Your Ancestors Matter

We Asatruar acknowledge our link to the clan, the family line of which we are a part. This article is intended to facilitate just such a remembrance. It is adapted from a new brochure available from the AFA - one of a series designed to make the central elements of Asatru more accessible to ordinary men and women.

There is a widespread belief in the modern Western world that Ancestors don't matter very much. This is particularly true of the Ancestors of European-Americans; among some writers and academics, "dead White male" is synonymous with irrelevance.

Luckily for us (and for the generations to come), a healthy interest in genealogy and family history defies this rootless, alienated worldview. Why do we care about our ancestors in a world that values self-satisfaction above all else? What does the deeper wisdom of our soul say about this? And just what is our relationship to those who have gone before us? Why does it all matter?

Native cultures in every part of the world revere their forebears. The American Indians, the Australian natives, African tribes, Asian peoples - all give special place to their kin who preceded them. Only in so-called modern societies, those most locked into the pursuit of material things and most distanced from the world of nature, have we forgotten the importance of the ancestral connection.

By ancient tradition, the barrier between the dead and the living is thinner at certain times of the year: Yule is one of these occasions, and the old Celtic festival of Samhain (popularly known as Halloween) is another. At these times, watch your dreams, and listen with your inner ear for the whispers of those of your line who have gone before.

There is much to be gained from the ancestors, and we have barely touched the possibilities in this short essay. Of course, they gave us the greatest gift of all, life itself - for if that golden chain of generations had been broken at any point, we would not be here! But we have our responsibilities, too. Above all, the family honor must be kept intact and the ancestors themselves must be given the high status they deserve. Obviously, we should do all we can to ensure that we have healthy children to continue the line into the future.

Once we understand the bond extending down the generations, we know that we can never truly be without family. Always there are the unseen ones, affecting events and reminding us that we are a part of a great stream of lives, seeking ever to express who and what we are.

Honoring the ancestors (who are, after all, us as we were before) is one of the three key principles to the European soul. The other ones are, respectively, the living of a life of courage and truth, and the right relationship with the Mighty Powers themselves.

The spiritual wisdom of the bold and free European tribes did not die out. It was suppressed - but it cannot be hidden forever, for it exists within us, the people who share this noble heritage!

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Mama San Ra Ab Rampa - Flor Silvestre
Herbert Stanley Redgrove - Alchemy Ancient And Modern
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - You Forever
William Phelon - Our Story Of Atlantis

The Younger Edda Also Called Snorre Edda Or The Prose Edda

Book: The Younger Edda Also Called Snorre Edda Or The Prose Edda by Rasmus Anderson

SNORRE'S EDDA, OR THE PROSE EDDA. AN ENGLISH VERSION OF THE FOREWARD; THE FOOLING OF GYLFE, THE AFTERWORD; BRAGE'S TALK, THE AFTERWORD TO BRAGE'S TALK, AND THE IMPORTANT PASSAGES IN THE POETICAL DICTION (SKALDSKAPARMAL) WITH AN INTRODUCTION, NOTES, VOCABULARY, AND INDEX.

All the poems quoted in the Younger Edda have in this edition been traced back to their sources in the Elder Edda and elsewhere. Where the notes seem to the reader insufficient, we must refer him to our Norse Mythology, where he will, we trust, find much of the additional information he may desire. Well aware that our work has many imperfections, and begging our readers to deal generously with our shortcomings, we send the book out into the world with the hope that it may aid some young son or daughter of Odin to find his way to the fountains of Urd and Mimir and to Idun's rejuvenating apples. The son must not squander, but husband wisely, what his father has accumulated. The race must cherish and hold fast and add to the thought that the past has bequeathed to it. Thus does it grow greater and richer with each new generation. The past is the mirror that reflects the future. (R. B. ANDERSON)

Download Rasmus Anderson's eBook: The Younger Edda Also Called Snorre Edda Or The Prose Edda

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Solomonic Grimoires - The Emerald Tablets Of Hermes
Sharynne Nicmacha - The Star Of Life A Historical And Spiritual History Of The Pentagram
Moses Maimonides - The Guide For The Perplexed
Herbert William Magoun - The Asuri Kalpa A Witchcraft Practice Of The Atharva Veda
Rasmus Anderson - The Younger Edda Also Called Snorre Edda Or The Prose Edda

Heathen Gods A Collection Of Essays

Book: Heathen Gods A Collection Of Essays by Mark Ludwig Stinson

The essays in this collection were written in the years 2007, 2008, and 2009. In their original form, they were written as blog notes, message board posts, and as answers to e-mail questions I received. They were never meant to serve as a unified message about Heathenry, and there has been no attempt here to tie them together into a well-ordered or all-encompassing vision for the future of Heathenry. The essays collected here have a conversational tone, like discussion you might have around a campfire...or over a cold pint of Guinness.

