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video made for my song by LadyBloodmoon

Thanks again to NocturnalMistress for giving me this...

Seidhr

Wide stands the door

to the rune-worlds' winds

loud ring their songs' sounds

through the northern night:

the wise wend their way

toward might and main,

again to learn that holy lore

The sun-born sisters

and brothers bright

call in their night of need"

staves strong and holy

in rune-might standing

enkindle the craft

and cunning ways

to win weal and wisdom.

On a shining plain

runesters ply their skill

in a Gard of the Gods

in the northern light-

the runes bloom forth,

roaring their songs,

through a house all whole,

again as aye anon.

Stadhagaldhr

Is an active system of magic that is consists of the runic

postures or gestures for magical effect both within the vitki

and in the environment they are working in when casting

Runes.

It consists of:

1) Control of thy body through posture (stadha)

2) Control of thought through song (galdhr)

3) Control of breath

4) Control of emotion

5) Becoming aware of the rune realms of thy self and of the

world(s)

6) Control and direction of thy will.

When casting Runes:

Stand in the stadha stance and concentrate on the question

or problem then once you feel connected sing out "Runar

radh rett radh!" (it means Runes rown right rede but English

translation for it means Runes, whisper with correct advice)

then cast the Runes and sing out the Nornic names "Urdhr---

Verdhandi--- Skuld!" before the Runes hit the cloth you are

using to catch the Runes.

Draught of Wisdom

I bring thee beer

thou warrior of battle

blended with might

and mighty renown

it is full of songs

and soothing staves

good galdr (magic)

and might runes.

This could be used when drinking to celebrate a

festive occasion.

You would drink from a cup where you would etch

the runes into (not deeply and do not color but

merely cover each Rune with the drink in question-

wine, beer, or mead) and then scrap off the Runes

and sing-

I shave the shining runes,

and their shaping-might,

from the wood of wisdom:

into the draught they drop!

Then mix the drink and Runes with a runic knife

and repeat

Rune-might be mixed

with this mead (or name the drink) of wisdom,

blended together in a bond of strength.

Then you would raise the cup and sing out

Odhroerir roar into the draught!

This is for protection, it is called the Hammer

Rite:

1) with a wand in your right hand face the North

Star

2) Beginning with fehu in the nirth sign and send

the runes of the futhark in a ring around you at

the level of the solar plexus as far out as the

circle on the ground or floor- always with the

direction with the sun in a clockwise position. The

banding circle should start with fehu and end with

the rune othala.

3) stand in the cross position of stadha and

visualize an equilateral cross laying horizontally

in the plane of the rune ring and your solar plexus

with the point as the center of the cross. the arms

of this cross should end at the points where they

intersect the rune band. think of it as it's

"equator" then visualize the vertical axis coming

through the length of your body from the infinite

space above and from the infinite space below.

4) Feel and see the force of the Runes flowing into

the center of your body from all six directions as

it builds a sphere of glowing red might.

(Depending on the ritual it may entitle a different

color- if you need me to I can give you the list of

colors appropriate for certain prayers and

occasions.)

5) Touch your breast with the tip of the wand at

the center of the power and thrust it forward

projecting the force from that center to a point in

the inside face of the outer sphere. Then signal

the the sign of the hammer (which is the shape of

a capital T upside down) from the mass of magical

might. while doing this you should sing out

Hamarr i Nordhri helga ve thetta ok hald vordh!

(It means Hammer in the North Hallow and hold

this holy-stead!)

6) Then turn ninety degrees to the right and

repeat both the signing and saying of it twice,

then in the West, then return facing the north and

direct you attention above you and repeat the

same. Do the same for the floor (directing it

below you) then make the stadha and sing it out

again. You will then repeat it again in each phase-

North, West, South, and East- clockwise, and you

should envision that all runes are now connected

by bands of deep blue light and surrounded by a

band of bright red runes.

7) To end the band of the runes, center all the

rune forces by folding your arms from the cross

of stadha in towards your center with your fingers

touching at the solar plexus and sing out

Um mik ok i mer Asgardhr ok Midhgardhr!

(Means Around me and in me Asgardhr and

Midgardhr!)

COMMENTS

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NocturnalMistress
03:40 Jan 09 2011

You might want to add a space or line in between the different paragraphs so that way people can see the differences between which verse and explanation starts and ends. :)

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RainWitch
07:37 Feb 05 2011

I have this in my book of shadows.

