Opinion

Some Rune talk

/ lunarianraven / Leave a comment

So this time I want to talk about the runes. When I say runes I mean the Elder and Younger. I am aware that there are other runes like the Icelandic but for the sake of making this easier I am going to talk about the Elder and Younger Futhark. Again this post is more of an opinion post, directed at other Heathens who either force the idea that the runes are not magical or should not be used to write with or those who force the idea that the runes are solely magical.

The Elder Futhark

Elder Futhark Alphabet from Runes for Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain

The Elder futhark runes in the simplest terms is or was a form of written communication. Inscriptions were found on artifacts such as jewelry, tools, amulets, and weapons. I have heard arguments over whether or not the Elder Futhark was used for writing purposes, divination, magic or they should not be used as writing etc.. I’m no expert and I’m no rune master either, but they obviously were used. A lot of information either comes from the lore or whatever academics, historians, and archeological finds have uncovered and I am not afraid to admit that it can get very confusing when trying to learn about them. So people like us rely on either books or videos and other blogs to help us sort through it all. Of course no one is perfect and information changes upon new discoveries or others put forth their own theories, then things can get really muddled, especially when people push their theories and UPGs as fact.

One of the people I highly recommend learning from, and if you’re like me like visual things is Dr. Jackson Crawford. He has a Youtube channel with dozens of useful informational videos. I have been told by some Heathens, especially the ones that claim to be “Shaman” or “Volva” or that “follow the true ways” to stay away from Crawford’s channel because he is not “Heathen” or insert whatever label you want to use. Saying things like that should elicit an suspicious eyeroll.

Another person I also like to watch on Youtube is Arith Harger. He has lots of informative videos on the Norse faith as a whole. I recommend his runes playlist as he approaches them from both esoteric and academic views.

I find it easiest to research the runes from three different views.

  • Search and read the lore/myths.
  • Read up on the historical and academic findings and research.
  • Read on how the runes are applied for divinatory and magical use.

Of course start with one at a time, do not be like this doofus raven and try to do all the research at the same time. I have wracked my brain and burned myself out of it. Anyhow the order is totally up to you. As long as you are actually interested and motivated.

I don’t personally see anything wrong with wanting to write out names or phrases in the Elder Futhark or play around with them to find whatever is comfortable for you. I personally like the Elder runes, I think its a great way to get personal with them and a great way to learn them too.

Using Runes for Magic and divination.

Rune casting, rune scripts, and bindrunes are all fall on the magical/spiritual side of the spectrum. Which I have some experience in. I’ve only done a few of my own bindrunes and I only do a three or five rune spread. No, I will not do a reading for you, I’m not confidant enough to offer services. Anyways, lot of quarreling I’ve seen go on about weather or not the runes were used in magical works. Since there is so many arguments over it and from what I can find some scholars can’t agree if runes are or aren’t magical or were used as such and since no one can agree I’m going to just post my opinion. So to the ones that say the runes should not be used for magic, why? Why does it bother you so much? So what people want to make bindrunes and scripts put of the runes for luck, love, or happiness. If scholars can’t agree whether or not runes are a magical tool then what makes you an expert and gives you the right to tell people to stop? (I mean I suppose unless you’re an expert or academic, but even if you are you have no right to bully people and tell them how to go about practicing their path!) I think of the runes like I do writing and our letters if I write out a spell and recite it with the intention of accomplishing my goals then it shall be, same goes for runes. Here is an example of what I’m talking about.

“The pronouncement of words was recognized to have a tremendous influence over the concerns of life. The impact of a sentence uttered aloud could not be questioned and could never be taken back – as if it had become somehow physical. Words create reality, not the other way around.”

Catharina Raudvere

So if I draw out a bindrune for health or carve Algiz for protection and I feel protected then what’s the harm? All I am saying is that fellow Heathens and Pagans need to stop trying to push their views and ways on others, because you are starting to sound like a bunch of Christians. That is one of the things I love about Paganism as a whole that there is no right or wrong way to pursue this path. You literally carve your own path.

Younger vs. Elder

Younger Futhark Runes

I don’t use the younger futhark that much as I favor the Elder when working with the runes. I would like to work with the younger more but it seems that when it comes to the divination part of working with them that not many do, at least I haven’t seen many anyways. I mostly see people use the younger for writing things out, but I also don’t see why people couldn’t use them for other things. I would like to work more with the younger and even incorporate them into my practice some how. I don’t know a whole lot about the younger except that the elder evolved into the younger as time went on. Things change, and are always changing, and so do we.

In the end when it comes to working with the runes, choose whatever you are comfortable with. If you want to use the elder runes to write and divine with, then use them. If you want to only use the younger for writing then do so. Do whatever you think feels right. Look at the runes from both a academic and spiritual view. Use them for your esoteric purposes but also acknowledge their practical use as well. After all Odin didn’t hang Himself from the tree just so people could bicker and fight over who is right or wrong. You do you Wyrdos.

Pop Culture + Paganism

/ lunarianraven / 2 Comments

So, I want to just voice my thoughts on how paganism, well the Norse Gods and their myths are portrayed in pop culture and how some people might find their way to the Gods through said media.

First, I want to state I am a Norse Pagan and a Lokean, I enjoy video games, anime, manga, and T.V and I get so happy when I see something or someone from the Norse Myths end up in the media somehow, especially in video games and anime.

I see nothing wrong in enjoying something that has the Gods and their myths in it, it is meant for entertainment and of course things will be changed slightly or completely or even exaggerated from the original source. My reaction is “ok, this is for the entertainment” and I either indulge or not, depends on what it is. Then there are times I will find myself saying “Hey! That is not cool! Why are people treating my faith as a source of entertainment!?” Here is where I must take a step back and approach things from other’s perspectives.

