Search the Community

Northern Wisdom: The Havamal, Tao of the Vikings http://www.amazon.co.../dp/B006Z800CY/ I read the old version of the Havamal for a Norse Mythology class, and found it very interesting. It's a collection of wise sayings from the Vikings, mythically attributed to Odin. Many of these wise ways of living aren't emphasized in our culture these days, but we'd totally benefit from learning and implementing them! This modern interpretation is pretty fantastic...it's a great compliment to the Tao Te Ching, in my opinion, for having small quotes to remember which can enrich our lives. The subject matter is much more practical in tone. Something interesting about the Viking culture is that they HIGHLY valued these types of wise sayings. They would memorize them, and often test each other's wisdom upon meeting...if they heard something that was new, they'd have another saying to impress upon their minds. It was like a friendly game of wits. They lived by these ideas...sometimes making really poor decisions, but with the intention of making the most effective decisions.