#vættir

[sarenth]

Face Ragnarök Like Óðinn

At times like these I take inspiration from Óðinn at Ragnarök:

Look it in the eye, face it directly, resist it with all you have and do whatever you are able.

Ves þú heil.

[notthesomefather]

Praise to those who dance across the sky, Praise to those who move in color and light, Praise to those who give us such beauty in times of strife.

While I recognize the northern lights have secular explanations, it's hard for me to not also see them as a thinning of the veil between realms. I think of the rainbow bridge, and of the wights and vaettir soaring overheard and all around us. I thank the night sky and swirling winds for this awe-inspiring display.

[sigyn-foxyposts]

"Ash & Glowing Ambers"

I always felt a little bad for Logi, his wife and daughters, considering quite a few have compared him to Loki. Basically taking away Logi's own unique identity and family! There is so much more interesting stuff to read about Logi and his wife, that doesn't have to be a connection to someone else.

Which is what I've included here, their very own fan fiction and some art to go along with it! If you know me, I just love making content for minor deities or creatures and I thought it was about time they deserved something for themselves. Sorry if it's a little short 🔥

[nordic-witch-siri]

🕯️ Happy St Lucia’s Day! 🕯

Yuletide in many folk traditions is a huge time for different kinds of magic, and that is very very true of Nordic folk customs. And as seems appropriate for the year I’m having, this year I’m thinking about Catholic syncretism of Lussi Longnight.

This is the night when the month of Jul begins.

Lussi is a spirit who rules over this night. Her name translates to “Light,” and she is known as a mother or queen of the vettir (spirit) and Huldrefolk. She would ride around the countryside with her horse of Yule Riders and look in to homes to check that everything is ready for Yule. This was also the night when the animals would get together and pass judgment on how their humans have kept them - a vestige of animist, reciprocal relationships. It is important to celebrate Lussi Longnight to preserve your health and have a good winter.

In the Catholic tradition, a young girl dressed in a white dress, red sash, and a crown with four candles. She still parades through the streets, and Lucia’s name still means “light.” She has the power to bring back the Sun. Lucy is the patron saint of the blind.

Together, these two form a powerful image for this day of celebration: we pray to them to bring back the light and to ease the hardship of winter.

📸 credits:

Slide 1: me! Slide 2: Wikipedia Slide 3: Swedish artist Adèle Söderberg Slide 4: Swedish artist Gerda Tirén #stlucia #santalucia #lussilongnight #lussi #landspirits #spiritcontact #folkcatholicism #traditionalwitchcraft #trolldom #trollkona #häxan #trollkunning #vættir #yule #yuletide #pagan

[notthesomefather]

As we were prepping to move from one apartment, I felt a huge pang of sadness at the idea of leaving the house vaettir behind. Of course since I've moved a lot I'm familiar with missing prior homes, but I'd never had this specific sadness before. I told the vaettir that if any of them wanted to join us in the next home, they were welcome. I definitely think a few took me up on the offer x0x

moved 😭

bonus panels on my patreon 💌

[sarcasticsweetlara]

My favorite Swedish Mythical Creatures

Huldra

Elves

Vættir

Fossegrimen

[languagedeath]

My First Time on the Mystical Island of Po Toi

Written by Dyami Millarson We took the boat to Po Toi island in the morning of Saturday 22 April 2017. It was a spiritual journey that relaxed me. When we arrived near the dock of Po Toi, I could see from the ship there was a sacrificial fire burning on a cliff. It looked like a movie scene. It inspired me with awe. The scene of the sacrificial fire never left me, because it felt like a new…

[sarenth]

Patreon Poem/Prayer/Song 108: For the Ancestors of Lineage and Tradition

If you want to submit a request for a prayer, poem, or song to be written to you privately or to be posted on this blog or my Patreon for a God, Ancestor, or spirit, sign up for the Ansuz and above level here on my Patreon. This request was made by Maleck for the Ancestors of Lineage and Tradition. I call to the Ancestors of Lineage and Tradition The Gods of Lineage and Tradition The…

[notthesomefather]

This captures what I feel about elemental beings and a good number of figures within the Norse pantheon/mythos. I believe that elements and their personifications/caretakers are not evil or immoral despite their ability to devastate (fire can burn down a home or cook our meals, water can upend a town or be a city's lifeline, etc).

[notthesomefather]

Meditation and ritual for the vættir. If you’re interested, I jotted some notes down regarding what energies I felt.

As I meditated on vættir of earth, I was filled with a sense of oneness and interconnectedness. The thought occurred to me that bees could be vættir, and trees, etc. It made me think of the food we eat (plant or animal) and the entwining of everything.

As I meditated on vættir of air, it felt peaceful and calm. I felt a sense of generosity and forgiveness. A very nurturing and giving presence.

