ANCIENT WAYS TO NEW THOUGHT

 

 

 

ANCIENT WAYS TOWARD NEW THOUGHT 

Expanded Edition

 All additional text and resources will appear in this red print. 

The deliberate continuation of ancient culture, religion, and philosophy is greatly apparent to those with intimate knowledge of old ways such as runes, myth, and magic.  If there is a corresponding knowledge of comparative religion in the history of the West up to recent times, this connection gains further evidence.

I have not abandoned my Ancient Ancestors paradigm to enthuse about New Thought. In fact, I'm making a conjecture that Life could not be denied and the Truth continued in secret through the ages. A scholarly case for something that could not be destroyed but thrived through adaptability is made in James C. Russell's "The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity." I began where Russell left off to speculate about the following centuries. I started with Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1381) and went on to Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688 - 1772). Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826), Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881), Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) and Ernest Holmes (1887 - 1960)  

  

From the quest for self-reliance and inspired consciousness in early America with European connections we move to a period that Israel Regardie wrote about in his "The Romance of Metaphysics. I mention Regardie's study because it lends a magico-religious flare to a phenomenon that was more than pop-culture. I only know of his book through interviews which means that I can only mention Unity Church, Neville Goddard, Robert Collier and a few others of a more debatable relevance. In my youth I was a voracious reader of Napoleon Hill and Ernest Holmes. The more recent revival of New Thought I observed with that frame of reference. It is true that pop-culture simplicity hijacked the implications, but more study by those who were genuinely touched is inevitable. And has occurred.   

  

Revolution toward New Thought could be ancient ways re-imagined or reinstatement of conscious direction.  

  

If there are effective practitioners of connecting with the sacred in a way that brings real results, we have names for them.  'Practitioners' or 'healers' or 'magicians' could be among these.  History has an example of an initiatory traveling tribe of power and magic that went among their people in various regions.  This tribe was called the Herulians or Erulians.  The name became synonymous with rune masters for which they were famed.  This tribe is being re-awakened today by those who heed the calling.  One thing that distinguishes their type of semiotic magic is evidenced in the rune-master formula such as those found on amulets.  A portion of the method used when creating a functional magic was to IDENTIFY with the godly force being enacted.  Thus, there is the "I, the Erulian" formula.  I give an example in a study on the Lindholm Amulet posted on my Germanic Craft blog.  

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Post from the Germanic Craft Blog

PERSONALIZED FORMULA FROM THE OLDER TRADITION

 First, we have assurance from personal experience that creative formulaic elements work with a charged impact on our circumstances.  Second, there is the admission that our intent can SEEM to bog down with failure after showing promise.  There is an explanation and a solution. 

The Runemaster formula comes from our history as found in literature and artifacts.  The best source for creating our own formulas is found in Runes and Magic : Formulaic Elements in  the Older Runic Tradition, by Stephen Flowers.  This is his Ph.D dissertation.  Another good study is How To Do Things With Runes : A Semiotic Approach to Operative Communication which is from a talk that Edred gave at an international runic symposium that was held in Denmark with recognized scholars.  The result is that we can create our own objects as amulets or talismans today using the archeology and literary evidence of our history. 

How to create a formulaic script :

This is based upon the Lindholm "Amulet."  This was found in 1840 in Skåne, Sweden and is dated somewhere between the 2nd to 4th century.   

The word, 'amulet' is in parenthesis because some magic technicians say the word implies a protective function and we can't be certain that this is the only purpose of the Lindholm inscription. 

This will appear as a script or message in runes that could be partially read phonetically and also contain a series of runes for their power aspects.  I don't have font for a runic script so the English phonetic letters must be transcribed to runes on a worksheet and studied in that communicative form.  Magic is observed by Stephen Flowers to be a semiotic communication between dimensions.  To  simplify, this means sender, message, medium of symbols for the message, receiver, means of communication back to the sender.  Runes are our medium.  We are sending to the Gods, or to Divine Advisors called Ginnregin. 

This is an Elder Futhark formula so the language is Proto-Germanic.  

There are various Runemaster formulas.  We will look at one in particular.  Written in runes the first statement is "E K"  Which states translates "I" or "I am"  This is the first step of rising up to working as an person of power from a Higher Consciousness.  The next runes are "E R I L A R" which means "The Erulian."  Now the mage has risen up to what could be called the Wode Self or some variation of that concept.  It is from this high position that "I, the Erulian" can begin the work on the amulet.  There there are two more steps to full identification with the magical self rather than the personality self.  "S A" means "Called" as in "I am called."  Then the magical name is written.  For my example, I will use "Frithmaker" as the magical or initiatory name.


Thus far we have, "I am the Erulian called Frithmaker." The runic sequence is followed by a " : " This separates the introductory change of consciousness with the actual spell.  Now the mage must determine his intentions for the message to be sent to the worlds.  Let us say he wishes to influence his family, friends, clan, and tribe to act more harmoniously toward each other.  He has foreseen that fighting among themselves, bickering, and not being united in mutual good will have disastrous consequences.  He wishes peace and mutual good.  This is where runes are ascribed strictly for their dynamic power rather than phonetics.  A good series to use in this instance might be wunjo written 9 times.  That this is a mutual exchange of gifted energy would mean two gebo runes.  Maybe the mage wants this to evolve over continued time.  Thus two jera runes are added.  A homeland for these people to gather might indicate two othalas are added.  That seems good. 

This section is set apart with another " : "

The final galdor of meaningful power is added.  As you all know "Alu" is a common and effective galdor that has the power of historical usage.  Let us say that we are already inspired to work for peace among our family and friends.  We already have that inspiration going for us so we want the good fortune of an ongoing effort by all involved.  My preference here would be "AUJA"  which means "Good fortune" or "I give good fortune."

