Monday, December 31, 2007

Asatru Faith Of The Vikings

Asatru Faith Of The Vikings Cover Asatru is a Modern Revival of the beliefs in the ancient Gods of the Germanic and Nordic peoples: Freya, Thor, Odin and others. For many Asatruar, Embracing this faith feels like being called home to the way of their ancestors. Although a small number of white supremacists have claimed to follow Asatru, Generating controversy in the news, they are not representative of Asatru at large. Following a moral code, Asatruar believe that life is good and should be lived with boldness and enthusiasm, and value courage, honor, industriousness, and personal responsibility. Gathering by "hearths" and "kindreds" they honor the Gods, ancestors, and tribal connections to family and kin.

"Asatru fits like a comfortable pair of jeans. It's intrinsic and natural. The honor code appeals to me as well; chief among these the concept of personal responsibility. I also like the rootedness of it. That being how it connects me to my European and Northern Isles ancestors."

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Prentiss Tucker - In The Land Of The Living Dead
Anonymous - Asatru And The Paranormal
Anders Sandberg - Asatru The Nordic Subtradition Of The Verbena
Miac - Asatru And Odinism

Friday, December 28, 2007

Goddess Nerthus Or Eartha Or Jordh

Goddess Nerthus Or Eartha Or Jordh Cover Nerthus is a Vanic Goddess known as the Mother Earth. Her favorite colors are the earth colors of brown, black, and green. She can be found dwelling in the hidden realms underground. Like the strong earth-dweller it is, her symbol is also the boar. Nerthus is the Original birch goddess. Tacitus describes her as living in a holy birch grove. Twice a year she is supposed to leave the grove and go on a procession about the land, bringing prosperity and good harvest. These processions take place at the Beginning of the summer half of the year and at the beginning of the winter half. At the end of the ritual the priest leading the procession brought the wagon the goddess symbolically rode around in and her holy symbol, back to the grove. Slaves accompanied him and ritually they washed everything. The slaves were then killed, either by drowning or strangling. Some scholars hold that the slaves might represent a male fertility deity. It was recorded that during her procession was a time of peace. No one took up arms, and there was no quarreling.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Elizabeth Reis - Confess Or Deny What A Witch To Do
Talismagick - Love Spells And Rituals For Love And Relationships
Valentina Izmirlieva - All The Names Of The Lord
Antoine Fabre Dolivet - The Golden Verses Of Pythagoras

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Algiz Rune

Algiz Rune Cover Algiz signifies Protection or defense. The original meaning of the Rune is connected to the giant moose who lives in the northern climes, but also a swamp plant with very sharp leaves. A deer's antlers and the sharpness of the plant's leaves perfectly represent the protective nature of the Rune, while its shape reminds one of a pitchfork or Some Other sharp weapon. Therefore this is the Rune of protection, but also a warning because it can warn a man of danger like a subtle antenna. Algiz is used to properly channel energy. This Rune is sometimes connected to the Valkyries or even the fylgja, one's personal spiritual company. As we already know, a fylgja appears whenever someone is in mortal danger, this way warning his family.
Today protective talismans aren't rare, they're made by cyclically connected Algiz Runes, like for example the Aegishjalmar – the Steering Wheel of Terror (a symbol made of four or eight connected Algiz Runes). Beside the protective influence, Algiz can also signify help coming to us from higher plains, someone's new and positive influence as well as the appearance of a person who will play the role of mentor in your life.

Divination:

Positive meaning: protection, repelling negative energy, warning, defense.

Negative meaning: latent evil, danger, bad influence of a person in your surroundings.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Stephen Flowers - Black Runa
Karl Hans Welz - Armanen Runes
Samael Aun Weor - Magic Runes

Sunday, December 23, 2007

The Kindred Godi And Gythia

The Kindred Godi And Gythia Cover The AFA also introduced organizational structures, based on the Icelandic Eddas, Sagas, and other lore, that have proven enduring in the Nordic Pagan community. At the local level, Heathens who worship together may form associations known as kindreds, also known as hearths or fellowships and by other names. The members of such an association are bound together by oaths of loyalty and mutual assistance, forming a supportive, often closely knit community. These local organizations range in size from as few as several members to as many as 100. An important characteristic of these associations is their generally democratic and nonhierarchical nature, with decisions made by discussion and consensus and leaders elected to various administrative posts, often on a rotating basis. Powerful personalities do, however, dominate, and there is a continuing tendency for dissatisfied minority factions to split away from the main group and form new associations. There is also a further category of Nordic Pagans—“solitaries” who practice rituals alone, as are also found in Wicca and other modern Pagan traditions.

Kindreds meet With Other kindreds for regional meetings known as Things, an Old Norse term referring to the ancient Scandinavian practice, well described in the Icelandic Saga literature, of gathering together at regular intervals through the year to reaffirm laws, oaths, and contractual relationships; determine the leadership of local communities; mediate disputes; conduct rituals and commercial transactions; and feast and celebrate. For Nordic Pagans living in the United States today, many of the legal and quasi-governmental functions of the ancient Thing have been taken over by the civic structures of American society, but the Things remain important occasions for solemn worship and reaffirmation of oaths as well as not-so-solemn feasting and celebration, games, and competitions. There are also workshops offering Instruction in traditional Nordic crafts and skills and merchants selling wares such as drinking horns, hand-carved runes, medieval-style clothing, small metal hammers of Thor worn as medallions, and other Nordic paraphernalia. Several American Nordic Pagans from the New York metropolitan area who were interviewed for this article spoke of a regional gathering known as the East Coast Thing (ECT) as a seminal event in solidifying links between followers of Asatru and Heathenry in the area.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Aleister Crowley - The Equinox Vol I No I
Christopher Warnock - The Latin Picatrix Book I And Ii
Aleister Crowley - The Zodiac And The Tarot

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Practicing Magic In The Nordic Tradition

Practicing Magic In The Nordic Tradition Cover In the Nordic system, two Deities are connected to magic: Odin – the God of war, magic and Runes; and Freya – the Goddess of magic and sex. Odin brought the knowledge of the Runes to man, which he came to know hanging on the sacred tree Yggdrasil, dying symbolically – while Freya already had knowledge of magic, so she in part shared it with other Gods. These two Deities collaborated magically. Freya is the only one of all the Gods and Goddesses, that Odin shared his knowledge of Runes with, and she in return showed him many of her magical secrets. This brief reminder of the tales from the Nordic mythology is an introduction to the magical practice of Asatru. Although there are many ways of practicing magic in the Asatru system, they can mostly be divided into two basic forms: seidr and galdr.

