Hindu culture also lays out stages of life, but there is one extra stage. These are not rules but more like a description of how life genrally flows. 1. Balya (Childhood) - Same as you say in the video with literal belief in dieties. 2. Kaumara (Youth) - Time of learning/quest for knowledge. Almost same as your atheist phase. 3. Yauvana (Family-man/Woman) - Return to Conservative life but with wisdom of experience. 4. Vardhakya (Old age) - Divorced from material/family life and following a path a spirituality.

I slowly came into this as a self proclaimed atheist, which ended after a profound spiritual experience I had. And I've been having similar thoughts about the "gods". Perhaps Odin is the inner voice we all have that guide us through life. I noticed over the years that when I didn't listen to this inner voice, bad shit usually followed. Thank you for this! Much appreciated!

I was born and raised without religion. Just science and the natural world. So when I became pagan at 20, I jumped straight into the 2nd stage. It was a lot easier that way. Now, 24, I'm starting to really push into the animism side of it. It's kinda crazy too because this has been a recent shift, and I just discovered this channel today. Great video, keep em coming!

Most people never get out of the first section of "Yay we die and to Valhal". I have tried multiple times to show a friend who screams he's "viking" but only understands the battle part. There is so much more to all of it.

Currently 52, and atheist. However, I am finding myself now drawn to Norse mythology. I practiced Paganism for a few years, and became disenchanted because those around me believed things I knew scientifically weren't possible. Here I am, back were I was. It's disturbing how accurate your video is.

This called to me during the hardest of times. The 9 are building me in to a better person, who is not a victim, trying to be strong so the gods know I fought hard for my family in this realm!

You couldn't have said this any better. Let's never lose the child in us, and always use perception & discernment in all we do

Im 18, Ive been in the Nordic/Germanic relgion, im currently in the 2nd stage and kinda mixed in the 3rd stage. This video helped a lot esp, with my identity. From a very young age I loved the "viking aesthetic" / Nordic/Germanic culture, and through the media intperitations of nordic spirits/deities Ive always had a stong connection to them. One thing I rlly want to share, is that Nordic Paganism has helped me change as a person, and looking back at my life till now, a lot of foreshadowing on this awakening.

I feel like we are all animists as children, before culture destroys our sensitive brains with science and "facts" about the world. It's our natural/normal state of understanding as humans, it's the way we can remain close with the natural world and all the entities that inhabit it.

When I got into paganism, I had already gone through all these stages in a way: I was raised Christian, then lost my faith , and then had an experience that led me to an animistic or panpsychist sort of view. I was influenced by Zen Buddhist thought even while Christian and later by Hindu thought as well. So by the time I got to paganism I couldn’t take the stories literally nor could I see them as something to take purely atheistically. So I already know how not to approach paganism but I’m still learning how to approach it.

I'm new to your channel, and I really like this video. I grew up in northern Denmark and my family has (always as far as I know) practiced what many call Norse paganism - I learned/read the sagas and the related stories really young, and also have the old Danish folklore really deeply imbedded in my culture/worldview. Anyway, I really like that you distinguish the meaning of our stories and that you mention our other actors, the landvættr and all. That is something hard when I tell Americans (where I live now) about my religion and practices, because the try to relate it to Christianity or the other monotheistic religions. Fantastisk video, tak til næste gang! God midsommer tidligt!

Oh Magic post! I hope to see a lot more of your spiritual posts! And am so excited about the path this channel will take. Thankyou for sharing. ✨⭐️✨⭐️✨

I'm born and raised in an obscure part of South East Asia and just found your channel recently. Been enjoying your content while reflecting on my own experience and thought processes. Bless your heart, man!

What a kind video! To have the emotional intelligence and humility it takes one to accept these stages (let alone openly speak of them to strangers)! Thank you for having the belief that moving through spirituality is fluid and must be embraced through each stage. And thanks for sharing!

So fascinating and resonates deeply. They tried to raise me Catholic, At four I told my Mother "but why? This is not true" Needless to say that didn't go over well...at all. I was horribly suppressed and had to hide my Inner-connection with animals and the natural world. I really thought I was Native American because of my deep connection with all that is...but did Ancestory and my blood anyway lol is from the North Sea, Fareo islands, etc... Can't wait to learn more! Thanks!!

