Finally, the pain passes and you fall in a swoon, allowing your mind to blank for several moments.
When you recover, you feel stronger and more whole and alive than you have ever done before. You have assimilated and embodied the qualities and Essence of the Beast you have overthrown. Part of you now is the Dragon.
Return to your normal mode of consciousness and your normal place to reflect upon this fact.
The Seventh Night
You return to the slain Dragon, now an empty husk, its Essence coiling somewhere deep within your own mind, waiting to be awakened to its full potential.
You decide that it is time to survey some of the treasure that you have won through your conquest. You make your way towards the cave in the hollow, descending into its dark mouth. The lingering fumes and foreboding presence no longer repel you: you feel a kinship with them.
Inside, you find a great, golden hoard, wealth beyond imagining. Spend some time visualising the extent of the Dragon's gold, drawing it into your consciousness.
There are three treasures that you carry forth from the cave, representing the Dragon's hoard. The first of these is gold, which brings strife as well as wealth; the second is a sword, which offers invulnerability to the courageous; the third is a magic cloak, which brings invisibility, strength and the power of deception. Think upon these treasures and how you may harness and use them. They will be discussed more fully in the chapters that follow, but you should make them your own first.
A further thing that settles invisibly upon you is the burden of the Work. You have set foot upon the Draconian Path which brings riches of body and soul, but this is a Cursed treasure and it comes with a price. You must keep ever pushing forward, following your Vision. It was lying still and failing to progress that led to the Dragon's fate. The Dragon now in you must not fall by the same mistake.
The Eighth Night
You return to the area outside the cave, where you are hailed by two ravens sitting on the branch of one of the dead trees. You can understand the birds' language, one of the powers you have gained through tasting the Dragon's blood.
They tell you that you have also inherited the Helm of Awe, the pall of horror and mesmerising power that radiates from the Dragon's gaze. Operative keys for using the Helm will be given later, but for now consider its implications for yourself.
Listen now to what the ravens have to tell you. They will have a private message for you. Wait and meditate until you are sure you have grasped it.
The ravens also warn you of the treachery of your own nature. Your own mental conditioning will rob you of all that you have realised in this place if you do not master it and overthrow it, establishing a new ordering in your soul of your own devising. This is symbolised in the mythology by Reginn.
Go on your way, but be wary and do not forget.
The Ninth Night
On this night, you should sit in quiet contemplation, considering how the Dragon is subdued by the Hero – the subconscious, bestial aspect is subdued by conscious Will – and the two then merge into a single, greater entity: a Hero with the powers and abilities of the Dragon.
You should now stretch forth with your mind, probing the Dark potential of the Work to come. You should receive an inkling that the Hero in turn must surrender himself to the Divine, becoming something greater and immeasurably more powerful in the process.
Conclude the Working by swearing aloud an Oath that you will learn to control and fully develop the Draconian powers within; that you will always fight for consciousness against non-consciousness; that you will aspire to the Divine spark that will elevate you yet higher.
Record this Oath in writing, then close the Working.
CHAPTER THREE
ESTABLISHING SOVEREIGNTY
IN MIDGARD
The first step in mastering Draconian magic is to achieve a sound understanding of place: where you are, who you are, what you can do, and how you came to be here. Thus it is essential to first learn how to master the physical world and how to use your own body and its abilities as a magical tool. This will give you the surest possible foothold in the quest for Self-transformation. The subject matter of this chapter resonates with the Work of the first head of the Dragon as described in Apophis and the two chapters may be used in conjunction.
This chapter will concern itself with channeling the runes through the body, using your own physical being as a magical tool, with posture and breath work. We will examine the basic structure of reality according to Northern cosmology. The physical senses will be exercised and expanded. We will look at genetic heritage, the forces that shaped our physical presence and its environment and brought us to where we now stand. We will investigate the controlled stimulation of the body through such media as alcohol and sex to achieve different states of consciousness. We will prepare tools and learn to carve and colour runes. Finally, this stage of the programme will be concluded with another major Working.
Stadhagaldr
Stadhagaldr is the process of using the body to channel the runes. By posing the body in the shape of the runestaves, the energies of those staves may be generated and used by the Initiate, expressed through his own flesh, blood and bone. By assuming several postures in a specific sequence, a fully developed runic enchantment may be expressed and actualised.
Such enchantments will become accessible later in the programme, but first the Initiate must put in the work and make the adoption of each posture second nature, and must make a decisive link between the posture and the rune it represents. Until this identification has become second nature, the rune streams will not begin to flow. But once established, a stream of runic energy will begin to emanate the moment the Initiate assumes a given stance.