Let's look at our completed talisman.  Remember the English letters must be converted to runes. 

EKERILARSAFRITHMAKER : 
WWWWWWWWWGGJJOO :  AUJA :

Please note that the " : " which essentially means the end of a sentence is actually three vertical dots.  I don't have the font for that.    

The evidence of this particular Runemaster formula (with a different purpose in the original artifact) does not indicate any particular further galdor or charging work.  It is archeological artifact evidence.  We are already familiar with galdor and charging techniques.   

I want to share what happened when I created a formulaic amulet with a different intention.  It is not a good idea to share on the internet the precise work we are doing for personal purposes.  My formula was different in purpose than the example here. 

It worked strongly according to semiotic principles.  We communicate to the Gods with runes.  Thier method of responding back is with events.  Signals in the environment are often what we are seeking - - and that is what we get.  My situation improved dramatically according to the runic intention I used.  This was an undeniable power and a presence felt at many levels.  I sometimes looked at my amulet and gave my thanks to All who were involved.  It is said that it is sometimes best to put our work aside from our conscious mind so I did not make a ritual about looking at the amulet.  Things went really well according to my intention. 

 Then it all broke down.  I should say that 'according to my limited perception' it all broke down'.  When we make an oath or create magic the long term purposes of the our mission and the Ineffable s must be considered.  Yet my question remained - - how to make things work again?  I believe that there are skills in attentive living that keep us on course.  Someday, with the help of smart and observant people, I will know what specific techniques from Germanic lore could be used.  In the interim, there seems to be an Odian knowledge connection to more recent developments in the skills of living on purpose.  The Odian does not eschew knowledge that comes from world sources.  While it is true that humanity has generally devolved with the imposition of Modernism, we sometimes notice superior work by great minds that should be respected. 

This will be included in my forthcoming, "Runes From The War Room."

John Boyd and the OODA loop.   John Boyd (1927 - 1997) was a fighter pilot and military strategist whose works have been compared to Sun Tzu and  Carl Von Clausewitz.  This model goes beyond the miliatry and informs areas of personal development and business.  OODA is "observe", "orient", "decide", and "act"  The rapid integration of those areas are essential to victory as a fighter pilot.  Victory in life requires such a responsive strategy.    

Here is a quote from an article about the OODA loop by Taylor Pearson :

"Orient
Orientation is the most important part of the OODA loop. It includes understanding your genetics, cultural heritage and previous experiences, then analyzing and synthesizing that with all the observations you made."

This sentence in his article convinced me I was correct in seeing Odian principles at work in current times.   

Here is a link to the Taylor Pearson article.   

https://taylorpearson.me/ooda-loop/ 


    
No, I don't have any examples of how I'm using this method.  And I don't have sufficient study to share much on the subject.  It just seems right. 
 

This is similar to the New Thought protocol of identifying oneself as one with the healing force called upon.  It is not a god far away who does the work but the god within.  This Divine Nature is not limited to a particular characterization or image in New Thought.  The Divine Force is unlimited and expressive in many ways.  Thus I maintain that to use effective images and conceptualizations of the gods of our ancestors as functioning as ONE POWER of unitary fundamental pure Consciousness is a religious prospect and an identifying prospect.  

  

New Thought 

  

The ancestral paradigm that has been embraced by myself and many others through the study of runes and Germanic mythos seemed somehow familiar as we advanced our study.  This could be from the concept of learning being more about 'remembering' than encountering entirely new information.  I had left behind any New Thought sources and was entirely satisfied to concentrate on the runic and Germanic history of culture and magic.  Then I began to notice that the academic and thoughtful leaders in our education were beginning to also introduce the evidence of survival of ancient Heathen and Pagan precepts contained within the allowed (although resisted and persecuted) structure of the Christian West.  As I've said, James C. Russell gives strong chronicles for this in early medieval times.  Yet the  transmission of a Mystery continued after that epoch.   

  

The most important scholar for the entire Germanic Re-Awakening is Stephen Edred Flowers, also known as Edred Thorsson, and his work and support for the work of others is crucial information.  One of the most important works in this field is his compendium, "The Northern Dawn : A History of the Reawakening of The Germanic Spirit."  2006 . 

     

The notes and bibliography in "The Northern Dawn" point the way to direct study of Meister Eckhart, the anonymously authored Teutonic Knight manuscript "Theologica Germanica" and other sources that presented our family relationship to the Divine.  We are one.  With that said, I must express that there are nuances necessary according to the level of skill and wisdom that an entity has actualized through the necessary effort and fortune.   

  

There are epochs of varying duration that appear when it is time.  In the late 1960s and early 1970s, I participated in the Whole Earth Catalog dynamic that totally overturned the hip Marxist unthinking assumptions that were only moments past.  Cybernetics, self-reliance, and profound thought were encouraged and promoted.  Something was happening in my world that led away from the Communist SDS hipness and toward Ayn Rand, Buckminster Fuller, and Maxwell Maltz.  I only mention this to show that moving phenomenon seems to occur on its own when it is time and when the right people take intitiative.  There is a phrase, when its steam engine time it steam engines.  The actual quote is from Charles Fort in 1931, "A tree cannot find out, as it were, how to blossom, until comes blossom-time. A social growth cannot find out the use of steam engines, until comes steam-engine-time.” 

  

Such was another time that I did not know about but has such an enduring legacy today.  The acceleration of the New Thought movement was so populated and rapid that it was hard to find a place to contain the crowds.  The crowds were actually derived from the integrity of a few capable researchers and teachers who were dedicated with integrity.  I did not experience that particular phase because it occured from about 1910 to 1960.  I did see the momentum of those books and publications in my world from the 1970s onward.   

