Honest Desire

Q: Loki has been associated with lust and fornication. What does Laeviss say about this?

A: Laeviss says that Loki is a pagan, and lived with the Vanir a long time before joining the Aesir. Some have suggested that Loki's name means "burning desire" and Loki would not deny the aptness of that claim, he says Loki is always on fire for Odin. Most of the modern western world's concepts of sex, he adds sadly, come directly from the dualistic teachings of Christianity. Women who are not virgins or locked in monogamous marriage and any men not conforming to traditional gender roles in these teachings are automatically branded as evil. Sex in this sort of society has been historically treated as dirty, sinful, evil, and that, over time, people have come to believe this to be true. Laeviss wishes that the Vanir way of viewing sex, as a beautiful and loving pleasure ritual between two or more consenting adults, could be rediscovered. Laeviss says the Loki that some people may claim to find hanging out in strip clubs or watching porno films isn't him. But he does enjoy sex, and will lay claim to many a lustful thought, yes, indeed. Laeviss describes "honest desire" as a feeling of being attracted to someone because of the positive qualities they embody, and wanting to share in and honor those qualities in that other person. Honest desire views sexuality in a positive light. Laeviss says "dishonest desire" assigns negative qualities (such as dirtiness or sinfulness) to the other person, and/or to the act of sex itself, and is an unhealthy emotion. Loki is all about sacred, honest desire. Honestly!
Laeviss also adds that the concept of monogamy as being the only proper (morally or socially correct) way to experience sex (especially for women) came about as a way for society to control women, and to be sure of the paternity of their children. Laeviss says that monogamy is not only unnatural (though some people, including Laeviss, are inclined that way), but creates all sorts of unpleasantness in people's lives, with unrealistic expectations on all sides, and deceit playing a major role in destroying what should be strong family ties. He recommends instead being completely honest and upfront with all current and potential sexual partners rather than either forcing oneself into a lifestyle that really isn't one's cup of tea, or hiding behind a mask of false monogamy and a web of deceit.

Loki's offspring

Q: It says in the Lore that Loki sired monstrous children with the giantess Angrboda. Is this true?

A: Laeviss says as part and parcel of the label argh, Loki became known for producing such children, as "everyone knows" that sorcerers, eunuchs, male seid workers and gender-variant men who engage in passive homosexuality produce monstrous magical offspring, usually wolves, serpents and deformed or lame children. Loki, being a god, therefore had super-monstrous and super-deformed children! Better stay away from the freakish sorcerer lest his afflictions be visited upon your own house!
Seriously, though, these children of Loki are real, though metaphysically born rather than materially born. Born of Angrboda, a giant and therefore an ancient force of nature (whose name means "herald of grief" or "foreboding anger"), these children are his daughter Hel and his sons Jormungand (the giant serpent that encircles the world) and Fenrir (the gigantic wolf.) Laeviss does indeed claim metaphysical paternity of these children, and reminds us that "Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned."
It is said that Angrboda resides in the Ironwood, an appropriate place for "wolves" who subsist in the utangard, outside the realm of society. Angrboda (as Iarnvidia, the Hag of the Ironwoods) also is said to be the mother or grandmother of the wolf Managarm, "he that is named Moon-Dog." Managarm is said to be the wolf that "steals the sun from the sky."

Venomous Wisdom

Reprinted from my other blog. Enjoy.

There is ancient serpent wisdom to be found in myth and legend. According to Welsh legend, the wizard Taliesin gained his great wisdom and poetic insight from three drops of magickal potion from the cauldron of Cerridwen. According to legend, the rest of the potion was poisonous. Mystical powers gained from the feminine mysteries. Three drops. And the rest poison.
Taliesin (who was not the original intended recipient), by design or chance, ended up with the potent three drops. Taliesin had been a boy named Gwion Bach, who was tending the hearthfire underneath this great cauldron of brew.
Interestingly, we eventually find Loki (himself a captive flame) chained up underneath such a great cauldron of brew. Keeping it warm, maybe.
Anyway, a bit of this wisdom revealed itself to me, and I share it with you now.

