Norse Books

A new, updated edition of the essential guide to the practice of the runes as a magical tool for spiritual development.

In Futhark, rune master Edred Thorsson reinitiates us into our heritage, explaining the mysteries of a profound system of thought and practice that underlies our developing Western culture.

Futhark covers both the spiritual heritage of ancient runic lore and the practical steps we can take to draw on rune power. This complete book of rune instruction includes rune history and lore, its basis in metaphysical thought and mysticism, complete definitions of the twenty-four runes of the Elder Futhark, and the etymology, phonetic value, and interpretation of each rune. The reader will learn how to perform chants and rituals using runic energy, how to sign and send runes, and how to practice runic meditation. The author’s presentation of this powerful system is lucid and profound, and provides a valuable tool for spiritual transformation and self-development.

Nordic runes are the most popular and easiest symbols to work with, and can effectively release energy for a positive purpose in one’s life. Cassandra Eason, a well-known writer on crystals, Wicca, spells, and magic, explains to spiritual seekers exactly what runes are, how to make their own, which ones are right for them, and much more.

Uncover the Truth about Loki and His Devoted Wife Sigyn This captivating book takes you deep into the infamous legacy of Loki and the quiet power of Sigyn, the goddess of loyalty and compassion. As a controversial figure in Heathenry, Loki is often approached with trepidation. But this book introduces you to his true self: a trickster, but also a loving husband and creative problem-solver. Join Heathen author Lea Svendsen on a rich exploration of these two Norse deities, together and separate. Discover their adventures in parenthood, their complicated relationships with the other gods, and their entertaining exploits. Learn how to set up an altar to each of them, what offerings they like, and how to perform rituals. You'll also enjoy compelling thoughts on Loki and Sigyn from Pagan and Heathen leaders, such as Patricia Lafayllve and Erika Wren. Includes a foreword by Mortellus, author of Do I Have to Wear Black?

An accessible yet in-depth guide to this increasingly popular pre-Christian religious tradition of Northern Europe

Heathenry, is one of the fastest growing polytheistic religious movements in the United States today. This book explores the cosmology, values, ethics, and rituals practiced by modern heathens.

In A Modern Guide to Heathenry readers will have the opportunity to explore the sacred stories of the various heathen gods like Odin, Frigga, Freya, and Thor and will be granted a look into the devotional practices of modern votaries. Blóts, the most common devotional rites, are examined in rich detail with examples given for personal use. Additionally, readers are introduced to the concept of wyrd, or fate, so integral to the heathen worldview.

Unlike many books on heathenry, this one is not denomination-specific, nor does it seek to overwhelm the reader with unfamiliar Anglo-Saxon or Norse terminology. For Pagans who wish to learn more about the Norse deities or those who are new to heathenry or who are simply interested in learning about this unique religion, A Modern Guide to Heathenry is the perfect introduction. Those who wish to deepen their own devotional practice will find this book helpful in their own work as well.

A deluxe volume of 16 traditional Nordic folk tales that is sure to impress any fan of cultural and mythological literature with impactful and stunning illustrations by contemporary artist Ulla Thynell.

See where your future lies with Norse Divination, the only book designed around the Norse gods themselves rather than the Futhark. Through concise yet detailed analyses of these deities and their relationships to each other, you'll gain a deep understanding of your past, present, and future. Join Gypsey Teague on a divine journey into the Norse pantheon. Along the way, you'll learn how to use the gods' beliefs, customs, loves, and deaths to create your own 36-piece divination set. Gypsey guides you in making a set, reading the pieces in their past, present, and future positions, and applying their wisdom to your life. Each Norse god, along with important mythological items, has a dedicated chapter outlining who they are, what their role is, and how they can help you find greater happiness and success.

'A terrific, detailed introduction of these wonderful stories and the pantheon of characters in them . . . their writing is vivid and lively . . . a great addition to any library.'
Rosi Hollinbeck, San Francisco Book Review

'With recent volumes, such as Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and J.R.R. Tolkien's posthumously published The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún, appealing more to readers strictly interested in creative takes on classic Norse tales, this title attracts new readers by offering solid retellings and contextual information that serve as a valuable introduction to this rich tradition.'
Library Journal



While the main focus of the book is on telling the stories, some scene-setting is provided at the beginning and each chapter also contains a section of commentary to explain what is going on and its significance.

The Norse myths have gained widespread attention in the English-speaking world, partly through a Scandinavian diaspora, especially in the USA) and partly through a great interest in the myths and legends which lie behind Viking activity.

Tolkien's 'Middle Earth', too, as seen in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films is heavily indebted to Germanic/Norse mythology. The Whittock's book fills a gap in the market between academic publications and the interest-generating (but confusing) products of Hollywood and comic-culture. This is an accessible book, which both provides a retelling of these dramatic stories and also sets them in context so that their place within the Viking world can be understood.

The book explores Norse myths (stories, usually religious, which explain origins, why things are as they are, the nature of the spiritual) and legends (stories which attempt to explain historical events and which may involve historical characters but which are told in a non-historical way and which often include supernatural events).

An experiential guide to the wisdom preserved in Europe’s far north

• Includes shamanic journeys to connect with deities and your ancestral shamans
• Provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony
• Draws on archaeological evidence and surviving written records from Iceland
• Reveals the long tradition of female shamans in northern European shamanism

Shamanism is humanity’s oldest spiritual tradition. In much of the Western world, the indigenous pre-Christian spiritual practices have been lost. Yet at the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity did not displace the original shamanic practices until the end of the Viking age. Remnants of Norse shamanic spirituality have survived in myths, folk traditions, and written records from Iceland, providing many clues about the ancient European shaman’s world, especially when examined in conjunction with other shamanic cultures in northern Eurasia, such as the Sami and the tribes of Siberia.

