Berserkergang
Robert S. Gau
How does one know in this modern society?
Robert S. Gau
I think there is more to it than that kind of thinking.
There is a mystery here. Something very spiritual.
Opinions?
Dirk Bruere wrote in message <3744A1F4...@kbnet.co.uk>...
>Robert S. Gau wrote:
>>
>> I believe that I may be a berserk.
>> How does one know in this modern society?
>
>Posting from prison might be a good indicator.
>
>Dirk
Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson
Robert S. Gau wrote in message <7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net>...
>
>I believe that I may be a berserk.
>How does one know in this modern society?
TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN KNOW YOUR A BERSERKR IN MODERN SOCIETY:
10) You won't buy a suit unless it'll go with a wolf-skin belt.
9) You challenge your next-door neighbor to holmgang to get his pool.
8) You can't pass through fire with impunity, but you _can_ walk through the
alleys off 40th St. in Manhattan with no ill effect.
7) You wear a 20-lb. sledgehammer from Home Depot around your neck.
6) When the cable company comes to the door, you answer it and say "I wot
that I hung on the telephone pole for 9 hours, neither cable did they bring
me, nor a descrambler. Screaming did I grasp the premium channels..."
5) You may not be able to physically assume the form of a bear, but you hang
out in alt.fetish.furry a lot.
4) You keep a loaded crossbow in your car in case someone cuts you off
during rush-hour.
3) You coat your body in Rogaine instead of wode.
2) When you play "Gauntlet" your heart skips a beat when someone puts a
quarter in the slot for Valkyrie.
1) You look forward to drinking ale with Ernest Borgnine in Valhalla when
you die ("Hail Ragnar's Beard!").
;-)
Wassail,
Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson, Goði
Gers Ey Goðorð
Post Office Box 199
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Agrippa
Robert S. Gau <gun...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net...
Doug Freyburger
>
> I believe that I may be a berserk.
> How does one know in this modern society?
A few years ago, Erin Lale conducted a survey
of those interested and published a quarterly
journal on the topic for a while.
Such can be found in any population in the world,
so you could be. The common genetic traits:
Acquired alleries, severe ones. High aerobic
capacitiy in the short run, but quick to tire
and slow to recover from extertion. A conscious
ability to invoke one's hysterical strength
(obviously the *key* trait) while most people
must await a life threatening emergency. Poor
digestion. Rapid aging. A temperment that has
led to medication for some mental disorder.
Any one of these are common, having most of
the list is not.
Hail Asgard!
Doug Freyburger
Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson
Robert S. Gau wrote in message <7i2a0d$h82$1...@nntp4.atl.mindspring.net>...
>Well,
>I think there is more to it than that kind of thinking.
>There is a mystery here. Something very spiritual.
>Opinions?
Forgive my earlier flippancy, but I couldn't resist. :-)
I do agree that the pursuit of the Berserkr path is something that has been
ill-researched in modern Heathenry. Like seiðr, it seems as if it's
something that you're born with, rather than something that can be developed
through study and practice (although that's required in order to fully
realize the gift).
To "go berserk" is to enter an ecstatic state of mind in which only the lust
for combat rules the mind; wounds and pain are ignored. The most adept
berserkrs were said to be able to physically change their shape into an
animal form (bear, wolf, etc.). There are some definite parallels, if not
links, between it and hamhleypa (the art of shape-changing which is a part
of seiðr).
I think I'll delve a little deeper into it and write up a piece for the
forthcoming "Magic" section on Gers Ey's web site.
Robert S. Gau
That was th efunnniest damn thing I have read in a month.
Thanks
Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson wrote in message
<7i2avt$pf9$1...@ash.prod.itd.earthlink.net>...
>Heilsa!
>
>Robert S. Gau wrote in message <7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net>...
>>
>>I believe that I may be a berserk.
>>How does one know in this modern society?
>
>
>TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN KNOW YOUR A BERSERKR IN MODERN SOCIETY:
>
>10) You won't buy a suit unless it'll go with a wolf-skin belt.
>9) You challenge your next-door neighbor to holmgang to get his pool.
