TEUTONIC MAGICK

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TEUTONIC MAGICK

INTRODUCTION

On a lonely windswept hill undrer the boughts of a gnarled oak, a man in a blue cloak carves elder runes in a stave of yew wood. He calls out the names of the runes in tongue used by his ancestors 2000 years ago-forging a direct link between himself and the holy power of the runes and between his tame and place and that of his ancestors. Several dozen folks gather themselves before an altar of stone glinting with the rays of the midsummer's sun and sing out the songs of celebration, giving holy gifts to their elder gods for everlasting peace and prosperity. In this time and in this place they have become whole with the spirit of their ancestral thoth, or faith. High atop a wooden platform a woman sits in trance, her long blue cape flowing around her. The low chants of her helpers take her down into a world she knows well, and from which she will bring wisdom and lore about times gone by and of times yet to be. All of these folks are practicing forms of what can be called Teutonic magick. Teutonic magick is essentially the whole spectrum of magickal and spiritual disciplines and traditions practiced by the Teutons over the expanse of time, beginning when this eldritch folk emerged from the mists until the present day. It is practically impossible to present the whole truth of a religious tradition or a system of magick practiced by an entire group of people over hundreds of years. There are, however, great thruts and deep secrets about how the Teutonic folk practiced their troth and magick in days of yore and how they practice now. Here we will not one but several great traditions of Teutonic magick. We will look at the essence of rune magick and of seidhr-the two main practices of the timeless and pure forms of Teutonic magickal practice. We will examine the traditions of the great troth of the Teutons, or their religious faith as it is practiced today. Furthermore, we will take a look at the magickal teachings that have been influenced, shaped, or reformed by the Teutonic mind and that have subsequently become the occult standards of the Western Tradition.

WHO ARE THE TEUTONS?

The Teutons are known from ancient times as a group of people who originally spoke the Germanic dialect group of languages. Some prefer to use the term "Teutonic" to avoid the confusion between the words "Germanic" and "German". But in reality the terms "Teutonic" and "Germanic" are synonymous. Directly descended from this ancient Teutonic stock are the English, German, Dutch, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish peoples. What is more, they left their indelible mark on the cultures of the French, Spanish, and italian nations, as they founded the first true states in those lands after the fall of the Roman Empire. These people not only had a tradition of religion and mythology unique to themselves (although closely related to their other Indo_European brethren the Celts, Slavs, Romans, Greeks, Persians, and Indians) but they also had a unique magickal system that has come down to us for the most part in the form of rune magick. The magickal and religious teachings of these people are most clearly laid out in the ancient text known as the Eddas, of which there is a younger, or prose, version, and an elder, or poetic, version. In these works are encoded the mysteries of the teutonic peoples. These can be understood on many levels. In the elder days there were many more sources of tradition, but the Christian missionaries destroyed many of them. The chief target of their ire seems to have been the teachings and traditions surrounding the goddess Freya, whose poetry and songs (many of them eroto-magickal) were singled out for utter obliteration. The traditions that survived the best were those connected to the god Woden, whose loyalist were to be found in the Teutonic royal houses-somewhat insulated from the influences of the new religion. This circumstance is somewhat responsible for the misguided assumption that the Teutonic tradition is a male-dominated one. This is not especially true; it is just a matter of what has been able to survived in the written tradition. now is the time to revive fully the elder ways of the goddess Freya. In modern times Teutonic stream of magic has been largely ignored during the great magickal revival in the Western world. There were revivals of the Germanic tradition in the 1500s and 1600s in sweden, and in the late 1800s and early 1900s in germany, but only in the past 20 years or so have there been any worldwide attempts at the revival of the ancient ways of the Teutons. At present, there are many groups in the United States and Europe engaged in the work of reviving the elder traditions of the Teutonic folk. The practice of the Teutonic forms of magick is the birthright of most readers of this text by virtue of the fact that you been born into the life-stream of an English-speaking (Teutonic) nation. This is your most natural, organic tradition to deal with magically. You already "speak its language" in the most literal sense. The Teutonic tradition of magick has long suffered from two kinds of problems. First, there has been a vast ignorance concerning its existence and its deep roots in the "folk-soul". The native organic traditions of the Europeans-be they Celtic or Teutonic-were submerged under the false cultural prestige of the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian worlds. This burden was only thrown off with the help of the scolarship and magickal work of the past 200 years. This research showed what vast, natural, authentic magickal and religious traditions are to be found in our own cultures. The second problem has been the misguided use of these traditions. In this century we have seen how Teutonic symbolism has been used not to liberate but to enslave and destroy. this does not necessarily have anything to do with the true practice of teutonic magick, but it does show the incredible storehouse of power available in its symbolism.

