Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Prophecy Of The Seeress Poetic Edda

Prophecy Of The Seeress Poetic Edda Cover

Book: Prophecy Of The Seeress Poetic Edda by Irmin Vinson

Voluspa, which opens the Old Norse Poetic Edda, was likely composed in Iceland shortly before AD 1000 during a period of transition when Christianity was replacing the traditional beliefs of the North. The poem's Anonymous author seems to have conceived Voluspa as a literary response to the decline of the old religion, a reassertion of the old gods in the face of their imminent demise as objects of living worship.Voluspa's allusive and often elliptical style implies the poet's expectation that his audience would be intimately familiar with the tales and cosmology of Northern paganism.

Two complete versions of Voluspa are extant: The best is in the Codex Regius, which dates to the thirteenth century, and there is another, with some significant variations and four additional strophes, in the Hauksbok manuscript. Extensive quotations also appear in the Gylfaginning ("The Deluding of Gylfi") of the Icelandic antiquarian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241). The translation below is based on Neckel and Kuhn's standard edition of the Edda (Heidelberg: Carl Winter, 1983).

In the poem's dramatic context (see sts. 28-29) Odin has just questioned the Seeress (a volva, lit. "wand-bearer," a woman who carries a magical staff) about the past and especially the future, and Voluspa (the Prophecy or Soothsaying of the Volva) is her spoken reply, directed to both gods ("the hallowed kindred") and mankind ("Heimdall's children").

Download Irmin Vinson's eBook: Prophecy Of The Seeress Poetic Edda

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Aengor - Origin Of The Names Of The Days
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Irmin Vinson - Prophecy Of The Seeress Poetic Edda

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Asatru As An Ethnic Religion

Asatru As An Ethnic Religion Cover An ethnic religion is generally meant to be a religion, spirituality, and cosmology that is firmly grounded in a particular people's Traditions and unique cultural views. It represents a religion that co-developed with a particular ethnic group. In this way, particular ethnic groups can carry their religion with them through time.

In other ways, ethnic religions are wrapped around ethnic groups so that they become justifications and explanations for that folk’s ethnic existence. By providing a common cultural outlook among a folk, an ethnic religion builds and reinforces the distinctions of that people from others as they interact with outsiders who don’t share those views. An ethnic religion embodies the ethnic identity of a particular folk. In this way, ethnic religions sustain and promote the ethnic identity and the culture of a people.

Asatru, most especially, Folkish Asatru, is an ethnic religion. It has developed among the Northern peoples of Europe and expresses their unique cultural outlooks that developed throughout the millennia. It does not offer a universalizing Worldview applicable to all peoples. Its stories and sagas are geographically limited to Northern Europe. Stories of ice and snow goddesses make little sense to people who’ve never experienced ice and snow. Asatru, as an ethnic religion, embodies the unique outlooks, ideals, behavior patterns and values of the Nordic and Germanic peoples of Europe as they developed through history. It developed as they developed and speaks of their unique spiritual way of seeing and explaining the universe.

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Monday, May 5, 2008

Stav Runes Notebook A Beginners Guide

Stav Runes Notebook A Beginners Guide Cover

Book: Stav Runes Notebook A Beginners Guide by Alex Pidd

This guide is designed to provide an introduction to Stav and the runes of the younger futhork. Stav is a European mind, body and spirit training philosophy. It is based on the traditions of the Hafskjold family, which have been preserved in a continuous line for over 44 generations. Advice and assistance on the study of Stav can be obtained from Einherjar Ve Stav.

Although not essential in order to gain the most from guide some previous understanding of the runes and Stav will be beneficial. This information can be found on-line at the Einherjar Ve Stav site. It is impossible to produce a definitive book detailing all the associations, symbolism and interpretations of the runes. This may appear a contradiction as you are reading this book. However, this work is designed to start the reader onto further studies and investigation. The runes, as discovered in the web (see page 1), can be said to be part of the fabric of reality. As such they are part of everything. This means they also change as our reality, or our understanding of it, changes. This is why a book cannot begin to encapsulate the true depth of knowledge held within the runes. Only the mind has any chance of unravelling the mysteries that the runes hold, hopefully inspired and aided by the clues and general hints found in this tome.

Because of the nature of the runes this guide is therefore deliberately not definitive or absolute in its description and meaning of the runes. This is because the study of Stav involves personal interpretation and analysis. These are modified as new experiences are gained and conflicts become resolved. You will find your own comments may agree or contradict those already contained within these pages. The same rune may be interpreted slightly differently by different people or even the same person at different times and with different problems or circumstances to resolve. You may find some of the comments and observations on the runes as terse, direct and with little explanation. This is deliberate as an attempt has been made to record only the main salient points and keywords for each rune. The descriptions of the rune meanings are only a snapshot of the author's thoughts at the time of writing; they should not be taken too literally or as a definitive guide. These are only hints and reminders; there are doubtless many other meanings and interpretations that are not included in these pages. The points and keywords that are included are intended to be used as hooks onto which further expanded explanations and details can be hung. It is expected these will be given by yourself and drawn from your own experiences and relating to the problem(s) in hand. There are no absolute answers when dealing with the meanings of the runes; there are only degrees of perception.

It is hoped that you will use this guide to augment your own personal knowledge of the runes based on your own experiences. This is not a how-to-do-it-book and it will not teach all the answers about Stav and the runes. That can only be achieved by patient study of the runes and the myths. However, this guide will hopefully help to form a useful stepping stone for continued studies and learning. By combining this guide with other texts, the runes and your own notes it will become an invaluable tool in the quest for knowledge and wisdom.

Download Alex Pidd's eBook: Stav Runes Notebook A Beginners Guide

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Alex Pidd - Stav Runes Notebook A Beginners Guide