Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast

This week David is interviewing Ashley McKenna, a seeker of Wisdom with education in Transformational Psychology and experience related to Shamanism. David and Ashley look at the myth Voluspa and get Ashley’s interpretation; not only what does the myth mean, but what does it make you feel?We talk about phenomenology in psychology and Ashley shares how the idea of mythological Origin Story can apply to understanding ourselves and our own origin story.Read Voulspa free online: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe03.htmBetween Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/

Season 0 "Episode 0.2". This is the first episode we recorded December 9, 2021. In the initial planning episode we talk about what we think our podcast might be about and testing how bad our recording equipment is.Feel free to skip this episode, unless you are interested in our brainstorming process. In this episode David and Shawn describe how we got into this whole Norse Mythology idea, Shawn talks about his interest in Dark Ages history, the historical method as a way to understand mythology and David discusses "what is truth anyways?"We have a new introduction to our show that we recorded near the end of season 1.Why David studies Norse Mythology: Blog: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/2022/11/30/norse-mythology-stoic-philosophy-and-exploring-the-shadow/ Podcast Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7FypaJ36D6w3JCUaSAPuKs Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.You can donate to help support the podcast using PayPal or Venmo: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/

This week David is sharing his thoughts on the psychological significance of divination, using the I Ching, the ancient Chinese “book of changes,” as an example. I discuss the chapter written by Carl Jung on his interpretation of what is happening when someone does divination.I connect this back to what might be learned about the process of divination using Nordic Runes, by examining the process of the I Ching. I also give an example of myself divining the future of our Podcast and write jokes for Shawn since it gets lonely doing a solo podcast.See the associated blog post here: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/2022/06/04/divination-and-the-i-ching/Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Sources: I Ching by Wilhelm: https://amzn.to/3zsdo8sJung’s forward to I Ching: https://www.iging.com/intro/foreword.htm Books on Runes: Taking Up The Runes by Diana Paxson: https://amzn.to/34rqkywRunes for Beginners by Lisa Chamberlain: https://amzn.to/3Ha8tuKThe Walled Garden episode on I Ching: https://thewalledgarden.com/post/paul-obrien-divination-the-i-ching

Episode 21 is our first guest interview. Our good friend Chuck Sebian-Lander is a poet, Master of Fine Arts, and published poetry translator. He helps us understand how poetry and the English language works.What decisions have to be made when translating poetry across languages, cultures, and The Ages? We spend a little time going deep on understanding, from Chuck’s perspective, what decisions Jackson Crawford had to make when creating a modern update of Poetic Edda.David publicly apologizes to Jackson Crawford for being overly critical of his translation. We discuss Beowulf, Shakespeare, and how high school English class could be a lot more engaging with better translations.  You can let Chuck know how much you appreciated his insights on Twitter @KybardCSL or enjoy his funny, entertaining, and insightful videos on YouTube.Latest Video: https://youtube.com/channel/UCiJQ2igBG5W-t8GleuVNAvQ Bryan David GilbertVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG3Mqrkb4GI Chuck’s Turkish Poetry translation: http://circumferencemag.org/?p=2443Another Poem by Chuck: https://www.cathexisnorthwestpress.com/post/pro-creationOther Sources Mentioned:  Poetic Edda by Jackson Crawford: https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFA book David found: “The Troll Inside You.” https://amzn.to/3lOOhF0

This week it is David's turn to do a short solo episode. I am reading a blog post I wrote on the topic of Fate versus Free Will, as it relates to the poem Grimnismal. I connect ideas of Stoic and other Philosophy to the existential questions of how do we choose to act, when fate may appear to be predetermined? What does it mean to love your fate (Amor Fati)?Between Two Ravens Blog: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/2022/05/13/on-fate-grimnismal-and-amor-fati/We are going to be trying some new episode formats in the next few weeks and then returning with Season 2 in July!Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Please consider a donation to help support the podcast: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/

This week is part 2 of our episode on the Poetic Edda poem, Grímnismál . This week we discuss stanzas 21-54 of the poem, and how often Odin seems to take a brake in delivering his cosmic lore in order to ask the Valkyries and other gods for a little help (or a drink).Odin eventually reveals who he is and delivers the list of names he has been called. Do we all want to be remembered by all of our own names?If you are enjoying the show, please consider a donation to help keep the podcast ad-free. https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/We are going to be trying some new episode formats in the next few weeks and then returning with Season 2 in July!Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Sources:  Read a version of Grimnismal online: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe06.htm And a version with Old Norse: http://www.voluspa.org/grimnismal.htm  Poetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7A guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals and Belief by John Lindow: https://amzn.to/3uHTiF4Poetic Edda by Jackson Crawford: https://amzn.to/3JqmsfF

