Just had an interesting conversation with a friend on the phone that inspired todays writing. While this is very much a Heathen thing, I think it will have appeal to my other friends that follow what every deity or deities they wish. It was about getting along, and working with people you have issues with. You see in Heathenry we have a few concepts that seem to be pivotal to our existence. While I am not going to go into detail about them here, I will probably write about them later. However I will offer a bit of a definition so that people have a basic understanding of what I am talking about, and it is not just strange words that people dont get. First one is easy, we have a huge drive from our ancestors in regards to hospitality. There are many reasons for this, mostly because the world was a bit harder then. So if somebody walked across the frozen lands to speak to you, or you are just on the way for them to speak to somebody else, you offer your home to them. You make them welcome. Friend or foe, if hospitality was asked for, it was offered. Now this doesnt mean you have to be all buddy buddy with them, it just means you give them food, water, and a warm dry place to stay for a night or two. You did not kill a guest in your home, and you didnt allow them to kill others in your home as well. This made travel easier in those days. It was very much about karmatic couch surfing. With this you have things that expected from both sides. No strife was brought to the house you are a guest in. You keep your issues to yourself, outside of drying your boots by the fire. Hospitality was often paid for with stories, or news from where you were traveling from. Now I am going to touch on three important words to Heathens. Orlog and Wyrd are heathen concepts of fate. You can adjust your fate by your deeds, and they can be inherited from others. So your fate and luck are a family pool that you share with those you mix with. So the in the interest of your people, you try to do things (deeds) that have a positive impact on your Orlog and Wyrd. Your fate can turn sour if all you do is bad things, including ignoring the laws of hospitality. If you poison your Orlog, and Wyrd, all you have to offer your people is venom. So being selfish can leave you harming your family for many generations. Frith is the last foreign word, and the hardest to define, the easiest way is to say that it is the reflection of Orlog, Wyrd, Honor, and other actions you have, that bond you to your community. So in this you see the ties that weave you and your folk together. Even the crazy uncle that is an asshole is still a thread in the tapestry of life, and that tapestry is bound together with frith. So now that you have that short lesson this should all make sense. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine in regards to meetings that we have in the Heathen community. We get together often, because community was important to our ancestors, and it is just as important to us in the modern age. Solitary Heathens exist, but even with them, the community still plays a part in their life. We are a band of tribes, and in this we share those things, frith, orlog, wyrd, honor, and the like. They give us a global identity. So what do we do when we have issues with people in the community? Well we do what our ancestors did to a point. We address our grievances, but in their proper place. We obey the laws of hospitality in this regard. We do not bring our strife into the hall or event of another. Now if someone brings strife to your hall, you return the favor, but if you are at an event being hosted by another, you respect the laws of their hall. Hospitality is more important than pride. It is not your honor to defile. It belongs to your folk. Do not tempt fate and give into pride. I have beef with a dude from another Kindred, because I feel he does not deserve to wear his hammer. I think he has tainted his orlog, in a way that it will stain generations. Because of the dishonorable actions I do not want to mix words with him. I do not want his taint on my wyrd. He is a liar, a coward, and offers nothing but poison to the people around him. He is of weak character. That being said, I have informed him, he is not allowed to speak with me, ever. I do not want him stealing my luck and fate. I am not doing this for me. I look at it as I am borrowing my dads vintage car, that is all cherry and restored. I do not give the keys to an asshole that cant drive and has already wrecked his own car. I also do not let that person in the car, because I dont want them putting their nasty feet on the dash, or spilling their junk food and soda all over the interior. I choose to protect the gift that my ancestors gave me, and take the charge very serious. So now because of the nature of our community, we are going to be in the same area eventually. We are both going to be invited to the same event. In this I know I will honor the laws of hospitality. I will not hear his words, and I do not want him around me, however I am not going to open my strife in the hall of another. So if he does not want to honor my desire to not speak with him, and he chooses to bring strife, it is not my place to dishonor my ancestors, and twist my orlog or wyrd with him. So I leave, or at least remove myself from his presence. If he chooses to follow me from the hall, well that is a different story. Then I would be honor bond to shut him up, and the level of escalation would be determined by him and his need to keep attempting to poison my wyrd. However I will not do a damn thing in the hall except remove myself from the possibility of causing strife and thereby dishonoring my folk and breaking the laws of hospitality. In old times not all of our folk got along; even our Gods had issues with each other. However we can see how our people and our Gods dealt with these things and we can find the truth in how to be a better person. We can also see the value of a person or God by how they protect their Orlog and Wyrd. Odin and Loki are a great example. While both can manipulate people to get what they want, Loki is often offered the first drink from Odins cup, and every attempt to make him feel welcome is made in Asgard. Loki returns this honor with insult and attempts to bring strife on more than one occasion. He has poor Orlog, and all he has left is venom to offer. So he sheaths and schemes and eventually kills the most brilliant and bright of the Gods. This is a reflection of his lack of positive Orlog and Wyrd, and it also reflected in the attitudes of his children. While the All father can be just as deceptive, he protects his orlog and wyrd, and in that builds frith. So he is better than Loki, and it reflects in his family. Blood and oath family alike, hold the wealth of Orlog because Odin protects his Orlog and Wyrd, making him better. So why cant we be the same? Why is it so many of those that wear the hammer give into pride and selfish behavior? Why do they back bite and shadow talk? Well its because their orlog is tainted. It has no value, but you can not let that poison you. You have to protect what your family gave you to protect. This is payment for the only real gift you have ever been given, and the only thing that will ever truly be yours; life. So you pay your honor price for the privilege that is life. Do not squander it but tainting the Orlog, and Wyrd of your people, those that made if possible for you to enjoy the chance at life.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 18:29:58 +0000
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