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blackcrowing · 5 months

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Book Review of 'A History of the Vikings: Children of Ash and Elm' by Neil Price

This is probably singlehandedly one of the best academic books I've read as a pagan addressing the Viking era and its people's.

The author did a PHENOMENAL job of using academic sources (archaeology, literature, historical linguistics, etc) to really paint a living picture of the peoples being discussed in their entirety. The author left room for the peoples spiritual/supernatural believes that I don't often see done by writers who are not writing specifically for a pagan audience.

It was deeply refreshing and I sincerely hope to see more academic authors following in their footsteps in the years to come

#pagan #paganism #paganblr #norse #norse paganism #norse polytheism #scandinavian #Scandinavian paganism #Scandinavian polytheism #vikings #viking era #book #books #book review #Neil Price #children of ash and elm #blackcrowing

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aurvandill · 11 days

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Sing for me, my star, sing with me, Aurvandill

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broomsick · 1 year

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Beautiful norse mythology-inspired illustrations, by russian artist Dmitry ILyutkin

#art #norse gods #mythology #deities #spirituality #norse mythology #scandinavian mythology #heathenry #norse paganism #paganism #polytheism #norse polytheism

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legendarypeachpenguin0 · 30 days

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I do want to support other pagans out there as a Noble Athena Hellenic Pagan. since spreading awareness of our culture, traditions, and values is a beautiful thing. This enhances the beliefs of our forefathers and the community as a whole by welcoming Pagans with open arms. We all have the same objective in mind. Therefore, it will be great if we continue to help one another collectively. So Mote it be, wherever you may be.

#wicca #hellenic polytheism #hellenic pagan #hellenism #hellenic deities #paganism #witchcraft #druidism #celtic traditions #norse paganism #viking #scandinavian cottage #rituals

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eirikr-inn-rowdy · 23 days

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all-hail-freyja · 2 years

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#freya goddess #freyja #freya #norse deities #norse religion #norse witch #norse paganism #norse polytheism #scandinavian

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jessgoulder · 1 year

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List of Norse, Germanic, Scandinavian Deities (Updated 01/16/2023)

Okay, so I’ve updated the original list about a hundred times since I first posted it and now there are too many different versions re-blogged all over Tumblr..LoL 😅

So I just decided to rewrite and update it and post it as a new list. I’m confident that this version has enough detail and is organized enough to help anyone who is new to north mythology as well as anyone who is a student, enthusiast, heathen, pagan, witch and whoever else can get a basic understanding of the Norse gods.

