Web of Wyrd November 2006
Report on May to November 2006
It has been a busy summer, attending both events I was invited to and running our own courses. We held a midsummer warrior training course at Scobbs farm which was only attended by four of us but provided a good opportunity for some serious training. The Druid Camp was a great experience as it usually is with the typical combinations opportunities to teach, to attend other people's workshops, make new friends, catch up with old ones and generally have a lot of fun.
We played our part in the Lammas Games again this year, it raised even more money than last year in spite of attendances being slightly down. As well as running the gate and assisting with the bar we also mounted an excellent martial arts demonstration. Kaz and I also entered the Eistedfod as we usually do but again came nowhere, but it was fun anyway. Our Summer Stav Camp at the end of August was a great success with 10 new people on the foundation course and a lot of our regulars over the weekend. Ivar did most of the teaching on the weekend course and everyone benefited from the chance to train with him. But much thanks also to those who helped me administer and teach the course.
The following weekend I was at the Mercian gathering near Nuneaton. The weather wasn't very good but it was a fun event again and it provided another chance to do some teaching. Then at the end of October I flew to Maryland in the US for a course organised by Miki and hosted by Therissa, thanks to both of you. We all had a great time and I will be back again next March. Then the following weekend, and yes it was pushing it a bit, we were down in Kent for our 'Halloween in the Woods' weekend. Alex taught survival skills and we had fun in the open air for two days. Ground was muddy but the sun shined most of the time.
We have maintained our programme of Monday evening classes which have a small but dedicated following, thanks to all those who support it. We have also held our third Saturday in the Month Day courses on a regular basis. I completed a programme of martial arts training concluding with a self defence course in July. In September we picked up on a different theme looking at the historical, mythological and esoteric aspects of Stav. This began in September with a day on the origins of Stav which included Richard Rudgely talking about his new book. (See review on page 16) David then led a course on mythology and story telling in October and the theme continued on November 18th with a workshop on bind-runes, led by me, that attracted a small but enthusiastic group, and some productive work was carried out by all.
The Following weekend I taught a successful two day course in Somerset organised by Ronni, who discovered Stav at the Druid camp and has been involved in several events since.
There have been a few disappointments. Courses and classes organised through Adult Learning have not run due to lack of numbers. But I did take over what was supposed to be a Tai Chi class in Banbury and have been keeping that going with a small group who are getting very interested in Stav.
Looking ahead to the next Six months. Things get a bit quieter during the winter, but that is relative. Instead of a course in December (when everyone is far too busy preparing for the festive period), we will have a stand at the Oxford Green Fair as usual (on the 9th of December) and that's about it until 2007.
But, buy that 2007 diary now and start filling it in because, in January we are starting the health and healing programme again to run up to the healing camp in early May. Tony is working on developing what should be a very interesting programme for the healing camp on the 4th to 7th of May. More on that on page 27. But from January to April we will run courses covering exercise, nutrition and herbs, mott and megin work including touch for health practices and working with galder and megin. Details still being worked out but dates are fixed and can be found at www.stav-events.info . Also in March I am off to the USA again for another course in Maryland on the 10th and 11th so if you live stateside and have been meaning to do some Stav training put that date in your diary. There will also be a working party down at Scobbs farm for a couple of days over Easter since there is always a lot of work to do there in preparation for healing camp a month later.
Looking ahead to next August, the 2007 summer camp will be held on the 21st to 27th. It will be even better than last year and there will be working tickets going so if you are willing and able to help then ask and we will see how we can use you. Or of course, just come and train.
Thanks to everyone who has given help and support over the past six months and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next six.
Graham Butcher
Return to top of pageA Report on the September Course
Saturday 16th September 2006 saw the first of this years courses focusing on the mythological aspect of Stav. Having spent the early part of the year looking at Stav for health and the summer months devoted to martial training, it was a welcome change to spend the day in a contemplative mood, reflecting on the origins of what we now call Hafskjold Stav. In addition, there would also be a chance to meet Richard Rudgley, writer and presenter of Channel Four's 'The Pagans' series, who would be talking about his latest book 'Pagan Resurrection'. We started the day listening to one of Ice and Fire’s own writers’ David Stone, reading a piece he had composed entitled ‘Odin’s Quest’ which told the story of how knowledge of the runes came to the awareness of the gods. David told of how Odin quested long and hard, overcoming many obstacles in order to gain for himself the knowledge of the three Norns and finally hung upside down on the World Ash Yggdrasil, impaled on his own spear, he could see the nine lines that represent the Web of Orlog and saw for himself the runes within the web, realizing that they had been there all along, in all things. Much discussion followed David’s reading, where those of us present spoke of what we learned from the story and how it might be relevant to our own understanding of Stav. Following this session Darren led a discussion on stanza 144 from the Havamal, otherwise known as ‘Sayings of the High One’ and how the wisdom of Odin can be interpreted to give us our understanding of the five principles. We discussed the different ways in which this particular piece can be written, and yet the same meanings can be found in each of the words used. This led on to a group exercise, where stanzas 146 to 163, which can be used to identify the eighteen deities associated with the runes of the younger futhark, were examined by the groups individually and their findings presented. It was interesting to note that some of us saw connections based on our knowledge of the runes and associated mythologies, whereas others found their own meanings within the writings. Finally Richard Rudgley spoke about the inspiration for his book and told of his own observations in respect of the recent resurgence in paganism in western Europe and north America, and how it compares with organized religion. We then had an engaging question and answer session, which led to a number of interesting discussions, culminating in a vociferous debate around the need for rituals within Stav, over and above the rune stances themselves, which I’m sure we have not heard the last of! In conclusion it was an interesting and enlightening day which all of those present enjoyed. This is clearly an area of Stav that has been somewhat neglected recently and I for one am looking forward to learning more on next months course. Now, where did I leave my signed copy of Richard’s book?
Yours in the cause
Simon
Return to top of pageWriting of a Confused Nature
"Autumn days when the grass is jewelled, and the winter moon has frosted rings", "seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness", "a time when the veil draws thin". The Wild Hunt sallies forth, gathering the souls of the dead to take them into the next world.
Conkers have lost their chestnut glaze, woodies feed in blue-grey abundance on a bumper crop of acorns. Bracken fronds of drenched fox gently echo the warm air currents that drift, weaving over myriad of toadstools and autumn fungi punctuating an emerald mossy woodland floor which is slick with silken strands of web.
