Daughters of Winter: Part I (Skadi, nature and the human condition) -By Edie Thorn

Daughters of Winter: Part I

Much of ancient Scandinavian myth has been lost to time, destroyed or stripped of the nuance that made it sacred in the first place.  This is especially true of the Disir- the sacred feminine deities that range from one's own personal Valkyrie, to Jord (mother earth), to Nott (mother night) and of course the ski-goddess Skadi.

There are many attestations of Skadi in the Eddas and other skaldic works however there is very little material addressing her through any other lense than Judeo-Christian academia.  Rather than chase nostalgia and attempt to reconstruct these ancient myths and the roles of these near forgotten deities, it is imperative to forge our own individual relationships with them through both memory and action.  

If you are still long enough, you will remember.  If you create, you will remember.  One of the simplest ways to connect with the spirits, gods and goddesses of our ancestors is to do what our ancestors would do.  Skadi is associated with winter, hunting wild game, shadow and injury.  What might Skadi tell you if you sit still in the snow, wind blowing cold into your bones?  What might she show you as you craft ski poles from birch branches and snowshoes from cedar?  Where will she lead you when you step into the liminal space that is winter, the doorway between the living and the underworld?

If you feel called to the unseen forces that dwell in the mountains, drawn to the north, feel your heart stir at the sound of the Jotunn named Skadi and are ready to be unafraid of the unknown then perhaps it is time to turn remembrance into action.  If you happen to dwell in the Northwest, what better place than the Cascade Range to step into the liminal space of extremes; the inactive volcanoes still trembling with destruction just below your feet which are chilled through by the wind and snow.  

Those who seek growth through Dis-comfort are rare.  It is no easy task to allow pain, anguish and sorrow to flow through unblocked and unhindered.  But it is necessary for healing, and for growth.  These are tasks that often must be accomplished alone- inward journeys into the self.  Skadi is one who may bear witness to this journey and who may offer guidance along the path of sacred darkness.  Her guidance may be unfamiliar, especially in an age when healing and growth are almost exclusively associated with light, love and peace.  

If you venture beyond the bounds of civilization seeking Skadi, seeking growth or healing through the unfamiliar and uncomfortable, be prepared.  Nature is not cruel, She simply is.  And so it is with Disir and our ancestors.  Skadi must be met where she is and faced with courage and alertness.  She demands bravery.  She will embrace those who embrace the gifts of pain and sorrow.  Her way will not be illuminated with light, but with the rhythm of Raido, the sacrifice of Gebo, the prick of Thurisaz and the tension and instinct of Yr.

Feel free to conact the author, Edie Thorn at edie@wildstonesurvival.com