Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast

In this episode, Shawn and David continue their series on "The Saga of the Volsungs", starting with the god, Odin. Odin's murderous son, Sigi, Sigi's son Rerir, then Rerir's son, Volsung. Volsung didn't have the easiest birth, as he grew for at least 6 years in his mother's womb. The pair further discuss the idea that Odin siring a human son and playing a part in weaving the fates of his family line, and how this may fit Shawn's thought that gods may simply be bored and looking to interfere in the affairs of mortals for their entertainment.Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram:Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcastInstagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors.

David presents a short episode series reviewing the book "The Ring of Power". A Jungian feminist perspective on Wagner's 4 part Opera based on the High German version of Saga of the Volsungs (Nibelungenlied).David gives a brief synopsis of Opera 1, Das Rheingold, some of Jean Shinoda Bolen's interpretation on the significance of the story, and David's take on how the story fits into our larger arc on the archetypes of the Norse Gods and the transition into the Hero's Journey.Bolen's book was one of the two books that inspired the psychological perspective of the podcast and now Shawn and David are preparing to dive into the original sources of this saga in greater depth.Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram:Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcastInstagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors.

Shawn and David publish their first episode discussing the "Saga of the Volsungs". However, as opposed to starting from the top with the origins of the family, the pair decided to discuss the origins of another important character in the story. Specifically, Fafnir the Dragon. The pair felt this was the right story to start this series as the its beginning details an adventure between our friends Odin, Hoenir, and Loki. Spoiler alert, Loki screws up, and though he fixes the problem for his companions, the family of Hreidmar and his son's are screwed as a result.They also discuss how the dragon of Fafnir and a cursed ring he possesses is clearly where JRR Tolkien got his inspiration for the dragon Smaug from "The Hobbit". Also, some connections to Gollum could be made as well.Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram:Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcastInstagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors.

In this episode, Shawn and David discuss the other layer of the character Loki, not the one where he is a playful prankster, but the one where he becomes a psychopath who brings on Ragnarök after what happens to his children.Shawn gets "deep" (or as deep as Shawn can go) when he discusses whether or not (again) that things need to die for society to grow, including ourselves. Did Loki's actions that led to Ragnarök need to happen so something better could be born? Do Boomers, then Gen Z, and then Millennials (like Shawn and David) NEED to die so society can be healthy? Do we project our insecurities onto the next generation?Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram:Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcastInstagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors.

In this episode, Shawn discusses the character of Halvdan the Black as described in Snorri Sturluson's work, Heimskringla.Halvdan was a great king in his own right; however, this portion of Heimskringla also serves to describe the marriage to a woman named Ragnhild, and the resulting greatness of their family line, starting with their son Harald Fairhair, the supposed first king of a unified Norway.Through the texts (along with "The Saga of the Volsungs") you can build out a line of Harald's ancestors that show he is descended from 2 gods. Freyr through his father, and Odin through his mother.Though if Halvdan and Ragnhild did exist, these links to gods surely to make for a great story to highlight the greatness of the future Norwegian Kings (which is arguably why Snorri wrote about them in the first place); however, the "historicalness" of these claims are obviously non-existent.However, We DO know that the kingdom of Norway exists, and still exists to this day with King Harald V, so at what point to we say we know an ancestor of his existed or didn't?Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcastInstagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing: Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found. Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors. Learn more about your ad choices.Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Shawn discusses Gorm "The Old", who is considered the first historically recognized King of Denmark. A kingdom which still exists today with Queen Margrethe II as its Head of State. Though the main points of his life are still fuzzy at best, Gorm does appear in later writings; however, we are confident of his historical existence in part to the 2 Jelling Runestone's, one of which was commissioned by Gorm himself for his wife, Thyra, and the other commissioned by Gorm's son Harald "Bluetooth" who built one in honor of both his mother and father. Of course, Shawn also discusses his "family ancestry" all the way to Odin along with some of his descendants who would conquer England for a time and form what is now considered the "North Sea Empire" (England, Norway, and Denmark). Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830 Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcast Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com).  Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.  Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shawn and David recap the stories of Loki. Starting with the more playful side of this Shadowy Trickster. Loki and Sif's hair. Loki and the birth of Slepnir. Loki and the apples of Idunn. Why is Loki obsessed with the goddesses? Maybe it is because you have to be tricked into approaching the feminine and accepting your fate. But by doing so you gain the greatest of gifts. The mighty hammer Mjolnir. Odin's steed Slepnir. Psychologically Speaking, what does Loki, the Trickster Archetype, have to do with the Shadow of Love? David has some theories. David's article on the 4 Greek words for Love: https://thewalledgarden.com/what-is-love-part-2 Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830 Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcast Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com).  Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.  Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Shawn discusses the historical/legendary figure of Rollo, a Viking who founded the Duchy of Normandy. A man who had a somewhat famous descendant named "William the Conqueror, the man who eventually would invade England in 1066 and end the reign of the Anglo-Saxon Kings of England. Rollo's childhood is somewhat obscure, as we are currently unsure if he was from Denmark or Norway, though the case could be made for both. Though the obscurity of his childhood could mean simply that he came from no noble birth, but through his travels and raiding in West-Frankia he was able to carve out his story in the annals of history, and as a result his descendants would be kings. Not Unlike Guthrum, a pagan who surrendered to Alfred the Great after the Battle of Edington, Rollo agreed to forsake his gods to in and agreement with Charles III (aka "Charles the Simple") for lands and riches which for an aging viking couldn't have been a horrible offer to live out his days lavishly in a castle. Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830 Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcast Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com).  Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.  Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A solo episode by David, where I have re-translated the Skaldic poem Haustlong which was featured in Episode 10 - Thor's Journey Part 1. Shawn and I found the poem really difficult to understand when we read it during episode 10, and I got a bit obsessed with trying to understand what they were actually going for in the Old Norse poem. As I started translating Old Norse words, I realized that there were many obvious and wonderful cognates where an English word could nearly mirror the Old Norse word. I particularly made efforts to capture the frequent alliteration in the Old Norse of Haustlong, and I did my best to replicate how I perceive Old Norse to be spoken, with abrupt transitions and compound sentences within compound sentences. Haustlong (Autumn Long) is a Skaldic poem by Thiodolf of Hvinir (approx year 880 a.d.), preserved in Snori’s Prose Edda. You can read my translation and explanation of my translation process on our blog: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/2023/05/12/haustl%c7%abng-a-new-translation/ The website with Old Norse side by side Anthony Faulk's translation: https://web.archive.org/web/20140714215920/http://kurs.lt/norse/skaitiniai/haustlong_apie_tora_ir_hrungnira.htm Anthony Faulks "Everyman Press" Edition of Snora Edda available at Viking Society for Northern Research: http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/ Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830 Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcast Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com).  Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.  Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden con Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 2 of our recap on the god, Thor. In this episode we discuss a few of the stories where Thor may have shown personal growth and reflection in his action. Where Thor, without his hammer Mjollnir, relies on the help of others and potentially his own previous experiences to succeed. We also discuss his death at Ragnarök where he initially stands side by side with his father, Odin. Did Odin simply want Thor there next to him as he was a great warrior, or has Thor proven himself worthy as a son based on his recent actions? Thor's development and growth in Shawn's made up timeline is pretty cool to reflect on... Ways to support us: If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830 Follow us or leave a message on Twitter or Instagram: Twitter: (@TwoRavenPodcast): https://twitter.com/TwoRavenPodcast Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com).  Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found.  Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the other Walled Garden contributors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices