Web of Wyrd May 2005
THE LAST SIX MONTHS
WELCOME to the fifth Ice and Fire member’s magazine, bringing you up to date with what is happening in our world. This year so far, we have run a second very successful Foundation Course, whilst maintaining our regular monthly courses and presence at various events. Membership has continued to increase, and happily there is a balance between ladies and gents, many of whom regularly attend courses. Inside this issue, we will give you a flavour of the courses, and personal experiences of some of our members who have contributed to this mag.
Return to top of pageHow Stav helped me take control of a dangerous situation
I was driving home late one night, the wind was blowing and the roads were dark, on my way to my parents’ house where I was staying. Down the darkest road that joins Blackbird Leys and Garsington I noticed that trees had fallen onto the opposite side of the road, tired and eager to get home I drove on.
Early that morning, around 7 I had to drive my sister to hospital, remembering the state of the road I drove carefully and I started to think that I should do something. After dropping my sister off I pulled over and informed the police, they told me that many trees were down across the county but thanked me for informing them.
On the way back I saw a guy hobbling just near the trees, turned out he had not seen the trees 'til too late and had come off his bike, he was ok and someone was en route to pick him up. While he had been waiting he had attempted to move one of the trees off the road. At this time the morning fog was still around and I realised that I had to warn others of the danger.
Equipped with my hat and my gloves I set about moving the trees, I parked my car just before the trees and set the hazards on. I felt like I was working with nature whilst aiding my community. At the time I was not conscious of my mind set from a Stav point of view, but looking back it was somewhere between Herse and Konge, the Konge side gave me the determination to get the job done and the Herse side was the soldier looking out for the tribe.
Having removed the trees I phoned the police again to tell them that the fallen trees in this area were less important, again the Herse in me aiding community on a larger scale. The fog was lifting and the light was getting brighter so I felt things were now in a suitable state, I got in my car, drove up the road to turn around and noticed the largest tree, in my urgency I had missed it, it was some way further down and was covering the whole of one side of the road. I set about moving it but it was not to be, someone else stopped and tried to assist but even two of us could not move it. The weather turned to worse and the rain began to fall, I soldiered on determined to finish the job, again the Konge mindset was in full flow.
I took the decision to go and get some tools, quickly drove to my parents house just down the road and came back with a couple of saws, this enabled me to finish the job.
On that day I feel I really did something for the community and this was highlighted on my way home when I popped in to the local cornershop. I mentioned that the trees were fallen and asked the shop keeper to tell people to be wary, turned out he had seen me pulling the trees about earlier and he said "I was in a rush to get to work and I thought it is not my responsibility, but then I suppose it is all of our responsibilities"
This comment sat with me and I gave it some thought, in the modern culture it is easy to rely on the council services and the police force to keep things in check and assume that it is not your responsibility, to take the selfish view, and I am glad that on that day I took responsibility and did my bit for the community. I feel that my Stav training gave me the insight, determination and wherewithal to take on this role.
Gareth Warren, Oxford Stav Hov
Return to top of pageStav
I came to Stav to learn a form of divination. After looking at the variousbooks and workshops in the UK, I discovered some links to Stav websites based in this country. As someone who can "work" things easier than reading and researching them, I was drawn to Stav as a practical working Rune system. After getting over the whole "Is this really a 1,500 year old family tradition?" I contacted the StavOx Hov and joined the Oxford based group.
After committing to a three day foundation workshop, spread over three months, it became clear that Stav was a working system that I could work with. It was more complicated than reading, but learning the stances was explained as the very basis of the system. If you didn't know the stances, you didn't know Stav. It had depth. It had an historical basis as a real system, used well over a thousand years ago, and is proven both by Ivar Hafskjold and the Rune writings from the period. Ivar's claim of the family tradition going back to the days when three nations in the north decided to condense the elder 24 rune system into the younger 16 Rune system, gives a strong starting point of study into this new condensed Rune system, as does the surviving runic writings of the 16 runes. None of which has survived from the elder, 24 Rune system, as far as I can tell.
These historical associations, together with the stances allowed me time to absorb the younger futhark. Something that was explained to me as unavailable in the older, and perhaps mistakenly, better, 24 Rune system. The elder system has its meanings lost to history. So what I was working with, was a system of physical stances, that allowed me to slowly absorb the Runes, and in other quiet times, melt into the myths and poems of the time through reading and meditation. Even dream work plays its part. But it gets better!
When you experience the chanting in a Seid group or the chants in Galder, it moves up a notch. (In my humble opinion) Overall, the Stav Tradition just gets better the more I study, and the more it makes sense. Yeah, I know I haven't mentioned the self-defence applications of Stav, but that's not why I am here. I'm happier mixing up a few herbs and making scented candles, but at least I can hit someone now, if call me a big girl. I think, if you're like me, and want to experience the spiritual side more, you'll always be fighting (pun intended) with the Stav tradition. Without the regular martial applied workshops, I doubt Stav would be as big as it is today. In fact, I suspect Ivar's focus is on the martial side. 1,000 years ago martial training was a common-day thing, and not the hobby it's become today. Thus the Stav tradition keeps the martial side very much to the fore, in keeping with the mind set of an older culture.
So, to round up after meeting Ivar for the first time, the tradition of Stav does appear complete enough, through the teachings handed down the generations of his family, to be a very real and workable system. Though he fully agreed that Stav itself is constantly evolving. I think it's this realisation that many have missed in taking up the elder futhark as older and better. The Codex Regius remains strongly footed in the younger futhark on which Stav is based. As Kenneth Meadows says in Rune Power, when talkingabout the 24 Runes (ISBN 0 7126 1040-5): "Although these historical writings describe Runic characteristics, they do not reveal the power of the Runes or explain how to use them". Whilst I understand that part of the deeper meaning of what he says, could it be that the encountered problem here, is in the attempt to use a different set of Runes with the only surviving texts? Ivar actually suggests it has been easier for authors to write about the elder system, as it's difficult for anyone to say what is wrong or right, when clearly no-one really knows much about these older Runes.
