Tag Archive | religion

The Forked Path of Faith: Spirituality vs. Authority in Norse Pagan Practice

In Norse Paganism—as in any living spiritual tradition—there are two distinct ways people walk the path of belief. These two roads are not just different; they often stand in direct opposition. One path is spiritual, rooted in intuition, lived experience, and inner knowing. The other is authoritative, rooted in obedience to external figures and institutions who claim to speak for the divine.

The spiritual path honors the deep truth that each soul holds within it a sacred spark of the divine—a whisper of the gods, a knowing pulse of nature, a breath of the ancestors. It teaches that real connection to the divine cannot be dictated from a pulpit, a book, or a social hierarchy. Rather, it must be experienced directly, in the still moments of nature, in ritual, in dreams, in signs and omens, and most of all—in the trust one learns to place in their own inner wisdom.

In contrast, the authoritative path demands surrender not to the gods, but to human intermediaries—those who set themselves up as religious “experts” or “leaders.” It tells the seeker to distrust their own experiences, their own insights, their own callings. It replaces the living, breathing relationship with the gods and spirits with rules, structures, dogmas, and power dynamics. This path cuts the soul off from true divine communion and replaces it with hollow ritualism and borrowed belief.

True Norse Paganism is a spirituality of direct connection. It is not a religion meant to be mediated by rigid hierarchies. The gods of the North—Odin, Freyja, Thor, Frigg, the land-wights, the alfar and the disir, the honored ancestors—speak through wind and fire, through runes and dreams, through intuition and sudden knowing. They do not require a priestly class to speak for them. In fact, they often challenge such authority, favoring the lone wanderer, the seeress in the forest, the dreamer by the hearth, and the mystic who questions all.

When one truly walks the spiritual path, they come into communion with these beings. They begin to sense the will of the gods, not as a command, but as a harmonic resonance—a deep alignment that brings clarity, peace, and empowerment. They learn to distinguish divine guidance from delusion. The divine will never encourage hatred, cruelty, or fear-based control. Any voice—be it inner or outer—that urges destruction, separation, or harm is not a god, but a shadow. Such voices stem not from spiritual beings, but from unresolved guilt, fear, or trauma masquerading as truth.

The true divine calls us toward greater life, deeper wisdom, more compassionate strength, and more harmonious living. It may challenge us—but always to grow, not to dominate. It may ask us to face our fears—but only to become more whole.

In the Norse way, we remember that the gods are kin—not kings. They are not here to be obeyed blindly, but to be honored, conversed with, and learned from in a mutual relationship of respect. And most of all, they urge us to remember our own sacredness. To walk with courage. To trust the signs. To listen inward.

This is the soul of true religion: not control, but connection. Not hierarchy, but harmony. Not fear, but faith in the divine spark that dwells within and all around us.

Hail the gods. Hail the spirits. Hail the ancestors. And hail the sacred voice within you.

Why Strict Reconstructionist Norse Paganism Is Roleplay—Not a Living Spiritual Practice for Most

In the world of Norse Paganism, there’s a growing tension between two very different approaches: strict reconstructionism and modern spiritual adoption. At first glance, both claim to honor the gods and revive ancient ways—but scratch the surface, and their core intentions begin to sharply diverge.

Strict reconstructionists attempt to practice Norse Paganism as close as possible to how it was performed over a thousand years ago. Their goals are often academic and historical in nature—following archaeological records, scholarly interpretations, and surviving lore as strictly as possible. From the type of mead poured in ritual to the precise reconstruction of Iron Age clothing or burial rites, the focus is often on reenacting history with accuracy. In truth, this approach has more in common with living history roleplay than with a living, breathing, evolving spiritual path.

And that’s not inherently a bad thing. Some people do connect deeply with the spiritual dimension through historical reenactment. For them, reconstructing ancient rituals and customs may feel reverent and grounding. But it’s important to acknowledge that this is not the only, nor the most accessible, way to walk a spiritual path rooted in the Norse tradition.

Reconstructionism as Spiritual Roleplay

Let’s be clear—roleplay is not an insult. It is a legitimate form of expression. Historical reenactors often feel transformed when donning the clothes and manners of a bygone time. But that transformation is often theatrical and symbolic, not existential. The strictest forms of Norse Pagan reconstructionism fall into this category. They aren’t really meant to function as a religious practice that addresses modern human needs—emotional healing, personal growth, mystical connection, or guidance through trauma, anxiety, or love. They’re meant to recreate the past as closely as possible. In this, they function more like immersive theater or participatory anthropology.