In collecting them, I have attempted to put them in an order that makes sense. To further this effort, I have also grouped them into categories. And to some degree, I have reworked all of these essays. Some required quite a bit of refining, while others required very little.

What you'll find within this collection is my approach to various topics and issues within our Folkway. The Folkway that is the ancestral way-of-life of the Northern European people. The scope of these essays is wide and far-reaching, but this collection does not provide a comprehensive examination of Heathenry. If that is what you are seeking, you should buy Our Troth, Volumes 1 and 2. And This collection does not serve as a complete introduction to heathery. Essential Asatru, by Diana Paxton, would better serve you as an introduction to our Folkway.

This book would not exist if not for Jotun's Bane Kindred. We are a strong and growing tribe. We work to support and advance each other, and I would not be the man I am today, without the incredible individuals of worth that fill my Innangarth. Their thoughts and ideas run throughout these essays, culled from our discussions and efforts together, and the lessons we have learned working together as a tribe.

The goal of this collection of essays is not to make money. The goal is to share information. So feel free to share or distribute this material however you wish, as long as you follow the restrictions described in the Open License on the inditia page. - Mark Ludwig Stinson

Buy Mark Ludwig Stinson's book: Heathen Gods A Collection Of Essays

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Asatru Free Assembly - The Odinist Anthology Selection From The Runestone
Muhammad Ibn Arabi - Tarjuman Al Ashwaq A Collection Of Mystical Odes
Mark Ludwig Stinson - Heathen Gods A Collection Of Essays Ver 2

What Is In A Word

'IN the beginning was the Word' , a statement found at the beginning of the Hebrew Bible, is a typical word-play used to subtly twist the truth. ' The Word ' is attributed to the god Jehovah, a wrathful and destructive demon, and so all of creation is attributed to the destroyer. In reality the statement has a far different meaning.

' Word ' in modern German is ' wurt '; but in Old High German ' wurt ' meant ' wyrd '; the Saxon for wyrd was ' word ', phonetically similar to ' word '. The Norse ' Orlog ' contains the word ' Log ' meaning ' layers ', which in turn may have the same root as the Latin ' logos ', ' words . ' Log ' is also a record of events and so implies ' past events '. So this phrase, in truth, should be, ' In the beginning was the Wyrd '. A very different concept:

And so it was, is and will be! The Wyrd was first; the cosmic mind that drives the wheel of fate and mysteriously hides a changing pattern of unfolding evolutionary destiny. The rune Perthro is a dice-cup, the container that throws the dice in the game of life of which we, the gods, elves and all beings participate. It is the opening womb of the Earth Mother, giver of life, and at the time of birth we begin to work out our fate. Behind the ' chance ' of the dice throw is a pattern of evolution of which we form a part. We are woven by the Wyrd Sisters into the loom of fate, on to the Web of Wyrd, in a pattern with all the other beings of existence and our own destiny appears upon the pattern. And what we do will affect what we are in the future: the past determines the future.

Interestingly, the Norse Orlog is very similar to a Flemish (Dutch) word ' oorlog ' which means 'war'. The word war appears to derive from an Aryan root-word having the following meanings:

1. to will/choose,
2. to speak;
3. to wind or turn.

'To choose' reminds us of the Valkyries, Choosers of the Slain, an aspect of the Wyrd Sisters. 'To speak' implies 'the Word'. 'To wind/turn' implies the cyclic motion of the cosmos and 'wind' can be applied to a spring/spiral. Is the cosmos not a constant 'war' of opposites, the eagle battling with the serpent on the World Tree? And are we not a part of this constant war? And from this struggle emerges the evolutionary drive of the Wyrd , the cosmic mind.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Anonymous - What Is Wicca Article 2
Stephen Mcnallen - What Is Asatru
Lil Bow Wow - What Is A Warlock

God Tyr

Tyr is one of the more important Gods because of his strong interest in law, order, and justice. He is renowned for his personal sacrifice to safeguard Asgard from the Fenris wolf. It is told that the wolf broke its original bonds so the Gods schemed to use another extra strong chain. The wolf wouldn’t let the Gods bind him unless one of them put their hand in the wolf’s mouth as assurance that there was no trick. Tyr, knowing the price he would pay, offered his hand, thus allowing the Gods to bind the Fenris wolf. In anger, the wolf took Tyr’s hand.

Who then was Tyr? In Old English he was Tiw or Tig, in German Ziu, in primitive Germanic Tiwaz. What little we know about the tribe(s) who spoke the Indo-European mother tongue(s) about 2,500 BCE suggests that they worshipped a chief god, the Sky Father, called Dieus (implying straightforwardly 'god') or Dieus-p'ter (meaning 'god(the)-father'), and an Earth Mother, putatively called Dieu-mater ('goddess-mother'). She gave her name to Da Mater or Demeter in Greek, which is cognate with Diu-no or Juno in Latin. Her name did not survive in Germanic, but of course the archetype of the goddess-mother did.

