#lokean faq

[tricksterfly]

this is a post dedicated to getting started on The Lokean Path!

the first and most important thing to note is that everyone’s experience with Loki will be different. if you can use any of the information here, that is great! but it’s also not meant to be any kind of “rule list,” so please find what will personally work for you! i also encourage you to do your own research, because there’s a lot more information out there than what i’ve compiled here.

so, let’s get started. i’ll be answering some of the questions i had when i first started this journey. hopefully, you will gain a better understanding of what this path is about based on this information!

Q: who is Loki?

A: Loki Laufeyjarson is a frost giant born of fire and lightening. the story of his birth is both frightening and powerful. he is the Norse trickster god, who was considered an æser after making a blood oath with Odin. in Norse mythology, Odin is the Allfather but honestly treats Loki like a snide younger brother. Loki’s name itself causes discourse in the heathen community, since some perceive him as an evil figure of chaos. however, he is more so simply the catalyst of bigger events. his children were leading factors in Ragnarok (the fall of Asgard), and his hand in Baldr’s death was foreshadowing to this tragedy. but Loki as he is interpreted today is not a bringer of evil. instead, he is a fiery spark of fun and imagination. he is a jokester, a caregiver, a master shapeshifter, and a cunning leader. he breaks the status quo, and is very proud to be different.

Q: is Loki really queer?

A: yes! there are Norse myths that tell tales of Loki shapeshifting into different genders/sexes. he is also suggested to be polyamorous, as this seemed somewhat common in old Norse culture! i believe Loki uses any pronouns, because Loki can be anything.

Q: what can i do to connect with Loki?

A: start wherever you’re comfortable! make a new pattern just for the two of you. for example, i sing a song in Norwegian to start my rituals and meditations. you could write poems/letters/songs, draw a picture, go out and collect rocks for him, pick him a flower, offer him food/drink/smoke, or whatever feels personal to you! allow what you do to show Loki who you are and give yourselves a chance to bond. some people work with bones and blood, others offer tiny knick knacks. follow your intuition and be creative!

Q: what kinds of things does Loki like?

A: here’s a list of items i’ve found to be symbolic to Loki! all of them can be used as offerings.

- the color mahogany/dark red

- gemstones: citrine, obsidian, and fool’s gold

- dandelions & leaves

- wood (reference to the birch tree)

- alcohol

- shiny things

- anything that makes you think of him

Q: do i have to have an altar, cast runes, or swear oaths?

A: no to all 3. you can do these things if you’d like, but they don’t make you less of a Lokean if you choose not to. remember to do plenty of research when getting into these things though, especially runes and oaths. there is powerful sacred magic behind these things that take a great deal of understanding to master. go at your own pace that feels the best for you!

Q: where can i find more information on Loki?

A: unfortunately, there is little documentation from the past on Norse mythology. i would recommend reading the Eddas, as they are the oldest sources that describe Loki. also, a book called Pagan Portals: Loki is a very good compilation of info. you can also find tons of Norse mythology videos on youtube—some are even animated and really funny!

i hope this is a good list of things to get started with! i’m new to this path myself, and i still have much to learn as i make my way. the biggest thing to remember is that Loki has a lot of love to give! if he has found you, consider yourself blessed. there’s a bright road ahead!

#loki laufeyjarson #the lokean path #norse pagan #norse mythology #loki #pagan paths #lokean faq

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

FAQ - Rebloggable Version

What’s a Lokean?

A Lokean is someone who honors Loki as their primary deity (or at least one of their primary deities if they have multiple) and chooses to identify as Lokean. Beyond that, there are no special requirements.

What’s the purpose of this blog? Why does it exist?

I would give you kids a dramatic backstory, but in full honesty I just thought it would be useful if new Lokeans had resources I (Mod R) didn't have when I was new to the community. Plus, there's a little bit of stigma around Lokeans, and it's good to have a space of our own, yeah?

We’re here to welcome you guys and help you with your beginner work! We’re like the Lokean Professor Oak.

How cool is the Lokean Welcoming Committee?

Moderate-to-severely cool.

You worship Loki? Isn’t Loki evil?

Nope. He’s not evil. He’s also not the God of evil. The Norse didn’t really have the same concept of absolute good and evil as we do now. Loki is far more complex than you might have realized. Most modern devotees view him as a vital agent of change.

Important note: Lokeans do not believe that everyone needs to worship Loki. Most Lokeans are polytheists, which means that respect for a wide variety of worldviews and a wide variety of gods is built into our belief system. Not a fan of Loki? That’s fine! The vast majority of us just want to do our own thing in peace.

How do I start this Lokean business?

Weeell, first of all, you need to read up on Norse myths so you know all about what you’re getting into. If watching/reading Marvel comics and movies inspired you to look into this and you haven’t done your reading yet, just know that Norse mythology is vastly different from its depiction in the Marvel comics. Lucky for you kids, we have a reading list! We recommend that you start with all that stuff. You don’t have to be an expert on Norse mythology, you just have to have the basics down. You can learn more as you go!

Once you’re done with the reading, I recommend doing some of this stuff to start off:

Find ways to incorporate Loki into your everyday life

Pray. Tell him why you think he’s awesome and why you want to worship him. Or tell him what brought you to him. Or just tell him whatever’s on your mind. Make sure to take time to listen as well. You may or may not “hear back” from him, but spending time in contemplation is important and can lead to valuable insights. If prayer and connecting with the divine are new or difficult for you, these links on communication and discernment might help.

Make offerings. Mead and ale were traditional, if you’re of age and can get them, but even water or coffee will do. And there are a bunch of other options. They don’t even have to be food. If you’re most comfortable doing a scripted formal ritual, you can find posts on how to hold a blót here, here, and here. You can also check out our offerings tag for ideas.

