Second reviSed edition

by

niðaöll & Wilthijaz Yggr

 Myrkþursablót:
Nightside of e Old Norse Mythology
Second edition
by Niðaöll & Wilthijaz Yggr

Text Copyright © 2016-2018 Niðaöll

& Wilthijaz Yggr

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, without permis-
sion in writing from the publisher.

All illustrations by Serpent Souls Art.

Bindrunes and sigils by Niðaöll.

All quoted text and used sources are taken and

interpreted directly from the Poetic and Prose
Eddas, unless noted otherwise.

Layout by Fall of Man.

Edited by Phil F. and Alejo Torres.

www.fallofman.eu
 In dex

7 Foreword to the second edition

13 Foreword

15 Þursablóð / Blood of the Old Ones

25 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

39 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

57 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

73 Myrkrúnar / The Dark Runes

83 Fornþursar / The Ancient Þurs

91 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

111 Hrafnaguð / The Raven God

119 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

133 Afterword
This book will unravel and explore the origins, beings,
locations, stories and runic secrets of the nightside of
the Norse mythology. All that is written within these
pages has been obtained through personal study, years
of extensive research, and my own spiritual practice. The
information within this book was obtained from long,
tiresome studies and many conversations with indivi-
duals with credible knowledge on the subjects discussed
within this text. All words written are my own unless
noted otherwise. To take any other approach would be
disingenuous given the subject matter discussed. This is
not meant to be delivered as an academic text, but rather
a description of an understanding I have personally de-
rived from my own study, experience, worldview and
communion with the forces discussed as I have come to
know them. The contents of this book are in no shape
or form intended to be presented as an absolute, only
possibility.
 Foreword to the
second edition
My first book, Myrkþursablót: nightside of the old norse
Mythology was an accumulation of six years of research,
personal study and putting into practice the ways of old to
gain the wisdom of the ancient ones. Since its release, i have
gained more knowledge of myself as an author, a person and
the true direction of where this path is taking me. Myrkþur-
sablót is very much a personal journey that i have created
for myself to forever balance the light and the dark. to never
stagnate within. As i now know that the true path accepts
both nifl and Muspel, darkness and light, to reach the veil.
As i write this preface to the second edition of my first book,
it brings me satisfaction knowing that the long dark road
traveled was the right decision for me, personally.
Since the release of Myrkþursablót, i naturally
continued my walk down this long and solitary road as my
search for internal balance never faded. Pushing forward
with my studies brought forth a continuous light on the
dark path taken. As you will see from the newest content
added to this book, the Myrkþursablót current is forever
evolving. e entire basis of my journey mirrors that of
Óðinn's himself. His never-ending search for wisdom had
no boundaries as it took him from the highest point of Ás-
garðr to the deepest depths of Helheimr, and everywhere
in between. it is simply a matter of how far one is willing
to travel to further one's knowledge. Are you willing to

7
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

burn within the flames of Kaunan? Will you submit your

subconscious to the merciless cold of isaz?
When i began my journey into Þursatrú, i already
held a fairly deep well of knowledge on the old norse
mythology which made it easy for my mind to consume.
during that time, six long years ago, i was searching for so-
mething darker. Something with much more depth than
the basic Ásatrú that i was involved with at the time. Upon
coming into contact with those far more experienced than
i, my journey began…
digging further and further into what was essen-
tially laid out as the Þursatrú tradition by popular authors,
there were various aspects to this new ideology that ignited
a fire within my heart and froze over my spirit like a cold
winter wind. While i greatly embrace the beings and deities
within norse mythology, there is one single variable that i
hold higher than any being. e gods and giants themselves,
to me, are seen as metaphorical personifications of this single
variable as they are representations of death, life, fire and ice.
instead of the mirror image, i wanted the original source.
rough runic practice and seiðr, my attention was
heavily drawn towards the great and vast empty darkness it-
self, Ginnungagap. it is the only principle that matters to me,
for it represents all. e yawning void is our beginning and
our true origin. From nothingness, the great powers of fire
(Múspel) married ice (nifl) within the cosmic vacuum and
birthed everything we know to be. every known thing, be it
man, land water or god and giant, comes back to that single
spark within nothingness. at knowledge is what drives my
journey. darkness to light (Ūruz / Fehu).

8
 Foreword to the second edition

Within this new edition of Myrkþursablót: night-

side of the old norse Mythology, the newest additions i
have written are presented with the hope that we continue
to explore the possibilities within ourselves and beyond the
mortal coil we know. e vessel of flesh we carry is not only
just one avenue, but the weakest, for the mind is the most
powerful tool we possess.

Hrósa eld í hrím.

//niðaöll

9
 Foreword
Known by many names, the nightside of the norse-Ger-
manic spiritual path is a self-directed journey towards ini-
tiation into the secrets as embodied by the runes, transiting
towards the harmonious silence of the void before creation
was formed in the beginning through the collision of fire
and ice (the union of opposites to create the moving uni-
verse we as living creatures experience). in initiatory and
devoted practice revering forces such as the þursar1, the stu-
dent seeks to initiate his or herself into the black arts of
northern antiquity and meld into the eternal silence of Gin-
nungagap2, shaking the chains of existence within the nine
worlds. ere are many parallels one could draw from other
Le-Hand Path traditions to this one, such as the karmic
cycle in the Puranic tradition. is system is designed to be
an initiatory path using the rune rows and the shamanic ga-
teways they represent, so that one may make a personal exit
from this universe ruled by the poles of duality.
Myrkþursablót, or dark Þursian Worship, is a
look into the primordial gateway to learn its ethereal se-
crets of fire and ice in order to unchain one's spirit from
the restraints of the mortal world. A journey through the
untamed wilderness of darkness as one wades through
treacherous tests of inner conflict, as the spirit fights to un-

1.
old norse name for chaos giants, the primordial beings that existed
before creation.
2.
“Yawning Abyss”- the state of the cosmos before the collision of the
two primordial opposites.

13
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

leash itself from the prison of flesh, and ascend into the
true light to obtain the secrets of the runes from the oldest
beings. e keepers of all hidden wisdom, knowledge, se-
crets and magic. e Þurs.
to reach a state that may be considered liberated
(a state of Gnosis), the student must give themselves to the
darkness and invoke the fire-born spirit that burns within,
unraveling the ice-cold focus and frozen concentration that
lays dormant in one’s mind. to be one with Ginnungagap,
the student seeks to marry the two primordial elements of
fire (power without end, and the endless violence that seeks
to undo the chains of order imposed) and ice (thoughtless
essence without form) with themselves and obtain true
self-mastery and awareness. it is no coincidence that in
nordic Myth the Godhead must initiate themselves into
said godhood through dying and receiving wisdom from
their supposed enemies. Óðinn is forced to hang on
Yggdrasill3 for the vision of the runes in his death-throes.
to search for the Þurs, as the keepers of the oldest wisdom
and the oldest beings of creation, is the first step of initia-
tion into the nightside path.

3.
e World tree in the norse cosmos. e axis on which all things
stand.

14
 Þursablóð
Blood of the Old Ones

As new existence began to churn out of the harmonious

nothingness, the poisoned drops from the icy rivers of Éli-
vágar1 began to drip and meet with the rabid, feral heat of
Múspellsheimr2 . As these drops began to liquefy, they for-
med into the first being, the first giant, and the first Þurs.
He was known among his kin as Aurgelmir, and all others
as Ymir.

Vafþrúðnismál 31:

"down from elivagar

did venom drop,
And waxed till a giant it was;
And thence arose
our giants' race,
And thus so fierce are we found."

Aurgelmir was born of the purest essence of fire

and ice as they combined within the yawning abyss of Gin-
nungagap. Aurgelmir is the father of all beings with Þursian
blood, particularly the hrímþursar3. it is also safe to say

1.
“ice Waves”. e first eleven rivers that existed with Ginnungagap.
2.
e old norse name for the first primordial realm: fire. e force of
unending motion and chaos.
3.
Frost Giants.

15
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

that all jötnar4 come from his blood. As he slept within his
thoughtlessness, the sweat from under his le hand gave
birth to two Þursar, one male and one female.
ere is much speculation on the identities of
these two þursar, but a correct identification has yet to be
given. Given the oral nature of the Germanic peoples of
the time and rapid christianization of the culture, much
has been lost to memory. Some say it to be the pair of Loki
and Gullveig, as they are of pure Þurs-blood and among
the oldest of beings, despite Loki being counted among the
Æsir5. it is known, however, that the third son born from
Aurgelmir's feet to be the six-headed hrímþurs, Þrúðgel-
mir.

Vafþrúðnismál 33:

"ey say 'neath the arms

of the giant of ice Grew man-child and maid together;
And foot with foot
did the wise one fashion
A son that six heads bore."

Þrúðgelmir himself also bore a son known as Ber-

gelmir, who was the only Þurs, along with his unnamed
wife, to survive the flooding of the world as the blood of

4.
Giants. Beings of chaos in the norse pantheon. comparable to the He-
llenic titans.
5.
e main pantheon in norse religion, consisting of Óðinn, Frigg, Þórr,
týr and Baldr.

16
 Þursablóð / Blood of the Old Ones

Aurgelmir poured from his wounds when he was killed by

Óðinn, vili and vé, the first of the Æsir.

Vafþrúðnismál 29:

"Winters unmeasured
ere earth was made
Was the birth of Bergelmir;
ruthgelmir's son
was the giant strong,
And Aurgelmir's grandson of old."

Vafþrúðnismál 21:

"out of Ymir's flesh

was fashioned the earth,
And the mountains were made of his bones;
e sky from the frost-cold
giant's skull,
And the ocean out of his blood."

e story of creation, as it tells the birth of exis-

tence, the primordial existence of the Þursar, and the death
of Aurgelmir, is where one's journey along the dark path
begins. to know the origins of one’s gods, is to know the
current arrangement of the cosmos and what forces play
which role therein. e jötnar are a different race of giants,
and are not acknowledged within the Þursian bloodline.

17
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

e knowledge of inner liberation resides with the Þursar,

as they stem from the oldest beings and are of Aurgelmir's
kin. e Þursar who have survived Aurgelmir’s slaying still
keep the deepest and most hidden secrets. e oldest
knowledge is only obtainable through them, as they are the
ones who are inside the influence of immediate creation.
in the rest of this chapter i wish to call attention
to certain giants and detail specific traits, characteristics
and lineage they may share to determine if they may be of
Þursian blood...
e main notable hrímþurs, and one i have al-
ways been fascinated by, would be Bölþorn (evil orn).
ere is very little information on him other than him
being Óðinn's maternal grandfather, and giver of nine
songs to an unnamed son, but his lineage and subtle cha-
racteristics make him a very desirable subject to research.
in the Poetic edda we can read:

Hávamál 141 - 143:

"nine mighty songs

i got from the son
of Bolthorn, Bestla's father;
And a drink i got
of the goodly mead
Poured out from othrörir.
en began i to thrive,
and wisdom to get,
i grew and well i was;
each word led me on

18
 Þursablóð / Blood of the Old Ones

to another word,
each deed to another deed.
runes shalt thou find,
and fateful signs,
at the king of singers colored,
And the mighty gods have made."

My interpretation of the above passage is that Böl-

þorn is the giver of nine songs to the unnamed Jötunn, who
in turn gave them to Óðinn. My theory is that the unna-
med son is in fact Mímir, who is the keeper of the chalice
othrörir. From this, it can be assumed that Bestla's
(Òðinn's mother) father is Bölþorn. if we are under the as-
sumption the unknown giant is indeed Mímir, and his sis-
ter is Bestla, this would make Bölþorn his father, and
Óðinn his nephew.
if Mímir is infact the unknown son, it would
make him a hrímþurs. Mímir’s well, Mímisbrunnr, is said
to be located "in the land of the frost giants" beneath one
of the three roots of Yggdrasill where Ginnungagap once
existed. in völuspá, Óðinn is told from a völva6 that she
knows of his encounter with Mímir.

Völuspá 29:

i know where othin's

eye is hidden,

6.
A female shaman and seer in norse religion and a recurring motif in
norse mythology.

19
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

deep in the wide-famed

well of Mimir;
Mead from the pledge
of othin each mom
does Mimir drink:
would you know yet more?

As previously mentioned, the Þurs are associated

with being keepers of immense knowledge. e water wit-
hin Mímisbrunnr must be of significant ancient origin as
this well is based under a root located in a region where
the old primordial plane once was. All water comes from
niflheimr, and the river Élivágar which existed during the
time before creation.
is same water is used by Mímir to water the
base and roots of Yggdrasill. is same water was also
sought out by Óðinn, in exchange for his eye, to learn of
his death by the great wolf, Fenrísúlfr. is same water was
also sought out by Heimdall in exchange for Gjallarhorn.
is same water flows from the base of Yggdrasill into the
nine worlds, so it must be of extraordinary significance to
the Þurs.
Placing this very important well in the hands of a
mundane being just simply does not make any sense con-
sidering the value of this well to the nine worlds, as well as
the water within that is sought aer for timeless knowledge.
in my opinion, this gives my theory of Mímir being of the
Þurs bloodline that much more weight, but this is still my
personal interpretation. Mímir and the location of his well,

20
 Þursablóð / Blood of the Old Ones

the one Óðinn wishes to drink from in order to gain know-

ledge of all things, remain nonetheless noteworthy.
Another notable giant i wish to highlight is Þjazi.
in the eddas Þjazi is said to be a jötunn, but due to his cha-
racteristics and actions, i find this to be conflicting and be-
lieve he may be a Þurs. one very distinct characteristic of
the Þursar is the ability to shape-shi, and during the event
of Loki luring out the goddess iðunn7 from Åsgard, Þjazi
transforms into an eagle, swoops down and grabs her, ta-
king her back to his realm Þrymheimr (under Home),
located in Jötunheimr8.

Grimnismol 11:

e sixth is rymheim,
where jazi dwelt,
e giant of marvelous might;
now Skathi abides,
the god's fair bride,
in the home that her father had.

Þjazi is an enemy of the Æsir who has the ability

to shape-shift, and he had enough influence on Loki to
have him manipulate iðunn out of Åsgard. While this
alone is not enough to confirm Þjazi is a Þurs, there may
be a likelihood of him being so.

7.
“ever Young”. Goddess of youth. She is the keeper of magic apples that
she gives to the gods to keep them young.
8.
realm of the giants.

21
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

rán, a jötunn, is known as the goddess of the sea,

and wife of Ægir. together they have nine daughters, in-
cluding Hrímgerðr (Frost shrouded). rán casts her net to
drown men who venture at sea. in the following verse from
the poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana i, escaping the dan-
gers of the open ocean is referred to as escaping rán.