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POST COMMENT

The Norse gods are divided into two major groups, the Aesir

and Vanir, in addition to the giants who came first. Some

believe the Vanir gods represent an older pantheon of the

indigenous people whom the invading Indo-Europeans

encountered. In the end, the Aesir, the newcomers,

overcame and assimilated the Vanir.

Andvari

In Norse mythology, Andvari (Alberich) guarded treasures,

including Tarnkappe, a cape of invisibility, and gave Loki the

magic ring of the Aesir, which is called Draupnir.

Balder

Balder was an Aesir god and a son of Odin and Frigg. Balder

was the husband of Nanna, father of Forseti. He was killed

with mistletoe thrown by his blind brother Hod. According to

Saxo Grammaticus, Hod (Hother) did it on his own; others

blame Loki.

Forseti

Forseti is the Norse god of justice. He is the son of Balder

and Nanna.

Freya

Freya was a Vanir goddess of sex, fertility, war, and wealth,

daughter of Njord. She was taken in by the Aesir, perhaps as

hostage.

Freyr

Freyr was a Norse god of weather and fertility; brother of

Freya. The dwarves built Freyr a ship, Skidbladnir, that could

hold all the gods or fit in his pocket. Freyr went as a hostage

to the Aesir, along with Njord and Freya. He courted the

giantess Gerd through his servant Skirnir.

Frigg

Frigg was a Norse goddess of love and fertility. In some

accounts she was Odin's wife, making her foremost among

the Aesir goddesses. She was the mother of Balder. Friday

is named for her.

Hod

Hod was a son of Odin. Hod was the blind god of winter who

killed his brother Balder and was in turn killed by his

brother Vali.

Loki

Loki is a giant in Norse mythology. He is also a trickster, the

god of thieves, possibly responsible for Balder's death.

Adopted brother of Odin, Loki was bound to a rock until

Ragnarok.

Mimir

Mimir is a giant in Norse mythology. He is Bothorn's brother

and Odin's uncle. Mimir guards the well of wisdom, which is

under Yggdrasil.

Nanna

In Norse mythology, Nanna was the daughter of Nef and

Balder's wife. Nanna died of grief at the death of Balder and

was burnt with him on his funeral pyre. Nanna was the

mother of Forseti.

Njord

Njord was a Vanir god of wind and sea. He was the father of

Freya and Frey. Njord's wife was the giantess Skadi who

selected him on the basis of his feet, which she thought

belonged to Balder.

Norns

The Norns were the fates in Norse mythology. The Norns

may once have guarded the fountain at the base of

Yggdrasil.

Odin

Odin was the head of the Aesir gods. Odin was the Norse god

of war, poetry, wisdom, and death. He gathered his portion

of the slain warriors in Valhalla. Odin had a spear, Grungir,

that never missed. He made sacrifices, including his eye, for

the sake of knowledge.

Thor

Thor was the Norse thunder god, the main enemy of the

giants, and the son of Odin. The common man called upon

Thor in preference to his father, Odin.

Tyr

Tyr was the Norse god of war. He put his hand in the mouth

of the Fenris wolf. Thereafter, Tyr was left-handed.

COMMENTS

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phantomsgrief
04:07 Jan 31 2011

i love reading about the gods of times past and how they influenced the lives of those that lived in those times past

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POST COMMENT

Bridge Of Death

Slowly crossing as the river runs below

Never stopping for whats waiting soon will slow

And this last time looking back I'll see

My home for he awaits me reaching for my

soul.He calls my name,and waves me on

The fallen one he stands in flame

Well the life that he has given full of riches

And success has a price that I made good in

Blood to pay.And the light he now is showing

To guide my every footstep is insurance if

I falter on my way.And what God has now

Forsaken and man has never seen are the

Riches of the underworld below all my

Years of earthly pleasures gave support

Unto the briges I now cross it giving

Him my soul

Dark Lord,I summon thee demanging the

Sucred right to burn in hell,ride up to hells

hot wind.Face one more evilthan thou,take

My lustful soul,

Drink my blood as I drink yours,impale me on

the horns of death

Cut off my head release all my evel Lucifer is king

Praise Satan

I know the one who waits satan is

His name,is across the bridge of

Death there he stands in flame

I know the one who waits satan is

His name,is across the bridge of

Death there he stands in flame.

He is my provider as I walk into the

Void for eternity I give to him my soul

I shall do his bidding obey him

Without question even walk among the living if

I'm told

Satan don't forsake me I wait for

You take me grant me wings and as

You messenger I'll fly.

