Seidr Norse Shamanism & Sacred Art with Imelda Almqvist

Canceled 2025

Join UK international author, teacher and artist, Imelda Almqvist, for  this Sacred Art Workshop. Imelda Almqvist is the author of Sacred Art: A Hollow Bone for Spirit (Where Art meets Shamanism)

Course Description

Swans have always spoken to the human imagination. What does the hybrid nature of Swan Maidens teach us about ourselves (and I am speaking of both men and women here)?

Here are some questions to help you decide whether this course is for you:

·  Have you found your wings in this lifetime or is there more work to be done to set yourself free and soar?

·  Do you have a (secret) feathered cloak?

·  Do you ever feel like a Hybrid, part human and part animal?

·  Do you feel more at home in other worlds than in everyday reality?

In relationships we sometimes make sacrifices of our own free will (taking off our wild swan cloak, no longer flying wherever we want to) because we crave connection, togetherness, (and often children, who need stability). However, we can do that only for so long and after that our Swan Self urges us to reclaim ourselves and fly free.

This Call of the Wild can grow exceptionally strong at (or after) the menopause (or midlife crisis for men). But it can also arrive at other times of life, where we need to re-wild ourselves at all cost.

These are some themes our retreat will explore through making art, ceremony and the process of direct revelation!

This is a foundation level course in making sacred art. It introduces all the key principles of making sacred art (shamanic art, spirit-led art or spiritual art). We release our limiting beliefs. We step away from everyday or ego-led consciousness, into other worlds and into a very fluid way of working )where writer’s block, or being paralysed by a white canvas does not exist). 

We will become a swan bone flute for spirit and reclaim our swan’s wings. We will invite the famous Swan Maidens of Old Norse cosmology to be our allies and otherworld teachers for this weekend. (Swan Maidens are Valkyries!)

This course involves three evenings of ceremonial work. You are invited to bring a ceremonial outfit (as well as art materials of choice). Bringing some swan or hybrid-related objects is good, but not essential!

Imelda Almqvist is the author of Sacred Art: A Hollow Bone for Spirit (Where Art meets Shamanism) and she invites you to read that book (and complete some chapter exercises) in preparation for this course. Oh and please start paying close attention to your dreams, before we meet. Keep a dream journal!

Workshop Times:

9:00 Friday to 4:00 Monday

Workshop will go into the evening hours.

Fee: $799, lunch & dinner included (no dinner Sunday).

Lodging Options

Commuter: no additional charge

Camp: $75

Shared Cabin Room: $150

Single Private Cabin Room: $270

Includes 3-nights lodging and breakfast.

Cabins have twin-beds with linen and towels provided. Cabin is heated & air conditioned and has electricity. Bathroom with shower a one-minute walk from cabin. 

Canceled 2025

Join UK international author and teacher, Imelda Almqvist, for Seiðr/Fornsed & Norse Shamanism. This 4-day intense foundations introduction course covers a large field of spiritual and mystical traditions where we will explore the indigenous ancestral pathways and spiritual wisdom teachings of Northern Europe. See about Imelda: www.shaman-healer-painter.com

A 4-day intense foundation course 

This is the prerequisite for Imelda's

Seiðmaðr & Seiðkona 2 year program in Sweden (Forest School) and  advanced Seidr Modules at the Golden Light Healing Centre in the US.

Seiðr (Siðr in Old Norse) is a word used in the Norse sagas that refers to a set of old Scandinavian magical practices. The Poetic Edda tells us that a mysterious woman called Gullveig (assumed to be the goddess Freyja incognito) went out in the world, as a Vǫlva, to teach the art of Seidr to human beings. 

The word Seiðr is commonly associated with (or even translated as) “Norse Shamanism”. This is problematic because the word shamanism comes from Siberia and the Old Norse people did not have “shamans”. However, they did have the Vǫlva and Rune Magicians, as well as many folk practitioners skilled in various magical and healing arts. This body of magical work from the folk tradition is referred to as Trolldomr. If we define shamanism as using altered states of consciousness for powerful spirit work, then the Old Norse people certainly practiced “shamanism”.

This course offers an immersion and foundation in the sacred arts of the Vǫlva and Rune Magician (where we study and practice oracular work, make our own set of Elder Futhark runes, and learn how to perform divination work for others (and ourselves). 