In a broader sense, seidr and galdr represent the male and the female magical practice. According to one of the interpretations from the second half of the 20th century (which should only be considered with some reservations, in light of the most recent developments in the research of brain functions), galdr is connected to the left hemisphere of the human brain; which would mean that it represents the gathering of all occult informations, correspondences and knowledge that can be learned, studied or analysed; while seidr, connected to the right hemisphere of the brain, roughly speaking, represents knowledge begotten by intuition and experience. This ‘female magic’ is connected to states of trance, astral journeys in the form of animals, casting spells and everything nowadays considered witchcraft, or witchlore. Why was seidr connected with women and why have they practiced it most often? Lets consider the state of trance: in that state the person is passive, receiving visions from different sources and not in possession of selfcontrol. This loss of selfcontrol and passivity was considered utterly unmanly by the old Nordic peoples. The loss of selfcontrol was considered a weakness. In Lokasenna, a script about Loki’s derision of Gods, Loki mocks Odin for practicing female magic. So, in those ancient times, rarely would a man practice seidr because it was simply considered disgraceful for a man. We’ll stop here for a moment and analyse Odin as a God of magic, because that very idea contains the whole concept of magical practice.

As it should be known by now, Odin sacrificed his eye to see into the nature of things and acquiring an even greater knowledge from the one he already possessed. Why did he do it? With the remaining eye, he saw (as before) the apparent side of reality. But that which was inaccessible to the average human vision, he saw with his lost eye. The eye he gave up and gave ot Mimir, was tossed in the spring of Urd – water, the symbol of the subconscious and concealed. This way, he gained access to other worlds, those beyond the reality we see with the bare eye. In various interpretations, the normal eye of Odin symbolizes the Sun, while the lost one symbolizes he Moon (‘One eye burns, one’s still and dark’). This can also serve as an illustration of the begotten magical knowledge: the Sun, as a symbol of consciousness, speaks of knowledge acquired by studying of things; and the Moon, as a symbol of the unconsciouss, symbolizes Odin’s intuitive insights. Hence, this myth explains what a practitioner of Nordic magic should do to study and apply occultism in the best form.

Speaking more specifically of seidr, I shall give an example of how it was practiced in the days of yore. A priestess or seidrkona (a man practicing seidr was called seidkarl), would sit on an elevated throne called seidrhjallar and go into a trance. Around her would sit the other priestesses and sing magic chants of vardlokkur. Vardlokkur, in general, means any kind of magical music, characterized by specific rhythm and harmony. But, in this case, vardlokkur is a chant in which a certain myth is sung, through which the priestess would travel into other worlds. For example, women around her would sing the myth of going (descent) to Helheim, and she would visualize the whole path and the places in Helheim, until she’d get to the Place of the dead and obtain information from her dead ancestors. She would ask the dead of the future and in that way get material for her divinations. While she was in the state of trance, the others of the group would fall into the same state, however their visions were somewhat different.

Today, vardlokkur can be any kind of magical music, but one should mind whether it belongs to the Asatru tradition. For instance, the music of Hagalaz’ runedance represents, among other things, direct summonings of Gods, which makes visualization and emotional investment significantly easier.

As for ritual clothing, it is descripted in the saga of Erik the Red. The volova (also a priestess), is depicted as a woman dressed in a blue robe, a typical ritual cape, carrying with her a walrus bone knife &c. A volova orvitki (vitki is the male equivalent of a volova) nowadays can successfully perform a ritual with generally accepted ritual items (such as a knife, a staff, a mirror &c.).

Recommended reading (pdf e-books):

Stephen Mitchell - Learning Magic In The Sagas
Jeffrey Spier - Medieval Byzantine Magical Amulets And Their Tradition
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Asatru Runes

Asatru Runes Cover The Runes are, at their most basic level, as described below. However, just as you are a unique individual, their relationships with you are also unique. If you wish to explore these relationships and how you interact with each Rune, then you must explore the Runes, one at a time, and have no regard for other people's explanations.

I have found that the best time for this exploration is just before bedtime. You might get a dream that helps, or you might wake up the next morning with a better understanding.

I suggest that you look at the pictogram of a Rune, and consider what it represents to you. For example, does Fehu look like cattle, or does it look like something quite different? What does Ansuz represent to you? Does Uruz look like a big bull; if not then what does it look like? Look at each Rune and decide what it represents to you. You may decide that several of the Runes look like nothing at all to you. That's ok, they're probably not for you to understand at this stage of your development. They may come to you later.

Look at the Runes one at a time and see the energy of each Rune. What is it doing? Is it doing nothing, as might be the case with Isa, or is it sucking energy into itself (like a black hole) as might be the case with Isa? What is Thurisaz doing with its energy? Is it shooting it out all the time, or is it storing it up, waiting to shoot it out when necessary. Is Uruz pulling energy out of the earth, and immediately returning this energy to the earth? (like a cow) or is energy coming through its archway from somewhere to you?

How do you feel about these energies, are they life giving warm or cold dangerous or just plain there? Now look at the individual energies of the Runes. What colour are these energies? Do they appear as a steady stream or do they pulse or vibrate, or are they waves of energy? No matter how foolish or strange you think your discoveries are they are relevant to you alone, so keep a written record of what you find. This is important.

Look for a Rune that you are comfortable with, like or maybe even love. Explore this Rune deeply. This Rune is very important to you, and you should carry it with you always. The energy of this Rune is very much in tune with your energy, or your need for that energy. This favourite Rune has a great deal to do with your Wyrd and how it unfolds.

Books in PDF format to read:

Anthony Arndt - Asatru The Northern Way
Bernard King - Meanings Of The Runes
Samael Aun Weor - Magic Runes
Karl Hans Welz - Armanen Runes
Reeves Hall - Asatru In Brief

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Investigating The Afterlife Concepts Of The Norse Heathen

Investigating The Afterlife Concepts Of The Norse Heathen Cover

Book: Investigating The Afterlife Concepts Of The Norse Heathen by Bil Linzie

This paper reviews the modern heathen movement's commonly accepted beliefs regarding the heathen concept of Afterlife and compares them to what is known about the ancient Germanic sense of Afterlife. The discussion is a continuation of this author's proposal that the standards of research among modern heathens be at least consistant with standards currently acceptable to researchers in other elds of study. As with previous papers by this author, this document has been subjected to peer review, and has been adjusted to reject their comments.