Thor (The Powerhead)

Black clouds on the horizon

Great thunder and burning rain

His chariot pounding, I heard the heavens scream his name

I watched as he shouted

To the giants that died that day

He held up his hammer high and called Odin for a sign

Thor the mighty, Thor the brave

Crush the infidels in your way

By your hammer let none be saved

Live to die on that final day

Gods, monsters and men

We'll die together in the end

God of thunder, God of rain

Earth shaker who feels no pain

The powerhead of the universe

Now send your never ending curse

I watched as he shouted

To the giants that died that day

He held up his hammer high and called Odin for a sign

Thor the mighty, Thor the brave

Crush the infidels in your way

By your hammer let none be saved

Live to die on that final day

Gods, monsters and men

We'll die together in the end

Swing your hammer to crack the sky

Lift your cape so that you might fly

Back to Odin and gods on high

And leave this mortal world

Thor the mighty, Thor the brave

Crush the infidels in your way

By your hammer let none be saved

Live to die on that final day

Gods, monsters and men

We'll die together in the end

Odin

Odin

In the hall of the slain

Valkyries and heroes attend me

Ravens and wolves at my side

Forever they did befriend me

I paid an eye for a drink of mead

And was given wisdom supreme

Granted to me the secrets

Of magic, of life and death

Ah.. Speared hung upside down

Nine days and nights no food nor mead

The will to be a sacrifice

Of myself unto myself

Wisdom and rhyme

Sorcery, death living inside me

Of life and death I am king

For both do I bring by sword and spear and ring

Raise thy weapons on this day

Ye shall not die alone

Fight and die let Valkyries fly

For they shall take thee home

I promise thee that on this night

Ye shall be by my side

Asgard's halls await with hero's

Brothers that have died

For thee we wait at Asgard's gates

Come join us by our side

Valhalla waits so choose thy fate

For all of us must die!

The Blood Of Odin

Upon his shoulders perch two ravens, Hugin and Munin.

They circle the earth by day seeing all, at night they report to him

the world's tidings.

He wears a golden helmet and a golden ring, at his side sit two

wolves.

His weapons a magic sword and a spear called Gungnir, they are

carved with runes.

His eight legged horse Sleipnir carries him over land, sea and air,

the bringer of the valiant dead, the einherjar, from the battlefield

across the rainbow bridge to Valhalla.

For a single drink of the enchanted water he paid with one eye, he

was granted supreme wisdom.

He is the god of poetry, sorcery, and death.

Wounded, pierced by a spear he hung upside down for nine

days.

Fasting and agony he made of himself a sacrifice to himself.

Given no bread nor mead he looked down, and with a loud cry

fell screaming from the world tree.

In a flash of insight the secret magic of the runes was revealed to

him.

He took up the runes and mastered them, eighteen powerful

charms for protection, success in battle, lovemaking, healing and

the power to bring back the dead.

His sacred blood mixed with black wind and rain wept down from

the world tree deep into the earth.

He commanded the earth to crack open and to spew forth the

strongest of the strong!

On this day he did bestow unto the world the sons of Odin!

by Erich Campbell

The word "Ásatrú" literally translates as "faith in the gods," but

it is best described as the modern rebirth of the indigenous, pre-

Christian faith of the Nordic/Germanic peoples. It is a polytheistic

faith, meaning that it honors a pantheon of numerous gods and

goddesses. Many of the names of these gods and goddesses

remain part of our modern culture. One example is found in the

days of the week, i.e. Wednesday is Woden's (Odin's) Day,

Thursday is Thunar's (Thor's ) Day, Friday is either Frigga's Day or

Freya's Day (scholars debate which). Ásatrú has been recognized

officially in Iceland, but also has a large following throughout

Scandinavia and in America, England, Germany, and other

countries.

Ásatrú is focused on honoring the two families of gods and

goddesses, the Æsir and the Vanir, but it also holds a belief in

various other land spirits and a reverence of ancestors. Many

follow a list of nine virtues, referred to as the Nine Noble Virtues,

that have been culled from the Eddas (our primary sources) and

the Sagas. These virtues are: Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity,

Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-reliance, and

Perseverance.

Ásatrú has a strong emphasis on individual spiritual

experience, however, Ásatrú people often form small groups.

