|
Seiðr and the Runes
Shamanic Oracles of Northern Europe
The influence of the early Norse/Germanic, Indo-European tribes has been integral to the development of cultures across Northern Europe and North America. At different points in history, the countries of England, France, Germany, Holland, Norway, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Greenland, Newfoundland and Iceland were all settled by these people. These tribes observed an Earth-based, shamanic spirituality which had many elements in common with earlier, indigenous hunter/gatherer cultures. Although their culture certainly wasn’t as matricentric as earlier Neolithic Europeans cultures appear to have been, the Norse/Germanic tribes’ traditions honored the magical powers of both women and men and, as such, offer many wonderful gifts to support us in these changing times. As a framework for we'll explore this topic through Nature’s primordial female and male energies, which were worshiped in the form of deities among the Norse/Germanic Indo-European tribes.
Freyja painted by Arthur Rackham (1867 – 1939) from his illustrations for The Ring of the Nibelung.
We will begin with the sacred feminine in the form of Freyja who is the Goddess of the Earth. She reflects the many faces of the more ancient Neolithic Earth Goddess. She is both the giver and taker of life and she is the original shaman. Since she knows what the three Norns (Fates) will weave--she is also the goddess of prophesy. For this reason she is also the patroness of the völva or seeress. The völva is a person who--while in a shamanic trance--enters the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil to gain access to ancestral wisdom. (Yggdrasil’s roots lead to the lower realms, its trunk runs through the middle worlds and its branches support the upper worlds.) The ritual in which this prophesy is received is known as seiðr (pronounced “SAY-thr”) This oracular ritual was usually performed by specially gifted women who, when in trance acted as the goddess herself. The men that practiced this prophetic magic dressed in the same costume as women when acting as the oracle. This has reflections in Siberian shamanism, whereby the original shaman is known to be female. Shamans across Asia wear skirts as a part of their ritual garb to honor this original, magical woman. Since it is now theorized that the Indo-European peoples originated in Western Siberia--not in the Black Sea area as once thought--it is no accident that this belief is echoed in Norse shamanic mythology. These beliefs most likely also hearken back to those of the earlier indigenous European cultures since shamanism appears to be a global, hunter/gatherer phenomenon.
As reported in the old Icelandic Sagas and Eddas--recorded from 800 AD to about 1,200 AD-- the völva’s costume included a blue cloak, a tall staff, cat skin gloves and boots, a black hood lined with cat skin, as well as a pouch for charms and rune stones and a bone-handled knife with a broken point, hung from a bear skin belt. When she performs the seiðr ritual, she sits in a high chair on a cushion filled with feathers. The raised seat reflects not only her spiritually elevated social position but also suggests that during the ritual she becomes other than human. In her role as völva, she becomes the Goddess, Freyja.
Each of the elements of the völva’s costume have a ritual significance. Blue, the color of her cloak, is the color of death, Hel who is Norse Goddess of the Lowerworld, and also the color assigned to the realm of the dead or ancestors. This color provides a visible reminder that the völva enters these realms during her seiðr trance. The cat’s skin, which is used to line her hood, gloves and boots is sacred to Freyja since her chariot is pulled by magical cats. Using cat skin helps to evoke their magical transportation skills which can assist in the journey to the Lowerworld.
The staff, usually set with stones and bound in brass, is known as a völ. In fact the title völva, literally means “staff bearer.” In many cultures a shaman’s staff is a representation of the world tree. Since the völva must descend through Yggdrasil’s roots to seek her visions, it is no surprise she carries this object as a mark of her vocation. A ritual staff is typically a part of the shaman’s traditional paraphernalia from Siberia to the Amazon basin.
The bear, like the sow is an animal associated with the more ancient Earth Goddess traditions of the European Neolithic Age. It is therefore logical that the later Earth goddess, Freyja, would also be associated with these animals. Since bears enter the earth in winter, appeared to die and are reborn from the earth in Spring, they are often associated with the Earth Mother. The belt, worn around the seeress' belly/ womb may therefore remind us of Freyja’s role as the Life-giver, as bears were thought to create their cubs, from the earth itself, while in their death-like winter slumber.
