8 Days of Loki: Day 8

Red for Day 8, appropriate.

Fuck. Best way I can put it. I am and have been many things, but with the challenge of this day there are many things I hadn’t realized. The task was simple enough it seemed. That right there should have been my first warning as simple and Loki, well gas and match.

Today was a guided meditation, and to be able to do it I recorded myself reading the guides part and then with ear buds laid down in a room with a single candle as light, the one in the photo above, made myself comfortable, and began to play back the recording. Even though I had JUST read it through, I was not expecting the experience I had.

Perhaps the knocks to the head are catching up to me. Too many explosions in my life, too many time bouncing my head off of concrete. May be I’m finally starting to really lose my mind as all Asatru I’ve known have always said would happen. But I was there. It was real, and what I saw…

I could never have guessed it. You have to understand that the meditation makes you face personal truth as any other, but this particular one I thought I knew. And I did. A very very small part. As a soldier I was ready to lay down my life, but not for glory or honor or patriotism or anything like it. I did it for my family. To protect their way of life, their lives in the future. I fought so perhaps my children didn’t have to. That was then. I would and will always lay down my life for my family.

Reader, who or what would you die for? Anything, even yourself? Do you know? No I am not trying to be an asshole (it comes naturally), I want you to really think about that for a second. To try to understand what or who you would die to keep safe.

Now I ask you this; who or what would you LIVE for? Imagine being in the worst pain you can comprehend, would you fight to live? Why? For who or what? What would you be willing to endure for your beliefs, your home, your family if it meant that they would be safe? I understand that concept now of what/who would you live for. As someone with severe chronic depression that thought has gotten me through many days. But to suffer, to bleed or burn? I saw what and who I would do all the above for.

Who or what would you, dear reader, who or what would you?

Eight full days I have done this travel. I have experienced Loki in ways both familiar and new, laughter and tears. I have experienced the most common aspects faced when dealing with Loki. I complete the eight days as I write this, looking back. And I will honestly say this: If you have been Lokean for two days or two decades I truly recommend that you do this exercise as it is more than worth it. To reach the understandings I have, the different points of view, the new angles of thought, all I can say is HAIL LOKI!

Observations and Ramblings VII

My O and R blogs tend to be a chance for me to vent about various things and if I am feeling like it, to let down the walls a bit.

That being said, usually it is about things or trends I have seen within myself and society in general. On occasion, I will go off on a tirade to just vent and to let some things out on you poor readers. Over sharing or simply just letting it out. In my writing, as in my life, do I rarely allow real anger or hurt or frustration out. The reason for this is part of my being non-neurotypical, I know very well all that I am capable of (read into that as you will, you most likely wouldn’t be wrong), and I must be vigilant.

Now that being said, I write these for my own needs and if you get offended I believe the term is sorry not sorry. Continue reading as you will, if you want, and be aware that this one is going to be broken down into various sections.

Pagan Community: As a whole and from the outside for those that are drawn to it, it is a chance at fellowship and freedom. A chance to connect on a spiritual level that calls to the soul in a way that no other way can. Be it Heathen, Wicca, Druid, or and of the myriad other paths, when you find the fit to your soul it resounds loud and clear. Yet what so many are unaware of is the predatory nature of some within the community, those hungry for power or recognition, attention or titles instead of the spirit and the teachings. They are out there and I personally have seen and been taken in by them. And let’s not even get started on the ones that claim a Pagan path in order to be sexual predators under the guise of spirituality. Yes, sex is part and parcel of some paths and there is nothing wrong with that. I am talking about those in positions of power using that to coerce and demand sexual favors from members/initiates of their various groups. Consent is given, yes, but consent under duress… that isn’t real consent folks. And the cliques! Holiest of craps! Paganism is supposed to be inclusive, but so often it seems like a “Good Old Boys Club” (pardon the masculine expression), that someone new will never feel truly a part of a group unless they form their own. Inclusiveness is given lip service and on the surface is really tried for, but you will see it in large gatherings. Eventually different groups will break off and be suspicious of any outsider, granted never outwardly hostile, but still a new person will be made to feel uncomfortable. All the leads me to BNP’s. Big Name Pagans (or Big Nosed Pagans as you are inclined). I have met some that are absolutely amazing and I would sit for hours with just to listen to their wisdom. I have also met others that are complete shams that have let the recognition go to their heads. What I am getting at is that the Pagan Community definitely has its shadow side and if you believe otherwise you are either willingly blind, new, or…. well, yeah. And no, I am NOT talking about Left Hand Path in all this though they are and can be included as part of the community in whole.

