Medicine Woman Seeresses
The path of nature and naming is connected as well. Medicine women known as völva
were master herbalists and were able to find medicinal and spiritual remedies for every affliction. To be a storehouse of natural knowledge and a repository of all herbal curatives is a great place of power within society. The völva were highly respected seeresses who were believed to have the ability to engage the otherworldly and interact with beings of the nine worlds. They also had power of prophecy, as such they were held apart as ones with ability to mediate with gods.
For the modern tribe there are many retreats and classes on new styles of runic divinations as well as a plethora of books on runes in the northern tradition. Divination is only one use of the runes, but it may be the most common. Rune activations, initiations and journeys are also becoming a part of the northern pagan landscape, as folk want access to this magical language that scholars delineate as a mere form of writing. The problem with these new traditions, is that a lot of their language and stylistics borrows heavily from indigenous traditions. This causes conflict from purists as well as from folk who deserve to have access to their heritage without appropriating, borrowing or outright stealing from others.
To be true to the northern pagan tradition is to be mindful of practicing those authentic paths; yet to have new meanings or understandings of the old ways is exactly how those traditions can evolve and become modern. We don’t need to have blood feuds to solve conflicts. We don’t need honor killings or a bride price; some may still practice these ancient ways, but today’s traditions can integrate what is important and be expressed in different forms.
The ancient belief systems can provide a meaningful addition to modern life. There is almost no true connection or practice of ancestor veneration within the west. As opposed to some eastern traditions, where there may be house shrines, or photos with garlands or remembrances of family, the nuclearization of kin has been one of the most isolating and destructive elements of post industrial life. Not only is this disconnection mentally and emotionally taxing, but it has serious financial considerations. Generational wealth is harder to build when young people first start out their lives roaming or moving from city to city as the job markets level out at equilibrium between low cost capitol overhead and cheap labor, exhausting those supplies as eventual cost of living raises and corporate tax subsidies end. Renting as a lifestyle in expensive cities can take upto 80% of income and so the average family in separation from their generations postpones marriage and child-rearing for costs. Thusly we see a population decline in the first world. Average early child care costs between $1300 – $2500 USD monthly; notably that is near the price of a part time or full time job, depending on the industry and hours. Children can be prohibitively expensive. Multi generation families have the benefit of potential access to free or low cost child care. In today’s environment however, most adults are isolated with more than half being divorced. The cost of a family in that case moves to three individual homes to upkeep, with rising electricity and energy costs per domicile. In this case, it can be difficult to save money in the environment of stagflation wages and rising costs.
Should the northern pagans once again take up the multi-generational lifestyle, the cost savings could be exponential as several incomes per dwelling could all be moved into home equity or land assets or other forms of savings. The current culture of focusing only on the self and independent spaces may not take into consideration the financial cost of that isolation. For those who want the privacy—independence comes at a steep rate. For others who can enjoy communal living, with shared costs and domestic loads, there is a movement for intentional communities. The saying that it takes a village to raise a child is not forgotten. Intentional communities are growing movement—where non-related families live on the same property, and costs and domestic responsibilities are shared. Importantly, elders and children have a place where they are not excluded or far from the center of the home. Descriptions of this life from testimonials of residents focus on the isolation that is inherent in the nuclear family structure, and how these intentional communes are wonderful play spaces where children can learn from being close to their eldest generation. Mothers especially report feeling supported on the journey of raising children; and that simple things like chores—done together build bonds of fellowship between residents. Bound by ideals; the collective is stronger for their diverse inclusion.
In this way when an entire community has their elders with them; their traditions never truly die. They can easily be taught to the whole. Ancestral practices of honoring one’s family and forebears connects the now to the past lineage. The nuclear family destroys that; in todays’ environment however, more millennials and GenZ are reporting living with parents. While that may be because of the macroeconomic environment, there is substantial benefit in connection with staying close to kin.