Helgakviða Hundingsbana i 31:

But from above

did Sigrun brave
Aid the men and
all their faring;
Mightily came
from the claws of ron
e leader's sea-beast
off Gnipalund.

ere are some things about her that point to the

possibility of being a Þurs. Firstly, all waters come from the
well Hvergelmir, located in niflheimr. Being that she is as-
sociated with the sea, this may be of some connection. She
can be seen as associated with death as she catches and
drowns men in the open ocean. e only other beings as-
sociated with death or harboring the dead is Hel, queen of
Helheimr, as well as Óðinn and Freyja who each choose
half of the fallen warriors in battle to reside in valhalla and
Fólkvangr, respectively.
one of her daughters is named Hrímgerðr. Hrím

22
 Þursablóð / Blood of the Old Ones

is only associated with the þursar, and the frost realm ni-
flheimr. Hrímgerðr is also called a “corpse-hungry witch”
by Þórr (in the guise of Atli).

Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar 16:

"corpse-hungry giantess,
how art thou called?
Say, witch, who thy father was!
nine miles deeper
down mayst thou sink,
And a tree grow tall on thy bosom."

ese are interesting things about rán that i feel

makes a plausible case for her being of Þurs-blood.
i want to bring up Hræsvelgr, but there is not very
much information on him other than he takes the form of
an eagle, sits at the world's end and causes the wind to blow
by beating his wings in flight. e reason why i want to
quickly touch base on him is that he is a giant, and has the
ability to shape-shi which is a common trait among them.
Another possible þurs?
Logi (Fire) or Hálogi (High Fire) is a fire giant,
and the personification of fire. He is the son of Fornjótr
(Ancient Giant), and brother of the sea-giant Ægir. con-
sidering the meaning behind Fornjótr's name, he may be
the same as Aurgelmir, but this is highly unlikely. Being
that fire giants are of Múspell descent, this would make
Logi (and his wife, the fire giantess Glóð, which translates

23
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

to glowing embers) a Þurs. Which in turn, would make his

father and brother both þursar as they obviously share the
same blood.

24
 Eldmegin
The Scorching-Powers

e first world to manifest from the void was the realm of

fire, Múspellsheimr. it is a realm of flame, heavy smoke,
blinding light and unbearable heat. Unchained fury and
unquenchable chaos dominate this sphere. e etymology
of Múspellsheimr is uncertain, but has commonly been ac-
cepted as "e home of Múspell". e old High German
word “Muspilli” means “worldfire” and in old norse “Mus-
pellr” is a proper name in “Muspel’s sons” lead by the fire
giants.
From a runological standpoint, this is important
due to the fact that in conventional rune rows, the first Ætt
reads as “FUtHArKGW”. Fehu, being the primordial fire
of existence, coming first in the rune row before Ūruz, the
primal rumbling underneath each and every movement of
the universe. e primal, chaotic fire, the subatomic forces
driving each atom we experience and know of today into
entropy. is fire giving rise to and smiting creation as we
know it at every given time, is of utmost note when exa-
mining the UtHArK row as well, with the return to Fehu’s
primal essence aer experiencing a transmutation through
the universe being the final goal in LHP rune magick. With
this in mind, muspelheim is in essence the alpha and
omega of Pan-Germanic cosmology, tempered by the poi-
son waters of niflheim to crystallize into matter and
thought as we know them.

25
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

e giant with the flaming sword, by Dollman.

From this world comes the massive volcanic lord

of fire, the father of the eldþursar1 known as Surtr, "e
Black/Swarthy one". He carries with him the sword Læva-
teinn, which is imbued with the destructive forces of fire
and light, and is used to scorch Miðgarðr, ripping everyt-
hing asunder and seeking to divide and rend order apart

1.
Fire-Giants.

26
 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

wherever it can bite. Surtr stands guard at the frontier of

Múspellsheimr, awaiting the twilight of the gods.
e importance of Surtr within the norse mytho-
logy can not be overlooked. While he is not a prominent
figure within popular culture, he is by far the most momen-
tous. As mentioned, Surtr is the wielder of Lævateinn, the
sword of burning flames. He will lead the sons of Múspell
to ragnarök from the scorched world against the Æsir.

Voluspo 52:

“Surt fares from the south

with the scourge of branches,
e sun of the battle-gods
shone from his sword;
e crags are sundered,
the giant-women sink,
e dead throng Hel-way,
and heaven is cloven.”

Surtr will arrive at vígriðr2 followed by the sons

of Múspell with scorching fire before him and aer him
and Lævateinn held high. during the last battle, he will slay
the god Freyr with a single blow for he is weaponless as he
is without his sword, which he gave to the messenger Skír-
nir. He used the sword to threaten the jötunn Gerðr into
accepting Freyr's courtship.

2.
e large field which will hold the final battle between gods and giants.

27
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

As the battle rages, Surtr will fling fire into all di-
rections, and the nine worlds will burn to ashes. e gods
will die, the giants and their kin will die, man and woman
will die, and the earth will sink into the sea.

Voluspo 57:

e sun turns black,

earth sinks in the sea,
e hot stars down
from heaven are whirled;
Fierce grows the steam
and the life-feeding flame,
till fire leaps high
about heaven itself.

As the battle settles, the earth will arise from the

sea renewed. oðinn's sons víðar and váli will survive, as
will the two humans Líf and Lífðrásir, who hid themselves
deep within Yggdrasill.

Voluspo 59:

now do i see
the earth anew
rise all green
from the waves again;
e cataracts fall,
and the eagle flies,

28
 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

And fish he catches

beneath the cliffs.

e most prominent being within the Múspell-essence is

the main antagonist of the gods, Loki3. Born of his parents
the storm-giant Fárbauti4, and the isle-giant Laufey5. We
could interpret that Fárbauti's name and character are ins-
pired by the observation of the natural occurrence in the
appearance of wildfires, in the sense of the lightning strike
of Fárbauti onto the crown of Laufey causes a spark, and
thus Loki was born of fire.
Loki is seen as the trickster in popular culture, but
his true purpose is far beyond it. He is the direct architect
of ragnarök, and the father of the death trinity6 with the
Þurs-witch Gullveig. He is connected to the Kaunan
rune as the purest symbolization of fire. e paradox of
Fehu is being projected through the lens of creation into a
destructive yet creative force, the same way Fire is granted
to man by Prometheus. His children also include
nari/narfi, a speculated son named valí and the eight-leg-
ged horse Sleipnir, all spawned from his love with a gian-
tess. He has two brothers named Helblindi (which is also
an alternate name for Óðinn), and Býleistr.
Loki is the creator of the sword Lævateinn, kept
by Sinmara, the wife of Surtr, within a chest fastened by

3.
Lopt, Hveðrungr.
4.
Bale-striker, Loki's father.
5.
Leafy-isle, Loki's mother.
6.
Jömungandr, Hel and Fenrisúlfr.

29
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

nine locks. Lævateinn is used by Surtr to slay Freyr and

destroy the world at ragnarök.

Fjölsvinnsmál 42:

"Lævatein is there,
that Lopt with runes
once made by the doors of death;
in Lægjarn's chest
by Sinmora lies it,
And nine locks fasten it firm."

All throughout the eddas, Loki constructs various

plots against the gods, the world, man and existence itself.
ranging from giving a net he created to the Þurs rán to
drown men at sea, to luring the goddess iðunn out of Ås-
gard to be kidnapped by the giant Þjazi. e most signifi-
cant deed carried out by Loki is his direct hand in the death
of Baldr, the most loved of all gods, and the son of Óðinn.
is event is seen as a major role in the beginning of rag-
nárok, when Loki tricked the blind god Höðr into shooting
Baldr with the mistletoe spear, killing him instantly. Baldr
represented the utmost innocence among the Æsir, had all
matter swear not to harm him, and would play games with
his fellow gods and goddesses asking them to throw all sort
of weapons at him, to no avail. His murder by Loke was a
pure expression of his contempt for the status quo within
the cosmos, and a deliberate upset of it by destroying one
of its most perfect archetypes of life.

30
 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

Loki is the father of what i call the death-trinity.

With his consort Gullveig (as Angrboða) they bore Hel, the
Miðgarðsormr7, Jörmungandr and the massive black wolf
Fenrisúlfr. ese three very significant giants all play roles
within the events leading up to, and during ragnarök, and
all represent in their own way, to my understanding, the
three faces of chaos and entropy.
e heavy influence of Loki upon others within
the eddas is undeniable. Whether it be outright lying to
those around him, deceiving others into committing trea-
cherous acts for his own benefit or taking various shape-
shiing forms to obstruct the lives of men, giants and gods
alike. e only agenda Loki carries is his master plan to in-
cite ragnarök.
Aer his plan to forge the path towards life’s end,
the Æsir deem it necessary to bind Loki for his never-en-
ding deceit. His is found under the waterfall Franangrsfors
in a stream disguised as a salmon aer he threw a net he
fashioned to capture food (Which is the same net he gave
to the giantess rán). once captured by Þórr, Loki was taken
to a cave where he was bound to three stones. His son váli
is said to have been transformed into a wolf and then dis-
membered his brother nári, so that the Æsir could use his
entrails to bound Loki. it is there that the son of Fárbauti
will remain until ragnarök.
e importance of the Múspell-essence is that the
fires represent the destruction of one's ego, and the fire-
born spirit that lays within. e primal essence burns the

7.
World Serpent.

31
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

shell, and the phoenix emerges from the husk of its former
self. Just as fire is a purifying force in many traditions, so
can it be viewed in the nordic tradition. to burn one’s flesh
and boil one's blood with the immeasurable heat of the pri-
mal fire is an initiation into the absolute self. to work with
the Múspell-flames, one must be able to sacrifice parts of
one's self in order to burn away the walls of convention,
ego, and attachment that cloud the true self and keep it
from emerging. ese fires can emerge as trials and tribu-
lations of life or deliberate subjecting of the self to penances
and disciplines that break down the ego and attachment
currently entrenched in the individual’s life. once over-
come, the individual is then rendered an empty vessel to
begin their journey. drawing a comparison to the tradition
of Alchemy, this could be compared to the first step in
transmutation, calcination, as well as the final step into be-
coming pure and and golden.

e runes attributed to Múspell are:

SŌWILŌ // SUN // e rune of Surtr

represents the destructive forces of Surtr, and the most po-
werful aspects of fire. Furthermore, this rune is also attri-
buted to victory (Sigr) and the sun. e pure ecstasy of the

32
 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

spring rites. e wild orgies and bloodlust that besets the

entranced.

KAUNAN // TORCH // e rune of Loki

represents burning black fire and radiant energy. A beacon
of Loki's hidden Promethean light. Also symbolizes Jör-
mungandr. Where Satan burns the obstacles, Lucifer lights
the way. e black sun, and the slumbering divine spark in
all of us.

***

When working with these runes in the Myrkþur-

sablót tradition, it is important to understand that they are
of pure and illuminating power. e force they emanate is
immense and when used improperly it may cause a back-
lash upon the practitioner. Like all dark meditations and
practices, these are dealing with darker aspects of the mind
and spirit, and thus are not for the feeble of mind or the
curious dabbler. ese runes may be cast or meditated
upon to call forth and speak with fire-giants or for rituals
and meditations involving self-empowerment. ey natu-
rally can be unpredictable to work with and should be trea-
ted with respect and approached with appropriate caution.

33
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

e purpose of these runes is to ignite the spirit

within, burn away one’s ego and become immersed in the
element of fire. Keep in mind that malicious intent with
these runes always carries the consequence of being bur-
ned in return. e use of fire runes is recommended for
the practitioner’s personal spiritual empowerment, and not
for negative gain or mere boon. For those uses of rune ma-
gick one may be more familiar with, it would be better to
refer to other paths centering around simple folk magick
and boon granting.
ese runes are most potent during summer,
under the blazing heat of Sól.

34
 Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

Lævateinn - Opening the Nine Locks

Lævatein is there, that Lopt with runes

once made by the doors of death;
in Lægjarn's chest by Sinmora lies it,
And nine locks fasten it firm.

Fjölsvinnsmál: 42

: Ūruz : Manifestation of one’s journey from fire and ice.

creation before creation.

35
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

: Þurisaz : Strength bestowed upon one’s journey from

them, the Þurs. e oldest powers.

: oþala : e inheritance of Óðinn's wisdom to one’s

journey. Wisdom from the withered well.

: Perþaz : e unknown fate and unseen distance of one’s

journey. Mysteries that remain hidden.

: Sōwilō: Múspelsheimr guiding the path of one’s journey.

e eternal fires of Sól.

: Kaunan : Loki's torch, to wield during one’s journey. to

light the way by Múspel's flame.

: isaz : niflheimr guiding the path of one’s journey. e

eternal light of Mani.

: Laguz : e waters of Élivágar nourishing the self on

one’s journey. e primordial waters flowing.

: nauðiz : e necessity to become one with Ginnunga-

gap during one’s journey. to complete the path.

//

nine locks to Lævateinn. nine runes that Loki did cast.

nine paths to walk towards one.

36
Eldmegin / The Scorching-Powers

37
 Hrímmegin
The Frost-Powers

e second world to be made manifest was the realm of icy

stillness, niflheimr. A dead, desolate and frozen realm, and
home to many beings and important locations. niflheimr
is home to Helheimr, the valley of the dead and abode to
its keeper Hel, who rules from her hall Éljúðnir.
in norse mythology Hel is seen as a death-god-
dess, for she cares for the souls of those who passed away
from a non-violent death (the straw-dead, as they were re-
ferred to as). e souls of those who died in battle or hunt
are taken away to valhalla or Fólkvangr. e phrase “Gå i
Hel” means “Go to Hel” or “Go to die”. Being the daughter
of Gullveig (as well as Loki), she is of hrímþurs blood. e
etymology of Hel derives from the Proto-Germanic word
“haljō”, which means "one who covers up or hides somet-
hing". Like many, many other folk religions globally, death
is viewed as passing beyond a veil. Many different words
and phrases used in the old norse language reference to
Hel as/or related to death. in the book Skáldskaparmál, a
jötunn named Helreginn, meaning “ruler of Hel” is noted.
other than this name, there is no other information on this
specific reference but considering its definition we can sa-
fely assume it is another name for Hel.
in the Prose edda, High describes her to King
Gylfi (whom is disguised as Gangleri on his travels).

39
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Gylfaginning 34:
Hel he cast into niflheim, and gave to her power over nine
worlds, to apportion all abodes among those that were sent
to her: that is, men dead of sickness or of old age. She has
great possessions there; her walls are exceeding high and
her gates great. Her hall is called Sleet-cold; her dish, Hun-
ger; Famine is her knife; idler, her thrall; Sloven, her maid-
servant; Pit of Stumbling, her threshold, by which one
enters; disease, her bed; Gleaming Bale, her bed-hangings.
She is half blue-black and half flesh-color (by which she is
easily recognized), and very lowering and fierce.

