<< Hangatýr

In nordic mythology, Hangatýr or the hanged god is one of the many names by which Odin, the all father, can be identified. The name comes from the myth in which Odin, seeking the knowledge of the runes, hung himself from Yggdrasil, the world tree as a sacrifice to himself for a period of nine days.

In doing so he would obtain the power and magic that would allow him to rule all over existence.

There’s powerful symbolism in this story on many different levels. To keep this entry short I I will focus this time on two elements:

First, a clear recognition of the influence of written language and words over our environment and capacity to influence it. 

The fact that the runes were associated with magic doesn’t necessarily have to be translated into acts of supernatural might; it can also reflect respect in capacity for establishing meaningful links to others and expressing ideas that in turn can lead to acts of marvel that challenge our natural tendences.

There’s nothing short of extraordinary in peace for example. As a concept, the idea of collaboration between other members of our species might seem natural but reality shows us the complexity it requires to develop this knowledge and the hardship of imparting it to others to achieve greater goals.

Secondly is the recurrence of sacrifice as a topic in ancient wisdom. The myth speaks of Odin sacrificing himself to himself. 

We could interpret this as a quest for improvement. One fundamentally dependent on individual effort and with a clear reward at its end. 

In life,  constantly seek  knowledge to receive the capacity to influence life itself and the situations around us. By virtue of its sacrifice Odin earns the power of the runes and therefore the capacity to rule over all that lives in the world.

How much much clearer can a metaphor be? Commitment to self improvement has never been easy. The search for true wholehearted truth entails the risk of losing everything, even our own lives for that which is worth it.

It was true for the god back then. It remains true for us today.

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