Tyr
Intention: Call on courage, justice and honoring a hard sacrifice
Offerings & Symbols
- Scales or balance imagery
- An iron object
- A written oath
Culture: Norse Also called: Týr
Tyr is a god of war, but more specifically of justice, law and honorable conduct; his defining myth is placing his hand in the wolf Fenrir's mouth as an act of good faith during the wolf's binding, knowing the gods were lying about releasing him, and losing the hand when the trick was revealed. His sacrifice made the binding possible.
Associations
Justice, honorable sacrifice, courage in the face of loss, oaths, fair dealing.
Ways people honor him (modern)
- Keep commitments even when they become costly
- Practice fairness deliberately, especially when it isn't easy
- Reflect on his willing sacrifice as the price of a greater good
- Read the binding of Fenrir in the Prose Edda's Gylfaginning
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.
