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The Norse Shaman: Ancient Spiritual Practices of the Northern Tradition
An experiential guide to the wisdom preserved in Europe’s far north
• Includes shamanic journeys to connect with deities and your ancestral shamans
• Provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony
• Draws on archaeological evidence and surviving written records from Iceland
• Reveals the long tradition of female shamans in northern European shamanism
Shamanism is humanity’s oldest spiritual tradition. In much of the Western world, the indigenous pre-Christian spiritual practices have been lost. Yet at the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity did not displace the original shamanic practices until the end of the Viking age. Remnants of Norse shamanic spirituality have survived in myths, folk traditions, and written records from Iceland, providing many clues about the ancient European shaman’s world, especially when examined in conjunction with other shamanic cultures in northern Eurasia, such as the Sami and the tribes of Siberia.
Reconstructing the shamanic practices of the hunter-gatherers of Scandinavia, Evelyn Rysdyk explores the evolution of Norse shamanism from its earliest female roots to the pre-Christian Viking Age. She explains how to enter Yggdrasil , the World Tree, to travel to other realms and provides shamanic journeys to connect with the ancestral shamans of your family tree, including the Norse goddess Freyja , the very first shaman. She offers exercises to connect with the ancient goddesses of fate, the Norns, and introduces the overnight wilderness quest of útiseta for reconnecting with the powers of nature. She explains the key concepts of Ørlög and Wyrd --the two most powerful forces that shape human lives--and provides exercises for letting go of harmful behavior patterns and transforming simple knowledge into profound wisdom by connecting with Óðinn .
Thoroughly examining the shamanic rituals of seiðr , the oracular magic of the Nordic cultures, the author provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony, including creating your own seiðr staff and hood, and explores the ancestral use of shamanic songs or varðlokur to accompany the ceremony. Woven throughout these exercises, Rysdyk provides archaeological evidence from Neolithic sites supporting the long tradition of venerating wise women, grandmothers, and mothers in ancient cultures and the important role of female shamans at the heart of northern European shamanism. Providing an accessible guide for anyone trying to fulfill their shamanic callings, these powerful rituals can provide personal healing and a clear path for finding our way into a harmonious relationship with the natural world.
• Includes shamanic journeys to connect with deities and your ancestral shamans
• Provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony
• Draws on archaeological evidence and surviving written records from Iceland
• Reveals the long tradition of female shamans in northern European shamanism
Shamanism is humanity’s oldest spiritual tradition. In much of the Western world, the indigenous pre-Christian spiritual practices have been lost. Yet at the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity did not displace the original shamanic practices until the end of the Viking age. Remnants of Norse shamanic spirituality have survived in myths, folk traditions, and written records from Iceland, providing many clues about the ancient European shaman’s world, especially when examined in conjunction with other shamanic cultures in northern Eurasia, such as the Sami and the tribes of Siberia.
Reconstructing the shamanic practices of the hunter-gatherers of Scandinavia, Evelyn Rysdyk explores the evolution of Norse shamanism from its earliest female roots to the pre-Christian Viking Age. She explains how to enter Yggdrasil , the World Tree, to travel to other realms and provides shamanic journeys to connect with the ancestral shamans of your family tree, including the Norse goddess Freyja , the very first shaman. She offers exercises to connect with the ancient goddesses of fate, the Norns, and introduces the overnight wilderness quest of útiseta for reconnecting with the powers of nature. She explains the key concepts of Ørlög and Wyrd --the two most powerful forces that shape human lives--and provides exercises for letting go of harmful behavior patterns and transforming simple knowledge into profound wisdom by connecting with Óðinn .
