Forseti - God Of Justice

Throughout history we see that the sence of justice among the many cultures of the world varies a lot and it has been evolving fortunately. One of the first peoples to seek justice in a reasonable way without bloodshed, where the Greeks, but it took a lot of time and effort to change an entire culture in accepting a peaceful way to do justice. But justice has been among us in many forms, not all of them had blood involved and speaking of the Norse peoples, one way to do justice without bloodshed was to ban the convicted from the society, away from any social grounds, sent to the unknown and dangerous wild world. The convicted had to rely on him/her self and couldn't come closer to any village, if the person did so, those who saw the convicted could hunt him/her, the law/rules stated that. This is actually one of the most ancient types of justice without spilling blood, ancient humans from the paleolithic  and neolithic did this.

Anyway, justice is a common thing that we all seek and all cultures had at least one deity of justice. To the Norse, that deity is Forseti. We all need justice, the world it self and nature, seeks justice.

Justice is often a feeling you are eager to "feed" because it asks for it, but you want it to calm down and be at peace, and in order to do that, you have the need to seek out that peace, you need to finish all the business, so you can go forth with your life. Nothing will please you more, then having justice done when some wrong was given to you, deep inside we all know what justice means and when to seek it, and why, but we have to think deep on it, without casting yourself in madness and anger.

Forseti is the Norse god of justice and also judgment, reconciliation and mediation. He is the son of Baldr the god of light, beauty, naivity and innocense, and his mother is Nanna. His hall is called Glitnir, the hall of justice, which I have written about in another post about the places and halls of Asgard. Unlike Tyr who is also a god of justice but turned to warfare judgments, Forseti is the god who helps in all kinds of problems dealing with the law, mutual respect, mediation, fair agreements and so on. Being able to judge and resolve problems so that both parties leave his hall satisfied.

They chose the latter, and prayed for help as they drifted. According to the story, a thirteenth man suddenly appeared on their boat with a golden axe over his shoulder. He steered the boat using his axe as a rudder and brought them to land, then split the land with his axe and a spring came forth. He identified himself as Fosite, taught them all new laws, and then vanished. The shrine was later defiled by St. Willebrord.

Historically speaking, there are some evidence that the worship of this deity came from the Persians, sea people who spread this cult to others. It is thought that there was once a shrine to Forseti on an island between Denmark and Frisia. There is a legend involving the cult of this deity and the Frisians. The Frankish king Charles Martel wanted to change the laws of the Frisians so he turned to the law-speakers of that people and forced them to conform to his laws of they would be killed or turned into slaves, but there was another option, being set adrift in a boat on the ocean. Their fate was the latter, being adrift in the ocean. These were twelve men praying for help while their way in the vast ocean was uncertain. According to the legend a thirteenth man appeared to them, on their boat, wielding a golden axe. He helped the men and brought them to land where he split the land with his great axe and a spring came forth, which the men made it a shrine to this figure who later told them that his name was Forsite, a Frisian deity. He taught them new laws and then he disappeared.

Forseti is one of the youngest deities in the Norse pantheon, all the older Aesir gods are turned to war, vengeance and magic. Forseti marks the changing of the minds of the Norse people, when reason started to come before the deadly stroke of a sword.

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Asgard - Home Of The Aesir - 9th Part

This is the last part of Asgard (finally) and the places of great importance.

Breidablik

The hall of  the deities Baldr/Baldur and of Nanna his wife, was called Breidablik and it was given to them as a wedding gift. As you know, Baldr was killed and Nanna comited suicide after this tragic event, as such the goddess Frigga sealed all the entrances to the Hall so it might stay as it was by the time Baldr and Nanna lived there. No one is allowed to enter it and it is guarded to keep away anyone who tries to go in.

Landvidi

This is the hall of the god Vidar, which is one of the Norse deities that is seldom heard. Landvidi is where he lives with his mother called Grid. She is one of Odin's lovers, it was she who gave Thor his magical iron gloves and his famous belt of strength. Like some of the halls in Asgard, the name Landvidi also refers to the land around the Hall. A place with deep green woods, tall trees with permanent leaves the entire year and vast fields with tall grass.

