Megin is a spiritual energy which resides in every living organism. And by being self-aware of its existence it can be channelled to help achieve physical goals.
There are many layers to Megin. It operates on an individual, familial/tribal and national level. We spend Megin everyday through our actions and deeds. Wyrd decides the amount of Megin distributed and is largely based on our deeds. It is at this point that mechanics of Megin begin to become dubious.
Swain Wodenning and many others believe that Megin is lost through âevilâ deeds. According to this belief, when an âevilâ act or deed is committed a Scyld (debt or obligation) is incurred. Failing to pay this debt culminates in a loss of Megin equal to the amount of Megin lost from the âevilâ act. Megin can be attained by performing deeds which benefit the Innangard (community). These deeds are labelled as âgoodâ.
Unlike most spiritual energies, Megin is about using your own strength and might to achieve your goals instead of relying on the power of the Gods. In the Icelandic sagas you can find the concept of âmĂĄttr ok meginâ mentioned. âMĂĄttr ok meginâ translates to âstrength and abilitiesâ or âpower and strengthâ. This designation was supposedly given to those who didnât trust the Gods or were suspicious of them. Without drawing power from the Gods or any other transcendental entity they had to rely solely on their own physical power to achieve their objectives. My theory is that they lent their strength to their kinsfolk and their kinsfolk reciprocated this. But they didnât rely or depend on the strength of their kinsfolk in order to achieve their goals. If we continue on the basis that our ancestors modeled their lives on the exploits and personalities of the Gods depicted in folk tales, and most likely the lyrics of bards, then we begin to find a connection.
In Norse mythology we learn that Thunor/Thor has a belt called megingjörĂ°, âbelt of strengthâ. It is from this belt that Thunor obtains all of his might (Megin). We also know that Thunor has a son called Magni. Whether the anagram is intentional or not doesnât change the fact the Magni possess great individual strength, as evidence in the tale of Thunor and Hrungnir clearly shows.
The combined strength of all the Aesir was not enough to lift Hrungnirâs leg off Thunor after he had slayed the frost-giant. It would not budge an inch until Thunorâs 3 year-old son Magni and the giantess Jarnsaxa showed up and lifted it. They were the only ones who possessed enough primal, physical strength to lift Hrungnirâs leg off Thunor. Not even Allfather, the highest of the gods could help him.
From this tale - among many others - we begin to see that might is not only a part of Megin (spiritual essence), it is Megin itself.
