asatru?

[*ULA*]

Could someone briefly describe the path of asatru to me?
I AM new, and have no idea what this faith entails...
i've only heard it a few times and would be very grateful if someone could fill me in.

BB all - ULA *

[SahuaDjet]

Em Hotep,
Asatru to my knowledge is a Norse based religion. They celebrate "like the vikings". I don't believe they use magick in their practices. Sorry I don't know more....maybe someone else has a better way to put it.

Http://www.beliefnet.com has a Asatru message board that can help possibly.

[*ULA*]

for the help. i'll check out the message board. :)

blessed be.

[Mairwen]

http://www.midhnottsol.org/ is an excellent source for information. My Mr goes there all the time to pick up things. :D

[Svanni]

Greetings,

Asatru, also known as Heathenism and The Northern Way is a reconstructionist religion that is based on the religion of the Pre-Christian Northern Europeans. It is an ancestral religion that was practiced by a large area in Northern Europe including, Great Britain (Anglo-Saxon Heathenism), Germany, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and other countries in that area including Russian and Slavic countries.

A few of the gods and goddesses of the Northern Way that you may have heard of are, Othinn (Odin), Freyja, Torr (Thorr), Frigg and Loki.

While it is true that not all who practice Asatru practice magic it is by no means true that none do. The runes originated with the Northern Europeans and many use them in galdr (rune magic). There is also a form of magic called seithr that is in some ways comparable to shamnistic magic, although it it not quite the same.

If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer them for you.

-Svanni
HR MSR
www.midhnottsol.org

[rantnraven]

Originally posted by Svanni
There is also a form of magic called seithr that is in some ways comparable to shamnistic magic, although it it not quite the same.

If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer them for you.

-Svanni
HR MSR
www.midhnottsol.org

Thank you for your insight. How does Shamanism equate to a Norse belief?

Subsequently, pull up a comfy chair thingy here on the porch and lets talk a while.

You are also invited to go to Just Talk or, New Pagan and introduce yourself. I'm sure you will be surprised at the warmth you are greeted with.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Svanni
-Svanni
HR MSR
www.midhnottsol.org

Oh! Hi there, Svanni! LOL! :D

[Mairwen]

The way I understand Seidr ... (pronounced "sayth") ... is that it involves Underworld/Otherworld journey work. A seer (can't remember the Asatru word for it off the top of my head, as I'm not on that Path, just reading about it because that's what Mr does) sits in the High Seat and enters a deep trance-state. Then, members of the Kindred come about one at a time to ask for guidance, divination, etc.

[rantnraven]

Originally posted by Mairwen
The way I understand Seidr ... (pronounced "sayth") ... is that it involves Underworld/Otherworld journey work. A seer (can't remember the Asatru word for it off the top of my head, as I'm not on that Path, just reading about it because that's what Mr does) sits in the High Seat and enters a deep trance-state. Then, members of the Kindred come about one at a time to ask for guidance, divination, etc.

I can see where that would have similarities to the Shaman. Although, the Shaman would go into a deep state of meditation the offer guidance to the high councel - moreso then to individuals. It's still pretty cool nontheless.

RnR

[Svanni]

Hi Mairwen!

Thanks for recommending the site earlier. I must say that you have described seithr about as good as it could be described without going into larger detail. The seeress was called a vala or volva. This is where one of the most important pieces of Norse lore, Voluspa, gets its name.

Also thanks for the invite RnR, I think I may try to drop by New Pagan some time later today.

-Svanni

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Svanni
Hi Mairwen! Thanks for recommending the site earlier.


Not a problem. Like I said, Mr goes over there for information from time to time, as do I just as a learning-tool. Mr doesn't tell me much about his Path, but I was curious to know, and your site was recommended to me by an Asatruar in St Louis, who has been very, very helpful in my research.

I must say that you have described seithr about as good as it could be described without going into larger detail. The seeress was called a vala or volva. This is where one of the most important pieces of Norse lore, Voluspa, gets its name.

*blush* I guess I've been doing my "homework" better than I thought! :D My head stays full of Welsh and Irish most of the time, so I don't have the "capacity" (!?!) to pick up the Norse terminology, but I have picked up a little ~ having read enough that certain things are beginning to form a familiarity.

