The Völva: Seeress, Seiðr and Power in the Norse World
The völva was one of the most powerful and complex figures in the Norse world. Far from a simple “witch,” she was a respected seeress, ritual specialist, and keeper of ancestral knowledge. Appearing in the Eddas, sagas, and archaeological record, the völva practised seiðr, delivered prophecy, and offered counsel that could shape the fate of individuals, families, and even kings. This article explores who the völva truly was, what the historical sources tell us about her role, and how modern interpretations often misunderstand her place in Norse society.
Seiðr Craft - Chapter 9: The Texture of Trance
Trance is not the dramatic plunge many imagine. It is a subtle shift in the body, a softening of the senses, a loosening of the everyday self until the worlds draw close enough to touch. In Chapter 9 of Seiðr Craft, we explore the real texture of trance: the descent of the body, the breath that opens the threshold, the sharpening of inner sight and the quiet tests that reveal misalignment. This chapter shows how Samhildr weaves through every moment of trance, shaping what you perceive, how you interpret it and how you return home.
Seiðr Craft - Chapter 3: Þolinmæði - Patience & Discipline
In seiðr, nothing is gained through haste. The old paths move at the pace of roots and rivers, not lightning. Þolinmæði (patience) is not quiet suffering, but sacred endurance: the willingness to keep returning to the work even when the gods are silent and the visions do not come.
Through Odin’s nine nights upon Yggdrasil, through Freyja’s long teaching of seiðr, the lore shows that power is not seized - it is cultivated through rhythm, repetition, and the slow shaping of the soul.
This lesson calls the practitioner to honour stillness, to embrace the silence between moments, and to learn that true mastery is not in commanding the unseen, but in remaining — steadfast as the tree, calm as the deep earth below it.
Seiðr craft - Chapter 2: Virðing - Respect
Seiðr Craft – Chapter 2: Virðing (Respect) explores the heart of Norse magic through the ancient principle of virðing — the deep respect that binds all things in the web of being. Before the chants, before the visions, comes honour: to gods, to land, to ancestors, and to oneself.
Through stories from the sagas, lessons of reverence, and modern practices, this chapter reveals how seiðr is more than ritual — it is relationship. It teaches that power without respect becomes chaos, and that every act of magic begins with humility. When we honour what sustains us, our craft grows clear, steady, and alive.
This is a guide to walking the path of the völva with integrity, rooted in frith, woven into wyrd.
Seiðr craft - chapter 1: Introduction
Seiðr-craft is not a pastime or performance. It is an ancient Northern art that bends the will, pierces the veil, and weaves into wyrd itself. Before trance, vision, or rune-song comes something quieter but far more essential: learning how to stand — to ground, to centre, to take your place within the web of fate.
In this opening chapter, I share the foundations of the craft of seiðr. We look at spiritual gifts and growth paths, the chaos cycles that repeat until their lessons are learned, and the importance of aligning your hugr (spirit-mind) and hamingja (fortune, spiritual strength) before you attempt deeper work.
Most importantly, I introduce the Five Laws of Seiðr: Virðing (Respect), Þolinmæði (Patience), Mörk (Boundaries), Sannindi (Truth), and Ábyrgð (Responsibility). These are not restrictions, but alignments. They are the frame of the high-seat and the grain of the staff — the laws that hold your practice steady and safe.
This is the beginning of the staff-road. Without these roots, no branch can hold.