Re-Post: To the AFA, The Troth, and the Odinic Rite

Atop my tower of tales, an admittedly short one, I heard this plea from a fellow storyteller: their Yule wish that this story make the rounds of the Internet by the time of the Solstice.

While I cannot personally grant that wish, I will give what part I can. It’s a short one, and as part of the bardic tradition, makes its point with imagination rather than reason. This is as it should, for as any skald can tell you, no hearts are swayed by rational debate — or even irrational ones. We live and die by the stories we tell and believe in. Blame the lame stories, rather than the believers, for the sorry state of the world we live in. It’s time for better stories, and perhaps this is a start.

Link to that story: To the AFA, The Troth, and the Odinic Rite.

Yuletide Blessings to you and yours,
-Lofn’s Bard

Lofn: Goddess of Games and Forbidden Loves

Norse Goddess
Name means “Permission”

 “The eighth is Lofn; she is so gentle and good to invoke that she has permission from All-father and Frigg to bring together men and women for whom marriage was forbidden or banned. From her name comes the word “permission”, also what is much praised by men.” UPDATED: Her name is pronounced “Loven” in Icelandic (‘fn’ is sounded ‘vn’). (1)

Take a chance. Break the rules. Find your Freedom.
Be bold. Bend your boundaries. Find your fun.

She is Goddess of forbidden loves, and little is known from lore beyond the Prose Edda quote above. She appears in many kennings for ‘woman’ in skaldic poetry (a kenning is a literary reference used to avoid repeating the same word, such as using “hammer wielder” for Thor). In modern times she is mostly prayed to for forbidden unions such as same-sex marriage and alternative relationships. She shares patronage of marriage between different ethnic groups with Frey and Gerda.

Who is Lofn?

Lofn is the most fun-loving, low-protocol, easygoing Goddess you’ll ever find in Asgard. No matter how silly the offering rite you think up, she’s cool with it. Didn’t have time to send her a formal invitation and prior offering? No problem, just let her know she’s wanted, and to show up whenever she can. No food available except delivery pizza and soft drinks? She likes those just fine. Got a silly, sexy, or irreverent card game? She loves games, invite her as a ghost player and draw cards for her. Her name means permission, and that’s what she’s all about.