Set up a shrine or altar. The Norse didn’t really have altars in the sense that modern pagans do, but nonetheless, a lot of devotees find it helpful to have a designated space for worship in their home. Here’s our introductory post on altars. We also have an altar tag with lots of tips and pictures of altars to draw inspiration from.

Talk to other devotees. Connecting with other people who share your beliefs is helpful and fulfilling in a lot of ways! But be careful, since Heathen spaces also tend to have neonazis lurking around. the @valkyriesquad​ has a list of non-folkish bloggers. @anothersusurrus​ maintains a list of Norse god devotees which includes a Loki category.

Keep exploring. You’ll grow as a person over time. Your life will go through a lot of changes. Inevitably, so will your practice. Don’t be afraid to try new things, or to abandon something that just isn’t working for you anymore. This post offers some suggestions along those lines.

What does “work with” mean?

People often say “work with” instead of worship/honor/etc.! Don't know why, but I say it because it sounds more casual!

An altar? Offerings? Why? What does that do?

Everyone enjoys gifts, but gifts were reaalllyyy important to the Norse. The gods already provide us gifts by helping to keep the world running, so we, as devotees, give offerings in return to acknowledge the gods’ hard work and affirm our continuing relationship with them. And altars serve as a place to leave those offerings as well as being a visible reminder of the gods. They also give people who don’t have access to a public temple or natural area a place to worship.

See this post for a more thorough explanation about why we participate in these practices, or the rest of this FAQ for how to go about it.

How do I leave offerings?

Put them somewhere. Leave them out for as long as you want (make sure you pick it up before it spoils or something). You can leave it out for minutes, hours, or days. Whatever you feel comfortable with. It isn’t required to be super formal and ritualistic. However, if you’re more comfortable with being formal and would like to perform a blót rite, then you can find a few different heathens explaining the basics of how they do theirs here, here, and here.

When you feel like it’s the right time to get rid of the item, dispose of it in one of the following ways:

throw it away

burn it (stay safe, y’all)

bury it

eat/drink it

throw it outside (in a place where it won’t kill anything or harm creatures)

whatever else you can think of that you feel comfortable with

What sort of offerings does Loki like?

From what I’ve gathered, he likes:

cinnamon

sweet things/candy

coffee (I think I’ve heard of him liking mocha as well)

just food in general, man

cake

alcohol ("When in doubt, Mead it out.")

plants associated with him

crystals associated with him

Seriously though, pretty much anything is fine

For a list of offering ideas other than food/drink, check out this post. For some offering recipe ideas, check out our recipes tag! You might also be able to glean inspiration from our offerings and craft tags.

What if I can’t leave offerings due to (reasons)?

You don’t have to give offerings. It's your own practice, make it as you like/can. Just don’t be rude about it. (i.e. “I’m not leaving offerings because I think the Gods are beneath me” <- don’t say anything like that)

How do I set up an altar?

Take random items that you think the God/spirit the altar is for will enjoy. Arrange them in a decorative way somewhere. Bam, you’re done. You don’t have to have specific items. You don’t have to arrange things in a specific way. It’s not that particular. It’s your practice, you do what you are comfortable with.

Item suggestions for beginners:

candles

bowl/plate for offerings

incense

cloths

plants

crystals/stones

pictures/artwork/poetry

ANYTHING YOU WANT AHHH SURPRISE IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY

If you want a more detailed post, check this one out. You could also browse our altar tag for examples of real Lokean altars.

Also, quick note: It’s spelled ‘altar’, not ‘alter.’ If you make this mistake, don't worry! It's a common error!

Where do I put my altar?

Anywhere! On a table or window sill! In a drawer! In a basket! In a box! On the floor! On a dresser! Wherever you want/Wherever you can!

Looking to be discreet? We have resources and ideas about discreet altars, pocket altars, and eshrines for ya!

What if I can’t have an altar due to (reasons)?

You don’t have to have an altar, just like you don’t have to give offerings.

How do I talk to Loki?

There’s no single correct way to pray to Loki. Some individuals and kindreds might choose to follow a particular format every time. However, there’s no kind of universal mandate on how it should work anywhere in the surviving texts, and it’s not like we have an unbroken tradition to work from the way some other religions do. Basically, as long as you’re respectful, you’re good!

If you’re still stuck, we have a prayers and poems tag with some examples.

But a lot of people who ask us this question are actually wondering how you might hear Loki communicating with you. In which case, you have a few options.

Talking directly to gods/spirits is generally referred to as "having a godphone." But you don’t need a "godphone" to communicate. Some use divination, like tarot or runes. Some people hear back in dreams or through omens. Everyone’s different!

And really, you don’t need to hear anything back at all in order to worship Loki or call yourself a Lokean. Loki can still hear you just fine. Not hearing anything back doesn’t mean that you’re a lesser person or that you’re doing it wrong.

Some more posts on communication and discernment that might be of interest:

Talking to Loki

Gods and God-Phones 101

Please Talk About Godphones

Developing the Godphone

Hearing the Gods

What Do They Want? – Hints for the Headblind

Discernment

Questions to Ask Yourself

When Godphones Ring – Discernment for Pagans

Discernment – Is it a sign?

Not Everything is a Sign

Evaluating Mystical Experiences and Messages From Beyond

Seven Spirit Rules

A Note on Discernment: Hearing Your Own Voice

Divine Communication, Ethics, and Manipulation Techniques

Your God is on the phone. He has a message for you.

Spiritual Abuse Red Flags

Polytheism While Dealing With Mental Illness

Our communication tag

All this seems overwhelming! Do I have to start doing all this stuff right away?

Internalizing a new worldview and forming new habits takes time! And the gods understand that. It’s okay if you start small and adopt new practices at your own pace.

