Galdrbrok grimoire free download

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Hail to those who value knowledge! Hail to those who seek it! The Museum of Icelandic Witchcraft and Sorcery do have several translations — however they do all seem to be sold out. Your email address will not be published. Updated Aug 5. This is the case only with a minoriry a tota of eight of the spells in the Galdrab6k.

Far more common an the spells that work as direct expressions of the magician's will This will is expressed through signs. There are a total of twenty-three spells using galdrasrafir, while eight make use of spoken or written spells. Two, 33 and 45, make use of formulas that mix the prayers with the use of galdrasrafir.

Three spells employ neither prayer nor signs but rather make use of natural substances that are supposed to work a magical effect. This is the kind of natural magic most often found in the "leech- books," or physicians' manuals. The religiousoutlook expressed in the spells is also of central interest.

A full twenty-one of the spells have a predominantly non-Christian or overtly heathen or even diabolical viewpoint. This is not unexpected, as the whole practice of magic had been associated with the heathen past and with demonic sources from the time of the introduction of Christianity. In spite of this, there are some nine spells that have a "purely Christian" outlook in that they overtly cite Christian figures or use Christian for- mulas.

There are also eight spells that demonstrate [udeo-Gnostic roots: 5, 10, 11, 12, 31, 37, 39, and These often make use of Judaic or Greco-Gnostic formulas but cannot be classified as Christian. They were, no doubt, borrowed from the Continental tradition along with the overtly Christian formulas.

Addition- ally, there are fivehighly curious spellsthat mix ovettly Germanic pagan contents with overtly Christian contents. It is worth not- ing that four of these were added by the last two scribes. This might indicate that the pagan and especially the Catholic- Christian formulas were receding further into the category of rejected knowledge and were thus increasingly becoming can- didates for use in magical formulas.

There are roughly six different magical motivations ex- pressed in the spells of the Galdrab6k. By far the most common are apotropaic, or protective, formulas, of which there are no less than eighteen. An overriding concern of the magicians who compiled this book was the discovery of thieves. There is a total of six such spells. These are curious in that they are spells for the acquisition of some form of clairvoy- ance or magical knowledge Ice.

The last spell 47 is a formula for invisibility. Besides these protective and otherwise passive formulas, there is a sizable group of spells devoted to more aggressive forms of magic. These are ten in number, of which four or so are among the most mischievous yet recorded in the annals of sorcery. If Icelandic magicians went around casting these spells, it is no wonder they spent so much time and effort worrying about the "wrath of powerful men.

But there are a number of books that contain various amounts of interesting lore. There are historical records of books from the l Zth century that give us some idea of their basic contents. We know from secondary citations of thi now lost tract by Gudhmundur that Jon's books contained spell using the sator-square?

Gudhmundur, who was at pain to connect this lore with the worship of Satan, ventured at interpretation of the sator-square as a scrambling of the sentenci Satan operor te, operor te Satan. This he translates as "Satan 1 an in thy work, I am in thy toil.

There also exists a detailed catalog of the contents of : galdrabok found by the schoolmaster of Skalholr in the bed 0 two students in the year The book itself was most certainly burned, but the student were spared the same fate. They were not even tried, but the' were expelled from the school and exiled to England. One 0 them returned after some years. The descriptive list made by Brvnjulfur contains eight items. Here are translations of some of those that are most in teresting for our purposes.

Her Thorr and Odhinn are invoked, with twenty-three signs. At least one old Icelandic leechbook physicians' , manual from the late s contains several leaves at the beginning that are more magical than the average contents of the book. The other Icelandic sources treated extensively in Appendix A are collections made in the s. Their contents usually gc back to the s, and their substance, as can be seen directly, goes right back to the medieval period and beyond.

The readei is advised to see the introductory material in Appendix A fOI the historical details of these collections. Besides the Icelandic material, which is the core of this study, I have also appended material from other Germanic areas.