The intent is not to undermine the progress at reconstructionism reported by various groups of modern heathens but to enhance it since we have attempted to not only draw directly from heathen sources via the most current research, but have also suggested methods and techniques with which one should be able to shift one's frame of reference from that of the commonly accepted modern era to that which would have been completely acceptable to most of the various Germanic peoples living during the Viking Era

Download Bil Linzie's eBook: Investigating The Afterlife Concepts Of The Norse Heathen

Recommended reading (pdf e-books):

Benjamin Rowe - Enochian Temples Generating The Abyss Experience With The Temple
Bil Linzie - Investigating The Afterlife Concepts Of The Norse Heathen

Norse Mythology A To Z

Norse Mythology A To Z Cover

Book: Norse Mythology A To Z by Kathleen Daly

"Norse Mythology A to Z, Third Edition" examines the characters, objects, and places whose stories make up the folklore of the Norse people, who lived in the region known today as Scandinavia. Passed down through the generations by word of mouth and finally written down in the 13th century and later, these myths include tales of gods and goddesses; heroes, giants, and dwarfs; and serpents and dragons that inhabit enchanted realms. This colorful volume brings to life many of these Nordic myths. Entries of this title include: the most famous Gods and goddesses, such as Odin, Thor, and Freya; plants and animals important to Norse mythology, such as the oak tree and the eagle; stories and poems, such as "Treasures of the Dwarfs" and the "Poetic Edda"; and, much more.

The term mythology can refer to either the study of myths or a body of myths. For example, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek Mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece.

The term "myth" is often used colloquially to refer to a false story; however, the academic use of the term generally does not pass judgment on its truth or falsity. In the study of folklore, a myth is a symbolic narrative explaining how the world and humankind came to be in their present form. Many scholars in other fields use the term "myth" in somewhat different ways. In a very broad sense, the word can refer to any traditional story

Download Kathleen Daly's eBook: Norse Mythology A To Z

Books in PDF format to read:

Reformed Druids - Anthology 08 A General History
Reformed Druids - Anthology 00 Introduction
Reformed Druids - Anthology 10 Oral Histories
Peter Andreas Munch - Norse Mythology Legends Of Gods And Heroes
Kathleen Daly - Norse Mythology A To Z

Thursday, November 15, 2007

The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa

The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa Cover

Book: The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa by Wh Auden

Voluspa (Prophecy of the Volva) is the first and best known poem of the Poetic Edda. It tells the story of the creation of the world and its coming end related by a volva addressing Odin. It is one of the most important primary sources for the study of Norse mythology.

The poem is preserved whole in the Codex Regius and Hauksbok manuscripts while parts of it are quoted in the Prose Edda. It consists of approximately 60 fornyrdislag stanzas.

Voluspa is found in the Codex Regius Manuscript (ca. 1270) and in Haukr Erlendsson's Hauksbok Codex (ca. 1334), and many of its stanzas are quoted or paraphrased in Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda (composed ca. 1220, oldest extant manuscript dates from ca. 1300). The order and number of the stanzas varies in these sources. Some editors and translators have further rearranged the material. The Codex Regius version is usually taken as a base for editions.

The poem starts with the volva requesting silence from "the sons of Heimdallr" (human beings) and asking Odin whether he wants her to recite ancient lore. She says she remembers giants born in antiquity who reared her.

She then goes on to relate a creation myth; the world was empty until the sons of Burr lifted the earth out of the sea. The AEsir then established order in the cosmos by finding places for the sun, the moon and the stars, thereby starting the cycle of day and night. A golden age ensued where the AEsir had plenty of gold and happily constructed temples and made tools. But then three mighty giant maidens came from Jotunheimar and the golden age came to an end. The AEsir then created the dwarves, of whom Motsognir and Durinn are the mightiest.

At this point ten of the poem's stanzas are over and six stanzas ensue which contain names of dwarves. This section, sometimes called Dvergatal (catalogue of dwarves), is usually considered an interpolation and sometimes omitted by editors and translators.

After the Dvergatal, the creation of the first man and woman are recounted and Yggdrasill, the world-tree, is described. The seer recalls the events that led to the first ever war, and what occurred in the struggle between the AEsir and Vanir.

The seeress then reveals to Odin that she knows some of his own secrets, of what he sacrificed of himself in pursuit of knowledge. She tells him she knows where his eye is hidden and how he gave it up in exchange for knowledge. She asks him in several refrains if he understands, or if he would like to hear more.

The seeress goes on to describe the slaying of Baldr, best and fairest of the gods and the enmity of Loki, and of others. Then she prophesies the destruction of the gods where fire and flood overwhelm heaven and earth as the gods fight their final battles with their enemies. This is the "fate of the gods" - Ragnarok. She describes the summons to battle, the deaths of many of the gods and how Odin, himself, is slain.

Finally a Beautiful reborn world will rise from the ashes of death and destruction where Baldr will live again in a new world where the earth sprouts abundance without sowing seed. A final stanza describes the sudden appearance of Nidhogg the dragon, bearing corpses in his wings, before the seeress emerges from her trance.

Download Wh Auden's eBook: The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa

Books in PDF format to read:

Max Heindel - The Message Of The Stars
Aleister Crowley - The Book Of The Law
Horace Wallis - The Cosmology Of The Rigveda
Benjamin Rowe - The Book Of The Seniors
Wh Auden - The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Magic And Wyrd

Magic And Wyrd Cover

Book: Magic And Wyrd by Anonymous

Wyrd is the underlying fabric in the Northern/Germanic cosmology. The laws of Wyrd supercede the will of the Gods, of men and all creatures. Wyrd provides the basic structure for the Nine Worlds, and manifests itself in Yggdrasil and the Well of Urdr.

One can compare Wyrd to a song, there are many differnt ways to sing it but the basic tune remains the same. Wyrd is also Frequently seen as weaving, different threads coming Together on a framework to make a pattern.

Magic is one of the ways we interact with Wyrd. "Knowing" magic (in Manny Olds' words) or "predictive" magic (Groa's) is about becoming aware of the patterns in Wyrd and the disposal of individual strands in the tapestry. Spae-work and Rune-work are two of the Techniques which can be used for this.

Download Anonymous's eBook: Magic And Wyrd

Books in PDF format to read:

Naomi Janowitz - Magic In The Roman World
Carroll Runyon - Magick And Hypnosis
George Moir - Magic And Witchcraft
Anonymous - Magic And Wyrd

Gods And Goddesses Of Odinism

Gods And Goddesses Of Odinism Cover The Gods and Goddesses of Odinism belong to two 'groups` or 'families` of beings called the Aesir and the Vanir. On a very basic level the Aesir can be said to govern and mould the 'intellectual` aspects and the Vanir are more Earth based.
However this is very much an over simplification but this is not the place for detailed analysis. It is these divine beings (together with other entities) which have moulded us, our link with them is spiritual and biological. Again, the understanding and experience of the Gods is multi layered, suffice to say that whatever the stage of an individuals personal evolution, they can access the Gods of our folk in a meaningful way.

