These poetic Invocations were created for use during ritual. I spent the better part of a year putting them all together. Many of my subscribers will recognize these poems from notes posted over the last year, though never all in one post. Much of this struck me as Odinic inspiration as such these are sacred words pulled from the well of Mirmir (the tribal memory) and the heart and mind of one who deeply respects the Gods. This work can be found within -

“The Lessons of Asgard” (originally written by Steve McNallen though updated with my poetic invocations added between sections) sold through World Tree publishing/ministries, an outreach ministry of the Asatru Alliance. I present these poems to the folk for use during Blot, Sumble or simple prayer to the Gods. Enjoy.

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

Invocation to ODIN:

O’ God of power Father sky

great spirit of the folk.

In eagle's shape does Odin fly,

your frenzy we invoke

O’ spear shaking shield breaker

Chooser of the slain.

wolf binding rune finder

lord fury's flames.

To sacrifice does Harbard come

Beneath the sacred tree.

An eye behind to Mirmir from;

Which Alfather can see.

On Hlidskjalf you rightly reign

fair Frigga by your side.

The Fates unfold a hero's fame

Herjan to be our guide.

We call upon the elderkin

whom in our blood do live.

Bless us your descendants

Inspirations from within.

Hail Odin!

Invocation to THOR:

O’ Mighty Thunor Sigtyr’s son

of courage, strength and rage.

Whose power flashes through the clouds.

Your thunders’ Glory's flame.

Hammer wielding God of blood,

Red Thor the foeman fells.

Protector of our sacred folk,

defender of the realm.

On chariot charging; our champion rides,

Through the thick of the fray.

To valor's call our hero high,

shall ever lead the way.

O’ Victory-son, the battle blessed

whose spirit shakes the ground.

Let our people ever see,

To honor we are bound

Hail Thor!

Invocation to Freyr:

O’ Ingvi-Frey the staunch horse Lord.

Who comes atop the golden boar.

King of Right and might and Maine.

You bless the fields with gentle rain.

Sitting high on Alfheim's throne,

Watching every seed that's sown.

The fight you lead on Vigrid's plane.

Sacrificed your life to quell surts flame.

The best of Chiefs good Freyr be.

Your Alfar dwell within the trees.

So words of praise your kin do sing.

Back to your ear the Alfar bring.

We sing of passion, strength and luck.

These gifts we find within our blood.

Hail Freyr!

Invocation to Freya:

O’ Goddess of old

unbridled and bold.

Who walks the wide world

shedding tears of red gold.

O’ Wardeness of wild lands

With valiant dead, at your command.

Who flies above, upon hawk's wing.

Whose Seidr songs the volvas sing.

Your voice we hear in falcon screams.

Your presence felt where freedom rings.

We call to you in passions throw.

For strength and love to ever know.

Hail Freya!

Invocation to Tyr:

O’ wolf-wristed Lord of war!

The Battle Glad,

of sun and sword.

Whose boundless courage never fades.

Where clashes flesh and steel.

Upon the hilt of every blade,

the graven rune of Tyr.

O’ mighty God of victory!

foemen quake in the field.

From him; your spirit does invoke,

where justice is the yield.

Tue’s ancient law;

each brave man knows.

Tiss man for man

And blow for blow.

O’ patron of the sacred Thing,

Whose strength and power swells.

Bless us the sight,

to see what's right

And use our power well.

Hail Tyr!

Invocation to Frigga:

O’Frigga the fair

Heavy in knowing

Who sits high in Fensalir

With wit and wise council

Honeyed words whispered

For Alfather only to hear

Fine fingers fate weaving

The fabric of life

Almother clouds spinning

Great patron of wives

The bright one birthed she

In sun shining splendor

This labor she wrought

On a cold solstice night

We call you wise Frigga

Far seeing and fair

Bless us your children

Descendants to bare

Hail Frigga!

Invocation to Baldr:

Bold Baldr's bright beauty

more loved than all Lords.

On a cold solstice night

Har’s heir was high born.

Bore blazing by Frigga

in Sunna's rebirth.

By Skyfather sired,

the son of the Earth.

Loki felt envy,

Alfathers foreboding.

Then Oaths Frigga levied,

on high an from low.

A smooth shafted dart

twas bright Baldrs bane.

In helheim his hearth,

Till the Ragnarok wains.

So, hail you bright Baldr!,

most radiant Aes.

Bless us with strength,

courage, power an faith.

Hail Baldr!

I hope you enjoyed reading these Invocations as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Go with the Gods!

Picture of Tyr by:

We all learn from a young age that being truthful is a virtue. Our parents tell us that lying is wrong and that a lie diminishes us. As we learn and grow it should become apparent to us that those who speak words of truth build their reputations and foster an atmosphere of trust. When looking at the importance of truth through a religious or spiritual lens, we see that being honest and truthful are Morals held in high regard across virtually every religious landscape.

Within our spiritual folkway, speaking words of truth and the making and keeping of oaths are tied to one’s honor and spiritual power. Tempering your words with truth can help you be the best version of yourself emulating the mighty Tyr. Speaking truth has countless benefits in life. In this short article, we will explore the philosophy behind Old Norse “Ond”, why truth builds spiritual power within the ethos of Asatru and how to employ our truth to build spiritual potency.

To explore this noble virtue fully, we must first speak of the Heathen Self or soul complex. The Heathen Self is a ninefold and complex set of concepts that come together to make the “whole” person. For the purpose of this article, we will concentrate on (ON) Ond the breath of life and spark of divinity. The sacred breath is a gift from Odin; the same gift given to our ancestors Ask and Embla by Odin in his tri-part form Odin, Hoenir and Lothur (or Odin, Villi and Ve). Before we delve any deeper let’s name the nine parts of the self and give a short definition of Ond to build upon.

These nine parts of the Heathen Self:

1. Lik: The body itself, the physical vehicle

2. Hamr: the shape or continence

3. Odhr: The faculty of ecstasy

4. Ond: The sacred breath, spark of divinity

5. Hugr: The mind, cognition and Will

6. Minni: The memory which gives the mind wisdom

7. Sal: The shade self

8. Fylgja: The Guardian spirit which guides us to our fate.

9. Hamingja: The luck, honor or power of the combined parts.

Short definition of Ond from Edred Thorsson’s Runelore

Closely linked with the ecstatic faculty (ON, Odhr) is the vital breath (ON, Ond), which

is the gift of Odhinn. (It must be remembered that the triad Odhinn-Hcenir-Lothir actually represents a triform Odhinn.) The ond is the “divine spark,” the all-pervasive vital energy on which all life is based and which is the foundation of all rune work. The concept is similar to the Indian prana, and even the word itself is related to Sanskrit dtman. (spirit, self). It is the bridge to higher levels of being.

Expanding the definition

Edred’s definition here is spot on but let’s elaborate on it. The Ond is the sacred breath of life and the spark of divinity. So it becomes important to understand that our words ride upon this breath and that our words are given life when we speak them. The kind of life our words take on is completely tied to the truth and intent of the speaker. Though there are times when lying is the correct course of action. For instance, to protect one’s family or to deceive and overcome an enemy. Truth and honor like all virtues are reciprocal.

Our sacred breath is quite literally our vital life force. In some ways Ond shares similarities to the Chinese philosophy of chi as they both draw on vital breath to increase power using the energy inherent in both the universe and the self. This life-force is closely linked to the energy inherent in (ON) Odhr; the ecstatic state. Odhr is our ability to tap into the creative and destructive energetic forces of nature. The very same energy that inhabits all life and shapes the universe. Odhr is the power which Odin wields and the root word from which Odin’s name comes. Odin uses his sacred breath (Ond) while in an ecstatic state (Odhr) in order to give the spark of divinity to our ancestors Ask and Embla by blowing breath into a log. Ond is therefore in resonance with and descends from the creative and destructive powers found within the ecstatic state. The Poetic Edda tells us of Odin’s gifts to the folk in the poem Voluspa.

(Old Norse) Voluspa, Stanza 17,

Poetic Edda

Ǫnd þau né átto, óð þau né hǫfðo,

lá né læti né lito góða.

Ǫnd gaf Óðinn, óð gaf Hœnir,

lá gaf Lóðurr ok lito góða

Voluspa, Stanza 18, Poetic Edda, Hollander translation (the stanza numbers are off by one in the Hollander translation)

Sense they possessed not, soul they had not,

Being nor bearing, nor blooming hue;

Soul gave Odin, sense gave Hoenir,

Being Lothur, and blooming hue.

The first three words of the third line in the Old Norse version of this stanza translates to “Ond gave Odin”. These three words by themselves are a strong attestation of the connection between Ond and Odhr. High Odin himself being the grandmaster of the ecstatic state.

Those who have powerful Ond may use this strength as a bridge to ascension. For example a practitioner of Galdr (magic song) uses the power of voice and breath to empower the spirit. Essentially reaching the ecstatic state of Odhr through the sacred breath (Ond) then using that power to create something out of sheer will (Hugr) and sacred breath coupled with divine energy.

Words in the Well

When we as heathens place our words in the well (Mirmir’s well or the tribal memory) we have just given a small piece of the self. When we make these words with truth and honor our Ond becomes more powerful. If we make our words in haste or of weak and dishonest substance, then we have effectively diminished our spiritual selves weakening our own energy. Words we offer to the well that don’t ring true return to us as negative energy.

This concept translates into another tri-part idea (or hypothesis) on the weight of certain words. The three levels of weight as I see them are as follows.

1. Profane or common everyday words.

2. Words in the well or given to loved ones.

3. The giving of oaths.

Profane words are those words given in passing. For example, if you are having a terrible day and a stranger asks how you are. Yet instead of saying how you truly feel you answer back I am fine. Of course, this is a lie you have just told but not the kind of lie that will stain your reputation. Common words most definitely affect our honor, although we do not attach large parts of the self to words given in passing.

Words in the well or words given to our friends and family carry more weight. These words have a more profound effect as they require giving a larger piece of the self. Words of Truth and honor deposited in the well have the ability to charge our energies as well as the energies of those who hear them. For example, speaking from the heart during ritual in words that ring true will empower the self, other individuals in the circle, and the collective Megin of the group. Remember the words we speak during ritual will ripple through the Waters of Mirmir’s well and reverberate through the tribal memory for all time. These words should always be given in truth and meant to honor ourselves and those around us. When we speak during ritual or to a loved one our words are given a larger piece of the self. These words can have a large effect increasing our personal Megin and the Megin of all who hear them. True words cast into the well also have the obvious effect of bolstering our reputation and personal honor. Dishonorable words in the well can diminish us heavily.

Which leads us to the giving of Oaths, these words carry the most weight. When we make an Oath, we truly breathe life into our words. In essence, making an oath is magic powered by the will and carried on the sacred breath. It’s the spoken spell, your word and your bond. The energy from the oath giver, the oath receiver and to a smaller degree all those who witness will coalesce and build in power becoming its own entity, until said oath is fulfilled or broken. These energies then return to all involved in the form of positive or negative forces that either build us up or drastically diminish us.

In the ethos of Asatru and greater heathenry, our community, stature, friendships, kindreds and reputations are all built on a foundation of oaths. Each time we adhere to our promises we empower ourselves. Yet when we break our vows we become useless and weak. Untrusted by those around us and a pariah to the community. Within my personal practice, the practice of my kindred (Gullgalti) and the practices of the Asatru Alliance breaking an oath makes you an outlaw; recompense if possible must be made or you are removed completely from the community.

Keeping oaths to build the Self

As heathens, we all know that there is a special place in Helheim for Oathbreakers (ON, Nastrond-The corpse shore). The breaking of an oath is a huge taboo in heathen culture; it’s seen as one of the worst things you can do both to yourself and others. The fact that there is a special place of torture in the afterlife for oath breakers shows us the importance of oath itself among our heathen ancestors. There is also the fact that there are multiple Gods and Goddesses who hear and watch over certain oaths such as Saga who hears the vows between men and women or Freyr who hears the midwinter oaths spoken on the boars head (our kindred substitutes with a boars tusk when we are not by our totem on the kindred land).

We also know that our oaths are closely tied to our honor (Hamingja). When we make oaths, we need to take stock of all the entities involved. In other words, if we make oaths in a sacred place dedicated to the Gods, Goddesses, Ancestors and so on, these oaths would also touch the energies of that place and all those entities within. If we were to make sacred vows at a place (standing stone, God pole, altar ect.) dedicated to Odin for example, those words would touch the energy of the Sigfather (if only indirectly) and an exchange is made. So, think deeply of what is offered up in oath, where you offer and when for all these dimensions and variables build layers of weight to the oath, making it more powerful. The power of said oath can return bringing us personal power and stature or diminishing us in ways we can’t fully comprehend. We should all endeavor to use our Oaths to build our lives and raise the self into positions of honor and esteem.

Through keeping our oaths and speaking truth there are also benefits to the other parts of the self. For example, while strengthening the Ond through truth we are also strengthening the (ON) Hamingja. Hamingja is often seen as luck, but Hamingja is closely tied to one’s honor making it luck earned. By keeping our Oaths, we increase our honor, earning good luck. The Hamingja is also the power of the nine parts of the self combined. Therefore, the making and keeping of oaths also has the effect of increasing the power of the whole self. There are other ways to lend strength to the Ond through shamanic practices, breathing exercises, channeling energy ect. though nothing is more impactful than an oath that’s been honored and fulfilled.

The power that we gain through our truth and integrity can spill over into other parts of the self as well. We as heathens hear many tales of the Berserkers, Ulfhednar and even of the Jofurr warriors, who would take the spiritual form of the bear, the wolf or the boar respectively, but few understand how this was achieved.

These great and feared warriors would build their Ond and bind it to their (ON) Fylgja creating a hyper ecstatic state of Odhr. This would allow these warriors to manifest the strength of the two parts melded together in primal emotion, channeling that power into the ability to fight without fear. I would also hypothesize that this could allow these warriors to have a degree of control over the release of adrenaline in the body giving strength and ability far above that of an average person.

Truth connects us

Truth also affects our capacity to connect on a spiritual level. As a bard/skald, believing in the story I tell (even if the belief is in its moral value) allows me to connect with the folk who are listening. The fact that the story is given in honest words allows it to ring true in the minds of those who hear. Wherein, the bard can connect to the folk and the folk to the bard and to each other. This has the effect of generating a communal experience in which many connections can be made. The truth of the telling can foster connections to the hero, or divine figure in said tale, or the moral value as well as countless other connections to the time, place, situation, etc… The truth or belief in your words is what makes them powerful. This is also true for the Gothi/Gythia that is running a ritual, or the singer practicing galdr to mention just a few of the spiritual practices that require belief in our words.

When to be Untruthful

In the Havamal Odin tells us that a lie should be met with a lie. The breaking of oath is never a favorable thing so be leery of whom you make promises to. Though when confronted with one who wishes to deceive us speaking back in words of deceit may be exactly what’s called for. We must hold the dishonest accountable either not allowing the deception or deceiving them instead. If dishonesty is not held to account then we risk being both diminished and disrespected. Truth is reciprocal a gift for a gift. Those who wish to deceive us and do us harm. Have not earned truth from us but instead earn retribution. Words given by those who have no honor have no meaning. The best thing we can do is not deal with dishonorable and dishonest people. But if we must deal with such people it is then we should meet guile with guile and deceit with deceit. Allowing yourself to be lied to or deceived chips away at your honor. It is a direct attack on both the physical and spiritual self and attack should be met in kind. We should hold those around us to a high standard of behavior. In doing so we exercise our will for the betterment of the self, family and folk.

A Call for Virtue

Asatruars, I implore you to forge your words with steel, build your spiritual power, build your kindred’s Megin, and build the reputation of our folk. The Ond is an integral and vital part of the self. Employing truth to strengthen Ond is but one of the many ways our virtues can be used to increase spiritual power. Building ourselves through truth gives weight to our words and raises us in the eyes of others. Truth can be both our shield and sword in the battle of life. Truth is also the banner that good men flock to, and is a force felt by anyone who encounters it. I leave you with this saying of the High one.

To his friend a man should be a friend,

and gift for gift bestow;

but truth with truth he should repay,

but falsehood with a lie.

Stanza 24, Havamal (W.H. Auden translation)

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

picture of Tyr and Fenrir by; , thanks Neale.

a special thanks to my wife Haukr ( ) , my blood brother , and for help with proof reading, editing and hearing me prattle on as i work these things out onto paper.

In this installment of the “Understanding the Heathen self series”, we will again break down an important philosophy regarding the ninefold heathen self or soul complex.