Glitnir

The hall of Forseti the god of justice is called Glitnir. This hall is seen from a great distance, not because it is a large hall, but because the roof as the color of silver and it shines like a lighthouse, the porch pillars are made out of gold with beautiful carvings. Forseti is the son of Baldr and Nanna and he is the god of not only justice but also laws, arbitration, judgment, oaths, honor and alliances. If there is any kind of conflict, or law breaking or anyother thing concerning such subjects, the problems are brought to his hall, because it is here that peaceful solutions can be arranged to avoid bloodshed.
Every kind of problem that is fit to have judgement, can be presented in the court of Forseti's hall, even if it is a grievance between a mortal and a deity.

Brimir

In Asgard there is a land called Gimle which has a large lake, and right at the center of the lake there is an island called Okolnir which has a hall called Brimir. This hall might seem empty, but in it lives the giant with the same name of the hall, who won the land in a game of chance with Odin. It was Brimir who built the hall after he won the land, or at least the island.

Gimle

 As mentioned above, in the land called Gimle, there is also an Hall with the same name. It is devoided of any denizens.

Isle of Counsel

The name of this island is unknown, at least for me, but this place lies where the Thund Thvitr river meets the ocean. In the small island lives a mortal man (or once mortal) called Hildolf, who has his own hall in this island. For some reason, many of the Einherjar come here to visit him, so he must be a man of great importance, and to own a hall in Asgard, he must really be of great importance to Odin himself.

Urdabrunnr 

Beyond the forests of Ydalir and passing the small mountain range, there lies a great mountain which is in fact one of the roots of Yggdrasil, covered with small trees which are actually the sprouts of the root, this creates a large grove.
Below the curve of the great root, lies Urdabrunnr, the well of fate. A large spring with bubbling water which feeds the root of the world tree. Near the well its keepers live there and guard it, the Norns.
Beyond the great root and the spring there is a small hall called The Hall of Fate. No one has ever got in, only those who work with the Norns.

Working with the Gods: Baldr

Baldr or Baldur is the Norse god of beauty, naivety and light. He is one of the few gods who as descended into the realm of Hel and do not yet arise from it. His story is a difficult one to understand, very tragic for the Aesir tribe of gods, a story of mischief and sorrow.

In the Norse mythology, Baldr is the youngest son of Odin and Frigga, the most beautiful of thesky gods, the Aesir. His mere presence brought light and merriment to all the gods in Asgard, and from him, a very bright light came to everywhere he went. 

Baldr married the Aesir goddess Nana who took care of the orchards of Asgard. They lived in the hall called Breidablik and in its surroundings nothing that was impure could ever live in such place, everything was naturally beautiful. They had a son called Forseti who would be later be known as the god of justice.

The saga of Baldr, Baldurs Draumar (Baldur’s Dream), tells us of the time when Baldr began to have strange dreams about his oncoming doom, death was approaching to cover in darkness the world of Aesir, light itself would be swallowed by it. Baldr told his parents about the dreams and his mother, Frigga, in a hurry, travelled throughout the nine realms asking every living thing not to harm her beloved son. Every living thing made this oath and when Frigga passed by the mistletoe, she thought that it was too young to make such an oath and she thought it to be harmless. Then she returned to Asgard and told to Baldr what she had done and that he was safe, nothing could harm him. Baldr made a game out of this, every god would throw weapons against him and every single object would bounce off.

Every great tragic story has vengeance in it, and this one isn't different. The god Loki was angry with the Aesir because they had murdered his wife Angrboda and imprisoned one of his sons, Fenrir, so Loki discovered the secret of Baldr's imunity to all things except the mistletoe, so he made a dart out of it and waited until the games of throwing weapons to Baldr began. Loki offered himself to help Hoder, the Blind brother of Baldr, so he could also participate in the games. Hoder agreed, and threw the mistletoe dart to Baldr, killing his own brother.