Keep this up. Because you've made me realise that I've been going through these 3 stages my whole life and thought it was just my imagination. Thank-you.

I would say this happens in every religion, though it's not recognized and accepted the way it is in Paganism. I also think you can bounce between the stages as life progresses. I love the comment about a 4th stage for the intuitives, mystics, healers. (I myself work with color and energy, as an intuitive, medium, and healer).

Great video. I went through exactly those stages, the atheism in my teens and early twenties, and then I started to do my own research and found my very own views and beliefs. Thank you for this great channel, I’m discovering so much about myself through many of your videos!

As a Christian i always thought about spirit of nature from the spirit of animal to the one of the tree and rocks but like i said as a Christian i see that as a creztion of god and i think we forgot the spiritual realm of earth and has a christian i have always looked at the sky for god but never understand what can be learn from the spiritual realm on earth. I don't know if what i said is clear cause my english is bad but what i mean is that christian forgot the way of the earth and focused on the divine field of the sky. And for me i think we Christian should remember and learn more about what we have on earth.

This was a really wonderful video. Thank you for making it.

I recently discovered ur channel. I really love it and it helps me a lot understand paganism. Thank you a lot for doing this. It means so much to me and it makes my journey more easy.

That thumbnail resonated with me instantly. Being born French Canadian I was forced to be Catholic and then I became super atheist and now I find myself searching for spirituality and I gravitate to Western mysticism. My ancestors come from Normandy so I feel like I'm a Norman Gaul with some Viking roots. I wish I lived in Europe closer to my roots but being a stranger in a Strange Land to me would be alienating I think.

I came to norse paganism late and am loving every step of my journey. There have been a lot of “what if’s” during my journey. The “what if the gods were actually tribe leaders or of people of import and that these stories are told during heavy nights of drinking.” I love the research and thinking required for this path. Keep up the great work! I just found you a few days ago and am working through all of your stuff!

Great video! I would consider myself in stage 2 right now. I've been reading lots and just discovered your channel and have been binge watching. I love your content and learning about my Scandinaian heritage too. Thank you!

Great video thx

I have been in a weird place with my beliefs, this video definitely helped me out a lot. Thank you for all you do.

Great video ! You also have that talent of wording things in a very thoughtful way, so naturally too !! I was expecting to find terms “spiritual awakening”, etc .. like in the thumbnail, nonetheless a well thought through video ✨

Good video. Good overview. I share your sentiment with the word "god/s" and mine extends to the word "soul" also.

“Neither the gods and goddesses (devas and devis), nor the demonic beings (asuras), who are described in the Vedic scriptures are to be understood to be merely symbolic. The theory that they are just symbolic is reflective of New Age inspired psychologism, and not authentic spirituality. Traditional spirituality explains that these are beings with as much reality, personality, and free will as are possessed by all human beings. Such beings are personalities, and are thus as real as you are. These beings are very real. The gods and goddesses are benevolent beings who we are to welcome into our lives and cooperate with. The demonic beings are malevolent entities who we are to avoid at all costs if we wish to avoid suffering, delusion, and bondage. The path of Vedic spirituality gives us clear guidance on how to cultivate good, and how to avoid evil in our lives.” - Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya

This made a lot of sense to me. Helped to understand what I have been feeling most of my life. I would say that I am somewhere between 2 and 3 and really have been most of my life. I have always felt a connection with Nature. I can see a tree and a bird, feel the wind see feel and hear the rain. These things have always had a meaning to me. Watching your videos helps me to understand more what these feelings mean.

I can't agree more with you. I'm on, as you called it, stage 3 and realised I went through all of what you mentioned.

Went through stage one and two at the same time basically, podcast I found "Northern myths" read the old myths and talked about the meaning behind them. Your channel has gotten me into stage three with my roots still in nihilism and a strong agnostic streak. Love this channel love the FB group

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I have always been sensitive to and able to detect spirits and feelings in the environment since I was a child. I have also had precognitive abilities since I was a child as well, but that has always been something spontaneous and without control. I have been trying to learn more about how to get a handle on it so to speak, because it hasn't always been a good experience for me and I believe my youngest child has these same abilities and I want to be able to have more understanding of it so that I can help him as he grows as well. Please keep the videos coming, as I was born in America I wasn't raised with our cultures beliefs, but I love learning about our culture and definitely more about the magical and mystical sides of our culture!

