The Landvættir

“Landvættir (“land wights“) are spirits of the land in Norse mythology and in Germanic neopaganism. They protect and promote the flourishing of the specific places where they live, which can be as small as a rock or a corner of a field, or as large as a section of a country.” -wikipedia

When I was a kid, I used to take long treks in the woods and fields, whether it was Florida, Michigan, or Northern Indiana. I usually found certain “special spots” that I tended to frequent and view as destinations on my wanderings. These were things like a small, dark, secluded pond, a huge rock, a place along a stream where a large oak or cedar grew and the water took on a unique and mystical character. Sometimes they were even dumps, which for some reason seemed like secret treasure troves to me as a kid. Later, I did the same thing when I moved to Seattle, although I didn’t seem to do it nearly as often.  I no longer find dumps to be very interesting at all, although I do love the way man-made artifacts rust under the onslaught of the elements.

I learned from Native American studies that these places fit the description of “Sacred Place.” This is generally defined as a place in nature where certain forces manifest in such a way as to encourage inner reflection, and contact with a greater, mystical reality. I loved to find such places and go to them as often as possible. There has always seemed to be at least one nearby.

Here in Northern California there are many of these “sacred places.”  Not far from here, in Carson Pass on Highway 88, you can find a small population of the most splendid old juniper trees.  They are extraordinary examples of Landvættir, guardian spirits.  From within a car on the highway itself, it’s hard to see them — almost as if there’s some kind of mystical barrier keeping these trees under its protection.  You have to stop and make the effort to walk right up to them to begin to appreciate their grandeur.  And then you wonder how it could be that you nearly drove by without even noticing their magnificence.

Here’s a photo I took last summer of one of these great old trees.

Old Juniper - Carson Pass, Cal.

Occasionally, the presence of a Land Spirit is almost comically or mystically obvious, as in the following image from the same trip last summer around Lake Tahoe.

Landvættir Amongst the Rocks - Lake Tahoe, Cal.

It’s worth taking a closer look.

Landvættir a Bit Closer In

Of course, the rock isn’t animate, at least not while anyone’s looking on normal days!  Nevertheless, something like the image above,  stamped into the living rock, imbues a sense of active awareness and presence (besides the shape’s resemblance to well-known animate beings, like a bear or a bearded Nordic warrior). It reminds you that everything is alive and purposeful and partaking of the same life that you are yourself. I once heard a Native American elder say that the rocks are alive, too, they just move more slowly than you or I.

Personally, I have no doubt they are alive, like trees, the wind, flowers, jewels, water, the sun or moon, etc.  Deep space is teeming with life.  Life, and consciousness at all its levels, permeates the entire universe, and beyond.

One thing I probably ought to discuss is that I don’t choose to talk about Landvaettir here in the sense of beings that must be appeased, or in any other superstitious sense.  I see them more as spirits dwelling in material or quasi-material forms that are not human forms. They may have different capabilities as compared to humans (like a man can make more complicated tools than, say, an opossum), and they certainly have a differing life experience, but they are conscious in their own way and part of the life of the world. In fact, my own personal experience of them is that they are the inherent consciousness in nature and that, at least for me, they are more sensed than seen.  That’s not to imply they are any less real. They are real. They are part of the community of living things.

If we relate to the Landvaettir (and so, to nature) with respect and friendship, they will probably mostly do the same.  On the flip side of that, however, if you do them harm, they will probably respond like any being that’s harmed — to defend themselves and, if they’re consciousness is more primitive, to seek revenge. If you put yourself in such a position (possibly like many developers do in our modern world), you could have some very interesting and potentially difficult experiences.

It’s not, however, just because nature spirits could become vengeful that we should respect and care for the earth. If we are thankful and honor what gives us this opportunity of life, then things must go well for the whole community of living things.