Why is Loki so Controversial? | Analyzing Loki's Myths

I will try my best!

The main difference I see is that American heathens tend to view Loke as either good or bad. If people aren't Lokean, they don't consider Loke to be a god/worthy of worship etc.

In my experience, Scandinavian heathens tend to have a more relaxed attitude towards Loke. Some people worship him, others don't, but I don't think I've ever met someone who doesn't consider him to be an important part of our gudavärld (lit. 'world of gods'). On the other hand, I've never met, or even heard of a Scandinavian Lokean either.

It seems like Americans care more about the ancestry of the gods, and tries to sort them into different categories depending on what ätt/family they're from. None of which makes sense to me. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that Loke being part jötunn makes him an outcast/evil/not a god. Like, there are so many deities with jötunns in their family? Oden's mother Bestla is a jötunn. Skade is a jötunn. Ägir is a jötunn. Heimdall might be jötunn for all we know. Frej is married to the jötunn Gerd, and Tor has a child with the jötunn Järnsaxa. This doesn't seem to bother the gods, so why should it bother us humans?

Anyway. I've had a look through Samfundet Forn Sed's magazine Mimers källa (which is a good resource on contemporary heathenry if you understand Swedish), and decided to translate some relevant passages to give you an idea of people's attitude towards Loke.

In a piece on mental illness, change and healing:

"Loke is the forever youthful and adventure-loving trickster, the one that heals (us) with a good laugh, while simultaneously delivering crass wisdom with the most serious look you could ever imagine."

When describing heathen weddings:

"A (bridal) couple really wanted Loke to be in their ceremony, so I included him in the shape of playfulness, curiosity, challenges and surprises. I think they're still married."

When discussing Norse mythology:

"(as usual) Loke both creates and solves the problem."

On the topic of 'ergi' and queer heathenry:

"Loke is the god who breaks all social norms. Loke performs seiðr, and seiðr entails 'ergi'. Loke brings creativity to the world of the gods. In that way, he is necessary. He's only punished when he goes too far by indirectly killing Balder. Prior to this (incident), he's always given the chance to make up for (the negative consequences of) his pranks. (His antics) usually benefit the entire collective of gods. But (the gods) draw the line at murder. And this (Loke's punishment) leads to Ragnarök. Can it (the importance of breaking norms) be any more obvious?

When discussing offerings:

"Another blood sacrifice that I like to engage in, is the sacrificial killing of Spanish slugs (an invasive species), since I know that the gods love them. Especially Loke, who refrains from creating mischief in the vegetable garden, thanks to this offering!"

(Just to be clear, Samfundet Forn Sed _does not_ encourage blood sacrifices. The article is written by a sheep farmer who prays to the gods during the yearly slaughter.)

Source for the quotes with no link. (Issue 32, 39 and 40, all in Swedish. Samfundet Forn Sed is a pagan/heathen religious community in Sweden. They have signed declaration 127.)

From a historical point of view, there's a significant lack of place names featuring Loke's name. (As in, there aren't any at all. I was wrong!! There's at least one place in Sweden and also places in the Faroe Islands and Iceland!!!) Most of the other gods have several places named after them. The place where you worshipped Freja got called "Freja's grove" or Freja's ve (ve/vi = sacred place, sanctuary). The fact that Loke doesn't seem to have any sacred places named after him suggests that he wasn't worshipped in the same way as Ull, Tor or Freja. (But keep in mind that this doesn't mean that people back then didn't worship Loke.)

When it comes to sources, Gro Steinsland's book Norrøn religion - Myter, riter, samfunn is great, but I don't think it's available in English. Same goes for the books by Ebbe Schön.

I think it's worth looking at what references people use for Wikipedia articles on this topic. (The English article on Loka Táttur is quite informative.)

For researching purposes, it might be good to know that Loke was also referred to as Locke in some dialects. Other names include:

Lopt - (he who) travels through air

Hveðrungr/ Vrålaren - the screamer

Sagna hrærir/ Sagosporraren - the spurrer of sagas

‘ Loptr ‘

Moments of a face and body that wisp through your fingers and remain solid all at once. Just enough to never quite leave.

You arrive softly A playful flick, pin-prick electric beneath my skin A kiss like dawnlight on my forehead A gentle push off the ledge

I never fall alone I’m a child on a playground slide I’m an astronaut under the watchful eyes of Sirius My Father Dogstar, Lokabrenna, lends me falcon feather or two That is one way you arrive

You arrive suddenly A lightning crack behind my eyes Startling my synapses Singeing away sickly thoughts That whisper “fear” in italics You are the manic laughter that follows a narrow escape Inviting me to howl, “Behold us, World, we who laugh doom in the face! We who dare look a wolf in the eye We with the nerve to try and live!” Praise you, Loki, who raised me so

You are my wild grin as I race through a downpour Soaked clothes plastered to my body And for a moment, all the secrets of the universe reside in those raindrops Cool and quiet on my lips The lull before you press my fingers to the outlet And show me what I’m made of (Birch and lightning and wildfire, too, just like you, just like you) That is another way you arrive

You arrive with the broad, lazy warmth of the fireplace Radiating on those gathered ‘round Your arms banish winter You keep a home that smells of innocence  and ash   You smile with tired eyes You rattle the earth with horror in your cries But still, your house shelters

I'll try to scan some of these pieces reshare over the course of a few posts. The lighting here tends to distort the colors and causes some colors to look a bit wonky. As always, thank you for reading.

Hail the Sky-Treader!

Hail Loki! I love You!

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