Skadhi

[seekerofknwoledge]

i was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a good place to research Skadhi. i've had a hard time finding some good information on her and would like to. thank you.-seeker

[Theres]

i don't know enough about Norse mythology to tell you if this site (http://www.hrafnar.org/goddesses/skadhi.html) is accurate or not, but it sure seems packed full of information.

hope it helps.

[OldSoulsBody]

i was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a good place to research Skadhi. i've had a hard time finding some good information on her and would like to. thank you.-seeker


A kinsman of mine is dedicated to her, try this site.


http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/5595/skadave/index.html

[OldSoulsBody]

A kinsman of mine is dedicated to her, try this site.


http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/5595/skadave/index.html


Damm, I forot to log out of wifes and log back in under my name........Mjollnir^

[Rick]

Damm, I forot to log out of wifes and log back in under my name........Mjollnir^
You do that a LOT... :rotfl:

...and let us never forget good ol' http://northvegr.org

[Mjollnir]

You do that a LOT... :rotfl:

...and let us never forget good ol' http://northvegr.org


Tell me about it.....I'll come in the room and start looking around and start answering stuff, then when it posts I see it's under her name and I'm like "Dammit!!!! not again!!!"
lol, she even had people give her karma to teach me a lesson. hehe

[Hangatyr 13]

i was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of a good place to research Skadhi. i've had a hard time finding some good information on her and would like to. thank you.-seekerI reccomend reading the Eddas. I use that answer for about any Norse deity. There's nothing better than the source.

[Ravenari]

This information is from an article by myself, no external link needed. :) But I'll include it at the end anyway.

Skadi / Skade / Skajoi

Skadi, a Scandinavian and Asatruar Aesir goddess is often misplaced in Asatruar or not mentioned at all.

So often we privilege gods like Othinn, Thor, Freaje and Freaj above deities like Hermod (Norse messenger god), Skadi and Hel (whose underworld is thought to predate the concept of Valhalla). And we do this to our own detriment.

Skadi, daughter of Thjassi or Thiazi, was Ice maiden, and woman of the white wolves. She, like the Laskowice possessed the rare talent of being able to shapeshift, and she also was one of the few gods who would willingly gift the language of Nembhut to man and woman alike. Nembhut, for those who don't know, is the mute language, or the language of plants, animals and rocks.

Asatruar do not believe we are born being able to understand this language. Rather - it is gifted to us - once we answer a religious calling.

Skadi is also watcher of the stars, and for this reason people who study under Skadi often benefit from disciplines such as astronomy of astrology. One of the few named Norse constellations, Thjassi's eyes, comes about due to Othinn gifting Skadi not just with a husband and laughter, but also with the eyes of her father whom are made into a constellation. Once they are returned to the skies, Skadi becomes custodian of the constellation and forever watches over the spirit of her father.

For this reason Skadi is often a very good goddess for helping us to get in contact with our ancestors. She will however ask for a price, should one ask for her aid in this.

Skadi - for those of us interested in Asatruar - is an important goddess for women who have:

a) been in relationships that did not nurture their souls
b) felt vengeance and bloodlust
c) wish to understand the mysteries of water and ice, and understand the mysteries of their own emotions - particularly the ones that society wants to call negative.

Skadi is sometimes a teacher of men, but usually she chooses women to represent her or learn from her.

Skadi represents the attempted unity between Aesir and Vanir with her marriage to Njord, a Vanir god. She bridges the worlds between two races of god, and ends up discarding this bridge so that she may live a happier life.

This itself represents one of the mysteries of Asatruar. The reconciliation of two pantheons, the Vanir and the Aesir, and whether we choose to try to reconcile two very different pantheons and practice the religions of both (for they do differ), or to choose to specialise...between the Vanir OR the Aesir. This does not mean we cannot respect both paths, only that - the closer one is drawn to Asatruar, the more one realises that the Vanir path is both one and separate to the Asatruar faith. One assimilates it often at great cost to their personal selves.

Skadi has a deep understanding of what causes spiritual humour and what controls the tricksters of the heart. Skadi often doesn't have a very good sense of humour, for her understanding of what causes spiritual humour is often rooted in serious thought. She is not herself a trickster goddess, yet commands Loki and all trickster gods with her sharp consciousness, often made manifest in the poison snake Gemheil.

Skadi herself has a sense of humour that only manifests when she is able to express herself freely, and this is usually only in mountainous terrain, or the terrain of snow and cold.

Skadi is serious huntress, commander of the bow and arrow, and spear. One best embodies her essence when holding the stang, or wooden wand. Skadi shares sister energies with Artemis, Athena, Diana, Karajana and Aset/Isis as warrior. Skadi's personality is stern, reserved, distant and composed. Her calm is the calm of a martial artist who calculates each situation from their spiritual core. Her reserved nature comes from knowing the many mysteries of the world. Her stern personality often divides her true followers from the ones who simply admire her.

