Numbers in Norse mythology The numbers three and nine are significant numbers in Norse mythology and paganism. Both numbers (and multiplications thereof) appear throughout surviving attestations of Norse paganism, in both mythology and cultic practice.[1] While the number three appears significant in many cultures, Norse mythology appears to put special emphasis on the number nine. Along with the number 27, both numbers also figure into the lunar Germanic calendar.[1] Attestations[edit] Three[edit] The number three occurs with great frequency in grouping individuals and artifacts: Nine[edit] The number nine is also a significant number: Notes[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b Simek (2007:232-233).Jump up ^ This last being from Völuspá, who will "come from on high", is found only in the Hauksbók manuscript. References[edit] See also[edit]
Nemesis (mythology) In Greek mythology, Nemesis (Greek, Νέμεσις), also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia ("the goddess of Rhamnous") at her sanctuary at Rhamnous, north of Marathon, was the spirit of divine retribution against those who succumb to hubris (arrogance before the deities). Another name was Adrasteia, meaning "the inescapable. The name Nemesis is related to the Greek word νέμειν [némein], meaning "to give what is due".[2] Nemesis, Roman marble from Egypt, second century AD (Louvre) Nemesis has been described as the daughter of Oceanus or Zeus, but according to Hesiod she was a child of Erebus and Nyx. The word Nemesis originally meant the distributor of fortune, neither good nor bad, simply in due proportion to each according to what was deserved. In the Greek tragedies Nemesis appears chiefly as the avenger of crime and the punisher of hubris, and as such is akin to Atë and the Erinyes. A festival called Nemeseia (by some identified with the Genesia) was held at Athens.
Meditation How to meditate, and what this does for you. Meditation is a basic practice for self-realization. Basically, you sit straight and concentrate on a particular point in your body (usually the belly, or the breath). When you notice that your have drifted away from this point of concentration, you gently return to it. What it does for you This practice in a gradual way helps in lots of aspects of your life. How to meditate - the details Most people meditate for 15 - 30 minutes at a time, once or twice per day. It is best to focus on a point in the belly. You can focus on the upper part of the belly, on the movements of the breath. There is no need to focus on your meditation point to the exclusion of everything else. It is important to sit straight and relaxed, with a solid sense of stability. Depending on your sitting position, you can have your hands in your lap, or on your knees. You can either keep your eyes closed, or look at the floor 1.5 meter (5 feet) in front of you.
the Myths It is a universal truth that the myths of all cultures are the attempts of people to explain the world in which they live. So too, are the myths of ancient Egypt. Within the great epic myths are explained many smaller mysteries of life along the Nile. While enjoying the major epics, be sure to notice the explanations of the Egyptian universe within them. the Story of Re The story of the creation, Re's revenge of mankind and how Isis tricked Re into telling her his secret name. Isis and Osiris How Seth murdered Osiris and how Horus avenged his father. the Seven Year Famine The story of how Khnemu saved Egypt from the ravages of a seven year long famine. the Princess of Bekhten How the god of the moon, Khonsu saved the life of a princess during the 19th Dynasty. the Prince and the Sphinx The story of how a prince became king when he promised to do the famous Great Sphinx of Giza a favor (1405 BC)... the Doomed Prince The unfinished fable of a prince who is doomed to die. the Peasant and the Workman
Norse rituals Norse pagan worship is the traditional religious rituals practiced by Norse pagans in Scandinavia in pre-Christian times. Norse paganism was a folk religion (as opposed to an organised religion), and its main purpose was the survival and regeneration of society. Therefore, the cult was decentralized and tied to the village and the family, although evidence exists of great national religious festivals. Norse religion was at no time homogeneous but was a conglomerate of related customs and beliefs. It is not certain to what extent the known myths correspond to the religious beliefs of Scandinavians in pre-Christian times, nor how people acted towards them in everyday life. Worship of the gods[edit] Recent research suggests that great public festivals involving the population of large regions were not as important as the more local feasts in the life of the individual. Cultic statues and images[edit] Several written sources mention statues or idols of heathen gods. Public cult[edit]
