The Germanic Path

[Freya Kä]

Hello everyone,

I know this topic goes back to 2004, but I think it's better late than never...!

First, it is really great to see the germanic/norse path being brought up here; though I'm more on the scandinavian path than the germanic one. Some posts here made me smile because I've been following the norse path for almost 8 years now and I'm about to begin the OBOD courses, while some of you are doing the opposite!

Some posts mentionned the works of Diana L. Paxson and Freya Aswynn and thought I could put my two cents into it.

Since the first posts were made, Paxson has written a book on runes and I find it quite interesting; it studies the runes linking them to passages of the Havamal (a poem from the Elder Edda) and studying the rune poems (all three of them : anglo-saxon, icelandic and norvegian - from what I remember) in depth. The title of the book is "Taking up the runes" and here is its link at Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 257/obod0d

There is a yahoo! group that started in late August and its mission is to study the runes following Pasxon's book, here is the link : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Taking_Up_The_Runes/

As for Freya Aswynn, she offers a runic correspondence course which is quite interesting and study the Runes and the Northern Mysteries and includes exercises, meditations, rituals and more on runes and norse path. Her link : http://www.aswynn.co.uk/. So far, this course is the only "norse course" I've found that can compare to what OBOD offers.

As for associations, I'm a member of The Troth and appreciate it very much, the mailing list is quite active and discussions vary from lore, runes, ceremonies, ecology, politics, archeology, paganism and more. I don't know much about the clergy programm, but I know you have to be an ACTIVE member of The Troth for at least a year and you have to fill quite an exhaustive questionnaire about yourself in order to be "accepted" and it focuses mainly on clergy (well the name says it all) - which does not appeal to everyone since you need to be in a group or in a community in order to fulfill your role of clergy.

Finally, as for Germanic Paganism, there is what we call Irmenschaft or Irminism, which comes from Irminsul, a german term for Yggdrasil, the World Tree. I don't know much about Irmenschaft, but here is a link that could help you : http://www.irminenschaft.net/

There is also this website located in Germany : http://www.eldaring.de/content/index.php - which is associated with The Troth. And last of it, the Irminsul Aettir website has quite a big list of groups and kindreds all over the world : http://www.irminsul.org/as/aswkind.html

Hope this helps...

Freya Kä

[Eilthireach]

Heilsa Freya Kä!

Thank you for posting these interesting links!

I didn't know that Diana Paxson has published a Rune book. Since it will probably never reach the German market, news like these arrive slowly over here.

Let me make two personal remarks from my German viewpoint:

The Irminenschaft is obviously using the runelore Futhark, at least there are corresponding recommendations in their book list. The runelore Futhark is generally not considered authentic over here. Moreover, the German runelore Gesellschaft (society) held some dubious political connections, at least in earlier times and heathens usually make their way around them.

I have been a contributing member to the Eldaring boards (not of Eldaring itself) and I have stopped posting there. I simply had the feeling that nobody understands me. There are of course some really devoted and knowledgeable people there and the Eldaring in my eyes is still the only serious Germanic pagan organisation in Germany (besides the Rabenclan, possibly), but very frankly, there are lots of people there who believe that listening to Viking Metal and opening a can of beer to the High Festivals is paganism.
In their defence it might be said that the OBOD course sets a very high standard in spiritual education and the teaching of esoteric techniques, while in the contrary corresponding publications in German language are rare to non-existant.
There are presently efforts being made to bring the German language OBOD course to the attention of a wider audience. I think this is a good thing, because it would really close a gap.

With greetings from beneath the Bavarian Alps,

Eilthireach /|\.

[katsu]

there are lots of people there who believe that listening to Viking Metal and opening a can of beer to the High Festivals is paganism.

It isn't???

Katsu
(srry, couldn't resist . I weiss wie es ist, mein freund. Wir können nur hoffen das es besser gehen wirdest)

[Freya Kä]

The Irminenschaft is obviously using the runelore Futhark, at least there are corresponding recommendations in their book list. The runelore Futhark is generally not considered authentic over here. Moreover, the German runelore Gesellschaft (society) held some dubious political connections, at least in earlier times and heathens usually make their way around them.

