Saturday, July 5, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

The enigma of the Fryans

  • The mysterious manuscript Oera Linda came to light in 1867, when a Dutch man called Cornelis over de Linden brought it to a librarian in Friesland, Netherlands.
  • The document refers to events dating as far back as 2000 B.C., providing a previously unrecorded history of a Germanic people described as "the Fryans", spanning across several millennia.
  • If legitimate, the work fundamentally reshapes the understanding of our past, potentially re-writing some of the most key portions of history as we know it.
Published 6 April 2024
9 minute read

Akki, my son. You must preserve these books with body and soul. They contain the history of our whole folk, as well as our ancestors.”

These are the opening lines of the Oera Linda, one of the most intriguing and explosive documents brought to light in modern times.

Oera Linda came into public light in 1867, when a man named Cornelis over de Linden handed over the documents to a librarian in Friesland, Netherlands. He stated that they had come into his possession through his grandfather, who in turn had received it from an aunt who had been passed them down through the family line for many generations.

It was first handed to Eelco Verwijs, a scholar who subsequentially studied the document and confirmed its authenticity. Somewhat strangely, he later withdrew this conclusion, some say, to save his career. The documents, however, then entered the hands of Jan Ottema, who was a prominent member of the Frisian society for history and culture. He was to become the first translator and publisher of the Oera Linda book in 1872.

We may thus accept that we possess in this manuscript, of which the first part was composed in the 6th century before our era, the oldest production after Homer and Hesiod, of European literature. Here we find in our fatherland a very ancient people in possession of development, civilization, industry, navigation, commerce, literature and pure elevated ideas of religion, whose existence we never even conjectured”, Ottema stated to emphasize the importance of the work.

Cornelis over de Linden and Jan Ottema brought the mysterious manuscript to the general public’s attention.

The work does not merely echo the spiritual and philosophical wisdom of the ages, but also mentions and provides context regarding a great many major events and influential historical figures. This to such an extent, in fact, that detractors have called it “too good to be true” or “a bit too perfect in comprehension”. Jesus of Nazareth seems to be mentioned, as are the warrior kings Odin and Alexander the Great, along with pivotal events in India and Greece. The actual year count in the manuscript is related to a global cataclysmic event linked to the sinking of an area referred to as “Atland”.

Despite the startling and enormous scope of the content and its implications, Ottema argued in his last statements that the counter-arguments made to the authenticity of the document so far had not stood up to scrutiny.

Seven years of continous study of the book and everything that was written about it has always confirned this conviction”, he stated.

The firestorm of controversy

In an age when Europe was seeking to better understand its roots and clarify its own historical journey, the work created a firestorm of controversy and debate, with equally passionate defenders and detractors. In 1922, the Dutch-German historian and scholar of ancient religion and symbols, Herman Wirth, published the Oera Linda Chronik in German. The discussion of the work was said to be a leading impetus for the creation of the German Ahnenerbe in 1935, described as a “society for the study of the history of primeval ideas” – essentially an elite research institution, gathering together some of the best scholars of the day from a wide range of academic fields, focused on piecing together a historical picture with special focus, of course, on the role played by the Germanic peoples. The energetic debate on the authenticity of the work continued throughout the period of National Socialism in Germany, with the SS leader Heinrich Himmler eventually becoming one of its most spirited defenders. This is also the leading reason to why the work has received an extremely one-sided treatment post World War II.

Despite the controversy, the debate surrounding the manuscript and its authenticity is still very much open. What is clear is that it is written in a style nearly as intriguing as its content, that seems to draw from a well of timeless wisdom that brings to mind other ancient works in the Indo-European traditions, such as the Avestas, the Vedas and the Nordic Sagas. It speaks to events stretching back as far as 2000 B.C., describing the history of a European people or nation called the Fryans, across several millennia.

The beginning of a copy of the Bhagavad Gita from the early 19th century.

