mythos – 卍 The Black Order of Vinland 卐

Mjolnir and Male Divinity

The following essay was published in 2015 in vol. 1, issue 1 of the Black Order of Vinland’s zine, “Dark Effluvium”. It is being reproduced here for the purpose of making available the teachings of Dark Heathenism which have been previously unavailable to the public. Further pieces from “Dark Effluvium” will be published later in the future.

In recent times, various faux-Heathen organizations have arisen that misinterpret, outright dishonor or altogether extinguish the use of our first distinguishing symbol of aristocracy among an invading alien culture. Like all things in the occult, there is multiple layers of meaning behind any sigil. Runes for example possess an exterior (causal) meaning and then provide extended (acausal) significance in divination. The first is basic and clearly ascertainable, the second requires extended, meditative contemplation.

The symbol of the Thor’s hammer has three meanings: First, it is a hammer, emblematic of the mythic Mjolnir which slew many giants in Thor’s adventures, but beyond this, the symbol represents multiple functions of which the archetype of its wielder embodied. The idea that a tool used for construction, a small handed hammer might become of anguish to foemen, is a direct result of Thor’s position as the “Everyman” of Europe. Thor’s figure was not authoritative, rather reflective of the common-folk, who using their everyday tools, might become warriors in times of need. Similarly, Thor being a god of farmers, the working man and productivity assists this symbolism in cohesive thought.

The design is also that of a Penis, complete with testicles, relating to the cult of Freyr, or the Dionysian-counterpart of the North. Being a deity of Fertility and Kingship, Freyr exposed the wild and aristocratic nature of the European thoroughbreds in their unbridled and virile madness. Early Christians wrote of their horror when coming into contact with the cult of Freyr, whose ecstatic practices destroyed the barriers of pious thought in every regard.

The symbol is also a cross, otherwise relative to Odin, whose sacrificed eye would drown into the well of Mimir. Many regard the Odin’s cross not just to be a symbol of the eye that was lost, but all models of sacrifice illustrated in the Eddas. In later syncretic Christianity, the Odin’s cross would be used as evidence to accent the sacrificial nature of the deity and make convertive-associations with the God of the warriors. Allusions to the Rune poem of the Havamal and the Crucifixion of Christ made many northmen sleep easier believing that the new religion was something of a variant apprehension of what already existed. Some of the earliest Saxon literature attests to this middle period which bridged the two cultures, an example is the “Dream of the Rood,” which paints Christ as a valiant warrior and makes allusions to Germanic cosmology both overt and hidden in the poetics.

What makes this symbol most interesting is when comparing these three Gods: Thor, Odin, and Freyr (all of which appear on a Swedish Cathedral Mosaic representing these exact three functions) is the fact that each of their counterparts, which are Sif, Freyja, and Frigg are all chthonic feminine identities for the Earth. Indeed, all three names are used synonymously with Eorthe (Erda) of the Dark Tradition, in sources such as the Prose Edda, which the expounding of Skaldic Poetry broadens the apprehension of the Germanic mind, and how they viewed the forces beyond the realms of man. In addition, there is a paradigm criss-cross with some of these Gods and their counterparts, such as Odin and Freyja, serving many of the same functions. Many scholars believe that this is due to the fact that Frigg was a later invention to accompany the already existing Freyja, or vice versa.

To make matters even more clear, it would be beneficial to invoke the triplicity of Odin, from the account of the Voluspa. The three gifts to man were Soul (Odin), Sense (Vili/Hoenir), and soul (Ve/Lodur). The gift of the Soul, naturally compares to Odin’s varied quests of self-excellency. Hoenir’s sense is interestingly related to the nature of science and craftsmanship (e.g., the nature of vocation) and Lodur’s blood is often seen as the hot and rushing impulse that guides all passions.

