This reminds me of Marcus Luttrell’s story in Afghanistan. A wounded navy seal that sought refuge in a random afghan village. The village leader saw Marcus as a guest and treated him with hospitality and tended to his wounds. Even though Marcus, an American could be easily considered an enemy. The Taliban demanded that the village hand over Marcus. But the village leader flatly refused on the grounds that it was dishonourable to disservice his guest, costing several villagers lives for a man that came from half way around the world..
@steve gable Yup. Even when the Soviets were fighting in Afghanistan they sometimes traded some supplies with the villagers, and the villagers were not allowed to harm them. There were instances where the soldiers would get attacked on the way back from the village if there were any combatants hiding in said village, but they would not attack the Soviet soldiers while they were the guests in the village.
This reminds me of an encounter I had in Nepal. I was having tea with an expat near Boudha stupa when an eldery Hindu women came up to me. She had wanted a blessing from me and gave me a flower. After she prostrated and left I was surprised by the encounter. My friend who had lived there for thirty years told me that it was a practice of considering a stranger as a god. It left a long term effect on me and I still like to think of random people possibly being gods.
I can't tell you how many times I've had random strangers walk up to me and tell me something that I needed to hear... so the gods still walk amongst us and speak anyway they can.
In Poland we have the legend about pilgrims that have been refused the hospitality by the prince but a simple farmer offered it to them. The farmers name was Piast and his descendants would be known as Piast dynasty and founders of Poland.
@@zekun4741 Piast would have been a pagan (he lived in the late 8th century). His great-great-grandson, Mieszko I, is said to have been the first Christian leader of Poland, converting in 966.
@@krishenjalali3266 I see. I'm just curious what sort of pilgrims he was talking about. Piast as a pagan showing hospitality to to Christian pilgrims or to pagan pilgrims?
Nice MYTH there to make the Royal Family seem like they were Chosen By God to rule. If my descendants become King they'll make up fake shit about me too like I was some sort of computer genius when all I am is some guy who watches TH-cam lmao.
Whilst I consider myself an agnostic I still greatly enjoy these stories and traditions for their historical importance and in general being good virtues to live by. It is quite fascinating how certain tropes have survived and spread through such a large part of the world.
One of the great things about polytheism is that the smaller gods get, the less consequential the social price for worship. I don't believe any of it, but there's a certain charm to the idea of say, a river having a soul, or having their own deity. Certainly makes a good bedtime story for children, it can teach a moral lesson.
@@yokatta-f those "atheistic revolutionaries" we're not natural atheist. As in simply not having belief in a deity and moving on with their lives. But tools who's will, values, traditions, and morals have been demoralized by a highly sick religion whom despite being a small percentage of the population wield vast amounts of power...you know, the chosen ones.
Aristotle expressed the sentiment that "how can we truly know that the Gods exist?" Which we would today say makes him agnostic, yet he was fully a part of his Hellenic society observing its cultural norms. For all non-Abrahamic religions the core is really about honoring your ancestors and supporting your family, not about strictly conforming to theology.
My grandmother once fed 15 local thieves of the village who broke into the house late at night . They asked her to give them some part of the produced wheat and mustard ( money wasn't something that was stolen back in her days ) . She said she won't be able to do so because she was a single mother of 6 children ( my paternal grandfather died of snakebite ) . They agreed . But, she still fed them dinner . Before parting ,they gifted her money and touched her feet (performative way of paying respect ) . It's really surreal to listen to such stories today . Maybe because something like that wouldn't happen today .
I doubt I'm your typical audience, if you have one - regardless, this is excellent, thanks! M.L. West points out another commonality between Greece and India, the idea that the gods sometimes grant mortals the ability to recognize them. So whereas in the Iliad, Athena removes the "fog" from the eyes of Diomedes, in the Mahabharata, the god Yama shouts "Arjuna, Arjuna, behold us!… We bestow on you eyesight, for you are worthy of seeing us." (Indo-European Poetry and Myth, p. 134)
Hospitality is a form of empathy, as at some point in our lives we end up wandering in strange lands or among strange people. We treat others with the same respect and kindness that we expect to be treated with in that situation. The politicization of hospitality and the abuse of empathy have negative implications for societies. I supported and walked along causes and issues that were not affecting me, but I did it out of mere empathy (not as an Instagram Activist™), as time passed I saw how one demand became ten more, many of them unrelated to the actual issue. People's empathy, good will and naiveté are exploited, abused and manipulated to achieve hidden agendas... a few years ago my empathy ran dry. I still help people whenever I can, that's how I was raised, but I follow common sense, which is what you said at the end of the video, hospitality and empathy are not never ending, undefined contracts or even serfdom to one person or a group of people, they´re defined by clear rules, set for specific situations, they cannot come at the expense of abuse, exploitation or destruction of the host. I'm afraid that at the end of all this craziness most people will run out of empathy because of all the abuse and manipulation, and that would make the world even harsher.
How do you translate it from Sanskrit exactly? It sounds a bit Lithuanian to me "Atithi - ateiti = to come", "Devo - Dievo - God's", "bhava - buvo = was".
@@SuperPrototipas Lithuanians were the fiercest among all the adherent of European Ancient Dharmas. Their conversion by force and deciet to this murderous cult called Christianity is probably the longest suffering in Europe.
I have been that stranger and granted that hospitality that can only rank with that of the Gods. To this day that person and I consider ourselves brothers and each would now do for the other as needed.
One of my only good memories of public school was buried in an ignored section of an elementary or intermediate school reading textbook was a summarized version of the story of Baucis and Philemon. I was raised (for the better part) by my grandparents and to see their sentiments exactly mirrored in ancient story had an effect I only understand now.
The story of Baucis and Philmon we read in our Hindi Language text book in India, may be in grade 4 or 6 in early 80's We have hundreds of such stories in Hinduism. Hinduism seems to be the last ramnant of ancient Pagan culture which is maligned by the Abrahamic religions and brutally quashed in Europe, Middle East, Americas Africa and even in India.
There's a similar proverb in my native tongue, Kannaḍa. The proverb, "Koṭṭiddu enage, bacciṭṭiddu parariṁge" translated to English, means "That which I give, reaches me; that which I hide (hoard), reaches others"
Gave a homeless guy my last 20$ once simply because he needed it and had a sign said vet and had one eye missing with a blue sweater on. Had a walking stick too
I'd have thought of the All Father in that man too. And kindness matters more than whether the recipient is actually a "god" or some kind of sign from the Universe. How the recipient uses the gift is not your concern. All the judgey haters are missing the point
This video was among STJ's best. I am more of a text based person but this video was a fantastic experience that really made the most of the video medium
could you imagine how blissful it would be to sit in a thatch hut eating fruit and cheese and soaking your feet in a bowl while enjoying conversation with a couple salt of the earth elderly farmer people???
"Don't try to gang rape strangers or else God will blow up your city with meteors. They might be disguised angels and a Jew might be bartering for God to spare you as we speak. " -The Book of Genesis
"Don't try to gang rape strangers or else God will blow up your city with meteors. They might be disguised angels and a Jew might be bartering for God to spare you as we speak. " -The Book of Genesis
@@TheGreenKnight500 The Old Testament has a lot of really weird things in it though. Lot is supposed to be the only moral man in Sodom worthy of being saved from the destruction, but when the angels arrive at his house and the mob of sodomites demand he hand them the angels, he instead offers his virgin daughters to them to be raped. He's supposed to be a good man but he betrays his own daughters for God and his angels. Clearly he's an example of the dedication that God expects from his followers.
@@zekun4741 the belief is that he lied about them being virgin given that they later rape him. He protected the chastity and innocense of his guests who had not yet been influenced by the city while allowing the would be rapers (his daughters) to be raped instead. A strange morality but clear in preferring the innocent uninfleunced to the influenced at all
Very interesting topic. From a spiritual perspective, I personally think that the concept of the beggar stranger is a symbol for not judging the "book by it's cover". Even the lousiest looking individual can give you divine wisdom. Unfortunately many persons are superficially dismissing some individuals who actually might be geniuses. Many of my most interesting conversations in life, I had with persons with somewhat unusual looks. We need to remember that the among the very most extreme spiritual devotees within several Indo-European traditions, were those who were seen as outlaws and outcasts. E.g. the Shivaite Vratyas in India (as you mention) and also the members of various Männerbünde, e.g. Oðinnic berserkir or úlfheðnar. All which aimed to imitate the actions and attributes of their main deity, to become the god.
