"If gray is made of black and white, and darkness is devoid of any guiding light... Then which is the way that shall lead us back to a world that is bright?" - The Honorable Allsherjargothi, Dr. Casper Odinson Cröwell, 1519-CCG

I am often asked by seekers on the Northern Road, "How do you know that the Sal (soul) survives death? And how do you know that all peoples do not go to the same heaven?"

Would not any answer that I postulate merely constitute my own personal opinion? Can any among us here on Midgard (Earth) truly claim to assert any such certainties in regard to such an age old metaphysical query? I have offered you only queries in lieu of the original queries thus far, I know. Yet, does not such a complex issue require an inquiry laden with the weight of many more questions designed to deliver us before the very roots of the tree of life? For that is whence the dawn of our own ancestral humanity hails. So then, is such an enigma based wholly upon one's own faith? The answer is of course yes, and surprisingly so, no.

Of course, there is no scientific evidence of an afterlife. Or is there? Science has in fact demonstrated that electricity may not be destroyed, but merely displaced and transferred about from one host to another; to wit we may stipulate that such a science may indeed infer some evidence, albeit if only circumstantial, of afterlife wherefore the soul survives the death of the physical body (Lyke).

Our heart and brain possess electricity which is why the health care industry employs biomedical machines, EEG and ECG/EKG to measure brain wave and cardio activity. The "E" in the aforementioned acronyms is representative of the energy quality of electricity. For all of the scientific and medical advances which modern technology has produced, the brain remains yet an illusive mystery. Furthermore, the Sál (soul) is an even greater Rúna (mystery). It is this electricity which affords the human Sál its very nature and the quality of the soul/spirit which grants animation to mortals. Though I posit that while we ourselves are human/mortal, our Sál is truly divine. Ergo, it may not be destroyed by mortal death anymore than the very electrical pulse which feeds it throughout our lives will dissipate.

So whither does that electricity within each of us wend upon our mortal deaths? The same place that our Sál goes, I conclude. Back whence we have come from. The greater divine presence which had lent a portion of itself to us upon the passing of our father's seed to our mother and the truly divine miracle of life which begins with that inception. Back to the Folk Soul (Volksál) itself...ODIN! Pure and divine consciousness and being.

Let us look to nature and the law of natural order to better comprehend this reality. Where perhaps the Buddhist might employ "Air" in an effort to illustrate my paradigm, I shall employ "Water", the very blood of Nerthus (Mother Earth). However, of notable consideration is the point that both air and water may conduct an electrical charge from one point to another. That we all require both elements of air and water to live mortal lives, the element of electricity, equal to fire, is also ever present from our brain to our heart. As is, the (Kenaz) fire of creativity and inspiration ever in our minds and the fire of passion in our hearts.

Returning to the example of nature's law, that all must return whence it came from, I ask that you consider a small lake and a mason's jar. The mason's jar is empty. Or is it? Even in the appearance of emptiness, does the secured glass jar not contain air within its confines?

We'll get back to that a bit later.

Consider opening the jar and submerging it beneath the lake's surface until it is filled with water. Replacing the jar's lid, the jar is now secure with its liquid cargo from the lake. It shall remain thus so until it is released from the confines of the jar. The jar of water is analogous to a mortal/human with his/her Sál. The mason's jar is representative of the human corpus (body) while the water within is indicative of the Sal. Now then, returning our attention to the Buddhist example of the jar containing air. If one were to throw the air filled jar to the ground and break it open, what then has become of the air/soul/spirit which was inside? The obvious answer is of course that the previously confined air is now free to return whence it has come from, the air which is all about us! Of course, there is only one air and as the Buddhist example would offer, only "one" soul of humanity/divinity, shared by all in some Utopian and Universal brotherhood. I, however, intend no slight nor disrespect to the Buddhist philosophy in any measure whatsoever. In fact, all things considered, Zen Buddhism and Odinism share various similarities, sands the lack of Folkish concentration within the Buddhist community.

I employed water, the very blood of Nerthus (Mother Earth/Jörd) for my Odinist example to further demonstrate the complexity of nature's self evident truths, as it applies to both, water and our Sál/spirit.

