In most ancient cultures we encounter ideas of magic, witchcraft and shamanism.
Norse society is no different. The Viking witch was known as a Völva, and they were considered to be powerful seeresses, shamans, as well as workers of Seidr magic among the Vikings were women called Volva, or more accurately Völva, which means “wand-wed” or “staff-carrier” in Old Norse. This staff was an essential attribute of the Volva, who were considered to be seeresses, shamans and practitioners of Seidr magic.
In the sagas and stories, the Volva are often described as old Viking witches that would wander from town to town or farm to farm, delivering prophecies and performing magic in exchange for shelter, food and other forms of compensation.
Despite their role outside of the normal structure of society, the Volva seem to have been treated with great respect in Viking society. Visiting Volva were given pride of place at the dining table and were free to speak to or ignore whom they pleased, regardless of social rank. A high seat was set for her, complete with a cushion. This was to be stuffed with chicken feathers.
When she arrived one evening, along with the man who had been sent to fetch her, she was wearing a black mantle with a strap, which was adorned with precious stones right down to the hem. About her neck she wore a string of glass beads and on her head a hood of black lambskin lined with white catskin. She bore a staff with a knob at the top, adorned with brass set with stones on top. About her waist she had a linked charm belt with a large purse. In it she kept the charms which she needed for her predictions. She wore calfskin boots lined with fur, with long, sturdy laces and large pewter knobs on the ends. On her hands she wore gloves of catskin, white and lined with fur. When she entered, everyone was supposed to offer her respectful greetings, and she responded by according to how the person appealed to her.
That evening tables were set up and food prepared for the seeress. A porridge of kid’s milk was made for her and as meat she was given the hearts of all the animals available there. She had a spoon of brass and a knife with an ivory shaft, its two halves clasped with bronze bands, and the point of which had broken off.
The Volva in Norse mythology: Witch Who Could Prophesy
A volva (völva) in Norse mythology was a female seer who spoke her prophecy. So if the Norns in Norse mythology wove the threads of fate for all beings in the cosmos, a volva could see how the fate of each creature might be.
The Vikings and their beliefs were at large polytheistic and animistic. Ultimately enterprising the works of science and primitive arts together. In the Norse Sagas, majority of the supernatural actions that took place within the world were to be inquired upon in forms of shamanism, sorcery and witchcraft.
Magick was traditionally seen by the Norse to be a feminine practice. Typically rites, rituals, blóts [sacrificial feasts] and other ceremonious acts would be carried out by a priestess known as a gyđja, the völva [divine seeress] as well as seiđkonur or spákonur who were sorceresses; the ones that ‘speak’ and ‘send’.
It was uncommon to find men carrying out these practices, though there were some that did. Male roles were primarily based in politics, agriculture and the expansion of the Viking era. Conversely, those who delved into any magic were typically titled as gođar [priests], galdramađr [gladr man] or seidhmadhr: ’sending’ men. All titles were subject to what he or she’s role was within society and the practice itself.
THE MEANING OF VOLVA
Völva means "the wand-carrier" or "the carrier of magic". Because in vǫlr or walwōn means "wand" while Vala means "on the hand".
Volva had another name "fjǫlkunnig" which means "having lots of knowledge". Because a volva in Norse mythology often practised seiđr a type of magic known by few in Norse mythology.
OVERVIEW
A Volva often practised seidr (sorcery), spa (prophecy), and galdr (shamanism).
In Norse mythology, a volva enjoyed so much respect. In the beginning of the Poetic Edda was the Prophecy of Volva where Odin asked a volva about the fate of the gods.
The Volva in Norse mythology was known as the wand carrier or the one with the magic in hand.
The most famous goddess that was a volva was Freya. She was not only the goddess of beauty and love but also the divinity of war. The reason for the war between god tribes was related to Freya and her being a volva.
Because she was a volva, she took up the life of a wanderer travelling everywhere to practise her magic. She was so famous that her stories reached Asgard. The Aesir gods (who lived in Asgard) were so excited to ask her to Asgard and practise her magic. On arriving Asgard, Freya showed her magic to the Gods who didn't know the volva was goddess Freya, and the Gods gradually revealed their shortcomings like disloyalty, selfishness, etc. They attributed this to the magic of the volva and called her a witch. They tried to burn the witch three times. But three times they burnt the volva, three times she walked from the burning fire. Learning of this, the Vanir god tribe (tribe of Freya) was so angry that they waged war against the Aesir gods.