Heathens: Nine Noble Virtues. Ancestors and the Nine Realms. The pack mules and muscle in Paganism, or at least how many treat them from the outside. If you are a follower of the Norse Paths, you must be willing to labor all day long and have more muscle than brain. Oh you don’t need recognition for your work, the work well done is reward enough. Bullshit. Gratitude goes a long way, and when you decide to take your Heathens for granted you will find them suddenly nowhere to be found. Heathens, your Kindreds tend toward elitist for fear of mixing Wyrd and having it “tainted”. You tend to shun any that follow any but the Aesir, and when they are allowed in you keep them to the fringes at arms length. As a whole in the United States you have let our sacred symbols slip into the hands of white supremacists by not keeping an eye out to begin with over the years. You CANNOT tell me that before this circus of a presidential cycle empowering the hatred and fear mongers Heathens didn’t know. I call bullshit. There were plenty of Kindreds out there that were Folkish and they were ignored. Those that spoke against them were ignored. NOW everyone is getting mad that our sacred symbols and runes are being co-opted by hate groups. Some groups Like the Troth and Hugnin’s Heathenhof are being truly more inclusive and Declaration 127 was a wonderful thing. But where are the shield walls standing against the marching Proud Boys? Those standing up and saying “This Hammer Smashes Fascists?” I’m not saying they aren’t there, but the silence is deafening. Pissy memes aren’t going to work.

Lokeans and Rökkatru: Oh… Now this is my path. For so very long I was a solitary and am again except virtually. And what I have seen online is beyond upsetting. Those who claim to follow Loki yet demand there is a right and wrong way to follow Him. Instead of banding together and seeking understanding from fellow outcasts, people get angry and turn into online high school shouting matches. I personally don’t care who is fucking right or wrong, get your shit together! We follow a shapeshifter that can appear as he will and if you don’t think that a God that tied his balls to a goat just for a laugh isn’t a touch into kink, take your puritan ass and sew your lips shut. We follow the Twilight Deities of the Norse Tradition, the Left Hand Path of Heathenism, and a Trickster. If you cannot tolerate some differences than I suggest another, more structured path. I hear Christians are always recruiting. We walk a path where we have to read between the lines of all the lore and tales. We have to pay attention to what isn’t said, and UPG (gasp!) plays an important role in our fairly new tradition. Yes there are those that have written about the subject, but they aren’t many and not always easy to agree with. And when it comes to the white supremacists our path is a bit more lacking in those numbers, but we are just as guilt about not standing against them. Where are the Children of Fenrir who would stand against those that would see others in chains? Where are my Lokeans that would fight those that would silence the Truth? Where are the Followers of Surt, ready to burn away the prejudice? We are the followers of the Jotunar, those who came before, and yes we are outsiders. But we are gathering and growing in number, however unless we get our collective shit together we will always be a laughing stock. For those of you trying to change this, I salute you and give you my thanks.

Have I pissed anyone off yet? Good.

