'My Light' by Sully Erna. A song Loki gave to me in a quite magical way. Listen while you read this page. For more about the song and how it came to me check out my blog of March 3- Music of the Gods.
What is Loki Like?
Most websites, even those of ardent admirers and devotees, tell of Loki in his chaos aspects. One can read and feel the authors' love for Loki, but what one sees is a God of fire and turmoil sparking out in wondrous directions. Those sparks do good, but also burn folk so warnings abound.
As with the other Gods and Goddesses I have met I have found my view, my relationship with Them, to be a bit different. Maybe it is because I had absolutely no preconceptions, maybe it is just my peculiar way of thought. But my experience of Loki has so far been a bit different than many seem to relate.
As with the other Gods and Goddesses I have met I have found my view, my relationship with Them, to be a bit different. Maybe it is because I had absolutely no preconceptions, maybe it is just my peculiar way of thought. But my experience of Loki has so far been a bit different than many seem to relate.
What is Loki like?
Well, I can start with the obvious, how I see Him. Maybe because I didn't know anything about the Northern Gods I have never seen Him as He is typically described. Never a light to moderate build, light to red hair individual. Or, maybe for His own purposes He has always shown me a different look.
When I was first introduced to Him, He appeared as maybe an older teen, younger 20s man. Dark hair bordering on black hanging into his eyes and slightly dark skin. Not African, not Hispanic, just a bit darker, tanned maybe. Stocky of build, muscular. As I got to know Him better He gradually aged and matured, almost imperceptable- actually crept up on me.
Once I knew who He truly was He showed another appearance to me. Moderate build, fairly tall (but then I'm short so take that for what it is worth). Sandy brown hair. Caucasian skin tones. I've also seen him as two different women- one dark hair, one quite blonde.
He uses the two appearances. If I am upset, needing comfort, he appears dark, the form I fell in love with. When teaching me or talking in general He is typically the lighter form. Now that I know who He is, if He appears with other Gods it is always the lighter form.
Loki is playful, full of light and love. Oh He does have an edge at times, His emotions can swell into tidal waves. When He is like that I have found that to just support Him, worship Him, helps Him come back to center. As I said on another page I have always seen Him as greatly enjoying the household and hearth. The part of Him that loves Sigyn and family, this is what I have seen. The side of Him that has cried over the sight of an infant. No crazed madman, no firestarting maniac, no chaos inducing demon.
That said, I recognize those aspects of Him that lead to those perceptions. In a sense, He is the God of Vaccinations. His lessons are abrupt, often come with emotional pain. But they have always been enlightening, have always been ultimately for the best. If one doesn't look and realize what they are being taught then it can seem to be a hall of mirrors, a chaotic symphony orchestrated by a madman. It can be hard to see that at times- I will gladly admit this. But He is always waiting with love and a smile on the other side, waiting for you to find your way through, learn what needed to be learnt.
His playfullness, his light aspects, they need more recognition. I've had many meditations, many journeys with Him that ultimately were just play. One time I was laying on my living room floor. Just relaxing, thinking nothing in particular. I looked over, Loki was lying beside me on his side, head cradled by a hand, smiling. 'Want to see the wild?' He asked. Of course I did. I was thrown into a swirling mass of images, inundated with scenes from this world and possibly others. Each place I saw beautiful landscapes, could feel the heat or cold, smell the animals, hear the life around me. He showed me place after place- it was an amazing journey. He finally brought me back and ended the 'game' with a magical snow. I was awake but could still see delicate snowflakes, feel their coolness on my skin. It was the magical first morning snow that makes you run outside still in your pajamas, twirling and laughing, catching flakes on your tongue. He smiled and left shortly after and for the rest of the day off and on I was surrounded by magical snow.
I have often felt Him in my kitchen. He seems to have a great delight in watching the simple domestic task of cooking. His presence easily becomes so strong one has to resist the urge to slap His hand out of the cookie dough bowl! He also has, on several occasions, just enjoyed watching the family. Initially it was a bit unnerving to me, this sense almost like a hologram, sitting on the couch or at the table just enjoying being there, watching the children play. I have had many times in His presence with Him just wrapped around me in a sense, just enjoying the moment. At those times if I try to engage He will typically say, 'Just be, just be'. It is as though He is in His own nexus in the storm that He can also be.
How can we ignore this side of Him?
As with any God it is unwise to place Him into a neat and tidy box, a defined set of perceptions and roles. He, of all Gods, is likely to surprise you. I was quite saddened one day when a Thor's man emailed me asking about Loki. None of the Heathens he knew would talk about Him, the man was told, 'Loki is too dangerous for someone new'. I'm not necessarily saddened for the people who think poorly of Him, what saddens me is the desire to force people into set constructs, set perceptions about the Gods. All Gods are more than is written of in the Lore.
Loki is also a God of light and love, hearth and the home if one will only acknowledge and allow that to be. To deny this part of Him is to deny Him fully. And to deny Him is to deny all Gods in all that They are.