To the average person seeking spiritual depth, comfort, insight, or healing, this “museum exhibit” approach offers little. It risks becoming a cage of historical fetishism, where one’s personal gnosis is dismissed because it didn’t come from a 13th-century Icelandic manuscript. This strict gatekeeping often stifles the organic, transformative nature of religion, which has always adapted to new cultural contexts throughout history.

The Need for a Living Spiritual Practice

Living spirituality is not frozen in time. It grows with the people who walk it. Modern Norse Paganism must be allowed to breathe—to evolve in the hearts of those who embrace it, integrating the ancient with the modern, the mythic with the mystical, and the historic with the intuitive. After all, the gods themselves are not dead cultural relics. They are living autonomous spiritual beings, beings of great power, meaning, and presence that people can still feel, dream of, and be transformed by today.

The modern world brings different needs than the Viking Age. We wrestle with urban alienation, ecological collapse, neurodivergence, spiritual longing in an age of disconnection, and a search for meaning beyond corporate modernity. We don’t need a historically perfect blot in a longhouse to find sacredness—we need connection, authenticity, and soul-level truth.

A living Norse Pagan practice honors the spirit of the old ways without being enslaved to their letter. It welcomes offerings from today’s world: meditation, trancework, modern rituals, cross-cultural influences, even VR temple spaces or AI rune readings—if they bring the seeker closer to the divine. It dares to believe that Odin, Freyja, and the spirits of the land are not frozen in the Viking Age, but walk beside us now, adapting with us.

There’s Room for Both—But Let’s Be Honest About What They Are

There is nothing wrong with practicing Norse Paganism as living-history roleplay. It can be fun, educational, and even meaningful. But it should not be confused with a universal path to spiritual transformation. Most people today are not looking for perfect historical reenactment—they are looking for purpose, power, belonging, and divine connection. That calls for something alive, not just accurate.

In the end, both paths—strict reconstruction and adaptive spirituality—have their place. But for the majority of spiritual seekers, the gods do not demand authenticity to the 10th century. They ask for sincerity of the heart, integrity of intent, and the courage to meet them here and now, in the sacred space of this age.

The Mirror of Dogma: How Rigid Atheism Reflects What It Claims to Oppose

In many spiritual conversations, there’s an unspoken irony: those who most fiercely reject religion often resemble the very forces they claim to fight. This is particularly visible in the case of rigid, militant atheists—not the thoughtful skeptics or quiet non-believers, but those who treat their disbelief as a crusade.

Despite standing in opposition to religious dogma, this militant form of atheism frequently mimics the very patterns of belief, behavior, and control it critiques. Far from offering freedom from spiritual oppression, it simply inverts the roles—turning disbelief into its own kind of orthodoxy.


What Militant Atheism Gets Wrong About Religion

The roots of the problem lie in a narrow and historically skewed view of what “religion” is. Most militant atheists define religion almost entirely through the lens of the Abrahamic faiths, especially Christianity in its Western, institutionalized forms.

In this view, religion is seen as:

  • A belief in a supernatural authority figure
  • A rigid doctrine enforced through fear
  • A system of control, guilt, and obedience

This understanding isn’t entirely wrong—for certain historical institutions. But it is deeply incomplete, and dangerously misleading when applied to all spiritual systems. It erases the vast spectrum of Earth-based traditions, mystic philosophies, Pagan practices, and Indigenous lifeways that have no sacred book, no central authority, and no obsession with conversion or control.

When militant atheists attack “religion,” they are often not targeting spirituality or sacred experience. They are targeting a very particular cultural expression of religion—usually Christianity as it was practiced in Europe or the United States during the colonial and post-Enlightenment eras. But instead of seeking deeper understanding, they react with the same absolutism they oppose.


The Dogma of Anti-Dogma

Militant atheism often takes the shape of what it claims to fight:

  • It declares all religion irrational or dangerous, without nuance.
  • It evangelizes, often aggressively, attempting to “convert” others to disbelief.
  • It ridicules sacred traditions as “primitive” or “superstitious,” echoing colonial and imperialist attitudes.
  • It seeks to replace awe and mystery with certainty, creating its own hierarchy of truth.