Before we jump into the meat and bones of it, I would like to say how important it is for us as Asatruar, heathens or pagans to understand these base concepts of self that our spiritual philosophy is built upon. The concepts I have laid out in this article and others are my current understanding. My hope is that the soul lore philosophy will be realized, tempered and fully integrated into the practice of future Asatruar.

I would further express to you that this ninefold soul concept is not the only ordering of the self found within the greater Germanic family of spiritualities. The Anglo-Saxon/Theodish soul concept is similar but with some variations and differences. Even in the case of ancient Norway and Sweden, we see slight differences in understanding and emphasis. As always, we see variations from tribe to tribe, though I believe it is important in the interests of fully understanding and fostering a spiritual practice to choose a path, as this allows for a clearer comprehension of a particular road towards Ascension.

Knowledge is power; read of all the branches of Indo-European religion and learn from them. Respect the Gods and Goddesses of all Europe, even venerate them, but ultimately choose one path. Once a given path is chosen, one can more easily see the forest through the trees. Each of the European cultural spiritualities being a slightly different pathway towards ascension. The lore and philosophies of self being a foundation on which the world view that is heathenry rests upon.

In this article, we will discuss the (ON) Sal or Shade/Shadow self. This particular part of the self expresses itself in a natural state and exists without pretense. The Sal, also known as the Shade or Shadow-self, is the dark part of the self that is ruled by primal instinct and emotion; while simultaneously acting as a Container accumulating our deeds through life. Our Sal May remain hidden from conscious perception, but the effects of its contents can bleed into the conscious mind wreaking havoc. One must integrate the dark part of the self into the whole to achieve balance. This Shade can also be a Conduit that divine inspiration or ecstatic frenzy flows through. Before we delve any deeper I will again name the nine parts of the self and give a short definition of Sal to build upon.

The Nine Parts of the Heathen Self:

1.Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2.Hamr- Spirit, shape or continence

3.Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4.Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5.Hugr- The mind, cognition or will

6.Minni- The memory which brings the mind wisdom

7.Sal- The shade self

8.Fylgja- guardian Spirit which leads us to our fate

9.Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

Edred Thorsson’s definition of Sal from Runelore page 171: The “soul” (ON sal) usually comes into play only after death. This is the shade, a subtle body in which the psychic aspects (or some of them) are focused after the death of the physical aspects. In life this is the part of the psyche that passively receives the record of one’s actions and remains the negative space into which one evolves.

Expanding the definition

Firstly, Edred’s definition is once again spot-on, yet very short. I have spent a lot of time and energy over the years to come to my current understanding, and can tell you chasing these philosophies down has been a labor to say the least. There is much that remains hidden, and this concept of Sal has been one of the most difficult to find direct attestations. Therefore, to gain some insight, I’ve searched through folklore as well as the major sources and made inferences from comparative corresponding and concurrent cultural belief systems (the greater Indo-European family of religions). It is my hope that this work will be built upon, honed down and reclaimed by the folk.

As it is with many of the parts of the self, I see in the Sal a three-fold expression.

1. The Shadow self- Shade or dark twin.

2. The Container- A great storehouse of all of our deeds through life.

3. The Conduit- That which exists between the realms acting as a connective tissue that Divine inspiration flows through.

The Shadow

The Shadow is a part of the self that exists without pretense, in bare natural form. Our Shadow is ruled by our most primal emotions and instincts. When we suppress or ignore this natural state, the Shadow self becomes dense and can appear consciously outwardly in a negative way.

“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.” - Carl Jung

We must strive to integrate the dark part of the self into the whole. Primal, instinctive raw emotions can be used for good purposes, such as using an inclination towards violence to protect that which we most love and in doing so, emulating the mighty Thor.

Acknowledging the Shadow can also help to balance the self and create a deeply beneficial link between the conscious and unconscious mind.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate” - Carl Jung

This Light and Shadow dynamic is also alluded to in our mythology, most notably in the Aseir Gods Baldr and Hodr. This pair represents an expression of the concept in the form of the Divine Brothers, one of Light and the other of Shadow. Within the Voluspa (Poetic Edda), Baldr’s Draumar (Poetic Edda) and the Gyflgining (Prose Edda), the Shadow Hodr kills the Light Baldr and in turn, is killed himself. Balance is restored when Baldr and Hodr return to rule together in Idavoll (Asgard) over a golden age after the Ragnarok.

If knowledge is power, then knowledge of self is empowering. There exists no illumination without darkness and no brightness without Shadow. Embracing the whole self allows for a progression towards a more balanced whole as well as a personal spiritual Ascension.

The Container

The Sal is also the Container which collects all of the deeds of the individual to whom it is attached. Our deeds accumulate within this Container all the days of Our lives. Upon our death, the deeds collected in the Sal will funnel into the Fylgja, which is then inherited by our descendants.

The Fylgja is the bright side of the shade and was thought to even glow or radiate light when charged with spiritual power (Megin). This is the case with Baldr who is often depicted as shining; he does not shine as if he was the sun, Baldr radiates with a spiritual power.

We may again see the manifestation of the Light and Shadow concept within the soul lore itself. If we look into Edred Thorsson’s definition of both Fylgja and Sal, we may see the interplay between the Light and Shadow as repositories of the deeds of the individual which transfer into the collective deeds of a particular bloodline.

“The “soul” (ON sal) usually comes into play only after death. This is the shade, a subtle body in which the psychic aspects (or some of them) are focused after the death of the physical aspects. In life this is the part of the psyche that passively receives the record of one’s actions and remains the negative space into which one evolves.

- Thorsson,Runelore

“The “fetch”(ON fylgja) is in many respects the bright side of the shade.The fylgja is the repository of all of the actions of the persons to whom the entity was previously attached. It can be the source of great power but also of tremendous responsibilities and even hardships.”

- Thorsson,Runelore

In these excerpts we see yet another progression within the spirit whereby the honor or dishonor we have earned through life moves on and affects the Orlog (Fate) of our descendants. I would further postulate that once the record of our deeds pass into the Fylgja the Sal takes on another function and becomes the “Ghost” (will be elaborated on later in this article).

The Conduit

The Sal is also a Conduit or gateway for Divine inspiration. The Shade exists in the ether between the worlds. Being in this state of abstraction between the realms allows the Shadow to touch the realms of the Gods. Divine inspiration, ecstatic frenzy, and divine possession (Odhr) pass into our realm by way of the Conduit (Sal) and enter the conscious mind (Hugr). Another way to look at this is the passing of information from the subconscious to the conscious. We may also see the connection from our subconscious to the collective unconscious or tribal memory (Minni).

The Gods live in the collective unconscious (at least in part) so it only makes sense that divine inspiration would travel from the collective unconscious (Minni) to the subconscious (Sal) and into the ephemeral consciousness (Hugr). I have noted in prior articles we take our Gods with us. They live through us in both a psychic and physical way. The Gods live in our blood and in the collective unconscious as well as being living spiritual entities. These divinities speak to us through dreams and Epiphany through inspiration and invocation all channeled through the conduit of the Shadow self.

Syncretic Strength

Great power can be found by integrating the light and dark parts of the self. In the previous article in this series “Inheritance, Intelligence and the Tribal Memory,” it was posited that our deep instincts, cultural personalities and the experience of our ancestors are inherited through the tribal memory. I believe these tribal memories and instincts effectively shape our Sal. Our Shade self is our most natural state. Raw emotions and instincts inherent in our Sal are dictated by the ancestral memory or collective unconscious. As previously stated, the Gods also live in the collective unconscious. So again we may see the pathway that divine inspiration or the ecstatic State (Odhr) travels upon.

To elaborate this idea in further detail showing all the parts of the self working in conjunction, Divine inspiration (Odhr) emanates from Mirmir’s well (the tribal memory-Minni) which shapes the Shadow self (Sal) and flashes into the ephemeral consciousness (Hugr). This energy then radiates through the body (Lik) affecting the spirit shape and breath (Hamr and Ond). Which effectively empowers the whole self (Hamingja). Then ultimately charges the Protective spirit Fylgja through the Hamingja-Fylgja complex (for more on this complex see my articles on Hamingja-”The Strength in Honor” and Fylgja- “Fate, Fylgja and the Norns”).

Through integrating the dark part of the self into the whole, our ability to reach these ecstatic States is amplified. To quote Jung once again,

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

The raw primal State can then be used to benefit the self through force of will applying these energies to raise the self to an exalted state of being. The boundless powers of Odhr emanate through us when the light and dark parts of the self reside in a state of syncretism. Synchronicity of self creates a road towards Ascension, the same road on which the Sigfather travels.

The Ghost

Now that we have an idea of what the Sal is and how it functions within the soul complex, let’s talk about what happens after our physical body (Lik) dies. As Edred alluded to in his short definition of Sal, after death this part of the self takes on a new role. The Shadow self is the mirror image of the whole self left behind after death.

As discussed in the earlier articles in this series, many parts of the self are inherited and will be passed to our descendants. The physical body does not move on, our Lik dies. Our attributes may be passed down i.e. looks, height, eye color and so forth but the flesh and bone physical body returns to the Earth. The Hamr, Hugr, Minni, Ond, Odhr, Fylgja and Hamingja move on in some way and are inherited by our offspring or even extended family.

The Sal would be that part of the self that the Valkyrie may carry to Valhalla (or enter any of the halls of the Gods).

Though most will return to the halls of the ancestors which I believe reside in Urdr’s well. The Shade is also that which can become an ancestral spirit like an Alfar or Disir. The Sal may eventually be reincarnated as a descendant. Our Shadow may also become a Wight or Ghost. It is also possible that the Sal/Ghost may express itself in multiple forms over time.

I would further postulate that the Sal may be recycled by the Norns returning to Urdr’s well/the Ancestral Halls to be sent back to midgard in the form of an ancestral spirit attached to the Fylgja-entity of a newborn descendant.

Snorri Sturluson describes these Norns, who shape men’s lives. They dwell by the Well of Urðr beneath Yggdrasill. He writes in the Gylfaginning

(Prose Edda), “There are also other Norns, who come to every man when he is born, to shape his life”.

They arrive from the well/hall, defining the newborn’s fate. These norns Snorri speaks of are our Fylgja entities-Lesser norns attached to us at birth from the Ancestral Hall/Urdr’s well.

There are an infinite number of outcomes for the spirit, both in life and after death all such outcomes dependant on our actions and inactions or deeds and misdeeds. What we do in life sets the trajectory of our spirit (Sal) in the afterlife. Our deeds also affect the honor of our living kin and help to shape the Orlog (fate) of our descendants.

From beyond the grave, your ancestors are watching, nourish their spirits with veneration and offerings. Call out their names in remembrance with pride, gifting them megin to feed the spirit. Inevitably we will all join the ranks of the Dead. We must embrace an exalted status for the worthy- The Honored Dead.

In doing so, we give ourselves something to aspire to, the status of an honored ancestor whose name is well-remembered and whose spirit is well fed through homage paid by the descendants.

This reforging of reciprocity between the living and the dead is how our folkway may truly live again. We must pay homage to the deserving for no fate is more bleak to a noble soul than to be completely forgotten. Through veneration and offerings we rekindle the folkway allowing the spiritual flames of our people to burn bright once again.

Orlog of the Dead

We choose the fate of our Ghost in the afterlife. We choose by our actions in life and the reputation our actions create. There are many paths on which our Ghost may travel after death. The most famous of these paths being the path to Valhalla.

Though to put it quite plainly, this path is not for everyone. Only warriors of the highest renown who are at the pinnacle of strength and ability can ever hope for such a fate. Most of us will die a straw death (from old age, illness, etc.) rather than death on the battlefield. This is not a terrible fate. If we have lived with honor, we will be welcomed to the Ancestral Hall where we will feast with the ancestors before being reborn into our family line or making the transition to an Alfar, Disir, Fylgja etc.

In the pantheon of Asynjur Goddesses who serve Almother Frigga there is one known as Syn. Many scholars believe that Syn was first a Disir Spirit before serving Frigga. It is believed that Syn is the gatekeeper of the Ancestral Halls and her name quite literally means refusal. Syn weighs or judges one’s worthiness to sit at the ancestral table.

Those who cross the bridge with their honor intact are welcomed into the Hall. Those whose reputation is sullied or whose honor has been spent may be denied entry and left to wander between the worlds in perpetuity. The worst of us go to Nastrond, a place of torture reserved for oath breakers and the like. But for those who haven’t warranted eternal suffering on the corpse shore yet also haven’t earned their seat at the ancestral table they are left to languish between the realms. Being rejected by Syn In this way would separate the spirit from the ancestral Hall. Essentially making you an outlaw in the afterlife. In this scenario there would be no reincarnation through the well/hall and no veneration to feed the spirit. As such, the spirit would starve and go mad with loneliness and despair.

Live with Honor

When we live with honor we affect our Orlog (fate) in the afterlife. Not because the Gods deem it so, but because we have fostered an atmosphere of love and trust amongst our kinsmen both living and dead. Our living family will remember our lives and deeds here on midgard venerating our spirits and speaking our names with pride. Our ancestors watch as we battle through life lending strength to the worthy and welcoming us to the Great Hall at the time of our death. We must become strong links in the familial, cultural and spiritual chain that is our people.

By doing so we may be blessed with sons and grandsons, daughters and granddaughters named in our honor that can hasten our eventual return. To be well remembered by our kif and kin is the mark of a successful life.

In the folk faith those who are remembered, invoked and venerated are never lost. They await the next life preparing for their return. We the living folk must raise our shields and fight to secure a safe harbor in which our ancestors may be reborn. The ancestors are reborn in our children; We truly worship the ancestral houses of our ancient fathers by bringing new life into them. Those who live with honor in service to family and folk, kif and kin will become the honored dead awaiting their return. I leave you with this saying of the high one.

To have a son is good,

late-got though he be and borne when buried his father;

stones see’st thou seldom

set by the roadside

but by kith raised over kin.

(Havamal, stanza 72, Hollander)

A special thanks to of Sunhearth for editing and proof reading and for her contribution of art

Hail Kinsman!

This article was written in memory of my father who passed while it was being written. He now feasts with the ancestors amongst the honored dead,

Hail Dad! We miss you already.

I believe these blood memories are also expressed through instinct, as after a time, tribal memories become instinct. Only now is science catching up with ancient knowledge. There have been some very interesting experiments done as of late that have indicated fears are handed down through the blood. I would ask the question if fears are handed down in this way, what other kinds of wisdom can be inherited?

We are all a reflection of the well from which we spring. This philosophy of tribal memory is quite grounding and serves to connect us to our ancestors as well as our living kin, tribe and people. To start with, we will name the nine parts of the self and give a short definition of (ON) Minni to build upon.

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The Nine Parts of the Heathen Self:

1. Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2. Hamr- Spirit, shape or continence

3. Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4. Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5. Hugr- The mind, cognition or will

6. Minni- The memory which brings the mind wisdom

7. Sal- The shade self

8. Fylgja- guardian Spirit which leads us to our fate

9. Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

A Definition of Minni from Edred Thorsson’s “Runelore”

“Intimately linked to the “mind” (ON Hugr) is the “memory” (ON minni). These are the two psychic aspects represented by Odhinn’s ravens: Huginn and

Muninn (Mind and Memory). This faculty is indeed memory, but it is much more than what we commonly associate with this term. It is more than the simple recall of past events; it is the storehouse of all mysteries, the great rune-hoard. This is why, in the “Grlmnismal” (st. 20), Odhinn says of the relative values of Huginn and Muninn:

“The whole earth over,

every day hover Huginn and Muninn;

I dread lest Huginn

droop in his flight,

yet I fear me still more for Muninn.”

A coordination of the mind and the memory faculties is what gives “intelligence.” The mind processes external stimuli (including that received from memory), whereas memory (Minni) reflects on its own infinite material. Minni is analogous to the right brain.”

Expanding the definition

I believe Edred’s definition here to be quite elegant. This part of the self is intrinsically linked to the mind or will (Hugr). The memory (Minni) informs the mind (Hugr) in order to form intelligence. One of the great powers of Odin is his ability to carry his memory from one life to the next or from Asgard to Midgard. This ability allows Odin to continue the accumulation of knowledge over the course of many lifetimes and vast scores of time. This is the reason Alfather worries more for Muninn than Huginn. Many brilliant minds have pondered the idea of the tribal memory, in search of a deeper understanding of self. Carl Jung’s works surrounding the tribal memory or ‘collective unconscious’ are invaluable. As Jung so beautifully posits here the tribal memory is both a conscious and unconscious realm which links us together. “[The collective unconscious] brings into our ephemeral consciousness an unknown psychic life belonging to a remote past, representing the mind of our ancestors.”

