A man should have his plans worked out before he enters into great undertakings or incites others to them.
~The Saga of Ref the Sly, c.8
You can make a difference in the lives of your loved ones, yourself, and even your broader community. Once you start talking about a whole country or worse, poor suffering humans on an entirely different continent, your level of influence greatly dwindles. Focus on what you can improve by putting in the work. Create a higher potential for leaving a worthier legacy by starting with your own people.
If by the odds or by the gods you become a multi-billionaire, you may have the resources to help the world. I still wouldn’t unless everyone further down my personal chain was in good standing. Strive to follow the Hierarchy of Expanding Encompassment when deciding where to direct your energies (outside of fulfilling your consensually contractual obligations, of course).
I will explain this concept further. First, something to make note of is the Old Norse concepts of innangarðr and utangarðr. (These are not historical terms that are utilized in old Norse as far as I am aware, but rather more modern constructions or variations, although it seems that similar concepts were in existence. They serve our purposes here.)
In the modern Heathen worldview, these words refer to the Inner Yard vs. the Outer Yard. This is to say: that which is within the enclosure vs. everything outside of the enclosure. The concept of these words is worthy of exploration and expansion and relates to the expanding hierarchy so keep these terms in mind as you continue below.
One normally imagines the inner vs. the outer as a singularly encompassed set although this is not usually the case. Just as one fence will enclose your yard, another may enclose your land. Another fence can encircle the neighborhood whilst a larger wall or barrier protects your city or town. When at home, you are aware of the larger encircling barrier but it is not your primary concern when it is not under direct threat of attack.
The Hierarchy of Encompassment or Expanding Encompassment is a system of prioritization. It is an expanding series of virtual circles or enclosures that begins with the one surrounding yourself and moves outwards to your household; From there it expands to your immediate family, then to your tribe or kindred, then to your local community, and potentially to further levels when possible and required.
We follow this system because, in the end, we all have limitations. If you truly want to be there for those whom you love, a system of efficiency must be followed in the majority of scenarios or you risk being unable to help anyone at all. You will fail everyone including yourself without a sense of direction and progressive goals.
The upper limits of human potential may indeed be unknown and some can do much more than others. At the same time, we all know of the phrase “burning the candle at both ends” or the concept of being “spread too thin”. Most admit that one can only do so much with the time and energy that they can spare.
I find a parallel in the way that we use language. We cannot use relative adjectives to describe every human in the population. Think of the words special or gifted. Every person cannot possibly be gifted in mathematics because then no one would actually fit that definition, the word loses its descriptive meaning (unless we are comparing humans to another entity or creature such as squirrels). We can’t all be special at the same time; Unless we mean that each person is special or unique in their way, but even then we must compare that person to a much smaller group to make such a claim.
That same concept applies similarly to your resources and capabilities but less abstractly or linguistically. Your resources are very likely finite. You cannot conceivably give $600 to everyone in your town on an average Western salary, nor can you feed each resident any easier.
Something you can likely do is provide for your household either by labor or with tangible resources or both. You can offer comfort, food, housing, work and so much more to those in your direct care. This is also only possible if you have the time and resources left over to do so.
The first ring, or the first encompassing enclosure in our lives, will be at the level of the self. This level within our priorities is not narcissistic or self-absorbed. The truth is that you can not adequately care for another or even begin to offer help if your own environment and sense of self are misaligned or drowning in chaos.
In an ideal world, you would sort yourself out before ever having a family or attempting to guide the greater community in any significant way. It is difficult to trust a guide or provider of resources and labor if they cannot guide these things into their own life.
The fool is busy in everyone’s business but his own.
~Kormak’s Saga, c.14
Life is not always ideal of course, this we all know and can understand. To state this simply, the idea is to keep yourself healthy and able to perform your most essential duties. A sickly, tired, unorganized human can be so unhelpful that they might as well stay home. It is incredibly likely in the event of serious illness that your spouse, your employer, and your professor would all greatly prefer that you focus on returning to health before returning to their frequent presence.
You can keep yourself in good health and standing most easily by following the Nine Noble Virtues, especially Discipline, and Industriousness, and by staying conscious of the tenet of prioritized fitness within the 2nd Stone. Once you can keep yourself maintained, you will more effortlessly know how much extra time and energy you have to spare on a given day (and more energy will be freed with practice).
The first ring in the hierarchy is important as well because it is one of the few things in life that we have complete control over, namely, your Actions and Attitude. You can recall this first circle easily with the “Double-A” or “AA” shorthand (like the battery). Few things in the world are completely within your command but you can control how you act on a daily basis and with what attitude you will approach each situation.
The next ring or circle to focus on will be your immediate family or household. This will be your children and partner if you have these. Depending on the ages of those involved, the depth of the relationships, and many other factors the share of responsibilities will vary. When we bring in the idea of partners and children you can see why the progression is so important.
In the same way that one cannot care for the world or even another individual without knowing where they stand in the world, the same can be said of the second ring of encompassment. If you cannot make time for a partner or children regularly, you are unfit to focus outwardly past those people in your life. Worse still, you will lose those closest to you if you fail them in this regard.
This concept is a strong guideline and strategy for day-to-day living. This cannot be outlined in pure black in white due to the variability of life. An example, of course, is that at times you will focus heavily on your career or your trade to complete a project or gain a promotion; this does not mean that you will reject and ignore your family but instead will work as a team to accommodate the changes.
Hopefully, you will be supported in times of need just as you will sacrifice for your loved ones when they have additional needs of their own. Other examples include the extra energy and time we consistently sacrifice for our offspring or pets. Children don’t stop needing care when we are ill or tired.
The first two rings of the circles will overlap and intertwine at times in mutually supportive ways that will benefit everyone involved in the end. Although this is understood, it still stands that if one is already running their affairs efficiently that this individual will be less stressed and have much more time and effort to give outward to a future partner or family.
Your circles expand outward from this point and will vary based on several factors. Utilize logic and strategy as well as practice the NNV. Be hospitable and not afraid of new friendships. Be not afraid to give time to an old acquaintance or even a stranger, but remember all the good that can come of a moment of time or an ounce of energy.
Direct your efforts intelligently for the betterment of those closest to you first. If we all take care of our own in this way, we will all be healthier, happier, and even have more time and energy to give to the community at large. It is likely that said community requires less care when we all work towards improving our closest circles first and foremost.
Continue on to learn how to Follow the Path.