Yes, I was afraid you (or someone else from Germany) would point out something like that. Funny thing is lots of modern authors base their studies on the runelore futhark (such as Edred Thorsson) and few people seem to be bothered with that.

but very frankly, there are lots of people there who believe that listening to Viking Metal and opening a can of beer to the High Festivals is paganism.
In their defence it might be said that the OBOD course sets a very high standard in spiritual education and the teaching of esoteric techniques, while in the contrary corresponding publications in German language are rare to non-existant.

This is very commun in general heathenism, I would say that as much as Wiccans are said to be "fluffy" or "perverts", Heathens are said to be "big belly guys who swear and drink beer all the time" (and why not add the long hair and heavy metal music and you have quite a nice package)!

I must admit I've been very disappointed in my search for serious heathen groups and I'm happy and grateful to have come across The Troth, the only heathen group where I feel that discussion is welcome, even though not everybody agrees with one and each other, since we all have different backgrounds and different way to approach the divine and the myths. A lot of the members of the Troth come from either Wicca or general paganism and seem to understand that there is alot more than meets the eye - I don't want to put myself in a tiny box and our heathen ancestors did not conceived their world and their beliefs as such.

As for OBOD being a very high standard course, you are right, but in my opinion, any spiritual association that defines itself as such should be seeking high standard knowledge, just as bouddhism for example. I strongly believe that paganism has several "layers" of knowledge, from "superficial" to "extremely deep" and all should be explore when you become seriously involved into it (but then again, just like I said, that's only my opinion and my way of working).

The trouble with Heathenism is that you have on the right a handful of "superficial" (meaning that they don't go in depth) writings and authors and followers, and on the left, you have a handful of scholars who care more about history or archeology and are not interested in pagan beliefs. Take Georges Dumezil for example, his books are loaded with info on Norse peoples, but very hard to approach from a pagan point of view, since most of what we know of "old heathenism" is based on assumptions and Dumezil did not write from a pagan point of view.

I've found that what works best for me is to study the eddas and my favourite authors and to complete with personnal knowledege/experiences and a more "serious" (meaning that it goes deeper) course like OBOD.

I don't remember if it's been brought up, but there is a book that we could say is an "initiatory novel" that blends history with fantasy. The title is "The Way of Wyrd", by Brian Bates. He also wrote "The Readl Middle-Earth" which is also quite good.

Oh, I've written a mile-long post...

[DJ Droood]

there are lots of people there who believe that listening to Viking Metal and opening a can of beer to the High Festivals is paganism.

It isn't???

lol...I was going to say the same thing, but I hit delete instead...but sometimes the beer and metal ritual can be quite fullfilling!

[Eilthireach]

@ Katsu, Ambariius

I know that certain remarks invite certain responses. Prost!

Hello Freya Kä!

First of all, I'm glad that you took my posting so well. After sending it off yesterday I was asking myself if I was too hard on German Heathens. But now I see that you obviously know what I meant and probably have gone through the same experiences with Heathen groups.

Edred Thorsson, in my limited knowledge, has begun his career as a Rune expert with a paper on the runelore Futhark. His later publications, though, are all based on the common Elder Futhark. I have read his books and found them good, but I ceased to recommend them after I was informed about Thorsson's connections to the Temple of Seth.

If I was asked about a Rune book for the more advanced practitioner, I would recommend Jan Fries' "Helrunar - A Handbook of Rune Magic", a book that is so practical and yet has so many different levels of understanding that I get more and more excited about it.

I've always highly estimated The Troth. Especially its website contains really tons of information, including one of the best summaries of early European history that I've ever read. I've printed off their entire "Book of Troth" and stored it in a folder at home. It is one of the brightest information sources on our Germanic/Nordic heritage that I know of.

I wholeheartedly agree that "every spiritual association that defines itself as such should be seeking high standard knowledge". I dare say that the OBOD is one such organisation and that Druidry is generally a spiritual tradition that places much emphasis on the quest for knowledge.

By coincidence (?) I recently stumbled across the book "The Real Middle-Earth" by Brian Bates. While he seems not to have all the facts straight (see critics on amazon.com) I liked the book in most parts very much. Bates succeeds in presenting our Germanic/Nordic ancestors as people with talents, creativity, skills and what is even more valuable, with spiritual aspirations - far from the incorrect image of the fur-clad dumb savage that the broad German public still has.
I ordered "The Way of Wyrd" just two days ago and I'm already looking forward to read it.

With blessings from across the ocean,

Eilthireach /|\.