In my life I have known loss, failure, pain, betrayal, love, joy, and much much more. I have spent some days away from social media and even personal messages. Short of texting or phone calls, I’ve limited my contact back to a less digital way. My life has been exceedingly busy on the mundane side of things and I haven’t been able to write as much as I would like. And that makes me wonder just how many will make it to this point in the blog. You see, our biggest enemy isn’t the proud boys or the predators or the fears of the outside world. This medium is grand for the spread of information (or misinformation), but in real life the everyday apathy I see is disheartening to a degree that is shameful. The “Not My Problem” syndrome this nation has developed is disgusting.

How do you fight for the better world? As a Pagan, how do you make sure you are being truly inclusive? Heathens, how many of you actually follow the Nine and have read the Havamal? Lokeans, how the fuck can you be judgemental when we have been judged for years just for the God we chose to follow?

I am a (mostly) straight white cis male, 44 years old, married, children. I have followed my path for over two decades. That’s over 20 years people. You think that I don’t know about discrimination? Not for my skin or sexual preference, but because I am not quiet about my beliefs I have lost jobs, lost out on opportunities, been turned away for VOLUNTEER WORK, refused entry into establishments, been harassed by neighbors and communities, been called satanist by police, even refused promotion and recognition in the military. I’ve been on the receiving end of violence. At this time I am disabled for various problems, and don’t want or expect pity.

No, there is no way I can understand the discrimination faced daily by other humans considered People Of Color, Women, or those of a different sexual preference. I am not trying to belittle or lessen their discrimination in any way. I have a SMALL understanding of it, and will do all I can to fight against it.

If you are a Leader, set the example and walk your talk. Show people the way and live what you speak, be there for them and if you claim Priest or Priestess in any form in any path, apathy should not be a part of you. If it is, drop the title and turn solitary, make way for someone that actually cares. Everyone is screaming for a better world, a better place in it.

But so few are willing to get their hands in the soil and get dirty.

Oh My Loki…

Well, I know that I am just observing a VERY small cross section of the community that I have access to and even then due to hatred (not disagreements) I avoid most of the “Heathen” groups on various social media. But DAMN people. What the testiscle-tying Hel? Don’t Lokean and Rökkartu face enough from outside that we are attacking each other? Wait. Don’t answer that. We’re mortals, and therefore prone to going after anything different. Hmmm. As a Lokean, that just doesn’t seem quite right to me.

Now I mean obvious hatred, sexism, misongny, prejudice, bigotry, even disrespect should met with a wall of shields and spears ready. But the factor of people disagreeing over how Papa Flamehair appears to individuals is just beyond laughable for a bunch whose patron is a SHAPESHIFTER. Am I the only one that notices this? There a actual fucking Nazis walking in the streets and Christian Extremists demanding unification of church and state because the orange man-baby in the oval office is an agent of their God. Yet sure let’s go after each other.

Treat ANYONE with above mentioned things and I will treat you as a target. So let me tell you of the Loki I follow. Most of the time, He’s a voice in my heart, a truth-speaker and an asshole but a tactful one. He’s the Gremlin disguised as a mechanic. The madman in a business suit, and that is most of the time how he appears to me. BUT. There are times when I will deal with his other faces, his darker aspects. The face that is half melted and emaciated from being stuck on the rock is a form of absolute pain and madness and to me is an aspect that should be feared. Same with the Worldbreaker aspect, the one who sounds the horn of Ragnarok and is filled with Rage and Anger. But there, to me, is an absolute freedom working with either of these aspects because then I am called on to cut loose. To quote Mr Nancy via American Gods, “Angry gets shit done!”

For some He can/does appear in more the Jester mask, the jokester, the fool. And everyone seems to forget that there is Wisdom in each of those. The Trickster is a teacher and will do what it takes to teach a lesson. Loki just happens to be willing to kill a bitch to get a point across in my experience. When I am being bull-headed in learning, by life gets progressively more difficult and have suffered my share of losses, but not all because of Loki.

Now for months now I have seen arguments over things from pet names to God Spouses to “cuteness”. OK, if you think any Trickster is above pulling out cute factor to get what they want, what rock have you been under? No, not all the time but it happens. I could give examples, but honestly I am tired and am more than a little cranky so if you can’t be bothered to look into it, fine.