Meanwhile Loki fled and there was great mourning in Asgard. Many gods offered themselves to avenge Baldr's death, but Odin had other things in mind and none from his family was fit to do the task. So Odin raped the giant goddess Rind and she gave him a son called Váli, the god of vengeance. Váli didn't knew about the true story, all he knew is that his half brother Baldr had been killed by Hoder, and so he murdered the blind god.

Baldr was placed on his ship called Hringhorni and the funeral fire was started. Many were those who came to Baldr's funeral. Thor lost his self control because of the death of his younger brother, and in that rage he kicked a visiting dwarf right into the fire thus killing him. Baldr's wife, Nana, threw herself into the funeral pyre, thus commiting suicide to be with her beloved. Baldr's horse was also burnt along with everything that belonged to the god of light. When the time came to push the ship into the waters, it prove to be too heavy. All of a sudden a female giant called Hyrrokin, ridding a great wolf, came and gave the ship such a shove, that the earth itself trembled. It is said that this mysterious Hyrrokin was none other than Angrboda, Loki's wife, coming to witness her vengeance for the murder attempt on her, and for the kidnapping and later binding of her son Fenrir, and also her child Jormundgand, the great sea serpent.

In the meantime Odin and Frigga gave another task to one of Baldur's brothers, Hermod. He was to ride into Helheim and beg Hela to release Baldr. Hermod rode fro nine days till he finaly reached the Gates of Helheim and entered. He begged to Hela for his brother's life and she told him that she would only release him if every living thing in the nine worlds would weep for him. The Aesir went in all directions asking everyone they met to shed a tear for Baldr. All did so, except for an old female giant called Thokk and thus Baldr was lost forever. It is said that this Thokk figure was no other than Loki himself in disguise, making sure that Baldr stood with her daughter Hela.

There is much speculation in why such an event happened, why did Odin let all of this happen. In a foretelling, Odin knew that Baldr would be slain when Ragnarök started if Baldr was alive by then, on the other hand, being slain, Baldr would come to life after Ragnarök and rule in Asgard. It is said that Baldr's death was arranged by Odin and Loki to protect Baldr and send him to the safest place in the nine realms, the realm of the dead, so he might arise when the time comes and rule in Asgard.

The Saxons had another version of this story, in which Baldr and Hoder were two princes and both wanted the mortal princess Nana. Both fought and Hoder killed Baldr with a sword named Mistletoe and thus he married Nana.

It is clear that behind this story we can see that the only thing that can prevail over the light, is darkness, the opposite. Hoder the blind god is darkness and he took the life of his brother, Baldr, the god of light. When darkness covers the land, death and sorrow comes to mortal men and it is in darkness that Ragnarök starts, when all light fades away. But after te darkness a new light comes forth and life sprouts once more. Baldr revives and will rule in the realm of the Sky Gods.

One thing is also certain, to Baldr was given another task and he became a different god with a new sacred task, he is now the god who gives light in dark places, this also means giving light to those who live a life in darkness, while their mind is, metaphorically speaking, in darkness. Sorrow, sadness, depression, living in hard times, Baldr gives light and a new awakening.


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Hermod - The torch on dark roads

We know of some gods from differente cultures, that are the psychopomp archetype, the kind of gods more linked to the soul and to the shamanic journeys than others, specific gods to whom people turn to when there is the need of a spiritual journey to whatever realm of the spiritual world, especially when it comes to the underworld or the place where most mortal spirits rest.
In the Northern traditional paganism, Hermod is such a god, a god who guides people to and fro, between this world and the next, but he will guide you well if you have the need to visit the Underworld.