A flock of jays warn of my presence, raucous, brash, unseen. Hidden jewels of the forest who cross the grassy rides alone, a flash of tumbling azure – one....two....three....seven. I stand in the forest and watch a slow, lazy flight of red admirals spiralling in streak of sunlight; there are more; brimstones, peacocks. One lands on the head of my laughing pointer. Tongue lolling a streak of wet raw liver, panting, hot.
Hot. So am I. I realise that my coat has long since been cast off to my waist. Bare armed, t-shirt clad, sweating and unexpectedly thirsty I begin to take in my surroundings on a much more disconcerting level. It is two days until November. The holly is blood-spattered with berries, and yet butterflies dance around its sharp edges. Stags rasp their claims to their forest, whilst blue tits investigate a potential nesting site. Spiderlings drift softly by on warm currents as new shoots appear on rowan branches; bluebottles throb heavily around a fox scat. I wait in vain for the sound of a cuckoo.
After such a dry, hot summer my own garden shut down early for winter. A crisp, brown withering retreat of unopened buds and shrunken fruit. Now I have all four seasons represented: the yellow primrose of spring, sky blue delphinium flowers, delicate pink naked ladies of autumn, and the brashness of variegated holly. Snowdrops vie with daffodils to reach flowering point first, cream roses explode into bloom over the garage roof, meeting an unexpected dampness of cloying, mildewy decay rather than the expected clear, dewy glaze refracting a midsummer sunrise.
So what exactly are we doing to our planet? So used to a season-less lifetime we are almost immune to the environmental changes around us. We buy apples all year round, oranges, plums, strawberries, parsnips.....a long cry from the (very true) old saying about sprouts and parsnips, to not eat until after the first frost. Try doing that now. Even if you wait for the icy descent, the chances are that the fresh produce on your stove will only be fresh from the cold store of last season's harvest.
Ask yourself – can you really, honestly remember the taste of a fresh, non-forced strawberry? Could you seriously recognise an apple from this season's crop? Somewhere, your memory tries to recall the right phrases... crisp, juicy, tight skin, sweet pips, it smells of apple, the flesh is apple white, the core has green tracings of life. You reject the sad, empty looking bag of tired, exhausted greasy skinned wrinklies. And so do the birds when you discard them onto your lawn to rot, from the inside out, protected by their pesticide coats, with fungicide fur reducing trim.
It used to be the magical appearance of oranges in the marketplace that brightly heralded the upcoming, long expected change that lead up to Yuletide festivities. Spitting the first pomegranate would signal imminent bonfires and fireworks, smoking charred sausages, mouthwatering onions, and too-hot-to-hold butter drenched potatoes freshly dug from their earth grave store. The smells of wet, honest earth, steaming compost heaps, and bonfires. Cries of "Make a Smoky Joe, granddad!"; a flameless smoking fire which smouldered its earthy autumnal soul to the breeze, leaving a thick nutritious ash to kick and spread with eager wellied feet into the plot for next season. Let the frost do its work. Barren. Resting. Gone to earth. A time of inner thought, silence, decay. Bone to bone, earth to earth. Waiting. Watching. Knowing.
When did you last wait? When were you last silent? Patience is a forgotten skill in our modern world. Energies of old are slowing, the wheel grinds slower, time slows. Rusts. Alas, we do not listen. We play with time, thrusting it back to suit us. The shops are full of christmas tat before we have even celebrated the end of the summer. The pressure is on from August to buy, purchase, debit, shop online , mail order, mail order, postal order, ebay, spend, overspend in some tinsel driven frenzied hysteria of non-seasonal seasoness. You write cards which depict snow laden forests, deer, cute foresty scenes whilst your conscience prickles that the very imagery is created at the expense of the real habitat. You shudder at the cost of wrapping paper, in its metallic bleached and coloured glory, whilst the real price runs from the papermills into rivers and streams. (Never mind, it will soon be gone from festive site into landfill, for metallic paper cannot be recycled).
As you look around you notice the individually packaged finest fruits, the packaged tomatoes, the singly wrapped baking potatoes. Your house lights are blazing, heating is up on full, tv going in another room where you were just going back to it an hour ago, computer and hi-fi on standby, kitchen timer ticking, water meter ticking, electricity meter churning, gas meter ticking, hot tap running, lounge clock ticking, environmental clock ticking! Will your children ever wake up and find it was just a dream?
Stavwench
Return to top of pageThe Wisdom Song of the Runes
After a conversation about the rune poems and whether they had been taken from a single poem, I had a play about with that idea. To the best of my (admittedly limited) knowledge, the rune poems for the Younger Futhork are couplets, composed individually for each rune. Nevertheless, when strung together in a single poem, they do reveal a new dimension. Each couplet takes on the impression of a question and answer or – more accurately – a statement and a clarification, not unlike the format of the Song of Amergin:
"I am the wind: that blows across the sea I am the wave: of the deep" etc
It takes the format, in fact, of a Wisdom Song, promising answers to those who will seek them out. Quite what the answers will be is open to interpretation, and I recommend meditating or pondering on the lines in this format in order to gain any new insights into the meanings of the Runes, the Web and Orlog that they might provide.
For this version, I’ve chosen to add a ‘prologue’ and ‘epilogue’ consisting of a few lines from the Havamal regarding the discovery and use of the Runes.
The Wisdom-Song of the Runes
A word comes from a word, and by a word; A deed comes from a deed and by a deed. Money causes strife among kinsmen; The wolf grows up in the woods. Slag is from bad iron; Oft runs the reindeer on the hard snow. Thor causes the sickness of women; Few are aroused at that time. Estuary is the way of most journeys; But the sheath is that for swords. Riding, it is said, is worst for horses; Reginn forged the best sword. Sickness is the curse of children; Evil makes a man pale. Hail is the coldest of grains; Christ formed the world in ancient times. Need makes for a difficult decision; The naked freeze in the frost. Ice we call the broad bridge; The blind need to be led. A good harvest is the profit of men; I say the Lord was generous. The sun is the light of the land; I bow to the holiness. Tyr is the one-handed among the Aesir; The smith has to blow often. Birch twig is the limb greenest with leaves; Loki brought the luck of deceit. Mankind is the increase of dust; Mighty is the talon span of the hawk. Water is that which falls from the mountain as a force; But gold objects are costly things. Yew is the greenest of wood in the winter; There is usually, when it burns, singeing. Do you know how to carve them; Do you know how to read them? Do you know how to colour them; Do you know how to prove them? Do you know how to offer them; Do you know how to sacrifice? Do you know how to send them; Do you know how to destroy them? They're lucky, who have the lore; They're happy, who heed the lore. I learned the lore, and then: I began to thrive; My wisdom grew; I prospered; I was fruitful.