ALSVINNR: The name of one of the two horses that draw the chariot of the goddess Sól, the sun. ANDHRÍMNIR: The name of the cook in Valhalla who prepared the boar Sæhrímnir in the cauldron Eldhrímnir. This was the food for the dead warriors who were gathered there. AEGIR: The god / Jotun of the oceans and seas. Aegir was incredibly ancient, primeval even. His nature as a deity is unclear: he is sometimes called a Jotun (Giant), but he may be so old that he predates the Jotun’s or any other known classification. Regardless of what he is, he was on generally good terms with the other gods. They socialized in each others halls and realms, drinking Aegir's famous ale. Aegir represented the negative, brutal side of the ocean and was said to terrify seafarers. He was married to the goddess Ran and had nine daughters, each personifying the waves of the sea. ANGRBODA: She was originally married to Loki. They are the parents of three very important entities. The first is the goddess Hel, the second being the Midgard Serpent and the third, the dreaded wolf, Fenrir. ANNAR: Second husband of Nótt, the personification of night, and father of Jord, the earth. ARVAKR: One of the two horses that draws the chariot of the sun goddess Sól. AUÐR: Son of Nótt, Night, and her first husband, Naglfari. AUSTRI (East): One of the four dwarves that standed at the four cardinal points and held up the celestial vault formed by Ymirs skull. BALDR (Baldur / Balder): Odin and Frigg's son, he was the fairest of all Aesir gods, merciful, kind, and wise. God of light, concord, joy and innocence. Balder had ominous dreams, which the Aesir recognized as premonitions of doom. His mother, determined to save him, travelled around the world extracting oaths from everything on Earth, making them promise never to harm Balder. She extracted vows from all living creatures and everything formed of metal, stone, and wood. The sole exception was mistletoe. Later Loki handed a bit of mistletoe to Hoder, Balder's blind brother, and persuaded him to throw it. The mistletoe pierced Balder's heart, killing him instantly. BESTLA: Mother of Odin and his brothers. Wife of Burr. BEYLA: A minor but important goddess who is the wife of Byggvir, servant of the god Freyr. Proposals have been made that Beyla and her husband are personifications of agriculture that are associated with Freyr: Beyla as the manure that softens the earth and develops the seed, Byggvir as the refuse of the mill, chaff. Her name has been interpreted to mean either "Cow" or "Little Bee" BLODUGHADDA: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personified the waves of the sea. BÖLÞORN: Father of the giantess Bestla, the mother of Odin and his brothers. BRAGI: God of music, eloquence, poetry and the skaldic arts. He was renowned for his knowledge and was said to know the right words and the right way to express them. He was invoked for advice and assistance. Odin was his father and made him the skald of Asgard. His wife was the goddess Idunn. BURI: The first god in norse mythology. He is the father of Burr and grandfather of Odin, Vili and Ve. BURR: Father of Odin. Husband of Bestla. BYGGVIR: Beyla's husband. An agricultural deity who served the god Frey. It is believed he ruled over the chaff or livestock fodder. BYLGJA: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personified the waves of the sea. DAG / DAGR: The son of Nótt (Night) and Delling (Dawn), he was the personification of the day. He was said to be the ancient founder of the line of Döglingar, which included Helgi, the murderer of King Hundingr. The horse Skinfaxi pulled Dagr's chariot across the sky every day and his mane lit up the sky and earth below. Odin took Nott (Night) and her son Day and gave them two horses and two chariots and set them up in the heavens so that they had to ride around the earth every twenty-four hours. DELLING / DELLINGR: God of the dawn. Father of Dag / Dagr (day). DROFN: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personified the waves of the sea. DUFA: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personified the waves of the sea. EIR: Goddess of healing and physicians. She was also one of Frigg's handmaidens and was reputed to be the best of physicians. Her name means "help" or "mercy". ELLI: The Jotun / personification of the old age that none can resist. The wet nurse for the giant Útgarðaloki. When Thor visited Útgarðaloki he had to wrestle Elli, and she bested him. FARBAUTI: Father of Loki. Husband of Laufey. FJÖRGYN: Possibly a particular aspect of Jörð, the personification of the Earth, as the depiction of the connection between the land and the stormy sky. FORSETI: God of justice and law, divine order, fairness, and custom. He was the son of Baldr and Nanna. FORNJÓTR: The founding father of a mythical lineage. His sons are Hlér (“Sea”), Logi (“Fire”), and Kari (“Wind”). Kari is the grandfather of Snaer (“Snow”). FREYR ( Frey/ Frotho/ Frodi ): God of summer and sunshine, peace and wealth, fair weather and bountiful harvests, luck and prosperity. It was said he was the noblest of the gods and people would pray to him to help make their crops grow and help their livestock flourish. He was the elven king and ruled over the realm of Álfheimr (world of the elves), and owned the wonderful boat called Skíðblaðnir and