Ask an Icelandic Völva: Seiðr, Spirit Work, Community Service

[@naomie.842]

Thank you for this interview! It was so heartwarming to listen to. I love Isvöld's demeanor. So down to earth, honest and through the whole thing you can hear the love and respect for community and the role of the völva. It's beautiful to be able to listen to a true Elder (not age wise, wisdom wise) from someplace so far away, that we wouldn't otherwise have the chance to listen to and learn from. Truly a blessing!

[@MR.Forget519]

I am so proud to have spent time with Isvöld for tea. And I look forward to spending more time learning from them.

[@rochelle2758]

I could have listened for two more hours ❤

[@RavensCove]

I loved this episode so much ❤ I’m Icelandic and was attending my grandmothers (amma) funeral in Ísvöld region and during the service I looked up to my right to the second floor where the choir was. Who do you think I saw? Ísvöld! I remember thinking how awesome her neck tattoo is and also how wonderful it is that the church here is open to working with different religions 🙏🏽 Such a small world where this memory of mine and one of my favorite KZbinrs come together ❤

[@BroomsticksandBonedust]

Thank you SO so very much Bente for putting together this interview. It was amazing to watch. And Isvöld thank you for everything you had to say during the interview. Both the questions and conversation between you both really made me think very heavily about my own practice, what I've been wanting out of it, where I'm headed, and what i have around me not just in terms of resources like books and videos and such, but in nature, and family and the traditions that have existed as well. Some of these are things i haven’t really given much thought to previously so I'm very thankful for someone giving me a reason to contemplate deeply. One of the very reasons I enjoy following your channel Bente. ❤ Much love from the Mitten State.

[@taniawellness]

Loved this conversation…. What wise women… blessings to you❤

[@uniquenesshealing]

I loved this so much, thank you 🙏 I found this video after watching Annette Host’s series on Seidr, which was so intriguing & informative. So happy it led me here to this interview. Exactly what I needed to hear 🙏✨

[@JustJane1972]

One of the most interesting interviews on the net. Thank you both doesn't cover it. The last part really does resonate, here in the UK.

[@BelieveinChristMinistries]

Thank you Bente for this awesome interview 💜 the background music was so soothing and calming🎶

[@TheWitchyHomestead]

I deal with a lot of imposter syndrome and I really appreciate this candid conversation. It made me feel welcome to the table without being slammed for genuinely wanting to reconnect with my blood. Thank you. Also listening to tiva for the first time in ... Idk... I actually relate and had no idea why so much of my life was the way it was. Sigh. This was much needed.

[@dianalunanuova]

Amazing, inspiring, important, informative, a really precious gift. Thank you so much to both of you. 💚

[@susiejfolmer3585]

A wonderful interview. Very earthy and natural.

[@coywolfdiaries9098]

Thank you so much for this interview and interesting discussion. This has been very eye opening as someone whose practice is shifting wildly right now. I am learning about seidr at this moment and this interview came up for me. I have been learning so much and it’s been making so much sense for me. I just really enjoyed this. Thank you so so much! ❤ I would love to see a second interview and hear more about their experience with deities working through them.

[@exnedu1738]

I cannot explain how helpful this interview was. I learned so much. Thank you both!!!

[@johannakuhlin4787]

I REALLY need to get in touch with her 🤞

[@NagaCreed]

This was an amazing interview, Isvold is a beautiful wisdom and i can feel, its the knowing that spoken ,when you can deeply resonate and thank you for this interview. I would love to have a fallow up. I would just like to hear more about her culture.

[@egidiozarrella2905]

Absolute brilliant video. The conversation between the two of you was excellent. Could listen to the two of you for hours. Learnt so much.

[@MelissaBaker.]

Oh my goodness, I was really excited for that one to get out! Can't wait to watch it when i have some free time to dedicate all my attention to it!

[@TheNorseWitch]

I Hope you’ll like it ☺️

[@johnedwards8550]

I appreciate this interview. So much information. Much that flows with what I have learned on my path and some perspectives to contamplate. Thank you for sharing this.

[@thisisariverwoman]

Thank you both for that video! It's touched something very deep and important inside me 🤍 I find myself crying at the end. You created a very special space through this interview.

[@elizabethmitchell7445]

Thank you Bente! I am so grateful you did this!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@halfwit2]

Absolutely amazing, and inspiring, thank you so much for sharing!

[@MichaelLazzari-nn2uu]

May we should make a feast to honorate our Gods when we're meet ! I'm sure we'll enjoy the feast with our biggest Norsemen family ! May Freyja always protect your inner power my sister! And May the Gods keeps you always ready to willing with us my dear!

