The Seiðr staff

How your power scepter finds you.

Seiðr

In the center of the circle on her high seat, the Völva (Vǫlva is Old Norse for staff bearer or wanderer) or Seiðkona is sung into a trance by her singers. Carried by the sounds, she travels in the world tree Yggdrasil up to Asgard to the gods, or down to the Urd fountain, where the three Norns Urd (that which has become), Verdandi (that which is becoming) and Skuld (that which is to come) spin the Wyrd and thus determine the fate of mankind. These and other spirits speak through them, showing the way or answering questions from the audience.

The function of the Seiðr staff

This power sceptre of the Völva symbolizes magical power and authority and was and is her most important symbol in her sacred function as a mediator between the worlds. The staff channels spiritual powers like an antenna and can therefore guide magical actions. During her trance, she can orient herself by it, as it grounds and aligns her.

Appearance of the Seiðr staff

Usually made of wood, it can be carved with animals or runes, painted, rubbed with herbs or adorned with animal bones, feathers and ribbons that increase its power in Seiðr and its protection against evil spirits or enemy magic.

Written sources and archaeological findings

• The famous find comes from the Oseberg ship of Tønsberg (Norway, ca. 834 AD), one of the richest women's graves of the Viking Age. It contained an approximately 82 cm long curved iron rod with a knob at the end.

• A 37 cm long bronze rod with a knob end was found in Fyrkat (Denmark, ca. 980 AD). As the grave goods included amulets, a Thor's hammer and shield brooches as well as poppy seeds, which were used to induce trances, it is assumed that this rich woman was a Völva.

• An iron rod with a ring-shaped end, together with glass beads and precious metals, was found in the then important trading town of Birka (Sweden, 9th-10th century), which also points to the woman's high spiritual status.

These findings support the written sources such as Eirík's saga Völuspá, in which Völvur prophesy, sing and act with a staff.

Your own Seiðr staff

When the Seiðr ritual calls you, prepare yourself for the ritual day by going into silence every now and then and opening yourself to what wants to show itself. Ask for your staff to come into your life. Go for walks through the forest with particular care to notice if a stick is calling you. It may be a normal-looking stick on the forest floor. The tree has probably already let it go for you, so please do not saw off any branches. However, it is also possible that your stick is not a stick from the forest at all, but one that has already served as a tool among humans. Remain open and unprejudiced, because anything is possible.

The story of my staffs

I stumbled across my current Seiðr stick in the forest. It was dirty and soaked, covered in snails and mushrooms. I would never have noticed it visually and I would never have chosen it for aesthetic reasons. But when I touched it, a portal opened up: I saw runes everywhere and felt the power of the goddess Freya inside me. The staff has now been cleaned and dried and we have gotten to know each other in detail. So far, it has not wanted to be decorated, as it already bears some strong markings of natural origin. When I touch it with the intention of going into trance, it vibrates in my hands.

An earlier staff found me in Brazil during a walk in the sea: it was washed up by a wave right in front of my feet. From the looks of it, it must have broken off during a storm, landed on burning ground and then been washed into the sea, so it carried the power of all the elements. However, I was only able to enjoy this special gift to a limited extent at first, as the stick didn't fit in my suitcase. On the day of my return flight, I therefore had no choice but to hand it in at check-in as special baggage and prepared myself for the staff's comments. To my great surprise, however, the stick was politely accepted and carefully wrapped in several layers of bubble wrap, as if it were a valuable fragile object. When I saw it coming towards me as the first object on the baggage carousel after landing, I realized that it had already received its first decoration: a large label with the word “Priority”. Its message could not have been clearer.

As my examples show, your staff can communicate with you in very different ways.

Decorate or not?

I would recommend that you leave it up to your staff to decide whether and how they want to be decorated. It may be that you have clear input for this as soon as you find it, but usually nothing comes of it at first. This staff will accompany you, you will grow and develop with it. Your wand will also change in the process. Perhaps you will decorate and embellish it step by step, or it may want to be smoked, rubbed with a magical herbal brew or something else. Keep an open mind and look forward to your journey with it.

Your staff may also accompany you to the Seiðr ritual completely neutral and unadorned. If it doesn't speak to you by then, it doesn't matter.

More Seiðr or questions?

I regularly offer Seiðr ritual day courses, but I can also conduct individual Seiðr on request. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time. And of course I would be delighted to hear the story of you and your power sceptre.

More information here: https://www.soulfreedom.ch/events-seidr

I will be happy to advise you!