Putting aside all books, imagine… just imagine… the point in time (not in the flash of a second, minute, day, etc., but over a period of time) when primitive humans… thinking logically and without realizing it, noted the “science” of how plantlife was dependent on the elements.

Take the sun, for example… how they realized how it was critical for the growth of a seed. Then, realizing how they (and many other species) also flourished because of the sun, began showing appreciation for the “gift”, adding it as a central feature in religious practice. Indeed, we don’t know the order in which observations of other things were made (the rain, the moon, etc.), but long before the scientific method was defined, our ancestors realized what sustained and/or impacted life. Energy > action > reaction.

I think they… and/or the forerunners of the shaman… also felt a need to name these “powers” of nature, subsequently attaching what they perceived as additional “roles” in what impacted man/woman.  Gods and goddesses were born from this human desire to categorize. They did not reveal their names to us, but we gave these important elements and forces of nature, names. We were, in a sense, not only defining them, we were foolishly (or not?) attempting to “capture” who they were.

Further, in different geographical locations, while all might share a common thread in the knowledge of relying on certain major forces of nature such as the sun, but other roles/responsibilities… some being minor in the pantheon… varied.

Not only was there a “need” among humans (and others?) to categorize these powers (named gods/goddesses), but it certainly seems logical to think that humans would also seek to interact with them… to seek blessings and favors… to harness pieces of that energy for themselves… for personal benefit.

Wow… to observe these things as they unfolded… what a fascinating evolution to observe. Even to imagine it… does it not give us clues that would be beneficial to us even today? I said it early on, “rewilding” isn’t to be taken completely literally. It’s not about going back to the way people lived thousands of years ago, in their most primitive conditions. As a species, we’ve gained knowledge over thousands of years, and it would be wasteful to dismiss it all. Yet, have we become detached from some very important fundamentals of survival in our interconnectedness with nature?

The understanding of the elements and natural forces has changed, but the natural forces still remain. They, too, have changed, and we are always looking to see how they have changed and how they continue to impact us. As much as science has taught us, like nature, science also “shifts” over time (with new understanding through more advanced scientific research). We are still trying to understand. Therefore, the enigma remains, and, like it or not… named gods and goddesses or not… “they”… in the multifaceted reality of nature… are still very much here and alive in everything we do today.

There is a saying (and I’m pretty sure I first heard it from Einar Selvik, of Wardruna), and it’s worth considering… “They never left; we left them.”

*Photo taken Aug. ’23, in the mountains of Vestfold, Norway.