According to Oera Linda’s own chronology, the first part of the book was largely compiled by copying short history fragments preserved in writing of the walls of burgs and citadels around 600 B.C. or so, and was then added to periodically over time, as the documents were passed down through a long family line. The original manuscript uses what are now called phonetic characters that are selected from a circle – the sun sign – with a vertical I and X crossing it. Thus, it makes use of a six-spoked wheel to formulate each character, which are for the most part familiar and readable by speakers of contemporary Indo-European languages. Some have claimed the script might be one of the most ancient root written languages in the Indo-European family, acting as an influence and inspiration to many others.

The people of Frya

The people group it speaks to, and those it claims are responsible for its authoring, are called the Fryans, after their progenitor, Frya. It speaks to a culture that praises virtue, character, honesty and justice and self discipline vastly higher than material gain. A strong aversion to corruption is embedded in its core message, and to priests who might seek to use spiritual practices as a control mechanism to corrupt ends.

It comes from the east, out of the bosom of the priests. It will breathe so much mischief that Earth will not be able to drink the blood of her slain children. It will spread darkness over the minds of men like storm clouds over the sunlight. Everywhere craft and deception shall contend with freedom and justice. For our beloved ancestors sake, and for the sake of our precious freedom, a thousand times I beg you, dearest, to never let the eyes of a munk go over these writings.

They speak sweet words, but unnoticed they meddle with all that concerns us Fryans. They collaborate with foreign kings who pay them well. They know that we are their greatest enemies because we dare speak about freedom, justice and royal obligations. Therefore they want to obliterate all traces of our ancestral heritage and what is left of our morals. My dear ones, I have visited their palaces, if Wralda allows it, and if we do not strengthened ourselves, they will exterminate us all”, the manuscript states.

It has been speculated that there may be a connection between the Norse goddess Freyja and the “Great Mother” of the Fryans. Here depicted in John Bauer’s oil sketch “Freja”.

The belief system of the Fryans is straight-forwardly monotheistic, in a manner similar to that of the Scythians as described by Herodotus, or the ancient Germans as described by Tacitus, and can’t help but echo the words of Jesus, the Buddha and the Bhagavad Gita. Wralda is the title they use for the Divine, also as “the Allfather”, or “Allfeeder” – the Singular Being from which everything else ultimately springs or flows. Jan Ottema argued that this philosophical emphasis was actually consistent with other findings about the ancient Germanic peoples.

Allfather, the Supreme God of Nordic antiquity and proof that the peoples inhabiting Sweden, Norway and half of Germany had recognized the purest worship of God as the basis of their religion, for in Him we find all noble qualities which the Mosaic traditions attached to the unspeakable and the Christian religion to The Only God, without any of the features distorting the sublime image of God, such as human passions, anger, vengeance and jealousy”, Ottema stated.

The rules of the heart

One example of how the supreme being is described in the Oera Linda manuscript is as “omnipresent” and “ever lasting”, along with many other esoteric attributes.

Wralda is most the most ancient or primordial, over oldest, for He created all things. Wralda is all in all, for He is eternal and ever lasting. Wralda is omnipresent yet invisible, therefore the being is called spirit. All that we can see of Him are the created beings that come and go again through His life. Because from Wralda things precede and to Him they return. Out of Wralda both the beginning and the end come. All things merge into Him. Wralda is the only almighty being, because all other power is borrowed from Him and returns to Him. From Wralda all forces are derived and all forces return to Him again. Therefore He alone is the creative being and nothing is created outside of Him.”

Based on the manuscript, there are also clear indications that the Fryan people shared the Vedic understanding of Dharma, the concept of a cosmic order that includes, but also transcends, the laws of material reality as we know it.

Wralda established eternal principles, or Aewa, in all that was created, and regulations can only be good if they are founded upon these principles. Although all is part of Wralda, the malice of the people is not of Him. Malice comes from laziness, carelessness and stupidity, therefore it can harm the people, but never Wralda. With the wheel turning, all creation alters and changes, but only God is unalterable.

Since Wralda is God, He cannot change and since He endures, only He is being and everything else emergence. Where as His life is continually progressing however, nothing can remain stationary. Therefore all creatures change their position and their shape, as well as their minds. Therefore can neither earth itself nor any creature ever say ‘I am‘, but rather ‘I was‘. Likewise no man can ever say ‘I think‘, but merely ‘I thought.

