Just thought I’d post a little something about Loki today. Might stir some opinions, but then again, it might not.
First and foremost, something that many seem to not get, Loki is not the Asatru Devil. This pantheon has no ‘Devil’. He’s a trickster, yes. He does some stupid and mean things sometimes but in some situations, he does try to put things right. He’s also saved the Æsir’s asses on a couple of occasions. So to call him evil, and try to exclude him from the pantheon is, in my opinion, not right.
I’ve seen a lot of people be OK with most of the other personas of the mythology but look at others in horror whenever Loki’s name is mentioned.
Why do you think this is?
I believe it’s because they haven’t shaken that duality from their former religions. Regardless of what your opinion is, I’d like to hear it.
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This post is part of the Pagan Blog Project, created by Rowan Pendragon.
Loki is part of what makes the balance — at least in my world LOL I get tired of explaining to either newbies to or non believers of any Pagan Path that the traditional xtian sense and image of the devil or hell does not exist. so I quit explaining.
as for Loki, if one is not at peace with their inner dark side as well as their light side, it is going to be hard to see him in a different light. You cannot have balance without chaos; the lightside without the darkside. Once you understand it within yourself, it makes it easier to “get it” on the outside. As within, So without — as below, so above!
Thanks, Linda, for posting this 😉
True, and very close to exactly my point. I still get annoyed and start explaining if people go too far in their dualistic views.
I’ve read different things and heard Loki is “evil” per say but to be honest, I embrace his visit to me. I actually like the trickster type, as long as I’m no the brunt of the joke 🙂 I think people are going to believe whatever they want. If they believe in an “evil”, Loki is the perfect scapegoat. I tend to take my faith in humor. I have to in order to keep it fun for me. There are times I’m serious but I loving finding humor in everything. If Loki is to pay me a visit, I will welcome him with open arms.
I’m pretty much the same. Humor is very important to me 🙂
Loki just likes to add a little chaos to the mixture. I believe each of the gods have something to offer and I want to be open to what they are offering.
True 🙂
I am a practicing Asatruar and I don’t see Loki as a being worthy of my respect or praise. Is he the devil? By all means no. I don’t believe in pure good or evil, in fact I believe neither exists in the common Christian sense. Loki is chained under the world serpent, where he belongs. He isn’t a scapegoat for what I perceive as evil. More like a game I don’t want to play. Loki is an exceptional trickster – too good actually. That’s why his worship is frowned upon in Asatru. He’s a very mischievous one. You’ll call to him for aid and get nothing but tricks. Us Heathens also have a certain resentment to him out of respect to our Aesir – He did a great wrong to the son of Odin, Baldur. As I’ve sworn an oath to the Allfather, out of mere kinship it makes sense not to deal with him. He was ONCE the blood brother of Odin, yes. They ONCE accepted offerings together, yes. Loki did ONCE travel with Thor and help the Nine Worlds, but he stepped over the line. He’s just not a force I want to mess around with.
Remember many Asatruar really don’t see him as a part of our pantheon, and for other Pagans to seek his guidance makes little sense to me.
If someone invokes Loki around you I would say:
Make that person leave
Burn some sage
Sprinkle sea salt around
Perform a hammer rite (or similar warding ritual)
Quickly win the favor of the land wights (spirits)
Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. But I’ve found that most of the resistance against accepting that chaos is a part of the world, resides in the US. The same goes for the use of the Hammer Rite (established by Edred Thorson/Stephen Flowers), and Sage, which I haven’t found to be common over here.
I’m not suggesting messing around with him, or any of the other personas in Norse Mythology. All of them can give you a hard time if you mess around.Odin himself has done so more than once.
As Loki was and is a big part in my life, I can say that I do worship him.
His way to be a trickster is he’s was to help humans life by testing them.
He did this to me. I cursed him before understanding that he saved my life… Get me back on tracks…
I don’t really work with Loki, but it annoys me when people want to exclud him and the jotnar because they think they’re “evil”. There is no duality in heathenry. He’s done some things that weren’t so nice, and he’s done things that were nice. Pretty much like all of the others in the mythology.