In doing so, it becomes not a path of liberation, but a mirror-image of the very control systems it resents. The result is a worldview that suppresses other perspectives, denies subjective experience, and demands conformity to a single way of seeing the world—ironically, all traits associated with oppressive religion.


Moderate Atheism vs. Militant Atheism

It’s important to distinguish between skeptical inquiry and militant rejection. Many atheists—perhaps the majority—simply do not believe in gods but respect others’ paths. They seek meaning through science, ethics, art, or connection with nature. They are not reactionary—they are grounded in curiosity and freedom of thought.

Militant atheism, on the other hand, is not a neutral position. It is a reaction. And like all reactive mindsets, it is defined more by what it pushes against than what it stands for. It is an identity formed in opposition, not a truth forged from direct experience or contemplation.


A Deeper Perspective on Belief and Meaning

True freedom of thought includes the ability to hold sacred truths—or to explore mystery without dismissing it. The spiritual path is not a demand for blind faith. Nor is it a rejection of reason. In its most ancient and authentic forms, spirituality is about relationship—to the earth, the stars, the ancestors, the unknown, and the self.

When we reduce all sacred tradition to superstition and all non-empirical experience to delusion, we cut off the roots of human wisdom. We deny the richness of myth, story, ritual, and symbol—tools that humans have used for millennia to make sense of existence.

To reject dogma is noble. But to replace it with a different kind of rigid ideology, one that elevates reason into a weapon and dismisses lived experience, is simply to trade one cage for another.


Conclusion: Freedom Is Not Found in Reversal

Militant atheism, far from being a step forward, often becomes a shadow of the systems it despises. In fighting against imposed belief, it imposes disbelief. In rejecting spiritual authority, it sets up its own. In mocking ancient wisdom, it reveals its ignorance of its diversity.

The deeper path—the path of liberation—doesn’t lie in destruction, but in understanding. It requires humility, openness, and a willingness to recognize that not all forms of belief are forms of control. Many are expressions of beauty, mystery, and reverence.

And if the goal is to be free, truly free in thought and spirit—then let us not carry the chains of dogma, even in the name of reason.

Reclaiming the Sacred: How the Concept of “Religion” Became a Tool of Control

When people in the modern world speak of religion, they often think of rigid doctrines, centralized institutions, rules, and hierarchies. This view—so commonly accepted that it’s rarely questioned—does not arise from a universal truth about all spiritual systems. Rather, it reflects the structure and influence of a particular family of religions: the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In contrast, most other spiritual paths around the world—whether Pagan, Indigenous, or Eastern—developed in vastly different cultural environments. These systems were rarely dogmatic or authoritarian. Instead, they were integrated into everyday life, fluid, and rooted in local traditions, seasons, and personal or communal experiences. To understand how we arrived at this dominant idea of religion as rigid and controlling, we must look into the cultural foundations of these traditions.


The Abrahamic Model of Religion: A Historical Product

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam emerged in regions where survival and identity were tightly bound to communal order. Each evolved amid political instability, conquest, and foreign occupation. Over time, they developed strong systems of law, sacred texts, and theological boundaries. They also promoted the idea of a single correct path, often enforced with religious and political authority combined.

Christianity in particular, after merging with the Roman Empire under Emperor Constantine, absorbed the empire’s love of structure, law, and centralized control. Early church councils mimicked Roman senates. Heresy became equivalent to political treason. Over time, Christianity became not just a spiritual path, but a mechanism for enforcing cultural uniformity throughout Europe and beyond.

Islam too developed within a tribal, pastoralist society in Arabia, where strong communal codes were essential for survival. The resulting emphasis on submission to divine law, collective unity, and a comprehensive social code was essential in that environment—and shaped Islam’s character profoundly.


The Cultural Roots of Control

These historical pressures meant that the Abrahamic religions often served more than spiritual needs—they became tools for managing society. Belief systems were not just about the divine, but about authority, allegiance, and the governance of human behavior. When these traditions spread through conquest, colonization, or missionary work, they brought not just new gods, but new ideas of what religion is and how it should function.

In many ways, Christianity became an extension of Roman imperial ideals, continuing the obsession with order, loyalty, and hierarchy—now sanctified by divine authority. The focus shifted from personal or communal sacred experience to obedience, orthodoxy, and centralized religious control.


