Norse Divination: a unique system rooted in the Gods

• Norse Divination: Illuminating your Path with the Wisdom of the Gods
  • Gypsey Elaine Teague, Llewellyn November 2021

Norse Divination book and homemade set

It’s always interesting to see a new book in a list of upcoming releases about Norse divination and other topics of Germanic Paganism and spirituality.  So when I saw the cover of Norse Divination: Illuminating your Path with the Wisdom of the Gods by Gypsey Elaine Teague from Llewellyn, I was intrigued.

Being a person who uses a variety of divination forms, runes being the most prevalent, I thought (mistakenly) that this would be a different approach to working with the runes in a divinatory sense by integrating in the stories of the gods in a unique and modern way. I love to read about and see how people utilize runes in inspired ways, so I was thrilled when Llewellyn sent a copy to have a read through.

The Norse divination system that Gypsey presents in this book is a unique system of her own making which taps into her connection of the God/desses, beings, and items as part of Norse mythology. She notes that the system grew out of her rune work because she felt that there was just a bit more to achieve by connecting with the presence of the gods as well.

The divination meanings pull from the mythology surrounding the characters and items chosen as part of the system. It consists of 36 primary symbols followed by six additional entities to optionally include at your own preference.  Examples of the primary symbols include: Feyja, Frig, Heimdall, Sif, Tyr, Odin, Valkyries, valknut, and Bifrost.

It is a layered system which utilizes a draw of three tokens bearing the symbols. The three tokens are selected for past, present, and future in regard to the question or topic. Each subject has nine possible meanings that represents it depending on which part of the reading it is pulled for and the direction of the image as it is drawn from the bag. Aspects of the story and characteristics of the entity or item are used to offer insights into how to interpret or view the reading.

To try the system for myself, I created my own set using wood discs and a marker. I decided to include the additional symbols to make a full set of 42 just to give the entire system the opportunity. In my readings, I found that the response of one of the positions generally made sense to my question, while the other two truly left me scratching my head on how to get something from it that could help guide me.

It will take some time to get used to this system to see how to interpret and use the responses. I find that for me, it seems a bit complicated and the messages confusing. I’m not sure if the phrasing of the question or topic is not connecting with tool or I’m asking the wrong types of questions for it. There is not much guidance on this in the book so it will take some time to work that out.

Overall, I enjoy the detail Gypsey provides about the entities and items selected for the symbols which makes it an excellent resource. Applying the divination itself will take some practice and time to get used to it. For me, it doesn’t open up easily and perhaps a little more detail in the “how to use” section would be helpful. But I’m looking forward to continue to work with it and give it an opportunity to sink in.

If you are looking for a divination system that is rooted in Norse spirituality, this is a system that might work for you. It’s not a redressed tarot or oracle deck, nor does it rely on the connection to the rune poems. Once you get into the groove of it, I think it can be a really interesting and valuable way to connect to the spiritual energies of the beings and their unique insights.

Book received from the publisher for review. Comments reflect my own opinions.

This book will “rune” you…

Review of Taking up the Runes by Diana Paxson, revised edition of the Weiser Classic Series

Rune books have come a long way since the 1980’s when interest in the runes as a divination tool took off. There have since been many authors providing interesting experiences and perspectives on the runes which include academic works about their use to express language in the written form. One of the definitive works to come out in the last 20 years is that of Taking Up the Runes by Diana Paxson, published by Weiser Books originally released in 2005. 

As part of its Weiser Classics series, the company has given the book a fresh new look and reissued last year. Taking Up the Runes is a must have book on the shelf for anyone who is studying the esoteric use of the Runes. The new edition includes a new cover and introduction, updated bibliography and references, and a new section for the nine Anglo-Saxon rune staves added to the Elder Futhark. Other than these, changes (if any) to the text are minor. 

A comparison to many pages throughout the two books show the main text is identical to the original edition. There may be some minor updates in the more than 400 pages, but they do not appear to be significant to the greater work if there are any.

What makes this book so valuable is the collaboration of ideas, experiences, and understanding presented throughout. The book developed from a rune study course conducted by Diana with her group Hrafnar. The lessons learned and shared about the runes during that year study and subsequent groups form the basis of this work.

