Bücher von Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold

In TROLLRU╠üN: A Discourse on Trolldom and Runes in the Northern Tradition, Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold opens the door to landscapes little known outside of Scandinavia. These landscapes are populated by mythical beings and land spirits which offer a quite different approach to the Northern Tradition than what is usual. Here the Aesir have taken a backseat in favour of discussions on the wider tapestry of Northern wisdom, such as trolldom, seidr and the legacy left by the Black Books of magic under the larger theme of ''What the Trolls Told'', comprising the first part of TROLLR├ÜN. This is followed by a presentation of the Elder runes, runology, and rune magic, all rooted in Scandinavian ideas of the use of runes and their magic. TROLLR├ÜN views this landscape through the eyes of the cunning arts, where the ice, the frost, the midnight sun, and the majestic mountains and fjords become the orchestra of TROLLR├ÜN''s wisdom, drenched in the powerful atmosphere of the magical north. 

Ifá: A Forest of Mystery by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold is a major study on the cosmology, metaphysics, philosophy and divination system of Ifá, written by a tradition holder and member of the council of elders, known as the Ogboni society, of Abeokuta, Nigeria. Ifá - an alternative name for its prophet Òrúnmìlà - is a religion, a wisdom tradition and a system of divination encoding the rich and complex oral and material culture of the Yoruba people. The Yoruba culture is grounded in memory, an ancestral repository of wisdom, that generates good counsel, advises appropriate ebo (sacrifice) and opens the way to develop a good character on our journey through life and in our interactions with the visible and invisible worlds. The work is a presentation of the first sixteen odù of the Ifá corpus of divination verses explained in stories, allegories and proverbs reflecting the practical wisdom of Ifá. The work is both a presentation of Ifá for those with little knowledge of it, and a dynamic presentation of the wealth of its wisdom for those already familiar with Ifá. The deities and key concepts of Ifá metaphysics are discussed, including: Obàtálá, Ònilé, Sàngó, Ògún, Oya, Òsányìn, Yemoja, Èsù, àse (power), egúngún (ancestry), ìwà (character), and orí (head/consciousness/daimon). Notably, Dr Frisvold has created a work which celebrates the Yoruba wisdom tradition and makes a bridge with the Western world. It is of value for the light that it casts on the origins and mysteries of Èsù and òrìsà, and an important source for those practicing Quimbanda, Palo, Santeria, Vodou and the African Diaspora religions. Yet its lessons are universal, for it is the art of developing character, of attracting good fortune and accruing wisdom in life. As Nicholaj writes: '...Ifá is a philosophy, a theogony, theology and cosmology rooted in a particular metaphysic that concerns itself with the real and the ideal, the world and its beginning. It is rooted in the constitution of man and the purpose of life and the nature of fate. Ifá is a philosophy of character. The philosophy of Ifá lies at the root of any religious cult or organization involving the veneration of òrìsà. [...] Through stories and legends, divinatory verses and proverbs, this philosophy will be revealed piece by piece until the landscape has been laid open before you... '

Palo Mayombe: The Garden of Blood and Bones is an initiate's account of this much maligned cult whose central nigromantic mystery is the prenda, the cauldron containing the human skull or bones, reanimated by living spirit. Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold traces the roots of Palo Mayombe back to Kongolese sorcery, the warrior and leopard societies, and the impact of the Portugese Mission. The original African faith is carried in chains across the abysmal waters of Kalunga and it flowers in Cuba as a New World Creole religion and cult. Yet Palo Mayombe can only be truly understood in the light of a highly developed African cosmology. In drawing parallels with the ancient Greek practice of necromancy, and the grimoire tradition, Frisvold also considers the Western tradition, showing what we have lost in our denial of the dead and the cult of the ancestors. The magical head of Palo Mayombe in its three-legged iron cauldron has implications for understanding our own histories, whether Odin, Baphomet, Bran, John the Baptist or Orpheus. The Misa Espiritual suggests one way in which we can reforge that vital connection and resurrect both our dead and ourselves.The Garden of Blood and Bones gives explicit detail of the workings of Palo Mayombe for good and ill, the method of divination, the herbs, animals, trees and plants, powders, baths and waters, the songs and chants. It presents a complete living system one which embraces both the arts of healing and resurrection, and those that remove life. This study confronts the sinister and violent aspects of the cult, but rather than purveying lurid sensationalism expresses the deep dignity and integrity of its nature; it is intended to serve as a guide for practising Paleros and those seeking initiation. With access to rare materials, pamphlets, booklets and unpublished field notes, this is the most comprehensive study of Palo Mayombe to date. Santeros and practitioners of Vodou will also find much to ponder within these pages.

In Seven Crossroads of Night Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold sets forth the foundation for Quimbanda in theory and practice, presenting a blueprint for the themes that generate the variety of ways Quimbanda can be approached. Quimbanda is a Brazilian cult of sorcery that has been preserved in different modalities - either as a secret cult, a necromantic cult, or as an open, religious tradition. Formed of indigenous, African, and European streams of wisdom and sorcery, this unique cult of Exu and Pomba Gira is safeguarded by these amazing entities in diverse ways across Brazil. Remaining strong in their own power, these unique entities represent the mystery of the crossroad, the voice of the graveyard, and the force of life that generates endurance, direction, and honour through the lessons given from life itself and the ancestors. ¿Though Quimbanda has flourished in the world during the last decade, with the flow and spread of the cult of Exu and Pomba Gira comes questions, misinformation, and confusion along with the fertile ground for its growth. In such a landscape it is good to have waymarks to follow and a map which reveals the lay of the land in the world of these powerful spirits. Frisvold, a resident of Brazil since 2003 who has dedicated the last three decades in study and initiation of cults of sorcery, wisdom, and cunning craft guides us though the intricacies of Quimbanda, offering a simple and effective guide to approaching Exu and Pomba Gira.

Exu and the Quimbanda of Night and Fire is the companion to Pomba Gira. Together they give the most complete account of this sorcerous cult. Exu is the fusion of Umbanda, Angolan sorcery, European demonology and Kardec's Spiritsm, erupting in a uniquely Brazilian cult of practical magical action. Spells, workings, hierarchies and origins are all given in detail.This is an essential text for students of the grimoires, Satanism and Traditional Witchcraft, as well as those drawn to or working within the cults of Quimbanda, Candomblé, Santería, Palo Mayombe and the African diaspora religions.Quimbanda is a living tradition that gets results. It is a massive storehouse of magical lore, heresies and history which has absorbed aspects of Goetia, Grimorium Verum, Red Dragon and even Huysman's Là Bas. The origin of Exu is explored from the iconic Baphomet of Eliphas Lévi and the influence of St Cyprian, the patron saint of necromancers, back to Umbanda and the traditional African religions. Exu revels in a unique heritage that encompasses a Gnostic account of the crucifixion mystery, the concealed nature of St Michael Archangel and the native shamanism of the Caboclos.A forceful spirit, Exu presides over the kingdom of the world, and offers a fierce path for those that would take him as companion.The Seven Legions of Exus are 'hot' spirits, and their work is considered black magic. The perils of this work are given, with the dangers of obsession by the Qlippoth and vampirism described. Guidance is offered and the path to ascension shown. In Exu and the Quimbanda of Night and Fire Frisvold gives explicit workings for good and ill, a herbarium and details of offerings, powders and baths, songs and seals. He discusses the fearsome Exu Mor for the first time, a subject not treated in his previous works.Frisvold is an intiate and gives an insider's view, drawing upon his years of experience in the cult. With access to texts, manuscripts and personal testimony this is the most definitive work on Exu available in English.