THE TEUTONIC MAGICIAN

As there are several distinct kinds of Teutonic magick, so too are there several distinct kinds of teutonic magicians. The first kind is not really a magician in the strictest sense, but rather a priest or priestess. This is Elder of the Troth, sometimes also known by the Old Norse terms godhi ("goh-thee") or gydhja ("gith-ya") for the male and female respectively. The other two kinds of magicians in the narrower sense-those who seek not only to maintain or restore the sacred order of the universe but also to make changes in it in accordance with their own wills-are the practitioners of galster and seidhr ("say-ther"). Both may be known by the general Old Norse term vitki, meaning "wise one". Whether for religious or magickal purposes, the practitioner of true Teutonic magick must undergo a period of preparation before the right pathways can be followed. This preparation comes in two forms. First the would-be vitki must steep him/herself in the lore of the Teutons. The mythology, legends and lore-the cosmologies and theologies-should be learned so that thinking in such terms becomes virtually natural. For those interested in becoming runemasters, the runictradition must also be learned in a similar way. This provides a traditional "inner landscape" for further work that is authentic and accurate, so that work done within it cannot lead you astray but instead will further insight. The second part of a would-be vitki's preparation can be undertaken simultaneously with the first. This is basic training in concentration and visualization. This latter element is common to success in any form of magick. However, one of the main elements of current Teutonic magick is the will to link the self with the higher principles of the folk-soul. For this purpose to be fulfilled, the first element is absolutely essential. The Teutonic magician, or vitki, is a very independent sort. In ancient times as well as today, many prefer to work alone or in very small groups, loosely affiliated within a guild. (This is not true of the religious tradition which seeks to involve the whole community.) The independence of the Teutonic magician goes beyond the social aspect and is also exemplified in his or her magickal character. The vitki-and especially the runemaster-does not normally seek the magickal aid of magickal forces outside himself, but rather seeks to influence the course of events directly. The standard of the medieval magician evoking and coercing angels or demons to do his bidding by the power of supposedly higher forces outside himself are almost totally foreign to the Teutonic mode of magickal working.

THE TEUTONIC MAGICKAL WORLD

In the Teutonic view of the world and of humanity, there have always been many dimensions or worlds. In the larger world, or macrocosm, this is illustrated in the lore concerning the World-Tree, Yggdrasill. This "tree" is said to consist to nine realms or worlds, the symbolic arrangement of which can be seen in Figure 1. the actual arrangement of the worlds could not be effected in two or three dimensions, as it is always clear in every account that the tree is really a symbol of a multidimensional construct of some kind. Asgard is the kingdom of the AEsir, and of those Vanir who have come to live among the AEsir. Hel is the realm of the dead and of the forces of universal dissolution. Lighter-Home is the kingdom of the elves (demigods and divinized ancestral spirits). This is the dimension of the structures of the intellect. Opposite this is Swartelf-Home. "Swartelf" is another name for dwarf. The dwarves, like the Lightelves, are essentially ancestral spirits or demigods (or perhaps demons?). The dwarves are, however, not of an intellectual nature but rather embody the structuralizing and formative forces in the world. Wane-Home is the realm of the Wanes, or Vanir, which are further described below. Opposite this is Ettin-Home, which is the realm of primeval forces of blind, non-conscious chaos and/or order. An "ettin" is a non-conscious construct. The realms of Muspell-Home and Nifel-Home are the realms of cosmic fire and ice respectively. It is from these two extremes of cosmic activity that the universe comes into being. Between and among all of these opposing forces is the realm of all potential, the blessed land of Midgard-the enclosure in the midst of all. Init lives humankind, the only other entity in the cosmos that shares the gift of consciousness with the gods and goddesses.

