Wyrd
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Wyrd is a concept in ancient Anglo-saxon and Nordic cultures roughly corresponding to fate. It is cognate to Modern English weird.
The word comes from Anglo-Saxon verb weorþan, to become, and itself derives from an Indo-European root verb meaning to turn. In its literal sense, it refers to the past, or That which has become. In its wider sense, it refers to how past actions continually affect and condition the future. It also stresses the interconnected nature of all actions, and how they influence each other. The concept has some relation to the ideal of predestination. Unlike predestination, however, the concept of Wyrd implies that while we are affected and constrained by our past actions, we are constantly creating our own Wyrd through how we respond to present situations.
Wyrd was paralleled in early Nordic cultures where the word was rendered as urd - also the name of the middle of the three Norns, who shape our lives out of the layers of the past, known as ørlög. The younger sister is called Verðende, which means That which is still becoming. The older is called Skuld, which means That which shall be.
The best way to fully visualize the concept of Wyrd is to use two common analogies: the Well of Wyrd, and the Web of Wyrd.
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Well of Wyrd
The Well of Wyrd illustrates the concept of past actions determining the course of the future. The universe is conceived of as Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which is nourished by the Well of Wyrd. From Yggdrasil drips dew from its branches, which fall into the Well. This symbolizes the actions performed in the present as they become part of the past. Eventually, they are drawn back up into the World Tree and nourish its fruit. This, too, symbolically describes how these past actions determine and nourish the course of the future.
Web of Wyrd
The Web of Wyrd is a popular analogy, which shows how all actions are interconnected, as well as the fact that everything we do has far-reaching consequences. Essentially, this Web of Wyrd is described as a cloth being woven upon a loom by the Norns. The woof is woven along the warp. The former represents past actions, while the latter represents a particular instance in time. The entire cloth is the overall design. While the previous design is the foundation upon which the future course is based, it is possible to change the cloth within the context of the past. In the same manner, it is possible to change the future by carefully determining our present actions, which are conditioned by the past from which it springs.
Influencing Wyrd
To the ancient Anglo-Saxons, as well as modern-day Heathens, Wyrd was often a consequence of Symbel, a ritualistic drinking of alcohol to excess in which story-telling by means of narrative verse was a central feature. During the Symbel, boasts are often made concerning future courses of action. The boaster calls the Gods and his own kin to witness to this boast. When he completes the desired act, he again boasts of the difficulties he was forced to overcome, and his eventual victory in carrying out his will. This ensures that his actions are placed in the Well of Wyrd and the minds of the Kin.
References to Wyrd
Beowulf: "Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!" (Goeth ever Wyrd as she shall!) - Beowulf.
The Well of Wyrd: In Norse mythology, the spring that lies at the base of Yggdrasil, the world tree.
Terry Pratchett: Also, part of a play on words in the title of Terry Pratchett's book "Wyrd Sisters".
William Shakespeare: In Macbeth, Shakespeare has the three witches -- who determine fates -- refer to themselves as "the weird sisters." The modern meaning of the word "weird" derives in part from Shakespeare's use of the word as a description of the witches.
External links
- What is Wyrd: a brief but informative explanation. (http://www.wyrdwords.vispa.com/heathenry/whatwyrd.html)
- Asatru and Heathenry. An explanation of Wyrd and the Heathen Thews, or Virtues, are given. (http://wodening.ealdriht.org/swain/asatru.html)
- Asatru-U, providing in-depth explanations of Heathen concepts, including Wyrd. (http://www.asatru-u.org)
- Way of Wyrd, a semi-fictional book dealing with Anglo-Saxon sorcery, centred around the concept of Wyrd (http://www.wayofwyrd.com)fr:Wyrd