These groups are variously known as kindreds, hearths, garths,

felags, halls, etc. Some have a designated priest or priestess, while

others rely on inspired volunteers to lead the celebrations. A priest

is referred to as a Goði, a priestess as a Gyðja. There is a great

deal of importance placed on the study of the literature, folklore,

and history pertaining to the original religious and cultural

elements upon which Ásatrú is based.

Ásatrú is open to everyone, and there are many different sorts

of Ásatrú people. Anyone who wants to become Ásatrú can do

so -- regardless of gender, race, color, ethnicity, national origin,

language, sexual orientation, or other divisive criteria.

Our primary religious celebrations are called Blóts. They are

essentially a ritual featuring a votive offering, usually in the form of

libation. These Blóts are held at pivotal points during the year, the

most important being Yule and Midsummer's Blót. There are

various other Blóts that are also celebrated. Sumbels, consisting of

rounds of ritual drinking and toasting, are also held occasionally. A

typical calendar of celebrations is as follows:

D i s a b l ó t - 3 1 J a n u a r y O s t a r a - 2 1 M a r c h

V a l p u r g i s - 3 0 A p r i l M i d s u mm e r - 2 1 J u n e

F r e y s f e s t - 3 1 J u l y H a u s t b l ó t - 2 3 S e p t e m b e r

W i n t e r N i g h t s - 3 1 O c t o b e r Y u l e - 2 1 D e c e m b e r

Many other social and cultural events may also be held.

Common religious rites outside of the major Blóts include

weddings, land-taking, Coming of Age rites, professions, personal

Blóts to a patron or matron among the gods and goddesses, Blóts

done in time of need, etc.

Hea' then: haithno [Gothic], hæthen [Anglo-Saxon], heide

[German], mistranslation by the Gothic Bishop Ulfilas (4th century

c.e.) of hethanos [Armoric], heathen, by association with haithi

[Gothic], heath, thence the folk etymology of heathen as

'wasteland dwellers' developed by other Germanic languages.

Then, heathen refers to anyone not of the Abrahamic religions,

especially a member of a tribe, nation, etc. worshiping many

gods. Historically used by Christians to describe others with

different beliefs as barbaric, godless, and irreligious. In the modern

revival of the pre-Christian religion of Northern Europe, many of

us prefer to be called Heathens, although some shudder at the

mere hint of so-called negative connotations.

(Thank You NocturnalMistress!! )

Here are some sites that is good for prose, songs, recipes,

and also verse for Asatru:

http://www.odins-gift.com/wichtig/1theme/troth.htm

http://asatruringfrankfurt.de/

en/2prayer/1asatruprayers.htm

http://ondrunes.blogspot.com/2008/03/prayer-and-

worship-in-asatru.html

COMMENTS

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NocturnalMistress
01:31 Jan 03 2011

You're welcome :)



If you look under my Asatru section of my journal you will find out some more information for it there. :)

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POST COMMENT

Nine Noble Virtues:

Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality,

Industry, Self-Reliance, and Perseverance

COURAGE

The word "courage" comes from the Latin word for "heart," and

it basically means that you are brave. You can be brave

physically, which might mean that you are willing to fight for

what you believe is right. For example, you might defend

someone who is being hurt by a bully who is bigger or stronger

than the person he or she is hurting. Another kind of courage is

called "moral courage." It means standing up for what you

believe, even when it would be easier to keep quiet. Suppose

someone uses words that put someone down because of their

skin color, or their religion, or where their parents came from. If

you speak up and say that people should be judged on what

they do, not on how they look or what they believe, you are

practicing the noble virtue of Courage. If you hear someone tell a

lie that could hurt someone else, and you call them on it, you are

acting with courage. Courage also means doing what you

believe is right, or refusing to do what you believe is wrong,

even when other people laugh at you and your friends won't

support your choices.

Almost everyone understands what being brave is about.

However, an important thing to understand is that being brave

doesn't mean that you aren't afraid. What makes people

"courageous" is doing the right thing even when they are afraid.

Another important idea is that being brave doesn't mean you

should be stupid. If you see someone being beaten up by a bully

who is too big for you to fight without getting hurt yourself, use

your "courage" to find an adult to stop the fight. Courage is the

virtue that gives you the "heart" to do the best you can to defend

others and to do what's right.

TRUTH

The virtue of Truth sounds pretty simple. It basically means that

you don ’t tell lies. However, there is more to practicing Truth

than that. For example, the easiest way to avoid telling lies is to

never do anything that you aren't comfortable telling people

about. You need to be honest with yourself, too. Don ’t give

yourself excuses for doing things that you believe are wrong

that make them sound like they are okay. You don ’t make

stealing right by saying that no one will miss what you take.

