There is a growing interest in recreating the ancient oracular or 'shamanistic' techniques that are commonly referred to by Asatruar as seithr and spae-craft. The word "seidr" is spelled with a letter from the Old Norse or Icelandic alphabet called "eth". Since "eth" has a phonetic value somewhere between "d" and "th", seithr is variously spelled in English as "seid", "seidh", "seidr", "seidhr", seith, or seithr. Read these webpages to learn more about it.
Peregrinus - What is Seid? - "...The shamanistic trolldom (magic) that in Norden primarily was performed by women (volver). Also some of the gods such as Odin and Fro/ya, practiced it. Because of his seiding, Odin was accused of being unmanly. Seid had the same character as the Siberian and Saamic shamanism. The seidwoman would fall into a trance, while a choir of other women would evoke her guardian spirit to come to her aid. In her inspired state the spirits would inform her concerning the things she had been asked to ask; about what the weather was going to be, about events that would occur, about happiness and misfortune for man, acre and cattle. It also happened that her soul traveled to other worlds to fetch knowledge while the body lay lifeless..." More
Hrafnar - A society for the re-creation of the seithr tradition. Diana Paxson's group, Hrafnar, has been working with and refining such techniques since the early 1980's, with remarkable success. Various groups around the country have been adopting or adapting Hrafnar's techniques or in some cases, striking out on their own to learn about this specifically Nordic technique of seeking knowledge. More
Seidh - Return of the Volva by Diana Paxson - "Darkness covers the tents scattered across the drying grass of the festival grounds with a kindly shadow; at the far end of the sloping valley, the cliffs are edged by the first silver shimmer of the rising moon. As its light grows, it outlines a canvas pavilion and glimmers on the upturned faces of the folk gathered before it. They are gazing at a tall chair like a throne, but higher and draped with a bearskin, where a veiled figure waits, her body motionless, her face in shadow. "The gate is passed, the seidkoner waits," says the woman sitting on the fur-covered stool below the high seat. "Is there one here who would ask a question?..." More
Where
does a Seithman go? " It comes
up periodically: "Where does a sei<eth>man go when he dreams?"
It's an question with a lot of bad answers. The answer really depends
on who you're talking to. If you talk to a person with a Psych. 101
background, he says "Into the recesses of the mind." Another versed
in the New Age says "Into the Land of Dreams" ("Oh, boy," says the
Seithman as he rolls his eyes.) The ever-wise skeptic will say "No
place. You're hallucinatin', bud!" Yep, everybody's got an answer,
and only about 2-5% have got a clue.
There's a variety of things that
happen to seith folk when they're seething. Well now, there's a term
that might require some explanation: seething. Seething is a thing
that happens to us. It is like the point where you drop off to sleep.
The eyes roll upwards, the body releases, there is a coolness or
heat, and a hot chill up the spine knocking the joints apart. It is a
flow of power out of the depths of Hvergelmir. It is the only luck we
have, and it happens to us. It comes unbidden. It is a falling and
flying at the same time like when der Glückspilz washes over us.
It is like the icy waters which forever boil up out of the original
Well, and, at the same time, the warm summer rains which wash back
down to the Land of the Ancestors.
Seething comes from outside, a wind blowing
into us.
Seething washes our soul out through a hole
in the back of our neck.
Seething shakes out our spine like a dusty
rug.
Seething jerks the arms from the sockets..."