>8) You can't pass through fire with impunity, but you _can_ walk through
the
>alleys off 40th St. in Manhattan with no ill effect.
>7) You wear a 20-lb. sledgehammer from Home Depot around your neck.
>6) When the cable company comes to the door, you answer it and say "I wot
>that I hung on the telephone pole for 9 hours, neither cable did they bring
>me, nor a descrambler. Screaming did I grasp the premium channels..."
>5) You may not be able to physically assume the form of a bear, but you
hang
>out in alt.fetish.furry a lot.
>4) You keep a loaded crossbow in your car in case someone cuts you off
>during rush-hour.
>3) You coat your body in Rogaine instead of wode.
>2) When you play "Gauntlet" your heart skips a beat when someone puts a
>quarter in the slot for Valkyrie.
>1) You look forward to drinking ale with Ernest Borgnine in Valhalla when
>you die ("Hail Ragnar's Beard!").
>
>;-)
>
Robert S. Gau
one need not be a murderer or a criminal.
Agrippa <23sk...@ixpres.com> wrote in message <7i2bsm$s55$1...@remarQ.com>...
>A history of criminal activity (especially assault), alcohol and drug
abuse.
>
>Robert S. Gau <gun...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
>news:7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net...
Robert S. Gau
I don't have a propensity to violence or a short temper. I am an angry
person, but
It is a spiritual thing with me.
S. M. Hewitt wrote in message <3744c56c...@news.n-link.com>...
>On Thu, 20 May 1999 19:39:47 -0500, "Robert S. Gau"
><gun...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>>Well,
>>I think there is more to it than that kind of thinking.
>>There is a mystery here. Something very spiritual.
>>Opinions?
>>
>
>...history glamorizes the lifestyle, but the Sagas don't normally
>portray them as ending well. Don't take a short temper or propensity
>to violence to be anything more than it is.
>
>Read, think, then read again, and be the sort of person AllFather
>would wish to speak to. He's the one with the answers.
>
>
>-- Steve
>
>http://www.n-link.com/~smhewitt
>
>****************************************
>
>Hail the Ęsir and the Vanir, who are our kin!
>Hail our warriors and our scholars!
>Hail all honest men, everywhere!
>
>*****************************************
Robert S. Gau
That REALLY helped.
Coupled with some other things, I am convinced, now.
Doug Freyburger wrote in message <3744AB...@colltech.com>...
>Robert S. Gau wrote:
>>
>> I believe that I may be a berserk.
>> How does one know in this modern society?
>
Osric Wuldorleof
>
I believe you may not.
Robert S. Gau
Osric Wuldorleof wrote in message <5h513.254$2t2....@news.uswest.net>...
Robert S. Gau
Nick Smith wrote in message <3744e281....@news.xtra.co.nz>...
>>I believe that I may be a berserk.
>>How does one know in this modern society?
>
>One does not believe that one is Berserk one simply is.
>
>Bless
>Nik Warrensson
Dirk Bruere
>
> I believe that I may be a berserk.
> How does one know in this modern society?
Posting from prison might be a good indicator.
Dirk
S. M. Hewitt
Nick Smith
>How does one know in this modern society?
One does not believe that one is Berserk one simply is.
Bless
Nik Warrensson
Agnarb
>
>
>Osric Wuldorleof wrote in message <5h513.254$2t2....@news.uswest.net>...
>>
>>Robert S. Gau wrote in message <7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net>...
>>>
>>
>>
thinks this. He is not some punk kid. He is one who should , at the very
least, be paid attention to.(although it is different from snapping up
everyword as truth, which you shouldn't ever do)
Yes, I do think highly of Osric. In my opinion, he is right up there with Steve
H., Rorick, and many others who post here.
Wassail
Ronald Branga
RKN
Panreal
>quarter in the slot for Valkyrie.
>1) You look forward to drinking ale with Ernest Borgnine in Valhalla when
>you die ("Hail Ragnar's Beard!").
Damn, thats funny... and who says humorous heathens is a contradiction of terms
Auf,
~Pan~
Panreal
>would wish to speak to. He's the one with the answers.
>
He's also the one who seems to give the gift of berserk...