20:47 - this gave me a really happy chuckle! it's details like this little scene that make this bloke truly loveable. thanks, tom, for all the work, and for keeping it warm around the digitial hearth!
In my country there is a Christmas tradition. I recently learned how deeply pagan the celebration was, before it got christianified. The festivity was celebrated by acting out the wild hunt, a bearded man with long white hair on a white horse marches through the streets, followed by a mass of black painted men with twig bundles, black to symbolize death. These represented spirits of fallen warriors. They would chase women and children to hit them. After this festivity you are supposed to sing to this bearded man, and leave him offerings occassionally. The morning after you sang there would be gifts. One of the songs is about being visited at night by this bearded man, coming as a stranger. It's about hospitality to him. I remember the song well I sang it every year. This event is about to be cancelled, Christianity made the black men into n-words and now it's racist. This age old tradition will disappear. But the virtue of hospitality still lives in me :)
Well, we've survived a thousand years of book-burning and persecution from C, and while we've lost much (to a point to where its damned hard to even understand a fraction of what our ancestors knew, I cannot imagine the wisdom of say, a Druid two thousand years ago), we will still survive. Survival is the primary thing which matters now, so take those traditions, write them into books and hide them from the mob that will come, as it did our ancestors. One day, perhaps, we might have the ability to see what our ancestors did- clearly Wotan understands the need of basic survival against C, and our quite short lives. Good luck brother, Wotan guide you.
@@jacquesfrancois4275 Netherlands, and there's no official cancellation yet but it's coming. They already changed the painted men to no longer be black, but the entire celebration is being equated to colonialism and thus bad.
It's weird but I find a striking Similarity between pagan idealogies and Hinduism..In India we have a saying as "Atithi devi bhava " ,meaning "Guest as God" in Sanskrit.And We have Animal avatars of lord Vishnu like lord Narsimha who was half animal and human.I am astonished!
the pagan culture is based in the Vedic culture. The more I research, the more things ultimately come from India (and that general area). And there's amazing things there; I recommend Praveen Mohan if you don't watch him already.
@@henriksonson5308 indeed, I was wrong with my previous comment: it's the other way around. Although a local culture already existed and it adapted to the indo-european one. The buildings are clearly older than the invasion and the most amazing construction I've seen. Btw, the gypsies came originally from Northen India, it seems. Fascinating!
@@Yarblocosifilitico Hmm that is interesting. If you are European or your ancestors were I strongly suggest looking into the Asatru Folk Assembly. I wish you luck on your journey mate
@@henriksonson5308 I believe he meant that the various European pagan religions and Hinduism evolved parallel to eachother from the same source. Say, English "Tiw" from Proto Indo European "Dyeus"
I once met a group of travellers on my way home from work, who had a pitbull named Bruno with one brown eye and one blue. They had a car and their pets not much else, so after talking to them a bit I asked if they’d be there the next day, they said yes hopefully buying a van I wished them luck. I came back the next day on my way home from work and bought a bucket for their dog and some essentials, offered them to use my laundry and shower. They gave me an interesting conversation, and read my tarot. The sweetest people, and so interesting I wonder if Odin and Frigg tested me?
The Norse take in large amounts of refugees because of these morals. My earliest ancestors in the US were Norwegian immigrants to Minnesota. As the Native Americans’ hunting lands were sectioned off more and more by the US government, they often unknowingly wandered onto farmland. My ancestors’ neighbors shot these Natives and chased them off. My ancestors, however, let them stay in the barn and brought them food. They taught them how to rotate crops in the early autumn in the tumultuous Midwestern climate. Eventually, a brutal winter came and the Natives were starving. They raided all the farms in the area... except my ancestors’. They would occasionally leave my family gifts and they now knew how to rotate crops in this new country. Odin visited my early ancestor’s and they passed the test
@@Earlybird86 Good point. Socialism kills such virtues as hospitality between real people. Just go to any country with a communist government/history. You will have some bad experiences. Modern scandinavians are overly narcissistic. That's why they allow their state to replace them. This is not hospitality, it's a form of weakness and degeneracy. In some cases this may not be true, but on the whole, neither the so-called "refugees" nor the socialists value the virtue of hospitality, but so also do a lot of people on the right, sadly.
You never put out a bad video. Appreciate that you take a holistic view - not just Greece, Roman or India, put every Indo-European tradition. Great content, keep up the good work.
My grandma told me of an old woman who knocked on her door once. When she answered the door the old woman asked her for a bite to eat. She said sure and told her to wait, then got inside to grab some bread and yogurt. By the time she walked back outside not even a minute had passed, but upon reaching the door step my grandma said she couldn't see the old woman anywhere. Edit: It's been nearly 2 decades since she died and i remembered it wrong. My mom just told me that it actually was an old man in all green clothes, that my grandma saw. Anyone know anything about that?
Kras Keqi Perhaps it was the Green man of the harvest, was it autumn by chance? As he would be expecting his share of it maybe. Maybe it is the Celt in me perhaps just an ordinary old man. Nice story.
It's amazing really, the theme of "God disguised as beggar," is all over the Christian Bible (both Testaments). From your videos, I gather you already know that, but I just wanted to say it publicly here, for others. This video in particular brought immediately to mind the story of Christ, when after His resurrection, He appeared in disguise to several of His disciples at various points (in one case having a long conversation with them on the road to Emmaus, where He also gave them wisdom, explaining the Scriptures in regard to Himself). That is not even to mention God appearing to Abraham, Lot (before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah), as well as Samson's parents. In each of those cases, God also seemed to be testing on grounds of hospitality (among other reasons), and were usually met with offerings of food, etc. I love your videos man, thank you so much.
Exactly, and this idea is by no means Indo-European. Hospitality is well entrenched in the Middle East and is practiced until now as part of the culture. Survive the Jive makes it sound like the idea of "God coming in disguise as a guest" in the Gospel of Matthew as an Indo-European influence, which is straight-up false and dishonest. It doesn't acknowledge the clear cultural context of the gospels. I feel like Survive the Jive is an example of how a strong bias can push you to reach false conclusions. Afrocentrists do the same. They will see what they want to see and call themselves "academics."
It might be truly cross cultural or it could be indo-european influence. There is absolutely Indo-european influence on the pre Israelite culture that we can see in the form of the storm god vs the Ltn, that we see both in Israel and its cousin culture, Ugarit. Ola Wikander has done work on IE motifs and loanwords in the Bible in his work, Unburning Fame: Horses, Dragons, Beings of Smoke, and Other Indo-European Motifs in Ugarit and the Hebrew Bible. The Israelites bounced through many cultures influenced by indo-europeans, Egypt with its brief rule by the Shepherd kings, Babylon, Greece and finally Rome etc. However survive the jive said this was common among other cultures as well. Hard to see how you are claiming dishonesty.
In Hawai'i we have a few stories just like those indo European ones. Even on Hawai'i island we still have stories today of Pele, the Goddess of fire and volcanoes, appearing at someone's house in the guise of an old woman just before a volcanic eruption. If she is treated with hospitality, when the volcano erupts the lava flow will miss the house. If treated poorly a portion of the lava flow will break off and burn said house down.
I'm not even a Pagan. I am a Traditional Catholic, still LOVE this channel. Very Indo European. I have definitely noticed the pattern in European religion of the gods/God disguising themselves and I think it definitely speaks to our nature as people and as a race. I've had several experiences that genuinely made me wonder if I was speaking with a holy being.
