Hearthside

I have been thinking a lot about Freyr this year, in association with the summer season, as well as with the Ar year and its connection with Fertility. Also, as part of the Aun/Unn cycle of renewal and the focus that many Heathens are taking on the resetting of things to do with our Environment. May is the perfect time to discuss Freyr. In the Nordic Animist Year by Rune Rasmussen, St Eric’s Day in May is equated with Freyr and a ritual similar to the Procession of Nerthus, in which a statue of St Eric (Freyr) is carted around the land in order to bring fertility to it. It mentions that Freyr is the patron god of the Ynglings, but who is Freyr and who are the Ynglings? Freyr is a complicated figure in the Lore. He is described as a Vanir god, living among the Aesir, and at times he is also called Alfar or King of the Alfs. It is even suggested that Freyr is actually a man. Freyr has many names. He is known as Freyr or Frey, but also as Ing or Yngve. Sometimes as Yngvi-Freyr. (And this ...

Okay, so I have alluded to this a few times in my blog, but never really got into it. But what the heck? I have been sick for most of the month of December and I can’t sleep as a result. Why not work out my frustrations this way? Loki. A tricky topic at the best of times. If you are hoping for my opinion on the worshipfulness of Loki in modern Heathen practice (or even historical Heathen practice) you are in for a let down. No, what bothers me about Loki is very specifically Loki’s role in the story arc of the death of Baldr.  Honestly, Loki’s character makes perfect sense up until then. They are a trickster figure who makes mistakes and then finds ways to set them right. We see similar patterns with other trickster figures around the world. But then there is Loki’s role in the death of Baldr. Suddenly Loki takes on a sinister (and unredemptive?) role.  Baldr has his dream that he will die but it isn’t clear how. So Odin goes to ask the sorceress. Meanwhile, Frigg asks everyth...