Vast and Body Magic is a term often used in the realm of fantasy fiction and role-playing games. These types of magic are typically associated with the manipulation and control of the physical world and the human body. Vast Magic, as the name suggests, deals with casting spells or performing magical feats on a large scale. It is often used to create powerful illusions, control elements like fire and water, manipulate the weather, or even reshape landscapes. Vast Magic is often portrayed as requiring a great deal of power and expertise to wield. Those who possess this type of magic are often seen as incredibly skilled and highly respected.
In Kenaz Wyland (or a smith anyways) is working on making something from a long round piece of metal. Here is the idea of controlled fire (Fehu was primal uncontrolled fire; potential energies that are not channeled into any form). Here these energies are being channeled into form. In this case it is the smith that is using fire to shape metal into form. This rune has to do with creative energies of a person (which are expressed as fire energies). Also one’s sexual desire nature is connected to this as well. It is this energy which reforms things.
In Gebo a couple is naked sitting on a rock intertwined together so as to form the rune Gebo with there bodies intensely having sex you even see their sweat. Of course Thor is friendly to the will of the Gods and Goddesses which is of the ordering principle even though he is connected to the more primitive energies of pure instinct just as the Thursor are.
Those who possess this type of magic are often seen as incredibly skilled and highly respected. On the other hand, Body Magic refers to magical abilities that focus on the human body or physical attributes. This type of magic lets individuals enhance their physical strength, speed, agility, or heal wounds and injuries.
The Helm of Awe
The Helm of Awe (Old Norse Ægishjálmr, pronounced “EYE-gis-hiowlm-er”) is one of the most mysterious and powerful symbols in Norse mythology. Just looking at its form, without any prior knowledge of what that form symbolizes, is enough to inspire awe and fear: eight arms that look like spiked tridents radiate out from a central point, as if defending that central point by going on the offensive against any and all hostile forces that surround it.
Such overpowering might was apparently what this magical symbol was intended to produce. In the Fáfnismál, one of the poems in the Poetic Edda, the havoc-wreaking dragon Fafnir attributes much of his apparent invincibility to his use of the Helm of Awe:
One of the representations of the Ægishjálmr in the GaldrabókThe Helm of Awe
I wore before the sons of men
In defense of my treasure;
Amongst all, I alone was strong,
I thought to myself,
For I found no power a match for my own. [1]
This interpretation is confirmed by a spell called “There is a Simple Helm of Awe Working” in the collection of Icelandic folktales collected by the great Jón Árnason in the nineteenth century. The spell reads:
Make a helm of awe in lead, press the lead sign between the eyebrows, and speak the formula:
Ægishjálm er ég ber
milli brúna mér!I bear the helm of awe
between my brows!Thus a man could meet his enemies and be sure of victory. [2]
Like most ancient Germanic symbols, the form of its visual representation was far from strictly fixed. For example, the 41st spell in the Galdrabók, a seventeenth-century Icelandic grimoire, includes a drawing of the Helm of Awe with only four arms and without the sets of lines that run perpendicular to the arms. [3]
Linguist and runologist Stephen Flowers notes that even though the references to the Helm of Awe in the Poetic Edda describe it as a physical thing charged with magical properties, the original meaning of the Old Norse hjálmr was “covering.” He goes on to theorize that:
This helm of awe was originally a kind of sphere of magical power to strike fear into the enemy. It was associated with the power of serpents to paralyze their prey before striking (hence, the connection with Fáfnir). … The helm of awe as described in the manuscript [the Galdrabók] is a power, centered in the pineal gland and emanating from it and the eyes. [In Aristotle and Neoplatonism, sources for much medieval magic, the spirit connects to the body via the pineal gland, and the eyes emit rays of spiritual power.] It is symbolized by a crosslike configuration, which in its simplest form is made up of what appear to be either four younger M-runes or older Z-runes. These figures can, however, become very complex. [4]
The connection with the runes is particularly apt, because a number of the shapes that comprise the Helm of Awe have the same forms as certain runes. Given the centrality of the runes in Germanic magic as a whole, this correspondence is highly unlikely to have been coincidental.
The “arms” of the Helm appear to be Z-runes. The original name of this rune is unknown, but nowadays it’s often called “Algiz.” The meaning of this rune had much to do with protection and prevailing over one’s enemies, which makes it a fitting choice for inclusion in a symbol like the Helm of Awe.
The “spikes” that run perpendicular to the “arms” could be Isa runes. While the meaning of this rune is more or less unknown due to the confusing and contradictory information supplied by the primary sources, it seems reasonable to speculate that, since “Isa” means “ice,” its inclusion in the Helm of Awe could have imparted to the symbol a sense of concentration and hardening, as well as a connection to the animating spirits of wintry cold and darkness, the fearsome giants. This connection is made more likely by the fact that the dragon Fafnir occupies a role in the tales of the human hero Sigurd analogous to that occupied by the giants in the tales of the gods. Such connections are necessarily speculations, especially since the markings that may or may not be Isa runes are, graphically speaking, nothing more than straight lines, which makes them that much harder to positively identify. Nevertheless, the tenacity of the connections here is quite striking. [5]
Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books, which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit.
References:
[1] The Poetic Edda. Fáfnismál, stanza 16. My translation. The original Old Norse reads:
Ægishjalm
bar ek of alda sonum,
meðan ek of menjum lák;
einn rammari
hugðumk öllum vera,
fannk-a ek svá marga mögu.
[2] Flowers, Stephen, editor and translator. 1989. The Galdrabók: An Icelandic Grimoire. p. 100.
[4] Ibid. p. 121-122.
[5] These interpretations of the Algiz and Isa runes are based on the Rune Poems, which can be found in English translation at Ragweed Forge. See also my page on The Meanings of the Runes.
[4] Ibid. p. 121-122.
Body Magic is often associated with characters who are martial artists or warriors, as it allows them to perform superhuman feats in battle. In many fantasy stories and RPGs, these two types of magic are often seen as separate and distinct from each other. Characters may have mastery over only one type of magic, or they may possess a combination of both. The delineation between Vast and Body Magic allows for a more nuanced and diverse magical system, with characters specializing in different areas. However, it is worth noting that the division between Vast and Body Magic is not always definitive. In some cases, characters may possess the ability to manipulate both the physical world and their bodies. This can provide interesting and complex storylines, as characters navigate their magical abilities and discover new limits to their powers. Overall, Vast and Body Magic are two fascinating concepts within the realm of fantasy fiction and RPGs. They offer a wide range of possibilities for storytelling, character development, and thrilling adventures. Whether it's casting powerful spells on a grand scale or enhancing one's physical abilities, these types of magic add depth and excitement to fantastical worlds..
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