more
Interview with Edred Thorsson on Seith and Chaos Magic - "What is Seidhr and how is it connected to the idea of Chaos? Now it is generally imagined that Seidhr is a kind of evil magic practiced by Norse shamans -- especially female ones. Indeed, Seidhr is an ancient form of magic practiced by the Scandinavian peoples at least since the Viking Age. Seidhr is generally connected with the Gods and Goddesses, called the Vanir, and especially with Freyja, whose name is really the title "Lady". Seidhr is also generally contrasted with another word for "magic" in the Northern tongue: Galdr. Seidhr is connected to the concept of "Chaos" in the sense that the theory upon which Seidhr works is very similar to that upon which Chaos Magic works. Both are based on a materialistic paradigm -- what Peter Carroll calls "Ether" and the ancient Germanic peoples called Ginnung, or Chaos. This paradigm is, by the way, to be contrasted with the essentially symbolic theory underlying Galdr -- a theory which is semiotic and linguistic in character, not substance-based. The underlying theory of Seidhr is pretty much the same as "the magical paradigm" described by Carroll in his Liber Kaos. However, that general theory does not account for Galdr, which is independent of the flows of the time/space continuum..." More
Spae-craft, Seithr and Shamanism by Kveldulfr Gundarsson - "...many of us have begun to reach towards the less well-known crafts of the Northern people - the crafts that deal with the workings of the soul, of changed awareness and trance, of faring to the realms of the god/esses and wights and calling them to speak in the Middle-Garth as well. ...The practice of these techniques ... to the unaccompanied beginner... are even more dangerous than more limited forms of magic such as galdr-craft. All sorts of magic can twist one's wyrd or cause harm unmeant; but when practicing soul-craft, you are traveling out into a perilous, unknown world filled with wights who may well not be friendly..." More
The
Stáv Seid Circle Page - The
Stáv Seid Circle is devoted to practicing Seid
(Sei<eth>)and is a part of the Stáv Association.
Stáv, a 1500 year old (living) runic tradition has been
preserved in Norway by the Hafskjold family. Seid (Sei<eth>r)
is basically a form of Witchcraft or Shamanism, as practiced by the
Nordic peoples.
"Seid (Norwegian spelling) or Sei<eth>r
(Old Norse) is a form of magic that is particularly linked to the
Vanir gods (one half of the Norse pantheon) and the Nornir (the
Norns, the three female beings portrayed as weaving Orlog or Wyrd,
the old Gothonic terms for "fate", "destiny" or
"kama")...Sei<eth>r or Seidr (modern Norwegian 'Seid') is the
name given to one half of Stáv practices. The Old Norse term
Sei<eth>r means literally to 'Seethe'.
"Sei<eth>r is traditionally regarded as
a feminine path, but this is perhaps a bit of a misconception.
Basically, Sei<eth>r is the path of some of the Vanir gods, who
form part of the Norse pantheon, or quite possibly it is the way of
the Nornir (the Norns) themselves, thus stemming from, perhaps, the
Jötnar (the Old Norse 'Giants' - the exact origins of the Norns
are a mystery, but they are certainly female and probably of
Jötunn-kin)...At the higher levels of practice, Sei<eth>r
involves direct contact with the spirit world, in order to perform
such activities as effecting a spiritual cure, bringing back
information from the gods in the other worlds and consulting the
dead. In this respect, Sei<eth>r is very close to shamanism in
the genuine sense.
"Typically, Sei<eth>r involves the use
of teins, both in the sense of 'wands' and as herbs; the practice we
call Útiseta or Utsette (sitting-out) - a form of meditation;
and the Var<eth>lokkur (Old Norse, from 'Var<eth>'
meaning to 'ward, guard, watch, keep' etc. and 'Lokka' to 'allure,
entice, call') which is a chant, usually performed by a group...
Traditionally, a woman who practiced Sei<eth>r was known as a
'Sei<eth>r-kona', although the masculine equivalent
'Sei<eth>r-ma<eth>r' is well recorded.
'Sei<eth>r-stafr', (Old Norse) meaning 'a magic wand', also
reminds us that Sei<eth>r is very much a part of traditional
Stáv as a whole... Although we generally use the more well
known term 'Var<eth>lokkur', another name for this trance
inducing chant was 'Ur<eth>arlokkur', literally a 'weird-call'
or 'song-of-destiny'. Ur<eth>r is the name of one of the Norns,
and this perhaps stresses their links to the practice of
Sei<eth>r." There
is much more to this site!
Freyja.org
Seidr Craft "Much speculation but
little fact has been written of Seidr craft or trance magic of the
ancient Norsk. Trance Magic is a misleading term and should be placed
in its proper perspective. There are many who claim that the
shapeshifting ability of the ancients was little more than visions
that took place during unconscious or "trance" states. This attitude
should be discounted as a lack of understanding of the principles
involved.