Another aspect that makes this book essential to a rune student is the inclusion of ideas from other authors as well as Diana’s own interpretations. By doing this, she shows that the study of the runes is truly more than relying only on one person’s understanding of the runes and how they express them. This provides input for the student to feel comfortable exploring the directions and theories that the runes themselves will lead to.

The book is developed in two parts and is set up so it can be used a study aid for a group or for an individual.  Part I explores the Elder Futhark runes taken in pairs. She provides translated text of the three rune poems: Anglo-Saxon (from which the Elder Futhark is most connected), Icelandic, and Norwegian. Each section explores ancient meanings, how the rune can be used in modern times, and a section on interpreting the rune in readings or other usages. 

Part II contains rituals, songs (with music), and meditations for each of the rune pairs. These are quite extensive and wonderful opportunities to connect on a deeper level with the runes that most books do not include.  These can be especially enlightening when doing them together with a study group, but not necessary. Some of the material was contributed by members of the study group and add that additional community gnosis and shared experience to connect to the runes and each other on the Web of Wyrd.

The new addition to the book is the inclusion of the nine rune staves from the Anglo-Saxon runes. Before getting too excited, however, this is not an in-depth exploration of these runes as with the 24 of the Elder Futhark. That would likely add another 75 pages. What she does include are the remaining five verses from the Anglo-Saxon rune poem in Old English and translated. She also wrote verses for the next four that were added which have names, but not text in the rune poem. Ben Waggoner provided Old English text for the new verses.

If you have a copy of the previous edition and wondering if you should invest in the new copy because of a lot of changes, you may not want to do it. There just isn’t that much different from the original edition that I think would make it worth the cost. However, if you are due to upgrade your old, well-worn copy of the book or haven’t picked up a copy yet, the new edition is perfect. You can easily transfer your important notes to the new copy because the page numbers are essentially the same which will enable you to find the locations to add your references. And consider having it spiral bound so it will open flat and allow for easier note taking and reading. This really improves the study experience.

For anyone studying runes, this is a valuable and essential resource. It will help lay the foundations to build a relationship with the runes and a solid background from which you can explore other interpretations and perspectives.  When you take up the runes with this work, you will indeed be runed.

The Jotunn War: Collected Edition

The Jotunn War by Ian Stuart Sharpe

My introduction to the Vikingverse is with this collection of books into a collected trade paperback which will include issues 1-3 of the Jotunn War and issue 4, which is released for the first time.  The collected work will contain all 4 issues.  The project is currently on Kickstarter which closes on July 17.  Good news however! It IS fully funded!  So if you are seeing this prior to 17 July, please back it now. But if you see this after, you can order from the publisher, Outland Entertainment.

I found out about the series when I was doing some research for my interview with the editors of the Althingi: The Crescent and the Northern Star anthology from the same publisher.  I was interested, but hadn’t had time to look more into it before the Kickstarter launched. So that was enough to get me motivated.

I interviewed author Ian Stuart Sharpe on episode 52 of Gifts of the Wyrd podcast and had a great conversation. Please check it out. I’m writing a short review here just to get the word out on another platform and talk about the book!

For the interview, I received a reader pdf of the book to start my adventure into the Vikingverse.  There are two other books (The All Father Paradox and Loki’s Wager) that are part of the Vikingverse as well as Old Norse for Modern Times phrase book. But what is this ‘verse being spoken of? Rather than reinvent the description, I share with you from Outland Entertainment’s webpage:

 “The Vikingverse is a parallel timeline where the Norse rule the seas and stars with restless fleets and Christianity has been put to the Viking sword.

In a series of interwoven sagas, the storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the pages of mythology, fighting for a future stretched to breaking point by the ever-present peril of Ragnarok.

Be Warned: the meek shan’t inherit this Earth!”

Sounds like a great adventure to me!

