How to: Sumbel (Ritual Toasting and Oathing)
Sumbel, or sumbl in Old Norse, is one of the most powerful rituals of pre-Christian Scandinavia. More than a drinking feast, it was a sacred act where words carried weight, oaths were sworn, and the bonds of kinship and honour were strengthened before gods and ancestors. From the halls of Icelandic sagas to modern heathen gatherings, sumbel has endured as a living tradition. In this guide, we explore its history, sources, and meaning — and show you how to practise it today with respect and sincerity.
About: Oaths and Oathing in Norse Tradition
In the world of the Norse, words held power — none more so than the oath. Sworn before gods, ancestors, and community, an oath bound a person’s honour to fate itself. To keep one strengthened reputation and divine favour; to break one invited ruin, shame, and the wrath of the gods. This in-depth guide explores the history of Norse oathing, from temple rings and sumbel feasts to the laws of the thing and the lessons preserved in the sagas. Discover how sacred speech once shaped lives — and why it still matters for modern heathens today.
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.
Types of Spiritual Gifts - A Complete Guide
Not all spiritual gifts arrive in the same form. Some burn quietly like embers, while others strike like storms. In Norse tradition, such gifts were never casual talents—they were rare burdens woven into wyrd itself, sacred responsibilities that shaped a life and demanded respect. This guide explores modern spiritual gifts—energy work, empathy, vision, song—and their echoes in ancient Northern practice, revealing how each must be carried with honour, patience, and discipline.
How to: Selecting a Deity to Honour in Blót
In Norse paganism, the blót is more than just an offering — it’s an exchange of gifts between humans and the divine. One of the most important choices when preparing a blót is deciding which deity to honor. Each god and goddess embodies different powers: Odin brings wisdom, Thor offers protection, Freyja blesses love and magic, Freyr ensures fertility and prosperity, and many others guard the cycles of life. By reflecting on your needs, your life’s circumstances, and the turning of the seasons, you align your ritual with both tradition and personal meaning. A well-chosen blót creates a powerful bond, weaving your intent into the web of wyrd.
The Lay of Svipdag (In story form)
The tale of Svipdag is one of the hidden gems of Norse mythology — a story not of gods at war, but of fate, love, and the enduring bond between mother and son. Sent on an impossible quest by his cruel stepmother, Svipdag calls upon the spirit of his dead mother, Gróa, who rises from her grave to arm him with protective spells. Guided by her magic, he journeys through perils until at last he reaches the blazing fortress of Menglöð, the maiden destined to be his bride. There, through riddles and trials, his fate is revealed, and the long-awaited union of two lovers is fulfilled.
Dwarves of Svartálfheim: Shadow-Smiths of the Norse Cosmos
Beneath the mountains of Svartálfheim, the sound of hammers never ceases. The dwarves of Norse mythology — master smiths, hoarders, sages, and curse-bearers — forged the treasures that define the Nine Realms. From Thor’s hammer Mjölnir and Odin’s spear Gungnir to Andvari’s cursed hoard, their creations are both blessings and burdens. These shadow-workers embody transformation, wisdom hidden in darkness, and the peril of greed. To understand the heartbeat of Norse myth, we must step into their forges, where sparks leap like stars and fate is beaten on the anvil.
Fjölsvinnsmál
Fjölsvinnsmál is the second half of the story of Svipdag and Menglöð, a hidden gem of Norse mythology. After receiving his mother’s protective spells in Grógaldr, Svipdag finally reaches the blazing fortress where Menglöð dwells. At its gates he meets Fjölsviðr, a watchman of immense wisdom, and the two engage in a riddle-contest about the walls, hounds, magical weapons, and sacred tree that guard the hall. In the end, Svipdag’s true identity is revealed, and he is welcomed by Menglöð as her fated bridegroom. More than a tale of riddles, Fjölsvinnsmál is a myth of destiny, love, and the trials one must endure to claim it.
How to: Blot
Blót is one of the most important rituals in Norse and Germanic paganism, a sacred exchange between humans and the divine powers. In ancient times, it involved sacrifices of animals, food, and drink to honour gods, ancestors, and land-spirits. Today, modern Heathens have adapted the practice into a meaningful ritual of offerings, feasting, and toasts that can be done in homes, groves, or at communal gatherings. This guide walks you step by step through preparing your space, making offerings, and closing the ritual, so you can perform a blót with sincerity and confidence in the modern world.
Thor: The Thunderer, Defender of Worlds
Thor, the mighty thunderer, is one of the most iconic gods in Norse mythology. Wielding his hammer Mjölnir and riding across the storm-tossed sky in a chariot drawn by goats, Thor embodies raw strength, protection, and defiance in the face of chaos. Beloved by farmers and feared by giants, he is the defender of both gods and humans, a force of thunder who blesses, hallows, and protects. This post explores Thor’s role as warrior, hall-companion, giant-slayer, and doomed hero, whose story still thunders across time.