Names. Names have power and when you call a God/desses’ name traditional belief holds that you will draw that being’s attention. Ours is called the God of Mischief people. Throughout history people have give nicknames to various deities and spirits so they could be spoken about without drawing unwanted attention. Why I often refer to my patron as Papa Flamehair. Others call Him Firecrotch. Who cares so long as you know who is being spoken of. Don’t like something someone refers to Him as? So long as there is no disrespect meant allow me to offer a band-aid for the butthurt. I mean I will refer to him directly as “You Glorious Bastard” or the “Jotun Asshole” (Asgardian Asshole is Odin) and I say it in absolute love. I dare anyone question my love and faith for my Patron. I have no doubts at all that in Iraq, Flamehair was riding shotgun with me.

Hoo boy, so the most recent red-button item lately seems to be and the God Spouse thing. Folks, there have been God Spouses for as long as there have been Gods across all pantheons, even Christian. Religious ecstasy is a very real and documented thing that can and does bring orgasm. No, not always and not for everyone, but it happens. So if you are judging someone’s personal relationship with their deity, back up and ask yourself why. If it bothers you that much, TALK to the person in PRIVATE. Better yet, ignore it and focus on your own relationship. We are marginalized more than enough, why the fuck are we doing it to each other? Let God Spouses have their relationship, it is NONE of your business. Now, that being said; God Spouses I personally enjoy hearing about your experiences, but TMI is TMI and not everyone in a public forum will want details about a passionate evening. PLEASE have some tact and forethought. There’s a difference between being sexually open and paperback porn. While it happened, great, not everyone wants to hear about how you and your Deity broke the headboard.

Yes, we are Lokeans and are truth speakers. But it does NOT mean we have to be assholes all the time. Part of the Trickster path beyond Chaos is charm. Tact. A silver tongue. Some of y’all Lokeans need some practice in that regard. Yes, I can be as subtle as Mjollnir. But I know I can also be the scalpel in the shadows, the spark that will start the inferno. We are Lokeans, primal followers of a very old a primal Deity, and as such things such as sex, violence, anger, pure love, and blunt truth are not taboo to us. And while Honor is awesome, that is more the purview of the Asatru in my opinion. At least for me, it’s Respect and Loyalty.

Rökkatru and the Nine Worlds

Norse shadow walkers. Lokeans and Jotunkin. Most think us limited to one or two of the Nine Worlds, but is not the Agent of Discord free to roam the entirety of Yggdrasil? And if that fluffy-tailed creature isn’t Rökkr, I am not sure what you would consider him to be. We would be limited to only certain realms, forbidden from other planes by the beliefs of others. But in truth we have every right to walk where ever our Gods and Ancestors do.

Yes, realms like Jotunheim and Helheim are where you are more likely to find the Rökkatru spirit because those are the type of places we are drawn to, where we find solace and comfort. The fires of Musplheim or the frozen plains of Niflheim call to others as they are what offers peace to their souls and beauty to their eyes. The old and primal places, where dark twilight is eternal and beautiful, dark that soothes away the self doubts and where a misfit need not hide away.

But think about this. All the realms bear their shadows because there IS light. A realm of pure light? How could you know anything but blindness and pain? We are in all the Realms, even Asgard. There is Rökkr even in Valhalla. No? Then what would you consider Odin’s face as Lord of the Dead, Necromancer, Bringer of the Wild Hunt? Is that not a dark aspect, a shadow side?

We, the Rökkatru will be where we wish to be. None shall bar our path or our choice. We, as the Norse Left Hand Path, have the right to be where we desire. Just because others fear what we revere and seek to understand should not bar you from exploring the places our curiosity take us. Nor should we have to be made to feel shame for living in out truth, following our path.