Appendix B has a selection from an Old English leechbook thai gives an insight into a different traditional mix but nevertheles, often retains much of the more archaic underlying Germanic lore. I of the Black Art 35 The Two Traditions in the North Although the situation is actually much more complex than I am able to present it here, from the perspective of the northern, or Germanic, region there were essentially two great traditions of magic, the northern and the southern.

They are not of over- riding importance to our study, since we are concentrating on the Icelandic tradition, which was by far the most conservative of the Germanic lands. But when we look at the magical tra- ditions of England and Germany as early as the tenth century or at the magical teachings in Sweden in the sixteenth century, we see the transmission of virtually pure magical traditions-in the form of literature often translated in part into the vernacu- lar-from the Mediterranean to the northern lands.

Of course, it must be understood that the Mediterranean "tradition" was by this time an entirely artificial and composite one made up mainly of elements from Greco-Egyptian, [udeo-Christian, and even "eastern" features from various Near Eastern and Indian cults e. This synthetic Mediterranean tradition marched steadily against the northern tradition, not as with religion by brute economic and military force but by the gentler force of prestige.

In no region is this whole process clearer and more polarized than in Germany. There the second Merseburg spell is the last record of Wodan's name being used in a magical context. How- ever, the use of his name continues into the s and beyond in Iceland and remote regions of Scandinavia-and perhaps even in the countryside of England.

In Germany we find that the old folk tradition, although to a great extent superficially "Chris- tianized," retained a heathen spirit. The influence of the two traditions was mutual. An examination of the German hermetic magicians will show a high level of interest in and use of the local folk traditions.

In turn, the folk traditions were saturated with non-Germanic ligures and entities that have largely replaced the pagan ones. Although we find only isolated mention in the oldest sources of German or English 01 even in other Scandinavian traditions, we find a widespread and vigorous life for the old gods in the Icelandic world. The reasons for this should be obvious from the foregoing discussions of the peculiarities of Icelandic socioreligious history. As far as the old gods in the other Germanic traditions of magic are concerned, the reader should consult the relevant appendixes in this book.

The texts in those sections have been selected principally on the basis of what they tell us of the most traditional levels of magic, which includes the use of not only the names of the old divinities but also the contexts in which they occur. It is our principal aim to look at the survival of the heathen divinities as such, but we will also examine their relationship and apparent assimilation to the mytho-magical fig- ures from the [udeo-Christian tradition, both evil and good.

The Heathen Gods and Goddesses In the Germanic tradition, as well as in every other indigenous tradition over which Christianiry was laid, the old popular di- vinities survived in at least two ways: l by being driven "un- derground," where they often lived alongside the other rejected entities e. This latter method was by far the more common throughout all traditions.

In some cases the old gods were identified with Jesus, his disciples, the apostles, and most commonly with various saints. These saints were sometimes preexisting ones, but in some cases there seems to have been a virtual canonization of the old divinities under new "Christian- ized" names and circumstances.

However, it is worth realizing that this was a general and widespread phenomenon not limited to the magical arena. Not only does his name appear in virtually every litany of names of the old gods, but also his heiti Ice. For example, J6n Amason records a series of six galdrastajir, each with a distinctive name. Of the six, four. In the Galdrab6k Odhinn's names are recorded in a total of six spells 33, 34, 41, 43, 45, and Of these, two 33 and 45 are for uncovering thieves, two 34 and 43 are love spells, and 41 is to allay the anger of another-which is needed, given the mal- ificent curse formula of Spell A review of those spells will show that Odhinn can be found in any company and for a wide spectrum of magical aims.

Every indication points to the con- tinued active-even if corrupted-knowledge ofOdhinn and his magical functions. Of all of the names of the old ones, Odhinn is, as Spell 43 puts it, the megttugaste mightiest. Perhaps the second most actively represented of the old gods is Thorr.

