Chaining Fenris: A Ritual to Bind the Inner Beast
from "Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path"
This ritual is best done directly after a workshop or discussion
on monster work, or working with the Beast Within. (For explications on Monster Work, please check the next article on this site, which discusses that.) There should also be some
discussion of the myth of Fenris and why he was chained, or people may not really understand the symbolism,
although the priest/ess will be explaining some of it in the opening
invocation. For this ritual, you will need:
- A skein of yarn, cut into many lengths (we used silk, handspun “with intent”)
-Many squares of black fabric, about 6” across
-A fire or candle flame
-A cup of something slimy
-A particularly ugly baby doll
-A skull with gold coins in its mouth
-Crushed and powdered granite, preferably mined out of the earth
-Beard shavings from anyone who lives full-time as female (hit up your transgendered friends for this one, and if you don’t have any, make some!)
-Bird spittle (for this, find someone with a large pet bird and put things in its beak, then take them out – make sure to reward the bird for this!)
-Cat footprints (we dipped our kitty’s feet in food-safe food coloring and let her walk on cloth)
-Water from a pond or stream with fishes in it
-A well-used teddy bear
Before the ritual, build a fire or light the candle. Around it, put the cup of slimy material, the ugly baby doll, and the skull with gold coins. Inform people that they represent four common types of monsters, and encourage people to add more if they can think of any items. Instruct them to spend time before the ritual dealing with the item(s) that represent familiar monsters to them. The reason that this is better done on one’s own time, before the ritual, is that people are less likely to stand up in the middle of the ritual and talk about their monster in front of everyone, but they may be more willing to quietly go and commune with it beforehand.
1. The Raging Beast. Whether this is the creature full of anger and ready to strike, or just the sadistic one who likes to see pain, this predator is the most showy of all the monsters. He gets romanticized a lot, but there’s nothing actually romantic about restraining an anger management problem that threatens to devour your life and your loved ones. It’s actually pretty grubby and difficult. This monster jumps and strikes without warning and often without good reason; he may batter or verbally abuse others, and he may gleefully enjoy every minute of it. The fire represents this monster, and people should actually touch some part of it in order to connect with the burning nature of this beast. Have a first aid kit on hand for minor burns. Dripping hot stearin wax works well too.
2. The Sleazy One. This monster, when panicked, forgets their morals and will say or do anything to anyone in order to stay afloat. When they feel that their survival is threatened – and that is a very subjective thing, which could include losing an argument, looking bad in public, or not having enough money to keep up your profligate lifestyle – they will lie to their family, steal from their friends, cheat customers, and ruthlessly use anyone in range … and then justify it because “it was necessary”. The pot of slimy substance represents this monster, and people should stick their hands in it … and not wash it off for a while, either.
3. The Pathetic One. This monster doesn’t want to stand on its own two feet. It wants to be taken care of, paid attention to, be told what to do, be nurtured, be childish, and generally never take responsibility for anything in its life. This monster whines, weeps, blubbers, moans, curls into a limp, miserable fetal ball, or just sits paralyzed and pitifully helpless. People who have to deal with this monster should spend time with the ugly, pathetic-looking baby doll, carrying it around and attempting to like it.
4. The Gloating One. This monster is secretly (or not-so-secretly) sure that it is better than everyone else, and it spends a lot of time thinking about how lame other people are, and how superior it is in various ways. It is very insecure and requires a lot of reassurance, which is only really effective in the form of comparisons. It doesn’t want to be told, “You’re good at that”; it wants to be told, “You’re so much better at that than Joe and Bob and Meriwether; see how lousy they are?” Without direct comparisons that denigrate other people, it has no basis for believing any compliment, and besides, it loves to gloat. People with this monster should spend time taking the jewels and gold out of the mouth of the skull (and it should be a really nasty skull, preferably still with some rotting flesh and fur on it) and chewing on them. “This is what your values are really worth in the long run,” says the dead animal head.
