The Mask of the Terrible One - Part Two

Adding to the ideas in the earlier post I had the thought that there are eight staves pointing outwards from the centre. These could represent the eight directions of the compass, thus symbolic of throwing out this protective force in all directions. This would be a most powerful means of defence.

We can add to this though, for each stave has three 'cross-staves' which I suggested could be connected to the 24 Runes (8 x 3). But there is yet another possibility, for the Norse used such markings for 'hidden runes' through the numerical value of the runes. Thus, using all of the runic systems, including the Armanen Runes, the three cross-staves would represent the Thorn-Thurs Rune. This rune represents the Hammer of Thunor as a protective symbol; it is symbolic of the destruction of the enemies of Gods and Folk.

The Thurs-Rune is a 'Cursing Rune' and its use is made more powerful through the use of the Thrice-Thurs formula where three Thurs-Runes are used. So the number 3 is here used in a double way to increase the power of the active protection. There are also three prongs to the trident-symbols which are again used in the same numerical way, tripling the effect of this number.

The 'trident' is the Life-Rune known as Eolhx Secg which, according to the Old English Rune Poem, 'grimly wounds' (note the play-on-words here 'grimly'). This at first glance does not seem to fit the idea of 'protection', unless we see this again as active protection. When used in the eight directions as in the Aegishjalmr this would also reinforce the protection to all quarters of the compass.

There is a rather vague reference to the Thurs-Rune 'causing women's sickness'. attributed to the 'Giants'. This is never really explained, but it has to be said that giving birth is not a 'woman's sickness' (as some seem to suggest); the only thing that I can think of is the monthly period which certainly disrupts most women in some way or another. It is just possible that here we have a hidden reference to menstrual blood (the 'Blood of the Moon') used as a powerful magical fluid. In this case the 'Blood of the Moon' would be used in this magical defence through active defence by throwing back the curse or attack.

The Old English Rune Poem sees the rune as symbolic of the thorn which is again a very powerful symbol of protection, a defence against anyone who enters an area protected by a barrier of thorns. It is well known that in ancient times a barrier of hawthorn was built around an area to protect the people inside. The rose was used as symbolic of protection as in the story of Dornrose ('Thorn-Rose') which led to our 'Sleeping Beauty' tale.

Basically the Mask of the Terrible One is the protection of the Hammer of Thunor and the Thorn-Rose, using the Thurs-Rune in its powerful aspect of the 'Cursing-Rune'. It also uses the 24-rune Futhark which again is a powerful force. Since the Eddas tell us that the Runes cannot be used by the Joten, and are the bane of the Joten, then this force can be used effectively against the enemies of Gods and Men. It is also the protection of the Trident of Woden (Rudra-Shiva), which again is a powerful weapon of active protection. This is the most powerful force of Woden-Thunor combined!

The symbol contains the eight-spoked wheel when a circle is drawn around the outside. Here, again, we have the symbol of the whole, of a wholeness and thus the protection of the whole. The wheel also suggests movement and thus action, underlining the idea of active protection. How does one protect oneself when threatened with attack? The most effective means is to make an attack before your opponent can get theirs into play. So the symbol may seem to be 'static' since it is drawn before the threat of attack, but in effect its active power has been set up before an attack can be made.

The AEgishjalmr was used by Fafnir the Dragon before Sigurd slew him and took the Helm of Awe for himself. This suggests that the use by Fafnir was to frighten off intruders, and this was the power used by the Dragon in guarding the Gold-Hoard. Not only did Sigurd slay the Dragon and take the Helm of Awe, but he also drank the Blood of the Dragon and ate the Heart of the Dragon, which suggests that he took into himself the Soul of the Dragon (Heart) and the Spirit of the Dragon (Blood), thus becoming a Dragon-Lord.

In one of our magazines from a few years ago Offa Whitesun suggested that the 'Gold-Hoard' guarded by the Dragon was the 'Ancestral Memory' of the Folk, which had to be carefully guarded lest it be stolen and used against the Folk. If this is right then Sigurd would have slain the Guardian Dragon, taken upon himself the role of the Guardian Dragon, and thus become the most powerful Leader of the Folk in that he himself represented the Soul of the Folk. He was the Folk in its entirety.

This puts another slant on the whole thing, for if the AEgishjalmr was the protective symbol used to protect the Ancestral Memory, then its passing to Sigurd would be a most natural process since he would have need of it in his new role as Guardian of the Folk-Memory ('Blood Memory'). This would explain why he took the symbol and why he ate the heart and drank the blood of the Dragon, that it would make him become the Dragon-Lord whose role was the Guardian of the Blood Memory. It is thus Sigurd the Wolsunga who will awaken the Blood Memory of the Folk. We can guess that this was the reason why Woden spawned the Wolsunga Tribe as the Divine Race of Woden.

One more point I feel needs mentioning. If this is right then the AEgishjalmr is the Protector of the Blood Memory - the Protector of the Ancestral Memory. In this role it is not only a most powerful symbol, but a symbol that we need to adopt in a very effective way in today's world, a world where we stand alone and on the brink of destruction.