Well, I can start with the obvious, how I see Him. Maybe because I didn't know anything about the Northern Gods I have never seen Him as He is typically described. Never a light to moderate build, light to red hair individual. Or, maybe for His own purposes He has always shown me a different look.
When I was first introduced to Him, He appeared as maybe an older teen, younger 20s man. Dark hair bordering on black hanging into his eyes and slightly dark skin. Not African, not Hispanic, just a bit darker, tanned maybe. Stocky of build, muscular. As I got to know Him better He gradually aged and matured, almost imperceptable- actually crept up on me.
Once I knew who He truly was He showed another appearance to me. Moderate build, fairly tall (but then I'm short so take that for what it is worth). Sandy brown hair. Caucasian skin tones. I've also seen him as two different women- one dark hair, one quite blonde.
He uses the two appearances. If I am upset, needing comfort, he appears dark, the form I fell in love with. When teaching me or talking in general He is typically the lighter form. Now that I know who He is, if He appears with other Gods it is always the lighter form.
Loki is playful, full of light and love. Oh He does have an edge at times, His emotions can swell into tidal waves. When He is like that I have found that to just support Him, worship Him, helps Him come back to center. As I said on another page I have always seen Him as greatly enjoying the household and hearth. The part of Him that loves Sigyn and family, this is what I have seen. The side of Him that has cried over the sight of an infant. No crazed madman, no firestarting maniac, no chaos inducing demon.
That said, I recognize those aspects of Him that lead to those perceptions. In a sense, He is the God of Vaccinations. His lessons are abrupt, often come with emotional pain. But they have always been enlightening, have always been ultimately for the best. If one doesn't look and realize what they are being taught then it can seem to be a hall of mirrors, a chaotic symphony orchestrated by a madman. It can be hard to see that at times- I will gladly admit this. But He is always waiting with love and a smile on the other side, waiting for you to find your way through, learn what needed to be learnt.
His playfullness, his light aspects, they need more recognition. I've had many meditations, many journeys with Him that ultimately were just play. One time I was laying on my living room floor. Just relaxing, thinking nothing in particular. I looked over, Loki was lying beside me on his side, head cradled by a hand, smiling. 'Want to see the wild?' He asked. Of course I did. I was thrown into a swirling mass of images, inundated with scenes from this world and possibly others. Each place I saw beautiful landscapes, could feel the heat or cold, smell the animals, hear the life around me. He showed me place after place- it was an amazing journey. He finally brought me back and ended the 'game' with a magical snow. I was awake but could still see delicate snowflakes, feel their coolness on my skin. It was the magical first morning snow that makes you run outside still in your pajamas, twirling and laughing, catching flakes on your tongue. He smiled and left shortly after and for the rest of the day off and on I was surrounded by magical snow.
I have often felt Him in my kitchen. He seems to have a great delight in watching the simple domestic task of cooking. His presence easily becomes so strong one has to resist the urge to slap His hand out of the cookie dough bowl! He also has, on several occasions, just enjoyed watching the family. Initially it was a bit unnerving to me, this sense almost like a hologram, sitting on the couch or at the table just enjoying being there, watching the children play. I have had many times in His presence with Him just wrapped around me in a sense, just enjoying the moment. At those times if I try to engage He will typically say, 'Just be, just be'. It is as though He is in His own nexus in the storm that He can also be.
How can we ignore this side of Him?
As with any God it is unwise to place Him into a neat and tidy box, a defined set of perceptions and roles. He, of all Gods, is likely to surprise you. I was quite saddened one day when a Thor's man emailed me asking about Loki. None of the Heathens he knew would talk about Him, the man was told, 'Loki is too dangerous for someone new'. I'm not necessarily saddened for the people who think poorly of Him, what saddens me is the desire to force people into set constructs, set perceptions about the Gods. All Gods are more than is written of in the Lore.
Loki is also a God of light and love, hearth and the home if one will only acknowledge and allow that to be. To deny this part of Him is to deny Him fully. And to deny Him is to deny all Gods in all that They are.
Another SideNow all that said above I have to be fair and say I have seen him in more terrifying aspects. Spooky, scary, as all Gods can be. My trust and faith in Him held me through.
I have seen Him snarl savagely at me and around me. I have felt His fires, His smoldering temper, watched it cascade up and around being grateful it was only around me, not directed at me. His moods can turn on a dime, as quickly as the weather high in mountain lands. One moment He can be loving you tenderly, the next spitting curses and insults. But holding through, being patient and knowing the reason for the change will come can get one by. That said, it is all worth it when you are relaxing in the evening, curled on the couch feeling Him around you, enveloping you in the love He has so fierce for those He considers His own. |
The Snaptun StoneFound in 1950 on a beach in Denmark, this stone is thought to depict Loki with his lips sewn shut as in a myth from the Skáldskaparmál. This is a functional hearth stone from around 1000 CE.
The hearth was the center of the home, the heart of the family. K.C. Hulsman has written a lovely piece I have no need to restate here- you can read it on her blog titled: Loki: At the Hearth Fire. An interesting and fairly well rounded article re Loki here- the authors are more cautionary of Loki than I am, but that is probably fine. I'm a bit too biased! |