What are some common symbols for Loki?

This post has got you covered. As you might have guessed from our blog theme, snakes and the colors red and gold are pretty popular.

I also work with gods from another pantheon, can I still honor Loki?

Please refer to this ask!

I heard some Lokeans practice magic! Will worshiping Loki grant me special powers?

It’s true that some Lokeans practice magic in a variety of different traditions. However, real witchcraft works nothing like it does in most popular movies or fictional stories. If casting the right spell or praying to the right god could grant you Hollywood-style superpowers, then society as a whole would be taking advantage of that, and our world would run very differently.

This isn’t to say you can’t practice magic if that’s something you’re interested in. Regardless of whether it actually works or not, it is a real thing that people do, and have done throughout human history. Just be aware that you’re not going to be able to recreate the stuff in Harry Potter.

Do Lokeans have to practice magic?

Nope. A lot of Lokeans don’t practice magic. Some don’t even believe magic works. Your practice is equally valid regardless.

Is (book) a good book to read?

Many books on Norse mythology generally make Loki out to be the god of evil and stuff like that.

If it says “Loki, the God of Evil and Chaos” when introducing Loki, it’s prooobably not gonna be a fantastic read. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and one of the mods will be glad to point you in the right direction should you ask!

(Here’s a list of books you should definitely avoid, though.)

I keep hearing something about "godspouses"? What's that about?

A godspouse is a person who has ritually married a deity. They can be any gender or orientation, as can the deity in question. Some godspouses function more or less like Christian nuns and treat the commitment as symbolic of their lifelong devotion. Others believe they have a romantic or sexual relationship with the deity in question.

Becoming a godspouse isn't required or expected in order to be a Lokean, nor does it make you better or more devoted than other devotees. It's simply one of many ways to define a personal relationship with Loki.

For more information on godspouses, see these resources.

What does (weird term) mean?

Just like any other community, Pagan Tumblr has developed some of its own vocabulary. Plus, Heathenry has a bunch of weird words that come from Old Norse. Here are some common things we’ve seen newbies get tripped up on:

Blót - A Heathen ritual sacrifice. Don’t worry. It’s not, like, humans or anything these days. Most people use booze or blood from a butcher shop.

Blood Brothers - Loki and Odin as a pair, referring to the pact mentioned in Lokasenna. Also affectionately known as the “two man con” or, by particularly exasperated devotees, sometimes just “Them.”

Folkish - An adjective used to describe the belief that only people of Nordic descent should be allowed to worship the Norse gods. However, historical and archaeological evidence reveals that this wasn’t true back in the Viking Age. Many folkish Heathens are white supremacists, so you should approach anyone who identifies as such with extreme caution.

Fulltrúi - The Heathen equivalent of a neo-Wiccan “patron deity”, although they don’t function in quite the same way. Basically, it’s the primary god you worship, if you choose to focus on one god. (Many don’t.) The word translates roughly to “fully trusted one.”

GLE - Grumpy Lokean Elder. His blog has some awesome, scholarly resources.

Godphone - The ability to communicate with deities without divination or physical signs. Despite the name, it doesn’t usually work like an actual phone. See this post for more info.

Godspouse - A person who has “married” a deity. Some of them function more or less like Christian nuns. Others believe they have a romantic or sexual relationship with the deity in question.

Lore - The mythology, sagas, and other various historical and pseudo-historical writings about Norse religion.

Nokean - A silly person who is against the worship of Loki. They generally don’t know what they’re talking about and are just looking for reasons to exclude people (especially minorities.) Pay them no heed.

UPG - Unverified Personal Gnosis. Knowledge you’ve gained about a deity that isn’t (and perhaps can’t be) verified by the lore. If more than one person has the same UPG, it becomes SPG, Shared Personal Gnosis. Since UPG isn’t verified, it’s important not to treat it as hard facts.

This weird thing happened to me! Is it a sign from Loki?

Only you can determine whether to treat something as a sign or not. You know the context of the situation and your own personal symbolism way better than any stranger on the internet. Odds are, you also have slightly different criteria for what counts as sufficient proof than our mods. And that's okay.

Regardless, remember that you don't actually need a sign or a "calling" in order to worship Loki. If it's something you want to try, that's justification enough. By the same token, you're allowed to say no even if a god is calling you. It's your existence, and you get to decide who or what you're devoted to.

What if my question isn’t answered here?

Our ask box is always open! Anonymous questions are welcome. We’re here to help, so don’t be shy.

#Made some (mostly minor) changes to our FAQ so here’s the new rebloggable version. #faq #basic informational #lokean #pagan

[pagansquare]

Asatru FAQ: Why Do Some Heathens Hate Loki?

Frequently Asked Question: Why do some American heathens hate Loki?

My Answer: Most Loki-haters hate him because other people taught them to. Of course that begs the question, how did the original teachers of Loki-hate decide to hate Loki? Some of them had bad experiences with Loki or Lokeans, some of them based their opinions of Loki on lore, some of them based their opinions of Loki on a mistaken impression that every pantheon has a Satan figure in it, and some have other reasons. Recently at least some hatred toward Loki and his followers is because of a perception that they are Marvel fangirls and therefore are not serious about Heathenry.

Read more...

#loki #loptr #hveðrungr #norse deities #germanic deities #jotnar #trickster deities #fire deities #chaos deities #heathenry #heathenism #norse polytheism #germanic polytheism #faq #asks #ásatru #asatru #lokean #lokeanism #theod #pagansquare #pagan paths #gnosis diary #erin lale

[skaldish]

Hello! On your faq you mention that heathenry tends to be reconstructionist whilst lokeanism isn't and I just wondered why that is? I'm still very new to everything I'm doing all my research and browsing on the welcome committee blog but that was one answer I couldn't find.

