Viking Philosophy 101

This time on the podcast we had the very great pleasure of exploring the Viking mind with Dr. Mathias Nordvig, a Nordic myth and folklore scholar from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Arguably, for most of us when we think of “Norse mythology,” what comes to mind may be the sagas or visions of Odin and Thor, or maybe Freyja, thanks to the popularization of these things by people like game creators or the Marvel Universe. But what do those figures or stories tell us about how Nordic people viewed their world? Can we inhabit the headspace of a Viking and know how they perceived their place in the cosmos?

Mathias Nordvig thinks we can and that there are powerful lessons there for living in the modern age. In this enlightening conversation we talk about volcanoes, elders, tradition, belief versus knowing, what he calls the “Nordic Story World,” the natural world, and more. Don’t worry about the meander; it’s all related. And worth it. Lots of deep food for thought.

As a Dane who has lived all over the Scandinavian world, Mathias brings a lot to the table on this topic. He skillfully weaves his knowledge as a researcher with his practice as a follower of the Old Ways in his book Ásatrú For Beginners: A Modern Heathen’s Guide to the Ancient Northern Way wherein he connects past to present in an accessible and thoughtful way. Turns out Viking philosophy has a lot to teach us about our relationship to each other and to the planet. And if we listen, we might just create a better future.

You can also find Mathias on The Nordic Mythology Podcast, as well as his new solo endeavor The Sacred Flame Podcast.

Please do take a listen.

Takk fyrir Mathias! You are a gift.

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