Skáldskapr: The spiritual mood of the world today.

In todays episode, I’d like to discuss what I am seeing and feeling spreading throughout the world right now. I am getting the feeling as if the many throughout are beginning to see monotheism for what it really is, and now search for a deeper spiritual understanding. I have also involved myself in meditation and spiritual trances in an effort to better understand the spiritual mood of the world right now, and I get a definite feeling that there are more people seeking answers that the monotheistic practices cannot provide. The spirits of our ancestors call to me, they speak of being sought, drawn in by the vacuum created by those who seek more.

Now, I don’t discount the idea that many may fill their deity communications channel with, what is communications from a single god, and that’s understandable, and while I don’t fully believe that, I support their decision with that. These same individuals may recognize the spiritual connections as being one in the same from their deity, and that’s an acceptable interpretation as well, as many times it is difficult for even the most learned to discern the differences. However, I have really received the distinct understanding that the masses of people are seeing through the monotheistic practice, and are searching for a deeper, more fulfilling understanding of their spiritual connection to the world they live in. While most are not sure what they seek in all honesty, they just know there is something more.

So, with all that said, let’s look at what I propose is how the spiritual world interacts with the physical one. While in an overview type of perspective, the two large planes of existence, overlay each other to where they may seem as one from an outside view. The world of spirituality intersects with human existence at a multitude of layers, and methods. To better understand this, we must first have a grasp on the layers within the human existence.

The Self. The first layer to recognize is the self. My ancestors focused on the self, leaving very little up to the gods, or the spirits to handle. While they may have hoped for their favor in the form of “luck”, they were completely prepared to tackle each ambition entirely by themselves. With underlying principles that included ideas like “self-reliance”, “perseverance”, and “industriousness”, they counted on having to get it done whether the gods granted favor or not. For the most part, although integral to everyday life, my ancestors sought out the “spirits” to assist in the tasks that were bigger than the self, or beyond the here and now.

But what made them that way? Let’s discuss the evolution of the human mind to what we’ve arrived at today. It all started before the modern humans came into existence, to the time that fire was harnessed to prepare foods. By ingesting cooked foods the nutrients could be more easily digestible, allowing these nutrients to begin a biological modification process that would lead to the formation of the FoxP2 protein. This protein would initiate the explosion of synapses within the brain, which would lead to cognitive thought, or relational thought. This would ultimately lead to the elimination of what used to be instinctual thinking, replaced by more theoretical thinking. This is where the self has arrived at today. There is very little left of our instinctual thought process left, and what is given to newborns are quickly reprogrammed out by modern society. Within our “self” is a collection of sensory inputs that drive all our knowledge and understanding.

The Life Form spiritual layer. This layer is where our human brains receive a sensory input from all life forms around us. Trees, grass, other members of the animal kingdom, all communicate with us, and others on this layer. This layer is why we feel more comfortable be surrounded by plants, or being outdoors. The act of receiving this communication typically results in “feelings” within the “self”, caused by a chemical balance created within the brain. This chemical balance is triggered via a sensory input into the brain, which in turn triggers a chemical release into the blood stream, thereby eliminating stress and anxiety. Contained within this group would be the “land spirits”, or as I was raised “the Landvætti”, which are free roaming spirits of ancestors, and those spirits who were given life by the deities.

Individual spiritual layer. Humans are no different than any other life form on earth in that they broadcast a spiritual signal to each other. In as such, this level of connection has the same effect identified before, a sense of either: foreboding, or pleasure. This signal can consciously be changed by the individual. This is how we know when others are in a bad mood, or not. Yes, it’s true, much of our interactions with others are based on visual clues, the fact that we could spot a predator within the group of humans, tells us that this layer is functioning as it should.

Deity layer. This is the one layer where I feel that most have trouble understanding. While the signals received by the individual may be understood as a singular voice, there may actually be many voices as some believe. The idea that there is one channel in which the deity interacts with us, essentially boils down to what we want to believe.

This is a very simplistic view, and we understand that the spiritual connection is made when a human creates a vacuum with a question within the universe. In much the same way that asking a question in a crowded room will garner large numbers of answers, so too do the multitude of spiritual forces attempt to answer. This communication can create an abundance of data being pushed into the thought process, thereby causing confusion and quite possibly dropped data points. This communications is happening all the time, however, there are three methods at which to understand how this communications happens.

  1. Random spiritual connections. These communications are happening all the time through a substantial amount of sources. The ability to comprehend what this level is trying to portray can be somewhat challenging. It is these connections that have fostered the rise in necessity of a shaman, as many became overwhelmed by the messages being produced. Spirits may inhabit places on Midgard in which they departed their physical self, leaving plenty of spirits covering certain areas. In addition, some spirits move to and from, meaning one might insect with us at any given point.
  2. Directed spiritual connections (prayer). Within this method we are speaking privately to our spiritual channel, thereby alerting the spirits around us to our needs and desires, at the same time we also pass the question directly to our deity as well. The reality here is that this is the layer that many are struggling the most with. Struggle being a poor choice of words, a better way to say it would that those people have the most questions about its function. This is also one of the key actions abducted by the monotheistic practices and coveted. The idea that this method was now contained to a single entity, or the individual was labeled a heretic, and typically marred, or killed as punishment.
  3. Enhanced spiritual connections (worship). With this method we draw attention to our plights, whatever they may be. However, where we (as the human race) distorted our understanding here, is that by employing someone else to do this for us, it proves our true lack of desire. By privately performing our actions to worship our deities, we prove to them that we are more serious about our request. This was the next abduction by the monotheistic practices, however in-lieu of an abduction, this was more of a hijacking. By implementing a fee based system injected into the idea of a requirement for communications with the deity, they converted any idea of worship into a cost center. Profit over salvation.

However, back to the spiritual communications. These communications happen at different levels, and multiple layers at the same time. However, we must never leave out the fact that we are responsible for getting whatever it is as far along as possible, before resulting to the surrendering to the gods. We must do everything we can before invoking for help. In the same note, the spirits of the Landvætti can aid us by assisting in the alignment of our path to our desires. By providing us with either: knowledge, or spiritual influence upon the obstacles, as their “assistance” in getting something done. These communications are imperative to be absolutely sure, we have completed everything we could possibly do. Many people forget that there is help here on earth, with us, who can help us accomplish great things. There are both dark and light Landvætti who can come to our aid, depending on our desires. We must exercise great caution in what we seek.

Ultimately, our lives are all about our choices. It is about seeking our destiny, using every tool necessary to accomplish it. Again, balancing our lives by ensuring that our honor is never tarnished and/or surrendered for any amount of gold. By obtaining a balance, we can go a long way in ensuring our mental, and physical, health.

Many practices recognize the value that the spiritual self plays on the physical health, however many modern folk wait until after they have received some level of modern medicine before seeking spiritual health. It should be the other way around, however the modern day society has become dependent on their “medical community” forgetting that it is the idea of spiritual health that allows us to heal.

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