#galdrastafur

[thorsvinur]

The oldest ones are from about the 17th century, and the tradition itself is inspired by continental Christian magic mixed with some elements of Icelandic folk belief.

However, not being ~1000 year old pre-Christian symbols doesn't mean people aren't allowed to enjoy them. It just means that they shouldn't be forced into a context to which they're quite foreign (Viking Era reenactment & living history, etc). 😉

[titibaka-artist]

Stafur til að vekja upp draug.

[wanderingoneeye]

Creating galdrastafur

Do you know how you must cut [them]?

Do you know how you must interpret?

Do you know how you must colour?

Do you know how you must try?

Do you know how you must invoke?

Do you know how you must sacrifice?

Do you know how you must send?

Do you know how you must kill?

Whenever someone asks me how to get started on creating galdrastafur I always think of this poem from the Havamal. Odin in here gives you the starting point. First learn the elder futhark until you understand the meanings and names and then learn the younger.

Vikings did not use the elder futhark. They used the younger. For divination they used the younger futhark and for galdr they used the younger futhark. Viking aged magickal texts use the younger futhark.

You then study the terminal staves and their meaning. How they were used in galdrastafur creation by viewing old manuscripts like the galdrabók skuggis skreed and the like. You can find some of these on galdrastafir.org

You will need to study older manuscripts in order to see how they were used back then. What types of woods? What metals? What taufr? This takes years to develop so don't feel frustrated. I have been on the Norse path for more than 25 years. Start by learning the futhark and create your own runes. Sacrifice to them and learn more about them.

[moonandserpent]

Stafur til að vekja upp draug pendant hand carved by Moon and Serpent

Icelandic magical sigil (galdrastafur) to invoke ghosts and spirits.

For more, please follow my Tumblr or Instagram

[justins-galdrastafir]

Looking for the fishing staves and a little info on their different meanings. Not much info out there.

Fiskistafur and Veiðistafur

Hello whoever you are. There is a lot of information out there. The problem is tracking it down. I’ve written three times about fishing staves with the following links:

https://justins-galdrastafir.tumblr.com/post/133053248332

https://justins-galdrastafir.tumblr.com/post/164042046257

https://justins-galdrastafir.tumblr.com/post/167468252142

If you want more specific information, you can email me from my new website http://galdrastafir.com/main.htm

[norsevikingqueen]

Makeup look inspired by Galdrastafur, Ginfaxi www.TheVikingQueen.com

[wanderingoneeye]

Runic Petroglyphs

Here are a few more petroglyphs found among the Sami and Rus tribes in the area before (long long before) runes and rune staves were a thing.

You can already see some of the symbolism we use currently developing and what they meant before christiandom spread like the plague it is and infected the North.

The first few are just "people" of various types but near the bottom where you see the little circles they represent the shamans. The ones with circles "around" the person and above them are those who are under a magickal spell of some type.

The little "cup" piece we use in Galdrastafir now was actually the hammer used to bang the drum (yes shamanic drumming was a huge thing, this is how you go to the underworld and the world of spirits)

You can see other symbols used in the vegvisir and ægishjalmur in the elks near the bottom. These were the magical symbols of prehistoric norsemen (not the vikings, think more caveman) I have hundreds of these and will be uploading more as I get time.

[wanderingoneeye]

Forfaðirstafir

Stave to use in summoning and communication with your ancestors