This is not surprising either, since he seems to have been the most popular god in pagan Iceland. In the Galdrab6k he is not represented outside the litanies of divine and de- monic names in spells 43, 45, and However, there is other evidence show that Thorr's role in Icelandic magic wassignificant through a galdrastafur called the Th6rshamar Thorr's hammer. The name of this sign was attached to several forms over a long history.

In England during the late 19th century the following magical incantation was recorded in the dialect of Lancashire: Throice I smoites with Holy Crok, with this mell [hammer] Oi throice dew knock, One for God, An' one for Wad, An' one for Lok.

Friggjargras the herb of Frigg is mentioned in Spell 40, and another herb is called Baldursbra the brow of Baldur. Frigg was the wife of Odhinn, and Baldur was one of his sons, who was known for his invulnerability, his perfection, and his murder at the hands of Loki and Hodhur, At least one myth is alluded to directly in Spell 46 of the Galdrab6k, which says: "thou wilt be as weak as the fiend Loki, who was bound by all the gods.

We see these in spells 33, 43, 45, and There are several things worth noting about these litanies. Also, the last three of these four litanies are really syncretic compositions in which the Germanic names appear right alongside names from [udeo- Christian and Mediterranean myth and magic. But the overall impression is that the [udeo-Christian elements are newcomers in an already established magical system. This impression is strengthened by the fact that not only are the great divinities of the Germanic high mythology present but also that the so-called lesser divinities of the pagan Germanic cosmos give shape to the magical world view of the Galdrab6k.

There are several mentions of the belief that trolls or elves could be responsible for afflictions by means of magical "shots," or projectiles hurled at people see spells 21 and 39 , whereas the "giants," or more precisely, etins Ice.

Perhaps one of the most interesting survivals is the name of the dwelling place of the gods-Walhalla Ice. Val- holl is the "hall [or perhaps "rock"] of the slain" and is held to be a dwelling place in Asgardhur court of the gods in which Odinic warriors who died in battle are housed in the supernal realm.

This shows a certain continuance of cosmological tradi- tions from the heathen past that impressed itself on the structure of the new entities coming to the north. The Demons of Hell Not only are the old gods of the Germanic peoples said to be in Valholl, but in the view of the galdramenn who wrote this book, so too were demons of Hebraic mythology-Satan and Beelze- bub-to be found there.

This symbolically and eloquently showshow the southern magical elements were at first assimilated in the north on term, set by the northern tradition. From the standpoint of the new establishment culture, how- ever, this had the net effect of "diabolizing" the old Germanic gods.

To a great extent, but certainly not exclusively, the ole gods were equated with devils in the Christian mind. As tim' went on, especially beginning at the time of the Galdrab6k, aggressive magical spells would be more likely to use the old god. This is obviously nOI a hard and fast rule at the time of the Galdrab6k but only , general tendency.

As noted earlier, the old characteristics and functions 0 the multifaceted traditional deities became split up by the more dualistic and dichotomizing Christian dogmas, so for a while the old gods could feel at home alongside Jesus or Satan.

But wher all wassaid and done, because of fundamental defects in Christiar doctrine, the old gods and goddesses of Valholl ultimately founc the company of Beelzebub and Satan more to their liking. It might be convincingly argued that the wayfor this proces in Scandinavia had been prepared centuries earlier. That is be cause the Christianization of various Indo-European people Greeks, Romans, Celts, and the kindred Germans was gen erally accompanied by a suppression of the pagan gods througl campaigns of diabolizing them-turning them into devils.

It i then no wonder that the heathen deities of the north-or mon precisely their sympathizersand followers-would recognize thei kith and kin in the guise of the Christian "devils.

Dost thou believe in God the Almighty Father? Believest thou in Christ the Son of God? Believest thou in the Holy Ghost? Cer- tain aspects of the old faith were superficially Christianized, and many old traditions were given a Christian veneer. In the world of the magicians this meant that Christian figures could some- times be used right next to pagan deities. And as our wondrous example in Spell 46 shows, the norrhem sorcerer was so free magically that he could use the names of Odhinn, the Savior, and Satan in the same litany.