THE SOUL

According to teutonic mythic tradition, the first man and woman were formed by the gods of consciousness (Woden-Wili-Weh) from trees. Humans are often referred to in the poetic language of the North with arboreal metaphoras, all of which points to the essential link between the idea of the tree on the cosmic scale (Yggdrasill) and on the individual human scale. The multidimensional pattern of existence found in the Yggdrasill is also present in the essence of the human being. Within the Teutonic tradition, the human being is throught to be made up of a complex of factors, all coming together in a certain place and time to give shape to a unique manifestation. Some of these factors may, however, preexist the particular manifestation, or may indeed live on after the present manifestation has dissolved. By the same token, the truth about the human being is something much more than what can readily be seen. The ancient Teutons had dozens of terms for various aspect of human body and soul, each used with a technical accuracy that might put even a modern psyhologist to shame. Speakers of languages have many terms for the fine distinctions between things that they know well. This is why the Eskimos may have 15 words for "white"- because they have been sensitized to that with which they are very familiar. The individual human being is according to teutonic tradition, really a body-soul, or psychosomatic complex. The body is one aspect of this, as are the mind, the memory (personal as well as collective), the heart, the will, and certain magickal functions that individuals may or may not have acquired, or of which some individuals may have more than one. The acquisition or the strengthening of these magickal bodies is one of the main tasks of teutonic magick and other spiritual work. All exercise of the will and consciousness increases this power.

THE GODS AND GODDESSES

The practioner of Teutonic spiritual traditions and magick has access to a great wealth of divine magickal archetypes. These gods and goddesses can be approached by the magician in many ways-first, through absorbing the lore and myths of Teutonic folk, and then through vision quests, magickal invocations and evocations. From a magical point of view the chief god and goddess on the Teutonic paths are Woden (known as odhinn in Old Norse), and Freya (or Freyja). Both are powerful magickal archetypes to be explored by both male and female magicians on the Teutonic paths. These are the models of consciousness that most magicians will seek to emulate in their personal magickal developments. There is a whole pantheon of magickal archetypes with whom the vitki can deal. The higher divinities are divided into two kinds, the AEsir and the Vanir. The Aesir are the gods and goddesses of social order and consciousness, while the Vanir are the divinities of nature and well-being. The magickal divinities, Woden and Freya, cross over these boundaries at will. Woden may be considered the chief god of the vitkis. He is a god of the rune-masters, who attmpt to emulate his archetypal pattern in their lives. Woden is a god who sacrifices (gives) "himself to himself" in an act of magickal initiation in order to gain the runes-the knowledge of self and cosmos and the power to act within these realms to effect changes at will. Among the Aesir-besides Woden, the god of magic, poetry, ectasy, and divine synthesis of cousciousness-There is Tiw, the god of justice and rational thought, loyalty and troth-staunch defender of gods and humanity. Frigga is also an important goddess among the Aesir who influences the maintaining of social order within domestic existence. Among the Vanir-besides Freya, the goddess of magick and eroticism -there is Freya's twin brother Frey. The names Frey and Freya literally mean "the Lord and the Lady." The form of religion and magick practiced under their auspices in ancien Anglo-Saxon England was first called by the Old English or Anglo-Saxon word wicca (pronounced "witcha"). Another important Vanic god is Njorth, the father of Freya and Frey, who is the lord of material well-being and plenty. Actually there are many more gods and goddesses to be explored by the worker of Teutonic magick, but these are the key deities who can open the way to the divine realms. The chief way in which the elder path of the troth is practiced and the gods and goddesses are honored is throught the ritual observation of a sacred cycle of the year. Someone can be said to be "true," that is, loyal to the elder troth if he or she simply observes these times of the year. Things can get much more complicated, of course, but this is the simple essence of the folk-way. Winter Night (around October 15) is the Norse New Year, which comes at the close of the old harvesting time. The forces of nature are finished expending themselves. This is the beginning of the most important religious phase of the year-the time of midwinter. Yule (from about December 20 to December 31) is a whole period of time-the old Yuletide, also remembered as the "12 days of Christmas". In this time the whole of the year is magickally contained, and out of it the year is regenerated. The Yuletide begins on Mother Night and ends on Yule itself, 12 nights from the Mother Night. Disting (around February 14) heralds the beginning of the return of the vital forces that had turned inward at the time of Winter Night, and it is the time when many local assemblies are held. Easter (Vernal Equinox) is the full manifestation of the return of the vital powers of nature. The name of this celebration was always Teutonic. Eostre is the goddess of the spring and of the dawn. It is simply a name that the Christians could not obliterate. Walburga /May Day (the nights of April 30 and May 1) is a twofold affair. The night of April 30 is traditionally the "witches" night in central Europe. It is a time when the mysterious night-side of life is strongly manifest. On the other hand, May Day is quite the opposite, being a bright and sunlit celebration of the day-side of life of play and of work. May-poles may be erected on this day or Midsummer Day, or both. Midsummer (North Solstice) is the celebration of the final victory of the Sun in the cycle of the year and of the full manifestation of the vital forces of nature which were given birth during the Yuletide. Thing-tide (around August 23) is the time of the great regional or national gatherings where the social aspects of the troth are given expression. This is the time when legislative and business matters of all kinds are attented to, and when there is a great celebration of the social and organizational aspects of the troth. Harvest /Winter Finding (Autumnal Equinox) begins the culmination of the natural cycle of things that comes into being and passes away toward new beginnings. The end of this period is celebrated on the Winter Night, bringing the cycle to a close. It would be a mistake to see this cycle as one simply having to do with the cycles of nature, in the narrower sense of the word; in fact, the mysteries of anything cyclical are contained in this pattern.