Ooo good question.

The truth is, there aren’t really any historical accounts for Loki-worship in the Viking age, so there isn’t anything to reconstruct on that front--unlike with Reconstructionist Heathenry, which has a whole history to pull from.

Lokeanism came about in the 90′s, I believe. I don’t know why it came about as a thing kind of separate from Heathenry, but my guess is it’s because Loki devotees wanted a space free from the animosity American heathens have for Loki.

You don’t need to be Reconstructionist to be heathen, though, and you don’t need to be a Lokean to have Loki as your patron or primary god. These are just some of many options.

#answered #Anonymous

[thelaughingwitch]

what are some good devotional acts for loki??? esp since it's lokabrenna which i literally only learned about just now from ur post RIP

Oh! Well, there are so many wonderful lists out there that I’d hardly be the first to talk about it. Let me see what I can find!

The @lokeanwelcomingcommittee has a wonderful post here with some basic information on how to approach the worship of Loki, including but not limited to offerings and devotional acts. I honestly can’t recommend their blog enough.

As individual posts go, here is a short list of small devotional acts for him! Here is another—and one more, just because we can.

As an aside, music is always a good offering, so here’s a playlist masterpost.

For general devotional information I definitely recommend these FAQ pages: x, x. Both bloggers are currently on hiatus (hence why I’ve hesitated to tag them) but you can still access the wealth of information they’ve left behind. 

As for me, I tend to offer Loki art. I’ve written him poems and made graphics. Anything sweet tends to be a win—chocolate, cookies, cake, coffee with astronomical amounts of sugar, sweet liquor like amaretto, baileys or kahlúa, basically any kind of honey… You name it. I’ve also seen a lot of recommendations for cinnamon floating around, though that one I’ve never tried myself (though I did have a cinnamon-scented tea light I used to burn for him when I had the occasion.)

But remember! The key ingredient is sincerity. That may be true for all the Gods, however when it comes to Lokeans we have a particular event here on tumblr from which we’ve all learned: spongecakegate, the aftermath of which gets unpacked here. The lesson? What matters most is the intention behind the gift and not the object worth. 

#lucacangettathisass #replies #loki* #lokean #polytheism #heathenry #original #devotional offerings

[devotionalmurmurings]

so i’m looking into becoming a devotee of loki but i’m struggling to really find a list or something of stuff he likes to place on my altar for him. can you help by any chance?

Hello! I’m going to direct you to this (link) by LWC, it’s a Lokean FAQ and it includes plenty of resources!! If you browse a bit there are sections on offerings and altars. I wish you luck my friend!!

Best wishes

#asked

[lushywitch]

What’s a godspouse?

not something that i practice or have any interest in practicing, but essentially the concept is that you treat a deity or entity as if they were your spouse/love interest. 

these people often have intimate and sexual relationships with their entities. sometimes people call it godcourting. it was really common practice in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. 

i have very mixed feelings about it, but i do admire people who are willing to commit to it in a sane way, because it’s devotion in it’s purest form. people who practice this often say that the deity speaks with them through divination, astral projection, etc.

i put together some links for you to make of the whole thing what you will because i honestly don’t know what my personal opinion on it is :

The Madwoman’s Rant by @eclecticwiccanmadwoman

Godspouse: Marrying a God or Goddess by SecretMae on Youtube

Godspouse Sexual Relationships  alsoby SecretMae on Youtube

On Being a God-Spouse by Krasskova on WordPress

Godspousery: Mysticism and the Hieros Gamos on the Patheos Blog

Lokean Godspouses: Disbelief and Explanation by Myrkyr on WordPress

A masterlist on godspousery by @theemperorsfeather

Godspouse FAQ by @syristones (deactivated)

#godspouse #godcourting #paganism #pagan #witch #witchcraft #Anonymous

[torque-witch]

Spirit Work FAQ Page

Last updated 8/21/17

A | B | C | D | E | F| G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X

Y | Z

Click the title link to scroll the tag in its entirety! I am tagging every FAQ page post as “torquewitchfaq” and will be updating each with all the sections in alphabetical order once they are all posted. Tumblr deleted my entire A-Z post links, so I’m doing these by section instead.

Spirit Work

A Lesson on Servitors - [ chaoscommentary ]

Ancestral Powder - [ recreationalwitchcraft ]

Communication Tips - [ winking-wyvern ]

Considerate Spirit Offerings - [ skepticaloccultist ]

Erecting a Spirit Altar - [ necromancyandme ]

General Offerings for Spirits - [ witchtips ]

How to Make Your Home More Inviting for Spirits - [ thiscrookedcrown ]

How to Meet Local Spirits - [ hecaatia ]

“Invoke Magic of Liminal Spaces” Sigil - [ sigilseer ]

Protecting Yourself from Spirits - [ spiritvexer ]

Servitors - [ bibliotecha-secreta ]

Spirit Chimes - [ swamp-witch-from-florida ]

Spirit Communication Vessel - [ poisonerspath ]

Spirit Houses - [ lokean-witch ]

Spirit Oil - [ jord-kunnusta ]

Things I Wish I Knew Part 2 - [ arcturus0 ]

Thoughtform Theory & Ethics - [ spiritvexer ]

* @spiritvexer is a great resource but their blog is currently private!

#s #spirit work #torquewitchfaq

[theemperorsfeather]

how do you recommend getting in touch with your spiritual side? i've never felt the presenceof the gods or felt any kind of energy before - everything feels very one note. mundane.