Our tribal memory could be seen as a chain, which is made of individual links. These links are our (ON) Minni. This part of the heathen self connects us to those from whom we descend, our living kin and our tribe. As Frederich Nietzsche puts it -”One can never erase from the soul of a human being the traces of what his forbears most liked to do” (BGE 264). Our cultural behaviors become genetic predilections. As I have already hinted at through some of my other works in this series of articles; We are not each new souls who have just come to be. We are a representation of our ancestors, sometimes a direct reflection of a single individual but most often a new sequence of parts inherited from different ancestors. With our (ON) Hugr at the helm and our (ON) Minni as navigator.

The Tribal Memory and the Well of Mirmir

The tribal memory or collective unconscious is seen in our mythology as its own realm. This realm was Mirmir’s well. The etymology of the name Mirmir is commonly interpreted as “The Rememberer”. It likely derives from the proto-Indo-European reduplication of the root word Mer-to think, recall or ponder.

In my understanding, this well of Mirmir (ON) Mirmisbrunnr is quite literally the realm of the collective unconscious; The tribal memory itself. Mirmir was seen as the wisest of all Aesir. There can be no mistaking why Odin would make a sacrifice to Mirmir in order to gain this hoard of knowledge. Snorri wrote of this sacrifice in the Gylfaginning (15) of the Prose Edda,

“Odin sacrifices one of his eyes to Mímir, the guardian of a well of immense wisdom located beneath the Yggdrasil world tree, in exchange for a drink from the well, which grants him supreme knowledge.”

Here we see the Alfather leaving an eye in the well of Mirmir. This knowledge was achieved through the ecstatic state (ON) Odhr. The sacrificial eye brings Odin knowledge in perpetuity. Odin’s eye sits within the well gazing into the collective memories and experiences of both our ancestral lines stretching back to the beginnings of inherited instincts as well as the memories and experiences of the living folk. As Edred Thorsson wrote in the short definition of (ON) Minni quoted above this realm is the “great rune hoard”. I would further postulate that this is how Odin became the embodiment of the folk soul.

While all of our Gods are tied to tribal memory, Odin leaves a living part of himself within, connecting the spirit of the great wanderer to the living folk in an unprecedented way. This gives the Victory-father the ability to reach into the psychic realm and affect the folk in a direct and even personal way. This could be seen yet again as a way Odin can manifest himself on Midgard through his living descendants in the form of divine possession or divine inspiration (ON) Odhr.

In our mythological texts, we find the well of Mirmir just below the surface of Midgard. The World Tree (Axis mundi) stretches through all nine worlds from Hel to Asgard. The Well of Mirmir lies just below the upper roots of the world tree. While Mirmir’s realm is not one of the nine worlds, it is the realm of knowledge; that which lies between life and death. Lurking just beneath the surface this psychic realm informs us and connects us to all that has been, that which is currently unfolding, and all things yet to come. This well of Mirmir is the great hoard of all ability, knowledge, experience and instinct. For those not yet initiated in our folkway, when heathens speak of putting words in the well during a ritual of the folk; It is to the vast collective unconscious that these sacred words go. These words placed in the well should always be made with truth, honor and intention. Our words and deeds will ripple through the sacred well of the tribal memory for eternity.

The Power of the Gods and The Collective Unconscious

An important aspect of this tribal memory is how it links us to, and lends power to, our Gods. My understanding of the Gods can be defined in a tri-part way.

1. The Gods are representations of our eldest ancestors or the progenitors of our tribes.

2. The Gods are an animistic representation of the forces of nature.

3. The Gods are divine spiritual entities, a folk soul powered through the life force and collective unconscious (tribal memory) of their descendants, coupled with the energy generated from the sacrifice and veneration of those who believe in them.

The third part of this definition is where we find deep connection to our Gods through tribal memory. The Gods live in our blood but they also live in our unconscious mind; there the mighty Gods gain strength and knowledge from the lives and memories of the descendants. In our unconscious state, the Gods speak to us through dreams and from the dark corners of the inherited memory. In this state of the collective unconscious the Gods have the power to reach into our lives and affect us at the very core of our being.

Carl Jung makes an accurate description of the Gods in this psychic energy state. “A mind that is still childish thinks of the gods as metaphysical entities existing in their own right, or else regards them as playful or superstitious inventions… the Gods are without doubt personifications of psychic forces.” Jung is not wrong here though this quote lacks a bit of spiritual depth. From my understanding the Gods are not just personifications of psychic forces, but their own living spiritual beings powered by these psychic forces. These spiritual beings may even have the ability to manifest here in Midgard. The Gods become metaphysical when they inhabit (through Divine possession, invocation, inspiration ect..) the consciousness of a living person. The Gods may also be reborn into Midgard along their respective family lines through reincarnation. I would postulate our Gods have the same nine part soul complex as the living folk. When these nine parts of a Divine soul come together into one individual descendant, only then can one of our divinities be reborn. In this way men are also reborn or reincarnated as it is with the three Helgi’s in the Poetic Edda.

Within the lays of Helgi we find that Helgi Hjorvardsson, Helgi Hundingsbane and Helgi Haddingjaskati who were believed to be the same man reincarnated three times along his own family line. This sort of reincarnation makes sense considering Odin is a God who was a man born into Midgard who transcends from man to God and returns to Midgard again and again. Snorri makes mention in the Gylfaginning (section 3) of High, Just as High and Third in his explanation of the Alfather. I believe Snorri speaks of Odin the God, Odin the spirit between Gods and men (the messenger or Mercury figure) and Odin the man. Our Gods live within us and through us in both a psychic and physical way. It is our (ON) Minni which connects us to the great chain of our people, stretching back through the generations all the way to the Gods themselves and even that which came before them.

Minnisveig for Remembrance

Within the old Icelandic dictionary, the word Minnisveig can be found. This word describes a small cultural practice which is quite connected to tribal memory.

Minnisveig

f. a drink to restore remembrance.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:

ᛘᛁᚾᚾᛁᛋᚢᛁᛁᚴ

(From-Geir Zoëga)

Minnisveig is a sacred drink often taken during sumble celebrations (ritual drinking) to restore the memory of an ancestor or one of the Gods. This word can also be found in the Poetic Edda within the Sigdrifumal where a Valkyrie fills the horn for a Minnisveig so Sigurd can honor the Gods. There are also mentions of this practice within the Poetic Edda under other names such as (ON) Minnisol- memory ale. In addition there is also mention of a (ON) Ominnisveig- a drink to forget. These ritual drinks were also imbued with powerful magic. The examples above show us some of the importance and spiritual practices based on the philosophy of tribal memory. This practice is echoed still today within modern Asatru (and other sects of European heathenry). For an Asatruar calling to our ancestors and Gods is commonplace during sumble (and other rituals of the Folk).

The sumble rite has three rounds of ritual toasting: one round for the Gods, one round for the Ancestors and one round for the Folk or inspiration. These sumbles are also incorporated with the customs of gifting and the swearing of sacred oaths. Sumble’s are held at nearly every major feast day and are a cornerstone of ritual practice. The connections one can make to their Ancestors, Gods and Folk during these rituals cannot be overstated. Our words in the well send ripples through time.

The Heron of Heedlessness

The heron of heedlessness hovers o’er the feast;

and stealeth the minds of men.

With that fowl’s feathers fettered I was

when I was Gunnloth’s guest.

(Havamal, stanza 13. Hollander)

This stanza from the early lines of the Havamal tells of a memory stealing heron called (ON) Ominnis Hegri- the heron of forgetfulness. I am reasonably sure that this saying of the High One is supposed to teach us of the ills of overindulgence and the woes of forgetting ourselves and our surroundings, though I believe deeper meaning can be found as well.

In our modern world, we have become divorced from all blood memories. We learn to ignore the voices in our minds and those instinctive feelings that come on to us through a millennia of existence. In our hubris, we believe ourselves above those base instincts; memories that we were born with that have evolved over eons. We must listen to these memories lest the lives and experiences of our ancestors be forgotten. The worst fate a man can face is to be completely forgotten. We should endeavor to raise the names and reputations of our houses; teaching the young to be fiercely proud of who they are and to know exactly where they came from. Raise the names of your forebears to the Gods and put them on the lips of your descendants.

To paraphrase a sentiment written by my friend in his short essay on blood memory: “Do not disrespect your ancestors. They have done what’s necessary for you to be here today. Their spirit and strength is available to you, use it efficiently and overcome mediocrity. Use this connection deep within the self to a positive end; honor the blood and appreciate it for what it truly is.”

The tribal memory is our connection to the Gods, the ancestors and the folk. The collective unconscious is the rune hoard of all knowledge. Our words and deeds are placed in the well for all time. A man is his deeds and his word. Live a life worthy of remembrance, a life of strength, honor and fidelity. Be worthy of the emulation and admiration of your descendants. High victory and immortality can be found with your name upon the lips of your descendants far beyond the day whence your bones were buried beneath the barrow. I leave you with this last quote from the Havamal (stanza 76, Hollander).

Cattle die, and kinsmen die,

thyself eke soon wilt die;

but fair fame will fade never:

I ween, for him who wins it

A special thanks to for his invaluable help with editing, for her rendering of the “Heron of Heedlessness” and & for our many discussions on the soul complex.

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

The Nine Parts of the Heathen Self:

1. Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2. Hamr- Spirit, shape or continence

3. Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4. Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5. Hugr- The mind, cognition or will

6. Mini- The memory which brings the mind wisdom

7. Sal- The shade self

8. Fylgja- guardian Spirit which leads us to our fate

9. Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

Definition of Odhr from Edred Thorsson’s “Runelore:”

“The faculty of ecstasy (ON)Odhr is the gift of the god Hoenir. This is as much an experience, a state of mind, as anything else. It is the faculty-emotionally almost physically experienced - of rising up and out of the normal state of consciousness into a high level of energy and enthusiasm.

Odhr is the same root present in the name Odh-inn, and it is by this power that magical force is manipulated. This is the active agent directed by the will. It is this power over which Odhinn rules”

Expanding the definition:

So Edred’s definition is spot-on, yet only scratches the surface of what Odhr is. This part of the self is in resonance with the raw static energy that is both creation and destruction. This energy is the power that Odin wields, present everywhere and in everything. Those of us who learn to tap into this energy are gifted with the ability to create or destroy. For example a soldier who has become seasoned in battle has learned to wrestle his fears into rages. He learns to control these rages or heightened states to the effect of greatly increasing his chances for survival and victory. The same heightened state is present in the artist as the muse takes hold and works of beauty flow from within. This heightened state is also present in the passionate lovers and in lustful energy. In essence, Odhr is found in any state of emotional extreme.

These divine states of energy flow through our (ON) Sal or shade. The shade or shadow self dwells between the realms of the living and the dead. Divine inspiration comes through this conduit and funnels into the mind (ON) Hugr and body (ON) Lik. Odhr is the faculty or ability to channel the ecstatic state, allowing us to become one with the power inherent in the creative and destructive forces of nature. This state may be brought on by force of will (ON) Hugr It can appear as divine inspiration or epiphany and can be induced in times of extreme emotional state (rage, lust, fear etc.). The ecstatic state may also be brought on through ritual and meditation as is the case with the Berserkers or Ulfhednar. Ultimately, Odhr is our ability to become one with the energies that animate not just our world but our entire universe. To understand the concept of Odhr is to slightly lift the veil of mystery that is Odin.

Connections to Odin

As Odhr is the very root of Odin’s name, we can see that there is a deep connection to this particular part of the soul-lore and Odin himself. When looking into this philosophy of Odhr, one may see that Odin rules over every expression or action that requires the use of this part of the self, including love, war, inspiration, shamanism, lust, sacrifice and death. Odin exercises this ability to channel or wield Odhr when he makes sacrifice of himself. In this way, Odhr is brought on through extreme pain and suffering as it was when Odin hung on the windswept tree.

“I know that I hung on a windswept tree nine long nights, wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself, on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run.” (Sayings of the High One from the Poetic Edda, verse 138-139: Hollander)

Within this verse a literal roadmap is being drawn of a path that leads to the ecstatic state. Odin is hung upon the world tree (Axis mundi); he is wounded, denied food and drink then left to languish into a state between life and death. In this state of sinking towards Hel, Odin brings this deeply ecstatic state onto himself, with purpose. He peers down into another realm and tears the runes through the ether and into our reality. This is an example of the power inherent within Odhr (and Odin himself). So let’s look into another great labor of the Victory-Father, his sacrifice of an eye into Mimir’s well or (ON) Mirmirbrunr.

“Odin sacrifices one of his eyes to Mímir, the guardian of a well of immense wisdom located beneath the Yggdrasil world tree, in exchange for a drink from the, which grants him supreme knowledge.”(Gylfaginning (15) of the Prose Edda, Snorri

Here, we see much of the same formula as mentioned above. Odin brings on an ecstatic state through extreme physical and emotional duress. Though, in contrast to his time on the World-Tree, this time Odin doesn’t just rip knowledge through the ether. In this example Odin leaves a part of himself behind, which can actively bring him knowledge in perpetuity, knowledge that he uses to protect both men and Gods from the impending battle of Ragnarok. To which I will make another attestation about Odin exercising Odhr from a place of pain and sacrifice. During the Twilight of the Gods Odin makes his greatest sacrifice of self.

“The fates I fathom, yet further I see.

Fenrir ran through the battle, killing indiscriminately. The father of the Gods called to the huge black wolf. Their eyes met, locked in a hateful gaze. Odin struck out upon the back of Sleipnir. The spear Gungnir held high. He rode into the jaws of death- his fate embraced, and was swallowed whole.” (Ragnarok: As told by Torna Braggison)

What I see here is Odin’s final sacrifice. Odin is filled with the pure ecstatic state brought on through battle frenzy which he uses to achieve a final transcendence. He knows full well of his fate, yet charges into the jaws of Fenrir nonetheless. Odin also knows full well the nature of the great cycles. He knows Baldr will be released from Helheim and take his rightful place as Odin’s successor; effectively Baldr transcends and becomes Odin himself, while the Victory-Father moves on to a higher plane of existence. It appears that the Gods are practicing the Ancestral house religion whereby the son takes the place of his father. This is most certainly a postulation, though I believe a correct one. So again, here we see Odin using the ecstatic state to achieve some kind of goal. In the use of this ecstatic state Odin is the Grandmaster. The Valfather also uses the ecstatic state brought on through love or lust in his procurement of the mead of poetry.

“Then Bölverkr (Odin) turned himself into a serpent and crawled into the auger-hole, but Baugi thrust at him from behind with the auger and missed him. Bölverkr proceeded to the place where Gunnlöd was, and lay with her three nights; and then she gave him leave to drink three draughts of the mead. In the first draught he drank every drop out of Ódrerir; and in the second, he emptied Bodn; and in the third, Són; and then he had all the mead.” (Odin seeks the mead, Prose Edda “Skaldskapirmal” Snorri)

Here we see Odin spending three days in the ecstatic state brought on through the act of love. It could be said Odin spent three days building Megin (Power/Energy/Spirit) through a state of ecstasy. This power was used to brace his mind (Hugr) against the coming in flux of inspiration (yet another state of Odhr) brought on by the blood of Kvasir (the mead of inspiration). There is also the obvious connection of inspiration itself being a state of Odhr. The fact that Odin brings this Mead back to Asgard in the form of the eagle and doles it out to the worthy is yet another attestation of Odin as the “High God of Odhr” through inspiration.

“Then he (Odin) turned himself into the shape of an eagle and flew as furiously as he could; but when Suttungr saw the eagle’s flight, he too assumed the fashion of an eagle and flew after him. When the Æsir saw Odin flying, straightway they set out their vats in the court; and when Odin came into Ásgard, he spat up the mead into the vats. Nevertheless he came so near to being caught by Suttungr that he sent some mead backwards, and no heed was taken of this: whosoever would might have that, and we call that the poetaster’s part.[3] But Odin gave the mead of Suttungr to the Æsir and to those men who possess the ability to compose. Therefore we call poetry Odin’s Booty and Find, and his Drink and Gift, and the Drink of the Æsir.” (Odin seeks the mead, Prose Edda “Skaldskapirmal” Snorri)

These examples show Odin’s mastery over the various emotional states associated with Odhr. While we learn of this philosophy, we quite literally learn about Odin himself. But while Odin may be the High God of Odhr he is not the only God to have mastered its use. Take mighty Thor for instance. Thor is a master of the ecstatic states of rage, valor, courage and struggle. Thor uses the ecstatic state to brutal effect; his strength amplified, his power a presence in itself. The thundering sound of the mighty hammer smashing foes or the chariot rolling into battle. These are examples of the power of Odhr found in Asa-Thor. The Goddess Freya has also mastered the ecstatic state. The power of Freya’s Odhr is found in passions. The erotic, as well as passion in general as in the passion for life itself or the love for our friends and family. Freya’s ecstatic state is also found in the fight and heard in the Hawks scream as she pursues her prey. Another good example of Freya’s Odhr is seen in her magic and shamanic qualities. Examples of Odhr could be made for all the Gods as well as for their living descendants i.e. the folk/you.

