The Serpent in Wodenic Lore

The Serpent is a symbol that works at four distinct levels which I am going to outline here -

1. In most ancient cultures it symbolises the creative force or energy of the supreme Universal Spirit. In this respect it symbolises the Life-Force that pulsates throughout the Nine Worlds, interconnecting these worlds.

2. In regard to the Earth it also represents the Life-Force that pulsates within the Living Earth. It is the Serpent-Current or Dragon-Current in this respect which moves along the energy-lines of the Earth - the Woevre. The White Dragon is important to us because it symbolises the energy of our own lands - Albion.

3. In man is manifests as consciousness reaching in its highest state towards knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment. It is the Fire-Serpent that has to be awakened at the base of the spine, rising upwards towards the higher realms, the realm of illumination. This is why the Hooded Serpent symbolises Woden as the God of Wisdom and Illumination.

4. At the lower level the Serpent symbolises virility, fertility and regeneration; here it is associated with Ingwe-Frey although this aspect has not come down to us.

The Serpent can move across the Earth, it can move in the waters, and the winged serpent (dragon) can move through the air; in this regard the symbol connects these through the ability to penetrate all things. In ancient times it was a symbol of the wisest of men, those who sought and acquired knowledge and wisdom. It was associated with the Druids of Albion - the Adder. Woden smites the adder, breaking it into nine parts (a sacred number); this is a 'healing charm' but it also suggests more. Woden uses Nine Glory-Twigs to do so, which has been interpreted as the figure below, the 'Mother of the English Runes' from which all of the runes emanate -

The symbol of the Nine Glory-Twigs represents the wholeness, the source, the Haeldom of the Runes. It represents the unity in the diversity of the rune-staves, each of which forms part of the whole. It does not contain just the 33-runes, for it contains various other known symbols from the North - the Wolf-Hook Rune for example. It is important to note that Woden uses nine twigs, and breaks the adder into nine pieces - the two numbers suggest that they represent the same thing at one level. The Nine Glory-Twigs thus represents the 'matrix' through which the runic forces pulsate, the Serpent-Force or Life-Force, and the runes represent one aspect each of that Serpent-Force.

The Serpent (Adder) represents the whole broken into nine parts making up the nine staves that form the 'Master-Rune' ('Nine Glory-Twigs'). The Serpent thus symbolises the whole ('hael') but it also symbolises the nine twigs that make up the whole, the unity in diversity. By meditating upon the symbol (yantra) the runes 'come to life' from that symbol. The 'mantras' are the sounds (gealdor) of the runes. The 'Mother-Rune' of the Armanen System is the Hagal-Rune within the hexagon, from which all other runes derive. The Nine Glory-Twigs uses exactly the same system, this being the 'Mother-Rune' out of which the others are formed. It would be a wise thing to base a simple meditation upon concentration upon the Yantra (Nine Glory-Twigs) and forming each rune-stave from the pattern of the whole. Full concentration is needed to do so, and the staves emerge as being of different proportions than we draw them normally. It also emerges that most staves are made up of the Is-Rune and the Ken-Rune (Germanic Form) - Ice and Fire.

This can be, in a sense, verified by past research which concluded that the human spinal column is represented by the 33 runes, reaching from the base (Coccyx) of the last 4 runes, the Sacrum of the next 5 runes, and the 24 runes of the unfused vertebrae. The shape of the human spinal column is that of an 'S' or a 'Serpent'. In this sense the spinal column is itself the 'Serpent', along which these runic forces move upwards and downwards.

If we use the alternative version of the Nine Glory-Twigs, shown below, the source or sacred centre is the Hagal-Rune (The Snowflake); this is the 'Seed of Life' -

When this is expanded it becomes the 'Flower of Life' -

The 'Seed of Life' is thus the source of the 'Flower of Life' as much as the Hagal-Rune/Snowflake-Rune is the source of the Nine Glory-Twigs (at this level). The rune-poems mention both the 'seed' ('corn') and the 'serpent' in regard to this rune. The analogy with the Haeldom of the Runes is thus  confirmed through this runic knowledge.

One of the roots from which the name 'Wotan' or 'Wuotan' derives is the Root *wuot- which means 'all-pervasive' or 'all-penetrating'. The meanings suggests the all-pervasive Life-Force or Serpent-Force. The wisest men of the ancient world were no doubt connected to the Serpent simply because they were those who understood the Serpent-Force best, and who could wisely connect with this force.

In India the Rishis or Initiates were those who understood this Divine Force; there was also a Race of Nagas ('naga' = 'serpent' in Sanskrit) who were of the Aryan Race, identified as being of 'Caucasian' appearance and possessing a rare knowledge of magic and insight into spiritual and natural forces. They were seen as 'White Magicians' and were a Solar Race with the Hooded Cobra as their emblem. In the 'Hidden Tradition' these Nagas were descended from a 'prehistoric race' whose homeland - the Island of the Serpents - was destroyed by a great cataclysm and flood some 10,000 years ago.

Now, I mentioned my own experience of a dream in which Woden is connected to the Hooded Cobra, but what I omitted to put in was the legends surrounding a 'White God' of the Americas known as Votan. This 'White God' came from Tula and he was of the Race of Chan - the term 'Chan' meaning Serpent. (*) We have two distinct and separate accounts of a White God and a White Race connected to the Serpent. We should, of course, mention that Quetzalcoatl and Viracocha are both connected to the Serpent too.

As I stated before, the Serpent is connected to the Druids so we need to look at this people now. What we see today as the 'Celtic Druids' is a moon-worshipping cult connected to such places as Stonehenge; certain aspects of the Druids seem to hint that they were once an Aryan Priesthood that were infiltrated and distorted in their works. Legends about them are varied and vague at times, but if we 'read between the lines' we can perhaps see an ancient Aryan Elite Priesthood such as the Nagas or the Race of Chan, and we can here suggest that they once formed an elite of At-al-land which may have been the 'Island of the Serpents' mentioned earlier, or at least an island which formed part of At-al-land.

In the background of the Horns of Gallehus we find various symbols which are 'dotted' rather than drawn as they would be, suggesting these are non-physical symbols. Many of these are serpents, and serpents can be found on the top of the horn shown above too. In fact the horns contain a good number of serpent-symbols which have never been explained.

The Serpent-Force is symbolised by a spiral, since this spiralling vortex-force forms the basis of life-forms at all levels. The movement of this spiralling force is symbolised by the Fylfot-Swastika, the above being the closest I can see to the real meaning of the symbol. If you look closely you can see a left-handed swastika as the main symbol (**), with a left-handed swastika forming the centre of the main symbol, and a left-handed curved swastika reaching outwards from the inner symbol. This symbol represents the movement of this force in time, whereas the reversed swastika (Widdershins Swastika) symbolises the movement back to the source.

Even in the Christian Bible we find the Serpent as the source of knowledge and wisdom; it is the Serpent who tempts Eve to eat of the Tree of Knowledge. The Serpent has since ancient times been associated with knowledge and wisdom. In this respect it is interesting to note that the god named Votan was of the Race of Chan (Serpent), a name connected to the Kan-Rune or Ken-Rune which has the meaning 'knowledge' (ken) and 'serpent' (kan). The Ken-Rune represents the Fire-Serpent or Kundalini. The word 'kundalini' stems from a root meaning 'to coil'. I have shown how the Sig-Rune is also connected to the Serpent.

There are two equal and opposite forces whose inter-play is what is called the 'Universal Energy'. Through the interplay of these forces spirit involutes into matter.

• The Hooded Cobra or Coiled Serpent symbolises the spiralling vortex-like movement of this Life-Energy as it permeates matter and 'livens' it. It is the Life-Force also sometimes known as 'Pure Consciousness'. The spiral forms also symbolise this force, and it was known as Sakti by the Hindus; it is a feminine, life-giving force, nurturing as the Cosmic Cow and non-aggressive and loving force.
• The Sacred Number 9 is symbolic of this spiral-force, and the Number 6 its opposing force. The symbol is that of a spiral form.

The three-headed serpent (and maybe the three-tailed serpent on the Horn of Gallehus) seems to represent Creation-Preservation-Destruction represented by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in Hinduism. The roles of these triple-gods is clear in the physical when we consider that birth-life-death are the realities of all existence. This is why Guido von List based his runic work on the firm idea of birth-life-death-rebirth; his genius ensured that the cycle was not just 'birth-life-death' but continued into the next cycle through 'rebirth' or 'arising into new form'. Our own cycle seemingly ends with the 'dissolution' (destruction) which is given the most emphasis in Norse Mythology, but it is not an ending since the worlds rise again, green and pure.

The Edel-Rune/Odal-Rune is made up of twin Sig-Runes, here shown as 'Light and Darkness' in balance. The rune itself forms the IE Root *at-al meaning 'race', the basis of the name At-al-land. It could be pushing this too far my suggesting that the rune-stave represents Twin-Serpents, and thus the 'Island of the Serpents' mentioned in regard to the Nagas of the ancient world. In time-scale, and in the context of the legends, it seems quite possible that the sinking of a North-West European Homeland (At-al-land) meant a mass exodus to the West and to the East by sections of the tribes who dwelt there. Hamasson has mentioned that the Edel-Rune shape represents The Hooded One (Woden) so it could also represent The Hooded Serpent (Cobra).

Now, when the Vikings sailed across the oceans, raiding and conquering lands to the West and to the East, they sailed in ships that were built with great skill and ingenuity. On the front and rear of these ships was carved a dragon - a serpent. In some instances, such as their journeys to the Americas, they seem to have emulated their forebears - the 'White Gods' - sailing into these lands bearing the symbol of the Serpent just as did Quetzalcoatl and Viracocha, as well as other 'White Gods'.

I have shown this Mayan Stela many times before but the need to do so again arises due to the nature of this post. Shown here is an Aryan Thunder-God, red-bearded, red-haired and white features. He holds twin 'Hammers' and his ship is adorned with Serpents. Since we can find both a White Stone and also the Sign of Ingwe (XX) and the Gift of Ingwe X-XX) on this stela the idea that this represents one of the 'Serpent Elite' of At-al-land (ruled by Ingwe) comes into mind straightway. Indeed, the Ing-Rune itself is a glyph of the 'Double-Serpent' ('double-helix' or DNA) or 'Twin-Serpent'. Significantly this version is found here in England-Albion and differs from the Germanic Ing-Rune; in the Scandinavian row this rune is missing. This suggests a North-West European origin for the symbol, since it is found in Frisia too. These areas form part of the sunken lands of At-al-land.

The letter 'S' shows the serpent in its creeping form as it slides across the ground; the sound mimics the sound of the snake as it 'hisses', as the adder does in our lands. There are two other letters which have been used to represent the serpent - the 'N' and the 'Z', the latter of which is an 'N' turned upon its 'belly'. The names 'WODEN', 'ODIN', 'GODAN', 'WODAN', 'WYDION', 'WOTAN' and 'VOTAN' all end with the letter 'N', seen in many ancient texts as a sign of the Serpent. The suffix -an, -en, -on seems to be related to -an meaning 'master of', thus Woden or Wodan is 'Master of Wod'. But very often the word-hoard, through the ravishes of time, undergoes changes because the original meanings are forgotten altogether. Thus the meaning 'master of' could (emphasis on 'could' since we cannot be sure) have stemmed from the symbol of the Serpent as being the 'Master Folk' or 'Master Race' (such as the Shemsu Hor or 'Followers of Horus' from Egyptian Lore). This is a logical conclusion when we consider that the ancient Rishis, Nagas, and Hyperborean Druids were the 'Masters of the Life-Force' or 'Serpent-Force'. It is perhaps significant that our English word 'adder' is a corrupted form of the original Nadre.

The Irminsul is symbolic of the spinal column of man, the wings of the swan, eagle, dragon at the top being symbolic of the harmony of the left-brain and right-brain. It is this harmony that produces a higher consciousness or super-consciousness, the aim of raising the Serpent-Force at the base of the spine (base of the World-Tree) to become the Eagle-Swan-Winged Serpent at the top. It is thus the 'Serpent-Force' that creates a higher-consciousness and thus a 'higher man'.

It is significant to note that the Druids are always associated with Tree-Lore and the use of the Ogham underlines this. When we find that our English Rune-Row contains extra runes related directly to certain trees it is usual for scholars to see this as being a 'borrowing' (as always) from Celtic sources. This is not necessarily so, since these may stretch back into ancient times, back to At-al-land, the remnants of some of the Germanic Tribes remaining in these islands, today seen as 'Celts'.

The Torc is a twisted cord, and when worn around the neck is symbolic of Woden as the Hanged God. It is a sign of the Woden Initiate 'fettered' to the Great Initiator. But the twisted cord can also be a 'Coiled Serpent' and sometimes a serpent's head or dragon's head is added to the ends of the Torcs (especially in Viking times). This coiling pattern could represent the coiling, spiralling vortex-force or 'Serpent-Force' too. Since WUOTAN is the 'all-penetrating' god then his symbol is the Serpent. Symbols works at so many levels of meaning.

It could be thought that the 'crown' worn by kings represents the 'halo' seen on the 'saints' of Christian tradition. It would seem that the English used crowns at a later date, and the original head-gear was more like the Sutton Hoo Helmet or Mask, as symbolic of Woden. This has the Serpent moving over the skull, ending in the swan-eagle-dragon motif over the 'Mind's Eye', with the nose-piece representing the means to arouse the Serpent-Force - the Vital Breath. There are serpent-symbols to be found when we look carefully.

It is interesting to note that there is an IE Root *angwhi which means 'serpent' or 'eel' and gives rise to the Greek ekhis - 'snake'. There is also a Greek word ophis meaning 'snake' or 'serpent'.

The adder has this distinctive zig-zag pattern and is the only poisonous snake here in England. The Old English name was naedre meaning 'snake' from the Germanic nethro, which derives from an IE Root *ne-tr - 'snake' The above photo was taken on the South Downs in the South Saxon Mark (Sussex), where these are plentiful.

The Serpent symbolism has its 'evil' side, of course, and the serpent in the Garden of Eden is the main influence on this symbolism. When we look closely at this tale the Serpent was the friend of man, it was 'God' who wished to hold man in ignorance (easier to control). But the biblical serpent's depiction as 'evil' is not the only source since many Indo-European legends have an evil side to the symbolism. But the opposite side to the symbolism has been over-emphasised, hence the need for a work to show the other side of the coin.

The World's Tragedy

'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth....

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'

Genesis 1:26-28.

Overlooking the obvious discrepancies in this text for the time being the gist of this is that man was created in the image of 'God' in order to dominate the earth and subdue everything upon it. This Judaic man-centred doctrine stands opposed to the life-centred doctrine of ancient heathendom. Indeed, this evil doctrine has brought upon us the wanton destruction of our planet and all life-forms upon it.