Telling lies so you won ’t be punished for doing something you

know you shouldn’t have just makes what you did worse, not

better. Part of practicing truth is having the courage to always

own up to what you did.

Probably the most important thing to know about practicing

truth is that not everyone agrees about what is true. Sometimes

things that seem to contradict each other can both be true. There

is a story about a group of blind men who "looked" at an

elephant and then argued about whether an elephant was like a

snake, a wall, a tree, or a vine. Each one had an idea that was

true (the elephant’s trunk, body, leg, and tail), but none of them

had the whole picture. If you really believe something is true,

you don't have to make other people agree with you. You are

only responsible for yourself. Maybe the people you disagree

with know something you don't. Maybe they aren't ready to see

what you do. Good friends can "agree to disagree" on lots of

things without having to quit being friends.

HONOR

The basic meaning of Honor is respect. When you honor

people, you express your feeling that they have earned respect

for a particular action or for the way they lead their lives. Your

personal sense of honor is your commitment to live by the

standards you believe should earn you respect from others. All

the NNV are part of practicing honor. If you act with courage,

tell the truth, are loyal to others, behave with discipline, are

hospitable and industrious, rely on yourself to accomplish

things, and persevere until you finish what you set out to do,

you will certainly command honor from others. More important,

if you live that way, you can honor and respect yourself as well

and never need to be ashamed of what you have done.

You practice honor by respecting others' rights and beliefs and

by keeping your word. You also practice honor by making

others respect your rights and keep their word to you. Honor

means treating other people the way you want to be treated and

also getting in their faces when they don't treat you or your

friends with respect. Most important of all, practicing honor

means keeping your promises. Sometimes that means that you

have to think before you make a promise. If you're not sure you

can do something you are asked to do, it's okay to say you'll try,

but aren't sure you can deliver. It's not okay to give your word

and then not even try to do what you promised.

FIDELITY

Fidelity is just a big word for being faithful or loyal to a person,

to a group of people, or to an idea. For example, if your friend is

being teased by others in a way that makes him or her feel bad,

fidelity is standing by your friend, defending your friend, and

refusing to join in the teasing, no matter what. If you believe that

it's important to tell the truth, you practice fidelity by never telling

a lie. Obeying the laws of your community is one way to

practice fidelity. If someone in your family is in trouble, you try

to help them if you can, even if you don't agree with what got

them in trouble. However, fidelity does not include doing

something you believe is wrong to give them that help. The

important part of practicing fidelity is to be careful about who

you give your loyalty to. If you belong to a group that thinks it's

"cool" to use drugs or to lie to their parents, your being faithful

to the group could also mean breaking the law or behaving

dishonorably. If a group you belong to does not support your

doing what's right, you need to withdraw your loyalty and get

out of the group. That's part of practicing fidelity also, being

faithful to your own ethics.

DISCIPLINE

The word discipline originally comes from a word that meant

teaching and learning. The idea was that when you teach, you

put out a pattern of knowledge or behavior that students fit

themselves to. The basic idea is that there are patterns that are

worth learning to fit and also that the way you learn is to change

your behavior to fit such patterns. For example, the best way to

have a strong body is to learn the pattern of eating healthy and

exercising that creates a strong body, and then to practice fidelity

to that pattern. The NNV are a discipline, a pattern for thinking

and acting which you practice until they are so much a part of

who you are that they almost define who you are. Discipline

sometimes seems to mean something unpleasant, like when a

parent disciplines (punishes) a child to teach the child how to

behave. Because many forms of learning (discipline) include

some form of punishment when you fail to match the pattern,

many people think discipline is an unpleasant thing. It depends

on how you look at it. For example, dancers may work very

hard and even experience pain to learn a particular dance, but the

reward is the pleasure of creating the beauty of the dance, both

for the performer and the audience. The trick in practicing

discipline is to choose to learn and practice patterns that make

you or your life better so that the end result is worth any trouble

the process may create. The most important discipline you

practice is self-discipline. That is, you decide you want to match

a pattern and then you keep working at making the pattern a

part of how you live until it is part of your character. For

example, if you make eating right and exercising so much a part

of your life that you are uncomfortable if you are not living that

pattern, you are much more likely to live a long life and to be

healthy even when you are very old.