Controlling Chaos

Though we may pale in comparison with the Gods, we too can learn to effectively use our Odhr to a positive end. This, to me, is a most vital expression of self. To use the raw static energy inherent in both creation and destruction; then bend it to our own will and for our own benefit is a thing of extreme empowerment. “Riding the tiger,” using the ecstatic state to rise up from the mundane. Using Odhr in a state of increasing vitality, harmonious intelligence and living awareness to achieve something greater through the power of inspiration.

In building our ability to channel the ecstatic state we must use caution. It can be easy to lose oneself in a fit of lust or rage or even in inspiration itself. If we lose control of our objective, completely letting go of ourselves while in the ecstatic state, the consequences could be catastrophic. To be both strong and wise, this ability must be built over time. Odin built a state of ecstasy over three days before drinking the mead of poetry, he built a state of ecstasy for nine days when he tore the runes through the ether. We too must acclimate ourselves to this raw energy, just as we slowly acclimate our body to extreme temperatures. Over time, the ability to withstand such energy is slowly built up. As is our ability to maintain control and/or an objective. As it is with all things of a proper nature Odhr must be used in moderation and with intent in order to be used to a good effect. All things in their own time and in their own place. Rightly phrased;We do not build Odhr, We learn to withstand the power which flows into it. In becoming more familiar with our own means of achieving this state we can begin to learn to use such to our benefit. As we practice our connection with this vital life energy we learn how to use it with intent and control, channeling such energy into our own physical and emotional state of being.

A Call for Heroic ideal

Kinsman! Let us use our gifts in the service of family, folk and frith. Let us embrace our ideals and build the self for a greater purpose. Happy is he who so enriches others through his own state of being. The strength one adds to their tribe through assertive correct action is immeasurable. Live vitally aware and use this power to lift the world around you. Share inspiration with the worthy, use your rage to aggressively protect that which you love and make sacrifice when necessary. High Odin made himself the Hanged God; tearing the runes into reality, did he keep them for himself? When Bolverkr elicited the mead of inspiration did he keep it for himself? A prize hard won is always better shared. Well-received are those gifts which cost in blood, sweat and tears; Well received are those gifts given through the light of inspiration. Remember good folk, It is “a gift for a gift”. I leave you with this quote.

“He who giveth gladly a goodly life leadeth,

and seldom hath he sorrow;

but the churlish wight is chary of all,

and grudgingly parts with his gifts.”

Havamal Verse 48, (Hollander)

A special thanks to of Sunhearth for his help with proof reading and editing. Hail Kinsman!

Hail Inspiration!

Hail Odin!

Hail the Folk!

In recent articles, I have tried to share some of what I’ve learned of the heathen soul complex and the code of ethics that accompany such a philosophy. These philosophies were separated into both masculine and feminine ideals. For example, in the heathen soul complex your “ond” was a gift from Odin and therefore masculine (although men and women both have Ond). While Hamingja (a Disir spirit) was feminine (although both men and women have Hamingja). In modernity, there is a tendency to try to smash both the masculine and feminine into one single box, essentially making ideas androgynous or gender-neutral.In our ancient folkway the masculine roll is as leader and architect of society who was responsible for the protection and welfare of the family/tribe. Within the masculine we see the solar and heroic ideal. The feminine role was to create new life, run the household and weave the fates of both Gods and men. Within the feminine we see the lunar ideal based in the Earth it self and a natural order. My last articles were on Hamingja and Fylgja,(Disir and Nornir) centered around the feminine ideals. In this article, we will delve into one of the masculine cultural practices that arose from this soul lore philosophy-(ON) Ondvegissulur. We will also examine the implications of such a practice for modern heathens.

The (ON) Ondvegissulur were the pillars of the high seat within the family home or Chieftain’s Hall. These pillars were of great importance to the family or tribe of whom they belonged. The Pillars of the high seat were a representation of a man’s right to rule over the family and his responsibility to protect and provide for his kin. The high seat or (ON) Hasaeti was the focal point of ritual and authority within the family/tribe. In many cases, these pillars were carved and decorated with both symbols of the masculine deities, such as Odin or Thor, as well as symbols pertaining to the individual family and the prior ancestors who sat betwixt them.

In ancient Europe, there was a folk practice of burying family members under the home or hall. From the many excavations of Viking age (and older) long houses, a certain pattern arose: ancestors were buried under the threshold of the door, under the pillars, and beneath the floor in various locations. Men and women of high status may have received a burial mound, a great pyre or a ship burial-something special; while most common folks buried their kin beneath the floor to stay close to the spirits of the dead. There was a real symbiosis between the ancestors and their descendants. This practice just reinforces the European peoples’ widespread worship of the ancestral house religion. The house religion was the first layer of spirituality for the indigenous northern European folk; the next layer was made of larger tribal gods/spirit’s; the final layer being the high Gods i.e. Odin, Frigga, Thor etc… The high Gods linked the whole culture together as one people under the Gods. These ancestors who were entombed beneath the hall infused the high seat and high seat pillars with the spiritual power of the interred. The high pillars were fastened at the top with “God nails”- (ON) Reginnaglar. These God nails link the physical space to the divine and were dedicated to a specific masculine deity such as Odin, Freyr or Thor.

Attestations of the High Pillars

“Ingólfur Arnarson is usually credited as Iceland’s first permanent settler. He came to Iceland with his family and his blood-brother, Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson.

As legend has it, Ingólfur threw from his ship two carved pillars and pledged to settle wherever they washed ashore. In due time, the pillars were found in current-day Reykjavik, where he settled with his family in 874.

Hjörleifur settled along the South Coast, by Hjörleifshöfði Mountain, just east of modern-day Vik. He did not live there for long, however, as he was killed by his slaves, who then went into hiding. Ingólfur ended up finding them and getting revenge for his blood-brother, in the islands now known as the Westman islands” (Landnamabok).

“After that Ketill made a great feast, and at it he married his daughter Thorunn the Horned to Helgi the Lean, as has been said before. After that Ketill arrayed his journey west over the sea. Unn, his daughter, and many others of his relations went with him. That same summer Ketill’s sons went to Iceland with Helgi, their brother-in-law. Bjorn, Ketill’s son, brought his ship to the west coast of Iceland, to Broadfirth, and sailed up the firth along the southern shore, till he came to where a bay cuts into the land, and a high mountain stood on the ness on the inner side of the bay, but an island lay a little way off the land. Bjorn said that they should stay there for a while. Bjorn then went on land with a few men, and wandered along the coast, and but a narrow strip of land was there between fell and foreshore. This spot he thought suitable for habitation. Bjorn found the pillars of his temple washed up in a certain creek, and he thought that showed where he ought to build his house. Afterwards Bjorn took for himself all the land between Staff-river and Lavafirth, and abode in the place that ever after was called Bjornhaven” (Icelander’s Saga-Ketill’s son goes to Iceland).

These two attestations show us the importance of the high seat pillars in the lives of our ancestors.

Ancestral House Religion

To gain a deeper understanding of these pillars of the high seat, we must see the importance of “The Ancestral House Religion”. The pillars encompass three levels of masculine divinity-the Gods, the Alfar (a collection of ancient male tribal ancestors) and the Ancestors. Ondvegissulur are imbued with the spirits of the recent dead (the Ancestors), the progenitors of our family lines (the Alfar), and the progenitors of our people (the Gods). Within this practice, one may see that there is a kind of evolution taking place among the spirits of our ancestors. For example, when you first pass away you become an Ancestor; after a few generations have gone by, you may join the collection of Alfar (who are ruled over by Freyr in his realm Alfheim and said to live within the trees i.e the pillar or wooden post); after the course of many generations, you could even become deified within your own family line. As your family grows and spreads, there would have been more people venerating the same ancestor for guidance. This worship of the spirit would lend strength and energy to such, which could eventually turn an Ancestor/Alfar into a larger divinity. This is attested to by the fact that there were in ancient times many expressions of familial, clannish or tribal Gods. These smaller divinities would have only been worshiped within a certain community. I believe this shows the importance of our direct Ancestors and divinities such as the Alfar, the Disir, and the Fylgja who are tied to us by blood. In heathen times, the ancestral house religion was practiced by virtually all of Europe. The ancient Romans practiced the house religion. Upon death, Roman emperors were often raised to the stature of demigods. Many of the ruling families of Rome believed themselves as being directly descended from the Gods. In Celtic Ireland, they also practiced the house religion and also buried family members beneath the floor. The ancient Irish also had a high seat practice similar to the Scandinavians. There can be no denial of the importance of the dead in the lives of the living. There can be no denial of the importance of the descendants to their ancestors.

Connections to Odin and the heathen soul complex

The etymology of the word (ON) Ondvegissulur comes from two words. (ON) Ondvegis meaning high seat or place of honor and (ON) Sulur a plural word for pillar or pole. The first part of this word broken down is the word (ON) Ond which is the sacred breath or spark of Divinity and is a part of our ninefold heathen soul complex.

“Ond-The sacred breath is a gift from Odin; the same gift given to our ancestors Askr and Embla by Odin as represented by his tripart self Odin, Vili, and Ve. The Ond is the sacred breath of life or the spark of divinity. So, it becomes important to understand that our words ride upon this breath and that our words are given life when we speak them. The kind of life our words take on is completely tied to the truth and intent of the speaker.” (see my article “Power Through Truth”).

This (ON) Ond (sacred breath) is coupled with the word (ON) vegis meaning seat so we see the first part of the word quite literally means seat of the sacred breath. So fully defined the word means- the pillars of the seat of the sacred breath. From this seat as head of the house, clan, or tribe authority is derived. This idea is mirrored in our mythology. Let’s take for instance the fact that Odin has a high seat (named (ON) Hlidskjalf) in his own hall. From that seat, Odin is able to both exercise his authority and access one of his many supernatural abilities: the power to look out over all nine worlds. This power gives Odin the information needed to make decisions necessary to protect his family, by staving off the Ragnarok, bringing order to chaos, and slowing a naturally occurring entropy.

Each of us, as fathers who lead and protect our family, essentially act as Odin does. From upon our high seat, as fathers we also make decisions for the betterment, protection, and growth of our families. From this exalted position, we claim responsibility for the health and welfare of our overall family, effectively trying to stave off chaos and entropy for our own family unit. Odin acts for the good of the entire folk as Alfather. A man acts for the good of his family as a father. In a more modern expression, as a husband and father of three, my own high seat is at the head of the kitchen table. Take note that while this power of leadership may flow through Odin, Odin shares this power with his beloved Frigga. In this way balance (Dagaz) is achieved. A true familial balance comes with a father that protects and provides for his kin; while the ideal mother runs the household and sees that the family is physically and emotionally cared for. I would further say a good wife is also her husband’s most valued advisor, partner, confidant, and support system.

When Freyr sat upon Odin’s high seat

Through the Eddiatic myth, it is attested that Frigga was the only other member of the Aseir who was allowed to sit upon Odin’s high seat. In the story of Skirnismal, we see what happens when Freyr decides to sit upon Odin’s high seat.

“In the high hall and on the high seat, Frey sat himself down. Upon Hlidskjalf the throne reserved for Odin, only Odin and Frigg had the wisdom to sit in such a seat and look out upon the Nine Worlds. For Freyr’s arrogance he would pay a heavy price” (Skirnismal: as told by Torna Braggison).

While ultimately Frey wins his bride; he also invites calamity. Freyr ends up gifting away his sword and horse in the pursuit of Gerd. The loss of Freyr’s sword allows the Ragnarok to be fully realized. This action of sitting on Odin’s throne also pushes Freyr to make a sacrifice of himself on par with Odin’s sacrifice of self on the World tree (ON)Yggdrasill.

“Freyr set out immediately without bread or mead, without horse or weapon, on a perilous journey. Through flickering flames and thurse’s throng, over moist mountains, and down dangerous roads. These nine nights of peril were the same as the nine nights on which Odin hung on the windswept tree. So now, it was Freyr’s turn to make sacrifice of himself, to attain enlightenment, and to become worthy of Gerd’s love” (Skirnsimal: as told by Torna Braggison).

Freyr was not a dishonorable figure; he simply lacked the experience necessary to handle the power of Odin’s seat (This is attested to by the fact that Freyr is referred to with the kenning “the wise youth” within the Skirnismal poem). Through this mythos, we see what happens when one who is not ready sits upon the high seat. This informs us that we must be fostered and matured to gain the knowledge and insight necessary to properly take a rightful place on our own high seat. So again, to sit with honor upon our own proverbial high seats, we must act with loyalty, wisdom, truth, strength, and reciprocity. In doing so, we gain the respect necessary to fulfill our role as leader and protector of our family/tribe.

Sacred Space’s

Our ancestors were a practical people and as such most long houses in Northern Europe were built facing an Eastern to Southeastern direction to maximize the Sun. (This directional orientation was not always constant). Most ancient halls and homes would have had roughly a north-south alignment with the sides facing east and west.

The general layout for such a hall would have the entry on the sun facing side. Upon entering, there would have been a central fireplace, beyond that fireplace at the northern end or head of the hall is where the high seat would be located. The high seat would have been at the head of the fire flanked by the high seat pillars.

So, in a spiritual context, the hall or home itself would have a certain flow to it. Where authority was spoken through the head of the house as it were. The hall was a sacred space built by the family who lived there. I will again make mention of the countless long house excavations where family members were buried beneath the floors, the pillars, and the doorways. This practice persisted in Christian times: there are a great many churches, cathedrals and even castles in which important people are interred beneath the floor. In essence these spirits become house wights, adding another layer to the sacred space. Each hall or homestead would also have a sacred space outside, a ritual area like a stone, a tree, a sacred spring etc.. where the closed rituals of the family would take place. Celebrations such as Disablot (a folk ritual dedicated to the Divine feminine ancestral spirits) where outsiders were not welcome, in effect, making a very personal connection with the home and land on which one lived. I imagine this home and stead as its own living breathing spirit, with its own soul complex attached. This sacred spirit is made of the collective Megin of the land, the ancestors and the family. The connectivity that once existed to one’s surroundings and to one’s family both the living and the dead is resounding. I imagine that this created a great sense of belonging and loyalty to one’s family and land.

We Take Our Gods with Us

We carry our Gods with us; they live in our blood, in our consciousness and in our belief. The Gods aren’t some omnipotent clock makers; they are vital living beings. Our ancient Scythian ancestors would have plunged the sacred sword in the hilltop making the spot fit for ritual. Our ancient Nordic ancestors would cast their high pillars into the ocean and then follow their gods and ancestors to new lands. I live in the northeastern United States where the settlers brought the old world with them, bringing the trees and plants of their homelands. There are more species of European trees in this area than native trees. These lands were clear cut and trees like Norway spruce, oak, ash, and white birch took the place of a lot of the native trees. So, even in the Christian times of the pilgrims immigrating to North America, our people effectively brought the Alfar with them, as the Alfar dwell within the trees. The North American settlers also brought the healing herbs; many of the garden weeds that New Englanders deal with (unbeknownst to most people) are the nine sacred Anglo-Saxon healing herbs. We are a river flowing. Our Gods are with us always. The Gods can be felt in our hearts and minds; they can be seen in the face of each newborn child; and they can be heard whispering to us from within. The voices of our ancestors speak to us; their words carried on the wailing winds and distant thunder. We are their children and their wards; never are the spirits of our ancestors far from their living kin.

In Closing

While perched upon your own high seat take account our people prized strength, courage, self-reliance and most certainly reciprocity. The road to immortality is paved with stones made of truth and honor. The spirits of the living and the dead are charged with power through sacrifice and veneration. Each time we read a story about some ancient hero, each time we invoke the names of our gods, each time we ask our ancestors for guidance-we ensure that they do not cease to exist. Become a man worthy of the high seat; become a man who can always be counted on to do what’s right; become that spirit which your own descendants call upon for guidance; become wise through vital life experience and by listening and learning from your tribal elders, for they have trod the road you now step upon. The elders of today will be the next to join the ranks of the honored dead. Those who have guided us in life will transcend and continue to guide us even from the realm of the dead.

I leave you with this quote from The Havamal:

“Smile not at the graying

storyteller;

often is good what the old ones sing.

