A Model of the Human Soul, A-S style
Wód
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Mód
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| Willa |
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Hyge—|—Myne
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/ | Æðm | \
/ Orlæg | Wyrd \
| / \ | / \ |
Mægn — Fæcce — Sǽlþ
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\ Hama /
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Líc
Explanations:
Líc – The líc (pronounced “leech”) is the physical body itself. This soul-part is the vessel and foundation of all the others, particularly those that have to do with blood and heritage.
Hama – The hama, or hame, is what most Pagans would call the astral body. This soul-part is the etheric counter to the líc, and is what those who journey outside of the body use to keep from dissolution. It generally takes the shape of the person, though a strong witch or galdre may shift into other shapes (c.f. ON hamr, such as in the story of Bödvar Bjarki, who fought in the shape of a bear). While the hama bears similarities to the fæcce (fetch, ON fylgja), they are usually considered distinct, perhaps similar to the notions of totems and power animals in many First Nations
Mægn - Mægn, or main, is roughly translated as “strength,” but it can and does also mean such concepts as force of character, integrity, honor and ability to get things done. Any exchange between persons is, in reality, an exchange of mægn, regardless of whatever other commodity is being exchanged. One way to consider main is as “spiritual currency.”
Fæcce – The fæcce, or fetch, is the soul-double. The concept of Doppelgänger (“double-goer”) is a reflection of this. Many times, it is also conceived of as a guardian spirit. There are two major descriptions of fetches, most of them referring to the Norse fylgja – the fylgia is either in the shape of an animal of particular spiritual significance to the person, or a young woman (occasionally a male for females). Thus, the fylgja is sometimes conflated with the Dísir and the hamingja, both of which sometimes appear as a young women also.
Sǽlþ - This is my reconstruction of the Norse concept of hamingja, which meant “luck,” as in inherent good or bad fortune passed down through one’s family line. The Old English sǽlþ translates as “fortune, happiness, hap (chance), blessing, prosperity,” which I feel is a fairly accurate portrayal of the concept of hamingja. The interesting point about “luck,” is that, while it can be built up through honorable deeds while one has it, if wasted, it is gone for good.
Orlæg - Orlæg translates as “primal law” or “primal layer.” It is the direct correlation to the Norse örløg, and signifies the fate decreed for a person by the Wyrdas at that person’s birth. In some ways, it relates to the Hindu concept of Dharma, or “Right Path.” Orlæg is fairly constant throughout the person’s life, and subtly directs that person in many of their decisions. There are three types of orlæg that affect individuals – first, the decree of the Wyrdas at birth, which sets the tone for that person’s life and the lessons that must be learned; second, the inherited orlæg of one’s ancestors, those traits and influences on wyrd that passes through family lines; and third, direct deemings, or declarations, made by the Gods, such as in the tale of Starkad.
Wyrd – If Orlæg is akin to Dharma, Wyrd is cousin to Karma, in that the present is always affected and re-affected by the actions of the past. The pool that waters the World Tree Eormensyll is called Wyrdesbrunne, or Wyrd’s Well. Thus, when the Wyrdas (ON Nornir, Norns) water the Tree every morning, they set the tone of the day with the waters in which the actions of the past have been steeped. The Anglo-Saxons envisioned Wyrd as both a Well and a Weave, with the past forming the woof against which the present warp is laid; indeed, each being’s Wyrd is an individual thread in a Greater Pattern that is the Wyrd of the Worlds.
Æðm - Literally, the Breath of Life; the æðm is the energizing force that gives a person their unique vitality and energy signature, as well as the binding force that ties the rest of the soul to the physical body. It is correlative to the Old Norse önd and Eastern concepts of prana and qi/ki.
Hyge – The rational mind. The hyge is the active mental principle, the part of the personality that most people think of when they imagine the mind. But, unlike modern conceptions of the mind, the Hyge is not solely rational, as it can also correspond with active emotions (emotions that require or cause action, such as passion, anger, and compassion).
Myne – The memory. The myne is the passive mental principle, the great storage facility that the brain encompasses. Myne also speaks to conceptions of romance and fondness, whereas Hyge prefers the active conceptions of concern and caring. In modern elemental terms, the myne is the water- and earth-pole of the mind, where the hyge is the air- and fire-pole (using the orientation of Air to the North).
Willa – The will, in Anglo-Saxon thought, is the driving force of personality, that ability to “desire” something and achieve it, as well as the ability to take control of one’s life and circumstances. Unlike the previous two, however, the Willa is unconnected with any emotions of love or caring
Mód – The mód, or mood, is the totality of the self. It is what most people nowadays think of as the “self/soul”; however, the nuances of the Anglo-Saxon understanding have a greater range than just the physical or mental aspects of the person – they also speak to the spiritual world, and thus seem to refer to the concept of the fully actualized Self that is the goal of so many spiritual traditions.
