Dear Reader,
As you may have noticed, I'm one weird Filianist. For one thing, I'm a polytheist. For another, I'm a godspouse to two deities from Heathenry. And I'm a witch on top of that. (Not to mention busy with mundane things that come along with a marriage, two kids, and being a disabled SAHM.) I don't fit the typical Filianist profile. And that's ok. Because, honestly, diversity is strength.
Now, preface made, I just want to dive a little bit in to how I approach the topic of Hel vs Hell. Hel, or as I prefer to refer to it Helheim, is the Norse underworld ruled over by the goddess of death, Hel. She is the daughter of Loki and Angrboda. Hel (or Hela as some spell it) is a goddess who welcomes the dead to her hall for a time until they are ready to reincarnate. (Yes, I am one of those heathens. Pour the haterade out in sumbel to Loki, if you're so kind to provide. I'm sure he'll bless you with laughter for it.) Now, Hel's hall is not the only place that the dead go to when they die. But I am not going to get into the various halls the dead may go to when they die. I want to specifically focus on Helheim.
In the scriptures of Filianism, we are told of Anna's journey into Hell. We are told that Irkalla fled Hell when Marya came in search of her Daughter and besieged Hell. After the reunion of the Bright Mother and her Daughter, there is little mention of Hell beyond the fact that Anna leads all souls trapped there out. Also, in the scriptures of Filianism, we are taught that there are many underworlds. This is where things get weird.
The underworld is left abandoned and defenseless by Irkalla's flight. Helheim is one of the realms of the underworld. Prior to Odin sending Hel to Helheim, that realm is unclaimed though the dead go there. Hel descends to Helheim to take possession of a portion of the realms abandoned by Irkalla. There, Hel is a just and fair (albeit somewhat grim) ruler who attends to her people and prepares them for Ragnarok.
When Ragnarok comes, the cycle of ages ends. Hel releases her claim upon Helheim and reincarnates as her child self in the proper time of the next cycle of ages, allowing Irkalla to take hold of that realm and reestablish herself as queen. Thus does the cycle perpetuate itself.
See, I'm one of those strange people who thinks that all gods may die and yet be deathless at the same time. I may, perhaps, reveal some of the secrets that Loki and Frey have shared with me about their relationship with Déa, if they agree to it. Let me say that all mothers have a Mother and allow you to draw your own conclusion.
No comments:
Post a Comment