the giant golden boar, Gullinborsti. Freyr also possessed a magic sword which could completely fight on it's own , but unfortunately, he gave it up for the hand of the giantess, Gerdr. His parents were the gods Njord and Nerthus and his twin sister was the beautiful goddess Freya. FREYA: Goddess of love and sex, beauty and fertility, war and sorcery. She taught the Aesir how to craft charms and potions and introduced Odin into the world of magic. She led the Valkyries to the battlefield where she laid claim to half the dead who were brought to dwell in her beautiful palace, Folkvang, where love songs played continuously, and her hall, Sessrumnir. It was believed she could influence fertility in terms of reproduction and was said to bless plant life, humans and animals with fertility. Her favorite animal was the cat, and not only did they drive her chariot, but it was customary for newly weds to be gifted a kitten on their wedding day. Her twin brother was Freyr and her parents were the gods Njord and Nerthus (Frigg). FRIGG ( Frigga / Fricka): Goddess of fertility and rain, motherhood and marriage, the home and domestic arts, prophecy and fate. She was the queen of Asgard and the principal goddess and wife of Odin, and mother of Baldr and Fjörgynn. She was said to be exceptionally clairvoyant, though she refused to tell anyone of what she saw. It was believed she actually weaved the clouds in the sky and had control over the rain and fertility of the earth. When she was home, she was said to reside in a hall called Fensalir which translates as "March Halls". She had a large number of hand maidens who were also fellow goddesses. They were: Saga, Eir, Gefjun, Fulla, Sjofn, Lofn, Var, Vor, Syn, Hlin, Snotra and Gna. She owned a falcon feathered cloak which allowed her to fly and travelled in a chariot drawn by two rams. She gave her name to the English weekday Friday and German Freitag. FULLA: One of Frigg's handmaidens. She carried Frigg's trunk and looked after her shoes and shared secret counsels with her. She was Frigg's sister and was the personification of abundance. GEFJON: One of Frigg's handmaidens. According to the Eddic poem Ragnarsdrapa, Gylfi, Scandinavia's earliest recorded king, was seduced by the goddess and was willing to give her as much land as she could plow in one night. Gefjon transformed her four sons into oxen and took enough land to create the Danish island of Zealand, leaving the Swedish lake Vanern. There isn't much known about Gefjon and her actual functions as a goddess. It's likely she could have been worshipped as a goddess of plowing and the working of the land. She may have been invoked to protect cattle and other livestock. GERDA: Wife of Freyr. Not much is known about her. Her name means “fenced in” and she could have something to do with a piece of land or some kind of enclosure. GNÁ: One of Frigg’s handmaidens. Frigg sent her into various worlds on errands. GUNLOD: Mother of Bragi. GULLVEIG: The thrice-reborn. A mysterious goddess who is said to belong to the Vanir. She is associated with alchemy and witchcraft. Some believe she is just another name for the goddess Freya. HEIMDALL: The watchman of the gods. Heimdallr was attested as possessing foreknowledge, keen eyesight and hearing, and kept watch for the onset of Ragnarök . HEFRING: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personify the waves of the sea. HERMOOR / HERMÓÐR: A messenger of Odin. HEL / HELLA: Goddess of the dead. The keeper of the souls of the departed. Those who died at sea or in battle had other destinations; everyone else went to Hel, who welcomed them into her home, Helhaim, regardless of whether they were good, bad, sinful, or saintly while alive. Hel’s realm wasn’t a fiery torture chamber. Rather it was a kind of inn or way station for the dead. Some regions of Helhaim were more comfortable than others: Hel judged and decided exactly where each individual soul was directed. Her hall was called Éljúðnir ("Dank"). It seems to consist of nine dwellings, the most terrible of which was Náströnd. Another conception of the underworld emerges from the sagas and the historiographical sources: the deceased continue to live in their mounds or rejoin their ancestors in the hollow mountains. HIMINGLAEVA: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personify the waves of the sea. HJUKI: Brother of Bil and foster son of Máni (the moon). Hjuki is most likely the personification of the moon’s waxing and beneficial phase, whereas his brother is that of the harmful, waning aspect of this astral body. HLIN: Goddess of compassion and consolation. She was said to kiss away the tears of mourners and relieved their grief. She was the goddess to whom Frigg assigned her the duty of protecting mankind. She may be a hypostasis of Frigg. HÖDR: Blind god associated with the darkness and silence that accompanies winter. He was tricked by Loki and unintentionally killed Baldr by casting a sprig of mistletoe at him. Váli slayed him for this deed. Both Höðr and Baldr are said to return to the reborn world after ragnorak. HÓFVARPNIR: Horse of the goddess Gná. HOLLE FRAU: In Norway her appearance promised health to the flocks and fertility to women. Frau Holle was said to live in a spring or lake on the Horselberg in Thuringia. In the thirteenth century it was said