Return to top of pageWorking With the Web
What makes the web? Is it the lines, the points where the lines join or the spaces between the lines? Obviously it is all three. But when training in Stav we talk about 'seeing the lines' and 'using the web' but how do we work effectively with all three elements? Lines, joining points and spaces? Because if you are not working with an equal consciousness of all three then you are not working with the web.
A spider knows this. A spider's web both exists and doesn't exist at the same time. It exists because the spider has spun threads together to create the classic spiders web between two branches or some other support. Yet much more than 99 percent of the web is empty space, which of course is why the fly attempts to fly though it and is caught. You could argue that a spiders web is more real when it is old and rolled up on itself and covered in dust and dirt and making the corners of your house look a mess. At that point it is certainly more solid but it hardly functions as intended by that point. So at this point is it still a web or just household dirt? Certainly the spider no longer has any interest in it.
A skilled architect knows too, probably having learned more by education and example than the spider did. But, like the spider, a real architect needs eventually to gain an instinctive concept of how the web can hold a building together. Suitable materials, connected to one another, defying gravity and other forces of nature while providing spaces within which we can move, live, work and interact. All buildings which stand the test of time and are constructed with elegance and efficiency are examples of the web made real.
This principle carries on into anything else that actually works. It also provides us with a model for seeing why something may not be working. This may guide us to fix it, or prompt us to walk away and start again. But if we can see the web we know what we are looking at and can eventually come to understand its form and intended function. Or why it fails to fullfil its function. Obviously the more we know about it and the longer we have studied the more we will know. But the ability to see the simple web is always a starting point. This may begin simply as a belief, seeing a technology or structure or hearing a language for a first time we may perceive nothing that makes sense. But if we believe the web is present, which it will be, then we know that looking and gaining awareness will start to bring understanding. Guidance and education from others are obviously of enormous value here, but before we can learn from anyone else we do have to be willing to look for ourselves.
The purpose of Stav is to learn to see the web on all levels. Thus, some one trained in Stav does know that the web is present in all things and if studied carefully enough the pattern of the web will become apparent. Those who have studied Stav with any seriousness will know this to be the case. They will have examples of their own where the pattern of the web has become apparent to them where they may not even have looked for such connections before beginning their study of Stav. This means that all training in Stav needs to be cultivating this awareness of the web by using appropriate training methods. But at the same time the same training methods must not trap the student into techniques which may be useful for instruction but are no substitute for seeing for oneself. The student of Stav for their part must bring to their training a willingness to both look for themselves and be guided by their teacher.
When teaching Stav through martial training it is necessary first to get the student to practice the stances and certain simple moves so that there is something to work with. But then the emphasis is on movement along the lines, stillness at the points where the lines meet and leaving clear the spaces between the lines. This means all movement is using the line. Then it becomes equally important to know when to stop and be able to do so. No unnecessary moves are made as they will fill the spaces which need to be left clear. The training has to be disciplined and dedicated but it is primarily about perfection of position, timing and angle which adds up to working with the web.
We need to realise that what is absent is as crucial as what is present. The real skill is to know what to include and what to remove. When I make a Staff I need to select the correct wood and this must be chosen carefully, but what then makes a good staff is the wood that is removed. When all the wood that is not required has gone what is left is the ideal staff for its owner, although another student of Stav may need a staff that is a little thicker or thinner, or longer or shorter. Either way it is the correct balance of what is present and what is absent that makes the good staff. The same applies to a good sword, the steel must be good and correctly tempered but it is the metal which is not present which makes the sword sharp, balanced and elegant. I am using the word ‘elegant’ quite regularly in this article but ‘elegant’ is one of those words that is hard to define but we seem to be hard wired to recognise elegance when we see it. When we respond to elegance it is probably the best indication that we are witnessing a true expression of the web.
So learn to look for the substance which makes up the line, the points where the substance is connected and the spaces between which give it meaning. In Stav martial training take notice of the instructor when he or she asks for less effort, more centeredness and a greater adherence to the line. The instructor is not criticising for lack of effort, rather directing you to be more in accordance with the web. When we are working with the web we are working with maximum efficiency and wasting as little energy as possible. To live and act with this maximum efficiency and elegance according to the web is the true goal of Stav.
Graham Butcher
Return to top of pageAn Introduction to Riddles
Riddles form an important part of the ancient Northern wisdom tradition. Many of the remaining stories and myths that we have consist of or contain riddles, usually in the form of a challenge (for example Vafthrudnismal in the Poetic Edda, where Odin visits the ‘all-wise Giant’ Vafthrudnir to test his knowledge, and to learn specifically about Ragnarok). These wisdom contests were held in high regard – indeed, Odin risked his head against the giant, as his life was forfeit if he turned out to be not wiser than Vafthrudnir. First Odin was asked preliminary questions, and when found sufficiently knowledgeable was invited into the hall, where the true contest began, each asking and answering a question in turn. This sort of contest is certainly, at least in part, related to the line from the Havamal which suggests that ‘a man who would be thought wise must be able to ask and answer correctly’ – the question asked is as important as the answer given, and in order to judge correctly the questioner must know the answer before he asks. Mostly in the Norse myths, these questions relate to mythic history, geography, culture etc., such as how was the world formed, who is the father of day, etc., or the names of rivers, or what each of the different races call natural phenomena such as the wind. It is very common in the myths that when a hero or god has the advantage over a magical creature, they question them about the future or for other knowledge.
It should be noted that Odin was seen as the most proficient at these riddles, and always keen to test his knowledge, and in the above example brought the contest to an end when he had learned what he wanted by asking a question that only he could know the answer to, thus giving his identity away (a traditional scene from the myths of many cultures, whereby the hero or god give themselves away by a unique possession, be it a skill, birthmark or piece of knowledge). Alongside this ancient tradition, in the Old English manuscripts there are examples of a different kind of riddle, based more upon logic and humour (indeed, some of the Old English examples appear to be of a long line of humour that was still present in the ’Carry On ...‘ films), and although it is entirely reasonable to suggest that the wisdom contest tradition also existed among the culture there is no record of it (or indeed any mythic record, other than Beowulf). These riddles often take the form of an inanimate object describing itself in the first person, some are copied from Latin sources, whilst others are on a (Christian) religious theme.
