Norse Pagan Meditation: Sources and Archeology from the Viking Age
The concept of meditation, often associated with Eastern traditions, indeed has roots and parallels in various global cultures, including those of the Norse. Historically, in the West, meditation was understood more as a form of deep contemplation or pondering rather than the specific practices associated with Eastern dhyāna, such as sitting cross-legged and chanting.
In ancient Greek and Roman traditions, practices akin to meditation were known as contemplatio or theoria, indicating a state of deep thought or spiritual contemplation. This suggests that the act of meditating, in its broader sense of engaging in deep reflective thought or spiritual practice, is not exclusive to any one culture or tradition.
In Norse culture, there is evidence to suggest that forms of meditation or contemplative practices were also present. These could involve silent reflection, communing with nature, or engaging in rituals aimed at connecting with the divine or understanding the mysteries of the universe.
The academic community has yet to agree on a fixed definition of meditation, reflecting the diversity of practices and interpretations across different cultures and historical periods. This diversity underscores the universal human inclination towards introspection and the search for deeper understanding or spiritual connection.
I encourage readers to share their own definitions or understanding of meditation in the comments. This can help broaden our collective perspective and appreciate the various ways in which meditation has been practiced and conceptualized throughout history and across cultures.
Archeology
The existence of artifacts like the "Buddha bucket" and the Rällinge statuette indeed suggests that there was some level of awareness and perhaps even practice of meditative techniques in Viking Age Scandinavia. These findings indicate cultural exchanges between the Norse and regions where meditation was practiced, such as Asia.
The Oseberg "Buddha bucket": This artifact, discovered in the Oseberg ship burial, just outside of Tønsberg, Norway features imagery reminiscent of a seated Buddha in meditation. The women buried with this bucket were believed to be some sort of spiritual workers or leaders and they had many other traded goods with them showing that they had some connection to the East. Its presence in the 9th century viking age shows at the very least a visual or symbolic appreciation of meditation practices, possibly reflecting trade or cultural exchange with regions where Buddhism was practiced.
The Rällinge statuette: Found in Sweden and often identified as the deity Freyr, this figurine is depicted in a pose that is strikingly similar to the meditative postures seen in Eastern traditions. This similarity could imply that the Norse had some understanding of meditation or at least adopted similar postures for their own contemplative practices.
The Gundestrup Cauldron: One could also even include the Gundestrup Cauldron in this study. Although believed to be depicting the Celtic god Cerrunos with this Cauldron primarily Celtic in origin, this artifact has been found in a Danish bog dated to the 1st century bc and depicts various figures that could be interpreted as engaging in ritualistic or possibly meditative postures. Its imagery suggests a shared cultural motif that might extend to contemplative practices.
These findings support the idea that during the Viking Age, there was at least a superficial engagement with meditative practices, likely in part influenced by contact with Asian cultures. This exchange could have introduced or reinforced the concept of meditation in Norse society, blending it with their own spiritual and contemplative traditions.
Útiseta
Utiseta, a native Norse practice, translates to "sitting out" and is perhaps one of the clearest parallels to meditation found in the Viking Age. This practice involved an individual sitting outside, often at night and in secluded or spiritually significant locations such as burial mounds or crossroads. The primary purpose of utiseta was to seek wisdom, communicate with the spirits of the dead, or perform divination to glimpse the future.
The practice of utiseta underscores the contemplative and introspective nature of some Norse rituals, aligning closely with the broader concept of meditation as a means of acquiring deeper knowledge or spiritual insight. Despite its prohibition with the advent of Christianity in Scandinavia, utiseta persisted covertly, evidencing its deep-rooted significance in Norse culture.
While utiseta typically involves sitting in quiet solitude, other Norse practices that could be considered forms of meditation might not involve sitting but still entail a deliberate withdrawal from daily life to engage in deep contemplation or to connect with spiritual realms. These practices further illustrate the diversity of meditative or contemplative techniques across cultures and historical periods.
Meditation by Lying Down
In Norse tradition, alongside utiseta, there are references to lying down as a method to achieve a trance-like or meditative state, serving various spiritual purposes.
One notable example involves Odin, the chief deity, who is often depicted engaging in practices that lead to trance or deep meditation. Ynglinga Saga depicts how he lays down as if asleep or dead while he is able to take the shape of an animal. Clearly showing the understanding of some sort of meditative state.
Additionally, the myth of Odin hanging on the tree for nine nights at attested in Hávamál is often interpreted as a symbolic representation of an intense meditative or initiatory ritual. This act, where Odin sacrifices himself to himself, is seen as a quest for wisdom and an attempt to gain the runes' secrets, representing a profound meditative or trance-like state.
In the saga of Hrólfr Kraki (Hrólfs saga kraka, 50), the character Böðvarr Bjarki exhibits a similar transcendent state. During a great battle of the saga, he appears to be lying down, inactive in the hall, while simultaneously, his spirit, in the form of a great bear, fiercely participates in the battle. This dual presence suggests a deep meditative or trance state where physical stillness in one location corresponds with active engagement in another realm or form. When Hjalti, his comrade, awakens him, the bear vanishes, leading to their defeat in battle. This story further illustrates the belief in the power of meditative states to affect the physical world, even in the midst of conflict.