A true spiritual benefit of that close connection in domestic life is the chance to practice the beliefs with elders. A coven or group of like-minded peers has power certainly. But the individual journey should not try to erase or make irrelevant the source of one’s life. Integrating one’s own ancestry into the spiritual path, is a way to clarify the mind. Many who have anger or hold grudges at their parents, have the work in front of them. Anger or grudges—holding on to troubles or hurts, is no way to move forward in this life. The paths of the northern pagans may be many, but none would recommend stifling and pausing one’s growth because of traumas that need tending, healing and releasing. Being able to share ritual with a family, for those scientifically minded, is a metaphorical expansion. For spiritually minded, it’s an extension of energy. Respecting ones’ parents and elders is as the ancients did. Embracing the northern pagan path means to also integrate extended family into today’s life for a richer experience of culture.
Respect for one’s ancestry and lineage is the start of the path. What is the northern pagan community amidst others? Defined through its specific traditions and beliefs—not just generic names appropriated from nearby cultures widely known or indigenous; the northern pagan community uses its own language, songs and food to celebrate its sacred days. Leaving the generic to embrace the specific, community of elders in the family precisely pass on memories, anecdotes and stories that bind the community with laughter and sensibility, as well as moral tales that teach the values of the tribe.
A failure of modern society is the commercialization of shared tribal stories. It is excellent to learn from our neighbors and recognize the gem of humanity in all of its fractal sparkling genius. The effect however, of standardized education is often to include world mythologies or Greek classics, before the mythologies and beliefs of one’s own lineage.
While all human tribes have incredible wisdom and different ways to express lessons and moral values, without a solid understanding of the self and own culture, relating to others teachings can offset the growth of understanding one’s ancestry. This is not to encourage xenophobia or any kind of supremacy or cultural centering. Rather this is to strengthen the family ties, and awareness of the beauty that one’s own lineage offers. We all have incredible beauty to share with the world when we accept ourselves for our incredibly wonderous diversity.
As the northern pagans bring their beliefs to their every day there will be repercussions. Society cannot expect the same institutions to last. We see this beginning now, not just in picketing demonstrations; but in the subtleties of quiet quitting for example. We see this in the church closures as less people identify with faiths that their ancestors were converted into. We see this as well with the social movements of restaurants moving towards healthier menus, and we see it in the popular trending culture adopting more nuanced—though often tonedeaf or facetious interactions. The common language of people may sometimes include new age jargon. Rare is the person today who hardly ever uses the word energy to express how their body feels or how their emotions are handling. These expressions are originally exogenous; but in today’s time they make their way into everyday language.
As the tribe rebirths itself, people again gather. The entire globe has seen several social movements that engage the power of numbers. Gone are the times when people will stay plugged into their TVs. The shame of being a couch-potato is unbearable. While body shaming has had a counter cultural turnaround as all diverse shapes and plus-sizes are being fashionably modeled, fitness culture is having a comeback as well, as all body sizes don’t have to be shamed for seeking to engage motion and activity.
Today’s average weight is higher than the past, but the rates of bulimia and anorexia have declined in the past 2 decades as body positivity makes way for new models of self-love and self-improvement along the lines of healthy eating. To this end, food plans and nutritional statistics have changed. The days of 40% carbohydrates have shifted, and fats and dairy have reduced, as greener lifestyles as society moves towards less dependency on animal farming, animal slaughter, and animal captivity. Farms have reduced their crop for animal feed and shifted to diversified vegetables. As more identify with healthier eating, the marketplace identifies demand and meets it with supply.
Overall the cultural continuity continues to arise as shared belief in the values, mythology and faith of the northern pagan community. The codex has been deciphered. Northern pagans are regaining the practices and re-envisioning the cultural heritage. Slowly they are finding out what is significant to them in this journey of rediscovery. Shedding the old, embracing modernity, and exploring what it means to identify and live as a pagan of the northern tradition is a profound adventure. This movement may shake the foundations of civil and political society. As this collective journey gains traction and millions more follow the path of their ancestors, things will shatter and fall apart. The endeavor to regain what was lost—is nigh. The northern pagan once again upholds the ideals and beliefs of the folk. Shrines will be built, praises sung, ale—drunk. The folk arise and cast a circle of shared community.
(End of the Essay)
(Meet Mago Contributor) Jillian Burnett AKA J.A.A. Narayan