Also thanks for the invite RnR, I think I may try to drop by New Pagan some time later today.

It's great having you here!

[ruthie]

This is a page where I did some reading on Asatru a while ago. There is an interesting essay comparing Wiccan beliefs to Asatru. You may find it of some use.

http://www.webcom.com/~lstead/welcome.html

[Svanni]

While I could agree with some of the statements in the article listed above, I can not agree with many statements. With the name Lewis Stead appearing at the top of the article this is not surprising to me. His reputation for bashing those that are commonly called "folkish" asatru is well known in the community. The article's characterization of the AA and AFA organizations as "racist" and "tiny" and/or "marginal" is not true at all. I know many people both in the AA and AFA and know them to be the most honest and trustworthy people I have ever met. They are welcome in my home anytime and to call them racist does them an injustice.

Whether or not someone agrees with the idea of folkism is another matter but to characterize anyone subscribing to that philosophy as racist is not right and smacks of an agenda.

I was also surprised at the comment on Leif Eriksson. Are the authors actually implying that Leif Ericksson did not discover America nearly 500 years before Columbus? The discovery of L'Anse aux meadows has made this a historical fact that no one seriously disputes any longer.

Mr. Stead it may interest some to know spent his time slandering anyone in Asatru who did not agree with his narrow view of what it should be then promptly became a Buddhist. I am not casting dispersions upon Buddhism in any way, but if you want an accurate portrayal of Asatru, a Buddhist whose time spent as Asatru was spent bashing anyone that didn't agree with him, is not the person you go to.

The contention that this article makes, that is, that Asatru is not a historically based reconstructionist religion is utterly ridiculous. If that is the case, then I have been wasting a considerable amount of my time and resources studying Old Norse and the Eddas and Sagas from the period.

Now some of the issues raised in this article might indeed be worth discussing but I am reluctant to do so because it has been my experience that they are rarely discussed calmly and intelligently. They are more often discussed with great amounts of disrespect and hyperbole. And that is within the Asatru community. It is normally more so outside the community.

This article in my opinion smacks of an agenda and is not in any way accurate in many of its statements. The Raven Kindred can practice Asatru as they see fit. But I draw the line when they represent any ideal that does not agree with their own in such blatantly inaccurate and slanderous ways.

One more interesting thing I happened to notice. On the front page you see "The ancient but renewed faith of the North." Then in this article they proceed to say that Asatru is not Ancient.

[ruthie]

Sorry - I didn't mean to offend.

[Mairwen]

The reason I came to your webpage to begin with seeking information (well, I was referred to Midhnott Sol Regintroth) was due to some issues in the Asatru community where I live. There's been a huge fissure open up because of this, as well ~ a split in the communty ~~> one group going one way, another going another, and an Elder refusing to have anything to do with anybody else outside his group. (and that means anybody). Mr was right in the middle of all of this, of course he never tells me anything about his group, and I've never been invited to any of their functions (open or otherwise). So, I wanted to learn more. I've learned more from your website than I've been able to find anywhere else.

Thanks for having it there.

[Svanni]

Hi Ruthie

No offense taken. My apologies if that seemed directed at you. I realize that you most likely had no knowledge about the inaccuracies of the article. It is an article that seems on the surface to well researched and on the level.

It's only because I have experience in the Asatru community and know many of the people involved, as well as my studies, that I could recognize the article for what it is, which is a good example of the danger of such articles, that is, they are taken at face value because they seem to be on the level.

I admit I was a bit annoyed at the article but again that was not directed toward you at all.

Best wishes,

[ruthie]

None taken, just more worried that I had offended you! By the way, I have had a look at the Reginthroth page mentioned and must congratulate those involved. I am off for a closer look now.

[rantnraven]

Let's have a seat and sip some lemonade. Then we can talk a while.

Blessings,
RnR

[vocis noctis]

I have made a site - http://www.dvxs.net which has a Norse Gods page on it. Check it out :)

[ruthie]

The lemonade is delightful, thank you so much RnR. Just having a look at your page now vocis noctis. I like it here.

