The Norns: Urðr, Verðandi and Skuld, by C.E. Brock for The Heroes of Asgard by Annie and Eliza Keary (1930).

A new favorite classic illustration: "A chorus of foxes approve Loki stealing cakes from a nearby farmhouse", C.E. Brock, 1930.

This is your daily reminder that Freyr’s association with masculinity/virility has no historical roots whatsoever, and is wobbly as best. No such concept exists in the perception that scholars have of him today. Some sources attest that he was depicted with a prominent phallus, and the artifacts that history has left us with corroborate this. The phallic symbol is a common one in multiple traditions, representing fertility, in this case, fertility of the land and fertility among couples. Depending on the place and time, it was also believed that Freyr’s domain extended to wealth, celebration and prosperity. As for masculinity? I would be quite surprised if any evidence of such a concept in his cult was found. Same goes for Thórr, also cited by certain websites as a “God of masculinity”, for a reason that’s always eluded my understanding. His proficiency in fighting the jotnar in myth have seemingly prompted this interpretation. What I'll say is that it's peculiar to see this narrative pushed at the forefront of their myth by online sources, despite actual scholarly observations going against the idea of a "God of masculinity" even existing in nordic oral tradition.

Which is why I personally have a some trouble with sources citing this or that deity as being a “God of masculinity”, or “Goddess of femininity”, especially when it comes to norse paganism.

Late afternoon sun at home! Hail the Gods of Ásgarðr and the spirits of the land 🤍

Today marked the end of my Yule celebrations. Let’s bid farewell to the darkness, and welcome to the sunlight!

Just discovered this gold mine of a website page making a comparative study of Carolyne Larrington’s original edition and revised edition of the Hávamál. Truly a find!

Two of my favorite poetry bits from the Haralds saga Sigurðarsonar (saga of Harald Hardrada)

"Norsemen, who stand the sword of foe

Like forest-stems unmoved by blow!

My hopes are fled, no peace is near,

— People fly here and there in fear.

On either side of Seeland's coast

A fleet appears -- a white winged host;

Magnus form Norway takes his course,

Harald from Sweden leads his force."

"Where battle-storm was ringing,

Where arrow-cloud was singing,

Harald stood there,

Of armour bare,

His deadly sword still swinging.

The foeman feel its bite;

His Norsemen rush to fight,

Danger to share,

With Harald there,

Where steel on steel was ringing."

Thank you so much, this means a lot to me. It's so good to know the effort I put into my research can benefit others as well. Have a good day my friend, and take care of yourself!

Rökkr is the name that neo-pagans have chosen for a sub-group of jötnar among which are Loki, Fenrir, Hel, and Jörmungandr. Some also include Níðhöggr, Surtr, Skaði, and Angrboða among the Rökkr. The concept is quite modern and its name fits pretty loosely, as this sub-group doesn't comprise a specific list of divine beings. There are pagans who identify as practitionners of "Rökkatru", meaning they mainly work with this particular group of jötnar. While I don't consider myself a Rökkatru practionner, I worship them like I do the Æsir and the Vanir.

10 quick activities you can do today to prepare for the winter solstice

Teachings that I've personally learned from the Gods, in one sentence!

Freyja: Your fears are not you, so never act on them: act on what drives you.

Baldr: Kindness is strength.

Óðinn: The world is great and beautiful, and you will always be your own home.

Freyr: Your closeness to the earth is your greatest treasure, and the way to find peace within yourself.

Thórr: There are things that you can't do alone: asking for help is brave.

Hel: Everything is a cycle.

Heimdallr: The Gods are always listening, they are always with us.

Týr: Finding compromise is harder than fighting, but if it can be done, it absolutely must be done.

Jörmungandr: Hold onto your roots, because it's the one place you can come back to no matter what.

Frigg: The people around you are more precious than you know.

Hi there! I'll first tell you welcome to paganism! I wish you so much fun and happiness on this journey! And I'm quite flattered that you came to me with your question. I'm truly touched to know that you enjoy my posts. Fair warning: this post is pretty long—I'm sorry for writing so much, but I hope my answer can help you!

Now, I wish I could tell you without a doubt that a deity has reached out to you, and if so, which has. However, I'm sorry to say it's generally impossible to be certain of these things. It's often a matter of leaving it up to faith and telling yourself, "Well, I'm not sure if this deity has reached out to me, but it feels very much like they have, so I will act accordingly". Either way, your instinct is telling you to look into this deity, and to me, instinct is reason enough.

You've told me you don't know where to start, so I'll advise you three steps to start off. The first, do some research! And I know, I know, just the word "research" tends to turn some people off. But research doesn't have to be boring! Especially since you're only getting started. Begin with the basics, read up on norse mythology, learn about the surrounding culture, really immerse yourself in and try to get a feel for this branch of spirituality as a whole. To help you out, here's a post where I listed some of my favorite resources! The second step sounds a little stupid but it's something that's helped me tremendously when I was first getting started with paganism: learn about the Gods individually. Don't let yourself form your opinion of them based on 1-2 myths that you loosely know. Really get to know them, what they're associated with, how you can work with them, what their role is in myth, how they're perceived by scholars and by worshippers alike... You might develop an interest in a deity you'd have never thought to work with initially! And my third advice is to pray, plain and simple prayer. Just close your eyes and reach out to the deity genuinely. Ask for something that you want help with, or simply praise them and explain why you're interested in them, or both! It's all perfectly OK, even if it's your first time praying to them. It'll help you get a feel for what their presence is like, and if praying to them feels right to you.