Wrinkled lips may speak choice words,

from him whose head droops, whose skin sags,

and who limps between canes”

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

Torna Braggison- Vice president of the board of directors for the Asatru Alliance

Frigga Bear Blot

Co-written By Alsherjargothi -

Kollr Logmather,

Gothi-Torna Braggison

This Blot is designed to honor our founder and first Alsherjargothi, Michael “Valgard” Murray, on our newly created “Founder’s Day” or “Frigga Bear Blot” observance on February 4th. The very essence of Valgard’s persona is stated in the title. It seems fitting that we should honor Valgard not just with a day of remembrance but with an actual full-scale blot. This will be the first new holiday added to our calendar in many, many years. All-Mother Frigga was Valgard’s patron deity. Valgard loved his family, having raised five daughters on his own. The Murray bloodline has been very prolific, producing many grandchildren and great-grandchildren for Valgard. Therefore, the patron for this February 4th Blot will be Frigga.

Valgard was also the founder and leader of the Bear Clan among the Asatru brethren. The bear claws on his ritual necklace were a telltale sign of his affiliation with the clan until his death in 2025. I have personally initiated individuals into the bear clan as the overseer of their relics and artifacts. In a sort of berserker fashion, during the ritual to bring someone into the bear clan, one must be scored by a blade three times on the arm or body to signify that the bear has chosen them and has welcomed them into the tribe. This ritual is a deeply personal choice and can be performed at the Althing or on any other major day of celebration within the Asatru community.

Because of the extreme nature of the bear clan initiation, we thought a simple display of solidarity could be added to the ritual Blot to pay homage to Valgard’s clan. Bear hides, skulls, claws, teeth, and imagery can all be woven into the ritual’s setup and staging. Fire, drumming, and chanting can all be accompaniments of the celebration, and it is up to the practitioner to decide what, where, and how these will be performed.

Traditionally, the Bear Clan people are known as Medicine People. There are stories passed down about how the Bear Clan was given the gift of medicine from an elder woman of the folk who knew all the medicine plants here on Midgard. It makes sense that Valgard would have had this passed down from his mother, Marion Murray, and, furthermore, that his connection to Nerthus, the earth mother, and his gardening provided many healing qualities that he shared throughout the many years of his leadership.

Combining a Frigga blot with the spirit of the bear (to honor Valgard) is a new concept that arose following the passing of our founder. It is a personal feeling that we, as the Asatru Alliance, strive to promote new thinking in the art of folk ritual and ceremony. Now that the foundational era has ended, it is up to us to usher in a new era of development and fortitude that would make our ancestors proud. With that in mind, it is important to keep our focus on the future and on what we can achieve as a people to ensure the healthy spiritual education of Asatruar for generations to come.

Valgard’s influence on Asatru in Vinland was staggering. He lived for his family, the folk, and the Gods. From our morals and values to our rituals and customs, we find a little of Valgard in all we do. For fifty years, “The Old Bear” forged a path forward, Footsteps in which we all now follow. Our veneration of his action is well-deserved. For he reawakened our connections to the land, the folk, and our ancient Gods and Goddesses. Now is the time for the Old Bear to rest. Now is the time for those whom Valgard taught to step forward and continue the work. We should count ourselves lucky to carry his torch. The Old Bear now feasts with the ancestors, but he will be forever in our hearts and minds. His stories will be sung, and his deeds will be emulated and admired for as long as men hold troth with the Gods.

Valgard Murray -Hero of the folk, Founder of the Asatru Alliance, spiritual leader, and Beloved friend.

Hail The Old Bear!

Hail Frigga!

Hail the Holy Alliance!

The nine parts of the Heathen self

1. Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2. Hamr- Spirit, shape or continence

3. Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4. Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5. Hugr- The mind, cognition or will

6. Mini- The memory which brings the mind wisdom

7. Sal- The shade self

8. Fylgja- guardian Spirit which leads us to our fate

9. Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

Definition of Fylgja from Edred Thorsson’s Runelore. page 170

The “fetch”(ON fylgja) is in many respects the bright side of the shade. In men the fetch is seen as female and in women it is male. Actually there are three fetches or “following spirits”; in human form, in animal form, and in geometric form. Each image has its own function. The one in human form is attached for the duration of life and can be passed on from generation to generation either along genetic lines or according to willed projection. The animal-shaped fetch is usually in a form that corresponds to the character of the person to whom it is attached: a wolf, an eagle, a horse, a fox, a mouse, and so on. It can be separated from the vitki (a rune master or magician) as a magical act. The vitki also may project his conscious will into the fetch in order to carry out magical workings. A geometrical shape is often seen by those with “second sight” going out in front of a person of great power. The fylgja is the repository of all of the actions of the persons to whom the entity was previously attached. It can be the source of great power but also of tremendous responsibilities and even hardships. This entity is the storehouse of orlog- it can protect and it can doom. The fetch is closely related to and in some cases identical to the Valkyrja or Dis entity.

As we look at Edred’s definition, we see the three-fold breakdown of Fylgja, the human (Alfar/Disir) spirit, the animal spirit and the “geometric shape”. The human form is a Divinity in and of itself and was most certainly worshiped as such, this ancestral disir or alfar is almost like having your own personal Divinity that helps guide you to your fate, whatever that fate may be. Unlike the other parts of the self, the human Fylgja is its own separate entity that has its own unique personality. The Fylgja acts according to its own will and the orlog or fate the Norns have woven. Essentially making the human Fylgja a representation of our future. The animal representation or fetch is a direct reflection of the present self in animistic form. The most common attested animal forms of Fylgja were such as the bull for a Stout Noble warrior, the cock or rooster for a horny man, the rabbit for a coward ect.. The Fylgja of women could take many of these same forms. Yet the many different bird species were most common for women from the falcon to the songbird.

The animal form of the fetch can change through sheer “will”(Hugr) like in the case of the berserker or ulfhednar or through drastic change in the Hamingja or “whole” self. In other words, if a man found his true courage, the fetch that was once a rabbit would take another form. The form of the fetch was directly linked to your present personality. This animal fetch follows us through life, warding us and warning us. Oftentimes our fetch arrives to a place before we do and other times it follows behind. The animal fetch may visit us in dreams bringing some form of personal prophecy. If we see our animal fetch in the waking world or in a waking vision that was seen as an omen of certain death, there are many such attestations of this in the eddas and sagas (as in the Helgi Lays). This concept was also mirrored in Irish mythology. If one sees their animal fetch in the waking world, it is an omen of impending death. The “geometric shape” is wording I don’t particularly care for. I prefer to think of this as an energy that is both around us and part of us. When the Hamingja is truly strong. The Fylgja was said to shine or radiate. There are many representations of this in ancient art such as in the Celtic concept of the hero Halo that rises up around the head of the just and powerful warrior. This radiating light concept can be seen in ancient depictions of the Gods as well such as Baldr who is often depicted as if he shines. The shining motif was not Baldr as the shining Sun, but Baldr’s shining goodness or Spirit. This energy manifestation of the Fylgja is also tied to the past, specifically through your family history and the actions of your ancestors.

Different types of Fylgja

As heathens, we believe everything has its own spirit or soul complex that closely mirrors our own. This means animals, trees, and even rocks have a soul complex. This also means that the collective energies of different places and groups have their own soul complex. Each one of us has an individual Fylgja or “Mannsfylgja”, but we also have a family Fylgja “Kynsfylgja” that is responsible for the fate of the entire family. Many of our ancient family Fylgja ended up on our family Shields or as part of our family heraldry. This idea also radiates outward. In other words, we have a Fylgja spirit at the family level, clan level, tribal level, all the way out to a Fylgja for our entire people group or what’s called “Aettarsfylgja”. Snorri Sturluson wrote “each of us has a group of nine Fylgjur inherited from our ancestors”. I believe Snorri is correct here although the statement is a bit confusing. We don’t have nine personal Fylgjur. We have one at the individual level, one at the familial level and so on. This gives us an entire group of Fylgjur that can pull the strings of fate and effectively guide us towards that fate. The fate of the individual, family, clan, tribe and people are all overseen by these Fylgjur.

Another important thing to understand is that these Fylgja are directly connected to the Norns and our ancestors, a disir spirit for a man and an alfar spirit for a woman. Snorri wrote that when a child is born, a Fylgja flies up out of Urdr’s well or “Urdarbrunnr” (Urdr is one of the Norns the other two are Skuld and Verdandi) and attaches itself to the child for the duration of their life. These Fylgja spirits that are our ancestors have a concerted interest in our well-being as their descendants. I would also postulate that the three-fold expression or manifestation of the Fylgja is directly mirroring the three Norns themselves. The human expression is a manifestation of our future, the animal expression is a manifestation of our present and the energy expression is a manifestation of our past. This particular idea is not completely attested to, but my own attempt to use logic coupled with the information we do have to gain a deeper understanding.

To strengthen the Fylgja, we must strengthen the Hamingja. The Fylgja feeds off the power of the Hamingja and the Hamingja is fed by all the other parts of the self. So again, we come back to the nine Noble virtues(1. Courage 2. Truth 3. Honor 4. Fidelity 5. Discipline 6. Self-reliance 7. Perseverance 8. Industriousness 9. Hospitality). On the subject of strengthening the Fylgja. I will quote my own article on building up the power of Hamingja called “The strength in Honor” paragraphs 5 through 7.

Many of the parts of the self are directly linked to certain virtues. Such is the link between speaking truth and our “ond”(sacred breath or spark of divinity). Hamingja is connected to all Noble virtues as our Hamingja is the power of the combined parts of the self. To build Hamingja, we must build these other parts in conjunction. Through the eddas, sagas, and even folklore, there are many attestations of what strengthens or weakens Hamingja. In the interest of keeping this article palatable, I will not go into citing all of these sources. What I have found in these sources though is that to have strong Hamingja we must be/have 1. Brave and courageous 2. Generous and hospitable 3. Honest and truthful 4. Correct treatment of women (Being that our protective spirit is of the feminine variety, the correct treatment of women is important. No disir or feminine Spirit will protect one who treats women unjustly.)

To build Hamingja, we must tend to the other parts of the self; Hamingja may be built or diminished through both action and inaction. In other words, it is not enough to be just a good and moral person. If we allow others to dishonor us without retribution, then we are also diminished. I would postulate that the feeling of rage or anger that we get when we have been transgressed is our Hamingja communicating to us-It is time for action. I would also think that when danger is about and we feel the call to action. This is also our Hamingja communicating with us. For example, the house next door is on fire, and a small child is crying for help from within. The good and moral person puts aside their own safety to rescue the child. This is our Hamingja driving us to do right. Those of us who would ignore such a call put themselves in moral and spiritual peril. Those of us who answer the call have just raised their spiritual power and elevated their reputation within the community.

The strengthening of our Hamingja is not done through large deeds alone as in the house on fire analogy. The strengthening of the self is also done on our day to day. All the little things we do add up So let us enumerate some of these power building virtues- loyalty, honesty, industriousness, hospitality, dependability, Fidelity, bravery, magnanimity, being just, treating those who are weaker than ourselves with respect, and persecuting evil wherever we find it. If we integrate these virtues into the self we raise our Megin. In doing so we lend strength to the Hamingja which in turn lends strength to the Fylgja (the Hamingja -Fylgja complex).

Kinsman, I implore you to become a figure that is above the eyes of reproach. Become a paragon of moral fortitude and an incarnation of power driven by the taking of correct action. The static of the modern world falls away from the person who lives by a code. Regardless of what modernity tells us weakness is not a virtue. By exercising physical and spiritual power, we can set the stage of our own little world. When we have no tolerance for abhorrent behavior coupled with an inclination to enforce our will (Hugr), we can effectively change the construct that’s been built to cage Us in. As Odin says in the Havamal (Verse 127 Poetic Edda, Hollander translation)

Hear thou Loddfafnir, And heed it well,

Learn it, ‘Twill lend thee strength

Follow it, ‘Twill further thee

If wrong was done thee, let thy wrong be known

And fall on thy foes straight away

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

Hail the Gods!

Martial Address to The Men of The West by- Torna Braggison

 1. All hail to you men of the west,
Sons of the free and brave!
The eagle sits upon your crest,
Your colors proudly wave.

2. O' golden waving wheaten fields,
O' purple mountains pride,
Columbia does lift her shield,
Wherever courage shines.

3. From arctic north to southern climes,
From sea to shining sea,
Our every inch of sacred ground,
Won by heroic means.

4. 'Tis mighty men of daring deed,
From which we do descend,
Their iron will; Their heart of steel;
Still lives within our breast.

5. T'was  pioneers and mountain men,
Bold cowboy on the plains,
Who scorched their mark upon the land,
With strength, and blood, and flame. 

6. This is your home, by spoils right,
Our fathers were the free,
McDougal, Morgan, Washington
Have passed it down to thee!

7. So, wake you now to valor's call!
The time has come again,
To stand once more, one and for all,
Our nation to defend.

8. When in the fray, feel never fear,
The foe may lay you down.
Yet, fighting men down through the years
Spring up where patriot graves are found.

9. We must again, fight like free men
for that, which men fight to be free:
Our kif and kin, our hearth and stead,
The flags unfurled, "Don't tread on me!"

10. So, hold ye fast against the tide,
Your shoulder to the shield,
Remember why our fathers died,
Our future was their yield,

11. Who could best us in the fight?
Who could be more brave?
Who can last this endless night?
Your countrymen to save.

12. All hail to you men of the west,
Sons of the free and brave!
The eagle flies above you head,
Great courage never fades!



Hail the Ancestors!
Hail to our fallen Hero's!
Hail the Folk!


 

MARTIAL ADDRESS TO THE BRITISH VOLUNTEERS

By- James W. Baily (Note-spelling and punctuation may look strange this is due to the age of the poem I have typed it out exactly as it was originally written)

1. Hail, gallant youths, Britannia’s darling pride !
How promptly ye arose at honours call ;
and with heroic ardour, side by side
Prepared to stand, and, if need were, to fall!

2. The patriotic deed through Europe rings ;
E'en they who envy, or who hate, admire
Strongly the warmth with which each Briton clings
To native shores unharm'd by hostile ire.

3. Nations at length by sad experience wise,
and tutor,d by your own example bright,
Shall learn sweet Peace, and happy homes, to prize,
And stand but in defence of freedom's right.

4. Meantime learn ye the lore that Mars can teach,
Fierce grasp the steel, search each strategic wile ;
Should subtlety then seek to overreach,
Ye well may beat him back with all his guile.

5. Dread not to hear on bayonet bayonet jar ;
Retiring, scorn thick deaths by hand unseen ; 
If in the square ye mingle in the war,
Remember what your ancestors have been.

6. Unto the harsh command obedience yield,
Be it to march into the veil of death, ~
Where grape and canister plough up the field,
And chymic art empoisons vital breath.

7. O,dire the onslaught, deep the wound should be,
Where'er invader lifts his haughty head !
Such caitiff, heav'n, thrust back into the sea,
With monsters of the deep to make his bed.

8. Our sacred hearths, our wives, our children dear,
Our good intentions, all our hearts inspire,
And, whilst we other nations' rights revere,
Prompt us to animate our martial fire.

9. Ye gentlemen of England, bold yeomen !'
What deeds of high emprize remain untold'
The British race hath not achieved ? agen
What shall they not achieve then as of old ?

10. Say, who first carried sail the world around ?
Who in the arctic clime new passage sought ?
Who burst the prison gate, erst bolted found,
And to enlighten'd Europe knowledge brought ?

11. Where doth the fetter, as by magic, fall,
Erecting the dark human form devine ?
The nations round best know ; and, one and all,
Witness in you the antique spirit shine.

12. Hail then, brave youths, Britainnia's hopeful pride !
From Cambria, and Scotia, trooping come ;
Nor let the seas Ierne's love divide, ~
One Victory for all, or else one Tomb !  

  

Hail the Folk!

The nine parts of the Heathen self

1. Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2. Hamr- Spirit, shape or continence

3. Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4. Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5. Hugr- The mind, cognition or will

6. Mini- The memory which brings the mind wisdom

7. Sal- The shade self

8. Fylgja- guardian Spirit which leads us to our fate

9. Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

Definitions of the Lik, Hamr, and Hugr from Edred Thorsson’s “Rune lore” pages 168 no 169

Lik- The physical vehicle is made up of several elements. The body itself (ON Lik) is a complex of various substances (ON efni)such as “appearance” a special ON term La that may refer to hair; also, ON sjon, see hamingja below), movement (ON loeti), health and good complexion (ON litr). These are the original gifts of the god Lodhurr. The “substances” of the body are gateways to the other aspects of the self, and they are the ultimate receptacles of magical work. Therefore, certain subtle substances in the body become focal points for development of the self or the person of whole consciousness, aware of all aspects in an exalted ego state.