As I meditated on fire, I was immediately overwhelmed with grief and burst into tears. It felt painful, sorrowful, and like I was missing something/someone terribly.

As I meditated on water, I felt a noble and honorable but deeply wounded presence. I felt emotions like hurt and distrust, but not malice or vengeance. It felt somber and very powerful/mighty.

[appalachiasferaldaughter]

A few thoughts I would like to share.

I'm sharing this because the spirits and gods have been serving me with this wisdom. I hope it's beneficial for you as well.

There is a misconception floating around that the older a spiritual practice is (or can be found on record), the more valid it is. For those of us in the modern age who are inundated with messages from Witchtok (urgh) or random corners of the internet saying that our practices are invalid because it's not historically accurate... here is some food for thought.

For a lot of faiths and traditions (such as a Nordic tradition), there is not a lot of information to go on. Many traditions have, unfortunately, been lost due to acculturation and assimilation over time. I am grateful for the information we do have and is able to be preserved through countless centuries of scholarly work that continues into today. However, we are forced to fill in the gaps in order to continue on for the sake of tradition, preserving the memory of our ancestors, and just because. You don't need a reason to follow a faith you are called to. That's why it's called faith.

There is a lot of misinformation floating around regarding certain practices that do not line up with the historical record. I believe this is happening because there is a weird grievance to justify our faith and everything that we do by making it look like our ancestors have been doing the same things for centuries. In other words, our faith isn't valid in the eyes of others unless we can prove that it's an ancient, historical practice like the powerhouse religions of Christianity/Judaism/Islam or Vedism.

Well, I think that's stupid.

Faith, like humans, nature, and culture, are meant to evolve. It is meant to grow. It is meant to change with the seasons, with the people, with whatever the fuck is happening in the day and age. Things are not meant to look the same forever and ever. It just isn't feasible. And I am fully confident that old gods and vættir realize this. We can't help the fact that a lot of information has been lost. We are having to adapt, adopt, and craft something new to help us connect, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, my siblings.

The idea that every little thing you do for the sake of your faith, practice, or tradition has to be traced back to a historical record is, in my opinion, a trap crafted by the dominant cultures and religions to keep us in enclosed in boxes that we are not meant to settle in.

Now, with all that said, I do believe there are some very important keys from the historical record that should be upheld or, at least, be cross-referenced at some point for the sake of following a tradition that is set in stone. But, considering a lot of us are children of immigration and are no longer in the countries of our ancestors, there are some things that are impossible to follow. That's why we should be open to adapting, adopting, and evolving from where we are to craft new traditions. This was entirely normal and valid back in the day, so why can't it be now?

Remember the past, honor the past, but don't be afraid to take the information we do have and craft it into a faith or practice that suits you and/or your family. After all, someday we will be ancestors, and the practices you do today may be honored by your descendants decades or even centuries into the future. Isn't that neat? Or, if the bloodline ends with you, records of your practice may resonate with someone who is searching for pieces of their truth.

Allow the ancestors, vættir, nature, old gods, and most importantly, yourself to guide you. Everything else is just a means to an end.

TL;DR you are allowed to create something new from historical sources to express your faith. It's perfectly valid despite protests from ignorant people who have nothing better to do than start fights on the internet.

[notthesomefather]

[[Image transcription begins]]

Hymn to the Álfar Bragi, I call upon you to lend me your words once more So that I might sing of the Alfar the grave-dwellers, inhabitants of the mound, the hidden ones who grant growth and fertility from the depths of homes in the corpse-fjords you spirits, of ancestors and nature, you who shine brighter than the sun you whose realm to frey as tooth-gift given you who are kin of the corpse- born dvergr to you, spirits of land and mound, I sing now

[[Image description ends]]

Hymn to the Álfar taken from my book, Verses of the Nine Worlds

Paperback | Ebook | Ebook (Pay What You Want)

A devotional poetry collection to the Norse gods, drawing from the inspirational well of Classical Greece. Homeric and Orphic Hymns unlike anything you've read before. A poetry fusion for the modern Heathen.

[sigyn-foxyposts]

Headcanon/Theory: If Loki is Askeladen then..was Sigyn the princess?

So I felt like researching was very fun and not talked about enough folklore surrounding Loki. Like we all know how he has his own little traditions: being the tooth fairy and the vættir living under or in the fireplace. 

Some like to think that this very well know tale of a boy named Askeladen "The ashland" is actually Loki, or based on him anyways! 

After all the ashland does start out as being regarded as an incapable underachiever, but eventually proves himself by overcoming some prodigious deed, succeeding where all others have failed.

Too add further comparison, in the stories Askeladden is characterised as the runt of the family, being:

"the youngest, smallest, and weakest", yet "clever, bold, patient"

He had two brothers, who he often proved wrong whenever they teased him and when they failed in a task, their father would be surprised, since he thought his brothers would succeed. No, in fact it was askeladen.

