This culminates the traditional twelve days of Yule. Traditionally, it is the night of the greatest
feasting. This will usually include some
form of pork; pigs were a common winter meat source and were sacrificed at this
time, also the boar is a sacred animal of Freyr. Golden apples are another treat and symbolize
the youth and vitality of the New Year. A
vigil is held from dusk until dawn so that all kin may acknowledge the passing
of the Wild Hunt and honor the rising sun of the New Year.
On this day
we remind ourselves of the idea of Wisdom.
The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Synonyms:
intelligence, common sense, judgment, smartness
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know
nothing." ~ Socrates
The owl is
emblematic of a deep connection with wisdom and intuitive knowledge. Wisdom, in the ethical sense of the term, is a
very different thing from book-learning. Illiterate people are frequently exceedingly
wise, while learned people are often the biggest fools.
Wisdom and
knowledge have different meanings, but are often portrayed as synonyms. This is corrected by giving an example: it's
wise to run a successful business because wisdom includes action. It's nothing more than smart to write a
business plan proposing a successful business because knowledge is strictly
cognitive. The difference in knowledge
is knowing it; wisdom is doing it.
The Ancient
Greeks considered wisdom to be an important virtue, personified as the
Goddesses Metis and Athena. Athena was
portrayed as strong, fair, merciful, and chaste. And to Socrates and Plato, philosophy was
literally the love of Wisdom. This
permeates Plato's dialogues, especially The Republic, in which the
leaders of his proposed utopia are to be philosopher kings, rulers who
understand the Form of the Good and possess the courage to act accordingly.
Norse God
Odin is not an omniscient God; in fact, his chief characteristic is that he’s
always seeking wisdom, even at great personal cost. The most famous of Odin’s myths is how he
lost his eye in seeking greater knowledge and discernment. One interpretation of this myth notes that Odin
exchanges worldly vision (his eye) for internal vision (wisdom). While he didn’t give up his worldly sight
entirely, he realized that in some cases, wisdom and discernment propel us
further towards our goals than what’s on the surface.
In our
modern age, it seems people have come to believe that if something is hard, or
sacrificial, it’s not worth doing. Odin, and his Viking followers, believed in
just the opposite. If something is worth
having, it absolutely requires sacrifice, and it’s always worth it, no matter
how great the cost.
Wisdom is
good judgment. It enables us to make
reasoned decisions that are both good for us and good for others. Wisdom tells us how to put the other virtues
into practice - when to act, how to act, and how to balance different virtues
when they conflict (as they do, for example, when telling the honest truth
might hurt someone’s feelings). Wisdom
enables us to discern correctly, to see what is truly important in life, and to
set priorities. As the ethicist Richard
Gula points out, “We cannot do right unless we first see correctly.”
When it
comes to wisdom, hopefully you don’t have to lose an eye, but certainly you
should be willing to place time, energy, attention, and even money on the altar
of your goal. Read difficult and dense
books, seek challenging experiences that will push you outside your comfort
zone, swallow your pride - perhaps the hardest sacrifice of all - and put
yourself out there to find a mentor. Consider
the sacrifices to be investments in your wisdom in the long run. It will be well worth it.
Glad Yuletide to Everyone. Wassail!