As I alluded above, a deeper connection to the Runes only comes through working with the Runes over time. When the practitioner regards them as friends as much as teachers. When the web begins to makes sense and revelations through the Runes occur. When it's second nature (or do I mean first nature) to understand through Stav. Then perhaps, the Runes reveal their true nature. But only after study, practice and living in the web, built on sound teachings, and based on a codex that is still being used today. Writings that were written for and about the same Runes used in Stav.
Bring it on
BB, snake
Return to top of pageAn introduction to Hamingja
There are three closely related concepts in Stav: Orlog, Wyrd and Hamingja.
In mythology, Orlog was a Primal Goddess, above and beyond goddesses such as Frigg and Freya. She ordained the fate, or destiny, of the world and those within it. Her decrees were absolute, binding even Odin to an unavoidable destiny. Wyrd was another Primal Goddess and is the mother of the Norns - or, arguably, she is the embodiment of the whole of the wisdom and knowledge of the Norns, the whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
For the individual, Orlog is the result of all our potential, the combination of our strengths, weaknesses and abilities. It is everything we can ever be. It is our ultimate, idealised, destination. In this sense, it can be regarded as the Web we are seeking to make our own. To work with any Web, though, requires the use of Lines, and that is what the individual Wyrd provides. Like the weaving of the Norns, our Wyrd is our progress towards our Orlog. It shows us all we’ve done so far, what our immediate choices are, and what we should do next to continue our true path towards Orlog. Wyrd is our constantly changing ability to consider where we are, where we are going. The measure of how well, or poorly, we work our Wyrd towards our Orlog is governed by our knowledge of how to use our strengths and be aware of our weaknesses. This measure is our Hamingja.
One definition of the word Hamingja is ‘reputation’, but it goes much deeper than our general understanding of that word. It is not reputation in that its purpose is to make people think well of us. We can do things that make people think we are marvellous, but it could be harming our Hamingja. For example, Hamingja is not about being noble or generous or philanthropic in order to be seen to be doing this. It is not about scoring points. If your heart is not in these noble deeds then you will be acquiring poor Hamingja because you are not following your Orlog. It would be better to leave such deeds until you are truly ready to carry them out, and become more faithful to your Orlog.
From time to time, we all try to do things that we simply can not do because they fall outside our abilities. Often this can lead to frustration or even depression when we try - or are forced to try. Sometimes, however, we don’t realise that we’re getting nowhere, or we’re so determined - or so set in our ways - that we push on regardless. This might create the Victorian ‘good moral fibre’, but we will be fighting against ourselves all the way, and when we get there (if we get there) we will find it a dead end because we are unable to fully utilise what we have struggled to gain. This results in poor Hamingja.
Hamingja as reputation, therefore, is less what others may think of us and more how we live within ourselves. Are we being true to our own nature, our own strengths, our own Orlog? We can lie to other people, we can even lie to ourselves, but we can never lie to Hamingja. To try is to waste our time and achieve nothing.
By living truly to ourselves, our Hamingja will be strong and we can respect ourselves. Then other people will respect us for what we really are, not for what we - or they - may wish us to be. The concept of Hamingja is very closely related to the Hindu concept of Karma, so beloved within the current New Age movement. The ‘New Age’ Karma, though, has become highly simplified and is often used as an excuse to do things that are not appropriate, rather than accepting responsibility. The original Hindu concept of Karma is more in line with the depth of Hamingja. Both become measures of our lives. This certainly has relevance to the Earthly life, as mentioned in Reputation, above, but it can also have potentials for the afterlife, as well. Many cultures speak of the dead being weighed for worth - even the Christian faith alludes to it. This can be regarded as the test of how well we have lived up to our Orlog: the measure of our Hamingja. In Nordic tradition there were two possible fates awaiting the deceased. Most usually, the soul would be found wanting and would go to Hel. This was not a place of punishment, but literal: they would go to the goddess Hel. This goddess, half corpse, half maiden, embodied Death and Rebirth. After due time, in which the soul of the deceased considered their earlier conduct, the soul would be reborn to try again.
The alternative was for the soul’s Hamingja to be found worthy. In other words, they had routed their Wyrd in accordance with their Orlog. These rare souls would be granted entrance to Aesgard. This could be regarded as the Nordic equivalent of the Buddhist concept of Enlightenment.
Whether we choose to believe this concept of afterlife, or whether we believe in an afterlife at all, is an entirely personal decision and is fairly arbitrary. By learning of our Orlog and guiding our Wyrd with our Hamingja, it is possible to make the most out of this lifetime. Ultimately, that is all we’ve ever really got.
David Stone
Return to top of pageINTEGRATING THE STANCES INTO DAILY ROUTINE
Have you ever gone to a class, or learnt something new, found it a wonderful life tool, only to go home and forget it. Well, I've done that with all sorts of things. I did hatha yoga, a great thing to do, easy to fit in the daily routine, but I lost interest. Not so with the stances, which I've been doing regularly for years. What do I attribute this to? the benefit to my breathing and posture? good physical stretching? the psychological benefits of noting the body's response to holding the shape of the runes? Well, could be, but I think there's an added factor, which I call the tea factor. Let me explain: Much of my lifestyle revolves around rituals. Like many other people, especially with Yorkshire ancestry, I like my cup of tea in the morning and early evening. Have you ever wondered what to do with those irritating minutes between putting the kettle on and making the tea? Knowing full well that a watched pot never boils, one day I decided to do the stances. One set takes just the right amount of time, and balances me ready to enjoy a decent cuppa.
Over tea I can contemplate whether my body is trying to tell me anything and monitor any aches and pains and question any psychological reasons for, say, missing out a stance, and so on. More importantly, perhaps, this ritual makes me stop and take stock before rushing out the door. Likewise, after work, it helps me leave work behind before having a cuppa.