[Freya Kä]

First of all, I'm glad that you took my posting so well. After sending it off yesterday I was asking myself if I was too hard on German Heathens. But now I see that you obviously know what I meant and probably have gone through the same experiences with Heathen groups.

Don't worry about it.

I have read his books and found them good, but I ceased to recommend them after I was informed about Thorsson's connections to the Temple of Seth.

I have mixed feelings about him, enjoyed a couple of his book, "Runelore" is one of the rare books that studies the history of runes in depth, but yet, not so sure about his "vibe". Same applies to Nigel Pennick...

If I was asked about a Rune book for the more advanced practitioner, I would recommend Jan Fries' "Helrunar - A Handbook of Rune Magic", a book that is so practical and yet has so many different levels of understanding that I get more and more excited about it.

I've heard a great deal about this book. "Helrunar" has been in my "amazon wish list" for ages now, so many people have recommended it to that it is likely to be the next one I order.

I also enjoyed "Runes of Elfland", though less serious and accurate (the Futhark is not presented in any given order, the author encourages the reader to discover the runes by "intuition"). I enjoyed the drawings very much (I'm a fan of Brian Froud's art) and also enjoyed the "initiaory stories" linked to each rune.

I've printed off their entire "Book of Troth" and stored it in a folder at home. It is one of the brightest information sources on our Germanic/Nordic heritage that I know of.

We could say that you are lucky because the whole Book of Troth has been taken offline and is now sold in two seperate volumes!

Let me know what you think of "The Way of Wyrd"!

Another author that does not focus on runes but rather on myths and beliefs, is H.R. Ellis Davidson. Maybe you know of her.

[Eilthireach]

Hello Freya Kä!

I've checked the Troth Website. I am really lucky. For really important information paper is still the medium of choice!

In spite of this, I had a look at your (?) website and although my French is quite rusty it looks like a very good job to me. Well done!

I can fully recommend "Helrunar". You will need some time for it, though. It's not a book that you read and put on the shelf then. You will have to work practically with it.
I read it approximately once a year and I discover new angles and viewpoints every time.

With blessings from beneath the Bavarian Alps,

Eilthireach /|\.

[Freya Kä]

For really important information paper is still the medium of choice!

I find it easier to carry a book and also more "charming", after all, books were my first love - well before Internet got to my home!

In spite of this, I had a look at your (?) website and although my French is quite rusty it looks like a very good job to me. Well done!

Thanks...

I can fully recommend "Helrunar". You will need some time for it, though. It's not a book that you read and put on the shelf then. You will have to work practically with it.
I read it approximately once a year and I discover new angles and viewpoints every time.

Thanks for your precious advice, it really seems like the kind of book I've been looking for for ages. I'm really looking forward to read it and also to treat it like a "bible". I'm glad it's not "fixed" and dwells at Mimir's well.

Danke!

[Jeff]

Once published on the internet, nothing is ever really "gone".

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

Although, for ethical reasons, if you find you like the old online copy in the internet archive, you might want to purchase the physical book, or make a donation to the organization.

[Eilthireach]

Thank you Jeff!

I works. Amazing. I never heard of anything like this.

Greetings from snowy Bavaria to sunny California!

Eilthireach.

[DaRC]

Yep Helrunar is on my list of books too
Although currently my lunchtime weighty tome is Sir Frank Stenton's Anglo-Saxon England. Which although dry, academic and a little out of date <just the way I like it Ren>, and Sutton Hoo had only just been discovered in the 50's when he wrote it the information is still current.
Then there's Harald Hardrada's Saga to read and I want to re-read quite a few of the Saga's....

Still it seems that I am in agreement with you both on Thordred, Paxson and Bates. I got his 'The Real Middle-Earth' soon after it was published, but that was probably because he's a lecturer at Sussex Uni and taught my a friend's Shamanic Consciousness course as part of her psychology degree.

Whilst the Troth is great I've always had a lot of respect for the Northvegr site too for it's content which is excellent. I know of the various bickerings and arguments about the Northvegr way but as an internet resource it's fantastic.
http://www.northvegr.org/northvegr/

However I've just made my 'special' rune set - a branch from a Yew tree in Bramber and gone for a 3 * 3 rune casting which is paying dividends.

Cheers, Dave.

[Freya Kä]

Whilst the Troth is great I've always had a lot of respect for the Northvegr site too for it's content which is excellent. I know of the various bickerings and arguments about the Northvegr way but as an internet resource it's fantastic.

