These are the words from the journal of Nathanael Weirson:
“Bifröst seems to be everywhere. In every new place we visit in Iceland, Bifröst is already there, a glowing arch on the horizon. In the old legends it is said that Bifröst is composed of burning fire, the golden colour of the sun, growing grass, and running water. Scandinavians, once believers of the Norse religion, knew what we call a “rainbow” was really a bridge to the world of the gods.”
“I bought a book in the tourist shop near the Allthing parliament building. The novel tells a tale about creation, the Norse gods, and Ragnarok. I read the whole book in a night, it was such a great story– quite moving, actually. The story of Loki, how he eventually turned against his brothers at the end of the world, was tragic, but in the end all things were born anew in beauty and perfection. This is so similar to all religions and all of men’s hopes. Bifröst is a constant reminder for me now, here in Iceland, of the old beliefs submitting to new ones. All religions, old and new, contain the same desires, hopes, and it’s own beautiful story. I love the mysteries inside each religion that can never be answered, and the way we stare at the world through our imaginations. Perhaps Bifröst, the rainbow, is truly a stairway to heaven!
Our cultures and beliefs are in constant flux, taking from pagan religions and combining it with something newer. Doesn’t it seem silly to call the old Norse religion a ‘pagan belief’ when we ourselves are using religion to answer the unanswerable questions just as they were? Ideas change, and always will.
I am very happy to have come to Iceland and learned about all this. It’s not the same as being back home, here you can almost feel the echoes of its mythology.”