This is just mythology, and the myth carries secrets to be used functionally in the occult. If nothing more, this should illustrate that WOTAN is far beyond a cultural godform as WOTAN has embodied many forms, served many functions (War, Vocation, Ecstasy) and is a Shapeshifter. The Vril Of The Aeonic Nexion embodies many archetypes and can be used for many functions, but to apprehend its multiplicity of uses is the beginning of wonder. There is no more archetypal symbol for all of Heathenry than the Mjolnir and it is because of the Vril Of The Aeonic Nexion, in its mythic/acausal forms (Thor, Freyr, and Odin), as well as its causal forms (Thunder, Lightning, and Electricity), as well as its abyssal nature: the Emblem of all who praise WOTAN as their ancestors did.

-Orlog

…Whose Gaze is Death…

The Babylonian creation story known as “Enuma Elish”, in which Abzu mates with the primordial serpent Tiamat and thus produces the gods of the Babylonian pantheon, includes an oft-overlooked element which provides a degree of insight into our Sinister volk: the Aqrabuamela, or Scorpion-Men. The offspring of Abzu and Tiamat, led by Marduk, plotted against Abzu and ultimately succeeded in overthrowing him. Naturally, Tiamat was enraged, and rightly so! She spawned forth all manner of horrors to wage war against her treacherous children, most notably great serpents and the Aqrabuamelu, and while conventional interpretations of the mythos claim that Marduk was the victor in the ensuing struggle, a more nuanced, insightful analysis will show that the war is not over, and he who laughs last, laughs hardest, and by exploring symbolic associations, we might achieve a better understanding of our own monsters.

The Aqrabuamelu are described as great anthropomorphic scorpions, whose forms were utterly terrifying and “whose gaze was death”. Their dominion was the barrier between the realm of mortals and the Underworld. Overall, little is known in a scholarly context, but if one looks at the blatant symbolism present, conclusions can be made and gaps filled. First and foremost is the creature itself, which could hardly be more obvious as representative of those individuals with no small amount of Scorpio/Pluto influence in their natal charts. This does not necessarily mean that one’s Sun is in Scorpio, but that other spheres and aspects are, or that the 8th house is greatly emphasized. The author believes that the main criteria is one’s chart being ruled by Pluto, as his own ascendant is in Scorpio whilst his Mercury and Venus are in the 8th house, in addition to his Moon. This describes an individual who is moody and intense, well at home in all manner of Plutonian subjects, other aspects to these ensuring that there is no rest or true comfort for this one, as these traits clash with others and create a perpetual internal chaos, uncomfortable but ultimately necessary in order to to manifest certain results. The author highly advises study and application of astrological practices, and there are, at the time of writing, many free resources that will be of use. Knowledge of self cannot be overstated in its necessity, and the author believes that the sort of brutal, uncompromising realism of astrology, properly applied, is key in this pursuit.

The astrological symbolism, once established, allows for other connections to be made. In this case, the rune often associated with Scorpio is Eihwaz, the rune governing death, transformation, and the alchemy thereof. Befitting the inherent secrecy of Plutonian things, there is no traditional Rune poem for Eihwaz, save for the Anglo-Saxon, but the author is wary of such bastardization. Eihwaz, when turned upon its side, becomes “Opfer” according to the mysticism of the Third Reich. The term “Opfer” meaning “offering” or “sacrifice” (as well as a modern Germanic insult) is central to the Sinister Traditions in the Rite of Recalling, in which a sacrifice is “opfered” at the rite’s culmination. These days, the act of culling fulfills the need for Opfering (in theory), and the author believes that this association of our own breed with “Opfer-Eihwaz” is a stark reminder that we too are Opfers for the aeon, in our own way. It is worth noting that the Opfer-Eihwaz aligns perfectly with the center of the dual Tetrahedron representing Causal and Acausal space and thus, the cosmos as a whole.

In relation to the Black Order of Vinland’s focus on Wotanic mythos, Wotan embodies a Plutonian archetype. He is known as “Draugr Lord” “Lord of the Gallows” “Baelygr”, and sacrifices his own eye at the well of Urd in exchange for true sight. Most noteworthy is his sacrifice of “Wotan to Wotan, myself to myself” upon the tree of Yggdrasil – in some cases a Yew (Eihwaz) tree – for nine days and nights in order to reach into Hel for occult knowledge. Yggdrasil translates to “Horse of the Terrible One” “Horse” being associated with the gallows in this case, and while Ygg is one of Wotan’s many names, this particular name, meaning “terrible” evokes the Aqrabuamelu “whose terror is awesome” a tenuous link but one worth considering.