The Misapplication of the Word “Religion”

Before these models dominated global consciousness, most cultures had no word equivalent to “religion” as we use it today. Spirituality was not separated from daily life—it was how people lived in rhythm with the world, the gods, their ancestors, and the land.

For example:

  • Norse Paganism had no “church” or creed—just líf (life), bound by frith (sacred peace), ritual, and kinship with the gods and spirits.
  • Hindu dharma encompasses duty, law, and spiritual path, but it’s not “religion” in the Western sense—it is a way of life tied to nature, cosmology, and personal growth.
  • Shinto has no sacred book, no founder, and no claim to exclusive truth—just reverence for nature, ancestors, and sacred purity.

In Indigenous traditions, whether in Africa, the Americas, Australia, or Siberia, the spiritual world is lived, not preached. There is no conversion, no centralized doctrine, no rigid hierarchy—only the ongoing relationship between people and the sacred.


A Broader Perspective on Spirituality

The idea that “religion is inherently oppressive” only makes sense when looking through the lens of the Abrahamic traditions—especially after their fusion with empire and law. When that same label is applied to non-Abrahamic paths, it becomes a distortion.

Spirituality, in its original form for most cultures, was not a set of beliefs to enforce. It was a way of belonging to the world. It was not about control, but connection—through ritual, myth, seasonal cycles, personal experience, and respect for mystery.


Conclusion: The Return of the Living Path

As more people turn to Earth-based paths, Pagan revivals, animistic traditions, and Eastern philosophies, we are seeing a rebirth of something ancient. A sacred way of living that doesn’t rely on centralized authority or control. A path that recognizes that the divine is not found in rigid rules, but in rivers, stars, dreams, and the bones of the land.

By understanding the cultural origins of our modern religious frameworks, we can stop applying the same expectations—and criticisms—to traditions that were never meant to fit into that mold.

Religion, as most people think of it today, is not universal. It is a construct born from a specific historical context, often tied to conquest and control. But the sacred is much older than that—and far more free.

The Worth of Witches, Wizards, and Gothar in Norse Paganism: Strength of the Inner World

The ancient Norse understood that strength comes in many forms. While warriors fought with axe and shield, those who walked the path of the mind—witches, wizards, and Gothar—held power that shaped fate itself. Their worth was not bound by physical might, nor by the limitations of the body, but by the vastness of their minds, the depth of their wisdom, and their connection to the unseen forces that weave the fabric of reality.

For those with a strong intellect, an instinct for the unseen, and a natural pull toward the inner realms, this path is open. And for those who carry physical disabilities or even mental disabilities, their worth in this role is often even greater. It is not muscle that or social skillls that determines one’s ability to wield magic, interpret the runes, commune with spirits, or serve as a spiritual guide—it is will, wisdom, and the strength of the unseen mind.


The Role of the Inner World in Norse Culture

In Viking and Norse Pagan society, there was a deep respect for those who wielded knowledge of the hidden world. Seiðr practitioners (Norse Witches), Rune Masters (Norse Wizards), spirit-workers, and Gothar (priests, priestesses, and spiritual leaders) were not warriors in the traditional sense, yet they held power that even the greatest warriors sought. Odin himself, the Allfather, was not the strongest in battle, yet he ruled over the gods through wisdom, cunning, and mastery of the unseen.

To walk the path of magic, foresight, and spiritual guidance required:

  • A sharp and disciplined mind – Knowledge of runes, omens, and the workings of fate.
  • The ability to connect with unseen forces – Speaking with the gods, spirits, and ancestors.
  • A willingness to walk alone at times – The path of wisdom is not always understood by others.

For those whose bodies do not grant them the ability to lift a sword, or social skills to fit into a warrior hierarchy, their minds often sharpen instead, cutting deeper than any blade. Physical and social limitations push the mind inward, strengthening focus, intuition, and mastery over thought. Those who cannot walk far in the physical or social world often walk further in the spiritual one.


Physical and Mental Disability as a Gateway to Inner Strength

Many people with physical or mental disabilities are naturally inclined toward paths of the mind. When the body or social skills does not allow one to chase after fleeting external pursuits, the mind turns inward. This is not weakness—it is a different kind of strength, one that the foolish often fail to see.