I may be one of the worst people to ask about this: I never really sought out that kind of spiritual experience, in the sense of wanting to feel that, and trying lots of things until something worked. But even if I had, what /has/ worked me to further develop my ability to sense spirits/energy won’t necessarily work for you. I also know of people who have tried to contact deities, or do energy work, for years, trying techniques and practices that are recommended, and had no results. Some people do, eventually, have things start to happen, but there is no guarantee. There’s probably some pagan101 ask blog out there with lots of good links for basic techniques to try, especially in terms of different methods of learning to put yourself into an altered state of consciousness (which can range from silent still meditation to energetic movement, and include things like sleep deprivation, eating/drinking/smoking substances that affect your mind, pain, sex, and so on). Learning to put yourself into a light trance state is recommended for a lot of energy work, and it also helps for communicating with deities. Learning divination can also open you up to divine contact.This FAQ has a lot of advice for starting out worshiping deities. It’s for new Lokeans, but ignore the Loki-specific things, much of this is actually pretty generic, in terms of setting up altars and talking to gods, and has additional links about how to try communicating with Them. If there’s a deity you’ve ever felt any kind of pull to, or affection for, you could try starting up a simple practice oriented towards Them and see what happens. Researching and reflecting on what you love or admire about that god can bring you something positive regardless of any experiences of the numinous that might happen: http://lokeanwelcomingcommittee.tumblr.com/faqI’d also recommend reading all the links here related to communicating with deities to get a sense of the range of ways one can sense Them - this also applies to general energy sensing; there are many ways to sense spirits or “energy”: http://theemperorsfeather.tumblr.com/otherresourcesHere’s a post on learning to sense energy: https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/2013/06/01/devo-magix-energy-manip/Related to that link, which talks a lot about learning to sense energy in spaces, another thing you could try is to pick an interesting stone, or a plant, and spend some time sitting with it. Pose the question to yourself about what its energy feels like, looks like, tastes like, smells like, etc. And ask yourself “what magical or energetic properties does this have?” Let your mind wander on the question, and don’t discount anything that comes up, even if it at first seems ridiculous. “Imagining” things like this is one of the ways I find I’ve sensed energy or spirits nearby. I’d also suggest revisiting what you think of as “mundane.” Have you ever felt a strong sense of awe or wonder or joy watching a storm, or seeing a rainbow? Or visiting some amazing piece of architecture? Felt something intense while dancing or listening to music? I can’t easily separate some of those feelings from feeling “energy” or divine presence; they overlap. There are people who do not believe gods exist independent of our own minds, yet have incredibly strong mystical experiences like this. The mundane and the numinous are not so easily split, in my experience; I was feeling things about the natural world that these days I classify as “mystical” but I still do not know if there was any spirit involved in the experience.See what you can do to recreate those experiences. While I understand the desire to experience things beyond the “mundane,” there’s so much in the mundane world that can bring on spiritual experiences that I can’t not recommend it.Finally: Read a lot - track down other resources and advice on this, experiment, take notes on anything that makes you say “… that was kind of odd” or “was that a Thing?”

#energy work #asks

[scriptwitchcraft]

I've noticed that you mentioned Wiccans a lot. My MC is a witch, and I wasn't really aware of other kinds of witches, even though I did thorough research. What other kinds of witches are there? Just fyi, she is a mostly-closet witch, and uses stones as connections to places. She mostly uses runecasting and entomomancy (especially beetles and spiders). What might she choose to align with, if anything?

There are, honestly, so many more choices than just Wicca. I’ll try to list several, but do not take this as an exhaustive list. I have added resources where I could, and please forgive the length…

Asatru

An Asatru witch follows a specific branch of Heathenry that worships the major Nordic pantheon.

http://www.ravenkindred.com/index.html

Athiest/Laveyan Satanic (Secular Satanic)

This witch feels more that Satan is a concept or idea, not an actual entity.

http://www.churchofsatan.com/

Celtic

This witch uses the Celtic culture, including its’ mythology, deities, old ways, and language / symbols as a means of learning, internalizing, and performing magic.

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/celtictraditions.html

Christian

A witch that honors and worships the Christian God through the practice of magic, usually alongside more traditional Christian worship.

http://arganteswell.tripod.com/id1.html

Death/Necromancy

This witch utilizes magic through the bodies and spirits of the dead. This can include bones, blood, skin, and other pieces of the corporeal form left when the spirit leaves, as well as contact with the spirit that has left its physical form behind.

http://sarahannelawless.com/2011/11/13/lets-talk-about-necromancy/

Druidism

Is a very old, and very complex set of religious and nature beliefs changing from region to region, and time to time.

http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/druid-beliefs

Eclectic

A witch who respectfully uses parts of multiple practices, traditions, and paths.

http://www.witchpathforward.com/eclectic-witchcraft.html

Gaulish

This witch pays homage to the Gaulish Gods through the study, reconstruction, and practice of Gaulish tradition.

http://www.deomercurio.be/en/index.html

Heathenry

A witch who follows the ways of, works with, and/or worships the Norse deities.

http://www.heathengods.com/faq/index.htm

Hellenic

A path by which the witch follows Greek traditions and honors the Greek pantheon.

http://www.witchpathforward.com/hellenism.html

Hereditary

This witch was born into a family of witches and so is likely to have practices, traditions, and/or paths that are not usually shared outside of their family practice.