– Website: Outland Entertainment

Book details:

• Creator and Writer: Ian Stuart Sharpe
• Pencils and Inks: Devmalya Pramanik (issues 1-3) Ger Curti (issue 4)
• Colors: Paul Little
• Letters: Ed Dukeshire
• Editor: Alana Joli Abbott

“Your Empire Needs You: Enlist Now”

I enjoy a good alternate timeline. A “What If?” scenario that takes a moment in time and asks what would happen if things went differently and what are some possible outcomes of those new paths? In this world, the gods, goddesses, and beings of Norse mythology are fully engaged in the Nine Worlds and we are in the midst of the battle to defend Midgard from the monstrous Jotunns. Why do the Jotunns want to conquer Midgard and who is their leader? The full details are only known to the Norns and will be revealed in due course.

The Norns from The Jotunn War issue 4

For us, we have the beautiful artwork of both Pramanik and Curti who capture the bleakness and fear of war to bring the visual glory to Sharpe’s story. It’s not cartoony and isn’t overwhelmed with details and linework; just enough to provide the visuals needed. At first, I didn’t pay attention that there were two artists. So when Curti came aboard with issue 4, I was a little surprised. But it didn’t stop me or take me out of the story and I found both art styles kept the story moving from page to page. The color design also provides a great fit that captures the mood and tone of the book well.

If you are looking for graphic novel retellings of the old Norse stories, this isn’t it. But, if you want to read stories where the sagas and eddas are real and important parts of the everyday lives of the characters, back this project and pick up the other books.  I love graphic novels and am happy to see them done as well as this is. 

The Vikingverse is available through Outland Entertainment as well as other great books, comics, and games. 

Yggdrasil: Norse Divination Cards

Yggdrasil: Norse Divination Cards was published in summer 2019 by Llewellyn and is by Haukur Halldórsson with G. Hauksdottir. The deck has 81 black and white illustrated cards depicting gods, goddesses, Jotuns, Dwarfs, Elves, and other beings and realms. This oracle deck is special because, unlike other oracle decks, it includes more than the commonly known gods and goddesses of the Aesir, Vanir, and Jotunar.  The inspiration for the artwork and details are from the stories, mythology, and spiritual practices of Northern European Traditions (Vanatru, Heidhrinn Craft, Heathenry, Rokkr, Asatru, Forn Sidh, Norse Paganism, etc). 

Creators Haukur Halldórsson (artist) and G Hauksdottir (writer) open doors to the realms of beings that have a lot to explore and show us.  When I first saw the announcement in a Llewellyn catalog at my local metaphysical shop, I was immediately drawn to the artwork and excited about the potential of this deck. The tiny image showed only the box cover and four of the cards to entice my interest and anticipation for the summer release.

This was a deck that I looked forward to looking at the artwork, the divination/oracle aspect of it, and the stories that would be included. When I received the deck, I eagerly opened the box and flipped through the cards.  What a delight to see so much more of the artwork and to have the accompanying book to begin a journey with these diverse beings.  With that, here are my impressions:

DECK DETAILS

The cards come in a sturdy box, magnetic closures, and an insert that holds the cards in place. The cards are a sturdy cardstock with semi-gloss finish and a size of 3 ½ x 5 1/8”.  

This is a good size to showcase the art, but does make shuffling the deck a bit of a challenge.  Some will find it useful to utilize an over-hand shuffle or riffle shuffle the cards in smaller groups.

ARTWORK

The artwork is very detailed and interesting. Artwork in an oracle deck is pretty important because it is what draws a person to it and sparks that connection to the spirit (wyrd) of the experience. Here the artist goes in a direction not usual for oracles, black and white line work instead of the colorful/fanciful images of other decks. Here it works very well. It is detailed and evokes a sense of classic artwork that is found in very old books which used block prints for images. I really enjoy it on each card.

Halldórsson’s artwork on the characters appears to take different styles or genres.  It is subtle and when I asked about it, they mentioned that it was just the way he draws. I like that it evokes, in my untrained appreciation, the artwork of the classic era, modern Klimt or Picasso, avant garde, and some tribal elements.  It’s really a great way for each of the beings to show just a little bit of their personality.

