Orlog

The term "Orlog" derives from Old Norse, composed of "or" (out, forth) and "log" (law, custom). It signifies the "out-law" or primal law, the original decree that governs all existence. This concept is foundational to understanding the Norse worldview's deterministic underpinnings.

Fate, destin.w whose agents wci-c the three Norns, the \orse Parca. Ormazd or Ahura Mazda (Zend). The god of the Zoroastrians or the modern Parsis. He is .symbolized by the sun, as being the Light of Lights. Esoterically, he is the synthesis of his six Amshaspcnds or Elohim, and the creative Logos. In the Mazdoan exoteric system, Ahura Mazda is the supreme god, and one with the supreme god of the Vedic age — Variina, if we read the Vedas literallv. (iLOSSAKV 225 Orpheus <Gr.). Lit., the "tawny one". Mytholofry makes liim til.soil of ^T^]afrer and the muse Calliope. Esoterie tradition iih-ntitics him with Arjuna, the son of Indra and the disciple of Krishna. lie went round the world teaching the nations wisdom and .sciences, and establishing mysteries. The very story of his losing his Eurydice and finding her in the underworld or Hades, is another point of resemblance with the story of Arjuna, who goes to Patala {Hach s or hell, but in reality the Antipoch s or America) and finds there and marries Ilui)i, the daughter of the Nilga king. This is as suggestive as the fact that he was considered dark in complexion even by the Greeks, who were never very fair-skinned themselves. Orphic Mysteries or Orphica (Or.). These followt-d, but differed greatly from, the my-steries of Bacchus. The system of Orpheus is one of the purest morality and of severe asceticism. The theology taught by him is again purely Indian. With him the divine Essence is inseparable from wliatever is in the infinite universe, all forms being concealed from all eternity in It. At determined periods these forms are manifested from the divine Essence or manifest themselves. Thus through this law of emanation (or evolution) all things participate in this Essence, and are parts and members instinct with divine nature, which is omnipresent. All things having proceeded from, must necessarily return into it; and therefore, innumerable transmigrations or reincarnations and purifications are needed before this f

The Norse concept of Orlog, often translated as "original law" or "primal decree," offers a starkly different perspective on destiny than the more anthropocentric notions found in many other traditions. It is not the whim of gods that dictates the course of events, but a foundational cosmic order, a vast sum of all past actions and their inherent consequences that shapes the present and future. Mircea Eliade, in his studies of comparative religion, often highlighted the importance of such cosmic laws in ancient cosmologies, viewing them as the invisible scaffolding upon which reality is built.

Orlog suggests a universe governed by an impersonal, albeit potent, principle. It is the inescapable inheritance of what has been, a cosmic momentum that carries all beings, including the gods themselves, along its current. This is not a call to fatalism in the sense of passive resignation, but rather a profound acknowledgment of interconnectedness and the enduring impact of choices. As the scholar of Norse mythology, Carolyne Larrington, points out, while the gods might strive within the confines of Orlog, their actions are still subject to its overarching influence.

This concept can be particularly illuminating for the modern seeker grappling with questions of agency and determinism. It invites contemplation on the intricate web of causality that binds us to our past, not as a prison, but as the very ground from which our present reality emerges. Understanding Orlog is akin to recognizing the deep roots of a tree; they are not visible from the surface, but they are the essential source of its stability and growth. It is a reminder that our present moment is a condensation of all that has preceded it, and our actions now are seeding the Orlog of tomorrow. This perspective encourages a mindful engagement with existence, acknowledging the power and responsibility inherent in every unfolding moment.