Since the Goddess Freyja is known to wear a falcon feather cloak which allows her to fly, the völva’s feathered cushion may be seen as providing some assistance in the seeress’ oracular soul flight. It is important to note here that the raven is also sacred to Freyja. When the god Odin wishes to learn the skills of divination and prophesy--which were under Freyja’s dominion--he must rely upon his ravens Huginn & Muninn (Thought & Memory) to accomplish the task.
The völva enters her shamanic trance, not by using the sounds of drums, but rather assisted by the chanting of the varðlokur ( pronounced “VARTH-lokr.”) This repetitive, sing-song chant has much in common with Sami joiks (pronounced “yoiks”) as well as having almost lullaby qualities. The singing supports the shamanic state of consciousness so that the völva may enter the spirit world and return safely to ordinary reality. The singers, therefore, have as vital a role as the seeress. It is because of this, that the seiðr ritual is always performed in community.
During her trance, the völva journeys deep into the roots of the enormous, miraculously evergreen, ash tree--Yggdrasil. There, the völva seeks counsel with the spirits of the ancestors and--as Freyja herself would do--pours over the great fabric of destiny seeking the answers to the inquiries of her people.
Freyja painted by Arthur Rackham (1867 – 1939) from his illustrations for The Ring of the Nibelung.
The fabric of destiny is under the auspices of the Norns and so they hold an important role in seiðr as well. The Norns are the three sister giantesses of Fate who are so powerful that even the other gods and goddesses cannot defy them. Every part of our lives are touched by their hands. In fact the ancient Norse believe, all of our interconnected lives are woven and interwoven by the Norns. Therefore, any attempts at prophesying have to be done with the cooperation of these Three Wyrd Sisters. The Norns stand at the base of the Great Tree and it is only with their permission that we may catch a glimpse of our destiny. For this reason, these Goddesses are honored as a part of seiðr and all other prophesy rituals.
Urdh is the oldest of the Norns. She knows the Past or What Has Been. She is the Norn who--drawing and spinning matter from the void--threads the loom which weaves our lives--our destinies. In addition, she holds dominion over the Well of Remembrance which is found at the base of Yggdrasil. This magical well holds unfathomable wisdom. The idea of a cauldron, well or pool of knowledge is echoed in other Indo/European cultures, too. The Celtic goddess, Cerridwin’s cauldron is clearly related to the Norse Well of Remembrance. While stirring her cauldron, the young boy Gwion’s hand is inadvertently spattered with some of it’s scalding contents. Reflexively, Gwion places his hand to his lips to sooth it and immediately receives the magical wisdom contained in the brew. This transforms the boy into the wise bard who would later be known as, Taliesin.
Verdandi is the next youngest of the Norns. She weaves and measures the fabric as it flows from her sister’s loom and is the Goddess of the Present Time. Verdandi’s domain is the ever evolving Now where all change occurs. The Goddess Freyja is able to observe and report the complex interlacing patterns that the Norns weave but will not change them. It is only through our own responses and choices in the present moment that the weave shifts. It is for this reason that our relationship with Verdandi’s handiwork is so powerful. She--as she weaves and we--through the power of our choices--actually create our life.
The final and youngest Norn is Skuld, the one who decides when to unravel the fibers that make up the fabric. She is the Norn of the Future or What Has Yet To Be. She also is the one who releases our life energy back to the cosmos. As she unweaves the threads, we return to the place where we began our life journey. In the ancient Norse/Germanic world, even the gods and goddesses experience death. Their myths refer to the time of Ragnarök, when all of the gods and goddess will fall and the branches of Yggdrasil, will burn. Although it has been interpreted as the “end of the world,” It is instead, the end of one cycle which will always be followed by another. (Please refer to the the Our existences are not static--no one is immune to Nature. The Norse/Germanic traditions understand that even gods or goddesses themselves can not defy the rhythms of life. Everything and everyone is touched by the Norns.
