In this post, we’ll take a look at Mjolnir: Thors Hammer and try to dissect what it’s all about. The story behind it and why (and when) you should wear one…
Who is Thor?
In norse mythology, Thor is the god of Thunder, Lightning, Storms, Oak Trees and Strength. He is also the protector of mankind and has healing and fertility skills.
If you read the old sagas, you’ll find him descriped as a red haired and beared god. Very large and with a fierce temper. You’ll also find that Thor is the son of Odin (the king of gods) and married to Sif.
There is much more to Thor than this, but in this article, we’ll talk about his hammer. Mjölnir!
What does Mjölnir mean
Thors hammer, Mjölnir, is very special. It’s was made by dwarvens for Thor and it’s really powerful. It can smash mountians, orcs and everything else in it’s way.
Mjölnir actually means “That who smash” and that should paint a picture of what this hammer is all about. Smashing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s mountains, orcs or other enemies. Mjölnir will smash it.
When Thor throws the hammer, it never misses. Never!
And it always returns to his hand.
The Flaw of Thors Hammer
The story goes that when the Dwarven brother made the hammer, an error was made.
They actually intended to make the handle long enough so you could swing it with two hands, but because Loki changed to a small fly, bit them and thereby interrupted their work.
This result was that the hammer turned out to have a much shorter handle.
It turned out to be an advantage, because this way Thor could swing and throw the hammer single-handed, while riding his chariot.
Thors Hammer as a Pendant
The vikings were very fond of making Thors Hammer Pendants. More than 50 Mjölnir amulets has been found throughout Scandinavia. Most of them are from year 900-1100.
People at that time probably wore the pendants to give them strength and protection from Thor (remember that Thor is the protector of humans).
People would wear both Wooden and Metal Mjölnir pendants. Often along with other necklaces as well. At the end of the era, it wasn’t unusual to wear both the Christian cross and a Thors Hammer at the same time. I guess people were a little bit confused then 🙂
When Should You Wear a Thors Hammer Pendant?
(Mjölnir: Thors Hammer Pendant from The Moonlight Shop)
For modern day Wiccans and Pagans, the meaning and purpose of wearing a Thors hammer is pretty much the same. It provides protection, strength and power to the bearer.
So, if you find yourself in a situation where you need some extra strength and power, plus the protection from Thor, then Thors hammer is the optimal pendant choice.
It’s especially good to wear in life-changing situations, like when you start a new job, negotiating a raise (imagine Thor negotiating a raise. I am pretty sure he would get what he wanted) or dealing with difficult people.
Plus, it’s a fashionable item with a cool story behind it 😉
If you liked this post, leave a comment below and tell me (if you didn’t let me know why as well)
