There are a lot of powerful
Goddesses to be found in Norse mythology, but Elli
was nicknamed 'the Giant Crone'. She is
a very tall, matronly old woman with long, loose white hair and wrinkled
features. Elli used a long walking
staff. She challenged the God Thor to a
wrestling match - and won. To be fair to
Thor though, the whole thing turned out to be a bit of a trick. Elli, although the weakest of the giantesses
of Utgard, was the personification of old age.
Simply attempting to face off against the personification of old age is daunting. Limbs turn weak, and the heart grows cold as the thoughts of inevitable mortality creep into the mind, even to a God. Elli strikes an opponent, rapidly draining their strength for a period. The longer they remain near her, the stronger the effect becomes until they succumb.
Simply attempting to face off against the personification of old age is daunting. Limbs turn weak, and the heart grows cold as the thoughts of inevitable mortality creep into the mind, even to a God. Elli strikes an opponent, rapidly draining their strength for a period. The longer they remain near her, the stronger the effect becomes until they succumb.
This can serve as a valuable lesson not to underestimate senior
citizens. We often think of the elderly
as unfit, forgetful and out of touch with modern times, but they have a wealth
of knowledge and can often give good advice.
They are also not necessarily as helpless as we imagine. There is a good story online of this point. It was about a shoplifter who had been
apprehended. The manager shouted
"Stop! Thief!", as the criminal ran to the door with something he had
stolen. The shoplifter tried to barge
past an old lady without thinking. But
it turned out the pensioner had a belt in Judo.
She grabbed the thief's arm, twisted it and in an instant he was on the
floor.
Correspondences:
Color: black, grey, white
Rulership: old age, wisdom, strength
Runes: Uruz, Stan, Perthro
Symbol: clock, elder
Healing Prayer to the Gods
Thor, support me to get my
strength back,
Give me good stamina and staying power.
Give me good stamina and staying power.
Frigga, grant me comfort
under your cloak,
Give me trust in the doctors and my self-healing powers.
Give me trust in the doctors and my self-healing powers.
Sif, lend me the life force
to rejoice in small steps of recovery.
Eir, grant me relief, let healing fully unfold.
Eir, grant me relief, let healing fully unfold.
Community of the Gods, give
everyone around me courage and confidence;
In your company, everything is lightened and eased.
In your company, everything is lightened and eased.
~ German original
"Göttergebet um Heilung": Michael Schütz
Grandmother
On the hillside drear
The fir tree dies
All bootless its needles and bark
So falls she who birthed the one
Who likewise brought forth me.
The fir tree dies
All bootless its needles and bark
So falls she who birthed the one
Who likewise brought forth me.
Cattle die
Kinsmen die
And so dies oneself
But what seeds have sprung from what is lost
May feel the sun return
Kinsmen die
And so dies oneself
But what seeds have sprung from what is lost
May feel the sun return
Prepare the grave
Lay down the bones
Let the ice winds take your tears
Let daughters take up mother’s tasks
As mothers to daughters return
Lay down the bones
Let the ice winds take your tears
Let daughters take up mother’s tasks
As mothers to daughters return
Crone to Disir pass with
death
Maiden to Mother with birth
Mother to Crone with wisdom learned
As the wheel of time still turns.
Maiden to Mother with birth
Mother to Crone with wisdom learned
As the wheel of time still turns.
On the hillside drear
A fir grove stands
Its needles richly green
Sheltering heart in its center marks
Where the mother of all has been.
A fir grove stands
Its needles richly green
Sheltering heart in its center marks
Where the mother of all has been.
~ John T Mainer
Ancestors
Ancestors are family
From days long past
Maidens and Men
Mothers and Fathers
Grandmothers and Grandfathers
Warriors, Farmers, Poets, and Priests
Weavers, Tailors, Brewers, and Bricklayers
From days long past
Maidens and Men
Mothers and Fathers
Grandmothers and Grandfathers
Warriors, Farmers, Poets, and Priests
Weavers, Tailors, Brewers, and Bricklayers
They lived in lands far, far
away
Feasts and Festivals on Midsummer’s Day
They lived and died, as we all must do
With each generation born to follow threw
Feasts and Festivals on Midsummer’s Day
They lived and died, as we all must do
With each generation born to follow threw
And down through time we are
connected still
Blood to blood and the Gods will
Close as a shadow and yet forever apart
Listen closely and you can hear their heart
Blood to blood and the Gods will
Close as a shadow and yet forever apart
Listen closely and you can hear their heart
You may not know their names
But rest assured, they know yours
Watching over the family
At the edge of Midgard’s shores
But rest assured, they know yours
Watching over the family
At the edge of Midgard’s shores
~ Wolf Helser
The Old Ones
Old ones laying in the
lichyard
Under mound and tree and stone
I hear Your sacred Voices
I hear the call in Home
Under mound and tree and stone
I hear Your sacred Voices
I hear the call in Home
The bones sunk deep in earth
The ashes scattered wide
I seek Your sacred places
Where Your spirits still abide
The ashes scattered wide
I seek Your sacred places
Where Your spirits still abide
Disir and Vaettir, ancient
Trees
Whose roots reach so far down
I am here and listening
Where You all are found
Whose roots reach so far down
I am here and listening
Where You all are found
~ Sarenth Odinsson
Being underestimated can be
a good thing. You may have people in
your life who think you are a lot less than you are, but you are going to
surprise them. When people underestimate
you, don't let it get to you; stand up and let them know that they're wrong. Stay positive and concentrate on yourself.
Elli is appealed to for old
age, wisdom, elders, and strength. Honor
her friendship by volunteering at an elder home or by serving meals at a
shelter. Elli is not mentioned in any
other extant source but the notion that not even the Gods are immune to the
effects of aging is supported by the fact that they must consume the apples of
Idunn on a regular basis in order to remain young.