  

I maintain that there is a similar rising up in skill and recognition in what is sometimes termed 'heathenry' or the Germanic Re-Awakening that is accelerating to include such talent in magic, arts, and crafts that it is a phenomenon of talent based on what the practitioners have learned from the pioneers and adepts of academia.  I have tried to compile and recommend some truly great stuff, yet there is far more than I have time to mention or even find.   

  

Our acceleration is a social phenomenon that does not need media endorsements like Oprah gave to "The Secret" when it came out as a copy of the previous New Thought works. Ours began in pamphlets, samizdat publications, and a few academic books that rose above popular New Age interests.  

  

A rare book that tells the quest of Ernest Holmes is the source of much of this Science of Mind history : "Ernest Holmes: His Life and Times." by Fenwicke L. Holmes. 1970 

  

I have the book by 'coincidence' yet there is much online about Ernest Holmes and the Church of Religious Science.  

  

The early formation of the Church of Religious Science had a department for the paranormal.  "The Law of Psychic Phenomena" by Thomson Hudson. 1893. Was a book studied and appreciated by Ernest Holmes and his brother.  What I like about Holmes compared to the plethora of other New Thought advocates was his embracing curiosity. If he had been in an environment to have been introduced to the Eddas or Sagas he would have eventually learned about runes and myth as related to the One Power that he sought.  I grant that the aesthetics, culture, and ancestral lineage are the functioning aspect of runes.  Yet we could consider that the Holmes family was of European lineage.  The passion for the quest for knowledge is an Odian characteristic.  

  

Meister Eckhart worked with an inspiration and an awakened vision, yet he had to walk a fine line because of the active inquisitional  efforts of the church.  Thus, we aren't privileged with the full expression of his insight.  I always take this into account when reading his work.  He remained Odian in his view of the Divine.  A quote often used is, "The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me."  He also distinguishes the perspective of one eye versus the advanced perspective of the other eye.  I think those of us who have puzzled over the sometimes appearance of Odin with two eyes have refined our conception of what the sacrifice of one eye to gain knowledge means.   

  

Shortly after Eckhart 'disappeared' and was excommunicated after death, there appeared the "Theologica Germanica" by an anonymous Teutonic Knight.  For a superb study on this see the Glen Alexander Magee article in the ‘Symbel’ journal of The Woodharrow Institute.    

  

Three centuries later a noted and respected scientist risked it all and retired from the world although still communicative in an honest way with his friends.  Emmanuel Swedenborg had visons of other worlds and an expanded view of the Spirit of existence.  To explain what he 'saw' he still used Biblical narratives because we all use the mythology that is familiar when expressing how we verify our conclusions.  A Swedenborgian minister in America was later to leave those restrictions and have considerable influence on the early years of New Thought.    

  

The more we learn about the Colonial and Revolutionary era of the Founding Fathers the more it seems as great as Thomas Jefferson was he was too much ensconced in an egalitarian and utopian view to represent the continuation of the Northern European spirit.  His heart was broken and he was disillusioned after the French Revolution.  Yet we must appreciate his ideals of preserving and continuing the Anglo-Saxon language and common law at his created university.  He thought our national symbol should be Hengst and Horsa.  The Constitution was James Madison's genius.  The time of the Colonial founding and uprising to independence was a time for men of destiny.  They were aware of a Divine Providence.  

  

An influence on the beginnings of New Thought was Ralph Waldo Emerson.  He writings had an early impact on Earnest Holmes although he felt the driving need to outgrow even the transcendentalists.  The feisty spirit of Emerson toward demanding independence and self- reliance is nowadays somewhat criticized by Conservatives as denying tradition and a natural hierarchy in nature.  Emerson's good friend in Scotland made up for that with a book called, "On Heroes and Hero Worship."  Thomas Carlyle was still taught in school when I was there.  Nowadays his work is not known and I know a retired English teacher who has never heard of him.  Carlyle may be more in keeping with the demanding and rigorous Germanic spirit.   

  

It was a Faustian quest for knowledge of mental and healing fundamentals that led to the experimentation of Mesmer and Quimby.  They in turn influenced Mary Baker Eddy.  The Christian Science church of Mary Baker Eddy can still be seen in what was until recently a superb newspaper of competent journalism.  A student of Eddy was ousted from her church for being too eclectic and erudite in the mystic aspects of world religions. Emma Curtis Hopkins would use the Upanishads and multiple other sources to illuminate her mysticism.  

  

That brings us to the vitality of the age when Ernest Holmes began to master and teach the principles of New Thought.  There were others at this time who I mentioned above but it was Ernest Holmes who impressed me the most.  He embodied and accomplished wonders with his identification with the Divine as the provider of all things esoteric.  It seems similar today to men who live by their own might and main.   

  

trúa á mátt sinn ok megin 

Men who live by their own might and main.   

Old Norse concept of men who thrived during harsh times.  "Megin" describes the mystic or psychological power that augmented physical strength. 

  

There is a nuance here that it does not mean men live in defiance of universal principles but in a strong identification with them.  Even today, if you read some heavy hitters of personal responsibility and power you will find them recommending The Will of Heaven and the use of prayer.  I'm thinking of Ivan Throne who is certainly not a New Thought personality.  He does, however, walk the same path of ethos, ethics, and identified power.    

