We cover the 3rd major section of the Havamal, the Words of Loddfafnir. This section is presented as Odin telling a young man, Loddfafnir, many great pieces of wisdom. It summarizes many of the themes from the prior two sections and includes new and interesting wisdom of its own. This is our fifth episode on the Havamal, and there is only one more to go!

This is the Northern Myths Podcast, an archetypal exploration of the myths and legends of Northern Europe, including Norse mythology, the Finnish Kalevala, and more. If you'd like to support the show you can support us on Patreon here: Northern Myths Podcast Patreon

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The Poetic Edda is the primary original source for the myths and legends of Norse Mythology. The Poetic Edda includes everything from the creation of the world to its destruction in Ragnarok, from the adventures of Thor to the wisdom of Odin. We are exploring these timeless stories to learn how the Norse people understood the world, and how we can apply their worldview to life today.

The Havamal is the collection of poetry attributed to Odin. It is included in the Poetic Edda and is a core element of Norse Mythology. The Havamal is a book of wisdom full of contraditions. At once it is an example of how to live and a cautionary tale mistakes to avoid. Included in the Havamal are the stories of the winning of the mead of poetry and Odin's sacrifice of himself to himself to discover the runes.

If you'd like to follow along with our reading of the Poetic Edda you can pick up the great translation of the Poetic Edda we're reading by Jackson Crawford, you can purchase it here: The Poetic Edda by Jackson Crawford

It is also available as an audiobook which we highly recommend. Dr. Crawford has a great voice for it, and actually pronounces everything properly. It's a must have if you like our show! Available here: The Poetic Edda Audiobook

If you'd like to follow along with us or learn more about the ideas we talk about on the show, we have a list of recommended books on our website. Included are our recommended copies of the Poetic Edda and the Kalevala, as well as books about archetypal narrative, comparative religion, and more: Recommended Books

We also have Northern Myths Podcast merchandise available at our official shop.

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