Good to know, friend. A lot of right wing Christians get triggered when people study and discuss Germanic deities, yet they forget that Christians have always been fascinated with Greco-Roman deities, many Catholic works discuss them and use them metaphorically. Also many Catholic depictions and elements of the afterlife, hell, angels are derived from Greco-Roman mythology. So it makes sense why you would be interested in various pagan religions, when as a Catholic you have been exposed to many.
Cultures in Anatolia and some parts of the Caucasus are renowned for their hospitality. In fact, it is commonly believed that visitors should be treated as guests sent by God. Literally. I think this belief is a very ancient one.
This tradition was still alive in its explicit form in the mountains of Albania until late 20th Century. It is also explicitly referred to in the Albanian Mountain Laws (Kanuns). English travellers like Edith Durham wrote about encountering it (High Albania), Rose Wilder Lane is another (Peaks of Shala).
@@kkech1 It is a recorded ancient greek custom. It was a sign of courtesy, the host would accompany the guest to the point of the main road. It is still done in the same way in villages, in the cities though you just walk the guest to the elevator or the yard door.
when I was a kid, my parents ran a motel in a fishing village. There was this old couple who would come stay a few times a year and trade a sheep for their room instead of paying cash. Every time they were there we would spit-roast the sheep and invite the whole town (about 200 people). Everyone who could afford it brought a dish of food or a bottle of wine and anyone who couldn't was welcome to everything. Hands down, best time I've had in my life.
Hear hear. They will also be able to archive the interaction and be able to call upon it much later, unlike in history and prehistory until now. The idea of divine beings sitting behind a keyboard and mouse and stirring up comment drama on social media, paints a wonderful and sillly picture in my mind. Thank you.
God in Disguise (Förklädd gud) is a classic Swedish suite from the 1900's, music by Lars-Erik Larsson to the words of Hjalmar Gullberg. It's about Apollo and his disguised one year residence among the humans. Very beautiful.
which god? far if i remembered persia had a lot of gods and goddess if i'm not wrong? it's funny that over the centuries how every kingdom just get reduced into a tiny place become poor and defeated and are forced to change religion, well it isn't funny
This is indeed another marvelous presentation. I am filled with joy to know that there are people who are able to bring the past into the present in the way this channel does. Amazing. Rant ended.
One of the medieval Polish origin myths is the story of Piast the Wheelwright. In summary the story tells of an unexpected visit paid to Piast by two strangers who were rejected before by the cruel prince Popiel. They ask to join poor Piast's family in celebration of the "First haircut" - 7th birthday (a Slavic pagan rite of passage for young boys) of Piast's son, they cut his hair and gave him the name Siemowit. In return for the hospitality, the guests cast a spell making Piast's cellar ever full of plenty. Seeing this, Piast's compatriots declare him their new prince, to replace the late Prince Popiel who was eaten by the mice at the end. Piast and Siemowit were legendary progenitors of the Piast dynasty that ruled Kingdom of Poland kind of like king Arthur or Romulus. According to chronicles, Mieszko I the first historical ruler of Poland was grandson of Siemowit and his son Bolesław was first Polish king. To this day in Poland we leave one empty plate and a chair for a starnger during the Wigilia - the supperr day before the Christmass.
To show true hospitality you need a high trust society with common values. We no longer have that. Very few people will invite a stranger into their home after a lifetime of consuming stories of horrific crimes in the media and Hollywood movies where the stranger is more likely to hack you to pieces than thank you for your kindness. We've grown to fear the other, often justifiably so.
Thank you for this video. You make a very important point near the end. The hospitality does NOT extend to everyone in the world. This is idiotic idealism and is of course impossible. It can only be interpreted as virtue signalling and should be frowned upon and called out. However, you do have an obligation to help those who come to you, stranger or not.
I've been watching your channel for a while, As a Christian who loves pagan stories and myth your channel is the a breathe of fresh air when compared to other pagan channels that are almost always heavily anti-christian.
The story of Baucis and Philemon, when I first read it, really made me question the supposed origins of the Bible. You make it really easy to understand from your summary for all who didn't get it initially. The myth of Christ turning wine into water stems both from this myth and the relevant myths of Dionis. The flood myth from the old testament is dominant in the story as well. People being punished for a sin, a righteous few being exempt from the flood and rewarded... In its core it is a cautionary tale, instructing us that principles are more valuable than life. Seems like we were fed regurgitated mush of our own stories with false actors and premises. Oddly enough, that might be a reason why we bought it. Imagine you had to rewatch 1989 Batman over and over for 20 years.... and then, one day, someone shows you Batman Begins
So now I know where I get my strong sense of hospitality. I have certainly been known to open my home to take in those in need, even to such extent that my friends and family were concerned about me. Not long after I got my first apartment, I had a guy that I worked with, who had to be at least twice my age stay in my spare bedroom for a couple of months. I had given him a ride home one day before that and saw the abhorant state of the building where he was renting a room. It was more like an old barn that was very poorly fixed up. The place definitely should have been condemned because of how close it was to falling in and especially because of the plainly visible mold. Praise the Lord, when he left, he moved onto a much better place. Another time, I offered a spare room to another fellow about my age who was an intern at the company l worked for. He was from Nepal and was studying at Louisiana Tech. He told me while we were at work one day that he was renting a room for something like $200 a week from some guy that wouldn't even let him use the kitchen. I told him "the hell with that, I'll rent you my extra room for less than a quarter of that and you can do whatever you want!" I must have taken in at least half a dozen people over the years. It was never for just a night or two though.
There’s a story in the Mahabharata similar to this I was told as a child. When Karna is about to fight Arjuna in the battle, Indra (Thunder) comes disguised as a sage in the morning. Karna was the son of Surya (Sun), and had a divine obligation to give whatever was asked of him when the Sun was rising. Indra is Arjun’s father, and obviously had to do everything to protect his son because he knew Arjun would not last in a battle against Karna. Karna was born with a Solar armour that was invincible and attached directly to his body, he was quite literally born with it, attached to his flesh. So, Indra disguised as a sage asks him for his armour. He couldn’t break his word, and takes a knife and cuts his entire torso and gives him his armour with his pieces of flesh attached to it. Indra is completely humbled by this sacrifice and reveals himself and offers to return back the favour and Karna asks him for the Brahmastra (a powerful celestial weapon, sort of like a mythological nuclear strike). Indra hesitant, still gives it to him. In the battle, Karna’s chariot wheel gets stuck in a pit while he is battling Arjun. He gets down the chariot to fix his wheel and tells Arjun to follow the laws of battle where a man on a chariot could not fire on a foot soldier. Krishna then reminds Arjun that Karna killed his son and tells him to ignore the laws of war and fire upon a vulnerable Karna. Arjun’s arrow slices Karna’s throat and he is vanquished on the battlefield.
It was the Śakti astra that was gifted by Indra to Karṇa afaik. Thee's also a loose end in your retelling of the story of the astra. The reason Karṇa was unable to use the Śakti astra against Arjuna was because Karṇa had already expended the weapon to kill Ghaṭotkaca (Bhīma's son), who shapeshifted to the size of a hunder elepants was stomping entire legions of Kauravas by the minute. Karṇa had initially planned to use the astra to kill Arjuna, but Ghaṭotkaca forced Karṇa to expend the Śakti astra (which is a single use weapon) on Ghaṭotkaca instead, letting Arjuna live.
Interestingly enough, Viracocha from Andean mythology disguised himself as an old man for much the same purpose, even though Indo-European and Andean societies never made contact with each other until the 16th Century AD.
South Indians have a tradition of an asura god ( linked with serpents the nagas ) named Virochana travelling to paatala loka ( paa -talaya meaning under the foot , the vedic/puraanic term for the Americas or the Andean mountains facing the pacific) and becoming the god there , visiting only once every year to his homeland on the festival of "Onam".
I worked in Yellowstone Forest (22 miles in the wilderness). The man who worked with his wife showed me the most gracious hospitality he mended my chaps and spirs they fed me sausage potatoes and a warm drink before my hour horse back ride to camp. Lost hikers tired horses and sour mules all welcomed to his cabin. He came one night to check on us palyed guitar prayers given for a successful hunt and was off. A great man.
