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The Nine Parts of the Soul

Within each individual is contained a soul. This is not a "soul" in the Judeo-Christian sense of the word, but a soul that contains nine parts that together make a collective whole. They are the lík, hamr, fylgja, önd, ódhr, hugr, minni, hamingja, sálfr, and sál; each of which will be described briefly.

   

 

The lík is the physical human body (physical shell), modern Icelandic preserved this term to mean simply "corpse, or dead body". Without the other parts of the sould, the lík would simply be as a "corpse", an empty body containing no life.
 

 

The hamr is the part of the soul that gives shape to the lík (spiritual shell or body). The hamr is similar to the lík in appearance, it is said that children grow "into" the hamr, thus the hamr is originally the shape of an adult. Although it is not a physical substance, its appearance directly effects the appearance of the lík; the hamr may also be "molded" by force of will, and in correlation with the fylgja, separate itself from the lík.
The fylgja is seemingly independent from the rest of the soul, in modern Icelandic this term has been well preserved to mean "support, help, a ghost that accompanies a certain person, follow, guide, accompany somebody". The fylgja is not necessarily essential, depending on the individual a fylgja may be strong or weak. Generally the fylgja may contact their host just before death, even if the person has never had contact with it. The fylgja may even be the "imaginary friend" that so many children have to guide them during the "discovery years".
 

The önd is essentially ones "breath". The önd is centered in the lower-middle of one´s chest and may be temporarily displaced from the rest of the soul by simply striking one in the chest, thereby "knocking the wind out" of someone. The önd is the bringer of vitality to the soul, oxygenating the lík, and the power behind the ódhr; without the önd the lík may degenerate and the ódhr would be disabled.
 

The ódhr is the part of the soul that is vital for verbal skills, communication and the senses; the force behind the ódhr is the önd, for example---if one gets their önd (breath) "knocked out" they cannot speak---thus crippling the ódhr. An enlarged ódhr is said to be responsible for poetic elegance as well as verbal skills; one´s loss of hearing as one ages is known as "ódhr-aging". The ódhr is located between one´s head and chest.
The hugr is the part of the soul that gives one the ability to think, in modern Icelandic hugr means simply "mind, or imagination". The hugr is the conscious part of the soul, the thought process. The hugr may be temporarily displaced from the rest of the soul be a sharp blow to the head, however, should the hugr be permanently dislodged from the rest of the soul the result is brain death. The hugr works in correlation with the minni, and is centered in the left side of the brain more than the right.

The minni is the part of the soul that internalizes information as memories, in modern Icelandic minni means "memory" and is associated with remembering things. The minni, like the hugr, can be termporarily or even permanently displaced from the rest of the soul by a sharp blow to the head; temporary loss of the minni is responsible for amnesia, whereas permanent displacement causes permanent loss of previous memories. Should this occur the hugr may form a new minni to begin collecting fresh memories. The minni works in correlation with the hugr, and is centered in the right side of the brain more than the left.
 

The hamingja is a part of the soul that is stronger in some individuals more than others, in modern Icelandic hamingja means "luck, or fortune". It is said that hamingja is passed from generation to generation, otherwise it may remain within the lík after death thus making it "unrestful". Generally the hamingja is passed on to grandchildren who are named after the deceased, thus making it common practice to name children after an ancestor. The hamingja has no special area of concentration, although it has been described in the Sagas as a blue or purple outline around the lík (may be the equivelent of an "Aura").
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The sálfr is the vital part of the soul that encompasses other parts to make one´s "self". The sálfr is also known as the "higher self" or the other/afterworldly self. The sálfr cannot be displaced from the soul because it is the vital part that cannot be replaced. After death the sálfr retains the hugr, minni, and possibly the ódhr; and in correlation with a strong fylgja the sálfr is then escorted into the next world. During ones "life" on the next world. During ones "life" on Midgard the sálfr is contained within the lík, when one "fares forth" or after the sál "shatters"---releasing its contents upon death---the sálfr then is contained within the hamr (spiritual shell or body).

 

The sál is the entire soul complex, in modern Icelandic sál means "soul, or a bag"; the sál may be thought of as the container tha holds the contents of the soul in place, thus when one refers to one´s sál they are referring to their entire soul complex.
 

 

 

 

Glossary

 


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Last Updated 21 March 2009ce