Great video! I find the three stages you describe to be fairly accurate and interesting! My journey started when I was very young and started reading about Greek paganism. Although I was raised Catholic at the time and followed that path the stories really spoke to me and I thought they were so cool I had to keep exploring and found a love for Nordic and Egyptian paganism as well! As time went on I shed my Catholic skin and went through some interesting stages of atheism, satanism and then found myself somewhat recently at the second stage you describe. Now I find myself crawling into the third stage and really discovering the animism you speak of.

First time to watch one of your videos and I quite liked it. The third stage that you define sounds to me like the basics of pantheism.

I'm glad I ran across this video, I honestly didn't know there were stages, and listening to what you had said. I've come to release I've been on the second stage for a while now 😅,

Well put Sir!⚡⚡💪

As someone recently new to paganism, I found this video very helpful. I’ve found myself going through these stages, but not realizing what was happening. It was reassuring to hear you put it into a perspective I could relate with. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I have a feeling your previous video made me went through phase one and now I have a different imagination of my Polish Paganism, so thank you :)

This is absolutely spot on!

I am definitely in the early stage of infancy, but I feel the questions and thoughts that you provoke are something that all should consider during their path. Thank you for the content, I enjoy the cited information.

I just got to this third stage during the Summer months of this year. One of the reasons I watch your videos is because you discuss the meaning of words and their history. This is a pastime I have enjoyed doing ever since I was a young teenager, slowly coming to the realization at the age of 19 in basic training that I am not a Christian. Because you explain the meaning of words I am sure you will understand when I say I do not use the words heathen or pagan to describe myself because of their meaning and historical use. I realized I was something during my early 20’s as I studied every religion I could get a book about or watch a documentary about or find by going down what my brothers and I like to call the “KZfaq Portal”. But I did not know what I was except a seeker of knowledge, I felt very much like a generic character out of many of the video games I grew up playing. It was the second Act and I had found out everything I believed growing up was not exactly a lie, but definitely not what I had believed it was. So, only knowing myself at the time of my early 20’s to be a seeker of knowledge, I did just that. I put aside the thought of having a foundation of beliefs because I knew I didn’t and focused on my quest of knowledge. In 2013 a series or random events placed a gram of powdered DMT in my hand that I was not seeking out directly because I figured it was a lost cause many years before. But when a key like that is given to you and given to you because said giver knows why you want it and it is given for free, you’d be a fool not to go unlocking as many doors as you can find. I saw the animism of the universe and experienced the past lives within my own DNA&RNA and saw the levels of different existence (dimensions) and how they exist in real time with each other and all events/actions within them are causality of corresponding actions/events happening in all levels at the same time. My guide was Predator, yes, Predator from the original 1987 movie. He ate my face, removing all my five senses and exposing my sixth under the fleshing my face and bone of my skull, tearing into the meaty parts of my brain. He exposed me to everything yet I still did not know what I was, nor did I have a foundation to set my beliefs on. I was still a seeker of knowledge. Then in 2014 I saw a visual representation of a Valkyrie taking the soul of a fallen soldier to Valhalla. Being a writer I decided it would be fun to make my own story based around what I saw that Valkyrie doing. Then I met Odin. I saw how he is a seeker of knowledge like myself and very quickly my quest for learning to write a story became learning to understand Odin (myself) and the myths for what they are. During a session of meditation/deep thinking to unravel the meaning of the Poetic Edda the term OdinSon was heard being spoke within my head over and over until I realized I am just that. I am not pagan, I am not heathen, I am OdinSon and although these entities were never physical beings and their stories are just as you say. He is the AllFather and I am he son. OdinSon of Oregon, and my quest of knowledge has turned into a quest of wisdom.

