I have long read the words of the Norse Sagas and Edda's around the fire in the long hall whilst sipping mead from a horn-cup and seem always to find relevant meaning so thought I'd share some with you; The quote and my interpretation. Naturally my interpretation or understanding may vary to your own, as it should be, so feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section below if you like.
I don't actually have a Viking long hall, but I have a fire and mead so I'm mostly there. Either way, the reading is valuable.
This weeks Viking quote
Better to fight and fall than to live without hope. - Völsunga saga
Overcoming the fear of failure is what I read here, understanding that in not trying one has already failed. I like this one as the fear of failure is so prevalent in society these days; Many people make the determination not to attempt a thing simply to preserve their ego, feeling of comfort or pride, and so will never know if success was possible, or learn valuable lessons from failing to succeed.
Not trying will never bring success and a way forward, just failure itself.
The live without hope aspect hints that trying and failing brings the benefit of understanding and impetus to try again - We learn from our mistakes, errors and failures and, once embraced and adjustments made, is what carries us forward more confidently so that next time we may have the chance to succeed. Learning from errors, adjusting and re-trying brings the hope [opportunity] of success - Failure to act brings failure.
My dad used to say to me, embrace failure as each one brings you closer to success. He wasn't a Viking, but was smart nonetheless and that lessons stayed with me.
[Note: The Völsunga saga is from the late 13th-century - A poetic retelling of the origins and eventual decline of the Völsung clan, in Old Norse.]
A little perspective
Here's some background on the Norse Edda's and Sagas including what they actually are. They were not written originally, the words I read have since been recorded of course though, and thankfully so.
Edda
An Edda is a collection of poems based around Norse legends held within two Icelandic books of the 13th-century called the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda. Much of the understanding around Scandinavian mythology derives from them.
Saga
A saga is a story focused on Norse, Icelandic and Viking history, folklore and heroic achievement - Mostly recorded around the 12th and 13th century.
Spoken not written
It's interesting to note that Vikings were much more than violent raiders who revelled in battle and conquest, that they had a culture rich in story-telling and poetry; The Viking poet was one of the most respected among their society and in the mead-halls throughout the Viking world they could be found retelling stories of conquest, the gods, heroes, lovers and history in general. Sagas and Edda's were also passed from father to son and mother to daughter - The collective history of the Viking people passed by word of mouth, not written and recorded.
They had runes and glyphs however these were reserved for ceremonial purposes - They didn't write their history, they told it through the Edda's and Sagas.
I hope this concept to become a regular post introducing a new quote from the Edda's or Sagas and how I interpret it, what the quote means to me or how it applies to me.
Quotes are powerful, if understood and actioned. Without those two elements they are just words. Quotes are the wisdom in words of those who came before us and a wise person will seek that wisdom, determine how it may relate to them and embrace it.
Feel free to interpret the quote above, to apply it to yourself, and let me know what you think in the comments below; I'm interested to know what you see and feel.
Skol.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
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