![]() Each is fully developed none are mere bit-part players. There is a pleasing equality about the portrayal of the women of Norse mythology. She was sovereign of a realm of vast mansions, and it was Hel’s duty to provide food and lodging to those dispatched to her. Hel, ruler of Helheim, the Norse underworld, like gods of the dead in other cultures, is described as having skin resembling death itself (in this case, a bluish hue). Loki had other (divine) children, including the queen of the underworld, Hel. It was he, while in the form of a horse, who sired Sleipnir. He was also a shape-shifter, and transformed into various animals. His crimes against the gods were many, culminating with the beloved Baldur’s death. Loki is a trickster god – an amoral figure who managed to inveigle his way into becoming Odin’s blood brother. They all did, save the mistletoe, and it was a spear made of this innocuous plant that killed him, through the trickery of our next god, Loki. Having had a dream foretelling his death, Frigg, his mother, made all the things of the Earth vow never to harm him. In fact, it was said he was so bright that the light shone from him. Summer sun and radianceīaldur, another of Odin’s sons, was a being of great beauty the god of the summer sun, of radiance. As well as his famous hammer, he possessed a magical belt and iron gloves, all with names of their own, named weapons being common fare for the Norse – something fans of JRR Tolkien will recognise. It is less well-known that he was also a representative of healing and hallowing (sanctification). As well as thunderstorms, Thor is associated with oak trees, and is said to protect mankind. Odin’s most famous son is, of course, Thor. He rode across the battlefield on Sleipnir, an eight-legged steed, with the ravens Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) on his shoulders. Odin, who gave one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom, is, according to most sources, the “Allfather” of the gods a fascinating shaman-like figure, emblematic of war, battle and death, but also poetry, music, prophecy and magic. That god was called Búri, and he was the grandfather of perhaps the greatest of all the gods, Odin. We learn how the first god was licked into existence from a block of salty ice by a primeval cow called Auðumbla. Creation myths are often among the strangest of all stories, and the Norse version is no exception. The stories even speak of the great void of Ginnungagap that existed even before the universe was created. For the Vikings, that “happened” at Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods, but the start of time is not neglected either. Remarkably, Norse lore covers the entire history of the world it’s not typical for a culture’s mythology to tell us how the world will end. Their mythology is rich and strange, and well worth discovering. The Vikings (closer to us in time and space) left a significant mark on the English language, our place names and perhaps our psyche. The persisting bias towards a classical education leaves us with a better knowledge of the Greek and Roman myths, and that’s a shame. But most of us would struggle to recall much more than that about these northern deities. We might remember that Thor makes thunder with his mighty hammer, and if you’re a Marvel fan you might even know that the hammer is called Mjölnir. You can, of course, use the beads with any prayers, or for any god or gods, that you choose or that resonate with you.If pushed, most of us remember that almost all the days of the week are named after Norse gods. The beads come with a prayer to Sleipnir, written specifically to be used with this prayer bead design, and with a cotton muslin bag for storage. The small size makes it easy to keep on hand in a drawer, a purse, or a pocket. It is designed to be used in prayer and meditation, to decorate an altar or shrine, and/or to adorn a statue. The loop itself is approximately 9.25" (23.5cm) in circumference and the pendant hangs from a 3" (7.6cm) string. It is made with 10mm deep grey fire-polished Czech glass beads with an aurora finish, separated by silver-toned metal spacer beads, and glass seed beads to provide a comfortable transition from one bead to the next and to make the piece lightweight, supple, and easy to handle. Joining the string is a pendant depicting Sleipnir himself. This set of Sleipnir pocket prayer beads consists of a total of twelve beads the nine beads on the loop recall the nine worlds connected by Yggdrasil, the World Tree, while the three beads on the pendant remind us of Yggdrasil's three roots that reach into the Well. ![]()
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