In this episode, Shawn discusses the Prologue of "The Prose Edda", and supposed historical family line of Odin, and their similarities with the fiction stories, "The Saga of the Volsungs", "The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok", but more interestingly, its similarities with the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" which is primarily a historical work.In looking at these family lineages, Shawn discusses his fascination with the questions of "When does Myth become Legend? And when does Legend become Reality/History?" Also, what drives a person to want to log their own family histories to the point where they start making parts of it up?Shawn also briefly compares dark age writers, like Snorri Sturluson, to modern day ancestry.com enthusiasts and how maybe we as humans feel an internal need to connect to their own pasts and histories.If you are enjoying the show, please consider a donation to help keep the podcast ad-free. https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Sources: The Prose Edda - Penguin ClassicsThe Saga of the Volsungs - Jackson CrawfordThe Anglo- Saxon Chronicle

This week is part 1 of our episode on the Poetic Edda poem, Grímnismál . We discuss the prologue, featuring two princes, Agnar and Geirroth. Agnar gains the favor of the goddess Frigg and Geirroth is favored by Frigg's husband Odin.Odin is up to his usual shenanigans and this time it catches up to him. We discuss the similarities with other world mythologies and Shawn brings in some history about the succession of kings. The poetic portion of Grimnismal features Odin revealing his disguise as old man Grimnir. He reveals his wealth of knowledge about the many realms and halls of the Gods, making this an important source for lore needed to #KnowYourKennings.Next episode we will pick up with Stanza 21 and complete the dramatic conclusion of the poem Grimnismal.If you are enjoying the show, please consider a donation to help keep the podcast ad-free. https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Sources:  Read a version of Grimnismal online: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe06.htm And a version with Old Norse: http://www.voluspa.org/grimnismal.htm  Poetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Poetic Edda by Jackson Crawford: https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFChildren of Ash and Elm. History Primer. https://amzn.to/3FiS6uLMoore - King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: https://amzn.to/3y1ofFD

In Episode 16 we discuss Thor's journey to Geirrod's Court. Thor once again bailing Loki out of situations where Loki's mouth starts something he can't finish. Shawn and David explore the symbols present in the myth and introduce Thor's half-brother Vidar.We compare Snori Sturluson's Prose Edda version of the myth to the Skaldic Poem Thorsdrapa by Eilífr Gudrúnarson, which is known for it's "creative kennings and labyrinthine complexity." David gives some more psychology depth on how to develop the primary archetypes in the psyche and how they relate to Thor's development through his hero's journey.David also asks randomly about Shawn's workout schedule.If you are enjoying the show, please consider a donation to help keep the podcast ad-free. https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Podcast Website: https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Sources: Prose Edda - Skaldskaparmal. Read free online (see chapter XVIII for Thorsdrapa): https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre05.htmProse Edda (Penguin Classics): https://amzn.to/3inCvznMoore - King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: https://amzn.to/3y1ofFD Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast)

In this episode, we discuss the poem, Alvíssmál, which is a story of how an ugly dwarf named Alviss enters Thor's hall to make the claim that Thor's daughter had agreed to marry him. Thor thinks the dwarf is ugly and not worthy of the match to a goddess.Needless to say the whole ordeal did not go well for Alviss. Shawn and David also completely forget to discuss how the poem obviously influenced J.R.R. Tolkien write a certain scene from "The Hobbit" because they were too excited to talk about the potential pagan roots of Easter along with the newly released "Thor: Love and Thunder" teaser trailer.If you are enjoying the show, please consider a donation to help keep the podcast ad-free.https://tworavenpodcast.wordpress.com/donation/Podcast Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1901373Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweentworavens/Between Two Ravens is a podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst, but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.Books Mentioned:Poetic Edda by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford World Classics; David’s preferred translation): https://amzn.to/3sxITc7Poetic Edda by Jackson Crawford: https://amzn.to/3JqmsfFSupport the show (https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast) Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast)