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A comprehensive grimoire of correspondences, substitutions, and symbolic equivalents in Viking Trolldom
Foretale: The Language of Layers
In the Old Ways of the North, magick was never literal — it was symbolic, poetic, and layered with meaning. The völva and the cunning folk understood that all things possess hamr (form) and hugr (spirit), and that one could stand in place of another if the essence remained true.
This is the art of kenning in magick — just as the skalds called the sea “whale-road” and gold “Freyja’s tears,” so too did the practitioners of trolldom speak in riddles and substitutions. What appears to be one thing conceals another truth beneath.
This guide reveals the hidden tongue of Nordic sorcery, where nothing is quite as it seems, and everything resonates with deeper significance.
I. Blóð og Lífi — Blood and Life Force
The Sacred Substance
In ancient practice, blood (blóð) was the ultimate carrier of life force, ancestry, and personal power. It sealed oaths, consecrated runes, and fed the spirits. Yet in modern practice, we honor the essence without the literal sacrifice.
Symbolic Substitutions for Blood:
Red Wine (Most Common)
Why it works: The color, the richness, the fermentation process that transforms — wine carries the spirit of sacrifice without harm
When to use: Consecrating tools, feeding talismans, sealing petitions, offerings to ancestors
Traditional note: Mead is even more powerful, being sacred to Odin and the gods
Red Ochre or Iron Oxide Paint
Why it works: The earth’s blood, the same pigment our ancestors used in cave paintings and burial rites
When to use: Marking runes permanently, painting sigils on stone or wood
Preparation: Mix powder with water or oil
Pomegranate Juice
Why it works: Ancient symbol of life, death, and rebirth; deep crimson like heart’s blood
When to use: Workings involving transformation, underworld journeys, women’s mysteries
Beetroot Juice
Why it works: Earth-grown, blood-red, stains like true blood
When to use: Folk magick, hedge witchery, practical substitution
Red Ink (Dragon’s Blood Ink)
Why it works: The resin of dragon’s blood carries protective and empowering properties
When to use: Writing petitions, drawing sigils, marking boundaries
Recipe: Grind dragon’s blood resin, mix with alcohol (vodka or rubbing alcohol) and gum arabic
Your Own Spit (Mixed with Red Wine)
Why it works: Saliva carries your DNA, your essence, your hamr
When to use: Personal workings where your unique signature is required
Note: This honors bodily sovereignty — nothing taken that the body doesn’t freely give
When Literal Blood IS Used (Rarely):
Only in the most serious of oaths, the most personal of bindings:
A single drop from a finger prick (lancet, sterile)
Menstrual blood (freely given, most powerful for women’s magick)
Always with reverence, never wastefully
Always with clear intent and understanding of the weight
The Old Law: Blood calls to blood. Use it wisely, for once spilled, it cannot be taken back.
II. Líkami og Hluti — Body and Personal Concerns
The Power of the Personal
In trolldom, anything connected to a person carries their hamingja (personal luck/spirit). These are called “personal concerns” or “links.”
Safe and Ethical Personal Concerns:
Hair (Hár)
Your own: supremely powerful, freely given
Another’s: only with explicit permission, never taken by stealth
Use: Placed in mojo bags, wrapped in petitions, buried in earth workings
Color significance: Red hair for passion, dark for grounding, light for clarity
Nail Clippings (Neglur)
Your own: excellent for self-transformation work
Cut during waxing moon for growth work, waning for banishing
Burn or bury after magickal use; never leave vulnerable
Saliva (Munnvatn)
Mix into inks, anoint candles, add to jars
Most intimate form of marking something as “yours”
Handwriting (Skrif)
Your signature carries your authority
Write your name nine times on petition paper
The motion of your hand imprints your will
Worn Clothing Scraps (Föt)
A thread from a garment worn close to skin
Carries your scent, your warmth, your daily energy
Never use someone else’s without permission
Photographs (Modern Tool)
Face-up for blessing, face-down for binding
Placed under candles, in jars, buried in earth work
Ethically sourced (from animals that died naturally or humanely for food)
Never killed specifically for magick (this corrupts the working)
Legal to possess (check local laws regarding feathers, bones, etc.)
Treated with respect (thanked, honored, never wasted)
Modern substitution: In most cases, images, symbols, or carvings of animals work just as well as physical parts. The spirit recognizes the intent.
