Monday, January 14, 2013

Niflheim and the Nibelungen Treasure

... then there was a fog.


Niflheimr “the misty home” is a world of pure cold or ice, shrouded in mist. From it flowed the rivers into Ginnungagap at the beginning of time that now flow into Hvergelmir, a part of the Well of Wyrd. It is believed that the Nibelingen (MHG) or Niflungar (ON) of the Sigurd myth may have originated there. Source

Interestingly, the Nibelingen are related to the Mountain of Promise through both the idea of a hoard of treasure and a dwarf who leads to it:

The German Nibelungen — with the corresponding Old Norse form Niflung (Niflungr) — is the name in Germanic and Norse mythology of the royal family or lineage of the Burgundians who settled in the early 5th century at Worms. The vast wealth of the Burgundians is often referred to as the Niblung or Niflung hoard. In some German texts Nibelung appears instead as one of the supposed original owners of that hoard, either the name of one of the kings of a people known as the Nibelungs, or — in variant form Nybling — as the name of a dwarf.

Perhaps I am of the lineage of the Nibelungen.

The Nibelungen Burgundians.

The Nibelungen Hoard

2 comments:

Lori said...

Notes on Ginnungagap experiential memory:

1. As I remember it, awakened by a male consciousness connected to me as I rested within the Ginnungagap, and before "exiting" the Ginnungagap (by being thrust through a churning river of fire) after being awakened from my rest, my conscious memory also stirred as I awakened, recalling vividly (even if not defined in my current memory) the world that came before (the particular Ginnungagap place of "existence" where I was) in which I partook (I remembered my previous existence in the previous world). I was also conscious at that "time" of the fact that I was "remembering" (I could even envision specific events with specific people) a previous world in which I had lived. I also remember asking questions about it. So, first, my own experiential memory confirms (to me at least) that there was indeed a previous multiverse that collapsed back into the Ginnungagap - I still remember that previous multiverse, even if now it remains as only as a wisp of apprehension that I can't quite describe. Second, it also confirms (to me) that my consciousness also survived that collapse of the previous world tree back into the Ginnungagap as did Odin's. If my consciousness survived (which I personally know without any doubt to be true), then it is not inconceivable to me that Odin's did as well, especially since I remember being "awakened" from rest by a male consciousness connected to me in that place. My experience is most likely not unique, as we have the lore and the story of the Ginnungagap and such - so others have necessarily had the same kind of experiential memory that I am sharing to have had.

2. There was some flavor of definition in it as I could perceive the clear (even if not defined precisely) presence of the male who awakened me, myself as an individual, other individuals like myself who made up my community, clear yet imprecise details of the world which came before, the reality of the situation I was in as distinct from the reality which came before, the reality of the situation into which I would shortly be going (as would the other individuals be also going) as distinct from the reality in which I was at that time. Those are only a few of the distinctions which I could make despite the fuzziness of "everything and nothing" enveloping me. I could make clear distinctions within it, even if those distinctions are imprecise as to the mundane details.

3. I am the same individual consciousness in this life/world that I was in the previous life/world, even if my physical characteristics and circumstances may differ. In other words, I am the same "essence of individuality" in both worlds. The male consciousness awoke before I did, as he woke me up, and others were woken up too. We all formed a community of sorts within the Ginnungagap. Additionally, I remember that the woken community I was with then in the Ginnungagap was the community I had also experienced life with in the previous world.

Lori said...

4. The the river of churning fire was not present at all when I awoke, it developed much "later" and its' presence was not present at all within the Ginnungagap as I experienced it. It formed much later. This is the order in which I remember it - I awoke, perceiving I was being awakened, and perceiving the presence connected to me to be doing the awaking. Then I perceived a "fog." Then, within the midst of the fog, I perceived the previous world, my life in it, and my connections to the others who were also being awakened as I was perceiving all of this. I became aware that those being awakened were part of my community, both in the previous world and in the world to come. There was discussion among us. I didn't really want to leave there, but I had to. I kind of put up a fuss about leaving there, that's when I was thrust through the churning river of fire - sort of like I was being told, oh yes, you will leave here and go forward. The churning river of fire was like a membrane separating the Ginnungagap from all "outside" the Ginnungagap. I was thrust through that membrane.

5. I was aware of a nebulous "over there" "on the other side" while I was in the fog, but even though I was aware of an "over there on the other side", I did not know what was "over there on the other side."

Dare to be true to yourself.