July For Loki Using 30 Days Of Deity Devotion Prompts, Day 16 How Do You Think This Deity Represents

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 16 • How do you think this deity represents the values of their pantheon and cultural origins?

In the surviving myths, Loki plays the Trickster: smart, intelligent, funny, full of tricks (resources), not following any rule. Crossing all boundaries, breaking all rules, the Trickster is the one who destroys what is old and stagnant. Of course he is also a jokester and a prankster, given the right circumstances, but I wouldn't recommend taking him lightly. Tricksters are common around the world: just to mention a couple of Loki's colleagues, we find Anansi the Spider, Br'er Rabbit and Leuk Rabbit in West Africa (and therefore in the Caribbean due to the slave trade), Hermes in Greece, Coyote and Raven among Native American and First Nations mythologies… they have very much in common, though of course each has their own specific character. They're not one and the same, no more than two people with the same interests are one singular person. So, what does a Trickster like Loki tell about the cultures celebrating him? That these people knew the importance of Change, and knew Chaos is often needed to bring it forward. It is necessary to accept Chaos in our lives along with Order, in a difficult yet essential balance, the infinite cycle of Life, Death and Rebirth. Not only that: in his adventures, Loki often displays useful virtues, such as intelligence, shrewdness, diplomacy… these bring amazing gifts to the Æsir, and often get him out of trouble (or into trouble, but nevermind). I assume these qualities were considered as important as physical strength, and it’s no surprise. Loki, as most Tricksters, is also very well versed in seiðr and magic in general. This may be a bit controversial since in the infamous Lokasenna the practice seiðr is brought up basically as an insult, but let’s not stop at the surface. The great goddess Freyja is a mistress of witchcraft and seiðr, and is said to have taught it, or at least some of it, to none less than Óðinn. We know Loki masters the art, since he can shapeshift into basically anything he wants. It would be logical to assume seiðr, witchcraft, and whatever kind of magic, were probably not only accepted, but held in great consideration among Nordic people, since great two beloved divinities like Freyja and Óðinn practiced them. So, even though being well versed in magic is part of the Trickster's job, I'd dare to say this knowledge was probably very much respected in Loki too. So, does this answer today’s prompt? No. I found this question rather dull myself, so a rather dull answer seemed appropriate. 

Art: Loki by Bubaben on DeviantArt

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 20 • Art that reminds you of Loki

Very tough choice, as there is a lot of excellent art that reminds me of Loki, both dedicated to him or not. Among all the spectacular pieces out there, I chose this picture called Ginger Trickster by erebus-odora on DeviantArt for a particular reason. It’s the closest portrait of Loki as he appeared to me the first time he showed his face (at least that I can remember of), between 2011 and 2012. I was perfectly aware that it was him, though he chose Tom Hiddleston’s face. Yeah, yeah, silly fangirl projecting pagan fantasies on an actor, right? Wrong. Because when you’re in the presence of a deity, you can FEEL their energy, no matter what face they choose. Btw, later on I discovered, talking with other people too, that Loki does enjoy Tom’s portrayal of his MCU version, so I guess it’s no wonder that he chose a similar aspect to show up to me that night. And he had flowing red/cinnamon hair, bright yet dark green eyes, lips with scars from the accident with the Dwarves, just like this picture. So, of course my heart skips a beat everytime I see this wonderful piece of art. And I know there’s lots of prejudice, lots of people thinking that lokeans enjoying MCU Loki along with being devoted to the god Loki are just fakes, wannabes or whatever; this post is especially dedicated to them and to the people who were victims of such prejudice. If my experience is worth anything, and I hope it is (otherwise I don’t know why I’m writing this stuff out here), that’s just not true. Some people may daydream of having spiritual experiences when they’re just not, projecting their own fantasies into those unreal experiences, yes. But just because a deity shows up in a modern or even fancy aspect, it doesn’t mean the experience is faux. Each of us is the only one that knows which deity is talking to them, deep down inside we can feel it. And no one can tell others what is right or what is wrong, or how a deity should manifest or not. So, the moral of this post is, nevermind the bollocks. Which, incidentally, is a great lesson Loki loves to teach to his devotees.

Art: Ginger Trickster by erebus-odora on DeviantArt

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 18 • How does Loki stand in terms of gender and sexuality? (Historical and/or UPG)

“A heart ate Loki,-- | in the embers it lay,

And half-cooked found he | the woman's heart;--

With child from the woman | Lopt soon was,

And thence among men | came the monsters all.”*

{{*Hyndluljóð (The Poem of Hyndla), Poetic Edda}}

Loki is famous for being a shapeshifter, and shifting through genders is one of his abilities for sure. In the myths he is usually described as male, and a very handsome one too, but there are a few exceptions. In Þrymskviða (“The Lay of Thrym”), Thor and Loki pretend to be Freyja and her handmaiden to get Mjölnir back from Jötunn king Thrym. Thor is in disguise and keeps his pronouns, but for Loki the text uses female pronouns when in disguise, which suggests a slightly deeper transformation on his (her) behalf. Another famous example you might be familiar with: in Gylfaginning (“The Beguiling of Gylfi”), Loki turns himself into a mare to lure the stallion Svaðilfœri away from his work. They run away together, and when Loki returns to Ásgarðr he is pregnant with Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse destined to become Óðinn’s steed. Speaking of Óðinn, it’s good ol’ Grímnir himself to reveal, in the Lokasenna, that Loki spent 8 years in a cave as a milkmaid tending cows, and there gave birth to a number of children while in female form. Curiously enough, Loki reminds Óðinn that he spent quite some time among men “in witch’s guise” as well. So you see, even the mighty Óðinn is not strictly male, according to such myths. What does it tell us? That these two are blood brothers for a reason, just for a start. Then, it gives us lots of food for thought.