Taking these traditions, and turning them to a Stav use, can be very useful in refining your knowledge of the runes and so on. These riddles make use of kennings – poetic phrasing whereby something specific is described rather than named. A person or God may be described by their attributes (e.g. Thor might be termed ‘Enemy of the Giants’, ‘Possessor of the Hammer’, or some such; a king may be ‘Destroyer (or Hater) of Gold (or Rings)’, as he breaks up his arm rings to distribute as reward to his followers. The sea may be the ‘Whale's Road’, whilst battle may be ‘Clash of Spears’ or ‘Dance of Swords’. There are many, many established kennings, and a good starting place is the Prose (or Younger) Edda.
The riddles below are examples of the sort of things that can be created, and are fairly straightforward to get you going. Some knowledge of the mythology is helpful, and conversely mythology and lore can be learnt if the riddle is solved and the kennings that were not grasped can be unpicked to arrive at their root. They can evolve into very complex creations, with many layers, but we will leave that until the next issue. And if you get really inspired, please send in any of your own creations to the email address, and we may just print them next issue (when we will also have the answers to the ones below – remember, they could be a deity, rune, object, concept – almost anything, but always with some greater or lesser connection to Stav).
Enjoy!
1 I am the wealth of the heard Brother of the falcon Son of the sea–farer Owner of the stag's sword Who am I?
2 I am a miracle – a being with two faces.Sometimes I am relaxed, and can be manipulated, a danger only if I grow too big.Men can ride me to distant lands, if they can harness my horses, and I can be a friend to all who wish a clean start.My other face is stern and unforgiving.Ships of bone can sail me with ease, but I am no friend to Hod’s kin. What am I?
3 My shoes are broad, and carry me on the path of the reindeer;I shield the land from harm in the absence of Balder. Name me.
4 I am the birth-grave Monarch of mists Daughter of deceit My name is hidden What is it?
5 My tongue is never loose, in solitude I choose to dwell.The worker of Frey’s property is my friend, and the time when I put my foot down shall be the freeing of my father.I stand for my enemy’s sire. Who am I?
Game On
One of the rare cases for abandoning your staves and reaching for firearms (unless you can run very, very fast and your staff is a spear.)
I lie under my patchwork blanket of lurcherpointerwhippet, watched by five beady-eyed ferrets, and contemplate the season so far. We have enjoyed glorious casseroles, and rich roasts, courtesy of the start of the game season, and the ferrets have dined well on the carcasses of rabbit and sky-rat. So well in fact, that with the decreasing light levels triggering their winter coat growth, poor Tiggs finds himself rather too portly for his play tubes! It seems we actually have four ferrets and a badger. These are luxury ferrets, for I am far too soft to work them...yet.
I will enclose a few of my more favourite seasonal fayre recipes at the end of my ramblings, keen to promote game as a rich source of nutritious food alas neglected by many simply because of its lack of availability, or genuine ignorance of how to prepare an animal still in its jacket (of course to remedy this, you should attend the Stav survival in the woods course, to help rediscover a link with the land which has been eroded to a memory for most, courtesy of the supermarkets). Now without getting political I can say that I have been running with the antis for years over certain countryside activities; but where shooting is concerned I fall totally into the the "I'd rather be shooting" brigade, especially if shooting for the pot. As an environmental biologist I can completely understand that our countryside is ephemeral, dynamic and relentless in its ecological development and natural succession from grassland to early birch colonies yielding to broadleaved saplings, and eventually the final stage of mixed deciduous (unless of course you are reading this in Scotland). I appreciate that in order to keep an area of countryside effectively static in its development then it needs to be carefully managed. So to keep meadows as meadows they need to be cut, grazed, etc., or moorlands cleared and burned. Enter the farmer or gamekeeper; both with an interest in holding onto a snapshot of ecological progress. With this snapshot comes a cacophony of flora and fauna which also need careful management and much financial input to sustain, hence the need to cull, select and generally interfere where required to maintain habitats and biodiversity and remain ecologically and commercially viable.
Shooting brings in £1.6 billion to the UK economy, with shooters providing £250 million for conservation every year, the equivalent of 70,000 full time jobs, with 2 million hectares actively managed for conservation as a result of shooting. Shooting is involved in the management of two thirds of the rural land in the UK. I like to think of it as saving the land from the factory developer, housing market and keeping the green spaces open for us to enjoy our walking, cycling and holidays.
And it provides a damn good lunch!
Game meat is stress-free, antibiotic-free, relatively fat-free and (up to a point) guilt-free. OK, so you could get a bit hung up over your beast being shot but hey, I'd rather eat a skilfully brought down clean-killed deer, stalked in its natural environment, taken so swiftly it didn't even get to swallow the mouth full of food it was eating than the poor intensively (or free range) porker that endured a cold, frightening long journey to the abattoir, smelled the smells of its companions peeing and poohing their distress, and the copper thick scent of blood wafting through those one-way doors... If I'm going to eat birds bred for food, then please let them be free to wander, fly, perch, peck, scratch and sunbathe before being shot, not pseudo-caged or paying lip-service to free range in single sex monotony.
In his latest research, nutritionist Dr Kelly Johnston has suggested that including game meat as part of a healthy diet may result in an improvement in ratings of mood. Why? Because it has been revealed that pheasant and partridge meat contains high levels of selenium, which has been scientifically linked to improvements in mood, and to relieve feelings of depression. Selenium also is vital for boosting the immune system. Alarmingly in the past 15 years, the average intake in the UK has fallen to around 39 grams per day. Interestingly, this corresponds to the rise in fast food, junk food, TV dinners, and of course most of the meat eaten in the average household does sadly tend to be of the mass produced intensively farmed variety. The recommended daily intake of selenium is 60g per day for women, and 75g per day for men.