Hoodoo

A complex interweaving of Western African traditions as well as a long history of utilizing Christianity. This is a fairly regional practice of the Southern United States, but can be found elsewhere.

https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/black-magic-talking-with-hoodoo-witches

Kemetic

This type of witch works with the Egyptian deities.

http://www.witchpathforward.com/kemetism.html

Lokean

A witch who works with and worships Loki and/or any of his relations (Hel, Jormugandr, Sigyn, Angrboda, etc). This witch may pay homage to other Nordic deities as well.

http://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/lokean-swamp-witch.html

Odinism

A witch who works majorily, or exclusively, with Odin, Thor, Freyjr, Freyja, Frigga, and Heimdall.

http://www.odinistfellowship.co.uk/

Pop Culture

A pop culture witch uses lyrics or movie lines in spells, worships and/or honors pop culture icons and/or idols. Likely to utilize fandom in some way, it is a very new and wide practice. They could draw inspiration from Harry Potter, Vampire Diaries, Practical Magic, The Craft, Supernatural, or other, similar shows.

http://thepaganstudygrouppage.tumblr.com/post/77850531804/brief-intro-to-pop-culture-magic

Regla de Ocha

A religion that was synthesized by West Africans who were taken and enslaved by the Spanish Empire who were then sent to work on the Caribbean Islands. It mixes West African tradition with worship of saints.

http://www.aboutsanteria.com/what-is-santeria.html

Science

This kind of witch synthesizes their craft from a mixture of empirical evidence/data and metaphysical leanings. It is highly individualized.

http://www.wsusignpost.com/2013/10/26/modern-witchcraft-entails-science/

Secular

This type of witch doesn’t connect with any religious practices, traditions, or paths.

https://thewitchcraftjournal.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/witchcraft-as-a-secular-practice/

Solitary

A witch who practices alone, but follows a particular practice, tradition, path.

(Theistic) Satanic

A witch whose practice revolves around worshiping, honoring, or otherwise appealing to Satan.

http://theisticsatanism.com/varieties/FAQ-TS.html

Traditional

A witch who hunts for the “traditional” ways of magic. Likely to be found scouring through histories and stories looking for references to spellcraft, rituals, and traditions that have since been lost to time.

http://sarahannelawless.com/2015/03/17/introduction-to-traditional-witchcraft/

Voudon

An Afro-Caribbean form of worship that focuses on the loa, and spirits.

http://www.livescience.com/40803-voodoo-facts.html

I hope this put some things in perspective as to just how large witchcraft is, and why I seem to harp about being frustrated that the majority of what I see is Wicca. It is prevalent and popular, not the only way to be a witch, and definitely not the only tradition.

To answer your question about your character, Some of these paths lend themselves more towards nature than others, but I’d suggest rather looking into a tradition/path, look at types of witchcraft instead. Your character most sounds like a variety of Green Witch, and/or Animal Witch.

-Bruxa Guerreira

#windowpains7213 #ask #asatru #laveyan satanism #celtic #christian #necromancy #druidism #eclectic witchcraft #gaulish polytheism #heathenry #hellenic polytheism #hereditary witchcraft #hoodoo #kemetic witchcraft #lokean #odinism #pop culture witchcraft #regla de ocha #science witchcraft #secular witchcraft #solitary witchcraft #theistic satanism #traditional witchcraft #voudon #writing resources #mod bg

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

Hi, I'm Old Lokean Specialist Mod V. I'm a new mod here at the Lokean Welcoming Committee, previously possibly better known as the lone wanderer behind oldbastard101. Today I'm back with another post on Loki, myth, and language, and--

--and I'm also bad at introductions, but I trust no one's going to tell the guy I ripped off, right? I own a Stetson; I feel like maybe I get a pass. Anyway, hi everyone. For anyone who may not have seen this post Mod E has some extremely important life stuff going on at the moment, so as some people may have gathered when I silently got to a few questions last week I'm basically here to lend a hand to my friends, Laufeyjarson included (it's been about 8 years now, which astounds me). I do admittedly have two jobs with weird scheduling, so things will still probably continue to be slower around here-- you're of course still welcome to send in questions but I just don't want to give anyone unrealistic expectations on response time. That said, thanks to everyone for being so patient and for going through old posts and such-- as always the FAQ is chock full 'o info that Mod E's been valiantly making available for years so a lot of your questions may be answered in there, and you may be faster than us.

For general info stuff, my main blog is here, but other than that it's nice to meet all of y'all, and hopefully we'll be showing up more on your dash again starting this week.

#not technically an artist's rendering of a wild loki appearing on the dash #but it works

[exploringlokabrenna-blog]

Even due to those differences, we have to be careful.

Humans have a very distinct ability to see only what we want to believe or see. Molding excuses, or reasons in order to reject an idea of another. Sometimes when we see what we want, we let it go too far.

In beliefs, there is a very strong line between reality and what’s in your mind. People draw those lines at different places. The biggest part, is to be sure what you are perceiving, is not your own mind ‘declaring’ something. People get excited as they experience something, and have an extreme tendency to ‘run off with it’ building it into something more and more than it actually is.

This is a huge problem in religions like paganism, where beliefs in energies, spirits and other metaphysical sorts of things manifest and can be considered normal.

This is also exactly how people manipulate others. In paganism, you have to draw strong lines. Usually that takes being screwed over once or twice to figure out. Most people I know have had it happen at least once. It seems stupid, someone gets you to believe something, where now when you think of it, it’s like ‘what the hell was I thinking?’

It’s very easy to manipulate someone. Especially, when they are innocent and simply reaching out for knowledge. Wanting to learn how things work. A lot of people take advantage of that, either for fun, or because they actually do believe they are the next messiah, or a spiritual war is happening all around them, and they somehow are the key to ending it.

In my opinion, a real pagan, will never force anyone to believe what they do. They can guide via knowledge and experience. They never force others in their beliefs.

Along with that, in my own opinion, a spiritual guide/leader/priest/ess-  they stand as a understanding guide in a very confusing world of mixed beliefs. They encourage when their student does well, and they ‘drag back to reality’ or ‘check yourself’ when they start going in an unhealthy or delusional direction. They are people, teachers, just like ones in everyday life. They’re not there to manipulate you or to gain power or wealth through their followers. They don’t use their position as a place of utmost power, but give adoration and acknowledgement to those who deserve it.