You may think this article is more about tea than Stav, and you might be right, but by associating the stances with an important daily ritual, I personally have found a practical method for doing them which works for me. Moreover, with a little creative thinking, you may find a method that works for you.
Good luck, Sue
Return to top of pageFreya`s Tree: the Elderberry (Sambucus nigra).
Able to grow in dense shade on poor soil and yet yield tresses of highly fragrant creamy white flowers followed by panniers of tiny black berries the elder tree is entwined with myth and superstition. The tree of regeneration, rooting from any part of itself and regrowing damaged branches. Known as the countryman's apothecary, it can be used as nature's medicine chest from shoot to root by those wise enough to responsibly adhere to the tree lore. A Queen among trees the bark is a diuretic and purgative. Shoots clear the lungs and head of phlegm; the pith induces sleep, cures toothache and warts. Leaves reduce inflammation, (care as they are toxic in the wrong dosage). Flowers are sudorific, diuretic, febrifuge, anodyne and anti-rheumatic. The properties of berries are similar if slightly reduced in potency, also being aperient, emetic and diuretic. Roots may be used for purging but ensure it is English elder!!
Today's elder are usually shrubby but in the past they have grown to a 2m girth, elder is deciduous, chalk loving and its twigs are delightfully hollow once the pith is removed, making an ideal child's whistle. (Do take care to remove the pith though or it will induce sleep, hence the tales of falling asleep under an elder and being whisked into the land of the faerie or into the underworld! Seduced by the sap exuded from the leaves). One of the elder’s names being “bore tree” or “pipe tree” as it is easily used to make pipes bellows and the like for making fire. It has been suggested that the name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon Aeld, meaning fire, possibly referring to the pithy core of the wood which was used as tinder, or ellaern meaning hollow tree. Certainly the wood itself makes a poor fuel, and the biology and structure of the wood and its sap makes it scream and spit whilst burning. No doubt adding substance to the later christianised views that the tree was used by witches to hide within or by the belief that it was the Devil spitting from the heat of the fire Across Europe the elder was believed to personify the spirit of the “Elder Mother” who dwelt within the tree, working strong earth magic and avenging those who harmed her sacred trees. No one would dare cut wood without asking permission and today wise folk still acknowledge her presence when passing an elder tree. In Lincolnshire the correct way to approach the tree was to say “Old woman give me some of thy wood, and I will give thee some of mine when I grow into a tree”. Other more modern offerings could include silver coins, tobacco or a libation of some kind, particularly when taking parts of the tree for healing purposes. To burn the wood was (and is) unforgivable as it offended Mother Elder. No elder wood is used for furniture and never for a baby's cot for superstition says that the spirits will pinch the baby black and blue! Like rowan, the elder was thought of as being a protective tree, and it was favourable to have a tree growing nearby. The rowan was traditionally placed at the front of the house, the elder's at the back door, to keep evil spirits and other negative influences from entering the home. (As an aside it is interesting that the protection of the rowan also fell foul of later religious influences and also became known as a protector from witches, rather ironic really). The scent exuded by the elder's leaves has long been known to repel flies, so this folklore reflects the need to keep such insects, and the diseases that they carried, away from the kitchen and food. Bunches of leaves were hung by doorways, in livestock barns, and attached to horses' bridles as a natural fly repellent. The leaves are not a horse's favourite and so do not create a distraction whilst riding. Unfortunately as with many other native trees and plants with potent pagan associations, the elder subsequently had negative Christian legends associated with it, to suppress earlier beliefs. The elder was doubly cursed as being the tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself, as well as being one of several trees 'accused' of having supplied the wood for the Crucifixion Cross (oak and aspen being other popular culprits). The Elder Mother who had once been a powerful female figure venerated and respected for the valuable healing properties of her tree became feared as a witch in Christian times. In Ireland the witches were said to use elder boughs as magic horses, whilst in England the crooked shape of the tree was said to represent the bent old witch who lived within the tree and would bleed if a branch were to be cut. This witch paranoia is well illustrated by a Northamptonshire tale of a man who cut some elder as a toy for his child only to see the twig bleed. Later that day a woman in the village was seen with her arm bound up, such was the abject hysteria of the time that she was then ducked for being a witch. The elder's historical uses for healing were systematically crushed by a church eager to replace local healers with its own priests and so folklore became bastardised into a pseudo folklore, bearing in mind that the best way to stamp out an idea is to ridicule it or inject a dose of fear! The protective power of the elder became twisted so that instead of being the home of a Mother Goddess the tree would actually represent protection from such a figure. By planting an elder it was said that witches would be kept at bay! A baptized person would have elder sap squeezed onto their eyelids to allow them to “see” witches within the community. Slices of elder pith cut into flat circles, dipped in oil, lit like candles and floated on water would reveal “all the sorcerers and witches of thy neighbourhood” and a stick of lighted elder dipped in oil and floated in a bowl would point to any witch present at the gathering. Oh joy!! I expect that was a popular meeting for any poor local folk! The Devil was said to reside upon a throne of elder and so through the church all things divinely female became devilish.
In Norse & Teutonic myth, Elderberry was sacred to the cthonic goddess Hulda, & in the later period of the scalds, to Freya or to Frigg. It was within the Elder Tree that Freya dwelt. The elder’s Danish name is Hyld, after the Goddess, Queen of the Fairies. In German she is Dame Holda, "Lady Elder", an Aphrodite-like deity who over time was eroded into a fairy or dryad of the elder tree. Since Freya came to be regarded as a Goddess of Witchcraft, elders were in medieval times called Witches trees. Holda was an archaic Earthmother, Moon Goddess, Hearth Mother, & Wind-goddess ruling over the weather, whose name was synonymous with Elder. She was also called Holle or Holla, which means Sacred. Interestingly this name eventually came to be associated with the Holly tree. Hulda's folklore of the Elder is often entwined with Frigga. Frigga's wintery holly mythology did once belong to Hulda, who as a Maiden dwelt in the summer-fruiting Elder Tree bestowing fertility on the world, but who as the Winter Hag dwelt in the winter-fruited Holly Tree, the tree which had leaves & fruit out of the normal season. Like Persephone, Hulda was forced to marry a Death-god named Holler, whom it is said we may identify with the Holly King who in Celtic myth ruled winter & death, although the Holly King and Oak King have a surprisingly short “history” and are unlikely to have been known to the Celts at all!