Wód – Wód is the divine madness of inspiration and ecstasy. It is the direct connection to the world of Spirit and the Gods. In function, it is somewhat similar to the ceremonial concept of Holy Guardian Angel, or the Godself of Feri Witchcraft, but much wilder and more dangerous if not fully integrated and balanced by the Willa.
The Three Pillars:
The Three Pillars is not a native conception of Anglo-Saxon soul theory as far as we know through the remains of the lore; however, as I was formulating this model, I noticed that there seemed to be three distinct vertical lines running from top to bottom which somewhat correspond to the three pillars of the Tree of Life in Qabala. There is the active principle of Hyge-Orlæg-Mægn, the passive principle of Myne-Wyrd-Sǽlþ, and the balanced principle of Willa-Æðm-Fæcce-Hama, with Líc providing the physical vessel in which the pillars rest, and Mód providing the full realization of all three pillars together leading to the blessing of Wód
The Three Tiers:
This too is not an attested concept in Anglo-Saxon lore, though they may have had a similar view to their Irish neighbors. Basically, the above model can be delineated into three layered sections (much as Wyrd’s Well was viewed as three layers in symbel) that bear resemblance to the Three Cauldrons of Poesy (Poetry) in Irish lore and the Three Selves of Feri Witchcraft. The bottom tier, containing all the aspects of the self that have some connection to the physical world, corresponds to the Sticky One (FW, T. Thorn Coyle’s version) and the Cauldron of Incubation (Ir.) as explained by Erynn here. The second tier, those having to do with the mind, emotions, and (to a small extent, the will) is similar to the Shining Body (FW, Thorn) and Cauldron of Motion. And the third tier, the Self, the Will, and the Divine Connection, corresponds to Sacred Dove (FW, Thorn) and the Cauldron of Wisdom.
Bibliography:
Coyle, T. Thorn. Evolutionary Witchcraft. Tarcher-Penguin, 2004
Laurie, Erynn Rowan. “The Cauldron of Poesy.” http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/cauldronpoesy.html
Wodening, Swain. Hammer of the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism in Modern Times. Global Book Publishers, 2003
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|
Mód
/ | \
/ | \
/ | \
| Willa |
| / | \ |
Hyge—|—Myne
/ | \ | / | \
/ | Æðm | \
/ Orlæg | Wyrd \
| / \ | / \ |
Mægn — Fæcce — Sǽlþ
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ Hama /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
\ | /
Líc
Explanations:
Líc – The líc (pronounced “leech”) is the physical body itself. This soul-part is the vessel and foundation of all the others, particularly those that have to do with blood and heritage.
Hama – The hama, or hame, is what most Pagans would call the astral body. This soul-part is the etheric counter to the líc, and is what those who journey outside of the body use to keep from dissolution. It generally takes the shape of the person, though a strong witch or galdre may shift into other shapes (c.f. ON hamr, such as in the story of Bödvar Bjarki, who fought in the shape of a bear). While the hama bears similarities to the fæcce (fetch, ON fylgja), they are usually considered distinct, perhaps similar to the notions of totems and power animals in many First Nations
Mægn - Mægn, or main, is roughly translated as “strength,” but it can and does also mean such concepts as force of character, integrity, honor and ability to get things done. Any exchange between persons is, in reality, an exchange of mægn, regardless of whatever other commodity is being exchanged. One way to consider main is as “spiritual currency.”
Fæcce – The fæcce, or fetch, is the soul-double. The concept of Doppelgänger (“double-goer”) is a reflection of this. Many times, it is also conceived of as a guardian spirit. There are two major descriptions of fetches, most of them referring to the Norse fylgja – the fylgia is either in the shape of an animal of particular spiritual significance to the person, or a young woman (occasionally a male for females). Thus, the fylgja is sometimes conflated with the Dísir and the hamingja, both of which sometimes appear as a young women also.
Sǽlþ - This is my reconstruction of the Norse concept of hamingja, which meant “luck,” as in inherent good or bad fortune passed down through one’s family line. The Old English sǽlþ translates as “fortune, happiness, hap (chance), blessing, prosperity,” which I feel is a fairly accurate portrayal of the concept of hamingja. The interesting point about “luck,” is that, while it can be built up through honorable deeds while one has it, if wasted, it is gone for good.