Auf,
~Pan~
Robert S. Gau
But no excuse to be rude to me.
This is a serious topic with me and he belittled it.
That's bullshit.
Agnarb wrote in message <19990521063041...@ng-cd1.aol.com>...
She Devil With A Rubber Chicken
Osric Wuldorleof <os...@uswest.net> wrote:
>
>Robert S. Gau wrote in message <7i24rh$14s$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net>...
>>I believe that I may be a berserk.
>>
>
>I believe you may not.
>
I may believe you may not believe.
--
" Here am I, voyager into life; Tougher the souls | Do not CD c
that shed the night! Wake the circle, stretch the | taunt --------P===\==/
line, call upon the devil; Bring the Gods, the Gods| happy fun /_\__
on fire; in the conflict revel!" -- Ian Anderson | fencer! _\ \
Robert S. Gau
What?
Can we be serious here?
She Devil With A Rubber Chicken wrote in message
<7i4904$rbr$1...@cedar.liii.com>...
Doug Freyburger
>
> ... who says humorous heathens is a contradiction of terms
You're an extreme newbie if you think that yourself,
and still a newbie if you don't doubt the sanity of
anyone who claims heathens are humorless.
Asatru is the Religion of Honor and Joy, and humor
is a large part of joy.
Hail Asgard!
Doug Freyburger
Doug Freyburger
>
> I think there is more to it than that kind of thinking.
I received your e-mail, and I have much more extensive
private correspondence than by posting. There are
some advantages to private discussions not available
on a general distribution discussion group. I tried
to e-mail you, but your address
mailto:gun...@mindspring.com
reports no such user. Feel free to send me an address
correction. Perhaps "gungnir" is a temporary screen
name you use only like on A.R.A.
One of the traits I listed was "A temperment that has
led to medication for some mental disorder," and several
others mentioned similar indications of a temper
difficult to control, like "Posting from prison", and
"a history of ... alcohol and drug abuse". Don't see
this pattern as frivolous or dismissive; they are all
aspects of the same underlying trait. "Posting from
prison" alludes to what can happen if the quick temper
that is common to berserkers is allowed to act out
without control. Substance abuse is a way many have
attempted to suppress that temper without a spiritual
underpinning. Being diagnosed with a mental disorder
is what can happen if you allow others to control the
temper.
If you have experienced none of those, it is probably
a result of self discipline gotten from a spiritual
approach to life in gernal, if the berserker temper
runs in your family.
> There is a mystery here. Something very spiritual.
Of course there is. Such is life, and it isn't just
for berserkers. It is for everyone. The Lore claims
that berserkers had fetches that came out in the open.
Phrased in modern terms, that sounds like having
extreme shifts in mood that can take place rapidly.
All humans have fetches, the Lore just speaks more
loudly of the fetches of those born berserkers.
Hail Asgard!
Doug Freyburger
Úlfgrim Vílmeiðson
Doug Freyburger wrote in message <3745A7...@colltech.com>...
>
>You're an extreme newbie if you think that yourself,
>and still a newbie if you don't doubt the sanity of
>anyone who claims heathens are humorless.
The surest sign of a lack of a sense of humor is a lack of a sense of humor
about one's lack of a sense of humor.
... I think. :-)
C'mon, guys, lighten up! This newsgroup _has_ been a little dry, and tense,
and self-important, and full of itself lately. Let's all just take a deep
breath and stop taking offense where none is intended, and just all hang out
in frith, fun, and fellowship. We're all worshipping the same Gods, even if
we don't agree on the specifics of _how_ they should be worshipped.
And yes, we Heathens have a reputation for being rather... grim compared to
other sorts of pagans. Myself included. Can you blame us? We have a religion
in which almost all our Gods are going to die at Ragnarok; if that doesn't
make you fatalistic, nothing will. But summer is upon us; the Earth is in
bloom! Let's declare ARA a frithstead until, say, September. What say ye? No
gratuitous insults, no little snipes, no cheap shots. Can we do it for three
months?
The Folkish and the Progressives stop sniping. The Rydbergians and the
non-Rydbergians stop sniping. The reconstuctionists and the eclectics stop
sniping. The Gilders and the anti-Edreders stop sniping. Just for a couple
of months. Can we do it?