"Trance is only the first of the states
required for learning to effect a "sending". The trance condition is
necessary for novice volva or vitki in order to learn effective
use of Seidr magic but it isn't the whole of the craft.
Blocking out "real world" distractions is a paramount skill. Without
it little can be accomplished in the shadow realms. It is useful to
clear the mind and enhance the shaman's ability to focus and
visualize the desired conditions. Ideally, the practitioner
should be able to achieve a trance state by will alone. To
attain the mental dispelling necessary for this feat sometimes
requires years of practice. However, with the judicious use of
certain techniques most novices can develop a basic trance state
within weeks of beginning their training. The techniques
include repetitive sound, visual focus devices and a variety of
herbal substances. A few of the less dangerous techniques are
included here.
"As with all disciplines Seidr magic has many
levels of expertise. In the most basic level the practitioner is able
to project images into the minds of susceptible individuals that are
interpreted first as dreams and later as real events. In more
advanced students the projected image takes on a physical reality and
in the adept can become a true reality. The substance of
our world and the extradimensional worlds that surround it are more
or less mutable. That is, we can by focusing will, cause both
apparent and real changes in the fabric of our existence. Most
practitioners begin with little or no ability to shape or
shapeshift. Their arena is limited to the space inside
their minds. Now, that is a wide space indeed, but
nothing when the true vastness of reality is considered. The
true art of Seidr lies in the ability to create shapes in your head
and impress them on the outside world..." More
Seidhr for Spirit Rescue - by Rev. Patrick "Jordsvin" Buck, Assistant Godhi, Hammerstead Kindred . "In Summer 1996 I had the occasion to adapt oracular seidhr to help a number of ghosts pass on from a local 200-year-old farmhouse which has been in the same family for over 200 years. This is seidhr for spirit rescue, or as I've been known to call it, "seidhr for de-ghosting." My guide while I was in seidhr-trance and going into Hela's realm was a local Neo-pagan psychic and trance medium whom I had previously briefed in seidhr techniques. I had the enthusiastic permission of the house's owner. The first session was conducted upstairs with just myself and my guide. I journeyed into Hel while my psychic friend, Ramona, talked to the ghosts and asked who would like to pass on but needed help. She took them into herself and grabbed my hand when ready. I was prepared for what followed, but it was still a unique experience. The ghosts passed from her into my left hand, through me, and out my right hand into Hela's kingdom. I felt three pulses in what felt just like a fairly powerful electric shock! ..." More
Seidhr
and the anthropologist - by Jenny
Blain, Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology, Mount Saint Vincent
University, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada. "They sit, three raised
above all others in the room, hands joined: Ur<eth>r, who knows
all past, and who has direction of this ritual; Wer<eth>ende
who holds the strands that make the present, and tells their weaving;
centrally Skuld, obligation, asking: "do you understand me?" Before
them stands Jordsvin, the guide for this spae-working, who asks "is
there one here who has a question for the Norns?" And one after
another, we step forth.
"We have come here by means of a journey
beginning in the barn at Martha's Orchard, which serves for the great
hall of our feasting and assembly at Trothmoot, June 1997. We have
seen the three women move to the high seats, we have heard the song
which, in this spae-working, attunes our consciousnesses to the
cosmology of the North, the high clear voice of Wer<eth>ende,
the present, the now, singing..." More
Seithman
Rants - "It is truly a rant page
which was created in direct opposition to some of the New Age sites
drifting about in cyberspace so that many of the essays, rants, and
notes here may seem somewhat jaded when it comes to the "fluff and
light" thing...Sei<eth>folk are, in one sense, what the noaide
is to the Saami or what the szaman is to the Tungus, but, in another
sense, they are their own. Sei<eth>folk have their own
cosmology and customs for navigating the realms of their
ecstasy....We, the sei<eth>folk, belong to the culture of the
northern Germanic peoples. Our role is different than the noaide's,
the szaman's, and the New Age shamanic practitioner's. We follow the
code of ethics suggested by the Hávamál which does not
necessarily match neatly with the 20th century neo-shaman's sense of
rightness. Our heritage is of the northern Germanic peoples.
