Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast

Season 2 Episode 19 Part 1 of 2 Frey's "Courtship" of Gerdr Shawn and David tell the story of Frey the lovesick lover from Snori’s Prose Edda  Frey shows up in relatively few stories, besides his arrival with the Aesir in a hostage exchange with the Vanir, Lokasenna, and Skirnismal - the story of Frey gaining the hand of the giantess Gerd, through the coercive efforts of his servant Skirnir.  Shawn and David talk about Frey as a fertility god and the archetypal Lover. David gives more detail on the myth of Percival, the Holy Grail, and the Fisher King, as a potential parallel to Frey’s story and the existing Jungian analysis of the meaning behind Percival, the Hero who finds the Lover aspect. Next week look forward to Part 2 - Skirnismal from the Poetic Edda and more discussion of the Shadow aspects of Frey the Lover and how Percival finds true love and mature masculinity where Frey fails. David is starting a mindfulness group. It's free to join and everyone is welcome. Next group is November 12th, Saturday 7:30am Pacific 10:30am Eastern. It will be before the Stoicon X virtual event at The Walled Garden: https://thewalledgarden.com/events Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns and participate in the December 2022 Fireside Chat! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/ or https://www.patreon.com/prosocheproject 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) Additional Info/Books Discussed: 'He: Understanding Masculine Psychology' by Robert A. Johnson: https://amzn.to/3fB18Lr 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We complete Loki’s comedy roast of the Aesir Gods, with insults against Heimdall, Skadi, Sif (Poor Sif, what did she ever do wrong?) and Byggvir’s wife Beyla. Thor shows up and puts a bit of fear in Loki, but not before previews that the end of the Gods is nigh.Look forward to our future episode detailing the capture of Loki! David’s 1st Mindfulness Group at The Walled Garden November 5th, Saturday 7am Pacific 10am Eastern. Register here for free: https://thewalledgarden.com/post/what-is-mindfulnessDonate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns and participate in the December 2022 Fireside Chat! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/ or https://www.patreon.com/prosocheprojectWays 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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Additional Info/Books Discussed: Robert A Johnson on Percival, the Grail, and the Fisher King: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6CaN2jqNgk Lokasenna (1936 Translation by Henry Adams Bellows, with Old Norse): http://www.voluspa.org/lokasenna.htmThe Poetic Edda (Crawford, Hackett Classics): https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFPoetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Our 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

In this episode, Shawn and David continue their series on Loki with part 2 of 3 of the Poetic Edda poem, Lokasenna (Specifically stanzas 29-46). Loki continues his efforts to insult nearly every god present, adding Njorth, Frey, Freya, Byggvir, and Tyr to his already large list. Loki seems to have specific attacks implying that some of the Vanir gods, (Njorth, Frey, and Freya) have a tendency to be a tad bit incestuous with each other, an attack which none of the 3 deny.Update to Lokasenna Part 1: In the introduction, Loki gets into an argument with Fimafeng and Eldir. He kills Fimafeng and is kicked out of the party, only to come back and argue with Eldir at the entrance to the hall. Fimafeng in Old Norse means “quick service.” Eldir means “fire stoker”.  So Loki was upset the gods were praising the personification of “quick service” and kills him. He returns and Loki (Logi = primal fire) is provoked by the “fire stoker.” Truly magnificent play on words.Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns and participate in the December 2022 Fire Side Chat! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/ or https://www.patreon.com/prosocheprojectWays 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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Additional Info/Books Discussed: Lokasenna (1936 Translation by Henry Adams Bellows, with Old Norse): http://www.voluspa.org/lokasenna.htmThe Poetic Edda (Crawford, Hackett Classics): https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFPoetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Our 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