I for one see the way we are treated on this plane, here on Midgard. Too often I see at festivals that are “Path Inclusive” the Heathen element are often regulated to manual labor when they want to help, rarely thanked, and when they have something to say many don’t want to listen because of their path. They are looked at as brainless muscled work mules. Those that do get heard are often put in a position that if something goes wrong, fault finds it’s way to Heathen hands. And other paths wonder why Heathens are a bit stand-offish. Personally I have witnessed Heathens walk completely away from festivals dear to them because they could no longer allow themselves to be treated as work horses and pack mules.

And within Heathenry the Rökkatru and Lokeans are often treated as the “bastard children” until they are needed. They/We are called on to “fix it”. Even if we weren’t the ones to cause the issue in the first place, others don’t want to get their hands “dirty”. Blood and Death are a needed part of Life, and while healing and light work is amazing and needed the opposite is true as well. Mercy is often a gentle thing, quiet and quick.

Safety and protection. Defenses and shield are effective. But it doesn’t stop the attacks. Violence is part of the cycle as much as love. Wisdom is only a step and a half away from Madness.

So for those reading this, remember that Heathen or no; the misfits have a place. The outsiders of your circle? Look at them closely and see how many wounds they have taken to keep you safe that you never knew of the threat. Open your eyes to the Left Hand for it is of the same body. To the Heathens that see this; we on the outside see you. We hear you speak of Honor and Ancestors. We watch from outside the sacred space as you call to the Divine of the Asatru and Vanatru and do your rites. We bow our heads and give our respect even from without. We hear your whispers degrading and belittling our Patrons and Patronesses, our Gods and Goddesses. We know that you don’t even see them as Divine. Yet we remain among you, silent and either unseen or kept at arms length. There must be a balance.

And I have seen that the truth is the fact that many think because of our path we will come howling for blood at Ragnarok. And we will, as we sail with the Rökkr proudly, but we will choose those of arrogance and willful ignorance. We will know the truth of what lies behind the shine of “Honor” and the palaces built on the backs of others. Use the Gods to justify Hate and we will know. Use the Goddesses to be exclusive, we will see. Use the Ancestors as an excuse for racism and we will hear. And we will howl as we hunt.

The drums are beginning. They call the Others from all of the Nine Realms. We are beginning to gather. We are the Jotunkin and the Lokeans, Children of Fenris and of Jormungadr. Voices for Ginnungagap. Those who dance with the wights and witches, sing with the trolls and giants. Those who remember that not all the ancestors names survive, but they did. Daughter of Hella, those not afraid to speak to Nidhogg. Drums whose beat reach Svartlheim and those who sit with the Dakkalfar, into the reaches of Niflheim calling back the spirits of those seeking the forgotten wisdom buried in ice. That beat that is drawing together souls to each other in Midgard.

We no longer walk alone. We have found each other. And we continue to find more. We walk the Nine Realms because we can.

The Growing Rökkatru

Rökkr. Jotun. Lokean.

These are terms that make many pagans, not just Heathens nervous. Why? Well why does someone that works with Hekate or Asmodeus make someone nervous. It is all the same reason and that is people are afraid of the dark. From the beginning of memory to many modern children we are taught to fear the dark. Stories, books, movies, and much more are based around this fact. But why? I, personally, am certainly no where near authorized to give any kind of professional opinion. Personally, I think it is because of the fact we can’t see and sight is one of the primary senses that a human relies on. Take that away and suddenly we are vulnerable. Every noise is a potential threat, the beast in the shadows waiting to tear us apart. Here’s the kicker; that isn’t always wrong.

And those that would walk with/in/along side that darkness are often judged harshly consciously simply due to the path that their heart was called to. Rökkr was a term first coined by Abby Helasdöttir of New Zealand (as far as I can find) and has grown in use to the USA, where it is being rather dismissed by many Heathens, and nearly unheard of among other Pagans.

