Heathenry

A personal perspective by Marcus Introduction Heathenry is often used as a catch all term for the various paths of the Northern Tradition. These paths all honour the gods of the Aesir and Vanir such as Odin, Frigga, and Thor and take inspiration from Norse, Germanic and Anglo-Saxon traditions. Heathenry is essentially based on reconstruction and unverifiable personal gnosis. This brief article only represents my personal views and experiences. However I hope most heathens will recognise at least some of what I describe and I hope others will be inspired to learn more. Heathenry has also been called the Northern Tradition, Asatru, Odinism, Germanic Neopaganism, Forn Sed, and Theodism etc. These different terms often imply subtle differences in belief which reflect (often bitter) disagreements in practice. In this article, the term "heathenry" is used as a neutral, non-dogmatic phrase to describe "what we do". However, any newcomer should be careful when substituting one phrase for another. Central Beliefs Gods The Northern gods are numerous and there is not enough space to describe any in justice. In general the gods and goddesses capture various aspects of reality. Heathenism is polytheistic and most heathens will call on different gods at different times. However, there is a high degree of overlap between different gods and most heathens will identify with one god more than others. The heathen gods are of two tribes: the Aesir and the Vanir. Generally the Aesir reflect martial aspects while the Vanir reflect fetility and agriculture. In the Eddas, there is a legend of war between the Aesir and the Vanir which resolved as the tribes merged. This might reflect a folk memory of tribal change or a deeper spiritual insight. The following are very brief thumbnail sketches of some of the gods: Odin (Wotan, Woden) The All-Father, Odin is the chief god of the Aesir. Odin is a god of ecstasy, of storms, of poetry, incantation, magic, battle, death and transformation. At the same time, he has aspects of wisdom, mental acuity, learning and order. Because of these aspects, Odin is complex and further discussion of his character is beyond this article. In modern heathenry, Odin is the most worshiped god by far. However it's my opinion that many overlook his essentially complex and paradoxical nature and instead focus on his martial aspects rather than balancing them with the aspects of knowledge and wisdom. Frigga (Frigg, Frige) The All-Mother and wife of Odin, Frigga is a goddess of motherhood, the family and the home. She is said to be a prophetess but does not reveal her wisdom lightly. Key aspects of Frigga are patience and the ability to watch over the small decisions of life. Thor (Thunor) Thor is a defender of the common man. He is a god of wholeness, well-being and protection. Historically, Thor was the most popular god to worship and today many heathens wear his hammer symbol which is also often used as a fertility symbol in handfasting rituals. Tyr (Tiw) Tyr is a god of courage, justice, law and right action. Tyr is often represented as a god of war but it's arguable that he is more about the mechanics of law and the resolution of conflict through honorable action. Freyr (Ingvi, Frey) Freyr is the Lord of fertility, sexual union, abundance, prosperity and harvest. He is often viewed as a god of earth and crops. He is a god of vitality and life force. Loki Loki is the most controversial being in heathenry and his worship has divided the heathen community. To some, he is a trickster figure capable of bringing change, evolution, and innovation through chaos. To others, he is a god of self-deception, mischief and delusion. Care should be taken when mentioning Loki in the company of strangers given the range of potential reactions. Wyrd & Orlog One of the most important concepts is wyrd. Simplistically wyrd can be thought of as "fate" but it is more than that: wyrd is the unification of all that is past, all that is and all that shall be. Every action we make changes the wyrd since it captures both cause and consequence. Wyrd orders the multi-verse and a minor action might bring about a major effect - even the gods are bound by wyrd. Because wyrd is a constantly changing network of every action and every consequence made in the nine worlds, it is impossible to predict. Personal wyrd is called orlog. We can only hope to influence our orlog through living well. In the Voluspa, the Nornir water the roots of the world-tree and weave the web of wyrd to determine both past and future. The Nornir can be thought of as the equivalent of the Fates of Greek mythology. Like the Fates, there are three principal Nornir - what was, what is and what shall be. However, there are other minor Nornir mentioned in the Eddas. It is said that only the Nornir and Frigga know wyrd but Frigga knows without saying. Rituals Blot The blot is our most most basic ritual. At its heart is the concept of sacrifice and gift giving which usually involves food and drink being shared. As we are given so many good things from the gods, the blot allows us to show gratitude and to give something back. The blot also provides an opportunity to build a web of duty, obligation and affection with the gods and fellow heathens. Symbel The symbel is our most holiest and significant ritual. Symbel is essentially a rite of offering - alcohol is passed around and consumed while honoring the gods, ancesters, and the deeds and plans of the gathered folk. Symbel serves as a folk-binding ritual - re-enforcing heathen values, promoting kinship before our gods, and allowing us to share pledges and aspirations. By the symbel we act to further interconnect the wyrd between the participants. Therefore, symbel should only be done with people who already have a strong sense of kinship and unity. Texts and guides There is no official canon of texts to guide heathen thought and practice. For the most part, heathenry was an oral tradition and it's not even clear whether there ever was a unified world view between the various tribes of northern Europe. Therefore, most of our tradition is based on later writings from Christian monks and scholars. There are two key collections: The Poetic Edda (or Elder Edda) The Prose Edda (or Younger Edda) Both were transcribed in Iceland around the 13th century. From these we gain most of our knowledge of our gods, legends and practices. However, it should be clear that heathenry is essentially a reconstructionist path with many changes made to accommodate 21st century life and culture. This shouldn't be taken as diminishing its worth since all religions and moral frameworks must change with time or quickly become obsolete. Parts of the eddas are regarded with more significance than others. For example, certain parts of the Poetic Edda consist of lists of names - clearly as an aid memoire for an oral bardic tradition. Another part, the Havamal (sayings of the high one) is a poem of moral advice from the Allfather himself and has become the basis by some for heathen morality - most notably the Nine Virtues developed by the Odinic Rite - a leading international Odinist organisation. Further reading There are many books on heathen practices and beliefs and as wide a range of quality and detail. The Poetic and Prose eddas are essential reading and there are several excellent translations from Norse to English. My preference is the translations published by Penguin. However, most newcomers will find these daunting and really it's probably best to read modern interpretations of the legends and then check back to the Eddas. I recommend the following for a readable first book on northen mythology but without any spiritual aspects: Kevin Crossley-Holland (1996) The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings. Penguin. A more spiritual interpretation of the myths of the Elder Edda is given by Elsa-Brita Tichenell (1985) The Masks of Odin. Theosophical University Press. The potential reader should be warned that the work is heavily influenced by the work of theosophy and therefore might not be to the taste of everybody. I'd recommend taking what was useful and discarding the rest. The best general introduction of heathenry I'd recommend is Galina Krasskova (2005) Exploring the Northern Tradition. Newpage Books. This book provides a reasonably balanced account of heathenry, even if intended for a largely American audience. In particular, Krasskova is good on moving beyond the stereotypical and simplistic accounts of the gods and provides many interesting personal insights.

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