YGGDRASIL, World Ash Tree

THE WORDS OF ODIN THE HIGH ONE.

(Odin's Quest of the Runes.)

137. I know I hung on that windy Tree

nine whole days and nights,
stabbed with a spear, offered to Odin,
myself to mine own self given,
high on that Tree of which none hath heard
from what roots it rises to heaven.

138. None refreshed me ever with food or drink

I peered right down in the deep;
crying aloud I lifted the Runes,
then back I fell from thence.

From the Havamal (Bray p 103)

Yggdrasil (pronounced egg-draw-sill) is known as "The World Tree, " The Ash Tree," "The Yew
Tree," and "The World Ash Tree." The Yggdrasil is more commonly referred to as a Ash Tree in
most translations and by most researchers of Medieval literature studies. The Yggdrasil is
sometimes spelled with two "l's" as in Yggdrasill and sometimes with one "l" as in Yggdrasil. When
spelled with two "L's," it has been assumed to be the connection of Odin's horse to the World Ash
Tree

Again, this is my ever changing Gnosis and revelation concerning the Yggdrasil. As I study and
learn more, this page may change!

Introduction:

At the end of the last ice age, the great glaciers that capped Northern Europe melted, uncovering a
barren and very rugged land. The withdrawing ice melting gave way to rivers flowing into new
forests and plains. The reindeer, aurochs, wolves, bears, and foxes migrated north toward the
glaciers of the north while hunters pursued the animals. The people were forever struggling against
Frost Giants, the cold-hearted spirits of the mountains and glaciers. They hunted in the tundra's
and retreated to the valleys of lush forests and meadows roaming back and forth across northern
Europe and Asia for thousands of years.

Life in the north was hard for the nomadic tribes that decided to settle along the north seas for they
could go no further North. The Frost Giants sent bitter storms howling down from the mountains.
Wild beasts, trolls and evil spirits lurked in the pathless forests, and strange monsters wrecked their
ships. The northern tribes were tough but were also protected by their own Gods! They honored
the All Father, Odin, first among the Æsir Gods and his realm was made up of Nine Worlds:

Asgarðr (AHZ-gahrd) The realm of the Æsir Gods and Goddesses. Represents individuality, ones
highest plane, ones higher self, spirituality. It contains many halls and houses with "Valhalla" as the
main hall and is ruled by the All Father, Odin/Odhinn/Woden/ Wotan, and his consort and equal
Freyja/Frija/Frigg/Frigga the All Mother. This is the realm of "myne" (memory) and "hugh" (intellect)
of the mind.
Within Asgarð:

Asgarð is home of the Gods, the Æsir. Valhall, the hall of the dead warriors is here. Also,
Hliðskjálf, the place that Odin could see the whole world. Idavollr lies within Asgarð as well.
Gladsheimr is the temple of the Gods and Vingólf (Gylaginning 13) is the temple for the Æsir
Goddesses.

Iðavollr also lies within Asgarð and is described as vollr, a field, a place, to flow together, to ramble
to take a pleasant walk. This is the mythical plain, the plain of Ida. Ida was my mother´s name and
I often wondered what her name meant. One of the meanings of Idavollr meant the field of
continually renewing, rejuvenating. I found this most interesting.

BIFROST (BEE-frost) is the icy fiery rainbow bridge guarded by Heimdallr that connects the world
of humans to the world of the Gods. It is said that the Gods and Goddesses must cross this icy
fiery rainbow to travel from Asgarðr to the Well of Wyrd and back daily.

Below Asgarðr and above Midgarðr is:

Lojossalheimr is the world of the light elves containing sub-strata of halls or abodes of white light.
This is where the brightness of the human intellect (hugh) is derived.

Around Midgard/Midgarðr representing the four directions and the elements are:

NORTH

Kingdom of Northi, Helheimr of Northi Nine nights North and down, (below which you find
Nilfheim (and below that you find Nastrod dead mans stand")

Nilfheim (NIFF-el-hame) is the origin of all the waters and is enveloped in Ice. Known as the land
of Mist it is a field of magnetism and contradiction representing an opposite to South. Nothing can
survive there in a zone of nonexistence except on the very outer edges closest to Midgard. The
element of North is represented as Ice in my tradition.

SOUTH

Kingdom of Suthri, Muspellheimr, (home of the fire giant)

Muspelheimr (MUS-pel-hame) is the fiery sparks of life and all forms of positive energy. It is a
creative force and the opposite to North in polariety. Between North and South is the balance of Ice
and Fire that make Midgarðr possible for life to survive. It is too hot to survive in MuspelheimR and
it is too cold to survive in Nifhlheimr. Only on the outer edges closest to Midgarðr can life survive.
The element of South in my tradition is represented by Fire.

