The Valkyries are warrior-Goddesses who ride winged horses
and are known as the 'Choosers of the Slain,' as they fly over battlefields
where they pick the best fallen warriors.
They carry enchanted spears with flaming points for weapons and their
horses' manes are said to drop dew or hail.
The most well known was Brunnhilde, who allied herself with the Norse
hero Sigurd and taught him runic magick.
All Valkyries are led by Freya and are attendants to Odin.
On this day
we remind ourselves of the virtue of Self Reliance. Independence, or self reliance is the virtue
by which you are self-supporting in the sense that you consume nothing that you
haven't earned. Synonyms: individualism, self-sufficiency, confidence,
self-reliance
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
~ Aristotle
Another
word for self-reliance is responsibility, especially for yourself. A wild boar can teach self confidence, self
reliance, and avoidance of unnecessary conflict. As much as you can, you need to be
independent of the help of others. For
example, if you’re supposed to go to soccer practice, don’t count on your Mom
to remind you. Notice what time it is,
and be ready when it’s time to go.
Another way
to be self-reliant is to find ways to get the things you want by earning money
or trading things rather than always expecting your parents to get them for
you. It also means things like cleaning
up after yourself when you make a mess. Have a hobby, perhaps one that can make nifty
things for your Kindred to use, or for yourself to use. Who knows, you might even be able to sell
things and make some extra money.
Self-Reliance fits in very well with Industriousness. Don't wait for someone else to do your job for
you. Don't wait for the world to be
handed to you on a platter. Our ancient
Gods and Goddesses favor those who do it themselves. Self-reliance is the key to freedom and
freedom is the essence of all joyous life!
This certainly doesn't mean
that you have to do something completely alone if you have no idea how, or if
you really just can't do it. It just
means that you do what you can for yourself, and only ask others for things you
can't do - like drive a car or solve a really difficult math problem. On the math problem, though, you need to try
hard before you give up and ask for help.
The
self-reliant person works not for lust of money, but for a wealth of choices
inaccessible to the idle. He loathes
debt, and will pay off his credit card bill each month. She rebels against favor-currying, and would
rather do without than go, hat in hand, to trade away his independence for a
mess of potage. Whatever his moral and
political convictions, he will not bend them to attract a panderer or appease a
bully.
As you grow
older, there are more and more things you can do for yourself. Practicing self-reliance means that you learn
to do those things so you don't have to depend on other people so much. It also means that when other people need help, you give it to them, but you also
do what you can to teach them to be
able to do for themselves the next time.
Glad Yuletide to Everyone. Hail!
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