Spæcræft: A Brief Explanation
Spæ (ON) is most often mistakenly called seiðR(ON) in modern Asatru. The reason for this confusion is due to the useof the word seiðR in Erik the Red's Saga, the only good secondary source of a spæcræft ritual. The word spæ its self means literally "spying" but in the sense of "seeing with secondsight." Its relationship to Old Norse speja is roughly asto seer is to "to see." Both are related to Old English spyrian"to investigate." Its primary characteristic was the active obtaining ofinformation, knowledge, and wisdom whether about the past, present, orpossible future. Spæcræft was a part of seiðR, but not all spæcræft was seiðR or vice versa. The Icelandic lawspeakers performed spæ by "going under the hide or hood," yet this was not seen as seiðR, nor was the "mound sitting" of kings, or the taking of omens. Yet all of these bear resemblances to spæ.Other references to seiðR in the lore on the other hand would seem to indicate much more than mere spæcræft. SeiðR appeared to have involved manipulation of the human mind and soul (Eric Wodening,Chanting around the High Seat: An Exploration of SeidhR, pages 10 see also KveldulfGundarsson, Spæcræft, SeidhR, and Shamanism,IDUNNA volume 7 issues 1 & 2 ).
Spæ is one of the earliest crafts attested to by the Roman authors with references to the abilities of Veleda and others. (Eric Wodening,pages 4-5). Later references are made throughout the lore by the Germanic peoples themselves with the tale of the völva in Erik the Red's Saga actually being one of the last.
Modern Spæ Rites
There is not much to indicate the modern spæ ritual in Asatru is performed now as it was in ancient times. We know spæ rituals were performed, but not precisely how. This does not invalidate the ritual, but only indicates that there is room for other ways of performing spæcræft. Modern spæcræft sometimes seems to have more to do with "pop shamanism," the movement started by Michael Harner with his book The Way of the Shaman. The"journey to Hel," use of animal guides, and power dances all owe their origin in Hrafnar style spæ in part to Harner's book. It also owes this in large part to parts of the lore as well, but of these elements only the spirit journey is seen in use in conjunction with spæ. In the Voluspá, BaldersdraumR, and Vöuspá hin skamma, Óðinn is seen to journey to Hel to question a dead Völva. This is where Hrafnar draws its methods of doing spæ or "oracular seidh." The use of chanting, the High Platform, and perhaps the trance work all derive from the lore.
However, it is just as likely that the spæ worker in Erik the Red's Saga summoned the spirits to her. The text of the saga as seen below seems to indicate this, and words in Old English equate spæ work with the invitation of spirits. Old English halsian means "to adjure" as well as "to convoke" and also "to augur." Old English halsigend, which derives from it means "a soothsayer" or "an augur." Somehow, in the mind of the ancient Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, they linked the summoning of spirits to augury or divination. This being so, there is no reason that folks cannot experiment with other methods of spæ involving the invitation of spirits to them. In Erik the Red's Saga, no journeying to other planes appears to have been done. The audience seems to have stayed firmly in this plane, and only the völva communicated with the spirits. In the Saga, Thorbjorg after the song Varðlokkur was chanted even stated that "many spirits were drawn there" (Gwyn Jones translation). This statement and linguistic evidence show that the invitation of spirits, and not the spirit journey may have been the standard way of performing spæ in ancient times.
An Alternative Spæ Ritual
While the modern spæ ritual seems to put much importance on the use of animal guides and power dances, the ancient ritual as shown in Erik the Red's Saga seems rather streamlined. We are told of no journey to Hel, in fact we are told explicitly that the wights are called to the völva. Instead of sitting in front of the High Platform, the women circled around it, and the only chanting done is that of Varðlokkur "Ward locks." Finally, the use of talismans seem to be of some importance. The following elements, judging on the description in Erik the Red's Saga, seem to be of importance:
a. The High Platform
b. women forming a circle about the völva
c. chanting
d. talismans.
Of these, the chant seems of utmost importance. The volva Þórbjorg in Erik the Red's Saga remarks of the performance of Varðlokkur,"that many things were revealed that were not before."