Haha, I’m in the first phase. Felt really called out! But I’m having a good time and I hope to progress further and enjoy the journey 😊

Thank you! 👍

I’ve always felt personally Paganism represents balance and synergy. It gives purpose with out the promise of fantasy. My absolute favourite myth is Ragnarok. Odinn and the gods knowing of their demise, yet living on despite it. I found Norse Paganism after an attempted suicide, that myth alone gave me the strength to fight and survive knowing my time will come. I take peace and solace in my death, and will welcome it without fear, but I will live my best life until that day.

This was so helpful for me, as a very beginner, although I feel I’m somewhere in between 1 and 2, learning the myths, but knowing they are symbolic, but enjoying learning these myths!

Yes ! Nice job

The gods came to me when I was in the worst part of my depressed and suicidal period. They saved my life, the gods letteraly saved my life giving to it a new meaning. Hails to the gods!

I love this brother. When it comes down to it for me, so much of my belief comes by the fact that I've become a better person than I was before because I've been lead by these things. People ask "well what if you're wrong in the end?" To that I say "then I am, but at least I'll be happy with the way that I lead my life." Whether I'm actually right or wrong, doesn't matter to me, it matters to me that with all the experiences, feelings, and impressions that have come from this, I've become what I want to be and have learned to love myself and others in ways I never could have without it.

Never been at stage 1. Propably been at stage 2 all my life, although I'm agnostic, not aetheist. Starting to get into the whole northern mythology and it's an exiting time. Love your vids brother :D

Having been raised as a secular Catholic Christian, I got into Norse Paganism through music (metal and folk that is) during my teens. Progression through stage 1 took me about 5-6 years and I have since been atheist/agnostic until I slowly started moving towards stage 3 I'd say about 2 years ago. I'm still in that progress because my entry to Animism was through my fascination with Ancient and Medieval cultures and their believes foremost of all Shintoism. So far I have come to understand the concepts of Animism and the idea of natural and universal energy that manifests itself in spirits or deities but I'm not completely there yet. Being a city kid perhaps doesn't help much in that but I think therein lies a different take on the whole thing, that's all. Your channel is great in providing guidance and information or ideas to pursue in this, so thanks for making these videos.

Whole extended family are bloody mormons, but i never believed in it like they all foolishly do; Runes and then crystals plus runes took me through this unconsciously since 2012 and now seeing your video has brought on more enlightenment, also one of the first games I ever got to play was vikings on super Nintendo which started when I was 5, but really it's like the runes just brought back all kinds of past life knowledge and understanding I've already had accumulated In my being as a whole, yonder the physical. I call them positive higher dimensional beings, and I also have been combating the word god because it activates all kinds of loose and scattered energy in everyone and can be so easily used for manipulation and all kinds of absurd attacks on others, and is really just a medieval magic construct to gain mass control over the population. Tis when the religious schemes plaguing us now in world religions besides Buddhist stuff really started. I've learned these higher positive dimensional beings especially love it when you call them by their names, and be as a friend rather than a worshipper, which Is way more effective and satisfying all around; one more thing the word god doesn't satisfy; dog backwards.

I am deep into stage two and struggling. Trying to work out who the Deities are and how to move forward. Your videos and ideas help me a lot. Thank you.

I love this. I have had such a hard time being told the old stories are true and I must have altars and offerings for the gods. It didn’t feel right to me. The way you worded this really sat well with me. Thank you!

Great video thanks for posting. I been in stage three since a few years out of high school from 1989 to early 1990’s. It truly is a process that a person needs to be patient with. Also what slows the process is the educational system & Hollywood versions of our histories, our realities. Be open minded and take your time and know the religious & political backgrounds or perspectives of the people you study from. Their views on tribal or land based, or pagan peoples might be corrupted. 🙏

I am in a weird stage that spirit or energy exists in everything because I will it, I see the meaning...because I want to see meaning, I feel the breath of the Aiser, Venir, faeries, elves, trolls, giants, because I LOOK to feel them. And it gives me space to respect them and what they represent, while allowing me to live the reality of what I know, and the magic of what I don't know is wrapped up in my journey forward. They give me power (even w/o understanding) to accept that there is much about life, earth, and expericne that we will never understand. And so I just continueto live my life in the Web of Wyrd. I don't have to prove it to feel it. Nor does it matter if its from me or from outside me, I at least in polytheistic animism find my own path. No greater contentment than that..

very nice video, i just found your channel my friend and there is real rare knowledge about these things, i walked the path you mentioned in the video, my relatives were illiterate and the myths were the only thing they told me when i was a kid, christianity never have i ever feel it, only gods/desses and heroes/inesses and monsters... i was always sad cause all these weren't "real", these were what i admired... but as my brain got bigger my mental horizons got farther and farther i started understanding their truth... as i realize from your video now i am starting on stage 3... paganism saved my soul

So spot on!