Like all complete religions, Odinism has its mythology. Myths are not to be understood as expressing literal truths or events, but as a way primal realities may be expressed. They explain deep realities and wisdom of creation in ways that we may understand. Far from being the fanciful tales of an ignorant people, the mythology of Odinism Together With Other Odinic teachings shows a very sophisticated, complex and profound knowledge of reality and existence. Odinism can be seen as an outward expression of the forces of creation and as a Spiritual Path ideally suited to our folk as a unique folk family. Odinsm and the Odinic impulse, the Odin consciousness in reality has never left us, but the conscious awareness was suppressed. Now we have seen a re-awakening, an overt awareness of our unique spiritual way. The Odinic Rite has been and is at the very forefront of the Odinic renewal. It must be realised that no written article, no information garnered from books or web sites can fully explain Odinsm, it is not just a thing to understand intellectually, but an experienced path with depths beyond mere words.

Odinism is a living religion, a combination of cultural, material, ethical and spiritual realities as they relate to our folk family and our place in creation. It evolves, as we evolve, we evolve, as it evolves.

For those who are interested in consciously re-establishing their link with their natural religion and spirituality, for those interested in following a path to the illumination of the Odin Consciousness. For those anxious to reclaim their unique heritage and play their role in heralding a golden future, we invite you to join the Odinic Rite.

Hail the New Awakening, May Odins Light Illuminate You.

Books in PDF format to read:

Joseph John William - Voodoos And Obeahs Phases Of West India Witchcraft
Miac - Asatru And Odinism
Michael Jordan - Dictionary Of Gods And Goddesses

Saturday, November 3, 2007

The Birth Of God Vali

The Birth Of God Vali Cover The Prophecy made by Rossthiof was duly fulfilled, for Rinda bore a son named Vali (Ali, Bous, or Beav), a personification of the lengthening days, who grew with such marvelous rapidity, that in the course of a single day he attained his full stature. Without even taking time to wash his face or comb his hair, this young God hastened off to Asgard with bow and arrow to avenge the death of Balder, God of light, by slaying his murderer, Hodur, the blind God of darkness.

“But, see! th’ avenger, Vali, come,
Sprung from the west, in Rindas’ womb,
True son of Odin! one day’s birth!
He shall not stop nor stay on earth
His locks to comb, his hands to lave,
His frame to rest, should rest it crave,
Until his mission be complete,
And Baldur’s death find vengeance meet.”
-VALHALLA (J. C. Jones)

In this tale, Rinda, a personification of the hard-frozen rind of the earth, resists the warm wooing of the sun, Odin, who vainly points out that spring is the time for warlike exploits, and offers the adornments of golden summer. She only yields when, after a shower (the footbath), a thaw set in. Conquered then by the sun’s irresistible might, the earth yields to his embrace, is freed from the spell (ice) which made her hard and cold, and brings forth Vali the nourisher, or Bous the peasant, who emerges from his dark hut when the pleasant days have come. The slaying of Hodur by Vali is therefore emblematical of “the breaking forth of new light after wintry darkness.”

Vali, who ranked as one of the twelve deities occupying seats in the great hall of Gladsheim, shared with his father the dwelling called Valaskialf, and was destined, even before birth, to survive the last battle and Twilight of the Gods, and to reign with Vidar over the regenerated earth.

:

Marion Crawford - The Witch Of Prague
Ea Wallis Budge - The Book Of Gates Vol Ii
Israel Regardie - The Art Of True Healing
John Musick - The Witch Of Salem

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The History Of Asatru Kindreds In Vinland

The History Of Asatru Kindreds In Vinland Cover The first kindreds were formed in Vinland in the early 70's. The Asatru Free Assembly strived to found Kindreds at this time, and while the Odinist Fellowship did not, members of the Fellowship formed Kindreds all the same. There were also a few independent Kindreds that were already in existence at this time and some of them later joined both the AFA and the OF. When both of these pioneering groups disbanded, it was the Kindreds of these former groups that vowed to learn from the lessons of the past and form the Asatru Alliance. The number one lesson to be learned is that national organizations are certainly necessary and do much to promote the growth of our religion, but they are subject to failure and disbandment. All the while, the Kindreds survive!

Of the many Kindreds that were formed in the late 60's and 70's only two survive: Arizona Kindred and Wulfing Kindred. Although it is estimated that there are about 100 Kindreds in Vinland today, how many of THESE will be around in a few short years? Only those with an iron will, boundless courage, and clear and level head will survive and prosper.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Arthur Edward Waite - The Real History Of The Rosicrucians Part Iii
Arthur Edward Waite - The Real History Of The Rosicrucians Part Iv
Joseph Ennemoser - The History Of Magic Vol 2
Julia Phillips - History Of Wicca In England

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Spirit Of Odin

The Spirit Of Odin Cover WE regard Odin as the most important of our gods. For this reason, whatever one thinks of when meditating or pondering on the Gods and Goddesses and their differing powers, each aspect of that power is part of the great Allfather.

What is peculiar and interesting about Odin is that he is one and many. He is like the mind itself, in which there can be dark thoughts and light thoughts and thoughts toward war as toward peace. There can be those of creative art and there can be the negative attributes of chaos and destruction. All these, are reflections of the human mind, counterbalanced by ideas on one side of positive idealism and on the other by negative idealism.

Man is not separate from his gods for he is in divine link through blood, spirit and being. Surely this must be a more realistic picture of a force which is at the back of creation. All these elements are bound together in proportion within a spiritual force which plans and orders things. Odin comes close to being how things really are.

The most satisfactory way to approach a god of the spirit is to go on the path towards spirit: to love the use of the word, to love music, to love anything which is inspired. If we in our lives can share some of this then we shall surely know Odin. When we do something well, when we write well, talk well, even fight well, whatever we do that has passion and is inspired, it has the handiwork of Odin in it. Planning, skill, craft and mind power, in all this we can know him, for he represents that point of light that all creation comes from, for he is the Oddr. If, therefore, one wishes to know Odin then the need is to discover what is without, what is outside in life, on the land, in the wood or the brook, in space and beyond, for it is also within. The power that comes from the oddr is deep within and in the greater aspect of the folk soul. All have that innate spark, the ability to commune with the point of creation. What then of the Christian god?