He is also said to love the fireplace, poking around the ash all day watching over the fires while his mother nags him in doing something with his life, hence the nickname his family gave him! 

In the story: "The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body" or "The Boy Who Had an Eating Match with a Troll". He ends up tricking a giant/troll into.. taking his own life in an eating contest. How Loki is that? 

Now onto the princess part! The whole reason i am writing this. In the story titled: "The Princess who always had to have the Last Word" (Which I love so much!! Sounds like a girlboss) 

First published in 1843, this fairytale tells of a princess who is "so headstrong and obstinate", that her father the king promises her hand in marriage and half of the kingdom to the whoever who can silence her tongue. 

By the way, they're indicating that she has a silver tongue and a loud-mouth to anyone that she meets. 

By and by, the royal estate becomes so run down by people, that the king decides that if they fail, they will have their ears swayed with an iron.

(I dont really know what this could mean, but im guessing they became a slave or its a way of burning a mark into them?? feel free to share what we know about that one.)

Nonetheless, three brothers set off to try their luck with the princess. 

The youngest, called the Ashlad, picks up several items along the way, consequently being ridiculed by his two older brothers.

As the story unfolds however, it appears that it is not necessarily the things in question which prove to be helpful in the end. 

Mind you the whole time, when his brothers ask "what could you possibly need that for?"

He responds "Oh, I have things to do, and this will do,"

The Ashlads' approach to the road ahead of him reminds us to be attentive and mindful of events and coincidence on our way. Although he is initially mocked in the beginning, it turns out that doing things differently is perhaps not such a bad idea after all.

After his older brothers go in first they're ridiculed by the princess. 

"Good day," he said.

"Good day to you too," she answered and turned in her seat.

"It sure is warm in here," he said.

"It's warmer in the coals," answered the princess; the branding iron was lying there, ready to be used. 

When he saw that, he couldn't say a word, and he failed. It didn't go better with the second brother.

"Good day," he said.

"Good day to you too," she said and turned in her seat.

"It's very warm in here," he said.

"It's warmer in the coals," she answered. 

Then the cat got his tongue as well, and the iron was pulled out again.

Then it was the Ashlad's turn.

"Good day," he said.

"Good day to you too," she said and turned in her seat.

"It's nice and warm in here," he said.

"It's warmer in the coals," she answered; she did not care to be nicer to him than she was with the others.

"Then maybe I can fry my magpie there?" he asked, pulling out his first find. 

"I'm afraid she'll burst," said the king's daughter.

"Not to worry, I'll put this birch ring around it," said the boy.

"It's too wide," she said.

"I'll use this wedge," said the boy.

"The fat will drip out of her," said the princess.

"I'll hold this underneath," answered the boy, showing his broken pottery.

"Your words are all crooked," said the princess.

"No, I'm not crooked, but this is crooked," answered the boy, pulling out one of the ram's horns.

"Now, I've never seen anything like it!" yelled the princess.

"Here's one like it," said the boy, and pulled out the other horn.

"You're trying to wear me out, aren't you?" she said.

"No, but this is worn out," answered the boy, pulling out the sole.

The princess didn't know what to say.

"Now you're mine," said the Ashlad, and he got her and half the country into the bargain.

Now don't we all also theorise that Sigyn might be related to Freya or at least have been raised by Njord, one you'd consider wealthy and a "king" of the vanir? 

Just a thought! Might make a fan fiction of this in the future. 🤭

[akaessi]

Since you have an education with Scandinavian folklore, I'd be curious to hear if you have any book reccomendations on Scandinavian Folklore? It's a topic I adore but I find that sources are a bit of a struggle to dig up.

I can read English, Norwegian, Danish (and tentatively with a lot of struggling and swearing) Swedish, so don't worry too much about the dreaded language barrier too much. :>

Hello hello! Thanks for asking! Pardon the late response as well, I wanted to compile a decent list as best as possible! Apologies in advance that I couldn't find easy links for most of them.

Introductory Books:

Vaesen (2013, originally in Swedish) by Johan Egerkrams (I have an English translation by Susan Beard). A beautifully drawn catalog of common Scandinavian folklore creatures. The downside of this book is the lack of direct source quotations and/or super in-depth folkloric analysis. Still a lovely easy read to familiarize yourself with some creatures!

Scandinavian Mythology: An Annotated Bibliography (1988, English) by John Lindow. Simple guide to Scandinavian mythological terms. If I'm remembering correctly, it focuses more on Norse mythological creatures (such as gods and giants) but also features explainers for folk belief figures.

Scandinavia Folk Belief and Legend (1988, English) by Reimund Kvideland and Henning K Sehmsdorf. A very detailed (and chunky!) book that focuses on folkloric beliefs and "old wives' tales" within Scandinavia. It has a lot of citations and references to folklore catalogs, which can then be used for further reading! Also, nicely organized to focus on generalized motifs.