I am sharing a post that is from my favorite heathenry blog. It’s my favorite due to the fact that the author actually really puts an intense amount of work into their posts, including providing actual citations to historical documents and studies. Along with making it clear what is their belief and what is found information. I recommend Grumpy to everyone. I won’t lie, the majority of my Norse knowledge is from his teachings. So thank you so much @grumpylokeanelder for taking the time to do all of this for people

Because of his site, when I started looking into studying Loki, etc. I actually felt like I was being taught correctly. Grumpy and others call out a lot of stupidity in the communities such as fake possession, manipulation, not using discernment, psychology, etc. These are all extremely important.

When it comes to learning anything about paganism or similar belief systems, I find this post specifically and as many as the following mentioned to be mandatory reading before delving further.

http://grumpylokeanelder.tumblr.com/post/38152545884/divine-communication-ethics-and-manipulation

https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/discernment/

Also these

http://grumpylokeanelder.tumblr.com/post/38570351921/question-tumblr-lokean-community-feels-like-a

http://grumpylokeanelder.tumblr.com/post/46843869945/on-teaching

http://grumpylokeanelder.tumblr.com/post/45950918615/grumpy-lokeans-guide-how-to-find-articles-using

https://sexgodsrockstars.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/hearing-the-gods/

https://pixiecraft.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/in-defense-of-judgement/

http://glegrumbles.tumblr.com/post/126676320748/polytheism-while-dealing-with-mental-illness

https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/gods-and-god-phones-101/

https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/kemeticism/kemetic-faq/

https://satsekhem.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/saying-no-a-guide/

http://satsekhem.tumblr.com/post/68000133048/me-so-im-officially-asking-you-to-leave-big

A list from GLE (GrumpyLokeanElder’s website) following his ethics post. I recommend finding the time to read or skim over all of them, although apparently twilight and fire is now no more L

Related links worth reading:

http://twilightandfire.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/pagan-blog-project-possession-a-rant/

http://sexgodsrockstars.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/possession-a-rant-on-a-rant/

http://twilightandfire.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/the-inequality-of-divine-commuication/

http://sexgodsrockstars.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/hearing-the-gods/

http://forestdoor.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/hearing-the-gods/

http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com/2010/09/possession-and-invocation.html

http://kenazfilan.blogspot.com/2009/07/great-bad-review-of-drawing-down.html

http://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/discernment/

http://templeoftheflea.weebly.com/1/post/2012/02/choosing-a-diviner.html

http://templeoftheflea.weebly.com/1/post/2011/09/channeling-and-spirit-attacks-read-this.html

http://templeoftheflea.weebly.com/1/post/2012/08/three-simple-rules.html

http://witchofforestgrove.com/2011/07/13/why-i-hold-back/

http://pixiecraft.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/in-defense-of-judgement/

More links

https://thetwistedrope.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/what-an-earthquake-taught-me-about-discernment/

https://sexgodsrockstars.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/hearing-the-gods/

#paganism #learning about paganism #godphone #godspouse #pagan #spirits #personal beliefs #false beliefs #manipulation #liars #control #discernment #vital to learning paganism #norse #nordic #nordic worship #channeling #magick

[skaldish]

I know that this may be weird for you to answer this, but I'm looking to try and work with/worship Loki. I don't know how I should start and what I need to do, nor do i know of the materials that I need. Can you possibly help me with starting and with knowing how to know that he doesn't think that im some type of burden? I want to do my best if I do decide to work with/worship him.

Hi there!

As far as the basics go, the Lokean Welcoming Committee’s FAQ Masterpost has you covered. This post will give you everything you need to know about starting work with Loki, as well as give you resources for further reading.

And as far as “being a burden” goes, don’t worry. No god, Loki included, is going to look down upon you for simply wanting to work with them. Even when it comes to devotion, being earnest and authentic is way more important than “getting it right.” What’s right is what feels right to you.

I hope this helps!

#answered #that-one-smart-american

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

As someone who was looking into this through the way I'm drawn to him in media nowadays, what books should I read to gain a better understanding of being a Lokean? I've bought myself a Norse Mythology book that I started reading a bit ago. I tried clicking on your reading list link in the FAQ but it just takes me back to the FAQ.

@nikboi asked:

I’ve been looking books on Loki. Lore, working/worshipping him just anything really about him. I tried a multitude of search and marvel was still the first thing to pop up. Do you have any recommendations?

Hey there. I've combined these asks into one like a Voltron for probably obvious reasons, but the main link that should be helpful here is our reading list-- I did try the link in the FAQ and it worked for me on desktop, but if there are any continued issues for that feel free to write in again or submit a screenshot, and we'll definitely try to get it sorted out.

I have very little to add on the recommendations part other than what's on that page in the links, but one thing I would point out is that even if you don't buy it from Amazon, they usually have previews of at least some of the text, which is worth checking out, and also that while it's certainly not required, there's also nothing wrong with having multiple translations: I have Larrington, Crawford, and then Gísli Sigurðsson's Icelandic version. Obviously the latter isn't what I'd suggest to start with unless you're familiar with the language and/or into pretty books, but more as an example that you have options and can change your setup on that front as you see fit as well. Additionally, while I do think these are covered in some of those links, Carolyne Larrington's Norse Myths: A Guide to the Gods and Heroes is a good option for more of an "overview," in that it's not just the poems or texts by themselves but a book that provides more context and explanation for things, which is very helpful if you're new to Norse myth in general-- E.O.G Turville-Petre's Myth and Religion of the North is very similar and available online for free (that link should take you to the Internet Archive version), but as with public domain translations it is a bit dated, so be prepared to possibly come across new scholarship/info and adjust for that (though that's really good advice beyond reading recs).

Checking out some of the posts on books and source criticism in our basic informational tag can be helpful on that front, and there's more in this resource list under the "Not Specifically Norse/Additional Research" heading-- I technically maintain it for OldBastard101, but generous mutual giving is the key to lifelong friendship, etc etc. One link I will point out in particular is the ASNC Viking Age site-- that link goes specifically to their Independent Research guide, but the rest of the site is a good basic informational start to learning the Viking Age, so it's worth clicking around.

On a similar note, while the Google searching (or god forbid, this labyrinth of a site) can be difficult, using search operators is very helpful for weeding a lot of stuff out. This is a good thread on them (though alas I don't think the tilde function works anymore), but the first two: quotation marks, which attempts to only search for what you have in the quotation marks, and then the hyphen/minus sign, which lets you remove terms from a search. Searching for "Loki mythology" also should take a lot of the Marvel or other pop culture out, so while you should still definitely check for sourcing/be critical as described above (typing and publishing something on the Internet, alas, still doesn't make it accurate), but it should give results more along the lines of what you're looking for.

Best of luck, and I hope some of that was helpful to you!

-Mod V

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

Hi there

A little while ago I attempted to work with Loki through my altar. I was giving him daily offerings of juices or water and I carved his name into a red candle that I’d occasionally burn. I felt like it was going well at first.

I told a Wiccan friend of mine and he told me it was a horrible idea as I never worked with any deity before and it’s a very intense thing. He told me he’s been a practicing Wiccan for about 6-7 and still doesn’t feel ready to work with a deity. He also told me it’s dangerous as I could’ve summoned a demon that was pretending to be Loki. I decided to stop working with Loki out of fear so I lit his candle until it burnt out, taking apart my altar once that happened.

However, I’ve felt very draw to Loki again. I’ve been burning dragon’s blood incense as a way to acknowledge him on the daily. I feel I’m ready to start trying to work with him again but I’m not sure what to do. I’ve been seeing a lot of beetles/ladybirds lately and I have a strong feeling it’s a sign.

I need advice on specifically what to do, like what should I use on my altar? How do I know that both Loki and I are ready to communicate? Do I have to be careful of impersonators? If it’s not Loki who’s sending signs how do I find out who is?

I don’t have access to any pengalims or tarot decks but I can buy things like incense and candles, possibly crystals. I do have a few rocks and the table that my altar is on can be written on with whiteboard marker

Thank you!

Hey anon. There's actually more than a few asks somewhat similar to this in the inbox, and a few good existing posts on the subject, so I'm going to start by linking those:

"Do I have to 'work' with Loki to be a Lokean or can I just worship him? And is it safe for beginners to worship deities?"

"Is deity work/worshipping dangerous in some way or do i need some sort of protection (spell jars etc.) before starting to work with Loki?"

"So, uh, what religion are Lokeans, anyway?" (an older post and as it says, non-exhaustive, but good examples of variance in approach)

A good condensed "starter" post (links to the FAQ for further info)

The #basic informational tag is a really good place to poke around in as well for the more general "how to start" suggestions. To get back to the main "is it safe" question, though, the summarized version is that it's really not much different than a lot of things in life: it depends exactly what you're doing. Just venerating a deity isn't going to require that, but "deity work" is a broad enough term that I don't know what you or your friend specifically mean with regards to that term and in the end, decisions about protection or ultimately your relationship with Loki will fall to you. That said, you're expressing the desire to start trying again here and doing the daily incense thing already, so probably the best additional advice I can offer is that you don't have to rush anything. There's nothing wrong per se with incense or cool rocks or other tools/accoutrements, but there's absolutely no requirement to have them unless later on you personally run into a situation where it's a need. By that of course I also don't mean that you should feel limited to something that only comes up in medieval sources or is common amongst devotees, or that "need" needs to be anything more than "I'd like to learn more about X and need Y to do it;" my point is more that there's actually no specific checklist, shopping or otherwise, to start. There are some great examples in the first two linked posts up there of contexts or work where there's more to think about and possibly do on that front, and our communication and discernment megapost has a lot of good information on everything from ways to communicate to keeping yourself safe. Signs are another one of those things that we can't really interpret for you, but the info in those tags should be helpful in giving some ideas for following up on it yourself if you'd like. But really, what you do is up to you, which I know might seem kind of like an unhelpful answer, but realistically I just hope it takes some pressure off. Like, right now, it sounds like you're doing daily offerings, thinking and learning more about how a relationship with him might work in your life, and considering adding things like an altar and communication techniques to your practice. I obviously have a limited amount of knowledge here, so you may well be able to add to that summary, but honestly, it sounds... like a pretty solid plan that you might not have even known you had, with plenty of room for flexibility. Not a bad start IMO, and maybe a phrasing that gives you some suggestions for focus-- less "you have a lot to do," and "you've got a lot of choices," maybe. In any case, best of luck, and if you have more specific questions feel free to let us know. -Mod V

[lokeanwelcomingcommittee]

hi! I recently became Lokean and i had a quick question. I see a lot of people saying they "test" their gods to make sure it's them but I have no idea how to do so. I tried looking up key words on your blog, read the FAQ, tried to do research on Google, etc. but nothing gives a conclusive answer that i could find. I would really appreciate some help, thank you!

Hey anon. I think a lot of the posts in the deity identification and discernment tags are going to have the methods that you're looking for, particularly this post which is a good overview of things to ask or watch out for when you're unsure about something like this, and this one which goes over various types of divination or other communication methods that may be helpful. As noted in those and other posts, in the end that decision of trust is one you'll have to make yourself, but there are a lot of good posts especially in the latter tag that should give you some ideas of things to think about in this initial identification/introduction stage, and what sort of best practices you might find helpful in the long run as well.

- Mod V