Probably not (there's that grim side of me coming through again). But I'm
willing to give it a shot!
In frith,
Úlfgrim Vílmeiđson, gođi
Gers Ey Gođorđ
WyrdWoman
>C'mon, guys, lighten up! This newsgroup _has_ been a little dry, and
tense,
>and self-important, and full of itself lately. Let's all just take a deep
>breath and stop taking offense where none is intended, and just all hang
out
>in frith, fun, and fellowship. We're all worshipping the same Gods, even
if
>we don't agree on the specifics of _how_ they should be worshipped.
>
>And yes, we Heathens have a reputation for being rather... grim compared
to
>other sorts of pagans. Myself included. Can you blame us? We have a
religion
>in which almost all our Gods are going to die at Ragnarok; if that doesn't
>make you fatalistic, nothing will. But summer is upon us; the Earth is in
>bloom! Let's declare ARA a frithstead until, say, September. What say ye?
No
>gratuitous insults, no little snipes, no cheap shots. Can we do it for
three
>months?
OK, on that note I'll apologize for the tone of my last post in the
homosexual Xian thread. :) Three months of that? I can do it...
Alright then, on a lighter note, I'm quite excited about a new Freya statue
coming out early June by artist Paul Borda! Here's a link to the page:
http://www.goddess-gallery.com/~goddessg/borda.html
I know that some don't like his rendition of Thor (which I adore), but I
love his style. I've yet to see a good Freya statue. I have the Morrigan,
as well (pictured on the website above). Sorry about the shameless plug,
but I can't wait!
~*~*~*~*~*~
WyrdWoman
H4P1A3S1
>The Folkish and the Progressives stop sniping. The Rydbergians and the
>non-Rydbergians stop sniping. The reconstuctionists and the eclectics stop
>sniping. The Gilders and the anti-Edreders stop sniping. Just for a couple
>of months. Can we do it?
Hmm... seems like it would get unnaturally quiet around here. Three months of
supportive sweetness and light? One a.r.a.?
Nahhhhh...
Better yet, I'll believe it when I see it. ;^)
Respectfully,
Morgan
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging
their prejudices." -- Wm. James
Guder42
persons of the group.
I had considered beserker frenzy to be simply a personality trait that would
come out on the field. The discussion seems to imply that they were considered
a sort of group, a noun as opposed to an adjective, even in their own day (not
just condensed through history's lense). Is this true, and where can I find
information?
The list provided by Mr. Freyburger was interesting, to say the least. Do any
of you believe there is a difference between poor impulse control or an
overabundance of passion; and tending toward "beserker" personality? Is it
merely a question of degree or quality of use? And last, is this a good thing,
a bad thing, or a pointless question?
For myself, I am often decidedly overpassionate, diving into a lost cause at my
own detrement simply based on my opinion of right or wrong, even with much to
lose and little or nothing to gain (and usually without the proper
forethought). I have a fast temper, but I remain calm and reasonable even when
(especially when) faced with overt hostility. Funny thing is I tend to be very
unreasonable about small friendly discussions.
I also tend to be, er, overly amorous. I can be washed with a wave of eros
love that can be hard to describe, and harder to control. It makes me feel like
an animal on the hunt, my skin reaching out like a sensory organ, as if I am
inside the body of my "prey". I get very strong reactions from partners during
these rushes, and I tend to go as far as hallucinations and other strange
occurrances that would probably be way too much information, if I haven't
crossed the line already.
And then the weird thing... My lover (a catholic) and I have a very strong
spiritual "link" or bond of some kind. It's what drew us together. She is
extremely empathetic to my emotions, and I am extremely empathetic to her
thoughts. I know what she is thinking in such detail so often that she believes
I can read her mind (she still thinks anything non- xtian is based on magic or
occult secrets) and that I deny it just to avoid telling her how I do it. She
also causes very strong emotions in me (woo hoo for that). I used to play with
her by focussing my "passion" while we were in public, like a restaurant, and
staring at her, because she could tell what was on my mind, and I often tease
her for hours before we can be alone. Well, she would get very upset and I
thought it was because she thought I was "reading her mind" or something. She
refused to tell me why she got upset and thought I was teasing her by asking.