Thank you so much, you're helping me so much. I almost lost a 7-year relationship the lessons I'm learning are really helping me in my mental health, and I'm becoming a better man. Idk if i deserve to call myself anything, but I'm going to keep learning a growing. I just wanted to take the time to thank you sir.

Marcus, you are so awesome. This video is probably the best showing just what a kind spirit you are. What you're talking and the way you're talking about is the real meaning of life itself. Thank you so much for giving so much info for everyone. BTW, the more I learn about Nordic stuff the more I see how much of it quite parallel to Old Hungarian shamanistic customs.

This was enlightening for me. Growing up in the Netherlands as a young child i went to a christian school. And i sorta believed in god. I prayed at dinner and listened to my teachers. This soon passed though and for the longest time i was an atheist… i always was interested in the germanic people and the gods. When my father spoke of them or when i watched movies of them. When i was 16 i went to further education and i met a man who was a believer of the norse pagan faith. I joked around with him about it first and did not take it seriously, but then i really looked inside and remembered all the times when i was truly captivated by these tales. And I decided i wanted to believe in this. A couple of naive and “stupid years”later and i find myself understanding this faith better. I still doubt it from time to time but i settled into my beliefs. This video made me realise that unknowingly i am going through these stages, i think im still in stage two coming into stage three but i have no doubt that these forces do exist and do have influence on people regardless of what it is. May it be energy or something more…

Thank you so so so much for this video. I think I'm beginning my awakening stage. I thought I was crazy I don't know ☹️. I was atheist most my life then suddenly I... Wanted more.

I realised a few month's ago my first dream that scared the shit out of me as a child involved Odin and then when I was 16 a woman who transformed into a hawk came down from the sky and danced with me. Btw I had never even heard of these gods untill 2 years ago

I have always been on the fence of whether I'm a believer or not but then I'm like, "Is anything real?" I suppose that is me going through the stages and not holding too tight to what came before. No matter what you do, what WE do, we have to grow up...we have to progress and sometimes we get too comfortable and the energies around us want us to move on to the next level which makes us want to contemplate if anything is real after all but it's all good. Thank you for the upload!

I want to say thank you soo much for your wisdom and knowledge. Your channel is very helpful, and I apply what you tech to my practice. My question is was music a real big part of early Norse (an pagans in general ) life ? Did Certain tones and frequencies unlock a state of connection to the their Deities , past , nature or ancestors ?

Mange hilsner fra Danmark jeg er vild med dine videoer og du forklare vores fælles arv så flot ! ❤ bliv ved broder :)

thanks for the video, friend. can you do a video on the norn language, would be cool to have your opinion on the nynorn.

I’m transitioning into the third. I’m going through some of the hardest times in my life right now and my spiritual health is suffering due to my mental health, it also has effected my physical as social health

I've just discovered your channel, and this video in particular is pretty eye opening. I was raised in Christianity as a child, as a teenager I left my faith and was pretty much an atheist for many years. I discovered Norse paganism a few years back, looking for some kind of spirituality in life, and found myself particularly drawn to it. But my analytical mind pulled me back from it as it had Christianity, and just accepted i was an atheist and thats that. After years of this, in this worldview of just logic and facts and evidence, well, it just feels very empty. And now I find myself being pulled back in this particular direction somehow, something speaking to me on a level I don't quite understand.

I was in and out of stage 1 in just a few month, but finding the deeper meanings of the myths, well I think Ill be in stage 2 for quite some time.

My first introduction was in my teenage years when I learned about wicca. I feel like my progression through these stages was fairly quick because Ive always been an intuitive and critical person. I grew up in a christian home, albeit a broken one, which eventually led me to atheism at 15. Later down the road, I had several experiences that led me to doubt my atheist stance, which is when I started seeking out something more. I’ve been polytheistic ever since.

