Havamal

No Shame for Doing Your Best

The sixty-first verse of the Havamal tells us groom ourselves to the best of our ability and to not be ashamed if we do not own finery. This tells us much about self-respect and the respect we have for others. It is a good lesson for today.

No Joy in Bad Luck

The Havamal (the sayings of the High One) is one of the more important documents in the Asatru religion. It is presented as the words of a mysterious Lord of a Mead Hall (Odin) to an itinerant scop (musician/storyteller). Verse 128 (in many translations) advises us to never take joy from news about bad luck but always have joy in news about good luck. In the case of enemies, this would seem contradictory in some cases. What does this verse really mean?

The Television Watching Wolf

The Havamal says, "A sleeping wolf gets no bone, nor a sleeping man victory." The point of this expression is obviously a warning against laziness. In our modern world, we should amend the expression to be, "A television watching wolf gets no boneā€¦"

Watching television can be an enjoyable and, sometimes, an educational activity. The same goes for computer or video game time. It is easy for these activities to start taking up too much of one's life and disrupting productivity.

End of Yule

As we approach the end of Yule, we prepare to start a new year. As you close out your celebrations, it is time to include some planning.

The end of Yule is usually accompanied by a feast. This is a celebration of the lengthening days. We acknowledge that the warmth of the sun is returning. We celebrate a world reborn. Are you reborn as well?

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