Hamingja

By Peter Vanderpool

What is luck? How does one become lucky?  

Our Ancestors had a very different idea of luck than we do now.  They weren't lining up to buy powerball lottery tickets in the hopes that it meant they would never have to work again.  

The word they used for luck is Hamingja.  Our Hamingja is part of our soul complex, and can be grown, acted against, handed down, and borrowed.  We inherit the Hamingja of our Ancestors, and we will pass our Hamingja on to our descendents.  We also benefit from the Hamingja of those we interact with through work or other activities.  

So, how do you build your Hamingja, your luck?

Do what you know you should, and honor your word and oaths.  

Being true to your word and working hard will yield great results.  Show up when you say you are going to show up, and put 100% of yourself into what you are doing.  Our reputation among our peers and the community we live in is a contributing factor in our Hamingja.  What do your Folk think of what you can do?  Are you providing a service to your Folk? Is it pure coincidence that got you the job you have, or was it because the place you were seeking employment with could see your value by examining your actions and past?

Who you know can also play an important part of building your Hamingja. Hamingja can be directly borrowed out, but also indirectly borrowed from.  Seek to know and work with those who are doing great things, and to learn from those who have great knowledge.  Their Hamingja will influence and grow yours.  

What opportunity did our Ancestors have a thousand years ago?  What were their job options?  What activities did they have to engage with during leisure time?  It was for the most part, pretty limited.  You were either farming, building things, or fighting.  Occasionally, you'd get some music or sports to play/watch.  For fun, they would often work on increasing their skill in their craft.  As their work and fun resulted in gained efficiencies, or new technologies, collectively their opportunities grew.  They could invest more time in new skills or furthering existing innovations.  Their Hamingja had increased.  Better weapons and strategies led to less death in conflict and more victories. Better tools and techniques led to increased crop yields in farming, resulting in less death from starvation  

The efforts, their hard work over generations, changed reality for them. Soon completely new occupations, new games, new sports, became a way for people to make a living and pass time. 

You should also use the Hamingja you have built up to help your Folk who might need it.  Our Hamingja can be great on its own, but even greater when combined with the Hamingja of our Folk.  We all prosper together, and often the opportunities you have are the result of the work others have put in.

Our Hamingja, our luck, is built and earned through our efforts.  Do what you can to build your own Hamingja, and in doing so, you help everyone else build their Hamingja.