Hel plays a very specific role within the path to

ragnarök. Aer Baldr (god of light), son of Óðinn, is killed
by his brother Höðr by the treachery of Loki and he is sent
to Helheimr, Óðinn’s messenger Hermóðr rides to Hel-
heimr for nine nights on the eight-legged horse Sleipnir to
bring him back from the underworld and back to Åsgard.
Hermóðr begs Hel to release Baldr aer telling her of the
world’s great sorrow over his death, to which Hel replied if
all things weep for him he shall return. But if one single
being refuses to weep, he will remain in Helheimr, snuffing
the light of life unto the world.

Gylfaginning 49:
At morn Hermódr prayed Hel that Baldr might ride home
with him, and told her how great weeping was among the
Æsir. But Hel said that in this wise it should be put to the
test, whether Baldr were so all-beloved as had been said:

40
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

'if all things in the world, quick and dead, weep for him,
then he shall go back to the Æsir; but he shall remain with
Hel if any gainsay it or will not weep.'

Hermóðr rode back to Åsgard bringing the news

that if all living and dead mourn the soul of Baldr, he shall
return from the cold and harsh underworld of Helheim.
e Æsir swily sent out messengers across the nine
worlds to deliver the request. As the messengers returned
him, they found within a cave the giantess Þökk (e same
giantess who probed Frigg what she did not ask to no lon-
ger harm Baldr). ey asked her to weep for Baldr in which
he may return to the living.

Gylfaginning 49:
ökk will weep | waterless tears For Baldr's bale-fare; Li-
ving or dead, | i loved not the churl's son; Let Hel hold to
that she hath!

e jötunn woman Þökk who was found in “a cer-

tain cave” refused to weep for Baldr. i have found no sour-
ces to possibly identify this cave. could it be the same cave
that Loki is eventually bound within? it is said to be Loki
in disguise, and he does indeed take claim to this in Ægir’s
hall amongst the gods, where he routinely ¨Flyts¨ (calls out
challenges to and mocks) the gods, and boasts of his own
unruly exploits.

41
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Lokasenna 27-28
Frigg spake: "if a son like Baldr | were by me now, Here wit-
hin Ægir's hall, From the sons of the gods | thou shouldst
go not forth till thy fierceness in fight were tried."
Loki spake: "ou wilt then, Frigg, | that further i tell of
the ill that now i know; Mine is the blame | that Baldr no
more ou seest ride home to the hall."

So Þökk the giantess refused to weep for Baldr,

and so Baldr and his light will remain in Helheimr until
the world arises from the ashes aer ragnarök.
Keeping Baldr in Hel renders him useless in the
twilight of the Gods, for he will be unable to do battle
against Hel’s people, thus ensuring a victorious siege from
the Þursian hordes against the Æsir and the world of
man…

Locations
niflheimr is a vast and harsh frozen tundra. e deepest
of all worlds, it is situated to the north of Ginnungagap. in
niflheimr we can find many locations that play important
roles within the norse concept of death, dying and the af-
terlife:

Helheimr: A world of nothingness and hidden mysteries.

A realm of death where secrets of existence (the runes) are
kept. All who those who have not died a violent death
come to the underworld. e existence aer death in this

42
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

sphere is not an unpleasant one, if only a bit boring. it

would be worthy to note that the mysteries and secrets of
the runes (which in this cosmology are essentially a map
of existence in its entirety) are kept in this specific place.
death being an initiation into hidden knowledge is no un-
common theme here.

Nåströnd: “e corpse Shore”. A horrific place within ni-

flheimr that acts as the aerlife to those in life who com-
mitted acts of murder, adultery, and oath-breaking. ese
three were considered the worst crimes to commit.

Niflhel: e lowest level of Helheimr. niflhel is only refe-

renced a few times within the eddas.

Gylfaginning 3:
"e greatest of all is this: that he made man, and gave him
the spirit, which shall live and never perish, though the
flesh-frame rot to mould, or burn to ashes; and all men
shall live, such as are just in action, and be with himself in
the place called Gimlé. But evil men go to Hel and thence
down to the Misty Hel; and that is down in the ninth
world."

e importance of the nifl-essence is that the ice

represents the frozen, empty state of consciousness while
deep in trance. e darkest corners of the mind, and the
gateway to further realms within the subconscious. While
in deep meditation, the nifl-essence extinguishes the fires

43
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

within the mind and thought, slowing them to a stasis and

letting the hustle and bustle of everyday fleeting thoughts
fall away, giving way for open and untainted concentration.
While the Múspell-essence is meant to ignite the practitio-
ner's spirit, the nifl-essence is meant to bring it to a halt,
to induce a placid trance and simulate "death", bringing
one closer to their shadow-self.
e most significant and important location wit-
hin niflheimr in my opinion is Hvergelmir ("bubbling boi-
ling spring"), a major spring.

Grímnismál 26:
"eikthyrnir is the hart | who stands by Heerfather's hall
And the branches of Lærath he bites; From his horns a
stream | into Hvergelmir drops, ence all the rivers run."

Gylfaginning 4:
"it was many ages before the earth was shaped that the
Mist-World was made; and midmost within it lies the well
that is called Hvergelmir, from which spring the rivers ca-
lled Svöl, Gunnthrá, Fjörm, Fimbulthul, Slídr and Hríd,
Sylgr and Ylgr, víd, Leiptr; Gjöll is hard by Hel-gates."

Hvergelmir is the source of all waters that flow

throughout the nine worlds as the river Élivágar flows from
its mouth, and is one of three (the other two being Urðar-
brunnr and Mímisbrunnr) locations under the three roots
of Yggdrasill. e spring Hvergelmir is in the center of ni-

44
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

flheimr, underneath one of the three roots of Yggdrasill,

where the black dragon niðhøggr dwells. All waters of life
that stretch across the nine Worlds come from this spring.
Mímisbrunnr is a well located deep within the re-
aches of the underworld (Jötunheimr) in the domain of the
hrímþursar where the primordial plane of Ginnungagap
once was before the worlds came into being. it is guarded by
the hrímþurs Mímir, who drinks from the well every mor-
ning from Gjallarhorn and waters the roots of Yggdrasill.

Völuspá 29:

" i know where othin's

eye is hidden,
deep in the wide-famed
well of Mimir;
Mead from the pledge
of othin each mom
does Mimir drink:
would you know yet more?"

one noteworthy detail on Mímisbrunnr is the

speculation that Óðinn may not be the only one to sacrifice
a body part to the well for a reward:

Völuspá 27:

“i know of the horn

of Heimdall, hidden

45
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Under the high-reaching

holy tree;
on it there pours
from valfather's pledge
A mighty stream:
would you know yet more?”

(Old Norse script)

“veit hon Heimdallar
hljóð um fólgit
undir heiðvönum
helgum baðmi.
Á sér hon ausask
aurgum forsi
af veði valföðrs
vituð ér enn, eða hvat?”

Most suggest that "Heimdallar hljóð" means

Heimdall's horn, but the old norse word hljóð means hea-
ring. if this is the case, one possible theory is that Heimdall
gave his ear in return for wisdom, or Gjallarhorn to sound
the beginning of ragnarök.
e most important aspect of niflheimr is the ori-
ginal waters of creation that flow from it.

Élivágar (ice waves) are the rivers that flowed through

Ginnungagap at the beginning of the world.

Gylfaginning 5:

46
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

"e streams called ice-waves, those which were so long

come from the fountain-heads that the yeasty venom upon
them had hardened like the slag that runs out of the fire,-
these then became ice; and when the ice halted and ceased
to run, then it froze over above. But the drizzling rain that
rose from the venom congealed to rime, and the rime in-
creased, frost over frost, each over the other, even into Gin-
nungagap, the Yawning void.”

e eleven rivers that flow from Élivágar are Svöl,

Gunnthrá, Fjörm, Fimbulthul, Slidr, Hríd, Sylgr, Ylgr, víd,
Leiptr and Gjöll. Élivágar plays a huge role in the birth of
Aurgelmir as he was born from the venom that drips from
them.
Gjöll flows the closest to the gates of Hel, which
is spanned by the bridge Gjallarbrú (Gjöll's bridge). Gja-
llarbrú holds prominent importance in the lore. is is the
bridge the god-messanger Hermóðr crosses to reach the
lands of Helheimr to find Baldr aer his death.

Gylfaginning 49:
"now this is to be told concerning Hermóðr, that he rode
nine nights through dark dales and deep, so that he saw
not before he was come to the river Gjöll and rode onto the
Gjöll-Bridge; which bridge is thatched with glittering gold.
Móðguðr is the maiden called who guards the bridge; she
asked him his name and race, saying that the day before
there had ridden over the bridge five companies of dead
men; but the bridge thunders no less under thee alone, and

47
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

thou hast not the color of dead men. Why ridest thou hit-
her on Hel-way?'
He answered: 'i am appointed to ride to Hel to seek out
Baldr. Hast thou perchance seen Baldr on Hel-way?' She
said that Baldr had ridden there over Gjóll's Bridge,--'but
down and north lieth Hel-way.'

Slidr is a river in Hel. Glaciers pour into it from

the frozen well Hvergelmir, and swords churn beneath its
waters.
in the poem Helgakviða Hundingsbana ii, the
river Leiptr is mentioned during the dispute between the
valkyrie Sigrún and her brother dagr aer he has killed her
husband, the hero Helgi Hundingsbane.

Helgakviða Hundingsbana ii 29:

"now may every

oath thee bite
at with Helgi
sworn thou hast,
By the water
bright of Leipt,
And the ice-cold
stone of Uth."

e tradition of meditation places heavy empha-

sis on nifl-workings as the journey through stillness and

48
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

silence is the most effective way to fully strip oneself down

to raw material and venture blind, deaf and dumb into the
underworld of the subconscious. to obtain the hidden se-
crets and the wisdom of the runes, it is important to know
that only when you have stared into the eyes of emptiness
and your sense of self is lost in its unwavering indifference,
can you finally ascend from the dark and erupt into the
fierce light of ascension. never nietzsche´s words resona-
ted with more truth than now: “For when you gaze long
into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

e nifl-runes are:

ISAZ // ICE // e rune of Gullveig

represents focus and concentration. Symbolizes the icy
cold of niflheimr, and the frozen state of meditation.

LAGUZ // WATER // e rune of Élivágar/

Jörmungandr
represents the original waters of creation. Symbolizes the
primordial spring Hvergelmir and its eleven rivers.

49
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

HAGALAZ // HAIL // e rune of Hel and storms

Symbolizes the realm of Helheimr, the world of nothing-
ness and hidden mysteries and where the secrets of exis-
tence (the runes) are hidden. represents the darkened
initiation into the runes, and the seed of knowledge. e
cracking of the skies and the storm’s washing away of
everything to their bare essence.
Most potent during winter under the frozen cold
of Mani.

50
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

Hrímhjarta - e Frozen Heart of Gullveig

:e hrím drips from her heart as it still beats:

:Scorched from fire, it is not:
:carrying within the essence of niflheimr:
:Black in hue, white in aura:
:round the Uþark, she instills herself:
:Born of ice three-faced goddess:
:ingwaz her womb of heart:
:nauðiz her runes and spell:
:Algiz her life upon thrice death:

:HeiLSA HeiÐr:
:tHe BLAcK crone:

51
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

:HeiLSA AnGrBoÐA:
:tHe WoLF PrieSteSS:

:HeiLSA HYrroKKin:
:GiAnteSS UPon tHe WoLF:

:HeiLSA GULLveiG:
:tHe niFL-WitcH:

52
 Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

Nifldreki - Black Serpent of the Eternal Circle

From below the dragon | dark comes forth,

Nithhogg flying | from Nithaoll;
e bodies of men on | his wings he bears,
e serpent bright: | but now must I sink

Völuspá : 66

is bindrune is devoted to the great serpent niðhöggr.

at which gnaws upon the second root of Yggdrasill, slow-
ing poisoning the tree with it's primordial eitr. A symbol-
ization of the eternal circle.
e same eitr born from Ginnungagap that is car-
ried within the saliva of the great nifldreki as it flies out

53
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

from the dark mountain ranges of niðaöll. A reminder

that life is an ever-turning wheel within the cosmic realms.
From birth, to destruction, to rebirth, the primordial eitr
remains as niðhöggr's wings shine within the rays of the
sun as a new dawn is given life. For order and disorder
thrive on the intertwined fate of each other to keep from
stagnation. even aer the events of ragnarök, Baldr returns
from Hel and mankind is given a new world to flourish, the
Þurs will always remain. darkness always lingers awaiting
its moment to devour the sun.

//

:Great dragon of nåstrond:

:devourer of corpses:
:eater of the second root:
:e serpent which drips the original eitr:
:dweller of the þurs-well:
:From the dark mountains you soar:
:to once again bring the oldest wisdom:
:As the new sun burns again:
:As man replenishes the fields:
:to forever dissolve stagnation:
:e wisdom of the Þurs:
:You carry on black wings:

54
Hrímmegin / The Frost-Powers

55
 Auðrunar
Secrets of the Void
A vast, empty place of endless darkness. e void of space
and time where neither physical laws of either space or
time applied the way they do today, harboring creative po-
wers floating without limit between the ris of existence.
it could be described as a state of paradox: everything and
nothing at once. is primordial void that was known as
Ginnungagap.
Múspellsheimr, the realm of fire, was the first to
exist. Aer many ages, niflheimr, the realm of ice, came to
counter-balance the raging fires. From this realm a massive
river named Élivágar that branched out into eleven direc-
tions stretching across black empty space. e source of
this river started at the base of the spring Hvergelmir,
which lays under one of the main roots of the world tree,
Yggdrasill. When the massive rime and ice of the frozen
realm became heavy and overbearing, it began to spill from
the northern hemisphere of the void. to the southern he-
misphere, radiant and engulfing flames began to spark and
immeasurable heat arose from Múspellsheimr.
As these two primordial elements began to meet
within the middle of Ginnungagap, the birth of creation,
like from the womb of a mother, began to flourish as the
meeting of fire and ice gied the physical universe with life,
containing aspects of both realms. From a void as black as
a starless night, a deep ocean that stretches beyond sight, a
forest shaded from the moon, life was given unto the world
of being and from this creation.