VIII. Steinar og Gimsteinar — Stones and Crystals
The Bones Beneath
Long before crystal healing became popularized, the Norse knew that stones held power — they were the bones of the earth, the remnants of Ymir’s body, silent witnesses to ages beyond memory.
Stone Correspondences in Trolldom:
Hematite (Blóðsteinn — Blood Stone)
Appearance: Metallic gray-black, leaves red streak
Powers: Wisdom, truth, spiritual connection, psychic ability, communication with divine
Uses: Spiritual development, truth-speaking, connection to higher wisdom, royal magick
Why it works: Color of night sky with stars, historically sacred, expensive
Placement: Third eye, throat, communication with gods, wisdom work
Traditional note: Used in ancient Egyptian magick, ground for ultramarine pigment
IX. Kenningar og Falsorð — Kennings and Hidden Speech
The Poet’s Secret Code
The Norse skalds spoke in kenningar — metaphorical compounds that concealed meaning beneath beauty. This same art extended into magickal practice, where to name a thing directly was to give it power over you, but to speak in riddles was to command it.
magickal Kennings in Practice:
For Blood:
“Life-river” (lífá)
“Heart’s wine” (hjartavín)
“Battle-dew” (bardögg)
“Wound-drink” (sárdrykkur)
For Death:
“The long sleep” (langi svefninn)
“Hel’s embrace” (Heljar faðmlag)
“Journey to the mound” (ferð til haugsins)
“The last ship” (síðasta skipið)
For magick Itself:
“The hidden way” (dulda veginn)
“Thread-weaving” (þráðavefur)
“The crooked path” (bogna stiginn)
“Rune-song” (rúnasöngur)
For the Practitioner:
“Thread-weaver” (þráðavefari) — one who weaves fate
“Rune-master” (rúnameistari) — one who knows the runes
“Those who dwell beneath” (þeir sem búa fyrir neðan)
“The landvættir” — land spirits
For Sacred Herbs:
“Dream-herb” — mugwort
“Thunder-plant” — houseleek (protected from lightning by Thor)
“Elf-leaf” — various herbs believed touched by elves
“Snake-grass” — herbs used against poison
For magickal Tools:
“The bone of Yggdrasil” — wooden staff or wand (from the World Tree)
“Iron-biter” — knife or athame
“Stone-song” — rune stones or crystals
“The web-caster” — any tool used for binding or weaving spells
For the Gods (Respectful Distance):
“The All-Father” — Odin
“The Thunderer” — Thor
“The Shining One” — Balder
“Lady of the Vanir” — Freyja
“Lord of the Harvest” — Frey
“The Guardian” — Heimdall
For Moon Phases:
“Silver horn” — crescent moon
“Sky-shield” — full moon
“Odin’s eye” — moon (as he has one eye)
“Night’s lamp” — moon
For magickal Timing:
“Between dog and wolf” — twilight, liminal time
“When the veil is thin” — Samhain, solstices
“The still point” — midnight or noon
“The threshold hour” — dawn or dusk
Why This Matters:
In Northern magick, speaking directly can alert unwanted attention from spirits or break the spell’s potency. Speaking in kenning creates a protective layer of metaphor while still communicating truth to those who have the wit to understand.
When recording spells in a grimoire or speaking workings aloud, consider using kennings to:
Protect your practice from prying eyes
Elevate the poetry and beauty of your workings
Honor the Old Ways of the skalds
Create personal power words that only you fully understand
X. Galdrastafir og Bindrúnir — magickal Staves and Bind-Runes
The Written Will
Beyond the Elder Futhark runes themselves, the Northern practitioners developed complex magickal symbols called galdrastafir (magickal staves) and bindrúnir (bind-runes) — visual spells drawn, carved, or painted to manifest specific outcomes.
Galdrastafir (magickal Staves):
These are primarily Icelandic in origin but have spread throughout Northern practice.