Partridge meat contains 0.43mg of selenium per Kg Pheasant meat contains 0.37mg Doesn't sound much, does it? But wait...compare with lamb meat contains 0.08mg beef contains 0.04mg chicken contains 0.1mg Dr Johnston also goes on to tackle another major health issue in today's society, particularly relevant for women of whom 97% in the UK aged between 19 and 49 do not get enough iron in their diet. Anaemia can result in feelings of tiredness, lacking energy, breathlessness or feeling faint. Interestingly, venison comes out tops for providing a good source of iron venison meat contains 2.4mg of iron per 100g of meat chicken 0.2mg beef 1.4mg the recommended daily intake is between 8.7 mg and 14.8mg. For those people (and this is for my mother) who have been advocating green leafy veg at every opportunity, I am delighted to report a get out clause as venison thankfully has two and a half times as much iron as broccoli or spinach. Hoorah!
So I'm putting my money where my mouth is and getting out there for myself, first hand, all bloody like.
Having joined a local club, I am whacking paper targets, ready for getting my own coney casserole and and pigeon pie. I have searched for a butcher who can supply fur and feather on meats (quite a task these days thanks to the EEC law that now says no fur an feather in the butchers' shop, it must be prepared in a separate room, which many butchers don't have, and so another nail is hammered into the coffin of our rural industries trying to compete with supermarket giants). Farmers' markets are a good source of prepared good quality game, supermarkets are stupidly expensive, but do get around the ignorance gap of 'what do I do with this?' Luckily we have a fur on butcher who can supply a brace of coney for three quid.
OK, so you're there holding your rabbits, what next? Rabbits in their jackets from the butcher should be already paunched (diaphragm down, intestines removed, bladder massaged to remove any pee, and hopefully anal area free from rabbit bumble). Or if recent roadkill remember to gently massage the pee out of a newly killed bun to save puncturing the bladder accidentally and getting piddle on your tea.
During my first go, I was woefully unprepared for the extra wildlife accompanying them, and have learned that jackets off in the garden saves the possibility of fleas in the kitchen. Am I selling this to you yet?? So, swift exit stage left to the garden to skin without worrying. Previously I had had one swift showing of how to skin a bun (thank you Wessex Ferrets), and it seemed very tidily done. My first attempt was slower, but never the less successful. Snap the legs at 90 degrees against the joints to remove quickly and with the sinews. (Do this for pheasant too, or get the butcher to do it as it is hard work, with pheasant also check the legs as nice smooth legs indicate a younger more tender bird, rougher scalier legs generally mean that it is older, so it is best to hang for two to three days first). In the absence of somewhere to hang my skinning rabbits, I started by slipping the skin from the abdomen away over the back, no more difficult than peeling a wrapper from a toffee. Pull through the back legs, then the front and then you will end up with the head enclosed, fur side in, in the pelt. I used rose pruners to take off the head (oh for a pair of poultry shears), and honeybun is ready for jointing. Due to the springing nature of the wildlife, my chattering supervising ferrets were denied the heads. With hindsight I should have frozen the heads to kill the fleas and then fed the ferrets for a couple of days. Next time.
Rabs then got jointed, basically it is worth keeping the saddle, back legs and front legs. The ribcage provides a nice "basket" to store this inside for the freezer, or provides tea for any lurchery/ferrety supervisors that you will have at this point. (paunching won't have included the chest cavity, use your fingers to break through the diaphragm and remove heart, lungs, etc., again excellent pet food).
I am pretty ruthless when it comes to birds. Pigeon gets breasted out and then ferreted (unless it is a casserole or roast, in which case it would be plucked and drawn). Partridge (when I am lucky enough to get any) is skinned, as is pheasant. I have to say that plucking birds is really laborious, worthwhile if you are in the mood as the skin provides a lovely 'cling film' into which herbs can be added, and it is a good fat reservoir. The secret of all good game cooking is to keep it moist. If you do have to roast it, then breast side down and keep it well basted. Time to reach for the jar of bacon fat.
So, once I am accurate enough on paper targets I intend to start getting my own lunches, but owe it to my quarry to ensure that I am a clean kill first, and can humanely dispatch dinner. Shotgun lesson number two in December. My advice for Christmas and Yule? Seriously guys, stuffthe turkey and go for a slice of Rudolph. Rudolph serving suggestions to follow.
The word recipe is in its loosest terms, because when I work in the kitchen I rarely measure or weigh anything.
Venison steaks in dill mustard cream
Allow one steak per person, cooking times vary according to taste, personally I believe that it should be rare in the middle. My tip for anyone squeamish is to serve in a darkened, candlelit atmosphere, commenting on the ‘gravy’, that way you will be enjoying a succulent juicy steak rather than a piece of boot leather.)
You will need:
Enough venison per person;
Fresh pouring cream (single);
Dill mustard (I use Stokes’ brand, but failing that use fresh dill and a homemade mild mustard sauce) or change it completely and use black pepper sauce; Onions; Mushrooms; Bacon fat
This takes approx. Eight to ten minutes from start to finish, serve with salad, or steamed veg etc.
Finely slice the onions and mushrooms, put in a (non-stick) pan with about a tsp of bacon fat and begin to cook. Once sizzling, add the venison and cook to taste, approx four to five mins unless you have particularly big doorsteps. Remember to turn the meat so that it is cooked evenly.
In a separate milk pan, add three tbs of the dill mustard to half the carton of cream, and warm gently (do not boil).
When the meat is cooked preference, pour the cream from the milk pan so that it absorbs the cooking juices and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh dill if you want, I’ll leave you to think of something imaginative to do with the other half carton of cream.
Stavwench
Return to top of pageTHE MYTHICAL ORIGINS OF STAV
1. Odin’s Quest
From the time of origin, when Audumla the Cow licked Buri from the ice and founded the lineage of the gods, Odin’s curiosity – as mighty as his Word – pushed him ever onwards. Though he’d had a part in forming the Giant’s body into the mortal World, he did not know all that was to be known, for the world had been given Life Breath of its own and all creatures within it had their own Ond, and the ability and the right to work their Wyrd and follow their Orlog. Thus did Odin find himself but one of many, and great was his yearning to learn the secret Truths of all Reality. He knew of the three sisters, daughters of Wyrd, who wove the fabric of the mighty Web: Urd; Verdhande; Skuld. They spun and wove and cut the Line of Reality to hang upon the branches of mighty Yggdrasil, foundation of all things. Yet Odin knew that they guarded their secrets jealously, revealing only the tiniest pieces of the pattern of Wyrd, and then only to those it affected.
