EVERYTHING YOU EVER
WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ASATRU AND HEATHENRY…
Q. What is Asatru?
A. The word 'Asatru'
has several meaning "True to the Gods", or 'Loyal to the Gods' being
the most common translations. In Icelandic it could be translated as 'The
highest religion'. It is a fairly modern term. Our ancestors had no specific name
for the totality of their religious beliefs, which tended to vary according to
era and geography, albeit around common themes. You might also think of it as
"the religion of the Vikings" since they were its main followers in
the years just before our ancestors adopted Christianity. The last official
'holdouts' were the Icelanders.
Q. When did Asatru
start?
A. Asatru is thousands
of years old (though it is practiced in a modern form today, to meet the needs
of our age). Its beginnings are lost in prehistory, but it is older than
Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, or most other religions. The spirit it
expresses, though, is as ancient as the northern European peoples themselves -
anywhere from a mere 40,000 years old to perhaps as much as 150,000 years. As
you can see, we have been Christian for only a few percent, at most, of our
existence as a distinct group! The modern revival of Asatru has its origins in
occult and romantic nationalist movements of the 19th century and the
counterculture movements of the mid-20th century. These movements in turn drew
upon historical records and folk traditions. For example, Icelanders never
forgot their old religion. Led by the poet and Gothi ("godman")
Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson, Icelandic Ásatrú was recognized by the government
there as a legitimate religion in 1972. Since the early 1970's, the religion
has been in a period of rapid growth in
Q. Why did Asatru die
out?
A. Asatru was subjected
to an often violent campaign of repression over a period of hundreds of years.
Countless thousands of people were murdered, maimed, and exiled in the process.
The common people did not give up their cherished beliefs quickly or easily.
Eventually it was the monolithic organization of the Christian Church,
bolstered by threats of economic isolation and aided by conversion of the
ruling classes that triumphed over the unsophisticated tribes. It was greatly
assisted by an energetic proselytizing campaign over centuries, something
unknown to 'live and let live' Heathens who had a general culture of religious
tolerance. To be fair, however, Christianity often succeeded because of the
nobility of soul and generosity of many who embraced its ideals as opposed to
its corrupt institutions. The fact that it superficially adopted the
Despite this, many
elements of Asatru continued down to our own times - often in the guise of
folklore - proving that our own native religion appeals to our innermost beings
in a fundamental way. Do you honestly believe that the Bible has anything to
say about Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, Yule Logs and the Easter Bunny - or the
name of 'Easter' itself (named after our Goddess of Fertility, Oestra or
Ostara)? Not to mention the days of the week (in English) being named for our
Gods.
Now, a thousand years
after its supposed demise, it is alive and growing. Indeed it cannot really die
because it springs from the soul of our people. Asatru isn't just what we
believe, it's what we are.
Q. Is Christianity a
step up from Heathenry?
A. 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.
Q. Is Asatru a New Age
religion?
A. No, it is the
continuation of our Ancestral beliefs. Although adapting to the modern world we
strive to maintain the spirit and practice underlying the ancient religion as
recorded over a period in excess of a thousand years. In this respect we differ
from most Neopagans and Wiccans.
Q. Who are the Gods?
A. They generally fall
into two categories, or tribes, the Aesir and Vanir who were once enemies but
long ago became allies. They have been honoured for many thousands of years by
the various Germanic Tribes across Northern and
Chief amongst the Gods
is Odin, also known as Wotan,
or Wodens. He is remembered in the culture of the English speaking peoples by
having a day of the week named for him - Wodens Day - Wednesday. His wife is
Frigga. The war god is Tyr, also known as Tiwaz and Tiw, whose day is Tuesday.
Then we also have Thor, also known as Donnar and Thunnor, from which we get the
name for 'thunder'. His day is Thor’s Day - Thursday. His most modern
incarnation has been the Marvel comic strip! His wife is Sif. Friday is named
after either Frigga (Odin's wife), or Freyja.
Other Gods and
Goddesses are (in no particular order): Heimdall, Baldur, Loki, Frey, Nanna, Jord, Nerthus. To varying
degrees the Gods of the Asatru pantheon can be roughly matched to those of
other Indo-European cultures such as
Q. What are the basic
beliefs of Asatru?
A. There exists a realm
wherein dwell the Gods and Goddesses of our ancestors. These we honour, and
interact with today in ceremony, via personal gnosis and through living
honourable and worthy lives. We believe that these Beings reflect aspects of
Nature, both internal to ourselves and external in the widest sense of the
word. We believe that the Gods care for us, as we do them and that they are
interdependent with us - that we affect them, and they affect us. We believe in
standards of behavior which are consistent with the spiritual truths expressed
through the Gods, and which are harmonious with our deepest being.
Although there are many
variations in beliefs and practices within this faith, Ásatrúers all share a
defining personal loyalty to, or "Troth" with, the Gods and Goddesses
of the North, such as Odin, Thor, Frigga, the land wights (spirits), and many
others; a deep respect for their Germanic religious, cultural and historical
heritage; and a strong determination to practice the moral principles followed
by their predecessors.
Ásatrúers believe that
they are working with the gods, as kin, to improve the human condition in this
world and to oppose ill-behaved beings (Thurses or Jotuns) and the disorder and
destruction that they represent.
Q. How does Asatru
differ from other religions?
A. Asatru is unlike the
better-known religions in many ways. Some of these are: We are polytheistic.
That is, we believe in a number of deities, including Goddesses as well as
Gods. (We have a tongue-in-cheek saying that a religion without a Goddess is
halfway to atheism!) We do not accept the idea of "original sin," the
notion that we are tainted from birth and intrinsically bad, as does
Christianity. Thus, we do not need "saving." We do not claim to be a
universal religion, a faith for all of humankind. In fact, we don't think such
a thing is possible or desirable. The different branches of humanity have
different ways of looking at the world, each of which is valid for them. It is
only right that they have different religions. We do not in general
proselytize. We will not come knocking at your door trying to 'sell' Asatru. If
you are not interested, that is fine by us. If you are, then welcome! Our Gods
are fallible! They make mistakes, and they can also die. So, are they inferior?
Not at all; our gods are not static deities, they learn and grow just as we do.
This is the strength of a living religion.
Q. What standards of
behaviour are taught in Asatru? What are the Nine Virtues?
A. Some of the qualities
we hold in high regard are strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, loyalty to
kin, realism, vigor, and the revering of our ancestors. To express these things
in our lives is virtuous, and we strive to do this. Their opposites - weakness,
cowardice, adherence to dogma rather than to the realities of the world, and
the like - constitute our vices and are to be avoided. Proper behavior in
Asatru consists of maximizing one's virtues and minimizing one's vices.
This code of conduct
reflects the highest and most heroic ideals of our people.
Many follow a modern
guide distilled from the best of the ancient traditions called 'The Nine Noble
Virtues'. Most commonly, these are: Courage, Truth, Honour, Loyalty,
Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance and Perseverance. Some
groups offer slightly different interpretations, which they are free to do.
Ásatrúar are in
addition generally expected to:
Honour the gods with
regular offerings;
Respect and honor the
land and the family;
Keep all promises and
sworn oaths;
Take bold and decisive
action when called for;
Set high goals for
themselves;
Be autonomous and yet
interdependent with the rest of the Ásatrú community;
Take responsibility for
their actions and the consequences of those actions.
These principles we
live by differ from the monotheistic religions in several respects. They
believe in freedom, yet their scriptures say they are subject to the Will of
their God - upon penalty of everlasting torture for refusal. They agree that
joy is good, but their teachings burden them with guilt because of some
imaginary "original sin" or other failings. They want to accept the
real world on a pragmatic basis, yet they are trained to believe without
question when the teachings of their religion conflict with reason or with
known facts about the nature of the world ("You must have faith.").
Of course, many of us
believe in the values of Asatru on a gut level. After all, they're instinctive,
passed down to us in through North European culture. We want to believe that
the better-known religions espouse those values, so we see what we want to see.
Most people just haven't yet realized that the major religions are saying
things that conflict with the values we know in our hearts are right. To find
Northern European virtues, one has to look to a religion truly consistent with
those virtues - Asatru.
Q. How does one become
Asatru?
A. At its most basic,
it means honouring the Gods. How this is done is up to the individual. Beyond this,
argument breaks out! A prominent position is that being Asatru is a way of
life; it does not just mean to believe in the gods of The Aesir and The Vanir.
It is living one’s life with Honor, Courage, and Respect; it is living ones
life by The Nine Noble Virtues; it is living one’s life with heart and mind by The Havamal.
Q. How do you worship
the gods? Do followers of Asatru pray to their Gods and Goddesses?
A. Yes, but not quite
the way most people mean by the word. We never surrender our will to theirs or
humble ourselves before them, because we see ourselves as their kin, not as
their property. Nor do we beg and plead. We do, however, commune with them and
honor them while seeking their blessing through formal rites and informal
meditation. Actually, living a full and virtuous life is a form of prayer in
itself. Our religion should affect all parts of our lives, not just some
fragments that we choose to call "religious."
To be fair, though,
from an historical point of view there are records of people treating the Gods
as Christians treat theirs. Some DO worship our gods in that manner. They were
worshiped in elder times, and we have solid accounts of people worshipping in
terms of sacrifice, prayer and even bowing before representations of the gods.
However, most modern Ásatrúar (in common with many ancient ones) adopt the
previous approach and attitude to worship and prayer. In keeping with the
underlying spirit of freedom, it is a personal choice, and quite often dictated
by circumstance.
Q. What sort of
ceremonies exist?
A. Ásatrú worship may
be a group observance or a private offering. A blót (rhymes with
"boat") is an offering of food or drink, commonly mead or ale, to the
gods. A blót can be as simple as pouring out a bottle of beer to the gods in
your backyard, or it can be an elaborate community ceremony. However, the
intent is always the same. An exchange of gifts creates a bond between two
people. In a blót, Ásatrúers thank the gods for their gifts and offer gifts in
return. This celebrates and strengthens the bond between the gods and
humankind.
A sumbel is a series of
ritualized toasts. The participants sit in a circle, and a vessel of drink (a
drinking horn full of mead is traditional) is passed around the circle at least
three times. Words spoken in sumbel are witnessed by gods and humans alike and
carry great weight. The rite of sumbel can be a profound experience that
creates bonds of community among those who share in it.
Ásatrúers regard the
gods as honored senior kin, so they offer them their best. It is customary, but
not required, to use alcoholic beverages in blót and sumbel and to share feasts
of meat and grain.
Ásatrúers hold blóts
and sumbels to mark seasonal holidays and observe life cycles (such as births
and weddings) and as needed to give thanks and request assistance. They also
commonly hold public ceremonies to witness important oaths.
The most common ritual
objects are a patch of ground where offerings may be placed in contact with the
earth; a drinking horn; a Thor-hammer; an offering bowl; an oath ring; and
various god-icons such as a statue, spear, sword, spindle, or Brisingamen
(golden necklace). Those who practice rune magic will have a set of rune tiles
that they have cut themselves.
Q. Does Asatru have
priests?
A. Ásatrú religious
leaders are commonly called "Gothi" (male form) and
"Gythia" (female form). Gothis/Gythias are selected by the kindreds
or communities that they serve; kindreds may have one or more Gothis/Gythias.
Each kindred has its own notion of what role a Gothi/Gythia plays, but
generally Gothis/Gythias develop and lead rituals and handle kindred
administrative chores. All Gothis and Gythias are expected to be familiar with
the lore and to be able to lead ceremonies. There is no central authority that
confers 'authenticity' in the way that (say) the Roman Catholic Church does.
Q. Do you worship
stones and trees and idols?
A. No. We know that
trees, wooden statues, the Sun, and other natural or man-made objects are not
Gods, so we don't worship them. We do sometimes use these items as reminders of
a God or Goddess, and some believe they can become "charged" with a
certain aspect of the divine energy, but we would never confuse them with the
actual deity!
Q. Do you have a
personal relationship with the Gods?
A. Yes. Most often it
is with an individual God or Goddess, rather than the Aesir and Vanir as a
whole. Very much 'one to one'. People often feel an attraction to a particular deity,
or a calling. Indeed, many have been called by the Gods even though they knew
nothing of the existence of Asatru! Such resources as the one you are reading
this came as a revelation to them. For further information you need to talk
personally to Ásatrúar, as each individual has a unique story to tell.
Q. Does Asatru involve
ancestor worship?
A. Asatru says we
should honor our ancestors. It also says we are bonded to those ancestors in a
special way. However, we do not actually worship them. We believe our forebears
have passed to us certain spiritual qualities just as surely as they have given
us various physical traits. They live on in us. The family or clan is above and
beyond the limits of time and place. Thus we have a reverence for our ancestry
even though we do not involve ourselves in ancestor worship as such. We never
forget that we have an unbroken lineage stretching back to the first life on
Earth. Also, in case it has crossed your mind, we are not obligated to like
them. However, we must acknowledge them.
Q. What about these
Gods and Goddesses? Are they real?
A. Yes, they are real.
However, just as most Christians do not think their God is really an old
bearded figure sitting on a golden chair in heaven, we do not believe Thor (for
example) is actually a muscular, man-shaped entity carrying a big hammer. There
is a real Thor, but we approach an understanding of him through this particular
mental picture. However, some consider the Gods to be Archetypes of the
Collective Unconscious of the Folk. Some believe that they are the cultural
filters through which we interpret, understand and communicate aspects of a
deeper reality beyond words. Some believe they are Beings that literally exist
in another 'dimension'. The problem that has never been satisfactorily resolved
by philosophy or science (let alone religion) is the question of 'what is
real'!
Q. Do you believe in
other entities?
A. Yes. The disir and
alfar are ancestral spirits. They are generally detected only in aggregate
("The disir of this family", e.g.). These beings are associated with
human- human relationships and things that get passed down in families
(customs, goods, property and luck). When people form durable groups (like
tribes or nations), their ancestral spirits seem to draw together to form more
distinct "matrons", who play the disir/alfar role for the larger
group.
Etins are powerful
individual beings with distinct personalities. They are often quite interested
in human goings-on, as well as various aspects of the natural world and their
own projects. The Aesir and Vanir are one tribe or alliance of these beings.
Other etins are in other alliances or unaffiliated. We call the Aesir and Vanir
"gods" and the badly-behaved etins "giants" or "thurses",
but they seem to be essentially the same kind of being. The Elvenfolk or
'Alfar' also fall into this category - Frey being the pre-eminent such Being.
Wights are associated
with places or objects, from the
This is not a static
set of hard-edged categories. There are beings that have some etin-like and
some wight-like aspects, for example. And Ásatrúers have a sense that beings
can change categories as they develop greater scope or change their interests.
Q. What other concepts
exist in Asatru besides Beings?
A. Wyrd, Orlog, Fate
and the Norns. I shall leave it to someone else to expand on this as
interpretations vary. However, I think that its relationship to the Eastern
Karma and common IE origins should be mentioned. Karma, rather than being viewed as what
happens when a divine being hands out punishment/reward for good and bad deeds,
should be viewed more along the lines of ‘cause and effect’. It is a universal law – and all things are
subject to it. Personal accountability
is therefore emphasized in Asatru.