There are Norse tales that tells us of Hermod being the son of Odin, other tells us of him being one of Odin's squires, both might be true, for in ancient times, especially in the Norse countries, the younger sons of a King could indeed be his pageboys/squires and sent to other countries for diplomacy, call for help and call to arms, and usually they would serve as ransom, and would stay in a country away from his home land in token of peace and good will, as a prove that the King would keep his promise, if the case was some kind of a quest and people needed to go and help in the war or some importante battle, the King's son would stay in the country until the quest/war/battle was done and the people could return to their homeland, only after they arrive, the boy could return home. For the elder brothers of the King's young son, this wasn't something to be sad about, because in the Viking times brothers would fight to death to be the only heirs to the throne, and if anybrother was away, there was no need to kill him and the way to the throne was easier to get. But to the King, sending his younger son to another country as a squire, on an errand, was a way to protect him against his brothers.

Hermod is also one of the gods associated with the tale of the death of Baldr, for when he died and walked the road to Helheim, the goddess Frigga hoped that somehow there could be na exception for her youngest son to return to life and come back to live in Asgard Frigga asked among the Aesir if there was anyone there who wanted to gain all her love and favor, the only thing they needed to do, wa ridding to Helheim and ask the Queen of the dead, Hela, for mercy and if Baldr could return home. Hermod was the brave one who stepped forward to do the task, and Ódin lend him his steed, Sleipnir for the task. Hermod rode for nine days and nine nights and met the guardian goddess Mordgud at the river Gjoll. Mordgud gave him the news, that Baldr had already passed the bridge and went through Hel Gate the night before. Hermod entered the gate and knelt before the goddess of the Underworld, Hela, and asked for Baldr to become alive again. Hela told him that Baldr could be reborn if all creatures wept for him, by hearing this, Hermod returned to Asgard giving the news to Frigga. Baldr gave Hermod his ring Draupnir which had been burned with him on his funeral pyre, this was a token to prove that Hermod had spoken to Baldr. Nana, Baldr's wife, after taking suicide because of the grief of her husband's death, was also with him in Helheim, and gave to Hermod a linen robe for Frigga and a ring for Fulla. Frigga by hearing the news, asked to all creatures to weep for Baldr, and so they did, except a giantess who was Loki in disguise, and because of this, Baldr remained in Helheim and the journey of Hermod was wasted, but Hermod became a deity of guidance and since that time, he started to help people on the dark roads of Helheim to find their path into their last home of eternity. People can call upon him for guidance, and he can help when the road ahead seems dark and dreadful, for all of us need to choose our own paths, and some times the choise is hard but must be taken... Hermod can help you in taking the first step.

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Rind the protector of women

Billing the Master trader of the Vanir had a daughter called Rind who became a very powerful sorceress, she became very reserved and distante living at one of her father's dwellings in the cold mountain range of Jötunheim. Her powers are concentrated in the ability to work with weather, more with snow and frost to be accurate and she also knows how to move through time in many ways. This frost-giant and goddess of women's protection is little known among those who practice the northern traditional spiritual ways, and in the lore there are a few passages talking about her, has the one who bore one of Odin's son, Vali, after Baldr's death, to avange his brother. For all of those who don't know about this story, i will resume it for you.
Nothing could kill or injure Baldr/Baldur, with the exception of mistletoe, and Loki tricked Hoder the blind god, by "helping" him shooting an arrow made of mistletoe, just to practice, what Hoder didn't know, is that he was aiming towards his own brother Baldr, he killed him. This was a tragic day for all of the Aesir, and by force, Odin took Rind to bore him a son capable of avenging his other son by killing Hoder, thus Vali was born and within a day he grew old enough to kill Hoder. This story is a confusing one, a god born just with the purpose of killing his own brother, an horrible deed devised by Odin to be accomplished in such a hurry, killing one innocent helpless blind god and his death would solve nothing of the problem and the true responsible , the one to be blamed was Loki and everyone knew it. This story is also the link to an other story, of how Ullr came to sit on the throne of Asgard, because Odin did an horrible deed, by forcing Rind against her will, raping her, and the Aesir were so horrified by his act,  of raping an innocent maiden, that they ousted him from the throne placing Ullr in his place. A tale that makes no sense, and no one knows why Odin, the god of wisdom and magic and also he who trys to bring harmony between worlds and races, did such a thing, a story that only the gods know why all of these deeds were done. Anyway.. going back to the main subject of this post, i had to bring this story, not only because of the horrible connection of Rind to it but also because since this happaning, Rind became the goddess of women's protection, especially to protect women who were raped or abused, to be free of such things and memories, to be able to stand on their feet and to continue their lives, to be strong, confident and fearless. Be aweae, that she only aids those who want to be helped and who want to get out from those horrible chains and suffering, because she has no patience with those who continue to be weak even if all the chances to be strong and get out from that, had been given to them. She can be called only when women know they are ready to break free, ready to work in becoming stronger.
As i have written, Rind is also a sorceress, a very powerful one, and she can work with time, how to stop it, how to move through it, this is why Odin chose her to bore a son that was fully grown in one day, that "day" may have been some several years.