So the Hulda's warm hearth was joined ultimately with the fires of the underworld. And superstitions against the burning of either of holly or of elder wood may also be because the hearthfire has this deathly connection, whilst the smoke of holly or elder can release underworld spirits. In medieval times Hulda compounded with Frigga was recalled as Frau Holly, the Queen of Witches, who dwelt in holly branches, but she had once also been Lady Elderberry, Sovereign of Spring, comparable to Persephone who ruled Death half each year, and Life the other half. So too Freya or Frigga though originally a fertility goddess became in medieval times a powerful witch, whose coven could be held at bay with protective sprigs of holly or elder.
The appearance of the laden tresses of millions of tiny creamy white flowers at midsummer lacing the air with a distinctively rich fragrance heralds the peak of the fertile period, warmth and light, fun, a period of comparable relaxation and joy before the hard work of the harvest sets in. No wonder that this delightful tree is associated with Freya. The elder is alive with a myriad of eager and busy insects and hums with life. Folklore has it that it flowers on the solstice but with recent global warming elder flowers can be seen in early June or even late may! The subsequent effect being that the long awaited berries are no longer sacred to Samhain and the links with regeneration and the underworld, but can be gathered in September.
There are many recipes for elderflower cordial, I will share mine here as it is tried and tested and most importantly will freeze in plastic bottles, becoming a lazy syrup, readily removed for use long after the flowers have passed.
Summer Elderflower and Aphid Cordial.
Yes aphid! I do not hold with the washing of the flowers because all the pollen is lost down the sink making a weak flavoured shadow of the cordials real potential. By all means pick out the less wholesome looking parts, larger livestock and bird deposits and of course ensure that you have collected from a suitable tree (not next to a main road etc.), remembering that after all the aphids represent little bags of elder sap and usually plaster the blooms so removal is really quite impractical.
Having found a suitable tree, and of course prepared your libation, remember that to strip this tree is not good if you want to return to collect berries later in the year. A sensible harvest should be respectful and from several trees, remembering that you are not the only one who is enjoying the bounty. I always ask politely for permission, stating that the brew is not going to be used lightly but for healing and ensure I leave a gift of some kind and remember to say thank you!
Collect your flowers on the day you will use them, a trug or basket is romantic but a plastic carrier bag quite practical! You will need a large jam pan, ideally a muslin jelly-straining bag or clean hanky but a pair of new tights will do -beekeepers use tights to filter honey! And the usual stirring spoons and other equipment found in most kitchens. Scissors are a quick and successful way of snipping off the flowerheads from the many, many stalks.
You will need:
20 heads of elderflowers (I usually double this for a healing brew)
2 pints of spring water (please not tap water)
3lbs of organic sugar (this gives a golden colour to the cordial)
now you can either use 1 unwaxed organic lemon and 3oz citric acid or (bearing in mind in ye olde dayes citric acid wouldn’?t have been in the local winemakers store), use about 6 unwaxed organic lemons. I usually use more lemons as the flavour is better and it has a more natural feel to it.
Boil the water, add the sugar and sliced lemons. Once the sugar is dissolved add your aphid flowers and if you are using it citric acid. Boil for about 4 minutes and cool. Once cool you can strain to get the lumps out and bottle, but I like to let the mixtures infuse at room temperature overnight to ensure a richly flavoured brew. This will keep in the fridge for about a month or so but of course will freeze nicely. Exactly the same principle can be used later in the year for elder berries the quantities of berries being quite negotiable, and of course other autumnal delights can be added like seasonal fruits, cloves, mulling spices to give a twist to the original recipe. Likewise this too will freeze. I have yet to experiment with lavender cordial or rose but suspect the outcomes will be similar. Enjoy the bounty!
Useful definitions!
Sudorific induces perspiration
Febrifuge lowers body temp to prevent fever
Anodyne pain relief
Aperient purgative laxative
Emetic induces nausea and vomiting
Diuretic increases flow of urine
From ‘Old Mother Gussets Country Apothecary’
Return to top of pageElder Lore From A Stáv Perspective
The previous article just goes to show the great variety of folklore that a respected tree, such as the elder, can provide. While much of this is often conjecture, due to the original uses and lore being corrupted over time, (the knowledge being either passed on by someone who did not understand the lore, or deliberately altered it to make it more ‘palatable’, or even rationalised by the recorder), the core elements often remain. These can provide the key to grasping some understanding of how the plant was considered. It is dangerous, however, to draw these conclusions as to how the plant was thought of, and then to apply that theory to everyone in a specific geographical location, as (even assuming the theory is correct) it is likely that different areas would have there own traditions and beliefs, even down to individual villages, although there would probably be more common ground than not when it came to the ‘core’ of the traditions/beliefs.
