bloodteethandflame

A life in threes

Tag: runes

July 6, 2020

Month for Loki: Sixth

Is Loki a God of Fire?

Can fire be associated with Him?

Some folks – including scholars! – insist that Loki has nothing to do with fire at all, and that many Lokeans are misled into believing He is because there’s been some sort of mistaken conflation with Logi – the God of the Wildfire. *

I disagree.

I ask how could Loki not be associated with fire in some way – goodness, it’s evoked by one of the runes of His name!

And that rune is Kenaz – the rune of the torch- the physical light and heat of the hearth-fire, as well as the flame that illuminates the darkness, making shadows flee.

Kenaz is also the sacred fire that hallows the hearth and its surrounding spaces, and is the spark of consciousness that guides one through the inner darkness. In that sense, Kenaz is rune of journey-work, as it can be the torch that illuminates the path through the shadows, making Kenaz a great rune to call on during shamanic journeys that involve shadow-work.

Another aspect of Kenaz that I have come to realize is that as a rune of fire that can be controlled for a purpose – mundanely as the family hearth, and spiritually as a hallowing force – there is perhaps another spiritual purpose Kenaz may serve that is not mentioned very often…. And that is found both within Loki’s name and within the nature of fire: it burns away what is no longer necessary, and leaves the essence of a thing behind.

In the tale of Utgarda-Loki,  of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning (chapter 44), Loki, Thor and two of Thor’s servants set out for Jotunheim, and come to the castle of the giant king, Utgarda-Loki. While there, Utgarda-Loki insists that no one may stay in his castle unless they can perform amazing feats of strength and skill.

Loki is the first to volunteer to perform a feat, by claiming that  no one can eat as much food as He can, and

“… [Utgard Loki] called over to the very end of the bench that the man called Logi should take the floor in front of the company and pit himself against Loki. Then a trencher was fetched… and filled with chopped up meat. Loki sat down at one end and Logi at the other, and each of them ate as fast as he could. They met in the middle of the trencher and by then Loki had left only the bones from the meat, but Logi had eaten all of the meat, bones, and trencher, so everyone thought that Loki had lost the contest.” (1)

But did He?

***UPG ALERT***

(and a trigger warning about reference to taboo subject: death)

Now here is where the reader meets Logi – the very God that some Internet scholars have claimed is being mistakenly conflated with Loki Laufeyjarson – and I think there is a detail that is quite telling about the metaphor of the speed of consumption being compared between Logi the God of Wildfire and Loki Laufeyjarson…

Now, if one thinks of the way fire consumes matter, of course a wildfire consumes most, if not everything in its path.

But if Loki has the essence of fire within Himself as well, what kind of fire ‘consumes’ the meat but leaves the bones behind?

And that’s when it hit me: A cremation fire.

A cremation leaves the bones behind, and sometimes even some of the organs of denser tissue, like the heart.

Perhaps Kenaz is a rune that burns to the heart of the matter…

Indeed.

So perhaps, I believe there’s another aspect of Kenaz as a rune of both mundane and sacred fire that can be found in the runes of Loki’s name – and that hearkens to His role as a God Who is the Father to Death. So perhaps it is not surprising that Loki may have more of a connection to specific fire rituals than is usually mentioned, as well as connection to a specific sort of sacred fire – the cremation fire.

~~~

Thanks for reading!

~~~

(1) Young, Jean I. (trans.); The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson: Tales from Norse Mythology, University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1954; pp.72-78.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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July 5, 2020

Month for Loki: Fifth

On Othala:

Loki is a shaman just as Odin is, and Othala in His name represents His purview as a Master of Boundaries (as one must master all that defines a boundary in order to know how to push, much less break through a boundary.)

Luckily, one of the aspects of Othala is as a rune that represents a created boundary around the home, the community, and perhaps, the boundaries that define the individual  body.

Othala represents both what protects the tangible and intangible ‘wealth’/property of a space, as well as the intangible wealth of one’s heritage/knowledge, the boundaries of body and mind.

Loki as a crosser of boundaries is well versed in magicks that dissolve boundaries, as He is a liminal God, One Who stands between worlds, in pushing boundaries, and crossing boundaries.

As a protective rune, Othala may signify the holy enclosure that echoes back to a holy role as featured in the Migration Age gold stamped bracteates, (1) such as this one:

RZ bracteate

Therefore, the rune Othala can be invoked to create a sacred space/boundary for any individual or community work in much the same way one calls the quarters or casts a circle. The Norse specifically have rituals of ‘landtaking’ and frithstead making (see Thor’s Weoende Song).