"If you do "totem-animals" or visualize
fylgja as a Heathen guardian angel, if you believe that your chosen
patron God or Goddess is going to carry you "home" after you kick off
just because you've been a good little Heathen, or if you're fond of
Norse astrology, Norse Wicca, or Norse tarot, this may not really be
your chosen site. We sei<eth>folk do what we do because we have
no choice! It is what we have been dealt by the Nornir. We don't
"seethe" because it might be "fun," we "seethe" because we must!"
More
He
Seidh/She Seidh - On the Metaethics
of Oracular Seidhr, by Maryam Povey Webster. "One of the most
challenging and fascinating explorations of Northern magick today is
occurring in the Oracular Seidhr movement here in America. This
movement, while spirited and worthy of further study, suffers by its
very nature of practice some of the most serious magickal pitfalls
and potential for incorrect usage in the Northern European,
magicko-religious structure...The term "seidhr" has been used
primarily in the late twentieth century America to denote the
oracular practices of Northern European spirituality, for which the
proper term would actually be "spae" or "spá" craft. "Seidhr",
however, has come to designate the specific and elaborate ritual
structure that has come to enshroud the practice and shall be used
for the purpose of this paper.
"Seidhr, then, generally denotes those acts
of oracular magick practiced traditionally by women, although
increasing modern interest and practice by men is well noted. Such
acts include: going to the Well of Wyrd to divine the Future or Past;
ascending Hlidskjálf (Odin's Seat of Seeing) for the same
reason; or to the Great Loom in Figga's castle of Fensalir to scry;
or variants, such as one group's interesting practice of scrying just
through the gates of Helheim into the mists thereof.
"Shapeshifting or Hamfarir may or may not
accompany such scrying ventures, although wise spáfolk do well
to utilize their animal allies to facilitate spirit-flight and safe
return from their journeying.
"This article focuses on the most commonly
perceived three areas of need:
Viking
Answer Lady: Women and Magic in the Sagas: Seidr and
Spá
"The Norse practitioners of the various arts of magic were highly
respected professionals whose services were valued by their
communities. In the Norse literature, men as well as women appear
wielding the arts of magic, however, it is explicitly stated in
several places that by doing so these men were taking on a female art
so thoroughly that it endangered their reputation and
manhood...
"Many of the most
important cult practices of the pagan Norse religion occurred in the
housewife's domain, where the woman of the house would act as
priestess or gy<eth>ja. From the time of the ancient Germanic
tribes, women were revered by the Northern peoples as being holy,
imbued with magical power, and with a special ability to prophecy, a
reverence which endured in Scandinavia until the advent of
Christianity. It is therefore necessary when examining materials
dealing with women in general, and most especially with women
involved in pagan or magical activities, to carefully evaluate the
effect that Christian attitudes may have exerted upon the author
recording the material in question. In general, Christian accounts,
most especially those describing the Conversion of Scandinavia, have
a hostile view of magic and pagan religion, demoting gods to devils,
pagan worshipers into malevolent sorcerers, and those practicing
magic in a pagan context become regarded practitioners of the most
perverse and evil deeds. The further an account is removed in time
from the pagan era, the more confusion and inaccuracies creep into
the accounts. This is especially demonstrable in the confusion over
the concepts of sei<eth>r and spá, as will be discussed
below.
"It has been noted that women's
magico-religious activities are always associated with their socially
accepted and defined roles. Sometimes women's magic and religion
reflect their domestic duties, while at other times magic and
religion are the antithesis of a woman's socially expected role,
acting as an outlet for rage and frustration but abhorred by the men
who define a woman's role in their society. This is likewise true for
magic in the world of the Norse woman. The woman of the Viking Age
found magic in her spindle and distaff, wove spells in the threads of
her family's clothing, and revenged herself on the powerful using the
skills of sorcery." More
Ground
Rules for Journeying, by
Ragnheid,
Storyteller and Bard
"1.
Be aware of what is around. Look before leaping. Don't rush into
situations.
2. Speak to those that you meet. Always be polite and courteous. Be
truthful when they ask you questions
3. If a creature asks to come with you, accept their company or help.
(Caveat below -- if they put conditions on their help, be wary!)