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality is the virtue where you recognize that, in addition to

being an individual, you are also part of a community. In the

ancient Norse world, hospitality meant opening your house to

travelers and treating people who came to visit you with the

same kindness and respect as you give your own family. The

idea was that humans survive by helping each other and that, in

a way, all humans are part of the same family. You practice

hospitality when you treat other people like they are your family,

with kindness and respect. We no longer live in a world where

you can safely invite strangers into your home. You can do

other things, though, like treating strangers with courtesy. You

can also help people in your community by helping with food

drives for the poor and other projects like neighborhood cleanup

and doing house repair for disabled people. Doing chores like

shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor or helping children cross

the street safely or helping a friend get settled in a new house are

also forms of hospitality. Of course hospitality is also making

your friends and relatives welcome when they come to your

home, and perhaps offering them something to eat or drink. The

other side of hospitality is behaving well when you are a guest in

someone else's home. It might mean avoiding a fight with your

cousin or helping the younger children get something to eat at a

family gathering. In general, if you treat other people the way

you would like to be treated, you will be practicing hospitality.

INDUSTRY

Basically, industry means working to accomplish something. It

also means doing more than the least you can get by with. If

you have a job, you do the best you know how, and take pride

in doing it right, whether or not other people notice that you did

more than you had to. If someone asks you to do a job, and

you accept responsibility for it, they can count on you to

complete it and to do it on time and to meet the standards they

set. You practice industry by how well you work, but also by

how well you play. Play is where you renew your energies and

where you explore new ideas and ways to look at the world. To

be an effective human being, you need a balance of work and

play. In the same way that you try to get the most done for the

time and effort you put into a job, so should you try to play so

you have the most fun and the most joy in living. The idea

behind the virtue of industry is to be wholehearted in whatever

you do, to get the most you can from the time and effort you

spend. How you judge that depends on what is important and

enjoyable to you. What do you think is more industrious play,

watching TV or playing soccer with your friends? Reading a

good book or watching a ball game? Watching an ant hill or

dancing to a music video? Hint: there aren ’t any "right" answers.

You choose what is most valuable to you.

SELF-RELIANCE

Another word for self-reliance is responsibility, especially for

yourself. As much as you can, you need to be independent of

the help of others. For example, if you ’re supposed to go to

soccer practice, don’t count on your Mom to remind you. Notice

what time it is, and be ready when it’s time to go. Another way

to be self-reliant is to find ways to get the things you want by

earning money or trading things rather than always expecting

your parents to get them for you. It also means things like

cleaning up after yourself when you make a mess. Being self-

reliant does not mean that you don ’t get help from others. It just

means that you do what you can for yourself, and only ask

others for things you can't do--like drive a car or solve a really

difficult math problem. On the math problem, though, you need

to try hard before you give up and ask for help. As you grow

older, there are more and more things you can do for yourself.

Practicing self-reliance means that you learn to do those things

so you don't have to depend on other people so much. It also

means that when other people need help, you give it to them,

but you also do what you can to teach them to be able to do for

themselves the next time.

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance is the virtue of keeping on until you finish the job.

It's easy to get discouraged about projects, because all projects

all have places where they stop being fun or where it looks like

you're never going to get through them. In fact, sometimes,

you just fall on your face and make a mess. Practicing

perseverance means getting up and trying again or trying

another way to do what has to be done. On the other hand, if

what you're trying to do is not worth your time and effort, you

don't get credit for being stupid. A lot of people have special

talents, but people who "keep on keepin' on" will always do

better than talented people who don't persevere. The best

combination of all is to persevere in learning how to use your

special talents and in learning new skills and abilities. No one can

beat a combination of ability and perseverance. And if you fail

sometimes, that's okay too. It's the people who fail and get past

their failure that really succeed in life.

Spelling:

There are a number of options for the spelling of the name of this

religion. We have been informed that Asatro is the correct

Swedish spelling -- "... a combination of the words 'Asa', refering

to the Asa-gods och Asarna (The Asa) ... and the word 'Tro',

simply meaning 'belief'. Thus, it means something in the lines of

"Belief in the Asa-gods".

On the other hand, Ásatru and Asatru are more popular on the

Internet than Asatro by a factor of 12. If we used the latter, people

using a search engine to find our essay would not be able to

locate it. So we will use "Asatru."

History:

Ásatrú 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 Ásatrúar 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 Ásatrú 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 ?i>sir," the Gods.