that people would set a table for her on Christmas night in their homes so she would treat them kindly. When it snows, it is said that Frau Holle was shaking out her eiderdown quilt. HRÍMFAXI: The horse that pulls the chariot of Nott (Night). It is said he lets the foam fall from his bit each morning from which comes the morning dew and frost. HONIR / HŒNIR: In skaldic poetry he is called “the quick god,” “long foot,” “clay king,” and the “friend of the Raven-God (Odin)”. Other then some epithets, not much is known about this mysterious god HRONN: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personify the waves of the sea. HYNDLA: Goddess of genealogy, bloodlines, and family Trees. Watcher of the ancestors. IDUNN: Goddess of spring, rejuvenation and youth. She was the goddess of resurrection, and the return of life and fertility after the winter's darkness. She was a protector and preserver of young and grew the magical golden apples of immortality that kept the gods young. Her husband was the god Bragi. IRPA: A mysterious goddess worshipped in the tenth century in Halogaland (Norway). JORD: Goddess (Jotun) who was the personification of the earth. She was the wife or lover of Odin and the mother of Thor. She was the daughter of Nótt ("Night") and Anarr, her second husband. Jord is actually believed to be an aspect of the goddess Frigg. KARI: Jotun of the north winds. His two brothers were Logi, an ancient fire-god, and Aegir the lord of the oceans and seas. KOLGA: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personify the waves of the sea. LAUFEY: Wife of Farbauti. Mother of Loki. LOFN: Goddess of forbidden love. She is also an arranger of marriages and one of the hand maidens of Frigga. LOGI: Fire Giant. His two brothers were Kari, Lord of the winds, and Aegir the Lord of the Sea. LOKI: God of lies and mischief, thieves and artifice, fire and magic, invention and craftsmanship who stole the apples of youth from Idunn, Sif's hair, Freyja's necklace, and Thor's iron gloves. Loki was a trickster and a plotter; he was a skilled inventor, artisan and craftsman. He was the wicked god that prevented the world from enjoying happiness; the troublemaker and the sower of strife. He was very fickle in his behavior, and the skaldic metaphors called him the "slanderer of the gods". Loki is usually classified as a Jotun (giant) but was conceived when lightning (his father) struck a leafy oak (his mother) and so he is believed to have been some kind of fire deity. Loki lived among the Aesir gods and was Odin's blood brother and a travel companion to Thor. Yet he conspired against them and was responsible for killing the god Baldur. MAGNI and MOOI: They are the sons of Thor. Their names mean “Brave” and “Mighty”. MANI: God of the moon. Máni controlled the motion of the moon and its waxing and waning. According to one tradition, the Aesir placed him in the sky to count the years. He is the brother of Sol / Sunna, the sun goddess. MIMIR: A god who was renowned for his knowledge and wisdom who was beheaded during the Aesir-Vanir war. Afterward, Odin carried around Mímir’s head and it recited secret knowledge and counsel to him. NANNA: The wife of Baldr. After Baldr’s death, Nanna died of grief. When she was alive, Nanna ruled over joy and peace. NERTHUS: A highly venerated earth goddess of fertility who has strong associations with lakes, rivers and sacred waters. Some believe she was the first wife of Njord and the mother of Freyr and Freya. Just like Jord (Earth), Nerthus is actually the goddess Frigg. NJORD: God of the wind and seas, fishing and wealth. He represented the good, helpful side of the sea, the opposite of Aegir. Like his children, Njord was a god of fertility, abundance, and wealth and he distributed (or didn't) as he saw fit. He presided over fertile land near water and had dominion over ships and boats. Njord presided over a harbor realm known as "Noatun", or "Ship Town". He was called the lord of good fortune. NORÐRI (North): One of the four dwarves that held up the heavenly vault at the four cardinal points. NORNS: The three goddesses who spun the threads of fate and ruled the destiny of gods and men. They were Urd (“The Past”), Verdandi (“What Is Presently Coming into Being”) and Skuld (“What Shall Be”). NOTT: Goddess (Jotun) of the night, sleep and dreams. She drove a dark chariot, drawn by the horse Hrim-faxi (frost mane), whose mane created the dew and hoarfrost. In stanza 30 of the poem "Alvissmal", the god Thor asks the dwarf Alviss to tell him what night is called in each of the nine worlds, Alvíss responds that night is called "darkness" by the gods, "the masker" by the mighty powers, "unlight" by the jotun, "joy-of-sleep" by the elves, while the dwarves called her "dream-goddess". ODIN (Odhinn / Woden / Wotan): God of war and death, art and wisdom, traveler’s and roads, magic and divination, profit and trade. He was the leader of the Aesir gods, the lord of Asgard. He was the master of the "Hall of the Slain", where he lived exclusively on wine and gave all his food to the wolves Geri and Freki. He owned two ravens, Hugin and Muninn, who flew out each day and return to report all the news of the world to him. The dead he selected through his intermediaries, the Valkyries, were his fellow inhabitants of Valhalla. Odin was called