Tales from the Ironwood

Joseph Campbell succinctly explained,“Mythology is not a lie, mythology is poetry, it is metaphorical. It has been well said that mythology is the penultimate truth--penultimate because the ultimate cannot be put into words." Written from 26 May through 29 June 2025.  ********* While most modern readers of the Eddas view the tales as mythology or even fantasy, many adherents of present-day Heathenry adopt a literal interpretation of the events and characters. In both cases, the esoteric value of the stories are often lost with little more than an exoteric understanding gained. From the latter perspective, the stories make little sense and their application to one’s life is quite limited. For those who read the stories as pure fantasy, the tales excite the senses, but not in a more significant way than other heroic fiction might. For the literalists, and especially those who cling to some type of Heathen orthodoxy, the gods and giants are awesome figures to be feared or worship...

Imbedded deep in the ancestral faith is the understanding that there is no "blind fate" but rather self-creating power over destiny itself.  Recorded on the 4th of September 2023. ********* I recently participated in a somewhat heated discussion about whether, as Ásatrúars, we believe in “free will.” Several folks made the argument that, within our Germanic belief system, there is no such thing as “free will” —all is predetermined. Essentially the point was that, not unlike Macbeth and others, we cannot escape our fate. I was among those who strongly disagreed with this position. While matters of fate and destiny ( wyrd ) play a significant theme throughout the lore, the concept is best captured by the Norns — who are constantly weaving our wyrd. It is worth considering that nowhere in the lore do we encounter an image of Norns sitting around a finished garment — sipping tea and admiring their completed work. The images of the Norns and wyrd throughout the lore are assoc...

I have tread a path which has led me to this very spot. Each step has brought me nearer and nearer to the very place where I now stand. While there was always choice, how could I do other than what I have done? The great wonder remains--have I tread this path before?  Written between 30 July and 6 August 2023. ********* Anyone who might choose to plumb the depths of the works of Guido von List (5 October 1848 – 17 May 1919), will discover several unfamiliar terms. Among these terms, coined by List, and used frequently throughout his works, is Garma . On the surface this strange word appears to be the equivalent of the Sanskrit-derived karma (“action”). Indeed, for List, there is a close etymological association between the words. Consistently, however, List chose to use Garma throughout his writings rather than karma . Stephen Flowers points out that List had no issue using the Sanskrit term Rita (“Cosmic Order”),[1] leaving readers perplexed as to why List seemingly coined his ...