Q. Do you consider the
Norse Myths to be true?
A. The myths are
stories about the Gods and Goddesses of Asatru. We believe they are ways of stating
religious truths. That is, we would say they contain truths about the nature of
divinity, our own nature, and the relationship between the two. We do not
contend that the myths are literally true, as history. However, it is possible
some were based on historical fact that was later elevated to the quality of
Myth.
Q. What does Asatru
teach about an afterlife?
A. 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,
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
descendants quite apart from an afterlife as such. To be honest, we of Asatru
do not overly concern ourselves with the next world. We live here and now, in
this existence. If we do this and do it well, the next life will take care of
itself.
Traditionally,
Ásatrúers believe that your fate in the afterlife is based on how you lived,
how you died, and the disposition of your remains. Some go to dwell in the hall
of one of the gods in Asgard. Some go to Hel (the domain ruled by the Giantess Hella/Hel), a pleasant or harsh
place depending on your wyrd, to await reincarnation or the end of this world
cycle. Some continue to inhabit this world as guardian spirits for the land or
for their families.
Q. Does Asatru have a
holy book, like the Bible?
A. No. There are
written sources which are useful to us because they contain much of our sacred
lore in the form of myths and examples of right conduct. The closest we come to
such are the Eddas, the Prose and Poetic.
However we do not accept them as infallible or inspired documents. Any religion
which does this is deceiving itself about the purity and precision of the
written word. There are two real sources of holy truth, and neither expresses
itself to us in words. One is the universe around us, which is a manifestation
of the underlying divine essence. The other is the universe inside us, passed
down from our ancestors as instinct, emotion, and innate predispositions. By
combining these sources of internal and external wisdom with the literature
left us by our ancestors, we arrive at religious truths. This living spiritual
guidance is better than any dusty, dogmatic "holy book".
Q. What do you have to
say about good and evil?
A. Good and evil are
not constants. What is good in one case will not be good in another, and evil
in one circumstance will not be evil under a different set of conditions. In
any one instance, the right course of action will have been shaped by the
influence of the past and the present. The result may or may not be
"good" or "evil", but it will still be the right action. In
no case are good and evil dictated to us by edicts written by an authoritarian
deity, as in the
Q. I've heard Asatru
described as a "Nature religion". What does that mean?
A. We treasure the
spiritual awe, the feeling of "connecting" with the Gods and
Goddesses, which can come from experiencing the beauty and majesty of Nature.
Our deities act in and through natural law. By working in harmony with Nature
we can become co-workers with the Gods. This attitude removes the opposition
between "natural" and "supernatural", and the supposed
conflict between religion and science. For us, following a "Nature
religion" means recognizing that we are part of Nature, subject to all its
laws. We may be Gods-in-the-making, but we are members of the animal kingdom
nonetheless!
From an historical
point of view Asatru had less reverence for Nature than most pagan traditions
even though they saw Earth as living and spoke of her as personified by a
deity. Our ancestors lived in the cold North, and recognized the harshness of
Nature and the effort it took to survive. Even so, they had a reverence that
exceeded the monotheistic creeds by a large margin. Times change, and today
most life on earth is under threat of extinction. In that respect, and by its
recognition, Asatru evolves.
Q. Where did the
universe come from, according to Asatru?
A. Our myths describe
the beginning of the universe as the unfolding of a natural process, rather
than an event requiring supernatural intervention. Followers of Asatru need not
abandon modern science to retain their religion. The old lore of our people
describes the interaction of fire and ice, and the development of life from
these - but this is symbolic, and we will leave it to the physicists to
discover how the universe was born.
Q. Why do we need
Asatru?
A. People are attracted
to the better-known religions because they have genuine spiritual needs which
must be filled. People are looking for community, fellowship, and answers to
the "big questions": the purpose of life, how we should live it, and
what happens after death. For many people today, the so-called major faiths do
not have answers that work. Asatru has answers, but most seekers haven't known
about it. Once they realize that there is another way - a better, more natural,
more honorable way - they will not be satisfied with anything less.
