The Nine Noble Virtues: 9 Life-Changing Codes Revealed

The Nine Noble Virtues are the set of moral and ethical guidelines from the source of the Norse sagas. All Nine Noble Virtues are selected from the most famous sources of Norse mythology and Viking sagas like Poetic Edda or Icelandic Sagas. 

Here is the list of the Nine Noble Virtues

1. Courage 
2. Truth 
3. Honor
4. Fidelity
5. Discipline
6. Hospitality
7. Self Reliance
8. Industriousness 
9. Perseverance

It seems that number 9 has many things related to Norse mythology. The Yggdrasil Great Tree of Life connected Nine Worlds in Norse cosmos. Valknut symbol of Odin had nine points forming from three triangles. Or Odin hung himself nine days and nights to get the wisdom of runes. Number 9 is sacred. 

Courage

The Norse god that was the symbol of courage must be Thor God of Lightning and Thunder. He must be the bravest god in Norse Pantheon. Thor defended not only the gods but also the innocent and powerless humanity. 

One person being courageous is when he/she dares to face the fear and is willing to handle the fear no matter how hard. Courage is the acceptance of truth full of hardships and fear. Only with fear, one person can prove themselves courageous. 

Truth

Forseti was the Norse god of truth who often held the court to judge in his hall. He was the son of Baldur the beloved god and Nanna. 

Truth is the state of being real and according to reality. It honours the life free from lies, conceit, or hypocrisy. 

Honor

Mentioning Honor, which god is the first to pop up in your mind? To me, it is Tyr God of Justice and Honor. 

Honor is the quality of knowing and doing what is morally right. For example, a man of honor means a man knows and does what is morally right and he deserves respect and admiration, just like Tyr. 

In Norse mythology, Tyr knew the oath-breaking deed of gods when they played a trick on Fenrir the Wolf. Tyr then decided to sacrifice his hand as a way to show how ashamed he was for the deed of his clan. He knew what was morally right. 

Fidelity

This quality presents the loyalty and commitment to one person, one community. In Norse mythology, Sigyn wife of Loki was the giantess of fidelity. No matter what Loki had done, she just stayed to protect him. Loki indirectly killed their sons and let himself get punished by gods. But Sigyn never abandoned him. She just stayed and showed how much loyal she was to her husband. 

Discipline

It is the discipline that can make one person stick to the plan. It is much like the power that holds you on to the course even if you don't want to or you are likely to give up. 

Hospitality

A spine of steel but still a heart of kindness. A heart of kindness is the symbol of hospitality. It is generous and friendly behaviour between the guest and the host. In the Viking belief, hospitality extends far away from the food, drink, attitude, and behaviour in parties. It includes the protection as well. 

The most famous giant that had a heart of kindness was Aegir the King of Parties and the best Mead-Brewer in Norse myth. 

Self Reliance

This is the power and the strong belief in your own power. You need neither physical aid nor mental support to get over your hardships. It is the state of being personally independent. 

Odin is the model example of this virtue. When he sacrificed himself to gain wisdom of runes, he was personally independent. He refused any external help because he believed in his internal power. 

Industriousness

Industriousness was the state when one person worked energetically to complete the task and enjoy the fruits. Laziness is never welcomed in their life and they only care every step they take to reach their goals. 

Perseverance 

This is the state when one person is totally committed to accomplishing something in their life, mentally and physically. They never give up despite the disappointment, failure, discouragement, judgement, or any difficulties. 

The most shining example for this virtue is Frigg goddess of love and mother. She devoted her life protecting and seeking her son back from Helheim land of the dead. When her son was still alive, she travelled around the world to ask all creatures not to harm her son. After her son's death, she was determined to retrieve her son back with all the power she had.

Nine Noble Virtues