57
Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

e purpose of the practitioner is to become one

with the essence and bliss before creation, and to become
as pure as its beginning by withdrawing from it. We as or-
ganisms are made from the dust of stars and proto-cosmic
matter. it is our destiny to release ourselves from the shack-
les of flesh and ignite the true fire within ourselves. our
spirits are our true selves, while our flesh, bones and blood
are a mere vessel, transitioning in the nether. All is one and
the same, merely different in its state of transition. in terms
of modern physics, matter can be described as collections
of atoms vibrating at different energy levels, and their sub-
sequent building blocks of subatomic particles are them-
selves just force fields. Matter as a solid construct within
an ethos denying the invisible and occult is only as real as
the individual’s perspective. once this body dies, the husk
is abandoned as its use has expired and reverts back to its
original, primordial state, provided we have earned our
place among the old ones and thrown off the shackles of
cyclical existence and its inherently limited nature.
e etymology of Ginnungagap is unknown, but
an alternative meaning focusing on the prefix "Ginn", sug-
gests that from words such as Ginnheilagr, "the most
holy/supreme gods", Ginnregin, "holy powers/gods", Gin-
nungagap can roughly be translated into "A holy/sacred
vast space", placing reference to the primordial essence of
un-creation in the darker aspects of norse spirituality. if
we analyze the definition found in the “An Icelandic-English
dictionary”, by richard cleasby and Gudbrand vigfusson,
1874:

58
 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

Ginnunga-gap, n. chaos, the formless void, in

which abode the supreme powers, before the creation.

We can see that this definition places heavy emp-

hasis on the authority of the Þurs, instead of the Æsir. Aur-
gelmir was born from Ginnungagap and spawned his race
of giants from which all wisdom is derived. e phrase "the
supreme powers" to my understanding references the
giants and their primordial reign through their limitless
knowledge and power, as well as the secrets of the runes
which were craed and born in the yawning abyss before
anything comparable to what we could call existence had
need of being.
e concept of a vast and empty space where life
is born puts into perspective how man sees his own crea-
tion. rough all walks of life, and many various cultures,
we entertain the idea of a proto-cosmic structure which
started all life. one interesting comparison to draw would
be a similar creation myth being present in the Hellenic
tradition.

“e notion of the void when it is first encounte-

red is somewhat frightening. e reason for this is that it
bears no identity, this great emptiness has no self-being. it
is like a confrontation with annihilation, this unidentifiable
and unique non-thing.”

-Paul Bitton

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Communion with e Void - Galdr and Meditation

Ritual to the Primordial Elements
e ritual space is first cleansed with incense of the user’s
choosing. While kneeling and holding the bowl up before
me facing north, i blow onto the incense pushing the
smoke forwards and say aloud, “niflheimr, i see you.”
turning counter-clockwise to the west, i blow onto the in-
cense pushing the smoke forwards and say aloud, “Jotun-
heimr, i see you.” turning counterclockwise to the south, i
blow onto the incense pushing the smoke forwards and say
aloud, “Múspellsheimr, i see you.” turning counter-clock-
wise to the east, i blow onto the incense pushing the smoke
forwards and say aloud, “Járnviðr, i see you.”
next, the ritual space is illuminated with nine
black candles in a circle around myself. Placing the first
candle in front of me, and creating a circle counter-clock-
wise. once the circle is completed, light each candle again
going counter-clockwise saying aloud aer lighting each
candle, “Loki, gi me this light to illuminate the fire
within.”
once the ritual space is cleansed and illuminated,
i hold my rune pouch in front of me with one hand and
with the other i raise the incense bowl aligned with the
rune pouch and my lips and blow the incense onto the rune
pouch and say aloud, “Gullveig, gi me your wisdom of
the sacred runes as i extract them one by one from their
confines and speak their holy name”.
My rune casting cloth is placed before me knelt
down in the circle of Loki’s light. A custom made rosary
that symbolizes the hrímmegin made specifically for med-

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 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

itation and is adorned with my personal bindrune to elicit

stasis within meditation is wrapped around my wrist. A
small totem of lightning-charred wood, symbolizing the
birth of Loki, adorned with the ULFHAMir rune is placed
onto the casting cloth at the north point of the cloth. A
small token adorned with my personal Fenrisúlfr bindrune
is placed at the south point of the cloth.
i reach into the pouch and pull out the ŪrUZ
rune and place it down at the west point of the cloth. Pick-
ing up the incense bowl, i blow the smoke over the ŪrUZ
rune and perform the galdr, “Ūruz! Ūruz! Ūruz! open wide
the primordial abyss!”
i reach into the pouch and pull out the ÞUriSAZ
rune and place it down at the east point of the cloth.
Picking up the incense bowl, i blow the smoke
over the ÞUriSAZ rune and perform the galdr, “Þurisaz!
Þurisaz! Þurisaz! Hail the primordial beings!”
i reach into the pouch and pull out the KAUnAn
rune and place it down at the south point of the cloth above
the Fenrisúlfr pendant. Picking up the incense bowl, i blow
the smoke over the KAUnAn rune and perform the galdr,
“Kaunan! Kaunan! Kaunan! Burn bright the primordial
fires!”.
i reach into the pouch and pull out the iSAZ rune
and place it down at the north point of the cloth above the
ULFHAMir totem. Picking up the incense bowl, i blow
the smoke over the iSAZ rune and perform the galdr, “isaz!
isaz! isaz! Flow wide the primordial waters!”
once the rune galdrs are sung, i close my eyes and
sit in silence and envision the circle of Loki’s light swirling
counter-clockwise. As i envision the light, under my breath,

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

i repeat the four rune galdrs and envision them one by one,
galdr by galdr, within the swirling circle of Loki’s light.
As the rune galdrs are whispered, and the cycle is
completed, i open my eyes, raise to my feet with the bowl
of incense and hold it align with my lips and say aloud, “to
the primordial elements, i give my sight, my hearing, my
taste, my touch and my smelling.”
e ritual is now complete. i place the incense
bowl at my feet in the middle of the ritual space and step
outside.

Ginnmegin: Worship of Fire and Ice

Balance is crucial to a practitioner. Light and darkness both
require equal attention to prevent stagnation. in order to
truly master any aspects of a magickal path, knowledge of
both sides is what transforms a student into an adept. it is
normal and very common for oneself to lean towards a
particular side but the further you lean, the more likely it
is to fall. is essay will focus on the aspect of the light and
darkness within the two primordial realms, Múspellsheimr
(eldmegin) and niflheimr (Hrímmegin) and how to ap-
proach seeking this balance and completing it’s circle
within Ginnungagap (Ginnmegin).
While the Myrkþursablót tradition can be safely
called a branch or an extension of Þursatrú, it is not a sin-
ister practice and has zero influence from any anti-cosmic
Satanic/Luciferian ideologies. i believe that the old norse
pagan ways are dark enough as is it is when viewed from a
LHP approach that bringing in outside influences only wa-

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 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

ters down the purity of what is already there. While dark-

ness plays a great role within any LHP viewpoint, there
must be a balance to prevent oneself from slipping into vast
and empty shadow. Living in the modern world, there must
always be a divide. right and wrong, good and evil, when
back in these days when pagan and shamanic ways were
practiced, there was no duality. From life and death to light
and darkness, everything that became twisted into form
from the doings and undoings of the universe simply “was.”
So even though Myrkþursablót places heavy emphasis on
the darker aspect of norse paganism, the main teachings
are based upon the balance between Muspel and nifl work-
ings. to blend the light and darkness and walk within the
gray shadows between. to achieve a complete understand-
ing of both aspects within its magick and its philosophy.
to open both eyes and see not only the light of the sun, but
also the glow of the moon. An acceptance of Sól and Mani
as one. A mastery of these parallel energies that is waiting
for us to harness and strengthen within ourselves, mentally
and spiritually. As mentioned above, light and darkness
both require equal attention to prevent stagnation. in order
to truly master any aspects of any magickal path, knowl-
edge of both sides is what transforms a student into an
adept… to become one with Ginnmegin.

PArt i: eLdMeGin // Fire AS LiGHt

e world of unbearable fire, scorched earth and blinding

light. e primeval heat that caused the eternal hrím to

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

melt and give birth to the one we call Au-

rgelmir. older than creation, as it was before
creation.
e primordial fires that rise from
the land in the south, Múspellsheimr. e el-
dmegin plays a vital role within the Þursian
current. it’s sole purpose is to illuminate the
fires within oneself, learn the wisdom of Loki,
and wield Lævateinn, the sword of Surtr. to
counter-balance the frozen stasis of the ni-
flmegin and ignite ones heart aflame like a torch doused in
oil.
Múspellsheimr symbolizes light. e illumination
of the self. e symbolism of the Múspellsheimr as light is
that the fires represent the death of the flesh, and the pu-
rification of the spirit that lays within. Just as fire is a puri-
fying force in many traditions, so can it be viewed in the
nordic tradition. to burn one’s flesh and boil one’s blood
with the immeasurable heat of the fire world is an initiation
into the absolute self. to work with Múspellsheimr as light,
one must be able to sacrifice parts of yourself as you burn
away the walls of convention, ego, and attachment that
cloud the self from emerging. Strengthen by destruction.
to rise from the ashes, reborn as a phoenix.
ese fires can emerge as trials and tribulations
of life or deliberate subjecting of the self to penances and
disciplines that break down the ego and attachment cur-
rently entrenched in the individual’s life. once overcome,
the individual is then rendered an empty vessel to begin
their journey. empty and hallow, we are open to influence

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 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

from the great fires and able to accept it’s inspiration to

only further the path towards learning the wisdom we can
receive from Múspellsheimr as light.
e fires of Múspellsheimr act as a beacon to
awaken the strength and primal rage that lies inside us all.
We as humans may be physically fragile, but we are spiri-
tually immortal. As we journey towards the path of illumi-
nation, it is imperative to realize that inside oneself is a
perpetual volcanic slumber biding its time… awaiting to
erupt. Students of this teaching are forever imbued with
the knowledge that surrender and defeat are never possible
once they obtain the wisdom of Múspellsheimr as light. to
stand within its eternal rays and become the aura of fire. A
weapon of scorching flames and blinding light.
An approach towards Múspel workings is much
more active than it would be when working with the nifl-
powers. it is much more visceral, and raw in the sense that
the session itself is performed within a contained environ-
ment, whereas nifl-work is more free and open. Being that
the Múspel-powers are much more chaotic and fueled by
unpredictable fire, a controlled approach is critical. e rit-
ual, ceremony, meditation, etc. is planned and curated to
the last detail to ensure a smooth and flawless perform-
ance. When dealing with unpredictable energy charged by
a fierce element such as fire, the utmost respect will only
result in a successful performance, as well as reduce the
chances of backlash, be it from the element itself or those
whom it represents…
When working with Múspellsheimr as light in
runic magick or runic meditation, there are five runes that

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

i connect to the primordial fire…

I. Sōwilō . Sōwilō is the rune of the sun/Surtr
and symbolizes the eternal light. Sōwilō can also be seen
as a bindrune of two Kaunan runes.
II. Kaunan . Kaunan is the rune of fire/Loki and
symbolizes the torch of illumination.
III. Mannaz . Mannaz is the rune of the inner
self. When bound with a fire rune, it symbolizes the igni-
tion of the inner flame to one’s spirit.
IV. Tîwaz . tîwaz is the rune of victory and
symbolizes the binding of fire and ice as tîwaz can be seen
as a bindrune of Kaunan and isaz. When bound with
Sōwilō, i see tîwaz as arepresentation of the flaming sword
Lævateinn.
V. Þurisaz . Þurisaz is the rune of the Þurs and
symbolizes the binding of fire and ice as Þurisaz can be
seen as a bindrune of Kaunan and isaz.

PArt ii: HríMMeGin // ice AS dArKneSS

A dead, desolate and frozen realm of icy still-

ness, from which the primordial waters of
Élivágar ran into Ginnungagap and met with
the scorching fires of Múspellsheimr. e world
of vast glacial tundras, monstrous mountains of
snow and ice and eternal darkness. e
primeval hrím that caused the eternal fires to hiss and
smoke and give birth to the one we call Aurgelmir. older
than creation, as it was before creation. e primordial wa-

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ters that flow from the land in the north, niflheimr. e

Hrímmegin plays a vital role within the Þursian current.
its sole purpose is to halt the fires, freeze the spirit, and
bring the mind to stasis. to learn the wisdom of Gullveig,
and wield the Uthark runes, a gi to man from the witch
herself. to counter-balance the raging fires of the eldmegin
and turn ones heart into the black ice-cold stone that rep-
resents the heart of trance and meditation.
niflheimr symbolizes darkness. e shadow of
the self. e symbolism of niflheimr as darkness is that the
ice represent the stillness of the mind, and the entrancing
concentration to achieve perfect meditation. A placid
body of water without a single ripple. to achieve a com-
plete connection with the ethereal veil beyond the physical
world. Activating the ethereal eye through meditation
opens the practitioner to receive communication from be-
yond our world. rough this stasis, the mind does not
wander and remains frozen in place as the stillness of isaz
wraps a cold hand around our thoughts. e repetition of
galdr through isaz keeps oneself focused and free from
wandering distraction.
niflheimr as darkness symbolizes the unknown,
well on the far side of what is illustrious to us. Willingness
to open oneself to the wisdom of the dark and maintain its
flowing current separates the fearful from the powerful.
darkness is not an absence of light, but is the truest light.
Light is finite, darkness is infinite. even when the sun is at
its highest point, shadows can still be found as light was
not able to penetrate this formless darkness. it is a repre-
sentation of creation before creation. e great void Gin-

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

nungagap rested in darkness before being penetrated by

the extraordinary fire and ice that bordered its poles. it was
only when these elements met within darkness did light
become so.
Within a meditative state, the practitioner can see
far beyond the physical sight. e mind is detached from
the body and the spirit is free to roam between worlds. A
never ending ripple gliding along the surface of a body of
deep, cold water. e projection of the astral body symbol-
izes the eleven flowing rivers of Élivágar. As we come to
know niflheimr as darkness, we see it not as an unknown
entity but rather an ageless lesson of becoming the shadow
that moves behind the flicker of light. We become bound
to its beautiful emptiness, and received by its cold embrace.
to cognize niflheimr as darkness is to accept the
oldest wisdom that does not dwell on the surface. Óðinn
traveled into the land of no sun to speak with the dead
witch to receive the oldest wisdom he sought out. He sac-
rificed himself to darkness as he gazed into the void to re-
ceive the runes from creation before creation. nothingness
is perceived as negative when viewed from narrow sight.
e awakening of the self starts with the becoming of ice.
niflheimr as darkness is the final gate for one to pass.
When working with niflheimr as darkness in
runic magick or runic meditation, there are seven runes
that i connect to the primordial ice:
I. Isaz . isaz is the rune of ice/Gullveig and sym-
bolizes the eternal darkness. isaz is the primary rune of
meditation and trance.
II. Laguz . Laguz is the rune of water/Élivágar

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 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

and symbolizes the dark lunar force of Mani as a connec-

tion to the astral eye.
III. Ehwaz . ehwaz is the rune of the horse/Sleip-
nir and symbolizes the journey into darkness. ehwaz can
also be seen as a bindrune of two Laguz runes.
IV. Hagalaz . Hagalaz is the rune of death/Hel
and symbolizes the initiation into the darkness which the
runes dwell. Hagalaz is the mother rune.
V. Perþaz . Perþaz is the rune of the unknown
and symbolizes the underworld and the primordial womb
of creation.
VI. Nauðiz . nauðiz is the rune of secrets and
symbolizes the descent into darkness to obtain the hidden
runes.
VII. Þurisaz . Þurisaz is the rune of the Þurs and
symbolizes the binding of fire and ice as Þurisaz can be
seen as a bindrune of Kaunan and isaz.