Q. What are the runes,
and what do they have to do with Asatru?
A. Runes are ancient Germanic
symbols representing various concepts or forces in the universe. Taken
together, they express our ancestors' worldview. Their meanings are intimately
connected with the teachings of Asatru. Our myths tell the story of how Odin,
father of the Gods, won them through painful ordeal so that Gods and humans
alike might benefit from their wisdom.
The term rune has
several meanings, one of which is "mystery" or secret. When the
chieftains and counselors of Anglo-Saxon England gathered in confidential
meetings the meetings themselves were referred to as runes as Ralph W. V.
Elliot points out in the opening chapter of _Runes_.[1[ "In the Old
English poem the _Wanderer_ we find the following line:
"Swa cwæð snottor
on mode, gesæt hm sundor æt rune."
"Thus spoke the
wise man in his heart as he sat apart in secret musing."
In modern terms runes
refer to the figures of the angular fuþark, or alphabet of the old Germanic and
Norse people, rather then to the original meanings of the word although modern
German still has “raunen” with the sense of mystery and secrecy.
The origin of the
fuþark is shrouded in mystery, many theories have been put forward, but it
remains a subject of investigation and discussion. In mythical terms the
acquiring of the runes by Odin is told in the Havamal, an old Eddic poem.
The names of the rune
symbols in the fuþark are a ‘speculum mundi’ according to Ralph
Elliot, "a mirror of the Germanic world of gods and giants, of natural
phenomena, and of men and their treasured possessions, which reflects many of
the things feared or held dear among the people who used the runes. Ritual or
symbolical associations of various kinds may still cling to some of the names
or at least be dimly discernible even in the later centuries of the runic poems
or in the thoroughly Christian verse of the ninth-century Anglo-Saxon poet
Cynewulf."
The runes are therefore
symbols of a distinct people and their worldview, and the associations were
maintained in the fuþarks that developed subsequently.
While we do not have a
documented use of the rune staves being used in the in divination specifically
we do know that carved symbols were used for divination and the casting of lots
and auguries were customary. Bede, in ‘Ecclesiastical History’ mentions the
casting of lots among the ancient Saxons, as well as the poet of Andreas in
1099, the Eddas refer to the casting and divination of rods and lots, as does
Tacitus although the term he uses is ‘notae’ for the symbols on wooden slips of
wood that were used in divination among the Germanic tribes.
The recitation of songs
(galdr) are also associated with the carving and use of runes in the sagas and folklore
for magical purposes along with the use of runes to mark possessions, send
messages and inscriptions of monuments.
Today runes are an
important part of the belief system of Norse and Germanic based religions for
divination and counsel, as well as being an expression of an earlier world
view.
As a convention, some
Ásatrúar use a 'Runic Era' calendar that corresponds to an arbitrary date of
Odin’s acquisition of the Runes. In this system year zero corresponds to 250BC
i.e. the year 2000AD become 2250RE.
Although many Ásatrúar have discarded this ‘runic era’ idea as older and
older artifacts depicting runes are uncovered.
Q. Are Asatru symbols
racist?
A. No. However, some
are used by racists.
The most obvious example
is the Swastika, one of the world's oldest religious symbols, found on every
inhabited continent. The word itself comes from Sanskrit meaning 'good luck',
and the symbol is still used by Buddhists, Taoists and Hindus throughout
Similarly the Runes
have, and are, being used by racist groups. In some ways it is a chicken and
egg problem. They use the Runes because they think they are somehow 'racist',
and so they become associated with racism. This is not merely a problem that
Asatru faces. Many violently racist groups use Christian symbolism, the most
notorious being the burning cross of the Ku Klux Klan.
