(sigh...)

The restaurant is at the end of a street called “Lokastigur” (Loki’s Ladder).

In what little time that I have been working with Loki there's a way I have come to understand them. Many call Loki a trickster or some other spirit of chaos. While Loki is certainly mischievous and their actions can create chaos, I feel that monicker alone is not enough.

Loki is also often associated with change, constant growing and shifting. Change can easily be mistaken for chaos by beings like us that desire stability and see stability as sameness. This does feel more appropriate

However, the way I have come to think of Loki is as a new kind of spirit of nature. The Jotun are, after all, essentially that. Loki seems to be a bridge, a duality between "society" and "nature" since he is born of a Jotun and Aesir adopted. The Aesir symbolize a lot of what humanity made for themselves: their own order and wisdom and rules—society.

I feel almost as though Loki represents the human spirit, both a part of society and from nature. Society, when it overreaches, seeks to bind the parts of us that it deems unruly. Yet it relies on our spirit all the same. We see this parallel often in the relationship that the Aesir have with Loki in the old stories. They come to Loki for help, to lift their spirits, to empower themselves, and when they see Loki step out of the role they decided—they punish them.

This allows each to have moments of being "in the right" or "in the wrong" without arbitrarily labeling one side as "good" or "bad" in our modern (post-christian) way of thinking. It is simply beings acting in ways that align with their nature.

I realize some of the stories may be partially or even wholly false since most (or all? I can't remember) were written down post-christianization of Iceland. However, they do still help as a basis to work from.

These roles also explains better, for me at least, the ability for each of the spirits/gods/entities involved to change. They shift with us and with the forces that they embody as time moves on. They are not stuck where the old tales left them, they have shifted too.

Sigyn, adored by Loki. 😍

Our very own fish mold <3 for the wall and (soon) for evil jello <3

Loki: "Why do you never ask for help? I am here to support you, little sparrow..."

Me: "Because i don't want to bother you. My little mortal problems are peanuts."

Loki: "But this peanuts clearly driving you nuts... aren't they?"

Me: "You always have a joke ready to make me laugh. Thank you"

Loki: "At your service. Just, please, talk to me"

Me: "I will tonight, thank you again."

He is just the sweetest, now i want to cry because i can't handle his cuteness

So, why am I devoted to Loki?

I could spend hours on a sentimental diatribe about Loki and about how much he and Sigyn in particular mean to me so I will try to be more logical about it. Less feelings, more logic.

I suppose at the heart of it is an acknowledgement of shared pain. Not that I would try to equate my pain to a deity's but I do understand that feeling of alienation/isolation he has. He always has to be somewhat on his guard, I think. One foot in both worlds, never truly accepted in either circle. Not an Aesir fully, not a Jotun fully. Even if he were I think he would be the same; Loki is a deity that sees value in having friends in high or (low) places. I do not know if he had never met Odin or if he had been born fully Aesir if he would be different personality wise.

What I do know is that I have felt isolation/the inability to fit in my whole life. Loki is a shapeshifter, I am not. I have always longed in some ways to have what most people have friends, family. I think Loki wants those things too, we all do. But, I know what it's like to constantly be on guard. To never fully show your true face to the world. I suppose it's some combination of cynicism and fear of being vulnerable.

If I am going to be deeply devoted to a god why wouldn't I want to follow a god that understands my experience?

You say you can't "trust" a trickster deity? Have you tried being respectful? Have you tried truly trying to understand them? Do you love them enough to see yourself in them? For them to see themselves in you?

Loki has never been anything but kind to me. Yes, he will test you. He will pull you out of your comfort zone but I think people equate that being tested and being uncomfortable equates to maliciousness and that's simply not the case. I have love in my heart for all "Trickster" deities. I've met a fair few and they are all different and though I do not speak but to a handful I've always found them willing to help and listen if you are serious about taking their advice if you ask for it.

"Invocation to Loki" has been published in Volume VII of Loki's Torch!

I'm incredibly excited to announce that the invocation to Loki I wrote at the start of my path as a Loki devotee, was published in Volume VII of Loki's Torch. 🖤 I'm very honored to have my work in an anthology alongside the writing and artwork of other Loki devotees. 🦊🔥

You can find Loki's Torch Volume VII here:

[Print/PDF]

iron lung, eh?