Purpose: Protection in battle, instilling fear in enemies, invincibility
How to use: Draw on forehead, carve on weapons, paint on shields
Modern use: Draw before confrontations, job interviews, legal matters
Material: Lead was traditional, but ink, charcoal, or visualization works
Vegvísir (Runic Compass)
Purpose: Never lose your way, guidance, safe travel, finding your path
How to use: Carry while traveling, draw before important decisions
Modern use: GPS of the spirit, finding life direction
Note: Not ancient Viking (appears in 1860s grimoire) but powerful nonetheless
Gapaldur and Ginfaxi (Wrestling Staves)
Purpose: Victory in wrestling/competition
Gapaldur: Worn under right heel (to cripple opponent)
Ginfaxi: Worn between brows (to instill fear)
Modern use: Competition, sports, debates, any contest
Lukkustafir (Lucky Stave)
Purpose: General good fortune, luck
How to use: Carve on wood or paper, carry as talisman
Materials: Oak or ash wood preferred
Draumstafir (Dream Stave)
Purpose: Good dreams, prophetic dreams, dream protection
How to use: Draw on paper and place under pillow
Herbs to combine: Mugwort, lavender
Þjófastafir (Thief Stave)
Purpose: Catch thieves, protect property, make stolen items return
How to use: Draw above doorway, in wallet, on valuable items
Ethics: For protection, not theft
Bindrúnir (Bind-Runes):
Bind-runes combine multiple runes into a single symbol, creating a custom sigil for specific intentions.
How to Create Bind-Runes:
Determine your intention (be specific)
Choose runes that align with your goal:
Fehu (ᚠ) — wealth, prosperity
Uruz (ᚢ) — strength, vitality
Thurisaz (ᚦ) — protection, defense
Ansuz (ᚨ) — communication, wisdom
Raido (ᚱ) — journey, travel
Kenaz (ᚲ) — knowledge, inspiration
Gebo (ᚷ) — gift, partnership
Wunjo (ᚹ) — joy, harmony
Hagalaz (ᚺ) — disruption, transformation
Nauthiz (ᚾ) — need, constraint, necessary action
Isa (ᛁ) — ice, stillness, binding
Jera (ᛃ) — harvest, cycles, reward
Eihwaz (ᛇ) — protection, connection to spirit
Pertho (ᛈ) — mystery, divination, hidden things
Algiz (ᛉ) — protection, higher self
Sowilo (ᛋ) — sun, success, victory
Tiwaz (ᛏ) — justice, honor, victory
Berkana (ᛒ) — birth, new beginnings, growth
Ehwaz (ᛖ) — movement, partnership, trust
Mannaz (ᛗ) — humanity, self, community
Laguz (ᛚ) — water, intuition, flow
Ingwaz (ᛜ) — fertility, internal growth
Dagaz (ᛞ) — dawn, breakthrough, transformation
Othala (ᛟ) — inheritance, home, ancestry
Overlay the runes sharing common lines where possible
Simplify if too complex (aesthetic matters)
Charge the bind-rune:
Speak each rune’s name three times
State the overall intention
Breathe life into it (three breaths)
Anoint with oil or blood-substitute
Carry, wear, or place where needed
Example Bind-Runes:
For Protection:
Algiz + Thurisaz + Tiwaz
Combines defensive protection, boundary, and righteous justice
For Prosperity:
Fehu + Jera + Dagaz
Wealth + harvest reward + breakthrough/dawn of new prosperity
For Love:
Gebo + Wunjo + Kenaz
Partnership + joy + passion/fire
For Healing:
Uruz + Berkana + Sowilo
Strength + growth/renewal + solar vitality
For Safe Travel:
Raido + Algiz + Ehwaz
Journey + protection + horse/vehicle
Charging and Activating Staves:
Draw or carve with intention
Color with appropriate substance:
Red: Blood-substitute (wine, ochre) for power
Black: Ink, charcoal for binding/protection
Gold/Yellow: For solar/success work
Blue: For peace/healing
Speak the galdr (incantation):
State what the stave is for
Repeat three or nine times
Use rhythmic, chant-like delivery
Breathe life (önd) into it — three or nine breaths
Offerings — give something in exchange (mead, herbs, coin)
Placement or carrying as appropriate
Where to Place Staves:
Above doorways — protection, blessing
Under threshold — ward, barrier
In wallet — prosperity
Under pillow — dreams
On body (temporary) — personal power
On tools — empowering objects
In vehicles — safe travel
In grimoire — recording your work
XI. Öndvegissúlur og Helgidómur — Sacred Space and Altar
Creating the Temple
Even the most practical of Norse folk understood the importance of sacred space — the vé (holy place), the household altar, the high seat pillars that anchored a homestead to the gods and land spirits.