This week we improvise a short “bonus” episode, as we were inspired to really answer the question of what evidence supports the idea of Odin and Loki being “blood brothers” or even possibly actual brothers.  There are certainly interesting parallels between Loki and Odin and inconsistent sources as to whether Loki and Odin could be long time traveling companions or even brothers. David gives some interpretations on the idea of Loki and Odin being sons of the mother, fatherless children. That they “adopted” each other as brothers seems to fit what we know about their history. David has a controversial theory of Odin and Loki as gods of Lust and Self-Deception.But who is the third silent god in this trinity of brothers? Next week we will be back with Lokasenna (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/id1604263830Follow us or leave a message on Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/ Check out David’s writing: Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Additional Info/Books Discussed: Jackson Crawford discussing the Odin, Loki, and the 3 brothers controversy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb-MJSJaSHk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBg85T862dQLokasenna in English and Old Norse: http://www.voluspa.org/lokasenna.htmGylfaggining 33 in English and Old Norse: http://www.voluspa.org/gylfaginning31-40.htmThe Poetic Edda (Crawford, Hackett Classics): https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFPoetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Our 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

David and Shawn return from break and continue the series on Loki: the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems. Loki is in rare form and decides to provoke a fight while the Gods are having a party at Aegir’s hall. Loki roasts the gods one by one, as they make weak attempts to clap back at him.We discuss Stanzas 1 through 29, breaking where Loki reveals to Frigg that he was responsible for the death of Baldur. Loki calls the gods out for their hypocrisy. Shawn and David discuss the relationship between Loki and Odin, and how your oath, your word, or your virtue can be used against you.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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Additional Info/Books Discussed: Lokasenna (with Old Norse): http://www.voluspa.org/lokasenna.htmThe Poetic Edda (Crawford, Hackett Classics): https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFPoetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Our 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

David presents a short solo episode on the definition of the Archetype of the Psychopath based on Adolph Guggenbühl-Craig’s book “The Emptied Soul”. What does a psychopath have to do with Norse Mythology? Well apparently a lot, as Guggenbühl-Craig explicitly compares Norse Mythology to a state of “psychopathic depression” and nihilism.David critiques Guggenbühl-Craig’s understanding of Nordic Mythology as a whole and shares a personal theory of the transition from Loki the Trickster as a creative force, to the Trickster as a destructive force.David also reflects on the practical areas to recognize our “inner psychopath”, lust for power, and the rejection of vulnerability or Eros.You can read the text of this episode at Between Two Ravens Blog: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/2022/09/28/the-archetype-of-the-psychopath-the-trickster-without-eros/“The Emptied Soul”: https://amzn.to/3CdCFDl“From The Wrong Side: A Paradoxical Approach to Psychology”: https://amzn.to/3E3Fc5pWays 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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander) See behind the scenes on Patreon: https://patreon.com/prosocheprojectDonate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

David put together a bonus short episode this week, talking more about the mythological idea of a Walled Garden and more practically what The Walled Garden Philosophical Society is all about. There will be a regular short episode to be released on Friday.The Walled Garden: https://thewalledgarden.com/ The Philosophers: https://thewalledgarden.com/philosophers Simon Drew: Poet and host of The Practical Stoic and Walled Garden podcasts.Brandon Tumblin: Host of The Strong Stoic podcast.Joshua Bertolotti: Host of In Search of Wisdom podcast.Juan Perez: Host of Estoicimo Practico podcast.Judith Stove: Author and co-host of Soul Searching with Seneca podcast.Academic Philosophers: Kai Whiting and Markus Ruther Rocco Jarmin: Host of Eyes Wide Open Life podcast.Sharon LeBell: Author and philosopher.At the end of the episode I also mention a new idea for Between Two Ravens to develop some community for fans. David is starting a Patreon for his Prosoche Project blog, which includes behind the scenes writing, a private Discord chatroom, and David has a goal to offer classes/groups on Mindfulness and Dream Interpretation. To kick it off, between September and December 2022, anyone who becomes a member on the Patreon will be invited to the Between Two Ravens virtual fireside chat, where Shawn and David will have a Q&A and we hope you join us and bring your weird fan fiction theories on the Norse gods.All donations during the Fall “funding drive” will go towards Shawn and David buying matching viking drinking horns. More details will be discussed in a future episode.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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/ 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

