Discover the Norse myth of Baldur, the most beloved being in Asgard, and how the trickster god Loki plotted his death.
05:29 min
CLEAR ALL
Just as Christianity includes wide ranging denominations such as Catholics, Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists and Greek Orthodox - all with very different practices and interpretations of their faith - the term pagan covers a wide range of beliefs.
Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”) is usually celebrated from October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.
There are such myriad historical and contemporary variations and semantic complexities when dealing with paganism that a book-length article would be needed to fully cover it. The wheel as described here is broadly what is observed today by modern pagans, chiefly of the UK and Ireland.
The Wheel of the Year is a symbol represents the 8 festivals important to many pagans, Wiccans, and witches. These holidays — knows as Sabbats — follow a nature-based calendar and include four solar festivals and four seasonal festivals set in between them.
According to Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, the High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, the primary reason for the growing popularity of Óðinn and the old gods is the emphasis in Ásatrú on harmony and humility, especially in face of the things we cannot, and should not attempt to subvert and change, most...
I can’t believe I am diving into this linguistic swamp again, but here goes. Recently, I’ve been engaging in some online discussions with polytheists and the “Pagan enough” debate was aroused, of course, and it got me thinking.
In the story, many of the gods die and the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos held in the branches of Yggdrasil are consumed by fire. But, according to surviving accounts of the prophecy, not everyone will die in this Viking apocalypse.
Hel, goddess of death, could there be a more fearsome being in the world of Norse mythology? But don’t be taken-in by the portrayal of the Norse goddess of death in the Marvel universe. While the Norse goddess was the ruler of the underworld, she was never represented as pure evil.
Valhalla is closer to the concept of heaven than it is to hell, but it is not an exact parallel. Located in Asgard, Valhalla is where Odin, the god of thunder, reigns. Valkyries, Odin’s maiden warriors, select which elite Viking warriors may enter.
To satisfy his relentless thirst for wisdom, Odin sacrificed one of his eyes in exchange for a drink from Mimir’s well, which gave him the enlightenment he sought.