'Norse Mythology' Articles
Norse religion still affects much of our culture today. It is a variant of shamanism in many ways it’s practiced and was primarily a clan based “household” religion. Their morality was based on personal accountability and family bonds. How would the individual influence the ultimate well being of the people.
The spiritual insights of the Norse religion can be summarized as a collection of intuitive metaphors called kennings, and empire for the Norse was a silly/stupid idea. It didn’t happen until the Romans moved north in conquest bringing Christianity with them.
“I find no comfort in the shade
Under the branch of the Great Ash.
I remember the mist
of our ancient past.
As I speak to you in the present,
My ancient eyes
see the terrible future.
Do you not see what I see?
Do you not hear
death approaching?
The mournful cry of Giallr-horn
shall shatter the peace
And shake the foundation of heaven.
Raise up your banner
And gather your noble company
from your great hall,
Father of the Slains.
For you shall go to your destiny.
No knowledge can save you,
And no magic will save you.
For you will end up in Fenrir’s belly,
While heaven and earth will burn
in Surt’s unholy fire.”
— Doom of Odin,
from the Book of Heroes.
Norse Mythology
Norse religion still affects much of our culture today. Our fondness for feast holidays originates with them, as does the name of many of our days of the week. Their imagery has much in common with Indo-European religion, and is a variant of shamanism in many ways it’s practiced. It was primarily a clan based “household” religion. The clan head was more than a domestic leader. He was also the spiritual leader. The tradition in modern Christian homes of the head of household “being male” and being the spiritual authority as well also originated with them. Although this was widespread… Seek More
Norse Beliefs
The Norse saw there was not one world, but nine. Perhaps corresponding to the chakras of eastern mysticism, and these nine worlds rested on Yggdrasil the world tree not unlike the Jewish tree of life. Modern physics also have a theory of ten dimensions, but seen from our point of view it might seem like nine. It would be interesting if they come up with the same number in the end. In numerology, there are only nine stages. Anything higher is repetition and anything possessed of the full ten dimensions in physics might seem to us to be an anomaly. Like a… Seek More
Hell on Earth
The spiritual insights of the Norse religion can be summarized as a collection of intuitive metaphors called “kennings”, and we still use the word. They governed community meetings, called “things”. This is how their communities were governed, and skalds kept the remembrance of the kennings as well as the decisions and events that occurred in the things (community meetings). Interestingly, if a chief was a raging idiot the influence of the skald could get him deposed. The chief was expected to answer with wisdom any challenges to his judgment. He couldn’t just attack the skald, if he did the tribal… Seek More
Norse Gods
I employ a lot of metaphors and intellectual tools when I try to teach a class. Thing. The word is of Norse origin. Know what it means? Mystery. The allthing was a meeting of Norse spirituality. They didn’t really have a priesthood. Luck is also Norse. Luck meant tendency/fate. The Norse had the habit of throwing a Christian priest overboard because of the story of Jonah and the whale. They figured if things looked threatening, they had to acknowledge that tendency and didn’t think about it as murder. They actually believed that their God would save them. The Norse actually… Seek More