THE RITUALS

The main kind of ritual usually performed during any of these festivals is the blessing. This is a word derived from the Old English bletsian, which meant to perform sacrifice, or more literally, to besprinkle with blood. Only later was it Christianited, like so much else in the religious terminology of the ancient troth. The Old Norse term for this is blot, and it is often used to refer to this kind of rite as well. The equipment basic to the practice of the troth-blessings consists of an altar (harrow), which can be of stone or wood, a drinking vessel (preferably a drinking horn), a bowl, and a sprig of evergreen. The basic blessing formula, which can be adapted to any sacred purpose and can be done to honor or worship any god or goddess, is as follows:

1. HALLOWING, which sets the ritual time/space apart from the ordinary. This is done most simply by tracing the sign of the hammer in the four cardinal points.

2. READING, which places the rite in a mythic context: mythic poems or epics are read or recited.

3. REDE, which links the mythic pattern to the purpose of the ritual at hand. This is a simple or elaborate statement of the main purpose of the rite.

4. CALL, which invokes the deities or classes of beings to be honored in the rite.

5. LOADING, which charges the sacred drink with godly power. This is done by pouring the drink-mead (honey wine), ale, beer, or fruit juices-into the drinking vessel and visualizing the collected powers entering into liquid.

6. DRINKING, which is the consuming of the charged liquid and internal circulation of its power. This is done by drinking from the horn by all present. The horn is never drained-something is always left, which is poured into the blessing bowl on the altar.

7. BLESSING, which is the sprinkling of the altar with the sacred liquid. This is done from the sacrificial bowl with a spring of evergreen, by dipping in the liquid and sprinkling it around the altar.

8. GIVING, which is the returning of the rightful part of the gathered power back to the divinity and/or to nature. This is done by pouring the contents of the blessing bowl onto the bare earth.

9. LEAVING, whitch is the declaration of the end of the work and of the return to the everyday space/time.

This kind of rite can be performed at all of the important times of the year, in honor of all of the gods and goddesses. For a complete system of the religion of the troth, see Edred Thorsson's A Book of Trothand Edward Sitch's Rites of Odin.

From the book, The Truth About TEUTONIC MAGICK

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