Weaving the Web of Life: Interdependence from a Nordic Animistic Perspective

Burmese-Pali Manuscript. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/rbk9jy82Burmese-Pali Manuscript. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/rbk9jy82

Interdependence is a concept that has always resonated with me on a deep level. It’s one of those ideas that, once you start seeing it, you find it everywhere in nature, in relationships, in communities, and people. Today, I want to explore how this concept is woven into two seemingly different traditions: Unitarian Universalism (UU) and Nordic animistic beliefs. At first glance, these might seem worlds apart—one is a modern, inclusive religious movement, and the other is an ancient spiritual tradition rooted in Norse mythology. But when you dig deeper, you’ll find that both share a profound respect for the interconnectedness of all life.

Image credit: Endless Knot in a Burmese-Pali Manuscript. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection. https://wellcomecollection.org/works/rbk9jy82