Othala can be invoked to create sacred space for other specific forms of spiritual work, as follows:

-Othala is an appropriate rune to call upon for ancestral work as Othala is a rune that signifies spiritual heritage; thus Othala can be incorporated into any ritual that honors one’s ancestors (such as that which is done at Samhain or Yule).

– Othala can be an appropropriate rune for any ritual-work that requires calling upon one’s ancestors or the Norns themselves during divination or pathwalking (such as utiseta or seidr) as Othala is a rune that represents ancestral knowledge

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Othala is a powerful rune that is said to hold the power of all other runes, along with representing both the physical and spiritual boundaries. Othala is a rune of powerful protective magic that can be invoked to mark space, hallow ground and hold energy within specific boundaries for divination and pathwalking.

 

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(1) Stephan Grundy, PhD in Norse Studies, discusses in his book that “…there are three main surviving accounts of Baldur’s death. This concept… of Baldr as ‘sacred offering’ is the earliest account (c. 500 C.E) and is based upon the imagery that is stamped upon several Migration Age gold pendants called the “Three God Bracteates” which were worn for good luck… The three Gods are generally thought to be Loki, Odin, and Baldr. This interpretation, [according to Grundy] was first advanced by scholar Karl Hauck, as the bracteates depict three figures standing within an enclosure; one with a spear, one with a ring, and the other is winged and appears of mixed gender.” (Grundy, Stephan; God in Flames, God in Fetters: Loki’s Role in Northern Religion, pp. 9-15)

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July 4, 2020

Month for Loki: Fourth

Lately, I’ve had runes on my mind, especially in terms of expanding upon the layered meanings held by the runes in Loki’s name, and this post concerns the newest thoughts I’ve had concerning Laguz.

As I’ve written before, the changing flow of water invoked by the rune Laguz is very representative of Loki’s shape-shifting abilities

More literally, one may recall how Loki takes the form of the salmon that swims to the source of waterfall, but more often, metaphorically, working with Loki can feel like being brought down into the water of the subconscious to do emotional/shadow work.

underwater (1)(Photo: Medical Daily)

This is yet another aspect of His purview that I believe can be symbolized by the Laguz in His name.

At least, this has been my path with Him, and one that I find especially evocative in the following poem, written by Jacob Ibrag

Deeper

It feels like sinking.

Like you’re trying to break the waters

surface with every kick your body delivers.

You remember that panic causes

more panic so you try to remain placid.

Deeper.

You think about love and if you really

had it.

If it was really love then why hasn’t it lasted?

Maybe if it was real love, you would’ve

already been found.

And if it was real love, how could it ever die out?

Deeper.

You try forming

a symbiotic relationship with the water, letting it take you so you can become a part of it.

You’ve always belonged here.

Deeper.

You let go, giving up the fight.

Remembering

that it was all in your head as you wake up in the middle of the night.

~~~

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July 3, 2020

Month for Loki: Third

Laguz I surrender to the depth and the flow
Othala I surrender to that which encompasses all [the Norns know]
Kenaz I surrender to the flame that roars and sings
Isa I surrender to the stillness at the beginning and the end of all things

 

Lokirunes

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July 6, 2018

Month for Loki, Day 4: The Runes of Your Name (K)

KENAZ

The Elder Futhark rune, Kenaz is the torch, a rune of knowledge, teaching and learning. Inspiration and knowledge are often associated with light, as in “enlightenment” or “shedding light on the problem.” Kenaz is the act of bringing light, a force that makes the invisible visible, uncovering truth and bringing light to the unseen. In this sense, Kenaz is a rune that represents the flame of revelation.

As well, Kenaz can also be interpreted as the flame that welcomes, the flame at the hearth, which is the fire which hallows (makes sacred) a space.

In a similar way that Laguz is the flowing energy of water that must be controlled, so does Kenaz hold the powerful energy of fire – a force which is capable of being a beacon and a destroyer – as a welcoming fire could just as easily burn out of control if one becomes complacent about its power. Kenaz is a rune of sudden, rapid insight and discovery.

Related to this meaning, the Anglo-Saxons interpreted this rune as Kaunen/Cen a rune that is not only the essence of the torch’s flame that illuminates the shadows, but a rune that symbolizes an ulcer, boil or wound. In that sense, this rune the heat of a fever, the mark of an illness that can easily lead to death, or metaphorically, the frenzy that can be brought on by sudden revelations that leads to delusion and/or madness.

 

Though many scholars may disagree with me, as a rune in Loki’s name, I interpret Kenaz as evoking Loki’s energetic association with fire.  Kenaz is the light of knowledge, the force that illuminates the shadows, and the symbol of the welcoming hearth-fire at the center of the home.

As well, I see the relation to Loki’s energy in both the Elder Futhark and Anglo-Saxon runic forms: as the Kenaz rune echoes the energetic duality as fire as a provider and destroyer similar to the rune Laguz’s duality of water – and as Kaunen, the rune that symbolizes the boil/ulcer, the fevered mark of an illness – the fever that needs to break before one can be healed, or the damage that must be attended to, as Kaunen is both the warning and the reminder that must be heeded to avoid death/disaster.

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July 3, 2018

Month for Loki, Day 3: The Runes of Your Name (O)

OTHALA

Othala is a rune that represents a wealth that cannot be sold, just as its shape evokes the boundary that surrounds an enclosure whose contents cannot be taken away. As a symbol, Othala is a protective rune that maintains and preserves that which it protects within its framework. In that sense, Othala represents that which belongs to the individual by natural law. But Othala represents more than physical property and boundaries – Othala represents home, family and community, as well.  Othala symbolizes the cultural and spiritual heritage that has been passed down to us by our ancestors. Othala is the rune of that ancestral connection, representing the thread of ancient knowledge and wyrd.

