(Post 4 of 5)

“My grandmother’s best friend was a hidden person. There are hidden people; I believe in it. I grew up with it, and my favourite stories are stories about this.” Before dinner at the farm, Olga Andreasen continues our education about the spiritual life of Icelanders. Hidden people are much like us, but they live out on the land and can usually not be seen. Here’s a lesson: If a hidden woman is having trouble during childbirth, she may send her husband to find a human to help. The human who helps out becomes lucky, but God help the one who refuses.

Olga zeroes in on some of life’s mysteries and links them to Icelandic folklore. “Have you ever had a feeling you’ve been somewhere before? What is that? You tell me. Life is karma. I am 100% sure.” Her final words to us: “This is a hard land. Everything here is very strong.”

Photo by Eric Guth.