What will our course cover?

This course covers a large field of spiritual and mystical traditions: we explore the indigenous ancestral pathways and spiritual wisdom teachings of Northern Europe. 

I teach this material in traditional ways, closely following both the ancient texts (meaning the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda and sagas) and the old Scandinavian traditions and folklore. I also teach this course with an academic and linguistic underpinning: I am fluent in Swedish (I also understand Norwegian and Danish) and I have a working knowledge of Old Norse. (My mother tongue is Dutch).

However, we can't all "become Vikings" and go live in Scandinavia! Therefore I aim to marry scholarship to the principle of personal revelation. (Meaning that we study the old material very closely but we also invite the gods, goddesses and inhabitants of the Nine Worlds to communicate with us directly and tell us how they wish to work with us in the context of the 21st century!)

We will explore the following things:

Yggdrasil and the inhabitants of the Nine Worlds

I will introduce Yggdrasil (the world tree that holds up the universe) and the inhabitants of all the Nine Worlds (gods, goddesses, Norns, Valkyries, dwarves, elves, giants etc.) and provide a map for exploring these worlds.

The Norse Sagas and Myths

We will explore Norse Creation Stories as well as the myths about the end of the world: Ragnarök or Ragnarøkkr (Old Norse; meaning Fate of the Gods or Twilight of the Gods). 

The Norns

We will explore the workings of the Web of Wyrd and the role of the Norns in carving the destiny of all beings (even the gods!) We will look briefly at the concept of Changing the Weave, (this will be taken much further in the advanced module dedicated to working with the Norns). 

Carving or creating our own set of runes

We study the runes, following the Norse order and names (not the Anglo-Saxon system!) and we carve or create a personal set of runes for divination and magical work. We explores what it takes (and what it means) to work as a rune magician in the 21st century. 

Trolldom

We will also briefly look at sigils and traditional magical workings

Shapeshifting and Berserking

We do some exercises which offer a brief taste of this work. 

Galdr
We will touch upon the magical power of songs and speech and how they relate to the ancient art of poetry. The Old Norse Tradition was an oral tradition, many centuries before anything was written down!

Blót
We will perform an offering ceremony. Blogs are offering ceremonies to the gods, traditionally performed at particular times of the year (major festivals) but often also for personal or global reasons. We look at the roles of the goði and.gyðja (priest and priestess).

The Norse Gods and Goddesses

We meet the Norse gods and goddesses: their teachings, energy and unique character traits. 

Human Roles

The roles of human beings in this cosmology: the Vǫlva (also Völva) as the ‘Sibyll’, Prophetess). The Godhiand Gydja: the local spiritual leaders and spirit workers. 

The concept of the spiritual warrior in Norse Lore and the teachings of both Tyr and Odin

We study the principle of sacrifice made in return for spiritual (or societal) gain. Examples are Odin's Eye and Tyr's arm or hand.

Divination and Prophecy

We explore how seidr can be used for divination and oracular work.

High Seat Ceremony

We will perform a High Seat ceremony. Some people may have experienced a High Seat Ceremony introduced by American teachers with different personal backgrounds and varying levels of scholarship (and mastering Scandinavian languages - or not, as may be). I wish to make it very clear that the High Seat Ceremony we will perform is the traditional Scandinavian version as it has always been performed in local communities - not an Americanized  interpretation of the sagas.

Prerequisites

An open heart and sincere desire to engage with this material (no previous knowledge or experience is assumed).

A clean record of behaviour in class: meaning that you need to have a handle on your own issues and triggers, and you need to be willing to share time, space and resources in such a way that everyone gets the most from profound shamanic group process. 

Some of the people you meet on this course may well become your community of kindred spirits, support network or even colleagues one day (if you decide to proceed into more advanced modules).

Workshop Times:

9:00 Thursday to 4:00 Sunday

Workshop will go into the evening hours.

Fee: $799, lunch & dinner included (no dinner Sunday).

Lodging Options

Commuter: no additional charge

Camp: $75

Shared Cabin Room: $150

Single Private Cabin Room: $270

Includes 3-nights lodging and breakfast.

Cabins have twin-beds with linen and towels provided. Cabin is heated & air conditioned and has electricity. Bathroom with shower a one-minute walk from cabin.