Laeviss tells of how the mead was obtained:
Many long lifetimes since the Serpent and the Eagle had become companions, the Lady set the Serpent a task, that from Night to Day he would guard Her sacred cauldrons of wisdom and inspiration. From Day to Night he spent availing himself of the companionship of the Eagle, and when nightfall came, the Serpent retired below the earth to watch over and protect his charge.
The Serpent and the Eagle spent many pleasant hours above ground in talking, and mirthful hours in laughter, but nightfall would arrive, and the Serpent would remember his charge. Down he would go, into the ground, deep into the stones of the earth, through narrow crevices and pathways only he could follow, to where the cauldrons were set by the Lady. And he would carefully guard them, for the Lady chose wisely who she allowed to drink thereof.
One day, the Eagle remarked to the Serpent that it was a very great shame that the famous mead of inspiration should be so locked away from the daylight. He asked of the Serpent that he be allowed a sip of the precious liquid, “For then,” he said, “I would share it with the world instead of keeping it locked so far away that it benefits not the earth nor those who dwell upon the earth.”
“My friend,” said the Serpent, “I believe your idea is beneficial, but I cannot think that the Lady would allow us to steal Her wisdom, and if I break faith with Her, She will force a punishment upon me that would be most unpleasant indeed.”
“Listen, friend, ” said the Eagle, “If we do this together, I do vow to take you with me up on high during the day when the Lady will not be able to catch you, and there you will live in my nest with me forever, that we might continue our long conversations.”
And the Serpent said, “But well do I remember those days back in Sumer, when before Shamash the Sun God we vowed eternal brotherhood, and well do I remember that it was you who broke faith with me, and left me bereft. ”
“Ah, but I was redeemed by the light of Shamash, and anyway, that was a very long time ago, indeed. We were as children, then. I am the new, improved Eagle. You know truly where I keep my heart. It has always resided with you.”
Having an almost certain knowledge that the Eagle was lying through his beak (for the Eagle was a great liar, indeed, and the Serpent had known him a long, long time so was well aware of this) the Serpent still considered the Eagle his brother, and loved him, and asked him how they might accomplish what the Eagle desired, for the passageways to the mead were much too small for the Eagle to traverse.
“Well, my dearest and oldest brother and friend,” said the Eagle to the Serpent, “It seems to me that you are well versed in magic, with much knowledge of charms and spells. Now, the truth is (and it pains me to say this) you are much better at that sort of thing than I will ever be (everyone knows it), so it would be no trouble at all for you to transform me into a seed and take me there within yourself.”
The Serpent agreed, and they set the time for the following night, when they would journey together to get the mead. And the Serpent agreed to use his magical skill to transform the Eagle into a seed.
This was accomplished very easily on the part of the Serpent (he rather enjoyed it, actually), and with the seed of the Eagle in his mouth, he traveled the three narrow passageways that lead to the Lady’s cauldrons of mead. And the Serpent allowed the Eagle a sip of each of the three cauldrons. Then he brought the Eagle back through the crevices of stone and onto the surface of the earth. There the Serpent transformed the seed back into the Eagle.
“What do you think, now that you are so inspired?” asked the Serpent. “Was it worth it?” Though he knew the answer.
“It is volcanoes, earthquakes, lightning, the rushing tide, storm waters, hurricanes and all primal energies of the earth. It is beyond worth it. I give it to you, that we share it together.” And he shared the mead with the Serpent, who received it reverently and owned it of himself.
“Now, take me with you when you fly away, as you promised me,” the Serpent reminded his friend. “It will be pleasant to live with you in your nest forever.”
“Wait, my friend,” said the Eagle. ” I want to make sure that you will not call down the wrath of the Lady upon me for this that we have done. I want you to give me a gift. I want you to pledge your faith to me.”
“I hereby give you the gift of my faithfulness,” said the Serpent, and owned this to himself, as he gave himself away.
“Very good,” said the Eagle. “Now, the flight to my nest is very long and dangerous, and it is high in the air. Only I have knowledge of how to live there safely. So I want you to give me another gift. Pledge that you will obey my directions.”
“I hereby give you the gift of my obedience, ” said the Serpent, and owned this to himself, as he gave himself away.
“Also good,” said the Eagle. “Now, I need one more gift from you. You must vow that you will never speak of this thing we have done, lest someone hear your words and call punishment upon us.”
“I hereby give you the gift of my silence in this matter,” said the Serpent, and owned this to himself, as he gave himself away.
Whereupon the Eagle took flight, and left the Serpent there alone on the ground. “You have broken your vow to me,” the Serpent called after him, most distressed over the whole matter.
“Yes, but I will hold you to your vows,” replied the Eagle. “You will remain bound by them to the stones below, and you will wait for me until such time as I care to call upon you by the vows you have made to me and you have freely owned.” He flapped ever higher on his mission to bring the enlightenment to the beings of earth, and the Serpent could now hear him but faintly, “Anyway, why did you listen to me? You know what a great liar I am!”
“I can’t believe I FELL FOR THAT again! That Eagle always lets me down.” thought the Serpent, and crawled off into the crevices to sleep it off and wait.