So, with that out of the way, how do we look at elder from a Stáv perspective? Perhaps the best place to start is to look at existing lore and see what we can make of it. As mentioned in the article, there is an old woodcutters’ ‘charm’, spoken when cutting elder: “Old woman give me some of thy wood, and I will give thee some of mine when I grow into a tree”, several variations of which are recorded, all essentially the same. This may seem like a bit of an unfair bargain, for people don't just turn into trees in everyday life, but this isn't perhaps as odd as it sounds. The deal, as is generally interpreted, is that “let me have some of your wood now, and when I die you can use the nutrients of my body to grow” - i.e. when I grow into a tree, albeit the folklore is rather more poetic. This now makes more sense, especially when considering the elder from both a Stáv and biological perspective. The elder grows best when in nitrogen-rich soil, which would be provided by a body buried in the ground; also, in the Stáv tradition, elder is connected to the goddess Hel (arguably cognate with the Danish name for the Elder given above), who rules over the dead (although this is putting it a little simply), and is connected to the Rei rune, who's main association can be seen as death (and more importantly, perhaps, death in order that there can be life). It is interesting that the name Hel means 'hidden', and in Orkney folklore there is a tradition of a magical place called Hildaland - literally the Hidden Land. It is reasonable speculation to look at words/names like Hyld and Hulda, and then do some research. Hel can also be said, almost certainly, to equate to Frau Holla of Germany, who was said to be ‘shaking out her bed linen’ when it snowed. In Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Elder-Tree Mother”, published in 1845, She becomes ‘Remembrance”, and it is easy to see earlier lore about the Elder Mother and her tree brought up to date for a Danish audience, as is true for many ‘fairy tales’, often reduced to little more than passing entertainment for young children. Andersen’s piece also reveals some insights into the character of Hel that often aren’t explicitly mentioned, but which can be seen at least hinted at in the Stav lore.
It is perhaps its love of nitrogen rich soils, which make graveyards an ideal growing environment, that have connected Elder to death in so many cultures around Europe, but the same soils are loved by many other species so it cannot only be this. It was not uncommon in past times for the dead to be buried with an elder branch to ward off evil spirits, which could possibly be a corruption of a theoretical tradition thought to get Hel to look favourably on the deceased by sending them on their way with a piece of Her tree - grave-goods by another name. It was also traditional for the hearse driver to carry a whip of elder wood for the same purpose. Perhaps also, the appearance of the tree plays a part, for its rambling tangled mass of branches give it a unique character, setting it apart from the elegant majesty of the oak or ash. Coupled with this are the dramatic colour combinations seen through the year - the mass of creamy white blossoms give way to huge amounts of berries, their weight bearing down the boughs heavily. That these berries are such a dark red as to be almost black, and traditionally are ready to harvest on Hallowe’en/Samhain, etc, the times when boundaries between the living and dead were traditionally considered to be lowered, an association can begin to be seen between the plant and death. From a specifically Norse point of view, these colours play an important part also, for Hel is generally considered to be half alive and half dead, or half white and half black, and it is easy to see this in the tree, from the white flowers of spring, when life is at its strongest and most visible, balanced with the blood coloured berries that arrive for the end of October, a time that is generally reckoned to be the old end, or death, of the year.
This is just a brief touch on some of the mythology and the like, and the reader is encouraged to look further beyond the words here to a fascinating world of folk tradition that can only help with Stav studies, and which may be more accessible after studying the body of lore from the Hafskjold tradition. A good jumping off point for further Stav studies could be to consider why, in the previous article, the elder could have been considered to be connected to Freya, other than the reasons given above.
Happy learning.
Darren Wells
Return to top of pageUnarmed Combat in Stav - Part 2
Working with the Web
If we should be unfortunate enough to be attacked then it is helpful if we can simply see this as a matter of someone entering our web. If we concern ourselves with the aggressor's intent, or our own fear of being hurt or humiliated, then we give the attack more importance than it deserves and we will make the situation worse than it already is. In fact the situation is very simple, the attacker either enters our web, or they do not. If they enter, we either hold the line forcing them to relinquish their intended line of attack, or we allow them to have their line of choice and adopt a different one. The five principles teach us how to utilise different lines within our web. When we counter-attack then the opponent either remains fluid or becomes rigid. If they remain fluid they can be thrown or locked, if they become rigid they can be struck. It is essential to be aware which of these options your opponent has taken and then make the appropriate response with full power and commitment. It is always best to let the attacker make a free decision regarding their own action, then instantly take total advantage of that decision.
This is easy to describe, but needs to be realistically practised to become a natural response. A fairly safe, yet effective, method of practising this principle is with a staff. Hold the staff in the As position and invite your training partner to grasp the other end of the staff. As they do so attempt to rotate the staff end either clockwise or anti-clockwise. If they are holding with the right hand then an anti-clockwise movement will attempt to throw your partner over backwards. A clockwise movement aims to result in a kind of wristlock. If you can manage one of these movements before your partner has managed to become rigid in their position then you will either throw or lock them. If they manage to hold rigidly to the staff then it will probably be impossible to complete either of these movements. If you happen to be a good deal stronger than your opponent then you may be able to overcome their rigidity. But we should always train on the assumption that we will probably only be attacked by someone who is at least as strong as we are, if not stronger. For this reason never meet force with force or strength with strength. Rather allow the attacker to make a free choice and take the advantage this choice gives us. This means that as soon as we detect rigidity in the grip on the staff move straight up the staff using the Tyr position and strike to the center-line. Work with your training partner sometimes going rigid and sometimes remaining fluid so that your response becomes instinctive.
The next stage is to have your partner attack you with a cudgel. Trap the cudgel and attempt to disarm your partner, if they are fluid then throw or lock them, if they go rigid then strike. Move on to a knife attack and finally a punch or wrist grab and work with the same principle. Do not meet force with force, rather turn the attack to your own advantage and exploit the opportunity without mercy.
I will be exploring practical self-defence through the application of Stav at the Six Elements Warrior Camp in August
Graham Butcher
Return to top of pageLady Hella
He lay on his bed, hearing the weeping of his family become muted and distant. Breathing had become bothersome and he took fewer breaths. His gaze was fixed on three hooded women who stood close by. One coiled the remaining thread on her drop-spindle and stowed it away in her cloak. Another sheathed her knife from cutting the thread. The third continued weaving the remaining strand until it was all used up. She then removed the fabric from her loom and passed it to a fourth woman who had appeared.