[@MojoV13]

What A Fantastical! Blessing to be invited to learn and hear of her story and tradition! She Is Amazing and SO Refreshingly Honest Candid and REAL! About her most Cherished tradition and heritage! But more over her Seriously Refreshing ! Open Minded Confident and Gracious Spirit in leanring and engaging other Faiths and Practices! Brava ! Thats Me! I truly look forward to hearing and exchanging more with her! I am Soo Very Honored and. blessed to have this opportunity to purely learn the Truth-Of Her Sacred Blessed Tradition and Approach. Thank YOU Both! So Human and Healthy- Approachable - Blessed Nothing But The Best! SERINI- Colorado US . How do we follow her? or hear about her talks or sharing? Please. PS I am also an Island Girl as Well! Mediterenean, Caribbean, and more but....loving the current mountains- Bless. Lol Land locked- Yes But Suprisingly Wonderully Blessed! and Inspiring. XOX

[@ginatruiolo]

Thank you Bente this is an amazing episode, sooo beautiful and sooo awesome. I love learing, this gives me more knowledge and meaning to my practice. 🔥 ❤ love, honor and blessings to both of you.

[@linwong1494]

Thank you so so much for this video!!! It really helps me solidify my own understanding of being a magickal practitioner and purpose. I resonate a lot with what she shared, even though my background is Han Chinese. Our own spiritual Wu Shamanism was very much cantered around helping people with particular issues, and hardly a job that was in any way easy or glamorous. So interesting how magickal people serve the very same roles for their community across time and culture.

[@jubilationcryer]

I just finished watching this video for the second time, and I still feel like there's more to take away from it if I were to watch a third time. I truly think this may be my favorite video ever. Thank you so much!

[@TheNorseWitch]

Oh gods thank you so much 🥲🥲🥲

[@hercynianwitch]

A very much needed interview for the community thank you so much Bente! I can't tell you how happy and inspired this video has made me. Also, you would be a great podcast host!

[@TheNorseWitch]

This makes me so happy 🥰

[@hercynianwitch]

@@TheNorseWitch love from Norway x

[@playnicebereal5850]

Thank you both for this. Very informative, helpful and wise.💜🧡

[@zeropointconsciousness]

Thankyou for sharing Sacred Sisters I totally resonate with everything you are speaking of. Unsurprisingly as all our cultures are working with the same Sacred Divinity...I tend to simplify everything I come across so ultimately see us as One Great Earth Tribe who have all always been connected through the Moon and Sun portals...that is my vision and this is my sacred waking dream of Unity Consciousness. Much love and many blessings from the West Coast of Scotland Sacred Sisters.

[@kaylamorrison2798]

I enjoyed this so so much!! For the very reason i started watching your channel, bente! As i started evolving my spiritual practice it led into a deep interest to the pre-christian ways in old europe. My Oma came over from Germany when my dad was born and then on my mom's side, they are from the Scandinavian area. I felt a strong pull to all of it from a very young age. But since starting my magical practice, i wanted more from what i came from. Finding you was such a blessing and then watching this interview, specifically helped answer so many questions and made it very clear in my mind. Practicing our magic, meditation, learning to deeply listen to spirit, and communing with and honoring mother earth...this is all we really need! We can have different names for our practices, and in different cultures and countries people have there specific ways and words, but we cannot forget we are all part of it! The goal is to be YOU, not attaining some title or reaching some specifc level. The whole norse pagan, old world vibes is so badass to me but i understand on a deeper level that is not our reality anymore, but the energy and power are still very much here with us!!

[@guelkaratas5164]

Great conversation you both are very sweet. The background music was absolutly the finest. Please Benthe share details for us. I believe it will be a great support meditation calming spell work "thing". I've enjoyed it very much thanks for both of you for taking the time and share. Have also a great journey with Olivia ❤ stay safe be brave and enjoy it fully. Hugs aus dem🌧 Schwabenland

[@taylorbaxter659]

Absolutely phenomenal interview !!!

[@elizabethmitchell7445]

I absolutely love the perspective on the exchange of services. Taking financial advantage of others always comes back around negatively to the ones who do that. Yes we need to live but the humility spoken about is on point!🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@Anna_Aradia]

Thank you for this intervjue, it was a special one for sure. /Sweden

[@MichaelLazzari-nn2uu]

Hejjj my sister the vólva ! I needed your guidances please my dear sister. I needed to know how can we found any solutions to gathering our clan? I think I'd already saw and talked with you someday ! May the Gods bless you vinúr mínn the vólva! Tíl a frændur þínn! Skål Alù !

[@troywisehart5064]

I enjoyed this video very much. Thank you both. Seidr is fascinating to me. Good work!

[@DebbieBuckland]

thank you so much this was very special.