Thoroughly examining the shamanic rituals of seiðr , the oracular magic of the Nordic cultures, the author provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony, including creating your own seiðr staff and hood, and explores the ancestral use of shamanic songs or varðlokur to accompany the ceremony. Woven throughout these exercises, Rysdyk provides archaeological evidence from Neolithic sites supporting the long tradition of venerating wise women, grandmothers, and mothers in ancient cultures and the important role of female shamans at the heart of northern European shamanism. Providing an accessible guide for anyone trying to fulfill their shamanic callings, these powerful rituals can provide personal healing and a clear path for finding our way into a harmonious relationship with the natural world.
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
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348 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 24, 2016
I was blown away by this book. There are so many spiritual books out there that just feel like repeats of other books with only the most basic information available, but this one delves deep with not only explanations and how-to on rituals, but sets the reader up to be able to understand what they are reading.
If you were to try and explain the practises of shamanism to someone who knew nothing about it, it could take weeks to give them even a basic understanding of what it is all about, but this book does that all by itself. It is like a crash course, that then goes on to use the information in the set up to teach you the next legs of your spiritual journey.
The writing is clear, concise and easy to follow and the author has made every attempt to ensure that the reader is educated before moving on to another section. I like the way examples were used to make more complex bits of information easier to digest.
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in shamanism. Recommended.
This review is based on a complementary copy provided through the publisher and Netgally. All opinions are my own.
If you were to try and explain the practises of shamanism to someone who knew nothing about it, it could take weeks to give them even a basic understanding of what it is all about, but this book does that all by itself. It is like a crash course, that then goes on to use the information in the set up to teach you the next legs of your spiritual journey.
The writing is clear, concise and easy to follow and the author has made every attempt to ensure that the reader is educated before moving on to another section. I like the way examples were used to make more complex bits of information easier to digest.
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in shamanism. Recommended.
This review is based on a complementary copy provided through the publisher and Netgally. All opinions are my own.
December 26, 2020
I went into the book thinking it'd be more of an educational read rather than a new-age interpretation for Norse Seidr. While I liked it and enjoyed reading all of its 250 pages, I still don't think I can recommend it to the casual reader interested in Old Norse religiosity wanting historically accurate facts.
If you are, however, interested in an interpretation of how Seidr looks like according to the author, then by all means. It's an engaging read. But don't go at it as fact.
I'm glad I managed to stumble upon it as it lead me to become more aware of what Seidr might have been. And began searching for books written by academics in the field. Here are some alternative books to read before you touch on this one in order to get a better grasp on what the book talks about:
Viking way; Religion and war in iron age Scandinavia - by Neil Price
Shamanism - By Mircea Eliade
If you are, however, interested in an interpretation of how Seidr looks like according to the author, then by all means. It's an engaging read. But don't go at it as fact.
I'm glad I managed to stumble upon it as it lead me to become more aware of what Seidr might have been. And began searching for books written by academics in the field. Here are some alternative books to read before you touch on this one in order to get a better grasp on what the book talks about:
Viking way; Religion and war in iron age Scandinavia - by Neil Price
Shamanism - By Mircea Eliade
January 27, 2020
This book takes a serious dive into Norse mythology, including actual archeological finds when relevant and tying them into the content. The ceremonies and practices are quite lovely, and include prayer, drumming, visualization, etc...
I get the impression, and the author admits, that these practices come from a tradition of shamanism, one not necessarily native to the Norse culture. For my purposes, it’s not exactly what I was looking for, as I was interested in what Norse spiritual practice might have looked like, on a more historical level. That said, the author really did a good job with the information available, and what you end up with are meditations and explanations that can help you appreciate and understand the Norse religion on a much deeper level, which is more valuable in the end.
So is this what the Norse shamans practices? I’m not sure, but it is definitely inspired by and contemplative of the Norse.
I get the impression, and the author admits, that these practices come from a tradition of shamanism, one not necessarily native to the Norse culture. For my purposes, it’s not exactly what I was looking for, as I was interested in what Norse spiritual practice might have looked like, on a more historical level. That said, the author really did a good job with the information available, and what you end up with are meditations and explanations that can help you appreciate and understand the Norse religion on a much deeper level, which is more valuable in the end.