~~~

Some rune-workers consider Othala as the final rune in Elder Futhark, and believe that in that sense, Othala contains the potential power of all the other runes. As well, Othala represents powerful ancestral memory and wisdom…the shared genetic memory-wisdom that links and therefore unifies all human beings throughout time.(1)

Author Dagulf Loptson sees the second rune in Loki’s name, Othala  as representing both what Loki values (family and home), but also what He both struggles with (His Jotun ancestry) and what He seeks (a sense of belonging with the Aesir).  Loptson sees the energy of Othala in Loki’s name as being how chaotic energy has been harnessed and used for the security of a community, as Loki inadvertently provides the Aesir with a form of physical wealth/property through gifts (Thor’s hammer, Odin’s spear, Freyr’s ship) that were won through the use of His mental gifts (negotiation/wit with the dwarves). In another situation, Loki provides another form of protection to the Aesir in the form of a physical boundary (the wall around Asgard) through use of one of His ancestral gifts (shapeshifting). (2)

Personally, I have come to see Othala similarly, as a rune of ancestral memory.  In my opinion, how the second rune of His name applies to Loki is that, as a Jotun, Loki is in essence, a powerful and creative force of nature. Some scholars have theorized that Loki could be identified as one of the trio of ancestral creators – as Lóðurr – who animated the first humans – Ask and Embla – with Hœnir and Odin, as described in in the Völuspá.  

~~~

(1.) http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/othala-rune-meaning-analysis

(2.) Loptson, Dagulf, Playing With Fire: An Exploration of Loki Laufeyjarson, Asphodel Press, Hubbardston, MA, 2014, p.216

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July 2, 2018

Month for Loki, Day 2: The Runes of Your Name (L)

One of the first things I ever did to honor Loki was to embroider an altar cloth featuring the four runes of His name, in Elder Futhark:

(Laguz Othala Kenaz Isa)

Aside from the strange (but perhaps not so surprising) difficulty that I experienced in the process of embroidering this cloth, I do remember that as a time when the meaning of the runes themselves confused me…as I had only begun to learn their mysteries.

However, in the intervening years since then,  I have come to study runes, and the most important thing I have learned is that runes aren’t just an alphabet system; each rune has an energy and spirit of its own.  And as any rune-worker can tell you: working with the runes is to work with the layers of spiritual presence and power held by each rune. One of the meanings of the word ‘rune’ is ‘secret’ – so one might begin to see why it is sometimes said that the runes themselves reveal their secrets as one works with them.

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that words are important because words are powerful. Their power comes from the ability of words to make our thoughts manifest.

Now imagine if you would how this concept operates regarding runes: if each rune has its own layers of spiritual connection and meaning, therefore the power of several runes can be created in the formation of words.

Now, consider the power of names.

Names are powerful in the sense that a name is a personal word-thing.

With this in mind, let’s consider the runes of Loki’s name.

First…

LAGUZ

Laguz is the flow of Water. Laguz is the flow of Wyrd – the pools and the depths. Laguz is forward progress that seeks the cracks in the obstacles and blockages.  Laguz is a paradox just as water is: like water, Laguz represents a balm that can soothe and strengthen and Laguz is the force that can threaten and overwhelm all that is within its path.

As a part of Loki’s name, Laguz is the representation of energetic flow, as the energetic forces within, the essence of the subconscious mind; intuitive thought and emotion.

 Like Loki Himself, Laguz represents a shapeshifting nature, as water is shapeless, formless, taking the shape of its container, and yet it seeks its own path; it can be blocked by an obstacle or it can simply flow around it, much like Loki’s ever-changing energy.

Laguz is a rune that embodies a dual-nature, much like Loki’s: Laguz is an energetic force much like the ocean; a force that can be calm and full of provision and promise, or a force can overwhelm and destroy.

