Seiðr Magic

Seiðr Magic is a practical guide to the Norse shamanic techniques of seiðr. This comprehensive book explains the techniques used to achieve trance in seiðr, how to journey in the Nine Realms, and the different gods and spirits you may encounter.

It discusses the tools of seiðr, such as the seiðr staff and hood, and provides guidance on how to create them, empower them, and care for them. The book also details Norse divination methods, ways to alter fate, healing techniques, the use of protective songs, and the practice of Norse soul retrieval.

Seiðr (pronounced "sayther") is a major ancient Norse magical practice, which is a form of trance spirit work and divination. Although often considered an ancient form of witchcraft, recent archaeological evidence suggests it is more closely related to shamanism.

In Seiðr Magic, Dean Kirkland, Ph.D., reconstructs the magical and shamanic techniques of the seiðr priest or priestess using the sagas and other literature from the Viking Age, tools found in the archaeological record, and surviving indigenous shamanic traditions. He addresses the misconception that seiðr was reserved only for women and demonstrates how anyone called to this work can practice it in the modern world.

The book explores the use of protective songs (varðlokur) that involve forming bonds with spirits, a practice likened to the medicine songs of Amazonian shamans. The author discusses methods for trance journeying in the Nine Realms of the Norse cosmos and shares methods of divination using the seiðr staff. He also explains how to alter ørlög, or fate, through spiritual work.

Dean Kirkland delves into soul-healing techniques in seiðr, offering an in-depth look at the Norse shamanic practices of soul retrieval and reintegration of the soul parts. The book further explores the role of seiðr in death, dying, and dealing with the dead, including work with the valkyries and the ancestors.

Presenting a historically based handbook for contemporary heathens, Seiðr Magic offers a practical path for anyone seeking to explore Norse trance magic and mysticism.