Mighty Orlog herself, Odin also knew, she who bound all things and whispered the pattern to the three sisters. If the Norns were reluctant to share their knowledge, more jealous still was Orlog. She, the Journey’s End, gave no hint as to the route to follow that led to her. So it was that Odin at last made decision to seek out the knowledge and wisdom for himself, if none would give it to him. For inspiration, he looked again to the workings of the Wyrd Sisters: to Urd – all that Is; to Verdhande – all that is Becoming; to Skuld – all that Should Be. Thus did he set the foundations for his own learning.
To learn All that Is Odin set himself. Many trials and hardships did he endure before locating a source of this knowledge: the Well of Wyrd, whose triple–outletted springs watered the very roots of Yggdrasil itself. To Mimir, the guardian of the Spring of Knowledge, Odin went. He knew such knowledge as was to be gained could not be won by force of arms, or by trickery – for that would pervert the very nature of its gift – so he offered to pay Mimir whatever price he would set for a single draught of its mystical water. Mimir’s price was high indeed, as he sought to dissuade others from this Quest. But Odin paid it willingly and, one–eyed now, he gained the knowledge of Urd.
To learn All that is Becoming Odin now set himself, a task at once simpler and yet more onerous than the other. To achieve it, Odin had to know the deeds, and the intentions of all things in the world, and to be continually updating that knowledge. Only then could he deduce through skill and logic what the immediate future held. He had a mighty Seat, Hlidskjalf, and when he sat upon it he could survey all that took place in the nine worlds, and through this he learned much. Two mighty ravens he had, Huginn and Muninn, that flew for him around the worlds, and through their Mind and Memory he learned much. Often he went abroad, upon eight-legged Sleipnir, or else afoot, in many disguises and under many names, through which he questioned and quested and tested all he came upon, and through these means he learned much.
And yet, still he did not have the full knowledge of Verdhande: all this Galder work gave him only half the knowledge of what was Becoming, for it could not teach him what lay in the most secret of hearts, nor explain the random decisions so often made. To Aesgard’s own he turned to complete his learning, to wise Kvasir and fair Freya.
Although it was with sorrow that Odin learned of the death of Kvasir, wisest poet, greatest Skald, yet he took prompt advantage of the gift that tragedy offered. Deep he drank of the skald’s blood–mead, and thus he imbibed of liquid Inspiration – flowing Megin of the soul – that gave him a poet’s tongue and a skald’s keen wisdom to see beyond the Reason of everyday life and into the passion of desires. Now the random actions of others appeared plainly straightforward, so great was his understanding of their meaning.
To learn the most precious secrets of the most private being, Odin turned to Freya of the Vanir. She taught him the dread secrets of Seid, the art of stepping off the Line into the Gap between, the way of gaining wisdom without knowledge. Terrible was its use, unpredictable its outcome, yet great its rewards to its adepts. Odin worked long and hard, and many shames and discomforts he knew before he mastered it.
Thus, with all this skill and wisdom combined, he acquired the full knowledge of Verdhande. With it, also, he came to realise the mighty secret of living in the infinite Now, that briefest yet most timeless of moments where what is Becoming transforms into what Is, and there he learned great power indeed.
Yet, how to gain the last secret of the Sisters, the wisdom of Skuld, all that Should Be: the transition point between the pathway of Wyrd and the destination of Orlog? To know this surely pre-supposed the knowledge of Orlog herself, and Odin came close to despair as he considered it. Surely, he thought, this is what Orlog whispers to the Norns. How can anyone know what someone whispers, save only the speaker and the listener?
But not for nothing had Odin gained the wisdom of the Well, the knowledge of Galder, the understanding of Seid and the inspiration of the Blood-Mead. He set himself to learn the final answer, and everything brought him back to the mighty Yggdrasil. It had been there from the beginning; he knew that it touched every world; he could sense its spirit at the heart of all things and he realised that it must embody Orlog. So Odin went at last to the Tree and made himself One with it, thrusting his spear Gungnir through himself and into it, and hung head downward, like a withered leaf, over the roots of this terrible steed.
For days he hung, his body and soul one with the World Tree, and every day he perceived a new Line amidst the roots. He watched as, daily, the number of Lines grew and interlocked until, upon the Ninth day, with the appearance of the Ninth Line, his eyes were opened and he cried out aloud as he saw Orlog in all her dreadful, magnificent entirety, there in the Root-Lines of Yggdrasil itself.
Odin fell from the tree and looked about himself. There – and there – everywhere! In everything! He could see those Nine Lines, a microcosm of Yggdrasil, the embodiment of Orlog, present at the heart of all things. He could see the Reality of All; the link to Orlog; all that Should Be, and so he gained the knowledge of Skuld and the final piece of the wisdom of Wyrd.
But it was a gift gained only for himself. When he tried to share this wisdom with the gods of Aesgard, even with Kvasir’s Blood coursing in his veins, he could not find the eloquence to express it. It was a wisdom that had to be gained, not given, and no other could endure the trials that Odin had gone through to win it.
Yet Odin had a longing to share it with his fellows, so he did what he could. He showed them the Web of Nine Lines that he could see in all things, physical and conceptual and spiritual alike, and he taught them ways to perceive it for themselves. From the Web he extracted certain shapes, mysteries in themselves, that the other deities could use to unlock the lessons of Orlog and the path of Wyrd, and so the knowledge of the Runes came to the awareness of the gods.
2. Heimdall’s Gift
Heimdall, watchman of the Rainbow Bridge, looked upon Midgard’s great face and followed the trials of mankind. It occurred to him that there were lessons it would be good for humanity to learn, and so it was that he took himself over Bifrost and went amongst men as Rig the Walker. There he stopped, once each night, in the three households he found willing to make him welcome, and through the women of the houses he sired the Class System upon the world.
He made men to be Slaves and Freemen, Earls and Kings. Chieftains rose up between the Freemen and the Earls, and through this system the people of the world united into communities. This was so, for each Class – in accordance with the will of Orlog – had certain strengths to offer in support of the whole, and certain weaknesses that the others could in turn support, and so all together they made a Whole that was greater than its parts. The system gave Men a means of understanding the individual path which Orlog had paved for each one of them, yet none were trapped within the system: for it was flexible enough to allow personal growth and transformation, while being strong enough to hold itself together.