As she took it, he realised all sight and sound of his death chamber had faded entirely and he hung or floated in a vague state of other-ness. He turned his attention to the woman, the only one present now, as she approached with the cloth. She stared at him through hollow, dead eyes, her face that of a wizened corpse. Her hair hung in lank wisps and her robes were decayed death shrouds. Although her appearance was hideous, he felt no fear and no revulsion as she approached. He watched passively as lady Hella bent over him and he made no move as he shrouded him in the fabric of his life.
Her arms wrapped around him and he felt himself being lifted, being pressed to her bony breast as she carried him. How long she cradled him he never knew, for time meant nothing any more. All he knew was that she did not set him down until he was ready. He knelt and pulled the shroud off, curious to see where he was. Once he'd caught a sight of the cloth, though, all other matters faded. It was a decent length, woven with the pattern of nine lines, but in a form he had never imagined.
He gazed at it for what would have seemed a long time if time had meaning. A single thread wound its way through it and he followed its path, intrigued. He saw where it was tight and well woven, and where it was loose and left holes. He saw the overall pattern, but also saw where the pattern wobbled uncertainly and places where the pattern had gone altogether awry. He frowned, sighing in disappointment as his fingers lingered in these places.
"No regrets," a voice spoke, with the firmness of a teacher and the infinite patience of a mother. "Learn from your life's mistakes, don't regret them. They are what make you who you are." He looked up at her and realised she was no longer a wizened corpse, though he couldn't tell exactly how she had changed. He wondered if he had changed and that was why she appeared different. He turned his attention back to his Wyrd. Finally, though no time as he understood it had passed, he set it down. He had come to accept it, to see it for what it was with its perfections and imperfections combined. He gave a sigh of contentment and felt tears fall on his face.
He looked up and saw lady Hella standing above him. Tears coursed down her lush cheeks, though she smiled happily at him through them. "Come," she said and reached down to take his hand. With no effort she pulled him through her legs and cradled him to her full bosom for a moment as if he were a newborn babe.
Then she released him and the thread of new life plucked him away from Death and drew him onwards.
Return to top of pageTHE WEAPONS OF STÁV - The Sword
For the last two issues we have been looking at the various weapons that we use for training in the martial aspects of Stáv. We are focussing on the five main teaching weapons - one for each of the five classes - in the first article we looked at the cudgel: the weapon of the Trel, and last issue we looked at the weapon of the Karl: the axe.
The third weapon that we need to look at is the sword. The sword that we use in Stáv is fairly specific. While it is true that work with the cudgel is also applicable to the one handed sword, it is still taught as cudgel. The two handed, or rather hand and a half, sword training is rather more specific, though. While it is possible (indeed perfectly valid) to use the sword basics with a staff, or any other weapon, one has to bear in mind certain factors - for example a cut with a sword can take off a hand or an arm (at the very least, it is enough of a threat to cause your opponent to respond to it), while the same ‘cut’ with a staff may break bones if you are lucky, but will more likely just annoy your protagonist, especially if they are wearing heavy clothing.
So, when we talk about the sword in Stáv terms, let’?s have a look at what we mean by that. The weapon that we train with is called generically a longsword, on account of it being a weapon of war rather than personal sidearm intended for self-defence, and is more than three feet in length (not that this is an academic classification). Further, it is of a generic type called, variously, ‘hand and a half sword’, ‘bastard sword’, war sword’? and great sword’ (although these last two are much discussed by historians, owing to their different uses in the historical sources). This means that the sword is of a weight and length that is comfortably used with one hand, but the handle or grip is long enough to allow the wielder to place their second hand behind the first, allowing it to be used in a stronger fashion with two hands (although this does slightly restrict the manoeuvrability of the weapon). It is this great flexibility in use that makes the sword we train with so useful and powerful. Furthermore, the sword has many more offensive parts than is apparent from countless Hollywood films: the blade speaks for itself, and is the part most people imagine fighting with, and to an extent this is true. However, when the situation requires it the blade can be held, and the weapon wielded more like a short spear; the quillions (cross-piece) can be used to stab or gouge, like a pick; the pommel (the balance-weight on the end of the grip - opposite end from the pointy bit!) can be used to smash like a…well, like a big lump of metal! Another important separation from the world of Hollywood is the weight - these swords are always imagined to be heavy and unwieldy, but in fact they historically weighed on average only a couple of pounds, with the heaviest weighing in at around 4 pounds. This makes for a weapon that is incredibly light, well balanced and powerful. It should be stated that the wasters (wooden training swords) that we use do not come from the Viking period, but rather from around the late 13th Century onwards, from the classic ‘Age of Chivalry’.
There are often people involved in the modern Western Martial Arts movement who object that Stáv is a ‘Viking martial art’ that doesn’t use ‘Viking weapons’, meaning that we don’t use shields, we use swords of a later date and style, and we don’t dress in traditional Viking costumes. True, we do not use the battle line formation of sword and shield, so beloved of historians. Nor do we use the combination of spear and shield, which was probably the more common battlefield armament. From the surviving sagas and other evidence, it seems clear that, whether in battle or duelling, the contemporary Viking’s armament of choice was the sword and shield. In part, this could be seen as the contemporary norm - as weapons go, the sword and shield combo is well tried and tested, and extremely effective, with a long history. The method of sword production improved over the years - increasing strength, sharpness, and resistance to wear - and while the styles changed, the importance associated with the sword did not diminish so much as grow. This can be seen in the tales associated with the Norse God Tyr, and the occurrences of the name of the Saxon God Saxnot, who was named for the sword, as were his people, the Saxons - Sax (seax/sæx) means sword, or rather a style of blade that could range from a knife two inches long to a three foot sword, as can be seen in the Stáv weapon of the scramasax. Oaths were sworn on the tip of a sword, and in the Christian era this changed to swearing on the cross of the hilt (formed by the quillions crossing the blade where it meets the hilt), as this was seen to be a representation of the ‘true’? cross, indeed making the whole weapon holy and suitable for a pious king to wield. It has been suggested that the quillions of the ‘classic’ medieval sword were developed in order to portray the cross, but this seems unlikely, and more likely developed due to far more practical reasons.
