Transcript Ásatrú and Odinism Historical Influences and Precursors

Ásatrú and Odinism
Historical Influences and
Precursors
Historical PrecursorsHeathenism
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Pre-Christian Germanic Religion and
Culture
- Tribal - “Carl” or clan leader = civil and
spiritual head of clan
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Religion integrated into daily life
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Vikings as farmers, hunters, and
warriors
Elder (poetic) and Younger (prose) Eddas
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Tell stories of gods, goddesses, men,
women, giants, dwarfs, warriors,
farmers, etc. all interacting - role
models for how to live, love, die in
honour.
Historical PrecursorsHeathenism
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Icelandic Sagas
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Multi-generational family
stories - very real details
about the daily lives,
religious practices, etc.
- Olaf Tryggvason
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- Raud the Strong
- Queen Sigrid of Sweden
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Snorri Sturlusson - compiled
Eddas in 11th c., but stories
predate this.
Historical Precursors - Odinism
• Social Turmoil in Germany
– Wotan/Odin worship
– Swastika = Thor’s hammer and
wheel of sun
• Alexander Rud Mills
– The Odinist Religion: Overcoming
Jewish Christianity (1930)
• Else Christensen
– The Odinist Fellowship (1971)
• Racism/Racialism
Historical Precursors - Asatru
• Norse Mythology books Kveldulf Gundarsson
• The Broader Neo-Pagan
Movement
• “A Wind through the
World Tree” 1972-1973
– Stephen McNallen’s Viking
Brotherhood (Ásatrú Free
Assembly)
– The Odhinnist Fellowship
(John Yeowell)
– Asatruarmenn (Svienbjörn
Beinteinsson)
• Icelandic Asatru
Worldview
• Animistic and panentheistic
– Nature filled with spirits, gods
– Landsvaettir
– Aesir/Vanir deities: gods in,
and above, nature
– Magic = asking for aid from
spiritual sources
• Seidhr (spirit possession)
• Runes (spirit inspiration)
• Nature Based
Worldview
• Multi-versal
• Yggdrasil:
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Asgard - home of aesir
Vanaheim - home of vanir
Ljossalfheim - light elves
Svartalfheim - dwarves
Midgard - our world
Muspellheim - fire giants
Joutunheim - chaos giants
Niefelheim - ice/fog world
Helheim - land of the dead
Worldview
• Cyclical
– Ragnarok
• Order vs chaos,
cosmic battle in which
universe is destroyed,
then recreated
• Yggdrasil - image of
growth, destruction,
renewal
• Not reincarnation
Ethics
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Courage
Truth
Honour
Troth
Self-Discipline
Hospitality
Industriousness
Self-Reliance
Perseverance
• Tribalist
• Nine Noble Virtues
• Hávamál (from poetic
Edda)
Theology
• Polytheistic
• Aesir:
– Odin - All father, wisdom,
magic, war
– Frigg - Silent One, marriage,
family, fibre arts
– Thor - the Thunderer. Order,
strength, working class
– Sif - the Golden, harvest,
beauty
– Loki - the Trickster
– Tyr - the Skyfather - justice,
loyalty, war
Theology
• Vanir:
– Njord - wind and sea, safe
harbours
– Skadi - the Huntress, war,
hunting, independence
– Freya - love, lust, war, magic,
death
– Freyr - the land, harvest, fertility
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Landsvaettir
Disir
Valkyries
Norns
Wights, etc.
Organization
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Kindred
Hearths
Garths
Heathens
• Gydhia/Godhi, Godhar
• Elders
• Godmen/Godwomen
• Moots, Things, Althings
Ritual Tools
• Bowl
• Ring
• Hammer
Varieties of Heathenism
• Odinism – The Odinic Rite
• Folkish Ásatrú – Ásatrú Folk
Assembly
• Theodism - Winland Rice
(Garman Lord Gering)
• Ásatrú – Irminsul Aettir
– Godhordh (community) model
• General Germanic Paganism –
The Troth
Rituals
• Blots - a sacrifice to the gods and goddesses
• Sumbels - “ale-gathering” - ritual toasting
Rituals
• Seidhr
• Spirit possession
• Seeress,
Seidhkona, Völva
• Guide
• Hrafnar
Rituals
• Galdr
• Making
Taufr
• Futhark
Runes
Rituals – Wheel of the Year
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Yule - (Dec. 21st “mothernight”-Jan.1)
Disting/Disablot (Jan 31-Feb. 1)
Ostara (March 21)
Maitag/Merry Moon (April 30-May 1)
Midsummer (June 21)
Loaf-Feast/Freyfaxi (July 31/Aug. 1)
Fallfest/Winter Finding (Sept. 21)
Dieses/Winternight (Fullmoon between 15th-30th
October)