Willow’s Guide to Norse Wicca

By Willow Voss

Hello, seeker. My name is Willow Voss, age 18, and I’m writing this from the quiet corners of my small apartment in Janesville, Wisconsin, where the woods whisper secrets and the moon watches over my solitary rituals. It’s 1992, fresh out of high school, and I’ve been walking the Wiccan path for a few years now, drawing from books that feel like old friends—Gerald Gardner’s wisdom, Starhawk’s earth-centered magic, and the ancient echoes of Norse lore that call to my blood like the wind through pines. I’m no high priestess in a grand coven; I’m just a girl with pale skin and black hair, clad in my velvet blouse and Doc Martens, tending my altar of stones and herbs. But I’ve woven together what I call Norse Wicca—a simple, powerful blend of British Traditional Wicca (BTW) roots with the raw, mythic strength of the Norse traditions. It’s not for rigid hierarchies or large gatherings; it’s crafted for solitaries like me, for couples who share a deep bond, and for casual small groups of friends who meet under the stars without fanfare.

This guide isn’t a rulebook carved in stone. It’s my personal map, inspired by the Wiccan Rede—”An it harm none, do what ye will”—and the Norse Hávamál’s counsel to live wisely and honor the gods. BTW gives it structure: the duality of Goddess and God, the circle casting, the tools of power. But I’ve oriented it toward the lone practitioner, the intimate pair, or a handful of trusted souls, because magic thrives in authenticity, not spectacle. We’ll keep it grounded, like the earth under my boots during a woodland rite. No need for elaborate robes or secret oaths beyond your own heart’s vow. Let’s walk this path together, step by step, with the simplicity of a rune-carved staff and the power of a thunderstorm.

Chapter 1: Foundations – Understanding Norse Wicca

Norse Wicca is my way of honoring the old gods of the North—Odin the Allfather, Freya the Vanir queen, Thor the thunderer—through the lens of Wicca’s modern revival. BTW, as founded by Gardner in the 1950s, emphasizes initiation, polarity (the balance of masculine and feminine energies), and coven work. But in Norse Wicca for solitaries and small circles, we adapt: self-initiation replaces formal rites, and polarity becomes a personal dance, whether alone, with a partner, or in a loose group of 3-5.

At its core, believe in the Divine as dual yet one: the Goddess as the earth-mother Skadi or the seeress Frigg, weaving fate; the God as Odin the wanderer or Frey the fertile lord, bringing growth. The Norse pantheon isn’t distant; they’re allies in the web of Wyrd (fate), much like Wicca’s Lord and Lady. We follow the Wheel of the Year, but infuse it with Norse festivals—Yule as the Wild Hunt, Ostara as Freya’s awakening. Ethics are simple: Harm none, including yourself and the earth. Honor the ancestors, the land spirits (wights), and the runes as tools of insight.

For solitaries: Your practice is your own. No need for approval; the gods see your intent.

For couples: Polarity shines here—masculine and feminine energies in union, like Odin and Frigg’s wisdom shared.

For small groups: Gather casually, perhaps around a fire pit. No high priest/ess; rotate roles or let intuition guide.

Start with a dedication rite: Alone or together, under the full moon, cast a circle (more on that later), invoke the gods, and pledge your path. Use blood from a pricked finger on a rune stone if it feels right—simple, powerful, binding.

Chapter 2: The Sacred Space – Creating Your Altar and Circle

In Norse Wicca, your altar is your hearth, a bridge to Asgard and Midgard. Keep it simple: A wooden table or cloth on the floor, facing north for the earth’s strength.

Essential tools, drawn from BTW but Norse-flavored:

– *Athame (knife)*: A blade for directing energy, etched with runes like Algiz for protection. Use it to cast circles.

– *Wand*: Carved from oak or ash (Yggdrasil’s wood), for invoking gods.

– *Chalice*: A horn or cup for mead/offering, symbolizing the Goddess’s womb.

– *Pentacle*: A wooden disk with a carved pentagram, perhaps ringed by runes, for earth grounding.

– *Cauldron or Bowl*: For scrying or burning herbs, like Freya’s brewing pot.

– *Runes*: A set of 24 Elder Futhark stones or tiles—your oracle, beyond BTW’s tarot.

Add personal touches: Feathers for Odin’s ravens, stones from your local woods, a Thor’s hammer pendant.

For the circle: BTW teaches casting with athame, calling quarters. In Norse Wicca, adapt to the directions as realms—East (Air, elves), South (Fire, Muspelheim), West (Water, Niflheim), North (Earth, Jotunheim). Invoke the gods at center.

Solitary: Walk the circle thrice, whispering runes.

Couple: One casts, the other calls elements—masculine/feminine balance.

Small group: Pass the athame, each adding a rune chant.

Close by thanking, walking widdershins (counterclockwise). Simple ritual: Light a candle, say, “By Odin’s eye and Freya’s grace, this circle opens to time and space.”