"Ásatrú" is a combination of "Asa" which is the possessive case of

the word 'sir (Æsir) 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 Goði 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.

Corruption of Ásatrú:

It is not unknown for otherwise decent religions to become

corrupted by incorporating racist, sexist, anti-semitic, and

homophobic beliefs. For example:

The Christian Identity movement is one wing of the Christian

religion which has adsorbed such beliefs.

During the early part of the 20th Century, The National Socialist

Party in Germany under Adolf Hitler attempted to pervert Ásatrú

by grafting parts of the religion onto the Nazi racist beliefs. This

blasphemy died by the end of World War II, although some neo-

Nazi groups -- largely in the U.S. -- are now attempting to

continue the practice.

This type of activity is in no way related to the restoration of

Ásatrú as a legitimate Heathen religion. There is a very strong anti-

racist, anti-Nazi stance among national Asatru groups in the

Scandinavian countries. This is also found in almost all Ásatrú

groups in English speaking countries. They typically have a clear

rejection of racism written into their constitutions. Unfortunately,

some anti-racism groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center

and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (in its Megiddo report)

have mistakenly accused the entire religion of racism.

Many people are exposed to the name "Ásatrú" through role

playing games, such as Mage: The Ascension. Unfortunately, the

Ásatrú of these games bear little resemblance to the real religion.

Ásatrú beliefs:

Ásatrú is a polytheistic religion. There are three races of Deities in

the Norse pantheon. They are all regarded as living entities who

are involved in human life:

The Æsir: These are the Gods of the tribe or clan, representing

Kingship, order, craft, etc.

The Vanir: These represent the fertility of the earth and forces of

nature. They are associated with the clan but are not part of it.

The Jótnar: These are giants who are in a constant state of war

with the Æsir. They represent chaos and destruction. At the battle

of Ragnarok, many of the Æsir will die. The world will come to an

end and then be reborn.

Specific Gods: Some of the more important are:

Thor is the Thunderer, who wields Mjölnir, the divine Hammer.

His chariot racing across the sky generates thunder. Thursday

(Thor's Day) was named after him.

Odin is the one-eyed God; he gave up one of his eyes in order to

drink from the Fountain of Knowledge (some sources say

Fountain of Wisdom). He is a magician. He learned the secrets of

the runes (Northern European alphabet) by hanging himself on the

tree Yggdrasil for nine nights.

Frey (a.k.a. Freyr) is the God of fertility, the weather and farming.

He was born on the Winter Solstice, typically December 21. His

father was Njord.

Specific Goddesses: Some important ones are:

Freya (aka Freyja) is the Goddess of love, beauty and sexuality,

and perhaps a dozen other attributes. She leads the Valkyries who

take the souls of some slain soldiers to Valhalla (Odin's great

hall).

Frigg is Odin's wife. Her name has been secularized to a slang

term which refers to sexual intercourse. She is the patroness of

the household and of married women.

Skadi is the Goddess of independence, death, hunting and skiing.

Scandinavia may have been named after her.

Ostara, is a Goddess of fertility who is celebrated at the time of

the Spring equinox. She was known by the Saxons as Eostre, the

Goddess of Spring, from whom we have derived the word

Easter. Ostara's symbols are the hare and the egg.

Other Entities Other Deities are Aegir, Balder, Bragi, Forseti,

Heimdall, Hel, Loki, Njord, Ran, Tyr, Ull and Vithar. Followers of

Ásatrú also honor the Landvaettir (land spirits) of the forest,

earth and streams.

Life Values: Asatruars in North America have created a list of

Nine Noble Virtues: Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity, Discipline,

Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance and Perseverance. The

family is greatly valued and honored. They reject any form of

discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, language, nationality,

race, sexual orientation, or "other divisive criteria".

Origins: Humanity is literally descended from the Gods. Three

brothers, Odin, Vili, and Ve created people from two trees and

gave them the names Ask and Embla. One deity, Rig visited the

earth and established the social classes.

Ód: This is the gift of ecstasy provided to humans by the Gods. It

is what separates humanity from other animals, and is our eternal

link with the Gods.

Creation Story: A poem Voluspa (Prophecy of the Seeress)

contains an Ásatrú story of the creation of the universe. Between

Muspelheim (The Land of Fire) and Niflheim the Land of Ice was

an empty space called Ginnungigap. The fire and ice moved

towards each other; when they collided, the universe came into

being. Odin, Vili and Ve later created the world from the body of a

giant that they had slain.

