, appreciate and care about them, and are proud of them.
Time: Meditation also falls under this one. Setting aside time for an entity lets them know you respect them and are interested in what they're about.
Sacrifice: This can be giving up a bad habit in devotion to an entity, honouring nature by giving up processed foods and only eating grass-fed meats or homemade breads, sacrificing pieces of the self (nail clippings, hair, tears, blood, etc) as a devotional or in exchange for something.
Please note that the Order of the Putnar does not host public rites, rituals, or magical conduct. The only two Rites that can be requested by a member to be preformed by others are Enouwian and the Rite of Friogearde, but these rites are not guaranteed. These things are personal to each individual, and are best done at home, but feel free to talk amongst each other about your practices!
However; Like any spiritual group, the Order of the Putnar does participate in annual festive activities. To learn more, visit this page!
