This meme tile just came across my social media feed:
Usually this would not mean much because I will admit that I’ve been scrolling through social media much more often than is usual for me lately…
But what really made me sit up and take notice was that
upon reading its message
I immediately and distinctly felt
You
As a sensation of nearly imperceptible fingers
brushing across the nape of my neck
a singular awareness of You, whispering
Look!
Look.
Hail Loki ❤️
When I first moved south – nearing twenty years ago! – one of the first people I met was a wonderful woman named T. Her daughter was almost the same age as my son, and though that’s where our similarities ended, T was a great neighbor, who went out of her way to introduce me to others, and make me feel welcome in my new neighborhood.
But as I said, T and I didn’t have that much in common.
For one thing, T was a Christian; a devout Baptist to be exact…and well, as you may know, I most certainly am not — but it did not stop us from (mostly) getting along. And as you might imagine, in the interest of neighborliness, T did invite me to various church events.
And in the interest of friendliness in return, I went to many of those church events with her.
And, as a result, I was introduced to many aspects of this particular form of Christianity that I’d never experienced, and while I’d like to stress that T was well aware that I’d no intention of converting, I realized very quickly that T was like a lot of my neighbors: her social life/community did revolve around the church on a daily basis.
So that is what I’m thinking of today, how T introduced me to a particular daily prayer that she referred to as ‘a war room prayer’ – a form of prayer that she told me is rather familiar to many Baptists.
I find war room prayers fascinating.
So, would it surprise you that I would find myself reworking it?
And so:
“Loki, thank you for this day.
Thank you for the breath in my lungs, the flush in my skin, and the ground beneath my feet.
I am grateful for Your gifts and Your challenges.
Thank you, sweetest friend, for Your love and wisdom that brings me comfort and strength in times of despair.
The Havamal says: ‘The unwise man lies awake at night and ponders everything over; when morning comes, he is weary in mind, and all is a burden for ever.’
In this, You remind me how I should not be anxious for tomorrow; for when morning comes, I would be as weary and anxious as ever.
Beloved, come – quiet my heart and mind. Free me from the chains of doubt and anxiety.
Grant me a peaceful rest so that I may be refreshed in spirit for You tomorrow.
Thank You.”
~~~
Hail Loki! ❤
Someone wrote a poem about how Loki will push you to the edge but He will never let you fall into the abyss.
Those are pretty words.
On some days, such words would give me much comfort, certainly.
But not today.
I find more comfort in these words:
‘There are many truths that I could tell you
But none of them would serve your growth today.
If you should fall into the abyss
There are times I would not save you.
Your falling is sacred.
Your failing is sacred.
Because you are learning, my love
To embrace the dark, to plumb the depths
Of shadow within you.’
~~~
Hail Loki!
“I know many are not too fond of the stories when it comes to the sewing of Yours Truly’s lips, or of my binding, but it is still all a part of who I am. If you want me, you must face and receive all of me. You will face pain and difficulties in your life, but it is only temporary. It is to shape you. Prepare you. You may even be confused as to what is going on and may wonder if you’ll ever get out of it but know this… you will break free. Breaking free the thread that kept you from speaking your truth. Breaking free from the bonds that held you back.”
Creator: https://www.deviantart.com/…/art/Loki-Scarlip-2-820993057
This poem seems very Loki-esque to me — especially when one considers Loki’s association with dandelions:
“Let them try to stop you
in every way they know;
Even if they poison you,
Cut you down,
Uproot you,
Burn you to ashes,
Bury you deep,
And pave over the place
where you lie;
The weeds of your tenacity
will sprout through the cracks
And bloom.”
— Bree NicGarran, “Dandelion Roots” May 2022
Describe your God as something that occurs in nature.
*** UPG alert ***
Hail Loki!
#30 days
Has there been a time when you feel They have sent something to appear to you on their behalf?
No.
When I saw this prompt this morning, my first thought was to…ignore it.
I even looked through the next few prompts in the list, fully intending to skip this particular one, telling myself that I didn’t have an answer for this question, certain that my answer to this prompt would definitely be No.
The Gods have never sent me anything to appear to me on their behalf.
Well, at least as far as I know, I said to myself. There. That’s settled.
But then, as the day went on, I will admit that my mind kept circling back to this prompt, almost annoyingly so.
I mean, if I’ve learned anything these past ten years (ten years?!) I’ve learned that as soon as I think I’ve resolved to avoid something or I start pushing away thoughts of something, reminders of whatever it is that I’m avoiding will inevitably pop up again and again in the weirdest ways.