It might also be true that many times when the words "lord" Ice. Even in the folktales "heathen knowledge" is equated with sorcery. Further, it seems that taken as a whole and as far as magic is concerned, the demonic entities were never as "evil" nor the Christian figures ever quite as "good" as they seem to have been in other regions. However, the history of magic shows that confused forms can apparently still be used meaningfully by skilled sorcerers. What is of interest for us here is the way in which essential methods of runic magical tech- nique-very different from those of the magic that could have been imported from the Mediterranean-were handed down in the Icelandic tradition.

The two major distinctive graphic fea- tures are the use of runes or rune like signs and the use of magical signs galdramyndir that mayor may not have runic origins. Another striking feature is the very technique by which this magic was worked, as it is virtually identical with that of the rune magic of the heathen age. The runes themselves continued to be known as a practical script in Iceland, and we see them used to write inscriptions in and around some of the magical sigils in Appendix A, for ex- ample.

One of the ways in which runelore was apparently used by the wizards who compiled these spells was to have certain numbers of rune like figures arranged in a way that suggested the runic system. Notes to spells , for example, show a variety of ways in which the numerical systems and the forms of the runes themselves were used in magical "staves. Another feature apparently inherited from ancient runic magical practice is the very terminology used to describe the figures and ways of using them.

Most often the figures are referred to in Icelandic as stafir sg. The execution of these figures for magical purposes is indicated by the Icelandic verbs reisa to scratch 01 rista to carve.

These are used in contexts that show that actual cutting or carving is intended e. How- ever, the old magical runic terminology died hard. Probably the most outstanding single feature of the Icelandic books of magic is their use of complex magical signs. Most effort, at classifying these signs try to come to grips with their relation- ships to the runes and their magical functions.

Many of the signs appeal to be combinations of runes and abstract cosmological signs. The main problem in any effort to "decipher" these signs is the long- standing tradition of stylization and simplification or artificial complication.

Another form of classification has to do with their magical functions. If they were intended to be protective amulets, they might be called by the Latin name innsigli sigils or by the Icelandic term vamastafir protective staves. The term galdra- stafir would then indicate magic of an operative nature, meant to cause alterations in the environment. Protective magic could be Christian and would often use biblical passages to charge the figure with intent, but operative magic was very often considered heathen or devilish.

Again, it is almost impossible to read any linguistic meaning in the galdra. These leads usually come in the form of names given to these signs. Examples of these are given in Figure 1, on page 38, with the bandrunir that have been stylized in the medium of pen and ink.

Nevertheless, many of their runic features are obvious. However, many of the names given to magical signs seem to have ro do with their functions and not their forms. The names themselves are usually unique words that are highly obscure in meaning. With these two signs we are lucky because we have mythic survivals that give us some insight into their origins and meanings. The ",gishjdlmur is mentioned in the material concerning Sigurdhr Fafnir-bane. This object is not a helmet but more of a general covering that surrounds the "wearer" with an over- awing power to terrify and subdue his enemies.

This is apparenth an ancient Indo-European concept, as is shown in the erymolog, of the Greek drakon-the one with the evil eye.

We also think of the Gorgons' ability to paralyze with the gaze of their eyes sei in a head surmounted with serpents. The svefnthorn is also mentioned in Old Norse mythic lit- erature as the magical device with which Odhinn placed one of the valkyrjur, Sigrdrffa or Brynhildr , into a deep slumber, from which she could be awakened only by one who could cross the magical barrier of fire placed around her by Odhinn. Spells intended to put people into a deep slumber from which they can be awakened only by the magical will of the sorcerer are common in the Icelandic books, but the signs used and given the name svefnthorn are numerous.