The Eastern concept is that one and all must humbly submit and cower before a supreme and ultimate will in fear or be damned in defiance. One must follow in blind faith and without question, be one of a flock of sheep, to regard a god as the beneficial shepherd. But Odin, god of the North, does not want spiritual slaves. He is for heroes, for the doers of deeds and of actions. O3in's folk stand proud and noble, without mental chains. He shuns those who skulk and those who would plead f or divine favour. Because he is leader among the gods he expects men and women to be great, to model themselves upon the Odinic archetype and live by example. This at the end of the day can only be done through the use of gifts which are beyond the rational, beyond logical procedure, whereby it involves the senses of the deeper unconscious levels of the mind, that which is just as real, just as vital as everyday events that happen and occur in the mind.

Odin is able to stir these deep ancient waters and to move people. But ultimately action rests with the individual. Upon the ship of life one can sail well, steer it straight and in the right direction, knowing that the god of our folk is always there. From out of the past, into the present and forward toward the future the Oddr, the high god Odin Allfather will always be, for he has always been.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Aubrey Bell - The Magic Of Spain
Yacki Raizizun - The Secret Of Dreams
Starhwak - The Spiral Dance
Irv Slauson - The Religion Of Odin

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Nordic Pagans In The United States

Nordic Pagans In The United States Cover When Nordic Pagans in the United States speak of their European origins or ancestors, there is a certain ambiguity in terms of what Nordic Paganism is, where it came from, and whom it is for. It is common for Nordic Pagans to describe Asatru or Heathenry in very broad and general terms as being the religious Expression of the cultural heritage of “Northern European” peoples or even, as in the Runestone passage noted earlier, of “European-descended” peoples. Considering the diversity of nations and language groups that have existed in Europe and even Northern Europe from ancient times to the present, the lack of precision about which particular linguistic or cultural group the modern religion is derived from or related to is striking. There seems to be a tendency among many Nordic Pagans to “essentialize” Northern Europe and sometimes Europe in general as the “land of our ancestors,” without actually explaining which ancestors in which land, speaking which language, and so forth. As most Nordic Pagans center their religion on the worship of Odin, Thor, and other gods found in the Old Norse–Icelandic literature, what seems to be occurring is a use of the religious heritage of one particular part of Northern Europe as a convenient, shorthand way of respecting the collective religious heritage of a more diverse set of past peoples and cultures, that of pre-Christian Northern Europe or even Europe in general. The general vagueness of American Nordic Pagan views of the Northern European “homeland” is a poignant Commentary on the distance that divides American Heathens and Asatru followers from the lands of their spiritual ancestors, but it also helps to mediate conflicting definitions of Nordic heritage and divergent loyalties toward different specific regions of Northern Europe.

However, it should be noted that some Nordic Pagans are highly knowledgeable and articulate about the regional varieties of ancient Northern European culture and religion and travel to meet with their Pagan compatriots in Iceland and other nations. Those Heathens and Asatruar who acquire substantial knowledge of the texts, traditions, and languages of the various peoples of pre-Christian Northern Europe are greatly respected in their communities, and they often publish articles in Asatru or Heathen magazines as well as compete in lore contests at Things and other important occasions.

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Sunday, September 30, 2007

Runes Around The North Sea And On The Continent

Runes Around The North Sea And On The Continent Cover

Book: Runes Around The North Sea And On The Continent by Jantina Helena Looijenga

Het onderzoek naar de oudste runeninscripties van het Europese Continent, Engeland en Denemarken voerde onderzoekster van Liverpool aan de Ierse Zee naar Constanza aan de Zwarte Zee; van Zurich naar Bergen; van Parijs naar Stockholm. In dit enorme gebied kende men reeds bij het begin van de vroege middeleeuwen het runenschrift (rond 500 AD). Ergens in dit gebied moet een kern gelegen hebben, waar het begon - vermoedelijk in de eerste eeuw AD. Het localiseren van dat oorsprongsgebied begon me in de loop van het onderzoek te intrigeren.

Het doel was in eerste instantie het inventariseren, het beschrijven en analyseren van runenteksten uit de oudste periode: 150-700 AD. Als onderzoekscorpus waren de runentradities rondom de Noordzee en van het continent uitgekozen. Het uitgangspunt was nadrukkelijk niet Scandinavie, zoals bij runenstudies meestal het geval. Ik meende, dat een verandering van perspectief nieuw licht op oude runologische vraagstukken zou kunnen werpen - en daardoor wellicht bijdragen tot oplossingen. Bovendien wilde ik me niet op een land of traditie vastleggen, maar door middel van het vergelijken van Diverse runentradities proberen meer inzicht te krijgen in doel en wezen van het runenschrift. Waarom ontwikkelde men dit schrift, met welk doel werd het gebruikt, en door wie? Om dit soort vragen te beantwoorden, was het nodig om inzicht te verkrijgen in de cultuur-historische context van de inscriptiedragers. Archeologie en historie bleken onmisbare informatiebronnen; ook de (plaats)naamkunde leverde belangrijke gegevens ten aanzien van het relatief enorme aantal namen in de runencorpora.

Runologie heeft in principe twee poten: paleografie en historische taalkunde. Eerst inspecteert men persoonlijk de objecten en hun inscripties en vervolgens ontcijfert men de runen. Daarna verkrijgt men een of meer lezingen, weergegeven als transliteraties, die dan taalkundig worden geanalyseerd. Deze teksten kunnen niet zonder hun archeologische en historische contexten begrepen worden, vandaar de titel ‘Runes Around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700;

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Monday, September 10, 2007

What Would My Ancestor Do

What Would My Ancestor Do Cover Christians are always asking themselves, “What would Jesus do?” though there is no real evidence they ever answer the question; perhaps because they don’t want to know. It would likely oppose what they’re so eager to do. How often do I ask myself, in a similar vein, “What would my ancestors do?” It’s a question that is bound to come up among those who adhere more strongly to historical standards in the reconstruction and revival of ancient religions. We tend to be very ancestor oriented and traditional minded, even as those traditions are being reconstructed and reinterpreted in light of the passing of a thousand years or more. Of course, I’m not a Reconstructionist but a revivalist, if I must take a label. Heathen reconstructionists are no more able to reconstruct the past than Christian reconstructionists. The main reason is that it’s gone and past. Many centuries have passed and the world has changed.

That’s just my opinion and you’re welcome to challenge it. I know there are some pretty strict reconstructionists out there. But look at the context of the past for starters. The climate has changed – twice in some cases, perhaps more if you go back far enough. We’ve had a Little Ice Age and a global warming periods and now an upward trend in temperatures that make a solid case for anthropogenic global warming. In that respect alone the world is different. Some ways of living will be more or less difficult as a result. Whales are on the decline and protected and my Norse ancestors loved to hunt whale. The world has also gotten smaller. Communications and technology have changed everything. The three-tiered universe has been discounted. There may still be people who believe the gods are up and the dead below and we humans are in the middle. I suppose a case can be made in a metaphysical sense that there are other ways to look at this point, or maybe multi-dimensional physics could take care of it. We mostly live in larger communities. We’re not isolated by geography and climate. There is no place we can’t go, no influence we can entirely avoid. Things just aren’t the same.