  1. A Mind Unburdened by the Distractions of War
    • A warrior focuses on survival and combat, often missing the deeper mysteries of the world.
    • Those who focus on wisdom and magic do not need the distractions of battle to find their worth.
  2. Forced Adaptation Leads to Mastery of Thought
    • When the body or social skills struggles, the mind sharpens to compensate.
    • Deep introspection, visualization, and mental clarity become stronger skills.
  3. Greater Connection to the Otherworldly
    • Those less bound to the physical or worldly pursuits often find it easier to commune with spirits and gods.
    • Many seers, oracles, and shamans in various cultures had physical or mental disabilities that deepened their connection to the unseen.
  4. Resilience Creates a Powerful Will
    • Facing challenges in the physical or social world breeds an indomitable spirit.
    • This willpower makes one a force to be reckoned with in matters of magic, wisdom, and fate.

The weak-willed cannot hold these roles. But those who see through the illusions of physical power, and instead build their mind and spirit, become leaders in their own right.


The High Status of the Gothar, Witches, and Wizards in Norse Society

The Gothar (priests, priestesses, and spiritual leaders), seiðr practitioners (Norse Witches), and Rune Masters (Norse Wizards) were highly valued in Norse society. Their status was equal to, or in some cases greater than, warriors and kings because they were the ones who dictated the flow of fate. A warrior may be strong in battle, but without the guidance of the wise, their strength is directionless.

  • Gothar were the spiritual leaders of their communities. They led rituals, maintained law and tradition, and served as the voice of the gods among the people.
  • Seiðr practitioners (those who practiced magic, like Odin and Freyja) were feared and respected. They shaped fate, wove spells, and guided people through visions and divination.
  • Rune masters were scholars and wielders of written power. They carried knowledge that could heal, curse, protect, and control the forces of nature.

The warrior who ignores wisdom fights blindly. The strong who lack guidance fall into ruin. This is why those who command the unseen world were vital to Viking society and remain essential in modern Norse Paganism today.


Breaking Free from Insecurity and Stupidity

Many who walk this path hesitate because of insecurity, because of the false belief that they are somehow “lesser” if they cannot wield a sword or stand among the physically strong. This is a lie told by those who do not understand Norse culture.

In the modern world, too many misunderstand the values of the old ways. They think strength only comes from physical power, but true strength is in knowing oneself, mastering one’s path, and giving back to the community. Those who do not understand this are fools—and their opinions hold no weight.

  • Your worth is not given—it is claimed.
  • Your strength is in your mind, and no one can take that from you.
  • You have talents, gifts, and a path meant for you. You only need to be brave enough to walk it.
  • Worldly status, and money wealth only matter to those with the Jarl role in Viking society.

The only obstacles in life are those we create for ourselves through insecurity and fear. Physical hardship does not weaken you—fear of stepping into your own worth does.


Claiming Your Place in Norse Paganism

To walk the path of wisdom, one must own their identity with confidence. If you are drawn to the inner world, if your mind burns with curiosity, if you feel the pull of the gods, spirits, and the unseen—then this is your path.

  • Learn the runes, study their meanings, and practice them with intent.
  • Train your mind daily—meditate, visualize, and sharpen your thoughts.
  • Honor the old ways through ritual, reading, and connecting with others who share your path.
  • Surround yourself with those who see your worth, and cast aside those too blind to understand.

You are not weak. You are not lesser. You are needed. The world will always need those who walk the unseen roads, who wield the wisdom of the ancients, and who guide others with knowledge and power.

Stand tall. Walk your path. Claim your place.

By the will of Odin, the wisdom of Freyja, and the strength of Thor, those who embrace their worth will stand unshaken.

🔥 Thus it is spoken. Thus it shall be. 🔥

What is Christatrú?

Christatrú is a term used to describe individuals who claim to practice Norse Paganism (often under the label of Ásatrú) but whose mindset, behaviors, and beliefs remain fundamentally Christian in nature. Despite outwardly adopting Norse gods and traditions, Christatrúar retain a monotheistic, dogmatic, and moralizing approach to spirituality, making them a poor fit for true Norse Paganism. Their worldview is often shaped by Christian-influenced concepts of morality, authority, and universal truth, which are alien to pre-Christian Norse religious perspectives.