So is this what the Norse shamans practices? I’m not sure, but it is definitely inspired by and contemplative of the Norse.
September 10, 2022
The book has roughly two themes : a modern approach to Seidhr and a woke socio-political one.
The modern Seidhr part is good.
Clear, concise, well written and structured. Informative and rich.
I appreciate the authors effort to write a neatly organised introduction to the practice.
- Very practical, with exercises that increase in difficulty.
- A nice introduction of some archeological evidence of what could be conceived of as “shamanism” in what is now Europe.
- Listed items necessary for a practice of neo-shamanism and modern interpretation of Seidhr.
The second theme spread throughout the book - and especially the last chapters - is an expression of a progressive, feminist, social worldview.
For instance :
“We have been brought here by the tyranny of patriarchal culture”
- From the chapter on Ragnarök.
“His greatest shamanic act may be to help all of us see that Western culture’s patriarchal behaviors of diminishing women, subjugating other nations, and defiling the environment are both unsustainable and unacceptable”
- On Odin
If you only want a well written manual on a modern approach on Seidhr, and nothing else, then read this book but somehow read around the second theme.
If you are also in a woke resistance to patriarchy, then read everything and have fun.
(Review edited October 8 2020).
The modern Seidhr part is good.
Clear, concise, well written and structured. Informative and rich.
I appreciate the authors effort to write a neatly organised introduction to the practice.
- Very practical, with exercises that increase in difficulty.
- A nice introduction of some archeological evidence of what could be conceived of as “shamanism” in what is now Europe.
- Listed items necessary for a practice of neo-shamanism and modern interpretation of Seidhr.
The second theme spread throughout the book - and especially the last chapters - is an expression of a progressive, feminist, social worldview.
For instance :
“We have been brought here by the tyranny of patriarchal culture”
- From the chapter on Ragnarök.
“His greatest shamanic act may be to help all of us see that Western culture’s patriarchal behaviors of diminishing women, subjugating other nations, and defiling the environment are both unsustainable and unacceptable”
- On Odin
If you only want a well written manual on a modern approach on Seidhr, and nothing else, then read this book but somehow read around the second theme.
If you are also in a woke resistance to patriarchy, then read everything and have fun.
(Review edited October 8 2020).
July 7, 2016
This is fantastic book on shamanism. It includes so much information of historical and anthropological significance that it felt like a college course on Shamanism, in the best possible way. I am confident that if I were to reread this book, I would learn new things over and over again. Not only is the book itself packed full of information, but there are so many references to other sources that I could spend years tracking them all down and studying them.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting something deep, informed, and complex. In spirituality, books often feel repetitive and basic, this is not one of those books.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting something deep, informed, and complex. In spirituality, books often feel repetitive and basic, this is not one of those books.
November 11, 2019
I just ended up having too many personal issues with this book. I can't recommend it. Never will.
But some information for those who may not be so inclined. It is a source book for shamanic journeys of the 21st century. There is some history sprinkled in there to instill an appreciation for such an old belief system and in-depth guidance on shamanic practices.
But I found the focus of the dissertation to be all wrong. I picked it up based on a description for learning how the old became the new. I ended up very disappointed and 25% unfinished.
But some information for those who may not be so inclined. It is a source book for shamanic journeys of the 21st century. There is some history sprinkled in there to instill an appreciation for such an old belief system and in-depth guidance on shamanic practices.
But I found the focus of the dissertation to be all wrong. I picked it up based on a description for learning how the old became the new. I ended up very disappointed and 25% unfinished.
January 15, 2021
A good introduction to Norse shamanism, its history, and it's application in the modern world. This book gave me a lot of joy, and is good for basic knowledge about Seidr.
Had to give it 3 stars due to some historical inaccuracies and mild political bias. Some concepts should've been expanded on, but there was enough information to know the gist.
If you want to learn about Norse spirituality and practices, this shouldn't be your only resource.
Had to give it 3 stars due to some historical inaccuracies and mild political bias. Some concepts should've been expanded on, but there was enough information to know the gist.
