Are you a leaf swept on the wind of destiny or a sword driven into the bedrock of fate with such force that you divert the current of wyrd itself? Throughout our history seers, writers, artists, historians and philosophers have debated whether fate happens to us or is created by us. One hero stride towards his inevitable doom, another leaps into the unknown on wings of faith.
One of the reasons I love the northern tradition is becaue the Gods themselves are not masters of fate. They are opportunists, strivers, tricksters, wisdom-seekers and magic-makers. They battle, adventure, build walls (or rather, they get someoone else to do it), broker peace and wrestle with destiny.
At present I am doing some work with a lesser known Goddess called Sinthgunt. She is the sister of Sunna, the Charioteer of the Sun, and appears in just a single point in the literature. As sometimes happens when a deity springs into one’s personal gnosis she has come into my life with the full force of a complex personality and powerful presence. She made her way effortlessly into the woven story for our Sowilo module in Awakening and is undoubtedly a Goddess who chooses her own destiny. In her eyes the future lies ahead as a series of golden threads inviting us to take hold. Sometimes there are bundles to choose from, sometimes only a few. I am reminded of Elizabeth Gilbert’s work on the life of ideas in Big Magic. She proposes that ideas seek out a human capable of manifesting them. They wait for us for a while and, if we don’t connect with them, nurting them and bring them into being they move on. Sinthgunt suggests that with our magic and our actions we can draw particular threads towards us. When she teaches this I see a snake-charmer, a horse-whisperer, a falconer slowly drawing in a powerful but cautious destiny.
Sinthgunt has been silent so far on those acts of fate less sought for. Those threads that snap into place unasked and weigh heavy on your being. Perhaps this is a deeper teaching for another time but, for now, she dances amongst the threads of that which could be and askes which you are drawing in.
What destiny is your northern tradition practice holding out to you? Book a North Star session to you read the signs and choose the path.
I have struggled for a long time with the concept whether I want to be leaf or sword. I read this article for the first time on Sunday (Sowilo Day) September 11th 2022. Yesterday under the full moon I picked up a sword that I had purchased many years ago in a hardware store and placed it on my altar to be consecrated to Teiwaz and Tyr for the insights and advice Tyr gave me in my pathwork under the full moon. It seems I finally have made up my mind.
Also yesterday, I got many hunches that I either use the golden threads currently placed in my hands or pass them on to more deserving hands. I will use them. And in retrospect I can´t even understand why it was so difficult to make these decisions and why it took so long and a lot of rune spreads and pathworks to understand.
The doubts will still linger but the path is set. And as always your wisdom came at exactly the right moment,. But what else is new?
Thank you for sharing your experience Marco. I believe that doubt is simply evidence of an open mind and heart (which I know you have in abundance). We can still walk the path. Doubt has its place as a counsellor, we can listen and decide to walk the path anyway.
You are right of course and with the experiences of the last week (a few more since I wrote my reply) the doubts will only be counsellors and not judges anymore. I´m writing down these insights for our next 1-2-1 session this weekend. Be prepared that insight will be kind of lengthy but like every good tapestry it bring together a lot of threads and into a solid strand of co-creating wyrd finally. I apologize for the prose in advance :- but Tyr, Aegir, Ran and your fox lady gave me a lot to integrate, not that I´m complaining….
I’ve been asking the runes for guidance for years now. I’ve often found myself asking some of the same questions, at different stages of my hero’s journey, to understand.
A couple of nights ago I asked them, “What does my higher self want from me?”
I asked this because my life has seemed inconsequential. It’s been full hardship, mostly due to the ignorance of others. I’ve done shadow work and meditated since I was a child. I’ve consistently found myself moving further away from “humanity”. I’ve been a misanthrope for a long time, for good reason.
Anyway, I ended up drawing Sowilo. My name is Apollo, so I took this sign with a roll of my eyes and frustration.
Looking at this blog post has cemented something for me: what I’ve always been reaching for is something divine. Those sorts of journeys are always hard. Very very hard.
Thanks for the post.
Wishing you strength, faith, adventure and the unfolding of greater joy and ease for you on your path Apollo.