On working with Vidar

As a seidrkona (using chant/a lokk to connect with the Norse deities) I have tended to stick with those deities I work well with (mostly Frey and Hel) and those deities that want to work with me (mostly Odin, Loki & Freya) but recently with my established seidr circle we’ve been trying a new approach. We have been reaching out to deities in tune with the season, not our natural preference.

We have three specific ways we do this, all weaved into one session.

• · We call on the name of the deity at the start and end of the session- both in honour, and to catch their attention.

• · We integrate the sound of their rune into our lokk (seidr-chant).

• · And we go on a drummed journey (often with chant too) through a door with their rune carved onto it.

What has really astonished me is how every member of the group has experienced the different deities slightly differently - yet as we share our experiences we find the common ground where we realised we have all been working with the same energy.

I have struggled with “teaching” rune-lore, and this more experiential way of “experiencing” a rune suits me much better. I do share a little teaching about the myths and associations- but the experience is by far the richer part of the session.

After mostly working with quite “demanding” energetic, chaotic, “loud” deities I found the switch to Vidar took a while to ease into. There was a primal energy which reminded me of Njord- and as I very comfortable with the Vanir I found that helpful.

For me there was a deepening of the energy when I connected as genuine “he’s here then” kind of a moment. The air felt a little more still and weighty.

In my journey I wanted to ask questions- usually a big part of my work- but unsurprising for the “silent God” I was not given answers. Instead, he strode off across the grasslands and I ran, skipped, almost danced to keep up with him. We sat on the edge of some cliffs looking down on the world. It seemed so busy, I imagined it to be so loud, yet from our vantage point it all seemed a bit removed. I could imagine myself in that busy life- racing around, missing meals, consumed with whatever I felt was so important at that time. And I just leant further against the earth and felt the genuine peace of being slightly separate from the mundane life.

I am far more comfortable, used to the frenetic world, I work with adrenalin and chaos to keep me going even through the point of exhaustion. It took a while to adjust to being still.

Having listened to other’s experience within the group, and used Vidar to work with in several client healings I have come to appreciate that he is a perfect balance for my normal way of working.

Clients have enjoyed his chant as part of their healing, telling me they found it very grounding and comforting. I have used it in healings to help clients who are struggling with dissociation issues. After working to remove blocks and entities I chant the sound of Vidar’s rune (a deep “uuuurrrrgggghhh”) which reverberates and seems to start at the crown chakra and then go deep, deep, into the earth herself.

Vidar is teaching me to slow down, to take it steady. Vidar is teaching the power of withdrawing from life- if only with a deep breath- so that I can choose to act, and not get pulled into reacting.

Its going to take a while to integrate this into my life, but I am looking forward to finding a little better balance.