Understanding Seidr

[Tranquility]

I don't want to bother everyone with such a basic question.. But can anyone briefly sum up what this is? I just came across the word today and have previously never heard of it. Is this essentially the Germanic word for/practice of Shamanism? (Any respectable websites would be great!) Thank you!

[David19]

From what I've read, I think it's the shamanic practice (not shamanism, as shamanism is specific Siberian practice) of the Norse, and there seems to be of 2 main uses, one was for oracle work (prophecising(sp?), etc), and others seemed to use more active powers (like I've read, Seidr practicioners were able to call fish back to a lake, or make it barren, kill people in their dreams, etc and probably a load more too).

These sites are pretty cool and, IMO, know their stuff:

Jordsvin (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/), especially his Seidr page (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Seidhr/Index.htm), there's a lot of great information there, including several reading lists with books and sites, including this large bibliography (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Seidhr/SeidhrBibliography.htm)

Kveldúlfr Gundarsson's Seidr article (http://www.thetroth.org/resources/kveldulf/spaecraft.html)

The Seidman Rants (http://www.angelfire.com/nm/seidhman/index.html)

An Alternative Spa rite (http://www.ealdriht.org/spa.html), which is more Theodism, Anglo-Saxon Heathenism.

'Nine Worlds of Seid Magic' by Jenny Blain (http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Worlds-Seid-Magic-Neo-Shamanism-European/dp/0415256518) is a book, which is supposed to be good, I've never read it, though.

'Vlusp Seir as Wyrd Consciousness' by Yngona Desmond (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419618415/ref=sr_11_1/002-6004276-5839229?%5Fencoding=UTF8) is apparantly good too (again, this is just from hear say).

Women and magic in the sagas (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/seidhr.shtml)

Seidr magic by Ed Richardson (http://www.philhine.org.uk/writings/ess_seidr.html)is an article on Phil Hine's site

Hrafnar (http://www.hrafnar.org/), run by Diana Paxson, with the seidr information (http://www.seidh.org/).

Hope this helps and maybe some Heathens can provide some other information for you.

[seapearls]

I second all of those links, I was about to post all the same stuff. Well except for 1, I had not heard of Phil Hine's site before.

[Tranquility]

Thanks a ton both of you! I've got some serious reading to do, this is fascinating stuff!