Heathen belief is that man is a part of a living cosmos, and that the Earth is a living being, not a piece of mud to be exploited. We have had 2,000 years of the Christian doctrine which stems directly from Judaism, and this has distorted the soul of our people and brought our Folk to the brink of destruction. It is quite possible to guess that Judaism in some form or another began to take hold some 6,000 years ago, one quarter of the Great Year Cycle, the last and darkest quarter. This would be the 'winter' period of the Great Year Cycle, which for convenience we shall see as 24,000 years.

'Let is make man in our image...' would either refer to the 'Royal "we"', or more likely a text originally telling us that we were made in the image of the Gods. No problem in this since Norse Mythology tells us much the same, we were created in the image of the Gods, having the 'Light of the Gods' (litr godi). From then on the text replaces the True Gods with the 'Demiurge' whose nature is to dominate the earth and subdue everything upon it to his will.

We are given a hint that this 'creation' is not quite what it seems, and we could even gleam a hint that here we are not dealing with Man but with a 'chosen people' of the Demiurge. The text clearly states that man must 'replenish the earth' the word 'replenish' meaning 'to fill up again'. This suggests to me that this text refers to a time after a catastrophe, even referring to the flood, although this comes later in the same Book of Genesis. The whole text could be a mix-up of various themes put together from different sources in order to rewrite the history of the ancients. It is certainly not a 'Creation Myth' based upon the most ancient past when the Earth formed. Since our race was made in the image of the Gods and was not made to subdue the earth and dominate all life this cannot refer to our Folk at all. Admitted, many of our people have been taken in by this, have had their soul distorted, and have taken on the evil ways of the Demiurge, but this does not mean they were created in order to do so.

The next section of Genesis continues the doctrine whereby herbs, plants, trees an animals are said to have been created for man's use. The part of the text goes through the same theme over again, which once more suggests this is taken from various different sources and put together in an incoherent manner. Then comes the generations of 'man' from Adam, the first man, whose names once more have nothing whatever to do with the Northern Folk. Then comes the statement that there were 'giants' on the earth, no doubt meaning tall, fair men; these 'giants' were of a different form and 'came in unto the daughters of men', i.e. these 'giants' mixed their blood with the lower men.

The 'Lord' then got the arse over his 'creation' of men and sent a flood that would destroy them, allowing Noah to build his ark to save certain animals, plants, trees and other life. In other sources outside this area the flood was a natural disaster and it was Manu who was sent by the Gods to save some of the life on Earth. We have a parallel in this idea of this vengeful 'God' hell-bent on destruction, sending his wrath upon man for his 'sins' in the later Christian times. The wrath of the Viking raiders was blamed upon the 'sins of men' by the Christian priests. Nothing more than a control mechanism by the priests, creating self-guilt in order to hold this control. 'God' punishes those who do not obey his priests!

The 'first sin', of course, was the work of Adam and Eve, when Eve tempted Adam to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. I have covered this before, but its importance makes it something to mention here. After creating Adam and Eve, 'God' put them in the 'Garden of Eden' which has strong resemblances to the ancient Hyperborea of the North, with its four rivers running from the central point. In the garden he planted the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge (of good and evil). He commanded the two not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge.

It is clear here that 'God' (i.e. the Demiurge) was opposed to mankind eating from the Tree of Knowledge and thus knowing 'good and evil', that is having a choice in the matter. Then along comes The Serpent who tempts Eve to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge; she does so an bids Adam to eat too, which he does. Their eyes were 'opened' and they realised they were standing naked, thus coming the old 'fig-leaf' making to cover themselves. I have to admit that I am here lost as to the symbolism of this which makes no sense at all as to why the knowledge of 'good and evil' would open their eyes to being unclothed.

Then 'God' came strolling through the garden on his morning walk and they hid themselves because of their nakedness. Once again the whole text makes no sense since they were supposed to have just covered themselves with fig-leaves and now hide because they have nothing on! 'God' asks - 'Who told thee that thou wast naked?' Should have been obvious to anyone, but seems not. 'God' asks if Adam has eaten of the Tree of Knowledge, to which he admits, grassing on his other-half who tempted him to do so. 'God' turns to Eve who grasses on The Serpent for telling her to do so. For this the Serpent is cursed to slide on his 'belly' (which snakes seem to do anyway) for the rest of his days. Eve is to be ruled by her husband for this too. Adam is likewise cursed for eating the fruit.

The whole text contains obvious symbolism and should not be taken literally, though the symbolism is somewhat lost in its rewriting to suit the cause of religious dogma. Having found Adam and Eve eating of the Tree of Knowledge, and fearful of their eating of the Tree of Life, 'God' throws them out of the garden and sets Cherubims and a 'flaming sword' at the entrance to keep them out.

Was this the 'First Lie'? The Demiurge had discouraged Eve from eating by telling her she would die if she did so. The Serpent told her she would not, which was a truth since they did not die through eating it. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge would lead to them eating of the Tree of Life. The latter is symbolic of gaining immortality, and thus the Demiurge holds back mankind from gaining knowledge in order to gain immortality. We have two distinct choices, to strive to gain immortality or to return to the source, the 'One', the 'Cosmic Consciousness', the 'Primal Soup' etc. The role of the 'Demiurge' and the Joten, as the 'Eaters of the Dead Souls' is to prevent us from achieving immortality.

I have mentioned before that in the New Testament book of Revelation it is stated that '...to him that overcometh shall I give to eat of the Tree of Life...' which is the polar-opposite to the working of the Demiurge. Here it is clearly stated that the search for immortality involves overcoming human limits which, of course, is part of the doctrine of Friedrich Nietzsche. We can see in this another part of Nietzsche's ideas in that the Ultimate Man is the end-result of the human evolution for those who are corrupted by the Demiurge, whilst the Superman is the jump in evolution for those who would become Gods - become immortals.

The role of Woden is here quite clear, for he is the god who searches endlessly for knowledge and wisdom, his aim being that we emulate his search in order to attain immortality. Woden leads the revolt against the corruption of the Demiurge, or in Wodenic terms the war against the Joten. The Serpent symbolism is important in that it often symbolises knowledge and wisdom, and is connected to the wise men in so many Indo-European traditions - the Nagas of Indian Lore, for instance.

The revolt against the domination of the Dark Forces must take the role of creating a new harmony between ourselves and the cosmos, and harmonising with the earth rather than the futile attempt to dominate it. Through a rejection of this evil doctrine man can once more become part of a living cosmos, and thus take the evolutionary leap to the Superman.

The Einheriar and the Army of the Dead

Within Man there is something which is of a divine, higher origin, which is called in Norse Lore the litr godi. Together with this we recognise a divine and holy force at work in the growth of living things. There is that in Man which is not destroyed in death, and this we call the Life-Force. In some higher people this Life-Force lives on in its own body - these are the Immortals. In the Immortals the Life-Force or Divine Spark is far stronger and more powerful when they are no longer mortal Men. These Immortal Warriors are the Einheriar.

As powerful beings the Ancestors - the Immortals - live on to aid and fight alongside the Gods against the Forces of Darkness and Chaos. These are the Army of the Dead ruled and led by Woden the Wild Hunter-God, Wolf-God and Raven-God. The Souls of the Dead, as the Army of the Dead, take part in the battles of the living. The Germanic Mannerbund were ecstatic and cultic warriors in cultic union with the dead warriors of the Folk.