 

 NEW THOUGHT AND THE GOTHS.  Visigoths and Ostrogoths, that is.
 New Thought as a syncretic trajectory of the Goths is verified in theory by the history of the Goths as delineated by Aelfric Avery.  The Gauts were a pragmatic people who lived among the entirety of the neighboring peoples.  If something worked in was in agreement with their traditional ways they used it.  Remaining solid in an essential truth while adopting in appearance what was revealed around them was adopted when it coincided with that value.  I would say remembrance and ambition was that value.

I would say that a time of syncretic adoption could maintain  momentum now. The related familiarity of New Thought to a standard Christian doctrine as a cultural-story context could introduce some very esoteric precepts and practices where it might not have appeared before.  From my frame of reference comparisons between New Thought and ancient Heathen arts are workable and could simplify life for those who need immediate care.  

Reaching The General Public.
A benefit of this syncretic philosophy approach might be reaching through philosophy to people who could not comprehend an immediate acceptance of their heritage or also allow their heritage to continue if they are opposed.  It still might mean having the power to live in regions beyond the coercive narrative. 

ERNEST HOLMES : HIS LIFE AND TIMES
Fenwicke L. Holmes delineates the thought and personal histories of "The Idea" or "The New Philosophy."  Interactions with Phineus Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy and the Swedenborgain minister Warren Felt Evans created a train of thought that Fenwick writes as ",,, from above rather than below."  He says Quimby and his direction of thought outlived Freud.  Indeed.  A factor is that  "...mind is a divine origin, not merely an aggregate of emotions instincts and reflexes, without a soul, but a living spirit related to God and to eternity."  pgs 105 - 106.

The Spiritual contact is the most efficacious way of dealing with political overreach and manipulation by the media machinery of mankind.  In keeping with the positive focus of this mindset of New Thought, Fenwicke only mentions the horrific geo-political events of the times in a cursory way.

"...Karl Marx, author of Das Kapital, had died in 1883 and events were ripening that would lead to the rise of that ruthless fanatic, Lenin, who would in put teeth into Marxism until it would become Russian Communism."  Pg. 63

"It was a tragic period in the history of civilization, for in 1914 all Europe became a maelstrom of war, and the nations allied against Germany made every effort to get the military support of America.  "

"The star of anti-Christ was rising in Russia.  The sequence of events was rapid - the death of the monarch, the failure of Kerensky's democracy, the return of Lenin to Russia and the conversion of the peasants into Soviets, followed by Trotsky, who turned them into Bolsheviks; the carnage and bloodshed that destroyed the Church, that set up Communism as worship of the state." 


"Many factors conspired to inflame public opinion against Germany.."

"As Christian clergymen, our chief concern was to support the Red Cross and other instruments of peace and to help innocent victims of war through personal and international organizations throughout Europe."

That is all that is said about war and political unrest in their times.

When people know things from Higher Perception they can give hints without disturbing the entrenched narrative.  The entrenched narrative will come around in its own time.  With Science of Mind, the Spirit is the correcting course to the political in a compassionate way.  

A pioneer woman in the field of esoteric thought, Emma Curtis Hopkins, had courage and access to a great library.  She could not let herself be limited to one person's Biblical interpretation.  She thought teachings of Truth could be located and expanded through world cultures and history.  She knew the Bagavad Gita and Upanishads.  Theosophy she studied well.  I wouldn't be surprised if she also knew the Poetic Edda.  By the way,    Elsa-Brita Titchenell  has a good translation of Edda through Theosophical interpretation.  I don't entirely subscribe to Tichenell's cautionary tone but she did some good stuff in terms of Theosophy.

When someone leaves the area where they were supposed to remain stuck within those limits and they come back to that limited area, the area gains.  

Emma Curtis Hopkins quotes
“The Highest God and the Inmost God is one God.”
"Thou canst not behold Me with thy two outer eyes: I have given thee an eye divine.'”
"The Divine Eye or Vision, is the sense with which we perceive Truth or Reality."

Consider that we can agree with each other from different areas.  

PART TWO

 New Thought is insistant that we live forever and that the fearful doctrines of many churches are in error.  There are some good sources of study for this.  To be consistant with the timeline of great thinkers I will mention Swedenborg as an influence on New Thought and how he continued a more ancient understanding of the continuance of consciusness.  The afterlife and other dimensions were experiential to Swedenborg and he chronicled what he saw there both in writing and conversations with friends who would visit him. 

Perhaps Swedenborg, the scientist, allowed himself an open-minded exploration of areas forbidden by the church society.  Perhaps he was merely more curious and more allowing for intuition than most men.  Separation between this known life and a hidden spiritual life is not as complete as usually understood.  So if I mention one motivation for my New Thought interest is my former dissatisfaction with A.A. doctrine when I knew that Swedenborg, The Oxford Group, and William James had influenced A.A. as well as New Thought.  I was concerned that a friend had fallen into the grim biblical thumpers of A.A. and indeed he did not even know that esoteric interpretations even existed.  I had considerd giving him "Science of Mind" because he was certainly not ready or the least bit interested in my Nordic paradigm.  Getting well is all that matters.

That dominance of crushing modern culture and what it can do to a young man is one motivation for this book.  The more arcane studies and practices found earlier like the Lindholm Amulet will not resonate with a broken man until the time is right.  The recent media fears associated with the lockdown and horrifically exagerrated stories about death need to be eliminated for a more enlightened understanding of life.  This study, and the recommended resources, will provide that.  Of course we must include an arcane and profound background for those who are ready.

An area that is with us more than we allow ourselves to consider is the Afterlife.  I will provide the ancient understanding which is there in our lore and anecdotal experiences of perception that are more generic.   