Priests of the Goddess

A brief description of some eunuch priests of the Goddess:
The phenomenon of men voluntarily castrating themselves to become priests of the ancient Great Mother Goddess is so old that no one knows its origins. The most well-known of these Goddesses served by eunuch priests is probably Cybele ("cave-dweller," She of the Initiations. In Latin, Her name is Sybil. The Sibylline oracles were named for Her.) From Her birthplace in antiquity in Phrygia, Her holy stone was brought to Rome in 204 B.C.E. at the order of the Cumaean Sybil. Upon consulting the Sibylline Books (reported to hold the entire history of the Roman Empire, both past and future) the Cumaean oracular priestess prophesied that if the worship of Cybele were brought to Rome, and if Her iconic stone was installed in a temple there and made an official state religion, the forces of Hannibal, which had been attacking Rome for years to their great distress) would be defeated. Her statue was brought, Her worship was installed, and Her mysteries became an official state religion. For over 500 years, Her worship remained an official and important Roman state religion. Hannibal retreated, and legend says Rome did not fall while Cybele's worship remained.
Got that? Cybele and Her son/consort, Attis were worshipped in Rome for 500 years, beginning in 204 B.C.E. This means that Cybele's faith was honored as an official religion of Rome when the man Christians call "saint" Paul wrote his homophobic rant to the Romans. He was specifically targeting Cybele's clergy and Her followers.
What about Cybele and Her clergy caused this man Paul to denounce them? Her eunuch priests, who engaged in sacred sex with Cybele's worshippers. Not only was Cybele served by priestesses, but also eunuch priests, called galli (masculine) or gallae (feminine, which version of the title used depended on the author's viewpoint. There seems to have been much confusion over which gender the eunuch priests belonged to.) Cybele's eunuch priests castrated themselves of their own free will in order to join Her service. Sources conflict as to whether they did this in order to become more like Her or to become assimilated to Attis, Her castrated, dying and resurrected son/consort. According to the myth, Attis castrates himself in anguish due to his infidelity to either Cybele Herself or the person (Agdistis, sometimes equated with Cybele) whose relationship with him had been sanctioned by Cybele. From the blood that spills from Attis' wounds, violets grow.



Both priestesses and priests of Cybele wore female attire, painted their faces, wore bright colors, and wore their hair long (normally elaborately styled, but during the Megalensia, a major festival of the Goddess,  it was worn free.) They were nicknamed "the long-haired ones." (In Rome during this time, most men wore their hair very short, so this was considered scandalous.) They normally dyed their hair blond if it wasn't already, they believed that their Goddess preferred blond hair as an offering. They engaged in sex as a sacred rite, usually with male worshippers who followed what was considered for them a "normal" male societal role, and also often with each other. They were considered to bring "good luck." They blessed marriages and the births of children.
The galli of Cybele as an institution most likely traces itself back to the city of Catal Huyuk in Anatolia and at least 3000 B.C.E., although the shamanistic and magical arts they practiced are much, much older and date to prehistory. The galli were especially known for their divinatory skills, healing abilities and magical arts. They used many methods of divination, including astrology and ornithology, and were adept at achieving altered states in order to prophesy the future. They were believed to have been given the power to tame wild animals by the Goddess. They created spells and potions for their clients, and were believed to be able to make rain. They took the "sins" of others upon themselves in order to transform the negative energies into positive ones for their clients.
What does this all have to do with Loki? The worship of the Great Mother Goddess was very widespread, and existed for thousands of years before being forcibly crushed by the monotheistic, misogynistic and homophobic cultures that later arose to power. Laeviss believes that Loki was a priest of the Goddess, and that he had sacrificed his testicles to Her in Her aspect of Skadi. This, too, is in the Lore, though a bit garbled. It is said in the Lore that Skadi came to Asgard to claim compensation for her father Thiazi's death, and part of the compensation was that the Aesir were to make her laugh. Therefore, Loki tied one end of a rope to his testicles, and the other to a goat. They then played tug of war. Although the Lore merely says that Loki fell into her lap at this point, and made her laugh, Laeviss says (and this viewpoint is held by at least one scholar, John Lindow) what actually fell into her lap was the blood which poured out upon his castration. Skadi held sway over the winter, and the sacrifice entailed Loki to not only gain spiritual insights, and shamanic gifts, but as an offering to the Goddess encouraged the coming of spring.