The notion of a mighty serpent whose sole purpose is the destruction of the world is present in both the Enuma Elish and the Voluspa, in the form of Tiamat and Nidhoggr, respectively. However, Nidhoggr is clearly not Tiamat, as the former is clearly described as male, whilst the latter is described as female. As Nidhoggr rules over a dark, otherworldly realm of criminals and murderers, and is himself steeped in death, gnawing on bodies and carrying corpses in his wings. While there is no explicit mention of who bore Nidhoggr, another great serpent bent on destruction, Jormungandr, is said to be the offspring of Loki and the female Jotunn Angrboda “one who brings sorrow”, and their union also brought forth the wolves of Ragnarok, most notable among them is Fenrir. One can safely assume that Angrboda is quite intent on birthing all manner of destructive beasts, and it is not a stretch to count Nidhoggr among them. As previously stated, this is Tiamat’s goal as well, and she spawned forth wyrms, as well as the Aqrabuamelu, to destroy Marduk and avenge Abzu. Thus, the author concludes that Angrboda is analogous to Tiamat, and that Nidhoggr is her Plutonian child.

While researching for this piece, the author found a curiously vague mention of something that Marduk inherited when he slew his father Abzu, something spawned by Tiamat but lurking, waiting, an aquatic demon known as “Kulullu”.

-Ewan 513

On the Web of Wyrd and Other Esoteric Notes

The Web of Wyrd (also called Skuld’s Net) is essentially a shamanic map illustrating the magickal universe as conceived in Dark Heathenism, consisting of nine staves arranged in a web- or snowflake-like pattern. Certain of its mysteries are described here.

c823a6c86c7807db0f0a82aa0f619064 The web is, on one level, symbolic of the spider, one of the totems of the BOV. Its spinning of the web is related to the Nornir, and furthermore when depicted in human form the spider is often depicted as the Mousa/Crone, weaver of fate (orlog) and dreams. The spider’s web is also significant for hunters, where it has been used in both Europe and America to staunch wounds. Its totemic powers are excellent for writers, the highest form of writing being the Runes themselves.

The Web of Wyrd consists of three angles–one vertical and two diagonal–representing the Norns, each comprising of three threads signifying the alchemical elements salt, mercury, and sulphur, giving a total of nine threads. Thus is the WoW a symbol of the Nine Angles.

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This connection to the Nine Angles is further intimated by the crystalline pattern and hexagonal shape of the WoW, mirroring the structure of the quartz molecule. Clear quartz points of the right size and clarity–particularly those fashioned in the shape of a tetrahedron–are powerful sources of vril and react with voice vibration (Galdr) to further amplify and direct this vril. The esoteric combination of quartz with voice vibration results in a temporary “enlivening” where the various elements involved enter into a numinous symbiosis and become alive, animated as they are by the alchemical Nine Angles.

The ninth Rune Hagl relates in part to quartz crystals and the Nine Angles, and its shape as depicted by certain Futharks perfectly mirrors the Web of Wyrd. This stave is actually visible inside the quartz tetrahedron when one gazes into it from a certain angle. Hagl also signifies those wyrdful forces of chaos and disruption which simultaneously–paradoxically–lie at the very core of the structuring of the Cosmos. Consider for instance the primordial meeting of Fire and Ice which results in a catastrophic explosion that charges the primal void Ginnungagap with infinite magickal potential, thus giving rise to the very patterns of cosmic manifestation from which the Nine Worlds evolve. It is these cosmic patterns which are represented in the Web of Wyrd.

hagall 3fd743b2debe0d8d815b667867715730--the-younger-rune

0508013F-B565-436F-8293-C2534726CF36 With regard to the aforementioned the WoW is a bindrune containing all 24 Runes (thus another one of its names is the Allrune) which each representing the individual cosmic patterns mentioned above. The Runes are used by the Nornir–in one sense the original Rounwythas (especially when one considers the etymological links between “Rune” and “Rouning”)–to weave the fates of all beings in the Nine Worlds, for the Runes at once contain the whole of the Cosmos within themselves and yet lie beyond them as well, having as they do their home in the Well of Wyrd from which Yggdrasil grows.