At my age, there are now more relatives and friends in the 'next dimension' than there are walking here in the physical Midgard. This doesn't make them any less real but it does require a different perspective on the message of aliveness.  There will be more people who understand this as Consciouness is related by science and anecdotal experiences are told with honesty.  'Sophisticated' doubt will lose its claim to superiority.  Not my concern anyway. 

In some ways the essence of those you love take on a less limited influence on your state of mind and fortunes.  With the superior viewing field that they have and the emotional defenses not present they are a living influence on your life.  They say this cannot be proven but it would be more difficult to be disproven.  Memory and Mind are living functions of the Mythic mind presented by Odin's ravens Huginn and Munnin.  Analytical mind and memory mind are equal in functional importance.  In fact Munnin has slightly more importance.  

Living in the past is not the point of remembering the ancestors.  Consider that they built a place for us to live and accomplish today.  Consider that they are likely still interested in what we are creating today.  In terms of time, the ancestors are equipped with awareness to comprehend the present moment as well as the past and future.  

Techniques for contact are available in various tech and spiritualist fields but the real contact happens in the process of living through our intuitions and interests.  Mediumship and Spiritualist methods are okay but that is not necessary.  I use a journey of the imagination method that is effective for viewing all aspects of alternative and attached Worlds.  Working with the Germanic Nine Worlds will show you about that.  Forms of Seidhr or shamanism will explore various alternate realities which is a cross cultural phenomenon. 

The generic and Mythic visions of the Afterlife are both examined here because both are a reality.  Our own living experiences and visions have a legitimate and powerful myth.

The afterlife is where so much of my family energy lives that a balance is required for incoming energy to new arrivals on this side.       

My family built a life for their times and the times ahead.  A land prospered that had stretched from horizon to horizon with forest, mountains, and lakes.  The living of sheltered village life adapted to the forest and lakes without detracting from their beauty.  Youthful zest was returning to men who had a few months before been under deadly fire from unbidden enemies in the fields and forests of Europe and in the open seas and skies.  Thankful to be alive and living in the moment which they were never sure would be seen again they reveled in the mountain lakes.  They had worked hard all through the week but there was no thought or feeling of fatigue.  Building occurred in nature - -  not opposed to nature.  

And so some of my meetings with loved ones on the Other Side happens in a Light vista of mountain lake life.Another journey to a land of heresy.  What is gained by holding to the expression of the invisible foundation of ones native land and heritage.  This is not a question but a statement. There is something about looking with love upon the trees and mountains of the homeland with the awareness of those who once walked the land with you.  This is not an aftelife journey, but an all life journey.  That your ancestors are with you is the spirit of joy.  What they will do through you today is what you do for those who are beside you now and into the future.  

The Afterlife has a feature of translated natural beauty and architecture.  Since I have so many who are parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends who now walk those lands of the shining beyond, it is necessary to see those lands for our visits.  The regions they speak from are the regions where we hear them and see them.  My land of Montana is a land of many natural lakes that were visited for recreation and work.  

Today, I considered the presentation of the author, Askr Svarte,  that different people have a different relationship to Heidegger's "Das Geviert."  That is the Sky, Earth, Gods, and Man are not the same in different lands.  Language and location is the key to this rather than ethnicity.  It seems okay that the Afterlife could have the same variety of structures.  I meet my own ancestors in fields with forests and lakes.  The housing structures where we sometimes converse are rarely classical temples so they are usually homes built by craftsmen in the Frank Lloyd Wright style.  Just as I saw them being built when the family leaders seemed to have some omniscient or higher wisdom.

Seldom do my Otherworld journeys occur in Greek Temples or exotic Mediterranean structures.  

The literature and legitimate studies of Reincarnation mostly indicate that the return to physical life happens within the same family or extended familys.  The resources are voluminous.  Rather than mention she specific ones, I'll jump right into the Germanic Mythic lore which tell these stories in ways that have survived for centuries.  

My preferred study in this area of metaphysics is "Sigurdr: Rebirth and the Rites of Transformation" by Stephen E. Flowers.  However, beyond my personal and cultural mythology of belief and experience there are accelerations of generic evidence that are impressive.The vast resources to formerly forbidden thought have produced scientific studies, anecdotal experiences, and comprehensive works  that are defiant to the norms of perceived limits. We have our visions and beliefs. Translations validate our humanity. We have the answers when we learn to trust ourselves.  It takes practice.  There is no hurry.  Be comforted as our ability to know increases.


"SIGURD : REBIRTH AND THE RITES OF TRANSFORMATION"
This is the Master thesis of Stephen E. Flowers.  It is available here.  I'm reminded that  Academic work and operant runology are published under different premises and different approaches.  It remains true, however, that the best operant and practical instructive books are based upon solid scholarly research.  I'm not saying that this book offers a plan for action as much as authentic research background. Then again - - I am saying that this book offers rede on how young people can overcome Modernist limitations and live their authentic purpose.   

I will state for the record that reading this book is instructive on the nature of humanity at many levels.  My undistinguished university career was punctuated with occasional moments of real learning.  These moments were when the subject and material were actually related to real life.  Dr. Flowers' book is impeccably researched and has academic credentials.  It is also one that brings me those moments of real learning.
An academic masterpiece like this is not necessarily intended to act as a practical guide.  I believe, however, that this is an instructive guide to young people ; especially young men.  My reasoning is that if I had integrated the lore of the soul found there I would have been more successful than I am now at age 68.  I would have had a better idea of how to take advantage of my destiny.  

Before entering some reviews from Lodestar and Amazon about the soul lore aspects  will address directly some rede for young people.  Look at the accomplishments and character of your ancestors.  Ancient ancestors, recent ancestors, and honorable relatives still alive.  A precedent has been set and you can strengthen your soul by participating in that precedent.  We function best as clans and united kindred.  The power of your kindred strengthens you and then you strengthen your kindred.  