[Silver Venus]

Hi!! I originally posted a thread in the Divination thread and then posted it also in the Just talk thread to ask about seidr magic ~ Mairwen pointed me here (thanks hun!).
I have really enjoyed reading all your posts and as I am new and just starting out in Asatru I can not thank you enough for the links to those wonderfull sites! :D I have had a good look round each of them and was throughly enlightened not to mention blown away from the sheer content! It has made my day finding such great resources :D
Thank you again and again!! I look forward to learning and practising much, much more over the coming years! :sunny:

[Rick]

Hmm... I don't recall anything in that article that mentioned the AFA or AA by name... if so, it was probably pointing to them as examples of Folkish organizations (I will, however read it again). I (& all the Asatruar that I know) found this to be a very accurate article. Remember, this is the "New Pagan" posting, & most of the folks here have a Wiccan background. Try not to scare 'em away. Let them get their feet wet, then we can all share in the fun of scaring 'em away (LOL).

In my humble opinion, the arguments over Folkish & Universalist views are childish & divisive, & nothing more (about the same as the US & N. Korea arguing over things like how tall the meeting tables would be back in the '50's). That's why this Asatru Elder has little or nothing to do with either group.

For the overall best Asatru site I've seen, type Irminsul into your search engine, then check out the Irminsul Aettir site. Mucho info on many subjects (including seidr).

Rick Runesinger

[Silver Venus]

Thanks again Rick for the friendly words of encouragement! :D
I've already heard of the Irminsul Aettir site and had a good look round! Here are a few others that have been passed onto me and which I found very interesting ~

www.niflungen.de/wolfshof

http://go.to/hagalazrunedance

:elf:

[Rick]

My thanks to you, Silver, for the links. They look very interesting...

Runesinger

[Silver Venus]

I'd just like to tell everyone that last night I experienced my first Asatru Blot!!
As I am just starting out in a Norse traditon circle (have been following wicca on my own as a solitary, for the last few years..) we held a celebration last night in the woods ~ Its was amazing!! We lit red candles in a circle and I lit the scared flame on an altar we made of surrounding wood. It took a while to get the fire started but once blazing we each read our passages to celebrate Sigurd and I felt all the power of our circle and our unity! Beautiful! :D I cant put into words yet all the emotions I am feeling at the moment ~ Amazing! Freya smiled on us as she opened the sky full of stars and shooting stars! WOW! I cant wait for the Full Moon ~ but first, over the next few weeks I plan to read, learn and soak in much, much more of the bright growing new (my norse) moon :D

Tonight I am planning to start a Moon garden with herbs and crystals :D
This is a brief description of what I got up to last night ~ taken from the Odinic Rite site
http://www.odinic-rite.org/blotexpl.html

Sigurd (Festival of the Homeland)

This is named after the great hero of our mythology Sigurd, who is most commonly known as a Dragon Slayer. It is the central myth from which the Christians concocted the figure of St. George. This teaches us to remember that we have to confront life's evils - not ignore them or try to pretend they don't exist. This is a principle which should be followed on both the personal level and on the wider level of loyalty to our folk. We must be prepared to defend our community. We must be prepared to stand against that which is harmful, and conquer also our own faults.

Just wanted to share :p

[maya]

Silver, thanks for sharing! I am just now getting in to my own research about Asatru and the mythology behind it. Back in here some where a few were wondering how shamanism compared in Asatru. While I understand that this is personal opinion on the part of the author I found that this bit of writing explained quite a bit of how it can be connected:

http://www.angelfire.com/on/Wodensharrow/aboutwoden.html

I found the whole article very interesting but as with all things I'm wary as to whether the author stretches the truth to fit the point they're trying to make. Since I'm not up on it all yet I'll leave that to wizer folks to debate.

~ maya

[Sequoia]

gosh!!! this is all so interesting!! I actually had no idea that asatru was about the norse mythology and such. . . wow!!! :D that is incredible!!! I'm interested in it, though not nessicarily in becoming asatru per say, but definately in learning a lot more about it! thanks so much for the links!! :D this should be great!