Continuing on the subject of Yggdrasil and the Runes, undoubtedly the most well-known story of Wotan–the patron deity of the BOV along with his consort Eorthe–and His exploits is described in the Havamal and relates to how he sought to gain the knowledge and power of the Norns by seeking out the Runes for Himself. He went about accomplishing this in what amounts essentially to a shamanic initiatory ordeal of prolonged stillness and quietude with no aid from others (called Grade Rituals in some circles), during which He hung himself from Yggdrasil for nine days while scrying into the Well of Wyrd before the Runes finally consented to revealing themselves. During those nine days He teetered on the precipice of life and death, and indeed for one to become a shaman they must descend into death while still alive for in doing so a part of them is born which is immortal. The sacrifice of Himself to Himself describes the shedding of selfhood that is necessary for one to achieve an apprehension of those supra-personal forces that influence the Wyrd of entire civilizations, a dissolution of the Self which engenders the Cosmic Perspective that is so necessary for a the bona fide Rounwytha/Rounerer. This esoteric wisdom achieved by Wotan through his Promethean/Faustian strivings is enshrined in the Web of Wyrd.

Thus does the Web of Wyrd represent certain central elements of Dark Heathenism and serve to map out its conception of the magickal universe–on one level, it is to the BOV what the Tree of Wyrd is to the O9A. We make no claim to having created it, only that we present certain lessons associated with it that are internal to our kurrent. As with everything else presented here, the teachings described in these notes are to be believed or disbelieved according to the judgment of the individual.

-Bedwyr Thuban

Baleygr: An Introduction to Wotanic Mythos

In order to utilize the Runes of the Elder Futhark to their full potential, one must be as Wotan, He who, according to volkish lore, first discovered them in a nine-day ordeal. In order to manifest the Allfather, one must first understand Him as He truly is, and not as mundane biases might depict Him to be. One must learn His names and exploits, reflect on them, and where applicable, apply them, for practical experience teaches like no other!

“Wotan” is but one of many names for the Allfather (a clever name in itself – is He father of all or all fathers? Or both…?), each of which paint a clearer picture of the fabled Aryan patriarch. Some describe Him literally, such as “Arnhoefthi” “Baleygr” or “Ennibrattr” – distinct Aryan features with flinty eyes, a high forehead, and aquilline nose. The first of these also subtly implies association with the highest decan of Scorpio, the Eagle, the first of many allusions to His deathly, Plutonic nature. In addition to names referencing physical attributes, there are many which suggest a far more Sinister element than the more en vogue depictions of a wise old father, for He was indeed such a figure, but He was also far more complex than just a mythic grandfather. Those names such as “Boelverkr” and “Valdr Galga” are indicative of a very Plutonian essence, as well as “Draugadrottinn” quite literally meaning “Lord of the Undead”. Still others refer to His warlike prowess (“Geirvaldr” – “Spear Master”), His closeness with His kin (far too numerous to list, this in itself a nugget of wisdom), His cleverness (“Ginnarr” – “Deceiver” “Glapsvithr” – “quick to decieve” also denotes occult prowess) and so forth, the rest of which are not included for the sake of brevity, however they are easily available should one require them. Understanding the many names of Wotan enables one to see Him more clearly, and in seeing Him clearly, one might hang from Yggdrasil and stare into Hel as He did.