To make a long story short (sorry for the bandwidth if I'm too long already)
one night she demanded to know how I did it. "It" being changing my face into
that of an animal. This was something that happened many many times. After the
first few times she would have me do it while she watched (to figure out how I
did it), I didn't know what she was expecting, but she still saw the same thing
each time.
Hey, maybe I'm crazy, maybe she is, maybe that makes us perfect for each other.
Also let me assure you all that I am nobody's idea of a "fluffbunny". So my
question is, am I missing something here? Does this sound consistent with known
lore? Is it something to look into, or just note as a curiosity?
Guder
Guder42
>"It" being changing my face into
>that of an animal.
To clarify... no, I don't believe my face changed, it was what she saw. Is this
possibly my fetch? If so, should I be doing something to show respect or
appreciation or kinship?
Also, I've heard it mentioned that the beserker's frenzy is one of the gifts of
Odin... Is there more to know about this?
Guder
Tcku
>
>Hmm... seems like it would get unnaturally quiet around here. Three months
>of
>supportive sweetness and light? One a.r.a.?
>
>Nahhhhh...
>
>Better yet, I'll believe it when I see it. ;^)
>
>
>Respectfully,
>Morgan
>
Wassail!
Night Winds
--------------------------------------------------------------
http://members.aol.com/tcku/greeting.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
H4P1A3S1
>She took the words right out of my mouth! >How's that for being supportive?
[Hey -- red-letter day -- I actually got called by the proper third-person
singular pronoun for once.] Thanks for your accuracy and your support!
(Now, I think I'm going to have to find those air-sickness bags I saved from my
last flight... prompted only in part by realising I allowed an uncharacteristic
spelling error to slip through in my previous post.)
Blue Eyes
>>From: tc...@aol.com (Tcku)
>
>>She took the words right out of my mouth! >How's that for being supportive?
>
>[Hey -- red-letter day -- I actually got called by the proper third-person
>singular pronoun for once.] Thanks for your accuracy and your support!
[snip]
>Respectfully,
>Morgan
Ummm, I thought Morgan was almost always a woman's name. Would never
have thought of you as anything other than a woman.
Kind regards
Russ
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/5804
May those who lead by true, may those who follow
be loyal, so that we may be bound in a
circle of unity and honour
H4P1A3S1
>Ummm, I thought Morgan was almost always a woman's name.
It is indeed, at least in my case.
(If one goes back about 600 years or so, it was almost exclusively masculine,
but that's beside the point.)
Would never
>have thought of you as anything other than a woman.
Then you'd be truly surprised how many times I've been referred to as "he" or
"him" on this newsgroup.
I was just glad Tcku got it right.
Ngilcach
Meaning ... loyal, determined, quick of wit & tongue, filled with intelligence,
integrity and a mighty *twisted* opinion - at times (had to throw that last bit
in to *protect* myself. ;)
hee-hee ... recalling conversations over strangly named & provocatively
appearing Indian food. (You had to be there!)
In Service ...
Yngona Tyrsvardh
Russ Gardener
>>From: soulm...@hotmail.com
>
>>Ummm, I thought Morgan was almost always a woman's name.
>
>It is indeed, at least in my case.
>
>(If one goes back about 600 years or so, it was almost exclusively masculine,
>but that's beside the point.)
>
I always think of Morgana la Fey, but without going downstairs for my
Mallory's Tales of Arthur I can't remember if she is in that or if she
is a later addition.
Certainly a powerful character of the Arthurian legends.
BTW I love the language of Mallory. I half wish we all spoke like
that today :-)
Kind regards
Russ
Hail Sachin Tendulkar!! Indian maestro of the bat
who scored the first century of the cricket
World Cup.
H4P1A3S1
>I always think of Morgana la Fey, but without going downstairs for my
>Mallory's Tales of Arthur I can't remember if she is in that or if she
>is a later addition.
Actually, I had the name thrust upon me after some people thought the title of
the movie "Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment" fit just a little too well to
pass up. (I wonder why?)