4. If some creature or person asks for help, give it. If the help is
beyond your means, explain this -- the creature may tell you how to
fulfill it. Your ally may assist you, if you ask. The help may be
needed within the journey, or in ordinary reality.
5. If you make a promise, keep it. This is regardless of whether it
refers to actions within the journey, or those you should complete in
ordinary reality.
6. If some creature or person asks you to share food, share it.
7. If a creature you've helped gives you a token, poem, or anything
else, keep it. It will later be useful.
8. If you undertake a task, do it to the best of your ability.
9. If you cannot do a task, ask your ally or those with you.
10. If you want to go home (return to a safe place in the journey, or
wake to ordinary reality), say so..." More
Called
by the Disir, by Susan Granquist
"In descriptions of Sei<eth>r the term shamanism is often used
in a vague way, with a few general parallels to other shamanic
cultures and magical communities We find statements that
Sei<eth>r in the Eddas, sagas and other literature and lore of
Northern Europe is obviously related, or perhaps derivative of
shamanism, but such articles and studies rarely lead the reader to
any firm conclusion as to how they are related. From an academic or
reconstructionist position it remains partially obscure and distant.
For a shaman it is anything but vague, as the experience informs and
the lore expands on that knowledge, but that is in itself in the
nature of the shaman or seidkona. It is easier for the shaman to
identify important information that is often overlooked or dismissed
without further investigation."... More
Irish Seidr-type Working - "I was recently taught the following oracular, necromantic trance technique by Andrew Bentley, a good friend of mine trained by his father in a Pagan Irish Druidical tradition. It involves a journey to the Celtic Otherworld. I don't remember the Gaelic name and couldn't spell it anyway! I have his permission to share it with you...Before going into trance, ask the people with questions to give them to you (maximum of four or five). Then sit in a lotus-type position with your head in your open hands. If your hair is long, put it over your face. If not, a veil of some sort may prove useful. In the old days, the seer/ess often wrapped himself in a hide. As with seidhr, the journeyer often comes out of trance cold and ravenously hungry. Here is the visualization for the journey. No drumming is used, and only the seer/ess travels...More
Imbas Forosna - "Imbas Forosna is knowledge that illuminates, and while the mechanics of the practice are in doubt historically it is recorded as a form of prophesy or enlightenment. My own reading of the commentaries on this subject have left me convinced that it's origins are most probably a form of seidhr (it's believe to have come from England or Norway) especially since in it's earliest forms it was practiced almost exclusively by woman. More
An Alternative Spæ Rite - by Shawn Wodening of Angelseaxise Ealdriht : "Spæ is most often mistakenly called seidr in modern Asatru. The reason for this confusion is due to the use of the word seidr in Erik the Red's Saga, the only good secondary source of a spæcræft ritual. The word spæ its self means literally "spying" but in the sense of "seeing with secondsight." Its relationship to Old Norse speja is roughly as to seer is to "to see." Both are related to Old English spyrian" to investigate." Its primary characteristic was the active obtaining of information, knowledge, and wisdom whether about the past, present, or possible future. Spæcræft was a part of seidr, but not all spæcræft was seidr or vice versa. The Icelandic lawspeakers performed spæ by "going under the hide or hood," yet this was not seen as seidr, nor was the "mound sitting" of kings, or the taking of omens. Yet all of these bear resemblances to spæ. Other references to sei<eth>R in the lore on the other hand would seem to indicate much more than mere spæcræft. Sei<eth>R appeared to have involved manipulation of the human mind and soul..." more
Beginning Trance Work for Spæ and Seidhr by Shawn Wodening of Angelseaxise Ealdriht : "In order to be able to perform spæ, one must be able to go into trance. This is true regardless of whether one uses the method of spirit travel made popular by Hrafnr, or whether one is using the method of inviting wights to them. In order to perform trance work, one must first learn basic meditation techniques as covered in the articles on Breathing, and Beginning Meditation. Once these are mastered, one is ready to begin trance work in earnest. The best form of meditative technique is empty mind meditation. In order to hear the spirits one is communing with, one must be able to silence their own thoughts. In addition, they also need to develop the ability to sense that which is outside their mind. Both of these can be accomplished by learning and practicing empty mind meditation. A spæ worker going into trance to communicate with spirits must go through several steps. In this article we will only be dealing with the invitation method of performing spæ, and the steps therefore follow its ritual outline. Many of the principles however can also be applied to the Hrafnr style of spæ or "oracular seidh," as well as thylcraft, and mound sitting..." more
Sejdsankeren - A mailing list featuring discussions on Seithr. Studies in Norse folk-beliefs, magic-belief and practice.
