Sunday, April 24, 2016

Valkyrie


Valkyrie (Pronunciation: 'Valk-eer-ee') are celestial ladies of Norse mythology who come to the battlefields to select the best warriors who have been slain and to bring them to Valhalla and Folkvang, the great halls of the upper world.  They have a chapter in the book, 'Who are your Divine Friends?', in Lulu Publishing. 


All Valkyries are led by Freya and are attendants to Odin. The most well known was Brunnhilde, who allied herself with the Norse hero Sigurd and taught him runic magick. They can be appealed to for courage, war, protection, combat, and death.  Honor their friendship by helping veterans of war or by feeding the homeless. 

In myth they have been seen as both very fierce ugly hags relishing in bloodshed and as beautiful young women living to serve the hero to which they are assigned. The Valkyries also acted as Odin's messengers. Their armor, which shone while doing his bidding, were once thought to have caused Aurora Borealis.

In Norse mythology, the Einherjar ('lone or once fighters') are those that have died in battle.  The Einherjar could be best described as elite troops, and that going to Valhalla was not necessarily the fate of the common soldier.  They were to fight alongside the Gods, in an attempt to strengthen and save the Gods in the final battle at the time of Ragnarok. 


Correspondences:

Altar: upon cloth set a black stone, a white stone, a chalice of mead, a knife, a skull, and the figure of a black winged horse

Color: black

Offerings: kneel and meditate on death, face a fear that is long overdue


A Valkyrie Invocation

My sister Valkyries, fetch-wives of Odin,
Swan Maidens and Mead Maidens, come forth,
Daughters of Freya, sworn Battle Maidens, we call,
Those who ride the battlefields, Choosers of the Slain,
We welcome you, on this day, as we sing praises for the gifts you bring,
Oh, sweet Valkyries, embrace our fallen…

Ride them into the sweet halls of Valhalla.
~ Larisa C Hunter


Here and Now

Soldiers ride the tide of swords
they fight while others dream
they see the blood and taste the sweat

while in sagas armor gleams

Kings and lords tread the road
of soldier's marching feet
but more lightly do they tread upon
and never match the beat

When swords to flying stingers fell
the sport of Odin changed
might gave way to steady mind
but courage stayed the same

A trial of motives lingers now
few ask the question 'why?'
But truly only Einherjar know
where and how they died

~ Matthias Wilson




Valhalla Awaits Me

The reverberation of battle is in my head,
Swords clash as bodies lay dead.
Into Valhalla, I shall be led
With a sword held in my hand,
I shall board the other land.

There my brothers wait
Death approaches, It's my fate.
So brothers I won't be late,
soon I'll join you in that hall
Reunite shall we all. 

When I reach Valhalla's door
and I lay my foot on that sacred floor
I shall be mortal, no more.

Valhalla awaits me, crack open thy door
For when I fall, Valkyries will carry me
To that hall...

~ Bashir Sarieddine 


Honor

In Sunna's realm or Mani's,
Search for honor and glory and self
On whale's road or the heath,
Battlefield, the same--
Armor donned and weapon bared,
The berserks' trade with the greatest of foes;
Only the Gods know which will enter Asgard
And to where within.

~ Ragnarr


The Einherjar prepares daily for the events of Ragnarok.  During the day they train and fight, until they cut each other to pieces.  At night, they feast at Odin's side, and their wounds are miraculously healed.  When the Einherjar was not preparing for the events of Ragnarok by fighting all day, the Valkyries would bear them mead drinks.    

Today, their modern influence can be seen in various poems, works of art, and musical works.  In poetry, Valkyries appear in Die Walküren, and Sköldmon.  The Ride of the Valkyries is the popular term for the beginning of act 3 of Die Walküre, the second of the four operas by Richard Wagner.  Works of art depicting Valkyries include Reitende Walküre, Valkyrien, Valkyriens død, and more.

















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