the “Divine Rider”. He rode a six legged horse named Sleipnir where he rode through the sky, often leading a procession of spirits, ghosts, heroes, and heroines. This parade of spirits was known as the “Wild Hunt”. Odin was said to adore poets and writers and so, appropriately, he inspired many novelists. He was also said to wander all over Midgard (earth) and was considered a protector of traveler’s and roads. The weekday name Wednesday is named after him. ODUR: The missing husband of the goddess Freya. OSTARA (Astara / Eostre / Eastre): An ambiguous goddess that is associated with the spring. The Venerable Bede designates the month of April as "Eastermonaþ". Eastre can be seen underlying the name of the festival of Easter. RAN: Goddess (Jotun) of the sea who lived in a golden hall in the deepest depths where those who drowned spend eternity. Rán is not a benevolent sea goddess, although she was allegedly a wonderful hostess. She is a death goddess, blamed for shipwrecks, drownings, and disappearances at sea. Rán's signature possession was a special fishing net, which she used to catch ships and drag them down to her home. RIND: Goddess of Women’s Protection. SAGA: One of Frigg's handmaidens. Goddess of history and storytelling. She could be considered Asgard's librarian, and she had her own hall named Sokkvabek (Sunk-Bench). SIF: Golden haired wife of Thor. Goddess of the earth and harvest, crops and grain, bread and nourishment. Her long hair is said to have represented fields of golden wheat and the summer sun that ripened it. She is also associated with autumn, wedlock, frith and family. SIGYN: Wife of Loki. Goddess of loyalty and compassion. SJOFN: One of Frigg's handmaidens. Goddess of affection. SKADI: Goddess (Jotun) of winter and mountains, hunting and wilderness, frost and ice. Called the "snowshoe goddess", she was said to rescue winter traveler’s lost in storms and was called the "bright bride of the gods", and the "ski-goddess". Skadi was once married to the sea god, Njord but the marriage did not last, because Skaði yearned for the mountains and Njörðr loved the sea. The etymology of her name is uncertain, but it may be connected to the original form of "Scandinavia" and it may translate to "Skaði's island". SNOTRA: Goddess of Prudence, Virtue and Self Control. One of Frigg’s handmaidens. SOL / SUNNA: Goddess of the sun. She drove her chariot pulled by the horses Allsvinn (Very Fast ) and Arvak (Early Rising). She is the sister of Måni, the Moon-god. The weekday name Sunday (Old Norse sunnudagr and German Sonntag) is named after her. SUÐRI (South): One of the four dwarves at the four cardinal points who hold up the vault of the sky created from the primordial giant Ymir’s skull. SYN: One of Frigg's handmaidens, she guarded the door of Frigg's great hall keeping out all unwelcome visitors. Syn was also called upon to guide or protect defendants in trials. THOR (Thunar / Donar): God of the sky and storms, thunder and lightning, bravery and strength, hallowing and consecration, sacred groves and trees. Thor had a soft spot for humans and was considered the protector of mankind. He may have been the best-loved of all the Norse deities. He was the defender of the Aesir pantheon and a vigilant protector of his devotees. He owned two goats, Tanngnjóstr (Teeth-gnasher) and Tanngrísnir (Teeth-barer), who pulled his chariot when he was travelling. Thor owned three precious objects: the hammer Mjöllnir, with which he massacred the giants; a pair of iron gloves, necessary to wield the hammer; and a belt that doubled his strength. He was the son of Odin and Jörð, his wife was Sif, with whom he had two sons, Magni (Strength) and Móði (Courage), and a daughter, Thrud (Power). The weekday Thursday is named after him. THRUD: Goddess of Strength. Daughter of Thor and Sif. TYR (Tiwaz): The one-handed god of war and combat, honor and oaths. He was among the most ancient of the Norse deities. He may originally have been the head of the Aesir pantheon before Odin assumed that role. Tyr sacrificed his hand to the Fenris Wolf in order to maintain cosmic order. The weekday Tuesday is named after him. ULLR (Holler): God of winter and all winter activities and sports particularly hunting, skiing, sledding, skating and snowshoeing. He was a particularly primordial Norse deity, a mysterious,shadowy figure. It's unclear exactly where he sat on the Aesir / Vanir spectrum. Ullr was also the lord of justice and dueling. Allegedly invoking his name before a duel brought good luck. UNN: One of the nine daughters of Aegir and Ran who personified the waves of the sea. VAR: One of Frigg's handmaidens. Goddess of Oaths and Agreements. VE: Vili and Ve were the two brothers of the god Odin, with whom they shared a decisive role in the creation of the cosmos. VESTRI (West): Name of one of the four dwarves that stand at the four cardinal points to support the celestial vault formed from the skull of Ymir, the primordial giant. VIDAR: Not much is known about him but many believe he may have been associated with forests. It was believed he would kill the wolf Fenrir at Ragnarok and avenge Odin's death. VOR: One of Frigg's handmaidens. Goddess of Wisdom. VILI: Vili and Ve are the two brothers of the god Odin, with whom they shared a decisive role in the creation of the cosmos. ….