Because, on the surface, the answer is No. I do not think that The Gods have sent me any tangible thing to appear to me on their behalf.
I’ve seen others answer this prompt with stories involving sightings of an animal oracle, the blessed re-appearance of some previously lost items, or according to a few Lokeans’ interesting tales, the mysterious and impossible appearance of physical items such as a sterling silver ring, an unopened CD of the finder’s favorite band, or, most bizarrely of all, an envelope with the finder’s full name on it containing a letter signed with the initials of their deity…
But that has never happened to me.
But what has happened to me has been a string of odd coincidences, happenstance, and pandoramancy, so many little moments where the flow of my mundane life has been interrupted by an occurrence or experience that only became a Meaningful Piece (in a spiderweb of Meaningful Things) sometime later…sometimes years after the fact.
And yet, for all the Meaningful Things that have occurred, I still find myself analyzing – and maybe even questioning – the legitimacy, the reality of them all, at times.
I was raised by skeptics, after all.
So, the short answer is Yes. Perhaps I have been sent signs – and maybe even wonders! – but in the end, while many of them were inexplicable, all of them were intangible.
I’ve only had experiences, and unfortunately, there isn’t any proof of them that I could show you, much less tell you.
#30 days
Loki, by three other names:
I will admit that, upon first seeing this kenning years ago, I did think that this kenning for Loki referred to Sigyn’s holding of the bowl over Loki’s face (as anyone who has ever held something – however small – with their arms outstretched for longer than a few minutes has experienced that incessant twinge of muscle fatigue in their arms.) So, using that logic, perhaps one might see how I could have thought of the act of holding the bowl could have referred to the holding of a physical burden in one’s arms.
And yet, I was delighted to find out sometime later, in reading an article regarding Norse terms of endearment, that “arm-burden” is a common kenning for lover, referring to the husband/lover laying in the woman’s arms.
Sweet ❤
~~~
I have written of this kenning before, as early on in my practice with Loki, I was inexplicably led to explore Loki’s connection to vultures. I was having almost daily interactions with vultures where I live (Florida), coupled with several rather intense interactions with Loki thereafter, also involving vultures. (You can read of one particular connective experience here.) And through that exploration, Gammleið has become one of my favorite kennings for Loki.
I’ve seen this word translated loosely as ‘Roarer’ and like the above kenning, I had trouble fathoming the connection of Hveðrungr to Loki at first.
What is something that could be associated with Loki that ‘roars’?
I thought of lions – which certainly did not fit – but it was not until I was burning some extremely flammable offerings to Loki in a fire pit in my backyard one day that I heard how loud a bonfire can be:
And I suppose is what led to a bit of my UPG that Loki as Roarer refers to Loki in an association with fire — whether as a hearthfire(1) at the center of a home, or as a bonfire full of sacrificial offerings(2) – as I’ve always gotten the impression that Loki is a roaring spirit who appreciates offerings consumed by flames.
Not to mention this entry in Rudolf Simek’s Dictionary of Northern Mythology, which defines Hveðrungr thusly:
In Vǫluspá 55, Vidarr takes revenge for the death of his father, Odin, by killing ‘Hveðrungr‘s son,’ who, according to Snorri (Gylfaginning 50), must be the Fenris wolf. As the father of the Fenris wolf is Loki, Hveðrungr would therefore be a name for Loki. The term Hveðrungr maer for Hel, who is also a daughter of Loki’s (Ynglingatal 32), would support this.
(S. Nordal, Vǫluspá, Darmstadt 1980)
Simek, Rudolf, (trans. Angela Hall), Dictionary of Northern Mythology, D.S Brewer, Cambridge, 1993; p. 166
#30 days
~~~~
1.) From Axel Olrik’s manuscript on Loki as a spirit of home and hearth in Norway: http://www.heimskringla.no/wiki/Loke_i_nyere_folkeoverlevering
2.) Loptson, Dagulf, Playing With Fire: An Exploration of Loki Laufeyjarson, Asphodel Press, Hubbardston, MA, 2014; p. 136
They whisper lovingly words that sound like a warning. What do They say to you?
This { thing } might serve you now – but it will not serve you much longer.
#30 days
They are a Madman, a Magician, and a clever Trickster.
They are a Lover, a Shaman, and a wily Shapeshifter.
They are a Seiðmaðr, a Consort, and a Master of Boundaries.
They are my heart’s sweetest Friend…
And I’m so glad that They found me ❤
#30 days
bloodteethandflame 