‘You are a very lucky man, Sigvat. But it is not wonderful that luck should accompany understanding. It is only wonderful that luck sometimes attends ignorant men, and that foolish counsel turns out lucky.’
– King Óláfr Haraldsson, ‘The Saga of Olaf Haraldson’, Heimskringla
Introduction
Life can be hard. Thankfully there are ways to rise above the challenges. One approach, little known among the modern world, is the ancient practices for cultivating personal power and luck. This practice article will focus on some of these. I have already covered the understanding behind the concepts of personal power (mægen) and cultivated luck (hamingja) in another article. Reading that article first will give you a deeper understanding for the practices covered here.
Mægen is the Old English term for personal power. Hamingja is the Old Norse term for personal luck. These are important concepts within the ancient cultural traditions of the Anglo, Nordic, and Germanic peoples—adapted here to the current and emerging world.
Similar concepts of personal power exist in other ancient cultures. The Roman virtus is excellence and strength that leads to effective action and renown. The Greek ἀρετή (aretē) is an individual’s fully realised power, where courage, skill, and judgement align. The Chinese 德 (dé, ‘potency’) is the inner power that arises from integrity, quietly shaping the world. The Yoruba àṣẹ is the authority and power behind effective speech and action, which brings declared circumstances into reality.
We are used to power as an external position—status, wealth, or influence. But can you imagine a person who is incapable and weak in character being able to hold external power successfully over a long time? Real power comes from within and is only then exercised in the world. Those who lack inner power yet somehow gain outwardly are often hollow and bound to fail.
Ancient cultures also had similar understandings of luck. From the Roman Goddess Fortuna to the Tibetan རླུང་རྟ་ (lungta, ‘windhorse’) and the Chinese 运气 (yùnqi, ‘fortune’), to the many terms for luck among the Siberian, Melanesian, African, and Native American peoples, luck was never about random chance. It was always about relationship, balance and how one acts. In the Northern mythos, an individual who cultivates hamingja acts with honour. They become naturally lucky, meaning things tend to work out, they uplift those around them, and they have the confidence to surmount all obstacles.
As long ago, so today, both mægen and hamingja can be developed through various practices. The world has not fundamentally changed, even while humanity has shifted in its ways of seeing. Taking the long view of human history is important, particularly in times of turbulence. And equally in such times, it is essential to grow toward and actualise your full potential.
The practices that follow are based on ancient Northern tradition, with some cross-cultural parallels, and are adapted for today. These practices provide a framework for uplifting the spirit and empowering yourself to better achieve your goals in life.