Hamr- The “shape-substance” (ON Hamr) is closely associated with the “body”. It gives the plastic foundation or subtle matrix to physical reality. However, it can be brought under the control of the will (in mind; ON Hugr) and cause first subtle then more substantial forms to take shape in accordance with the will. This is the power of imagination. Taken to its extreme forms It can cause “materializations” of imaginary beings (natural or non-natural) into which the consciousness can be projected. Old Norse literature is full of such descriptions. Most typically, the vitki lies as if asleep or dead and in another location, he is able to materialize an animal shape in which he can fight or stalk his enemy. If the shape is injured, the vitki will receive the wounds as well.

Hugr-The “mind”(ON Hugr) is a complex entity indeed it is actually made up of three faculties: (1) volition, (2) Perception, and (3) cognition. This is the seat of the will, and as such, it has the power to assimilate other aspects of the psychophysical complex to itself. This is why the term hugr is often used in Old Norse literature when other aspects might have been expected. It seems to “take over” the personalities of advanced runesters because their evolution comes more and more under conscious control. By this faculty, persons do analytical thinking of a conscious sort. It is synonymous with left brain functions

Expanding these definitions

Firstly, let us expand on these definitions to create a deeper understanding to work with. I believe that as modern people we have been burdened by the separation of the soul and the body (Lik). Our ancestors did not separate the body from the spirit. In fact, the physical body was seen as a part of the soul. Abrahamic religion separates the body and the soul seeing the body as nothing but a husk the soul rides in. Heathen spirituality sees the body as an outward expression of the spirit. Not only are these attributes of the body inherited from our ancestors, but they are also an expression of the other parts of the self that manifest physically. The “Lik” is the part of the self that is seen by all with whom we come in contact. The “Lik” is also the first thing others use to judge Us by a clean, healthy and well-maintained body and appearance (lik) is indicative of a strong mind and spirit (hugr and hamr).

Hamr is one of the parts of the self that is often misunderstood. While looking at Eldred’s definition, we see the words shape and continence. Though hamr is tied to the physical It is not the outward expression but the inward expression of shape I.e. our spirit shape. This idea is integral to the practice of shapeshifting as it is not the outward appearance that is changed into say a wolf or bear, but the spirit shape that takes on these attributes. There is however a massive connection with the lik and hamr. For example, in Heathen times if a child was born deformed say without an arm or leg, it was understood that this deformity was on account of an ill-formed hamr. Because the hamr was ill-formed, the lik had nothing to ride upon, hence the missing arm or leg. Another important thing to understand is the hamr is like an “aura” in some ways. For example, when we meet a new person and get a bad feeling about them (or a good one), this is their hamr we are sensing. The hamr is like the spiritual skeleton on which all the other parts of the self ride, making hamr the foundation of the self. Having control over our hamr allows us to be whatever we need to be to overcome an obstacle. In heathen times this kind of control was known as “hamramr”, and one who possessed this “hamramr” was a powerful individual in mind (hugr), body(lik), and spirit (hamr).

Expanding on the definition of hugr. The hugr is the mind, cognition, and most importantly the will. The hugr is seen as the high seat of the “soul” and is the part of the self that makes you uniquely “you”. This idea can be seen in the practices of the Celtic “cult of the head”. In ancient times, Celtic warriors would string up the heads of vanquished foeman oftentimes in front of their own homes. This practice was done to declare total victory over the foe and to claim the right of spoil over the very Spirit of the vanquished. These heads were also a warning to other men that “He who lives here is not to be trifled with”. Similar practices were seen all over Europe. The old trope of the head on a pike comes to mind. The hugr is also the Powerhouse of the “self”. In the practice of shapeshifting, it is the hugr that asserts control over the hamr effectively changing its shape. The hugr is also Central in the practices of astral projection. The hugr temporarily leaves the body to do some task and then returns. This can be seen in eddiatic myth through Odin’s Ravens, hugin and munin. The literal mind and memory of Odin which fly out over the worlds in the form of two Ravens and return each night, bringing knowledge and wisdom back to the alfather. It is through the hugr that we may impose our will on to the other parts of the self. It is through our will that we build and refine the self into something worthy of veneration.

The Mechanics of building strength in Lik, Hamr, and Hugr through our Noble virtues

Now that we have a slightly deeper understanding of hamr, hugr and lik, let’s explore the mechanics of building these parts. As we may have noticed through the definitions hamr, hugr, and lik are deeply interwoven, especially when it comes to building them up. We see the interplay between lik and hamr and we see the hugr has the ability to drive and change both lik and hamr. The next logical question then is how we build the strength of these parts. The answer is we build all of our parts through the will (hugr). Our will is an extremely important aspect of the self for it is through our will that we may manifest our thoughts in a very physical way and prompt change in the spirit. Using our will to force change in the spirit and body is how we take control over our spiritual and physical well-being. For example, if one desires physical strength and beauty, then that person should commit to eating well, sleeping well, exercise and training. This kind of change in habits instituted by will (hugr) has the effect of building the physical self (lik). I would also suggest that building the lik in this way should not be a vain pursuit, but a labor of love to better serve and protect the family, tribe and folk. We may also build the lik through the way we take care of our bodies. By treating the body as a temple and keeping ourselves clean and well-kept we strengthen the lik, every detail counts. Combing our hair, brushing our teeth, tending to our wounds and injuries. In the process of building our lik, we are also actively strengthening our hugr by exercising the will. At the same time, we also lend power to our hamr through the lik which pushes the hamr into a finer form and the hugr which may assert control over the hamr through power of will.

Building the strength and power of our hugr can take on a vast array of practices and virtues. We may strengthen our hugr through the pursuit of knowledge as exemplified by Odin. We may strengthen our hugr through great trials, ambiguity and struggle. We may strengthen our hugr through our fortitude, Fidelity and bravery. The nine Noble virtues really are the key to building the hugr (as well as the other parts of the self). For the uninitiated, the nine Noble virtues are as follows

1.Courage

2. Truth

3. Honor

4. Fidelity

5. Discipline

6. Self-reliance

7. Perseverance

8. Industriousness

9. Hospitality

When we tell the truth, even though it is not in our best interest, we have strong hugr. When we decide to stay loyal, even though there is reward in betrayal, we have strong hugr. When we share what we have, even though we have little, we have strong hugr. The quest for strength and knowledge starts and ends with our will. As we strengthen that will we lend power and potency to all the other parts of the self as well as strengthening our family, tribe and folk- A high tide raises all ships. As we see above, there are an almost infinite number of ways in which we may use virtue to strengthen the self in mind and deed.

While reflecting on strengthening hamr through virtue, something occurred to me -This particular part of the self can only be built up by virtue through the building of hugr and lik. There are ways to build the hamr through shamanic means but not by virtue directly. For this reason, among others, I decided to address all three of these parts, hamr, hugr and lik in one article. The hamr can be like a spiritual mirror, that “Aura” which others sense about you. When your lik is strong and healthy and your hugr is sharp and aware, others will sense this through your hamr. The shape of our hamr has the ability to change in both short and long-term ways. In a short-term way, you could shift your hamr to overcome some obstacle. In a long-term way by acting with strength, honor and intelligence, we can permanently alter the strength of our spiritual shape. In another long-term way by striving for physical excellence through commitment and training, our lik can effectively strengthen our hamr. The point at which the lik ends and the hamr begins could be a rather large article in and of itself.

All of our virtues, all of our strengths and all of our spiritual beliefs bring us to this all-encompassing heroic ideal. A vitalist ideal that can be seen represented through the Vanir lord- IngviFreyr. Freyr brings peace through strength and power. Freyr is the ultimate expression of positive masculinity. Through Freyr we are granted progeny and lineage through virility and fertility. The staunch horse Lord is the god of Good and plenty because he is one of our greatest warriors. At the time of Ragnarok, it is Freyr who leads the charge and pits himself against the strongest of foes the fire giant “Surtr”. Through the emulation of the greatest attributes of the Gods, we venerate those gods. Through our virtues, we honor our ancestors, we honor our houses (Family name) and we honor the self. So Asatruar make your flesh into steel, sharpen the razor that is your mind, and strengthen the core of your spirit. Temper the self with high moral fortitude as the hammer tempers the blade, make these virtues manifest in life and an epitaph of Honor will be your reward.

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Folk!

Hail the Self!

Who is Thor?

Most folk know the basics. He is the protector God, the god of the storm, and a son of Jord and Odin (Earth and sky). Thor is more Central to the expression of the folk Faith than most probably realize. Thor is the breaker of resistance and the boundary between what is us and what is them. Thor is a blood God who protects the folk by crushing the forces of chaos beneath his mighty Hammer. Thor is also a force of moral fortitude. He is a God without pretense or deception. Seemingly unable to speak untrue. His inability to lie is seen in multiple poems within the elder Edda. Some have cast Thor as a simpleton because of these attestations. I believe that these attestations show Thor’s high moral value. It’s not that he can’t lie. It’s that he refuses to lie under any circumstance. Thor has a purity of heart and an innate goodness that can only be matched by the likes of Baldr or Freyr. Thor’s ultimate goodness is also complimented by his righteous retribution against perceived evil. Thor’s great rage and power are always directed against the enemies of the Gods and the folk.

Donning the hammer in Heathen times

Thor’s name is of a Proto-Germanic origin, so we know that he has been a central figure since at least 500 BCE and most likely even older than that. So, when did the folk start wearing the hammer as a symbol of their faith? Unfortunately, we may never know, but for at least a couple thousand years. What we do know is that the wearing of Mjolnir eventually grew in popularity due to contact with Christianity. Firstly, it was probably worn as a protective talisman, but eventually it was worn as an act of defiance in the face of Christendom. Many of these hammer talismans from the Viking age have been found all over Europe. I happen to own one of these Mjolnir pendants found near York, England from roughly the year 1000 A.D… That piece of History hangs in a shadow box on my bedroom wall. It is not the large ornate piece you may be thinking of, but something simpler and more sacred.

Donning the hammer in modernity

As modern heathens we have chosen to pick up where our ancestors left off. We wear the hammer as a symbol of our faith and a talisman of protection. Though the donning of the hammer can be more than just slipping a Mjolnir pendant on. We can and should choose to give it a deeper meaning and purpose. We can choose to use this little ritual to help align ourselves with the gods and the folk, to help remind ourselves of who we are and where we come from. These kinds of small daily rituals can help pull us away from the constant onslaught of Abrahamic thought. These kinds of daily rituals can also help us build relationships with the Divine.

A daily Heathen mantra for recitation while donning the hammer

I now wear the hammer of the red God, the blood God, the thunderer

The hammer, the weapon I wield to destroy my obstacles

The hammer, the tool I use to build my life

Body as a hammer, mind as a hammer, heart as a hammer

I am the red thunder and red blood of my people

I will not fail my mother and father

I will not fail my ancestors

I will not fail my tribe

I will not give in to base weakness

My life is under my will and that will is a hammer

I live my life under Asa-Thor’s hammer and hold that standard high

I am the hammer!

(Hammer mantra -Adapted by Torna Braggison from the works of Paul Waggener)

Hail the God’s!

Hail The Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

Before we get into the mechanics of building up our hamingja, we must first define what hamingja is and where it fits within the rest of the Heathen self-complex. We will start by naming the nine parts of the self and giving a simplistic definition of hamingja to build upon.

These nine parts are as follows:

1.Lik- The body itself or physical vehicle

2.Hamr- The shape or continence

3.Odhr- The faculty of ecstasy

4.Ond- The sacred breath or spark of divinity

5.Hugr- The mind or cognition

6.Minni- The memory which gives the mind wisdom

7.Sal- The shade or soul

8.Fylgja- The guardian Spirit which guides us to our fate

9.Hamingja- The luck, honor or power of the combined parts

A short definition of hamingja from Edred Thorsson’s “Rune lore” (page 170).

Hamingja - The luck of a person is extremely complex and in many ways closely linked to the fetch. hamingja which is linguistically derived from Hamr (i.e.,ham-gengja, one who can go about in another shape) is essentially a power concept analogous to Polynesian Mana, Iroquois orenda and so on. It too has some anthropomorphic symbols and is conceived of as (1)luck(personal power),(2) guardian spirit (symbolically derived from that luck) and (3) Shape-Shifting ability (which is its original meaning) A wide variety of consciously willed actions develop this magical power. It can be transferred from one person to another, (although its effects are only temporary unless it is attached to a fetch-wife). The hamingja is the collective might and mane of the individual. It is fed by and feeds the fetch-wife with power so that during a man’s lifetime we can speak of a hamingja-fylgja complex that works in harmony.( End quote)

I believe the Edred hit the nail on the head with this short definition, although it lacks depth. Firstly, I think the word luck throws people off. The luck spoken about here is more like luck created through honorable action. In other words, a man or woman who acts honorably will create an environment where lucky things happen as a result of venerable actions. When we act with generosity, truth, courage, and loyalty good things happen to us because other people recognize our moral fortitude and those actions are rewarded in kind.

Another important aspect of hamingja is the threefold breakdown.#1. personal power or luck- we all have hamingja at this level. Each and every one of us is beholden to the idea “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Yet remember that hamingja is both individualistic and also tied to one’s family honor. So, at this level our hamingja is influenced by our ancestors/predecessors and also influences the hamingja of our descendants and living forebearers. The best analogy I can come up with is that hamingja is like a spider’s web. The innermost ring represents you followed by the next ring which is your immediate family. After that would be the extended family and those rings would extend all the way out to clan, tribe and people. At this first level of hamingja, we may build ourselves through our Noble virtues.#2. Feminine protective Spirit- This level of hamingja is not inherent in every person for us to reach the second tier of hamingja, our family honor must be highly charged. This could take generations of honorable action to attain (but can be undone by a single dishonorable Link in the chain). Having this kind of “luck” brings with it a great power and responsibility.#3. Walking in shapes- The final level of hamingja is a deep relationship to the Divine feminine spirit or disir who watches over us. A relationship so deep In fact that our hamingja spirit allows us to pour our own consciousness into it and have a control over its shape and will. Effectively allowing us to use this Force to do our bidding. The power dynamic here is of the highest order. I would postulate that this third level of hamingja is reached only by an extreme minority of our folk, yet those of us who do reach this level of morality and spiritual power are quite literally a force of nature that is also supernatural.

Many of the parts of the self are directly linked to certain virtues. Such is the link between speaking truth and our “ond”(sacred breath or spark of divinity). Hamingja is connected to all Noble virtues as our hamingja is the power of the combined parts of the self. To build hamingja, we must build these other parts in conjunction. Through the eddas, sagas, and even folklore, there are many attestations of what strengthens or weakens hamingja. In the interest of keeping this article palatable, I will not go into citing all of these sources. What I have found in these sources though is that to have strong hamingja we must be/have 1. Brave and courageous 2. Generous and hospitable 3. Honest and truthful 4. Correct treatment of women (Being that our protective spirit is of the feminine variety, the correct treatment of women is important. No disir or feminine Spirit will protect one who treats women unjustly.)

To build hamingja, we must tend to the other parts of the self; hamingja may be built or diminished through both action and inaction. In other words, it is not enough to be just a good and moral person. If we allow others to dishonor us without retribution then we are also diminished. I would postulate that the feeling of rage or anger that we get when we have been transgressed is our hamingja communicating to us-It is time for action. I would also think that when danger is about and we feel the call to action. This is also our hamingja communicating with us. For example, the house next door is on fire and a small child is crying for help from within. The good and moral person puts aside their own safety to rescue the child. This is our hamingja driving us to do right. Those of us who would ignore such a call put themselves in moral and spiritual peril. Those of us who answer the call have just raised their spiritual power and elevated their reputation within the community.

The strengthening of our hamingja is not done through large deeds alone as in the house on fire analogy. The strengthening of the self is also done on our day to day. All the little things we do add up So let us enumerate some of these power building virtues- loyalty, honesty, industriousness, hospitality, dependability, Fidelity, bravery, magnanimity, being just, treating those who are weaker than ourselves with respect, and persecuting evil wherever we find it. If we integrate these virtues into the self we raise our Megin. In doing so we lend strength to the hamingja which in turn lends strength to the fylgja (the hamingja -fylgja complex).