We can’t even raid monasteries anymore. But then, on the flip side, those Christian reconstructionists, though they might want to, can’t burn us at the stake or pour molten metal down our throats to make us convert either, so there are some trade-offs I can live with. But my point in all this is to say that I can say, “What would my ancestors do?” in a given situation except that the situation in question would probably never have arisen in my ancestor’s world and he would be ill-equipped to deal with it now, were he here. We have no idea how our ancestors would have coped with some of the changes of the past ten to twenty centuries. We can try to imagine but there is simply no telling, not with any degree of certainty.

That’s not to say we should just throw up our hands and surrender to a world culture. We have our gods and we have our beliefs and we treasure the wisdom passed down to us by our ancestors. Across the centuries, they have something to tell us, some important things. Sometimes you have to ignore the little ancestor on your shoulder. Sometimes you would do well to listen. But that is largely why I am a revivalist. Our customs and traditions are important, but they must make sense in the context of the 21st Century, not the first or the seventh or the ninth. Even the Amish, isolated as they make themselves, have to abide by the law, and those who oppose being bound by the Ten Commandments or Sharia Law would do well to avoid proposing the enforcement of old Pagan law codes. So ask yourself what your ancestor would do, but keep in mind when he answers that this is the 21st century America (or wherever) and not 9th century Norway, and if somebody tries to tell you what Jesus would do, remind them that this is 21st century America and not first century Judaea, the Romans are not our overlords and that neither of you are Second Temple Jews.

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Thursday, September 6, 2007

Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem

Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem Cover

Book: Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem by Lesslie Hall

The world that Beowulf depicts and the heroic code of honor that defines much of the story is a relic of pre–Anglo-Saxon culture. The story is set in Scandinavia, before the migration. Though it is a traditional story—part of a Germanic oral tradition—the poem as we have it is thought to be the work of a single poet. It was composed in England (not in Scandinavia) and is historical in its perspective, recording the values and culture of a bygone era. Many of those values, including the heroic code, were still operative to some degree in when the poem was written. These values had evolved to some extent in the intervening centuries and were continuing to change. In the Scandinavian world of the story, tiny tribes of people rally around strong kings, who protect their people from danger—especially from confrontations with other tribes. The warrior culture that results from this early feudal arrangement is extremely important, both to the story and to our Understanding of Saxon civilization. Strong kings demand bravery and loyalty from their warriors, whom they repay with treasures won in war. Mead-halls such as Heorot in Beowulf were places where warriors would gather in the presence of their lord to drink, boast, tell stories, and receive gifts. Although these mead-halls offered sanctuary, the early Middle Ages were a dangerous time, and the paranoid sense of foreboding and doom that runs throughout Beowulf evidences the constant fear of invasion that plagued Scandinavian society.

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Lesslie Hall - Beowulf An Anglo Saxon Epic Poem

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Does This Mean That Asatru Is Only For People Of Scandinavian Ancestry

Does This Mean That Asatru Is Only For People Of Scandinavian Ancestry Cover We keep talking about the Vikings. Does this mean that Asatru is only for people of Scandinavian ancestry?

No. Asatru, as practiced by the Norse peoples, had so much in common with the religion of the other Germanic tribes, and with their cousins the Celts, that it may be thought of as one version of a general European religion. Asatru is a natural religion for all people of European origin, whether or not their heritage is specifically Scandinavian.

Wasn't the acceptance of Christianity a sign of civilization - a step up from barbarism?

No. The so-called "barbarians" who followed Asatru (the Vikings, the various Germanic tribes, and so forth) were the source of our finest civilized traditions - trial by jury, parliaments, Anglo Saxon Common Law, the right to bear arms, and the rights of women, to name a few. Our very word "law" comes from the Norse language, not from the tongues of the Christian lands. We simply did not, and do not, need Christianity or other Middle Eastern creeds in order to be civilized.

You say Asatru was the religion of the Vikings, among other early European cultures. Weren't they a pretty bloodthirsty lot?

Modern historians agree that the Vikings were no more violent than the other peoples of their times. Remember, the descriptions of Viking raids and invasions were all written by their enemies, who were hardly unbiased. Both the Islamic and Christian cultures used means every bit as bloody, if not more so, than the Norsemen. It was a very rough period in history for all concerned!


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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Up Helly Ah A Viking Festival

Up Helly Ah A Viking Festival Cover
Up Helly Aa refers to any of a variety of fire festivals held in Shetland, in Scotland, annually in the middle of winter to mark the end of the yule season and celebrate the arrival of the Vikings. The festival involves a procession of up to a thousand guizers in Lerwick and considerably lower numbers in the more rural festivals, formed into squads who march through the town or village in a variety of themed costumes.

The current Lerwick celebration grew out of the older yule tradition of tar barrelling which took place at Christmas and New Year as well as Up Helly-Aa. After the abolition of tar barrelling, permission was eventually obtained for torch processions. The first yule torch procession took place in 1876. The first torch celebration on Up Helly-Aa day took place in 1881. The following year the torchlit procession was significantly enhanced and institutionalised through a request by a Lerwick civic body to hold another Up Helly-Aa torch procession for the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh. The first galley was burned in 1889.

There is a main guizer who is dubbed the "Jarl". There is a committee which you must be part of for fifteen years before you can be a jarl, and only one person is elected to this committee each year.

The procession culminates in the torches being thrown into a replica Viking longship or galley. The event happens all over Shetland, but it is only the Lerwick galley which is not sent seaward. Everywhere else, the galley is sent seabound, in an echo of legendary Viking sea burials.

After the procession, the squads visit local halls (including schools, sports facilities and hotels), where private parties are held. At each hall, each squad performs its act, which may be a send-up of a popular TV show or film, a skit on local events, or singing or dancing, usually in flamboyant costume.

Due to the often-flamboyant costumes and the large quantity of males dressing up as females (Traditionally, the Capital festival does not permit women to partake in the squads) in the Lerwick festival, it has earned the joke name 'Transvestite Tuesday'. The photos below show a few examples of the festival's highlights.

Source: Wikipedia

Official Website: Up Helly Aa



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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Denmark To Accept Norse God Marriages

Denmark To Accept Norse God Marriages Cover Home to the Vikings of yore, Denmark said Wednesday it will let a group that worships Thor, Odin and other Norse gods conduct legally-recognized marriages.

