Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast Podcast By David Alexander and Shawn Gaich cover art

Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast

Between Two Ravens: A Norse Mythology Podcast

By: David Alexander and Shawn Gaich
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About this listen

 A podcast about the psychological significance of Norse Mythology. Shawn is an amateur Norse Mythology Expert. David is not a Jungian Analyst but he reads a lot of books about Carl Jung's theories on the collective unconscious and individuation.

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Episodes
  • S5E18 Ragnar Lodbrok VII: The Legacy of Ragnar's Sons

    S5E18 Ragnar Lodbrok VII: The Legacy of Ragnar's Sons
    Apr 28 2025
    In this episode, Shawn and David wrap up the series on Ragnar Lobrok (cue dozens of solo episodes where Shawn and David have not in fact wrapped up their series on Ragnar Lodbrok), discussing chapters 18 - 20. In tandem with "The Tale of Ragnars Sons", you find out about the fates of the sons of Ragnar, including their deaths. There are then a couple of chapters of some nameless characters (well one is named), who in later years begin discussing the the heroic brothers either in their cups while getting drunk, or looking at monuments set to be reminders of them.

    The pair explore the descendents of these heroes, leading to the historical origins of 3 Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, tying together the legendary sagas with historical figures like Gorm the Old, Harald Fairhair, and Eirik the Victorious. There is also an interesting passing of the torch where in 1066 William the Conqueror supposedly dug up the grave of Ivar the Boneless (deciding to burn his body), which may represent the end of Anglo-Saxon England and the Viking Age.

    Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830
    Buy Shawn a Beer or Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast
    Follow us for updates or send us a message on Instagram:
    Instagram: (@TwoRavensPodcast): https://www.instagram.com/tworavenspodcast/
    Check out David’s writing: Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)
    Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found. Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more.
    This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5910787/advertisement
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • S5E17 Volsung Poems: The Children of Giuki and Budli (Part 5)

    S5E17 Volsung Poems: The Children of Giuki and Budli (Part 5)
    Mar 31 2025
    S5E17 Volsung Poems: The Children of Giuki and Budli (Part 5)

    David continues his series of not so short solo episodes, deep diving into the Poems of the Poetic Edda which inspired the Saga of the Volsungs.
    In this episode:
    The Second Poem of Gudrun.
    The Death of the Niflungs.
    Oddrun's Lament.
    These relatively late poems bridge The First Poem of Gudrun to the poems about Atli and the early poem Lay of Hamdir (coming soon).

    The children of Giuki are Gunnar, Hogni, and Gudrun. And as we saw previously, Gudrun has sworn vengance against her brothers for killing her beloved Sigurd.
    The children of Budli are Brynhild, Atli, and Oddrun. These late poems explain that Budli wanted Brynhild to be a single shield maiden. Running her own kingdom and free from a husband. Oddrun was to be married to Gunnar to establish a peace between the clans.
    But Budli is dead, and Atli had other plans (perhaps the wealth of Sigurd threw off the initial plans). He married off Brynhild (likely so his sister would not have a neighboring kingdom to rival his own) and forbid the lovebirds, Gunnar and Oddrun, from marrying.

    We see in this episode how Gudrun wanted to grieve in peace, but the patriarchy, the brothers and parents, want her to reestablish the alliance formed by the marriage of Gunnar and Brynhild.
    My conclusion is that these particular poems are fan fiction. As the Poetic Edda scholar Carolyn Larrington says, these late contructions: "give more justification than seems necessary" for why the families go to war and why Atli kills Gunnar and Hogni. There are some very amusing verbal dueling between Oddrun and another lady of the court, the unwed and pregnant Borgny. A poetic battle conducted while Oddrun begrudgingly serves as her midwife. It finally answers Shawn's question from Season 1 on Havamal. Why should one not trust women serving drinks?




    Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830

    Buy Shawn and David a Beer or Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast

    Follow us for updates or send us a message on Instagram:
    Instagram: (@TwoRavensPodcast): https://www.instagram.com/tworavenspodcast/

    Check out David’s writing: Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)

    Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found. Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more.

    This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5910787/advertisement
    Show more Show less
    34 mins
  • S5E16 Ragnar Lodbrok VI: King Aela and the Blood Eagle

    S5E16 Ragnar Lodbrok VI: King Aela and the Blood Eagle
    Feb 19 2025
    In this episode, Shawn and David explore the aftermath of Ragnar Lodbrok’s death at the hands of King Aela of Northumbria, which initially causes a rift between his sons. While most are consumed by raw fury and seek immediate vengeance, Ivar takes a more calculating approach.Yet, despite their differences, the brothers share a common purpose—King Ælla must pay for their father’s death. As events unfold, Ivar receives the finest gift he could ask for and ensures that Ælla meets a gruesome fate through the infamous blood eagle.

    Ways to support us:If you have been enjoying our show, please write a 5 star review on itunes to help spread our podcast to a wider audience:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/between-two-ravens-a-norse-mythology-podcast/id1604263830

    Buy Shawn a Beer or Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/tworavenpodcast

    Follow us for updates or send us a message on Instagram:
    Instagram: (@TwoRavensPodcast): https://www.instagram.com/tworavenspodcast/

    Check out David’s writing: Walled Garden (https://thewalledgarden.com/davidalexander)

    Our podcast is part of The Walled Garden Podcast Network. The Walled Garden is committed to the pursuit of Truth, Wisdom, Virtue, and the Divine, wherever it might be found. Visit thewalledgarden.com to learn more.

    This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5910787/advertisement
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 6 mins
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it is a good story but it is very fast and hard to understand please speak slower

speak slower

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y'all mentioned a book about Odin's stories. what was it called?? keep up the good work!

great listen!

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