The souls of the dead warriors were symbolised by the wearing of masks, skeletal masks. This is linked to 'Halloween' which is really the Festival of the Dead and the Festival of the Einheriar, October 31st to November 11th. At this time the Ancestral Spirits return through the lifting of the veil between the worlds, return to guard the order which they established. The masks were the egesgrima (Old English) - the 'Terror Mask' - eges being 'Igg/Ygg' who is Woden - The Terrible One. The egesgrima is the Aegishelm - the 'Helm of Terror', the 'Helm of Igg'. It signifies the Cult of Woden as 'The Terrible One'. (*) The Cultic Warriors of the Mannerbund, once they were initiated into the Brotherhood, belong to the Immortals, and thus physical death means nothing to them, death is not feared. The hallowed members of the Cultic Bunds are Immortal and one with the Spirits of the Dead; the Heroic Dead incarnate in the bodies of the living amongst the Folk.

It may be that what some call the 'soul', which we may here refer to as the 'Life-Force' incarnates or resurrects in part, whilst the other part remains to fight this Holy War on another level, to fight as the 'Einheriar' beside the Gods. Thus part resurrects or incarnates on the physical level, leaving another part to fight in another 'dimension'. Thus the Fallen Hero wills part of his being to resurrect to continue the Eternal Struggle on Earth, like the 'avatar' or the 'boddhisattva'. Maybe, we cannot be sure, but this is an idea worth considering.

Woden is the Hidden God, the Unseen God of the Dead, the Unseen Dead. He appears in dreams as a figure dressed in black, or in black and red, a faceless figure. Where his face should be in the black or red hood there is a total blackness - a Void. Woden peers to us from the Void. Woden is today awakening the Folk-Soul of our people, awakening the Einheriar who are resurrecting in the Folk-Youth. The Harii, a section of the cultic warriors of Germania, blackened their bodies and painted themselves to look like skeletons - the Army of the Dead!

'But the Harii, savage as they are, enhance their inborn wildness over and above the strength in which they surpass the peoples just enumerated, by device and moment: black are their shields, their bodies painted; for battles they pick the blackest nights, and by their very dreadfulness - and more: the semblance of an Army of the Dead they produce terror. No foe can bear their strange and, so to speak, infernal aspect, for in every battle the eyes are defeated first.'

Tacitus - Germania.

Red is the colour of strength, vigorous youth, the Life-Force, Thunor the Thunder-God, of war. Black is the colour of night and the Cult of the Dead. Red and Black is the colour of the Einheriar and of the God of the Dead. We can see a clear account of these type of warriors - the Ulfhedhnar or 'Wolf-Skins' in the tales of Sigmund and Sinfjotli who, we are told, had slain  with their swords many of the Race of the Joten. The Joten are the 'Eaters of the Souls of the Dead', the enemy of the Immortals. The Eternal War between the Goten and the Joten goes on into Ragnarok, where we are today.

The killing of the Young Fool in the dramas is the death and resurrection of the Woden Initiate. Woden is the 'April Fool' who presides over the Dawn, the Spring and the 'Resurrection'. The figure of the Long Man of Wilmington is the 'April Fool' - Woden. The wod is the ecstatic trance, wrath, rage, divine intoxication, fury, frenzy; Woden is The Frenzied One and the Master of Wod (en/an = 'master').

The Vratya and the Maruts of Indian Lore wear black and fly a Black Banner; the Aesma of Iran fly a black banner, wear black and, like the Vratya, wear a belt (or two belts, one to symbolise the Cult Leader). Black is the colour of these Cultic Brotherhoods. Woden wears black or black and red, and he appears in our dreams as The Faceless One. He peers from the Black Void. His power is the Black Sun.

Woden has many similarities with the Irish Lugh, the Welsh Lleu; indeed there may well be more than we can tell at first glance. The name Lleu is said to mean 'Light', and when we consider that the Greek lycos can mean 'light', but can also mean 'wolf' there is a hint here that Lugh could originally have been the 'Wolf-God' even though nothing has come down to us of this. However, the late Norse and Viking figure of Odin is somewhat different than the earlier Woden who is The Hooded One and the Wolf-God. They are both the same yet some features have been lost; maybe Lleu has gone through a similar change. The Cymru (who may or may not have been what was known as the 'Welsh' today, were said to have come from the 'Summerlands' (Constantinople) and thus must have picked up far more of the southern tongue than the Northern Tribes. Lleu and lycos may thus have been of this tongue. The Irish Lugh closes one eye in battle.

Walpurgis Night has always been, like Halloween, associated with 'witches', but the name seems to infer something of a different nature. It seems to come from a 'St. Walburga', a Christian Saint, which obviously hints of a Heathen form transformed into a Christian one to be used for the purpose of the latter. But the name suggests - 'Burg of the Fallen' or 'Burg of the Dead'. This also seems to link to the Spiral Mounds which were the Walburgen, and thus the spiral seems to be associated with the Fallen Heroes - the Dead Warriors. 'St. Walburga' would thus be none other than our Lady Freya. Freya rules the Walburgen.

The Gift of Ing is the 'Fire of Origins', the Aryan Fire, the Eternal Fire that keeps alive the original Body of Light or Astral Body. This is the Hyperborean Blood, the Igneous Fire or Inga-Fire ('Fire of Agni') which is the Divine Spark or 'Light of the Gods'. This passes on after death and is the power and strength of the Fallen Heroes - the Einheriar. This is the Serpent-Fire or Kundalini which must be awakened in the Hero - the Wera. Again, this is associated with the spiral mentioned above. This Divine Fire or Agni-Fire is the 'Warrior-Fire' - the Fire of Ingwe. This is the 'Fire of Kon' (male) that burns in the Konungr (Cyninga), and the 'Fire of Kona' (Female) that burns in the Warrior-Maiden.

'Truthfully, in this age those with intellect have no courage and those with some modicum of physical courage have no intellect. If things are to alter during the next fifty years then we must embrace Byron's ideal: the Cultured Thug'.

Jonathan Bowden.

We may not have fifty years to change things. We have entered the Ragnarok, and the Eternal War between the Goten and the Joten decrees that we act fast to awaken our Folk. The Horn of Hama has sounded in the depths of our Folk-Soul, awakening Gods and Men to this Great Struggle again. Our Wyrd may be to go down in this Final Battle, and to bring the old world down with us; to wage this Holy War we need to recreate the Germanic Mannerbund made up of our best youth, to recreate the Cultic Brotherhoods, the Warrior-Cult of Woden. If we are already dead, then death can have no meaning!

The 'Warg' or 'Wolf's Head' became the 'outlaw', outside the boundaries of a society. This became a disgrace, but today we have to stand outside this corrupt and rotten society - so we are 'Warg', we are 'Wolf's Heads' and our symbol is the Wolf's Head. This is no disgrace, it is an honour, for we reject this rotten, corrupt and degenerate society. We are the new Barbarians of this falling world!

(*) Ygg or Igg may be related to Ugr (Rudra) and to the Og known here in England and these islands. Igg-Og-Ugr would be 'The Terrible One', a name of Woden in ancient times, and a name to make our enemies tremble. This may even be associated with Ing/Ingwe.