A Very Pagan Magic

All of this begs a few questions, such as "Does this magic really work?" and, even if so, "Why would anybody intelligent enough and with spiritual sense enough consent to give his own life (or ask anyone else to give theirs) in the pursuit of such fame, fortune and power for somebody else?"
First of all, voluntary blood sacrifice as a way to magically win some tangible benefit for other people at the expense of oneself has been practiced for thousands of years. It is very ancient, and very Pagan. Like so many other aspects of Christianity that were appropriated from Paganism, this magic was used to create the basis for whole Christian religion. Absolutely, they stole it and claimed it to be their invention! Just around 2000 years ago, there was supposedly a man from Nazareth who gave his own life in order to win salvation for millions of people he mostly didn't even know. And this guy wasn't even near the first guy to try this technique. A lot of people believe that it works, and belief, I am assured, is one of the most important indicators that a ritual will be successful.
As for why any shaman would so consent to die for another person or persons, well, that's another issue. I can give you one perspective, mine, which says, "Sometimes the higher good of the Earth just basically outweighs all other costs."
The act of human sacrifice has been rightly condemned by modern society as evil. This is in spite of the fact that much of western society shares a Christian background, with its own god being sacrificed to himself for the salvation of mankind.


Laeviss does NOT advocate human or any other living sacrifice (in any case, it is no longer required by the Goddess.) Now, Laeviss is a firm believer in revealed wisdom, and when the Charge of the Goddess says, "Nor do I require aught of sacrifice" it is best to believe Her words. They do reveal new spiritual truth. What we have been discussing is old spiritual truth. While Laeviss does not believe in any list of proscribed actions as belonging to "good" or "evil" he does say that there are a couple of concepts to think about when considering whether an action might be right or wrong. Those concepts are "Do I use it to beautify the Earth, and thereby all of the life on the Earth?" and "Do I NOT use it to beautify the Earth, and thereby all of the life on the Earth?" Anything that promotes the beauty (meaning not necessarily physical beauty, but health and well-being) of the Earth and all of her inhabitants could be considered beneficial. Anything NOT used for the beautification of the Earth could be considered not beneficial. Ah, but how do we decide who gets to choose what is beneficial and what is not?
There have been many very misguided souls on the Earth who have had concepts of beauty that were rooted in evil thoughts. Anyone who tramples on individual humans, groups of humans, or human rights and liberties in general for their beauteous cause is working evil instead of good. Under the guise of benevolence, Christian leaders and other political leaders have tortured and murdered those whose beliefs and practices disagreed with their own. Just because someone's beliefs, practices, or appearance or understanding differs from your own does not make them any less worthy. A good rule of thumb should be: if a spirit or a god or your consciousness tells you to perform heinous acts or condones such acts in the name of righteousness, the spirit or entity or your consciousness is possessed of a spirit of evil. Do not listen to spirits of evil. Perform acts of goodness in the name of love, not acts of hate in the name of righteousness.
Sometimes the beauty of the Earth had to be maintained by selfless acts. In the case of Loki, the goddess known by many names in many countries, but here called Freyja, has entrusted him more than once with carrying out his intended purpose: to work with Odin in order to change the spiritual direction of the Earth in order to restore beauty or to prevent the Earth from continuing in a direction of non-beauty.
In this way, Loki acts like a compass. In the Lore, this is shown symbolically. When Loki is hiding from the Aesir, he builds a house with a door on each side, so that he would be able to see them coming after him. He is the center that the arrow swings around to point the way home. A compass will always point towards the North, and if you have such a compass, you will always be able to find your way home.

He is the hole in the needle, which makes the needle useful.
He is the doorway, which makes the door useful.
He is the space inside the bowl, which makes the bowl useful.

Or, like the sign on an empty storefront, "This building is not empty...it is full of potential!" Thus, one can take the potential that exists in the form of the energy provided by one's interactions with the client, and with the help of the Earth Elementals, allow it to manifest in its highest and best form, for the beauty of the Earth.