PArt iii: GinnMeGin // eLdr í iSAZ

e philosophy behind my concept of Gin-

nmegin is to create a balance within oneself.
By creating an encircling force of energy that
binds us to both the light and the darkness.
even though the LHP leans more towards a
darker aspect of spirituality, i feel that by
creating a gray veil between both the light
and the darkness allows for the practitioner to bend, not
break. is allows for total acceptance of wisdom from

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

both poles of the great void and destroys the possibility of

stagnation and inevitable demise of oneself, mentally, phys-
ically and spiritually.
to view Múspellsheimr as light and niflheimr as
darkness within the Myrkþursablót tradition beckons forth
a new vista of Þursian knowledge. to brood solely in dark-
ness drives the mind into despair, and to hover solely in
the light prevents the mind from obtaining what was pre-
viously unbeknownst in the beginning. e practices of
galdr and seiðr are the perfect embodiment of the marriage
between fire and ice as both elements of magic come forth
to elicit a spiritual reaction from one’s workings. Galdr,
with its illustrious chants and ethereal runic songs mani-
festing as ice and seiðr with its powerful and weaving spells
manifesting as fire in ceremonial and ritualistic perform-
ances.
to venture onward into the depths beyond light,
only to emerge into the light from the depths…

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 Auðrunar / Secrets of the Void

Ginnungaskal – e Balance of Fire and Ice

Ginnungagap is the origin of everything. e first, the be-

ginning. everything stems from the dust that stretched
across this great vacuum. We are the sons and daughters
of Ymir. We were birthed from his hair, as his hair is the
trees. e wood from the logs that born Ask and embla.
We are born of this essence. We come from the melted
hrím that Múspellsheimr melted from niflheimr.
i don’t have much use from working with deities
anymore these days. My contact within Gullveig and Loki,
Hel and Surtr has dissipated to just a memory. during my
time of active worship of these entities, they have given and
taken. Just as a mentor does. communion with the mighty
Þurs has been less, as i begin to put more of my focus on
the energies and essences that they represent. removing
the third part, and going directly to the source. Ginnunga-
gap itself.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Within my meditations and seiðr practices, i find

myself working more with the runes than the Þurs them-
selves. For they are omnipotent powers themselves, yes, but
they are only sample sizes of what is truly out there. Why
choose a drop from the ocean, when you can simply have
the whole ocean? i have begun to use the marriage of
Múspellsheimr and niflheimr as a scale, a balance. Using
myself as a symbolization of Ginnungagap as i work with
the elements of fire and ice.
naturally, one will lean towards a side, and the
scale shis. Fire becomes prevalent while ice becomes in-
frequent, and vice versa. is viewpoint can be looked at
as equivalent to the Yin/Yang philosophy. not good and
evil, right or wrong, but darkness and light. e balance of
the spirit in it’s purest and truest form within ourselves.
Feeding the wolves that howl the loudest. Within rune
work, the runes become the focal point of
one’s meditations. ese runes all symbolize the Muspel
and nifl essence as they surround ŪrUZ, the rune of Gin-
nungagap. is stav above represents the Ginnungaskal, or
the yawning scale. e balance of fire and ice. e whole
of Ginnungagap.

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 Myrkrúnar
The Dark Runes

When it comes to runic magic and meditation, the Uþark

row as coined by philologist Sigurd Agrell is the main
system used within Myrkþursablót. e Uþark row repre-
sents death through primordial darkness (Ūruz) and the
glorious reward of spiritual rebirth (Fehu). e Uþark row
is seen as a journey from dark to light as you travel from
each rune to reach the end of the row. Aer great extensive
study, meditation and ritual, the Uþark row grants its wis-
dom to those who are willing to begin walking its path and
learn its secrets for it is a dark and misty dirt road into unk-
nown wilderness which offers no guide.
For more information on the rune system, one
would be wise to read the volumes Die spätantike Alpha-
bet-Mystik und die Runenreihe (“e Alphabet-Mysticism
of Late Antiquity and the Sequence of the runes”) by Si-
gurd Angrell, or Uthark: Nightside of the Runes by omas
Karlsson.
e following is my personal understanding of
the Uþark row, within the Myrkþursablót tradition as used
from the basis of the elder Fuþark.

Ūruz // e rune of Ginnungagap. represents the birth

of creation and the original state of being. Symbolizes the

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

womb of which all is born. e beginning of the cycle and

the start of one's journey.

Þurisaz // e rune of the Þurs. represents the marriage

between fire and ice. e orn that bites. Symbolizes the
two realms before creation, Múspellsheimr and niflheimr.
e rune of the two primal elemental forces. e antithesis
of Fehu, the rune of untamed chaos.

Fehu // e rune of the Æsir. represents the divine energy

of natural balance within existence. Wisdom and initiation.
e ascent into the practitioner’s spirit-being. As mentio-
ned by omas Karlsson in the book “Uthark – nightside
of the runes” Fehu is the third rune of the Uþark row.
ree is the divine number, making Fehu the most promi-
nent rune within the row.

Raidō // e rune of order. represents the sun-wheel

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 Myrkrúnar / The Dark Runes

(sauvastika). e journey. Pursuit of self mastery. Symbo-

lizes the traveler and the route of progression in ones life.
e wheels of universal movement.

Kaunan // e rune of Loki. e fire rune, or the torch

rune. represents the spiritual fire within. Also represents
Jörmungandr. e immense energy of the sun. Belongs to
Múspellsheimr. Symbolizes both the scoring fires, the lu-
minous eternal light, but also burning destruction.

Geƀō // e rune of sacrifice. represents the aspects of

oneself that must be destroyed to achieve enlightenment.
Symbolizes the exchange of life between man and the gods.
A divine gi.

Wunjō // e rune of happiness. represents the energy of

life and divine essence of nature. Symbolizes good fortune
and luck. e granting of boons.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Hagalaz // e rune of Hel. represents death and the hid-

den path; the initiation into the runes. e battering storm.
trials and tribulations. Belongs to niflheimr. Hagal is the
mother rune. e cold bite of storms.

Nauðiz // e rune of secrets. represents the descent into

the hidden path of the runes. e crossing of paths. e
forge on which all is tempered or broken. Symbolizes the
norns who spin the threads of destiny for all mankind.

Isaz // e rune of Ice. represents Gullveig and the pri-

mordial cold. Symbolizes meditation/trance, focus and con-
centration. e rune of hibernation, and the cooling of the
senses. e still waters are clearest. Belongs to niflheimr.

Jera // e rune of nature. represents the cycle of the sea-

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 Myrkrúnar / The Dark Runes

sons and the rebirth of oneself. cycles within cycles. e

ages, Yugas and the eternal turn of the wheel. Symbolizes
the year span. it is connected to the harvest.

Perþaz // e rune of Mímisbrunnr. represents the un-

derworld and the womb of death. initiation and rebirth
through sacrifice.

Eihwaz // e rune of Fenrisúlfr. represents the wild hunt

and the untamed holy fire of the wolf spirit. e transfor-
mation into the feral self. corresponds to the yew tree, and
symbolizes the world tree Yggdrasill.

Algiz // e rune of life. When inverted represents death

and the dark powers. Polarity. creation and un-creation.
Life and death. Being and Unbeing. Symbolizes the elk
for its upper lines correspond to the elk’s antlers. it repre-
sents protection.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Sōwilō // e rune of the Sun/Surtr. Sōwilō is the purest

of light and the most power of radiant energy. can be seen
as Baldr’s rune. Also represents the destruction of the
world and the fire-sword Lævateinn. Symbolizes the most
powerful aspects of the sun. Belongs to Múspellsheimr.

Tîwaz // e rune of victory. represents the courage to

achieve wisdom within oneself to overthrow fear. e
blood spilled in bravery. Belongs to the war god tîwaz.
Symbolizes courage and justice as well as self-sacrifice.
Seen as the masculine, phallic rune of man.

Berkanan // e rune of birth. represents seiðr and the

balancing point of life and death. erotic magick. e be-
ginning of new things. Symbolizes fertility and witchcra.
Seen as the rune of birth and as the feminine womb of
woman.

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 Myrkrúnar / The Dark Runes

Ehwaz // e rune of Sleipnir/Heldrasill. e rune of the

horse. represents the journey into darkness to seek the
hidden wisdom. is rune symbolizes the cooperation bet-
ween man and animal, as the Horse is the magical animal
in nordic tradition.

Mannaz // e rune of Man, the rune of self. represents

one's being and the realization of one's power. Symbolizes
the bond between man and woman, for the rune can be
seen as two people holding each other.

Laguz // e rune of Élivágar. represents the waters of

niflheimr. Also represents Jörmungandr. dark, lunar force.
Shakti and the willful side of the feminine. e devouring
face of mother earth. Symbolizes blood and menstruation.
connected to dreams of the moon. Belongs to niflheimr.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Ingwaz // e rune of fertility. represents the proto-cos-

mic womb and the beginning of time. Axis of opposites.
Symbolizes the masculine seed of man, or the feminine
womb of woman. e rune of potential.

Oþala // e rune of Óðinn. represents the dark aspect

of oneself in order to ascend into light. Sacrifice for initia-
tion. e opening of the eye of Óðinn/Shiva/Lucifer.
Symbolizes the act of inheritance and the rune of one’s
clan/family. is seen as the rune of historical value of an-
cestry.

Dagaz // e rune of Day and awakening. represents the

illumination of one's inner fire. Symbolizes the clarity and
the cycle of time. dagaz corresponds to the beginning of
all that is new. it is the highest point of the year and symbo-
lizes the Summer Solstice.

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 Myrkrúnar / The Dark Runes

Fehu // e rune of completion. Symbolizes the wealth

and reap of rewards of one’s adventures. represents the spi-
ritual wealth of one's journey to obtain the hidden wisdom.
e return and departure. Universe B. e ending of the
journey and the end of the cycle.

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 Fornþursar
The Ancient Þurs

e dark tradition of norse spirituality does not place ack-

nowledgment on the Æsir as keepers of the truth, but ins-
tead on the Þursar, the oldest beings. it is through them
that the hidden secrets of the runes and the ancient wis-
dom is obtained. ey are not to be seen as gods, but as
teachers the adept wishes to commune with in order to gar-
ner knowledge for their own use. ey are the sons and
daughters of Aurgelmir, who was born from the infinite
void before time was time.

Fenrisúlfr, e black wolf of destruction. He is the essence

of the feral, wild part of the self and the first born wolf, as
well as the father of all wolves and werewolves. e wolf is
the single most freeing aspect of the wild, for it is an unta-
med and independent force. He is the offspring of Gullveig
(As Angrboða) and Loki. A bestial þursian power spawned
within the darkness of Járnviðr. Known as vánagandr,
"Wolf of the river ván", which flows from his mouth as he
is restrained. His brothers and sons are Hati and Sköll.

Jörmungandr, e world serpent. it represents the ma-

rriage of fire and ice as the ultimate symbol of power. it
symbolizes the power of Gullveig (isaz) and Loki (Kaunan)
as one, combining fire and ice into a corrosive venomous
elixir that brings the one into a subconscious state, eroding
false ego and letting what lies deep within rise to the sur-

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

face for further purification. it is linked to the on concept

of the primordial eitr (poison) that flows from the original
waters. eitr represents the gnosis which is spread by the
þurs-powers to destroy the ego. is eitr is the same poison
that brings Þórr to death with his last nine steps aer the
two battle at ragnarök. Jörmungandr is in turn killed by
Þórr. it grew so large, Óðinn cast it into the sea and it su-
rrounds Miðgarðr. As Jörmungandr releases its tail, it ini-
tiates the beginning of ragnarök as it rises from the sea
and poisons the sky. is mythological action is significant
to note as it the image of the ouroboros’ unbroken circle
released, heralding the era’s (or in vedic myth, Yuga’s) end.

Hel, e goddess of death. She rules over Helheimr from

her hall Éljúðnir. She is the pure representation of death
and the cold darkness of niflheimr as seen in "niflhel". She
is symbolized by the raven, as they are seen to represent
her presence. She rides the black three-legged death-horse,
Heldrasill. Welcomes the crossed over souls of those who
died in life. She is described as being of a white-ish blue
hue and is joined by two halves. one side of her is half-
dead, the other is half-alive.

Loki, e fire giant who infiltrates the hall of the gods. Son
of Laufy and Fárbauti, the adversarial force of the pant-
heon, director of ragnarök and bringer of the world's end.
creator of the flaming sword of destruction, Lævateinn.
Surtr “e Black one”. one of the oldest Þurs, and guardian
of Múspellsheimr. carries the sword of destruction, Læva-
teinn and will use it to reduce the world to ashes and slay

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 Fornþursar / The Ancient Þurs

Freyr at ragnarök. He is the embodiment of the inevitabi-

lity of the end, and the purifying destroyer.

Surtr, “e Black one”. one of the oldest Þurs, and guar-
dian of Múspellsheimr. carries the sword of destruction,
Lævateinn and will use it to reduce the world to ashes and
slay Freyr at ragnarök. He is the embodiment of the ine-
vitability of the end, and the purifying destroyer.

Niðhøggr, “Malice-Striker”. e black dragon who resides

in Hvergelmir gnawing upon the root of Yggdrasill, poiso-
ning it from within. He can be found in nåstrond sucking
the blood of corpses who wash up on the shores. He does
not perish by ragnarök. As the great battle concludes, he
will fly from the mountains of niðaöll and into the dis-
tance, thus signifying the end of darkness. He is the veno-
mous energy similar to Kundalini in Hindu tradition, as
some interpretations say.

Gullveig, e old one who dwells in the east. Known by

the names Heiðr, Aurboða, Angrboða, and Hyrrokin. Mot-
her of Fenrisúlfr, Jörmungandr and Hel from Loki. She
symbolizes death, black magic, and the dark runes. She
lives within Járnviðr1, the dark forest, home of wolves, we-
rewolves and trolls, east of Miðgarðr and to the north of
Jötunheimr. e mother of the death trinity, as well as all
wolves and werewolves. She is known by many names but
there are a couple that are most important within the dark
tradition.
1.
ironwood.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

She is known by the name Heiðr2, the black witch.

She wanders Miðgarðr searching for wicked women to
cunningly teach her black witchcra.