Reconstructing the shamanic practices of the hunter-gatherers of Scandinavia, Evelyn Rysdyk explores the evolution of Norse shamanism from its earliest female roots to the pre-Christian Viking Age. She explains how to enter Yggdrasil, the World Tree, to travel to other realms and provides shamanic journeys to connect with the ancestral shamans of your family tree, including the Norse goddess Freyja, the very first shaman. She offers exercises to connect with the ancient goddesses of fate, the Norns, and introduces the overnight wilderness quest of útiseta for reconnecting with the powers of nature. She explains the key concepts of Ørlög and Wyrd--the two most powerful forces that shape human lives--and provides exercises for letting go of harmful behavior patterns and transforming simple knowledge into profound wisdom by connecting with Óðinn.

Thoroughly examining the shamanic rituals of seiðr, the oracular magic of the Nordic cultures, the author provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony, including creating your own seiðr staff and hood, and explores the ancestral use of shamanic songs or varðlokur to accompany the ceremony. Woven throughout these exercises, Rysdyk provides archaeological evidence from Neolithic sites supporting the long tradition of venerating wise women, grandmothers, and mothers in ancient cultures and the important role of female shamans at the heart of northern European shamanism. Providing an accessible guide for anyone trying to fulfill their shamanic callings, these powerful rituals can provide personal healing and a clear path for finding our way into a harmonious relationship with the natural world.

This in-depth primer of the magic of the Northern Way introduces the major concepts and
practices of Gothic or Germanic magic. From Pennsylvania Dutch hex-magic to Scandinavian
runes, Northern Magic explores the folk traditions, ancient lore, Germanic Mysteries, magic,
and wisdom of this ancient Germanic culture.

The perfect book for anyone seeking to learn about the Norns or to go deeper in understanding them and their importance in our lives.' Morgan Daimler, author of Pantheons: The NorseIn The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick, we meet the ones who weave, measure, and cut at the base of the World Tree. With Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld, we travel across time and meet ourselves as part of fate. In this meeting, we join the Norns, weavers of destiny, and encounter the wyrd.

A Practical Guide to the Runes Rune Magick: A Powerful Force for Guidance, Protection, and Luck EIHWAZ the yew, URUZ the wild ox, KENAZ the hearth fire. Created by the Nordic and Germanic tribes of northern Europe, the runes began as a magickal system of pictographs representing the forces and objects in nature. This guidebook will help you discover the oracular nature of the runes and how to use them as a magickal tool for insight, protection, and luck. Practical and concise, this book includes: Complete descriptions of the twenty-four runes of the Elder Futhark, plus WYRD, the blank rune The differences between bindrunes and runescripts Four rune layouts and detailed rune interpretations, including reversed position meanings How to carve runes and create talismans Meanings and uses of the runes in magick

Learn the ancient art of reading runes to inspire, empower, and jumpstart your journey to self-discovery and fulfillment. Reveal the wisdom of the runes--24 Norse symbols, from the ancient word runa, meaning "secret" or "mystery"--to connect with your true self, master the art of being present, and fearlessly welcome your future's unfolding.

Like pulling an angel card, consulting a horoscope, or reading tarot, choosing runes with a question or intention in mind allows us to draw on the divinatory magic of these ancient symbols. We can make space for dialogue with our inner selves, convert intentions into actions, and open ourselves to being more aware and awake than we ever thought possible.

This approachable, accessible, and empowering introduction to the runes shows you how. In three practical sections, Rune Reading Your Life provides an introduction to the 24 runic symbols and their history, explains their ancient meanings, and reveals their modern interpretations. It guides readers on a 30-day transformational rune reading practice, showing how to read, interpret, and apply runic wisdom to everyday life.

Expanding on the radically inclusive practices presented in The Way of Fire and Ice, this next-step book teaches you how to tap into the forces of the Nordic cosmos. The greatest of these forces is Wyrd, the symphony of life co-created by the actions of all beings, from the humblest plants to the mightiest gods. Ryan Smith guides you deep into the mysteries, where you'll discover the role of Fate, the importance of the Nine Worlds, the Norse concept of the self, and more. Ryan also helps you develop direct relationships with animistic powers, commune with the dead, and cultivate your skills in ecstatic trance journeywork. Spinning Wyrd is for practitioners who are looking for more than the basics, who want to develop skills in the deeper forms of mysticism associated with Heathenry.

An accessible, in-depth exploration of the runes as a living spiritual tradition.

Diana Paxson has distilled her many years of experience working with the runes into this essential source book. Readers will learn the historical meaning of each individual rune and its use and meaning now, in contemporary culture.

But, Paxson reveals, the real power of the runes comes from internalizing them and using their symbols as sources of wisdom and power. At the end of each chapter are rituals and spells for all levels of ability that aim to help internalize the attributions, meanings, symbolism, and use of the runes.

Everything regarding runes is covered in this definitive workbook, from the history of runes and how to make your own rune sets, to how to work with them on a psychic, spiritual, and magical level.

For those who have read the fairy tales of northern europe such those penned by Hans Christian Andersen or the Brothers Grimm, this book delves into their sources. Viking and Nordic fairy tales were moral fables that combined the magic of the outer realms with the common sense of practical living. There is a moral order to such tales, where within hard work is rewarded and the wicked are punished. Viking Folk & Fairy Tales covers stories you know such as The Little Match Girl as well as ones you might not be aware of, such as Katie Wooodencloak (a Norwegian Version of Cinderella.)