Tales from the Ironwood

"Kvasir’s Blood" was written on 8 and 9 February 2020. With the article only halfway written on the 8th, I sipped Dansk Viking Blod mead in the evening. It served as a worthy and useful inspiration. May all find inspiration through Grimnir’s gift. ********* When Germanic Heathens gather, there is typically mead about. The newcomer to Ásatrú has likely read that mead plays a significant role in many of its rituals. It may be splashed with an evergreen sprig upon those gathered or it may be sipped or even quaffed from a hefty drinking horn. But what is this drink, sometimes called the oldest alcoholic beverage? Despite various reports about the growing popularity of mead, it can be somewhat difficult to find locally.[1] I recall walking into a fairly well-stocked liquor store and asking if they sold mead. “What is that, beer?” I was asked in response. I tried again in an upscale winery. With an air of snobbery, the proprietor replied, “Wine made from honey? Some people w...

"Becoming Odin" was written on 12 January 2020 although the key ideas have been forming in my mind over the past couple of years. I recall many of these thoughts taking shape while touring Columcille Megalith Park during the spring of 2018. ********* For Ásatrúars the two primary texts are Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda and the anonymous compilation known as The Poetic Edda . It has long been my contention that Snorri’s thirteenth-century work contains secret messages and meaning for those who understand or are able to decipher the text.[1] The first part of Snorri’s Edda contains the well-known Gylfaginning (“The Tricking of Gylfi”), one of the most important early accounts of the Norse gods. On the surface, Gylfaginning recounts the tale of a wondrous visit to Asgard (ON: Ásgarðr ) by King Gylfi of Sweden. Once in Asgard Gylfi poses a long series of questions to its rulers, High ( Har ), Just-as-high ( Jafnhar ), and Third ( Thrithi ) --three of the many names of O...

As I explain in the opening of "Swearing Oaths," the text for this article formed in its entirety during my dreams on 6 May 2018 and were recorded upon waking. Recalling what seems a rather odd phenomenon, I realize that I have had articles, songs, speeches and even solutions to complex problems at work form in my dreams. Upon its completion, I became more certain than ever that Snorri was purposefully deceptive when composing his Edda . ********* While I often have vivid dreams, they are rarely useful or revealing especially with regard to my spiritual faith, Ásatrú. It was therefore strange and exciting when I awoke one morning with a clear and practical explanation of a key story from our lore. I have long believed that the authors of the Eddas obscured important messages through their use of poetic form.[1]  The mysteries that lay hidden beneath the surface of the texts are however difficult to discern. Authors who recommend that we not only read the lore, but familia...

My initial thoughts on Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda  were completed in May 2017. While some of the ideas contained therein were not yet fully formed, my insights remain core to my understanding of Snorri's text. For those who seek the mysteries, Snorri's Edda is a wonderful place to explore. ********* One of the most important texts available to Ásatrúar (and others interested in the study of Germanic spirituality, Norse mythology or Icelandic literature) is Snorri Sturluson’s Edda , sometimes referred to as the “Prose Edda” or the “Younger Edda” to differentiate it from mythological and heroic poems normally referred to as the “Poetic Edda” or “Elder Edda.” [1] Sturluson’s thirteenth century work is composed of three parts of which Gylfaginning (“The Tricking of Gylfi”) is the most popular and certainly the most influential. It is this section, which recounts the fantastic tales of the Norse gods, that has been rewritten and retold by numerous authors through the ye...

"The Tale of the Krampus" was written on 12 October 2017. It was originally intended to be read to attendees of the Krampusnacht celebration held by my fellowship. That celebration never occurred due to inclement weather. The work was rewritten shortly thereafter in poetic form by Gothi Joseph and served as the script for a dramatic presentation that was held during the Yuletide in January 2018. ********* Listen now to a tale, a tale of winter’s past. It is a tale as old as our common memory; a tale handed down by our Folk of an ancient journey. On a cold winter’s night, beneath the grey of the frigid sky, the God Thor set out to travel to the East, to the land of his greatest foes, to Giantland—to Jotunheim . He set off in a chariot pulled by his powerful goats, Tooth-grinder and Tooth-barer. On this journey he chose to allow Loki to accompany him. In these days Loki was often mischievous but was renowned for how clever he could be. He had not yet become the archenemy of...

I wrote this review of Midsommar during the morning of 9 December 2019. I had become aware of the film during the summer of 2019 but never had the opportunity to watch it. I was very pleased when Amazon Prime offered it for viewing. The review developed in my mind that night while sleeping and was in nearly complete form when I rose from bed the following morning. ********* I attempt to stay current with depictions of traditional Nordic European culture in popular and mainstream media. When I saw the trailer for Midsommar , a new film directed by Ari Aster and starring the up and coming Florence Pugh, I made a mental note to check it out. The trailer piqued my curiosity by revealing a group of twenty-something Americans vacationing in Sweden and visiting natives who are planning an elaborate celebration of the Midsummer holiday. Images included Swedes dressed in white gowns adorned with runes with bouquets of flowers in their hair. It was clear to me from the start that this lovel...

"Why Ásatrú?" was originally written on 25 August 2018. It was later transformed into one of the middle chapters of my book, Tales from the Ironwood. I think it serves well as a stand-alone piece and is a fair representation of my thinking at the time. It has become one of the most popular of my articles. Victor Hugo warned however that "popularity is a piece of faded tinsel that is out of date." ********* WHEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY LEARN that I have embraced a faith that honors and worships the pre-Christian gods of Europe, they are typically bewildered. I recall one of my cousins saying, “Well that’s fine, but I think it’s crazy.” I refrained from pointing out the “crazy” things that Christians believe like a teenaged virgin giving birth to god Almighty or that everyone born before the time of Christ was damned to Hell for all eternity. Other friends and family often remained silent, choosing not to discuss religion, but presumably thinking much the same. Few se...