If you want to learn about Norse spirituality and practices, this shouldn't be your only resource.
August 23, 2021
The Norse Shaman gave me great insight into the beliefs and practices of the ancient Norse, Germanic, and Icelandic cultures. The amount of research Evelyn Rysdyk put into The Norse Shaman is impressive; she presents the history and mythology of the ancient beliefs in a clear and understandable manner and relates those topics directly to the practice of shamanism. She presents the cosmology of the ancient Norse and traces its progression from feminine Nature religion to the manifestation of the chief goddess, Freyja. Her presentations and explanations are easy to read, and she gives good instructions for the practices and rituals. Plus she provides a comprehensive glossary of the Nordic terms. I don’t always agree with her conclusions, but that is a matter of opinion on my part, for her statements are always backed by the scholarship she has performed.
For those who are unfamiliar with shamanic practices, the author included an appendix on the techniques of the shamanic journey, and offers a free download of a drumming track to induce the journey. Overall, she has taken great care to introduce the Norse practices to the reader.
There is a slant toward women in this book, but I did not find this exclusionary. I recall reading (in some other book) that in the Viking and/or post-Viking era, seidr and other shamanic practices were considered the exclusive realm of women, and for a man to practice these was “unmanly”. However, the Nordic sagas state that Odin himself learned the techniques. From some of the other reading I have done, this labeling of “unmanliness” might have come from later modification of the beliefs of the Norse/Germanic peoples, and perhaps even as propaganda against these ancestors. The author is clear that her work is meant for both the male and the female reader.
If I were to mention any drawbacks in the book, I would say there are two. The first is that, while the glossary is comprehensive, I would like to have pronunciation guides for the Nordic terms. The second is more of a wish. This book focuses on the shamanic journey as the means of assimilating and enacting the principles of seidr and other Norse practices. While journeying is vital to the performance of shamanism/seidr, I would have liked to have some other practices included in the book. Perhaps ceremony, or even the stadha and galdr practices of the rune practitioners. Something to anchor the practices in physical reality, more than the meditation-like journey exercises she guides us through. Still this did not detract from the book, I would highly recommend it to people who are interested in the shamanic practices of their ancestors as I am, and to anyone who wants to pursue the shamanic path.
For those who are unfamiliar with shamanic practices, the author included an appendix on the techniques of the shamanic journey, and offers a free download of a drumming track to induce the journey. Overall, she has taken great care to introduce the Norse practices to the reader.
There is a slant toward women in this book, but I did not find this exclusionary. I recall reading (in some other book) that in the Viking and/or post-Viking era, seidr and other shamanic practices were considered the exclusive realm of women, and for a man to practice these was “unmanly”. However, the Nordic sagas state that Odin himself learned the techniques. From some of the other reading I have done, this labeling of “unmanliness” might have come from later modification of the beliefs of the Norse/Germanic peoples, and perhaps even as propaganda against these ancestors. The author is clear that her work is meant for both the male and the female reader.
If I were to mention any drawbacks in the book, I would say there are two. The first is that, while the glossary is comprehensive, I would like to have pronunciation guides for the Nordic terms. The second is more of a wish. This book focuses on the shamanic journey as the means of assimilating and enacting the principles of seidr and other Norse practices. While journeying is vital to the performance of shamanism/seidr, I would have liked to have some other practices included in the book. Perhaps ceremony, or even the stadha and galdr practices of the rune practitioners. Something to anchor the practices in physical reality, more than the meditation-like journey exercises she guides us through. Still this did not detract from the book, I would highly recommend it to people who are interested in the shamanic practices of their ancestors as I am, and to anyone who wants to pursue the shamanic path.
January 17, 2025
From historical insights to shamanic exercises from the Norse culture. Whether I believe to take the authors statements in this book to be held as fact or not I still believe it is still a great resource for the learning shaman that is interested in the Norse traditions. As with all the books that I read I take it with a grain of salt exploring further with research.