Even the scholars are baffled by Tyr. They trivialise our religion by suggesting he is a god 'who has come down in the world'. Brian Branston, in 'The Lost Gods of England', says that Tiwaz, which is Tyr's name in early Germanic, 'sank in the social scale and was no longer regarded by the North West European tribes in the later years as Sky Father but had dwindled to a lesser god, a god of war and soldiers'.

Tyr is said to be the bravest. A person who exceeds all others is thus called Ty-brave. He is also a very wise god, and so the highly intelligent are called Ty-wise. He is identical to Teiwaz, described by Tacitus in his study of the Germani. As such it seems he was the original sky-father, and ruler of the pantheon, and god of war before Odin took over these attributes. He is a god of social order, and of justice. He would be prayed to for skill in combat, for it was an art he was most skilled in. He would also be prayed to for victory in legal matters, though this is usually a matter of praying for strictly interpreted justice. He is not a god of peace and is said to be one who is not known to settle quarrels amongst men. He is a god of honor, sticking strictly to the word given. There is more on Tyr in the section on runes, under the Tyr rune. Tyr's men and Odin's men are famous for not seeing things eye-to-eye.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Aleister Crowley - Songs For Italy
Anonymous - Magic And Wyrd
Aleister Crowley - World Tragedy
Aleister Crowley - Duty

Anglo Saxon Heathendom And Icelandic Asatru

Book: Anglo Saxon Heathendom And Icelandic Asatru by Eric Wodening

The ancient Germanic peoples essentially followed the same religion. Nearly all of them appear to have worshipped the major gods known to us from Norse mythology - Odinn, PorR, FreyR, and so on. They also believed in many of the same "spirits" or wights--elves dwarves, thurses, and so on. They held various festivals, rituals, and customs in common. This is not to say that there were not differences among the tribes in their religious customs and beliefs. There was always some variation in religious practices and beliefs among the Germanic peoples.

Perhaps the best demonstration of both the similarities and the differences which sometimes existed in the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples would be to examine the respective beliefs of the Anglo-Saxon and Icelandic heathen.

It must be noted right away that the ancient Germanic peoples lacked a name for their religion or its branches. An ancient Anglo-Saxon heathen if asked about his religion would probably have referred to it simply as min beodisc gelefa, "my tribe's belief." The Icelanders may have responded along similar lines, although today this ancient and modern branch of the Germanic heathen religion is called "Asatru." For simplicity's sake, we will use "Anglo-Saxon heathendom" and "Asatru" for the faiths of the ancient Anglo-Saxons and Icelanders respectively..

Download Eric Wodening's eBook: Anglo Saxon Heathendom And Icelandic Asatru

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Louis Claude De Saint Martin - Man His True Nature And Ministry
Stephen Flowers - The Galdrabok An Icelandic Grimoire
Eric Wodening - Anglo Saxon Heathendom And Icelandic Asatru

Ehwaz Rune

Ehwaz means horse. In the Nordic tradition, the horse was a sacred animal, the same as in the old Slavic tradition. This animal was connected to Frey, which we find out in the saga of Hrafnkel, Frey's priest. A modern person can hardly realize what kind of a relationship his Ancestors had with the horse, or the specific connexion there was between a man and his faithful companion. This relationship was based on mutual trust and absolute devotion. Therefore, unlike the tamed force we have in Thurisaz, in Ehwaz the relationship between the ruling and the ruled is somewhat different, because the horse is not only a man's servant but also his faithful friend and helper. Because of that the sense of this Rune isn't in the control and subduing but in the mutual exchange of energy, an exchange that goes on between two beings that mutually respect and complement each other. It's the Rune's symmetrical shape that points out to harmony and energetic balance. Communication, as a sort of energetic exchange is also connected to this Rune. Beside that, Ehwaz is connected to journeys as well, seeing that then the horse was also the main means of transportation.

Divination:

Positive meaning: improvement, harmony, team work, loyalty, faithfulness.

Negative meaning: mistrust, isolation, betrayal.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Stephen Flowers - Runa
Ralph Blum - The New Book Of Runes
Stephen Flowers - Black Runa
Karl Hans Welz - Armanen Runes
Samael Aun Weor - Magic Runes

The New Flesh Palladium

Book: The New Flesh Palladium by Robert North

Enter the realm of the New Flesh Palladium freely and of your own will. The author of this book, Robert North, is perhaps best known to the general public as the erudite translator and editor of the once obscure occult classic Sexual Magic by Paschal Beverly Randolph (1990). But there is a deeper side to the story. The author ... takes us on a dramatic adventure in the history of sexual magic.