Voluspo 22:

Heith they named her

who sought their home,
e wide-seeing witch,
in magic wise;
Minds she bewitched
that were moved by her magic,
to evil women
a joy she was.

She is known by the name Aurboða, the giantess.

e wife of the jötunn Gymir, and mother to the giantess
Gerðr. She served as a maid to Freyja, and in theory may
be the reason Freyr, by some sort of wicked magic, gives
up his sword Lævateinn.
She is known by the name Angrboða3, the wolf
priestess. Mother to Jörmungandr and Hel, as well as all
wolves and werewolves, with Fenrisúlfr within the forest
Járnviðr. e wife and mate of Loki.

2.
“Shining one”.
3.
“e one who brings grief”.

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 Fornþursar / The Ancient Þurs

Voluspo 40:

e giantess old
in ironwood sat,
in the east, and bore
the brood of Fenrir;
Among these one
in monster's guise
Was soon to steal
the sun from the sky.

She is known by the name Hyrrokin4. ere is not

much accounted for of Gullveig under this guise except for
one saga in Gylfaginning.

Gylfaginning 72-73:

“en word was sent to Jötunheim aer that giantess who

is called Hyrrokkin. When she had come, riding a wolf and
having a viper for bridle, then she leaped off the steed; and
odin called to four berserks to tend the steed; but they
were not able to hold it until they had felled it. en
Hyrrokkin went to the prow of the boat and thrust it out
at the first push, so that fire burst from the rollers, and all
lands trembled.”

4.
“Fire-smoked”.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Lokakyn - e Þursian Trinity

Hymn To Fenrisúlfr
Great wolf Fur as black as starless skies out-stretched be
your mighty jaws Flowing freely from, the river ván
eyes and nostrils emitting Múspel's fire consort to the
Járnviðr priestess Father to the eaters of sun and
moon devourer of the wanderer Beholder of the black
vile blood

Hymn to Jörmungandr
Great serpent encircling the world of man
tail clenched within tooth Birthing massive crashing
waves Writhing furiously in the sea Stirring the waters
to breach vígríðr Spraying your venom upon air and sea
nine steps does Þórr take before death Beholder of
the primordial poison

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 Fornþursar / The Ancient Þurs

Hymn to Hel
Great Giantess ruler of nine worlds Keeper of Baldr's
light She who receives the dead dweller beneath the
third root She the underworld as one rider of the thrice-
legged beast death goddess within darkness
Beholder of hunger and famine

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 Úlfhéðnar
Cult of the Werewolf

I
"If he were not restrained, he would devour the world."

deep in the ironwood, to the east, lay a witch who bore the
kin of wolves. Járnviðr is the home to the most terrible þur-
sian beings known to the nine Worlds. Gullveig, mate to
Loki, is mother of the trinity of death. Her eldest Hel, god-
dess of the underworld, and Jörmungandr, the mighty ser-
pent, the encircler of all lands.
But another was born from the womb of acosmic
darkness itself, the wrathful beast of pure chaos. He is
known by many names, but i know him by his most proper
in my eyes, vánagandr. His spirit is the deepest of any en-
tity, and the most powerful energy i have ever to come in
contact with. in this chapter i will focus on what i believe
to be the true essence of the black wolf of wrathful chaos.
to understand the true wolf entity, you must understand
what makes up the essence of vánagandr. He is the un-
tamed wild, and the wisdom of the wolf spirit. A wolf is a
shadow and should never be chained. to me, vánagandr
represents the very essence of chaos. He is the antithesis of
law and order. Without chaos in one's life, you fall into
stagnation with no room for growth. at is what vána-
gandr represents to me.
He is the allegory of the wild. An un-tamed force

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

that dwells deep within the darkness. e offspring of Gu-

llveig and Loki, a bestial þurs-wolf, wrathful and impossi-
ble to control. He was spawned in Járnviðr, the darkness in
which he dwell. He is the first and most powerful wolf, ma-
king him the father of all wolves and werewolves. He bore
with his mother Gullveig, terrible offspring of wolves and
werewolves, among them being Garmr, Hati and Sköll
whom are also his brothers. He is the true essence of þur-
sian blood taken to its furthest point. urs are deformed
by nature, and he is the product of þursian nature at the
ultimate level.
vánagandr means "Wolf of the river ván," the poi-
sonous river that flows from his mouth from being restrai-
ned by Glepinir, "deceiver" by the Æsir. e prefix "gandr"
also connects him to Jörmungandr, his serpent sibling. He
is of Múspell essence from his father, Loki, as he shall spit
flames of Múspell power upon Óðinn at ragnarök. to un-
derstand why vánagandr is placed in restraints is to un-
derstand the nature of the world. natural disasters ranging
from the ocean, the sky, to the earth itself destroy human
life on a daily basis, and this is the essence of chaos.
vánagandr is the true essence of chaos, if he were
not held in restraint, he would devour the world. As he lay
chained, his jaws stretch from the earth to the stars. Gu-
llveig and Loki knew that it was necessary to allow him to
be chained until ragnarök as part of the ultimate goal for-
med by Gullveig to bring destruction upon the nine
Worlds. everything has a purpose, and his restrainment
was a small sacrifice for a greater purpose.
He is the source of dark wisdom. if you were to

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look into the eyes of the great wolf as he lay chained under
Gleipnir with a sword through his muzzle, you would see
the necessary sorrow of binding such a great power. Un-
derstanding the nature of his power is to understand the
self-control we must have without our self. e inner-beast
that lays within our hearts can be understood by knowing
the purpose behind vánagandr's restraining.
He is an entity that refuses to be bound, for he is
the epitome of unrelenting power. e term "Þursmegin"
meaning "e Þursian divine Power" (being a play on As-
megin, "e Heavenly divine Power") can be associated
with vánagandr for he is the true essence of þursian might.
He is the wolf of death, with a hunger so greedy it can no
be subdued. His need to devour originates from pure rage
and hatred, rather than hunger. if he were not restrained,
he would devour the world...

II
"e representation of something much older... but what?"

e concept of a great cosmic wolf has been recorded in

europe, Asia, and the Americas. during the times of indo-
european and proto-Germanic cultures, werewolf cults
and tribes existed in the outskirts of society. ey lived in
the darkest, and deepest forests that no man dared to enter.
e carpathian Mountains are home to the great forests
believed to be the home of the ancestral portal to the lands
of Járnviðr, land of the Þurs, where many werewolf cults
are said to have existed. ey believed to be one with the

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

lycanthropic spirit, and harnessed the power to transform

their physical form through shamanic magic, alchemy and
sacred meads into the wolf power they worshiped. Which
brings me to the understanding that vánagandr is the re-
presentation of something much older... but what, exactly?
in astronomy, in the northern sky, the constella-
tion of the Greater Wolf 's Jaw is made up of stars from the
cygnus, Pegasus, and Andromeda constellations. When
observed, this constellation seems to be widely gaping to-
wards the Pole Star with two tails of the Milky Way trailing.
is can be a representation of the river ván that flows
from vánagandr's mouth.
Slavic and Baltic cultures tell of a wolf that is chai-
ned to the Pole Star by Zora (also known as Hekate, among
many other names), the triple-aspect goddess. e wolf is
seen in the constellation of Ursa Minor, which is connected
to the star Polaris at the end of Ursa Minor. it is told that
Zora would release the wolf from his restraints to devour
the world. e Greek sect known as the cynics also told of
an astronomical link to Ursa Minor. ey studied the Po-
laris star which they called "Kynos oura." (e dog's tail).
ey believed that when the star began to move, the end
of the world would be inevitable.
Kirghiz mythology believed the seven stars of the
Ursa Major represented guardians of the two brightest stars
of the Ursa Minor, which represented two horses who ran
from the cosmic wolf, which can be linked to Hati and
Sköll as they try to devour the sun and moon.
e Mongolian empire's expansion was formed
on the concept of a cosmic wolf. ey believed they were

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

descendants of the azure-blue wolf, eternal Blue Heaven.

Because of this belief in divine ancestry, Genghis Khan and
his Mongolian empire referred to themselves as the Blue
Mongols.
in the Americas, the cheyenne tribes believed in
an ancestral wolf (which was represented in the Aldebaran
star) who was a polarity to the white wolf, represented by
the Sirius star. is can be seen as a connection between
vánagandr by the þurs, and as Baldr by the Æsir.
Here is a small list of various tribes and cultures
who i believe to be worshipers of vánagandr.

Dacians – ey take their name from immigrants from

other regions or from their own outlaws. ey acted like
the wolves that surrounded villages and lived off looting.
Young members endured an initiation rite, perhaps up to
a year, during which they lived as a "wolf ". Hittite laws re-
ferred to fugitive outlaws as "wolves". ey may have called
themselves "wolves" or "ones the same with wolves." traces
related to wolves as a cult or as totems were found in their
area since the neolithic period. Wolf statues, and figures
representing dancers with a wolf mask. e items may
show initiation rites, or ceremonies where they adorn sea-
sonal wolf masks. ey are said to have practiced werewol-
fism and performed rituals to invoke the wolf god they
worshiped. is wolf-god is unknown by name, but i be-
lieve it to be an extension of vánagandr.

Wulfings, Wylfings or Ylfings - Known as the "Wolf clan"

said to have lived in Östergötland, Sweden.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Carving of an Ulednar.
Vendel era bronze plate found on Öland, Sweden.

Úléðnar - Germanic warriors whose attributes paralleled

those of a Berserker. ey were seen with a a lupine aspect
rather than ursine. Both terms refer to the term "Berserker"
who were able to channel the spirit of the animal in favor.
e Úleðnar were said to wear the pelt of a wolf upon
their heads when they entered battle, similar to the berser-
kers use of bear pelts. As the berserkers did, i am sure the
Úleðnar carried dried wolf hearts, and consumed wolf
flesh to further embrace the spirit of the wolf.

Vilkaci – e term means "Wolf-eyes". in Latvian culture,

they are believed to be humans who were able to transform
into wolves. e vilkatas is the Lithuanian version of the
werewolf. A vilkacis was able to transform into a benevo-
lent wolf-like monster.

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

Livonia - Livonian werewolves were initiated by drinking

a cup of specially prepared beer and repeating a set for-
mula.

Neuri - A tribe to the north-east of Scythia, were all trans-

formed into wolves once every year for several days, and
then changed back to their human shape.
vii. Kashubians - A tribe who lived in what now is nort-
hern Poland that believed that if a child was born with hair,
a birthmark or a caul on their head, they were supposed to
possess the power to shape-shi. it was commonly believed
that they chose to turn into a wolf. i believe these physical
marks to be a direct link to vánagandr.

Ashina – A chinese tribe who ruled over the ancient turks

in the mid-6th century. ey held great importance over
wolf cults. Ashina was one of ten sons born to a gray she-
wolf (is she-wolf is a representation of Angrboða) in the
north of Gaochang. e ancestor of the Ashina was a man
from the Suo nation (north of Xiongnu) whose mother was
a wolf, and a season goddess. e turks inlaid gold sculp-
ture of wolf heads on their flag. eir military men were
called Fuli, which is wolf in chinese. ey believed to be
descendants of the wolf, and were named aer their ances-
tors.

Chonos - Said to be a sacred 12-13th century Mongolian

wolf-tribe.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Harii - A Germanic tribe of ghost-warriors. ey painted

their bodies, faces, weapons, and shields all in black to re-
present the army of the dead, which is of much signifi-
cance. ey were said to also be vicious wolf-warriors, and
outlaws.

to further comment on the tribes and cultures

who believed in shape-shiing, this was a trait among the
Þurs. Shape-shiing was a common ability of those of þur-
sian blood.
With this substantial amount of cultural connec-
tions between very different people, it is without doubt that
worship of a great wolf was dominant all over the world
during ancestral times. in his many names, forms, and as-
pects he was revered as something of divine power and spi-
ritual importance. His influence upon warriors and
indigenous tribes was so powerful it is seen among people
who lived thousands of miles, and hundreds of years apart.

III
e beliefs of werewolves and lycanthropy consist in the
magical-religious experience of mystical solidarity with the
wolf by whatever means used to obtain it.

various cultures around the world have adopted shamanic

practices in order to obtain the divine ability to transform
from man to wolf or other totem animal (For example, the
Berserkrgangr with bears, or the emphasis on boar imagery
among Gallic Warriors). Slavic cultures drank meads and

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

used herbs. Germanic cultures wore the pelts, heads and

claws of wolves to channel the animals power as well as ha-
ving been discovered to have used Amanita mushrooms
and other alkaloid poisons such as nightshade in their He-
xenbier to achieve their battle-trance. native American
cultures believed in skin-walkers, whom were able to shed
human flesh for a lycanthropic appearance. Furthermore,
the legend of the Wendigo warns against embracing this
chaotic power, lest the man or woman become consumed
by it and afflicted with an insatiable taste for human flesh.
Many others would perform rituals and rites in which they
behaved as if they were if fact a wolf themselves. e act in
which humans have a strong desire to become one with the
wolf, to me, is indication of a spiritual influence from vá-
nagandr.
in my long search for evidence of his influence, i
have come to the conclusion that just like Gullveig, who is
known by many names across different beliefs (Lilith, He-
kate, Kali, etc.), vánagandr has proven to have stretched
his jaws of þursian might just as far as his mother has re-
ached her hands across the world, claiming the lives of
those she wishes. e people who praised him were not
life-worshippers by any means. His is a terrible, black cu-
rrent of immeasurable destruction. only those who truly
carry the wild, black fire of the wolf spirit within them
could have a connection to vánagandr and his unpredic-
table, wanton appetite for all. By understanding this, we
can more than likely assume that these cults and tribes of
various were involved with black/dark/nightside magick.
Lycanthropic rituals took place in the deep fo-

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

rests, away from wandering eyes. Sacred meads were bre-

wed and sacred herbs were inhaled to induce a trance-like
state of mind. to properly channel vánagandr, they belie-
ved that wearing wolf claws around their wrist, pelts on
their backs, heads upon their brow and teeth around their
neck provided a magical current connecting them to his
powerful energy. during these rituals, dances and invoca-
tions were chanted into the fires to allow their bodies to
conform to the transformation from man to wolf. How
long the ritual process was, is unknown to most.
not only were rituals performed, but initiation
rites were a part of wolf tribes as well. Young warriors were
le in the wild for up to a year, testing their strength, acting
as the wolf. ey lived unsheltered in the wild, stole food
from farmers, and killed animals and livestock to feed
themselves. only then, aer the time spent was successful,
were these young men now a proud wolf-warrior.

IV
Werewolf Brotherhood

vánagandr is brother (as well as father) to Garmr, Hati and

Sköll , whom he bore with his mother Gullveig. is is a
representation of true lawlessness, breaking the order of
creation and birthing hordes of horrible þursian beasts
who will descend upon vánagandrr on ragnarök. ese
are not the only offspring he spawned deep within Járnviðr,
but they are the most important. e ironwood is filled
with horrible wolves and werewolves, all kin to vánagandr.

