Aegishjalmur

by Michael Kelly

  If this is the case, if our forefathers saw the future as an unwritten page, what is Wyrd? How could the prophetesses and practitioners of seith foretell the future? What was the point of casting the runestaves for purposes of divination?

  Wyrd is not an account of what will be; it is a complete picture and understanding of all the intricate cross connections in the past that have led us to the present moment, all of the causes and all of the effects, together with all of the synchronicities and resonances that have rippled sideways in mysterious ways. By analysing these patterns of events, it is possible to determine the manner in which the pattern is likely to continue to unfold, and thus to determine the likely direction of future events. But these events have not happened yet; they are merely most likely to happen given the prevailing patterns of manifestation. The magician understands that behavioural patterns in human activity tend to follow set courses through to completion. Of course, it is always possible for individuals with Will, imagination and perceptiveness to abort a pattern of behaviour and bring about something completely different. Such is, in fact, the essence of magic.

  These behavioural patterns when aplied to individuals are named orlog, an Old Norse word that means something akin to 'primal layers'. This term is suggestive of habitual actions or modes of responding. Orlog is the sum of the patterns and the automatic responses we have built up within ourselves over the course of our lives. As such, it is indicative of the manner in which we are likely to respond to any future stimulus; it is the established precedent.

  As we consider this question of Destiny now, therefore, it would be a worthwhile exercise for the reader to spend a month or so observing his own responses to whatever situations he encounters on a daily basis. Learn to recognise your first instinctual response in every case and try to trace its origin. Root out and list your habits, become aware of them. Make a chart of just how predictable you are. You will find this an astonishing exercise if you carry it out thoroughly. Finally, meditate upon all that you have learned about yourself and pledge yourself to observance, so that you can act instead of reacting in future.

  It should be noted at this point that the Germanic perspective upon the future actually provides for two possible interpretations. You should meditate upon both of these, weighing their merits. Such meditations upon the nature of time will stand you in good stead when you reach the Work of chapter eight. The first concept is that the future is completely unshaped and happens only as we reach it. This might be termed the orthodox interpretation. But the often outlandish ideas of quantum physics propose the intriguing idea that all possible futures exist and that we steer our course through these possibilities, selecting which time stream to actualise on this plane of reality. This latter model is delightfully paradoxical, allowing for both complete predestination and total free will both at the same time, within a single model. There is something about this which is magnificently Odian. Again, we shall be returning to such considerations in chapter eight.

  So what does all of this mean when we consider Destiny? It means that the notion that our fates and the fate of the world are set in stone is erroneous, but it allows that our paths into the Is-To-Be may be predictable to a greater or lesser degree. It also means that the patterns established by past events and modes of behaviour acquire a kind of gravity, wearing grooves of least resistance into probability, steering cause and effect along certain lines (orlog). That which has happened once is most likely to happen again. That which has happened several times will most definitely happen again. If time is a stream, it rarely flows up mountains, it tends to follow a well-worn course.

  But it will have occurred to you over the course of your Work so far that much of magic is concerned with the threefold process of: (a) identifying the aspects of our Self; (b) pruning those patterns of behaviour which are not conducive to our Will; (c) creating and establishing new patterns of behaviour which will lead to the fulfilment of Desire.

  This raises the intriguing notion that an Initiate creates his own behavioural patterns and takes absolute responsibility for his own deeds. We therefore produce our own orlog, which resonates with our magical Will and Vision. Thus, as we progress along our Path, our every action – indeed, our every intent – builds up a magical momentum, a tangible force which drives us on in our direction, following a very real Destiny which we have in fact created for ourselves.

  You should take time to meditate upon this fact and consider its full ramifications, for it will inform everything that you do from this point onward. Here is that lesson which I am always keen to point out: do not work magic unless you yourself are willing to be changed thereby.

  A Creature of Midgard

  All of these weighty questions and realisations which occur at this stage of the initiatory journey give rise to one final question which we need to consider before leaving the Work of this chapter: this is the question concerning the enormity of the Universe, and what is my place in it?

  It is at this point that I am going to make one of my most dramatic departures from many schools of Initiatory thought and spiritual ideas. It is normal in such schools (or at least those which know their onions) to assert that their Initiates are gods, or are becoming gods and are just one step away from omnipotence. This is an absurd assertion.

  How many people have you met who lay claim to exalted titles, who pronounce themselves portentously to be gods in the making, but still have to push their trolley round the supermarket the next morning, nosing for bargains? This ego-inflation is one of the greatest dangers of magical practice and the stage which you are now at if you have been following the Work so far, is the stage at which it reaches its maximum threat.