The author of this work, Robert North,is perhaps best known to the general public as the erudite translator and editor of the once obscure occult classic SEXUAL MAGIC by P.B. Randolph. Now, in the form of a historical treatment of sexual magic, North introduces the world to the ideas of the New Flesh Palladium. the author takes us on a journey from the Heaven and Hell of Emanuel Swedenborg, through the realms of Mesmer and the Marquis de Sade, and into the worlds of aleister crowley and Wilhelm Reich. In the course of this journey we discover the philosophy of the New Flesh---a dramatic adventure in the history of sexual magic.

Buy Robert North's book: The New Flesh Palladium

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Frederick Hadland Davis - The Persian Mystics Jalaluddin Rumi
Sri Swami Sivananda - The Science Of Pranayama
Lady Galadriel - The New Book Of The Law

Germanic And Celtic Religious Lore And Practices

I referred to virtually identical warrior paradises in the scene which opened this article, but the overlap between Celtic and Germanic lore goes far beyond this.

Bogs throughout Northern Europe received sacrifices from Celt and German alike. Weapons and armor captured in battle, food and beakers, miscellaneous items - all were deposited in lakes and marshes in the same way, to the point that we can't even tell which finds are German and which are Celtic.

When the Druids sacrificed to the Gods, the blood from an animal was sprinkled with a sprig of greenery on the assembled people, so the divine energy inherent in blood could be directly transferred to them. In historical Asatru, our forebears did exactly the same thing in the course of a sacrifice or blot.. (Today, modern practitioners of both religions use mead or other fermented fluid in this role.)

Across the length and breadth of our European homeland, our ancestors honored the Gods in the open air, because we thought it inappropriate to shut them up into limiting, lessening structures like the Christian churches. Similarly, in the earliest days, our representations of the Gods and goddesses were simple indeed - often carved from pieces of wood to which Nature had already given the basic shape, awaiting only a few refinements from human hands.

These customs accurately describe Celts as well as Germans.

Tribesmen of both groups used intoxicating drink in religious ritual. Often this was mead, but it could be ale as well. And, while we're considering altered states of consciousness, let's remember the fit or frenzy of the Odin-gripped warriors, the berserkers. In old Ireland, essentially the same warrior's madness bore the name of "{\i ferg} ".

Readers of the Norse stories will remember how Sigurd the Volsung killed the dragon Fafnir and roasted its heart. When he burned his finger, he stuck it in his mouth and found that he could understand the speech of birds. The Irish hero Fergus gained the same gift when he singed his finger while cooking a salmon over a fire.



MAP OF THE UNIVERSE...

When we look at the cosmology of the Teutons and that of the Celts, we can't help but see the likeness. Both have the giant tree, the center of the cosmos and indeed the framework in which all the worlds are found: to Asafolk, it's Yggdrasil; the Celts call it Bile .

The other key component of the universe in ancient Germania was the Well of Wyrd, containing the deeds that make up the past. Drinking from its waters gives wisdom, and Odin gave up one of his eyes for the privilege. As it turns out, the Celts have an almost identical well; hazel nuts fall into it where they are eaten by the Salmon of Wisdom.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Frater Fp - Sigils In Theory And Practice
Anonymous - Wicca Beliefs And Practices
Aleister Crowley - Magick In Theory And Practice

What Are Some Viking Myths Or Legends

The Vikings had many myths, about their idea of creation, about the deeds of their gods such as Odin, Thor, Freya and others, and about the deeds of ancient Vikings. These stories were meant to be told around the fire to teach the young about the realm of the Vikings, and were handed down from generation to generation over many centuries. In about 1200-1300, some of these legends began to be written down. The written ones were called Sagas, and were mostly written down by Vikings in Iceland. These have been incorporated into later books and stories about Vikings. Other sources are the Eddas, or ancient folk tales. One important myth is the Viking story of creation, or how the world was made. In brief, the earth, named Midgard was formed from nothing. From nothing sprang the mists of Niflheim in the North. In the south there formed a realm of fire called Muspellsheim. When these realms met, water drops from the melting frost formed the first being, or frost giant named Ymir. Other giants then formed under his left arm, a man and a woman. From the offspring of these other giants were born three gods, Odin, Vili, and Ve. These three killed the giant Ymir and from his body they made the earth, or Midgard, between Niflheim and Muspellsheim. In Midgard, the gods set to work to build their palace, or Asgard, where they were joined by other gods. Later, dwarfs appeared, and the first two human beings, Ask and Embla, man and woman, were made by Odin from two trees. The three worlds of creation were held together at their axis by the great ash tree, Yggdrasil, with roots in Niflheim and branches spreading above Asgard. The myth goes on from there to describe the acts of the gods, their battles with giants and dwarfs, and the gigantic hall, Valhalla, where slain warriors were carried by the Valkyries to spend their days in bloody battles and be restored to health each night with laughing, drinking, and feasting. The chief god was Odin, who ruled over all others. He gave up one eye to receive all wisdom, and is always depicted with only one eye. Many myths describe the exploits of Odin and the other gods. There may be books in your local library about the Vikings and their gods and others are for sale in bookstores and on Amazon.com. Search on the Internet for "Viking Myths and Legends" and find much additional information. The Viking Age gods slowly gave way to the spread of Christianity in Scandinavia beginning about 950 A.D. By the 13th century, nearly all of the people of Scandinavia had become Christian. This greatly altered the world view of the people and was a factor in bringing about the end of the Viking Age. Vestiges of the Viking age remain in our modern culture, however, such as some days of the week, (Tyr's Day, Odin's Day, Thor's Day, and Freya's Day, or Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), in midsummer and winter solstice festivals, and other cultural events.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Wh Auden - The Song Of The Sybil Voluspa
Rabbi Michael Laitman - Attaining The Worlds Beyond
Manly Palmer Hall - The Secret Teachings Of All Ages