The High Platform
SeiðR in general seems to have used a High Platform. This may have been in imitation of the burial mounds upon which Kings once sat to gain ancestral wisdom or may have been simply to give the spækonaa place of prominence. Eric Wodening in his book Chanting Around theHigh Seat cites several examples where there was no audience, yet a High Platform was still erected (Wodening, p. 24). Gundarsson states that sitting on a High Platform would make it easier to go into trance (Gundarsson). Whatever its purpose, it seemed necessary to the performance of seiðR.
Position Around the High Platform
We are not told where the wermen were situated in accordance to the High Platform. We are told that the women were circled around it. This may be in keeping with beliefs that women in general were gifted in areas such as second sight while men were not.
The Chant
The chant seems to be the most important element mentioned in the Old Icelandic account of Erik the Red's Saga. The name of the chant Varðlokkur would seem to mean "ward locks," but the völva indicates it helps her see things she could not otherwise. In modern spæcræft, chants and songs are commonly used to put the spæ worker into trance, as well as set a sense of otheriness in the audience. In modern spæcræft, separate songs are used to ward the area and summon animal guides. However, in the ancient texts we are shown only this one chant, and even then we only know the title, and that its performance somehow aided the völva's abilities. Based on modern ideas around music and meditation, we can be fairly certain that the song may have helped the völva enter into trance. Guided meditation and the use of certain tones to place people in trance have been shown to work and been used for centuries. The song also would appear from what is said in the saga to have been used to invite* spirits to communicte with the völva. Therefore any reconstruction of an alternative rite would have to take these things into account.
*I use the word invite instead of summon, as summon is a bad word to use. In its literal sense it means to coerce spirits to appear and no coersion should be used.
Talismans
Amongst the grave goods of Anglo-Saxon women were often found small trinkets or charms. These could easily have been talismans of some sort. Earlier Bronze Age graves reveal skin pouches exactly as those describedin Erik the Red's Saga, containing trinkets, herbs, and other odd items. It is not known what the völva held in her skin bag, just that they were talismans or charms.
The Ritual
The following ritual is offered as an alternative to the often drawn out modern spæ rites, it contains all of the elements directly related to the rite its self as portrayed in Erik the Red's Saga. It issuggested that you experiment with the ritual, and check your results against other methods such as omen taking and rune readings.
1) The High Platform is erected.
2) The folk gather around the High Platform. The wermen should remain in front of it while the women circle it. Once everyone is in place, it is suggested the area be smudged with mugwort with the following words or something similar:
Sméoc, sméoc, sméoc ond smic,
recels wasc rymet,
fýre,
fýre, fýs fácnu,
bringe frið ond frofre.
Smoke, smoke, smoke and fumigate,
recels purify the
room,
fire, fire, drive away evil,
bring frith and
comfort.
3) The Chants
I have here broken the chants into two parts as it is not clear what purpose Varðlokkur served. It could have been a warding galdor, a summoning song, or simply to put the völva into trance. It may well have played a role in all three.
a. Warding and Hallowing. I have used the Wéonede Song of
the Miercinga Ríce for this purpose. The purpose of
the Wéonde or
"sacralizing" is to separate the ritual area from the ordinary, mundane world
and make it closer to that of the
Gods. In ancient times, this could be done
through fire (the ancient Icelanders used to carry a torch around their farms to
ward
them),or thru a ritual formula like the Old Norse "Þorr uiki " "Thor
make sacred." By performing this song one ensures only helpful wights will be in
attendance to communicate with the völva. This should be done by one of the
völva's helpers or warders.
Fyr ic bere ymb friðgearde,
Ond béode men frið
fremman,
Líeg ic bere tó belúcan,
Béode ælwihta fléogan
aweg.
Þunor wéoh, Þunor wéoh, Þunor wéohþisne ealh.
Fyr ic bere ymb friðgearde,
Ond béode men frið
fremman,
Líeg ic bere tó belúcan,
Béode utlaga féran
aweg.
Þunor wéoh, Þunor wéoh, Þunor wéohþisne ealh.
Þunor
wéoh, Þunor wéoh, Þunor wéohþisne ealh.