Artwork by Georg von Rosen - Oden som vandringsman, 1886 (Odin, the Wanderer)
In complement and balance with the Earth Goddess, Freyja -- Odin is the representative of the sacred masculine and God of the Sky. He is the primary male deity of the Norse/Germanic people. As with Freyja, Odin too, has undergone many evolutionary changes. His origins seem to be in the more ancient Wild Man/Hunter archetype who was the consort of the Earth Goddess. His origins also include operating in the capacity of a psychopomp or “guider of souls.” In the beginning, Odin held the responsibility for gathering the spirits of the dead. In later stages of his evolution, Odin apparently turned this task over to his Valkyries--which incidentally are often referred to as being led by Freyja!
Odin’s associations with Nature and the spirits of those who have gone before us--lead him to a deep desire for understanding. The fact that Odin has emotions exemplifies the fundamental “humanness” of the Norse/Germanic pantheon. These gods and goddess have desires, and are capable--through their choices--of change. Through his own quest for wisdom, Odin evolves into the god of magic and the occult. Unlike the “born shaman” Freyja, Odin is the Great Seeker Of Truth, who learns--through hard work and sacrifice--how to work magic. In this way, he functions as the perfect role model for human beings who are walking the shamanic path. He teaches us that we must have both a fierce desire and the ability to work hard in order to accomplish the work of Spirit.
To gain knowledge of the hidden worlds, Odin nailed and hung himself from the Great Tree, Yggdrasil. This echoes the ancient Siberian shamanic ritual of hanging those who would be initiated as shamans from great poles or trees. It was believed that from this lofty position the initiates could gain access to the spirits. Odin hung on the tree for nine days and nights--one day and night for each one of the realms in the Norse/Germanic spirit world. Through his suffering, he experiences what may be best described as the shaman’s death. His old self is sacrificed. He transcends death so that he may gain knowledge. On the ninth day on the world tree, Odin has a vision of the Runes hovering below him. With his last remaining strength, he tears himself from the tree and literally grasps his vision. Screaming, he scoops up the Runes and falls back to the Earth. His scream marks the moment he passed through the doorway of initiation into a new way of being.
Once Odin had the Runes--what may be best described as raw knowledge, he had to learn how to use them. Learning how to utilize knowledge is the path to wisdom. For Odin to become wise, it was necessary for him to make a further sacrifice. In order to see/understand knowledge and transform it into wisdom, Odin sacrifices one of his eyes for a drink from the Well of Remembrance . This well contains all ancestral, primordial wisdom and is guarded by the giant Mimir whose name has it’s root in the word ”memory.” Although this magical well is sometimes described as belonging to the giant Mimir, it is under Urdh’s dominion and Mimir functions as it’s guardian. He protects on behalf of the eldest Norn.
Odin’s sacrifice of an eye--of his ordinary sight--symbolizes the perceptual shift that is necessary for all seers to accomplish their work. That is, seers and shaman require the ability to shift into a non-ordinary, visionary way of “seeing” to accomplish their calling. Through his ordeals, Odin transforms himself from the guider of the dead to the Guide Of Those That Are Living. His task is to help us in gaining the wisdom we need to make the best choices for our lives. In addition, his wounds taught him compassion for others. These experiences give him the tools to be a healer, the kind we refer to as “wounded healer” or shaman.
