Book recommendations on ritual possession / horsing

[Oflight Lokebrenna]

It isn't just Galina I've this issue with; I've found many other practitioners with published work that I debate whether or not to read because they are also bigots. THAT is why it is difficult for me to find suitable material to use as reference. Then I think, though, that everyone has their flaws, and who am I to judge... but then I remember, racism isn't a flaw, and racism is not excusable.

there is story that asatru and voodoo is racist

I could start a whole new thread on this topic... I might! Unfortunately, Darth, that isn't an inaccurate statement. There is a LOT of white supremacy in the Asatru/Heathen community. One of the myths in the Edda involves Heimdhall being a super hoe and having about 30 freaking kids with different people. The myth says that the dark skinned children of his became slaves, the less dark skinned children became servants, and the light skinned children were welcomed into the community as equals. You'll find different versions of this story, though, some saying there were only 3 children, not a dozen plus, other stories highlight the physical appearance of the children and other versions don't.

Another thing to consider is that Asatru was the religion of the Vikings, and frankly, the Vikings were not nice people. We like to romanticize history, but seriously, the Vikings were not nice to outsiders. Considering the Vikings were white, it's not too hard to figure out how racist views came into the practice.

I am not defending these views in any way, just trying to explain in my own understanding how this came to be. I am no expert on these subjects, and you should only give as much value to what I say as what you think it is worth.


As for voodoo... I don't think I have enough knowledge on the subject to say whether or not it's racist, also I'm white so that's maybe not my place to say... I will say, though, that voodoo is an African practice, and it came to America during slavery. Because of the history of how this practice came to America, I've seen a lot of debates concerning cultural appropriation and whether or not non-Africans have any right to practice voodoo. The only thing that couldn't be taken from the slaves was their spirituality. Again, though, to make it clear... I'm white and not currently a voodoo practioner, so I don't think I have any right to decide whether or not voodoo is racist.


I feel I need to elaborate on my statement of "racism isn't a flaw" what I meant by that... A flaw is something like stubbornness or selfishness. Racism isn't a character flaw; it's a disgusting belief with no justifiable excuse to exist, and these beliefs are hurtful to say the least.

I hope I explained my views well.

[Shifa]

The Vikings traveled and traded a lot ... I don’t think they were that racist. Heck they raided the white people of the British Isles...

[Oflight Lokebrenna]

The Vikings were a kill or be killed people. They raided anyone and everyone.

Whether or not the Vikings truly held racist beliefs is up for debate. The myths indicate they may have, but we do have to remember that the myths were written, interpretted, and eddited by humans with an agenda.

It is obvious though that racism is a problem in the asatru community today. Certainly without thanks to the Nazi movement, who stole a symbol of Thor's and tainted it.

[Passchendaele]

Well considering that northern tradition shamanism wasn't really apparent or readily available in a modern context UPG is kind of the usually case for shamans especially if they are "reviving" and unexplored/ explained tradition. Also they are both spirit taught so i'm not sure how much separation from UPG you want with this. Not that I necessarily agree with what they do or how they approach things, it is/was a relatively unknown tradition before they came at it - I think. In their books they also try to cross correlate with others who practice this. Also as for Loki i'm sure you area ware that he has many faces and many facets, so he may appear very differently to others then to you YMMV of course.

Also more information on the topic, I read a while ago a great tumblr post( which i can't find again sorry) that explained about the energy dynamics of being possessed and how to enhance possession techniques. It stated that basically it works better if our energy centers are hollowed out to an extent, and the more hollowed out the easier it is to be possessed. I find this to be true as well, when I allow a being into my body ( I think they call it transvocation here) I need to be out of the way completely and in a trance so my conscious mind doesn't interfere, the more I can let go the more they can take over, also shielding i find before you begin allows me at least to relax enough that I can let go completely. I've only done full possession a few times with my animal guide way back when I first began and I let her use my body to walk around it- i was watching from 3rd person perspective- also if you have experienced full dissociation from your body its similar to that. Odin says horsing isn't for me either but we will see. I'll keep looking up voudou horsing resources they seem to have some in depth techniques as well.