I had a dream when I was 16 or so- dreamed that I was half way between my mums house and my dads- three beggars stopped me. One approached me and asked for some money for food, but I instead cut him off and asked him to tell me something about the occult. He looked confused and then saw I was serious and then smiled and said "It's not the words we hear from the prayers, but the intention (the energy)." I was about to ask him who he was and I had a sudden understanding it was Zeus and behind him, the other two, were Athena and Demeter in disguise. He said, "Don't stop here..." (as in don't stop with just what others have found with knowledge) "... keep searching", and I looked up at the sky and I saw beings coming from other places to Earth, I was shocked- and I woke up to his fading laugh. Looking back afterwards, its interesting that maybe they could of also represented Mind (Athena), Body (Demeter) and Spirit (Zeus). Also that symbolism of meeting half way between two places I called home where there's a gate/fence I'd open to get through, that they were there.
Goethe, one of the deepest thinkers, writers, etc we had, added it to his Faust in part 2. Baucis and Philemon. I like how kurt Sutter added an homeless begger girl as god in the 'sons of anarchy'
Survive the jive, could you please explain to me why Anglo-Saxon surnames/cities often have the suffix root word of pool (for instance liverpool) in them. I have done some research on my last name and it is very interesting to learn about. It would be nice to see you go into depth regarding Anglo-Saxon surnames and how they all originate from Proto-Germanic words in a podcast.
The name comes from the Old English liver, meaning thick or muddy, and pol, meaning a pool or creek, and is first recorded around 1190 as Liuerpul en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liverpool#Origins_of_the_name
This lesson is literally the only one I remember from my Presbyterian upbringing. Makes sense now why it resonated given that it predates Christianity.
I love learning about these gods. My dungeons and dragons character worships these same gods so it really helps me roleplay my character who is a fierce, but hospitable, barbarian
My mom had a strange encounter in hospital. She was due to have some tests because of a shadow on her lung. It was greatly worrying her, especially considering she had to go into hospital on her own (Covid UK). A woman was sat next to her and just said out the blue “you will be fine” then proceeded to look into my mom’s mind. This woman spoke about my mom’s life and then told her she needed to make changes in order to be happy (I won’t go I think the specifics). My mom just shrugged it as a strange experience, but I tell her, it was one of the gods and that she should listen. But as a Christian she doesn’t listen to me.
My Father, when he was younger told me a story one time. How an old homeless man came into the house, already knew my mother and his name, thanked them for the food and started to leave. He left something behind so my father went to give him his coat back but he vanished from the street in seconds. It was God 🤙🏻
I believe in this, literally. I was once stopped on a street I travel fairly regularly by an older man and woman, asked to help unload a truck full of plants. I did this for them, and have never seen them again by the house or in public. 👁
I guess it would be rude to ask the people who live in house that you dropped the plants off at if they knew the people who delivered the plants? When I see someone moving into a new home I'm always surprised that their movers are strangers to me NOT.
This video stumbled itself upon my recommended viewing just now. After watching it, I am reminded of my friend Keith, ( who is DECISIVELY a beneficent host).
Interesting that in Japan, the guest or client is treated like a God, so we call them "Okyakusama" the word "sama" being a sufix for someone of extreme status
Could you do a short video exploring the conflict between a storm god and a serpent of chaos. Its something mentioned and explored in many religions indo European religions, shinto and Ancient Egypt
We are all “incognito Mesquite” ...it takes many life lessons, Alone with positive energy... I’ve had so many random conversations with any type of people from all classes while out and about. & I share my wisdom when necessary. And of not, I listen.
This really does well to explain what is meant in havamal I thought that when Odin speaks of not taking to much mead or food, he was referring to a sort of general politeness and not being greedy, but putting it in the context of these rules of hospitality makes it rather different.
The Seder is a lovely example of this trope. A place is set at the table for Elijah, because he's coming back one of these days, and it might be this year, and it might be to our Seder, so be ready. If a stranger comes by, s/he will be offered Elijah's seat. I attended a Seder at my Quaker Meeting. It was a memorable experience.
Quoting some lovely Sanskrit lines for all my Indo-European guests :) अतिथि देवो भव Atithi devo bhava (Guest is God) नमस्ते Namaste (I bow to the divine in you)
This reminds me of Marcus Luttrell’s story in Afghanistan. A wounded navy seal that sought refuge in a random afghan village. The village leader saw Marcus as a guest and treated him with hospitality and tended to his wounds. Even though Marcus, an American could be easily considered an enemy. The Taliban demanded that the village hand over Marcus. But the village leader flatly refused on the grounds that it was dishonourable to disservice his guest, costing several villagers lives for a man that came from half way around the world..
Pashtunwali
Bless them! Nice story bro!
@@Tombombadillo999 theres a movie for it, its called Lone Survivor.
@steve gable Yup. Even when the Soviets were fighting in Afghanistan they sometimes traded some supplies with the villagers, and the villagers were not allowed to harm them. There were instances where the soldiers would get attacked on the way back from the village if there were any combatants hiding in said village, but they would not attack the Soviet soldiers while they were the guests in the village.
I was LITERALLY about to type this - such a good story and I’m glad someone said it
This reminds me of an encounter I had in Nepal. I was having tea with an expat near Boudha stupa when an eldery Hindu women came up to me. She had wanted a blessing from me and gave me a flower. After she prostrated and left I was surprised by the encounter. My friend who had lived there for thirty years told me that it was a practice of considering a stranger as a god. It left a long term effect on me and I still like to think of random people possibly being gods.
Good
A women?
Expat? Call him what he is, an inmigrant
I can't tell you how many times I've had random strangers walk up to me and tell me something that I needed to hear... so the gods still walk amongst us and speak anyway they can.
We're u live I want some beer and a steak lol
I can tell the same...
'Get out of the road!'
@Eric W. One of those isn't a religion though. It's a political ideology which uses theology for absolute control.
@@mr.coolmug3181 nice insider
In Poland we have the legend about pilgrims that have been refused the hospitality by the prince but a simple farmer offered it to them. The farmers name was Piast and his descendants would be known as Piast dynasty and founders of Poland.
What sort of pilgrims were they? Was Piast a Christian?
@@zekun4741 Piast would have been a pagan (he lived in the late 8th century). His great-great-grandson, Mieszko I, is said to have been the first Christian leader of Poland, converting in 966.
@@krishenjalali3266 I see. I'm just curious what sort of pilgrims he was talking about. Piast as a pagan showing hospitality to to Christian pilgrims or to pagan pilgrims?
Nice MYTH there to make the Royal Family seem like they were Chosen By God to rule. If my descendants become King they'll make up fake shit about me too like I was some sort of computer genius when all I am is some guy who watches TH-cam lmao.
@@Mutiny960 well yes, that's why he said 'legend', dickhead.
Based gods.
R1552 -based? based on what?-
@@placeholder8768 Based on things that are very Indo European.
@@placeholder8768 Based on owning the demonic.
Based on hanging the treacherous Zionist fools from trees
Mozrow Drops yeah I’m sure Odín was fighting “zionists”
Whilst I consider myself an agnostic I still greatly enjoy these stories and traditions for their historical importance and in general being good virtues to live by. It is quite fascinating how certain tropes have survived and spread through such a large part of the world.
One of the great things about polytheism is that the smaller gods get, the less consequential the social price for worship.
I don't believe any of it, but there's a certain charm to the idea of say, a river having a soul, or having their own deity. Certainly makes a good bedtime story for children, it can teach a moral lesson.
The Atheistic revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race
@@yokatta-f those "atheistic revolutionaries" we're not natural atheist. As in simply not having belief in a deity and moving on with their lives. But tools who's will, values, traditions, and morals have been demoralized by a highly sick religion whom despite being a small percentage of the population wield vast amounts of power...you know, the chosen ones.
Aristotle expressed the sentiment that "how can we truly know that the Gods exist?" Which we would today say makes him agnostic, yet he was fully a part of his Hellenic society observing its cultural norms. For all non-Abrahamic religions the core is really about honoring your ancestors and supporting your family, not about strictly conforming to theology.