Gods And Goddesses Real But Different

To say that the Gods and Goddesses are real is not to tell us much. The next question is...what are they like?
Aside from the odd personal encounter and rare representations as statues or on old tapestries, the only descriptions we have of the Holy Powers are in the myths. When we look at the stories, we find Thor pictured as a muscular fellow with a red beard and flashing blue eyes. Odin is a tall, older man with a gray beard and one eye, and he sometimes travels in the company of his two wolves and ravens. Freyr - well, he's a fertility God, with the appropriate physical attributes.

Are we to take these vivid, dramatic images literally? That depends on how you want to think of the Gods and the myths in which they appear. Here are two possibilities:

We can think of myth as metaphor. In this scheme, the myths are symbolic ways of transmitting spiritual truths. They have multiple layers of meaning. On the most obvious and superficial level, they are entertaining tales that often make a moral point or illustrate virtues like the love of wisdom, sacrifice, and bravery.

Below this level, things get trickier. Some mythologists (not themselves followers of our ancestral religion) will say they are allegories describing natural phenomena such as lightning, or the warming of the land with the departure of winter, or the cycle by which vegetation grows, dies in the winter, and comes to life again in the spring.

Psychologists, particularly those who are students of Dr. Carl Jung, interpret the myths as depictions of psychic realities rather than external ones. In this model, the ancient stories tell us important things about the personal and collective unconscious. The heroic quest and the growth and maturation of the individual are typical themes. The Gods and goddesses are thought of as psychic forces in the person and in society, but are not considered objectively real.

We can admit the value of these viewpoints in a technical or analytical sense, while not conceding they represent the whole truth. Many Asatruar consider the myths to be true - not in the literal sense but in the sense of tales which tell spiritual truths, "those things which never happened, but always are." The tales of Gods become allegories, some of which can be deciphered by reason. Others cannot be interpreted in terms of logic, because they speak a deeper, non-linear "meta-language," the secret code of the unconscious. In this case, the myths communicate with us subtly, without words, influencing our mind and spirit.

For Asatruar who think of the myths as metaphor, the Gods and Goddesses are real, but the anthropomorphic images of them presented in the old lore are strictly symbolic. Thor is not really a gigantic, muscular, man-like figure with a red beard, any more than Jehovah is a human-shaped entity in a white gown sitting on a golden throne, surrounded by clouds. The description of Thor we find in the stories gives us a way to relate to the very real force in the cosmos that we call Thor, but it is not him.

The Gods and Goddesses are not limited by the constraints of flesh and blood. So while it is convenient for us to picture Freya as a beautiful woman wearing a shining necklace, or Heimdal as having golden teeth, these are allegorical. The Gods and Goddesses themselves are mighty spiritual powers, existing within us and without us, capable of manifesting to humans in any form they wish.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Phil Hine - Devotions And Demonesses
Franceska De Grandis - Goddess Initiation
Joseph John William - Voodoos And Obeahs Phases Of West India Witchcraft
Michael Jordan - Dictionary Of Gods And Goddesses

What Does Asatru Teach About An Afterlife

We believe that there is an afterlife, and that those who have lived virtuous lives will go on to experience greater fulfillment, pleasure, and challenge. Those who have led lives characterized more by vice than by virtue will be separated from kin and doomed to an existence of dullness and gloom. The precise nature of the afterlife - what it will look like and feel like - is beyond our understanding and is dealt with symbolically in the myths.

There is also a tradition in Asatru of rebirth within the family line. Perhaps the individual is able to choose whether or not he or she is re-manifested in this world, or there may be natural laws which govern this. In a sense, of course, we all live on in our descendents quite apart from an afterlife as such.

We of Asatru do not overly concern ourselves with the next life. We live here and now, in this life. If we do this and do it well, the next life will take care of itself.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Max Heindel - Teachings Of An Initiate
Max Heindel - The Rosicrucian Mysteries
Stephen Mcnallen - What Is Asatru

Asatru Poem Svadi The Giant

There once was a giant,
Who lived on a Mountain called Blesanerg,
In the North,
His name was Svadi,
He was a son of the Thunder God Thor.

