Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes & Feminine Powers (Paperback)

~ (Author) "than those of Southern Europe. Rome at that time was the center of the Christian world, and the Romans had been the hereditary enemies of..." (more)
Key Phrases: futhark order, glory twigs, elder futhark, Old Norse, Viking Age, Anglo-Saxon Rune-Poem (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the global scheme of mystery traditions, cultures from most countries have their own current mythos, yet northern shamanism conspicuously lacks representation in contemporary spiritual practice. Northern Mysteries and Magick fills this gap by unearthing the ancient Nordic pantheon, examining the meanings and interrelations of the earliest 24 runes, known as the "Elder Futhark," and exploring the often overlooked feminine aspects of Northern mythology. [A separately sold] CD [Songs of Yggdrasil: Shamanic Chants from the Northern Mysteries] hearkens back to tribal storytellers and replaces the vital aural component missing from our paper-based society. Freya Aswynn's accent lends a crisp consonance to her powerful performances as she invokes the old gods of an icy clime. Waking this pantheon from its long slumber, Aswynn extrapolates a natural course of evolution for the Northern tradition and synthesizes it into a magical tradition suitable for the contemporary practitioner. --Brian Patterson

Product Description

Bring the power of the ancient runes into your life for divination and magic with Northern Mysteries & Magick (revised edition of Leaves of Yggdrasil) by Freya Aswynn.

The runes are more than an ancient alphabet. They comprise a powerful system of divination and a path to the subconscious forces operating in your life. Northern Mysteries & Magick is the only book of Nordic magick written by a woman, and it is the first to offer an extensive presentation of rune concepts, mythology, and magical applications inspired by Dutch/Friesian traditional lore.

Also unique in this book is the inclusion of the feminine Mysteries of the North. You'll learn how they are represented in the runes. You will see how each of the major deities of Northern Europe still lives in the collective consciousness of people of Northern European descent.

- A complete analysis of the Elder Futhark Runes and their meanings
- How to use the runes for divination including several rune spreads
- Using the runes in magick
- Rune charms and power sigils
- Shamanic drumming and chanting
- Profiles of the eight major Gods
- The Northern Feminine mysteries featuring four major goddesses

The first edition of this book was considered a classic. Now, revised and expanded, Northern Mysteries & Magick is one of the most amazing and important books ever on the Runes and the magick of Northern Europe.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 2nd edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567180477
• ISBN-13: 978-1567180473
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #125,262 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > New Age > Divination > Runes
  #13 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > Norse
  #16 in	Books > History > Europe > Scandinavia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books on the subject, June 29, 2003

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is the fourth printing of "Northern Mysteries and Magick" and if you are into runes or Scandinavian mythology and mysteries then it is easy to see why it has been so popular. Starting with a short piece on the northern tradition in perspective, it proceeds quickly into a detailed section on runes. For each rune it gives the Germanic, Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse names, the phonetic value and the traditional meaning as well as an illustration of the rune. Beneath this there is a detailed analysis of the rune in terms of the culture of the time, it's derivation when known, other words it is associated with, how it was related to specific Norse gods and myths, and various other pieces of information as appropriate. While the information is detailed the writing style is not very technical in nature and so creates a flowing, easy to follow read that anyone can understand.

Following this section is an excellent piece on runic divination including the nine worlds of Nordic mythology and how they relate to the conscious. Divination methods discussed include the basic fourfold wheel and the more detailed eightfold wheel techniques. This is followed by a very informative section on runic magic and traditional magic techniques and beliefs. Each of the traditional Scandinavian gods is presented with a detailed profile that includes their name in Norse, English, Dutch, and German, their primary element, secondary element, color, number, totem animals, personal sigils, magical items, the purpose for which they are typically invoked and the runes used for them.

The book ends with a chapter on feminine mysteries that includes a short piece on the practice of Seith (mostly the casting spells and enchantments), an examination of Odin and how he related to the feminine mysteries, and detailed profiles of the feminine gods such as Frigga and Freyja. For those who are interested in runes, northern magic beliefs and systems, or just a detailed account of how runes and magic were used historically and what they meant to the people of that time it is a highly recommended read.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent introduction to Northern Magick, October 25, 2000

By	"snowcatguy" (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This book gets two thumbs up from me. One for the material in the book, the other for the CD. Freya Aswynn is to be highly commended for her work in this area which is a blend of scholastic research and soul searching. There are some aspects that differ from a purely academic approach to Runelore and Northern Magic, but the book also illustrates the powerful results from this sort of magio-spiritual work which is rooted in academia and made manifest through personal experience.

The CD is chilling and awsome in the recital of the Havamal and vibration of the runes. I highly reccomend it.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone interested in the Norse Gods or the Runes..., June 6, 1999

By A Customer

this book is a must have. It is absolutely fantastic and has a lot of depth to it. Wonderful information on the deeper meanings of the Runes and their relation to the Northern Mysteries as well as a good look at the Northern Gods and Goddesses. A high quality book.