VEGVISIR SPIRITUAL MEANING

What is the Vegvisir Norse Compass? 

The Vegvisir, often termed the Viking compass, is an old Norse symbol comprising eight runes branching from a central point. Surrounding the Vegvisir, several runes from the Norse alphabet can appear, connecting the human realm to the divine through rune stones. 

The Vegvisir Compass is also known as the Nordic compass, the runic compass, the Odin compass, and the Viking compass. It was not a literal compass, but a symbol used to prevent you from losing your way. And although we no longer hand these to boat captains for good luck on their journeys, the symbol still holds a pretty powerful philosophy. 

The Vegvisir consists of eight points (similar to the look of a clock or a compass) with each point having a unique design. It is one of many Icelandic magical staves, or galdrastafir, which were supposedly used to channel magic in specific ways.

What is the Meaning of the Viking Compass? 

This word translates to ‘sign post’ or ‘way finder’. The word Vegvisir is pronounced “VEGG-vee-seer”, The “g” is a hard “g”. It itself means something like “way finder”; it is Vegr (way) and Visir (shower). It is an eight-pointed shape, with each point having a unique design. The "vegvísir" or "Viking Compass" aids navigation, ensuring one doesn't lose their way.

Runes around the Vegvisir vary; they might be the Runic alphabet or the phrase "not all who wander are lost". No definitive design exists, as the original design didn't have any text. Except for the aim or symbolism behind the Vegvisir, the interesting reality regarding the Viking compass is that it actually has little to do with the Vikings at all. The first mention of it was in the Huld Manuscript along with other magical staves. 

The Huld Manuscript was written in 1860 in Iceland by Geir Vigfusson and specifically stated. “Beri maður stafi þessa á sér villist maður ekki í hríðum né vondu veðri þó ókunnugur sá”. When translated, this means: "Carry this sign with you and you won't get lost in storms or bad weather, even in unfamiliar surroundings”. 

Although we like to associate anything magical that comes from Iceland with Vikings in our minds, it would be ridiculous to do so. To give you an idea, the Viking Age was between 793 – 1066. 

The confusion seems to come from the design of the Viking compass symbol itself. This may explain why it is mistakenly called a runic compass. 

The sigils used in these Icelandic pentagrams mentioned in the Huld Manuscript use many straight lines. These are similar to those found in the Viking runes that formed the Old Norse alphabet. When these straight lines are used together, it looks even more like runes, even though none of them actually represent words or even letters.