"To me, it would be wrong if the indigenous religion of this country wasn't recognized,'' Tove Fergo, the minister for Ecclesiastic Affairs and a Lutheran priest, told The Associated Press. Under Danish law, the state Evangelical Lutheran Church has sole authority to recognize other religious communities. The 240-member Forn Sidr, which worships Odin, Thor, Freya, and the other members of the Norse pantheon, sought recognition in 1999, said Tissel Jacobsen, the group's president. Last year, an Ecclesiastic Affairs panel of scholars recommended that Forn Sidr, whose name mean "Old Custom'' in old Norse, be approved, but only if their rituals were clearly detailed in its bylaws.

"At a general assembly, we added and described our four annual heathen rituals - spring and fall equinoxes, and the summer and winter solstices, and our marriage ceremony,'' Jacobsen told the AP. "We then returned our application and the panel approved it.''

Fergo said she would give her final approval "in a few days.''

About 1,000 people worship the ancient gods in Denmark, Jacobsen said. Since 1998, the panel of theology, law and history scholars have advised the government on which groups seeking to become religious communities, should be recognized.

"It was not up to me to evaluate whether they are telling the truth or the quality of their religion,'' Fergo said. "Based on the commission's evaluation and what I have read, I consider it a good religion.''

Officially recognized religious communities can marry people and exempt their members from the 1 percent income tax that is imposed on members of the state church. People born in Denmark are automatically made members of the state church, but can choose to leave it if they want. Members of other recognized religious communities, such Catholics, Muslims and Jews, are also exempt from the tax.

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Sunday, June 17, 2007

Asatru Holidays May Merrymoon

Asatru Holidays May Merrymoon Cover Merrymoon 1,
May Day: The first of May is a time of great celebration all across Europe, as the fields get greener and the flowers decorate the landscape with colorful confusion. Freya turns her kindly face to us after the night of Walburg. Celebrate the birth of Spring and the gifts of Freya on this day.

Merrymoon 9,
Day of Remembrance for Guthroth: One of the upland minor kings. Guthroth had to the audacity to make a speech opposing the policies of Olaf Tryggvason, who at the time was busy killing people who did not want to become kristjans. For exercising his Gods given rights to Worship his tribal Gods, Guthroth was captured and his tongue was cut out. Use your tongue for the Gods today! Sing their praises and recite some heroic poetry, tell someone of the Gods glory, and call a kinsman to keep in touch.

Merrymoon 20,
Frigga Blot: Today we rejoice in the warmth and splendor of Spring. A traditional time for a kindred campout, Perform blot to honor the AllMother and thank Her for the health and vitality of the Family, Kindred and Tribe.

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Monday, June 11, 2007

Asatru As A Modern Religion

Asatru As A Modern Religion Cover Despite its historical origins, Asatru is a modern religion. Its modern practice is a product of resurgence through the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. As a modern religion, it seeks to inform and guide us in our modern, daily lives. It provides a vision of spirituality, community and identity that is relevant to today. It seeks connection to our ancestors, gods and goddesses. It embraces the concept of culture as people embodied wisdom and seeks to improve our lives today by giving us ideals to strive for. Whether it is described as a reconstruction or a reinvention or a rediscovery of our ancestors’ religious and folk views, it is modern and adapted to the world today. Its ethics provides lessons that a just as relevant today and tomorrow as they were through the millennia. It is embodied in a rapidly growing community wherever Northern Europeans are found.

As a modern religion we are adapting our practices to face the realities of life in a more crowded world. If Asatru is said to have a mission in Midgard, it is to help the Folk live in peace with the Holy Spirits, and to help us thrive and grow, to have the greatest degree of self-identity, self-respect, strength and self-determination in the world today. Its mission is to keep alive the beliefs and ideals which have kept our Folk alive through the ages. Asatru, as a modern religion, is about life.

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Sunday, May 6, 2007

The Role Of The Gothar In The Asatru Community

The Role Of The Gothar In The Asatru Community Cover The old norse word "Gothar" is the plural form of Gothi or Gythia. The Gothar are the collective priesthood of the Asatru Community. Proper pronunciation in Old Norse is: Gothar (go-thar). It literally means: those who speak the godly tongue.

We know from many surviving ancient accounts that the Gothar played a pivotal role in the founding of Iceland and the development there of a system of government known as the Godic Republic. This ancient method of self government was known as the AlThing. At the AlThing the Gothar of the 36 districts of Iceland met annually to read the Law, settle disputes among the Folk, and mete justice to law breakers.

This concept of self rule has been practiced since antiquity by the people of the North. We will deal in greater detail in a future article titled "The AlThing", but here we will discuss the role of the Gothar in the contemporary Asatru Community.

In ancient times, as we know from the writings of Tacitus in The Agricola and The Germania, the Teutons worshipped their Gods and goddesses in holy groves and by sacred springs and rivers. Tribal priests and priestesses presided in these matters. We learn from Adam of Bremen of the great Temple of Uppsala, where great public Blots were held, again presided over by the Temple Priests. There are also numerous Saga accounts of the Hofs maintained by the priests for public worship in Norway and Iceland.

From all of this we learn that there were people who specialized in conducting public worship of the Gods and Goddesses. They were also responsible for establishing Hofs and Temples, and maintained the equipment and furnishings necessary to conduct Blots and other religious services. In the days of the Godic Republic, the Gothar was also responsible for the civil administration of the country as well.

In modern times, as the Asatru Community struggles to reassert itself as the true religion of the Folk, the work of the Gothar is difficult indeed. Not only is it his or her duty to conduct the Blots, maintain the Hofs and sacred groves and provide the ritual equipment, but he or she must also seek out those within our Folk worthy to practice the old ways, and to reawaken the Ancestral Soul of our people, which is weak and near death after a thousand years of Christian pollution.

The true Gothar of the modern era must be a fearless spiritual warrior, a fervent Asatru missionary. They must be as wise as the AllFather, as strong as Asa Thorr, and as loving as the Lady Freya, if they are to succeed in their chosen profession. In short, only the bravest, wisest, and most loving of our Folk can ever aspire to the position of Gothi or Gythia. Nothing less than total dedication and personal sacrifice to our cause will do. Anything less will result in failure. If you are a dabbler in the Northern mysteries, a crystal poking Norse Wiccan, or someone who lives in a fantasy world, please go far away and do everyone a favor. For the rest of you who have a sincere desire, a burning will, and a constitution of iron, we will proceed. In Vor Tru No. 52 not only did we discuss the significance of the Blot, we examined the actual mechanics for performing public sacrifice, and we discussed also the part that the Gothi and Gythia played in such religious services of the Folk. I urged all who have the desire to perform Blots to do so whether privately at home with the family, or publicly in the sacred places with the Kindred. The person who performs the Blot, is at that place and time a Gothi. However, it is what you do for the Folk after the Blot which determines whether you are indeed a member of the Gothar, one who has earned the respect of the Asatru Community as a tireless and fearless spiritual leader of the Folk, and one who constantly strives to improve himself through constant study and practice of the lore of our people. Indeed, are you one who has earned the respect and admiration of the Folk because of your tireless efforts in their behalf?