Besides these two well-attested signs there are many names given to signs, for example, gapaldur see note on Spell 34 , vedhurgapi weather daredevil, to cause a storm , kaupaloki deal closer, for good business , Ginnir a name ofOdhinn , Angurgapi reckless one of anger. But quite often the same name may be given to two or more different signs.

Despite the fact that it is obviously of southern origin, no discussion of magical figures in the medieval north would be complete without mentioning the so-called sator-square. This formula has already been touched on in connection with the magic books of Jon the Learned. The formula was apparently well known, as magical instructions often call for reciting the sator-arepo.

It is difficult to tell what exactly is meant by this. Was there a secret decoding such as pastor Gudhmundur sus- pected , or were the letters of magical syllables to be recited? Another interesting aspect of the sator-square in the north is the fact that not only is it mentioned in books of magic, but it is also found in at least seven runic inscriptions!

One fragmentary example was recently found on the bottom of a bowl in Sweden,' and it reads as shown in Figure 3 on page The bowl dates from the end of the BOOs, so it can be seen that the use of this formula is several hundred years older than OUI magical books would indicate.

But to some extent these examples serve also to show the remarkable degree to which basic northern ideas of how magic works and how to work magic remained intact even under this superficial influence. In this chapter I want to look at the underlying theories of magic as expressed in the Icelandic grimoires, at the powers by which it is thought to work, and at some of its consistent ritual techniques. One of the ways we can see the northern component is by observing how these magical elements were dealt with in the north in contrast to the south.

Preparation specific to working 2. Circle 3. Conjuration of spirit 4. Address to spirit 5. The latter usually involves technical knowl- edge of astrology. By the way, Icelandic magic is almost free of astrological elements.

A circle-really a complex of magical diagrams drawn on the surface of the space of operation-is erected. This typically includes a circle in which the magician stands and a triangle outside that circle in which the spirit ap- pears. The circle functions as a shield to protect the magician from the spirit, and the triangle serves to constrain the spirit. The entity is then called to appearance by a series of conjurations, which are a mixture of prayer formulas and commanding threats.

Usually the spirit in question is threatened with the wrath of spirits above it in the hierarchies of heaven or hell. Once the spirit arrives, the magician addresses it, asking or commanding what he wills. Traditionally and despite whatever revisionist theorists may say , the spirit does the work for the magician. The rite is concluded by a license to depart, which banishes the spirit away from the magician. There are certain traits in this theoretical working model that remain foreign to the Icelandic magician.

There rarely seems to be any preparation for the specific working. It would seem that the Icelandic magician constantly prepared himself in a general way and then applied his spells almost in a rough-and- ready fashion. This is very reminiscent of the way Egill Skalla- grfmsson worked. Further, the Icelandic magician never seems. He appears more concerned with other humans.

Although spiritual entities are involved, it seems closer to the ttuth to say they help the magician work his will than work it for him. And since the magician has no need to protect himself from the entities he summons, he has no need to banish them. Theory and Practice of Magic in the Gaklrab6k 5: Generally, medieval Icelandic magic seems to have workec through one of a combination of three media: 1 graphic signs 2 spoken or written words, and 3 natural subsrances. Spel 46 in the Galdrab6k shows a combination of all three elements, for example.

Graphic signs including runes and other written characters: are thought to be conduits or doorways through which variow powers or entities are directed to do the will of the magician.

These signs are generally called stajir staves. The actual physical sign seems to have little power on its own; it is only in combi- nation with the will of a trained magician that any results car be expected.

That is why, in the folktales concerning the famous galdramenn, such emphasis is placed on their scholarly character; and on the fact that the signs had to be learned by a process that involved more time and effort than just memorizing their external forms.