Upon completion of this task, Heimdall looked upon the human race again and decided there were still lessons that could be taught. Odin had long been teaching people the skills of Galder, as Freya had been teaching the arts of Seid. So it was that Heimdall now took it upon himself to teach mankind the knowledge of the Runes.
He approached his son, Jarl, from whom the lines of all the Earls came, and made himself known. To Jarl, Heimdall taught of Orlog and the path of Wyrd. He explained, as best he could, the meaning of the Web of Nine Lines and how it could be found at the heart of all things as the embodiment of Orlog. Finally, Heimdall taught his son those mysteries that had been extracted from the Web, and how they could be used as keys to unlock the greatest secrets of Orlog and Wyrd. Jarl took this knowledge and passed it, as best he could, to his sons, and so the knowledge of the Runes came to the awareness of Mankind.
David Stone
Return to top of pagePagan Resurection
by Richard Rudgley published by Century in 2006 ISBN 97807126880967 Hardback. 318 pages Cover price £20 but it is available on Amazon for under £14. Paperback version should follow late next year.
Richard Rudgley may well be familiar to readers since he has presented several series for Channel 4 including Barbarians and Pagans and has written several books including Lost Civilisations of the Stone Age and Barbarians, Secrets of the Dark Ages. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical society and has a particular interest in psychoactive substances. He has also taken an interest in Stav over the past ten years or so and promised that when the opportunity arose he would include Stav in a book or programme. His latest book is entitled Pagan Resurection, it was published in September this year and does indeed have a full chapter devoted to Stav.
This book takes as its starting point an extract from a letter from Karl Jung to a friend of his, a Chilean, Miguel Serrano which Jung wrote in 1960, very near the end of his life. In this letter Jung says that although the belief in Wotan (the German name for Odin) might have disappeared, but the underlying archetypal reality of Wotan remains in the collective unconscious and, should the right circumstances arise, return to the surface of western life with dramatic consequences. Jung believed that the rise of Nazism under Adolf Hitler was just such an expression of this 'Odinic consciousness'. Although Christianity may have repressed this awareness for a thousand years it was always waiting to return and as orthodox Christianity gradually lost its hold on Western consciousness Wotan/Odin was always waiting to reclaim his, as Jung would see it, rightful place in Western Society.
In order to follow this argument through Richard begins with a brief overview of the Pagan beliefs of our ancestors. He then moves forward into the 19th century with the start of the pagan revival. This was connected to the romantic movement with revival of interest in ancient Scandinavia and in folk tales through figures such as the Brothers Grimm. There were also those who developed the idea of Odic Force and writers such as Jules Verne brought Northern themes into books such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth. There is a large section on the Nazis and a discussion on to what extent Hitler was influenced by pagan ideas. The conclusion seems to be that Hitler probably wasn't directly influenced all that much on a conscious level. But there was a stream of occultism flowing through Nazism which certainly influenced the likes of Himler and the way he organised the SS.
There is discussion of Tolkien and the pagan influences behind Lord of the Rings and investigation into modern Asatru groups in America today. Richard also looks at the work of Denis Duclos who sees an Odinic influence on serial killers in late 20th century America such as Charles Manson. In the final section of the book the author looks at current pagan movements such as the Odinic Rite and, of course Stav.
This book takes a broad and deep look at the revival of pagan ideas and influences which has taken place over the past nearly 200 years. It is thoroughly researched and very well written in Richard's easy to read yet erudite style. The conclusion of the book is that the modern world needs to re-integrate the pagan consciousness so that another episode such as the Nazi period is avoided.
Read it and judge for yourself.
Graham Butcher
Return to top of pageSTANZA 144
One of the key source materials for studying Stav is the Poetic Edda. This collection of poems from Scandinavia and Iceland, of which several translations are available, is probably one of the oldest sources we have for mythology. Although written down during the Christian period, many of the poems therein are generally considered to come from the pagan oral tradition, probably fairly unchanged. One interesting poem contained within this collection is named ‘Hávamál’, which translates as something like ‘The Sayings (or Song) of Hár (literally ‘High’, one of Odin’s names)’, so commonly named ‘Sayings (or song) of the High One’. This poem provides much information, on many different themes, arranged into different sections, such as advice for travellers, guests and hosts; morals, ethics and ‘proper’ behaviour; some of Odin's adventures (only some of which are recorded elsewhere) and advice, culminating in his quest for the runes and a list spells that can be cast by carving or chanting the correct rune.
Unlike the earlier parts of the poem, where the advice is fairly straightforward (although things aren't always what they seem), the information about the rune spells are less clear. For a start, there are 18 of them – although this isn't necessarily out of keeping with Stav tradition – and the individual runes aren't named as such. One school of thought is that this list simply shows the things that you can do when you understand all of the runes (and we are talking about the Younger Futhork here), although the numbering and some of the phrasing suggests that this might be a rather simplistic view. Another school of thought is that each rune charm relates to a single rune from the futhork (remember, that in the Stav tradition it is possible to consider the futhork as having eighteen runes), and decoding this section certainly provides a good amount of work for anyone who wants to try, which can be a worthwhile exercise in itself, even if it does not prove fruitful.
Of all the many reasons to study the Hávamál, from a Stav perspective one stanza in particular is of interest (although the whole poem is of great interest to the student of Stav). A stanza is a group of lines that go together, because of metre, alliteration and content, and could be considered as a small verse. Because translation is often a subjective affair, with different scholars having different opinions of the nuances of the piece, it is best to learn the language and translate pieces for your self. However, as most people won't have the time, patience or inclination to study Old Norse to a high enough degree for this, we will look at the translation that we tend to use within Stav which (as far as I know) is the one provided by Ivar Hafskjold, and to my mind is probably as good a translation as to be found anywhere. The particular stanza I am referring to is numbered 144. This in itself is contentious, as some translators number it differently, as they will see some earlier stanzas as shorter or longer, resulting that the stanza in question may be numbered higher or lower. However, I will number it 144 in accordance with my preferred translations, also in accordance with the way that I have been taught within the Stav tradition. Also, as those of you interested in numbers have probably realised, 144 seems to suit the stanza quite well.
144. Veistu hvé rísta skal? Veistu hvé ráða skal? Veistu hvé fáa skal? Veistu hvé freista skal? Veistu hvé biðja skal? Veistu hvé blóta skal? Veistu hvé senda skal? Veistu hvé sóa skal?