In our historic sources we can find the presence of a noble birth with a destiny and how a young person should take action.  Apprenticeship with a relative or mentor who has knowledge and ability is the way.  Indeed, the very story of the Volsung Saga and The Nibelungenlied is about the initiation of a youth to an important fated purpose.  The means of initiation within a culture structured toward mystic heroism is the scenic background for the tale.  There are technical Germanic soul concepts that inform us with cultural literary credence.  In my opinion there are also principles that have worked for us in other times and could be working today among those youth who are paying attention.   
The Sigurd thesis could be a study of potential within the family not fully realized and as advice to younger men to be conscious of their place and opportunities.  It could also reaffirm and renew an older man's influence at a later stage of life.  Magic of your own could be enacted.   

Two Primary Sources to study are the Volsungasaga and the Niblelungenlied.  There are also relevant lays in the Codex Regius.   
Here is a description of the book from the Lodestar site where it may be purchased:
"This book in essence the MA thesis of Stephen E. Flowers, written in 1979. The text contains extensive discussions of the history of the scholarship about the idea of rebirth in ancient Norse sources, the doctrine of the soul, and the record of “reincarnation” in Norse as well as other Indo-European sources. The theories are applied to the data of the saga of Sigurdr, where we can see the ideas in action—the rites that must be undergone in order to effect this mysterious process known as “rebirth.” The contents of this book are essential to understanding the ancient concepts of the soul, rebirth and of personal transformation, or initiation."

And from the Amazon site:  
"The doctrine of reincarnation and the structure of the ancient Norse soul, or psyche, have been enduring topics of scientific inquiry for well over a century. In this work, based on his 1979 Master's Thesis at the University of Texas at Austin, the author reviews past scholarship, outlines the structure of the Norse soul, and with comparative Indo-European and even American Indian evidence, coupled with copious internal Germanic evidence demonstrates how certain soul-components were believed to be passed from generation to generation in the ancient North. The focus is on the saga of Sigurd Fafnisbani, the greatest hero of Germanic legend, and how his mythic life demonstrates the development of the soul of the ultimate hero through certain rites of transformation. These conclusions have ramifications for understanding the development of any great human soul and can act as a paradigm for that development."


Sigurdr: Rebirth and Rites of Transformation might still be available at the Lodestar site.  Amazon is out at the moment.
Strength should increase within family and kindred living.  I've seen that myself although I did not live up to my family potential.  It is still a valid ideal that should not be ignored.  

That concludes, for now, the updates to my Ancient Ways To New Thought content.  The Lindholm Amulet comparison to 'identifying with Source' as a rising up to higher identity necessary for the Rune Master formula is the most related to New Thought as a movement.  The later Afterlife continuation as found in extended families is not as much a New Thought doctrine but I wanted to show more of the 'ancient ways' material as found in literature.  

The work in general consists of Study - - Intiation (integrated study) - - Practice - - Perceiving Results - - beginning anew with expanded knowledge.  That is the working approach to esoteric working found among those with years of dedication.  

If anyone wonders about the recent medical 'expert' impressions of the NDE phenomenon as found in standardized criticism, there is a book by a noted brain surgeon who experienced his own NDE "Proof of Heaven" by Eben Alexander" that is worth consulting.  There are also social/medical academics who have made researched reports on the rebirth evidence.      

How these matters manifest in real life are what counts.   

 

Germanic Ancient Ways To New Thought.  Faith And Prayer

Conceptualization of the Divine Source in New Thought is also found in the quest for meeting the Mystery in Germanic prayer.  If Christians object that we worship Odin rather than God they are mistaken.  The aware among us are not Odinist but Odian.  The Odinist worships Odin as an external entity.  The Odian emulates his insatiable quest for knowledge of the metaphysics of awareness and information.  We seek the Source and spirit that Odin seeks.

This is from one of my other website blog posts in 2013.

 GERMANIC PRAYER.

Times when we are worried about someone or when we feel less than adequate for personal challenges are times when we hope that prayer is real. The good news is that scientific research and more relevant ancient folklore seem to present strong evidence in the affirmative. The experiential anecdotal stories we have among ourselves should not be dismissed either. I become less dogmatic as the years pass (and there are lots of 'em) and more respectful for the ways of others who happen to be human too.

My particular frame of reference is the Germanic conception of the numinous and the semiotics of communication. So that is what I've looked at in my blog post about Germanic prayer. This is a blog where I post my early rough drafts so I can correct and edit them later. This entry tends toward requiring footnotes and citing of sources in a later edition.

Our Western cultural heritage is the source of our survival and thriving success. A cathedral to Wodan could be constructed and dedicated that would signify our return to our more ancient source of heritage. Such a project would be in the realm of those who have the Destining Power to fulfill that promise. For most of us, a more simple yet elegant holy enclosure of our own means and environment will work very well. Our religion is of the Folk and we are already sanctified and worthy.

Sometimes during a time of crisis there might be an increased need for attentive prayer. This could be for oneself or others. To heal a situation might be assisted by an environment or liturgy that takes the person or persons beyond their perceived limitations. This is an occasional event for many because the Awareness of Higher Purpose and the attendant pyschic skills required can be a continuous condition.

Germanic prayer as evidenced in surviving literature is largely devotional and affirmative. There is an acknowledgement of Rightness. To be aligned with the Gods and Ancestors is to take our place among them so we can accomplish what they did. It is from here that we can best offer up prayers of petition that we all need from time to time. We can, and should, have ambition, education, and goals yet sometimes there are blessings needed by sources that might be a little out of our immediate perception. That's okay because we are not meant to have the overload to manage the minute or large details of the Universe. In Asatru we say Multiverse because different levels and functions of existence have unique Worlds.