This article marks a turning-point since it is the 88th on this blog. I hope that it starts 2017 in the best way we can. Our Wyrd is to inspire our Folk to greater glory and to awaken our kinfolk to their True Destiny. The Woden Folk-Religion must be spread to the 'four winds' to awaken the Elect of the Folk. This is the Wyrd set for you - the Woden Folk-Community.

Ingwe - The God of Resurrection

I have shown before how Ingwe is associated with the planet Venus which is a male-female planet, the Morning Star (Freya-Idunn) and Evening Star (Ingwe). I am now going to produce further evidence to back up this idea, evidence based around the Irish figure called AEngus/OEngus/Angus. Angus is linked to Newgrange, and Newgrange appears to be linked to the planet Venus and to 'resurrection'.

Angus takes the dead warrior Dairmuid to the Bru na Boinne (Newgrange), into the mound with the pregnant girl Grainne (pregnant with Dairmuid's child). There he proclaims - 'I will send the bright light of a soul from the sky into him so that he may talk with me each day.' This statement suggests that the soul of Dairmuid will be 'resurrected' in his child of Grainne. Grainne then gives birth to a child, a son, who is then sent to be fostered and 'to learn to become the warrior his father had been'. This latter statement suggests that this indeed is a case of the 'resurrection' of a warrior-hero into his offspring.

It seems likely that Newgrange was actually used because it was set up to ensure that the Light of Venus would transfer the souls of the dead into the bodies of the new born - just as Egyptians held rites to ensure that the dead pharaoh's soul was resurrected into his son. Newgrange seems to be aligned to the eight-yearly cycle of Venus, so when rituals of a sexual nature (fertility rites) held at the Spring Evennight would mean births at the Winter Sunstead.

It is said that the markings on certain stones inside the mound align to the rising of Venus; the mound also contains a number of X-crosses and 'lozenges' (diamond-Ing Runes), the latter suggesting a link to Ingwe and Venus. Newgrange is also associated with the Tuatha de Danaan who were said to have come 'from the North' or 'from the skies'.

Woden crops up as Gwydion/Wydion in Welsh Lore, and Gwydion is named 'Gwydion ap Don' which means 'Gwydion, son of Don'. Don is the Welsh equivalent to Danu whom the Tuatha de Danaan are named after. Don is married to Beli - the God of Light - so Gwydion is of the Children of Light or the Lords of Light which is indeed a title of the de Dannan. This tribe of Gods went into the Inner Earth and became the Sidhe which is a name similar to the Vedic Siddha who were the Wise Sages of the Arya. There have always been doubts about the real meaning of Seidr but it may be suggested that this has links to Sidhe and to Siddha.

I have used Newgrange as an example, but it seems fairly obvious that this is only one amongst many ancient mounds which were used for the same purpose - the 'resurrection of the hero'. I am going to suggest that we may have a link to the ALU-ULA Formula here. If we take the ALU-Formula we start with the Ansuz-Rune (Ancestral Rune) at the top, working through the Laguz-Rune (Water/Blood) and down to the Uruz-Rune (Earth), thus suggesting some form of manifestation into matter of a spiritual force or Ancestral Force.

The above 'Formula 88' has been featured on a couple of occasions; the Ing-Rune is shown at the bottom, using three staves representing 'spirit'. This is also perhaps symbolic of Venus - the Morning Star. It is quite well known how the Freemasons use Venus as a symbol of 'resurrection' and it is significant that the symbols used for Venus are the five-rayed star and the Wyn-Rune (Rune of the Waene or Vanir-Gods). We see in the above how the Wyn-Rune is used back-to-back as the 'Spirit 88'.

King Rerir of the Wolsungas reaches old age without an heir to his throne, and this can only happen through the intervention of Freya-Idunn who sends her handmaid with an apple. The apple is symbolic of Venus since when cut in half it does show a five-rayed star. The apple is thus symbolic of resurrection and of rebirth, linked to Idunn and her Golden Apples, but also to Avalon which is the Isle of Apples. Avalon could be seen as a kind of Valhalla since we find the famous 'King Arthur' taken there to await the time of his return and 'resurrection'.

It would seem clear that our Germanic Ancestors were well aware of the need to perform rituals that would ensure the resurrection of their warrior-heroes into their offspring, and thus ensure a continued line of leaders, rulers and heroes. Today this is all but forgotten, but something that we need to study more carefully if we are to survive the onslaught upon our Folk. When considering this we should not forget that Valhalla is not the only place where the Fallen Heroes go after a heroic life and death, for Freya welcomes half of the fallen into the Realm of Folkvang. 



The Dragon-Ing.

In the Edda of Snorri Sturlasson the Gods are turned into human beings, which is seen by many to be a Christian method of belittling our Gods. But it may be to our advantage to overlook this on this occasion, just so as to unravel some mysteries hidden in the text. Sturlasson sought to derive the AEsir from 'Asia' and from 'Troy' which is now called 'Turkey'. In doing so he used parallels between Trojan and Norse names. But what interests us here is that some of the work derives from Anglo-Saxon sources - from 'Sescef' (Sheaf) and Woden. According to this Woden led the people out of Troy into Saxony.

In Saxony Woden placed three of his sons in charge of the land and people -

Veggdegg - East Saxony.

Beldegg - Westphalia.

Siggi - Frankland.

We can see here that Beldegg (Balder) ruled over Westphalia, and since the name stems from 'West Phal's Land' (and not 'West Wallia' as some suggest), this makes some sense. Phal/Fal/Phol/Pol is Balder. Sigi is the progenitor of the Wolsungas, and since they dwelt in Frankland the idea I put forward that the Merovingian Kings were Wolsungas seems to be borne out.

Woden is then said to have gone north and there placed another three sons in charge of these areas -

Skiold - Reidgotaland. (Denmark).

Saeming - Norway.

Yngvi - Sweden.

So we have here six sons of Woden ruling the Saxons, Franks, Danes, Norwegians and Swedes. When the Hearth of Wayland was running one of its leading activists, The Wayland Cat, produced a ritual based upon the above names and areas - The Dragon-Ing Rite. This was based upon the logical conclusion that the above areas - Saxony, Francland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden - were home to the people who later merged into the English Nation. It was thus logical to link these with Ing and to the White Dragon as his symbol.

In this ritual these Six Tribes of Ing were forged together through the Sword of the Wolsungas. The ritual was a form of drama and was performed at Dragon Hill below the Uffington White Horse, and later at a National Moot of the Odinic Rite. The 'Wayland Cat' organised the latter as an indoor rite, whereas I performed the one at Dragon Hill at one of our Hearth Moots at Wayland's Smithy.

This idea developed further since the basis of this was that Six Tribes of Ing were forged together by the 'Sword of the Wolsungs'; but the Wolsungs were one of these tribes. To develop this further I brought into play the ideas that we had adopted from The Hooded Man Archetype. So the Six Tribes of Ing were forged into the English Nation by the Sword Albion - the Seventh Sword of Wayland. This was indeed part of the Dragon-Ing Rite since each representative of the Six Tribes held up a sword which represented the tribe he stood for. Albion, being the most ancient name of England, thus represented the English Nation.

Hidden within this work is the ancestor of Woden - Sceaf - which is also found in the Old English texts. It seems obvious that Snorri had access to Old English works in order to find these dynasties. Sceaf we also know as Ingwe, so the later Yngvi seems to have been taken from a far more ancient figure. Sceaf ruled Scandi - the 'Shining Island' - in the Far North; this was at the end of the Golden Age.

