Part 4

As I mentioned elsewhere, Þræll is an Old Norse / Anglo-Saxon term, equivalent to Modern English ‘thrall' and Norwegian ‘trel' - these are all effectively the same word; the Old English/Norse character “Þ” became “th” in English while the Scandinavians dropped the “th” sound, generally in favour of a “t”, quite some time ago - and basically means a “slave”. Þræll is a somewhat antiquated term, but it still exists in words such as to be “enthralled”. But what do we mean by “Þræll”, "Thrall" or "Trel"? If you take a free man and put a chain around his neck you do not make him into a Þræll, all you do is restrict his physical movement. If someone has a Þræll mentality, no chain is needed as the fetters are worn in the mind. In our society, we tend to view “slavery” as something that one person forces on another. In Stáv, we tend to reverse this and regard Þrælldom as something one allows in oneself. To be a Þræll is to be dependent on others. This also needs clarification. A healthy society helps its members, and a member of such a society would naturally look to others for support - but this is not the same as having a Þræll mentality. The Þræll is one who basically cannot or will not accept responsibility for their own life. Everyone goes through some period of “Þrælldom” in this sense, if only as a child. Under such circumstances, if one is three years old, or mentally ill, for example, it is expected that others will make decisions for the individual. However a normal, healthy adult should not behave as though they were a child in need of someone else to tell them what to wear, what to eat, when to go to work, and so on. It is the peril of our society that it treats people like children. It is the peril of the members of our society that they allow this to happen. If you consciously choose to accept what a teacher tells you, what your boss requires of you, what the law or government demands etc., then this is all well and good. If you simply do so as a matter of course because you have not even considered that there may be an alternative, you have reduced yourself to being a Þræll. The Þræll accepts no responsibility for their own existence. When it comes to an issue like health, they simply live their life, and if they become ill, expect an expert such as a doctor to cure them, rather than seeing their health as their own concern and attempting to ensure they never become ill. The Þræll is one who backs away from any challenge, accepts a situation as it is and simply hopes to keep their head down and survive. Whatever else the teachings of Stáv hope to achieve, the development beyond the Þræll state is the first objective.

The Karl mentality is very different from the Þræll. If the Þræll can be seen as a child, then the Karl is an adult. “Karl” basically means a “man”, an adult, one who is free. A Karl and a Þræll may both do the same job, but the mental attitude will be very different. If an employer makes an unreasonable demand of a Þræll, they will probably simply accept it unless they feel they can “get away” with not doing so. The Karl will assess the situation and make a reasoned response, negotiate, and whatever the outcome will always have options open - to accept the situation, compromise, or simply to quit and find another source of income. To take a hypothetical example, if a Þræll and a Karl were each given ten boxes to unpack in a day, the Þræll would probably make the ten boxes last all day so that their boss didn't give them something else to do, while the Karl would probably unpack them as soon as possible so he could go home early. The fact that most employers would not be happy with this and would probably expect the Karl to stand around looking busy is an indication of how modern life encourages people into the role of  Thralls -  but that does not mean we should simply accept this. In Stáv, the Karl is the free-man “class”. They are normal, healthy, mature members of society and the general conception is that most people should be at this level. The fact that our society is comprised mainly of Þrælls is an indication of imbalance. The Karl can be almost anyone, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker. The Karl is the traditional farmer, merchant-trader, craftsman or artisan. Often they will be self-employed or run their own business, as this gives them greater freedom. Freedom is normally extremely important to the Karl, and typically their concern is for health, wealth and happiness. A large part of the Karl level is concerned with health promotion practices, simple treatments and remedies for everyday ailments, basic self-defence and so on. The Karl class forms the bulk of most professions such as Medicine, the Military and Police, Education and so on. Traditionally, the Karl class is linked to the Vanir gods, who are the bringers of fertility, natural wealth, peace and happiness. This also means that while part of the Galdr system, the Karl may have close links to the Seiðr  side, although for most males this will be reasonably superficial.   Some Vanir Gods linked to the Karl Class