I feel myself questioning things more and more. But I see things with curiosity. Used to be catholic, have been atheist for the past decade. 27 now and with my interests I feel more a connection to animism as a whole. I feel strongly our ancestors knew more than we could ever know of the natural world. A sense of balance within it. The good and bad. While I feel the abrahamic Faith's have done nothing but pollute us. Forced us to pray to a war God, without acknowledging the other aspects of the earth, and so we are reaping what they've sown. The planet is becoming a desert and plagued by war, thanks to that desert war God.

Great video! Took me until I was in my early 20's to reach 'stage 3' ;-) That was about 40 years back ;-)

Everyone needs to see this video. We all need to be reminded about the truth from time to time. I came onto this path as an adult, feeling the call and the pull away from my Christian upbringing. It took me 20 years to progress through these stages because I did not understand animism or even know what it was until about four years ago. I had to reevaluate everything and make that adjustment to my worldview. After doing so I now feel mature and settled in my spiritually. Had I not been brainwashed with Christian indoctrination and a mechanistic worldview my entire life, I could’ve had this joy in my heart all along; instead I was handed the gift of guilt, like most of us were. I’m not bitter about it though. I honestly think that humanity will eventually return to our roots. Life is savagely beautiful, and I love every minute of it.

I don't know if the topic has been covered. But can you do a video on the ancient seer? 🇳🇴

I feel like I've gone through these stages more than once. But that makes since. Sometimes you have to go back and study different things again. I've only recently discovered material on my Norse ancestors beliefs, so I'm new. But I'm soaking it up. I've spent the last ten years or so as an atheist, so you could say that I'm just coming to that third stage. Thank you.

Enjoy your posts....I was raised Roman Catholic (I'm 63), studied religions from Buddhism, Hinduism, Gnostic systems, etc.....I generally regard myself as anti-theist since I was 21, but I have have had interests in my Slavic heritage, pre-Christian Heathen and Pagan practices/beliefs, for the past few years. I have come to view my Christian beliefs and stories learned as a child as myths similar to your statements on Pagan gods and their place in man's belief systems.....on another note I find myself talking to and thanking rocks (seriously) when gathering them for my garden projects and trees when taking wood from them for my carving projects.

wow your method here really good! I mean spot on... going thru that first phase is a phase all our ancestors went thru. THATS the history

Spiritual cosmic constants is a term I use to describe what the gods actually are to my friends when I try to explain these beliefs. I don't know if that's a common term but it's what I use often

I like your videos and I'm a northman by heart! You've got great knowledge about the stuff and I learn a lot from your videos; as a religious scientist I'v learned that almost all religion know those stages of faith: James Fowler, Erik Erikson and some more had shown those stages; In the end, almost everyone ends in some sort of pantheism or animism or the christians in panentheism...interesting, isn't it?

I believe and this is my personal experience only, when one gets to know them entities, also start treating them with authentic respect not childish respect that is also admirable but different, thanks for the video.

I dont know if it was my imagination or a sign from Odin. I had just started my journey with paganism, and I asked for a sign. I was walking and it was winter, I live in Sweden so it can be pretty cold. I was inside a short walking tunnel and when I was outside again then a bunch of crows flew over me. Strange thing was as the crows flew further away their sound or whatever went more and more inside my head. I dont know exactly how to describe it, but it was super strange.

I struggled to pay attention in Ethics and Cultural studies class in school; I found that, most of the time, they would only discuss Christianity, which really bored me. Honestly, if paganism was on the curricular, I would have been 100% attentive. You are a good teacher on the subject too, it's a pleasure to learn about this subject from you, thank you! B-)

I'm still a young pagan. I'm currently in the in-between of the last two stages. I appreciate your videos.

