Urð is in the back there. Verðanthi on the right. Skuld in the foreground.
These are the most famous of the giant race known as Norns/Nornir, in ancient Norse mythology. Urð means “that which has happened” or “that which has made you who you are” while Verðanthi is “that which is becoming” and Skuld is “that which must happen”.
It would be a simplification, if not an accurate one, to say that they indicate Past, Present, and Future. As concepts, that is sound. But the Norse perspective was a tad more complex than that.
Urð is Wyrd. Wyrd is the concept of Destiny. These three Norns weave the web of Wyrd, or web of Fate, from their place at Urd’s Well, at the base of the great Tree of Existence, the Yggdrasil. They’re responsible for the big picture.
There are many, many more Norns however. In the ancient mythology and culture, a Norn was attached to a human at birth. This Norn is with you throughout your life, assisting you on your life’s journey. Be cautious, though, for it is possible to lose your Norn entirely if you fuck up too badly. When one strays too far off-course, their Norn abandons them and they are left to live out their fucked-up life until its bitter end. Which is probably sooner rather than later at that point.
There’s another concept that ties into all this, that of “Orlog”. Orlog is the decisions you make and the actions you perform within your lifetime that can affect not only your own life but that of everyone else in existence. It’s a sort of power combo of Karma and the Butterfly Effect. That which you do has consequences and creates ripple effects. Orlog is essentially Free Will. It is through Orlog, with the unseen counsel of your personal Norn (which is basically the equivalent of a “Spirit guide”) that you make your way to your ultimate Fate.
Everyone dies. But it’s up to you how you get there, what kind of death you have, and what legacy you leave behind.
So be good to your Norns and as the prophets St. Bill and St. Ted said, “be excellent to each other”.
