Einherjar: Lone Fighters

I was reading somewhere else online (another heathen blog, perhaps) that the old norse name for the warriors in Valhalla, 'einherjar' literally means something along the lines of 'those who fight alone'.

The writer in question explained that viking warriors were trained in all aspects of combat and could be thought of as 'a one-man army'. Thus, they were well prepared for and perfectly able to fight alone, even outside of the shield wall, if necessary.

All of this I agreed with and admire, but it was at this point that the writer went on to use this to explain the importance, for them, of time alone.

I don't really feel that the importance of alone time (whoever enjoyable that might be) was the lesson to take from this. Rather, I think the more valuable attribute (especially in this modern age and in an overcrowded nation such as the UK) was the importance of self reliance.

Being able to operate, provide for oneself and even thrive - alone - is a very admirable trait. Especially in contemporary society, in which we are expect, and required, to rely on others for everything. Our food, our security, our entertainment, fixing our tools and even making decisions for the direction of our lives and the upbringing of our families - all are provided by third parties. This can leave us over-reliant and unable to fend for ourselves, if we are not careful.

So, perhaps, in a time where striving to be ferocious, ruthless warriors is frowned upon, being something of a Renaissance Man is the next best thing for the modern heathen?

More quotes

“The Norse ideal was a man of open, generous disposition, a man imbued with qualities of compassion and kindness, not ruthless but firm and fair, even-tempered but capable of passion, physically accomplished and strong in [a] fight, but not a bully.”
--Magnus Magnusson

“To do what lay before him openly and like a man, without fear of either foes, friends, nor fate… to be free and daring in all his deeds; to be gentle and generous to his friends and kinsmen, to be stern and grim to his foes, but even towards them to fulfill all bounden duties… to be no truce-breaker, nor tale-bearer, nor back-biter. To utter nothing against any man that he would not dare tell him to his face. To turn no man from his door who sought food or shelter, even though he were a foe.”
--George Dasent

"From Atheist to Heathen in three very shaky steps..."

First posted onto my other blog (http://5threplicant.livejournal.com) in 2009.

So, as promised, a post about my turn to the dark side (or spiritual shift toward paganism, if you prefer). Sorry for the belated nature of this post, but this is stuff that I am still not entirely sure about. Cardinal sin as it seems to be with some pagans, I am still very much the cynic and hold dear some very humanist opinions.

Until a relatively short (in the scheme of things) while ago, I was a very strong atheist and cynic. Never quite managing full on physicalist/materialist (I could never quite agree that 'the physical' was *all* there was), I nevertheless scoffed at those who believed in/had faith in (( insert your deity here )) and was rarely comfortable hanging with the more flighty faeriegoths or fluffy pagans. You know the kind. Those people for whom the world is all spirits and energies and whose idea of spirituality is based way too heavily on the re-runs of Buffy they've watched.

For me, existentialism had been as close as I got toward any kind of personal philosophy. If divinity did exist, then it was within us, rather than external. The most 'fluffy' I ever got was reading about Jung's concept of the collective unconscious. I was hardly going to be embracing David Icke any time soon, trust me.

Then a few things happened which looks to be changing all that. Firstly, in a discussion with one of my more 'fluffy' but still very intelligence mates, she made a point which caused a door in my mind to swing just slightly ajar for a moment. Nothing major, no epiphanies, revelations, unravelling of my mind or trumpets sounding or anything. Maybe a BBC Sound Effects department-style creak to announce said opening. More comedic than inspiring, really.

Secondly, another of my friends who I had a deal of respect for announced his becoming a heathen (or I think the term he used was Odinist - there are lot of words for essentially the same thing, each carrying with it a certain amount of baggage and no-one seems quite sure what the collective should really be called anyway). This, again, was no inspiring moment, but did perhaps plant a little seed. It made me aware, not just that heathenry existed (I knew that already) but gave me a little knowledge of what it's modern manifestation is about.

Finally, while I was living in Sweden I had perhaps the closest thing I have ever had to an epiphany or a spiritual experience. While out and about (which was often the case back then as even city areas in Sweden are usually surrounded by the most gloriously beautiful nature) I had a strong feeling of divinity. This time external to me and all around me. Somehow connected both to myself and the land. Call it just simply being awestruck at the beauty of nature, if you like. That was certainly a part of it. As was a sense of history and of the generations of my ancestors (who more than likely hailed from somewhere in Scandinavia) stretching back into the dimness of time, feeling the same things as me and all being connected.

Again, not as cataclysmic an event as I am, perhaps, painting with these words now. Very actual were these feelings, but very understated. And, over the following months, I got more and more of a sense of a change in perspective and my 'spiritual alignment' (for want of a less fluffy word). Additionally, around this time, I began to experience 'waking dreams'. First of all dreaming a giant spider in my bed - a hallucination which remained for a few seconds after I awoke. Something that shit me up and no mistake, I can tell you! Other such hallucinations have occured since, and all around waking/going to sleep. Perhaps a sign of my imagination gaining influence over me once more. Or perhaps simply a reflection of the fact I'd been thinking about symbols and spiritual beings much more than previously and so my mind (being what it is) took license to go apeshit for a bit.

So now, I find myself reconciling the two sides of myself. The cynic and the dreamer. Always the two major sides to my character, the shift now seems to be that I am listening more to the dreamer where my beliefs are concerned. Still, though, I am reticent to lose that cynical part of me. I still feel uncomfortable with fluffy pagans and prefer the company of other 'cynics with their doors ajar' such as myself. Having people tell me I am not really a pagan cos I don't believe in actual divine entities just makes me more and more cynical, to be honest. Theatening regression if truth be told. But I feel my version of heathenry allows me to incorporate its values and lessons into my life without having to insist that the gods are actual people watching us like bloody gormless reality tv fans. You'd think gods'd have better things to do than watch us make tits of ourselves!?

Magic(k) - That tricky little beggar...

I have to start this post by admitting that I am not a believer in magic as most people (or, at least, most neopagans) see it.

Most dictionary definitions of magic tend to involve referencing 'the supernatural' and that itself is described as being something that operates outside of nature.  That is where my problem lies.  For me, if something exists, it exists within nature.  Mankind is a part of the natural world and claims from some pagans that somehow, by living in a city and creating machines man has all but severed his attachment to the rest of nature just don't make sense to me.

If that is the case, why is an apartment block considered 'not natural' and yet a termite mound is?  Why is a man using a machine unnatural and yet a chimp or even a bird using a stick perfectly okay by Mother Nature?

So, to get back to the topic of magic.  Rather than believing in mystical mumbo-jumbo and arcane knowledge, I tend to find my magic firmly enshrouded within the natural order.  Now I could get all twee and start singing about how caterpillars metamorphosing into butterflies is magical.  But, frankly, I doubt I could keep the bile down long enough to sing the first few bars.  Instead, I choose to see anyone who makes a significant change in the world around them through the application of their will as a magical event.

To provide a topical example, a person who loses an arm or a leg but, through self discipline and training (and the exertion of their will) goes on to win gold at the paralympics - that could be considered, by me, to be a form of magic.

That is but one of a myriad of examples I could give, but the point is that, in my opinion, magic doesn't have to be conjured from the ether.  It is all around us and pervades everything - it is just a change in attitude and outlook that allows it to be seen.

Now let this muggle get back to work...