This month's altar honours Idunn, Norse Goddess of Youth and Rejuvenation. Idunn (pronounced ee-doon and meaning "Ever Young" or "She Who Renews") grows and tends the Apples of Eternal Youth which all the Norse gods and goddesses must eat to maintain their youth and vitality in perpetuity.
I bought my little statuette of Idunn about 12 years ago at a Scandinavian Christmas Market here in Edmonton. The beeswax apple candles came from a local Ukrainian crafts store.
There is a theory which speculates that extensive Viking settlement and influence in Scotland resulted in the River Doon being named after this popular goddess. The River Doon featured in some of Robbie Burns' poetry (Tam O' Shanter and Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon). Its bridge ("Brig o' Doon") became the name of the fictional magical Scottish town in the Broadway musical Brigadoon.
[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, 2024]
59 comments:
Your Idunn statue is heartwarming.
Love this idea of the apples of youth.
And now I want some beeswax candles!!!
XOXO
Glad you like her!
I could use a few of those apples myself.
Love this, Debbie! Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome!
How cool that you got her 12 years ago. Very, very cool. Thanks for saying how to pronounce her. Have a groovy week, Debra. Off to the day job in a few.
Yes, Idunn was an unexpected surprise at that Christmas Market! But a very welcome one.
...this is a bit out of my knowledge sphere.
Thanks for the education this morning.
I would have never guessed apples 🍎 of all things! Supposedly part of our so-called downfall!
Idunn ... Blond, blue-eyed, tall and beautiful ... the apples 🍏🍎 have worked their majik!
Thanks, Debra!
You're so knowledgeable about goddess stories. As usual we have rain and overcast, no moon sightings!
I wish my knowledge sphere included where to find those Apples of Youth!
Everyone needs a hobby, and goddess mythology is one of mine!
Yes, apples got a bad rap in "that other myth."
I am pedantic by nature, alas.
Odin could probably have done well to eat a few more apples. Isn't he usually portrayed as a greybeard?
In addition to "that other myth" there is the other other myth that started the Trojan war. Apples are pretty mythological, it seems.
Your new comments are weird. If you click the link to the full post comments are not nested, but if you click on the "leave a comment" page they are. Thanks, Blogger!
@ Old Lurker -- Oh crap! I know this new comment function was too good to be true! If the reply comments are not nesting right under the original comment in both formats, then what's the point? I'm going to go back to my old way of doing things then, only commenting in reply occasionally and specifically repeating who it is addressed to. Thanks for letting me know about this glitch. Damn you, Blogger!
I love being a pagan/heathen/alternative spiritual old lady, but I admit I don't really know much about how to be that. Thanks for being such a good guru (or whatever the correct word is)!
@ Cleora -- I am always happy to a companion on someone's path!
Oh those raping and pillaging vikings. They left their red hair all over the north or Europe:)
Noooo! Don't stop replying! Everybody basks in your attention.
I love it when you post about lesser known Goddesses. Idunn isn't new to me (had a big Norse mythology phase at one point) but I am delighted and surprised to see her. She is perfect for the harvest season.
Glad you are back!
You polished those apples!
i always love seeing your altars. this one is special!
@ Pixie -- Yeah, they certainly got around, didn't they.
@ Old Lurker -- If only that were true, LOL
@ e -- I love finding statues and representations of lesser known goddesses, but they are much harder to locate. I was so delighted to find Idunn!
@ Liz Hinds -- Yes, yes I did. They had to be worthy of gracing a full moon altar.
@ jaz@octoberfarm -- Thanks, Joyce, glad it resonates with you!
Very cool. I don't know if you know this, but we also celebrate the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana, our upcoming Fall holiday), with apples. The apples and honey combo, that is.
@ Rawknrobyn -- Great! Then this apple altar can have an even broader resonance!
I am watching Valhalla tv show on Netflix. So interesting to know the Nordic religion
If I remember right, Brigadoon was a town where nobody aged so perhaps your goddess was the inspiration.
@ roentare -- I've heard good things about that Valhalla series. Glad you're enjoying it!
@ Lady M -- Good point!
As I remember it, Brigadoon came alive just one day every one hundred years. No wonder this goddess comes around just once in a blue moon!
Very interesting information, Debra. I have to say that I both have never seen and absolutely dig those apple-shaped beeswax candles.
@ Kirk -- Good one, LOL!
@ Bea -- Thanks, they are pretty cool for candles!
She is lovely and I like the symbolism of the apples; like the old adage: an apple a day, keeps the doctor away, which is similar to keeping your vitality.
@ Busy Bee Suz -- Yes, that's very true -- good point!
This moon was several different moons at all at once.
@ Mike -- Yes, this particular moon is multi-talented!
Another lovely altar ... I like the Apple symbolism..
@ This N That -- Thanks! And those apples were good eatin' too.
I could use some youth and rejuvenation. That's a lovely altar, Debra.
Love,
Janie
Thanks, Janie!
I keep coming back to her face. She does look rather like I feel most of the time: a bit tentative, a little bit unsure that what I'm doing is right.
@ Liz Hinds -- Perhaps that's a characteristic of youthfulness?
It appears that I have Viking ancestry.
You need to become a Shield Maiden now.
Oh she is Divine looking lady for sure 😍
Lovely alter dear Debra
Her personality reflects the meaning of her name no doubt
@ baili -- Glad you like her and her apples!
❤️
What cool information about Idunn, Debra. Are those Macs? I haven't been able to find MacIntosh apples here in years. I'd be eating the altar decorations ~ lol. I'd especially like to eat a few of the Apples of Eternal Youth. I'm losing the battle, although some days I can manage a little vitality. My Scottish-Irish ancestors lived fairly close to the River Doon. Those Vikings probably contributed to my deep Norwegian genes. Have a great week!
@ Fundy Blue -- No, those are Gala apples on the altar (and I did eat them all, LOL). McIntosh apples are apparently not popular anymore compared to all the other apples on the market now. I haven't seen McIntoshes in the store for years either. And when we were young, they were pretty much the only apples we could get, at least in Canada, eh? Times and tastes change.
I am not aware of Idunn. Hey! I learned something again !
@ Ur-spo -- Then my work here is done.
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