In each chapter there are shamanic exercises that were not helpful for me because I wasn't particularly interested in trying them out for myself. However, I believe those that are interested, and have ties to Norse Shamanism will reap benefits from these exercises. The exercises themselves have step by step easy to follow instructions and at the end there are questions that help you to gauge where you are at in your journey, and to help you think critically about the over all spiritual aspects.
There have been a mention of mitochondrial DNA and other genealogical information which I found to be interesting and wish there were in depth footnotes or references to explore these concepts further. Another interesting piece that I have found in this book is a mention of working with ancestors, Freyja, Odin, and spirits in this book. Freyja is mentioned quite frequently in the shamanic journeying rituals which I did not expect.
The author teaches the reader that there are many ways to journey with different types of instruments such as the drum, rattle, etc. There are many tools mentioned along with their history and uses. The same could be said about the garments that were worn such as bear skin which would embody the spirit of a bear and so on. The tools that a shaman uses has meaning and purpose being spiritually tied to the shaman's connection with the spirit world.
I would recommend this book to those that are interested in Norse Shamanic Traditions, and wanting to practice journeying into the spiritual world. If you are just looking for historical information and not wanting to practice any shamanic traditions this book might not be for you.
In each chapter there are shamanic exercises that were not helpful for me because I wasn't particularly interested in trying them out for myself. However, I believe those that are interested, and have ties to Norse Shamanism will reap benefits from these exercises. The exercises themselves have step by step easy to follow instructions and at the end there are questions that help you to gauge where you are at in your journey, and to help you think critically about the over all spiritual aspects.
There have been a mention of mitochondrial DNA and other genealogical information which I found to be interesting and wish there were in depth footnotes or references to explore these concepts further. Another interesting piece that I have found in this book is a mention of working with ancestors, Freyja, Odin, and spirits in this book. Freyja is mentioned quite frequently in the shamanic journeying rituals which I did not expect.
The author teaches the reader that there are many ways to journey with different types of instruments such as the drum, rattle, etc. There are many tools mentioned along with their history and uses. The same could be said about the garments that were worn such as bear skin which would embody the spirit of a bear and so on. The tools that a shaman uses has meaning and purpose being spiritually tied to the shaman's connection with the spirit world.
I would recommend this book to those that are interested in Norse Shamanic Traditions, and wanting to practice journeying into the spiritual world. If you are just looking for historical information and not wanting to practice any shamanic traditions this book might not be for you.
January 8, 2019
Great read, especially given that there's not much work on Norse Shamanism specifically out there. But take notice... this isn't a book for BEGINNERS in shamanism, as it doesn't go in great depth ovee what shamanism is, it's many variants and techniques, and is therefore a work reserved for the advanced or intermediate shaman looking to take a "Norse" turn in his/her practices. Also... lots of redundancy in the book in terms of the various rituals that the author basically copy-pasted over & over again with slight contextual variations. Nevertheless, I highy recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Norse Shamanism, Seidr, & such.
February 10, 2018
I have a strong Northern European background. I'm interested in what my ancestors believed and how they lived. I know most information on belief systems is going to be biased.
This was an fascinating book. The author has it set up with exercises to practice being a shaman. She's also done a lot of research. I'm favorably impressed by the end notes, bibliography, and depth of study that is found in this volume.
If you are interested in the topic, this is a good place to start. I may look at other works on this subject in the future
This was an fascinating book. The author has it set up with exercises to practice being a shaman. She's also done a lot of research. I'm favorably impressed by the end notes, bibliography, and depth of study that is found in this volume.
If you are interested in the topic, this is a good place to start. I may look at other works on this subject in the future
January 24, 2023
There is a very specific person this book is written for and I am not that person. If you want a book that’s academic in nature (though definitely recommend fact checking certain parts of it), you’re interested in reconstructionist Norse with a heavy emphasis on meditation, and already have a decent grasp on the author’s previous shaman book, it’s for you. Otherwise? Skip it.