Chapter 3: The Gods and Spirits – Who We Honor

Norse Wicca reveres a pantheon alive with stories from the Eddas. No blind worship; build relationships through offerings and meditation.

Key deities:

– *Odin*: Wisdom, poetry, sacrifice. Call for knowledge; offer mead and poetry.

– *Freya*: Love, magic, war. Goddess of seidr (Norse witchcraft); invoke for spells of attraction or protection.

– *Thor*: Strength, protection. Hammer for warding; offer ale and oats.

– *Frigg*: Home, fate. For divination and family magic.

– *Frey*: Fertility, peace. For growth rites.

– *Skadi*: Wilderness, hunt. For solitary strength.

– *Loki*: Change, trickery. Approach cautiously; he teaches flexibility.

Ancestors and wights (land spirits): Leave milk and bread outdoors. In rites, honor them first.

For solitaries: Meditate on one god daily, journaling visions.

Couples: Alternate invocations—her for Goddess, him for God.

Small groups: Share stories round-robin, invoking collectively.

Power comes from reciprocity: Give offerings, receive guidance. Simple prayer: “Odin Allfather, grant me sight; Freya fair, lend your might.”

Chapter 4: Magic and Spellwork – Simple, Powerful Practices

Magic in Norse Wicca is seidr meets Wiccan craft—intent woven with runes, herbs, and will.

Basics from BTW: Raise energy (chanting, dancing), direct it, ground.

Norse twist: Use galdr (rune chanting) for power.

Tools: Runes for divination/spells; herbs like mugwort for visions, oak for strength.

Simple spells:

– *Protection*: Carve Algiz on a stone, bury at thresholds. Chant: “Algiz guard, harm depart.”

– *Love (for couples)*: Bind two runes (Gebo for partnership) with red cord under full moon.

– *Prosperity*: Offer to Frey with seeds; plant them post-rite.

For solitaries: Self-focused, like rune meditation for insight.

Couples: Great Rite symbolic—union of athame and chalice for polarity magic.

Small groups: Circle dance to raise cone of power, then release for shared goal.

Ethics: Threefold law applies—what you send returns. Always with Rede.

Advanced: Seidr trance—sit with staff, journey to realms. Start simple: Breathe deep, visualize Yggdrasil.

Chapter 5: The Wheel of the Year – Norse-Infused Sabbats

Wicca’s eight sabbats, blended with Norse holy days. Celebrate simply: Outdoors if possible, with fire and feast.

– *Yule (Winter Solstice)*: Wild Hunt; honor Odin. Solitary vigil with yule log; couples exchange runes; group storytelling.

– *Imbolc (Feb 1-2)*: Brigid’s fire, Norse as Disablot (ancestors). Cleanse with snowmelt.

– *Ostara (Spring Equinox)*: Freya’s return. Egg rites for fertility.

– *Beltane (May 1)*: Maypole as Yggdrasil; polarity strong for couples.

– *Litha (Summer Solstice)*: Baldr’s light. Bonfire leaps.

– *Lammas (Aug 1)*: First harvest; thank Frey.

– *Mabon (Autumn Equinox)*: Second harvest; honor wights.

– *Samhain (Oct 31)*: Veil thin; ancestor feast, like Alfblot.

Esbats (full moons): Lunar magic, Freya’s domain. Simple: Scry in water, charge tools.

Adapt: Solitaries journal; couples share visions; groups potluck rituals.

Chapter 6: Daily Practice and Growth – Living the Path

Norse Wicca isn’t weekend magic; it’s woven into life.

Daily: Morning rune draw for guidance; evening gratitude to gods.

Meditation: Sit under a tree, breathe with earth’s pulse.

Journal: Track dreams, spells—my black-bound book is my grimoire.

For couples: Shared altars, joint meditations strengthen bonds.

Small groups: Meet monthly, no obligations—casual as a coffee chat, but with runes.

Growth: Self-initiate after a year and a day. Rite: Fast, bathe in herbs, vow to gods in circle.

Challenges: Doubt? Ground with walks. Loneliness? Remember, gods are company.

Chapter 7: Community and Ethics – Beyond the Self

Though solitary-oriented, connection matters. Join pagan meets casually, but guard your energy—I’m introverted, so I choose wisely.

Ethics: Rede first. Respect nature—pick herbs sustainably. Inclusivity: All welcome, no judgment on orientation (though I’m straight, magic is universal).

If forming a small group: No oaths; consent always. Rotate leadership.

Closing Thoughts

This is my guide, seeker—not the only way, but a simple, powerful thread in Wyrd’s tapestry. Walk it with heart open, boots grounded. May Odin grant wisdom, Freya magic, and the earth strength. Blessed be, in the old ways.

With quiet grace,  

Willow Voss  

Janesville, 1992