What is a Völva
A Völva was a woman in the Viking age who practiced magic, known as Seidr (in old Norse seiđr), the word Seidr literally means ”to bind”. A Völva often had a very special role within the society and would often have close ties with the leaders of her clan. You could call a Völva/Vǫlva a spiritual leader or healer in the Nordic society.
A Völva or as it is pronounced in old Norse a Vǫlva (in Danish a ”Vřlve”), is what we in English would call a Seeress.
You could compare it to someone who practiced shamanism or witchcraft. So a Völva is a Nordic version of a shaman or witch, that practiced magic. The Völva in the Viking age were the predecessors of the medieval witches, so you could say, they were witches before it became cool. A Völva is not something that just dates back to the Viking age, a Völva is, in fact, very ancient, and their roots go back more than 2.000 – 3.000 years.
A Völva often wore colorful dresses and carried a beautiful decorated staff or wand. The staff or wand was an important accessory in the carrying out Seidr. The staff was very important to the Völva, her staff was actually so important to her that the word Völva probably means staff or wand carrier. The magic (Seidr/Seiđr) of the Völva was both feared and hated by the Church, in fact, the Church banned the use of staffs and wands, the use of magic and the heathen altars. The practice of heathendom or the use of magic was punished by death, and the Church would show no mercy to anyone who got caught.
The people were afraid of a Völva because she possessed a lot of power and the knowledge of magic. A Völva would not always live a long life, the practice of magic was dangerous and moving back and forth between dimensions/realms, had many unforeseen consequences. A Völva could talk with spirits A Völva could put herself into a trance, were she could to talk with the spirits around her, the Völva herself at the ritual would sing a song, for the spirits to the sound of drums, the purpose of the song was to lure or attract the spirits to their ritual. If the spirits were pleased with the song they would help the Völva in predicting the future or seeing the past.
Seidr Witchcraft
The practice of Seidr was mostly used to do good and help the people, and Seidr was not just used in rituals to contact the spirits, it was also used on daily basis, it could be used to heal wounds, create happiness or to control the weather.
But the practice of Seidr could also be used in a more sinister way, what we today would call black magic.
Seidr could be used to put a curse on a person or make someone deathly ill. Seidr could also be used to bind the will of the warriors in a battle, make them slow, disoriented, and in that way indirectly be guilty of their death.
Spácraft
Spá work or spć-craft is another type of spiritually focused magickal practice. However it was more “practical” perhaps than seiđr and widely accepted within the culture. The main difference between spá and seiđr is that spá was typically practiced by those women who claimed to have psychic and healing abilities. Spá is defined by Gunnvöra the Viking Lady as: ”Intrinsically the art of determining řrlög, usually by intuition or personal gnosis. Řrlög is literally "ur", meaning ancient or primeval, and "lög" is law: řrlög is the law of how things will be, laid down by wyrd or fate by the three Norns. The Norns, Urđr ("That Which Is"), Verđandi ("That Which Is Becoming") and Skuld ("That Which Should Become") are the embodiment of wyrd. “
Spćkonas and völvur systematically carried out this specific practice mainly for prophesizing the řrlög of battles, harvest, sailing, trade, childbirths and so on. A means of advice based on an individual fate(s).
Trance-work methods were now and then utilized to help a spćkona receive messages—additionally was an exercise known as mound-sitting (sitting on burial mounds/graves) to commune directly with the dead, as a way of channeling thule (line of orating with the deceased).
A Völva could put herself into a trance, were she could to talk with the spirits around her, the Völva herself or someone else mostly young girls at the ritual would sing a song, for the spirits to the sound of drums, the purpose of the song was to lure or attract the spirits to their ritual. The song had to sung as beautiful as possible so the spirits would be pleased and therefore be more likely to help the Völva in her ritual. The Völva would either sit on a high chair or she would be lifted up, so she would be able to see into another realm. If the spirits were pleased with the song they would help the Völva in predicting the future or seeing the past. When the sound from the drums and song slowly began to fade, the Völva would be between the realms of the living and spirits, the participants in the circle attending the ritual would now be able to go and ask her questions about their fate and their future, one by one.
A Völva was also able to leave her own body and enter into an animal, it is uncertain how or why she would do that, but it might have been to travel great distances, for instance to another town or place to observe and gather knowledge.
The practice of Seidr was mostly used to do good and help the people, and Seidr was not just used in rituals to contact the spirits, it was also used on daily basis, it could be used to heal wounds, create happiness or to control the weather.
A Völva would sometimes travel from town to town or farm to farm, and help the people, by predicting their fate or conducting a ritual that would give them a better harvest. She would probably be paid in silver, food or other necessities or luxury goods.