WEST

Kingdom of Vestri, Vanaheimr, (over the waters)

Vanaheimr (VAH-nah-hame) the land of Vanir (ON) are the fertility Gods and Goddesses. They
represent harvest, fruition, productivity, personal growth and the cycles of the Seasons. The
attribute of this direction is feelings and intuition. The rains usually come from the West. In my
tradition West is always represented by the element of Water.
EAST

Kingdom of Austri, Jotunheimr, (in the mountains to the east)

Jutunheimr (YOH-tun-hame) The east is the realm of the "giants" known as "Jotunar". While
Vanaheimr is represented by cycles that are according to nature's consistant time clock,
Jotunheimr is the realm of constant change and evolution. It is the power of change that could
result in destruction. The winds from the East always bring change and sometimes destruction.
The destruction usually brings about a sudden change necessary for either good or bad. East
represents thinking and logic and in my tradition and is represented by the element of Air.

Midgarðr (MID-gahrd) The level where we (humanity) are now and this is our reality. Known as
middle Earth it represents the personality, ones Ego, our conciousness, or lower self. Midgarðr is
part of the stability of order within the Nine Worlds that includes Asgarðr, and Lojossalheimr.

Below Midarðr and above Helheimr is:

Svartalfheimr world of dark elves which are really dwarves, the formative aspects of being. This is
the realm of shape and formation of all humanity. All things in Midgarðr take shape or form in
Svartalfheimr. Everything formed here manifests in Midgarðr.

Helheimr is the realm of the dead, the Underworld. All souls undergo rebirth here. Our ancestors
are ever present and actually nourish the living with their presence. This is an important part of
Ancestor Worship. If this is true, honoring our Ancestors will insure their rebirth to another level or
reincarnation which is part of my tradition.

It is very difficult to leave Helheimr which is in the realm of the Goddess Hel, daughter of Loki. It
takes a great deal of power provided from the outside. I believe that power is Ancestor Worship
by honoring all the mothers, grandmothers of my lineage and all the fathers, grandfathers of
my lineage.

YGGDRASIL

The World Ash Tree of Norse mythology, consists of three huge roots and is considered to be the
pillar of the Universe. Each root goes into one of three wells.

The first root is in Vanaheimr and goes into the Well of Urd or Well of Wryd, where the three
Norns live in their cave perpetually deciding the fate of human beings. The three sisters are "Urd
"that which has become," Verdandi "that which is becoming," and Skuld "that which will become."

Wyrd is a name that originated with the three Norse sisters known as the Norns. They were known
as Urd - "that which has become," Verdandi - "that which is becoming," and Skuld - "that which
should become." One of the three great roots of the Yggdrasil reaches into the Well of Wyrd
keeping the World Tree replenished. At the well of Wyrd, the three Norns, also known as the
Sisters of Wyrd, continuously "rist" (rist, means to engrave) Rune staves which are continuously
thrown into the Well of Wyrd. The Well of Wyrd contains all the cosmic knowledge from the
beginning of all time.

There is so much going on in the Cosmic Tree of Life! At the very top of the Tree there is a hawk
named Veldrolnir. He is perched on top of the wise Eagle's forehead. The Eagle when it flaps its
wings causes the winds of the earth to blow. At the root of the tree is a serpent named Nidhoggr
that is responsible for constantly destroying the Yggdrasil by gnawing at its roots. A squirrel named
Ratatosk constantly runs up and down the tree exchanging insults between the wise eagle and
Nidhoggr. The four harts or stags Dain, Dvalin, Duneyr, and Durathror have voracious appetites
constantly nibbling at the leaves of the Yggdrasil! It is said that they represent the four directional
winds when they run around.

The second of the three roots goes into the Well of Mimir in the land of the giants known as Rimes-
Thursar (the Frost Giants) in Jotunheimr. This is where Odin sacrificed one of his eyes for a drink
from the bubbling cauldron, a well of enlightenment, so that he would speak eloquently.

The third root stretches into the Well of Helvelgamar, an underground spring of Nilfheim where
Nidhoggr, the terrible serpent, is coiled around the base of the tree constantly eating at the roots of
the Yggdrasil. This is the underworld presided over by the goddess Hel, Loki's daughter who is one
of his three off springs. While locked by a gate within her realm, she resides over life and death and
is half living and half dead as well.

The roots of the Yggdrasil produced a magic fluid called aurr. This is probably the life giving lunar
blood that lies secretly at the root of all universal-elixir myths. The Yggdrasil was also the universal
mother, “source of unborn souls." The first man, Askr, was created from the Ash tree and the first
woman, Embla, was created from the Elm tree, and it was Odin that blew the breath of life into both
of them.