Core Behaviors and Viewpoints of Christatrúar

Christatrúar can be identified by specific behaviors, attitudes, and viewpoints that contradict the core nature of Norse Paganism. These include:

1. Monotheistic Mindset in Polytheistic Disguise

  • Christatrúar may worship multiple gods in name but still treat one deity (usually Odin or Thor) as an all-powerful, supreme god in a way that mirrors Christian monotheism.
  • They seek absolute truth and rigid dogma instead of embracing the decentralized, diverse, and experience-based spirituality that defines polytheistic traditions.
  • They are uncomfortable with the idea that different people might have different relationships with the gods or that UPG (Unverified Personal Gnosis) is valid.

2. Lore-Thumping and Biblical Thinking

  • They treat the Poetic and Prose Eddas as “holy scripture”, refusing to acknowledge that these were medieval Christian-influenced retellings of an oral tradition.
  • Christatrúar reject personal and mystical experiences unless they can be proven in the lore, essentially mimicking Biblical literalism.
  • They believe there is a “correct” way to practice Norse Paganism, mirroring the Christian emphasis on doctrine, orthodoxy, and heresy.

3. Moral Absolutism and Christianized Ethics

  • They apply Christian-influenced moral frameworks to Norse Paganism, expecting the gods to be moral authorities rather than powerful forces of nature with their own agendas.
  • Concepts like “good vs. evil,” sin, and purity—foreign to ancient Norse culture—are reintroduced into Norse Pagan spaces.
  • They insist that some gods, such as Loki or Hel, are “evil,” an interpretation heavily influenced by Christian dualism.

4. Religious Intolerance and Gatekeeping

  • Christatrúar often attempt to police and control others’ beliefs, calling anything outside of their strict interpretation “wrong” or “fake.”
  • They reject eclectic spirituality, condemning those who incorporate runes, seiðr, animism, shamanism, or personal gnosis if it doesn’t fit their rigid view.
  • They react to disagreement with authoritarianism, trying to impose rules rather than allowing spiritual growth through experience.

5. Seeking Divine Validation Over Reciprocity

  • Christatrúar expect the gods to validate, love, or “save” them, akin to Christian expectations of divine grace.
  • True Norse Paganism operates on a model of reciprocity (do ut des – “I give so that you may give”), where worship is an exchange, not an entitlement.
  • They may act as though the gods owe them guidance, protection, or special treatment just because they worship them.

6. Christian-Modeled Community Structures

  • They attempt to organize Norse Paganism like a church, centralizing power and authority around a singular interpretation or group.
  • Some even form priesthood hierarchies reminiscent of Christian clergy, which is inconsistent with the decentralized nature of pre-Christian Norse religion.
  • They expect followers to conform to an orthodox “community standard”, punishing those who don’t.

7. Fear of Magic, Mysticism, and Feminine Spirituality

  • They reject or downplay seiðr, divination, and magic, often associating them with Christian taboos.
  • Some adopt an ultra-masculine, warrior-only perspective that dismisses the spiritual and mystical side of Norse traditions, ignoring figures like the Völva (seeress) who were essential to Norse religious practices.
  • They fear “New Age” influences, despite Norse Paganism being an evolving, living spiritual path.

Why Christatrúar Attitudes Should Not Be Considered Part of Norse Paganism

Christatrú is not a form of Norse Paganism—it is monotheistic Christianity wearing a Pagan mask. The attitudes and behaviors listed above contradict the fundamental characteristics of true Norse spirituality:

  1. Polytheism & Animism – True Norse Paganism embraces the diversity of the gods, wights, and spirits, without enforcing hierarchical control over them.
  2. Fluidity & Personal Experience – There is no “one right way” to practice; different tribes and individuals had unique relationships with the gods.
  3. Reciprocity Over Submission – Worship is an exchange, not an act of submission to a supreme deity.
  4. No Rigid Dogma – The Norse didn’t have a sacred text or priests controlling religious law.
  5. Acceptance of Fate & Mystery – The ancient Norse embraced the unknown, rather than demanding theological certainty.

Christatrúar fail to embody these principles, making their worldview incompatible with genuine Norse Paganism. Allowing their attitudes to persist in Pagan spaces undermines the core spirit of the faith, replacing it with the very same authoritarian dogma that pre-Christian peoples rejected.

Final Thought: True Norse Paganism Stands Apart

Norse Paganism should not be a replacement church for disillusioned Christians who refuse to let go of their old ways of thinking. Those who wish to bring Christian attitudes into Norse Paganism should instead confront their ingrained monotheistic worldview and deconstruct it, rather than attempting to mold Norse spirituality into something it was never meant to be.

