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Occult; the Oracles and Prophetesses

Study of the Occult

When studying the Occult one learns of the Seidhr (pronounced "say-thur"). It is an ancient form of ritual trance which can be traced back to pre-Christian Scandinavia. In Old Icelandic, "Seidhr" means 'to speak' or 'to sing' as well as 'to seethe'.
Modern practitioners can find descriptions of Seidhr in the study of Edda and the Icelandic Sagas; as well as poetry and folklore form Germany, Scotland, England and Scandinavia.It is a mixture of shamanism, seance, traveling the underworld via the World Tree, healing and spell-work.

The prophetic seance is common to most Indo-European peoples. Among the Celts, she-druids learn of the skill. There existed nine priestesses who lived on the Isle of Sena off the Breton coast. Further south, existed the well known Sybil of Cumae and the Delphic Oracle.

The World Tree
From ancient times to the present; people have sought to understand the present and foresee the future. It is clear, people continue to feel the need for supernatural guidance and seek out those with true vision and good counseling skills. Thus is the art of the Occult and the Prophetess.

Seidhr workers also perform spirit journeys, shape shifting, blessings, weather working and cursing whilst in trance. The Trance is induced by singing of sacred song, known as the vardhlokkur, the 'ward lock' or 'spirit lock' from which our 'warlock' comes from.

The spirit journey uses the World Tree, which is global in all shamanic Occult cultures and represents a pillar of the universe and also the map to the inner soul of humanity.
Within the world tree realm of the occult are many worlds of God, Goddesses, elementals, spirit guides and the secrets of the universe. Some may know it as the Akashic Record. It is the total spiritual realm, where past, present and future and continuous and infinite.Often the Seidhr with seek information from the realms of the Ancestors, which is the Underworld. The concept of the Underworld exists in Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman Paganism and Celtic Faerie lore.

The Norns

There stands... one beautiful hall under the ash by the well, and out of this come three maidens, whose names are Urdhr, Verdandi and Skuld. These maidens shape mens lives. We call them Norns. There are also other Norns who visit everyone when they are born to shape their lives...."from the Younger Edda "Gylfaginning":15

The meaning of their names, Urdhr may come from a word that means the past, often translated as "wyrd", which in the traditional sense means "fate". The second Norn, Verdandi is 'being' in the active sense or 'happening'. The name Skuld is related to "shall". Sometimes referred to as 'necessity', she knows the future.

The destiny which these names indicates however, is not such a predetermined outcome but interaction between events and an individual's reaction. Together, they understand how the past has shaped the future, and in turn create the future.
The well referred to in the Edda lies under the roots of the World Tree, and the called the well of the Wyrd. The Norns have the task of pouring water from the well onto the roots of the World Tree, which is gnawed by the Serpent Nidhogg in order to renew it.

The Occult association of water, prophetic women and serpent is an archetype in itself. Occult Oracles and the Ancient Serpent Goddesses