@@usedx115x nope
My grandmother once fed 15 local thieves of the village who broke into the house late at night . They asked her to give them some part of the produced wheat and mustard ( money wasn't something that was stolen back in her days ) . She said she won't be able to do so because she was a single mother of 6 children ( my paternal grandfather died of snakebite ) . They agreed . But, she still fed them dinner . Before parting ,they gifted her money and touched her feet (performative way of paying respect ) . It's really surreal to listen to such stories today . Maybe because something like that wouldn't happen today .
I doubt I'm your typical audience, if you have one - regardless, this is excellent, thanks! M.L. West points out another commonality between Greece and India, the idea that the gods sometimes grant mortals the ability to recognize them. So whereas in the Iliad, Athena removes the "fog" from the eyes of Diomedes, in the Mahabharata, the god Yama shouts "Arjuna, Arjuna, behold us!… We bestow on you eyesight, for you are worthy of seeing us." (Indo-European Poetry and Myth, p. 134)
Sri Thomas Rowsell is always welcome back in India
Hospitality is a form of empathy, as at some point in our lives we end up wandering in strange lands or among strange people. We treat others with the same respect and kindness that we expect to be treated with in that situation. The politicization of hospitality and the abuse of empathy have negative implications for societies. I supported and walked along causes and issues that were not affecting me, but I did it out of mere empathy (not as an Instagram Activist™), as time passed I saw how one demand became ten more, many of them unrelated to the actual issue. People's empathy, good will and naiveté are exploited, abused and manipulated to achieve hidden agendas... a few years ago my empathy ran dry. I still help people whenever I can, that's how I was raised, but I follow common sense, which is what you said at the end of the video, hospitality and empathy are not never ending, undefined contracts or even serfdom to one person or a group of people, they´re defined by clear rules, set for specific situations, they cannot come at the expense of abuse, exploitation or destruction of the host. I'm afraid that at the end of all this craziness most people will run out of empathy because of all the abuse and manipulation, and that would make the world even harsher.
Well said Miguel, sounds like the flip side of these tales, as all mythology seems to have a flip side.
Too true. Now I have to make sure, I have to remind myself, to come to a hard stop with some people and their requests. They will take the mile.
"Atithi Devo bhava" 🙏🏿 is what we say in Hinduism.
How do you translate it from Sanskrit exactly? It sounds a bit Lithuanian to me "Atithi - ateiti = to come", "Devo - Dievo - God's", "bhava - buvo = was".
@@SuperPrototipas "Guest is like God " .
@@SuperPrototipas
Lithuanians were the fiercest among all the adherent of European Ancient Dharmas. Their conversion by force and deciet to this murderous cult called Christianity is probably the longest suffering in Europe.
I have been that stranger and granted that hospitality that can only rank with that of the Gods. To this day that person and I consider ourselves brothers and each would now do for the other as needed.
One of my only good memories of public school was buried in an ignored section of an elementary or intermediate school reading textbook was a summarized version of the story of Baucis and Philemon. I was raised (for the better part) by my grandparents and to see their sentiments exactly mirrored in ancient story had an effect I only understand now.
The story of Baucis and Philmon we read in our Hindi Language text book in India, may be in grade 4 or 6 in early 80's
We have hundreds of such stories in Hinduism. Hinduism seems to be the last ramnant of ancient Pagan culture which is maligned by the Abrahamic religions and brutally quashed in Europe, Middle East, Americas Africa and even in India.
What a man keeps he loses. What he gives he has forever.
There's a similar proverb in my native tongue, Kannaḍa. The proverb, "Koṭṭiddu enage, bacciṭṭiddu parariṁge" translated to English, means "That which I give, reaches me; that which I hide (hoard), reaches others"
Gave a homeless guy my last 20$ once simply because he needed it and had a sign said vet and had one eye missing with a blue sweater on. Had a walking stick too
Óðinn!!!
What he didn't tell you was that he was a veteran of the Jotun wars.
I gave a old black guy 50$ for a hotel room. He sat down on the curb not 30 ft away and called a drug dealer
He said "yo nig, you got that?"
D Cobb Wow!
I'd have thought of the All Father in that man too. And kindness matters more than whether the recipient is actually a "god" or some kind of sign from the Universe. How the recipient uses the gift is not your concern. All the judgey haters are missing the point
This video was among STJ's best. I am more of a text based person but this video was a fantastic experience that really made the most of the video medium
could you imagine how blissful it would be to sit in a thatch hut eating fruit and cheese and soaking your feet in a bowl while enjoying conversation with a couple salt of the earth elderly farmer people???
Why do fruit and cheese compliment each other so well? 🧀🍇 (When one is savoury and the other sweet) Genuine question?
Very Indo-european
I keep seeing this. Did it originate somewhere specific or is it just one of those awesome Internet things?
But note that the concept is not unique to the Indo-Europeans. Jesus was not an Indo-European for instance.
Very
John Burt What concept are you referring to?
@@Floral_Green The concept of something divine appearing in the form of a very ordinary-looking human.
Hebrews 13:2 King James Version (KJV)
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Tyler Rech I think that’s why it caught on so well in Europe
"Don't try to gang rape strangers or else God will blow up your city with meteors. They might be disguised angels and a Jew might be bartering for God to spare you as we speak. "
-The Book of Genesis
"Don't try to gang rape strangers or else God will blow up your city with meteors. They might be disguised angels and a Jew might be bartering for God to spare you as we speak. "
-The Book of Genesis
@@TheGreenKnight500 The Old Testament has a lot of really weird things in it though. Lot is supposed to be the only moral man in Sodom worthy of being saved from the destruction, but when the angels arrive at his house and the mob of sodomites demand he hand them the angels, he instead offers his virgin daughters to them to be raped. He's supposed to be a good man but he betrays his own daughters for God and his angels. Clearly he's an example of the dedication that God expects from his followers.
@@zekun4741 the belief is that he lied about them being virgin given that they later rape him. He protected the chastity and innocense of his guests who had not yet been influenced by the city while allowing the would be rapers (his daughters) to be raped instead. A strange morality but clear in preferring the innocent uninfleunced to the influenced at all
Very interesting topic. From a spiritual perspective, I personally think that the concept of the beggar stranger is a symbol for not judging the "book by it's cover". Even the lousiest looking individual can give you divine wisdom. Unfortunately many persons are superficially dismissing some individuals who actually might be geniuses. Many of my most interesting conversations in life, I had with persons with somewhat unusual looks. We need to remember that the among the very most extreme spiritual devotees within several Indo-European traditions, were those who were seen as outlaws and outcasts. E.g. the Shivaite Vratyas in India (as you mention) and also the members of various Männerbünde, e.g. Oðinnic berserkir or úlfheðnar. All which aimed to imitate the actions and attributes of their main deity, to become the god.
Love the Solar Eclipse intro brother
20:47 - this gave me a really happy chuckle! it's details like this little scene that make this bloke truly loveable. thanks, tom, for all the work, and for keeping it warm around the digitial hearth!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Enjoyed this one a lot mate
In my country there is a Christmas tradition. I recently learned how deeply pagan the celebration was, before it got christianified.
The festivity was celebrated by acting out the wild hunt, a bearded man with long white hair on a white horse marches through the streets, followed by a mass of black painted men with twig bundles, black to symbolize death. These represented spirits of fallen warriors. They would chase women and children to hit them.
After this festivity you are supposed to sing to this bearded man, and leave him offerings occassionally. The morning after you sang there would be gifts. One of the songs is about being visited at night by this bearded man, coming as a stranger. It's about hospitality to him.
I remember the song well I sang it every year.
This event is about to be cancelled, Christianity made the black men into n-words and now it's racist. This age old tradition will disappear. But the virtue of hospitality still lives in me :)
Well, we've survived a thousand years of book-burning and persecution from C, and while we've lost much (to a point to where its damned hard to even understand a fraction of what our ancestors knew, I cannot imagine the wisdom of say, a Druid two thousand years ago), we will still survive. Survival is the primary thing which matters now, so take those traditions, write them into books and hide them from the mob that will come, as it did our ancestors. One day, perhaps, we might have the ability to see what our ancestors did- clearly Wotan understands the need of basic survival against C, and our quite short lives.
