The web of wyrd is an ancient symbol that holds a powerful message for the meaning of life and the universe at large. This symbol has nordic roots and has been depicted throughout stories, poems, and lore throughout the ages.
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Many believe it’s a symbol of fate and represents the many components that create the phenomenon. In this article, you’ll dive deep into the symbolism behind the web of wyrd and the story behind its origins.
Key points
- The web of wyrd is a symbol that originates from Norse mythology.
- The web is a symbol of the interconnectedness that exists throughout the entire universe. Everyone and everything are woven together by fate or the web.
- The symbol resembles a web, consists of three sections of three parts, and is associated with the number nine. Nine is a powerful symbol used in both Norse mythology and modern numerology.
What is the web of wyrd?
The wyrd is an intricate web of energy connecting everything inside the universe. The web of wyrd consists of three verticle lines spaced evenly apart.
Within these spaces are two sets of three lines that overlap each other, forming a web. Many have described this symbol as a spider web weaving together the seams of the universe.
Ancients used this symbol to describe the phenomenon of interconnectedness in the universe and believed everything was connected to a single source of energy or web of existence.
Origins
In Norse mythology, there is a story of the origins of the web of wyrd. These origins state that three beings of feminine energy used their abilities to create the web of fate.
They are called Norns and are believed to control the fate of humanity on both a global and individual scale.
The three Norns were called Skuld, Urd, and Verdandi.
- Skuld – Necessity
- Urd – Fate
- Verdandi – Being
Together, these three are said to dictate how each aspect of reality functions, with the ability to manipulate or “thread” it as they choose. Norns are very powerful and can influence Gods since Gods exist within the universe or reality, and the Norns have full control over them.
Other stories associate the Norns with representing the past, present, and future. Upon birth, it’s believed they begin weaving each person’s individual life path, sewing in every event they are meant to experience.
These experiences are also sewn into other people’s experiences and so forth, creating an everlasting web of existence. Norns are neutral in the sense that they have the ability to create positive or negative experiences.
Neutrality
When something contains the good, the bad, the positive, and the negative, these energies neutralize each other completely. The web of wyrd symbolism is also an example of neutrality, as it contains everything.
The web of wyrd teaches you of the true nature of reality and the universe. Nothing happens by chance, and everything that happens is supposed to happen.
Viewing life in this manner, regardless of what happens, enables you to understand that without the polarizing experience of “good” or “bad,” the universe would not exist. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have existed in the first place.
“Where wolf’s ears are, wolf’s teeth are near.”
~Volsunga Saga, c.19 (quote from norse mythology)
Read more about Wiccan symbols and meanings.
The number 9 and the web of wyrd
Ancient Nordics considered numbers to have spiritual properties and used them intentionally while creating symbols, such as the web of wyrd. In Norse mythology, the number nine is significant and often appears in stories.
One example is the story of Ragnarok, in which nine worlds are destroyed. The number nine also appears in the web of wyrd, which is a symbol of fate.
The web of wyrd consists of three sets of three lines, equalling nine. The significance of this number represents the “fate” of the web of wyrd, which can be broken down into three parts.
Divine purpose
The web of wyrd symbolism is the divine purpose of everything in existence. Because the web is woven with intention, there isn’t a person, place, or thing that wasn’t intentionally brought into existence.
From this perspective, even the seemingly insignificant aspects of someone’s life are truly monumental.
“Wisdom is welcome wherever it comes from.”
~Bandamanna Saga, c.10 (quote from Norse mythology)
Interconnectedness
When an item is sewn together, it consists of many threads, all woven together to create the greater whole. The concept of “weaving” or “threading” symbolizes the idea that every choice or action of the past, present, and future is used to create the grand scheme of life’s totality.
Nothing in the Universe is insignificant, and the past has just as much of a profound effect on the present as the future.
The web of wyrd represents the completion
Some believe the web of wyrd surpasses the idea of a beginning or an end. The web itself is a culmination of the past, present, and future, meaning from an outside perspective, it is complete, as it contains all aspects of time.
Since the web of wyrd is complete, and everything within the web is connected, there could be a possibility to access information from the past or future, in the present.
Does the web of wyrd symbolism allow free will?
In Norse mythology, the idea of fate is heavily referenced and not often associated with “free will.” From a traditional standpoint, the web isn’t necessarily associated with free will because each event has been orchestrated by the Norns, who even have influence over the Gods.
But, looking at the web from a more modern approach, you can infer that free will is certainly possible, but it’s not as you might think. The universe contains every possibility, every timeline, and every realm of existence.
Every choice or action you could ever take already exists in the web of wyrd; it’s just a matter of which “thread” or action you’ll take. People can take routes A, B, or C, but these options already exist and are part of the universe’s total sum.
Check out this video for more information on the web of wyrd!
Animal symbolism in the Norse mythology
We have some more posts about Norse mythology and animals:
Sources
- https://berloga-workshop.com/blog/177-the-web-of-wyrd-the-matrix-of-fate-skulds-net.html
- https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/ksd-web-of-wyrd
- https://bavipower.com/blogs/bavipower-viking-blog/viking-web-of-wyrd-tattoo
- https://mysticalnumbers.com/number-9-in-norse-mythology/
- https://iteducationlearning.com/web-of-wyrd/#Completion_Symbol