Dharmachakra, ‘Wheel of Dharma’, at the Jokhang Temple in Tibet.

Man’s transgressions against this all-encompassing natural law have negative consequences, but the resulting suffering is not in itself the Will of God, the manuscript explains.

Aewa refers to the rules that are imprinted equally in hearts of all people, in order that they will know what is right and what is wrong. And by which they are able to judge their own deeds and those of others, that is in so far as they have been brought up well and are not corrupted.

There’s also yet another meaning attached. Aewa, also relates to ae-like, that is water-like. Even and smooth like water that is not disturbed by windstorm or anything else. If water is disturbed, it becomes uneven, unright, but it always has a tendency to become even again.

That is its nature, just as the inclination of justice and freedom exists in Frya’s children. We derive this disposition from our feeder, Wralda’s spirit, which speaks strongly in Frya’s children, and will eternally remain so”, the manuscript continues.

The spirit of Wralda

One of the most dramatic passages described in the manuscript is the encounter of a group of powerful but corrupt priests and princes with Helena, also known as the oracle Minerva, who test her views on good and evil – and on God. Minerva states:

I know only one God, that is Wralda’s spirit. And because God means “good”, he also does no evil.

Where does evil come from then”, the priests asked.

All evil comes from yourselves, and from the stupidity of the people that walk into your trap”, she answered.

So if your supreme being is all that good, then why does he not avert evil?”, the priests asked.

Minerva told them:

Frya has put us on the path, and the carrier that is time, must do the rest. For all disasters, council and help can be found, but Wralda wants us to search ourselves, so we should become strong and wise. If we refuse, he lets us squeeze out our own tumours, so we should experience the results of wise and foolish deeds.”

Minerva depicted in a statue in Munich. On the right, the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Minerva in Tunisia. (Montage. Photo: Rufus46/Bernard Gagnon/CC BY-SA 3.0)

A prince replied:

I would imagine it better to simply ward of disaster.”

Of course”, Minerva answered, “because then people would remain like tame sheep. You and the priests want to protect, but also to shear and slaughter them. But that is not what our Supreme Being wants. He wants us to help each other, but also that all be free and become wise.

If the Oera Linda manuscript hasn’t been handed down through countless generations, as claimed, it’s still nonetheless a work of timeless wisdom and profound life lessons. If the work, however, some day definitively proves to be a reliable record, it will fundamentally reshape the understanding of our past, potentially re-writing some of the most key portions of human history as we know it.

About the article

The article is based on part 5.1 of the documentary series "Conspiracy? Our Subverted History" produced by Asha Logos. Check out the channel here.

Special acknowledgement should also be given to Jan Ott of the Oera Linda Foundation, which publishes research on Oera Linda. The foundation provides one of the most unique new translations of the Oera Linda book, which you may find here.

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Confirmed: Denis Villeneuve to direct “Bond 26”

Published 26 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
"'Bond 26' - coming soon to a theater near you...
3 minute read

On Wednesday, it was officially confirmed that acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve will take the helm of the upcoming James Bond film – “Bond 26”. The news has quickly created a stir in the film world and among Bond fans globally, who are now looking forward to a new era for the iconic spy series.

Denis Villeneuve, known for his visually striking and narratively deep films such as Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Dune, is considered an unexpected but exciting choice for the Bond franchise.

His style, often characterized by a combination of grand aesthetics and complex character studies, is expected to bring a new dimension to the British agent.

Villeneuve has previously demonstrated his ability to create intense and engaging films, raising hopes that Bond 26 will be both a critical and commercial success.

The producers have been searching for a director who can move the series forward while maintaining its classic core. With Denis Villeneuve at the helm, one can expect a balance between tradition and innovation.

In an official statement, Villeneuve says that he is honored to work with one of cinema history’s most beloved characters and looks forward to exploring new stories within the Bond universe.

Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.

Who will get the role?