And finally, Laguz is a rune of awareness of what lies beneath the surface, a rune of knowledge and psychic ability.

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April 18, 2018

Silent: a piece for deep meditation.

Here is an excellent meditation piece – with bindrune – recently shared to one of my FB groups

courtesy of  the folks at Red Trillium Farm:

 

“Silent. Be still and know.

Find the quiet and empty places and all will fill you.

In the stillness, the gift will come.

Isa: Stillness

Gebo: Gifts, given and received.

Ansuz: Wisdom, revelation.

A piece for deep meditation, clearing the mind, stilling the thoughts.

Become quiet and you will hear your answers.”

From Red Trillium Farm

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September 27, 2017

Rune-carving.

So I spent yesterday morning hand carving runes for my shop:

…and goodness, was it an adventure!

You see, I’d never carved runes to be used by someone else before, so I wasn’t entirely certain how they would come out.

As well, I hadn’t used this particular set of wood carving blades/chisels to carve runes before, so there was a learning curve there as well.

Surprisingly, I had to sharpen them halfway through the process. (They were brand new so I don’t know how or why they dulled so quickly. Hmmm.*)

At any rate, the only rune I seemed to have difficulty with actually carving for some reason was Ansuz, (the fourth rune).

Even galdring Ansuz felt somehow strange, as well.

and even though I made offerings to each of my own stone runes** as I carved each new rune on the wooden blank:

…it was rough going for the next few runes.

However by the time, I’d reached Eiwhaz, (a rune that feels most like an old friend), I was feeling more confident, having reached a sort of rhythm in both the carving and the galdring.

So, after Eiwhaz the rest of the runes came to rather nicely.

And the next thing you know, I had Othala on the carving block…

And I realized I was finished with the ‘carving’ part.

Overall, I am feeling pretty good about the whole process…and one step closer to having a rune set ready for my shop.

~~~

Though I cannot help but recall that in the summer of 2014, I had a psychic tell me in a reading that I would find satisfaction in woodcarving, and I had to laugh.
I hadn’t attempted to carve anything in wood since I was a child.
But I bought my first wood carving blade shortly after that, so I think I can admit that she was right.

I did enjoy that process 🙂

~~~

*  I was using ash blanks, if that makes any difference…

* * Since I’d been told by several runecrafters that one should not ‘feed’ a rune set if it is going to be given to someone else – that should be left for the purchaser/user to do – I found much to my surprise that my own runes were quite hungry… O.o

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July 23, 2017

Month for Loki, Twenty-second: Clearly

I don’t know if I’d ever gotten around to mentioning this, but I am working on another project which has become rather intense lately.

After several incredibly productive weeks, it felt as if certain aspects of the project were just not flowing anymore, and I couldn’t figure out why.

So I pulled a few runes to see if I could tease out what was the source of the blockage:

And this is what came up.

Situation: Laguz –  a rune that represents the essence of flow, the essence of depth, complexity.

Overall Aspect: Wunjo – a rune that represents joy.  A rune of success and happiness. Situation has the potential to go well.  Paired with Laguz, this felt like an excellent sign.

So what happened?

Result: Berkano, reversed- Like a sneaky ton of bricks, I immediately grasped the message here: Your attitude is affecting the potential here; your overall attitude is affecting the growth and the flow.  I see Berkano as a rune of fertility here; and its reversal marks it as the blockage: a fertility that may be misdirected…a profound indicator about how my own attitude – perhaps I am ‘fertilizing’ or feeding my worries and stresses about the project rather than pushing past them or through them – and *that* is the problem.

Huh.

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a clear message through my runes before….

But that’s it in a nutshell, as it relates to the project, it would seem that the runes are telling me to get the eff out of my own way.

Again, point taken, Sir. 😯

 

 

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