The Norse Tradition (Rune department in the Menshikova School). About the Norse Tradition. The system of myths, sagas, songs and tales about gods and heroes. Runes at the Menshikova School. God Odin and runes.

The Norse Tradition (Rune Department in the Menshikova School)

About the Norse Tradition. The system of myths, sagas, songs and tales about gods and heroes. Runes at the Menshikova School. God Odin and runes.


About the Norse Tradition


The Norse Tradition is the only system of myths that was not disturbed by a rosary, a thurible, or by any other tool. Even monks whose roots belonged to the Icelandic land did not risk adding something of their own to this system.

There was a high demand, possibly, during the christianization of northern Europe to white out not just the gods, but also the heroic epos. And why all this? Because every ruler linked his ancestral line to one of the gods, not directly of course.

All the sagas, songs and tales remained. You will be reading them. Read them, and realize that even they don’t represent those ancestors in the best light. They burglarized and killed, sometimes they robbed, they made mistakes. But what is scarier? To make a mistake or to lie and say that you didn’t make one? What is scarier — to lie and then tell everyone that it didn’t happen? Those who brought the Norse tradition to our days were assured that a lie, in any form, is not just bad. It is something that depletes one’s soul. It is something you cannot turn back. One only lie is enough to be caught by it, like by a snake, and not being able to ever get out. 

The scariest of all the lies is the ultimate lie. The one that depends on you. One can say “ My ancestor didn’t kill”, but it will be yet another lie. And it is worse than the one that was said before you. You know he did kill. All can be resolved. One can cleanse themselves of lies if one tells the truth. 

This is the central theme in “Havamal” and is what Odin passed on to his descendants: “Guys, life is hard, things happen. We are not always wise. We don’t always know what the right thing to do is. But if we are honest, the probability of doing what is right is higher than if you try to slither, lie, bear false witness. Even lying to yourself – don’t do it.”

This is why they all were so naive and honest and argued with their gods if they didn’t like something. They would say directly to gods’ wooden faces “I don’t like what you are doing Odin, it’s not a good idea. You’ve gone too far, Freyja. Too far”. And not only was it forgiven to them, it was considered the right thing to do. If something lies heavy on your heart –  don’t hide it, speak up, it doesn’t matter who is in front of you: if it’s a friend, brother, god, king, konung, slave. Everybody has an equal right to truth. 

When we immerse ourselves in this realm, we have to maintain this same state of mind. Because the sickest lie is the lie we tell to ourselves. There are no white lies. I mean, they exist, but to tell them is not humanly worthy. If we want to be worthy of the forces that we seek, we have to assume their likeness. Which is why honesty, transparency, at least with oneself, is going to be very important. 


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