SOURCES: “Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses” by Judika Illes / “Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore, Mythology, and Magic” by Claude Lecouteux / “Odin’s Wife: Mother Earth in Germanic Mythology” by William P. Reaves. / “ The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods Of The Vikings” by Kevin Crossley-Holland / “Norse Mythology” by Neil Gaimen / “Edda” by Snorri Sturluson, “ Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs” by John Lindow, / The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion” by Daniel McCoy

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arawnsworn0vate0poc · 8 days

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Shameless plug for my scandinavian upbringing

Not that people who are white and practice Middle Eastern or African traditions are not doing their homework or aren't allowed to change lifestyles for health reasons. This kind of stuff works both ways.

#scandinavian folklore #ancestral practice #polytheism #sweeden #black history #blacklivesmatter #blackpagan #asatru

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skaldish · 7 months

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People who say Loki isn't real because there's no evidence he was worshiped are really annoying. How do I rebuttal?

By understanding this is not a proper argument to begin with.

This argument in its entirety typically goes something like this:

Loki isn't a god because he wasn't worshipped in ancient times. If he was, he would have had locations named after him (place-names), people carrying his namesake, and the presence of a cult following. Since Loki wasn't a god in pre-Christian Norse society, it would be inappropriate to consider him one now.

The origins of this argument are Asatru Folk Assembly. The full argument made by Stephen McNallen goes like this:

There was no devotion given to Loki in ancient times. No place-names marked ritual sites for him; no human bore names related to him; there were no priests or priestesses of Loki. Some modern practitioners of Asatru have apparently considered this an oversight, and one occasionally hears toasts to Loki at Asatru gatherings today. However, I strongly discourage this in the Asatru Folk assembly, and I do not permit horns to be raised to him in my presence. My experience is that Loki-toasts are followed by discord all-around bad luck.

Believe it or not, this is not a valid argument.

Logical argumentation is a kind of math, and an argument will always be invalid if it follows an invalid formula, no matter how true its predicates are.

Here's an example:

Some people are pagans, and some pagans are white nationalists. Therefore, some people are white nationalists.

This is an invalid argument because it follows an invalid formula. We can see this by reframing it:

Some people are herbivores, and some herbivores are deer. Therefore, some people are deer.

The "Loki wasn't worshipped" argument is riddled with these kinds of flaws, and not just ones that follow this particular formula. There's also issues of rocky facts, unfair standards, and general argumentative fallacies:

Heimdallr also doesn't have place-names, and is considered a god.

The absence of developed, structured cultus is not the litmus test of "worship" within the context of Old Norse religions.

The argument is predicated on the idea that the Old Norse people conceptualized "gods" the same way that the Greeks and the Romans did, in that this term applies only to high beings with widespread followings.

Same applies to how the Old Norse people conceptualized "worship." We have no idea how they defined it.

The argument's evidence does not consider all possible data, i.e. attestations found in extant Scandinavian oral traditions.

I can go on, but basically the argument is predicated on assuming the Old Norse people did polytheism according to what we think polytheism should look like.

But honestly? All of this actually doesn't matter, because the ultimate goal of this argument isn't to win the debate of whether Loki's a god or not.

It's to get people to associate "Loki's followers" with "degenerate behavior."

By painting Loki-worship as both factually incorrect AND superstitiously unlucky, it implies that anyone worshipping Loki is not right in the head somehow; that the can't think or reason correctly.

Many of Loki's followers correlate with the political and social Left. They're often queer/gnc and/or neurodivergent, and support socialist policies and rejection tradition. If worshiping Loki is deemed irrational and dangerous, then it stands to reason that these things are also irrational and dangerous, and therefore all of this must be a sign of degeneracy. Or so the argument would suggest.

The fallacies in the argument are there by design, because that is how cryptofascist writers radicalize reasonable people.

The best way you refute these arguments is to deny them a platform. Delete them from your inbox. That doesn't mean you have to ignore them though. You can always speak up about them on your own time. Personally, I try to make sure that whatever it is I bring up about them will be useful to the community at large, as opposed to being an angry hate-letter to those provoking conflict. (It's a philosophy I use regardless of what the motivations of an issue are, simply because devoting my attention to the community makes for a better online experience and is ultimately more effective in the long-run.)

#answered #lokean #norse paganism #lokideity #heathenry

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things-bright-and-fine · 1 year

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One thing that's continuously surprised me since becoming a Hellenic Polytheist is just how easy it is to believe in the gods.

I'm a skeptic by nature, and I am a HUGE believer in "mundane before magical". There's a lot in the world that can be explained! Sometimes weird things do just happen! The world's not inherently worse for it; in fact, the mundane can often be just as wondrous and delightful as the magical.