Details about the plot and cast are not yet officially confirmed, but there is broad agreement that Daniel Craig will not return as 007.

Instead, several names are circulating as potential successors, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Henry Cavill, and Theo James among the top favorites.

Taylor-Johnson has received particular attention after signing an ambassador deal with Omega (the iconic watch brand long associated with Bond), which many interpret as a strong indication that he is being considered for the role.

Discussions about the new Bond actor are still ongoing, with the choice expected to be announced closer to the start of production.

With Villeneuve as director, Bond 26 could become one of the most visually impressive and narratively ambitious films in the series. How this new interpretation will be received remains to be seen, but expectations are high.

The Bond universe is facing an exciting future, and with this confirmation, it’s clear that the franchise continues to evolve and reinvent itself – something both old and new fans can celebrate.

Sweden Rock continues to impress

The Nordic region's largest music festival, Sweden Rock, was held this year in Norje, Sölvesborg. Naturally, The Nordic Times culture reporter Mikael Rasmussen was on site to experience the battling stage performances, dramaturgy, and poetic presence that could have been lifted straight from a fairytale world.

Published 24 June 2025
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5 minute read

More of everything sums up this year’s edition of Sweden Rock Festival. Lots of media, tons of photographers, huge crowds, merch, partner companies, Viking and medieval demonstrations of strength in the form of lifting logs in a way that would have been right at home at any Viking market. The audience was treated to high-octane stage art, dramaturgy, and poetic presence drawn from the worlds of film and theater.

Above all, this year’s festival delivered fantastic performances. One of the strongest in terms of musical quality, showmanship, songs, vocals, and overall balance was the band that I saw, heard, and lyrically contemplated at Palladium in Stockholm in 1995. Back then, they were promoting their album Helpyourselfish with its characteristic compositions… Now, 30 years later, better than ever, the Danish band D-A-D, with band members Jesper Binzer on vocals and guitar, his brother Jacob Binzer on guitar and vocals, the ever-charismatic Stig Pedersen on bass and vocals, and Laust Sonne on drums, serve up cool songs such as Sleeping My Day Away, Bad Craziness, Rim Of Hell and more. With a new art CD release in the form of Speed Of Darkness, they are maintaining their brand with good self-esteem and confidence. The rock icons hold it all together with the common thread of recognizability from their successful sound, their unique vocals, beautiful stage clothes, stage presence, charisma, and tight, fat drum and bass lines, to which the audience responded with raised hands and singing along in unison to the famous rock songs.

“Aim to be the best in the world”

Artist Razz also had a chat with guitarist Oskar Lindroos and bassist Jonathan Thyberg from the band Bloodstain, a band that aims to be the biggest in the world. At first, they described their goal as reaching the biggest stage, Festival Stage, at Sweden Rock, but after a while they realized that they had already achieved that goal.

Yeah, we might as well aim to be the best in the world, said Oskar and Jonathan.

They also shared that the band name Bloodstain came about when one of the band members’ fingers started bleeding from playing the strings too hard, and it became so meaningful and symbolic that everyone in the band felt a blood bond.

They describe how the songs are created together in the rehearsal room and how the choice of metal was also made in a truly democratic spirit. All the members of the band have different backgrounds and there is a strong foundation of blues, rock, and metal that contains many of its scales. When asked if harmonica fits into their sound, the answer is obvious.

Hell yes, said Oskar with a twinkle in his eye.

Time flies and the interview with Oskar and Jonathan is over before we know it. Jessica Lindroos, one of the band’s co-managers, enters our interview room and we realize that it’s time to wrap up, hoping to see and hear more from Bloodstains in the future.

A glorious mix of bands

Many visitors praise the Sweden Rock management for managing to put together a festival with so many incredible bands to enjoy, be charmed by, sometimes be frightened by, and repeatedly be completely enthralled by. One of the many great rock bands was definitely The Mercury Riots with their captivating artistry and song catalog. King Diamond was a fascinating experience with his characteristic wonderful falsetto vocals and dynamic theatrical and dramatic performance. A liberating Swedish act that affected the entire Pistonhead tent was Knogjärn with its stage language, light and color play, lyrics, and music that is impossible to resist, which can inspire any coward to start daring to take control of their situation.