Also, the fact that except for the most common signs e. This latter prayer-type formula is usually found only in spells of a Christianized kind. In the me- dieval Icelandic formularies words and names can activate the corresponding power or entity in a way desired by the magician and as formulated in his verbal spell. The "power of the name" is a well-known phenomenon in the annals of magic. This ancient Germanic lore was, of course, further reinforced by the importation of] udeo-Gnostic names of God or wordsof power that are heaped up in some of the Christian-type spells e.

In all cases these verbal elements are seen as being Vitally linked to the actual things they name, and therefore willful and trained manipulation of such words and names constitutes a manipulation of the actual things or entities. Certain substances were thought to have a predisposition for use in magical operations, the most typical being blood and woods of various kinds.

Both are well represented in the heathen type of spell. The blood of the magician or that of an animal is used in spells 34, 45, 46, and Four kinds of wood-oak, rowan, alder, and ash-are mentioned in six spells 9, 29, 32, 33, 36, and In all but the last of these, staves of one kind or another are to be carved into the wood.

Again, this is a direct continuation of runic magical practice. Herbs are also mentioned in several spells. The most useful are millefolium yarrow and Friggjargras orchis odoratissima or satyrium albidium.

Many other spells make use of various substances on which staves are to be carved. In each case there seems to be an underlying analogical reason for the use of the substance, which must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In the spells of Icelandic magic the emphasis is laid heavily on the person of the magician.

He is rarely said to have the explicit help of outside forces, and the rituals, such as they are, are quite simple procedures, This is again in sharp contrast with the hocus-pocus of the complex grimoires of the southern tra- dition.

The ancient Germanic peoples had a complex and well-developed structure for these psychic aspects of the human being. We can know this to a fairly exact degree because they had such a well- developed set of technical terms for the psyche.

In our Galdrab;. What is clear, however, is that the Icelandic magicians preserved some of the technical lore in the ways rhey believed magic worked.

It seems fairly clear that even in the period in which those spells were being used the magicians realized 1 an animating or vital prin- ciple, 2 a personal image, and 3 a separable power entity by which "sendings" Ice. For example, it is obvious that curse formulas are meant to deplete the vital energy of a person or animal, and protective formulas are meant to build up this faculty.

Other formulas are intended to change the quality of the contents of the hugur- for example, to cause someone to fear or love the magician. The ability to see shades, or images, of other people, especially ones who have stolen something from the magician, is also frequently mentioned. I refer to Spell 34 in the Galdrab6k. This is a spell to get the love of a woman.

It is an attempt to tum her free will genuinely toward the magician, but it is couched in the magical forms of threats and curses. A review of the magical procedures would include a complex set of actions. First, the woman's being is linked to the formula by means of location placing of staves, etc.

All of this has linked the woman, the magician, and the aim in an essential but as yet only general way. This symbolic and graphic series of actions and signs is then empowered and given a highly specificdirection by the words of the spell spoken over the forms.

This spell includes references to how the formula is to work within the psychological scheme as understood by the magician. It includes graphic imagery and a prayerlike entreaty to Odhinn for success.

Odhinn is, by the way, known in the ancient myth- ologyfor his interest in spells of this kind. Just about all elements common in medieval Icelandic spells are to be found in this operation. And again, it should not be missed that the general procedure is quite the same as that practiced by the heathen runic magicians of the north.

A prayer for protection against all kinds of dangers This prayer ought to be worn on oneself in all kinds of dangers that threaten from water, sea, and weapons. It should also be read just before one sees one's enemies: lesus Christus Emanuel, pater et Domine. Many were burned as heretic books and others were hidden away by their owners to later be forgotten and decay into nothing in some nameless hiding-spot. Those that have survived however, can now be found stored away in several Scandinavian archives, while others are tucked away in private collections.

Fries, Jan. Helrunar: A Manual of Rune Magic. Oxford, U. Grant, Zoilita, and Neil Rohr. The Self Healing Book. Gundarsson , Kveldulf. Paul : Llewellyn , The runic formulas we know of in the Galdrabok were either from the Viking age or after, and either way it was still during the conversion of Christianity.