Seidr - Another mailing list for the study of Seidr and related subjects.
Northern European Shamanism - "...Most people forget that Europe once was the home of many tribes. Some of those tribal traditions are still alive, particularly among the Saami people, who used to be called, "Lapps". These are the Arctic people who once raised reindeer for a living. Their Shamanic tradition is still alive, and is closely related to the traditions of the Norse and Germans. Northern Tradition used such elements of Shamanism as the World Tree, shape shifting and drumming and dancing to induce a trance..." More
Scandinavian Center for the Study of Shamanism - "...The word 'shaman' (pronounced SHAH-MAN) has become a new-age catchword, used by many but understood by few. Originally, it comes from the Evinki people of Siberia, and literally means "the one who knows." Today, in the western world, some mean that a shaman is any kind of native medicine man or woman, while others think it is anyone with a strong personality and an intense stare. But, in fact, a shaman is defined by the way she or he works. Quite simply, a shaman is a woman or man who changes his or her state of consciousness, at will, in order to contact and/or travel to another reality to obtain power and knowledge. Mission accomplished, the shaman journeys home to use this power and knowledge to help either himself or others.
"Using rhythmic drumming, dance, and song the shaman experiences a consciousness-shift which enables her to let her soul journey to what is traditionally known as the Spirit World. In many cultures, this alternate universe is divided into three main areas: The Upperworld, the Middleworld, and the Lowerworld...
"...Healing is, and always has been, the main work of the shaman. Central to the understanding of shamanism, and especially shamanic healing, is the concept of power. Essentially, power in shamanism is not power as might, but rather power as energy . Traditionally, the shaman sees two main reasons for illness. The patient either has something inside which should not be there (an unwanted power intrusion), or is missing something that should be there (power-loss). As all things have a spirit or soul from the shaman's point of view, this holds true for illnesses as well. In the case of a power intrusion it is the shaman's job to remove the spirit of the unwanted power..." More
THE STAFF AND THE SONG: Using the Old Nordic Seidr in Modern Shamanism by Annette Høst. "Maybe you, like I, have felt a longing to let your shamanic or other spiritual practice take root in your own land and its traditions. For many years I have been enchanted by old stories about the Nordic form of shamanism called seidr. It was practiced mostly by women called volvas, who used ecstatic song as means for their soul to journey. As I have explored the seidr, and included it in my own shamanic practice and teaching, I have found that it has so much to reveal. In this article we will look at seidr from the inside, from the perspective of the shamanic practitioner, and focus on what the seidr tradition has to offer and teach us here and now. The greatest gift is the treasure of ecstatic song and magic chanting...." more
Fairy tale Shamans - "...Many people wish they had been raised in some tribal tradition so they would have grown up with a shamanic tradition. What they don't know is that most people who have grown up speaking English have already done so. The fairy tales we all heard growing up were actually hidden shaman stories. Here is an example. Jack sells his cow to a mysterious stranger for a handful of magic beans. The beans grow into a huge beanstalk, and Jack climbs to an upper world to discover treasures and bring them to his people. Here is a typical Shaman experience. The shaman climbs a tree to the upper world, and discovers symbols of spiritual power that help his/her people..." More
Saami of Far Northern Europe - The nomadic tribes of arctic Scandinavia have a rich tradition of shamanism.
Bearwalker's Shamanic Teachings and Techniques
Deoxyribonucleic Autonomous Zone
Foundation for Shamanic Studies
High-tech Paganism-Digital Polytheism
"Shaman" - Journal of the International Society for Shamanic Research
Updated 5/12/01