At one time there was a man named Val,
Val was the son of Agnar and Hildigunn,
He had a sword called Horn-Hilt,
It was heavily inlaid with gold,
And it never missed it's mark.

It happened that Val had heard some rumors,
That Svadi the Giant had more gold than could be counted in marks,
Val decided to take a journey to Blesanerg Mountain,
In search of the Giant's gold.

Val traveled until he came to Blesanerg,
He climbed up on to the mountain,
He searched until he found the Giant's Mighty Hall,
Hiding and watching,
Val studied the activities of the Giant.

One day it happened that Svadi went out of His Hall,
And down the mountain he went,
To do a little fishing in the Valley below.

Val seeing his chance,
Came from his hiding place,
He Ran to the entrance of the Mighty Hall,
Once inside,
Val searched until he found the Giant's gold.

Gathering up all he could take,
Val quickly ran out of the Hall,
Back to his hiding place,
Staying until Svadi returned from his fishing trip,
Upon the Giant's return,
Val made his way down Blesanerg mountain,
And journeyed with his gold back home.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Franz Bardon - Frabato The Magician
Aleister Crowley - The Star And The Garter
Anonymous - Asatru And The Paranormal

Important For Every Gothi

It is important for every Gothi to have a library, for study and reference, but also to share with others who seek knowledge of their precious heritage. This, of course, like all of the other requirements of the job, is a life's work. Begin with the Elder Edda, study The Havamal daily, but also learn the ancient myths of our Gods and Goddesses. Learn the myths and unlock the keys to the Nine Worlds. Study the Runes and obtain a set of them, or better yet, make your own. Learn the Runes, and use them. Read the wealth of information about our heroes in the Sagas, and obtain and read every possible book about the history, culture, customs, and lore of our ancestors. Of course study the Viking Age, but don't forget that the history of our people began with Ask and Embla, and continues on today. Where are you going to find time to do all of this reading? Why don't you start by selling your television and using the proceeds to buy books? And please, list your library in your Will so that when you die your precious book hoard doesn't wind up in the Goodwill box! You must acquire all of the knowledge that you can, because the Folk with come to you with their questions. Be prepared to answer them.

It is also important for the aspiring Gothi or Gythia to obtain the ritual tools necessary for your work. I know that it will take many years to obtain or build them, but you must do it all the same. Since the beginning of our people's spiritual awareness, the most precious possession of our holy men and women was the ritual bowl. Pronounced Bowli in Old Norse. It is symbolized in the shape of the Perthro Rune. It contains the power of our Gods, the luck and fortune of the tribe, the receptacle of our will and aspirations, and the holy offerings that we make to our Gods. It is the primal possession of the Shaman and the priest. It is sacred.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Robert Ambelain - Martinism History And Doctrine
Thomas Potts - Discovery Of Witches
Aleister Crowley - Amphora Or Hail Mary
Aleister Crowley - Temperance A Tract For The Times
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - You Forever

Asatru Modern Fantasy

"Asatru is a religion, and joining it is no different than becoming an Episcopalian, a Muslim, or a Wiccan. Asatru is no more 'European' than Islam is 'Arabic' or Buddhism is 'Asian.'"

This is a modern fantasy. No indigenous group really believes that its religion is just a set of practices and abstract concepts, separate from membership in the community, to be adopted or set aside at will by outsiders. People may decide to become a Baptist or a Lutheran, but no one looks in the mirror while brushing their teeth in the morning, and thinks "Hey, I'm tired of being a Catholic. I think I'll become a Lakota Sioux."

Native religion is not something apart from the life of the tribe. Religion, politics, economics, values and customs are all part of one thing. There is no real separation among them. Taken as a whole, this aggregate is the "Way" of the group; religion becomes one particular fraction of "the way the tribe is in the world, and what the tribe does."

Some religions, in contrast, are not based on the experience of a particular group, but on abstract philosophy or a revelation divorced from any tribal or national group. The monotheistic religions are the best examples of these. One can drift from Methodism to Mormonism, or
from Catholicism to Islam, based on abstract reasoning or emotional attachment. It is here, not in indigenous belief, that the proposition of our critics finds its natural home. Those who attack
Asatru because of its Folkish basis still carry with them the mental assumptions of Christianity and the other philosophical, universalist sects.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Phil Hine - Aspects Of Tantra
Reeves Hall - Asatru In Brief
Miac - Asatru And Odinism
Anthony Arndt - Asatru The Northern Way

Othala Rune

Othala represents inheritance or heritage and a warm, safe home. This is Fehu on a higher level, but also Fehu – the beginning of a next circle. The heritage of Othala can be understood in the material sense but also as the knowledge of Ancestors and wisdom of the Old one always has to come back to. The basic meaning of Othala is actually Ancestral or Inherited Land i.e. home. A resting place we're all aspiring to; it can signify our homeland as well as our spiritual homeland. It's the goal we've finally reached in order to accomplish the peace we longed for. This Rune was used by the Nazis, as well as two Sowilo Runes which were the emblem of the SS formation. Even today Othala is used by skinheads to mark their white heritage, which only damages the Runic system, and the Germanic system in general. That damage is caused by the piling of negative emotions towards Germanic symbols. Othala signifies belonging, but not in such a vulgar sense like belonging to a single race, but more an axis and basis everyone should find within. The Rune is used to end what one has started.