The Household Altar (Altari):
Location:
Ideal: Facing north (direction of mystery, Niflheim, the unknown)
Alternative: East (dawn, new beginnings, Ásgarðr)
Practical: Any quiet corner where you won’t be disturbed
Modern: A shelf, table, or dedicated space; size matters less than intention
Base Setup:
Cloth (Dúkur):
Color based on intention:
White — all-purpose, purity
Red — strength, passion, gods of action
Green — land spirits, growth, prosperity
Black — shadow work, Hel, ancestors
Blue — peace, water, seiðr work
Candles (Kerti):
At minimum: One white or beeswax candle
Traditional: Two candles (representing sun and moon, masculine and feminine)
Advanced: Colors for different gods/intentions
Always: Fire-safe setup, never leave burning unattended
Offering Bowl (Blótskál):
Wood, ceramic, or horn (avoid plastic)
For pouring offerings: mead, water, wine, milk
Empty and refresh regularly (never let offerings rot)
Pour offerings outside to earth or into living plant
Offering Plate (Diskur):
For solid offerings: bread, cakes, fruit, salt
Remove within 24 hours (let birds/animals eat, or bury)
Images or Symbols (Goðamyndir):
Statues, pictures, or symbols of deities you work with
Can be simple: a stone for each god, drawn symbols, printed images
Not required if you prefer an aniconic (symbol-based) practice
Representation of Elements:
Fire: Candle or oil lamp
Water: Bowl of fresh water (change daily)
Earth: Bowl of salt, soil, or stone
Air: Incense, feather, or opening window during ritual
Specialized Altar Tools:
Völva’s Staff (Seiðstafr):
Tall staff, traditionally with metal finial
Represents authority, connection between worlds
Used in seiðr trance work
Modern: Any tall branch or wooden staff that feels powerful
Decoration: Carve runes, wrap with wool, add bells or feathers
Hammer (Hamar — Thor’s Hammer):
Replica Mjölnir or actual small hammer
Used for blessing (hallowing)
Trace hammer sign over things to bless or protect
Represents Thor’s protection
Horn or Chalice (Horn/Bikar):
For ritual drinking (mead, ale, juice)
Drinking horns are traditional
Pass clockwise (sunwise) if sharing in group
Pour remainder as offering
Wand or Staff (Töfrasproti):
Smaller than völva’s staff
For directing energy, tracing runes
Wood from sacred trees: rowan, ash, oak, birch
Length: forearm or full cubit (elbow to fingertip)
Blade (Knífur/Seax):
For cutting cords, harvesting herbs, carving
Not for kitchen use (dedicated to magick)
Keep sharp and ritually clean
Traditional: Seax (single-edged knife)
Rune Set (Rúnasett):
For divination
Can be carved, painted, or store-bought
Keep in special bag (often red or white)
Don’t let others handle without permission
Distaff (Rokkstokkur):
Traditional women’s tool (spinning)
Represents fate-weaving
Völvas carried distaffs
Modern: Symbolic even if you don’t spin
Sacred Space Creation (Vé-Gerð):
Simple Method (Daily Practice):
Light candle — “I kindle this flame in honor of the gods and spirits”
Offer incense — juniper, pine, or mugwort
Speak your intention — why you’re here
Do your work — prayer, meditation, magick
Give thanks — to gods, spirits, ancestors who aided
Pour offering — even just water to the earth
Extinguish candle — or let burn safely
Formal Method (Hammer Rite):
Face north, raise right hand or hold hammer symbol
Call to Thor — “Thor, hallow this space”
Trace hammer in the air over head (or use actual hammer/Mjölnir)
Turn to each direction, trace hammer at each quarter:
North — Niflheim, mystery, ice
East — Ásgarðr, gods, light
South — Muspelheim, fire, passion
West — Vanaheimr, sea, Vanir gods
Above — sky, Ásgarðr
Below — earth, roots, ancestors
Center — Miðgarðr, your heart, here and now
Declare — “This space is hallowed. No ill may enter here.”
Advanced Method (Full Blót Setup):
Reserved for major rituals, season celebrations, oaths. (This would require its own extensive section)
Maintaining the Sacred:
Daily (if possible):
Light a candle, even briefly
Refresh water
Speak to your spirits
Weekly:
Clean altar thoroughly
Burn cleansing incense
Give offering
Monthly:
Deep clean
Rearrange if called to
Honor full moon with special offering
Seasonally:
Major cleaning and renewal
Update altar for season
Replace altar cloth if needed
Disposal of Altar Items:
Never trash sacred objects
Bury, burn (if safe), or return to nature
Thank the object before disposing
Or place in river/sea if appropriate
XII. Seiðr og Galdr — Two Paths of Power
The Twin Arts
Northern magick bifurcates into two primary streams, each with its own flavor, methods, and social implications.
