INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKINGS
What follows is the Gray-Skin proper. The first part of this book was an introduction to the history, theory, and practical principles of Icelandic galdor-stave magic. The second part is a unique book of magic in the traditional Icelandic form. This whole book is not part of a program of any specific magical order or school, although it is a product of work done in the Rune-Gild from about 1981 to the present. The work really belongs to anyone who grasps its principles and makes the grammar of the metalanguage work for himself or herself. This form of magic is very close to pure art, and there will be those with greater or lesser degrees of talent in this art. The author is interested in hearing from successful practitioners of the system. Most of my own success with the system has come from using it in moments of dire need, and for the sake of discovering unknown, yet traditional, aspects of the system itself. It should be noted that the texts in what follows are sometimes not literal translations of the original Icelandic texts but have been adapted for current use and effectiveness. Literal translations can be found in the various scholarly books included in the bibliography.
The practical section of this book, chapter 9, gives detailed instructions on how to work with these signs and formulas. As a general rule the content of the workings below is inserted in the operative part of the ritual format outlined in chapter 9. The texts below show the working-specific data to be employed for certain definite aims. Occasionally the instructions call for actions to be performed “in the field” and not in your ritual space. These workings are for the most part historical or traditional examples of galdor-stave magic. This is the best way to learn. They are intended as training for more original work once the grammar of the system is to some extent mastered. The current galdor man or galdor woman is as free now as the Icelandic magicians of old were to create original signs and staves based on the principles outlined in chapter 9 of this book. Those workings will probably be found to be even more effective than the historical examples. Remember that this form of magic was first and foremost pragmatic, and to be true to its spirit the current practitioner should be innovative rather than hidebound with respect to the tradition.
Pages have been intentionally left blank at the end of the book for you to inscribe your most successful workings in the traditional fashion. This will make the book truly your own.
In general the following workings have been grouped according to theme and type. The higher and more spiritual kinds of workings come first, followed by more basic motivations. The pragmatic world of Icelandic galdor-stave magic takes all aspects of human life into account. The needs of humanity are many and the gods of Heaven, Hell, and Valhöll are all brought to bear.
Although this book is not intended as a scholarly tome, readers today are often curious about the origins and sources of things. For this reason each of the workings below has been referenced to the original Icelandic manuscript or edited and published work from which it came. Some workings have been adapted or modified for current usage, and there are a few that have been recorded in this book for the first time. Each of the newer workings has been tested and has been shown to be effective.
I. WISDOM
These workings lead the practitioner to insight, greater knowledge, discovery of the unknown, and generally open the soul to the workings of wisdom.
1 TO AWAKEN YOURSELF TO A SENSE OF MYSTERY AND WONDER
Draw this sign with white or silver ink on black paper at midnight on the Spring Equinox. Hide the sign in a wooden box. This spell works over a lifetime.
2 FOR INSIGHT INTO THINGS BEYOND THE EARTHLY REALM
Write this stave with red ink on white paper. Put it in a wooden box or carry it with you in your left breast pocket, and insight into heavenly things will come to you.
3 TO LINK YOURSELF WITH THE POWER AND KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR SOUL
To bind yourself fast to the power of your own soul, draw these staves on parchment and keep them with you always.
4 TO KNOW THE UNKNOWN
To be able to understand and analyze hidden things and patterns of manifestation, draw this stave and keep it in your room in a secret location.
5 DISCOVERING THE UNKNOWN (LBS 2413 8VO 100)
If you desire to know what is concealed from the common folk, carve these staves on brass with a steel instrument and put it near your ear and sleep and you will experience [reyna] it.
6 CONCEALMENT (LBS 2413 8VO 73)
If you want to hide something so it will not be found, carve this stave with your eating knife and the object in question will not be found; read the Paternoster.
7 FOR GAINING INSPIRATION
Write this stave on parchment in red ink. Conceal it in a place high up in your room. Inspiration will come.
8 WAYFINDER (DAVÍÐSSON XXX)
If this sign, called the Vegvísir (way shower), is carried, one will never lose one’s way in storms or bad weather, even when the way is not known. It also helps one find one’s way in life.
9 THIEF-DETECTIVE (GALDRABÓK 33)
For theft: Carve these staves on the bottom of a bowl made of ash wood and put water in it and grind millefolium*13 in the water and say: “This I ask by the herb’s power and the greatness of the stave, that the shade of the one who has stolen may be seen in the water.” And carve these names with runes on parchment and keep the parchment on your person: Óðinn, Loki, Frey[r], Baldur, Njörður, Týr, Birgir, Hœnir, Freyja, Gefun, Gusta, and all those who dwell in Valhöll and have dwelt there from the beginning of the world, provide me with the power so that what has been stolen will be returned, and the thief will be found out.
10 SITTING-OUT STAVE (SKUGGI’S GALDRA-SKRÆÐA, 77)
Icelandic tradition knows of a ritual of seeking knowledge from extrahuman sources, variously characterized as “the dead,” “elves,” “trolls,” and “devils.” These entities are encountered by sitting out all night at a crossroad. Ideally there should be cemeteries at some point down each of the four roads. The all-night vigil can be rewarded by the “appearance” of an entity that will impart some secret information. Generally the practitioner should be open to receive what the entity is willing to communicate and not try to force some predetermined result. The twentieth-century Icelandic magician known as Skuggi provided the following sign used by practitioners of “sitting out” to enhance the chances of success with this kind of working.
II. POWER
Many magical formulas show the way to gain power of some sort. This can come in many forms, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly.
1 WINNING STRUGGLES OF ALL KINDS (JÓN ÁRNASON, I, 438)
To win any and all internal struggles with your own nature, or in conflicts with others, draw these staves and place Gapaldur under the heel of your right foot and Ginfaxi under the toe of your left foot, and say:
Gapaldur undir hæli, | Gapaldur under my heel, | |||
Ginfaxi undir tá, | Ginfaxi under my toe, | |||
stattu hjá mér, fjandi, | stand by me, my fiend, | |||
ví nú liggur mér á! | for now I’ve got to get going! |
2 VICTORY (JÓN ÁRNASON, I, 438)
Draw this helm of awe on a disk of lead and press it to your forehead between your eyebrows and say:
Ægishjálm er ég ber | I bear the helm of awe | |||
milli brúna mér! | between my brows! |
You will have victory in every struggle: the powerful will love you and your enemies will be struck with terror. Victory is assured.
3 TO WIN A DEBATE (LBS 2413 8VO 69)
Write this stave with your saliva while you are fasting and put it under your left arm if you don’t want anyone to get the better of you in a debate or argument.
4 HERZLUSTAFIR (STRENGTHENING STAVES) (DAVÍÐSSON XXXIV)
Make this double-sided stave and wear it on the left side of your chest to strengthen your courage and resolve.
III. PROTECTION
People need protection from all sorts of dangers, some from the environment and some from the malice of others. Galdor-stave magic addresses all these concerns.
1 RETURN TO SENDER (DAVÍÐSSON XXXVII)
Have this sign on leather on the front of your chest if you want to send back any harmful message to the one who sent it to you.
2 PROTECTION FROM EMBARRASSMENT (DAVÍÐSSON XXXVIII)
So that you will remain free of any shame or embarrassment, no matter what or who you encounter. Using spittle, make this sign on your forehead with the ring finger of your right hand.
3 A WASHING VERSE: TO WASH AWAY ILL WILL AND NEGATIVITY (JÓN ÁRNASON, I, 439)
To ward off the effects of negative thoughts of others and to prevent harm by the thoughts or actions of other people, wash your face in cold spring water and recite the following verse.
Fjón þvær ég af mér | I wash the hate from me | |||
fjanda minna | of my enemies | |||
rann ok reiði | (and the) robbery and wrath | |||
ríkra manna! | of powerful men! |
4 SORCERY PREVENTION (LBS 2413 8VO 112)
Draw this stave on parchment with black ink. Keep it near you.
5 AGAINST FOREBODING WHEN YOU GO INTO THE DARKNESS (DAVÍÐSSON XXXIX)
Carve these signs on an oak stave and wear it under your left arm. This is good for both literal darkness and for dark periods in life.
6 AGAINST ALL WITCHERY (DAVÍÐSSON XXXV)
Write this sign on parchment and have it in your right hand against all witchery and any fear of witchery.
IV. CONTROL
Magic is often concerned with the concept of control. This could be self-control, or the control of the environment or other people.
1 TO CALM ANGER (GALDRABÓK 41)
To calm all anger make this stave on your forehead with the index finger of your left hand and say: “It is the helm of awe, which I bear between my eyes. Let the anger melt, let the strife stop. May every man rejoice in me as Mary rejoiced in her blessed son when she found him on the victory rock. In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.”
And read:
Ølvir, Óðinn, Illi,*14
everything may your will bewilder.
May God himself with mastery,
send love between us.
2 TO GAIN THE FAVOR OF POWERFUL PERSONS (GALDRABÓK 17)
You should write it on parchment and have it on your person generally, and powerful people will like you very much.
3 TO CAUSE FEAR IN AN ENEMY (GALDRABÓK 9)
If you want your enemies to be afraid of you when they see you, then carve these staves on a piece of oak wood and wear it in the middle of your chest, and see to it that you see them before they see you.
4 AGAINST THE ILL WILL OF POWERFUL PERSONS (GALDRABÓK 26)
Make the helm of awe between your eyes. Then read the following formula three times down into your cupped hands filled with spring water. Read a Paternoster in Latin at the conclusion of each reading.
“I wash my enemies away from me along with the thievery and anger of powerful persons, so that they may now approach me with good cheer and look into my eyes laughingly. I enforce affection with my hand, I discharge monetary debts, I discharge the accusations of the most powerful persons. Let God see me, and let every man look upon me, with eyes of bliss. I bear the helm of awe between my brows. May the world and the land provide me with many friends.”
5 TO CALM THE ANGER OF AN ENEMY (DAVÍÐSSON, KREDDUR 27)
He should go to some water and before a raven flies over it (that is, before dawn) he should hold his hands in the water for a while and then make the following runes on his forehead with the fourth finger of the right hand and afterward not wash himself off.
6 TO HAVE SUCCESS IN A MEETING (DAVÍÐSSON IV)
Have this sign on gray paper under your left arm when you are talking to somebody and you will have success with them.
7 DÚNFAXI (DOWN MANE)—TO WIN A LAW CASE (DAVÍÐSSON VII)
If you want to win a law case, carry this sign with you, if you believe in it. It is called Dúnfaxi. Carve the sign on a piece of oak wood and hide it on your person before you go to where the trial is to be held.
8 THE SILENCER (GALDRABÓK 43)
If you don’t want someone to talk about you, take this stave, Homa,*15 and visualize it infusing the person’s entire being; he or she will not be able to reveal anything. Also have this stave at your breast for as long as you require discretion.
To charge the signs say: “For this help me all the gods: Þórr, Óðinn, Frigg, Freyja, Satan, Beelzebub, and all those who inhabit Valhöll. In your mightiest name: Óðinn!”
V. PROSPERITY
One of the most abiding motives for magicians throughout history has been the gaining of prosperity. The Icelandic approach is very pragmatic and realistic. It presupposes that the individual is actually working toward prosperity but just needs a bit of help to get some advantage.
1 DEAL-CLOSER (KAUPALOKI) (DAVÍÐSSON III)
Draw this stave on parchment and carry it in the center of your chest and you will have success in both buying and selling.
2 TO HAVE SUCCESS IN BUSINESS (LBS 2413 8VO 32)
Write this stave on parchment or carve it into oak wood. Keep this stave in your hand when doing business. You will have success.
3 ANOTHER KAUPALOKI (DAVÍÐSSON VIII)
Cut this sign on a piece of beech wood or draw it on parchment and you will have success in business deals.
VI. LOVE
One of the other abiding interests of magicians historically has been the acquisition of lovers. The galdor-stave magic of the Icelanders is rich in such operations.