Divination:

Positive meaning: heritage, home, security, belonging, independence.

Negative meaning: a limiting traditionalism, loss of a spiritual basis, problems with the law and possessions.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Rabbi Michael Laitman - The Kabbalah Experience
Samael Aun Weor - Magic Runes
Stephen Flowers - Black Runa
Karl Hans Welz - Armanen Runes

Northern Mysteries And Magick Runes And Feminine Powers

Book: Northern Mysteries And Magick Runes And Feminine Powers by Freya Aswynn

In the global scheme of mystery traditions, cultures from most countries have their own current mythos, yet northern shamanism conspicuously lacks representation in contemporary spiritual practice. Northern Mysteries and Magick fills this gap by unearthing the ancient Nordic pantheon, examining the meanings and interrelations of the earliest 24 runes, known as the "Elder Futhark," and exploring the often overlooked feminine aspects of Northern mythology. [A separately sold] CD [Songs of Yggdrasil: Shamanic Chants from the Northern Mysteries] hearkens back to tribal storytellers and replaces the vital aural component missing from our paper-based society. Freya Aswynn's accent lends a crisp consonance to her powerful performances as she invokes the old gods of an icy clime. Waking this pantheon from its long slumber, Aswynn extrapolates a natural course of evolution for the Northern tradition and synthesizes it into a magical tradition suitable for the contemporary practitioner. --Brian Patterson

Bring the power of the ancient runes into your life for divination and magic with Northern Mysteries & Magick (revised edition of Leaves of Yggdrasil) by Freya Aswynn.

The runes are more than an ancient alphabet. They comprise a powerful system of divination and a path to the subconscious forces operating in your life. Northern Mysteries & Magick is the only book of Nordic magick written by a woman, and it is the first to offer an extensive presentation of rune concepts, mythology, and magical applications inspired by Dutch/Friesian traditional lore.

Also unique in this book is the inclusion of the feminine Mysteries of the North. You'll learn how they are represented in the runes. You will see how each of the major deities of Northern Europe still lives in the collective consciousness of people of Northern European descent.

- A complete analysis of the Elder Futhark Runes and their meanings
- How to use the runes for divination including several rune spreads
- Using the runes in magick
- Rune charms and power sigils
- Shamanic drumming and chanting
- Profiles of the eight major Gods
- The Northern Feminine mysteries featuring four major goddesses

If you are into runes or Scandinavian mythology and mysteries then it is easy to see why "Northern Mysteries and Magick Runes And Feminine Powers" is so popular. Starting with a short piece on the northern tradition in perspective, it proceeds quickly into a detailed section on runes. For each rune it gives the Germanic, Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse names, the phonetic value and the traditional meaning as well as an illustration of the rune. Beneath this there is a detailed analysis of the rune in terms of the culture of the time, it's derivation when known, other words it is associated with, how it was related to specific Norse gods and myths, and various other pieces of information as appropriate. While the information is detailed the writing style is not very technical in nature and so creates a flowing, easy to follow read that anyone can understand.

Following this section is an excellent piece on runic divination including the nine worlds of Nordic mythology and how they relate to the conscious. Divination methods discussed include the basic fourfold wheel and the more detailed eightfold wheel techniques. This is followed by a very informative section on runic magic and traditional magic techniques and beliefs. Each of the traditional Scandinavian gods is presented with a detailed profile that includes their name in Norse, English, Dutch, and German, their primary element, secondary element, color, number, totem animals, personal sigils, magical items, the purpose for which they are typically invoked and the runes used for them.

The book ends with a chapter on feminine mysteries that includes a short piece on the practice of Seith (mostly the casting spells and enchantments), an examination of Odin and how he related to the feminine mysteries, and detailed profiles of the feminine gods such as Frigga and Freyja. For those who are interested in runes, northern magic beliefs and systems, or just a detailed account of how runes and magic were used historically and what they meant to the people of that time it is a highly recommended read.

Buy Freya Aswynn's book: Northern Mysteries And Magick Runes And Feminine Powers

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Timothy Freke - The Jesus Mysteries Was The Original Jesus A Pagan God
Talismagick - Love Spells And Rituals For Love And Relationships
Patricia Telesco - A Witchs Beverages And Brews Magick Potions Made Easy

A Brief History Of Nordic Paganism In The United States

Asatru/Heathenry/Nordic paganism in the United States has gone through several distinct stages and a series of schisms and conflicts since its beginnings in the early 1970s. It has entered the twenty-first century with a new level of organizational sophistication and a general consensus on the need to minimize conflicts and improve cooperation between different Nordic Pagan communities, whatever their positions on particular issues.

