From Huter der Irminsul

Heil – The original call of the whole

Long before the word salvation was co-opted and distorted by ideologies, it carried an ancient, sacred meaning. It meant wholeness, integrity, happiness, blessing and the harmonious balance between humans, nature and the powers of the cosmos.

In ancient Germanic and Nordic traditions, salvation was not a call of submission, but rather a desire for life. Anyone who wished someone else good fortune promised them health, strength, peace and the goodwill of the gods. It was a blessing word, born from a time when people saw themselves as part of the great world tree.

The Old High German heil and the Proto-Germanic hailaz meant “whole”, “unharmed” and “healthy”. To this day, words like heal, healing and heil come from the same root. The English whole and health also go back to the same Indo-European origin – a linguistic echo of an ancient idea: true health is wholeness.

In pagan cultures, salvation was more than physical well-being. It was the force that connected people with their ancestors, that ordered the change of seasons and brought blessing over fields, forests and hearths. A warrior could possess salvation if his courage was in harmony with his honor. A seer could bring healing if her wisdom showed people the right path. A king was only considered safe if his people lived in peace and the fertility of the land was preserved.

Salvation was not a possession, but a state of harmony. It flowed like the water of the springs, grew like the roots of the old oak trees and shone like the sun after the long winter night. It was a reminder that all life is interwoven.

It was only many centuries later that this ancient word was misused and thus burdened for generations. However, this abuse did not change its original origin – but it did change its public perception. History can distort words, but its oldest roots often tell a deeper truth.

The ancient salvation is reminiscent of a time when people heard the wind as a messenger from the gods, saw the rhythm of fate in the stars and honored the spark of life in fire. It was the desire for wholeness – with oneself, with nature and with the divine fabric of the world.

May this original meaning not be forgotten: salvation as a symbol of life, healing, connection and inner balance – not as a call to power, but as an ancient blessing for everything that lives.

May you find salvation in your heart, strength in your roots, Wisdom in the movement of the stars and peace on all paths you take. As the tree stands firmly in the earth and stretches its crown towards the sky, so may you too find your place between the worlds – in harmony with nature, your ancestors and yourself.

From Huter der Irminsul

Roth Note: … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). No need for the Christian to take offense at this post. It’s just history for you and a different path for others. My wish for the reader is the final paragraph, whatever that ‘salvation’ is for you.