Before my brain
injury, I wove altar cloths using wool on my lap loom. As I wove, I meditated
on what I was creating. During these times, I could sense the Norse Goddess
Frigga whispering to me. As the Lady of Asgard, Frigga would guide my efforts,
since She holds the Distaff. Eventually, the All-Mother became my Matron.
After I made my
Runes, I decided to weave a divination cloth in Frigga’s honor. To ascertain
the colors for this Goddess, I consulted Freya Aswynn’s “Northern Mysteries and Magick.” Aswynn said that silver grey was the
color for Frigga. I also researched various depictions of Her. I noticed that
many featured blue, gold, and white, which were symbolic of her position in
Asgard. The green and red of the divination cloth was requested by Frigga to
honor the women, as the Keepers of the Household, with their blood and
fertility. Then with her Blessing, I wove this cloth for my Runic divination.
For storing the
Runes, I purchased a linen bag and a wooden box (to put the bag in). Although
both were undecorated, I felt the Runes (Who I came to see as living entities)
wanted a depiction of the Nine Worlds on each. My sense was that the Runes
belong to all of the Nine Worlds, from which They gain their substance. After reading
Raven Kaldera’s “The Pathfinder’s Guide
to the Nine Worlds,” I understood that the Runes also holds the essence of
the Worlds in Themselves. Therefore, I think that it was appropriate to have
symbols of the Nine Worlds on the box and bag.
I used two different artistic
mediums for the bag and box. I employed magic markers for the bag, and painted the
box with tempura paints. Using Kaldera’s narratives, I was able to envision representative
colors for each World. Hel, the Land of the Dead, is black and white. (It is
the Ninth World, where all the Dead of the Worlds go.) I placed Hel’s symbol in
the center of the bag and the bottom of the box. Muspellheim, the Land of Fire,
is the orange and red circle. Niflheim, the Land of Ice and Fog, is white and
blue (box) or blue and white with a fork (bag). These Worlds are near Hel, and
on either side of the box.
For the worlds of
Ljossalfheim, Vanaheim, and Asgard, the circles all contain yellow to represent
the golden auras of these worlds. The world of the Light Elves, Ljossalfheim also
has green, the traditional color for elves. Vanaheim, the land of the Vanir, includes
brown for its fertile fields of grain. Asgard, where Odin the All Father lives,
is white symbolizing the shining world of the As.
Since Jotunheim is
similar to Midgard (according to Kaldera), I painted the two worlds green and
blue. Midgard, the home of the Humans, is green on the left, and blue on the
right. Jotunheim, the land of the Jotuns, is blue on the left, and green on the
right. On the bag, the world of the Jotuns is green and brown.
Svartalfheim is
shared by the Dark Elves and the Dwarves. Brown is for the Dwarves, who live
underground on this world. Meanwhile, dark green is for the Dark Elves. On the
bag, Svartalfheim is red and purple for the forges of the Dwarves and the
darkness of the Elves, respectively.
After I decorated the
box and the bag, I placed the Runes first in the bag, then in the box. After
They resided for some time in the bag/box, the Runes seemed, to me, happy. I
also felt that their power had increased since They were now connected with the
Nine Worlds.
Works
Used:
Aswynn, Freya, “Northern Mysteries & Magick,”
Llewellyn, Woodbury, MN, 1998.
Kaldera, Raven, “The Pathfinder’s Guide to the Nine Worlds,”
Asphodel, Hubbardston, MA, 2007.
Wild, Sean, “The Runes Workbook,” Thunder Bay, San
Diego, CA, 2004.
Please note that I decorated the box and bag for this assignment.
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