Frey

Freya

Njord

'Herse' (Norwegian) or 'Hersir' (Old Norse),  generally pronounced "ha-sha", basically translates as 'Lord' but with a strong implication of 'Warrior'. Like the Karl, the Herse is certainly a 'free' individual, but with a very different mentality. The Herse is  usually very much concerned with concepts such as codes of honour and correct behaviour, loyalty, duty and order. While the Herse is basically considered as a warrior, this does not translate simply as a soldier, most of whom would be at the Karl level. Outside of groups such as special forces, the Herse may be an army officer. Likewise, most police would be at the Karl level, but die-hard officers and senior ranks are more likely to be Herse. The same pattern can be found in students and teachers of Martial Arts. Few instructors have a warrior mentality, regardless of physical skill. The 'warrior' mentality is not confined to roles involving physical conflict but to any area concerned with the application of order, thus many lawyers and judges would also fit the Herse mould. Whereas a Karl would generally fight (either physically or in court for example), to defend themselves, their family, property and so on, for the Herse this is a way of life. Most Karls would happily wage war if it meant the defence of their country, but few would see the relevance of fighting for a cause elsewhere in the world. As with all of the other classes, the Herse's strength is also their weakness. The attitude of not backing down, sticking rigidly to a belief, imposing authority, personal sacrifice and so on can be very useful and necessary at certain times, but can be very difficult to live with in everyday life. Traditionally, the Herse is connected to the warrior gods of the Æsir and finds their path through a life based upon honour, discipline, order and often sacrifice and service. Aside from martial training as a root to a deeper understanding, the Herse training also covers healing techniques, especially those concerned with the treatment of injuries rather than illnesses. The modern surgeon rather than a G.P. can be seen as a development of this role.   Some Æsir Gods linked to the Herse Class

Tyr

Thor

Balder

The Jarl has yet another psychology. 'Jarl' is literally equivalent to the term 'Earl' and implies a nobleman. However, a hereditary title is virtually irrelevant as one cannot simply get by on one's ancestors achievements or good fortune. The first Jarls had to earn their position and their hereditary descendants had to keep up the good work in order to keep the title, and this is the concept behind the Stáv use of the term. Traditionally a Jarl was not only a temporal but a spiritual leader. This did not have much to do with the ownership of land, but rather the qualities of the individual. The Jarl tends to be concerned with mental and spiritual mysteries, and so the modern equivalents would range from a psychologist to a university professor, a priest to a chess champion. Of course, this is not to say that those who have these jobs are Jarls, simply that this is the type of occupation that suits the Jarl mentality. In our society there are plenty of unemployed Jarls, Herses and Karls wandering the streets, just as there are many Þrælls in respectable jobs. The Jarl is not generally very concerned with most of day to day life, which can lead to them either being respected or regarded as aloof and arrogant. Their path through life is often one of contemplation and action based upon knowledge of the wider picture. A Jarl who has chosen to contemplate the stock-market is likely to become extremely rich, while one who has chosen to contemplate snowflakes probably won't be. However, neither is necessarily more or less valid from the Jarl perspective. Generally, the Jarl is often somewhat withdrawn from society as a whole, as it simply doesn't interest them to the same degree as it might for a Karl. Even when an intimate part of society, like the village vicar, the Jarl is generally a little outside of the normal running of things. Traditionally, while the Karl and the Herse work mainly with the mysteries of the runes, the Jarl works with the gods themselves, who are a part of the runes and vice versa. This is not to say that Jarls might not be atheists, this is still working in the same way but simply with a different paradigm or method of expression. The Jarl is principally connected to some of the oldest of the gods, versions of what we might call the sky-father deity, although the Jarl has a relationship with all of the deities. The Jarl's methods of development include working with the mythology, ritual, meditation, trance or visualisation and largely internal activities. On the healing side, the Jarl specialises in psycho-spiritual counselling and healing the mind and spirit rather than just the physical body. Another traditional activity linked to the Jarl class was the construction of poetry and much of the old Skaldic verse can be seen as the product of the Jarl mindset. Some Gods linked to the Jarl Class