Oedipus In the most well-known version of the myth, Oedipus was born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta. Laius wished to thwart a prophecy, so left him to die on a mountainside. However, the baby was found by shepherds and raised by King Polybus and Queen Merope as their own. Oedipus learned from the oracle at Delphi of the prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother but, unaware of his true parentage, believed he was fated to murder Polybus and marry Merope, so left for Thebes. Years later, to end a plague on Thebes, Oedipus searched to find who had killed Laius, and discovered that he himself was responsible. The legend of Oedipus has been retold in many versions, and was used by Sigmund Freud to name and give mythic precedent to the Oedipus complex. Basics of the myth[edit] After many years, Oedipus was told by a drunk that he was a "bastard", meaning at that time that he was not of the same blood to them. Events after the revelation depend on the source. Notes[edit]
Top 10 Strangest Things In Space Space Let’s be honest: space is an absolutely crazy place. Most science fiction writers throw in a planet with two stars that looks vaguely like Southern California, and call it a day. But the cosmos is a lot stranger than we give it credit for: Everyone knows that shooting stars are just meteors entering the atmosphere, right? When a binary star system is gobbled down by the supermassive black hole (that’s the scientific term, by the way) at the center of a galaxy, one of the two partners is consumed, while the other is ejected at high speed. Gliese 581 c wants to kill you. This planet orbits a red dwarf star, many times smaller than our Sun, with a luminosity of only 1.3% of our sun. The tidal locking of the planet alone results in some pretty odd features. Living on Gliese 581 c would have its challenges, though. As if one or two giant, fiery balls of gas weren’t enough, here we have the Castor System. Space Raspberries and Rum A Planet of Burning Ice Do you remember Gliese?
Valkyries, Wish-Maidens, and Swan-Maids Dear Viking Answer Lady: I am a high school coach for girls' sports. The school mascot is "the Vikings" and features a grim visaged male warrior. I'd like to have our women's sports teams be called "the Valkyries" but it occurs to me that I should find out more about the Valkyries before I do so. I'd appreciate any information you can give me on the topic. Also, if you have access to any images of Valkyries, that would be helpful as well in designing team jerseys and logos. (signed) Coaching Our Warrior Women Gentle Reader: The Valkyrie is, in the oldest strata of belief, a corpse goddess, represented by the carrion-eating raven. The Valkyrie is related to the Celtic warrior-goddess, the Morrigan, who likewise may assume the form of the raven. Erat namque eis uexillum miri portenti, quod licet credam posse esse incredibile lectori, tamen, quia uerum est, ueræ inseram lectioni. Weaving is an integral function of both the valkyrie and the Norn. Terms describing valkyries include: Sources
Norse paganism Norse religion refers to the religious traditions of the Norsemen prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, specifically during the Viking Age. Norse religion is a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe. Knowledge of Norse religion is mostly drawn from the results of archaeological field work, etymology and early written materials. Terminology[edit] Mjölnir pendants were worn by Norse pagans during the 9th to 10th centuries. Norse religion was a cultural phenomenon, and — like most pre-literate folk beliefs — the practitioners probably did not have a name for their religion until they came into contact with outsiders or competitors. Sources[edit] Knowledge about Norse religion has been gathered from archaeological discoveries and from literature produced after the Christianization of Scandinavia.[2] Literary sources[edit] Saga[edit] Archaeological sources[edit] Worship[edit] Priests[edit]
Swedish divers unearth a 'Stone Age Atlantis': 11,000-year-old ancient settlement discovered under the Baltic Sea Divers found a harpoon, tools, horns and the bones of ancient cattle The bones belonged to the animal auroch last seen in the early 1600sArchaeologists believe these relics date back to the Stone AgeIt is said to be the oldest settlement in the area - dubbed Sweden’s 'Atlantis' By Victoria Woollaston Published: 16:06 GMT, 27 January 2014 | Updated: 17:16 GMT, 27 January 2014 Divers in Sweden have discovered a rare collection of Stone Age artefacts buried deep beneath the Baltic Sea. Archaeologists believe the relics were left by Swedish nomads 11,000 years ago and the discovery may be evidence of one of the oldest settlements ever found in the Nordic region. Some of the relics are so well preserved, reports have dubbed the find 'Sweden’s Atlantis' and suggested the settlement may have been swallowed whole by the sea in the same way as the mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean. Divers in Sweden have discovered a rare collection of Stone Age artefacts buried beneath the Baltic Sea, pictured.