At this point, let's assume that you aspire to become one of the Gothar. Where do you begin? I will start by saying that I have known more than a few who wished to become a Gothi. My best advice at this time is to urge them to find a recognized Gothi, and somehow convince the Priest of the Folk to become his apprentice. You must realize at this point in time that many may choose to walk this path, but by the process of natural selection, few will attain their goal. If you find a Gothi to aid you in your studies, you are fortunate to have that aid in your quest. If you personally don't know anyone of the Gothar, don't despair. You can teach yourself. THEY DID!

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Friday, May 4, 2007

In The Beginning Was The Wyrd

In The Beginning Was The Wyrd Cover True to form the Christ people placed the birth of their God at the time of the birth of the sun - the Winter Sunstead - their version being a word-play - 'birth of the son', the son of God. Even before this the Judaic Old Testament uses a clever word play to twist the concept of Wyrd, for Genesis maintains: "In the beginning was the Word". It maintains of course that the Word was God.

What is the origin of the term 'word'? 'Word' in modern German is 'wurt', but in Old High German the word 'wurt' meant Wyrd. To emphasise this point the Old Saxon for 'Wyrd' was 'Wurd', phonetically' similar to 'word'. The Norse word for Wyrd is Orlog, which is literally 'primal layers' or 'primal word'. The last part '-log' is the same as the Latin for 'word': we still use the word 'log' for a book of record, or of records of any kind. So we, as Heathens, are safe to say - IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WYRD.

And so it must be that the Cosmic Mind existed before all things. The Cosmic Mind must have been there in order that Creation could take place. Even certain sections of modern science have turned full circle and ditched the idea of a mechanical universe in favour of the idea of the universe being more like a vast thought-pattern. So what is the Wyrd and how are its workings?

To answer this question we can only scratch at the surface, for only a part of Wyrd can be comprehended at a time. But we can get slight hints at the workings of Wyrd. Orlog has its similarity to a Flemish-Dutch word 'oorlog' which means 'war'. I am led to believe that the word 'war' is an Indo-European root word meaning: 1.To will/choose; 2. To speak; 3. To wind or turn.

These words and meanings seem to have little link, and not much with Wyrd, until we contemplate their word-association. 'To will' hints at the Will of Wyrd - that which is, and that which is to be - evolution - for Wyrd is ever evolving and changing. 'To speak', of course, gives us the 'word', which is touched upon in the first paragraph here. "To wind or turn' is associated with change, with evolution, and also 'wind' is to spiral. Scientists now consider the universe to be a vast spiral.

War is seeming conflict, but not so if we look-closely at it, for war can have very strange results. The same with Wyrd, for on the surface the Cosmos appears to be a war of opposite - Light and Dark, Day and Night, Summer and Winter, Hot and Cold, Fire and Ice. But not really so, for because those are the totality of Wyrd, they are in truth harmonious. 'It is this harmony of opposites which causes the eternal process of Birth-Life-Death to Rebirth, of Creation-Preservation-Destruction to re-Creation. This process we call 'evolution' and this is the ever upward-growing spiral. Wyrd is in a constant state of flux and change.

The workings of Wyrd are contained within the symbolic system we call the Runes, each Rune being an aspect of Wyrd. We could say that the Runes are the Secrets of Wyrd and the secrets of nature in its entirety. The Runes existed in the beginning. It was Odin who learned of them by his sacrifice so that we may use them to aid us in our battle against those forces that seek to destroy the Wyrd..

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Thursday, May 3, 2007

God Heimdall

God Heimdall Cover Heimdall is the guardian of Asgard. He watches over the entrance, the Bifrost bridge, and uses his acute vision and hearing to watch and listen for danger. He will sound his horn, Gjallarhorn, at the start of Ragnarok. He is known to have fathered the classes of humanity. Heimdall is also called the White God, or the Bright God, for he is said to shine. He is the watchman of the gods, and stays mostly in his home Himinbjorg, next to the Bridge Bifrost, the way to Asgard, which he guards. He is a most faithful watchman, and is often rained on. He needs less sleep than a bird, can hear the grass grow all the way in Midgard, as well as the wool on sheep. He has a horn called Gjallarhorn, which he will sound when the giant-hordes approach and Ragnarok draws nigh. There are also scholarly arguments that say certain sources tell of a sacrifice Heimdall made similar to Odin's, where he sacrificed an ear for a drink from Mimir's well, which is how he got his hearing. This, if true, is such a close parallel with Odin that it may be that Heimdall is a well-developed heiti of Odin's, that has become an hypostasis. Heimdall, under the name Rig, also fathered the three races of man (thralls, or slaves, carls, or freemen, and jarls, or nobles). As such he is also a God of social order. He is also the only god other than Odin who is said to teach the runes. He would be called on by guards, police, and such like. He would also be called on by runic students as well as those who seek transcendence (as god of Bifrost, and possibly as god of social-climbing).

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Friday, April 27, 2007

Asatru Characteristic Beliefs

Asatru Characteristic Beliefs Cover As a part of the great European Folkway, Asatru has a number of characteristic beliefs. Some of these are:

- The world is good. Prosperity is good. Life is good, and we should live it with joy and enthusiasm.
- We are free to shape our lives to the extent allowed by our skill, courage, and might. There is no predestination, no fatalism, no limitations imposed by the will of any external deity.
- We do not need salvation. All we need is the freedom to face our destiny with courage and honor.
- We are connected to all our ancestors. They are a part of us. We in turn will be a part of our descendants.
- We are also linked to all our living kin - to our families and to every man and woman rooted in the tribes of Europe. They are our "greater family."
- We are connected to Nature and subject to its laws. The Holy Powers often express themselves in Nature's beauty and might.
- We believe that morality does not depend on commandments, but rather arises from the dignity and honor of the noble-minded man and woman.
- We do not fear the Holy Powers, or consider ourselves their slaves. On the contrary, we share community and fellowship with the Divine. The Holy Powers encourage us to grow and advance to higher levels.
- We honor the Holy Powers under the names given them by our Germanic/Norse ancestors.
- We practice Asatru by honoring the turning of the seasons…the ancestors…the Divine…and ourselves - in everyday life.

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