The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/tag/aesir)
In the wake of a golden statue of Donald Trump being unveiled in Florida, Karl E.H. Seigfried examines the use of monuments in the U.S. – a story full of accusations of ‘pagan idolatry’ that has far more basis in the Bible and politics.
Of the two divisions of deities in Norse mythology and religion, the Æsir are – largely thanks to Jack Kirby and Stan Lee – the better known in today’s popular culture. The Vanir, however, are just as complex and worthy of veneration as their Æsir counterparts.
We choose how we relate to the deities of our tradition. Our choice is not made for us by ancient poets, modern practitioners, or academic scholars.
I have never considered myself either a woman or a man. From the first days of my exploration, I was very clear that my identity was something else, a trickster-slick and shifting thing that slipped past both words and into uncharted lands. It was, by definition, dangerous.
Despite all their violently macho bravado, even the gods have empathy.