On just a couple of the cards, the art is slightly overcrowded and probably represents better in a much larger format. When reduced to the card size, it is easy for more detailed images to become more condensed and harder to see. But this is only on a couple of them and does not render the image useless in the deck.

There are also some designs that seem a bit out of place or oddly chosen. When I showed the deck to some of my female friends, they thought that depictions of some of the goddesses diminished their power and strength. I understand their arguments and present it as a topic of thought for others to consider as they work with the goddesses on this project.

BOOK/TEXT

The book that accompanies is a good size and printed in easy to read type. It is laid out with an appropriately sized image of the card and the text of the story. The characters (they are not all gods and goddesses) are categorized into nine groups of nine beings.  Each group is connected to one of the Nine Realms of the Northern Tradition cosmology.

The interesting thing about this form of groups, is that you may be surprised by a group that Halldórsson assigns to a certain character. Rather than get upset or declare his experiences/choices as “wrong”, it creates an opportunity to look into this aspect of expression and see how it will add to your own connection to that being.

The text is written by G. Hauksdottir who includes the stories of the beings along with divination possibilities. Many of these characters do not have easily found sources from which to learn more. Some might even challenge how we look at the “accepted” explanations of them. The most obvious of these is for Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. In this deck, they are interpreted as present, future, and past instead of the widely accepted and taught past, present, future (resp). 

When I asked G about this, she related that these are the stories they grew up with in Iceland. When looking at the Norns example, for instance, the understanding of them relies more on the nuances of language, interpretations, and how sometimes things are simplified.  I found this freeing and opened opportunities to start with these stories and learn more about a being from a different starting point and looking into those with whom I am familiar with a different approach. 

Just a couple of technical items about the text of the book. 1) A more complete table of contents would be appreciated. Currently it lists only the nine groups. Because there are so many cards with unfamiliar characters, it will be very useful to have an alphabetical listing of each card with the page number. This way, when a card is drawn it can be easily located in the book.

2) The stories are really great and it would be useful is references to where they come from (if they have such references, such as Eddas, mythology, collections, folklore, etc) would be indicated. Also that if something goes in a direction so drastically (as with the Norns), just a short explanation to help readers understand that process.

USING THE DECK

This is a large deck and has a lot of possibilities. Included is a spread for the Nine Realms (Worlds) and how each position relates to the other in a reading as well as when related cards show up in the reading.  It’s a big spread with a lot of possibilities and attention. Slightly complicated, but I think with regular use it will be easier to use. I do not think this deck will lend itself easily to the more common layouts and spreads that are included in many tarot and oracle offerings. In addition to the spread included for topics needing a lot of feedback, I think this deck will be really good companion to use with other oracle, tarot, or rune readings as clarifying or helping advice.

As with any tradition, I believe it is important to become familiar with the culture, mythology, beings, and traditions (historical and modern) that are part of that expression. This deck is based on Northern European Traditions (Icelandic, Nordic, Germanic) that has a rich mythology to explore and include when connecting with the cosmology of that wyrd (spirit). 

This is a really nice work and a very good addition to accompany a divination and spiritual practice.  You can pick up or order from your local bookstore if possible or from your preferred online retailer.  Follow @divination_yggdrasil on Facebook and Instagram.

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This article appeared in The Cartomancer Magazine, June 2020. The masthead image is from the article. Order your pdf copy from thecartomansermagazine.com. Reviews have also appeared in Idunna Magazine, published by The Troth and Oak Leaves, published by ADF.

Norse Witch: You’re NOT doing it wrong!

Claiming the Heathen [Heidhrinn] heart – you aren’t doing it wrong

There are many in the Heathen community who are very quick to pronounce “you are doing it wrong!” Especially when it comes to practices of a magical, modern, or “not found in the lore.” What those attitudes fail to recognize or acknowledge (in their own idea of what heathenry was) is that in the random time period they select as THE point for all things heathen/asatru is that even at that point – they were practicing UPG (unverified personal gnosis), modern practices, and WITHOUT the “lore”.

In this book, Freyjason has created a dialog and sacred safe space in which those who feel the call of the Northern Gods, Goddesses, and Beings can practice in a modern context in ways that they sense those same Gods and Beings are leading them. Freyjason has a very deep connection to many of the God/desses with very intense and personal relationships as well as knowledgeable foundation of the lore, sagas, Old Norse language, and archaeological findings.