When I first began to study the practice of stadhagaldr, I did so simply because it was part of the runic curriculum of work I was following. I approached it with the attitude that I would tick the appropriate boxes and likely never use the practice again. I was very, very wrong in my preconceptions. Stadhagaldr is now one of my foremost means of runic Work. I have found it a tremendously powerful and vitalising discipline, which will repay the effort you put into mastering it tenfold. The awareness of the rune streams when manifesting them in your own flesh, blood and bone is incomparable and exhilarating.
Each posture should be learned and practised in sequence, spending sufficient time on each to thoroughly ingrain it in your physical and associative memory. As you hold each posture, think over the meaning of the rune as given in the previous chapter.
Fehu
Both arms are raised at an angle in front of the body, the left arm higher than the right.
Uruz
Feet together, lean forward and extend the arms down towards the ground.
Thurisaz
Stand upright, the fingers of the left hand touching the left hip, the elbow jutting sideways.
Ansuz
Both arms are extended in fron of the body, inclined slightly downwards, the left arm lower than the right.
Raidho
The fingers of the left hand rest upon the left hip, the elbow sideways. The left leg is raised sideways from the body.
Kenaz
The right arm is raised at a 45o angle, the left arm lowered at a similar angle.
Gebo
The arms and legs are extended from the body to form the 'X' shape of the rune.
Wunjo
The left hand touches the top of the head, the elbow jutting sideways from the body.
Hagalaz
In Futhark, Edred Thorsson presents a posture for hagalaz which is based upon the alternate form of the runestave. It is an excellent arrangement and is a miniature ritual in its own right. However, I have always desired a posture for the rune which is a single stance to accord with the others when sequencing several runes together. This posture emulates the shape of the rune with the two arms representing the two vertical shafts and the left hand raised to right shoulder providing the diagonal crossbar.
Nauthiz
The body forms the shape of the rune as the right arm is raised sideways at 45o and the left arm is lowered in like manner.
Isa
The body is held straight and erect, arms by sides.
Jera
The right arm is angled forward and bent back at the elbow to touch the top of the head. The left arm is angled back and bent forward at the elbow to touch the hip.
Eihwaz
The arms are stretched forward at 45o from the body and the right leg is bent back to form the lower hook of the rune.
Perthro
This is a seated position. The legs are together and the knees drawn up. The arms are bent forward, the elbows resting on the knees to form the shape of the rune.
Elhaz
The arms are raised at a 45o angle on each side of the body, the head forming the third, central arm of the rune.
Sowilo
The arms are held straight at the sides. The knees are bent and the body inclines forward at the waist, forming the rune's lightning flash shape.
Tiwaz
The arms are extended out from the sides, pointing downwards at a 45o angle.
Berkano
The right arm and leg are kept straight. The left arm is extended to the left, the hand resting on the hip. The left leg is likewise extended sideways, the knee bent, with the heel touching the right ankle.
Ehwaz
The left arm is raised up and sideways at 45o, the right arm is lowered to the same degree. This is a mirror image of nauthiz and is an alternate form of the E-rune.
Mannaz
Both arms are raised straight up, then bent at the elbows so that the forearms cross over the face, each touching its opposite armpit.
Laguz
Both arms are extended forward and down at an angle of 45o.
Ingwaz
The elbows are pointed sideways and the hands turned back across the body to touch before the abdomen.
Dagaz
The arms are crossed across the breast, the fingers of each hand touching the opposite shoulder.
Othila
The arms are raised above the head, elbows bent and fingertips touching. The legs are splayed.
Through regular practice of these postures, combined with concentration upon the meanings of the runes they represent, the Initiate will soon be conscious of embodying the runes in his very flesh, his body becoming a conduit for runic forces flowing through him. It should be noted that this is a type of work where practice will always lead to an improved experience. No matter how far you advance in the Work, it is always worthwhile to periodically come back to your stadhagaldr for a fresh round of practice. This will pay enormous dividends in your later magical Workings.
Breath Work
Once you have established a good practice routine with the stadhagaldr postures and have become familiar with them, you should focus on the proper control of your breath as well as your posture.
As explained in Apophis, there are three main benefits to breath work, applied in three distinct areas, as follows:
Establishing a steady and regular rhythm of deep breathing will assist the body to relax, easing tensions. This assists greatly with posture work and generally leaves the mind freer and less distracted, to focus upon matters magical.