As a shaman, Odin has profound connections to animals and may also transform himself into different creatures as well. He is best known for his great ravens, Huginn & Muninn who sit on his shoulder. Each day, Odin sends his ravens flying through the nine worlds to gather knowledge. These ravens are not his power animals, however. The Norse myths report that each time he sends them out, Odin fears that they may not return. This fear helps us to understand the ravens’ real identity. It is my belief that the ravens Huginn & Muninn represent Odin’s spirit self (A spirit that is under the auspices of the life-giving goddess, Freyja.) His fear of their loss expresses his anxiety that he may be lost in the unseen worlds. In shamanic terms, Odin in the form of his ravens, undergoes soul flight to access hidden wisdom--in other words, he journeys shamanically. It is this act that gives him one of his names--Odin,The Wanderer. In fact, in various texts, Odin is referred to as, "The Great Seeker", "Thirster of Knowledge", "The Changing One" and "Truth-Finder." All of these could be fitting job descriptions for the work of a shaman!
Picture stone found at Tjängvide on the Swedish island of Gotland. This stone is now kept at the Statens Historiska Museet at Navavagen, Sweden. The top scene shows Odin astride his eight-legged horse Sleipnir approaching Valhalla.
As for power animals, Odin is reported to have several. Perhaps the best known of these is his magical, eight-legged horse Sleipnir. Odin is able to ride Sleipnir into the sky, under the earth and into the sea in his quest for wisdom. Sleipnir’s back is so safe a haven that, in one story, Odin is even able to ride safely through the Land of the Dead to find out the fate of his son, Balder.
The Runes are letters of a magical alphabet which each have individual, symbolic meanings. They can be viewed as letters which “spell” out what the Norns weave. There are 24 symbols each with their own meaning. These meanings are changed when the runes are drawn reversed and subtly altered when placed in relation to other runes. It can take a lifetime to really understand the depth of meaning held in each rune, however a rudimentary form of runic divination may be learned in a few hours.
A simple rune layout is the three rune spread. The first rune reveals the present situation in relation to the person’s query. The second rune is placed to the left of the first rune since runes are read right to left. This rune is the best action one should take to resolve the issue. The third and last rune reflects the best outcome to the present situation. It is best to read each of runes’ meanings then to take time to digest and feel the energy they have revealed. Rather than simply laying out answers for us, the runes provide us with more knowledge which allows us to make better informed decisions. We always retain free will to choose what we will take action upon.
Door with carved runes at the Fjörukráin or Viking Folk Village in Hafnarfjordur, Iceland. Photo credit: Evelyn Rysdyk
Odin, Freyja, and the Norns each in their own ways, show us that there are innumerable forces which affect out lives. We each have pasts which we remember and reflect upon. We have the ever-changing present where are actions have the most power. And we have the future which is largely shrouded from our view. In addition, we are affected by all the beings whose weavings cross our own. The Norse/Germanic tribes understood life as a Great Mystery in which we have some ability to penetrate. Through our desire, hard work, compassion and by entering into relationship with the spirits, we may glimpse the larger workings of Fate. In this way we may develop a deeper connection to All That Is.
© 2008 Evelyn C. Rysdyk
**********************************************************
Evelyn C. Rysdyk, author of Modern Shamanic Living is a nationally recognized presenter. Included in the book Traveling Between the Worlds she is among the world’s most influential writers and teachers of shamanism.
Originally trained in core shamanism, she has integrated practices taught to her by elders from North and South America, Central Asia, Nepal and Siberia. She is also a Medicine for the Earth Teacher--teaching ways that transfigured human energy can heal our planet.
With her partner C. Allie Knowlton, MSW, LCSW, DCSW she presents
eco-spiritually focused training programs--which include advanced shamanism and shamanic healing---across the USA and Canada. In addition, as a founding member of True North, a unique, integrated medical center in Falmouth, Maine--she collaborates with physicians, nurses, a psychiatrist, a naturopath and several other complementary healthcare practitioners to provide a new model of health care that includes Spirit.
www.spiritpassages.org
www.spiritliving.org
*********************************************************
1. Contemporary Tungus elders also use this word to mean "Ruler of the Fire" which speaks to the shaman's ability to work with the spirits of natural forces.
|
