Those who know me intimately know that I have some self confidence issues. Loki is quite aware of this and has actively taken steps to help me manage this. (He isn't the only one but he has been the most visible up until recently on the deity front.) Loki's idea of motivating someone varies from person to person. 95% of the Loki's folk* that I talk to have had many stories of Loki encouraging them. It varies widely on a case by case basis. What works for one person is entirely different from what works for another. Also, what works today is completely different from what works tomorrow. And if nothing else, Loki is exceptionally good at thinking things up on the fly.
Sometimes, he shows up as the loveable goofball who goads you into laughing at the situation and finding the positive solutions. Other times, he is there as the drill sergeant who drop kicks you into action. And then there is the sly game master who starts helping you plan your next move. (And sometimes he will literally help you play a game. If you can do 'godphone' and Loki is one of the ones who talk to you, try playing Cards Against Humanity. It is hilarious.) Loki is someone who will use any tool to his advantage and has few qualms about comfort levels, in my experience. If acting like the village idiot is what it takes to get someone moving on a project that is important, he won't hesitate to do it. After all, this is the same god who tied his balls to a goat to make Skadi laugh.
Loki as cheerleader is a gift. Not everybody gets to experience him that way. It is something that I cherish. I will admit, however, it has lead to some awkward moments. The way he encouraged me to get over my shyness around Freyr was a great example of a string of awkward moments that resulted in something positive. (It's complicated but I talk a little bit about it on my other blog.) The way he has encouraged me to push forward with my writing has moved me out of my comfort zone quite often but it was the kick in the pants that I needed to start making things happen. And there have been times where he just pointed out the obvious thing that I was missing, usually with a good deal of amusement on his part and declarations that I am adorable.
I recognize that World Breaker as a motivational force can be terrifying. I've even had times like that myself. It was Loki as World Breaker that pushed me to go to the hospital during a bout of suicidal depression. He showed me exactly what would come of my ignoring my needs and it was horrifying and scared me more then the depression fueled anxiety over getting help did. Still, even as World Breaker, I trust him. Because Loki has my back and one of the ways he does that is by pushing me when I falter at forward progress. And that is another form of cheer leading, to be honest.
Hail Loki, the god of change!
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* My use of the term 'folk' is not in the sense of what has come to be known as folkish Asatru. I actually am offended by the fact that the term folk has been taken over by such racist and intolerant people. My use of the term as it is properly defined (family, community, tribe, or nation) is an attempt to restore the term back to its proper usage. It is my belief that Loki's people are our own tribe of sorts. We may be like a bunch of cats all doing our own thing and such (complete with the occasional cat fight) but we are all linked together. It is something special and I think we should recognize and celebrate that. Loki deserves love and everyone involved with him deserve it too. I humbly ask my fellow Loki's folk to extend a little bit of that love towards each other (with exceptions made for reasonable reasons) because we're the herd of tie-dyed goats of the folks who follow the Norse (and related culture's) deities and that makes us special.
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