This attitude, though, was the bane of my existence back when I was a Christian. Because everyone else had such an easy time believing in God, and I would scream and weep in private because I didn't feel the same thing everyone else did. (I also developed depression, which didn't help, but still.) I wanted to be fed mentally, but since I was a girl, naturally I could just follow docilely because all I really wanted was to be told I was a beautiful daughter of God who was SO loved, right?

That's more a complaint about the church I was in, granted, but still. Since I was a girl, shouldn't I have a much closer, emotional relationship to God?

What was all the more frustrating was that I had moments where I did feel him. Times where I'm certain I felt the divine...but always in a highly curated church environment. And I felt bad not having those same experiences outside of those highly curated church environments.

When I did finally step away from church and decided I was done with Christianity, those spiritual feelings went away. And I didn't miss them, was the strange thing. Perhaps there weren't as many highs, but there also wasn't that cloying feeling of "You're doing this wrong. You're not good. You'll never be like your friends, the GOOD Christians." (All of those friends left the church, btw. And had a much harder time in the post-Christian fallout than I did, because they were in so much deeper.) It took...nearly a decade to really decide I wanted to try with deities again, because there was something in me that craved the divine and could feel something pulling at me, though it wasn't the Christian god. I tried Asatru and Celtic polytheism, since my ancestry is Scandinavian and Irish, but neither clicked. So then I pulled out my archetype cards and straight up said, "All right. Whoever's there, show me which of these you are, and I'll find you based on that."

I got Alchemist, Advocate, and Trickster. One google search took me to HERMES over and over and over again. And of course I was skeptical, but at the same time I just felt...relieved. It made sense; the areas I'd tried looking for in other forms of polytheism (words, travel, protection) all went back to His areas. And once I settled in with Him, suddenly believing in the gods was as easy as breathing. Reaching out to Them wasn't a frantic one-way prayer that felt unheard; I would see things I took as answers, and they had personality: playful, stern, ambivalent.

As I've said before, I'm a skeptic by nature. It's very possible that, imaginative thing I am, I'm projecting. But here's the difference: if that's the case, I'm able to project for the first time. I'm able to imagine Hermes' laughter, Hestia's gentleness, and so much more. Things I've never been able to do with any gods before, Christian or otherwise. And now, I can go out and see the Divine through my own experiences instead of needing one created for me. And I worship! I praise Them for who They are, and it feels genuine instead of an ACTS step.

Regardless of what the truth is, it feels real. I am able to believe that the gods have a hand in the world, that They see me and my silly little human life and say "Yes, that one, she's one of Ours." And that, I think is a blessing in and of itself.

#hellenic polytheism #gods #pagan #witchblr #hermes deity #hestia deity

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blackcrowing · 1 year

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Ok.... hear me out...

So the Fir Bolg right, Some scholars like T. F. O'Rahilly think maybe they were a mythological tale about a real group of people (sometimes they're conflated with a group that left Ireland and went to Greece, but I'm honestly not really sure where this specifically came from?). And the Fir Bolg SEEM to have some kind of tight knit relationship with the (much more mythological) Formorians.

Ok so what if the Fir Bolg were a real peoples who maybe tried to live in Ireland, or even DID live in Ireland but in small numbers while still in contract with their original culture of origin (because we KNOW folks were actually traversing water ways WAY more/earlier than we truly give them credit for) and when the culture of the Tuatha Dé Danann group shows up they have a cultural (and maybe actual) war for the land and eventually come to a peace (possibly the Tuatha Dé Danann culture winning out on Ireland and the Formorians/Fir Bolg culture still being predominant on the British Island some time around the late Bronze age/early Iron age?

Still with me? ok, now what if the Formorians/Fir Bolg group are the Scandinavians (pre-known Scandinavian culture) and this same story is (somewhat) reflected in THEIR mythology too. Reflected in the form of the war between the Aesir and Vanir, and the mingling of groups in both mythologies is a reflection of a mingling of real cultures and adopting of aspects of each others pantheons?

Now is it just as likely (maybe even more likely) that the parallels just come from shared Indo-European roots, absolutely, but do I personally enjoy this theory? Yes, yes I do.

#irish mythology #irish #celtic #irish polytheism #celtic polytheism #norse #Scandinavian #scandinavian mythology #Scandinavian polytheism #norse mythology #norse polytheism #Formorian #fir bolg #tuatha de danann #Aesir #vanir #cultural exchange #theory

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undeadmagick · 20 hours

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Any Greek mythology books for hellenic polytheism and some Norse paganism books?