I also think that despite all rumors and arguments about the Northvegr, their site is loaded with historical information and is very useful when one is studying the eddas or seeking accurate information on traditions or customs. I feel that The Troth is based more on insight and experience (I'm not saying that they're less serious...! The feeling I get from The Troth is that they're more open to UPG than the Northvegr).

However I've just made my 'special' rune set - a branch from a Yew tree in Bramber and gone for a 3 * 3 rune casting which is paying dividends.

I wish I could find a yew near my home and make a rune set out of it...!

[Eilthireach]

Hello Freya Kä, hello Dave!

Yes, the Northvegr site is also invaluable. What maybe makes The Troth unique is that they tried to compile all their information in one Book of Troth, while at Northvegr it's a bit of a loose collection. But this is a matter of personal taste.

Yew in Germany is protected by law. You either need to come across a fallen branch (it is debated if Runes should be made from a fallen branch) or you find a yew that stands on private land and must be felled for building purposes or such.

There is a yew forest in my area that has survived because it was in the posession of one of Bavaria's oldest monasteries, Wessobrunn. It is said to have been a Druidic sanctuary before the coming of the Romans. It is the biggest concentration of yew trees in Central Europe. Unfortunately there are no decent pictures on the web.



Otherwise yew trees have become relatively rare because its wood has been widely used for building bows and crossbows from Germanic times (ca. 400 CE) up to the late Middle Ages.

Wessobrunn monastery is in the center of a whole array of historic and esoteric sites, including one of the country's oldest trees with 900 years, the so called "Tassilo Linde", a lime tree. This tree is connected to the very early history of the Bavarian tribe and has gifted me with a branch for a Rune staff.



With greetings from beneath the Bavarian Alps,

Eilthireach /|\.

[Freya Kä]

You either need to come across a fallen branch (it is debated if Runes should be made from a fallen branch) or you find a yew that stands on private land and must be felled for building purposes or such.

That's an interesting debate. I would be curious to read arguments from both sides...!

The second picture is amazing! It really feels to me like the Nine Worlds are hidding in the yew tree rather than in the ash tree.

[Eilthireach]

When it comes to the question which kind of wood you would like to use for making a Rune set there are usually two opinions:

1.
Since you decide explicitely for the wood of a certain species of trees, you want to have as much energy of that tree in your runes which means that you can only take a living branch, because only a living branch contains the full amount of life energy of that tree.

The negative side of that approach is that you need to hurt the tree. Of course the tree will survive it, but Druidry teaches that we should strive to make as little impact on nature as possible.

2.
The other opinion says that not the wood of the tree is the important thing about a Rune set, but the Runes themselves and how they are made which includes not only carving and coloring, but also the inner work that goes along with the preparation of a Rune set, e.g. incantations, visualizations, ritual, invocations of deities and such.
In this opinion, the wood of the tree is of secondary importance (I do not say unimportant!) and it does therefore not matter if you take a living or a fallen branch.

Both opinions agree that it is much better to use a self-made Rune set than an industrially produced one. I personally think that the differences between 1 and 2 are marginal, a matter of personal taste.

As for the question of Yggdrasil, I think it is a yew. I don't want to say anything against the ash, but it certainly lacks many of the magical qualities a yew certainly has.
I might explain at this point that it is part of the OBOD Ovate studies to personally work with all kinds of trees and discover the differences between them. I can say that I have experienced yew as the World Tree.

With the blessing of Birch, Yew and Oak (symbols of the OBOD grades),

Eilthireach /|\.

[Freya Kä]

1. Since you decide explicitely for the wood of a certain species of trees, you want to have as much energy of that tree in your runes which means that you can only take a living branch, because only a living branch contains the full amount of life energy of that tree.

The negative side of that approach is that you need to hurt the tree. Of course the tree will survive it, but Druidry teaches that we should strive to make as little impact on nature as possible.

2. The other opinion says that not the wood of the tree is the important thing about a Rune set, but the Runes themselves and how they are made which includes not only carving and coloring, but also the inner work that goes along with the preparation of a Rune set, e.g. incantations, visualizations, ritual, invocations of deities and such.

In this opinion, the wood of the tree is of secondary importance (I do not say unimportant!) and it does therefore not matter if you take a living or a fallen branch.

Both opinions agree that it is much better to use a self-made Rune set than an industrially produced one. I personally think that the differences between 1 and 2 are marginal, a matter of personal taste.