November 6, 2024
Кніга добра арганізаваная, мне спадабалася, што кожнае падарожжа прадумана, як з ім працаваць далей. Аднак аўтарка прытрымліваецца пасіўнай ідэалогіі і залішняга перастрахоўвання, якія я не хачу пераняць. Акрамя таго аўтарка занадта вольна трактуе практыку шаманства ў стылі “а я сама ўсё выдумала”, і мне гэта не пасуе.
November 14, 2018
A great book! In nearly every chapter, I've done and experienced the shamanic journeys but under the guidance of Hekate and Ishtar. I have never resonated with Freya and I associate Nerthus as the Earth mother goddess.
April 13, 2019
Problematic title, kind of new age-y at times but still holds interesting thoughts or exercises for people who are interested in exploring Norse Magic as a volvä. Only read if you're a complete beginner though, and adapt the exercises to your situation.
January 31, 2018
Well researched and rooted in findings in anthropology, archeology and history, as well as personal experience. I appreciate that the author delved deeper than just the Viking Age.
April 18, 2022
Very informative, exactly what I expected and more.
August 11, 2016
This week I finished a well-researched book called "The Norse Shaman" by Evelyn C. Rysdyk.
Before reading this book, I knew very little--to nothing--about actual shamanic practices of the Norse tradition. I do have a strong anthropological background, so I thoroughly enjoyed the historic data snippets in this book. Rysdyk backs up the Norse shamanic traditions with archeological evidence, which is refreshing. Several books I've read in this genre sort of forgo the archaeological record and jump right into the traditions without giving perspective about the landscape these people survived in.
After a brief introduction to shamanism and its role in many cultures across the globe, Rysdyk's focus of the book is on Norse shaman practices (obvious by the name of the book). Each chapter delves into different aspects of this tradition, and Rysdyk provides a meditation prompts to explore shamanistic trances on your own. This is also called "a seiðr ceremony". Warning, this is not a beginners guide to shamanism, and if you are not familiar with meditation or trancework you may want to skip this part of the book until you are more familiar with what to expect. Since I am a novice myself, I read through the meditations but did not perform them. I am looking forward to actually picking up her other book called "Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power."
Well researched and well written, if you have interest in Norse spiritual practices or just there culture in general, I recommend adding this book to your reading list. I really enjoyed this book, and found I had a hard time putting it down. Rysdyk's book has whet my interested in shamanism and Norse culture (not that I don't already have a strong interest in this region), something I hope to further explore.
I received an advanced copy of this book to review, however the opinions are my own.
Before reading this book, I knew very little--to nothing--about actual shamanic practices of the Norse tradition. I do have a strong anthropological background, so I thoroughly enjoyed the historic data snippets in this book. Rysdyk backs up the Norse shamanic traditions with archeological evidence, which is refreshing. Several books I've read in this genre sort of forgo the archaeological record and jump right into the traditions without giving perspective about the landscape these people survived in.
After a brief introduction to shamanism and its role in many cultures across the globe, Rysdyk's focus of the book is on Norse shaman practices (obvious by the name of the book). Each chapter delves into different aspects of this tradition, and Rysdyk provides a meditation prompts to explore shamanistic trances on your own. This is also called "a seiðr ceremony". Warning, this is not a beginners guide to shamanism, and if you are not familiar with meditation or trancework you may want to skip this part of the book until you are more familiar with what to expect. Since I am a novice myself, I read through the meditations but did not perform them. I am looking forward to actually picking up her other book called "Spirit Walking: A Course in Shamanic Power."
Well researched and well written, if you have interest in Norse spiritual practices or just there culture in general, I recommend adding this book to your reading list. I really enjoyed this book, and found I had a hard time putting it down. Rysdyk's book has whet my interested in shamanism and Norse culture (not that I don't already have a strong interest in this region), something I hope to further explore.
I received an advanced copy of this book to review, however the opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews