                    Teutonic Magick:  The Teutonic World

                        

          _________________________________________________________
         | \                                                      /|
         |   \                                                  /  |
         |     \                   Nifheim                    /    |
         |       \                                          /      |
         |         \       OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO        /        |
         |  V        \   O                         O    /      J   |
         |  a          O          Midhardhr          O         o   |
         |  n        O            ooooooooo            O       t   |
         |  a      O            o           o            O     u   |
         |  h     O           o               o            O   n   |
         |  e     O         o      Asgardhr     o          O   h   |
         |  i     O         o                   o          O   e   |
         |  m     O           o               o            O   i   |
         |         O            o           o            O     m   |
         |           O            ooooooooo            O           |
         |             O                             O             |
         |          /    O                         O    \          |
         |        /        OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO        \        |
         |      /                                           \      |
         |    /                  Muspellheim                  \    |
         |  /                                                   \  |
         |_________________________________________________________|


                        The Nine Worlds of Yggdrasil

There are two major patterns that the Teutonic cosmos is arranged in: the 
horizontal (shown above) and the verticle (not shown here (way too hard to 
put in the ascii format)).  The horizontal plate shows the traditional levels 
of being--the Overworld, the Earth, and the Underworld--passes through in the 
spitiual journey.

The most sifnifigant aspect of the horizontal world is it's strong emphasis                     
on boundries: an ocean separates the human, physical world from the surronding 
worlds, a fence protects Midgardhr ("middle enclosure") from the foes without,
and the inner circle of Asgrdhr ("enclosure of the gods").  The bsic idea is 
shown and practiced by irecting a fence around the farm (gardhr) which divides 
the innangardhs (the social space within) from the unconrolled, unknown, and
therefor dangerous utangardhs (the wild space without).  Utgardhr is referring
to the entire area outside the ocean surrounding Midgardhr, where a number of
uncanny woe-working biengs dwell.  The ocean itself represents the spiritual
coundry between worlds.  It is, noted that in the legends one has the ability
to fly, ride, or wald to these other worlds.  Your interpritation of this veiw
will vary according to your personal awareness, but the root idea of the 
journey won't.

The horizontal world-view shows the location and arrangement of the physical
worlds on the same level as Midgardhr signifying a fairly easy trek without 
much spiritual strain by a being from any one of the worlds to Midgardhr.  
There are three other worlds that do not appear on this map because they are
viewed to be sharing the central space with Midgardgr and Asgardhr; they are
called Alfheimr, Svartalfheim, and Hel.  Sorry, the verticle world-view may
be placed in a future issue of ROT when I have a better editor.

                               The Nine Worlds

Asgardhr is the highest of the nine worlds.  It is viewed as an "enclosure of
the gods."  The inner gardh (enclosure) is described as being built in the 
center of Midgardhr, the hallowed space within the enclosure of human society.  
Asgardhr place above the horizontal plane shows its separation from the 
elemental worlds; it requires either the help of the valkyrja to cross Bifrost
or exceptional strength of purpose and will to reach Asgardhr by any other 
means.  Bifrost is composed of air, water, and fire burning with a purifying 
flame.  It is guarded by Heimdallr, a god who personifies the hallowed 
air/water/fire triad and father-of-the-kin bindings between gods and humans.
The crossing of the bridge is only for the initiated (pure); its fire guards
Asgardhr against the thurses (unitiated), and no warriors who come to Valhalla
nor Thorr (the least of the spiritually unrefined), can cross it, but must  
force their way through the rivers surrounding Asgardhr.  In the river runs
icy water of death.  Only the strongest of souls can make their upward to 
Valhalla; the rest sink to the depths of Hel.  While the warrior has 
suffiecient strength and determination to cross the river, the vitki strive 
to gain the valkyrja's aid and the able to cross over Bifrost.

Asgardhr contains twelve halls that belong to various gods.  It is useful to
know of these dwellings for invocational precisision (to call forth the god),
and to provide the nature of these gods.  The twelve halls are: Thrudhheimr,
the dwelling of Thorr; Ydal (aka. Yew-Dale), the plains for Ullr; Valaskjalf 
for Odhinn; Gladhome where Valhalla is built; Thrymheimr for Skadhi; 
Breidhablik for Baldr; Himinbjorg for Heimdallr; Folkvangr where Freyja keeps
her half of the battle-slain; Glitnir for Forseti; Noatun for Njord; and Vithi, 
where Vidar lives.  The twelve halls could also correlate to the twelve signs
of the Zodiac, beginning with Thrudheim as Capricorn, since the Teutonic year 
begins on Mother-night (Dec. 20-21).  The colors associated with Asgardhr are
gold, silver, and white.  

Alfheimr is the dwelling of the the Light Alfar and is the realm through 
which energy flows from Asgardhr to Midgardhr.  This is the place where the 
highest energies of the human realm mingle with the lowest energies of the 
god realm.  Alfheimr is the highest realm which can be reached from Midgardhr 
without the necessity of crossing over.  It is listed among the halls of the
gods, though it is not numbered among the twelve because of the human aspect.
Alfheimr is ruled by Freyr and is characterized by the higher aspects of light
and air.  Alfheimer is associated with the colors yellow, blue, light green,
and white.

Svartalfheim is a place where the lowest frequencies of human energy mix with
the highest of Hel's.  It is known as the dwelling of the Black Alfar and is
located overlapping the subterranean regions of earth.  In this realm the 
mysteries of earthly manifestation are found, represented by the matchless 
smithcraft of the dwarves.  This world stands in much the same relationship
to Hel that Alfheimr does to Asgardhr.  This realm is easily and often 
inadvertently from Midgardhr (which is told in many tales).  The colors of 
Svartalfheim are dark brown, gray, and red-gold.

Hel is the lowest of the nine worlds.  It is ruled by the goddess Hel, 
mistress of chrhonic mysteries.  As Asgardhr is at the crown of Yggdrasil, Hel
is located at the base.  Like Asgardhr, Hel cannot be reached directly from 
Midgardhr--one must "ride over a bridge" or travel between worlds witht he aid
of one's fylgja.  The bridge to Hel crosses over the river Gjoll and is 
guarded by the giant maiden Modgudh.  As Bifrost is fiery and narrow, the 
bridge to Hel is icy and wide.  Hel is also called Nifhel, meaning "Misty Hel"
or "Dark Hel," referring to the goddess' primary aspect: concealment.  Hel 
is bordered closely by Nifheimr; it is located "down and to the north," and it
is the implied location of the cenom-filled halls of Na Strand and home of the 
dragon Niddhogg, embodiment of the concealed powers of detruction/tranformation
within Hvergelmir, the original source of which was Niflheimr.  Hel is the 
hidden root to which all things sink, as all the waters wend their way to 
Hvergelmir, and from which all thing rise again.  As described above, Hel is 
full of paradoxes.  Another one is that Hel is described as horrible in parts--
the lifeless, lightless, joyless dwelling of the dead--yet it is written also
that Hel is brightly bedecked to welcome Balder after his death.  The dual 
nature is also seen in the goddess Hel: she is half beautiful woman and half
corpse, her concealment both that of the womb and of the tomb.  Hel takes 
those souls who are not able to struggle through to Vahallam but in time, as
her name "Mother Holle" suggests, she bears them forth once more.  Hel is 
associated with the colors black, dark green, and dark brown.

Jotunheimr is the dwelling of the rhursar, rises, and etins (various types of
giants), the chilren of Ymir.  It is located in the east, the direction 
(roughly) from which the Teutonic people have migrated.  Jorunheimr is 
constantly pelted with violent winds and storms.  It is the land of primeval
ancestry.  It is occupied by certain beings that hold great wisdom, such as 
etin Vafthrudhnir, from whom even Odhinn can learn, by the semi-sapient semi-
centient giants called hrimthursar and ice-giants who are have a constant need
to break and destroy the walls of the ordered world.  These beings are the 
very reason Jotunheimr is walled of from Midgardhr; they charactorize just one
aspect of the foes that dell outside the safety of the gardh.  Its nature is
seen in the shattering, icy might of the wind fromt he east.  Jorunheimr's 
colors are red and gray.

Vanaheimr is the basically the opposite of Jotunheimr.  Vanaheimr is the land
of peace and plenty.  The Vanir are the gods of fertility, riches, and joy.  
As well as ruling over fertility, the Vanir are also noted for their powers of 
foresight.  Seidh-magic is the power used and taught by Vanic Freyja.  While 
the Vanir are not totally void of warlike aspects, they are known as the gods
of peace, prosperity, and harvest.  Vanaheimr represents the world of water,
its nature being the gentle, life-giving winds from the west.  They are also 
the gods of death, and Vanaheimr, the watery world of the west, may be 
associated with the "final far-faring," the ship-woyage of death.  This world
is characterized by the journeying of the spirit and the power of prophecy.  
Vanaheimr's colors are dark green, dark blue, brown, and red-gold.

Niflheimr is the world of primal ice.  Niflheimr is found in the north part of
the utangardhs, is inhabited by beings of pure ice.  It's color is black.  
This world would do untold damage if the forces held here were let loose onto
the worlds of the innangards.  It's forces are filtered and mixed with the 
forces of Muspellheimr to bring about the forces working through Midgardhr.

Muspellheimr is the world of primal fire, located in the southern region of 
the utangardhs.  The inhabitants of this world are composed of pure, primal 
fire, and therefore, if set upon the innangards would cause cataclysmic damage
and therefore is mixed with the powers of Niflheimr.  Muspellheimr is ruled by
Surtr, who is destined to meet Freyr in battle at Ragnarok.  The color of 
Muspellheimr is red.

The central world of all is this earth, Midgardhr, also known as Middle-Earth.
This world is the union of all other worlds connected by roots, branches, and 
trunk of the tree of Yggdrasill.  This world represents the element earth,
which in Teutonic thought,  encompasses all of the other elements.  Unlike the 
earth of estavlishment magic, however, the earth of the Teutonic tradition 
also includes the workings of spirit as received directly from Asgardhr by
passing through Bifrost and indirectly through Alfheimr.  It is imparative 
that the vitki (Teutonic magician) be able to maintain his/her footing in 
Midgardhr and preserve the middle world's balance of power within her/himself;
or one runs the risk of being overcome by the energies of a world with which
he/she has worked too closely.  It has been told in many tales of people who
have become "captive" in other worlds; i.e., so their mind has become so 
closely attuned to the energies of the other world that the person became mad
or otherwise unable to function in this world.

I hope you have enjoyed this article on the Teutonic worlds.  Look for more
essays on the Teutonic religion or other mystical/occult religions in later
issues of ROT.
                                                        Phantom