You see, that same mason's jar, albeit filled with water from the lake, is also analogous of the Sál/spirit. However, when the jar is broken, where the water goes is not such a simple affair as it were with the air paradigm. For the air has but only to return to the air. But the water...Well, the water is an entirely different organism. There is not merely one kind of water. Just as there is not only one race of people to share but a single Sál/spirit/divinity. The lake water from the jar is fresh water. Hence, no matter where the jar is broken, the fresh water inside will one way, or another find its way back to the fresh water source. If broken near the lake where the water was extracted from, the water shall be re-absorbed into the ground, then the water table and then finally the lake whence it has come from. However, if broken by, or even dumped out into the sea's salt water, it would separate and evaporate back into the air, clouds, mist, fog, etc…Once again, the fresh water source! The same may be posited with our Sál/spirit and the Folk Soul whence it came from.

Carl Gustav Jung had postulated that each Folk/People/Race has its own unique Folk Soul. This Jungian Folk Soul wherefore the Aryan people are concerned, is one and the same with the God/Archetype "ODIN". And that this Folk Soul, "Our" Folk Soul, has existed in the form of pure consciousness, long before humanity itself had come into existence! The concept of 'Metagenetics'. Upon our mortal deaths, we shall once more return to our Folk Soul. What this must entail is open to one's perspective based upon a number of components. For myself, chief among such is my relationship with Allfather Odin. For me, the Folk Soul is Valhalla. Albeit, not the literal mythical version. Rather, I entertain the notion/belief that Valhalla is a great and ancient Aryan Folk Soul...A repository of all Racial/Folkish wisdom which the Folk have brought back with them from their life long experiences, to this grand Odinic consciousness.

Imagine this: if you closed your eyes and you heard the voice of your family and friends, you'd still be able to discern who was who from each one's voice, the cadence, tone, rhythm, etc... And your conscious mind would begin to form an image of them from the repository of memories you have of them. They would become as visual to your Hugauga (Mind's eye) as if your open eyed gaze had rested upon them in this reality. It would be like that with the Folk Soul. You would be aware of the presence of these loved ones and know them and they you, in the very same fashion. Only, all other ancestors from the beginning would be there and familiar to you as well. This great Folk Soul also accounts for your intuition, gut feelings and knowing something that you can't comprehend just how you come to know it. This is the wealth of ancestral wisdom and knowledge from the Folk Soul which currently lives on in you, in your blood and in your ancestral memory, where your every ancestor whom has ever lived since Ask and Embla, yet exists! And once we join the great Folk Soul of "Our" ancestors, then we too shall contribute to the constant flow of that amassed wisdom and knowledge to our descendants which have not yet been born.

Needless to say, I could go on about this without limitation as I have afforded many hours and years of dedication to meditations upon it and I so thoroughly believe that it is the reality to come upon my death. It is also due to such that I fully comprehend my righteous sense of duty, while I live upon Midgard, to serve my Gods and Folk.

Each Race/Folk/People have their own indigenous Folk Soul, and each shall one day learn the reality of such a truth, in my opinion. There is NO Univ­ersalism which exists within the realm of Natural Order, or the Laws of Nature. Nor is there, in my belief, either an end to life, spiritually speaking, or any one size fits all spirit/divinity, or afterlife.

One arrives at a familiarization with one's Folk Soul and Ancestors by communing with Allfather Odin and the Gods of the Æsir and Vanir, while one is alive and well in this lifetime. For such sacred and Holy Communion lead to wisdom found only at Mimir's and Urd's Wells, rooted in antiquity, and a time when Odin first thought! It awaits there yet, for those bold enough to journey forth on the Northern Road.

The corpus of myths, Sagas, lore, legends, heroic feats, art, music, poetry, architecture and virtues are all but manifestations of "Our" Folk Soul. Very real examples of how our very real Gods and Ancestors continue to reach out to us and speak to us via the medium of that which they share with us, their living folk... Our Folk Soul which was born with Allfather's very first thought.

How any among us can consider what I have postulated herein and still elect to discount the Sál/Soul's survival of the host body s death, should not consume anyone's thoughts. For it would be a waste of one's time. Only what is sensible about what I have presented herein, and more so, how it may serve to enrich your own spiritual quest, should be a point of any genuine concern. And ultimately, how each of us may be of service to our Gods and Folk.

Fara meth Odin, ok megi Odin blessi thig alle!

As ever, I remain in service to the Gods and Folk of the Holy Nation of Odin

Ek Einherjar ok Heil Allfather Odin ! ! !

"So then, if gray is made of black and white, and darkness is devoid of any guiding light...Then which is the way that shall lead us back to a world that is bright? ... The Ancestral flame and the Road North. That is the way!" - Casper Odinson Cröwell, Ph.D., DD