Good luck brother, Wotan guide you.
Which country is this, can you send us a news link at least to an announcement that it will be cancelled
I found a similar story years ago and another one (more related to Krampus)
@@jacquesfrancois4275 Netherlands, and there's no official cancellation yet but it's coming. They already changed the painted men to no longer be black, but the entire celebration is being equated to colonialism and thus bad.
This tradition predates Christianity, so it FAR predates colonialism. Don't let the ignorant rewrite your history. Speak up for your traditions.
It's weird but I find a striking Similarity between pagan idealogies and Hinduism..In India we have a saying as "Atithi devi bhava " ,meaning "Guest as God" in Sanskrit.And We have Animal avatars of lord Vishnu like lord Narsimha who was half animal and human.I am astonished!
the pagan culture is based in the Vedic culture. The more I research, the more things ultimately come from India (and that general area). And there's amazing things there; I recommend Praveen Mohan if you don't watch him already.
Hinduism or sanatana dharma is indo European. So of course there would huge overlaps. Knowledge is power, my friend.
@@henriksonson5308 indeed, I was wrong with my previous comment: it's the other way around. Although a local culture already existed and it adapted to the indo-european one. The buildings are clearly older than the invasion and the most amazing construction I've seen.
Btw, the gypsies came originally from Northen India, it seems. Fascinating!
@@Yarblocosifilitico Hmm that is interesting. If you are European or your ancestors were I strongly suggest looking into the Asatru Folk Assembly. I wish you luck on your journey mate
@@henriksonson5308 I believe he meant that the various European pagan religions and Hinduism evolved parallel to eachother from the same source. Say, English "Tiw" from Proto Indo European "Dyeus"
HE SAID IT
Baucis and Philemon is such a beautiful story, one of my favorites.
I once met a group of travellers on my way home from work, who had a pitbull named Bruno with one brown eye and one blue. They had a car and their pets not much else, so after talking to them a bit I asked if they’d be there the next day, they said yes hopefully buying a van I wished them luck. I came back the next day on my way home from work and bought a bucket for their dog and some essentials, offered them to use my laundry and shower. They gave me an interesting conversation, and read my tarot. The sweetest people, and so interesting I wonder if Odin and Frigg tested me?
The Norse take in large amounts of refugees because of these morals.
My earliest ancestors in the US were Norwegian immigrants to Minnesota. As the Native Americans’ hunting lands were sectioned off more and more by the US government, they often unknowingly wandered onto farmland.
My ancestors’ neighbors shot these Natives and chased them off. My ancestors, however, let them stay in the barn and brought them food. They taught them how to rotate crops in the early autumn in the tumultuous Midwestern climate.
Eventually, a brutal winter came and the Natives were starving. They raided all the farms in the area... except my ancestors’. They would occasionally leave my family gifts and they now knew how to rotate crops in this new country. Odin visited my early ancestor’s and they passed the test
that's a proud and beautiful story. thanks for sharing.
How has this worked out for Scandinavia?
That's an awesome story as a fellow Norwegian descended Minnesotan, that's super touching to hear
@@Earlybird86 Good point. Socialism kills such virtues as hospitality between real people. Just go to any country with a communist government/history. You will have some bad experiences.
Modern scandinavians are overly narcissistic. That's why they allow their state to replace them.
This is not hospitality, it's a form of weakness and degeneracy.
In some cases this may not be true, but on the whole, neither the so-called "refugees" nor the socialists value the virtue of hospitality, but so also do a lot of people on the right, sadly.
Amazing story!
You never put out a bad video. Appreciate that you take a holistic view - not just Greece, Roman or India, put every Indo-European tradition. Great content, keep up the good work.
My grandma told me of an old woman who knocked on her door once. When she answered the door the old woman asked her for a bite to eat. She said sure and told her to wait, then got inside to grab some bread and yogurt. By the time she walked back outside not even a minute had passed, but upon reaching the door step my grandma said she couldn't see the old woman anywhere.
Edit: It's been nearly 2 decades since she died and i remembered it wrong.
My mom just told me that it actually was an old man in all green clothes, that my grandma saw. Anyone know anything about that?
Very spooky.
Kras Keqi
Perhaps it was the Green man of the harvest, was it autumn by chance? As he would be expecting his share of it maybe.
Maybe it is the Celt in me perhaps just an ordinary old man.
Nice story.
boy sometimes you have to be careful, creatures are sometimes known to do that
Probably just got out of the nick
🍀
It's amazing really, the theme of "God disguised as beggar," is all over the Christian Bible (both Testaments). From your videos, I gather you already know that, but I just wanted to say it publicly here, for others. This video in particular brought immediately to mind the story of Christ, when after His resurrection, He appeared in disguise to several of His disciples at various points (in one case having a long conversation with them on the road to Emmaus, where He also gave them wisdom, explaining the Scriptures in regard to Himself).
That is not even to mention God appearing to Abraham, Lot (before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah), as well as Samson's parents. In each of those cases, God also seemed to be testing on grounds of hospitality (among other reasons), and were usually met with offerings of food, etc.
I love your videos man, thank you so much.
Exactly, and this idea is by no means Indo-European. Hospitality is well entrenched in the Middle East and is practiced until now as part of the culture. Survive the Jive makes it sound like the idea of "God coming in disguise as a guest" in the Gospel of Matthew as an Indo-European influence, which is straight-up false and dishonest. It doesn't acknowledge the clear cultural context of the gospels. I feel like Survive the Jive is an example of how a strong bias can push you to reach false conclusions. Afrocentrists do the same. They will see what they want to see and call themselves "academics."
@@ziad8947 because the people of Europe and the Middle East (and partially India, though there are controversies there) have a common origin.
@@ziad8947 TBF he never explicitly said it came from indo-europeans
It might be truly cross cultural or it could be indo-european influence. There is absolutely Indo-european influence on the pre Israelite culture that we can see in the form of the storm god vs the Ltn, that we see both in Israel and its cousin culture, Ugarit.
Ola Wikander has done work on IE motifs and loanwords in the Bible in his work, Unburning Fame: Horses, Dragons, Beings of Smoke, and Other Indo-European Motifs in Ugarit and the Hebrew Bible.
The Israelites bounced through many cultures influenced by indo-europeans, Egypt with its brief rule by the Shepherd kings, Babylon, Greece and finally Rome etc.
However survive the jive said this was common among other cultures as well. Hard to see how you are claiming dishonesty.
In Hawai'i we have a few stories just like those indo European ones. Even on Hawai'i island we still have stories today of Pele, the Goddess of fire and volcanoes, appearing at someone's house in the guise of an old woman just before a volcanic eruption. If she is treated with hospitality, when the volcano erupts the lava flow will miss the house. If treated poorly a portion of the lava flow will break off and burn said house down.
I'm not even a Pagan. I am a Traditional Catholic, still LOVE this channel. Very Indo European. I have definitely noticed the pattern in European religion of the gods/God disguising themselves and I think it definitely speaks to our nature as people and as a race. I've had several experiences that genuinely made me wonder if I was speaking with a holy being.
Good to know, friend. A lot of right wing Christians get triggered when people study and discuss Germanic deities, yet they forget that Christians have always been fascinated with Greco-Roman deities, many Catholic works discuss them and use them metaphorically. Also many Catholic depictions and elements of the afterlife, hell, angels are derived from Greco-Roman mythology. So it makes sense why you would be interested in various pagan religions, when as a Catholic you have been exposed to many.
Cultures in Anatolia and some parts of the Caucasus are renowned for their hospitality. In fact, it is commonly believed that visitors should be treated as guests sent by God. Literally.
I think this belief is a very ancient one.