This foundation is a great starting point to bring what we can know from the past, even mixed with the suppositions and practices that have become established from hopeful surmisings, and provides a way that one with whom this resonates can implement in their day to day practice. The end goal of the book, in my first reading, seems to be that the most important thing to do is connect with Them on a level that you can. Regardless if it was practiced 1500 years ago, 1000 years ago, 500 years ago, or 30 years ago (regardless of the source of the practice – verifiably historical [rare] or reconstructed (from lore sources) or imagined [what they think how viking-era people should have practiced]).

 

Establishing a solid foundation

Norse Witch sets out to reclaim the Heathen (or Heidhrinn) HEART. This is accomplished in a writing style that makes the reader feel like they are sitting in the same room with the author and hearing the experiences first hand. Freyjason cuts through the distance with a writing style that engages on many levels during the experience and entices the Heidhrinn heart to wake up and move forward with how the God/desses are interacting with them.

The interesting way the book is structured is a very layered style. It’s not necessarily a progressive A-Z manual of steps, although he has certainly put forth early on very key basic information. What he does do is intertwine the knowledge based information (such as who the Gods are, the nature of the Nine Worlds, basic concepts such as good versus evil etc) with experiential exercises. Such as how to meet and get to know the God/desses calling or one wants to meet.

The first 11 chapters or so I think prepares someone who may be newly experiencing the Northern (Norse) “exposure” of the Nine Worlds and helps them to establish a grounding and center for their exploration. Although I moved through the book at a regular reading pace (I have been a practicing Heathen for over 10 years), I recommend someone newly exploring Norse Witch (Heidhrinn) to move at a slower read and to meditate and explore the referenced companion resources (listed in the back of the book under each chapter) as well.

The remainder of the book goes to a bit more next level practices including Rune work, wight-walking (spiritual walking amongst the realm of the animal and nature spirits – vaettir), deeper manifesting work, and the God/desses who are not as proactive in human activity.

One of the best features of the book is the plentiful amount of rites, invocations and meditations. While most have a similar structure, including using the same openings and setting of boundaries, this is very good to establish a familiarity with how to set and maintain well sacred space and activity within it. This will help it become second nature so that as we grow and progress, we can alter and add different elements, poems, incantations, modes and Beings to work with.

Some “cherries on top”
Artwork throughout and the beautiful cover
Poetry by the author or friends he knows
Freyjason translates his own passages of the Eddas and Sagas used in the text
Traveler’s notebook for the Nine Worlds

Qualities of the Book

Stylistically, the book is a reference volume. It is sized to carry in a backpack or satchel, but at slightly over 400 pages, it is slightly heavy. This may deter from everyday carrying around and light reading, but when taking a long ride, a trip to a quiet place to read – it’s a great size. The dimensions of the book (6 x 9) are just a good size to hold in the hand. The print size and font is extremely friendly on the eyes and throughout the book (including the gorgeous cover) is artwork by the author himself.

Some of the paragraphs could use some breaking into additional graphs to avoid long stretches and the conversational style occasionally seemed to drift before getting back to topic but they weren’t enough to derail the reading experience.

Wrap Up

Overall, this is a book of introduction and connection to the [Heidhrinn/Heathen] heart. It will be a very good resource for a small study group of folks who can experience, read, discuss, and encourage each other along the path. Some may find it too basic depending on their style of Heathen practice or length of time practicing. But it is a book that can benefit many who are truly seeking to connect with the Northern Divine culture, called to the magical practice of a Norse Witch, and desire to make that a daily experience to enrich their relationships with Them (Gods/Goddesses/Beings) for a spiritually awakened life here on Midgard.

 

Norse Witch by Connla Freyjason can be ordered on Amazon.  View more of Connla’s writings and artwork at Iaconography.  Listen to an interview with Norse Witch author, Connla Freyjason on episode 20 of Gifts of the Wyrd podcast.