  I am not for one moment denying that there is a spark of the Divine in humankind. This is the Gift that Odin placed within our species, awakening us. This is the kinship that we share with the All-father, the ancestral, sovereign God. But that Divine spark moves within us and brings us into manifestation in the sphere that is ours. We are not Gods, we are men and women. We should seek to be the best, most Divinely inspired and enlightened men and women we can possibly be, but men and women we are and remain.

  Much of the confusion regarding this question arises from the introduction of alien notions of Godhood into European thought. In original European thinking, the Gods are in the blood, They are not omnipotent, They are not omniscient and They are not omnipresent. In a philosophy that postulates a cosmos shaped from the Chaos of the Void by Will, a cosmos which is susceptible to continual change and renewal, such concepts simply do not fit. The cosmos tends toward manifestation and the Gods are among the forces that shape it and direct it toward those ends. Humanity arises within that enclosure of manifestation, Midgard, but we possess the Odian Gift of consciousness and thus are able to conceptualise the worlds beyond this one and use our Wills to shape this world to our needs.

  Humanity is not in a 'fallen state'. We stand in that place to which the whole Universe is tending and we ride the wave into the Is-To-Be. Is this not the most glorious place for us to be? Is this not the very cutting edge of creation? Not a withdrawal into some 'heaven', but a progression into manifestation? Consider well who you are, where you are, and how you got here. These are the most important questions you can now ask yourself.

  We will return in part to this question in the next chapter when considering the question of immortality, but be sure to understand the imperative here first.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  THE MYSTERIES OF DESIRE

  Runa as the Lady

  In this chapter, as the title suggests, we shall be looking more deeply into the feminine Mysteries concerning Freyja and Runa. We will also be examining the importance of Desire to the Initiate and the way in which it manifests as an Initiatory tool, and as a power source for operative sorcery. The ideas touched upon here have significant implications for the lore of the soul, so we will be returning to that subject with a more experienced eye and considering the implications of our Initiato
ry Path as regards the possible immortality of the soul.

  It is important to begin this chapter with a reiteration of one of the key facts mentioned in the previous chapter: Runa is often figured as a Lady. She is Faust's Eternal Feminine, who draws us ever on. Think about it and you will see how apt this description truly is. I am not going to labour the point, although I will certainly be returning to it and touching upon it again throughout this chapter. But I want to state quite clearly that everything that is said here about Desire and the Other applies first and foremost to the pursuit of Mystery Herself, which is the first and only law of the runer. Reyn til Runa – Seek after the Mysteries. Bear this in mind through all that you read. It would be well to set aside some time to meditate regularly upon this idea throughout the practice of this chapter's arts.

  Freyja – Goddess of Eroticism, Sovereignty and War

  We have already touched upon much of the symbolic attributes of Freyja in chapter one and have begun the process of exploring Her magical techniques in chapter five. I would recommend returning to those chapters to study anew the relevant sections now, illuminated by the light of the Work you have already accomplished and the Understanding you have won. It would also not be a bad idea to return to the Eddas to look afresh at the source mythologies concerning this Goddess, for She is crucial to the Work of this chapter.

  There are three major functions which pervade the essence of Freyja and which are of utmost importance to the Initiate at this stage in Initiation. The first of these is eroticism; the second is sovereignty; the third is war. All three of these themes and principles will weave in and out of this chapter. In some cases, their influence will be obvious, in other cases it will be subtle. But it will always be present. It is up to the reader to raise up the standards of these three Divine principles at the forefront of his mind and to ask as he progresses through the Work of this chapter, “In what way does this reflect upon the Work of the erotic principle? How does this establish my sovereignty? What am I championing here? Against what am I fighting?” If you remember to keep those questions in mind, and if you can furnish answers through your own insights, then you will do well.

  In most modern religions, it is unheard of to hear eroticism associated with the Divine. This is because most modern religions are alien and antagonistic toward the values and principles of our ancestors. They have lost the sense of being descended from the Divine in very flesh and blood. They have concerned themselves with a retreat into a heavenly daydream and have lost sight of the fact that the universal imperative is toward manifestation. They have separated flesh and spirit, when there can be no distinctions between the two; both are but aspects of the Whole Man. They have forgotten pleasure and delight, the sheer joy of life and the appreciation of what it means to be alive. And any God who forgets that, or allows his followers to forget that, is not worthy of the title.

  Freyja is under no such delusions. She is a Goddess in whom Desires runs deep. So don't hold back and be stiff-necked and aloof when you address Her, as if afraid to offend a maiden aunt. Laugh and be joyful. Your Desires are Her worship, your pleasures and joys are Her manifestation. Make no mistake.

  Sovereignty is a central focus and goal of the Work of this book. The aim is for the individual to ascend to the throne of his own being and to become the sovereign of his own world. You are the ruler of your own life, you and no other, and this is a principle championed by Freyja.