Svartálfheim: Realm of Shadow and Craft
Deep beneath the roots of Yggdrasil lies Svartálfheim — the shadowed realm of the dwarves, the black elves of Norse mythology. It is a place of fire and stone, where hammers strike, forges roar, and treasures of fate are born. From Thor’s mighty hammer Mjölnir to Odin’s spear Gungnir and Freyr’s ship Skíðblaðnir, the greatest gifts of the gods were crafted in these hidden halls. But Svartálfheim is more than a mythic workshop — it is a realm of paradox, where wisdom and greed, blessings and curses, creation and doom are forever entwined. This guide explores the lore, geography, myths, and archetypes of Svartálfheim, revealing the hidden fire that shaped gods and mortals alike.
How to: Build Your Own Altar
Building a Norse altar is not about wealth or decoration — it’s about meaning, respect, and connection. In the old days, an altar could be as simple as a stone in a grove, a hearth fire, or a wooden post carved in honor of the gods. Today, you can create your own sacred stead using what you already have: a table, a candle, a drinking horn, or symbols of the gods, ancestors, and land-spirits. This guide will walk you step by step through the process of choosing a place, gathering materials, consecrating the space, and keeping it alive with offerings and care. Your altar becomes the living heart of your practice — a bridge between worlds where gifts and blessings are exchanged.
Grógaldr
In the Norse poem Grógaldr, the young hero Svipdag calls upon his dead mother, Gróa, for help with an impossible task set by his stepmother. Rising from her grave, Gróa answers her son and chants a series of powerful protective spells to shield him from storms, frost, curses, enemies, and all the dangers of his journey. More than a tale of magic, Grógaldr is a story of love that endures beyond death, where a mother’s wisdom becomes her son’s greatest strength.
What is Norse Paganism?
Norse and Germanic paganism is more than ancient myth — it is a living worldview built on deep values of honor, kinship, reciprocity, and respect for nature. Rooted in the traditions of pre-Christian Northern Europe, it teaches us how to live with balance, how to honor our ancestors, and how to find the sacred in both everyday life and the turning of the seasons. From the World Tree Yggdrasil to the runes and seasonal festivals like Yule and Midsummer, this path offers timeless wisdom for personal growth and meaningful living.
Svipdagsmál - The Lay of Svipdagr
When we picture Norse mythology, Odin’s wisdom, Thor’s thunder, and Loki’s tricks often take center stage. Yet hidden in the Poetic Edda is a hauntingly beautiful tale, Svipdagsmál — a story of love, magic, and destiny. Unlike the war-filled sagas, this myth begins with a son calling upon his dead mother for guidance, leading him through riddles, protective spells, and the delicate crossing between mortal struggle and divine fate. It’s a forgotten gem that reveals the softer, more mystical side of Viking myth.
Seers of the modern age: Could neurodivergence Be a spiritual gift marker?
Could neurodivergent minds be uniquely tuned to spiritual energy?
This blog explores the fascinating overlap between neurodiverse conditions and spiritual gifts—drawing on ancient Norse traditions, modern science, and lived experience. From heightened sensory perception to deep emotional attunement, we’ll look at how ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence may carry a sacred resonance that our ancestors once revered.
Understanding Wyrd (Fate) - From a modern day Seer, Völva & wyrd walker/workers perspective
Explore the Norse concept of Wyrd — fate as a living web of choices, cycles, and ancestral threads. Learn the role of the Norns, völva, orlög, and wyrd-walkers in understanding destiny and weaving a brighter path.
The Shimmering Bridge Between Worlds: The Bifröst
In Norse mythology, the Bifröst was no simple rainbow. It was a trembling, fiery bridge of air, water, and flame — a cosmic pathway linking the world of humans to the gods of Asgard. Guarded by the ever-watchful Heimdall and destined to collapse at Ragnarök, the Bifröst symbolized both connection and fragility. More than myth, it reminds us today of the delicate bridges we walk in our own lives — bonds of trust, family, and community that shimmer with beauty but demand our care.
Don’t Let Hate Define You — Choose Honour Instead
Even though these words from the Hávamál are over a thousand years old, they still carry wisdom for today. Real strength isn’t about force or anger — it’s about living with honour, earning respect, and building trust. Don’t let hate or bitterness define you. Instead, focus on kindness, loyalty, and the friendships that give life true meaning.
Ragnar Lothbrok: The Viking Who Became Legend
Ragnar Lothbrok, the Viking who became legend, straddles the line between history and myth. Feared raider, cunning strategist, lover of shieldmaidens, and the man who laughed in a pit of serpents — Ragnar’s story is as much saga as it is legacy. His sons carried his name across Europe, but it is Ragnar’s fearless defiance of fate that keeps his legend alive today. Was he a real man, or a myth made flesh?