The heathen roots are still strong in the icelanders, sometimes they get confused, what is christian and what is heathen traditions. It is because when we were forced to take on christianity around 1000, we made a deal with the crusaders that we would still practice heathenism, if we only did it in hiding. So below every christian tradition there is a root of heathen tradition. The churches built on the old temples, the holidays around the ancient heathen holidays. The concept of winter solstice makes total sense here in the far north. You see the light of day is never the same. No two days are exactly as long or short. So on december 21st, we got the shortest day of the year. You get up it is dark, you will not see any sun, she is below the twilight. So we celebrate in our hearts brightmas (a saying i created), we celebrate the fact that the day is getting longer again and all the way towards june 21st it will get longer, so the night can not be seen. You wake up it is daylight, you go to sleep and it is daylight. Now in such extremes only eccentrics will survive:)
I stepped out of the christian church, years ago. Yet i am not an atheist, i am now a new ager, i am not satanist, i am just me and i have chosen to believe in all the best elements from all the different religions. The things that sing in my heart.
At my island you are born into the lutheran church, and you have to go and sign yourself out of it at the national registry. No wonder 99% of Icelanders belong to the church:)
I worship through my actions, through my thoughts. Nature got all the greatest temples. What is more amazing then standing in front of a massive waterfall and feel the presence of something far greater then yourself?
No comments:
Post a Comment