Huginn and Muninn, Symbols of the First Function

I have recently been dwelling upon the relationship between Woden and His ravens Huginn and Munnin and came across a most interesting passage in Edred Thorsson's Northern Magic. Rune Mysteries and Shamanism. I initially read this book many years ago but only recently have I begun to appreciate its full merits. The primary focus of the book is on the Younger Futhark, a rune row which is very much ignored in mainstream books on runology. Edred follows the Dumezelian tripartite division of the Aesir/Vanir into the First Function (Sovereignity), Second Function (Warfare) and the Third Function (Production/Fertility). He divides the First Function into law, governed by Tyr and magic, governed by Odin. He makes the observation that the raven Huginn (thought) is representative of the rational mind, that which can be observed and is to do with law and sovereignty whilst Muninn ( memory) is representative of inspiration, the intuitive mind and the process of transformation. It is through Muninn that we approach the Collective Unconscious or the Blood Memory.

The synthesis of the two parts is surely the objective of the Woden initiate? An indepth study of our sacred literature and runelore supported by the development of the intuition and psychic abilities should be at the forefront of the initiate's endeavours. Indeed Edred sees the 'path of Odhinn' as a process of self-transformation which involves the combining of the intellect-the rational mind with the intuitive mind. As both Huginn and Muninn work together in collaboration we as initiates who follow Odin's example must bring about a synthesis between the operation of the two hemispheres of our brain. The right hemisphere of the brain governs the imagination, intuition and visualisation whilst the left hemisphere is concerned with logic, linear thinking and facts. Both hemispheres are essential but people tend to be dominated by one side of the brain to the near exclusion of the other. The initiate's task is to make effective use of both hemispheres to the extent that they act in unison as do Odin's two ravens.