In stanza 144 of Hávamál, the speaker asks the reader about their knowledge regarding a series of religious ritual steps. The seventh question, “Veistu, hvé senda skal?” (do you know how to send?), which comes right after “Veistu, hvé blóta skal?” (do you know how to sacrifice?) is the topic of this article. The word “senda” in Old Norse means to send something somewhere, sometimes in the context of sending a gift. Its place in the series of questions in stanza 144 suggests, that after something (whether an animal, an object, or a human) has been sacrificed to the gods, the next logical step is to send that gift to the gods. But how does one go about doing that? What is needed to send a sacrifice into the liminal world of thea gods? For the Old Norse people, there seem to have been two primary vehicles: Water (as reflected in the many widespread bog-finds) and Fire. It is the second of these which I believe holds the key to understanding Loki’s function in Old Norse religion, and reveals the constructive role he could be playing in modern Heathen ritual today.

Despite the evidence that supports calling Loki a fire god, there is one event in Snorri’s Gylfaginning which many people believe specifically discredits Loki’s identity as such. However, when placed in the proper context, this same event may serve as the key to Loki’s primary function in pre-Christian Germanic culture.

I created this ritual both for myself and for others as a structured way in which to honor Loki and Sigyn, and to feed the gods. To understand Loki in the context of the sacramental fire, and the importance that burnt offerings holds in strengthening the holy powers, I recommend my previous articles: A New Place for Loki part I and II. This ritual was primarily inspired by the Vedic ritual of Agnihotra, a ritual of burnt offerings with Agni (fire) as the central focus.

As Loki is the vehicle through which the gods are fed, this ritual can be used to honor any god or goddess, and can also be used effectively during blót. As I am presenting it here, it can be used as a simple daily or weekly practice to honor Loki and Sigyn, pray, and commune with them, and to empower and strengthen the gods and their influence in the devotees life.