Note: Controversial in modern practice; some honor, others don’t
To the Land Spirits (Landvættir):
Milk or cream poured on earth
Bread crumbs scattered
Shiny objects (coins, crystals)
Birdseed
Garden tending
Cleaning litter from land
Respectful treatment of nature
To the Ancestors (Ættir/Forfeður):
Food they loved in life
Coffee, tea, alcohol they preferred
Family recipes prepared with love
Photographs displayed
Speaking their names
Telling their stories
Continuing family traditions
Tending graves
To House Spirits (Tomte/Nisse):
Porridge (traditional: rice porridge with butter)
Milk
Honey
Small cakes
Keeping home clean
Leaving small gifts
Respecting their space
Not bragging about them (they dislike this)
How to Give Offerings:
Physical Offerings:
Present on altar first (if indoors)
Speak your intention — “I give this to [name] in thanks/in request for…”
Leave for a time — overnight or 24 hours
Dispose properly:
Liquids: Pour on earth, into living plant, or at base of tree
Food: Leave for animals, bury, or compost (never trash)
Objects: Keep on altar, bury in special place, or give to flowing water
Non-Physical Offerings:
Deeds done in their name
Poetry composed
Art created
Acts of kindness
Standing for values they represent
Passing knowledge forward
Living honorably
The Exchange Principle:
When Asking for Aid:
Give first (establishes relationship)
State your need clearly
Offer exchange: “If you aid me, I will…”
Follow through (ALWAYS — breaking oath is grave)
When Giving Thanks:
After successful magick
At festivals and holy days
When receiving unexpected blessings
Regularly, even without specific reason
What NOT to Offer:
Anything illegal
Anything that would harm another being without cause
Offerings you cannot afford (the gods don’t want you to starve)
Empty promises (better to offer nothing than to lie)
Anything you’re not willing to give freely
Rotten or spoiled food (disrespectful)
The Oath-Bond (Eiðr):
When you speak an oath to the gods, ancestors, or spirits, you bind yourself by wyrd itself. This is not metaphor — the Northern worldview understood oaths as tangible threads in the web of fate.
Oath Structure:
Witness — name who hears your oath (god, ancestor, spirits)
State clearly — “I swear by [witness] that I will…”
Consequence — “If I fail, may [consequence]…” (optional but powerful)
Seal — pour offering, touch hammer/holy object, mark with blood-substitute
Breaking Oaths:
The most serious transgression in Northern or ancient Germanic culture. An oath-breaker (eiðsvikr) loses honor, luck (hamingja), power, status, and the trust of the unseen world. Oath-breaking should generally never be done by anyone practicing any form of the Norse or Germanic system. Always make sure any oath is one you can and are fully willing to fulfill before making any oaths.
If you must break an oath:
Acknowledge the breaking to the witness
Explain why (only do this for grave reason)
Offer substantial compensation (greater than original)
Accept consequences with dignity
Rebuild trust slowly through consistent action
Better practice: Do not oath lightly. Only swear what you can fulfill.
XIV. Vǫlva og Útiseta — Seeress Work and Sitting Out
The Practice of Deep Seeing
The völva (seeress) held honored position in Northern society — she who could see the threads of wyrd, speak with the dead, and journey between worlds. Her practices form the core of Northern trance magick.
Útiseta (Sitting Out):
An ancient practice of sitting outdoors, often at liminal places, to receive visions and commune with spirits.
