July For Loki Using 30 Days Of Deity Devotion Prompts, Day 20 Art That Reminds You Of Loki

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 19 • What quality or qualities of Loki do you most admire? What quality or qualities of him do you find the most troubling?

I deeply admire Loki - otherwise he wouldn’t be my patron god, I assume. His quick thinking, his creativeness, his being a smart Áss… but not only that, of course. He’s wise, not “only” cunning, and compassionate and loving, which are all qualities I wish were mine too. Though probably not many will agree on this, I think he’s also very courageous - and enduring: try passing some centuries underground tied to a rock with a venomous snake spitting on you, then you can come and tell me about endurance and patience. As I wrote in one of my previous posts, he’s also very well versed in magical arts, and a powerful shaman, very good at working with Animal Spirits and the Spirits of the Dead, which is something I look at with the deepest admiration. I have a hard time thinking of something troubling about him, because the first feeling that he makes me feel when I think about him is love, but if I have to choose one I’d say his being sometimes impulsive, acting mainly following the heart without thinking too much of the consequences. It’s not a bad thing in itself, especially if you’re acting in defense of someone you love, but it can lead to bigger troubles, and some of his myths imho show this rather well. It’s definitely something I can relate to, though, so… yeah, in fact I think nothing really troubles me about Loki.

Art: Loki finds Gullveig's Heart by John Bauer

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 15 • Any mundane practices that are associated with this deity?

In my experience, Loki is a very multidimensional god, so there are a number of things we can do that please him. He’s not one to ask for huge, solemn rituals to celebrate him - though he doesn’t despise one, mind you: but that’s not the only nor main way to honor him. For example, he’s associated with a number of animals, both from the lore and from modern paganism sources. Fly, Spider, Vulture, Hawk, Fox, Salmon, Wolf (UPG?), Snake, and the list could go on, but it gives you the idea: in our everyday life, we can help “his” animals, or better yet animals in general since he seems to love them all. How? By not killing the critters in our house, for a start, but rather set them free outside. Then, according to our possibilities, we can either make a donation to, or volunteer in, an animal shelter. Loki is a god that stands up in defense of the victims of all kinds, so to honor him we can try and do the same by defending someone who’s being victimized, or again, we can donate to/volunteer in associations and such helping those in need. Along with Sigyn, they’re both very protective of children, so consider doing the same, the way you prefer. Then, of course, there are the Dead. Loki is very much a Death god in my practice, so taking care of the Dead can be a great way to homage him. Basically, since he’s usually ever so present in the lives of his devotees, whatever you do can be a way to honor him, as long as the intent is there. Experiment, do what you feel, listen to him and find your ways, that will always be my advice.

Art: Witch by Erlyenda

Hello Faðir. 🔥

Behold…a Norse trickster god.

July for Loki using 30 Days of Deity Devotion prompts, Day 10 • Offerings – historical and UPG

Only historical offering that I know of is from Telemark, Norway, where people used to throw the skin from boiled milk into the hearth fire as a sacrifice to Lokje (source: Dagulf Loptson, Playing with Fire).

In my personal experience, Loki enjoys lots of different offerings on his altar, and not only that! 

Friendly reminder: of course this post is not meant to be all-comprehensive, nor valid for every devotee! The best way to find out what he likes from you, is giving him offers yourself and listen.

UPG appreciated offerings from my practice: lava rocks; sulphur; obsidian, carnelian, fire opal/agate and dark/firey crystals in general; dandelions; Fox/Snake/Hawk/Spider-related "things" (jewels, bones, fur, skin, feathers…); horns/antlers; cinnamon; coffee; whiskey; rhum; candles; tobacco; sweets; chili pepper; smoked salmon; raw meat; phallic shaped stuff (anything does); red, orange, black, green things; music.

There are many other ways to make offerings to him though, in everyday life!

Easy example, don't kill spiders/flies/critters around our home, free them. Consider making a donation (or some volunteering) to a local animal shelter housing animals related to him. Help those in need, especially children and women. Help people having a hard time, even by "just" acknowledging their feelings and listening to them. Always be true to yourself, the best and possibly most difficult offering you can give Loki.

Pic by fistina-marina

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