Mimir's Well and the 8 of Earth

As I've previously mentioned, I'm participating in an Instagram challenge for the month of June which focuses on connecting to spirit guides. A card I've pulled several times in relation to my guide's strength, the purpose of my guide's presence in my life, and what I'm developing at this time, has been the 8 of Pentacles. In fact I've pulled it three times from three different decks! The prompt for today asked about the way(s) in which my guide is helping my spiritual evolution. From a new oracle deck - Das Germanische Götterorakel - I pulled Mimir's Well, and as I was shuffling Aar (representing the nameless Eagle who lives atop the World Tree) came flying out at me, so I considered it as well.

At first glance I wasn't sure if Aar was the Giant (in Eagle form) that creates the winds of the worlds, or if it was that which lives in Yggdrasil's branches, but I was able to clarify that using the "little white book" and Google Translate (this deck is in German-only, and while I did study German for a couple of years long ago, I certainly don't have enough to navigate all of the text in the booklet!).

"Weitsicht" means "farsightedness" which was my first clue. And it felt meaningful in light of the prompt. This eagle was only briefly attested in the lore, and never received a proper name (that we know of), but it is said to hold a great quantity of knowledge. Being a bird that lives in the World Tree's highest branches, it makes sense then that the bird's keen eyesight and lofty vantage point would provide insight and enhanced perspective (as well as close kinship to the cosmos and divine center of the universe).

I was moved when I turned over the card to see Mimir's Well, showing Odin drinking from the water after having sacrificed one of his eyes in exchange for wisdom. I love how his eye peers out of the well's water, both calm and alert, surrounded by the reflection of the stars. I heard a video once, not too long ago, by Maria Kvilhaug (her YouTube channel is Lady of the Labyrinth), where she discussed Odin in depth. While Odin is a wanderer, an ever-thirsty seeker of knowledge and understanding (often considered male traits) Maria discusses the eye in Mimir's Well as his calm, cool, feminine aspect - that part that receives wisdom and connects to the universal knowledge and intelligence of the cosmos; two equal sides of the same coin.

My brief write-up for the Instagram challenge was this:

Wisdom and farsightedness. Odin sacrificed an eye for a drink from Mimir's Well of wisdom, located under one of Yggdrasil's roots. The great Eagle perches in the highest branches of Yggdrasil, and thus knows much of what transpires throughout the worlds below. What wisdom do my sacrifices offer me? How does perspective help me to be more accepting and open minded, and to see the bigger picture?

As I was navigating Instagram's sea of "tags" I discovered something that I had posted from the Shadow Work October challenge last year: when asked about our deepest potential I had pulled the 8 of Earth (Chango from the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot) and Terra (from the Earthbound Oracle).

About this duo I had written:

"I think it's really interesting how both cards connect: 8 of Earth is the Sun in the first decan of Virgo, and Terra shows the sun rising over a bountiful land. The 8 of Earth is strength and patience, dedication and skill, success through learning and the application of hard work. In this case it is also Chango, King, wielder of lightning and passion, a great diviner in his own right. All along this challenge the tale has been that I must learn to own my inner fire, to brandish it, to free my full potential and embrace my personal power. Chango is a great teacher for that. Terra mirrors the rootedness in earth that forms the foundation of how I interact with the world (Capricorn sun and ascendant) and the place I feel most "me": in the forests and mountains, in the rivers, and among the wildlife. The sun rises, showing that my greatest potential lies in harnessing the strength of my earth connection, but also in awakening my own fire, my Aries moon energy.

I love how the river water tumbles forth and down toward even more fertile land, suggesting layers of reality all joining and interacting; the 9 worlds and three levels of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. The water at the very foundation of the card image  might be Mimisbrunnr, the well of sacred wisdom and knowledge where Odin sacrificed his eye in exchange for a taste."

Here again I had the 8 of Earth and Mimir's Well in connection to each other and my own personal development and potential, a consistent theme over the past nine months (hm, 9!).

There is a lot for me to ponder here. I sense some journaling in my future ;-)