Traditional Method:
Location:
Crossroads (where worlds meet)
Gravemounds (to speak with ancestors)
Boundaries (edge of property, shore, tree line)
Sacred natural sites (springs, groves, unusual rock formations)
High places (to see far)
Timing:
Night (especially midnight or between midnight and dawn)
Dawn or dusk (threshold times)
Full moon or dark moon
Holy days (Samhain/Winter Nights especially)
Preparation:
Ritual bath — cleanse physically and spiritually
Dress warmly — you’ll be still for long periods
Bring offerings — mead, bread, silver
Protective items — iron, salt, protective runes
Staff or wand — völva’s staff if you have one
Covering — cloak or blanket
Practice:
Arrive at location — ideally at sunset if sitting through night
Create boundary — trace protective circle or hammer-sign
Pour offering — to land spirits, asking permission
Sit facing north (or toward what you seek to know)
Cover head (traditional — helps induce trance)
Chant or be silent — galdr, rune-songs, or receptive silence
Open to visions — remain still, observe what comes
Record upon return — visions fade quickly
What May Come:
Visions (images, symbols, scenes)
Voices (spirits, gods, ancestors speaking)
Knowledge (sudden understanding)
Prophetic dreams (if you fall asleep)
Animal messengers (pay attention to what appears)
Nothing (sometimes the message is patience)
Safety Concerns:
Physical: Weather, wildlife, human danger
Tell someone where you’ll be
Bring warm clothes, water
Know the area beforehand
Spiritual: Unwanted entities, tricksters
Set protections firmly
Know your banishing techniques
Trust your intuition — if it feels wrong, leave
Ground thoroughly after
Modern Adaptation:
Backyard or balcony (privacy matters more than wilderness)
Shorter durations (even 20 minutes can be powerful)
Daytime practice for beginners
Indoor “sitting out” in dark room facing north
Regular practice more important than perfect location
Seiðr Trance Work:
Deeper than útiseta, full trance seiðr involves shapeshifting, soul-flight, and deep communion with the unseen.
Warning: Advanced practice. Not for beginners. Requires training and understanding of trance states.
Basic Framework (Educational Only):
Setting:
Sacred space well-protected
Trusted companions or complete solitude
High-seat (traditional) or comfortable seat
Low lighting, candles
Incense (mugwort, wormwood — caution: some are toxic)
Induction:
Drumming (steady rhythm)
Chanting (varðlokkur — ward-songs)
Rocking or swaying
Focused breathing
Visualization of descent or journey
Journey:
Soul-flight to other realms
Shapeshifting into animal forms (hamramr)
Speaking with spirits, gods, dead
Seeing past/future threads (spá — prophecy)
Retrieving lost soul-parts (healing work)
Return:
Gradual, never sudden
Grounding (food, touch earth)
Recording journey immediately
Rest and integration
Modern Safety:
Never practice impaired (alcohol/drugs)
Always have grounding plan
Start with guided meditations
Learn from experienced practitioners
Respect that this can be psychologically intense
XV. Fordæða og Vörður — Curses and Their Counters
The Shadow Side
To speak only of healing and light would dishonor the fullness of Northern tradition. The sagas tell of curses (fordæða), of níð (insult curses), of magick used to harm. We do not recommend such work lightly, but knowledge of it serves protection.
Understanding Harmful magick:
Types:
Níð (Insult Curse):
Public shaming through magick
Níðstöng — curse-pole carved with runes and insults
Accused person of ergi (unmanliness) or other shames
So serious it justified killing the curse-maker in law
Sending (Sendinagar):
Creating a spirit to harm another
Often in animal form (gandreid — riding the fetch)
Sent to cause illness, madness, or death
Extremely dark work, heavy wyrd consequences
Binding (Bindingar):
Restricting another’s actions
Can be defensive (binding from harm) or offensive (binding will)
Knotwork, cord magick, freeze spells
Hexing (Illgærð):
General harm-working
Using personal concerns to cause misfortune
Doll-magick, image-magick
The Ethics of the Shadow:
Northern ethics are not Christian “turn the other cheek.” They are reciprocal: honor for honor, insult for insult, harm for harm. BUT:
Just Cause:
Self-defense or defense of others
Justice when legal systems fail
Proportional response
Last resort after other methods
Unjust Curse:
Jealousy, pettiness, spite
Disproportionate response
First strike without provocation
Harming innocents
The Law of Return:
Not “threefold” (that’s Wiccan), but wyrd ensures that what you send out affects your own threads of fate. Curse-workers become known to hostile spirits. Your hamingja (luck) can be corrupted.