The other items are for the chaining ritual, and they represent the ingredients of Fenris’s chain: mountain’s roots, the beard of a woman, the spittle of a bird, the footfall of a cat, the breath of a fish, and the sensitivity of a bear. The yarn represents the chain itself that is used to bind the monster.
After everyone has had a chance to amble over and pick a monster (or not; some may not be ready to deal with this), everyone gathers around a central area. Squares of the black fabric are given to everyone; this will be used to make a mojo bag. The priest/ess displays the six objects that are associated with Fenris’s chain, and says the following invocation (which can be altered by the individual priest/ess to be spoken more comfortably):
Behold the six impossible things, gathered by the magicians of the Duergar, to chain the beast who could not be tamed! Yet we know that they are not impossible, simply difficult … and within them are found the keys to binding this Beast.
Yet first we must ask ourselves: It is a terrible thing to be a prisoner. If one must be so imprisoned, for the good of all, what can we offer them in return? What will you offer your monster in exchange for its binding? What gift, however meager, can you give in return?
People take turns speaking, saying what they will give their monster as gifts – doing fun things with it, buying it toys, finding it friends to play with, whatever.
Then here we make the chain of the six impossible things. They are called impossible, but we know that they are not so impossible. They are simply hard to come by.
The first thing on our list is the roots of mountains. In the depths of mountains, there are caves and tunnels and dark places. There is also bedrock, that which supports the rest of our lives. There is also the upheaval of early times, shaping those mountains from underneath. In order to work with our inner monsters, we have to be willing to go down to those places, to search the depths and scour the bedrock, to see what is deep inside. Sometimes we may even have to strip-mine the layers away, to expose the underground darkness to the light.
This is granite, crushed to a powder. This is what the mountains of this area are made of. Take it with you and remember.
The second thing on the list is the beard of a woman. This is tossed off as if it is impossible, yet we all know that it is not so. There are women who grow beards, and there are people who have beards who are women inside. This tells us that part of dealing with a monster is to find your inner balance between male and female, not to allow yourself to settle unquestioning into one or the other. That inner finding of balance helps you to maintain perspective. These are the shavings of a woman’s beard; take them with you and remember.
The third thing on the list is the spittle of a bird. Regardless of what the myths say, birds have spittle … and so do you. This sacred energy of a bird’s mouth says that you should talk, should speak, should tell stories about your monster. Even if you cannot allow it to use your mouth, you can tell its tales, and show that it is appreciated. This thread has bird spittle on it, of a very talkative bird. Take it with you and remember.
The fourth thing on the list is the footfall of a cat. Everyone who has had cats will tell you that although they can be very quiet, they can also be very loud. They are only quiet when it is their will to do so. They have the ability to step gently or to step hard, and this is something that you must learn in dealing with your monster. Sometimes they will need you to go gentle. Sometimes you must be rough with them, remind them that you are the alpha in this body, make them submit and show throat … or they will never respect you. The cat understands the control needed to go from gentle to rough. These are the footprints of a cat on cloth; take them with you and remember.
The fifth thing on the list is the breath of a fish. This, obviously, is water. Water symbolizes the feelings, the emotions that we must constantly check and be aware of. Sometimes, this is the only way to take notice of a chained monster who is becoming restless and needs attention. Watch the water levels in your life. This is water from a fishpond; take it and remember.
The sixth thing on the list is the nerves – or sensitivity – of a bear. While we couldn’t bring in a real bear and skin it, we bring here a well-used teddy bear to pass around. Hug him, hold him, and remember that love and nurturing is necessary for all beings – even monsters. Perhaps they prefer their love and nurturing in a somewhat different manner – let them tell you what that is. Take a thread from the bear and keep it. Remember that part of your job, as the alpha in your body, is to protect them, feed them, and care for them. They are no longer your enemy. They are your dependent. You are the leader of the pack. Remember this.
Now we bind your things with this silken cord, as fine as the chain that bound Fenris. We bind it with nine knots, and then we bind it to you. Take it with you and remember.
Afterwards, the rite is closed silently, with all dispersing into the night to meditate on what has been done, and then meet again in a neutral place to talk about it.