1 LUCK IN LOVE (GALDRABÓK 8)
While fasting, make this helm of awe with your spittle in the palm of your right hand when you greet the person whom you want to have.
2 TO ENCHANT A WOMAN AND WIN HER LOVE (GALDRABÓK 34)
If you want to enchant a woman so that she can find her way to no one except you, make a hole in the ground where she walks over it and put in etin-spear blood [semen] and draw a ring around the hole and carve her name and these staves: mold-þurs [] and maður [] inverted threefold, that is, , bjarkan [], nauð [], homa, and gapaldur, and read the following conjuration.
“I look at you and you feel love and affection for me with all your heart. You can’t sit anywhere, nor stand to be anywhere without loving me. This I ask of Óðinn and of all those who know how to read women runes: that you can neither endure nor thrive unless you love me with all your heart. So it will be as if you were burning in your bones and even more so in your fleshly parts. It will be allotted to you to be unmarried unless you love me, you shall freeze in your feet, and never get honor or happiness. You’ll sit as if burning, your hair falling out, your clothes torn asunder, unless you want to have me, you easygoing woman.”
3 TO WIN THE LOVE OF A PERSON (GALDRABÓK 15)
You should write this on parchment and have it with you always, and people will love you very much.
VII. RECEPTION OF LUCK AND RELEASE OF BLESSINGS
Because of the basic technique of galdor-stave magic, perhaps its strongest channel of effectiveness lies in the idea of becoming receptive to the inflow of power and/or meaning that leads to the reception of good influences.
1 THE LUCK KNOT (LBS 2413 8VO 141/142)
This is a man’s luck knot (Heillahnútur). It should be drawn on parchment or carved on metal and carried on your person at all times to ensure good luck.
2 LUKKUSTAFIR (LUCK STAVES) (DAVÍÐSSON XXV)
Whoever carries these signs with him will meet with no bad luck, neither on sea nor on land.
3 TO GET YOUR WISH (LBS 2413 8VO 27)
To get what you ask for, carve this stave on oak.
4 RELEASE (LBS 2413 8VO 115)
The following is called the SATOR verse. It is to be written and then read in every possible permutation. It is used to release things that are stuck and is good for everything from birthing children to bringing events to fruition in the world. Read the Paternoster in Latin afterward.
5 TO GET THINGS TO TURN OUT AS YOU WISH (SKUGGI’S GALDRA-SKRÆÐA 19)
If you want to gain your petition of boon, draw this stave in your left palm.
6 GOOD LUCK (SKUGGI’S GALDRA-SKRÆÐA 23)
This is a luck ring (Lukkuhringur). Draw this stave for good fortune; it works against any and all ill thoughts.
7 TO ACQUIRE THE OBJECT YOU CRAVE (LBS 2413 8VO 34)
Carve this stave in lead and have it in your hand, whichever one you want. Carve it with your food knife and read this verse: Da nobis Hodied dim: timi ej Petoribus Haftrus men Inducas.*16
8 TO GET BACK WHAT WAS STOLEN (LBS 2413 8VO 131)
Carve this stave on an oak branch and hold it in your right hand and do this when the moon is one night old on Sunday, and sleep with it under your head. What has been stolen, or something of equal value, will be returned.
VIII. SLEEP MAGIC
The lore of sleep and dreams runs deep in Icelandic magic. Here are some spells relating to the magic of sleep and dreams.
1 LUCID DREAMING—DREAM STAVE I (DAVÍÐSSON XV)
Carve this sign on fir wood and sleep upon it; then you will dream whatever you want.
2 DREAM SENDINGS—DREAM STAVE II (DAVÍÐSSON XVI)
Carve this sign on so-called oak wood and without your subject knowing it, lay it under the head of the one who should receive dreams according to what it is you want him or her to dream about.
3 AGAINST HEADACHE AND INSOMNIA (GALDRABÓK 5)
Write the following verse against headache and sleep disturbances and put it in your nightcap or under your head or under the head of the sufferer. When you or the sufferer go to sleep, the situation will be improved: Milant vá vitaloth jebóa feboath.*17