I don't know if this is relevant to this thread, but my personal experience with getting "myself" out of the way (deep trance) is through dancing. Specifically, dancing to live drumming, mainly African tradition, but also fusion/ African Diaspora. Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban (Very!!!) Caribbean tradition, Haitian, Dominican, Venezuelan, So many others. I know next to nothing about the ritual details of using drumming specifically for horseing, but, I discovered, "accidentally" how to totally "submerge" my waking self and allow my body to be a conduit of....energy flows....I cannot find better words to describe it. Earth energy, Sky energy, Sun energy, Moon energy. Connection! It is connection with all these different energies. I have not done it often, mainly because live African/ Diaspora drumming is waaaaaay NOT a part of the cultural environment I currently live in. However....I have been coming across more and more music that is African/Northern/Celtic fusion that leaves me speechless. No, not entirely...BLISS. Essence Bliss, Soul Bliss. And it does not "have" to be live.

Slipping into that space with recorded music is very do-able, but the resistance I get from my "waking self" is enormous. The biggest difference is that, if I am hearing live drumming, it's because I am with a bunch of people who are drumming and dancing. A lot of "complimentary" energy from other dancers and the drummers themselves. The focus is intense, even if the other dancers are not aware of it, the drummers are. And if other dancers are aware of it, and are focused, they "share" and the "flow" is electric.

[Shifa]

I have a small doumbek that I keep meaning to practice with to see if it would help with trance.
I also have an urge to get a pan flute and a Greek harp but can’t seem to find ones at a good price.

[Heretique]

I also dance bellydancing and traditional indian bharatanatyam and it certainly helps with channeling/horsing- it was also how i "fed" my spirit animal- by letting her use my body during dance, i've also done it with some of the demons as devotion. I also find it easy to go into a trance doing this but for me it depends on the speed of the music and how easy i can get out of my head, exhaustion can also help and dancing is also a way that shamans get into trance too.

[laalbieglna]

I have also looked into Galina in the past, but I also found her to be problematic. I consider just dealing with it and reading her work to find what is useful to me and pitch the rest, but I also do not want to support someone with those toxic views and by purchasing her work I'd be supporting her. It isn't just Galina I've this issue with; I've found many other practitioners with published work that I debate whether or not to read because they are also bigots. THAT is why it is difficult for me to find suitable material to use as reference. Then I think, though, that everyone has their flaws, and who am I to judge... but then I remember, racism isn't a flaw, and racism is not excusable.

Same. I do, however, trust Raven Kaldera completely (Yes, I did read the other comments on this thread, too). He doesn't know me in real life, but we have several in-real-life friends and acquaintances in common, and I did have him do the natal charts for my entire family, and while I can't live anyone else's life for them to assess the reality of their charts, mine is so accurate that you could build a copy of me from it. I am sure you already know this, but for the record, he has never made any claims about his work being "historically accurate" ... it isn't academia (though he is exceptionally well read academically in religion in general), it is a catalogue of personal experience, gnosis from people living their path 24/7, and useful techniques, and I personally have found so far that his techniques are one hundred percent valid and effective when applied in real life practice. I couldn't recommend his work more highly for that very reason. His initial experience with deity possession was also in the context of Voudon.

Other than that, I don't know if you are on Facebook, but there is a group called Neathen Nonsense that has a lot of likeminded people on it. The Reclaiming tradition of witchcraft also sometimes has people who run aspecting workshops (very light possession, but an excellent way to practice opening that door), and I will update further if I find other resources.

[laalbieglna]

His initial experience with deity possession was also in the context of Voudon.

I meant to say "Initial training".

[laalbieglna]

I also dance bellydancing and traditional indian bharatanatyam and it certainly helps with channeling/horsing- it was also how i "fed" my spirit animal- by letting her use my body during dance

I am not a dancer and had never heard of this, but I just had a spirit animal request contact through dance, so this is a very interesting statement to read, and I am taking it as a reminder/confirmation. Thank you.

[laalbieglna]

Raven Kaldera is known for making up stuff with no historical basis, and he doesn’t clearly define his UPG. I wouldn’t trust anything he says on Loki.

Every one of his Northern Tradition Shamanism books that I have begins with 10 to 20 pages of introduction where he makes it crystal clear that his work is spirit-taught and based on personal contact and gnosis, not historical research. Also, every story in the Jotunbok that is channeled begins with "as told to...". Seems defined to me.