Now, enough with the introduction, let's dive into what really interests you: how to tell if a deity has reached out to you, and how to tell which? Healthy skepticism aside, it's safe to say a deity will generally manifest themselves through recurring patterns or ideas. Look for symbols that stand out to you regularly, and that seem to draw your attention for no apparent reason. For example, if a deity's name keeps showing up around you in your life, by which I mean in real life, not on social media (algorithms will always show you what you want to see after all). I find that half the time, when you ask pagans how they started to worship this or that deity, the story often goes "I couldn't seem to get this deity out of my head for some reason, like a tugging at the back of my mind or an itch that I needed to scratch." Whether or not this is the deity's direct doing is up to your belief. And to me, this sort of occurrence often results in your looking up the deity, and things seem to click into place almost instantly. You'll see a picture of the deity, or read this or that piece of information about them, and suddenly, it feels right. As if your mind was telling you, "This is what I've been waiting for, this is a deity who's going to help me." Don't be looking out too much for this feeling, however. As long as you're interested by the deity you're looking into, even if you don't get this moment of sudden realization, there's no need to doubt that they're right for you.

And how do you tell which deity is reaching out? More often than not, all you need to do is listen to your gut. It tends to be quite obvious, especially once you've looked into the symbols that seem to turn up around you. Examine what they mean and what God is associated with them. My advice to you is to expect that a deity you don't know much about might reach out to you. This is your sign to look into them! Open yourself to the possibility of working with deities and with aspects of the divine that you'd never considered before. It can be such a fulfilling move, spirituality-wise. Explore and discover what feels right to you!

I hope my answers have helped you, and I wish you the best of luck on your journey. Please don't hesitate to ask further questions if you have them, it would be my pleasure to help in any way I can!

Oath-making and heathen practice

Jólablót and the winter solstice are around the corner! You might have already planned your celebration, but I'm here to give you a last minute idea! I realized I'd never really tackled the topic of ritual oath-making in my posts before, despite it being part of my personal practice. In what circumstances would oaths be sworn, historically? Where does the arm-ring come in? What sorts of oaths would be made? Let's dive into this topic.

While the importance of oath-making was somewhat exaggerated by heroic literature, keeping one's word was most certainly regarded by the germanic peoples as a crucial element in the social order. The Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse dictionary refers to a such a practice as heitstrengingar (heit-strengja), meaning "to take a vow".

This ceremonial event would generally occur at larger gatherings, in communities with an already established religious order. In other words, in a setting where there was a religious leader to preside over the practice. Understandably, this element can be foregone in the context of modern practice. According to the sources that history has left us with, this practice of ritualized vow-taking would more often than not be performed on Yule, at weddings, at funerals or at banquets. But where does the arm ring come in?

It's stated in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle that when peace was established between king Alfred the Great and the danish army which had invaded Wareham, the latter party swore on a "sacred bracelet" to respect the newfound peace. This so-called bracelet was later regarded as the very same ring, generally made of either copper, silver, or gold, and worn around the arm, which was bestowed by chieftains onto successful warriors as a symbol of their prowess.

It's also said that some temples were equipped with a ritual ring, which would be worn by the goði in between ceremonies.

It's interesting to note that oath-making was often followed by ritual toasting. In this sense, a neo-pagan can choose to prepare a drink to go along with their oath! This is especially relevant if you're somebody who has chosen, as I have, to respect the three Jólablót toasts (one to Óðinn for success, one to Freyr and Njörðr for peace and prosperity, and one for your ancestors, in the name of memory). The order in which one carries out their Jól celebrations is theirs to decide, but I've always found it practical to let the oath be directly followed by the toasts!

So, it seems you might need an arm ring on which to swear your oath, right? Don't be so sure! There have been attestations of oaths being sworn on the ritual drink itself, which bears comparison with the wider practice called symbel.

In the texts where the practice appears, a bragarfull ("promise-cup") is used as a vessel for the toast. So what's the point of adding a drink to the mix? You can regard it as adding further spiritual meaning to the practice of oath-making. After all, it's believed that the symbel must have been greatly significant in early germanic religious practice. See the following passage from the Fagrskinna which describes the ceremony during which inheritance is bestowed.

According to the Fagrskinna, the vow is to be made after having drunk from the bragarfull. Interestingly enough, drinking from the bragarfull also seems tied to the celebration of Jól. A passage from the Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar reads:

It's also said that apart from ritual drink and arm rings, an oath could also be taken on a stone. If you're someone who enjoys crafts at all, a fun way to incorporate this practice into a Jól celebration would be to paint or decorate or stone, or to carve meaningful runes carrying your intent onto it, and to make your vows upon it on the longest night.