The aim of the Dragon-Ing Rite was simple; it was to re-enact the creation of the English Nation in a magical act that would recreate it from the ashes of its destruction in our era. By recognising and naming the original Tribes of Ing they would be brought together in spirit, which would have a powerful effect upon the physical world and regenerate the English Nation. Like the great Greek Dramas this would re-enact a Primal Myth, the Creation Myth of the English.

A quick look at the names of the individuals and the areas they ruled makes it clear that one of the most important  groups or tribes was left out - the West Saxons. This tribe came to become the most powerful group in England, and indeed had more of a hand in the creation of the English Nation than any other. And they were the ones who claimed descent from Sceaf. We are thus faced with the idea that there were Seven Mythical Tribes of Ingwe; I use the term 'mythical' purposefully since we are now recreating a new English Myth. It is these seven Tribes of Ingwe that are forged together by the Sword Albion, the Seventh Sword of Wayland, which must thus represent the Land of England (Albion) and the God of England (Ingwe).

The name 'Albion' can mean 'White Island' but it can also mean 'Island of the Elves', and who is the Lord of the Elves? Ingwe is the Lord of the Elves. This is why Tolkien suggested that the English had the most ancient knowledge of the Elves, and that Old English could be used to speak to the Elves. We are always being led to believe that the 'Celts' were the only ones to have the 'Fairy Lore'; Tolkien suggests this to be untrue and I am inclined to agree. Up until modern times some of the names associated with the Elves have been in common use, though maybe this is not so true today. One that comes to mind immediately is the name Alfred which means 'Elf-Counsel'. But there are many more of these that I cannot recall off hand. This link between the English and the Elven Race is most often overlooked.

We have seen how the name At-al-land means 'Race-Land', but when we see atal as being the Edel-Rune/Odal Rune, and when we recall the Bulgarian Legend of the Seven Aryan Tribes that survived the Ice Age, forming a tribal alliance called the Idel we can equate this name to the Edel-Rune/Odal Rune (*), and thus to At-al-land too. Thus, we have again Seven Aryan Tribes which take us back to the end of the Ice Age, and Seven Tribes of Ingwe that were forged into the English Nation.

Occult Legend has it that the Aryan Race was created in Atlantis, at a time when the people had become corrupt, degenerate, and ruled by men of evil nature (just as today's world, in fact). The title for these powerful but corrupt rulers was the Turanians according to Occult Doctrine, a people which were much like the Joten in their role. It would appear to be the case that in order to check the power of instinct, impulse and desire it was necessary to produce a new man with the new faculty of thought . In order to do this, it would seem, the Aryan Race was created in Atlantis; this entailed a 'leap in evolution', i.e. it entailed a short-cut in the natural evolutionary process. Within Aryan Man a self-consciousness was awakened. As this happened, the mutants and monsters created on Atlantis assailed the new race in the North of Atlantis but were defeated by the new Aryan Race.

These Aryan Tribes were led out of Atlantis (At-al-land) by the Aryan Manu (Rama), who led them into the Gobi where a new civilisation was created, after whose destruction they were led into Aryania (Iran and India) and the Himalayas (Tibet-India). The symbol of this Aryan Race was the Swastika. I have gone slightly off the subject here to emphasise the importance of the 'Seven Tribes' and also that there is an ancient link (again) to At-al-land.

Our roots within the Aryan Race are vital; in our struggle; today there is no 'Aryan Race' only the 'Race-Memory' that lies in the 'Blood-Memory'. We can understand the idea of a 'short-cut' in the evolutionary process, since the 'seeds' of such a change have already been sown in our own era! Once again, great Aryan Initiates appeared upon Earth, incarnated in the physical form of man in order to change the course of Man's Destiny - to create the Superman, the Sun-Man, the God-Man. Or to re-create this in a new and vital form.

The regeneration of the English Folk cannot be split from the origins and destiny of that Folk, as part of the once great Aryan Race. And the regeneration of the English Folk is linked closely to the regeneration of Europe and the White Nations of the world. These have to be seen as a whole, as being interconnected at all levels.

Having learned a good deal more about the subject there is now a possibility that we can revive the Dragon-Ing Rite in a new form that will be even more powerful. Bringing into play the Holy Symbols of our Folk - the White Dragon and the Fylfot-Swastika - and the origins of our people - At-al-land - together with the knowledge of the Northern Tribes that make up the English Nation, there is the blueprint for a new and revived rite centred around the same ideas that went into the original by The Wayland Cat.

The re-enactment of the Original Myth was one of the most important rituals in ancient societies; it was done to bring Order out of the Original Chaos. Since the English Nation is today in the throes of chaos and destruction this is the time to re-enact our own Original Myth which will regenerate the English Folk and the English Folk-Nation.

(*) Seven Aryan Tribes survived the Ice Age, forming an alliance called 'Idel'; their emblem was the Sarman or Surban (Swastika) which represented the Sun's victory over the ice. The mightiest of these Seven Aryan Tribes was the Alp-Buri or 'People of the Wolf'.

Strangely enough the 'People of the Wolf' were the Wulfingas, an offshoot of the Wolsungas. In the original version the Seventh Sword of Wayland was the Sword of the Wolsungas. It was thus the Wolsungas - 'People of the Wolf' - that forged together the Seven Tribes of Ingwe.

The White Dragon as a Sacred Symbol.

The White Dragon has been featured so many times, so why another blog dealing with this? Well, I believe that it is necessary to go deeper into the inner meaning of the symbol because it seems that not everyone understands why we use it and, more importantly, how we use it. I am not going to rehash what has been said before, but will try to use new ideas and material in order to 'put the record straight' on the subject.

'Radical Britain' ran a blog-post tracing the origins of the modern White Dragon Flag to Woden's Folk. Since WF was founded in 1998, and the symbol had been around and used over a decade before this, the statement is not strictly true. The first use of the symbol within the Heathen Movement was through the White Dragon Kindred which then operated as a separate group made up of activists within Odinism. I ran the White Dragon Kindred but this was well before WF was formed. The original version of the White Dragon was the 'dragon rampant' drawn up for us by a lass in Scotland.

We used the White Dragon on Red background from the start, as the colours of the English Cross Flag, but with an outline of Black for the dragon, thus giving us the colours of the Norns and also the colours used in alchemy - Black/White/Red being the colours of transformation. The colours Red & White also symbolise -

1. The White Race.

2. The Sacred Blood Struggle.

The term 'dragon' stems from the following roots -

dra = 'to turn', 'to twist', 'to coil'.

gon = kan = 'serpent'.

Thus we have the dragon as a Winged Coiled Serpent; if we used this correct symbolism very few people would understand it, so we adopted the four-legged dragon which is far better known. But this was not the only reason, for this symbolism has much deeper meanings -

• Kan also means - 'kin', 'knowledge', 'fire' (i.e. Fire Serpent), 'kingship', 'light' (torch), the pineal gland.
• The Root *dra- can also be related to 'three' and thus to 'spirit', as can the idea of 'spiral' inherent in 'to twist', 'to coil', 'to turn'. The symbolism has a spiritual power.
• The symbol we use is 'four-footed' which links it to the Fylfot-Swastika or 'Fol's Foot'/'Four Foot'. The fylfot is a spiral shown in a two-dimensional symbol. This also fits with the White Dragon being symbolic of our own Milky Way Galaxy, which is a spiral made up of 88 constellations.