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

Garmr - (dog, Hound) e wolf-guardian of the under-

world. Like his father, and grandfather (Loke), he is also
chained to the rocks of Gnipahellir at the gates of Hel-
heimr.

Hati - (He who hates) Also called Hati Hroðvitnisson (Son

of Hroðvitnr, another name for vánagandr), and Mána-
garmr (Moon Hound). He is to chase the moon (Mani)
until ragnarök when he will finally devour it.

Sköll - (treachery) He is to chase the sun (Sol) until rag-

narök when he will finally devour it.

it has also been stated that Hati and Garmr are

the same þurs-wolf; "Mánagarmr shall be filled with the
flesh of all those men who die, and he shall swallow the
moon." considering the information provided on both
þurs-wolves above, we suspect this theory to be accurate.

V
"ere he lays and waits... waits to devour the world."

i think it is very important to explain the story of vána-

gandr's imprisonment, for it plays a great role in the ulti-
mate goal of the destructive cosmic force to destroy the
cosmic order.
ere is a prophecy that vánagandr and his kin
will bring destruction to the nine Worlds. Óðinn had the
three children of Gullveig taken and disposed of. Hel was

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

placed in Helheim to rule the underworld, while Jömun-

gandr was tossed into the sea to encircle all lands. to the
Æsir, vánagandr looked as if he were a normal wolf, so
they let him roam Åsgard, but they agreed to allow tîwaz,
was the only god brave enough to feed him, to watch over
him. due to his powerful þursian nature, vánagandr grew
at a rapid pace.
e Æsir dared not kill vánagandr for his black
blood was too evil to stain the golden halls. is is an inte-
resting statement and brings questions to my mind. Just as
the river ván is made of his poisonous eitr, does this also
imply that vánagandr's blood is also made of the same eitr?
at his black þursian blood was so vile, that it could burn
holes through the grounds of Åsgard, or a possibly more
devastating result?
Knowing he would be the bringer of chaos and
death, the Æsir planned to restrain him to prevent him
from wreaking havoc upon the nine worlds. two fetters
were prepared and two fetters were destroyed under vána-
gandr's immense strength. Leyding snapped with no effort,
but the Æsir were determined to contain the þurs-wolf.
ey then brought dromi to test his strength once again.
vánagandr proclaimed his power to have grown since their
last trial and with no effort, dromi was destroyed.
e Æsir feared the wrathful beast of inevitable
devastation could not be contained. to once again attempt
to subdue vánagandr, Skírnir was sent to Svartálfaheimr
(World of the Black elves) to fashion Gleipnir. ey created
a chain made of six impossible things (the sound of a cat's
footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, the

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sinews of a bear, the breath of a fish and the spittle of a

bird) to bind the great wolf. When the fetter was brought
to vánagandr, who awaited on the island Lyngvi inside the
lake Amsvartnir (Pitch Black), the Æsir said it to be a tiny
fetter that would break easily under his immense strength,
but vánagandr being a very cunning wolf, smelt the deceit
in their words.
"it looks to me that with this ribbon as though i
will gain no fame from it if i do tear apart such a slender
band, but if it is made with art and trickery, then even if it
does look thin, this band is not going on my legs. if you
bind me so that i am unable to release myself, then you will
be standing by in such a way that i should have to wait a
long time before i got any help from you. i am reluctant to
have this band put on me. But rather than that you ques-
tion my courage, let someone put his hand in my mouth
as a pledge that this is done in good faith."
Being that this attempt of restraint was based
upon lies and deceit, and vánagandr knew this, the Æsir
hesitated at this response. tîwaz placed his hand in the
black wolf 's mouth but when Gleipnir became tighter as
he struggled, he tore his hand off. When vánagandr was
fully bound, they took a cord called Gelgja (Fetter) hanging
from Gleipnir, fed it through a great stone Gjöll (Scream),
and anchored it deep into the ground. ey took a great
rock called Þviti (Hitter, Batterer) and aer thrusting "a
certain sword" through his muzzle it even further into the
ground as an anchor.
vánagandr will reside there until ragnarök. He
will be freed to descend upon vígriðr with his horde of

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

þursian wolves and werewolves. He will tear Óðinn's body

to shreds, spit the flames of Múspell upon him, then de-
vour him to nothing. But with this great þursian victory
comes a sacrifice, for Óðinn's son viðrr will kill vánagandr
by tearing his jaws asunder and thrusting a spear through
his heart.
An excerpt from Gylfaginning 51 tells of the re-
lease of vánagandr: "Aer Sköll has swallowed the sun and
his other son Hati Hróðvitnisson has swallowed the moon,
the stars will disappear from the sky. e earth will shake
violently, trees will be uprooted, mountains will fall, and
all binds will snap – vánagandr will be free. He will go
forth with his mouth opened wide, his upper jaw touching
the sky and his lower jaw the earth, and flames will burn
from his eyes and nostrils."

VI.
HYMN TO THE BLACK WOLF

vAnAGAndr!
Father of wolves!
e essence of the wolf-entity!
e un-tamed wild that dwells in darkness!
HeiL Fenrir!
Black wolf of hatred!
vile beast!
rise from your restraints!
Bring forth thy wrathful chaos!
Born in tHe ironWood!

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

Spawn of the Black Witch!

Son of the Fire Giant!
come forth from the current of chaos!
BeStiAL ÞUrS-WoLF!
Monster of van!
Flow free, thee poisonous rivers!
reach out above the stars, with thy jaws of death!
rABid WoLF oF deStrUction!
deformed son of Loki!
Forever un-tamed by the laws of the cosmos!
Spit forth the roaring flames of Múspell!
tear asunder the flesh of the All-Father!
HeiL Fenrir!

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Unfettered - e Howls of Járnviðr

In the east sat an old woman in Iron-wood

and nurtured there offspring of Fenrir
a certain one of them in monstrous form
will be the snatcher of the moon
—völuspá 40

e wolf is a very, very important aspect of my practice. A

primal and wild aspect of the natural world, the wolf re-
presents everything that is untamed and violent, aggressive
and cunning. e true symbol of what lays beyond the
sight of man. Hidden in the darkness, lurking within sha-
dows. ere are those who feel kinship to the wolf. We are
the sons and daughters of the wolf priestess.
ere are three main aspects of lycanthropic prac-
tice i focus on during seiðr. e first, and the bulk of my
workings, is meditation. i believe there is no better way to
connect and communicate with the energies beyond the
mortal coil than meditation. it brings your physical self to
a complete stasis, while the spiritual self is unleashed from
our body. e mind is free to wander, unshackled by the
boundaries of the human plane. ere are two runes i use
during meditation:

- Laguz is the first rune. it symbolizes the mighty

river ván that flows from the mouth of Fenrisúlfr. Laguz is
also takes on the niFL aspect as it is connected to Élivágar,
the original eleven rivers of Ginnungagap. Laguz is the first

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 Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

rune i use because it elicits a stasis of the mind while be-

ginning meditation.

– Sōwilō is the second rune. it symbolizes the

fierce flames of Fenrisúlfr as he is Loki’s son. Sōwilō takes
on the MUSPeL aspect because it is the main source of
light, power and energy from the sun and the Muspel fires.
Sōwilō is the second rune i use because once the mind is
placid, the spirit needs a source of power to draw from to
move from the body into the spiritual plane.

e second aspect is Galdr. chants and incanta-

tions to li the voice beyond our world into the cosmos. i
have craed a Galdr to Fenrisúlfr to call upon his primal
essence and bestow upon oneself the ferocious jaws of the
wild. While operating a drum to induce trance, sing or
chant into the skies this spell for the wolf.

Great wolf
the one of black sheen
release the river
and let me bathe
purify my skin
as i sink beneath ván
Great wolf
the one born of fire
spew forth the flames
and cleanse my spirit
purify my essence
as i kneel before the heat

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Great wolf
your mighty howl
echoes across the black woods
awakening the eyes of a thousand kin
the music of your children
reaches above the heavens

e third and last is ritual. i do not practice ritual

very oen and the very few rituals i have craed for per-
sonal use have very significant meaning. i will not go into
any details on how this ritual is performed as it is for my
use only. i will, instead, divulge into the items i use. i have
various charms and fetishes that contain various items
from a wolf. Fur, teeth, claws, etcetera. is connects
myself to the wolf in a shamanic unity to bring the essence
of Fenrisúlfr into ones spirit, even if for a moment. While
i put great emphasis on meditation as my preferred way to
commune and connect to the wolf spirit, this ritual is a
very special event that is only used during a certain time
of the year to bring myself closer to the great black wolf.

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Úlfhéðnar / Cult of the Werewolf

109
 Hrafnaguð
The Raven God

ere is much debate, speculation and controversy over the

role Óðinn plays within the dark Germanic tradition. to
many within the current, Óðinn is seen as the "demiurge"
and the bearer of false light. Given his role in the Asatru
movements as the chief deity concerned with the order of
the universe, as well as one of the more accessible gods to
mankind, this logical jump would not be far off. Further-
more, his family connections including deities like or
(being the commoner’s god of the fields and war) certainly
point to a more basic, order-oriented nature. My personal
views, however, see him as a teacher and a being who is
much more complex than given credit for. it can be argued
that on closer inspection of lore, Óðinn has more charac-
teristics of a dark god who deals with the other side more
primarily than is accepted in both white light heathenry as
well as the main voices of dark Germanic Heathenry. is
is particularly easy to see when one further delves into the
worship of this god in more ancient texts than Wagner’s ro-
mantic operas…
to begin, his bloodline gives credence to a darker
origin. As stated in the beginning of this manuscript,
Óðinn is the son of Bestla, who is the daughter of Bölþorn,
a hrímþurs. Given his parentage, it is impossible to ignore
his þursian ancestry. His maternal grandfather, mother and
uncle are hrímþursar. As well as through his family Óðinn
also made a bloodpact with Loki. Given the aforementio-

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

ned role Loki plays in the norse and Germanic pantheons,

it is needless to say that this is a direct act of bonding with
the dark.

Lokasenna 9:

"remember, othin,
in olden days
at we both our blood have mixed;
en didst thou promise
no ale to pour,
Unless it were brought for us both."

it is baseless to assume that Loki and Óðinn are

indeed brothers by blood, but more reasonable to gather
that they ritually mixed blood to be connected to one anot-
her. in doing so, this further strengthens the þursian blood
that already flows within his veins.
not only by means of blood, but by Óðinn's ac-
tions do his darker characteristics come to light. e most
important action to draw attention to is his sacrifice, of
himself to himself, to obtain the hidden wisdom of the
runes. As he pierced himself with his spear and hung from
a windy tree (which i believe to be Yggdrasill) his spirit
ventured into the absolute darkness. As he hung for nine
days and nine nights, he wandered into the depths of Gin-
nungagap to learn the power of the runes. Some notable
events in this theory are:

112
 Hrafnaguð / The Raven God

- e sacrifice of his eye to gain the wisdom of nine power

songs given to him by Mímir, son of Bölþorn, is yet another
example of his eagerness to ascend into true power.

- His journey into Helheimr upon the horse Sleipnir (birt-

hed by Loke) to consort with a völva giantess (believed to
be Gullveig) to learn of creation and of his death by Fenri-
súlfr signifies his desire for wisdom.

- rough his exploits, his desire for primordial know-

ledge, and his self directed (and oen unorthodox) met-
hods of attaining this knowledge is made evident. oen,
they require sacrifices of his form that would daunt all but
the most dedicated of seekers. is path of self-destruction
as an initiatory measure to gain knowledge and wisdom
for oneself is very resonant of the goals of the Le-Hand
Path. As an archetype, Óðinn could be considered an
example to the adept in their journey towards gnosis. His
godhood was only attained aer his ritual suicide, and only
then was he granted the secrets of the nine worlds in the
form of the runes when he crossed into the void.

- Óðinn's companions also give insight into his þursian na-

ture. As mentioned, the raven is synonymous with death
and symbolizes Hel. His two ravens, Huginn and Muninn
fly around Miðgarðr and bring the report of the day. He
also has two wolves, Geri and Freki (both meaning the ra-
venous/greedy one) who accompany him through his ex-
ploits. e image of the wolf in this tradition being already
explained above, this further lends credence to his leanings
when one has a trained eye.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Óðinn is known by
more than two hundred names
in the eddas. A few of these
names in particular shadow his
true self and the nature of his
dark being:

- Óðinn // Furious one

- Bölverkr // evil Worker
- Farmr Galga // Gallows' Bur-
den
- Fjölnir // Wise one/concealer Georg von Rosen - Oden som
- Gangari // Wanderer vandringsman, 1886 (Odin,
the Wanderer)
- Ginnarr // deceiver
- Glapsviðr // Swi in deceit
- Goði hrafnblóts // God of the raven-offering
- Grimnir // Masked one
- Hangaguð // God of the Hanged
- Helblindi // Hel Blinder
- Hildolfr // Battle Wolf
- Hrafnaguð // raven God
- Skollvaldr // ruler of treachery
- Sonr Bestlu // Son of Bestla
- Svipall // Shape-shier
- Yggr // terrible one
- Hangatyr// Hanged God
- Wodanaz// Proto Germanic name for a wrathful storm
god believed to have later evolved into Wotan (Germanic
spelling of Óðinn).

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 Hrafnaguð / The Raven God

Óðinn is by no means an "evil" god, compared to

a modern evangelical’s dualistic worldview, but to compare
him to a monotheistic “white light” deity would be grossly
inaccurate. e very notion of evil being a dualistic one,
the word wouldn’t even entirely apply to this worldview.
His character is shaded by his actions. numerous times has
he consorted and tricked giantesses into carnal pleasures
for his own gain, he has broken sworn oaths on his ring
(considered at the time to be one of the worst actions a per-
son could commit), lied to his fellow Æsir as well as kings
and beings of great power, and stolen from giants.
one attribute that interests me in particular is
Óðinn's knowledge of seiðr1, whom he learned from a
vanic goddess and Freyja. Gullveig, as Aurboða, tricked
Freyja into learning dark seiðr, who in turn taught it to
Óðinn. Loki has even ridiculed Óðinn for this in one of his
many Flytings (challenges and insults during feasting).

Lokasenna 29:

"ey say that with spells

in Samsey once
Like witches with charms didst thou work;
And in witch's guise
among men didst thou go;
Unmanly thy soul must seem."