Protection and Counter-magick:
Prevention (Better Than Cure):
Personal Protections:
Iron carried (small nail in pocket)
Salt in shoes or pockets
Protective runes carved on jewelry
Regular cleansing
Strong personal boundaries
Not giving out personal concerns (hair, name variants, photos)
Falling — loss of control, fear, spiritual descent
Drowning — overwhelming emotion, loss of self
Fighting — internal or external conflict, need for courage
Running — avoidance, or necessary escape
Northern Specific:
Seeing Yggdrasil — connection to cosmos, major life point
Meeting specific god — take literally; they’re calling
Dead speaking — honor them, they have message
Runes appearing — note which ones, divine meaning
Ships — journey, often death (ship burial tradition)
Mead hall — community, celebration, or need for same
Recording Dreams:
Immediate Upon Waking:
Don’t move — stay in position
Recall before opening eyes fully
Reach for journal (keep bedside)
Write everything:
Date and moon phase
Emotions felt
Colors (significant in interpretation)
Symbols and beings
Words spoken (often most important)
Feeling upon waking
Later Analysis:
Read after some time has passed
Note patterns across dreams
Cross-reference with life events
Some dreams reveal meaning only after time
Working With Dream Messages:
If Prophetic:
Take action if warning
Don’t panic — knowledge gives power to change
Prophetic doesn’t mean inevitable
Make offerings to receive clearer guidance
If From Dead:
Honor the message
Pour offering to ancestor
Do what they ask (if reasonable)
Speak their name aloud
If From Gods:
Take seriously
Research the deity if unfamiliar
Begin relationship through offerings
Don’t demand immediate clarity
XVII. Lok-Orð — Closing Words and Living Practice
The Path Forward
This grimoire has revealed the hidden language of Northern sorcery — the substitutions, symbols, and sacred correspondences that allow modern practitioners to walk the Old Ways with honor and effectiveness.
Core Principles to Remember:
1. Intent Over Ingredient
The wine is not blood because it is red — it is blood because you declare it so with conviction. The power lies not in perfect historical accuracy but in the authentic connection between your will and the symbol you employ.
2. Reciprocity Above All
Every working is an exchange. Give offerings freely. Keep your oaths absolutely. Honor the spirits, gods, and ancestors who walk with you. The Northern way is a relationship, not a transaction.
3. Personal Sovereignty
Your body is your own. Your magick is your own. Use substitutions that honor your boundaries. No true Northern magick requires violation of self or others. Those who demand otherwise misunderstand the tradition.
4. The Web of Wyrd
All actions ripple outward through fate’s web. Work with clear conscience, justified cause, and awareness that what you send out shapes what returns. Even shadow work should be done with wisdom, not spite.
5. Honor and Reputation
In Northern culture, your drengskapur (honor/integrity) matters more than anything. Be known as one whose word holds, whose magick is true, whose dealings are fair. Reputation once lost is nearly impossible to regain.
Building Your Practice:
Start Simply:
One altar, however small
One deity or ancestor relationship
One daily practice (even just lighting a candle)
One divination method (runes or another)
One protective working for your home
Grow Steadily:
Add practices as you master current ones
Deepen relationships before seeking new ones
Record everything in a grimoire (physical or digital)
Learn from mistakes without shame
Celebrate successes with offerings
Study Continuously:
Read the Eddas and sagas (primary sources)
Study folklore and folk magick
Learn about archaeology and history
Connect with reputable practitioners
Discern wisely (not all teaching is true)
Live the Values:
Courage (drengskap)
Truth (sannindi)
Honor (heiður)
Hospitality (gestrisni)
Self-reliance (sjálfsbjörg)
Loyalty to kin and companions (tryggð)
The Practical Grimoire:
Keep your own book of workings. Record:
What you used (ingredients, timing, moon phase)
What you said (exact words when possible)
What you felt (energy, emotions, sensations)
What resulted (both immediate and long-term)
What you’d change (always improve)
This personal record becomes more valuable than any published book, for it charts your relationship with the powers, your language with the spirits, your unique thread in wyrd’s weaving.
When to Substitute and When to Be Exact:
Substitutions Welcome:
Colors (if you understand the energy)
Herbs (if correspondences align)
Timing (with adjustment of expectation)
Tools (the will matters more)
Language (speak in tongue you think in)
Maintain Precisely:
Ritual structure (opening and closing)
Protections (never skip)
Offerings (never stingy or false)
Oaths (sacred beyond all)
Ethics (the line between justice and cruelty)
A Warning on Appropriation:
If you approach this path:
Learn the culture, not just the magickk
Respect that this is a living tradition
Acknowledge sources and teachers
Don’t claim expertise you lack
Honor the lands and peoples of origin
Understand historical context
Don’t mix carelessly with incompatible systems
Let the practice transform you, not just serve you
The Final Kenning:
magick itself is a kenning — one thing standing for another, symbol opening to deeper truth, word becoming reality. As you walk this crooked path, remember:
The wine is blood when you will it so. The stone is bone when you see it thus. The thread is wyrd when you weave with intent. The self is sacred when you honor your sovereignty.