After death: Unlike many other religions that have Heaven or Hell

as a final destination after death, Norse myths indicate that there

are many possible locations. Half of the heroic, battle-slain

warriors go to Freyja's field, Fólkvangr. She is said to get first pick.

Helheim is the neutral realm where most people go upon death.

Helheim is ruled by the goddess, Hel (or Hela). Oathbreakers and

other dishonorable people are eaten by Niddhog, a dragon. Those

who die at sea are said to enter another hall. However, most

Ásatrúar do not believe in the myths literally. Some believe in

reincarnation along family lines. Still, others believe that the dead

inhabit their graves.

The end of the world: Ragnar'k (a.k.a. Ragnar'kkr, Ragnar'k,

Ragnarok; literally the fate of the Gods) is the anticipated

apocalypse. It involves a great battle between the Gods and the

J'tnar -- a race of giants with superhuman strength. Unlike

Revelation in the Christian Scriptures, prophecies of Ragnar'k are

very specific: the events leading up to the battle, the timing of the

battle, who will kill whom, etc. are all known. Wolves will eat the

sun and moon. The stars will stop shining. Mountains will fall;

trees will be uprooted; "Fumes will reek and flames will burst,

scorching the sky with fire. The earth will sink into the sea." Most

of the Gods will die. Only one woman and one man, Lifthrasir and

Lif, will survive. Their offspring will eventually repopulate the

world and live in peace.

Asatru Rituals and Practices:

Their local religious communities are called Kindreds, Hearths,

or Garths. Male priests are called Goði; priestesses are Gyðja.

The Blót: (pronounced "bloat" or "boat;" sources differ) This is

their most common religious ritual; it is a sacrifice to the Gods. In

olden days, as with almost all ancient religions, an animal was

consecrated to the deities and then slaughtered. This was not seen

as a bribe or as a method of capturing the power of the dying

animal. It is simply the way in which the ancient Norse shared

their bounty with a gift to the Gods. Currently, the animal sacrifice

has been replaced by the offer of beer, juice or mead. Afterwards,

those present are either sprinkled with the liquid, or drink it in

sequence.

The Symbel: This is a ritual drinking celebration, in which a horn

filled with a drink is passed around the group. Each person

delivers a greeting; a toast to the Gods, ancient heroes, or one's

ancestors; or a story, song or poem. He or she then drinks from

the horn.

Profession or Adoption: This is the act of making a

commitment to Ásatrú to the exclusion of other faiths, by

solemnly giving an oath of allegiance and kinship to the Gods of

Asgard, the Æsir and Vanir. It is a simple ceremony usually done

in the presence of a Goði or Gyðja and the rest of the Kindred,

Hearth or Garth. It is taken on an oath ring or some other sacred

object. Some followers of Ásatrú believe that only those with

Norse ancestry should be eligible to join.

Seasonal Days of Celebration

Their main holy day is Yule, which starts on the winter solstice

(typically December 21) on the Mother Night of Yule. It lasts for 12

days or more. This is the most important day of the year. Many

Norse symbols have been adsorbed by the Christian celebration of

Christmas: evergreen trees, Yule logs, holly, etc.

In addition, many kindred or even individual follower may

celebrate:

Summer Finding, at the spring equinox, typically March 21. This is

dedicated to Ostara.

Winter Finding, at the fall equinox, typically September 21

Midsummer, at the summer solstice, typically June 21.

Some also celebrate days between the solstices and equinoxes.

Various traditions within Ásatrú observe them on different dates:

The Charming of the Plow on February 1st weekend, a celebration

of Freya and the Disir

Merry-Moon on May 1st weekend, celebration of spring dedicated

to Njord and Nerthus.

Harvest or Freyfaxi on August 1st weekend, the first harvest and

celebration of Frey and his horse

Fogmoon on November 1st weekend, a celebration of war-dead

and Ragnarok Dedicated to Odin and Freya.

Many followers of Ásatrú in North America observe Einherjar,

held annually on November 11. Thisi coincides with Armistice or

Veterans Day. It honors those who have been killed in battle and

have joined Odin's warriors in Valhall. Some groups hold a feast

on the 9th of each month to honor Norse heroes. Other groups

hold rituals at full moons. Additional days are celebrated at other

times during the year by different traditions.

COMMENTS

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NocturnalMistress
23:23 Jan 02 2011

Very nice.



I am writing you up some prayers I use now so I will send them to you in a little while. :)

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