It is often 'easiest' to pay honour to Skadi through the act of skiing, astronomy, astrology and working with the rune Isa. For indeed, the rune Isa, and all its mysteries, are the domain of Skadi.

Some 'trivial' information about Skadi is as follows:

* Skadi cannot bear the inhuman cry of any seagull, and for this reason loathes and stays away from the sea. It is one of the main reasons she hated Njord's sea-palace so much when she married him.
* Skadi is often thought of as a giantess (she lived in her father's hall - Thrymheim - in Jotunheim, which was thought to be where the Jotuns originated), and some archaeological evidence suggests that she may predate gods like Othinn and Thor. Her origins are unknown, but they are not with the Vanir.
* Skadi and Loki cannot abide by each other, due to Skadi being the goddess that assured he remained still when he was captured by the gods (some say that she actually tried to kill him with Gemheil, the poisonous snake). Skadi and Loki represent two different personality types, the stern and serious, versus the irreverent trickster.
* Practically speaking, those who are called to follow Skadi often have their mothers prematurely taken from them (or have no mother daughter relationship, though this is rare), and end up having a strong relationship with their father or father figure.
* Very good role model for independent women, particularly single mothers.

Appearance of Skadi

Her skin is often weathered and tanned. Spending so much time out of doors in the snow has given her skin a tanned appearance. Her hands and feet are calloused, they are the hands of the hard-worker. Her teeth are very white and her eyes are usually blue or grey, and rarely - brown. Her hair is almost always dark brown or black, and often quite long. Sometimes she appears with her hair tied back in a knot or braid, but frequently she leaves her hair waist-length. She is often seen in trousers and tunic, or a flexible skirt. All her clothing is trimmed with the white furs of arctic creatures.

She is usually unfettered by jewellery, but that jewellery which she wears represents her hunting prowess - circlets of bone, adorned with teeth and claw. Sometimes she wears brass and iron. She is often seen with Gemheil - usually red or orange - twined around her right wrist, or around her neck.

Her source of power is the shaman's staff, a large staff her height, decorated with bone and fur, stone and metal.

The Spiritual Animals that can Represent Skadi

* snowshoe hare
* scops owl
* white wolf
* female reindeer
* female song-birds
* arctic fox
* fox
* all venomous snakes

Ways to Worship and Honour Skadi

* skiing and snow-boarding, becoming masterful with snow-shoes.

* Through starting self defense or martial arts, or practicing ways of toning your body (and therefore mind) that enable you to literally be able to defend yourself. Chen style tai-ji have been some of the ways that some of my colleagues have used to connect with Skadi.

I almost personally feel that working with self defense and martial arts is a faster and more...direct way of connecting with Skadi. Though certainly living in a cold region has its benefits.

* Granite outcrops, particularly mossy granite outcrops, her energy is thought to be particularly forthcoming.

* Horseriding is another way to connect with almost all of the lesser known goddesses of Asatruar. Riding a black horse across desert type land is representative of Hel. Riding a white horse while cold wind whips your hair into your face (if that's possible) is representative of Skadi. Riding a brown horse through a forest is Freaje (Freya) and Freaj. Grey horses are the domains of Othinn. *smiles*

* Genealogy, family trees and of course writing down family history (such as transcribing the stories of your parents and parents parents) are all the domain of Skadi.

If one asks her help to aid this process - whether it has already begun or not - will cause a chain reaction of events which will bring you in closer contact to your spiritual ancestors and the gods who walk with you on your path. Often it can make the veil permanently thinner around us. Many people who work with history and family trees often say after a few years that they can feel their family around them, their dreams become more family oriented and they feel as though they have a very strong ancestral heritage.

Skadi however *does* ask a price. It usually comes in the form of a sacrifice and it IS usually a significant sacrifice. It can be anything from a valuable piece of jewellery, the sacrifice of some of your own blood (not menstrual, but shed through pain), the sacrifice of a significant amount of money towards a good cause or the promise to sacrifice a good deal of time towards the project.

This may seem off-putting to some. Particularly because I can't tell you what she's going to ask of you, she will decide. All you need to know is that you always have the option to say 'no'. But it's also worth knowing that you are never asked to sacrifice something that will permanently damage you or your quality of life.

The rewards are more than worth it. Particularly because Skadi, with her connections to the Aesir, Vanir and Jotuns is also well-equipped to bring all your family's energy - particularly if they're all across Europe - to your attention.

* Skadi, being a stern Mistress, actually is most forthcoming and likely to reveal herself through the act of paying her a great deal of respect.