May your workings be true, your word be trusted, your magick be powerful, and your wyrd be woven with wisdom. May the gods and ancestors walk with you, the land spirits bless your footsteps, and may you become a worthy bearer of the Old Ways into new times.
Heil ok sæl — whole and blessed may you be.
This grimoire is offered in the spirit of knowledge-sharing, that the Old Ways might live in new forms, adapted yet authentic, practical yet powerful. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and always — always — trust your own wyrd-thread above any written word.
The path is walked alone, but we walk it together.
Sköl!
Appendix: Quick Reference
Substitution Chart:
Traditional
Safe Substitute
Purpose
Blood
Red wine, pomegranate juice, red ink
Life force, consecration
Graveyard dirt
Ash from hearth, crossroads dirt
Underworld connection
Body fluids
Saliva, breath, handwriting
Personal link
Bat wing
Bay leaf (shaped similar)
Flight, night vision
Snake skin
Shed naturally or paper with scales drawn
Transformation
Bone
Stone, wood carved into bone shape
Ancestral connection
Sacred Numbers:
3 — Beginning, middle, end
9 — Most sacred (Odin’s number)
7 — Planetary, weekly
13 — Lunar, transformative
Best Days:
Monday — Moon, emotions, psychic
Tuesday — Mars, courage, justice
Wednesday — Odin, magick, wisdom
Thursday — Thor, protection, prosperity
Friday — Freyja, love, seiðr
Saturday — Binding, banishing
Sunday — Success, vitality
Emergency Protection:
Iron (pocket knife, nail)
Salt (sprinkle threshold)
Hammer-sign (trace in air)
“I claim Thor’s protection” (speak aloud)
Ground immediately (touch earth)
Record in Your Own Hand:
Every worker should keep their personal grimoire. This guide is merely the beginning. Your practice, your relationships with the powers, your lived experience — this becomes your true book of magick.
(This ritual should ideally be done once a week, but never more than once a week. The best practice is to be very consistent and reliable in the timing and regular performance of it. Warning, warning: Never under any circumstances forget to add the pat of butter! Use real butter, even if you are vegan. This porridge is to be made only for the house ghost, and no one else. Cook an amount that is right for one serving for the house ghost. This ritual should be performed at the main hearth of your home. If your home has no hearth then perform it in the kitchen.)
—
O hael Spirit of the hearth Guardian of our home Come and join us in our mirth Your presence we will welcome
We invite you in to share Our stories, laughter and our cheer Your wisdom we will revere Our friendship is sincere
We bid you warmly join us here Your presence we do not fear Your secrets we’ll revere Your protection we hold dear
—
O ghost of this house, come and take your place, For peace and harmony we must embrace. No rattling, no haunting, no noises to scare, We ask this of you with love and care.
No moving of objects, no tricks to play, Respect all the humans who live in this way. Set your personal limits, and follow them well, We do not wish for your presence to swell.
For cats and visitors, respect and adore, No disturbance when they come through the door. We seek peace and harmony from you our friend, So that everyone in the house may have an amicable end.
—
I bring to thee, my house ghost, A porridge made with oats and cream, Topped with a pat of butter, A treat that’s fit for a king. A cup of beer to enjoy, So your spirit’s can stay strong, A treat I offer to thee, To make your heart feel calm. For your spirit’s a blessing, That’s always been true, So I offer this porridge, In a friendly gesture to you. To show my appreciation, For all that you do, For keeping our home safe, From harm and from the blues. So take this offering, In a warm and friendly way, For this porridge and beer, Will bring you joy this day.
(Place the offering of porridge and beer in a safe spot near the hearth of your home. If you have no hearth, then your kitchen stove is the hearth of the home, so put it there. Do not drink or eat any of the offerings. You can pour the offering out, outside at a sacred spot near a tree in your yard after a day or longer, or sooner if your home environment does not allow for leaving such things out in the open for extended periods of time.)
—
(Go to your ritual spot, or some other spot, far away from where you did the ritual and placed the offerings and do the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hammer, and ground completely.)
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