Now, let’s take a moment and look at something. Odinist, Odinism, Asatru, and more than a few others have been co-opted by White Supremacist groups like that AFA (Asatru Folk Alliance), Sons of Odin (USA/Canadian branch of the EU Soldiers of Odin),Wolves of Vinland, and the Wolves of Odin (whose website really should be checked out because it was bought out from under them by someone with a grand sense of humor). These people claim Odin, Thor, Tyr, and many other Aesir among their patrons. Men, women, children all are among their numbers. They have even started using the sacred Runes in their symbology, especially Othila. They have desecrated the Volknüt and the Hammer.

Rökkatru would never defile. We honor the Ancestors and walk with them everyday just as every other heathen. We know the Nine Noble Virtues (our interpretation may differ), and the lore. We know the stories and tales and some of us even know the songs. What is different are the God/Goddesses we choose to follow. The “dark” ones, those who are chaos and destruction and yadda yadda yadda. I could spend PAGES on why this just simply isn’t so, but it’s a blog, not a book (y’all have to wait for that). Let’s just leave it that for whatever reason we are drawn to the dark archetype (an good read by the way and can be found here) and follow it as truly as any follower of Thor, Odin, or Freya.

We don’t go out of our way to cause issue or strife, but we are also not afraid of it. We are the ones that would go hunting at night for the village, because we knew the real dangers. We know that most “monsters” are simply being or things that most find repulsive or don’t understand. We are willing to go where others will not, and in turn we sacrifice much along the way, just as others do. Yes our Wyrd (fate, luck, energy) is different and some would say twisted that does not make us “bad”. Do some walk in the twilight and shadow? Follow the Left Hand Path? Yup, sure do. And I’m proud to say that I am one of them.

Near where I live, in a town called Alton, there is an annual event called “Bad People Do Good Things”. Mostly it is the Underground entertainers (burlesque performers, strippers, bikers, tattooists, fire performers, geeks, body suspensionist that use the hooks through flesh method, sex positive folks, and BDSM community) just to name a few. The Red Cross LOVES them as they raise more blood donations in one day than nearly any other time of the year. They gather food for those in need including the homeless. Clothing is donated, funds raised for local charities, etc. Now before you say anything nearly all these people also volunteer throughout the year at various charities and places for those in need. Without pay. Without thanks. Without recognition. And they do it happily.

These are the same people that have no issue beating someone bloody if it is deserved, or wrestling them to the ground for authorities to arrive. These are the people that when they see injustice aren’t part of the Apathy Observers filming the incident. They are the ones to step in either directly or indirectly. They speak up.

We are well aware of how we are seen. Yet we follow our hearts into the twilight and shadows of the Northern Traditions. We are the Rökkatru and we know the monsters within and without, and with patience and understanding have made allies of them. We do what we are called upon to do by our souls. You will know us by the Thorn. And if you seek shelter we will give it, for we know what it is like to be outcast, alone, and afraid.

The question I have is, will you walk with me and meet a monster or two?

A look from within…

No, I do not carry a fancy title in front of my name or alphabet soup behind it. There have only ever been three things to preface my name and none of them involve Doctor (though I wouldn’t mind being a madman in a blue box). 

This being stated and said this is to approach the recent issues with The Wild Hunt and their failure to properly respond to the Siegfried article. Now this rebuttal has been making the rounds, https://ladyofthelake.blog/2018/12/02/group-lokean-letter-the-wild-hunt-declined-to-publish/, and is VERY well written. 

I have been Lokean for over 20+ years and used to feel the need to hide the fact. Shame for being drawn to follow Papa Flamehair. Follow a Jotun? Only a tainted or bad person did that, right? Why was I called? Then I realized a very VERY important fact. I didn’t give a fuck. My heart was called and I readily answered. If my choice of patron makes other people nervous, not my problem. There is no single reason for me to feel shame to follow a trickster, no more than followers of Coyote, Ti Malice, Set, Anansi, and Raven. 