In presenting the theme of prayer in the way it came to us from ancient days and how it has been modified for today, I have a couple frames of reference that are fully active and tested and documented by me. I will present those first and then also offer some of the evidence that I know about from academic sources. The academic background is valuable and we should appreciate the dedicated scholars who have gone before. I believe most of these were interested in Germanic studies because of an innate fascination and respect for something that was a Superconscious prompting from a Great Source.

We see the results of our prayers whether we have the best academic credentials going for us or have another field of reference for our journey. When prayer works there is an awakening that we are okay. We are more than okay. We have Hamingja and our Selves and our Folk. Yes, some humility is beneficial here too so that we remain awake in all our relationships.


Here are some examples of prayer in historical Germanic literature.


"Hail Day, Hail Day's sons!

Hail Night and daughter of Night!

With loving eyes, look upon these

and grant those of us here Godspeed"


"Hail Gods! Hail Goddesses!

Hail the much needed Earth

who givest to all!"


" Sayings, goodly spells, and sage wit

give to us the storied ones;

And healing hands in this life."


This is from the Sigrdrifumal. Verses 2 and 3.


The following is a stanza from the Voluspa that I include with the above prayer as an affirmation that our goal is the brighter time of Gimle where we find joy and success.


" I see a hall than the sun more fair

thatched with red gold which is Gimle hight

There shall all the Gods and Goddesses

and trothful Folk dwell in peace and bliss

during long ages."



This is from the Voluspa. Verse 63.


The above blessing is one I use as a reconstruction of the voice of our ancestors as recorded in the Poetic Edda. It is a combined form of verses from the Sigdrifumal and Voluspa. This is my interpretation rather than a translation. It is modified for specific use while trying to hold to the original intent and poetic format. I have concentrated upon the Gimle time of renewal and success because I believe it makes a better affirmation for what we want in life.

I am also aware of the Mersberg Charm and the Lacnunga Manuscript which I will mention later with some good resources for study. The above prayers are ones that I have integrated into my daily and seasonal practice. I have also been aware also of the description that follows.

There is an example of a merchant's prayer for success in a true account of a scribe. "Ibn Fadlan's Travel-Report. As it Concerns the Scandanavian Rus". Introduction and Commentary by Stephen E. Flowers Ph.D. 1998. Runa-Raven Press.

Here is a description beginning on page 7 in the thirteenth section. "At the time of the arrival of these ships at this anchorage, each of them came ashore with bread, meat, onions, milk, and drink and proceeded to a tall pillar of wood which has a man-like face carved into it. And around it are small figures behind which long wooden poles are erected." Fadlan then goes on to describe that the merchant prostrates himself before it. I would imagine that the warrior merchant only goes down on one knee in the more familiar form of respect and allegiance that we know. The merchant then mentions from where he has come and says, "I have brought this gift for you." Then he lays down what he has brought in front of the pole. He asks that he be provided with a buyer who is rich and who will be agreeable. If the merchant is not successful in his early attempts he returns and repeats the process to the smaller figures. To me it seems that this verifies a cooperative hierarchy of entities. This seems to be evidence from older times for my theory about the delegation of acting response to many entities who are in the petitioners frame of reference.

On the general heading of 'prayer', Wikipedia has a surprisingly detailed and accurate account of Germanic Tradition. Here reference is made to many sources in literature. Among these are the Mersberg Charm, the Aecerbot, and the Lacnunga manuscript. I might present this information at a later time. These are from Anglo Saxon sources. For further study on this I would recommend the work of Stephen Pollington of Anglo-Saxon Books. There is a work called, "Lacnunga" which is comprehensive. These charms seem to include the herbal mixtures and verbal chants that are involved.

Galdor could be considered another form of prayer. Galdor is the vocal intonation that gives a sonic vibration to intention that has sometimes been given a magical form through runes, bindrunes, or other representation of a Germanic quality. The combination of chanting a phonetic equivalent while concentrating upon an esoteric understanding of the concept and a personal or transpersonal intentionality is powerful in theory. It is also powerful in reality to which I can attest. This work will have a manifested effect. However, the practice of Galdor or any runic practice requires much intense study so that the Mysteries are well known at a mythic and experiential level first.

In times of action in the daily world where perhaps the meditative privacy or environment is not available I maintain that Germanic prayer can be expressed and activated while not being obvious to others in terms of ritual action. This shows up in attitude. It is how the ethics and ambitions of a person are brought to bear upon the daily intention and conduct in the world that causes prayer results. The Gods give what they will, the ancestors support us, yet we must act. This would include acting upon such benefits as are given to us.

 

This is from one of my other website blog posts in 2013.

 GERMANIC PRAYER.

Times when we are worried about someone or when we feel less than adequate for personal challenges are times when we hope that prayer is real. The good news is that scientific research and more relevant ancient folklore seem to present strong evidence in the affirmative. The experiential anecdotal stories we have among ourselves should not be dismissed either. I become less dogmatic as the years pass (and there are lots of 'em) and more respectful for the ways of others who happen to be human too.

My particular frame of reference is the Germanic conception of the numinous and the semiotics of communication. So that is what I've looked at in my blog post about Germanic prayer. This is a blog where I post my early rough drafts so I can correct and edit them later. This entry tends toward requiring footnotes and citing of sources in a later edition.