'He (Gurdjieff) said that from time to time from another world - 'from Above' - a Sacred Individual is incarnated in human form with a very high and special mission, the working of which is not visible in this world and which can only be perceived by the disciples or companions who are specially prepared. This mission is not performed in this world except in so far as the being who is engaged in it is incarnated in human form.'

This piece by a disciple of Gurdjieff, Bennett, clearly tells of the incarnation of an Avatar, a Higher Being incarnated in human form in order to fulfil a Divine Mission on Earth. This does not actually concern us here but I have had to quote this in order to understand the rest.

'A certain possibility is introduced from a realm where the impossible does not exist. It is something new which doesn't belong to the cause and effect of this world, and therefore changes the whole situation.'

This is where change can take place, when something undreamed of can be fulfilled in the physical world. The idea stems not from this world, but from a parallel world, but its effect is fulfilled here on Earth.

'The doing of this and how it is done is unseen; but, in general, it is necessary that something should be seen, manifested, so that the particular new thing should be able to operate in the visible world amongst people with ordinary perceptions.'

This statement is of extreme importance because something has to be 'manifested' so that people with 'ordinary perceptions' can understand it. Without this the new idea could not work on this level.

'It is to fulfil this second part of the mission that the sacred image is created and this sacred image has unlimited power in it, because its source is beyond the existing world. That Sacred Image we see as the founder of a religion, as a prophet, or as an incarnation of God, who introduces a new hope into the life of men.'

Of course, the Sacred Image can be just that - an image! The statement could apply just as well to a Sacred Symbol that embodies the essence of the Divine Mission. The power of a particular symbol can be seen in the Swastika used by the National Socialists, a symbol of extreme power - an Aryan Symbol. True, this symbol had been used by many groups before, but the Swastika seemed to take upon itself a power of its own, a power that would unite a nation which was on the brink of collapse. More than that, the reversal of the symbol into a mode which moved against the flow of time was a magical act in itself - it reversed the downward decay of time. It created a rebirth of a nation. More so, it symbolised a backwards journey to the Golden Age of the Gods.

Back to the White Dragon. As I have shown before this seems also to have been a symbol of Northern Europe, and indeed may stretch back to the time of At-al-land. It also links to the 'elves' since 'elf' or 'alb' refer to the colour 'white' as well as to the ideas of 'light' and 'shining'. The 'Lord of the Elves' is Ingwe-Frey, the Divine Ancestor of the English Folk. Then, too, this land was once called Albion - 'The White Island' or 'Isles of the Elves'. As I am going to show here, the White Dragon can be linked to the 'White Island' and also to Ingwe, the Divine Ancestor of the English.

The symbol of the four-footed dragon is also important in that the symbolism of 'four feet' was used in ancient times for the stability of the era of the Golden Age. The 'dragon-rampant' is used to show movement and action as opposed to the 'dragon-passant' or 'passive dragon'.

The White Dragon Symbol seems to have taken upon itself a life and power of its own. It spread rapidly amongst the Englisc Nationalists until the movement splintered; but today the symbol has moved beyond the confines of Englisc Nationalism and is being used by various groups who oppose the New World Order. By instigating the collapse of Englisc Nationalism the powers-that-be seem to have inadvertently caused the symbol to spread even further afield, mainly amongst the stronger and more militant groups. It has even moved beyond the confines of the English.

As I have just shown, inherent in the symbolism of the White Dragon is a spiritual power which is today growing and spreading. All of the old symbols are of little power to us now, since the White Dragon Symbol has a new vitality and power whose strength derives from 'beyond'. This is a symbol, that is, it represents something, it stands for something. Symbols work on an unconscious level, though they must first be understood by the 'ordinary perceptions'. This symbol represents everything that we stand for, everything that we struggle for, everything that we have dedicated our lives to.

As yet the White Dragon Symbol is not a unifying power as such, though it is unifying a section of society. It is a Germanic Symbol and thus could unify the Germanic Folk or the Saxon Nation. The symbol of the dragon was used widely on the Dragon-Ships of the Vikings - the Norsemen. It is a known heathen symbol of very ancient origins. But it is more than that, for it has a specific meaning, or set of meanings; these tell us both why it is used and how it should be used. This I have outlined above.

The Milky Way Galaxy was called Iring's Way by the Saxons, and was the Road to Valhalla. It is along Iring's Way that the Einheriar travel on their way to Valhalla. The symbol for the Milky Way is thus the Saxon Irminsul, which has a 'trunk' (Iring's Way) and two 'arms' branching off (Wan & Will). The Irminsul is a Saxon version of the Norse Yggdrasil, and since the latter is the 'White Tree' we can see clearly the symbolism unfolding. The 'White Tree' not only represents the Milky Way but also the White Race. In many ancient myths and legends we see the White Tree being destroyed, but with a seedling or sapling surviving and thus renewing the Sacred Tree.

In so many myths we find the dragon as guardian of some form of 'gold-hoard' or 'treasure-hoard'; the hero, such as Sigurd, has to slay the dragon in order to gain the gold-hoard for himself. In his case the treasure is 'cursed' and brings upon him the dire consequences of such a curse. Sigurd's fate is woven around the treasure and the slaying of the dragon. But there is certainly more to this than the greed for gold. In the Legend of Sigurd he cooks the dragon's heart and when burning his finger and putting it to his mouth he takes in something that allows him to understand the Language of the Birds. Presumably he swallowed a little of the Dragon's Blood, and this gave him certain new powers. He goes beyond this and drinks the Blood of the Dragon, and eats the Heart of the Dragon. He takes into himself the essence of the Dragon.

As I have shown the symbolism of the dragon contains the ideas of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, guardianship, and is also linked to the Fire-Serpent or Kundalini. The basis of the word 'kundalini' is 'kunda' which means 'to coil', so inherent in the Kan-Rune ('gon') we find the 'Coiled Serpent'. The White Dragon can also be linked to the Fire-Serpent, as well as the Inga-Fire. This is the 'White Fire'. It is symbolic of transformation

Knowledge is accumulated over long distances of time, but there is also the accumulation of knowledge through different incarnations, different lives. This knowledge is contained in what we call the 'Blood Memory'. This 'memory' is held in the blood; was it not a taste of blood that allowed Sigurd to understand the 'Language of the Birds'? We can also find a link between learning, knowledge and the heart; the old saying 'I learned it by heart'. Sigurd eats the Heart of the Dragon and drinks the Blood of the Dragon. Understanding the birds allows Sigurd to find his destiny, to search for his Valkyrie (Sigdrifa-Brunhilde), which is his 'Higher Self' in a sense. It is Sigdrifa who gives the Runic Knowledge to him, knowledge that will aid him in his heroic life. The whole theme of the dragon and the awakening of his Inner Self is based around knowledge, about awakening the 'Blood Memory'.

Then we come to the concept of 'Blood & Soil' which is the mystical link between Man and the Land, the Earth on which he dwells and works for his survival. It is this firm link to the Earth which makes our people special, which makes our people what they are. Those who have no links to the soil, who have no firm bond with their fatherland, can have no love for that land, for that soil, nor for anything that lives upon it. But the idea of 'Blood & Soil' goes further, for it implies the 'Blood Memory', the 'Ancestral Memory', that there is a bond between the race as a whole and the Earth as a Living Being, the race being past-present-future. This is where the White Dragon becomes not only a symbol of the Folk but also a symbol of the Land.

