A practical guide to the Norse shamanic techniques of seišr
Explains the techniques used to achieve trance in seišr, how to journey in the Nine Realms, and the different gods and spirits you may encounter
Discusses the tools of seišr, such as the seišr staff and hood, and how to create them, empower them, and care for them
Details Norse divination methods, ways to alter fate, healing techniques, the use of protective songs, and the practice of Norse soul retrieval
While Norse rune work is well known, there is another major ancient Norse magical practice: seišr (pronounced sayther), a form of trance spirit work and divination. Although seišr is often considered an ancient form of witchcraft, recent archaeological evidence suggests it is more closely related to shamanism.
In this practical guide to seišr, Dean Kirkland, Ph.D., reconstructs the magical and shamanic techniques of the seišr 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 seišr 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 seišr and how to create them, empower them, and care for them. He explores the use of protective songs (varšlokkur) 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 seišr 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 seišr practitioner may encounter in the Upper Realms, the Middle Worlds, and the Lower Realms. He shares exercises on the Wyrd, divination methods in seišr, as well as ways to alter Ųrlög, or fate, through spiritual work. Discussing soul-healing techniques in seišr, the author looks in depth at the Norse shamanic practices of soul retrieval and reintegration of the soul parts. He then explores seišrs 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.