[@wuldr]

It’s interesting hearing how similar traditions from different sides of the world can be. I’m a witch from the U.S. and it’s remarkable how similar your experience is to mine. I come from a family of witches (Christian Witches) who believe we are reborn in our family line. That the gift of second sight and the evil eye are passed down. Dreams are extremely important and often prophetic. Really the only thing that is different from what you talked about is just the cultural context. ❤

[@danielgraham-scott3994]

Just amazing!!! Thank you so much!

[@AquillaStar1]

Thank you this was wonderful ! ❤

[@jnuy764]

Thanks for the video 👍

[@TheNorseWitch]

My pleasure!!❤️

[@LSDANNY7x]

Heil, Freyja

[@larry-pierreprepus-jonatha9452]

Vraiment intetessant

[@Vi-Prefers-Anonymity]

I just realized after writing all of this that this comment is going to be super long and very unedited! Sorry for that 😅I wrote this comment as I got through the video, I hope it's gonna be readable I really loved the definition of what a völva is. Since Iceland kept the tradition of the völva without going on a murder spree, I'm wondering if it still has been influenced by the more modern witchy things that had started trending and getting bigger on internet? Were people getting interested in more popular things, or were those shrugged off? Men weren't allowed to do seidr/conjuring? The fact that typically Völvas only have maybe one season where they travel just made me think of Moomintroll's Snufkin, where he only travels during winter haha (though it has nothing to do with missions, nor völvas in general, but it's what popped to mind then) What's a mantra to meditate that stuck the most with you? (If you're ok with sharing?) Regarding the tourists that come and go without paying attention to the culture (and it's pretty awful), which places would you recommend to visit, or what kind of activities do you recommend for someone looking to experience the tradition? I loved learning that Iceland is very big on dream culture! It's not as prevalent around here for the prophecy part of it, but it's pretty common to share dreams. Unfortunately, it often has a more "oh my dream was weirder" kind of competition, which is strange. Though between my friends, we tend to share dreams when the person's in them, even for small stuff! I've been trying to keep a dream journal, but I've never considered journaling the day as well to see how they relate. Does Ísvöld write anything particular that happened during the day, or is it more like regular journaling of "today this happened and made me feel like this" ? Is there a difference between elves, spirits, gods, or do they communicate roughly the same way? What's Ísvöld's relationship towards Norse Mythology, Yggdrasil and the Gods? Is it the same point of view as the sagas where it's fun stories, or did the belief also evolve with Iceland, too? I hope this question isn't too personal, but regarding the völva staff, was any modification done on it? Like adding meaningful decorations, or polishing the wood, etc. Is there a particular element you connect with the most? Like with the wind that's common to scream with to breach your voice? It sounds super liberating! All in all, thank you so much for having this interview. It was wonderful discovering this perspective on nature and the craft! Ísvöld sounds and feels like an amazing person! You can just feel the love pouring out of them for everything ❤ I hope my questions aren't too invasive! And if any of them are, just dismiss them! Honestly I'd love to hear a lot more just for the pleasure to have you both chat. It felt so cozy and chill!

[@isvoldSigriarbur-fe8mh]

Hallo. These are good questions that we could elaborate so much on, but I’ll answer some shortly. Yes men can perform seiður. There are current practitioners and for instance accounts of them in the sagas. I personally don’t add anything to my staff but some others do. Communication between various spirits and gods do vary. Just like with people, you build relationships/ friendships and learn about each other. Culture has influence here too, things we learn about communication that is passed down. We for instance don’t engage with all land spirits, some want to be left alone others are more social. I have my personal connection with old Norse gods. I’m very connected to Völuspà, the voice behind it and the cycle it describes. Sagas are some exaggerations stories but but of it really did happen and these characters are our ancestors. The poetic Edda is much deeper for us spiritually. New age things and internet stuff has very little influence on us traditional people. A lot of the new age Witchery is more influenced by the older tradition then vice versa. 19th century occultism and spiritualist movement did get some footing here but much of was already familiar to us in some ways. I think answered more question hope it helps

[@isvoldSigriarbur-fe8mh]

*most

[@Vi-Prefers-Anonymity]

@@isvoldSigriarbur-fe8mh It does help! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these! Your insights gave me so much food for thoughts, and I still find myself thinking about this interview now 😁 I will probably watch it a few more times in the future for sure

[@elizabethmitchell7445]

The spirit that drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes sounds like my grandmothers spirit

[@GooberFace32]

Sounds like mine too :).

[@dustinthegamingdad1282]

Busted

[@redvonmunster3731]

Trying to watch but this is so full of shit

[@TheNorseWitch]

Then don’t watch? 🤣🤣 stupid.

[@isvoldSigriarbur-fe8mh]

Over your head buddy 😅 but thank you, my heart blooms every time I trigger an incel.

[@TheNorseWitch]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@charmich3627]

This was amazing!, very informative and quite indepth thank you

[@TheNorseWitch]

Glad you liked it!❤️