Wardruna at Manchester Albert Hall, 21st November 2018.

At this time of year, the veil between worlds is said to be at its thinnest. As Wardruna took to the stage to excited applause. Anticipation was palpable as a hush descended. The Lur sounded, and a thousand years melted away within the auditorium. This heralded what would sear into my memory as one of the most awe-inspiring sets I have ever witnessed.

In another blog (sometimes feels like another life), I wrote about Living Gods. I mentioned that contemporary heathenry was poorer for having only one, canonical version of our myths, caged within letters on a page. I mentioned that heathenry would never thrive until new stories were told and the gods and heroes of the folk inspired new arts and artists.

Wardruna are just such artists that give me hope for the future of our faith.

UKPagan blog July 2012: Lokke = Spider = Loki ?

Here is another post from a while ago from another pagan blog of mine (see The Valley UK Pagan forum for more goodies like this). I know I am posting a lot of this kinda thing, but I hope it gives you a better idea where I am coming from vis-a-vis my pagan path, and maybe gives you a little food for thought, too.



Now a good few years ago, when I was living in Sweden, I 'rediscovered' my paganism. Around the same time, and perhaps connected (who knows?), I had what I refer to as 'a waking dream' or hallucination which occurred just as I awoke. It was a hallucination of a bloody huge spider in my bed. Scared the shit out of me and caused me to wake my (then) girlfriend up in the middle of the night - which may have contributed to our splitting up (again, who knows?).

I have found references online to a book, "Loki in Scandinavian mythology" by a Ms Roothe which posits that Loki is, in fact, an anthropomorphic deification of spider. Apparently, spider in old Danish is "lokke", which may have mutated into 'Loki'. I am hoping that is not the only (rather tenuous) justification for the association.

The only copy of said text that I can find is at the John Rylands library here in Manchester. To access it, though, I fear I need to pay an annual subscription of £30, for access (reference only) to the library. Thing is, this is the first time I have had to put my money where my mouth is regarding the weirdish things that have happened to my around and since my 'spiritual awakening'. I have had a few of these hallucinations or what have you and I would normally write them off as the symptoms of fatigue or stress or somesuch. But as I am being more open minded and experimenting with some rather more far out beliefs than normal, I would like to investigate further.

But, £30? Not that much money, but it is a good night on the beers, or a respectable surprise gift for my baby daughter...

Have I been touched by Loki?
How will that contact affect me in the future?
Can I point out on the doll, for the benefit of the court, where Loki touched me? ;)