Translation:
Fire I bear around this sacred site,
And
bid all men make peace,
Flame I bear to enclose,
And bid
evil spirits to flee
Thor make sacred, Thor make sacred, Thor make
sacred this holy site
Fire I bear around this sacred site,
And bid all men make
peace,
Flame I bear to enclose,
And bid outlaws fare
away.
Thor make sacred, Thor make sacred, Thor make sacred this holy
site.
Thor make sacred, Thor make sacred, Thor make sacred this holy
site.)
b. Hálsende or Invitation The following chant called the Hálsende Song or Halsing Song was written with the intent of inviting helpful wights. The purpose of Varðlokkur seems to have been to place the völva into trance as well as summon spirits to her. Although no one can be certain of this, it seems a fairly good assumption. Placing the völva into trance is crucial. No trance, no communication with the spirits, no spæ. Ideally, a chorus would chant this much in the way of a Gregorian chant. However, it is likely that at most two or three helpers or warders will know the chant. The chant should be maintained for at least a repetition of nine time (in Old English or English either one) or at least until it is certain the völva is in a light trance. Any spirits suimmoned should be bloted to following the ritual. "Aye a gift always calls for a gain." You cannot expect wights wether land wights, ancestors, or even Gods to give information away for free.
Idesa ic
háls Hæleðes
ic ceall,
Ieldran
gelað londwihtas
ealswa.
Wyrda Web
Wist cýðað,
Sihðes
daga Siððan
ond giet weorðeð.
Wísdomes goda
Wéstnesmannes,
Byrda ond déaðas Bearnas ond dómas
Wynn
ond wá Wíte ond léan.
Gecýðað
hit eall Gecýðað ðingas eall.
(repeat)
Translation:
Disir I
entreat Heros I
call
Ancestors I invite Land wights as
well.
Wyrd's
web Being
reveal,
Visions of days
Sinceand yet wove.
Wisdom of gods
Desolation of Man,
Births and deaths Children
and orlays,
Joy and
woe Punishment
and reward.
Reveal it
all
Reveal things all.
4) The völva goes into trance to communicate with the summoned wights. This trance can vary to light to heavy and depends largely on what the völva is comfortable with. In many ways, it is no different than the trance one goes into doing transcendental meditation. Most folks find it easiest to go into trance by siting in a comfortable position and then inhaling and exhaling in even breathes.
Breathe in through the nose, and slowly out through the lips. However, do not force your breathing to conform to a way that is not natural. Hindus and Buddhaist have for years used mantras, sounds or words used to aid breathing and slipping into trance. If you find this helps, you may wish to use a rune name or a word with some meaning related to the work at hand. It is suggested if one is training to be a spæ worker that they read the article on trance work.
From what I can read in Erik the Red's Saga, no possesion of the völva took place. The communication seemed to have been merely on a telepathic or empathic level. One will also need to train in senses the presence of wights and communicating with them. Unfortunately, this is not easily taught and may be an inborn skill.
5) The audience asks questions. The warders should be careful to instruct the audience before hand not to ask frivolous questions such as what are the winning lotto numbers. Querants should also be careful not to call the seer or seeress by name, but refer to them as seer or seeress. Calling a seer or seeress by name can pull them out of trance.
6) The völva comes out of trance and the rite is adjourned. Again those learning trancework are adviced to read the article on trance work.
The völva should eat well the night before and get a full night's rest. We are told in Erik the Red's Saga that a feast was served the night before, and that the völva requested a good night'srest. If possible he or she should carry with them talismans to help them going into trance, and communicating with spirits. These talismansor charms could be runic items specially made for the purpose or even simple trinkets that hold some spiritual meaning.
There is, of course no reason modern spæ rites should not continue as they have been pioneered by Diana Paxson and others. However,there is room for more than one way of doing things, and perhaps this alternative will help find new insights into our religion and culture.
Bibliography
Gundarsson, Kveldulf, Spae-Craft, Seiðr, and Shamanism
Hallaharva, Gunnora, Women and Magic in the Sagas
Jones, Gwyn Eirik the Red and Other Sagas, Oxford University Press, Oxford
Wodening, Eric, Chanting Around the High Seat, THEOD, Watertown,
NY