  1. What I am watching/playing/reading is something NOT pagan related.
  2. The creator(s) are not pagan and are creating something using imagery/Gods/Norse Lore to entertain.
  3. The Norse Lore and Myths are seen as “Fantasy” rather than a people’s religion/faith. After all the old Gods are supposed have been replaced by Abrahamic God or other major religion, therefore do not exist as Gods but a “theme” for the fantasy genre.
  4. Having to accept that not everyone is going to see my faith as “legitimate” and will be used as a theme for something within the entertainment industry.
Loki as portrayed by actor Tom Hiddleston

These are some of the things that I check off before I get angry at something I see in pop culture. I think I’ll use Marvel’s Loki and Thor as an example. Now I am not by any means a fan, but I will admit I do enjoy the Thor movies and enjoy Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston as Thor and Loki respectively. I know the comics were here before the movies and Loki’s show, but this would also apply to them as well. Stan Lee from my understanding wanted to delve into Old Norse lore so he decided that Thor would be the one he would use. After some Googling I found out that Jack Kirby was quite familiar with Thor and His stories and even knew about Odin, Heimdallr, and Baldr and wanted to modernize them for comics. Ok, so you have two people who obviously had to either enjoy the lore and stories enough to want to bring these Gods to people’s attention albeit through comics but still it places the spotlight on them and the stories. If we can overlook the creative liberties taken, I see this as the Gods and their stories reaching wider audiences.

“But people are going to get the wrong idea!” Well sure, but the ones that get their interest piqued are going to do their research and find out the original and not exaggerated stories and some might even delve into the historic part too I.E Viking age Scandinavia. I think it solely depends on the individual and what and how they see things. We can’t force people into seeing our faith as anything other than a “fantasy” I hate to admit it, but the damage is done, all we can do is educate the ones who are willing to listen.

 Finding Norse Paganism through the popular media.

Odin depicted in Koei’s video game Warriors Orochi 4 Ultimate

Ok so this is something else I wanted to address. I have seen lots of other pagans get so angry at newbies over how they made their way to paganism in the first place, especially if it was through pop culture. So, I have to say this; why does it matter how they found (insert deity here)? “They’re going to get the wrong idea about ____” or “That’s not how that deity is!” or my favorite “they are going to treat it as a phase!” Ok, so instead of getting angry why not offer help and advice? Why not encourage them to do their research? Why are more experienced Pagans so obsessed with gatekeeping? I have met fellow Lokeans that became interested in Loki after watching the Marvel movies, I mean deity Loki. They obviously have interest and want to learn more about deity Loki. Why not help them and of course remind them that Tom’s Loki is nothing like deity Loki. In fact, the Lokeans I’ve meet already knew that deity Loki was vastly different from Tom’s Loki. Now, yes some say that Loki did present as Tom’s Loki, but it changed over time, but then for some it did not and guess what? They are still Lokean and worship deity Loki. I just do not understand the anger towards newbies that found their way to paganism through the popular media. I was one of those people too, just not Marvel, but through a video game. Koei’s Warriors Orochi 4. I had become unusually obsessed with the Odin character in that game which I had done some reading about deity Odin and it just clicked for me. The experience that followed was so incredibly bizarre, that I don’t even believe it happened (will write about that later) anyways after I started honoring Odin I did get to “meet” Him just in a very, very vivid dream and He did appear as He was portrayed in that video game. Now yes that could have been me, but I also think it might have been a way to “break the ice” so to speak and grab my attention. That was almost two years ago. I take Odin very seriously, I even thought I was going through a phase myself but, nope here I am still honoring Odin now, but He does not present as that video game Odin anymore. When I first started working with Odin, I already knew that deity Odin and the video game portrayal were very different from one another, and I separate the two. Separating the pop culture and deity versions are important and I think we as pagans/Heathens/Lokeans should try to encourage and help them to separate the pop culture from the deity instead of going off on them and gatekeep.

Enjoying Popular culture as a Pagan

This is another thing that I also see a lot in pagan circles. That somehow you are not allowed to enjoy the pop culture or entertainment that portrays the Gods and the lore. Like its against the rules or something. I mean I get that some might find the portrayals offensive or disrespectful, or that they feel that the lore was not researched enough, and things get left out or changed, or that the faith was portrayed poorly. This goes back to my previous mention about how most of the people create these things are not pagan and do not see this faith as legitimate and as much as it hurts, must accept that there are people out there that see this as fantasy. I do not think it is fair to force people to drop their interest in what they enjoy just because you are offended by it. Let them enjoy their movies, comics, T.V shows, video games and anime by the end of the day those people are still pagan and know how to separate the pop from the actual lore and faith. This world already has so much anger in it already why not just let people be happy. So, if you enjoy the Marvel movies, love the show Vikings and play God of War and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and are pagan too then enjoy away! Do not let people bully you into dropping what you enjoy just because something was portrayed incorrectly, and they got mad over it.

Baldr as depicted in the Japanese anime Kamigami no Asobi

This is just an opinion and my take on the pop culture thing. I see both sides of the argument, I get why people get mad but me personally, I choose not to get too angry over it. I have my moments but I go through my little checklist and try not to waste too much energy over it, I’m pretty laid back honestly. All I ask is that if you are one of those people who get angry over pop culture or people that enjoy it or found their way to paganism through, don’t bully or force the ones that do to stop enjoying what they love, either offer advice or just ignore them. Why waste energy by being angry at happy people? Stay Wyrd, my friends.