Asatru
I didn't write this, I found it and thought it was a good description of the faith. ASATRU: the Reconstructed Religion of Northern Europeans It is Mid-summer's day the sun above at its highest point. The folk have all gathered before hand in the sacred grove to honor the gods and goddesses of Northern Europe. The godhi (religious leader) pours mead into a large horn decorated with runes. Then he raises the horn to the sky asking the deities to empower the drink. Afterwards, he pours out half the mead into a large wooden bowl for the gods and goddesses. "To Thundor!" he hails, the folk repeats the hail and then the godhi takes a drink. Then the horn is passed thru the folk who honor the deities of their choice until everyone has had a chance. Then the remainder is emptied into the bowl. Taking up an evergreen twig, the godhi dips it into the mead bowl. He then proceeds to each worshipper and sprinkles them with mead. He announces as he does so "May the blessings of the gods and goddesses be upon you." Then he says a few parting words and the rite is over. A group of people sit around a table as a woman pours ale into their drinking horns. When all horns have been filled the group leader raises up alarger horn and announces the start of the sumble [ritual drinking rite]. "Hail to Wodan!" he shouts and the people repeat his hail and all take a drink. The large horn is then passed around and each hails their patron god or goddess. On the second round is to honor ancestors and the third round is to give oaths, brags [fulfilling oaths] or perform for the group.... A woman rises early to greet the sun. She extends her arms to the sky and says: Hail to day! Hail to the children of day! With gracious eyes look down upon us and give us victory in our daily lives. Hail to the gods! Hail to the goddesses! Hail to the mighty fertile earth!
These are a few examples of people practicing the reconstructed religion called Asatru (meaning true to the gods). It is a neo-pagan religion which has restored the religion that the Northern European peoples prior to their conversion to Christianity. A good way to look upon this religion is to see it in the same light as Native American religions. Asatru is our native faith. And before I go any father by the word "our" I mean everyone who speaks English or other northern European language as their first language. Therefore, most people in the U.S. can see Asatru as their native religion. And yet, our people has always absorbed other peoples into our own. All who wish to practice our faith are welcomed. Our faith is a reconstructed faith because it had to be reconstructed from scattered sources. Christianity overwhelmed the ancient heathen faith by the end of the 13th century, but it did not totally erase all traces of it. Iceland preserved the vast majority of our lore. The two major sources are the two books Poetic and Prose Edda. These contain the major texts of our myths as well as hints to actual ritual practice. Also, the Icelandic family sagas give description of life in pre-Christian times and often give valuable clues to religious practice. The medieval travelers who visited the heathen north left interesting accounts of their travels in their writings which are our only contemporary accounts of heathenism (since heathens did not write their own texts). And the laws new Christian kings passed outlawing heathen practices are very revealing about heathen practice. And from a deep study of these sources the Asatru community has come up with a reasonable sound reconstructed religion. In simple terms, Asatru is a family based ritual religion built around an exchange of gifts between human beings and the gods/goddesses. The basic unit is not the individual, tho many asatruar (a person who practices Asatru) start out as solitaries, but the family. In modern Asatru this means everyone who lives in the same household is a member of that family. Groups of families often come together to form voluntary kindreds based upon their common interest in the Asatru faith. The basic ritual in our faith is the blot (blessing). It is a sharing of gifts with the gods and goddesses. It is a giving back to the divine for the gifts given to us during the year. There are eight major blots during the year that all Asatraur observe(tho most are moved to the closest weekend): Disfest Jan 31st, Ostara March 21st, May Eve April 30th, Midsummer June 21st, Freysfest July 31st, Fallfest Sept 23rd, Winter Night Oct. 31st, and Yule Dec. 21st. Many individual families and kindreds have extra blots and observances that are of their own making. Most blots are followed by a sumble which is a sacred drinking ritual preceded by a feast. The Gods and Goddess we honor are Wodan (the god of runes and knowledge), Tiw (the god of order and of the peoples assemblies), Frig (the goddess of the household), Thundor (the god of farmers and defender of the world against its enemies), Loki (the trickster), Frey (the god of fertility) and Freyja (the goddess of love and battle). We also honor the Disir (female guardian spirits who watch over their families), the Elves (male guardian spirits), and various land/house wights (spirits). Most Asatruar see the world as a magical place empowered by various powers and wights. All life contains its own might and main which it uses to work out their individual wyrds. Wyrd is similar to the Hindu idea of karma and is often confused with fate. Our future is open and we can change our future through heroic struggle in the present. Most Asatruar hold to an ethical code based upon traditional pre-Christian values. This code is based upon the values of courage, honor, hospitality, independence, individuality, industriousness, perseverance, justice, loyalty, truthfulness, and a willingness to stand up for what is right. It is a way of living a heathen lifestyle in our everyday life. In short, Asatru is a religion of action and interaction rather than mere belief. It is the return of pre-Christian religion values and ideas, tho influenced by living in a post-industrial society. It is an open growing faith well suited for the challenges of the 21st century.
Kitiana - Home of Myths, Legends and Stories.