Heimdal

l

Ull

The Könge is the fifth of the five classes, although most of the time we may as well speak of only three. The Þræll is somewhat of a non-class, as it is generally thought that the main aim is to move beyond the Þræll level.  Likewise, the Könge is outside the normal order of things. The term 'Könge' basically means either 'King' or 'Cunning-man'. The Könge is one who has knowledge, or rather, has moved beyond the confines of knowledge. It could be said that the Könge mentality is the refinement of the individual to the limits of their being, to a point where they have transcended their self. In this, it is important to define two forms of Könge mentality. Some individuals naturally have a Könge mentality, but possessing this potential (and the same is true with any other of the class mentalities) is not the same as realising it. A fully developed Karl would probably have far deeper understanding than an immature Könge. It is the basic belief that anyone of any class can develop themselves so far that they transcend their own level and reach that of the Könge, although very few will ever do so. Likewise, someone with an instinctive Könge mentality may never fully develop this. For one with a genuine Könge mentality that has been developed, their specialisation is to be non-specialist. This is not an easy option, as this basically means that to fully develop they must learn the Karl, Herse and Jarl paths and also the Seiðr side of the system. This theoretically provides the Könge with a unique insight as they can see life from all perspectives. However, aside from the fact that this is a long route, and one which most people would simply not find useful, it also means that the Könge is unlikely to ever be as good at Karl activities as a Karl, as effective at being a Herse as a Herse and so on. The benefits are that the Könge is not limited to a single perspective and can do all things equally well (or badly). It should be quite clear that this does not mean a Könge simply dabbles in each of the classes, they must attain some genuine mastery of them. For most people this is all but impossible, if one has a Herse mentality it is difficult to simply become a Karl one minute and a Jarl the next. Normally, only a Könge can do this genuinely. Equally, if one has a specific class mentality, it is not very useful to try to adopt another. One way of looking at the Könge mentality would be to see it as controlled or channelled schizophrenia, where diverse and often antagonistic sides of a personality are integrated into a fully functional whole. This is not a path which is suitable for most people, who tend to have one psychology or personality that is dominant most of the time. It should be stressed that none of this is absolute, just a description of the way we see the levels. Nor should it be thought that all people have only one mind-set all the time. A Karl may easily slip into a Herse or Jarl mindset on occasions. The point is that most people have a basic psychology that they are comfortable with and operate within most of the time. Only the Könge has no one, set, psychology, but draws equally on the Karl, Herse and Jarl, even the Þræll. In addition they may operate freely within the Seiðr system or spontaneously respond to a situation, free from any pattern. This spontaneous response is the hall mark of the genuine Könge mentality, as it is basically unquantifiable. The actions of a Könge may often seem like simple madness to one who does not share their perspective, as they operate at a level which transcends normal human consciousness. In this the Könge is the flipside of the Þræll. The Könge takes total responsibility for their own actions, but does so with a deep understanding of the workings of Örlög. This depth and breadth of understanding allows them to achieve almost anything by working with the forces of Örlög, to reweave the pattern of existence. Like a Þræll, the Könge is removed from the motivations of the other classes, being comparatively uninterested in health, wealth and happiness, honour, loyalty and order or knowledge, contemplation and realisation. The Könge has past the point at which any of these are relevant other than as casual concerns, and recognises them to be essentially illusions. Theoretically, the fully developed Könge is in a state of total being and strives for nothing. When they act, it is without ambition, fear or desire, born from a knowledge that is supra-human. The main god associated with the Könge class

OdinThe above is an overview of the classes as we see them in Stav. Each class is related to one of the five "elements" of Stav tradition, and also to certain combat strategies in the Stav martial art. Although it is normally felt that a person has one basic class mentality that they work within throughout their life, becoming a more developed individual within the confines of their own mindset, there is also the notion that within a person's life they in some ways progress through the five mindsets or elements as they grow and change.

The above introduction to the classes is brief and somewhat shallow in comparison with the reality of Stáv. It is also basically a Galdr way of seeing things. Generally this means that this is a male way of viewing people. While women can as easily fit into any of the above classes, Seiðr is usually regarded more as their method and so women are often regarded as classless in this sense. A woman may work within the Galdr model and find her own class in this way, or choose one that fits her way of life, family etc. Within Seiðr, there are no classes. This is not to say that those who practise Seiðr  do not specialise in different areas or that the standard of individual development is constant, simply that Seiðr  has no ordered structure. One simply does Seiðr or does not. To try to impose an order or system upon Seiðr would be useless - unless perhaps it was done by a Könge who thus has genuine understanding of Seiðr , and this would be a redundant exercise as no-one but another Könge would understand such an ordering, and a Könge does not have need of such things. We shall not discuss Seiðr  itself in detail here, but it should be pointed out that some practices in Stáv are actually a blend of Galdr and Seiðr. This is typically an Óðinnic (Könge) way of doing things. For example, travel to the other worlds or states of consciousness is basically a Seiðr activity and traditionally involves extended meditation or trance inducing chant (the Varðlokkur). The use of runes as a method of consulting the gods is basically a Galdr method. In Stáv we often use forms of meditation or visualisation which involve using a rune as a gateway, through which we travel to enter the realm of the gods. This is basically a Galdr way of doing Seiðr.