Although in many ways inferior to other weapons, such as the spear, even today the sword retains an element of the noble about it, and a sense of mystique - this was the weapon of kings and leaders. Indeed, owing to the amount of work involved in the making, reflected in the cost of such a sword, it would only be available to the rich nobility, as a gift/reward from such a lord, inherited, or taken from a fallen opponent. Added to this is the mysticism associated with the weapon - the smith produces such a beautiful piece of work from raw materials, iron ore hidden within what appears to be simple rock, that it is easy to see the relationship to the fabled dwarfish smiths of the mythology. Coupled with that are the sword production techniques from the Viking Age. Different pieces of iron are forged, twisted and welded together to form a very strong steel. One of the results of this is that the steel has a very pretty herringbone pattern down the length of the blade, from where all the metal has been twisted together. The blade would often be dipped in acid to anneal it, and this would bring out this pattern more clearly - the whole effect could make the sword appear otherworldly (especially if inlaid with a precious metal, such as silver, or gemstones, all of which shout out that it is a magical product of the dwarves). Although by the end of the Viking period, steel production techniques had vastly improved, enabling more easily produced, higher quality steels, so that in one saga all the Vikings on a ship are recruited and equipped with swords from the hold.
So, the sword is a badge, a symbol of office and status - it proclaims that here is someone not to be messed with, someone of rank and status to be your superior. The sword has only one physical function, and that is to wound and kill. That may be enough, but without the skill to back it up the sword becomes something of a liability - it screams to all who would be so inclined ‘come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough’. Like the policeman’s uniform or the Sheriff’s badge, it means nothing if what it represents is not respected. If the sword has to be drawn, then something has gone wrong, as the sword wearer has lost control of the situation, and has take control back with physical force. Though this may in any case be a common result, what it comes down to is that - as with a gun - the person who strapped on a sword never expecting or intending to use it often found themselves in deep trouble. It is interesting to note that while in the past officers would wear a shortsword (which could also be used to signal commands to others), the officers sidearm has now changed to the pistol (both in the military and police in ‘normal’ civil states, such as North America) - in both cases having a sidearm that is more effective in real close combat, leaving the ‘big guns’ for the general soldiery, with more powerful automatic weapons being used in trouble areas. Even the English Policeman’s truncheon was originally a cutlass!
As it designates the owner as someone who is prepared for, and capable of, dealing with trouble, the sword is the weapon of the Herse, the professional warrior. The strength relies in what is represented by the weapon, that the owner knows how to use it, and has dedicated himself to its use. If the Herse has not projected this enough to discourage an attack, he will then have to resort to using his skill and focus to gain victory. As for the actual sword we use to train with, it is apparent that the true hand and half swords were not in use (or at least common use, judging from archaeological evidence) before the 12th century. Having said that, it is possible to use most one-handed cutting swords with both hands, by gripping the pommel and overlapping the hands, or by clasping one hand around the other, but this will never be a comfortable or long-term strategy (although evidence does exist in the sagas for this, when necessary). The longer grip associated with the hand and a half sword - sometimes only longer by a centimetre or two - allows for a more comfortable two-handed grip, as the hands have enough room.
Aside from the various offensive parts of the sword, its versatility lies in its ability to both cut and thrust - allowing the blade to both sheer body parts and penetrate deep into vital (and not so vital) organs. Most swords will both cut and thrust, but generally any given weapon will more or less better at one or the other, for various reasons, and herein perhaps lies the difference in training techniques between, say, the Karl and the Herse. Whereas the cut of a sword needs a certain amount of force behind it to do any damage, the thrust needs far less, as the tip of the sword is focusing the energy in a very small place, and can puncture the skin very easily. So, the Karl technique could place a cut into the attacker, giving him the choice of continuing into a space that is about to be occupied by a piece of steel, or not. The Herse meanwhile doesn’t even have to thrust - all he has to do is place the tip of the sword at a place where the attacker will run onto it if he doesn’t stop. As the tip is placed out of the eye-line of the attacker, the aggressor then doesn’t know that the sword is not moving until he isn’t hit, causing a fraction of a second of confusion in his mind that gives the Herse time to take control of the situation. This does provide the opportunity for the incident to end painlessly if the Herse wishes, and the aggressor are aware enough of what is going on, but at each stage the Herse is in control, and can take the appropriate action. The sword is truly a weapon that can take up whole books (and has done), but briefly to finish we should look at the ways of measuring he appropriate length of weapon for an individual. There are (at least) three ways that give a similar proportionate measurement. The first is that when the sword tip is on the ground, the top of the pommel should be level with your solar plexus, and this certainly works and fits in with Stav methodology. The other two come from historical sources, equally based around natural bodily proportions:
with one arm outstretched at right angles to the side of the body, the tip of the middle finger represents the tip of the sword. The other hand placed on its own shoulder (e.g. left arm out, right hand on front of right shoulder) with fingers extended, and the distance between the two middle finger tips is the length of the entire weapon.
There is another method shown in a 16th Century manual, which is very effective, but as it depends on holding one arm back and holding a dagger in the other hand, and the space between being the length, I hope you see what I mean when I say that it is easier to show it than describe it, although this method is somewhat more useful, as it shows the length of the blade (which is more important), and then the length of grip is whatever you find comfortable, although there are rough guidelines for this, too.
Darren Wells
Return to top of pageWood smoke and garlic: A Doris in the Camp Kitchen.