  As for war, we all wish to live peaceful lives, but there will come those times when we need to fight for what we believe in, what we cherish. When others try to topple your sovereignty, you must repel them; when your Desires are difficult to explain, you will need to fight to achieve them. But the greatest conflict of all is the Invisible War, the struggle between consciousness and conformity.

  The Eternal Feminine

  “Everything that can be perceived

  is only a symbol;

  the imperfect, which cannot be realized,

  here makes itself reality;

  that which cannot be described,

  here finally completes itself.

  It is the eternal feminine,

  always attracting us to the higher.”

  Goethe – Faust

  If there is one thing which most characterises the struggle of the soul as it reaches this point of its initiatory journey, it is the Desire of the Self for the Other.

  This Desire for the Other is described perfectly in the quote from Goethe, above, and he so accurately labels it 'the Eternal Feminine'. This is why Runa is so often envisioned and addressed as a Lady.

  For isn't this the ultimate manifestation of Runa? The search for the Other, for that which is not yourself – i.e. that which is Mysterious and Unknown to you – and yet which is the perfect mirror and complement for yourself?

  This Desire may be traced and analysed in order to better understand and direct your Quest. In the previous chapter, we mentioned orlog, the 'primal layers' which steer behaviour down certain avenues, shaped and weighted by the decisions and actions we have made in the past. We may examine this orlog in order to determine the shape and the essence of our Desire.

  Take some time to think back over all of your previous lovers and crushes. Who have you ever fancied, when and why? Make an exhaustive list of all the people who have ever caught your eye.

  You now have a lengthy catalogue of the individuals you find attractive. Now work your way back through the list with three highlighters to hand. Highlight those who you find so beautiful that it's actually painful in one colour; those who are very attractive but not quite so eye-searingly gorgeous in another colour; those who attracted you because of a single specific feature or two in the third colour. (Note that at this stage we are concerned only with physical attractiveness, not the personality of the people.)

  Next you should concentrate upon that smaller group corresponding to the first category, your ideals of absolute beauty incarnate. Try to synthesise an ideal Form out of these various expressions until you are left with a clear perception of your perfect ideal of Beauty. You should use all of the creative tools at your disposal when carrying out this task. Draw, paint, sculpt, model, write effusive descriptions. If you have the technical know-how, use computer 3D modeling programs; even the character creation routines for many recent video games will prove useful. But do not rest until this ideal image is real in your mind.

  Now turn to the complete list of all three categories. Start making a list of the recurring features which repeat time and again in those you find attractive. What features stand out? Perhaps it's a specific eye colour? A snub nose? A particular hairstyle? Write them all down. Write, analyse and condense until you have a list of the most repeated descriptors. Then spend some time considering why these particular things are so attractive to you. Don't look to books for answers, you must find your own. When did each feature first grab your attention? Trace back your erotic triggers to their very origins in a series of meditations and don't rest until you have successfully done so.

  These exercises in evaluating and categorising your own erotic / aesthetic triggers will greatly enhance your awareness of such triggers in your future erotically charged encounters. On the one hand, this will enable you to retain a measure of control since you will understand what is happening. Thus you will be able to act instead of reacting, you will not be a puppet to be played on strings. On the other hand, it will allow you to take those triggers to new peaks, creating an epicurean aesthetic and erotic consciousness from your own past experience. More importantly than either of these two immediately life-enhancing factors, however, is that your new Understanding of your erotic imprinting will provide a clear and well-defined channel through which the Other may manifest.

  This exercise should also have made it apparent to you that your personal erotic and aesthetic triggers that govern attraction are something within yourself, a set of features and proportions that have acquired a particular imprint for you personally. In other words, in the
initial stages of attraction, it is ourselves we are invoking and interacting with, not the other person. Our standards of beauty are projected upon them and we experience an erotic response when a certain level of resonance is achieved.

  Past that point, you have no claim over the other person. As Aleister Crowley declared it, “Every man and every woman is a star.” There can be no possessiveness or 'ownership' in any true relationship; there can be only a mutual agreement, which either party may withdraw from at any time. Freyja is not only a Goddess of eroticism, but also of sovereignty and She will not tolerate a lack of respect for the sovereignty of others. This enlightened attitude is, alas, all too uncommon in human relationships, most of which are based upon need or dependency. The Initiate can not afford to make such a mistake and must honour the sovereign individual.

  Fenrir – The Hunger, Chained and Loosed

  The closing comments of the preceding section lead us to consider the important fact that Desire may manifest in both positive and negative ways. There is the Desire that inspires and there is the Desire that consumes. We may call this latter, negative manifestation of Desire 'Hunger'. If Desire as a positive force is exemplified in the Goddess Freyja, Hunger is represented by the wolf Fenrir.

  Fenrir was the son of Loki, a spirit in monstrous wolf-form, whose appetite was so great and growth so rapid and terrifying that the Æsir feared that he would consume all of Asgard and ultimately the world.