Yes, it is definitely memorable to have had the privilege of experiencing these highly skilled bands, some of whom are in their 70s and 80s, such as the Scorpions, who are celebrating their 60th anniversary. These are memories for life that reach all the senses and touch the heartstrings, gilding and adding a golden edge to the lives of all who appreciate these experiences. It was particularly impressive when the band Meshuggah delivered an unparalleled light show in the middle of the night. Soen treated the audience to a musical fire show with a poetic and tasteful performance. Slipknot conjured up all kinds of creatures and had the audience almost speaking, or rather singing, in tongues based on call and response. The bombastic hard rock storytellers of the Swedish hard rock band Sabaton closed the entire festival session – a piece of theatrical drama with props including a tank, Carolingian costumes, gas masks, flamethrowers, and a crescendo of fireworks that made it feel like the entire Sweden Rockauditorium was celebrating New Year’s Eve.

Many bands at the festival also expressed their gratitude and thoughts to all those who worked at the festival site, including Cruzified Barbara, whose singer Mia Karlsson expressed her sympathy for all the children affected in Gaza.

Impressive organization

In the lead-up to Sweden Rock, many column inches were written, including about SVT’s documentary on Sweden Rock and its general, Ingolf Persson, who has shown skepticism toward many journalists – and even toward the memoir book about Sweden Rock and its journey up to the 30-year anniversary released in 2023. Ingolf views it primarily as a fairytale book and holds a distinctly different view of Sweden Rock’s soul than the one presented there

Many campers arrive in style, declaring that camping is half the fun. Visit Blekinge has also described using Sweden Rock as a tool to attract new residents. The festival has been described by some media as pompous and maximal. One person even said, “actually kind of rock’n’roll”…

It’s safe to say that the festival brings together many different people, target groups, and age ranges — and can best be summed up with joy, love, interest, and above all, gratitude. When all is said and done, we got to see and hear as many as 93 bands across five stages with a mixed repertoire – an impressive feat of organization considering the incredible logistics of artist and band transitions, coordinating and accrediting journalists, photographers, audience hosts, security personnel, guards, stage workers, electricians, and more

As the festival neared its end, most realized they had been bitten by the dangerous animals and bands that had graced Sweden Rock — from the viper Huggorm to Scorpions, whose nerve toxins sometimes manifested as ear-shattering, cheeky, and visibly paralyzing death spasms. We’re already looking forward to getting stung again at Sweden Rock Festival 2026.

 

Mikael Rasmussen alias Artist Razz

Midsummer – a celebration of life, love and magic

Midsummer is an ancient Nordic tradition that is still very much alive today, particularly in Sweden. Throughout history, there has been a perception that this time of year holds a special kind of magic, that the veil to the supraphysical world is thinner than at other times of the year. Over the years, this special day has been celebrated in a variety of innovative ways.

Published 20 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
5 minute read

Midsummer marks the definitive arrival of summer. It means exactly what it sounds like, “in the middle of summer,” and the word already existed in Old Swedish as miþsumar. The holiday is celebrated in connection with the summer solstice, which is the time of year when the sun is at its highest point in the northern hemisphere. Midsummer Eve is always celebrated on a Friday.


This article was first published on June 21, 2024.


In northern Europe, midsummer has long been celebrated in conjunction with the Christian holiday of John the Baptist, which is also the reason why Saturday has become a public holiday. In Finland this holiday is primarily called Juhannus, in reference to John the Baptist. Denmark and Norway also celebrate John the Baptist’s evening by lighting bonfires and playing games. John the Baptist’s Day is also celebrated to some extent in Germany, but generally the summer solstice celebrations in the rest of Europe are fairly limited.

Ancient roots

It is not clear for how long Midsummer has been celebrated, as it seems to date back to prehistoric times, but it is definitely known that it has been celebrated in the Nordic countries at least since the Middle Ages.

