Balancing Your Pantheon (Using Norse Mythology)

[Mary-Greenman]

Hi there. I'm pretty much a newbie to this board but I clicked around and haven't seen this topic up yet.

I am a 19 year old Eclectic Wiccan who believes in the God and Goddess, and that all literary/figurative deities are aspects of the universal energy (aka God/Goddess). I believe that part of human/societies nature lies in labeling things because we cannot comprehend them without defining them. This is also true for the God and Goddess.

In a way, I think that giving them specific names and personalities gives the God/Goddess less power while at the same time strengthening specific aspects of their powers.

That being said, I've been doing a lot of research while trying to connect with a pantheon. I've always been partial to the Norse pantheon, specifically the relationship between Loki and Odin. A second favorite of mine is the dynamic between Thor and Fenrir.

Loki is my main god, mostly because he has a sort of balanced energy unto himself. As a shapeshifter, he can change into a male or female and is beautiful in both forms (though in the female form he is depicted most often as a horse). To me Loki signifies the unity between male and female energies, as well as the balance between good and evil. Sadly, a lot of people claim that he isn't a deity at all, but I disagree.

Currently I have no goddess that I worship, mostly because I haven't found a need for one. Perhaps his mother, Laufey (who doesn't have a whole lot of info to really solidify), or his daughter, Hel. I'm not really convinced I need a Goddess to balance the energies, however, because as I said before, Loki is a balanced entity unto himself.

What do you think?

[Victoria Mnemosyne]

I dont think Loki was really a dark god.
He was a trickster figure and represented the forces of chaos and disorder. He was the traveling companion of the god Thor.

I'd say if you felt you needed to balance Loki I'd chose a God or Goddess that represents Order.

[Starwhisper]

Mary-Greenman,

I very much like your take on Loki. He's as close as I come to a primary personal god. The amusing twist, for me at least, is that I'm a very serious person. I find that trickster gods--and Loki is the one I most relate too--help to restore a healthy, regenerative balance.

I find him to be very accessible, perhaps in part because he is a shape-shifter. If one is gently meditating and just wants to chat, I rather get the impression that Loki is more game for that than some.

I've read elsewhere that sooner or later he tends to bring you close to Odin, as well. I've been finding that to be more and more the case lately.

Cheers.

[JuniperBerry]

I am a 19 year old Eclectic Wiccan who believes in the God and Goddess, and that all literary/figurative deities are aspects of the universal energy (aka God/Goddess).

I've always been partial to the Norse pantheon

Norse mythology is very specific about the individuality of it's gods. They are not aspects of a Universal energy, and to see them as such is untrue to what the gods are.

I understand that you are eclectic, and that's fine. It's your responsibility, though, to be true to the various religions you are drawing from. You can't decide to change the beliefs of a people to fit your understanding of things, just because it feels right.

Loki is my main god, mostly because he has a sort of balanced energy unto himself. As a shapeshifter, he can change into a male or female and is beautiful in both forms (though in the female form he is depicted most often as a horse). To me Loki signifies the unity between male and female energies, as well as the balance between good and evil. Sadly, a lot of people claim that he isn't a deity at all, but I disagree.

Loki is not balance. Loki is chaos. He's also a very complex character. Most heathens do not honor Loki because he plays a huge part in the destruction of the Gods. While a harmless 'trickster' at first, Loki grows to be more and more unstable and unbalanced until he finally snaps. This isn't a being that you would want to emulate.


You may disagree that he's not a deity, but mythology clearly states that he is a Juton, a giant. The giant's are the enemies of the Aesir and Vanir- the gods of Norse mythology.