Book Reviews: Stories for all ages

The Story of Arbux

by K. Fritz                 Saga Press www.sagapress.ca 

Available on Amazon.

The Story of Arbux is a delightful tale of a 16-year-old’s friendship and adventure with a giant. The book relates the tale through the memories of the protagonist’s grandson as he recounts the adventure as told by his grandfather.

Stories from Opa (Grandpa)
I really enjoyed this book. Reading this brought back many memories of being a young boy doing things with my grandfather in his workshop or in his yard.

He was always telling me stories and teaching me many things that I use throughout my life. It is appropriate for any age and (because of the way the author breaks up the story into different sections) it makes a wonderful book to read to children and to let them read on their own. The illustrations by Caroline K. Jensen are few, but they add a nice touch to the story as we move along.

Friendship, Loyalty, Duty
The format sets up a great dynamic between the four main characters of the book: the grandson, Grand-dad, Grand-dad as a teen, and the giant – Arbux. In between the memories of the grandkids hearing the tale of this great adventure, we are exposed to wonderful lessons that have a greater meaning when coming from a beloved grandparent.

Grandson movingly intersperses memories of Grand-dad taking care of himself and his siblings which adds to the flow of the story rather than interrupt it. Fritz masterfully weaves the memory of hearing the story with the retelling of it in way that we grow up with the children while experiencing Grand-dad and Arubx’ journey to Norway.

We learn valuable lessons of growing up in a loving way that doesn’t feel like preaching at all. Grand-dad treats the children with respect and carefully explains what he means in language they can process and comprehend. Many of the lessons come from “Oddy Quotes”- quotations from the Havamal and Eddas.

Among the lessons were how to treat others, the length of friendships, and being a good host and a good guest. These lessons are such a part of Grand-dad’s character, that we accept the words as if they are from the High One Himself.

Grand-dad’s story progresses from his chance meeting with the giant to building trust and friendship. He realizes that Arbux is out of place, deduces where he might be from (based on his knowledge and belief from the Eddas and the Old Ones) and determines to see Arbux get home.

We are treated to many fun, tense, and touching situations as the two grow closer in their own ways. By the conclusion of the story, readers genuinely feel a connection to Grand-dad’s commitment, love, and sense of honor to his friend. And we find a love for them both too.

Fritz creates a sense of sitting in the presence of Grand-dad with the children waiting for the next installment of the fascinating tale. With the memories of Grand-son, we come to love and to aspire to Grand-dad’s approach to life.

The Story of Arbux would make a wonderful animated film or short series. I really hope someone would take a look and make it happen. It earns a treasured place on the shelf with other favorites and will be very nice to revisit now and then as well as sharing with children. It is definitely one to have as a physical book to more easily go back and forth between the story.

Listen to an interview with Arbux author Karoline Fritz on episode 23 of Gifts of the Wyrd podcast.

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At Frigga’s Feet: Sasha, the Rabbit & The Tale of the Sun and Moon       

by Larisa Hunter:        Illustrated by Laura Bell

Saga Press     Available on Amazon.

At Frigga’s Feet is a great book of two tales that are really nice for little children. The two tales have great lessons that are told by Larisa Hunter in ways that they can understand and enjoy. And are fun to read.

The first story is about Sasha the Rabbit who gets a little greedy and then lies to Frigga to avoid the consequences. But lies get out of control and they harm others, as Sasha found out. The story is told in such a way that parents can interact with their children while reading it to get their feedback and see how they would respond to such a situation. This is a really nice way to impart the value of honesty and doing the right thing.

The second tale is the story of Mani and Sunna and how they came to be the bearers of the Moon and the Sun.

The illustrations by Laura Bell are so colorful and easy to identify with, that I wish there were more throughout the story of Sasha, the Rabbit. The illustrations in The Tale of the Sun and Moon enhance the story and will help little ones visualize the characters as we progress through it.

I look forward to sharing this with the children of friends and family and to sitting down and reading it with them. Each of the two stories can be easily read before bedtime – if the kids are not too tired from a long day of play.

 

Listen to an interview with Saga Press publisher Larisa Hunter on episode 19 of Gifts of the Wyrd Podcast.