What we’re about
This group is for those interested in discussing the works and ideas of Dr Jordan B Peterson*.
Our meetings are not moderated. We meet and discuss things that interest us with people with similar interests. Some recurring topics are freedom of expression, psychology, morality, religion, self-improvement, education and politics.
*This group not affiliated, associated, authorized or endorsed by Dr Jordan B Peterson. Dr Peterson is not an organizer or member of this group. Please refer to https://jordanbpeterson.com/ for information on his talks, lectures and other works.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- Exploring the (Poetic) Edda: VǫluspáPark Gleisdreieck, Berlin
Introduction
Have you ever wondered about the beliefs, worldview, or ethics of pre-Christian Northern Europe? Have you thought about how the Vikings interacted with their world, and with one another? Are you interested in discovering what, if any, wisdom from ancient Germanic folk religion might be applicable to life in a modern-day city?
If so, you are welcome to join me in studying the Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems which sew a rich tapestry of ancient Nordic gods and heroes whose trials and tribulations, while superficially alien to our modern sensibilities, nevertheless open themselves to useful interpretation and interesting discussion. These poems were first written down in Iceland around the year 1000, but were taken from an oral tradition centuries older, and have been preserved by scholars every bit as assiduously as the texts of other major religious traditions.
Meeting Structure
Each meeting, we will informally discuss an individual poem from the Edda. To prepare, please read the corresponding poem from whichever source is most amenable, and consider any questions or topics you may wish to bring to the discussion.
I will be working from Jackson Crawford's translation of the so-called "poetic" Edda, which I highly recommend, but any and all versions and editions are welcome. (Note that Crawford is coming out with a revised 2nd Edition in the Spring of 2026, so you might want to hold off until then to get your hands on a physical copy if you don't have one already.)
If you have no ready access to the Edda, here is a decent online source for your perusal. I will also link to the individual poem under consideration in the following section.
This Meeting's Poem
The first poem we shall discuss is the first poem in the Edda, called Vǫluspá by the men who wrote it down and spelled Völuspá by their descendants.
The Vǫluspá details the Old Norse creation myth, but perhaps more importantly the prophecy of Ragnarök, which is perhaps the most widely-known (and therefore most misunderstood) aspect of the pagan Norse worldview. Along the way, we are introduced to many of the gods and a panoply of other mythical creatures and realms from Norse cosmology, and thus receive a grounding in the mythology which helps to situate each subsequent poem.
Meeting Location
Weather permitting, we shall meet up in the wooded field of Park Gleisdreieck, between the old railroad tracks and the trees close to the map pin. Weather not permitting, we will take over a corner of the nearby TorEins café.
A Last Note
The main aim of these discussions is "secular" -- literary, cultural, and philosophical. People and perspectives of all faiths and none are welcome, yet this series of meetings is neither a place for direct Norse/Germanic Pagan practice nor for spiritual "debate" in the form of proselytising or ridiculing any particular religion.