Váli blót - 14 February - Valentine's Day

Váli Blót

First of all, i would like to tell you who is the god Váli.


Vali, as it is told in the Skaldskaparmal, is the "son of Odin and Rind, stepson of Frigg, brother of the Æsir, Baldr's avenging As, enemy of Hod and his slayer, father's homestead-inhabiter."
Váli is also among the twelve Æsir seated as judges at Ægir's banquet. He is not only seen as a God of vengeance, but truly one of the Æsir, seated with the others at table and drink. He is referenced for his courage and his accuracy with the bow, and is one of the inheritors of Asgard after Ragnarok.

The Birth of Váli

The prophecy made by Rossthiof was duly fulfilled, for Rinda bore a son named Vali (Ali, Bous, or Beav), a personification of the lengthening days, who grew with such marvelous rapidity, that in the course of a single day he attained his full stature. Without even taking time to wash his face or comb his hair, this young God hastened off to Asgard with bow and arrow to avenge the death of Balder, God of light, by slaying his murderer, Hodur, the blind God of darkness.
Of course, metaphorically speaking, he hasn't born just for a single purpose, to avenge the death of Baldr, and he did not took a single day to grow and run to Asgard to kill Hodr, this tale is told, for us to have that perception that Váli was quickly trained to become a great warrior, an archer, and he grew with such skills, that he became a great god, and too soon he proved his abilities, his skills.
Also, there is a tale which says that de God Hoder (the Danish version of the god Hod / Hodr) was the lover of Nanna the princess of the Danes. Balder also desired Nanna and tried to woo her without success. Undeterred Balder raised an army of gods and attacked Hod with a fleet of ships. Hoder successfully held them off and even managed to break Thor's weapon ( apparently in this time, Thor did not owned his magic hammer Mjölnir ) Hoder eventually killed Balder using a magical sword. Odin's son Bo ( Váli ) later avenged Balder.

Why is it Váli's day at the same day as Valentine's Day ?

Vali is the God of eternal light, just as a beam of light was often called with arrows, he is always represented and worshiped as an archer. For that reason his month in Scandinavian an now in Neopaganism of Northern Beliefs calendars is designated by the sign of the bow, and is called Lios-beri, the light-bringing. As it falls between the middle of January and of February, the early Christians dedicated this month to St. Valentine, who was also a skillful archer, and was said, like Vali, to be the harbinger of brighter days, the awakener of tender sentiments, and the patron of all lovers.

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Forseti - God of Justice

We all need justice, the world it self and nature, seeks justice.

Justice is often a feeling you are eager to "feed" because it asks for it, but you want it to calm down and be at peace, and in order to do that, you have the need to seek out that peace, you need to finish all the business, so you can go forth with your life. Nothing will please you more, then having justice done when some wrong was given to you, deep inside we all know what justice means and when to seek it, and why, but we have to think deep on it, without casting yourself in madness and anger.
So this night i will talk about Forseti, the Norse God of Justice!

Who is Forseti ?