The term 'Dragon-Lines' have been used for 'Ley-Lines' or 'Holy Lines', and the 'Dragon's Pulse' used for the energy that runs through these channels. Dowsing provides proof of energy currents linked to water, to the underground movement of water. It is known that these run to certain spots which show a spiral energy based upon 3 1/2 coils or multiples of this number. This is the same as the Kundalini in mankind, based on 3 1/2 coils of the Fire-Serpent. This we could call 'Dragon Energy' or 'Serpent Energy' and has indeed been termed the 'Woevre' which means 'Serpent'. The White Dragon can thus represent this 'Dragon Energy' of the 'White Island' (Albion). Since we can link our Folk with the land it is thus just one step away from understanding that when the White Dragon awakens within the Land, then so shall the Folk awaken on that Land.

'Blood and Soil' relate to 'Son' and 'Bodn', and we can now add 'Odroerir' to this equation. Odroerir is related to the Ansuz-Rune, Son to the Laguz-Rune, and Bodn to the 'Ur-Rune', so we can now bring 'The Ancestors' into these ideas, the 'Ancestral Memory' or 'Blood Memory'. This itself relates to the DNA, to the 'Double Helix' or 'Double-Spiral' - the 'Twin Coiling Serpents'. The Ing-Rune is a glyph of the DNA Spiral, and it is also the Rune of the Blood-Memory - it means 'offspring of' or 'son of' thus inferring memory passed on through the generations. The Edel-Rune/Odal Rune is a glyph of the 'Gift of Ing', this being the 'Blood Memory', in this case linked to the concept of 'Soil' or 'Land'. Through our runes we can link the Dragon to the Blood and to the Land.

The Edel-Rune and the English Ing-Rune are very close in their structure; perhaps the difference that shows out clearly is that the Ing-Rune is the Edel-Rune with a 'crown'. So the Edel-Rune represents the Land and the Ing-Rune represents Sovereignty over that Land. Sovereignty is deemed to be female, but the male-female roles are often intertwined in myth and legend, and indeed the Ing-Rune can mean 'son of' and is that of 'The Son', this being the Divine Hero whose mother is Sovereignty. Both ideas can be found in the same rune. In our own law the Guardian Goddess of the Land is Idunn (Freya) who sleeps under a White Wolf Skin. It is the role of the Hero to awaken the 'Sleeping Goddess'; as we have seen the means that this is done is through acquiring knowledge, that knowledge guarded by the White Dragon. That knowledge is the 'gold-hoard', which (of course) is the Ancient Solar Wisdom which remains in the Blood-Memory.

The source of the power of the White Dragon is thus not of this world; its power comes from 'beyond', from a realm outside this dimension, and thus it has taken upon itself a life-energy of its own. It is a symbol of the struggle between the Red Dragon of the Joten and the White Dragon of the Gods. This is the Eternal Struggle that plays itself out eternally in the Islands of the Mighty. This is why the symbolism of the White Dragon is under attack; it is a powerful symbol that will unite our Folk in this Sacred Blood Struggle.

Yet we can go much further than this, since the Serpent has always been seen at three distinct and different levels -

1. It is a symbol of the Creative Energy of the Multiverse, a symbol of the Universal Spirit.

2. At a human level it is consciousness reaching towards knowledge, wisdom, understanding and enlightenment.

3. It is also related to virility, fertility and regeneration.

In very ancient times in what is now known as India there existed a people known as the Nagas; these have been identified as belonging to the Aryan Race or Vedic Race. They were of 'Caucasian' appearance and had a vast knowledge of magic and insight into natural forces. They were Sun-worshippers and their symbol was the Hooded Serpent - the Cobra. Esoteric Tradition has it that the Nagas were descendants of a prehistoric race whose homeland was destroyed by a great cataclysm 10,000 years ago. An ancient papyrus mentions the Island of the Serpents -

'After you leave my island you will not find it again, and this place will vanish under the sea waves.

(Papyrus in Leningrad Hermitage).

We also know that Quetzalcoatl (a White God) was the 'Feathered Serpent', and that Viracocha was associated with the Serpent; then we have the famous Votan of South America who was of the Race of Chan ('Chan' being 'Serpent', related to the Kan-Rune). Shiva is always shown with a Hooded Serpent, the Cobra. The Serpent-Force is the Kundalini Force - the Fire-Serpent. Our own Divine Ancestor - Ingwe - is associated with Kundalini and the Inga-Fire. It should be noted that the Dragon's Breath is fire. The Serpent is the Creative Energy of the Multiverse, the Fylfot-Swastika is that force in motion. Now we see why our White Dragon has four legs, representing the Fylfot-Swastika. It is the 'Four-Foot', the 'Fol-Foot', the 'Fylfot'. In Vedic Lore the Cosmic Serpent - Ananta Sesha - has the Swastika on its multi-hooded image.


Woden's Folk has used this Sacred Symbol since it was formed back in 1998; its formation was linked to the Hale-Bopp Comet, which itself was linked to the sunken lands of At-al-land. We have used, and will continue to use, the original White Dragon Rampant which is the true symbol of our struggle, and which encompasses within itself all of the inner meanings spelt out in this post. The symbolism also links to the Holy Fylfot or 'Four-Foot' which today turns backwards against the flow of time.

Through the Nagas and the various different traditions of White Gods we can safely say that the Serpent-Dragon was originally an Aryan Symbol, used of the Aryan Initiates. It was also linked to the Swastika, also a very ancient Aryan Symbol, and symbolic of the North, the Land of Thule. As a 'Winged Serpent' it symbolises the upwards movement towards Super-consciousness, towards the Gods.

The Winged Serpent is symbolic of Higher Consciousness, of Spiritual Enlightenment; as I have stated before, in a dream of January 1st 1989 the Hooded Serpent (Cobra) was clearly associated with Woden. Now, this may not come into Saxon Lore or Viking Lore but then we are here in very late times, well into the Kali Yuga or Warg Age. The Hooded Serpent's link with Woden may go back far further than these times, indeed we do have the figure of Votan associated with the Serpent, and he was said to have come from Tullan.

I have mentioned that Shiva is associated with the Cobra, but it not perhaps well known that Vishnu has the Eagle as his symbol, and that Vishnu represents 'The Preserver' who maintains the status quo. However, Shiva represents something far more important to us today, for he is the Serpent King and his role is not to 'maintain the status quo', for he tells us that spiritual evolution through enlightenment can be achieved in one lifetime; he tells us that Nature can be given a 'helping hand' in our evolution. He appears at such times as to promote this 'hastened evolution' to man.

AFTERTHOUGHT - As the famous inventor of the 'Bach Flower Remedies', Dr Edward Bach, once pointed out, whenever someone introduces a new and novel concept there always arises another who seeks to negate the work of the former. Whenever a new idea is put forward someone tries to distort that idea. Many years ago I revived the idea of The Hooded Man as the Archetypal English Folk-Hero who would arise again in order to lead our Folk to the heights of freedom. Using the image of 'Robin Hood' who is so well known amongst the English. Not long after the process started The Sun ran an article called 'Throbbin' Hood' which sought to make Robin Hood into a 'fertility symbol', in the process degrading everything that was being put forward. No, they would not have done this as a deliberate slur on what was being revived, but it does show that whenever a good thing arises, someone, somewhere, ensures that it is either distorted, ridiculed, or dragged through the mud of their degenerate nature.

In the Mayan Stela serpents are coiled around the sides of the ship.

The Fylfot-Swastika made up of four Dragon's Heads.

The White Dragon's front and rear legs each make a Kan-Rune.