The Trident of Woden is also the Thunderbolt of Thunor, the powerful weapon of the Gods against the Joten. This is the weapon of the Lightning-War used as a defence against aggression.

In the above we see Woden wielding the Trident, riding his eight-legged steed Sleipnir. We also see the symbolism repeated on the top of his hat and on the back of his steed. Interestingly, both Woden and the horse are looking backwards which may suggest into the past. This gives further proof that here we see the protection of the Ancestral Memory - the past. The eight legs of the steed are sets of four bound by rings, which could suggest that they move together but in different worlds. Woden, we must not forget, is the Ancestral God. The Sun-Symbol shown on this picture suggests a connection to the 'Gold', since gold has always been symbolic of the Sun. Woden looks back into the 'Gold-Hoard', the Ancestral Memory of the Folk.

One last thought here. In many legends of the Arya the Serpent/Dragon is a very important symbol, usually a symbol of knowledge and wisdom. The Serpent/Dragon was used as a symbol of the High Adepts who brought civilisation to all areas of the world after a Great Flood destroyed it. The Dragon was to be found on the prow and rear of the ships used by the Vikings, usually seen as a symbol of protection again. This would seem to be based once more on active protection since it would appear that the Vikings always removed the symbols when reaching land, most likely in order not to act against the Land-Spirits of the land. This, it seems, was also done by the earlier Anglo-Saxons, and even the later Norman invaders. The Serpent/Dragon was itself used as a protective symbol.

Rudra-Shiva was certainly associated with the Hooded Serpent (Cobra) as this serpent is sacred to Shiva. I have shown how the Hooded Serpent is also linked to Woden, and we also know that the Serpent was sacred to Votan of South America, who was of the Race of Chan - 'Chan' meaning 'serpent'. (We should note that the word 'chan' connects to the Kan-Rune and thus to 'knowledge', 'wisdom' and to 'kingship', as well as to the Serpent/Dragon - the 'Fire-Serpent'.

This, as stated before, is the Mask of Igg the Terrible, the name Igg or Ygg referring to the Aryan God who offered himself up to the self-sacrifice upon the World Tree - Iggdrasil. Thus, when we dissect the word Igg-dra-sil we get the following inner meaning -

Igg - Woden as 'The Terrible One'.

Dra - 'to twist', 'to turn' or 'to coil', suggesting the Coiled Serpent or Dragon.

Sil - 'column' or 'Sun-Column'.

The name suggests 'The Dragon-Column of Igg'.

Wherever we find the 'Gold-Hoard' it is buried within the Earth; this is true of the finds throughout the land. This is also true of Smaug, the dragon who guards the gold of the dwarves in Tolkien's The Hobbit. The dwarves mine the gold from the Earth, and the gold is buried within the Earth, where it is guarded by the Dragon. This suggest something 'within', something hidden deep 'within' the Earth, parallel to that hidden deep within the human make-up, mind, or consciousness. The AEgishjalmr is used by the Guardian Dragon to ward off anyone who seeks to steal the Gold-Hoard (which the Dragon stole in the first place), and Sigurd takes this role from the Dragon, thus perhaps regaining the Ancestral Memory.

It is also significant that as a protective symbol the AEgishjalmr is worn on the forehead, i.e. at the point of the Mind's Eye (Third Eye). This is the point of the awakening into higher consciousness through the arising of the Fire-Serpent (Kundalini). It is also the point on the head, the head being the seat of the mind, and of the memory. This again may point to this being the Guardian of the Ancestral Memory. (In the Three Cauldrons the point of the 'Third Eye' is symbolised by the Ansuz-Rune which is the Rune of the Ancestral Memory.)

When Sigurd the Wolsunga burns his hand on the fire after taking out and cooking the Heart of the Dragon the eating of the Blood of the Dragon (on the heart) allows him to understand the Language of the Birds. This subtle symbolism tells us that in doing so he has regained the ability to communicate with Nature, an ability lost to mankind when we lost the use of the Third Eye. The Third Eye was lost in the Well of Mimir or Well of Memory. In guarding this 'Gold Hoard' or 'Ancestral Memory' the Dragon takes this role into himself, and so the 'Blood of the Dragon' has the ability to regain this Ancestral Memory, and this entails the opening of the Third Eye.

Before we lose track of the very basic meaning of the symbol, the Mask of Igg, we should remember that the mask refers to the change of role of the All-Father who is a shape-shifter who has many guises. This is just one of his many roles, but it is one that is becoming every more important today when our Folk have lost their way and their survival hangs in the balance.

One last and not least important idea that arises when we use the rune-name Thorn, for the Hammer of Thunor is not only a weapon of protection, for it refers to the role of Thunor as the Virile Male Hero-God, God of Fertility whose hammer is used to hallow the Sacred Wedding. Fertility is something that is of extreme importance when we consider that our Folk are not producing offspring for the future, and that the enemies of our Folk know this and realise that this will lead to the extinction of our Race. This Rune of Protection works at many levels and no doubt this has only scratched the surface.