Grimm's Fairy Tales (original German Title: Kinder- und Hausmärchen) by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (1812, German but with widely available translations.) While not exactly specifically Scandinavian Folklore, the Grimm brothers and their folklore collections did great work within the field of Germanic folkloric studies and comparative religious/folklore studies. (And if you're a linguist too, we love love love Jacob Grimm) Anyways, there are a million versions of these tales, some very watered down but if you're looking for a chance to read them here's a link (in English and German). The site is a bit clunky and doesn't have ALL the tales. But a good portion of them are available to read. It's good to familiarize yourself with these in general because of the motif commonalities in folklore studies.

More In-Depth Books:

Old Norse Mythology-Comparative Perspectives (2017, English) with Pernille Hermann, Stephen A. Mitchell, and Jens Peter Schjødt, eds., with Amber J. Rose. 2017.  An anthology of scholarly articles focusing on discourse within the field of Scandinavian (Norse) religion and folklore studies. Lots of different authors and scholars, some with incredibly specific article focuses but others with more broad analysis and literature reviews. If you need a link, Harvard University seems to have one and it should work if I link it here.

The Norns in Old Norse Mythology (2013, English) by Karen Bek Pedersen. This book hyper-focuses on the Norns within the larger context of Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. I highly recommend this book for people who are confused by the various female supernatural figures and their various names and titles. Though it has a specific focus, it is still helpful for overall studies on dísir, nornir, vættir, etc.

Folklore in Old Norse: Old Norse in Folklore (2013, English) edited by Karen Bek Pedersen and Daniel Sävborg. A relatively short book that focuses on literary and medieval textual criticisms about current scholarly trends within the field. Very helpful for understanding scholarly trends as well as bodies of thought in the field of Scandinavian studies--which is always useful for students and newbie researchers!

Witchcraft and Magic in the Nordic Middle Ages (2011, English) by Stephen Mitchell. This book can be helpful in its discussion about the ambiguities between folklore, religion, magic, and witchcraft within the Scandinavian context. It references a lot of primary sources as well as historical sources commenting on said primary sources. It focuses mainly on the transition between Norse paganism to Christianity in Scandinavia but still, I think this book serves as a helpful introduction to understanding how folkloric practices change throughout time for various reasons.

Additional Miscellany Sources:

Motif-Index of Folk-Literature....(6 vols. revised and expanded from 1952-1958, English) by Stith Thompson. This is the compendium for folklore studies and is one of many folklore motif catalogs. Very helpful for understanding folklore in a broader comparative context. Unfortunately, it's very hard to find copies of the volumes, at least for me, but there is a digital link here.

Old Norse Folklore: Traditional, Innovation, and Performance in Medieval Scandinavia (English, 2023 pending release) (edited?) by Stephen Mitchell. This book isn't out yet so I can't comment too much on its content! But in the field, we are waiting to read it! According to the synopsis, it is an anthological book that will feature essays (mainly theoretical) that focus on the transition of mythological and folkloric material in the medium of orality. Hopefully, this book will serve as a good guide to understanding how to connect orality theory (in broader Scandinavian lit. studies) to folkloric motif studies (in Scandinavian folklore studies).

Some Scholars I Recommend:

Pernille Hermann, PhD. Focuses a lot on memory studies and literacy in Medieval Scandinavia. Writes in English and Danish.

Karen Bek Pedersen, PhD. Focuses on in-depth discussions of fate motifs in Norse sagas and mythological texts. Also frequently focuses on female folkloric figures in Scandinavian religion. I believe she writes English and Danish.

Daniel Sävborg, PhD. Focuses on comparative literature studies and somewhat psychological looks into Norse literature and motifs. Writes in English and in Swedish.

Stephen Mitchell, PhD. Focuses on various genres of Norse/Nordic literature with interests in magic, mythology, and legends. Writes in English, I don't know if any other languages.

Thanks for the ask! Hopefully this is helpful! 🖤

Most of the books are in English, since these are the texts my classes focused on specifically and my program is taught in English. It might take me a bit longer to find (throughout my laptop files) the non-English ones we read! As always, research carefully! There are a lot of people with no academic background writing in this subject and getting popularized. And there is also a danger of people using this subject to promote false and dangerous ideologies. (ahem Nordal).

[sarenth]

Building Heathen Cultures

Perhaps more than anything, modern Heathenry is struggling to build cultures. I use the word “cultures” because I do not believe we are developing in one single way, nor do I think it would be helpful or ultimately possible to guide our development in such a way. Many of the discussions, such as the one I just wrote around suffering, joy, yearning, as well as others regarding our history,…

[notthesomefather]

Agreed!

I believe that taking five or ten minutes to pick up around your house definitely counts as an offering to your husvættir.