Im quite impressed with myself. I have been called to paganism recently and im in the 3° stage

At 57 I am very aware of the energies of this existence. My Grandfather talk about them briefly in my childhood. As he was raised as a native and very scared of being persecuted as a minority. This just was told to me by my mother in the last month..... Tho my DNA says I am Norwegian, Celtic, British, and etc... Not Native American. Hmmmm I have been looking for a long time for a direction to what is and what is not for me. I found Nordic Paganism the path via Odin as my first contact and study. I am not a child and have studied various beliefs from Baptist to Germanic Wicca and more. My first conversation to Odin and to the deities came after some study by the direction of my Scandinavian wife. It was immediate and startling at the same time. Since then I have reached out to the Gods and Goddesses and other spirits to help me on my journey. With very real and in your face action. I am now looking into more of the full world of energies I always felt, but did not know have and understanding. I am still not fully there... I am aware of the ant who bites me and I still kill it, but immediately after feel remorse for doing it. It is my barbaric action that takes over instead of just removing it and putting it back in the grass. All things have a soul and consciousness, not just us humans. It is by going my path I am learning more and trying to be more awake to the small as well to the signs I am seeing. If I think about all the poor animals I have killed by using mouse traps or fly swatters and thinking they did not have a life.... then I am a major A hole and very caught in the trap of being a HUMAN and not a being. I have had many tragedies in my life that has put on many medication just to deal. In the end at my age where people start to die off... I have cause too many sufferings to many beings... Just out of plain ignorance of what I was not taught. I don't know if others will see this and comment or you the content creator, but it is a confession and a wakening that I am professing too. So I am not in need of LOL thoughts and prayers LOL, but just a witness that I am seeing of my gross ignorance of what it is to be here. I have a long way to go but my years will more than likely keep me from reaching the totality of the connection between the deities to the very small. I am grateful for your post and look forward to learning more of your view in this path. I do not hang my hat on any one view point , I only respond to those who hit a mark that I feel is relevant to my experience. So thank you.

Very much needed this video!

I am in my general spiritual path in later portion of State 2. I have long since forgone a "Literalist" stage and I believe in spirits and an essence of stuff so to speak. Energies or spirits of the lands and the subconscious connections of man to world and world to man. When it comes to Paganism, I am very new in general, but I went through stage one almost immediately since I was agnostic most of my life after leaving the church in my early teens. However I am an eclectic pagan and a unitarian.

Anyone else starting at the 2nd stage? Im heavily read in Nietzsche and Jung, was meditating one day and had an event that I cant explain as anything other than possession by Odin. Ive done plenty of psychs and this event was so much more powerful than that (Im not sure how thats even possible). Been trying to connect with these powers since

One of the best reasons for taking time in this journey is to develop the skills necessary to learn to receive guidance from the "deities" and nature spirits. Another good reason is to enjoy the journey because the journey is the goal.

I see what you describe like three progressive phases just as three complementary elements of our religion, not in that linear way -because the understanding of symbolism also demands afect by the myths, including discussing possibles versions and questions. Nice video!

I just got out of the first stage basically. I'm going through what you call the second stage. What are some good sources to get more into the Norse pegan beliefs? Your channel I have just found, but I would like to find more and more sources, books, writings. I want to read into everything I can and understand what it means

I was raised in a somewhat christian household. It never felt right, I'm turning 16 soon and am starting to explore this religion. I've had Odin and Freyja appear in dreams to me. Thank you for your channel brother.

A bit horrified to realize that in the strict Christian religion that I know (yes, I know "not all Christians"), these stages were all torn away from us. We were kept at the child stage, and if we progressed into the teen years of exploration and questioning.. we were met with some serious manipulative tactics to bully us back into the child-like stage to never ever progress. I'm flying through these above stages faster than I should, but that's because I had been cut off from the natural rhythm of things. I will revisit and enjoy these stages as I settle. Thank you for these videos and for everything you've posted.

wait, imma bit confused. if gods represent certain things in nature and our ancestors knew about it, why did they still pray, practice rituals and continue telling myths about them?

I went through these phases as a Catholic child too, but then turned polytheistic around ten when I became more aware of Irish legends and other world religions.

Good talk,Sir.I always loved the Norse myths since I was a child.I think my first was "The Children of Odin". Later,in the craft, I met them again. I once heard a Moari man said their word for myths was truths.

Great video and I couldnt agree more😁👍

Corona made us more spiritually 😄

To be honest: I was not even an atheist! I was agnostic! But After I lost my dog! My Fylgja I read the poem about how Odin takes care of all fallen animals! And I really hope that's real! That one day, ... when I die! I meet her again!