Charm For Wellbeing In Pregnancy

I was asked to assist a grove member’s daughter who has had some complications in her pregnancy by working up a pregnancy blessing ritual. Part of that was researching what the old norse and irish did, in which I was immensely helped by Living Liminally the blog of another ADF member and reconstructionist.

I found a record of a norse charm carved on wood with threads of red, white, and black wound around it. The bindrune that was carved on the wood was lost in antiquity, nor were any words recorded. So though I had the basis of an idea, it needed some filling out. I designed a bindrune, based on the helm of awe and including imagery designed to call on Laima, the Lithuanian goddess of fate, birth, and luck.

I wrote the charm upon the deadwood from a hawthorn tree that I harvested from my daughters schoolyard with thanks.

I spun thread from icelandic sheep in the three colors required using my drop spindle.

I wrote a charm for the pregnant woman to repeat and now I am ready with my herbs and charm for our working tonight.

The is the Charm of Wellbeing to be said by the one who is pregnant:

One by one the charm’s begun

Black thread for dark, and safety, and the earth mother’s mark

White thread for light, and health, and all the gods might

Red thread for love, and life, and the blessings of blood

Wind and wind

We bind and bind

Until three by three so it be.

The three threads are wound around the charm and put in a safe place in the pregnant woman’s bedroom until she gives birth, then the wood should be burned in offering and thanks along with the black thread. The white thread is made into a bracelet for the mother and the red made into a protective charm for the child.

Charm for Wellbeing in Pregnancy