(To preface, I'm not a mythological/religious authority so others may have more references that are better to work with. I'm mentioning introductory books/references.)

You can use the original texts to get the true original intents behind the portrayal of the gods. Here's a link of a named list of Greek Myth Texts to reference of the AMOUNT of work there is of Greek texts. For Norse Paganism, going into Skaldic Poetry (I enjoy this site specifically as it has original language and a modern translation). Also getting into the Prose and Poetic Edda, Snorri Sturluson's work, are a given. Information on Norse Myths have been more lose to time than Greek Myth, obviously.

For simpler understanding in modern language, there's also a series of modern books that are easier to read like by Edith Hamilton or D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths for introductories. (I believe Mythology by Hamilton also described Norse Myth too). Neil Gaiman writes, again, introductory books but not a good reference for accuracy since his work is more of a retelling of the originals. For websites, easiest ones to use are Theoi and Norse-Mythology. Both of these sites are referenced at the bottom so you can see where information came from. My main tip though is to study the cultures where these mythologies manifested and thrived in. Studying art history especially is always a fun way to study mythology since it is a very revisited topic throughout art. The mythologies and symbols derived from them create a good visual shown through time to study mythology from. Study Greek/Roman culture and study Scandinavian culture to understand the cultural contexts to certain myths or the way they were worshipped. They are better references than spirituality books.

#paganism #deity worship #norse paganism #hellenic pagan #pagan #hellenic polytheism #helpol #heathenry

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devouredbyflame · 1 month

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Why Heathenry Doesn’t Work (In My Opinion)

This might make a few people mad but what doesn’t these days?

Suffice to say, I cannot stand reconstructionist ideas in polytheism but I can only speak for Norse polytheism. I cannot speak for Greek or Celtic – though I suspect Celtic is the same way – but as a former heathen it just grinds my gears.

One thing that I cannot identify with is the cultural aspect of what heathens may have been before Christians took over and what they are now. These two things cannot be seen as equals whatsoever. We cannot go back in time and reproduce a culture that was back then because we know nothing about how the Gods were worshiped, what standards They were held to, much less how relatable They were at the time.

We are not from the time before Christianity spread over Scandinavia. And the majority I’m speaking to are American much less Scandinavian. Any historical analysis of what might have happened in the halls of the ancient polytheists and how they honored their Gods is not at all what it’s going to be like in this modern era, much less this very Western-influenced, late capitalist era where Christians are still the ones calling the shots and pagans are still floundering trying to find answers to something they know little about.

We have no context for polytheism whatsoever in our culture. We hardly even have anything remotely pluralist, anyway. We have nothing to replicate, no practice to go off of, and no understanding that isn’t at least somewhat Christian. And yet, we try to go back to the way things were before all of this if only because there is no other way.

You can read the rest of this post here:

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broomsick · 2 years

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Since we’re on the topic of music,

please allow me to share my nordic playlist once again. I listen to it either for fun or to meditate. I’ve added new songs since the last time I shared it with you all!

#pagan music #music #playlist #norse paganism #scandinavian music #songs #heathenry #norse polytheism #paganism #polytheism #meditation #spirituality #devotional #(i mean sort of)

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legendarypeachpenguin0 · 30 days

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"Know thyself" ~ Oracles of Delphi.

As an individual, I am conscious that my acts and faith should not harm the faith of others, but I also know that this is a good place for me to start when it comes to starting my outlook toward the world from a pagan standpoint. which relate to one's fundamental principles and values, beliefs, and respect for the religion and beliefs of others. My subjective view of pagan belief have to do with one individual but at the same time this Is not going to do with christian faith . . for Pagan faith come form Action so, let us embrace the lessons of hindsight not with regret , but with a renewed gratitude for the present . let its light illuminate the prath forward , guiding us toward of life woven with threads of love, purpose and the deep , abiding realization that what truly matters is not what we achieve , but who we become.

For in the end , the greatest "what if in the past, but in present moment , waiting to be shaped with mindful intention and a heart attend to the true treasures of life.

#hellenic polytheism #hellenic deities #hellenic pagan #hellenism #wicca #druidism #celtic #celtic traditions #norse paganism #viking #scandinavian cottage #ritual

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eirikr-inn-rowdy · 10 days

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#tyr #norse gods #fenris wolf #fenrir #one handed #one handed god #old norse #paganism #norse mythology #scandinavian mythology #viking mythology #asatru #norse pagan #norse paganism #norse pantheon #norse polytheism #eddas

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