The Norse Shaman: Ancient Spiritual Practices of the Northern Tradition

Evelyn C. Rysdyk is an internationally recognized shamanic healer, teacher, speaker, and author of Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power, Modern Shamanic Living, and A Spirit Walker's Guide to Shamanic Tools. She is a founding member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners and a presenter for international events such as the Shamanism Global Summit and the Year of Ceremony. She enjoys living and working on the coast of Maine.

Acknowledgments

Simplified Pronunciation Guide to the Norse Words in This Book

INTRODUCTION

The Power of Norse Shamanism

1 Visionaries in Our Family Tree

Engaging with Fire

2 Long Ago and Far Away: Discovering Our Ancestors’ Gifts

Using Fire to Meet a Shamanic Ancestor

3 Power in the Female Body

Journeying to Meet the First Shaman

4 Worlds of the Shaman

Journeying to Explore the Nine Realms of Spirit

5 The First Shaman Becomes a Goddess

Journeying to Meet the Nature Goddess/First Shaman

6 The Norns: Mistresses of Cosmic Patterns

Journeying to Urð--The Moment of Manifestation

7 Ørlög and Wyrd: Creation Has No Beginning or End

Journeying to Better Understand Ørlög and Wyrd 86

8 Seiðr as Shamanic Ritual

9 Seiðr and the Sami Connection

10 Preparing to Perform Seiðr

Creating Your Seiðstafr

Getting Your Seiðr Ritual Songs

Empowering Your Seiðr Hood and Cloak

Receiving Varðlokur for a Community Seiðr Ceremony

11 Other Accoutrements of the Völva

Journey to Shape-Shift into Your Power Animal, or Fylgja

12 Útiseta: Connecting with Nature’s Power

Útiseta Journeys

13 Performing a Group Seiðr Ritual

The Seiðr Ritual

14 The Many Faces of Seiðr

Discovering How You Will Use Seiðr

15 Learning to See: Meeting Óðinn

Meeting Óðinn to Learn to Surrender Unbeneficial Ways of Being

Meeting Óðinn to Safely Drink from Urð’s Well, Urðarbrunnr

16 The Nurturing Tree

Entering the Regenerative Womb of the World Tree

Dedicating a Sacred Tree on or near Your Land

CONCLUSION

Ragnarök or Renewal?

Appendix A
An Introduction to Shamanic Journeying
Journey to Meet a Power Animal, or Fylgja

Appendix B

Making a Seiðr Hood
Sewing Instructions

Appendix C

Resources

Notes

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

Index

About the Author