However, very little is known about how Midsummer was celebrated in the Middle Ages. There are hints that the celebration was related to fertility and some older sources that show that there was ritual beer drinking and also blot – ritual animal sacrifice – during the Viking Age.

Photo: Håkan Dahlström/CC BY 2.0

Summer cleaning and little frogs

From around the middle of the 19th century, there is more clear evidence of how the celebrations were carried out in Sweden.. One important step was to clean the entire house, then dress the house both inside and outside with flowers and leaves from birch trees, among other things. The festive locations were also decorated with leaves, as were the wagons in which people traveled. Outside the house, leaf bushes were placed, which the farmers could also sell to the townspeople.

The midsummer pole has its origins in the May Day celebrations when a so-called maypole is erected in Germany and other parts of the world. The tradition probably came from Germany to Sweden in the Middle Ages, but since the Nordic countries rarely have time to start greening during May, this tradition was moved to the Midsummer celebrations. There is a widespread belief that the midsummer pole is dedicated to fertility and thus may represent some kind of phallic symbol, although there is no confirmation of this from known historical sources.

The midsummer pole has had different designs over the years, but during the 20th century the appearance was standardized and the midsummer poles became increasingly similar all over the country. Dancing around the midsummer pole has probably existed since at least the 19th century, says Jonas Engman, curator at the Nordic Museum.

But the dance with songs took off in the 1920s. This era saw the publication of songbooks with melodies and lyrics associated with holiday celebrations.

Perhaps the most classic Swedish midsummer song – Små grodorna (the little frogs) – has been traced to a military march from the French Revolution called La Chanson de l’Oignon, or The Onion Song. This song was turned into a taunt by English soldiers, replacing the word camarade (comrade) with grenouille  (frog). It is unclear when or how the song came to Sweden, but it is known that it has existed for a long time at Nääs Castle in Västergötland in connection with courses in handicrafts and games, where The little frogs was a game taught there and printed in the singing games book Sånglekar från Nääs in 1922. The singing of The little frogs is typically associated with jumping around the midsummer pole in a frog-like manner.

Food

What people used to eat around Midsummer depended on where they were in the country. Different types of fish, but also pork and other meat have all been part of the feast in different places. White porridge, that is, porridge cooked with milk and often also with wheat flour, is a dish that was common as a festive meal in various places. A Swedish filbunke, or viili in Finnish, is a fermented milk dish similar to yogurt or kefir which also used to be a common feature of the midsummer feast.

In modern times, herring and new potatoes constitute the core of the menu, along with the classic strawberries. Spirits of various kinds are just as essential – together with a good snapsvisa, of course! A snapsvisa is a traditional Scandinavian drinking song, often with comical lyrics.

Photo: Magnus D/CC BY 2.0

Midsummer magic

It has long been thought that the boundaries to the supraphysical reality were thinner during Midsummer. Everything that grew was considered to be charged with magical powers, especially during this time. It was therefore common, for example, to tie a wreath during Midsummer and save it. For the same reason, there was also a belief that one could regain energy during the winter by placing a dried midsummer wreath in the annual Christmas bath.

Midsummer dew, in particular, was considered to have special powers and it was not uncommon to roll around naked in it, or to collect the dew in sheets, for example, because it was thought to improve health. Drinking from springs was also common during Midsummer, which was considered beneficial to the body and mind. However, all activities involving any kind of magical aspects would be done in silence, so as not to break their mystical effect.

Keeping silent at certain special places could also bring visions of the future. For example, it was common to walk the so-called årsgång (year walk), which could involve walking counter-clockwise around a church or other holy place on an empty stomach.

– If the ‘yearwalker’ completed the entire ritual, on the way home he would experience sights or sounds that told him about events in the coming year, says Tora Wall, folklorist at the Nordic Museum.

Night of love

Midsummer has long been associated primarily with love. Many young women in Sweden still pick their seven or nine flowers and put them under their pillow to find out who they are going to marry.

“The Midsummer night is not long but sets seven and seventy cradles in motion” is an old Swedish rhyme.

