Northern Magic
Lesson 4
The Lore of the Worlds, the World Tree
Please read the Chapter 4 The Lore of the Worlds in the book Northern Magic by Edred Thorsson pages 19 25 and the special note below. Then cut and paste the questions at the bottom of this webpage and email to MysterySchool with Northern Magic L. 4 From __________ in the subject heading.
Special Note: On page 20 of Northern Magic there is an illustration called the Pattern of Yggdrasill. Critics of Thorsson say this “proves” his work is heavily tainted by Kabbalah because the diagram is so “similar” to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Some go so far as to say Thorsson’s philosophy is just kabbalah with Norse trappings because it aggravates them that Thorsson was a member of the Temple of Set in the 1980’s, and a student of kabbalah. However, others such as Teutonic expert Lavrans, say: “The way I use Edred Thorsson’s Tree diagram is as a pattern demonstrating how the interaction of opposites creates Midgard, which is actually more Taoist than Kabbalistic.” Thorsson can be a pain in the neck, it’s true. He has chased away many northern scholars who once worked with him personally, including our teacher, Alfta Lothursdottir. But his books on runes and the book Northern Magic are still a good resources, and so we use ’em.
For a fantastic visual online tour of the Nine Worlds, visit The Nine Worlds of Yggdrasil
Cool Article, Yggdrasil as Metaphor
LESSON QUESTIONS:
1. Yggdrasill is what?
2. How many realms in The World Tree?
3. What are the names of these realms, and what do they represent?
4. In which realm does humankind reside?
5. In the mythic tradition of the Teutons man and woman were first formed from what?
6. In the Germanic tradition the human being is made up of what?
7. T/F These powers may pre-exist a persons current manifestation or live on after the present manifestation has come to an end.
8. What are the aspects of the Body-Soul?
9. What is one of the main tasks of the Northern Way?
10. If the inner world of the soul is explored and understood, what is likely to happen?
The Norns of past, present and future, weaving everyone’s fate
