The myths of the Nordic races including the Germanic tribes and the Vikings speak of the formation of the earth from the slain body of the giant Ymir, the first living creature. Not unlike the Hindu cosmic person, Purusa, according to the these ancient myths, Ymir was created in the void, which is described as a yawning chasm, by the combination of the elements. Children sprang forth from Ymir and three of them, Vili, Ve and Odin, slew Ymir. The World Tree, Yggdrasil, which bridges this yawning chasm, was created from the body of Ymir. Yggdrasil, is described in the Nordic Eddas as the largest tree to have ever grown. Its branches overhang the nine worlds and spread above the heavens. The tree is supported by three roots: one descends into Jotunheim (see map below); one into the fog world of Nifelhel close to the spring of Hvergelmir where the dragon Nidhogg gnaws at the root from below; and one is embedded near Asgard beneath Urd's well. Water from Urd's well is mixed with earth by the three Norns, the weavers of fate: Urd the Grandmother, Skuld the mother and Verdandi the maiden. This earth/water mixture is used to prevent Yggdrasil's bark from rotting. The three Norns are sometimes referred to as the triple goddess because time was not perceived as linear by the Germanic tribes. They understood what we call time to be "that which is"; referencing what is right now, in this moment. That is the meaning of Urd (or Wyrd) the primary Norn. The past is included in "that which is" and the future is being molded or shaped by "that which is". Yggdrasil connects the nine worlds: Asgard, Vanaheim, Muspelheim, Midgard, Lightalfheim, Swartalfheim, Hel, Jotunheim and Nifelhel. The image map below shows the location of these nine worlds. Following is a chart comparing these nine worlds and the seven major chakras: CHAKRA description NORDIC WORLD description First or Root Coiled Kundalini, grounding, survival Nefelhel Deepest part of unconscious, dragon Nidhogg gnaws at root Second or Sacral Deals with opposites, emotions Jotunheim/Hel Jotunheim is masculine/chaotic part of self; Hel is feminine half black and half white Third or Solar Plexus Information/temporal knowledge, transformation through use of will and power, self esteem Swartalfheim/ Lightalfheim Thinking(Lightalfheim) and the transmuting of base materials into higher materials(Swartalfheim) Fourth or Heart Center Midgard The middle world Fifth or Throat Sound, communications Vanaheim Water, feelings Sixth or Third Eye Intuition Muspelheim Intuition Seventh or Crown Transcendence Asgard Highest Plain, Spirituality

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