The Day the Mighty Thor Lost His Hammer

Thor was a revered figure of the Viking pantheon in Norse mythology. He was a mighty warrior with colossal strength and strolled the cosmos fighting giants and trolls, with thunder as the sound of his huge chariot. Thor was the epitome of bravery and strength, with his hammer as the ultimate symbol of potency, protection and boldness. When his hammer was stolen in one story he had to dress up in bridal clothes to retrieve it. In another story he had to suffer great humiliation to realise that strength had limits. These legends hint at the nature of true strength and valour as a balance between assertiveness and humbleness, bravery and modesty. Loki the magician or trickster archetype played a pivotal role in both stories to bring these opposites into awareness and facilitate what Jung called the Transcendent Function as a process towards wholeness and individuation. These ancient myths are particularly relevant in today’s world with the prevalence of gender-based violence, and has implications for patriarchal leanings in society as well as the individuation process for both men and women.