The reader may at this point be wondering where the origins of these concepts can be found. For those of us in Stáv, the short answer is that the information found above is drawn from the oral traditions of the Hafskjold family and therefore is my expression of the tradition that I have been exposed to. However, the tripartite structure of Indo-European society, which is similar to, and subtly different from, the Hafskjold tradition, can be found in the works of academics such as Georges Dumézil, and those with an interest in this field are recommended to read his works and those of his students. Mythologically, the structure of the five classes can be found in the Eddas, particularly in the poem Rígsþula (The Lay of Rígr). In this poem the god Heimdallr assumes the name Rígr  (Heimdallr is the chief patron god of the Hafskjold clan) and engenders (most obviously) the three classes of Þræll, Karl and Jarl. The Herse class is mentioned - Herse (Hersir) being the father-in-law of Jarl -, and Könge (Konungr) or ‘Konr ungr' (Kon-the-younger) is Jarl's youngest son. 'The Lay of Rígr' is part of the collection commonly known as the 'Elder' or 'Poetic' Edda. The origins of Seiðr and thus the Seiðr-kona are a little more vague, the mythological sources disagree - stating that either Seiðr  was invented by Óðinn and that it was so disreputable for men to practise it that the art was left for the use of women, or that Óðinn learnt Seiðr from the Vanir goddess Freyja. This may seem a contradiction, but in my opinion both versions have some validity. In all probability, Seiðr originates with the Nornir and the Vanir. By Freyja, Óðinn was tutored in Seiðr. However, Óðinn's use of Seiðr was almost certainly a little different from that of Seiðr  in general and he and Freyja probably learnt a lot from each other. Thus, while Seiðr  is not the invention of Óðinn, his innovations probably have some bearing on the art as a whole. However, all of this is only my own interpretation and as Óðinn is one of my patron gods, I am bound to be a little biased - the reader is advised to make up their own mind!

The Norse myths tell us that in the beginning there was nothing, a concept described as a Gap. This nothingness existed before time or physical manifestation of any kind, before gravity, the stars or life. At some point which cannot be measured in either physical or temporal distance (for such concepts had yet to have any basis) at either 'side' of this gap arose the worlds of Niflheimr and Muspelheimr, or more simply, Ice and Fire. These two twinned yet oppositional forces can be considered as similar to the Chinese conceptions of Yin and Yang - each is exactly what the other is not. Thus we can state that there is darkness and light, cold and heat, contraction and expansion and so on. This interplay of forces, from the two primal elements, lead in time to a combination and further interplay lead to other divisions such as earth and sky, female and male and so on. However, each element is not only separate from the other but is intimately bound together - there can be no light without darkness, no cold without heat - otherwise we would have no way of defining such things. More than this, in Ice we find the seed of Fire and in Fire we find the beginnings of Ice - Burning Ice and Frozen Flame. This basically binary method of looking at things is useful, but it does not tell the whole story. We can divide all existence into combinations of Fire and Ice, but to do so has a habit of obscuring things. All things could be said to be comprised of Fiery and Icy elements, but clearly when we have three (or more) things, this binary concept breaks down a little - a candle may be said to be fiery and a snowflake may be said to be icy, but what about water? Water may seem to be more icy than a candle but obviously less so than a snowflake, and so on. Obviously all things contain a mixture, and a further extension of this is the traditional concept of five elements to be found in Stáv.

In Stáv, we have the concept of five elements which are normally referred to as Earth, Water, Fire, Ice and Air (or Wind). Most people will be familiar with the classical concept of four elements used by the Greeks and their intellectual descendants - these being Fire, Water, Earth and Air. The classical sources also speak of a fifth element, a quintessence which sources argue over - some speaking of it as spirit or consciousness, others as a combination of the other four elements or as the one true element the other four derive from. To an extent all of these concepts have some relevance to Stáv. Some readers may well be familiar with the Chinese five-element theory, the oriental systems using Fire, Water, Earth, Wood and Metal as their basis. Likewise, Chinese theory explores the concept of four elements and one central element, often this is expressed as Earth containing Fire, Water, Wood and Metal. Again, there are similarities to the concepts found in Stáv, but it would be extremely foolish and naive to simply imagine one could translate either Greek or Chinese conceptions to those of the Gothonic peoples, or vice versa - to assume this is like assuming that someone who can read English must also be able to read Greek and Chinese, because all are languages and can be written down. While there are many similarities, and much that the whole of humanity can learn from its diverse parts, everyone is not the same and each culture has its own understandings - and none are more or less relevant than another, although the traditions of ones own culture are probably subjectively more important. In Stáv we also speak of five “elements” and most often these are named Earth, Water, Fire, Ice and Air (or Wind). This naturally can cause confusion, as there is perhaps a difference between the Primal Elements of Fire and Ice (as represented by Muspelheimr and Niflheimr) and the nature of Fire and Ice as two of the five elements. Personally I often choose to speak of Fire and Ice as the Primal Elements and name the Five Elements as Earth, Water, Flame, Rime and Air to distinguish the difference - but again, this is only my own usage. The nature of the five elements will not be explored in detail at this stage but it should be stated that the tradition assigns various functions to them. There is a difference between the Galder and Seid ways of viewing the elements, although both paths may employ the conception.