Our Western cultural heritage is the source of our survival and thriving success. A cathedral to Wodan could be constructed and dedicated that would signify our return to our more ancient source of heritage. Such a project would be in the realm of those who have the Destining Power to fulfill that promise. For most of us, a more simple yet elegant holy enclosure of our own means and environment will work very well. Our religion is of the Folk and we are already sanctified and worthy.

Sometimes during a time of crisis there might be an increased need for attentive prayer. This could be for oneself or others. To heal a situation might be assisted by an environment or liturgy that takes the person or persons beyond their perceived limitations. This is an occasional event for many because the Awareness of Higher Purpose and the attendant pyschic skills required can be a continuous condition.

Germanic prayer as evidenced in surviving literature is largely devotional and affirmative. There is an acknowledgement of Rightness. To be aligned with the Gods and Ancestors is to take our place among them so we can accomplish what they did. It is from here that we can best offer up prayers of petition that we all need from time to time. We can, and should, have ambition, education, and goals yet sometimes there are blessings needed by sources that might be a little out of our immediate perception. That's okay because we are not meant to have the overload to manage the minute or large details of the Universe. In Asatru we say Multiverse because different levels and functions of existence have unique Worlds.

In presenting the theme of prayer in the way it came to us from ancient days and how it has been modified for today, I have a couple frames of reference that are fully active and tested and documented by me. I will present those first and then also offer some of the evidence that I know about from academic sources. The academic background is valuable and we should appreciate the dedicated scholars who have gone before. I believe most of these were interested in Germanic studies because of an innate fascination and respect for something that was a Superconscious prompting from a Great Source.

We see the results of our prayers whether we have the best academic credentials going for us or have another field of reference for our journey. When prayer works there is an awakening that we are okay. We are more than okay. We have Hamingja and our Selves and our Folk. Yes, some humility is beneficial here too so that we remain awake in all our relationships.


Here are some examples of prayer in historical Germanic literature.


"Hail Day, Hail Day's sons!

Hail Night and daughter of Night!

With loving eyes, look upon these

and grant those of us here Godspeed"


"Hail Gods! Hail Goddesses!

Hail the much needed Earth

who givest to all!"


" Sayings, goodly spells, and sage wit

give to us the storied ones;

And healing hands in this life."


This is from the Sigrdrifumal. Verses 2 and 3.


The following is a stanza from the Voluspa that I include with the above prayer as an affirmation that our goal is the brighter time of Gimle where we find joy and success.


" I see a hall than the sun more fair

thatched with red gold which is Gimle hight

There shall all the Gods and Goddesses

and trothful Folk dwell in peace and bliss

during long ages."



This is from the Voluspa. Verse 63.


The above blessing is one I use as a reconstruction of the voice of our ancestors as recorded in the Poetic Edda. It is a combined form of verses from the Sigdrifumal and Voluspa. This is my interpretation rather than a translation. It is modified for specific use while trying to hold to the original intent and poetic format. I have concentrated upon the Gimle time of renewal and success because I believe it makes a better affirmation for what we want in life.

I am also aware of the Mersberg Charm and the Lacnunga Manuscript which I will mention later with some good resources for study. The above prayers are ones that I have integrated into my daily and seasonal practice. I have also been aware also of the description that follows.

There is an example of a merchant's prayer for success in a true account of a scribe. "Ibn Fadlan's Travel-Report. As it Concerns the Scandanavian Rus". Introduction and Commentary by Stephen E. Flowers Ph.D. 1998. Runa-Raven Press.

Here is a description beginning on page 7 in the thirteenth section. "At the time of the arrival of these ships at this anchorage, each of them came ashore with bread, meat, onions, milk, and drink and proceeded to a tall pillar of wood which has a man-like face carved into it. And around it are small figures behind which long wooden poles are erected." Fadlan then goes on to describe that the merchant prostrates himself before it. I would imagine that the warrior merchant only goes down on one knee in the more familiar form of respect and allegiance that we know. The merchant then mentions from where he has come and says, "I have brought this gift for you." Then he lays down what he has brought in front of the pole. He asks that he be provided with a buyer who is rich and who will be agreeable. If the merchant is not successful in his early attempts he returns and repeats the process to the smaller figures. To me it seems that this verifies a cooperative hierarchy of entities. This seems to be evidence from older times for my theory about the delegation of acting response to many entities who are in the petitioners frame of reference.

On the general heading of 'prayer', Wikipedia has a surprisingly detailed and accurate account of Germanic Tradition. Here reference is made to many sources in literature. Among these are the Mersberg Charm, the Aecerbot, and the Lacnunga manuscript. I might present this information at a later time. These are from Anglo Saxon sources. For further study on this I would recommend the work of Stephen Pollington of Anglo-Saxon Books. There is a work called, "Lacnunga" which is comprehensive. These charms seem to include the herbal mixtures and verbal chants that are involved.

Galdor could be considered another form of prayer. Galdor is the vocal intonation that gives a sonic vibration to intention that has sometimes been given a magical form through runes, bindrunes, or other representation of a Germanic quality. The combination of chanting a phonetic equivalent while concentrating upon an esoteric understanding of the concept and a personal or transpersonal intentionality is powerful in theory. It is also powerful in reality to which I can attest. This work will have a manifested effect. However, the practice of Galdor or any runic practice requires much intense study so that the Mysteries are well known at a mythic and experiential level first.

In times of action in the daily world where perhaps the meditative privacy or environment is not available I maintain that Germanic prayer can be expressed and activated while not being obvious to others in terms of ritual action. This shows up in attitude. It is how the ethics and ambitions of a person are brought to bear upon the daily intention and conduct in the world that causes prayer results. The Gods give what they will, the ancestors support us, yet we must act. This would include acting upon such benefits as are given to us.