So what sort of oath should you be making? In the context of neo-paganism, and especially for those of us interested in reconstructing historical practice, oath-making doesn't need to have a spiritual dimension at all. Historically, it served a rather down-to-earth, even political purpose. See this exerpt from the Landnámabók:

You'll note here another fascinating tidbit of information regarding ritual oath-making: the presence of one or more witnesses! This element of the ritual is also attested in other such sources. If you're comfortable involving a loved one or more into your Yule celebrations, it's possible for you to do so, as they will bear witness to your vow.

If you regard oaths as sacred at all, I would advise not throwing them around lightheartedly, especially if they involve a deity in any way. Personally, I prefer to make oaths that: 1, I know I'll be able to keep for sure; and 2, I know I'll have control over. For example, changing a certain habit, working on an aspect of myself that I want to improve... Even from a historical standpoint, these ritualized oaths didn't have much to do with the Gods, but were rather centered around the human experience. In a way, this is reminiscent of new year resolutions. Since the time or year coincides, a lone practitioner who must stay discreet with their pagan practice can still take an oath in the guise of making such a resolution.

As usual, I feel the need to specify that not much is known about this practice at all, especially not when looking at it through the lens of history. This is a practice that you can take or leave, depending on your preference. What matters most in my opinion, meaning from a reconstructionist perspective, is to treat oath-making with due respect, regardless of the ceremonial elements or lack-thereof that one chooses to surround it with.

Hey! Thank you for the ask, it would be my pleasure to share my experiences with you.

I think it's important to take into account how often Óðinn as a mythological figure has been exploited in media. He's become quite the celebrity when it comes to the popular general knowledge regarding norse mythology. Someone who doesn't know much about the topic could still name him when asked about "the Gods of the vikings", simply due to the sheer presence he occupies in modern media. This makes it so creators can pretty much project what they want onto him for the purposes of their story, passing off this or that as being part of a sort of alternate mythology. That makes it difficult for us as worshippers to detangle the threads of this inflated lore, and rid ourselves of preconceived ideas regarding his existence as a deity rather than a pop culture figure.

In my eyes, the feature that stands out most prominently to me: he is great. To me personally, he feels similar to a grandparent who has seen so much, been through so much, and who has an unlimited supply of stories to tell, and of advice to give. I have so much admiration for him that it's almost overwhelming, in a reassuring way (if that makes sense). What I mean by "great" is that his presence commands reverence, like when you're faced with a landscape so magnificent it takes your breath away and you're left quietly admiring and listening, letting yourself be swept away by its beauty. But at the same time, Óðinn's beauty is indisputably found in simplicity. I'd compare this feeling to coming back home after a long journey and realizing how precious the simple moments of your every day life are, and how much you'd missed them. It's a simple solution to a problem you thought was a maze. And Óðinn's teachings are often like that: it often comes down to quiet contemplation of the world around you, and of your own feelings.

I hope I'm not diving too deep into imagery and abstract ideas. Let me try and make this more concrete. In my experience, his personality is quite a bit like that of a playful grandfather figure. He'll often find ways to surprise you, and also to comfort you. When you start to worship him, what you can expect for sure is that you'll never know what to expect! And above all, Óðinn is so, so, so kind. He's benevolent and gentle, but in a way that makes you realize the strength that lies underneath it all. After all, he's a figure associated with war and death, right? It serves as a reminder that there's balance to be found between chaos and order, and that loss and happiness are often two sides of the same coin. That's where the complexity of Óðinn lies.

He's also taught me to be cautious and to look out for myself, to hone my intuition and to know myself. In a way, he's acted in my life like a sort of spiritual "anchor". When I struggled to connect with spirituality due to lack of time, or due to mental health factors, I always knew without a doubt that he of all the Gods was aware of my struggle, and that he was there for me to call upon at all times. What I believe is that he cares so incredibly much for his followers, and that he places trust in us. It's like he's curious to see how we'll pull through the trials that life throws at us, standing ready to help whenever the need arises.

Among the norse pantheon, he's the God that stands out to me as being the most "unreadable". He's an enigma really, which also contributes to making him feel so powerful to me. Regardless of this, I would highly recommend worshipping Óðinn if you're inrerested. He's such a generous, benevolent, playful, and admirable deity to get to know. I can't begin to put into words how much he's helped me in my personal life. In a way, he's even the one who drew me to heathenry in the first place. I feel connected to him in a deeply personal and spiritual way.

Crooked and far | is the road to a foe,

Though his house on the highway be;

But wide and straight | is the way to a friend,

Though far away he fare.

Hail Óðinn ❤️

This winter marks a very cool anniversary! It’s officially been 10 years since I’ve become norse pagan. It’s the best journey that I’ve ever embarked on, and I’ve never regretted it even once. Heathenry has fulfilled me more than I can say, and I’m grateful for having met so many kind people thanks to it! I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far in terms of my practice and my growth, spirituality-wise. The Allfather would say there’s still a lifetime’s worth of knowledge for me to learn.

15 pagan questions to share your personal experiences

These can serve as either journaling prompts, or as a fun little thing to partake in on a social media platform! Feel free to share and answer at your own leasure. Wishing you all a good season ❤️