Symbols, Beliefs, and Practices

In addition to the runes, the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples were full of intriguing and powerful symbols. Here are some of them: Thor’s Hammer, a symbol of protection, strength, consecration, and the integrity of custom and tradition. . The Swastika or sunwheel, a symbol of luck, holiness, power, … Continue reading Symbols →

The pre-Christian Norse religion wasn’t only a set of grand myths and the gods and creatures who filled them. It was an entire worldview in its own right – and one that was very, very different from any of the worldviews that most people are familiar with today. This unfamiliarity is due to two factors: … Continue reading Concepts →

Óðr (pronounced roughly “OH-thur,” with a hard “th” as in “the”) is an Old Norse word that has no direct equivalent in modern English. The word, and the wonderful concept to which it refers, is as little understood today as it was ubiquitous in pre-Christian Germanic mythology and religion. Óðr is generally translated as something … Continue reading Óðr (concept) →

This Norse concept of "honor" and of a "good name" and the extraordinary lengths to which a Norseman went in order to protect his good name require a far lengthier explanation than I can give here. In part, that's because similar concepts don't exist in modern western culture.

In the modern world, magic is ostensibly relegated to a ghetto of cheap, non-durable paperback books read by gullible teenagers in the midst of a rebellious phase. “Magic,” like “myth,” is usually used as something of a derogatory word denoting barbaric superstitions best forgotten. This shouldn’t be surprising. Our modern, mechanistic worldview, which likes to … Continue reading Magic →

Read all about the Vegvisir, the Viking symbol of guidance and protection, also known as the Viking compass/runic compass, its meaning, history and origin.

Click here to read all about Aegishjalmr/Aegishjalmur, the Viking Helm of Awe and Terror and its meaning as one of the most important Norse symbols

The best-known vision of the Norse afterlife is that of Valhalla, the hall of the heroes where warriors chosen by the Valkyries feast with...

Fate and destiny are concepts that were integral to Norse mythology and influenced a number of beliefs that governed the ancient Viking way of life.

In Norse mythology and religion, geographical spaces and psychological states are often classified as being either innangard (pronounced “INN-ann-guard”; Old Norse innangarðr, “within the enclosure”) or utangard (pronounced “OOT-ann-guard”; Old Norse útangarðr, “beyond the enclosure”). A place or a state of mind is innangard if it’s orderly, civilized, and law-abiding. If, on the other hand, … Continue reading Innangard and Utangard →

NOTE: Full tables of the Elder Futhark and Younger Futhark are available below this article. Updated on 5/21/18.  Runes In Norse lore, the god, Odin, impaled his heart with his own spear and hung on the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nights all to perceive the meaning of the runes.  The runes were symbols tha