Last but not least, the one that for me is among the most fascinating episodes in all of Norse mythology. In the above mentioned Hyndluljóð, Loki eats the heart of a woman and then gives birth to monstrous children. As the story goes, an evil woman (a “witch”) had been burnt (three times?) by the Æsir. Is she Gullveig? Is Gullveig Angrboða? Not the place to discuss this. What matters here is, her heart survived, half-burnt. Loki finds it and eats it - but why? Is it a metaphor of the crematory Fire? Maybe there is a deeper reason in the fact that the heart was considered the home of the principle of life and of the soul itself, so by eating the woman’s heart Loki was probably able to absorb her female magic and wisdom… So much so that he then gives birth to children, monstrous ones of course - much like their siblings born from him and Angrboða. Or maybe, just maybe, such monstrous children are a metaphor for magical powers and actions that were believed to be evil as the tales were being written down later in time? Who knows… who knows… 

In my personal experience, Loki remains mainly male. I call him Faðir (father), and refer to him with male pronouns, but as you can see using female or neutral ones is not wrong at all. 

I’m sorry there’s not enough space here to discuss these themes in a more elaborate ways, there would be plenty to say, but I hope I gave you some interesting hints to think about.

Art: The God of Mischief by NickRoblesArt

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 24 • A time when Loki has helped you

Last Winter, I fell ill. I came to a point when the illness really began to take its toll on my mind more than my body. It was driving me insane, making me think thoughts that I knew weren’t mine, but still worked their way through my brain. It felt like having the most unpleasant voice whispering in my ear day and night. I was weak from the illness, and such thoughts were slowly but successfully eroding my mind. Then came a night, when the most amazing orange, firey, lava-like light embraced me and exploded all around me, destroying or at least chasing away whatever evil was causing me all that suffering. I instantly knew it was Loki, though I was too weak to call upon him. He just came to my aid in a most desperate time, like a loving father would do for his daughter. That night, I finally slept soundly. Next morning, my healing really began to speed up. I have confused memories of those days, of course, but that moment is one I’ll never forget. What amazed me the most was how he intervened without a word of prayer on my behalf - my mind was too crushed to even think about that, and why would I bother my god with prayers when I’m ill, after all? Nonsense, I’m strong enough to face it on my own, there’s no need to disturb the gods for such silly things. That’s what I kept telling myself, not able to see the damage that illness was causing to my own mind - or maybe it was the illness that made me think so? Who knows. Anyway, that’s a striking time when Loki helped me.

Art by Schaudwen

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 21 • Music that makes you think of this deity

Bulletproof Heart by My Chemical Romance will never fail to make me think about him (and Sigyn, too). Check the lyrics and you might get a clue of the reason why. Plus, it’s so catchy I just can picture him rocking to this!

Gravity don't mean too much to me,

I'm who I've got to be,

These pigs are after me, after you,

Run away like it was yesterday

And we could run away,

If we could run away,

Run away from here!

I got a bulletproof heart,

You got a hollow point smile,

We and your run away scars

Got a photograph dream on the getaway mile.

Let's blow a hole in this town,

And do our talking with the laser beam,

Coming out of this place

In a bullet's embrace,

Then we'll do it again!

How can they say, Jenny, could you come back home?

'Cause everybody knows you don't

Ever wanna come back,

Let me be the one to save you!

Gravity don't mean too much to me,

I'm who I've got to be,

These pigs are after me, after you,

Run away like it was yesterday

When we could run away,

When we could run away, run away from here.

I'm shooting out of this room

Because I sure don't like the company,

You stop your preaching right there

'Cause I really don't care,

And I'll do it again.

So get me outta my head,

'Cause it's getting quite cramped, you know,

Coming ready or not,

When the motor gets hot

We can do it again!

The papers say, Johnny, won't you come back home?

'Cause everybody knows you don't

Wanna give yourself up,

Tell the truth and God will save you…

Gravity don't mean too much to me,

I'm who I've got to be,

These pigs are after me, after you,

Run away like it was yesterday

When we could run away,

When we could run away, run away from here.

And though I know how much you hate this,

Are you gonna be the one to save us

From the black and hopeless feeling,

Will you meet 'em when the end comes reeling?

Hold your heart into this darkness,

Will it ever be the light to shine you out,

Or fail and leave you stranded,

Or are you gonna be the one left standing?

You're gonna be the one left standing…

You're gonna be the one left standing…

Gravity don't mean too much to me,

Is this our destiny?

This world is after me, after you,

Run away like it was yesterday,

And we could run away, run away, run away,

Run away from here…

Yeah, away from here…

Away from here…

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 17 • How does this deity relate to other gods and other pantheons?

As a multi-pantheon pagan, honoring deities from Nordic and Celtic tradition, I can say they go along well - in my case, at least. Same for Loki and other deities from the Nordic pantheon, at least the ones I happened to celebrate outside his own family. I know some had different experiences, but that's so personal I think there's no other way to find out than try.

One thing I'll say, though. Each of us that is called to serve the deities, is called to do so in different ways. From some of us, one specific deity could claim a special kind of devotion. That's my case with Loki - obviously. He never asked me to celebrate him and him alone, but in my case he can be pretty exacting in terms of time and energy - which is lovely of course, feeling him present and near! Even so, I manage to dedicate some time to my other deities too, whenever I feel called to do so, and it's never been a problem. On the contrary, Loki is curious by nature, and often encourages us to explore beyond what we know.

Art: It's a Shapeshifter Thing by slysilver42 on DeviantArt