This tradition was still alive in its explicit form in the mountains of Albania until late 20th Century. It is also explicitly referred to in the Albanian Mountain Laws (Kanuns). English travellers like Edith Durham wrote about encountering it (High Albania), Rose Wilder Lane is another (Peaks of Shala).
Kaanoon is Persian/Arabic word for Law
@@topg2820 from Greek "Canon"
We still accompany guests part of their way back. Mostly to their cars nowadays ^^
@@kkech1 It is a recorded ancient greek custom. It was a sign of courtesy, the host would accompany the guest to the point of the main road. It is still done in the same way in villages, in the cities though you just walk the guest to the elevator or the yard door.
@@joek600 Wholesome :)
To be expected sharing customs being nearly 3k years neighbours!
when I was a kid, my parents ran a motel in a fishing village. There was this old couple who would come stay a few times a year and trade a sheep for their room instead of paying cash. Every time they were there we would spit-roast the sheep and invite the whole town (about 200 people). Everyone who could afford it brought a dish of food or a bottle of wine and anyone who couldn't was welcome to everything. Hands down, best time I've had in my life.
Wow... that sounds Heaven to me :) Thank you for sharing such beautiful memory with us :)
hey man. I appreciate your work. thanks for everything you do.
Our children will tell tales of internet trolls who, when politely dealt with, granted boons of likes and reposts. Hail.
Hear hear. They will also be able to archive the interaction and be able to call upon it much later, unlike in history and prehistory until now. The idea of divine beings sitting behind a keyboard and mouse and stirring up comment drama on social media, paints a wonderful and sillly picture in my mind. Thank you.
@@Gun4Freedom all praise the Omnissiah!
it's nice to go along with the troll, they always offer laughs and reminders not to take things too seriously :)) some not so much
@@differous01 that was strangely beautiful.
@@differous01 Yo that shit deep and melodic.
God in Disguise (Förklädd gud) is a classic Swedish suite from the 1900's, music by Lars-Erik Larsson to the words of Hjalmar Gullberg. It's about Apollo and his disguised one year residence among the humans. Very beautiful.
In Persia, there is a saying that a guest is a gift from God. Persian hospitality is legendary.
which god? far if i remembered persia had a lot of gods and goddess if i'm not wrong? it's funny that over the centuries how every kingdom just get reduced into a tiny place become poor and defeated and are forced to change religion, well it isn't funny
@@maymay5600 For at least about 3700 years, there has been a believe in a single God in Persia.
@blackzed before zoroastrian was the pre-vedic/pre-gathic indo iranian faith in deities such as mitra , varuna , indra and the ashwin twins
@@heimatliebe116
yes, the Ahura mazda is the single God of persia since ancient times.
Rituals are the structures of meaning. They give us a truth that supersedes the mortality of everyday life. We are lost without them.
It's OK to be Indo- European ;)
It's damn FINE to be Indo-European!
Yes of course, it’s okay to be any colour in my opinion.
@@wellhelodeer2680 except french
It’s okay to be Indo-European, but most importantly take pride in being a part of the most superior culture in the universe.
@@Metal_Muscles7 Japanese?
Wasn't expecting the spot of comedy there, well done!
Definitely one of my favorite videos, Tom!
I’m constantly impressed by the quality of your content, keep up the good work
This is indeed another marvelous presentation. I am filled with joy to know that there are people who are able to bring the past into the present in the way this channel does. Amazing. Rant ended.
Great video. Very indo-euorpean! I like it when you discuss myths that are present throughout multiple indo-european cultures
I wonder if the wendish god Radegast was connected to this tradition as well, since his name translates as welcomed guest.
I’m enjoying your story telling and listening to all the old myths beliefs and language connections.
Thanks for your passion
Found myself in this situation yesterday. Glad I watched this 2 weeks previously. Just swang by to say thanks Thomas.
One of the medieval Polish origin myths is the story of Piast the Wheelwright. In summary the story tells of an unexpected visit paid to Piast by two strangers who were rejected before by the cruel prince Popiel. They ask to join poor Piast's family in celebration of the "First haircut" - 7th birthday (a Slavic pagan rite of passage for young boys) of Piast's son, they cut his hair and gave him the name Siemowit. In return for the hospitality, the guests cast a spell making Piast's cellar ever full of plenty. Seeing this, Piast's compatriots declare him their new prince, to replace the late Prince Popiel who was eaten by the mice at the end. Piast and Siemowit were legendary progenitors of the Piast dynasty that ruled Kingdom of Poland kind of like king Arthur or Romulus. According to chronicles, Mieszko I the first historical ruler of Poland was grandson of Siemowit and his son Bolesław was first Polish king. To this day in Poland we leave one empty plate and a chair for a starnger during the Wigilia - the supperr day before the Christmass.
Excellent presentation, Mr. Rowsell. Thank you!
To show true hospitality you need a high trust society with common values. We no longer have that. Very few people will invite a stranger into their home after a lifetime of consuming stories of horrific crimes in the media and Hollywood movies where the stranger is more likely to hack you to pieces than thank you for your kindness. We've grown to fear the other, often justifiably so.
Thank you for this video. You make a very important point near the end. The hospitality does NOT extend to everyone in the world. This is idiotic idealism and is of course impossible. It can only be interpreted as virtue signalling and should be frowned upon and called out. However, you do have an obligation to help those who come to you, stranger or not.
I've been watching your channel for a while, As a Christian who loves pagan stories and myth your channel is the a breathe of fresh air when compared to other pagan channels that are almost always heavily anti-christian.
I love the chapters. Really useful for low attention span peasants like me in this age of Kali Yuga.
glad to see you again tom! great video... hilarious stuff when beggar knocks! keep up the great work!
When I feel the need to give to someone, I give graciously. My instinct is my guide, and I follow it
The story of Baucis and Philemon, when I first read it, really made me question the supposed origins of the Bible.
You make it really easy to understand from your summary for all who didn't get it initially.
The myth of Christ turning wine into water stems both from this myth and the relevant myths of Dionis. The flood myth from the old testament is dominant in the story as well. People being punished for a sin, a righteous few being exempt from the flood and rewarded... In its core it is a cautionary tale, instructing us that principles are more valuable than life.
Seems like we were fed regurgitated mush of our own stories with false actors and premises.
Oddly enough, that might be a reason why we bought it. Imagine you had to rewatch 1989 Batman over and over for 20 years.... and then, one day, someone shows you Batman Begins
I nearly choked @ 20:58; "Can't you see I'm busy, bugger off!" Poor form in truth, but an hilarious counterpoint.
So now I know where I get my strong sense of hospitality. I have certainly been known to open my home to take in those in need, even to such extent that my friends and family were concerned about me. Not long after I got my first apartment, I had a guy that I worked with, who had to be at least twice my age stay in my spare bedroom for a couple of months. I had given him a ride home one day before that and saw the abhorant state of the building where he was renting a room. It was more like an old barn that was very poorly fixed up. The place definitely should have been condemned because of how close it was to falling in and especially because of the plainly visible mold. Praise the Lord, when he left, he moved onto a much better place.
Another time, I offered a spare room to another fellow about my age who was an intern at the company l worked for. He was from Nepal and was studying at Louisiana Tech. He told me while we were at work one day that he was renting a room for something like $200 a week from some guy that wouldn't even let him use the kitchen. I told him "the hell with that, I'll rent you my extra room for less than a quarter of that and you can do whatever you want!"
I must have taken in at least half a dozen people over the years. It was never for just a night or two though.
Such an amazing examination. I could listen to you tell stories for hours..
Hooooo boy, that top quality content!
Everyone who has ever worked in retail can relate to the terror of the mystery shopper.
The beggar man, from the Fionn Mccool tails is a great example.
Sacred Hospitality in the age of social distancing . . .
Based counter Bioculture
But putting masks on children and letting grandma die alone is empathy!!
There’s a story in the Mahabharata similar to this I was told as a child. When Karna is about to fight Arjuna in the battle, Indra (Thunder) comes disguised as a sage in the morning. Karna was the son of Surya (Sun), and had a divine obligation to give whatever was asked of him when the Sun was rising. Indra is Arjun’s father, and obviously had to do everything to protect his son because he knew Arjun would not last in a battle against Karna. Karna was born with a Solar armour that was invincible and attached directly to his body, he was quite literally born with it, attached to his flesh. So, Indra disguised as a sage asks him for his armour. He couldn’t break his word, and takes a knife and cuts his entire torso and gives him his armour with his pieces of flesh attached to it. Indra is completely humbled by this sacrifice and reveals himself and offers to return back the favour and Karna asks him for the Brahmastra (a powerful celestial weapon, sort of like a mythological nuclear strike). Indra hesitant, still gives it to him. In the battle, Karna’s chariot wheel gets stuck in a pit while he is battling Arjun. He gets down the chariot to fix his wheel and tells Arjun to follow the laws of battle where a man on a chariot could not fire on a foot soldier. Krishna then reminds Arjun that Karna killed his son and tells him to ignore the laws of war and fire upon a vulnerable Karna. Arjun’s arrow slices Karna’s throat and he is vanquished on the battlefield.
It was the Śakti astra that was gifted by Indra to Karṇa afaik.
Thee's also a loose end in your retelling of the story of the astra. The reason Karṇa was unable to use the Śakti astra against Arjuna was because Karṇa had already expended the weapon to kill Ghaṭotkaca (Bhīma's son), who shapeshifted to the size of a hunder elepants was stomping entire legions of Kauravas by the minute. Karṇa had initially planned to use the astra to kill Arjuna, but Ghaṭotkaca forced Karṇa to expend the Śakti astra (which is a single use weapon) on Ghaṭotkaca instead, letting Arjuna live.
Interestingly enough, Viracocha from Andean mythology disguised himself as an old man for much the same purpose, even though Indo-European and Andean societies never made contact with each other until the 16th Century AD.
Or perhaps the did millennia prior
South Indians have a tradition of an asura god ( linked with serpents the nagas ) named Virochana travelling to paatala loka ( paa -talaya meaning under the foot , the vedic/puraanic term for the Americas or the Andean mountains facing the pacific) and becoming the god there , visiting only once every year to his homeland on the festival of "Onam".
"And his brother simply raised troll children with a troll wife in a cave." - relatable
Stellar video. You are looking well Thomas. The weary glow of the new father suits you.
I love these stories and notions! Hospitality is just good manners.
"Can't you see I'm busy? No! Bugger off!"
*Door shuts*
I fukken died
I worked in Yellowstone Forest (22 miles in the wilderness). The man who worked with his wife showed me the most gracious hospitality he mended my chaps and spirs they fed me sausage potatoes and a warm drink before my hour horse back ride to camp. Lost hikers tired horses and sour mules all welcomed to his cabin. He came one night to check on us palyed guitar prayers given for a successful hunt and was off. A great man.
The refusal of the guest is brilliant.
I had a dream when I was 16 or so- dreamed that I was half way between my mums house and my dads- three beggars stopped me. One approached me and asked for some money for food, but I instead cut him off and asked him to tell me something about the occult. He looked confused and then saw I was serious and then smiled and said "It's not the words we hear from the prayers, but the intention (the energy)." I was about to ask him who he was and I had a sudden understanding it was Zeus and behind him, the other two, were Athena and Demeter in disguise. He said, "Don't stop here..." (as in don't stop with just what others have found with knowledge) "... keep searching", and I looked up at the sky and I saw beings coming from other places to Earth, I was shocked- and I woke up to his fading laugh. Looking back afterwards, its interesting that maybe they could of also represented Mind (Athena), Body (Demeter) and Spirit (Zeus). Also that symbolism of meeting half way between two places I called home where there's a gate/fence I'd open to get through, that they were there.
Goethe, one of the deepest thinkers, writers, etc we had, added it to his Faust in part 2. Baucis and Philemon.
I like how kurt Sutter added an homeless begger girl as god in the 'sons of anarchy'
I wouldn't recommended running around with swords after that unexpected visit
High quality content. Thanks, STJ !
In India...It's "Atithi Devo Bhava" which means "Guest is God". Even the Indian tourism use this as their tagline.
Survive the jive, could you please explain to me why Anglo-Saxon surnames/cities often have the suffix root word of pool (for instance liverpool) in them. I have done some research on my last name and it is very interesting to learn about. It would be nice to see you go into depth regarding Anglo-Saxon surnames and how they all originate from Proto-Germanic words in a podcast.
The name comes from the Old English liver, meaning thick or muddy, and pol, meaning a pool or creek, and is first recorded around 1190 as Liuerpul
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liverpool#Origins_of_the_name
I'm going to guess it has to do with the reverence for springs and watering holes. Jive has a video on this actually.
Fantastic Video format. Please do more like this.
I have done many in this format! Go and check them out
This lesson is literally the only one I remember from my Presbyterian upbringing. Makes sense now why it resonated given that it predates Christianity.
I love learning about these gods. My dungeons and dragons character worships these same gods so it really helps me roleplay my character who is a fierce, but hospitable, barbarian
The first story of the old, poor folks was fantastic. Thanks for sharing
My mom had a strange encounter in hospital. She was due to have some tests because of a shadow on her lung. It was greatly worrying her, especially considering she had to go into hospital on her own (Covid UK). A woman was sat next to her and just said out the blue “you will be fine” then proceeded to look into my mom’s mind. This woman spoke about my mom’s life and then told her she needed to make changes in order to be happy (I won’t go I think the specifics). My mom just shrugged it as a strange experience, but I tell her, it was one of the gods and that she should listen. But as a Christian she doesn’t listen to me.
My Father, when he was younger told me a story one time. How an old homeless man came into the house, already knew my mother and his name, thanked them for the food and started to leave. He left something behind so my father went to give him his coat back but he vanished from the street in seconds. It was God 🤙🏻
Second hand stores are the best way to bear false witness.
I believe in this, literally. I was once stopped on a street I travel fairly regularly by an older man and woman, asked to help unload a truck full of plants. I did this for them, and have never seen them again by the house or in public. 👁
Did you notice whether those plants showed up in a yard or garden on that street?
I guess it would be rude to ask the people who live in house that you dropped the plants off at if they knew the people who delivered the plants? When I see someone moving into a new home I'm always surprised that their movers are strangers to me NOT.
This is the content we need! Spreading wisdom.
"I'm busy. Bugger off!" 😂
Your videos are so full of great content. Thank you for sharing your knowhow so hospitibly.
Great video. The illustrations are beautiful as well!
Travelling in India you see many a beggar who has a knowing look and glint in his eye.
This video stumbled itself upon my recommended viewing just now. After watching it, I am reminded of my friend Keith, ( who is DECISIVELY a beneficent host).
Interesting that in Japan, the guest or client is treated like a God, so we call them "Okyakusama" the word "sama" being a sufix for someone of extreme status
fascinating
Great video! Very professional and your voice is so pleasant.
Could you do a short video exploring the conflict between a storm god and a serpent of chaos. Its something mentioned and explored in many religions indo European religions, shinto and Ancient Egypt
We are all “incognito Mesquite” ...it takes many life lessons, Alone with positive energy... I’ve had so many random conversations with any type of people from all classes while out and about. & I share my wisdom when necessary. And of not, I listen.
This really does well to explain what is meant in havamal
I thought that when Odin speaks of not taking to much mead or food, he was referring to a sort of general politeness and not being greedy, but putting it in the context of these rules of hospitality makes it rather different.
The Seder is a lovely example of this trope.
A place is set at the table for Elijah, because he's coming back one of these days, and it might be this year, and it might be to our Seder, so be ready.
If a stranger comes by, s/he will be offered Elijah's seat.
I attended a Seder at my Quaker Meeting. It was a memorable experience.
Quoting some lovely Sanskrit lines for all my Indo-European guests :)
अतिथि देवो भव
Atithi devo bhava (Guest is God)
नमस्ते
Namaste (I bow to the divine in you)
The first is Vedic and the second looks like some hogwash from the Bhagavad Gita which isn't indo European
@@Texasmade74 only thing hogwash here is your reply