Thanks Hildeburh, I find your posts always right on the mark, and very informative. Great to have someone who is so well versed in Pagan traditions.
Thanks
I think it is not difficult to understand why seiðr was considered to be something for evil women and unmanly men. Neopagans nowadays associate Pagan religious practices with Magic. This is a misunderstanding and in fact an attack on the traditions of our ancestors. Magic is and has always been seen as something negative in mainstream traditional culture, especially Indo-Aryan culture. The ancient Greeks punished it severely and in Hinduism today people accused of witchcraft are still persecuted.
It is clear from the sources that some forms of magic were indigenous to Germanic societies; augury/prognostication, spells and charms in particular. Augury/prognostication took the form of reading omens in nature, such as, by observing the behaviour of birds and horses and also by reading lots and prognostication by a seerers. Augury/prognostication is clearly indicated in pre and post Christian texts and it is obvious from law codes that this behaviour continued after Christianisation.
The seeress/prophetess in Germanic societies were respected and played an important role in decision making. Germanic prophetesses are recorded as early as 50 BCE by Julius Caesar in Commentāriī dē Bellō Gallicō and the importance of prophetess Veleda to the Bructeri was recorded by Tacitus.
Seidr was a specific form of prognostication/clairvoyance undertaken by individuals, mostly women but also by some men, the practice in some way, which we do not fully understand, made these individuals both feared and respected. Nevertheless, seidr workers were welcomed and paid by communities for their services, as stated in the Saga of Eric the Red; the volva was summoned, the household was thoroughly cleansed and the seiðkona was given the high seat and hailed reverently.
The importance of the seereress continues in Icelandic tradition where Freya was said to have practiced seidr and taught the skill to Odin; and Frig is also said to know the fates of all men. The seeress is also central to the Eddic poem Voluspa, where Odin awakens a volva to give him advice.
Our ancestors were very proud people and good warriors. It they had not been, we would not be here today. It is that simple. People live by codes, otherwise there is no civilization. Strict codes are found in all traditional societies. They live by mores that have grown over generations and are the wisdom of generations. And they are handed down to new generations. That is what tradition is. Tradition literally means "handed down". That is what the essence of Paganism is: Living by the traditions of one's ancestors. Which is the opposite of creating one's own individual morals.
It is not fully understood male seidr workers were ostracised, Neil Price suggests that there was a sexual element to the performance of seidr; others suggest it was intricately bound to spinning, which was womans work. Nevertheless, it is clear from Icelandic sources that seidr workers were employed in times of hardship and that this form of magic was indigenous, therefore traditional.
Why would our ancestors reject magic? Well simply look what magic is. Magic is an underhanded way to achieve objectives ignoring the mores of a people. One must also understand that something like poisoning was very much part of Magic. Poisoning is typically the weapon of choice of women. But also used by weak (unmanly) men to get rid of competitors. If a weak jealous person can not beat a competitor in armed contest he will resort to coward means.
Our ancestors didn't reject magic, it was deeply woven within pagan societies; augury, prognostication, amulets and talisman existed throughout the ancient world. There are many examples outside the Germanic sphere of gods/esses associated with magic and of oracles, spells and charms; these things were an integral part of day to day life. People/deities who had this knowledge were feared and respected and of course it could be used either to help or hurt. Even in post Christian societies wisemen/women were consulted for a wide range of services we would now consider magic or superstition.
Poisoning is not a particularly good example of magic. All one needs to poison someone is an understanding of the properties of herbs and other substances that occur in nature.
Often we read in stories that evil people go to a witch who lives on the outskirts(!) and ask her to create a potion or drink to eliminate someone they hate. Or people who can not win the heart of someone and are rejected ask for a love potion. Things like that. It is weak evil people that resort to underhanded ways to achieve their goals. Ways that violate accepted tradition, and provoke strong condemnation.
Whose accepted tradition? In some religions, ancient and modern, it is quite acceptable to curse and/or employ love potions. There are examples of curses and love spells written in runes, some quite funny ones too.
Witch hunts are often created when someone suddenly dies or falls ill and it is suspected that foul means have been used. These evil means can be the use of spells, evil spirits or the use of potions, drinks, what we today would call poisonous substances. Our ideas about that are still the same. The game has to be played by the rules we establish as a society.
Witches and evil spirits? You've lost me, I associate these things with Christianity, do you have specific examples in mind?