Galdr
At its most basic level, galdr is the incantation or ‘spell song’ within Norse magics. Galdr is a type of verbal, and often ceremonial form of magic. It is most conventional for "calling the runes", kennings or stanzas within the Sagas and Eddas.
Some historical evidence suggests that gladr was originally sung in falsetto, guttural high-pitched tones. Modernly, the phonetics of runes /kennings and how they are chanted is up to the practitioner. Meaning behind galdr’s associated sounds and concepts stem from associated lore (i.e. Anglo-Saxon, Icelandic and Norwegian rune-poems).
Hávamál stanzas are acute esoteric descriptors of the Runic powers. In these, the words of Odin himself are direct to the mysteries of Runelore than any of the colloquial incentive rune-poems clichéd by the Skaldic historians. As a result, there is certainly not only one way to do galdr. Many types of galdr are appropriated for a variety of purposes within Norse application of runes, invocation, raising energy, grounding, cursing, etc. Essence, rhythm, pronunciation, and knowledge of the runes are expected for one to practice any form of galdr.
Runes
Rune-Working or Rune casting is a type of magical practice associated with the various Proto-Norse/Germanic letterings and symbols of the Scandinavian peoples. The three most studied and used sets throughout history and today are: Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, and the Younger Futhark. Each set of runes has similar adaptations of one another, however, distinctive to the region they were practiced (throughout the expansion of Europe), letter/alphabet dichotomy, and the time period most utilized.
Runes were scripts for both secular and religious purposes. As rune comes from "runa" meaning "secret" or "mystery" and their connection to the Gods Freyja and Óđinn largely subjected them for use in divination, protection, and even practical everyday implications. To gain knowledge and wisdom of the runes, Óđinn sacrificed himself [to himself] for nine days and nine nights by impaling himself with his spear while hanging on the branches of Yggdrasil (the World Tree).
On the ninth night of his sacrifice, the runes appeared on the roots of Yggdrasil.
Runes are signs, which originally represented a creature, (abstract) object or a position. They each have individual meanings [along with sounds], which can be used in rituals, staves, inscriptions or talisman. To cast runes, one needs to be familiar with them in great depth. Runestones are the most popular way to cast rune sets, either carved, painted or burned on wood cutlets, minerals, iron, stones or bone. Using rune magic is essentially all about invoking each rune, bind-rune, or stave’s individual/combined power. “No man should carve runes- unless he can read them well…” (Egils Saga 73).
Berserkergangr
This practice was carried out by elite and ferocious Viking warriors known as the berserks. Contrary to popular belief due to media and their depiction in Völsunga saga, these warriors were not rage-infested barbaric killers- however very devotional and disciplined fighters channeling a state of frenzy for psychological and physiological enhancement during battle. This state known as gangr (fury), a ‘possession’ or ecstatic altered state of consciousness is achieved through various methods.
At times, this spiritual transformation and the possession of a person by gangr leads to certain shift in physical characteristics: the muscles of the body can tense, hormones/neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and endorphins are released allowing: the heart rate to rise, altered vision, brief halt of digestion, and suppression of the airway.
Often those practicing gangr for berserk attributed their spiritual transformations to Óđinn, ‘Ófnir’ (the inspirer) via invocation or prayer. Berserk warriors usually channeled their spirit into totem animals during battle wearing furs of them; Berserker (bear totems), Úlfhéđnar (wolf totems), Svinfylking (boar totems), Svipal (shifting animals often fylgja totems), and so on.
Volva Attributes
It is likely that a 9th century burial found near the ring fortress of Fyrkat in Öland was the burial of a Volva. It was a rich burial, with the woman placed in a horse-drawn carriage, indicating that she was a person of importance. It also contained an 82 cm long iron staff with bronze details. Possibly a Volva shaman’s Seidr staff. The buried Volva also wore numerous toe rings, many made from silver, which is very unusual among the Vikings, so is a sign of both wealth and difference within Viking society. Alongside her Volva staff, she was buried with a variety of other items that might have been tools of her trade. The Volva had a silver brooch plated in gold that contained white lead powder, a toxic substance that may have been used in rituals. She also had a small purse containing poisonous henbane seeds. When rubbed onto the skin as a salve these can cause hallucinations. The Volva was also found with bowls and animal bones, all of which may have been used in the practice of witchcraft.
In VL, our Volva is our religious leader. So our Volva works closely in conjunction with our Queen in our religious practices. Some say the Queen herself has certain gifts, but none dare to press the issue. It has proved to be unhealthy.