It was with considerable trepidation that I prepared for Healing Camp 2005. This was partly because of the prospect of heavy rain and winds which was promised by some smug suited presenter in a warm dry weather studio; partly because of the mental images I had built up of a muddy field with hole-in-the-ground-and-no-paper “toilet”……. But mainly because I had agreed (nay wanted) to cook for everyone for the whole weekend over an open fire (a what?!!) with equipment called “billys” and “norgies”, whatever they were. Now don’?t get me wrong, I’m not a Tinsel Tracie Townie Gal, I’ve done my share of working as a biologist in the field, but the prospect of 20 blokes with big sticks arriving wet cold and hungry, expecting a damned good wholesome (edible) feed was a sobering responsibility.
As it happened I had the time of my life (once we were through Tunbridge Wells-The-worst-signposted-town-in-England-after-Andover) The sun shone warmly onto English bluebell coppiced hazel as we swung (yeah ok, fishtailed) along the muddy track onto David’s haven of a farm. Guided in by golden sunlight, birdsong and dappled shade we were greeted by friendly waves and big grins from The Lads Who Built The Crapper, (Gary, Gareth, Simon and Alex). Oh and what a Glory-hole! Fab job guys, proper sorted, even aloe vera Andrex and a real pink plastic loo seat (thanks Brighid); yet environmentally friendly, waterproof, windproof and reassuringly, perfectly private. (Note this girlies who didn’t come as you were put off by the facilities…its fine).
Summoned under the newly green oaks by the ever present cuckoo population we drove onto a rabbit cropped field. To our left was a delicate trickle of wood smoke filtering through the trees marking Campsite Central. What a fine welcome and so well organised. A large open fire, crackling under firedogs big enough for several large pans. A kitchen gazebo with tables, gas rings, big pot of tea!! A Viking style shelter for meals and shaded workshops (rather than the rain we had expected), but most welcome of all the people. New faces and old (not just Our Graham tee hee) who set to helping Darren and the “got it off ebay dunno if it’s all there tent erection blokey thing” whilst I was able to get going in the field kitchen in my role as Stav Dorris. What followed was a fantastic weekend of friendships*, training, learning new skills like firelighting and how to keep it going to cooking standards, evenings around the campfire, rune making, stances in the Stav circle, seid work and meditation, Stav massage, sparring, the lad’s May Eve bonfire of funeral pyre proportions, dewy mornings punctuated by the barking of deer or snuffles of wildlife (or sleeping people), and well, just having a complete escape from the rat race in beautiful surroundings with, yes, “good food”. I think I dun ok. Scrummy garlic mushrooms abound, spicy stews, curry, pan fried veggie or meat sausages and onions, garlic and rosemary buttered spuds, oh and by popular demand a selection of either Straight Porridge or Camp Porridge depending upon your…er…preferences (see below). To all those people who wanted to come and didn’t, it was great, the facilities are fine girlies, no worries there, just do it! `Cos you know we’re worth it!
* oh and my footnote?…… well add this bit in; and blatant risk taking from some girlies who will not be mentioned by name, who “showered”? naked in the river amidst the wild ramsons, nettles and heady scented bluebells, much to the annoyance and dismay of the lads who were drinking mead by the fire discussing combat techniques and birds and didn’t notice until it was all over!
Summer Rose Owen
Return to top of pageCamp Porridge for those who have tasted it once and are converted.
This versatile little gem of a breakfast can have many wholesome items added in depending on preference. The basic recipe contains no salt whatsoever and relies upon the natural sweetness of fruits and honey. Basically all you need to do is chop an apple into a pan, add a little water and a pinch of mixed spices, ad lib with the raisins, cashews (blueberries are fab too). Once the apple is soft add in the amount of oats (organic) and wheatgerm (organic) you would normally eat and top up with a little water if required. Cook for a short time, enough to let the oats begin to release their gooey gelatinous goodness but please don’t let them boil and boil, all it does is denature all the enzymes and vitamins. Serve with natural organic yoghurt, maple syrup, raw fruits or best of all a generous dollop of real local honey.
Oh and as a beekeeper I am a bit anal about honey - the stuff in the shops is generally blended processed rubbish ,and please ignore most accounts of “?organic honey” - I certainly wouldn’t profess to have trained my 40 thousand bees to only visit organic sources of nectar. If truly organic then it probably means bees kept in a polytunnel. Local honey from a beekeeper is best as it will contain no added sugar (unlike creamed honey), and will have a generous percentage of propolis and pollen contained within the jar. It will also have been spun out of the comb so don’t worry about “cold pressed” as this is a gimmick, only heather honey needs to be pressed as it is too thick to spin without damaging the comb and it certainly wont be heated or the wax comb will melt leaving the beekeeper with no comb to put straight back into the hives.
Return to top of pageOrganic Lavender, Lemon and White Chocolate Biscuits.
-125g (41/2oz) organic butter (or margarine free from hydrogenated oils) -100g (4 oz) organic sugar -1 free range organic egg 150-200g organic self raising flour -Lavender flowers, ideally from your own garden, spray free. Collect fresh from English Lavender just as the flowers are about to open. I never bother to wash them as the pollen is then washed down the drain. Dried flowers are ok but make sure they are edible quality not potpourri, your local health food shop should be able to help, or Starchild in Glastonbury. -Grated rind from one unwaxed organic lemon. -Green and Blacks white chocolate grated as required.
Cream butter and sugar, add egg and beat well. Add fresh lavender flowers, lemon rind and grated chocolate and mix well. (Include ginger here if using, or any other “playing with the mix” ideas). Finally add sieved self-raising flour and mix well. Place teaspoonfuls into a baking tray lined with non-stick paper and bake in a pre-heated moderate oven (325 degrees) for 15-20 minutes. This makes approximately 30 scrummy biscuits. This basic recipe can be changed to include other fresh from the garden items, such as sage and ginger; I will leave it up to your imaginations! Oh and if you want to make herby biscuits out of season, then now is the time to get out the ice tray and make ice cubes with a serving of herbs in each cube. Good to defrost for all cooking from stews to cakes.
From ‘Old Mother Gussets Country Apothecary’
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