1.
A form of pre-christian norse magic and shamanism concerned with
discerning and altering the course of destiny by re-weaving part of des-
tiny's web.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Kampf der untergehenden Götter, by F. W. Heine

According to Óðinn's bloodline, words, actions

and characteristics, i have found in my workings that the
comparison to the demiurge in some currents of Þursatru
is fallacious and overly simplified. Given the oral nature of
the lore, it leaves little writing to find definite answers, and
any follower of this current would best find their answer
to this (and all) questions through personal practice and
draw their own conclusions. Seeing as this is one of many
traditions under the umbrella off the Le-Hand Path, the
emphasis on personal discovery is of no less import.
According to my own interpretation, Óðinn is a
guide that grants knowledge to those who are courageous
enough to step outside of what is accepted to truly enligh-
ten oneself. to me, the death of Óðinn at the world’s ending
was his final sacrifice and the fulfillment of his true destiny:
to bathe in the flames of Múspellsheimr as he meets his end
by Fenrisúlfr, achieving liberation. i have concluded that

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 Hrafnaguð / The Raven God

he accepted his true fate, and gave himself to the dark

blood coursing within his veins in order to complete his
journey in seeking the true wisdom of Ginnungagap. By
no means do i suggest that Óðinn is a herald of destruction
and the bringer of the world's demise by taking on the role
of an antagonist. instead, Óðinn began a path of darkness,
treachery and deceit within the confines of this existence
to obtain the liberating black light, borne of the primordial
black fire.

Hrafnaguð - Hymn to Óðinn

Óðinn...
Almighty father of the gray wisdom
Wise one of the hidden secrets
i seek the light within you

Set free the darkness within your heart

Become one with :Fehu;
As you once did with :Ūruz:
As they call to you from beyond

You hung from your spear

to learn the secrets...
Ancient wisdom known only to them
Hidden secrets deep within the gap

Become one with the old knowledge

e beautiful truth that lives in you

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Listen to the whispers from the dead

As they call to you from Helheimr

Óðinn...
Hear my prayer of devotion
As you wander the nine worlds
See my heart in shackles
With your eye beyond the veil
Guide me past this darkness
And show me the true light
remove me from desolation
And gi me the road less traveled

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 Rúnseiða
Rune Spells

Within the Myrkþursablót tradition, there are certain sigils

and bindrunes that act as keys to the old wisdom. ese
runes would serve as good tools for meditation and seiðr
for those who yearn for the power they hold...
Yet again, given the nature of rune magick, these
are but a few that have come to me in trance and practice,
and are shared here to serve as a guide to those wishing to
begin their workings within this tradition. e runes being
an unorthodox and (for the most part) unstructured form
of magick, it is best for the adept to eventually use those
that come to them in moments of gied inspiration to best
develop a relationship with the essences being worked
with.

:Helheimr:

represents the realm of Helheimr.

Hagalaz symbolizes it’s ruler Hel.
e polarity of the Algiz runes
symbolizes life and death as Hel-
heimr’s position within norse tra-
dition as the aerlife. She is the
crossroads.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

:Fenrisulfr:

represents the black wolf, Fenri-

súlfr. Þurs symbolizes the pure
destructive nature of Fenrisúlfr
and his eldþurs blood. e wild,
feral and ravenous essence of the
untamed beast. Sōwilō symboli-
zes his Múspel-essence, and a
myrkstave Algiz as his place wit-
hin the death trinity.

:Óðinn:

represents the raven-god Óðinn.

Fehu symbolizes Óðinn’s eternal
wisdom and knowledge of all
things and stands for his wealth
of knowledge garnered from his
exploration of the inhospitable
and dark places of the cosmos.
Ōþala is Óðinn’s rune and
symbolizes his dual nature as
both wise teacher and wrathful
berserk. Þurisaz symbolizes his
þursian blood and stands for his darker aspect. Lastly, the
bindrune’s axial point is nauðiz, the forge on which the spi-
rit is crucified and tempered to represent his ascent into
godhood through his self hanging.

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

:Jørmungandr:

represents the World Serpent,

Jørmungandr. Laguz symbolizes
the eitr that originates from the
eleven rivers. Fehu symbolizes
the completion of ragnarök as
Jørmugandr releases it’s tail to
bring forth destruction and a re-
turn to the primordial nothing-
ness before thought comes into
being. A myrkstave Algiz symbo-
lizes its place within the death
trinity.

:Hel:

represents the death giantess,

Hel. Hagalaz is Hel’s rune, as she
is the ruler of Helheimr. Hagalaz
is pure strife, as well as the cold
hail raining on bare skin. Þurs
symbolizes her hrímþurs blood,
isaz her connection to Gullveig
as her daughter and her nifl-es-
sence, and a myrkstave Algiz as
her place within the death trinity.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

:Loki:

represents Loki and the sword

Lævateinn. tîwaz, when binded
with the Þurisaz and Sōwilō
runes, symbolizes the flaming
sword Lævateinn. Þurs symboli-
zes his eldþursar blood and
Sōwilō symbolizes his Múspel-
essence.

:Múspellsheimr:

represents the realm of Múspe-

llsheimr. Mannaz symbolizes the
inner self and the fire within. Þurs
symbolizes the Múspel-essence
and the scorching fires of Surtr.
Sōwilō symbolizes the original
creation of fire within Ginnunga-
gap.

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

:Gullveig:

represents the three-faced god-

dess. e ingwaz rune symbo-
lizes Gullveig as the womb of
darkness, of all wolves and we-
rewolves, and the death trinity
of Hel, Fenrisúlfr and Jørmun-
gandr. nauðiz symbolizes the
runes and Gullveig as the kee-
per of secrets. Myrkstave Algiz
symbolizes her as the birther of
the death trinity.

:Niflheimr:

represents the realm of ni-

flheimr. isaz symbolizes the fro-
zen hrím that originated within
Ginnungagap. Hagalaz symboli-
zes Hel and her realm of the
dead, Helheimr. Laguz symboli-
zes the eitr and the original wa-
ters of Élivágar.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

:Ginnungagap:

represents the yawning void,

Ginnungagap. Ūruz symbolizes
the primordial essence before
crystallization into thought and
being. e nothingness that was
the yawning void. nauðiz symbo-
lizes the hidden mysteries and
lost secrets that lay within the
void. e perpetual need for as-
cendance within. Myrkstave
Algiz symbolizes the death of
Aurgelmir, the first Þurs.

:Vegvisir:

e vegvisir is a ma-
gical stave of direc-
tion and a guide to
those enduring harsh
weather. it essentially
is a compass in which
all directions are
given. n, ne, e, Se, S,
SW, W, and nW.
When taking the cos-
mology of the nine worlds into consideration, each stave
has a certain meaning within the darker aspect of norse
magic.

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

N – Gives direction to the frozen realm of niflheimr, with

isaz, e rune of Gullveig, being its predominate symbol.
S – Gives direction to the molten realm of Múspellsheimr,
with Sōwilō, e rune of Surtr, being its predominate
symbol.
E – Gives direction to the black forests of Járnviðr, with
eihwaz, the rune of Fenrisúlfr, being its predominate
symbol.
W – Gives direction to the massive lands of Jotunheimr,
with urs, the rune of the giants, being its predominate
symbol.

Given the significance of the location of impor-

tant landscapes within the nine worlds, e vegvisir acts
as a spiritual guide and a sigil of one's journey with emp-
hasis on the direction taken. As the main directions of
north, south, east and west give a complete vision of its
path's meaning, combining two directions into one give
the user a more powerful sense of enlightenment.
For example; as n is the path to niflheimr, and W
is the path to Jotunheimr, the two directions combined into
nW give emphasis on the isaz and urs runes and when
combined, create a “bind-direction” as would the two
runes complete a bind-rune.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Algiz - e Continuation of Life Beyond Life

:Arms to the skies:

:to accept the light above:
:delaying the journey to Hel:
:But to know that Hel awaits:
:Love what gives to us here and now:
:For the three staves reach far and wide:
:Above and below does Algiz stretch:
:For even the dead did know it's touch:

Within Myrkþursablót, i take a very heavy stance on the

divination of runic practice and meditation. to me, the
only true wisdom to be gained within norse spiritualism
is not from the gods, but from the runes themselves.

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

Óðinn himself knew this when he sacrificed him-

self to himself, to gaze into Ginnungagap and learn the old
secrets of the runes. only by working with runes can one
find within themselves the answers that escapes them.
Algiz in particular is a rune that calls to me oen
in my dreams. it stands for the gi of life that has been bes-
towed upon us all. i have said before that, when inverted,
Algiz translates to death. i have challenged myself on this
concept though, and now i do believe that a rune that is
strongly rooted with the breath of creation can also be two-
fold. What is given, can be taken and what is taken, can be
given. Algiz is one of the few runes i consider accepting
polarity due to its powerful nature.
i oen felt, how can a rune that is used in ritual
and meditation to represent life, also be used to represent
death? When i ponder this concept of removing duality
from the runes to preserve its original being i am cons-
tantly reminded that preservation can cause stagnation and
that is the complete opposite of what i believe in.
But, with that being said… When working with
Algiz, i do not see this rune as a death rune when inverted.
i rather see it as the continuation of life. to me, there is no
such thing as death. does the death of a vessel of flesh
mean the end? no, it means that the spirit is free from its
chains to once again venture beyond our physical realm
into the unknown beyond what we comprehend as reality.
is walking bag of bones is merely one life. once the body
breaks down and is returned to the earth, we continue into
what i consider is true life and walk past the veil in search
of the next life the universe has to offer.

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Algiz in its upright position, the three staves on

the branch, directs the soul towards the golden hall of val-
höll to drink and feast with the old one at his table. When
inverted the three staves on the branch directs the soul to-
wards the dark hall of Éljúðnir where the daughter of Gu-
llveig cares for the dead. Whether it be within the light or
the dark, valhöll or Éljúðnir, life continues on beyond
death as the spirit never truly dies.
e bindrune i have created above represents all
aspects of Algiz in all its forms of life. When erected, Algiz
symbolizes the first breath in which we inhale. it is that
which we begin the current form of the spirit and take the
first steps in the current journey. When turned on its right-
faced and lefaced sides, Algiz symbolizes the northern axis
that we walk when living between worlds. We know not of
above or below and only see what lies in front of our eyes.
When inverted, Algiz symbolizes the last breath in which
we inhale. it is the end of the current form of the spirit and
symbolizes the last steps in the current journey. Perþaz
symbolizes the southern axis that we walk when living bet-
ween worlds. Perþaz represents the unknowns in life that
we face on a constant basis from when we start, continue,
and end our present day journey of life to beyond life.

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

Ur to Fehu - Emerging From Darkness Into Light

: Stillness : rough : Silence :

: Frozen : By : e : cold :
: divine : illumination : Shines :
: Breath : of : e : void : Within :

darkness to Light. A statement that rings true within life

on a daily basis. to strip oneself down to nothingness and
emerge into the scorching rays of Sól. You can walk
through existence and never know the meaning of illumi-
nation if you have never seen the abyss. ere is a veil be-
yond our perception of reality, and it is not visible to the
naked eye. it lays in wait... biding its time.
Óðinn will always be the centerfold of Myrkþur-
sablót as i firmly believe he is the best example of how to
initiate yourself in every way, shape or form. to me, the

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

Uthark row represents the journey of knowledge by Óðinn

as you descend down into darkness (Ur) to gain the secrets
of the runes only to ascend into illumination of light
(Fehu). Ur symbolizes creation the beginning, in turn re-
presents Ginnungagap, darkness. Fehu represents light and
the reward, the enlightened so when you put Fehu at the
end of the row you begin in darkness and walk out into the
light receiving the wisdom from within.
My experiences within Þursatrú have taken me
down a very dark and destructive place. Mentally weak,
physical self-harm, no sense of what was real or false. dis-
tance was created from family and friends and i fell deeper
and deeper. i have looked into Ginnungagap and seen the
abyss beyond our veil. But aer all these years i now know
that looking back on my time in that place i was like
Óðinn. Pierced by my own spear and peering into the void.
Aer digging myself out of the hole, i saw the faint light of
Fehu and kept myself moving forward and finally ascended
beyond that darkness.
From those days of despair and destruction it lead
to the creation of Myrkþursablót and a more open and
well-rounded viewpoint on what can be accomplished wit-
hin the Þursian current by incorporation of a more tradi-
tional stance in norse Paganism. to aim for both Ur and
Fehu.
Which brings me to the bindrune posted at the
beginning of this section. is bindrune was created as a
tool to aid within meditation and to re-focus the mind and
keep the ship on course. to prevent oneself from once
again falling into the depths. to become wiser and more

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 Rúnseíðr / Rune Spells

aware of the dangerous pleasures of seeking guidance from

the Þurs and know of the price that comes with giving too
much and not receiving anything in return. e niflPowers
have become a staple of my work and something i take very
seriously and i fully acknowledge the costs of accepting the
darkness within the heart as it brought me into the light
where i currently stand. A bindrune to elicit a placid stasis
within meditation. evoking the eternal waters of Élivagár
to calm ones mind and bring oneself to a tranquil position.
is bindrune acts as the great Þurs-ship naglfar,
guided by Hyrrokkin's winds.

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 Afterword
e idea of Myrkþursablót was created from my own stu-
dies and practices of the norse religion. ere is no con-
nection between Myrkþursablót and any other existing
practices.
While many similarities may present themselves,
this is only due to the esoteric nature of the dark
nordic/Germanic spiritual practice and the limits of a tra-
dition whose lore is primarily oral, with the rest having being
destroyed or severely altered during the conversion to chris-
tianity. i do not follow, nor support any other path but my
own. is book was written during the period of 2013 – 2016
aer six years of intensive study and practice with the forces
touched upon in the chapters above. While this pathway has
marked a lot of good fortunes and boons in my life, it has
also brought upon a lot of very dark moments and tested my
will to limits i cannot begin to describe.
While the Le-Hand Path is made for those who
are strong enough to venture beyond to challenge unknown
practices and magical endeavors, it is recommended that
those who choose to pursue a much darker walk of life do
so in a mature manner with the realization that communion
with dark forces always wields inevitable backlash. e web
of Wyrd reverberates back what the individual puts forth,
and one cannot escape the consequences of a mishap in
communication with the dark corners of the soul.
it is important to acknowledge that these darker
traditions and darker practices of magical workings are in-
tended to strengthen the interested individual. it is also im-

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Myrkþursablót: Nightside of The Old Norse Mythology

portant to remember that practicing and invoking the

magic of ancient universal energies that are older and more
dangerous than the modern ego oen can appreciate, may
not always produce the desired result.
e arrogance of man always places the potential
destruction of one’s world outside the walls of perpetual
consequence without realizing that calling upon the gui-
dance and hopeful intervention of supreme entities for per-
sonal gain ten times out of ten results in a sacrifice that we
may not be prepared to make. Always proceed with caution
and remember that the ultimate goal is to ascend into the
divine light, not to wither away in the darkness or be bur-
ned in its wake.

134
 Afterword

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