nature Archives — The Rational Heathen

The Magic of Everyday Things

June 2, 2022 The Rational Heathen Comments 0 Comment

I was reading a post by John Beckett how Neil deGrasse Tyson told people that the lunar eclipses are unspectacular and he should just let people enjoy them. I happen to like listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s podcast, and I like watching him on TV. While I haven’t verified Dr. Tyson’s comments, on first blush, I’d agree with John Beckett. Lunar eclipses, while fairly common, are indeed beautiful, and are part of the magic of everyday things.

The Magic of Everyday Things

But the post got me thinking about all the special things that happen day-to-day that we take for granted. Most of the time, we tend to use the words, “magical” to describe something special. Whether it’s a beautiful sunrise or sunset, a natural place, or some place out of the ordinary, we are quick to state there’s something “magical” about it. And while I’m not fond of the m-word, as many of my readers can tell you, I think it might be correct to use the term “magical” to describe that.

What is Magical?

At this point, you may ask what is magical? Do we simply swap the word “special” for “magical”? I don’t know if that’s appropriate or not, but I think it might be the case. While you and I can argue over the existence of magic, in the long run, it may be semantics. What I consider nature, you might find magic in it.

We can, however, agree that some things are indeed magical in appearence. A sunrise or sunset. A special place within nature. Or maybe a lunar eclipse. Does it matter if we understand the underlying cause for what we find beautiful or awesome? I still get amazed by the rainbow or by the night’s sky, nevermind that I know how a rainbow is formed and what makes up the night’s sky. Knowing that the sun’s particles hitting the Earth’s magnetic field doesn’t make me want to see an aurora any less. There is beauty even when we know about the thing.

The Wonder of Our World

When I look at our world, it brings me all sorts of wonder. We’re special when it comes to our universe. Our universe had to have just the right laws for stars, galaxies, and life to form. A little too much gravity, or changes to the mathematical constants, and we wouldn’t exist. It’s kind of like our planet. We know life came about because certain factors came together to produce it.

Scientists can only speculate why things happened the way they did. As pagans, we accept that the gods have had a hand in things, because we essentially won the lottery when it came to existence. Of course, if we didn’t exist, we wouldn’t know we lost, so the point is moot.

But the world wasn’t created for us to enjoy–we benefit from the gods’ desires to create. We know that we aren’t the only lifeforms in this world–that we share with other creatures, both sentient and nonsentient. We understand that what we do affects our world in some way. And as we continue to grow and become greater in our mastery over our world, we recognize that we can improve or damage nature and our world–a world we did not create.

Do I Believe in Intelligent Design?

The word “intelligent design” is a concept that the Christians use for belief in their creation stories. While I believe that the gods may have had a hand here and there tweaking our world, I believe that we evolved from lower forms of life. I don’t for a second believe that the gods came from the ice rime licked by a cow, unless somehow this is a metaphor for what actually happened. I don’t think Odin and his brothers fashioned humans from fallen logs, unless you think of it as some metaphor for evolution. We have so much garbage in our genetic code and many serious genetic issues that it certainly doesn’t suggest that anyone intelligent actually designed us.

So no, I don’t believe in intelligent design, even if our gods set forth the laws and the mechanism behind evolution. Call my cynical.

But Life, Itself, is Magic

As creatures of this world, we can’t help but look around us in wonder. Whether you see the glorious mountains, a stormy sea, a brilliant blue sky, or a meadow full of wildflowers, each are a gift for us to marvel at. Have you ever been somewhere that was so perfect in your mind that you couldn’t help but stand back in wonder? Maybe it was the feel of the breeze on your skin, the melody of the birds, the scent of wildflowers, or the stillness of the forest. That moment when you felt it: wasn’t it perfect? Yes, if you’ve felt it, you know what I’m talking about.

So, enjoy the lunar or solar eclipses. Welcome Mani at night and Sunna during the day. Wonder at the rainbow. Watch the stars and pay attention to the meteor showers. Connect with the other denizens on earth — the plants, animals, and everything else. Because there is magic in that. Magic in living.

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Heathenry, Unplugged

May 9, 2017 Tyra Ulfdottir Comments 0 Comment

I’m really a technophile, despite all my attempts at leading a semi-subsistence lifestyle. I was one of the folks who helped bring about the whole technological revolution we see today, (don’t get too excited–lots of people did more than I did). Even so, if I had been smarter with money than I had with technology, I probably would be in some huge place enjoying retirement rather than working for a living. Ah, hindsight being 20/20.