With all this being understood, the last thing we will delve into is “Ohamingja”. Ohamingja is the opposite of hamingja and is akin to being cursed. If one acts with an absolute lack of Honor, the luck is turned into bad luck in the case of someone with the second level of hamingja (Divine feminine protective Spirit) The person’s own hamingja will actively punish its Ward. This Divine Spirit could cause you to become sick or hurt. It could refuse to protect you or even try to bring about your death.This Ohamingja could also stop feeding power to your fylgja effectively rendering your fylgja inert or even set your fylgja against you. Acting with blatant dishonor is the worst thing you could do to your spiritual self. Not only would you have a lack of spiritual power and potency, it could also take your family line generations to rectify your misdeeds causing your descendants to bear your shameful actions through no fault of their own.

Employing our virtues to raise the self is of paramount importance. These are but a few of the ways our virtues can be used to create spiritual potency. Our hamingja is the culmination of the heathen self and the representation of who we are. The force of good and correct action has a rippling effect on all those we come in contact with. So Asatruars let us act with honor, with truth and with Justice. Let us raise the reputation of both the self and the folk. Let us create an epitaph our children will be proud of. Let us leave this inheritance of Honor for the next generation.

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Descendants!

Hail the Folk!

.

The loyal hound by-Torna Braggison

Dark as night, light as day.

all that's loved does fade away

as setting Sun upon Day's end

shall Crest the sky and rise again

in love We lived an tears I've shed

the bonds we forged won't break or bend

Black as Earth bright as sky

This dream we dreamt will never die

kept within my heart will be

your loving eyes and memory

The loyalty you gladly gave

will live within me all my days

Those who burn as bright as flame

shall dwindle down as shadows fain

though you're gone now from my side

within this place, your spirit flies

so ever Shall we call your name

until at last we meet again

Hail Fenrir! we miss you.

The story of Cu Chulainn

As told by -Torna Braggison

Come ye heathens and gather round me. Hear these tales of honor, tales of battle, tales of glory.

Long ago and far from here, in the land where the bones of my ancestor’s rest, there lived a young boy named Setanta. Setanta lived with his mother some twenty miles from the castle of his uncle, the king, Conner Mac Nessa. And that place was known as “Eamhain Mhacha”, the headquarters of the Red Branch Knights, the famous defenders of Ulster. Setanta yearned to go there and join with the group of apprentice warriors, and he constantly pestered his mother until one day she spoke to him in a gentle voice and with a sad look in her eye. She said “Setanta, I know you are a special boy, and a mother’s love cannot stand between you and your death. So go if you must. But remember that I love you and you will always have a place here.” Setanta was filled with mixed feelings. He was sad to leave his mother and the place of his birth, but he was overjoyed that he could go with his mother’s blessing. He set out straight away with nothing but a hurley stick and a sliver.

He played and made-up games as he walked, and the time seemed to pass quickly until he came to a small village where he saw a very old woman who had the appearance of a raven. Her hair was black with white strands .Her nose was long and pointed as that of a powerful beak, and her fingers were gnarled and sharp like the talons of a great hawk. Setanta approached her and she pointed him in the direction of Eamhain Mhacha. Setanta turned back to thank her but she was gone without a trace.As Setanta came over the hill he could hear the sounds of over a hundred boys playing in the green area outside the castle. They were playing at a game of hurley. Setanta impetuously jumped in, won the ball and dodged his way through the crowd of boys and scored. He raised his arms in triumph, but Folaman, the leader of the boys, didn’t like this. He strode over and shook Setanta roughly, saying “Who do you think you are, jumping into our game without an invitation or even an acknowledgement?! Do you know who we are?” The crowd of boys encircling him started to cry out “Get him, boys!” They jumped on Setanta kicking and punching him mercilessly. It made a terrible sound. When the king heard it, he came out of the castle to see what was going on. When he saw the older, larger boys beating on the younger, smaller Setanta he roared “That’s no way for my young warriors to act, punching and kicking a smaller boy! Folaman, what have you got to say for yourself?” Folaman answered, “Father, he jumped into our game without an invitation or acknowledgement. He disrespected us.” The king smiled, “I see.” He turned to Setanta and said “well What have YOU got to say for yourself boy?” Setanta stood proudly, and answered in a loud, confident voice , “I am your nephew Setanta, and I have come here to join your group. And look at the welcome I’ve got.” The king laughed, “ha ha little setanta is it I can see that you’re certainly a lad of courage and confidence. But did you know that it is the custom here to ask for protection before joining into a group?” Setanta replied, “I did not, sir.” And the king said, “Would you like to do it now?” Setanta said, “Yes, sir.” Setanta went and asked the boys for their protection and they gladly gave it, and he was now one of their group. The matter seemingly settled, king Conner turned to go back into the castle. Then he heard a terrible ding. He turned back to see Setanta pushing several of the larger boys to the ground. The king shouted, “Setanta! What are you doing?” Setanta answered back fiercely, “They must seek to go under my protection as I have under theirs. And I’ll knock every one of them to the ground until they agree.” The king sat back and watched in amazement as the younger, smaller Setanta made each of the boys submit to his protection.

In the coming months he became the leading sportsman of the group. He would play against fifty boys in a game of hurley. And in fights he could take on fifty boys and win. One day the boys stole Setanta’s hurley stick and hid it as a joke. Setanta was furious and chased some sixty terrified boys through the castle until they all hid behind Conner’s table. One handed Setanta lifted the enormous oaken table with ease and smashed it on the wall. King Conner had to intervene and told his guards to take Setanta to the dungeon to cool off for a while. But Senanta fought them off easily. The king saw that Setanta was a special boy and would have to be treated in a special way. So, he had a room made up for Setanta right next to his own so as to separate him from the boys and keep them out of harm’s way. The next day The King's servant went to wake setanta and he got a punch to the head that knocked him unconscious. Never again did anyone wake setanta. The time of the year had come when a tribal chieftain named Chulainn was to feast the king and his men. The king thought it a good idea to bring Setanta and make a spectacle of his physical prowess and storytelling abilities. When the king went to get Setanta he was playing at a game of hurley. The king strode over and asked Setanta to join them, but Setanta said he wanted to finish the game first. The king wasn’t used to being spoken to in this manner, especially by a boy. But to his friends’ amazement, the king accepted his reply, asking only that he join them after he finished his game.

When Conner and his men arrived at Chulainn’s they feasted on roasted pork and lamb and drank the fine wines and meads from Chulainn’s cellar. Chulainn greeted them, “I want you to relax. You may put your weapons aside, for I can assure you of your safety here. For I have the most vicious hound dog in all the land. A gang of twenty men could not get past him without being savaged. Excuse me while I release him onto the grounds.” A while later at the feast, they could hear the hound baying. Chullain stood up, “That’s the sound of some poor fool finding he’s come to the wrong place for the thieving of animals and the causing of upset.” Then it went eerily quiet. At that very moment king Conner remembered Setanta was following them. They rushed outside and saw him standing in the shadows. The king said, “by the Gods, boy! Are you alright? I completely forgot you were coming.” Setanta stepped forward and threw the carcass of a great animal on the doorstep.

He said, “I am sir. But he’s not.” Chulainn gasped, “You’ve killed my beloved hound! Who will protect me and my family now? Our stock will be raided, and our stores will be plundered.” Setanta looked around, and he said, “This seems like a fine place. And you are a friend of my uncle. So I will stay here with you. I will protect you and your family. I will be your new hound until a dog can be found and trained to replace the one that I’ve taken.” Chullain looked at him, wondering if he was serious. And then he tapped the boy on the shoulder and said, “From henceforth, you will be known as Cu Chulainn, ‘the hound of Chulainn’.” And that is how Cu Chulainn got his name.

Years later, he went to Scotland to study under a woman warrior named Scathach. Once there, he met a boy from Connacht named Fadir. The two of similar age and ability, quickly built a warm friendship and vowed to always be friends and never to fight one another. But it would be a promise they could not keep. Over the years as a great warrior Cu Chulainn had many enemies, but none were so fierce as Maeve. She sent warriors after him - one… three… even six at a time. Soon it became difficult for her to find anyone willing to face Cu Chulainn. There was only one Connacht warrior alive who could stand against Cu Chulainn, and that was Fadir. She summoned him to the castle, but he refused. She offered gold, riches, the hand of her daughter, and even a chance to lie with Maeve herself, but he stubbornly refused. So she switched to another tactic. She knew Fadir was a proud man and could bear no slur on his honor so she used bards and storytellers to goad him into coming by impugning his honor. Fadir came to the castle. Maeve offered him anything that she had to face Cu Chulainn, but Fadir refused to fight his best friend. Desperate now, Maeve switched to yet another tactic. She lied to him saying that Cu Chulainn had laughed at the prospect of fighting Fadir and that he didn’t consider him much of a challenge anyway, to defeat Fadir would not mean a great deal to the young hero. And then she laughed, “Sure, isn’t he right? You’re afraid of the man.” Fadir left to fight Cu Chulainn at dawn the next day.

When Cu Chulainn heard who was coming to fight him his heart sank, for he knew that one of them would die and he’d almost rather die himself than to kill his best friend. They met at high day and exchanged pleasantries mixed with barbs and insults. The first day they fought with spears and darts, yet little damage was done. And that night they ate together and drank together, and there was much harmony and goodwill amongst them. On the second day they fought from the backs of their chariots and much damage was done. Great chunks of flesh were hacked out of their bodies and blood poured forth from them in streams. But when the day’s fighting was over the two men and their servants ate together and drank together, and there was much harmony and goodwill amongst them. On the third day the realization set in that one of them must die. Cu Chulainn said to Fadir, “You are doomed. You know that I will kill you. Yet you fight me anyway by the trickery of a woman.” Yet they fought anyway, and soon they drew close in hand to hand combat. The ground shook and the heavens cracked with thunder and lightning. And even the sun seemed to fall from the sky as their battle grew in intensity. Fadir succeeded in slipping a sword into Cu Chulainn’s chest, inflicting a serious wound. Desperate now, Cu Chulainn resolved to use his ultimate weapon, the Gae Bulga spear. The Gae Bulga spear was a vicious spring-loaded javelin that released thirty barbs of steel into the body of the opponent that could not be removed without cutting away the flesh. Fadir saw it coming and desperately tried to cover himself with his horn skin cloak which no weapon could pass, but he was too late. The barbs went into every part of his body. As Fadir collapsed and lay dying Cu Chulainn, barely alive himself, stood over Fadir and wept for the needless loss of his best friend.

Cu Chulainn had lost interest in the killing of lesser men and went to seek solitude. But Maeve was determined to finish him off once and for all and so she enlisted the help of the daughters of Katlyn, magical woman-warriors who fought through spell and incantation. They tried many things to coax Cu Chulainn into the open, but nothing worked until they made the sound of king Conner’s shield screaming it only made that sound when its owner was under attack. When Cu Chulainn heard that sound, he simply could not help himself. Honor demanded that he protect his king. So, he gathered his chariot driver Legg and headed out to where he thought the battle to be.

When he got there, of course, there was no sign of king Conner. But there were men all around him engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The daughters of Katlyn had supplied three magic spears - and they were meant for Cu Chulainn. The first spear was cast. It missed Cu Chulainn but hit his beloved and trusted chariot driver Legg. Cu Chulainn reached down to hold his friend as he lay dying. The second spear was cast. This also missed Cu Chulainn but mortally wounded was the greatest of all chariot horses, the Ray of Mann. The third spear was cast by the most skilled of his adversaries - Lughite. Cu Chulainn looked down in horror as the spear pierced his armor and his intestines spilled out. A hush come over the battlefield. Cu Chulainn, holding in his guts, stumbled to a nearby lake. Though he was mortally wounded none would approach him out of fear of one last attack. He drank from the lake and made his way over to a tall standing stone where he used his belt to strap himself to it in order that he could die standing up.

For three days Cu Chulainn fought death, but eventually he let out an enormous sigh, and the stone cracked at his back as the life escaped him. His death was confirmed for all to see when the goddess Badb landed on his shoulder in the form of a great black raven. As the massive bird took to flight a great rain fell all over Ireland and it was said that the gods themselves were weeping the loss of the last true mortal hero.

Hail Cu Chulainn!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the mighty heroes of the folk!

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Hail Asatruar, This was my entry at Althing 45 this year. This particular story was originally done by Alexander Skarsgard at a Viking festival some years back . I have reworked the story and made a few changes to the format i.e. the drumming but still wish to credit the original author.Enjoy ,Torna Braggison

Hail Tyr!

Hail Odin!

Hail the Folk!

By -Torna Braggison (adapted from the Grimm brothers “Mother Holle" and Ed Fitch in “The Rites of Odin”)

Items required for ritual -Bowli with clean living water, A wooden bobbin (the kind used for spinning flax or wool), a sanitized medical lance

Opening Poem

Of old was an age

When Earth was young

The Gods on Midgard wandered

Oath was sworn by land and sword

To Sky-Father and Frau Holle

Calling to the Goddess

Gothi: “Erce! Erce! Erce! Eorthan Modor! This is the Frau Holle ritual. And those who pass through it become as Huldafolk, affirming their dedication to the earth goddess.”

(At this point the gothi takes the dedicant to the middle of the circle and begins to tell the story. The description to come of the female dedicant in the story should be specifically tailored to the physical attributes of the female dedicant being initiated into the rite.)

Ritual Story of Frau Holle

There was once a maid as beautiful in form as she was in spirit. Her skin was a bright white that seemed almost to glow. Her eyes were as deep blue as the sea. She radiated goodness so that both man and animals noticed. She had both poise and humility and was industrious in her works. Her mother died in childbirth, so her father remarried, but he was killed shortly thereafter in a great battle protecting their tribe. So, she was left to live with her stepmother and half-sister. Her stepsister was as ugly in form as she was in spirit. She was fat, short – she smelled terribly. No one wished to be around her. She was very lazy, almost never lifting a finger. Yet, mother loved her best as she was her natural daughter. So it was that the beautiful daughter was made to be the ash-girl of the house and do all the hard work, including the spinning and weaving. She was made to spin each day sitting by the sacred spring near the high road until her fingers bled. One day she had spun for so long her fingers spurted blood out all over the bobbin. She took the bobbin to the spring to wash it off (At this point the dedicant pricks their finger with the lance smearing a drop of blood on the bobbin and dropping it into the bowli of living water). When she dipped the bobbin into the water it slipped out of her fingers and disappeared into the deep, dark spring. She was terribly distraught, as she knew her careless mistake would cause stepmother to punish her. You see, “mother” kept a long rod fashioned from a yew branch. It was smooth, light, hard, and made an awful sound as it flew through the air. The beautiful girl ran to the house to tell mother what had happened, and her worst fears were realized. Mother beat her with the rod mercilessly. Once she was done and the welts had all raised up on her back, mother told the beautiful maiden, “You dropped the bobbin in, and must get it out again.”

The young lady returned to the spring not knowing what to do. In her despair she threw herself into the dark spring where the bobbin had once gone. She lost consciousness, and when she awoke she was somewhere else entirely – in a breathtaking sunlit field full of flaxen flowers. The air was warm and sweet, and it seemed to caress her entire body. She found a path and began to follow it until she came to a stone-looking igloo she knew to be a baker’s oven. Yet, as she passed something called out to her, “Oh! Take us out! We are all long since baked! Take us out!” The voice seemed to come from within the oven, so she took up the bread shovel and took all of the loaves out, setting them to cool. As she did this she received the knowledge of the wheat, which was ? “The wheat is the past, leading to the present and future – death and rebirth” [note: this section of the rite is declared by the dedicant as their answer to this question)

She then continued down the path until she came upon an ancient apple tree, and as she passed by the apples they called out to her, “Oh! Shake us down! We apples are all ripe!” She shook the tree until not a single apple remained, and as the apples fell like rain all around her, she received the wisdom of the apple, which was? “Perfection in nature and balance in all things.” [note: this section of the rite is declared by the dedicant as their answer to this question] She then gathered all the apples into a great pile and then continued down the path

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She came to the edge of a thick forest and to a small thatched-roof house. There was an old woman standing out front, and as the old crone smiled, she showed her long, pointed teeth. The beautiful girl was frightened, and as she turned to retreat the old woman called out to her, “Do not be frightened, dear child. Come and work for me, and all will be well with you. I need someone to help with the housework and shake my mattresses each day till the feathers fly, so that it will snow in Midgard - for I am Mother Holle.” The girl went into Mother Holle’s employ. She worked diligently each day, completing all of her tasks and always shaking the mattresses until the feathers fly.

