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Wyrd is a concept in ancient Anglo-saxon and Nordic cultures roughly corresponding to fate. It is cognate to Modern English weird.
Linguistic origins
The word comes from Anglo-Saxon verb weorþan (for þ see Thorn), to become, and itself derives from an Indo-European root verb meaning "to turn". In its literal sense, it refers to the past, or that which has become. In its wider sense, it refers to how past actions continually affect and condition the future. It also stresses the interconnected nature of all actions, and how they influence each other. The concept has some relation to the ideal of predestination. Unlike predestination, however, the concept of Wyrdness implies that while we are affected and constrained by our past actions, we are constantly creating our own Wyrd through how we respond to present situations, an idea that is also prominent in the concept of Karma.
Wyrd shows its most "paradoxical" side, and perhaps its most severe side when the realization dawns that no individual chooses to react to present situations free of Wyrd- no part of the Web of Wyrd (see below) is independant of another part- no one reacts presently without influences from our past experiences motivating us and shaping our reactions. Wyrd therefore holds all things in a "weave" of action and reaction that has no room for true "original" action or thought; all things arise with Skuld or necessity and move inexorably towards their Fate or destiny, woven by the Norns. As the ancient poem "The Wanderer" states:
- "No man lives till eve whom the Fates doom at dawning."
Wyrd was paralleled in early Nordic cultures where the word was rendered as urðr — also the name of the middle of the three Norns, who shape our lives out of the layers of the past, known as ørlög. The younger sister is called Verðandi, which means that which is still becoming. The older is called Skuld, which means That which shall be.
The best way to fully visualize the concept of Wyrd is to use two common analogies: the Well of Wyrd, and the Web of Wyrd.
Well of Wyrd
The Well of Wyrd illustrates the concept of past actions determining the course of the future. The universe is conceived of as Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which is nourished by the Well of Wyrd. Dew drips from the branches of Yggdrasil and falls into the Well. This symbolizes the actions performed in the present as they become part of the past. Eventually, they are drawn back up into the World Tree and nourish its fruit. This, too, symbolically describes how these past actions determine and nourish the course of the future. Past actions determining and nourishing future ones removes any notion of absolute "free will", which cannot exist purely within the interlocked and interconnected reality of Wyrd. Even decisions made in the present are dependant on past forces, and shaped by them.
Web of Wyrd
The Web of Wyrd is a popular analogy, which shows how all actions are interconnected, as well as the fact that everything we do has far-reaching consequences. Essentially, this Web of Wyrd is described as a cloth being woven upon a loom by the Norns. The wool is woven along the warp. The former represents past actions, while the latter represents a particular instance in time. The entire cloth is the overall design. While the previous design is the foundation upon which the future course is based, it would appear to be possible to change the cloth within the context of the past, but when this issue is considered from the totality of Wyrd, any "change" that is made is conditioned by the past weave to occur in the present as it does, thus dismantling the later notion of absolute "free will" that entered Germanic cultures with Christianity.
Influencing Wyrd
To the ancient Anglo-Saxons, as well as modern-day Heathens, Wyrd was often a consequence of Symbel, a ritualistic drinking of alcohol to excess in which story-telling by means of narrative verse was a central feature. During the Symbel, boasts are often made concerning future courses of action. The boaster calls the Gods and his own kin to witness to this boast. When he completes the desired act, he again boasts of the difficulties he was forced to overcome, and his eventual victory in carrying out his will. This ensures that his actions are placed in the Well of Wyrd and the minds of the Kin.
References to Wyrd
- Beowulf: "Gæð a wyrd swa hio scel!" (Goeth ever Wyrd as she shall!) - Beowulf.
- "The Wanderer": "Wyrd bið ful aræd" (Fate remains wholly inexorable)
- William Shakespeare: in Macbeth, Shakespeare has the three witches – who determine fates – referred to as "weird sisters". The modern meaning of the word "weird" derives in part from Shakespeare's use of the word as a description of the witches. Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters are also in reference to Shakespeare.
Literature
- Brian Bates, The Way of Wyrd, A Book about Anglo-Saxon Nature Spirituality, first published 1983.
Music
- Swedish Heavy Metal band Web Of Wyrd is not just derivative in name but everything from lyrics to image has a strong pagan influence.
- Sabbat, Dreamweaver (Noise 1989) is based on The Way of Wyrd by Brian Bates.
- Italian Folk/Power Metal band Elvenking's second album is called Wyrd.
- Wyrd is also a folk-black metal band from Finland.
External links
- What is Wyrd: a brief but informative explanation.
- Asatru and Heathenry. An explanation of Wyrd and the Heathen Thews, or Virtues, are given.
- Asatru-U, providing in-depth explanations of modern Heathen concepts, including Wyrd.
- Way of Wyrd, a semi-fictional book dealing with Anglo-Saxon sorcery, centred on the concept of Wyrd
- An analysis of weird and wyrd
- Wyrd is a measure of the trance force, according to Dennis Wier in his book Trance: from magic to technology
Germanic paganism | Anglo-Saxon mythology | Old Norse concepts
"Wyrd"