Another way to predict one’s future partner was to eat a dream porridge made of flour, water and a lot of salt. The person who came later in the dream and gave you a drink to quench your thirst was your future partner. The type of drink could also give a hint as to whether you would have a richer or poorer life together.

Young people often arranged mock weddings and could choose a midsummer bride and groom, often each with their own floral wreath. It was also not uncommon for girls to tie wreaths to the boys to show that they were a couple.

A de facto national day in Sweden

In Sweden, the National Day celebration on June 6, commemorating the coronation of Gustav Vasa in 1523, has traditionally not been as big a holiday as National Day is in many other countries. One of several explanations for this, in addition to the long period of peace in Sweden, is probably that the nearby Midsummer celebration has de facto been the really big and obvious holiday alongside the more quiet Christmas.

That said, we would like to wish all readers a glad midsommar!

Death – from another perspective

Man and consciousness

Would we feel better if we broadened our view of death? Can we live a richer life of higher presence by seeing death in a more natural way – without fear?

Published 13 June 2025
7 minute read

Could it be that we actually lack fundamental knowledge of life? Birth, life and death are life processes that everyone goes through. But although these being common to everyone, our attitudes towards these processes can differ considerably. Man’s view on life and death is influenced by both upbringing, cultural environment, acquired life knowledge, individuality and level of development. His attitude towards death becomes particularly apparent when faced with difficult situations. When death is perceived by man as the definitive end of existence, it naturally becomes something to fear. Faced with imminent danger and without understanding of the nature of death, he seeks to avoid it at all costs. But can the price be too high? These are subjects for individual reflection.

The preservation of the physical form of life is what is valued most by most people, indicating that something noble is developing. It is in physical life that we learn to love and care for each other. This nobility needs to be achieved before trust in life, discernment, and true common sense can awaken, and we with higher mental consciousness and with increased knowledge of human evolution can look upon life from a higher perspective. If the higher emotional qualities of the heart were not developed first, man would be in danger of becoming of a cold and inhuman nature, inclined to go astray in life.

Good qualities such as compassion and humility grow more easily under difficult circumstances, which often give rise to reflection on held values. By man being placed in crisis situations and by learning to handle them, that “’prepares the ground” within them and enables the development of consciousness.

Common crises in a society have the potential to raise collective consciousness. The processed life experiences offer a more fertile soil for the seeds of knowledge sown in the human kingdom by individuals of higher natural kingdoms. The normally slow development of consciousness is accelerated when we take advantage of the opportunities given to us during the course of life and when we reflect on and process our experiences. An open and inquiring attitude prevents emotional illusions and mental fictions from crystallizing in our thinking. An important step is taken when man begins to seek understanding of the higher meaning of life. This enables an incipient understanding of the path of human development and a changed approach to both life and death.

The Western illusion of only-one-life

Of all the human inhabitants of the earth, a majority seem to have the insight that this earthly life is only one of countless others. It is in the more secularized societies of the Western world that this knowledge has been ignored in favor of material development, with the exception of the great thinkers of the ages, who have realized the fact of reincarnation.

To be born and to die are to the individual like activity and rest, both equally necessary from the point of view of the real self. We go into and out of incarnation, again and again, with widely varying periods of rest. It is only the lowest of our envelopes, the physical organism, which we leave behind us on earth. Existence continues, and just as real as we perceive our ordinary life, existence is perceived after so-called death. The real sacrifice or “death” from the point of view of the self is being born into the physical world – with all its limitations. Yet it is in the physical world that we have to make the life experiences that take us forward on the path of evolution.

Physical death comes to us all sooner or later. When the organism is too decayed and diseased, one thing or another will cause the withdrawal of the inner man, what may be called natural death. This is inevitable, and from the point of view of the real self something necessary and good. A physical instrument that can no longer serve its function must be released from man’s grasp, and the self thus liberated for higher existence. Man’s fear of losing loved ones may of course be great, because in our ignorance we believe that we really lose them, and in physical form this is of course true. But the truth is that we have met and loved each other in so many shapes that we should be grateful that the memories of our partings in the past are beyond our reach. Despite this, earthly love can naturally give rise to great sorrow and loss when a loved one dies, but with the insights we have the opportunity to attain through higher knowledge of life we can evade being perished by sorrow. We meet again, and the bonds are strengthened. Death is nothing to fear but is a liberating transition and joy as we move on to finer worlds of existence.

