Uncle Thor's Lessons, Anecdotes and Humor

Yesterday we mentioned the Nidhogg Factor. This corresponds to the mythic images of Nidhogg as a dragon related to rotting and decay. In operation, the Nidhogg factor works with decay, degeneration and rot.. Just as there is decay in death, be it putrifaction of flesh or rotting of wood, so there is decay in other [...]

Naud is a Rune that has many expressions. It is dangerous. I recommend that those facing depression or other limitations approach Naud carefully and slowly. This Rune is dangerous in ways that can surprise you. It can also be very helpful. Exercise 1: The force of Naud is downward and inward. Think of words that [...]

Winter is the season of Hagal, Naud and Isa. Sleet, freezing rain and hail present their own hazards. Need is also a problem. Winter is when the proverbial wolves are at the door. Ice is the double edged sword, making normal pathways treacherously slippery while creating passage over impassable lakes and ponds. These are the [...]

This coming weekend we do the little train show in Ocean Grove, NJ, as part of their Yule weekend. Ocean Grove is an old Victorian town that does up the holiday decorations in grand style. They have various events and venues for the weekend. Audrey and I have been part of a small train show [...]

There are occasions where a person runs into trouble, and it is said of him that “…his luck ran out.” There are many shades of luck. There is a kind of luck that stays with people for a lifetime. There is another kind that seems to come and go. There is also a type of [...]

Warmth acquires greater significance as we move into Winter. Even on the coldest days, the warmth of the Sun can be appreciated. The Sun appears for less time in Winter, as seen in the cycle of Day and Night. Cold and dark have the most time to chill and conceal. There are two other sources [...]

One way to understand the Dag Rune is to contrast Day and Night. You can go further. Yesterday, we looked at how Isa / Ice turns soft things hard and brittle. In late Autumn and early Winter, Isa’s work is done at night. It is undone in the morning by the warmth of the Sun. [...]

As Winter approaches, the morning frost hints at the Isa Rune’s work. When the night temperature dips below freezing, the ground hardens. Soft things become stiff. Bendy things turn brittle. They stay that way until the warming Sun releases them from their icy spell. Isa can block and it can also make a passage. In [...]

Being Heathen, the holiday songs take on a different meaning. That is especially true for those who were raised Christian. The religious songs tend to fade from our personal playlists. Tunes such as “Silent Night,” “We Three Kings” and “The Little Drummer Boy” lose their appeal as one becomes Heathen. The songs that last are [...]

This week’s exercise is for the Hagal Rune. This is the Rune symbolized by the Hailstrom. These exercises can help put you in touch with the Rune itself. Exercise 1: Set up three to five small targets a few feet away. You can use anything , even plastic army men. Try to plink each one [...]