Georg_von_Rosen_-_Oden_som_vandringsman,_1886_(Odin,_the_Wa.jpg

In addition to the names of Wotan, one must learn of His exploits. His is not an easy life, fraught with many ordeals and much suffering – such is the price of wisdom, a price Wotan gladly pays. He often wanders by Himself, motivated primarily by his quest of Self. While Wotan is a god of war, He is not a roaring, bombastic idealist like His son, Thor. Rather, He employs the true virtue of cunning and deceit, for there may be no glory in subterfuge, but He cares little for the opinions of others – so long as His will be done. Furthermore, abstractions such as “honour” and “glory” lead to a prolonged conflict, the spilling of yet more volk blood – a valuable resource – and are thus truly immoral, whereas the sly tactics, that which occurs with the plunging of knives and tainting of wells under the cover of night, are truly “moral”, achieving victory with minimal loss. As well as His disdain for more romantic ideas of how a war ought to be fought, Wotan cares little for being restricted, thus freedom is as paramount to His unending quest as it ought to be for our breed. The questor is the supreme master in their quest, and all who would restrict the questor in the holiest of pursuits must be subjugated – if not destroyed utterly. Wotan is so ruthlessly possessed by His quest for wisdom that He gouged out His own right eye – mundane sight – in order to truly see. As it is with Him, so it must be with those of a Sinister persuasion: everything comes with a requisite sacrifice. Later, in order to obtain the Runes from the depth of Hel – the underworld – He would impale Himself on His own spear and hang from Yggdrasil for nine days and nine nights. There He hung, without food or water, suspended between life and death, until finally He saw shapes in the darkness – the Runes. If the Gouging was not evident enough, then the Nine Day Ordeal is. Not even the possibility of death would deter Him from His goal, His complete and total dedication – obsession – was handsomely rewarded with otherwise unattainable wisdom. Wotan was Nietzschean-Faustian before either philosopher was even born, and yet He is the most perfect example of this ethos.

OdinsInitiationIntoWisdom

Naturally, Wotan is not entirely alone in his quest. Accompanying Him are two ravens, named Hugin and Munin, as well as two wolves, named Geri and Freki. His Ravens, whose names translate to “Thought” and “Memory” respecively, are further emphasis on Wotan’s love of mind, thought and memory both serving Him as well as they should anyone truly “wise”. It is also said that Wotan casts out both Hugin and Munin, caring little for the return of the former but showing concern over the return of the latter – a reference to the practice of meditation, in which the mind is fully silenced; whether or not the thoughts present before meditating should return is irrelevant, for it is memory which He loves most. As His avian companions represent the mind and more cerebral elements of His being, Wotan’s wolves Geri and Freki, both names translating to “ravenous”, represent the carnal, Noktulian aspect. It is said that Wotan feeds them well, while He drinks only wine. It can then be concluded that Wotan is the union of contrary things, the cerebral and the carnal, to create true, savage divinity – a pagan trinity in its own right.

-Ewan 513

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Wotan and the Great Work

In Aeons past man’s relationship with cosmic forces was mediated by a spiritual elite that was one and the same as their political, civil leadership. One of the core functions of the government in such civilizations was to rear a spiritual leadership who enacted certain rites that drew forth powerful Vril which could breathe life into society at large, giving their nation’s culture a certain numinosity. In such societies a monarch was at the top of the spiritual hierarchy and represented his kingdom’s very connection with the Gods, a station which existed within this Western Aeon in the twisted, perverted form of the Pope during the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church was still the dominating political force in Europe. Previously the cosmic forces—the Vril—which the spiritual elites unearthed were only understood unconsciously, irrationally, apprehended as they were in the form of mythology, with such mythologies describing the ethos, the spirit, of their respective civilizations.

Long gone are the days where communion with the Gods was the privilege of a political elite, for no government on Earth currently serves the role of mediating its peoples’ relationship with the Gods. Now, we are in a position where the individual who so desires may take their spiritual evolution—and thus the spiritual evolution of his species in general and his race in particular—into their own hands, journeying towards godhood by their own striving and their own achievements. Although the Church tried for centuries to suppress and destroy all esoteric knowledge whereby individuals could take control of their own spiritual evolution, at this point in the 21st Century—in this so-called “Age of Aquarius”—we have unprecedented access to all manner of alchemical mysteries so that whoever diligently seeks it will find it, and whoever seriously applies it will progress toward immortality, toward godhood.