Orlæg - Orlæg translates as “primal law” or “primal layer.” It is the direct correlation to the Norse örløg, and signifies the fate decreed for a person by the Wyrdas at that person’s birth. In some ways, it relates to the Hindu concept of Dharma, or “Right Path.” Orlæg is fairly constant throughout the person’s life, and subtly directs that person in many of their decisions. There are three types of orlæg that affect individuals – first, the decree of the Wyrdas at birth, which sets the tone for that person’s life and the lessons that must be learned; second, the inherited orlæg of one’s ancestors, those traits and influences on wyrd that passes through family lines; and third, direct deemings, or declarations, made by the Gods, such as in the tale of Starkad.
Wyrd – If Orlæg is akin to Dharma, Wyrd is cousin to Karma, in that the present is always affected and re-affected by the actions of the past. The pool that waters the World Tree Eormensyll is called Wyrdesbrunne, or Wyrd’s Well. Thus, when the Wyrdas (ON Nornir, Norns) water the Tree every morning, they set the tone of the day with the waters in which the actions of the past have been steeped. The Anglo-Saxons envisioned Wyrd as both a Well and a Weave, with the past forming the woof against which the present warp is laid; indeed, each being’s Wyrd is an individual thread in a Greater Pattern that is the Wyrd of the Worlds.
Æðm - Literally, the Breath of Life; the æðm is the energizing force that gives a person their unique vitality and energy signature, as well as the binding force that ties the rest of the soul to the physical body. It is correlative to the Old Norse önd and Eastern concepts of prana and qi/ki.
Hyge – The rational mind. The hyge is the active mental principle, the part of the personality that most people think of when they imagine the mind. But, unlike modern conceptions of the mind, the Hyge is not solely rational, as it can also correspond with active emotions (emotions that require or cause action, such as passion, anger, and compassion).
Myne – The memory. The myne is the passive mental principle, the great storage facility that the brain encompasses. Myne also speaks to conceptions of romance and fondness, whereas Hyge prefers the active conceptions of concern and caring. In modern elemental terms, the myne is the water- and earth-pole of the mind, where the hyge is the air- and fire-pole (using the orientation of Air to the North).
Willa – The will, in Anglo-Saxon thought, is the driving force of personality, that ability to “desire” something and achieve it, as well as the ability to take control of one’s life and circumstances. Unlike the previous two, however, the Willa is unconnected with any emotions of love or caring
Mód – The mód, or mood, is the totality of the self. It is what most people nowadays think of as the “self/soul”; however, the nuances of the Anglo-Saxon understanding have a greater range than just the physical or mental aspects of the person – they also speak to the spiritual world, and thus seem to refer to the concept of the fully actualized Self that is the goal of so many spiritual traditions.
Wód – Wód is the divine madness of inspiration and ecstasy. It is the direct connection to the world of Spirit and the Gods. In function, it is somewhat similar to the ceremonial concept of Holy Guardian Angel, or the Godself of Feri Witchcraft, but much wilder and more dangerous if not fully integrated and balanced by the Willa.
The Three Pillars:
The Three Pillars is not a native conception of Anglo-Saxon soul theory as far as we know through the remains of the lore; however, as I was formulating this model, I noticed that there seemed to be three distinct vertical lines running from top to bottom which somewhat correspond to the three pillars of the Tree of Life in Qabala. There is the active principle of Hyge-Orlæg-Mægn, the passive principle of Myne-Wyrd-Sǽlþ, and the balanced principle of Willa-Æðm-Fæcce-Hama, with Líc providing the physical vessel in which the pillars rest, and Mód providing the full realization of all three pillars together leading to the blessing of Wód
The Three Tiers:
This too is not an attested concept in Anglo-Saxon lore, though they may have had a similar view to their Irish neighbors. Basically, the above model can be delineated into three layered sections (much as Wyrd’s Well was viewed as three layers in symbel) that bear resemblance to the Three Cauldrons of Poesy (Poetry) in Irish lore and the Three Selves of Feri Witchcraft. The bottom tier, containing all the aspects of the self that have some connection to the physical world, corresponds to the Sticky One (FW, T. Thorn Coyle’s version) and the Cauldron of Incubation (Ir.) as explained by Erynn here. The second tier, those having to do with the mind, emotions, and (to a small extent, the will) is similar to the Shining Body (FW, Thorn) and Cauldron of Motion. And the third tier, the Self, the Will, and the Divine Connection, corresponds to Sacred Dove (FW, Thorn) and the Cauldron of Wisdom.
Bibliography:
Coyle, T. Thorn. Evolutionary Witchcraft. Tarcher-Penguin, 2004
Laurie, Erynn Rowan. “The Cauldron of Poesy.” http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/cauldronpoesy.html
Wodening, Swain. Hammer of the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism in Modern Times. Global Book Publishers, 2003