ASJA

This is a love song.

Maria sings to the listener of love, recovery and prosperity, chasing away evil and welcoming love.
The piece contains a quotation of some lines of “Hávamál”, combined with a selection of blessing
words meant to provide help to the listener in a troubled time.

Kai brought his part back to us after a month of isolation, fasting and meditation in nature. Only
the spirits know the full meaning, but we do know that the context is love, prosperity and
protection.

The sonic composition of this song is made up of very basic elements and consists of body sounds, drums, leaves, straw-brooms, bowed lyre and vocals. Asja is Heilung’s take on a more traditional folk song.


Hávamál (Sayings of Hár or Speech of the Most High) is one of the poems in the Poetic Edda. It proposes a series of rules to live wisely and for survival. Some verses are written from Odin's perspective (particularly towards the end, where there is an account of how Odin obtained the magical runes and spells he learned, though how to cast such spells is not mentioned). The content of the work is both practical and metaphysical. The only source in which this poem has survived is the Codex Regius and it is believed to have been written no later than c. 800. One of the earliest references to this poem is by Eyvindr skáldaspillir in Hákonarmál, c. 960.

Hávamál consists of numerous poems, which vary in tone, tenor, and narrative form. The first section "Gestaþáttr", the "guest section", stanzas 1-79, comprises a series of maxims on how to behave with a guest or when traveling, focusing particularly on etiquette and the behavioral relationship between guests and guests. guests and the sacred duty of reciprocity and hospitality, which was of vital importance to travellers.

The next main section of the Hávamál deals with morals, ethics, right action, and codes of conduct. It is addressed to Loddfáfnir (he who sings alone2), hence the name of the section, Loddfáfnismál, which takes the place of the reader.

The "Rúnatal" ("Rúnatáls þáttr Óðins" or "Odin's Runic Song") is a section of the Hávamál in which Odin reveals the secret of the runes. It comprises stanzas 138 to 165. Odin speaks of his own sacrifice (to himself) in stanza 138

The last section, the "Ljóðatal", is very mythical, dealing with the transmission of knowledge, and with the odin mysteries. It is essentially a list and guide to a number of runic enchantments. Correspondences exist between this section and the Sigrdrífumál, where the valkyrie Sigrdrífa details a number of runes that she wields.
The lyrics are in Old Norse.
Asja
Gá is nurna gangan yng yng pjar
Hang hang gang gang
Hymir ganda skadla hym hym gan
fold fold Har har
ou mi galdr maðr áss áss æt
Óm óm gal gal
fu thork haniast bjamlyr futh fu thork
Futh futh bjam bjam
Hyndla horskr móðr má má kat
Hap hap tak tak10

Ásjá, angan, bjarga
ást standa ok fár hverfra
ásjá, anga næ næ næ
Ok þú e er truir truir truir

Ásjá, angan, bjarga
ást standa ok fár hverfra
ásjá, angan, tjá tjá tjá
Ok þú e er ár ár ár

Ásjá, angan, bjarga
ást standa ok fár hverfra
kann ek galdr at gala
ønd og heidl sjá er kan

Ásjá, angan, bjarga
ást standa ok fár hverfra
jafnan sædl órlausn
friðr, maðr, opt opt opt

Protection
Loud speaks the norn, walking, yng yng pjar(?)
Hanging hanging, walking walking
Hymir, magic staff, skadla hym hym gan(?)
Earth earth, High one high one
Ou my spell, human, god god, family
Sound sound, screaming screaming
Fu thork, haniast(?), bjamlyr(?), futh fu thork
Futh futh, bjam bjam(?)
Hyndla wise mother, must must be happy
Luck luck I grasp, grasp

Protection, joy, healing
The love stands and the harm goes away
Protection, joy to attain attain attain
And you believe believe believe

Protection, joy, healing
The love stands and the harm goes away
Protection, joy, help help help
And you are old old old

Protection, joy, healing
The love stands and the harm goes away
I can chant the spell
I can see the soul and the heidl(?)

Protection, joy, healing
The love stands and the harm goes away
Always sædl(?) solution
Peace, human, often often often