Still further, we are in a position where rational apprehension of the cosmic forces responsible for our evolution is made possible by magickal symbolism, with such symbolism enabling one to make conscious those forces which were hitherto unconscious, thus leading to an integration, a synthesis, where the forces represented are understood as they are, as how they exist independently of the human psyche. Because of these two unique factors—individuals possessing the ability to consciously guide their evolution, and the symbolic representation of cosmic forces in a way that enables their conscious apprehension—the potential of the human race has been extended to new heights, and now for the first time in history we are able to approach the domain of the Gods. This is, in fact, the very destiny of our species, to journey beyond this Earth planet and make our home among the stars, where we will be worshiped by those very beings who we, in aeons past, looked up to as gods.

These new possibilities which distinguish the Western Aeon from aeons past are represented by the heroic figure Wotan (whose name stands for Vril Ov Thee Aeonic Nexion). According to the mythos internal to the BOV, Wotan was originally born a human man, mortal like the rest of us, but who, by his heroic deeds and his quest for wisdom, became immortal. More than simply possessing it, he was *possessed by* the Promethean/Faustian spirit which itself is the very spirit/ethos of the Western Aeon. Furthermore he not only achieved immortality; he contributed significantly to the spiritual knowledge of the human race by leaving us the Runes, a numinous symbolism which describes energies, processes, and methods universal to all human beings, and which enshrine all of the knowledge and power he acquired through his lifelong journey toward wisdom.

Whether these things are factually true or are merely intimations of Truth (that’s with a capital T), or are both or neither, is ultimately irrelevant here. What’s important is that Wotan exemplified an approach to spiritual ascension that is unique to this Western Aeon. Once upon a time it was the function of some kind of priesthood associated with some kind of government to connect the Folk with the Gods—we only have to look to the Pyramids of Egypt or the Ziggurats of Mesopotamia to get a hint of how deep this went. Now, however, there is no state priesthood to mediate our connection with the Gods. In fact, the very notion of worshiping cosmic forces and/or higher extraterrestrial beings is itself outdated. With the inauguration of the Western Aeon the script was re-written altogether, and now it is up to the individual to take control of their own connection with the Cosmos and the natural forces working within it, to the end that one day he or she will seize their rightful place among the stars and join the ranks of the Gods themselves. Wotan points us in the direction of this approach to spiritual attainment: the individual striving alone in Faustian defiance toward immortality, earning their place among the stars by their own efforts.

The ways and means whereby Wotan accomplished this were extreme and indeed superhuman, even if one views the mythos of his life as symbolic. Indeed, in centuries past the process of the Great Work involved great ordeals of suffering and bloody rites of sacrifice, as the methods available at the time were crude and primitive. Over time however the techniques were refined and the severity of the sacrifices (both personal and literal in the sense of blood offerings) were mitigated somewhat, as the development more effective methods took place and thus the extreme could be discarded in favor of the precise. Generation after generation, it has been the life’s work of a few reclusive Adepts to first enact these techniques and then to refine them further, making it a little easier for the next generation of alchemists engaged in the Great Work. Most of the ways and means were based off of mystical practices inherited from previous aeons, like the use of quartz crystals with sound vibration or the apprehension of the Cosmos in seven fundamental emanations. In more recent times, as significantly greater levels of Vril have saturated the Earth with the opening of new nexions, certain sincere seekers like Carl Jung or David Myatt have significantly updated old techniques or developed new ones altogether, making the Great Work still more accessible than it has ever been previously. By this slow refining of alchemical knowledge over centuries, and indeed millennia, the Great Work is now more accessible to the common man than ever before, the process from start to finish having been set forth sans all the sort of mystification and encoding that was so necessary in centuries past. To summarize, it all begins with initiation, and it ends at the time of or shortly before the death of one’s mortal body—in between the two, the alchemist prepares for themselves an “astral double” through which they will live on eternally in the acausal following the death of the material body. Unless one 1) significantly raises those acausal energies which animate them and give them life, and 2) gives a shape, a pattern with which to contain these energies; then the soul, the essence which makes one alive, will simply dissipate after the demise of the physical body. This is, in summary, the esoteric core of the Great Work as it relates to the individual alchemist (not including the supra-personal aspects of genuine alchemy).

-Bedwyr Thuban