Internal Fires

Being a resident of northeastern Pennsylvania in the USA, I can really appreciate the season of Spring when it comes around. I love soaking up the sweet, fresh sunshine after the cold winter months. The sun is a beautiful and pleasant thing, and can always be appreciated. I noticed this especially during my Seva trip to India, where the weather was nice and sunny even in December. Sunlight and heat are a good symbol for a metaphor I thought of a while ago that I would like to share.

In the ancient Norse folklore, there is a god of sunshine known as Frey. He has a powerful magic sword and is king of the Elves (the word the ancient Norse used to describe positive spirits). He is a benevolent god in the folklore and has a significant role as god of the sun and harvest. He is described as a fertility deity and brother to the love goddess Freya. But Frey has an enemy in the Norse lore. A fire demon called Surtur is his enemy, and this foe rages against the Norse gods during the Ragnarok battle. Frey valiantly battles Surtur, but loses. Surtur is then consumed by the very flames he emits. This is a tragic tale, like many in the Norse lore. But what does it mean?

Perhaps the duality between Frey and Surtur is a symbol to describe what happens within each and every one of us. This is a very common thing in ancient mythology- characters and events represent the internal struggles of a person’s life. Frey is cheerful and kind-hearted. The fire that burns inside him is a fire of love and life, virility and positive energy. Surtur, on the other hand, represents the intense fire of hostility, hatred, and aggression. Frey can be compared to the warm and soothing sun, which elevates the mood. Surtur represents a wildfire that is out of control and can cause severe destruction. If we foster “Frey’s fire”- the positive fire of life and goodwill, we will be happy. If, however, we lose sight of ourselves and let the raging “fire of Surtur”- anger and hostility- consume our mind, we will drive ourselves crazy and “be consumed by our own fire” as Surtur was. Let’s let the duel between Surtur and Frey be a symbol for our own emotions and mental well-being. Having a fire inside is a good thing. Let it burn and shine, but do not let it consume your entire world!

Perhaps the best defense against “Surtur’s fire” is to observe all our emotions within ourselves as they occur. When you are becoming bitter or angry, instead of identifying with that emotion, simply step back and say- “Oh no, I can see Surtur is getting the upper hand in this duel. Hopefully this can be turned around!” This way you have already distanced yourself from the negative and made yourself an observer. This can be immensely helpful in negating the effects the negative emotion might have over you. You will still feel the emotion, but you do not have to let it control you. Try it sometime and see for yourself! You might be glad you did.

On a final note, if the symbol of Frey and Surtur is a little too obscure for you, simply use the image if an angel and a demon. Imagine them battling it out inside you, and then you can be the observer that way.

An illustration I completed in 2011 featuring Frey and Surtur