Forseti is the Norse god of justice, public judgment, mediation, and reconciliation. He is the son of Baldur, the god of Light, and his wife Nanna. He bears the axe as his symbol. His hall is Glitnir, the Hall of Justice, which is said to have golden pillars and a ceiling of silver, and radiated light for some distance. Folk of all kinds would come to Glitnir for mediation of their problems, and it was said that no one came away dissatisfied by Forseti’s judgments.
There is some evidence that the worship of Forseti came from Fosite, a Frisian god. Forseti’s name is something of a mystery – it may come from the word for “presiding” or “president”; it may come from “whirling stream” or “cataract” due to his worship by seagoing peoples, or it may come from “forbidding” or “ban”. Modern Icelandic bears a form of this name as the word for “president” today, a legacy of this God. (Another similarly constructed name, Veseti, means “person who is in charge of or presides over the ve” – the hallowed space.)
Supposedly, there was once a shrine to Forseti at a spring on an island between Denmark and Frisia, identified in one old source as Heligoland. In one legend, the Frankish king Charles Martel told the twelve Frisian law-speakers that they must conform to his laws or face death, slavery, or being set adrift in a rudderless boat on the ocean. They chose the latter, and prayed for help as they drifted. According to the story, a thirteenth man suddenly appeared on their boat with a golden axe over his shoulder. He steered the boat using his axe as a rudder and brought them to land, then split the land with his axe and a spring came forth. He identified himself as Fosite, taught them all new laws, and then vanished. The shrine was later defiled by St. Willebrord.

Forseti is one of the “younger” Gods of the Nordic pantheon, and it is telling that he is the son of one of the most famous murder victims in its history. Unlike other sons of Odin, or the older Gods, who embraced vengeance, Forseti turned to fair mediation in spite of his history of early pain. As a lawmaker and a lawspeaker, he embodies approaching wrongdoing as a complex, multilayered problem that requires humane solutions based on established laws rather than lashing out emotionally. Today, we need him more than ever in the battle against injustice.


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Mythology around Runes: Sowelo

Note: The Photo was taken by Missloony

Mythology of Runes

Sowelo


In northern mythology, the sun is considered to be female, personified as a giantess named either Sol or Sunna. Two of the Asgardian deities are also associated with this rune.
The first is Baldur, "The Beautiful", the beloved, yet tragic, god, who was slain by a mistletoe dart thrown by his blind brother, Hodur. This myth expresses the cycle of the year and the duality of light and darkness.

The thunder god Thor, must have a place in the symbolism of the rune, because it looks so much like a lightning flash. Thor, the guardian of justice and order, was known for the swift retribution that he dealt out to wrongdoers. So the meaning of this rune can be applied to the workings of the law and also to taking justified revenge.

Mythology around runes: Jera

Mythology of Jera :

"The brightly decorated Christmas tree is the most familiar aspect of the rune Jera. Its image evokes happy memories and the yuletide spirit."


The symbolism of jera relates to the tragic tale of baldur and hodur, two of the sons of Odin. Baldur, who was known as "the Beautiful", shone like the sun. Poor hodur, on the other hand, was blind and so quiet that he was often ignored. Baldur was so beloved of both gods and humans that his mother, Frigga, spent a long time extracting a promise from every living thing that they would not harm him. However, she ignored the mistletoe because it was so puny that she could not imagine that it could possibly hurt her beloved son. Unfortunately, Frigga had not considered the malice of the deceiful fire god, Loki. Loki incited the other gods to trow weapons at baldur, all of which bounced off him. The he suggested other objects, such as pots and pans. No harm came to Baldur. Only blind Hodur held back because he could not see his brother, but wily Loki persuaded him to join in the game and offered not only to guide his hand, but to procide him with an unlikely weapon: a dart made from the puny mistletoe. This small dart alone hit its mark, and baldur fell down dead, slain by his brother's hand. But all was not lost, for Baldur eventually conquered death and was later resurrected, just like the sun on midwinter's day.