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The Norse Shaman

Ancient Spiritual Practices of the Northern Tradition

Evelyn C. Rysdyk

"... Brilliantly written, very well researched, and filled with fascinating historical stories and a wealth of exercises to help readers fully experience the powerful ancient shamanic practices of the Norse shamans. This book is superb!"
Sandra Ingerman, M.A., coauthor of Speaking with Nature and author of Walking in Light: The Everyday Empowerment of Shamanic Life

"An exceptional, authentic, and wonderfully informative exploration of the ancient ancestry, landscape, and mythology of Northern Europe and Norse shamanism - interspersed with accessible practical exercises reconstructing traditional practices of seiðr for contemporary personal use. One of he best books on this subject I have read. If you are looking for a book on Norse shamanism, this is it."
June Kent, editor and founder of Indie Shaman magazine.


Shamanism is humanity´s oldest spiritual tradition. In much of the Western world, the indigenous pre-Christian spiritual practices have been lost. Yet at the northern fringes of Europe, Christianity did not displace the original shamanic practices until the end of the Viking age. Remnants of Norse shamanic spirituality have survived in myths, folk traditions, and written records from Iceland, providing many clues about the ancient European shaman's world.
Reconstructing the shamanic practices of the hunter-gatherers of Scandinavia, Evelyn Rysdyk explores the evolution of Norse shamanism from its earliest female roots to the pre-Christian Viking Age. She explains how to enter Yggdrasil, the World Tree, to travel to other realms and provides shamanic journeys to connect with the ancestral shamans of your family tree, including the Norse goddess Freyja, the very first shaman. She offers exercises to connect with the ancient goddesses of fate, the Norns, and introduces the overnight wilderness quest of útiseta for reconnecting with the powers of nature. She explains the key concepts of Ørlög and Wyrd - the two most powerful forces that shape human lives - and provides exercises for letting go of harmful behavior patterns and transforming simple knowledge into profound wisdom by connecting with Óðinn.
Thoroughly examining the shamanic rituals of seiðr, the oracular magic of the Nordic cultures, the author provides step-by-step instructions to prepare for and conduct a seiðr ceremony as well as archaeological evidence from Neolithic sites supporting the important role of female shamans at the heart of northern European shamanism. These powerful rituals can provide personal healing and a clear path for finding our way into a harmonious relationship with the natural world.

Evelyn C. Rysdyk is an internationally recognized shamanic healer, teacher, speaker, and author of Spirit Walking, Modern Shamanic Living, and A Spirit Walker´s Guide to Shamanic Tools. A founding member of the Society for Shamanic Practioners and presenter for events such as the Shamanism Global Summit and the Year of Ceremony, she lives in Maine.