Love Spells… to be or not to be?

Runic inscription N B257 in the latest edition of the Scandinavian Runic-text Database, Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University. “as a rare example of a poetic rune-stave inscription; and of runes being used in love magic.” - Wikipedia

Love Spells…. to be or not to be?
I was recently confronted (on reddit, I know… I should know better - bye reddit) about the ethics of love spells - because it must be manipulation, my intentions of crafting and/or using a love spell (and certainly selling them), and ultimately that it’s not founded in Norse paganism or history - it’s just another ‘go ahead and post your spell on Etsy, where they’re a dime a dozen’ apparently. And you know what? Not a wrong thing to question, though I didn’t appreciate the candor, it did make me realize I should be better about explaining things when they come up. So here we go - welcome to The Well. Where, for the willing, we can share a drink of a few droplets of knowledge together.

Okay, but… love spells aren’t Norse:
Nope, well…..maybe… Actually yes. And we have sources.

What we do have some hints like those found in Bergen well after the “viking age”, where several erotic and romantic messages were carved into wood. Runic inscriptions and control notches stating “Please love me” on one side, another with “my love, kiss me”, yet another “Remember me,I remember you.Love me,I love you” … These discoveries have been hailed as some of the most unique ‘day-to-day life’ runic discoveries as they show the usage on a more personal level vs. the more heavy inscriptions of names and formal phrases.

One of the more intriguing abeit a bit darker spellcasting can be found in Bergen as well with a spell being cast:

”I cut runes of help; I cut runes of protection; once against the elves, twice against the trolls, thrice against the ogres … against the harmful 'skag'-valkyrie, so that she never shall, though she ever would-evil woman!-(injure) your life … I send to you, I look at you (= cast on you with the evil eye): wolfish evil and hatefulness. May unbearable distress and 'ioluns' misery take effect on you. Never shall you sit, never shall you sleep, … (that you) love me as yourself. [Latinate magical words] and [magical words]“… Runic inscription N B257 in the latest edition of the Scandinavian Runic-text Database, Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University.

…. I guess there is that. Oh, and wikipedia: “as a rare example of a poetic rune-stave inscription; and of runes being used in love magic.”…. hmmmm…..

More information can be found online, with a multitude of sources about the Bergen Love Spells & Poems left for us to discover. Another resource could be researching for yourself on Trolldom or Scandinavian Love Spells online if you’re interested in the history of how our ancestors practiced in their communities. Trolldom enabled our ancestors to continue their pagan practices under Christian law when our ancestral practices were being forced underground. TONS of love spells and other workings. Norse paganism didn’t STOP at the end of the viking age, and neither do the practices that I follow. Thus, why I craft & use love spells (as many do). And no, not all love spells are romantic - Sometimes those are so my children know I’m thinking about them, or for self-care for myself, or for family members or friends.

Sometimes they ARE for my relationship between me and my husband, and about deepening our connection. Sometimes it’s just about smelling damn good and putting the right intentions into your evening - and that’s the “magic in the mundane” that every magic practitioner reaches for. It’s that simple.

As to the ethics of using a love spell - it’s completely up to the practitioner to decide what they’re willing to put out into the warp, so to speak. Assuming someone is going to negatively use something is like handing the keys to your car to a friend “knowing” they’re going to intentionally run someone over. It’s your decision to give the keys - and your friend’s decision on how they’re going to use the vehicle. 

Love spells can take many shapes and forms, and having a one size fits all “judgement” that they are evil or nefarious is, in my opinion, naive and uneducated about the history and present day various shades of Norse Pagan & Scandinavian Folklore practices. What we can determine is we don’t know, and we leave room for evolution and growth and that ultimately it’s up to each user or practitioner.

Not your cup of tea? Super simple - Don’t use it.

For the rest of us - we’ll continue the practices that generations prior to us did and taught us to. That is the beauty about heathenry and pagan practices…. is there is choice.