Many have testified to the experiences they have had during so-called near-death experiences – NDEs – which, however, merely show the first stop after death – the only one from which man can return. Much more remains for the self to experience in these higher worlds as it gradually emancipates itself from the emotional envelope and later the mental envelope, that enabled its emotional and thought life during incarnation.

Photo: Pixabay

Consequences of denial

In modern society, new technology in healthcare has multiplied the capacity to save human lives, for better or for worse. The goal of prolonging and saving life at all costs may be laudable and right, but this is not always the case. When the eventual consequences of alleged preventive and life-sustaining measures are not taken into account, these can have even more serious consequences for the individual. Sometimes life-sustaining measures prolong the life of an organism that no longer serves its purpose and where the higher self is just waiting for an appropriate way to pass. If we could see this from a higher perspective, we might smile indulgently at people’s persistent attempts to “save lives”. Many times these efforts do more harm than good.

If, in difficult and life-threatening conditions, where the possibility of recovery is excluded, we could instead accept our condition as a preparation for transition, trusting that the incarnation is coming to an end, we could instead choose to die safely at home in a calm and familiar environment. With our loved ones gathered, this can become a peaceful and beautiful transition, a fine farewell, while still having the possibility of assistance from palliative care if needed.

In addition to the limitation of the physical organism in terms of lifespan, the law of reaping also has its effect, not only individually but also collectively. That people are “taken out of incarnation” is no coincidence but always has a cause, even if it may be distant and impossible for us to understand. The death of a loved one also has a significant impact on the development of relatives, which from a higher perspective and under certain circumstances could be seen as an act of sacrifice. In addition, each individual always has a life debt account that is relieved by what can be perceived as “premature” death, as may be the case in accidental or tragic circumstances. Regardless of the reasons, incomprehensible to us, we must never hesitate to provide the care our fellow human beings need. This care is not only pure humanity but also the good reaping of others, a compensation for old debts and good sowing through a new causal act. The long-term perspective is always a reality even if it is exceedingly rarely taken into account. An emerging understanding of the law of cause and effect inevitably leads to greater humility about life.

Photo: Pixabay

From the higher perspective

The larger perspectives include humanity as a collective, the rise and fall of civilizations, the development of consciousness of beings and the evolution of the planet, all of which are subject to higher laws. From the higher perspective, incarnation is a necessity for growth through life experiences, lessons and insights, which can only be gained in the physical world. When the purpose of the individual incarnation has been achieved (something we are not able to fully understand), no more opportunities for instructive experiences can be offered or the human organism has been rendered unserviceable, Augoeides, man´s guardian angel, calls man out of incarnation for continued existence in finer material worlds. Augoeides provides man with a causal envelope during the passage through the human kingdom. All this is a completely natural process according to knowledge conveyed to humanity from individuals of higher kingdoms.

All these repeated incarnations serve to develop twelve essential qualities in man, the attainment of which is necessary for the next stage of evolution, his transition to the fifth kingdom of nature. These fundamental qualities for man are trust in life, trust in self, obedience to law, uprightness, impersonality, will to sacrifice, faithfulness, reticence, joy in life, purposefulness, wisdom and unity. All of these contain many related qualities. This next kingdom of nature – the essential world or the world of unity – exists in finer matter than the physical, and there everything that is not unity, love and wisdom must be overcome once and for all. Until then, the common goal in the kingdom of man is to achieve unity and brotherhood, reflected in a community building of an entirely new quality. Then humanity can, through its radiance of light, love and power, fulfill its true role and be a blessing to the lower kingdoms of nature.

In our time, this knowledge of reality is presented through the hylozoic mental system, conveyed anew by the Swedish esoteric philosopher Henry T. Laurency (1882-1971) and especially adapted for Western minds.

 

Lena Fredriksson

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