Hearthside

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...

I was recently watching a video by Arith Härger entitled “Animism: The Trickster Spirit.” In it Arith is talking about what the purpose of Trickster spirits are in lore from around the world. Of course he is using Loki as an example in this context. However, it had me revisiting one of my recurring thoughts about Odin and how he sometimes also plays a Trickster role in the lore.  Odin is able to shapeshift into animals, but also disguise his own appearance to men, and the Jotunn, and even his own son, Thor. It is always through a mix of wile and charm that he gets his way. Odin disguises himself as Gagnráðr to challenge Vafþrúðnir, wisest of the Jotunn in a battle of wits. In another story Odin disguises himself as Grimnir to check his foster-son Geirroth’s hospitality in a wager with Frigg. Further on in the Poetic Edda, Odin disguises himself as Greybeard, a ferryman, and taunts Thor. In the Prose Edda Odin takes on the persona of Bölverkr to gain access to the mead of poetry. T...