To set the record
straight, there are scant records of our ancestors practicing any kind of
'racism' in the modern sense of the word. One might dislike someone because of
their tribal allegiances, but not the colour of their eyes, hair or skin.
Q. How is Asatru
organized?
A. Asatru is
non-authoritarian and decentralized, expressing our love of freedom. While we
do have definite tenets, we have little dogma. There is no all-powerful
spiritual leader whose word is law; no "pope" of Asatru to dictate
truth. No guru or priest has the one-and-only direct line to the Gods. The Gods
live in you!
The terms you will most
often see connected with organisation are 'Hearth' and 'Kindred', also
'Godhords', 'Garths', ‘Harrows’, ‘Hofs’ or 'Fellowships'. These are groupings
of like minded people that may include families. They are completely autonomous,
although they may subscribe to larger organisations.
Q. Is Odinism the same
as Asatru?
A. Not necessarily. As
the differences in name imply, Asatru explicitly embraces all the Gods, and
Odinism tends to focus on Odin. However, in places like Britain the term
'Odinism' is generally used interchangeably with Asatru. Elsewhere other terms
are used such as 'Forn Sed' in Scandinavia.
Q. Why do many Ásatrúar
prefer to be called Heathens rather than Pagans?
A. "Heathen"
is culturally specific, a Germanic word. Also, it lets us differentiate
ourselves from the mass of the Neopagans and Wiccans.
Q. Is Asatru a Folkish
religion?
A. A Folk Religion is?
Q. Do you have to be
European to be Asatru?
A. Some claim that the religion
is gene linked as well as culture linked. This is generally referred to as the
'Folkish' position. Their view is that Asatru is reserved for those of European
ancestry, although whether that is 100% or less than 1% is something else to
argue about. It ought to be noted that the Folkish position is not racist in
the pejorative sense of the word. They believe that all peoples have their own
natural religious inclinations, and that they are neither inferior nor superior
to one another.
At the other end of the
spectrum is the so-called 'Universalist' position which asserts that genetics
has nothing to do with eligibility, and that the Gods call whom they will. The
'middle of the road' position can be termed 'Tribalist' where the importance of
genetic heritage is acknowledged, but which also recognises the historical
reality whereby the outsider may be adopted into the Tribe with all Rights and
Privileges.
Wherever three Ásatrúar
gather, there will be four opinions! It is not something that is going to be
resolved, and there is no central dogma. The two schools of thought have led to
two very different branches of Asatru today.
Q. What holidays does
Asatru observe?
A. Different kindreds
observe different holidays. There are, however, three nearly-universal
observances.
Yule is the only really
universal Ásatrú holiday. Typically runs from December 21 (Mothers Night) and
lasts for 12 days or more. This is the most important holiday of the year. Many
traditional Yule symbols have been absorbed by the Christian celebration of
Christmas: evergreen trees, Yule logs, holly, etc.
Ostara is typically
observed around the spring equinox with decorated eggs, outdoor festivals, and
bonfires. This holiday celebrates the earth's reawakening after the long, fallow
winter.
Winternights is
typically observed at the beginning of autumn. This holiday celebrates the
harvest and contemplates the beginning of a more enclosed part of the yearly
cycle.
There is generally no
specific god or goddess associated with a particular holiday. Each group or
individual honors those that seem most appropriate to them.
Q. Do Ásatrúar practice
magic(k)?
A. Some do, some don't.
In general Magick is not part of Ásatrú
worship. In fact, many Ásatrúers don't believe in magic at all. Others,
however, practice various kinds of workings (such as rune divination) as a
supplement to their religious practices. There also exists a shamanic tradition
called 'Seidr' – but that’s a whole other story! Because there is not definitive way of practicing
the Heathen Religion, every Heathen/Asatruar you speak to will give you a
different answer as to the way they express their faith. For some, the magickal path is an intrinsic
part of their religion and they do not see religion and magick as separate things.
For information on the magickal path, follow this link…