Anyway, Skadi responds to gifts of pears, white flowers and filtered water. She is easiest to focus on by the light of a single flame, or focus point.

This is in my experience and the experience of others around me who have also practiced Asatruar, but you may find that she may tell you how she wants you to honour her.

I would recommend personally offering her a gift of white flowers and a bowl of filtered water. No salt. The salt reminds her too much of the ocean and is thought to deter her (rock salt is different). If you sit cross-legged, and focus on a point ahead of you - doesn't need to be a candle flame - she will likely tell you the best way you can worship her.

* Skadi is the goddess of the rune ISA. The Ice Rune.

* Skadi also has a very Yang energy, or masculine energy, so conscious work on our 'male' self, or testosterone (the small amounts we have) are also ways in which we pay honour to her. Yang foods are hot and peppery *smiles* and include pear - a sacred fruit of Skadi.

* On a side note, Skadi may not respond the first time you pay honour to her. It is sometimes customary for many gods in the Asatruar pantheon to 'evaluate' you in your first encounter with them. This means they are there and aware of your respect for them, but may not make contact with you. And then - the second time - is usually quite common for people to get some quite startling messages. Once you have a relationship cemented Asatruar gods are very giving and don't beat around the bush.

http://www.ravenari.com/vilturr/deities/skadi.html

Regards,
Ravenari

[Carla O'Harris]

Skadi is the daughter of Weland-Thiassi, himself a son of Ivaldi/Olvaldi. Ivaldi was an elf who married a giantess ; therefore Weland and his brothers Egil and Slagfinn are half-elf, half-giant. They are the crafters for the gods. Skadi is therefore 3/4 elf and 1/4 giant. She sided with Odin during the Van-As War.

[Ravenari]

Hmm....

Skadi is the daughter of Weland-Thiassi, himself a son of Ivaldi/Olvaldi. Ivaldi was an elf who married a giantess ; therefore Weland and his brothers Egil and Slagfinn are half-elf, half-giant. They are the crafters for the gods. Skadi is therefore 3/4 elf and 1/4 giant.

I covered this in a more confusing manner in this statement; Skadi, daughter of Thjassi or Thiazi, was Ice maiden, and woman of the white wolves. She, like the Laskowice possessed the rare talent of being able to shapeshift, and she also was one of the few gods who would willingly gift the language of Nembhut to man and woman alike.

A 'woman of the white wolves', is part elf. A Laskowice is also aelf. Though I did interchange dialects. My bad. ;) Skadi has always been associated with the giants, moreso than with the elves however, this is why her residence is in Thrymheim - usually associated as a realm of giants. Her connection to all things wolf, is a clear connection to elf heritage.

[KellyP]

This information is from an article by myself
Wow! That is truly a great piece of writing. I looked around the website a bit and it looks nice.

Do you have a bibliography for the Skadhi material? I would be interested in tracing your information back to the Icelandic or Norwegian sources. My collection of sources for Skadhi is thin at the moment.

[Mjollnir]

Skadi is the daughter of Weland-Thiassi, himself a son of Ivaldi/Olvaldi. Ivaldi was an elf who married a giantess ; therefore Weland and his brothers Egil and Slagfinn are half-elf, half-giant. They are the crafters for the gods. Skadi is therefore 3/4 elf and 1/4 giant. She sided with Odin during the Van-As War.


Sources please......

[Mjollnir]

Skadi is the daughter of Weland-Thiassi, himself a son of Ivaldi/Olvaldi. Ivaldi was an elf who married a giantess ; therefore Weland and his brothers Egil and Slagfinn are half-elf, half-giant. They are the crafters for the gods. Skadi is therefore 3/4 elf and 1/4 giant. She sided with Odin during the Van-As War.





Sources please......

Well?????

[KellyP]

I have managed to find references to the sons of Ivaldi. Looks like some of this may be Anglo-Saxon in origin. Interesting info though and I for one am still exploring.

[Carla O'Harris]

Viktor Rydberg, Investigations Into Teutonic Mythology, Volumes 1 & 2. The rigorous arguments are too involved to get into at present, but Volume 1 is available at www.northvegr.org . Enjoy.

[KellyP]

Dang it all! Looks like the Rydberg link inside of Northvegr is down. That was where I ended my search a few days ago. Guess I am going to have to track down this info another way.

[Carla O'Harris]

try here then :

http://www.boudicca.de/teut.htm

and for an excellent argument re: Sons of Ivaldi, see William Reaves' excellent article at

http://www.boudicca.de/wpb-002.htm

[Djiril]

The Norse Myths (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0394748468/qid=1115965077/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-6954976-5323135?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) by Kevin Crossley-Holland tells her story (among many others) in a pretty straightforward manner. It doesn't really go into the spirituality of worshiping her, but it does draw on some good authentic sources if I recall correctly.