The first Nordic Pagan organization in the United States was the Viking Brotherhood, founded by McNallen and Stine in Texas in about 1972. This group metamorphosed into the Asatru Free Assembly (AFA), which operated until 1987 and then reemerged in the 1990s as the Asatru Folk Assembly, as it is known today. The AFA established many of the important organizational and ritual structures that remain operative in American Nordic Paganism to the present time, though later groups and individuals have continued to tinker with these structures and adapt and reinterpret them as they see fit.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Julia Phillips - History Of Wicca In England
Samuel Gardner Drake - Annals Of Witchcraft In New England And Elsewhere In The United States
Anonymous - History Of Nordic Runes P9

Introduction To The Elder Edda

Book: Introduction To The Elder Edda by John Ronald Tolkien

The Elder Edda is not a single continuous narrative, but a collection of poems, most of which are preserved in the Konungsbok, or Codex Regius (King's Book), copied in Iceland about A.D. 1270. The poems are the work of many poets. Their language suggests that they were composed between 800 and 1100 A.D. and first written down between 1150 and 1250 A.D. The poems are a rich source of information for culture and belief among the Vikings. They are not, however, purely Scandinavian. Christian Irish influence is likely, while the Sigurd story draws on actual events among the tribes that invaded the Roman Empire between 350-600 A.D.

The Elder Edda first came to scholarly attention in the seventeenth century as antiquarian interest in the non-classical past was growing in Europe. It was published in its entirety just as intense romantic and nationalistic interest in the perceived tribal Ancestors of the European nation states emerged towards the end of the eighteenth century. This interest, combined with the new science of philology, ensured popular and scholarly interest in texts like the Elder Edda. Some of the lays were available in bowdlerized versions even for children by the later nineteenth century. In the hands of Richard Wagner, the Elder Edda became the foundation of one of the century's masterpieces. While northern legends and the scholarship based on it were misused by the Nazis to develop and further their ideas of race, they are seriously misrepresented by such ideas. In the 1960s, the poet W. H. Auden in collaboration with an Old Norse scholar, Paul B. Taylor, produced a translation of sixteen of the poems.

Download John Ronald Tolkien's eBook: Introduction To The Elder Edda

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

William Wynn Westcott - An Introduction To The Study Of The Kabalah
Aleister Crowley - Brief Introduction To The Religion Of Thelema
Anonymous - Introduction To The Old Religion Lesson 8
Anonymous - Introduction To The Old Religion Lesson 7a
John Ronald Tolkien - Introduction To The Elder Edda

Asatru History

Asatru is frequently regarded as one of the Neopagan family of religions. That family includes Wicca, Celtic Druidism, and re-creations of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and other ancient Pagan religions. However, many Asatruar prefer the term "Heathen" or "Pagan" rather than "Neopagan;" they look upon their tradition as "not just a branch on the Neopagan tree" but as a separate tree. Unlike Wicca, which has gradually evolved into many different traditions, the reconstruction of Asatru has been based on the surviving historical record. Its followers have maintained it as closely as possible to the original religion of the Norse people.

Asatru or 'satr' is an Icelandic word which is a translation of the Danish word "Asetro." Asetro was "first seen in 1885 in an article in the periodical "Fjallkonan". The next recorded instance was in "Hei'inn si'ur ' 'slandi" ("Heathen traditions in Iceland.") by 'lafur Briem (Reykjav'k, 1945)." It means "belief in the Oisir," the Gods. "Asatru" is a combination of "Asa" which is the possessive case of the word 'sir (AEsir) and "Tru" which means belief or religion.

Throughout Scandinavia the religion is called Forn Si'r (which means the Ancient way or tradition), Forn sed (the Old custom), Nordisk sed (Nordic custom), or Hedensk sed (Pagan custom). Other names are:

Norse Heathenism, Germanic Heathenism, the Elder Troth, the Old Way, Asetro, Vor Si r (our way), Forn Si r (Ancient way), Forn sed (the old custom), Nordisk sed (Nordic custom), or Hedensk sed (Pagan custom), Odinism or Folkish 'satr'.

The religion's origin is lost in antiquity. At its peak, it covered all of Northern Europe. Countries gradually converted to Christianity. In 1000 CE, Iceland became the second last Norse culture to convert. Their prime motivation was economic. Sweden was ruled by a Pagan king until 1085 CE.

Icelandic poet Gogi Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson promoted government recognition of Asatru as a legitimate religion; this status was granted in 1972. Since the early 1970's, the religion has been in a period of rapid growth in the former Norse countries, as well as in Europe and North America.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Rampa Story
Miac - Asatru And Odinism
Allen Greenfield - A True History Of Witchcraft
Anthony Arndt - Asatru The Northern Way
Reeves Hall - Asatru In Brief