While Norse rune work is well known, there is another major ancient Norse magical practice: seidr (pronounced “sayther”), a form of trance spirit work and divination. Although seidr is often considered an ancient form of witchcraft, recent archaeological evidence suggests it is more closely related to shamanism. In this practical guide to seidr, Dean Kirkland, Ph.D., reconstructs the magical and shamanic techniques of the seidr priest or priestess using the sagas and other literature from the Viking age, tools found in the archaeological record, and surviving indigenous shamanic traditions. He addresses the misconception that seidr was a practice reserved only for women and shows how anyone called to this work would have been accepted in ancient Norse society. He discusses the tools of seidr and how to create them, empower them, and care for them. He explores the use of protective songs (vardlokkur) that involve forming bonds with spirits, a practice he likens to the medicine songs of Amazonian shamans. He explains the techniques used to achieve trance in seidr and how they are based on finding balance between the light and the darkness. Looking at trance journeying in the Nine Realms of the Norse cosmos, the author discusses the different gods and spirits the seidr practitioner may encounter in the Upper Realms, the Middle Worlds, and the Lower Realms. He shares exercises on the Wyrd, divination methods in seidr, as well as ways to alter Orloeg, or fate, through spiritual work. Discussing soul-healing techniques in seidr, the author looks in depth at the Norse shamanic practices of soul retrieval and reintegration of the soul parts. He then explores seidr’s role in death, dying, and dealing with the dead, including work with the Valkries and the ancestors. Presenting a historically based handbook for contemporary heathens, this book offers a practical path for anyone seeking to explore Norse trance magic and mysticism.