Do you know how to cut? Do you know how to read? Do you know how to colour? Do you know how to prove? Do you know how to offer? Do you know how to sacrifice? Do you know how to send? Do you know how to destroy?
Without going onto too much detail, these lines can be seen (from a Stav perspective) as relating to the four classes Karl, Herse, Jarl and Konge, with two lines relating to each class (the Trel is not included, as that particular mindset is considered to not have the skills or knowledge to be included (i.e. if you do not know, then you can be considered a Trel, in the sense of ‘beginner’, ‘child’ etc.), or to be not be expected, as a slave, to have this knowledge). Generally in Stav it can be considered to relate to the way the four classes approach martial training, or at least their response to an attack. For anyone who has trained enough to be familiar with the various class responses, these lines are worth pondering, as it can be very helpful in understanding the different mindsets, and their responses to the same attack. However, I am not going to go into this at depth right now, as the material can be found elsewhere, but more importantly it is up to the individual student to experience this for themselves. If you are regularly training in the martial side of Stav, keep these lines in mind as you try to switch mindsets, and see how they relate.
I mentioned that this stanza is generally considered in the context of martial training, but as with most things there is no reason not to take the principles and apply them elsewhere.
Certainly in the context of the section of the Hávamál where this stanza appears, they could be seen (and generally are solely seen by those outside of Stav) as relating to the cutting of runes for mundane or magical purposes. But what if we take a slightly broader look? One way in which the classes can be used is to describe progress, of life, skill, or whatever. For example, the Trel can be considered as a child, or at the beginning and unskilled, evolving all the way through to the Konge, as the fully realised master, knowledgeable, etc., who can then step forward and become a Trel again. How then can we use this stanza?
If we were to take the lines as referring to self-improvement or development, then we could look at it something like along these lines:
Do you know how to cut? Do you know how to read? This is the Karl level, and could be thought of as acquiring the physical skills necessary (either in the sense of a child at school learning to read and write, or in a more general way of learning the basic skills of a particular skill, craft or trade), in order to be able to use the skills unsupervised, and without having to copy others and be reminded. The result is freedom and independence, which may be of great interest to the Karl. This applies to the Karl also in that it is (at this stage) purely of value to the individual (regardless of future goals etc.)
Do you know how to colour? Do you know how to prove? This is the Herse level, and might refer to improving upon the basic skills that you have learnt, altering and adapting them to suit your own style and needs, whilst also proving and testing them. In Herse terms, this is about refining, controlling and bringing order to your methods, pushing yourself to the limits.
Do you know how to offer? Do you know how to sacrifice? This is the Jarl level, and could be seen as having reached the stage where you are both skilled and confident enough to teach independently, offering your time to others to communicate what you have learnt in order to help them. In order to be a good teacher, several things must be sacrificed, not just the time and effort involved. A teacher should be happy when a student exceeds their own skill or understanding, although this may take a sacrifice of ego (no longer being 'the best'); things may be held back to push the student to work out the answer for themselves, but to hold answers back in order to maintain an edge over the student probably says more about the mind of the teacher....this is one of the nice things about Stáv, that there are no secrets as such, only things you don't know yet or haven't thought to ask.
Do you know how to send? Do you know how to destroy? This is the Konge level, and relates to being fully realised and aware – not necessarily in possession of all knowledge, but with a great enough understanding to see connections where none were thought to be. Beyond being a teacher, this is the level of consultation – whilst the Jarl may be an authority in the field, the Konge could be thought of as a master, the true cunning man, holder of secrets, although the status that goes with this may be declined or shunned. This is the level of taking apart the old ways and creating entirely new ways, from a base of knowledge that allows many different threads to be drawn in.
In terms of awareness (and seeing reality), you could look at the progression like this: Karl – cutting through the unnecessary signs, and correctly reading the relevant signs; Herse – influencing what is happening, and having the self confidence to make it work under pressure and stress, do what has to be done; Jarl – offer yourself to receive what you are being shown, opened eyed and non–blinkered, sacrifice ego and personal feeling about what you see, let go of rigid thought patterns and the chance of personal gain; Konge – communicate this to others, send things back into the web to effect the change there, use the web to achieve your goals, and destroy any effects you have started when they are no longer needed. If you know how to destroy then you can recognise destruction in progress.
In the context of runes, the progression could be: Karl – learning to cut runes, and to read and understand what you and others have cut or drawn; Herse – influencing situations or people, possibly staining the runes with a powering essence (from your own blood, plant extracts, or whatever), and having the confidence in yourself to make it work; Jarl – offering part of yourself, and offering a choice, doing what has to be done which may mean sacrificing the victory and ego, making an offering if appropriate (but in proportion, not too much nor too little); Konge – making it work in whatever way you want or need, not just the way you have been shown, and once you have started the process, being able to stop it when its purpose has been served, destroy the effects you have created or influenced.
Although these sequence are purely hypothetical, and not everyone will agree with my suggestions above, they serve to suggest a way of looking at and using both the Classes and the Hávamál to aid your own studies of Stav, and even if you completely disagree, you may still have an opinion of something you hadn't thought about before.
Darren
Return to top of pageThe BLUFFER'S GUIDE TO STAV
- Frey is not the Norse god of loose ends; - Tein-Seid is not a place in the North of England; - Ur is not the Rune of indecision; - Iceland is not a frozen food shop; - Although the Sax was common in Viking times, it was not used to play Jazz; - Odin is not the Irish god of Noise; - Despite post-feminist decision, there is no such thing as a Viqueen; - Rei is not the Rune of bread; - Utsette is not a piece of Viking outdoor multi-seater furniture; Or a type of Viking dog; - In betting on who wins the battle at Ragnarok, there is no such thing as a `dead Surt'; - Hagl is not the rune of cough mixture; - Erik the Red was not a communist; - Urd is not the goddess of hearing; - A Volva is a type of witch, not a car adapted for women; - Is is more than just a verb; - Hamingja has little to do with a Norse fondness for pork; - Könge is not a ritual shamanic dance of the Vikings, although one can never be sure; - Jarl is not a plural pronoun from Southern USA; - Munin is not the act of pulling your trousers down to show your back side. - King Knut (better known as Canute) really was a King of England. His name is not an anagram of his reputation. Fly Agaric may well have been used to induce altered states of consciousness in followers of Odin – But this is not why the Havamal is translated as “The Words of the High One”. (all of these were previously published on various internet sites and e-groups)
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