The great goddess was good to her word. She always spoke kindly to the girl and fed her each day on roasted and boiled meats. But after a time, the beautiful girl started to become homesick. Though she was a thousand times better off with Mother Holle than she was in her own home, she yearned to go back with her people and start a family. So, the beautiful maid went to Mother Holle and told her of her sadness. Mother Holle said, “This is right and good, and I am happy to hear it -I will take you home this very moment.” The great goddess took the beautiful maid by the hand and led her from the house into the deep dark wood. They came upon a stone gate in the middle of the forest carved in red runes that seemed to glow as they got closer. The goddess leaned in and whispered something in the girl's ear, “womankind holds great spiritual powers. For women have the power to create life, where men only have the power to take life.” [note: this section of the rite is whispered into the ear of the dedicant by the gothi and is for her to hear alone] And so the goddess placed the bobbin that was once lost back in the beautiful maid’s hand and prompted her through the gate. As she passed through, a golden shower fell all around her so that it clung to her from head to toe. Holle spoke, “This is your reward for your industrious work.”

The golden maid then suddenly found herself back next to the sacred spring by the high road. She got up and ran towards home as the little dwelling came into her sight the rooster called out “Cock-a-doodle doo! Our golden maidens come home too!” And because she was covered in gold from head to toe she was well-received. The golden maid went into the house and told her mother and sister all about her adventures in Holle’s land.

The mother wanted to recreate the good fortune that had happened to her stepdaughter for her natural daughter. So mother told the fat, lazy maid to go to the sacred spring by the high road and to spin until her fingers bled, and then to offer the bobbin as a sacrifice into the spring and throw herself in after it. The fat, lazy maid went to the sacred spring but had no constitution for hard work. So she sat on her great, round behind and thought. And after some time an idea came to her. She thrust her hand into the thorn bushes and wiped her blood upon the bobbin, foregoing all of the work. She then threw the bobbin into the spring and herself in after it. As she slipped into the dark water she lost consciousness. When she awoke, she was in a beautiful sunlit field full of wheat and flaxen flowers. She then took the same path that her sister had. As she came upon the baker’s oven the bread called out to her, “Take us out! Take us out! We are all long since baked!” To which the ugly, lazy girl replied, “What? And soil my hands? I don’t think so!” And so, she continued down the path until she came upon the ancient apple tree. As she walked by, the apples called out to her, “Shake us down! Shake us down! We are all ripe!” To which, the good for nothing maid replied, “And what if one of you should fall on my head? I don’t think so!” And so again, she continued down the path until she came to the thatched-roof house at the edge of the thick wood. The old woman was again out in front of the house and when she smiled her long teeth shone. But the good for nothing maid was not scared as she had already heard of Holle’s long teeth. And so, she went into Holle’s employ, she was told that all would be well with her if she did her work diligently and shook the mattresses every day until the feathers flew. On the first day the ugly maid worked hard, for she was dreaming of the golden riches she would receive. But on the second day she began to drag a little. By the third day she wouldn't even get out of bed in the morning. The great goddess quickly grew tired of this so she went to the lazy maid and told her that she no longer needed her services, it was time to go home. The lazy maid was overjoyed, for she thought now she would receive her treasure. So Mother Holle took the lazy maid by the hand and led her into the thick forest until they came upon the stone gate with the red glowing runes. As they got close the goddess shoved the lazy girl straight through the gate. As the girl went through the gate, a shower of pitch came down on her from head to toe. Then Holle spoke, “This is the reward for your service.

” The lazy maid was suddenly right back where she started near the sacred spring by the high road, and she ran straight home. As she drew close to the house the rooster called out, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Our dirty girl’s come home too!” The lazy maid entered the house crying and sobbing. Mother and sister tried to clean her off but she stayed black with pitch for as long as she lived.

Conclusion of Rite -The Acting Gothi and Valkyrie should offer a round of sumble in honor of the Dedicant and the Goddess. Upon completion of said round the Dedicant should be congratulated by all present on her affirmation to the Cult of the earth Goddess.

Hail the Folk!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the goddess of earth, Mother Holle!

Over the course of many years as a gothi helping new Asatruars to understand and connect to our folkway, I discovered four common connections most people make in order to build a bona fide faith in asatru. These connections are the 1. Ancestors 2. The land 3.The Folk 4. The Gods and Goddess's (this includes the Alfar, disir, and all the other Divine entities within asatru) In my experience, the first three connections that are the ancestors, the folk, and the land are interchangeable in their order. Some will first connect to the land and others to the ancestors or folk. That being said, both connections to the land and the ancestors are usually made to facilitate a connection to our gods. The gods and goddesses are a representation of both the eldest ancestors and a representation of something in the natural world. For the above mentioned reasons, a connection to the land and ancestors are very typical before we can connect with the gods in any meaningful way. In this article, I will attempt to illuminate my own journey, making these connections in the hopes it will help other heathens find a path within our vast and nuanced spirituality.

At the age of fourteen, I decided to become an asatruar. I was completely disillusioned about the nature of the Catholic church that I was brought up in not only because of all the child rape cases and corruption of the day, but also because of the philosophy of the religion itself, the whole thing just felt foreign from my own feelings in some way. I can remember being in catechism class as a young boy. We were being taught who goes to heaven and who doesn't. I raised my hand and asked if my dog Tommy Rogers would get to go to heaven. The teacher smiled and said dogs don't go to heaven because dogs don't have a soul. This statement was so jarring to me as a boy who truly loved his dog that I chose not to believe it and argued with the teacher. At that point a priest was called to take me out of class and explained all the reasons the animals don't have souls. I didn't believe a word of it, and I still don't. I briefly looked into the Celtic paganry of the day, but what I found was a group of degenerate hippies practicing something Celtic in name only. So I landed on asatru, a folk way trying to reconstruct and modernize the beliefs of our ancestors reforging a connection to the land, the folk and the Gods. This is where my journey begins.

Like so many others, I grew up just outside a large city (Boston). In this environment it can be quite difficult to connect with the land in any meaningful way. Now I'm not saying there's no connection at all, for I would say I'm still deeply connected to the place. On my father's side, I am a direct descendant of Mary Chilton, a Scottish woman of some renown in the whole Pilgrim mythos. She is said to be the first European woman to set foot in Plymouth from onboard the Mayflower. She was also an accomplished painter and artist and some of her work still hangs in the Plymouth Pilgrim museum. It is a testament to her existence that some of her descendants like myself still live in the same area that she once called home. On my mother's side we were Irish immigrants from county Cork who came to Boston only a couple generations ago. Although these Irish immigrants came yearning to become Americans, they made Boston their home and made themselves loyal Americans people such as my grandfather (a first generation American) enlisted in the military and fought for their nation and citizenship. For all intents and purposes making Boston, The unofficial Irish capital of America. These are deep connections to both my people and the places they once called home, but they are not connections to the land itself nor are they connections to the spirits of the ancestors. This was however a foundation on which to build.

The first steps I took to find heathen faith were building those connections to my ancestors. This can be a hard thing for many modern folks. As Europeans (or those of European ancestry), we are taught to cast a spurning attitude onto our own ancestors because some of their actions do not hold up to the modern morality microscope. For this reason we are taught not to have pride in our forefathers and mothers. This line of thinking can be hard to break. For myself this was an easy step. As a lad I was taught to have pride in my Celtic culture. My family was fiercely proud of their Irish roots. My grandparents listened to Irish folk music and went to Irish dances. To be raised in this way was a gift from my grandfather and grandmother. All seven of their children and 40 something grandchildren knew exactly who they were and had pride in where they came from, both America and Ireland. So for myself to strengthen those connections, I had only but to make sacrifices to the ancestors, to call their names out loud during sumble ceremony, to foster a connection through offerings and veneration, and to speak with them in my heart and mind. In doing so, I have built a deep connection to my ancestors which has also helped connect me with the folk, those with whom I have a shared ancestry.

The next steps I took down the road towards heathen faith was in connecting to the land. This is where I had more trouble. I was at this point in my spiritual progression in my early twenties. I was already married and had three children. We struggled from place to place from apartment to apartment. Always trying to better our situation but did not yet own land. This is where the roadblock stood for quite a few years. I found it difficult if not impossible to connect to the land in these situations. We would hold rituals such as blot or sumble, either indoors or at a secluded piece of public land where privacy was not a guarantee. As I got older, the apartments turned into renting houses. This was a bit better as we began erecting rune posts (four 9-ft tall posts shaped like the elhaz(or algiz) rune posted in the four directions). We had a dedicated ritual area and a fire pit but ultimately, we couldn't raise animals or grow our own food beyond a hobby garden in the summer. The other issue was we didn't want to call our ancestors to a place we knew that we would ultimately leave, once we could afford our own property. Our answer to this dilemma was to make the rune post itself (a representation of the sacred tree or Axis mundi) the focal point of our rituals. So anywhere the rune posts were sunk into the ground became sacred space. This helped my spiritual progression, but the connection I wanted was still out of reach. I imagine folks who grow up on family land out in the country away from the business of the cities can more easily connect to the land, for that I envy then.

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The next steps I took were possibly the most important for my own spiritual progression. I had read many books and done plenty of research, but I was still rather insulated. My Kindred was my immediate family, my wife, children and a few cousins. This made things very easy in some ways, but we lacked community. I was also lacking in experience as a gothi. Although I had led many blot rites & sumble ceremonies, I had never seen anyone else perform one. This is when we decided upon reaching out to one of the larger asatru organizations. For us It was going to be the Asatru Alliance because of their dedication to a folkish spirituality without politics. I first began speaking with Valgard Murray. I could not have asked for a better role model or a more spiritual man than he. Valgard ushered me into the Alliance where I met new people with new ideas and a more refined ritual practice. By joining the alliance and becoming visible to other Heathen folk, our Kindred began to grow and bear fruit. With these new members came a great friend who would ultimately become my blood brother and the chieftain of our Kindred. My blood brother and I would eventually put our money and families together and buy kindred land. This is where I was truly able to connect to the land. We now had a permanent ritual area under a massive old tree. We made the tree the new focal point of our Stone circle (Although we still use the rune posts). We began calling our ancestors there. We spilled our own blood into the soil and made Solemn oaths to become wardens of the place. This is how I was able to connect to the land. It all came through a connection to the folk. Those connections continue to grow. I took another blood brother from across the country and at the same time I was adopted by Valgard as a son. The Alliance elected me to the position of skald/historian and then I became the vice president on the board of directors. All of this was made possible by a connection to the folk

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The last thing I'd like to cover is connections to the gods and goddesses. I want to make sure I say this in the most concise way possible. We may connect with the spirits of the Gods in certain situations and we may even feel a kinship to them as their descendants. That being said, those connections are hard to come by and may be fleeting though this does not make them less important. The gods live in our blood but they also live in a larger reality. We are not wiccans or eclectic neo pagans. The gods do not do our bidding nor do we speak for the gods. It is very seldom that the gods take interest in an individual. If the gods do take interest in a descendant it is rare and very special. Most of us are lucky if we feel even the slightest presence of one of the Gods in some fleeting moment in the periphery of our lives. Yet do not despair, your ancestors hear your words. The alfar, the disir, and all the predecessors of our family lines can carry our words to the gods. For example, if you wish to call on Freyr, it would be the alfar who would carry the message. Our ancestors, folk and the land spirits are the meat and potatoes of our folkway, “The ancestral house religion”. There are no other spirits more interested in you than the lines of your fathers and mothers. I call upon my own grandfather often. It's those who have passed on that we love and who love us that take real interest in our personal life. So, venerate the Gods but remember you are only one voice in the choir that is our people, and the gods have bigger fish to fry than just one single descendant.

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I hope this little autobiography about how I made these connections helps. If this small article rings the bell for even a single person, it's worth the effort. Remember we all have a different journey to make and the road you're on may look very different than my own, and it should. It's the connections that are important. How you make them is up to you. Strive always to honor the ancestors, to be connected to the land, to serve and protect the folk, and to emulate the examples of the Gods. In doing so all connections can be made and a bona fide Faith born within.

Hail the Landvaettir!

Hail the Folk!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the God's!

The Unveiling

I am shadow face

The way weary welcomed one

Into my hall the battle slain come

At the Thing, I am King

of my deeds the bards do sing

I am third and sly

truthsayer, one eye,

changer, rune finder

and equally high.

I am the attacker on the steed

entanger, concealer, fire-eyed chief

The wakeful, woeful, inciter of strife

God of death, taker of life

I am God of the Goths

helm-bearer, wayfarer

the battle glad, wand waver

spear shaker, shield breaker

No tear do I cry.

I am Odin, look into my eye.

By: Torna Braggison

Hail Odin!

Hail the Ancestors!

Hail the Folk!

By-Torna Braggison

Brewing mead with intention can mean much more than just getting some mead ready in time for blot. Putting your mead together in a ritualistic way can add layers to your ceremony and spirituality. Your mead could have the intention of honoring one of our Gods or Goddesses. Your mead could have the intention of blessing those who drink it with luck, health. And healing. Your mead could have the intention of paying homage to a special place or the Landvaettir. Here in this short article, we will delve into the basics of spiritual brewing, as well as some of the devices that are being applied to brewing by some of our existing Gothar and Alliance mead makers.

The basics of ritual mead making mirror the basics of any ritual. Spin your mead with the sun, always clockwise just as you would enter the Blot Circle. Keep reverent special attention to your task and intention. Involve your kinfolk if brewing ahead of a feast day or some ritual of the folk. Make your brewing a kindred affair and allow as many dedicants as possible to have their turn spinning your inspirational brew. These are just a few elements of ceremonial brewing. The thing to remember is to brew the same way you would do any ritual works.

Brewing with the moon is another way to create layers and is also an easy way to remember when to rack and eventually bottle. If brewing on the full moon, the next couple of full moons tell you it is time to rack and the subsequent full moon tells you it is time to bottle. While brewing with intention, many internal associations can be made adding yet more layers. For example, maybe you brew a mead for Ullr on the Hunter's Moon or perhaps Skadi. The inspirational mead can be taken outside to be blessed under the moonlight. There is a never-ending stream of ideas and associations that could be made. These kinds of associations add to your overall experience, deepening your ritual.

Sacred ingredients are another way to add layers to both your Mead and eventual Ritual. This is a vast subject with very few limitations. Starting with your water source and honey including all other adjuncts a plethora of internal associations can be made. In some meads, snow water could be used as well as rain water or even river water (always filtered and pasteurized). For example, when a Mead is brewed for mighty Thor, one could stand out in a summer thunderstorm and collect stormwater to sanctify the Storm God’s Mead. That special Holy Mead can be used in a Blot to Thor. Many associations can be made to create a Mead of Inspiration. Foraging for ingredients from nature is another great way to add layers. For example, we collect stinging nettle to use in our Thunder Mead as we have associated nettle with the Thunder God. You could also forage for your Mead in a sacred or special place. Over at Blood Eagle Kindred, their wonderful Gythia collects mulberries at an old graveyard to brew a mead she calls “Graveyard Mulberry”- a Mead dedicated to the Ancestors. We also grow our own herbs, some fruits, and teas. We plant sacred herbs on the day of Ostara and ask the Earth Goddess to give our plants a special kind of blessing. Then these plants can be harvested and used to flavor your mead. We use lemon balm, planted on Ostara, in our mead for Baldr-called “Baldr Bright”- a lemon tea mead from an indoor lemon tree and the lemon balm planted on Ostara. So again, many associations can be made and used to create a “Mead of Inspiration.”

The last layer to think about is spiritual and talismanic mead devices. This is where one can tether intentions to the sacred brew. Using this kind of device is another vast subject where you are only limited by your own creativity. Over the years we have employed a host of different spiritual devices. So here we will cite a few examples to help get the creative juices flowing. Cutting runes is an easy device, for this one only needs to choose the rune or runes most pertinent to your intention: spin your mead with the sun and cut the rune into the spinning mead with your mixing instrument. To take this practice to the next level you may begin making rune taufr (talismans). You can carve a rune or inscription on a small piece of wood, stone or even clean bone. The taufr can be given spirit and life force by breath; then dropped into the sacred mead allowing the spirit and intention to change the mead from a simple drink to something “Sacred.” Another device one can employ is making a short rhyme or stanza of poetry to recite over the mead. This can be something written by the brewer or a piece of existing literature like a stanza from the Havamal or Eddic poetry. A short stanza we use for our thunder mead is -Stinging nettle spinning round, doesn’t make a single sound, rough and sharp as mighty Thor, spin his mead and learn his lore. Galdr chants may also be employed in this way. Another great device is to bring your mead outside under the full moon and bounce runes off the brew using a mirror and the moon light.

All of the above are ways to exercise your spiritual consciousness and take your brewing and ritual to higher levels of understanding. Using these kinds of practices can deepen the spiritual feel of your sacred rites, bringing you closer to our Ancestors, Gods and Goddesses and the Natural World.

All full moon pictures taken by Torna Braggison on brew night with Gullgalti kindred on the kindred property, Happy Brewing Asatruars!

Hail the Gods!

Hail the Folk!