Thanks for sharing these. I think that, regardless of what position one follows, the most important thing is, like you said, the inner work that goes along the preparation of a rune set.

I agree that it is much better to use a self-made rune set. I own several rune sets and oddly, the one I prefer was not made by myself but purchased in a boutique and it is made of stones. I don’t feel like I’ve put enough effort in the ones I’ve made and I’m convinced that is because I haven’t found the perfect branch so far and a nice way to paint/engrave the runes on it.

With the blessing of Birch, Yew and Oak (symbols of the OBOD grades)

I’m more and more eager to begin the courses (and, er, get to the Ovate degree) to study the yew.

I found out there are yew trees very close to my cottage so I’m planning a “field trip” to get to know the tree and maybe get a branch (I will probably follow opinion #2…). I like the idea of a yew staff very much, better than for a rune set right now.

[Eilthireach]

Heilsa Freya Kä!

There is an interesting article on how to make one's own Rune set here:

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/runeset.html

I used it as a suggestion when I made my own Rune set. I omitted some parts though, for example the rubbing with essential oil.

In the OBOD tradition we never stick 100% with ritual suggestions. We always like to change such texts according to our personal needs.

Presently, I would like to do an Aegishjalmur (Rune amulet for protection), but I'm note sure about the material. Polished wood would be okay against the skin, but more usual would be silver. Since I don't know how to engrave silver, I'll probably ending up buying one.

Have a nice weekend!

Eilthireach /|\.

[DaRC]

I used fallen wood from the Yew tree - I still think this has connection to the spirit of Yggdrasil, but yes I am aware of the discussions between using living / dead wood.

I'm always concerned at talk of 'harming' a tree. Pruning, coppicing or pollarding can rejuvenate a tree. Indeed here
http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/ancien ... e%2Dforum/
on the Yew part of the site they talk about Yews that were thought to have died re-growing from the base.

I would suggest finding a gardener and see if you can get a branch pruned from a 'fruit bearing tree' as Tacitus put it.

However my best friend, who's a source of much old folklore - he's still a sussex country bloke who trains horses (he's a bit of a horse whisperer) and his old man was certainly one of a dying breed here who had the sussex accent - told me this about the yew:
"Never cut down a yew to the east of your house. It is where the spirits of those who have died in the house go. If you cut down the tree you release the spirits and your house will be haunted... as he pointed to a house where they had done precisely that."

Eilthireach - go and find a silversmith to make one or design it and I think there are some silversmiths here, failing that if you design it I could ask my niece - she lives near Lewes where there are many silversmiths. I think she's been working in a silver smiths as part of her school design course.

Cheers, Dave.

[Eilthireach]

Hello Dave, hello all!

Thank you for your offer re: Aegishjalmur, but I've seen that several online shops offer one and I need to check our medieval Christmas market in town first. Medieval markets are usually first class sources for pagan supplies.

I'm aware that a tree probably won't suffer or maybe doesn't even notice if I take a small life branch from a 30 foot tree. It is just that I would feel bad ripping off part of a living tree whom I respect or even honor for being a representation of Yggdrasil. In the end, this has probably more to do with me than with the tree.

Another topic. I have been to an exhibition about ancient writing in the Archaeological State Collections in Munich (Archäologische Staatssammlung). The exhibits were mostly Roman, but there was also a part where the most important Runic inscriptions from Southern Germany were gathered together for the first time.
It surprised me how few Runic inscriptions seemed actually have something to do with magic or spirituality.

About 80 % of the inscriptions just state the obvious, like the owner's name
AGILRICH
or who has written the Runes
ERIK WROTE THESE RUNES
There are some instances where the Runes seem to name the object
COMB
or denote a gift
BOBA GAVE THIS RING TO HER DAUGHTER

Yet even stout scientists who use to back away from anything esoteric agree that the Runes were used in magic. Were they? The findings seem to support that the Runes were an alphabet - sometimes used in an esoteric context, but not exclusively.
Or could it be that the magical texts mostly disappeared because they were written on non-durable materials? And the names people etched into their swords and helmets remained?

At the moment I am a bit at loss. I personally have no doubt that the Runes were used in a religious/spiritual context, the Eddic texts are giving more than enough references. But why is there so little archaeological evidence of this?

Any ideas, anyone?

With greetings from beneath the wintery Bavarian Alps,

Eilthireach /|\.