David19
October 19th, 2006, 04:53 PM
I hope this doesn't seem dumb, but can any Heathens tell me what the Heathen belief about the afterlife is, even though i'm not a Heathen, it's something i'd like to know about, i've heard many things, but i'm not sure what's right.
I've heard that some say you go to Hel, others say you can also to go to the hall of your patron (e.g. if your patron is Thor or Freya, you might go their hall, etc), and i've heard some people say reincarnation was part of the ancient Heathen belief, but what was it, did you go to Hel, or a hall of your patron or did you reincarnate?, or was it a mixture of all of them, and how was it decided where you'd go (i hope that made some sense).
On Jordsvin site, this article 'Levels of Seidr trance' (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Seidhr/Levels%20of%20Seidhr%20Trance.htm)says:
Past this is what I call the Scattered Realms or the Neighborhood. This is the level where the Nine Worlds are but one realm, Mt. Olympus, the Chinese Celestial Court of the Jade Emperor, Paradise and Hell. Yes, I know it sounds like a damn D&D Game. In my deepest trance I've walked to the Borders of some realms. For instance, Hel and Hades share a border so does a very small part of Paradise (Xtain heaven), it's the gate with which you Seidhkona talk to the Xtain relatives. These are the far journeys. I exhaust myself just attempting to find the border as the Nine Worlds I am familiar are well whole worlds! Again I'm interested in discussion at this level also in private.
And this kind of suggests there are multiple death realms (e.g. like the Norse ones, Christian/Jewish/Muslim one, Hades, etc), but would this be your belief too (it's kind of my belief), and is this what the ancient Norse believed (e.g. like would they have belied everyone would go to their afterlife, or did they see different afterlifes depending on the god(s) you followed?).
I also found this article by Jordsvin too called 'Heathenism and the Ancestors' (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Jordsvins%20Writing/Heathenism%20and%20the%20Ancestors.htm), of which this quote, again suggested multiple realms:
From my own spae-work and that of others, it seems possible (but usually not necessary or desirable!) to contact the abodes of the Dead of other faiths. I see no reason for Heathens to fear being cut off from their Christian friends and Kin after death. The Afterlife isn't quite as rigid a realm as Midhard.
Anyway, thanks for any help and answers you can give me on this :).
I've heard that some say you go to Hel, others say you can also to go to the hall of your patron (e.g. if your patron is Thor or Freya, you might go their hall, etc), and i've heard some people say reincarnation was part of the ancient Heathen belief, but what was it, did you go to Hel, or a hall of your patron or did you reincarnate?, or was it a mixture of all of them, and how was it decided where you'd go (i hope that made some sense).
On Jordsvin site, this article 'Levels of Seidr trance' (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Seidhr/Levels%20of%20Seidhr%20Trance.htm)says:
Past this is what I call the Scattered Realms or the Neighborhood. This is the level where the Nine Worlds are but one realm, Mt. Olympus, the Chinese Celestial Court of the Jade Emperor, Paradise and Hell. Yes, I know it sounds like a damn D&D Game. In my deepest trance I've walked to the Borders of some realms. For instance, Hel and Hades share a border so does a very small part of Paradise (Xtain heaven), it's the gate with which you Seidhkona talk to the Xtain relatives. These are the far journeys. I exhaust myself just attempting to find the border as the Nine Worlds I am familiar are well whole worlds! Again I'm interested in discussion at this level also in private.
And this kind of suggests there are multiple death realms (e.g. like the Norse ones, Christian/Jewish/Muslim one, Hades, etc), but would this be your belief too (it's kind of my belief), and is this what the ancient Norse believed (e.g. like would they have belied everyone would go to their afterlife, or did they see different afterlifes depending on the god(s) you followed?).
I also found this article by Jordsvin too called 'Heathenism and the Ancestors' (http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Jordsvins%20Writing/Heathenism%20and%20the%20Ancestors.htm), of which this quote, again suggested multiple realms:
From my own spae-work and that of others, it seems possible (but usually not necessary or desirable!) to contact the abodes of the Dead of other faiths. I see no reason for Heathens to fear being cut off from their Christian friends and Kin after death. The Afterlife isn't quite as rigid a realm as Midhard.
Anyway, thanks for any help and answers you can give me on this :).