Technology Addictions

That being said, one of my not-so-secret addictions is technology. No, I don’t have to have the latest and greatest things, but I wouldn’t object if someone handed them to me to play with. I spend a ridiculous amount of time on my laptop and now, my cellphone. A goodly portion of it is for work, but let’s face it, with Netflix and Hulu, I get some entertainment there. I wouldn’t be putting out this little Heathen blog without computers and the Internet. So, it has become a necessity.

Before the Dark Times. Before the Silicon Chip…

And yet, I remember a time without computers. (I can hear your collective gasps as you read this: “Just how fucking old is the Rational Heathen?”) Okay, computers existed, but they filled government and University server rooms. You used punch tape and punch cards and printers. My first experience with computers was an HP that had 1 MB of RAM that was time shared with 33 other users across the state. Hey! That was downtown!

I was one of the few holdouts who looked for payphones to make phone calls. Even now, it has flummoxed my sisters that I don’t text (try explaining the lack of cell service where I live.) So, I am a techno-savvy Luddite. Yes, eventually even I have to stay connected.

Getting on Point

I’m not going to wax eternal about the halcyon days of the days before computers, the Internet, and cellphones, but I am going to talk about what it is doing to us as a species. Nowadays, we rely on computers to entertain us, keep our knowledge, and teach us things. Unfortunately, the more we use the technology, the more we rely on the technology. The more we rely on the technology, the more we can’t do the things we need to know if we are to survive should there not be that technology present.

Luddites and Stone Carvers

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Surely there were Luddites out there when the printing press was invented, stating that if we use printing presses, people will forget how to use calligraphy. Or maybe when paper was used, the stone carvers were up in arms because vellum could be destroyed, whereas stone was nearly forever. I can just hear the stone carver telling his son, “I don’t care how portable that contraption is! It’ll burn, and then you’ll have nothing! You’ll see!”

Somehow the portability and convenience won out. We figured out ways around having paper being burnt up, although there were certainly setbacks (i.e., the library at Alexandria), but for the most part we got beyond it. We made copies. We treated fragile manuscripts with care (we still do). But having repositories on computers make works more accessible to more people. We simply have to be more careful with the original.

Nothing demonstrates this more than with our own Declaration of Independence. The original was damaged sometime in the early 20th century in an attempt to make it more legible and the writing continues to fade even though great care has been taken to preserve it. Yes, we have made copies, but having the ability to read it right from the computer is important, too. It gives us accessibility.

Where I’m Going with This

Technology has its place. I know this. But technology isn’t everything. When I was growing up, we were promised technology would fix our problems. Well, certain problems, it has, but it has caused more problems. You see, the basic issue isn’t the technology: it’s us. We mortal, organic creatures are limited by our very nature–a nature that we’re getting farther and farther away from over time.

The past few days I’ve been in a blend of technology and nature (a weird mix, to be sure). I’ve been hunting turkeys. I’ve been working on projects on the computer. I’ve been getting new goats. I’ve been butchering a chicken and cooking it. I’ve been milking goats and collecting eggs. I’ve been setting up a podcasting studio. I’ve been enjoying the beauty of the arrowleaf balsamroots and glacier lilies that have exploded in color. Everything I’ve been doing has been taking up my time, and yet, I’ve been living in two different worlds.

The Peacefulness of Nature

Despite the hard work of hand milking, I really enjoy peacefulness. I’m working with the animals, who really don’t care what I’m writing–they only care about getting grain and getting their udders relieved of pressure. I am outside, in the forest where my home resides, and enjoy feeling the sun on my face and see the deer and other critters around me.

It can be peaceful or stressful, depending on the circumstance. We have some very big predators here: wolves, coyotes, black bear, grizzlies, and mountain lions. The mountain can kill you if you aren’t careful: the weather can turn deadly in a heartbeat for those unprepared. Then, there are the even present threat of wildfires.

Unplug for a While, and Be Present

But there is something to being with nature, despite all the hazards. And there is something to being unplugged, at least for a while. Imagine, if you would, nobody calling you, texting you, no social media to interrupt you. Just be present in the moment. Look around. Admire what the gods have created and feel what it’s like to just be alive. Sometimes just doing that is all you need to connect with them. That’s how I finally connected with Skadi, after many years of trying without success. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I’ve found if you open yourself up to the gods, they may just come to you.

Accept what they offer, even if it is only a feeling, a word, or a thought. The more time you spend with them, the more often you may hear them. And isn’t that what Heathenry is really about?