Shawn presents a short solo episode during our brief mid-season break. Shawn talks about the history of Snori Sturluson’s Prose Edda and the book Gylfaggining. Outlining the chapters where King Gylfi visits Asgard to question the gods, creating a literary device for Snorri to share mythological lore. Shawn gives a summary of the sections of Gylfaggining which roughly parallel our journey on the podcast exploring the creation of the cosmos, the gods and other beings of the 9 realms, adventures of Thor and Loki, and the events of Ragnarok. Shawn is sharing a document of his summary of the chapter of Gylfaggining for those interested. https://sites.google.com/view/prosoche-project/shawns-notes-gylfaginningWays 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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Additional Info: Prose Edda (Byock; Penguin Classics): https://amzn.to/3inCvznProse Edda “Snora Edda” (See Anthony Faulks version from the Viking Society for Northern Research): http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

The third and final installment in our series on the Ominous Dreams of the Beautiful Balder. Continuing Chapter 49 of Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda. A funeral pyre boat is prepared for Balder. Many of the gifts of the gods are sent along with Balder for his trip down the river Gjoll (again, not a river in Switzerland).Odin’s lad, Hermod, is tasked with traveling to the underworld in order to ask Hel for a chance to allow Baldur’s return to his family. Hel has a feast prepared for Baldur and is not ready to part with him so easily. All beings of the known universe must week for Baldur or he will not be allowed to return to the living.Once again, there is a chance to defy fate… but not if Loki has anything to say about it. David introduces the Greek myth of Persephone as a potential, but unexpected parallel to Baldur’s journey. Maybe Hella will not part with Baldur so easily because she expected him to be her bridegroom.David and Shawn discuss the potential for the myth of Baldur to be a hero’s journey and a myth of death, resurrection, and rebirth. The need to accept fate, allow the death of the ego (Odin letting go of Draupnir, his ring representing desire and lust for power), and find hope in there being something more beyond the death of the gods.Register for David’s meet up (September 22nd 8pm Eastern), talking about Prosoche, Stoic Mindfulness, as the starting point for the student of philosophy and seeker of wisdom. https://thewalledgarden.com/post/prosoche-stoic-mindfulnessWays 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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing: Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Additional Info: The story of Heremod, the king who would not be generous with giving rings: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sll/disciplines/english/beowulf/kingship.htmPercival, the grail, the fisher king, and his mother’s shirt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percival) is best summarized in Robert Johnson’s book ‘He’. https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Masculine-Psychology-Robert-Johnson/dp/0060963964Gylfaganning 49: http://www.voluspa.org/gylfaginning41-50.htmProse Edda (Byock; Penguin Classics): https://amzn.to/3inCvznProse Edda “Snora Edda” (See Anthony Faulks version from the Viking Society for Northern Research): http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/John Lindow: Norse Mythology – A guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals and Belief: https://amzn.to/3uHTiF4Neil Gaiman - Norse Mythology: https://amzn.to/3if50zkOur 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 writing and podcasts of our other contributors.

Continuing our series on the Ominous Dreams of the Beautiful Balder.  Chapter 49 of Gylfaganing in the Prose Edda.  Odin fears that his son’s premonitions of death will come true and Balder’s mother, Frigg, obtains the oaths of all the dangers of the natural world so that they will not harm her son.  Loki returns and wants to play a little game.The gods attempt to injure Balder to prove that the oaths of protection are working. Loki deceives Frigg and is able to learn that one small plant was too young to swear an oath to the queen of the gods and can still harm Balder. The blind god Hod is easily deceived by Loki and it’s all downhill from there. Shawn and David discuss Loki and Odin’s ongoing battle for and against Fate.David introduces the Greek God Dionysus as a potential parallel for Balder. The archetype of the resurrected son. Dionysus is another son of a king god. He dies and is brought back from the underworld with the aid of a guide. Dionysus is a bit more exciting than Balder and will help David connect to parallels with the Fertility God Freyr in future episodes. Stay tuned!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 Instagram: (@BetweenTwoRavens): https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Check out David’s writing:  Prosoche Project (www.prosocheproject.com). Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)Donate to help buy Shawn & David matching drinking horns! https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Additional Info: Gylfaganning 49: http://www.voluspa.org/gylfaginning41-50.htm Prose Edda (Byock; Penguin Classics): https://amzn.to/3inCvznProse Edda “Snora Edda” (See Anthony Faulks version from the Viking Society for Northern Research): http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, Beauty, and the Divine, wherever it might be found. Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more about weekly meet-ups and the writing and podcasts of our other contributors. Learn more about your ad choices.