Because the patterns of breath used in our work tend to be deeper and longer than the shallow breaths we normally take, they lead to a greater level of oxygenation of the blood. This causes various chemical changes in the body. The extremities tend to become warm and slightly numb and minor irritations and itches are generally lessened. The enriched blood supply to the brain also boosts concentration on the mental aspects of magical Work.
Practice with breathing techniques and the proper balancing of inhalation and exhalation is of tremendous assistance in the rune-singing exercises and other vocal / incantatory magical Work, which will be introduced in the next chapter and will form a major part of your galdorcraft thereafter.
The simplest, most basic rhythm to begin with is to breathe in to the count of four, hold the breath in the lungs to the count of four, breathe out to the count of four, hold the lungs empty to the count of four, then repeat the sequence.
As Initiates become more practised, it may prove helpful to extend the duration of each breath cycle, deepening and lengthening the respiration still further.
For rune-singing and other vocal magic, practise a rhythm such as the following and accustom your body to it: breathe in to the count of four; hold your breath for the count of two; exhale to the count of eight; then immediately inhale, repeating the sequence. This kind of rhythm will allow you to fill your lungs with air, 'charge' the air with vitality, then chant or intone on the lengthier outbreath, without fear of running out of puff. Practice here will pay great dividends later.
Nine Worlds
The Work of this first chapter is concerned with the body and the world in which it finds itself. The mortal world of physical manifestation is called Midgard in Northern lore, but it is only one – albeit the central one, into which the others pour their influence – in a system of nine worlds spanning multiple dimensions. These worlds are collectively arranged in a structure like a cosmic tree, named Yggdrasil. Although we are currently focused upon Midgard, it is important to understand its place in the larger framework. Accustomising yourself to the ideas of all nine worlds now will prove helpful in later chapters, when consciousness can be projected further afield to explore the world-tree.
An illustration of the worlds on the Yggdrasil framework is on the following page. This has been scanned from a full colour painting by the author. Sadly, the colours are not reproducible here, but every Initiate will benefit greatly in understanding the worlds if they study the attributions and paint their own Yggdrasil.
A brief description of each world follows. These should be supplemented from other, more detailed sources, and most especially from the Eddas and the mythology.
Asgard
This is the enclosure of the Gods, where Odin has his great hall, Valhalla. In terms of the psyche, Asgard is the abode of the pure spark of consciousness, the bright flame of Self.
Ljossalfheim
This is the realm of the bright elves, masters of lore and wisdom. It is a place of ecstatic inspiration. Some ancestral secrets may be discovered from the dwellers here.
Midgard
This is the world of earthly manifestation, into which the influences from the other eight worlds pour. It is thus the realm of potential, a melting plot where Will and passion may lead to Becoming.
Svartalfheim
The realm of the dark elves, or dwarfs. A land which fosters cunning and intricate craftsmanship and invention. Frequently linked with subterranean places.
Hel
The realm of the dead, ruled over by the Goddess of the same name, daughter of Loki. A place of cold mists and gloom, shadows and memories.
Vanaheim
The land of the Vanir, the race of Gods responsible for the cycles of nature. As such, it is a green and fertile land, the plentiful ideal of any people who live in harmony with their environment and rely on its regular patterns and cycles for their survival.
Jotunheim
This is the land of the giants, the etins. In the Norse myths, these beings – descendents of Ymir – are often portrayed as enemies of the Æsir, and of Thor in particular. Yet Odin will occasionally seek knowledge and wisdom from one of their kind. These are monolithic forces of resistance, the opposite of consciousness and Initiation, yet because of their great age they may harbour some forgotten wisdom or insight that needs to be won from them by guile.
Niflheim
This world is one of the two great poles of Northern creation myth. This is a place of ice and contraction. The further one progresses into Niflheim, the more cold, compacted and massive it becomes. The heart of Niflheim is at Absolute Zero, possessing zero energy, a solid mass in which all vibration has ceased.
Muspellsheim
This is the polar opposite to Niflheim. It is a world of heat and fire, an expansive force of furiously vibrating energy and escalating heat. A cosmic furnace, ever rushing outwards.
These are basic descriptions of the general character of the nine worlds. Some will be returned to later in this book when it will be necessary to take a more detailed look at certain specialised areas. But in the meantime, the student should consult the reading list and seek out fuller descriptions in the mythology and in books more suited to a general runic study.
Enhanced Sensory Perception
Part of the Work of the first head of Apophis is to seek to sharpen and enhance the information received by our consciousness from the five physical senses, the goal being to circumvent the filters and preconditioning that edits most of the data we receive from the world.
A full discussion on possible exercises for this purpose can be found in Apophis, so I will just briefly recap here.
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