The phenomenon of lying down to enter a trance-like state, often for the purpose of shapeshifting or "hamrammr" (shape-shifting), is a recurring motif in Norse sagas and folklore, extending into accounts of the Sámi (historically referred to as Finns in Norse texts). These narratives frequently depict individuals entering deep trance states, sometimes described as being akin to sleep or death, from which they can project their consciousness or soul into other locations.
The example from "Historia Norwegiae" is particularly illustrative of this practice. In this account, a Christian trading party encounters local pagan Sámi, among whom a woman suddenly collapses, entering a trance or unconscious state. The local community's response, involving a magus who enters a similar ecstatic state to aid her, indicates a cultural familiarity with trance-induced journeying or soul projection. The successful revival of the individuals suggests a controlled, deliberate engagement with these altered states of consciousness, pointing to a sophisticated understanding of trance states and their potential uses.
Such accounts highlight the presence of shamanistic practices among the Sámi, reflecting broader Norse and Arctic cultural traditions of engaging with the spiritual realm through trance, ecstasy, and shape-shifting. These practices, deeply rooted in the spiritual and mythological landscape of the region, demonstrate a complex interaction with consciousness, reality, and the metaphysical, echoing similar meditative and trance practices globally.
Dynamic/Moving meditation
The concept of meditation and trance states extends beyond the traditional notion of sitting or lying still. It can also be achieved through movement, a perspective supported by various cultural practices, including those from the Viking Age.
The phenomenon of the "berserker trance" in Norse culture exemplifies this. Berserkers were warriors who reportedly entered a highly energized state of fury and focus, often described as a trance, allowing them to fight with extraordinary ferocity and resilience. This state was not achieved through quiet meditation but through dynamic, physical, and often violent activity that heightened their senses and altered their consciousness.
"Egil's Saga" contains references to such states multiple times, illustrating how these warriors would work themselves into a frenzy, transcending their ordinary capabilities. This suggests that meditation or trance-like states in the Viking Age were not confined to quiet, introspective practices but could also be reached through vigorous, repetitive, or ritualistic physical activities.
The concept of achieving a trance state through movement is not unique to Norse culture. It parallels experiences in modern activities like running, where the "runner's high" produces a meditative or trance-like state characterized by heightened focus and a sense of euphoria. Similar states can be achieved in various activities that involve rhythmic, repetitive motion, such as rowing, dancing, or even combat, supporting the idea that meditation and trance states are versatile and can be accessed through a range of practices.
The concept of trance states, as evidenced in various Norse sources, including the "Gesta Danorum," shows that such experiences were not exclusive to berserkers but were a broader aspect of Norse spiritual practice. The "Gesta Danorum" contains a clea attestations of an individual falling into a frenzied trance state, demonstrating the cultural significance and understanding of these altered states of consciousness.
We also cannot forget Seiðr, a form of Norse magic and shamanism, also involved practitioners entering trance states, though the descriptions in the sagas are often more nuanced. Seiðr practices more than likely typically included dancing, chanting, drumming, or other ritualistic activities designed to alter consciousness and enable the practitioner to interact with spiritual realms, gain insight to the future, or perform magic.
A final example worth noting is in Ibn Fadlan’s account of a Viking Rus chieftain's funeral further illustrating the trance state's role in Norse rituals. A young female slave, after consuming intoxicating substances, enters a frenzied state of singing and dancing before her sacrificial death on the funeral pyre, indicating the use of trance in ritual ceremonies to bridge the physical and spiritual worlds.
These examples highlight that in Norse culture, trance states could be induced in various ways, not just through stillness and silence but also through movement, rhythmic activity, and even intoxication. This broader interpretation of meditation or trance reflects a complex understanding of consciousness and spiritual experience, where the ultimate goal is to transcend ordinary mental states to access higher realms of perception and reality.
Rune Yoga
Rune yoga, or Runengymnastik, involves adopting physical postures that resemble the shapes of runic symbols, with the intent of connecting more deeply with these symbols energies and meanings. While the practice as we know it was developed by Friedrich Marby in the early 20th century, there is speculation and interest in the possibility that similar practices existed in ancient times.
The mention of the Gallehus horns, dating back to the 5th century, and their potential depiction of runic postures, provides intriguing, albeit speculative, evidence that the practice of embodying runes through physical forms could have historical precedence. This idea suggests that ancient peoples might have engaged in practices that combined physical and spiritual elements in ways that mirror modern rune yoga.
The growing interest in rune yoga among modern Norse and Germanic pagans reflects a broader trend of exploring and adapting ancient spiritual practices to contemporary contexts, highlighting the enduring fascination with and relevance of these ancient symbols in spiritual and meditative practices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is more than enough evidence in the written sources and archeology to show that our modern understanding of meditation was also present in Scandinavia during the viking age. The questions that remain to be answered are exactly how widespread this understanding was present during the viking age, and what exact techniques were used in their meditative practices. It is possible that this was not common knowledge to the average person of the time but more reserved for specific groups of people or spiritual leaders. It is not possible to know, but it gives us a deeper understanding and even more reason to incorporate some sort of meditation into our practice as modern Norse pagans.