Some Thoughts on the Symbolism of Ragnarok
by Gunther Hrafngrim

Ragnarok is a very real event which has not yet come to pass. Ragnarok will not occur until the last true hearted person has died - in other words until our faith is well and truly forgotten. The fact that most of our Gods die, that they know it and still fight on, is at the heart of our way. Never to give up, no matter the odds - to selflessly and heroically fight for what is right whatever the cost to ourselves.

Ragnarok is also a mirror of the life perils we all face. It teaches us the right way to understand the challenges that stand before us. We will all experience personal "Ragnarok's" of greater and lesser magnitude as we live. The death of a loved one, loss of a job because of personal convictions, or other tragedies are all mirrors of the great Ragnarok at the end of all things - as is the personal Ragnarok of death. We cannot avoid our Wyrd - but we can make it worse. How we face our Wyrd - on our feet and screaming defiance, or whining and complaining - is about the only control we actually have in life. After all, our Gods are mortal and fallible - why expect more than that for ourselves? To paraphrase the Havamal - "Live heroically, and your name will be remembered forever."

Not only is Ragnarok symbolic of our personal crises, it also is emblematic of the crisis of our faith during the conversion:

• The worsening of the world's conditions before Ragnarok symbolizes the manner in which our ancient faith faded into weakness and decrepitude - with infighting between brothers (of faith) which masked the threat facing our people.
• The Death of Balder symbolizes the death of the golden wonder of our faith at the hands of well-meaning but blind brothers who thought that a change to Christianity would make life better.
• The swallowing of Odin by the Wolf symbolizes how our sacred heritage, the Eddas, was swallowed up by the Wolf of the church and written down by monks and church scribes - only to be released when Vidar tears it asunder.
• And finally, the rebirth of the World from the ashes of the old symbolizes how our faith has survived and been reborn in a new form. There are many other deep connections in the story of Ragnarok - which would make a treatise in themselves.

The Gods are mortal, and after Ragnarok Balder rises again from Hel with his brother Hoder to lead the surviving children of the Gods. As nature is cyclical, so are deities and universes. The death of the elder Gods is only the prelude to their rebirth - "Hail the Gods who are dead, they will live again" - as we will! It is for this reason that I toast the Allfather so:

"Hail Odin! To the World's Ending and a New Day's Dawning!
Though I die the death at Ragnarok, true loyalty extends beyond!"

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