Also, check out this Skandi barbie :D :
http://www.dolls-n-daggers.com/Dolls/OOAKskadi.html

[Mjollnir]

Viktor Rydberg, Investigations Into Teutonic Mythology, Volumes 1 & 2. The rigorous arguments are too involved to get into at present, but Volume 1 is available at www.northvegr.org . Enjoy.



Sources from the lore not someones "creative expansion" of it, that just mean's they added B.S. to it.

[Carla O'Harris]

Sources from the lore not someones "creative expansion" of it, that just mean's they added B.S. to it.

Y'know, I could have predicted you would say something like that.

There's no B.S. added. Rydberg knows the lore better than you and a dozen Asatroids ever will.

If you actually bother to read the arguments, you'll see that it is firmly based in the lore, and quite well argued. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it. But it does mean that your careless, contemptuous dismissals mean very little.

[KellyP]

Also, check out this Skandi barbie :D :
http://www.dolls-n-daggers.com/Dolls/OOAKskadi.html

Well, you certainly see something new every day! That's quite an impressive remodel of Barbie into Skadi with lots of handworked costuming. I had never considered it before but I guess Barbie has the beginnings of the stereotypical Norwegian beauty.

So, do they have the Ken doll as Njord? G.I. Joe as Thor?

[Mjollnir]

Well, you certainly see something new every day! That's quite an impressive remodel of Barbie into Skadi with lots of handworked costuming. I had never considered it before but I guess Barbie has the beginnings of the stereotypical Norwegian beauty.

So, do they have the Ken doll as Njord? G.I. Joe as Thor?


Well...that ...certainly...is...different.

Actually, if you compare Ken's good looks, I would associate him more with Balder than anyone else.

[Mjollnir]

Y'know, I could have predicted you would say something like that.

There's no B.S. added. Rydberg knows the lore better than you and a dozen Asatroids ever will.

If you actually bother to read the arguments, you'll see that it is firmly based in the lore, and quite well argued. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it. But it does mean that your careless, contemptuous dismissals mean very little.


I have read the links you provided and I also have read the lore numerous times, I fail to see the link you attempt to establish but then again I concentrate on Asatru and not on Asatru...not Asatroid as you so eloquently put it... and Wicca "apologies".

[Carla O'Harris]

Hej Miollnir,

We obviously disagree here, which is fine, done in a respectful manner. As I said, you aren't required to buy all of Rydberg's arguments, but what I will not let stand is any slander towards such a visionary and erudite scholar whose arguments are firmly based in the lore. Let stand that you disagree and we can have it on the record, but to engage in careless dismissal of such an important elder and voice in the tradition is unacceptable. We can let others decide on the basis of the evidence itself, not slander and insinuation. For those who are not familiar with this intra-Asatru debate, rest assured that Rydberg's arguments are firmly based in the lore and worth checking out. Systems based upon Rydberg's investigations have a strong foundation in the actual beliefs of heathens as we have records for them. This does not mean every Asatruar finds them valid, but you will not be on slippery ground to listen to what Rydberg has to say.

[Kaylara]

Y'know, I could have predicted you would say something like that.

There's no B.S. added. Rydberg knows the lore better than you and a dozen Asatroids ever will.

If you actually bother to read the arguments, you'll see that it is firmly based in the lore, and quite well argued. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it. But it does mean that your careless, contemptuous dismissals mean very little.
Name calling is against the rule of this board and entirely uncalled for. Please refrain from making further posts of this nature.

Thank you,
Kaylara Nightshade,
Site Administrator

*End Administrator Mode*

[Carla O'Harris]

I am now officially apologizing for referring to "Asatroids", or the seeming implication that Miollnir is one. I should have more accurately referred to my comrades in Asatru who unthinkably follow generic Asatru party-lines. I apologize for any name calling.

[Mjollnir]

I should have more accurately referred to my comrades in Asatru who unthinkably follow generic Asatru party-lines. I apologize for any name calling.

But yet still cant resist a parting shot...............

And FYI, I have much thicker skin than you might think but whomever complained must have saw the need, after all us unthinking heathens need to be set straight, right??? And since I didnt ask for or expect an apology, and your "generic" comment was rather amusing you can take your apology and stick it. :abored:

[Semele]

[QUOTE=Mjollnir] And since I didnt ask for or expect an apology, and your "generic" comment was rather amusing you can take your apology and stick it. :abored:[/QUOTE/]

ADMIN MODE:

Thread closed due to lack of respect for each other and the admins who have requested this childish behavior stop.