You see, I DO walk a Left Hand path, thus dealing with the darker aspects of Scarlip. But I also work with the asshole that is full of giggles and mischief that gets the serious to laugh at themselves. Too many think that to be Lokean is an excuse to be an chaotic mess and/or a selfish idiot. No. To be on the Left Hand of Loki is to deal with horribly negative aspects not only within ourselves, but Humanity at large. To laugh in order to show others it is ok to do so. We are the ones to weave the Emperor’s clothes. We are the ones to teach others what NOT to do. 

Is Loki to be the Worldbreaker? Yes. I, for one, am entirely ok with this. Read, truly read, the lore and you will find that Aesir and Vanir aren’t nearly as perfect as they are made out to be. From Odin to even Sif, none are above complete reproach. Why? The mortal concepts of good and evil do NOT apply here, because they are above such moral constructs. There is dark and light, dusk and dawn, morning and twilight.  So what if Loki is Jotun? So is old one-eye. Thor is half-blood. Freya and Frey aren’t Aesir, yet dwell in Asgard among the Gods. Confused yet? Good. Very good. I hope so. 

You see, many that refuse the shifting nature of Loki will succumb to a madness of one form or another. To raise a horn to Odin and not his blood brother is in direct opposition to his wishes. And many a Kindred have fallen to infighting and the like. Correlation? Not a clue. I don’t dare speak on behalf of a Divine Being. I would have joined the Troth a while back, but their stance on honoring Loki in public ritual even as they honor Odin has held me back. Don’t get me wrong, they are an amazing organization and have done amazing things. Yet still for as forward thinking as they are, they still have no place for the Jotunar. 

Please do misunderstand me, please do argue, but do some research first. Learn about it. Loki is the dark mirror that doesn’t hold lies but something much MUCH worse. He is the reflection of truth. Ourselves, our desires, our most deeply denied secret wants. For this he is called Lie-Smith. A true Lokean will be one of the most truthful and caring people you will ever meet. They will give up everything to help you if you truly need it. But if you are using a Lokean to your own ends, well on your own head be it. 

Nokeans say we “taint the Wyrd of the community”. I say we take the stains into the light. They say we can’t be trusted to keep Troth. I say we refuse to hide and protect racism, abusers, and prejudice. They say we ignore the nine noble virtues. I say we see them in a different way. Loyalty before honor. I would quite literally do anything for my loved ones even if it was considered dishonorable if it meant my Kin lived another day. I have my own honor and while to others it may seem twisted, it is still there. I just don’t let it get in the way of doing what must be done. 

Does this bother me? No. No, it doesn’t. Not anymore. I walk in the dark and converse with monsters, giants, and trolls. I seek the wisdom of corpse-eaters and hags. What many call “evil” I see as the shadow side of what you find in the light. All have a purpose and a reason. 

But Jotun aren’t Godly. Only the Aesir. SO by that logic, Loki isn’t a god. But neither is Frey, Freya, or Odin. There’s only one thing that makes Aesir godly and that is the Apples of Idunn. Access to magics that they took. Gifts from a certain red-head. So if anyone wants to ignore all the factors, and go with strictest interpretation of lore and stories that is completely your choice, but know that to me you are no better than the Christians that like to quote Leviticus to suit their purposes and ignore the parts that would make them look bad. 

What I have found, what I believe, may come in a later post, but not this one. Many, many people think that the Wild Hunt was wrong to post the article that started all this. I say no, they weren’t. I say they were wrong to refuse the rebuttal. But they did do a “sort” of placation while at the same time not coming right out and saying that by doing so their own retort was that the followers of Loki were again thrust to the edges. 

Yes, we are misfits. Yes, most Lokeans are broken in some way, or outcast. Yet here we are. We are at your events. We stand beside you in circles. We are the Other. And we dare to bring truth and laughter, among other things. We bring change and chaos where it is needed. We are the outsiders, the different, the cast offs. 

Hail Loki! Hail the Misfits! Hail to the Others!