To truly embrace the old ways, one must unlearn the chains of monotheistic absolutism and rediscover the free, complex, and deeply personal connection that our ancestors had with the gods.

The Asatru Lore-Thumper: A Monotheist in Pagan Disguise

The Asatru lore-thumper is a person who approaches Norse Paganism with the rigid, dogmatic mindset of a fundamentalist, treating the Eddas and sagas as if they were divine commandments rather than cultural stories, poetic traditions, and mythic expressions of an ever-evolving, living faith. They believe their strict, literal interpretation of the lore is the only valid way to practice Norse Paganism, and they harshly judge and condemn others who engage in personal gnosis, spiritual experience, or practices not explicitly detailed in medieval texts. In doing so, they create an artificial, pseudo-monotheistic version of Asatru that is fundamentally at odds with the polytheistic, animistic, and experiential nature of historical Norse spirituality.

The False Pagan: The Monotheistic Mindset in a Polytheistic Disguise

At their core, the Asatru lore-thumper has not actually left monotheism—they have merely replaced Yahweh with Odin, the Bible with the Poetic Edda, and Christian theology with a set of rigid, textual dogmas about the gods. The lore-thumper seeks absolute certainty in a faith that was never meant to be a rigid belief system. This is the hallmark of monotheism, which traditionally demands a singular, unchanging truth dictated by holy texts.

In contrast, polytheistic faiths are built on multiple perspectives, personal relationships with the divine, and an understanding that myths are living, evolving stories rather than fixed doctrines. The lore-thumper, however, behaves in the same way as a Christian fundamentalist, demanding that everyone conform to their strict, “one-true-way” understanding of the gods. This authoritarian approach is inherently monotheistic—not in the sense of worshiping only one god, but in treating one rigid interpretation as the only possible truth.

Monotheism, as a mindset, centralizes authority—one God, one Book, one Truth. The polytheist decentralizes authority, allowing for multiple perspectives, differing spiritual paths, and personal relationships with the gods. The lore-thumper does not tolerate diversity of belief, showing that their true allegiance is to the mindset of monotheism rather than to the gods themselves.

The Spiritual Deadness of the Lore-Thumper

The irony of the lore-thumper is that, in their desperate attempts to “do it right” according to their rigid interpretations, they sever themselves from actual spirituality. Because they place their faith in cold, academic interpretations rather than lived experience, they remain disconnected from the gods in any meaningful way. This is why so many of them fail to experience real connection, real magic, real signs from the gods—they are too busy gatekeeping and policing others.

A true Pagan engages in:

  • Direct relationships with the gods
  • Personal experiences, omens, and spiritual insight
  • Living, evolving practice based on cultural spirit, not just textual remnants
  • Rituals that reflect the needs of the present, rather than mimicry of the past

The lore-thumper rejects all of this in favor of textual fundamentalism, ironically mirroring the worst aspects of the Christian church they claim to have left behind.

Lore-Thumping: A Sign of the Christian Mindset Never Unlearned

One of the clearest signs that someone never fully unlearned Christianity is their need for rigid, textual authority. A true Pagan embraces ambiguity, personal revelation, and the dynamic nature of myth, whereas a lore-thumper demands an “official” correct way to do things—just as Christians demand scriptural justification for every aspect of their lives.

The Norse people themselves were not dogmatic about their beliefs. Their myths were diverse, their practices localized, and their understanding of the gods was shaped by experience, tradition, and necessity. The idea of a “one true way” to worship the gods would have been alien to them.

Yet, the Asatru lore-thumper recreates the exact same patterns as Christian fundamentalists:

  • They treat the Eddas like the Bible
  • They reject spiritual experiences in favor of “correct doctrine”
  • They attack others for not following their version of the faith
  • They seek control over others’ beliefs rather than focusing on their own spirituality

At their core, these individuals are not practicing Norse Paganism—they are practicing a monotheistic religion disguised as polytheism, where “lore” functions as their scripture and they act as its self-appointed priests.

Conclusion: The True Pagan Path

A real polytheist understands that faith is lived, not dictated. The gods are experienced, not merely studied. The lore-thumper is a spiritually dead husk, cut off from the divine by their own arrogance, shackled to the same authoritarian dogma they once followed under Christianity.

True Norse Paganism is free, organic, experiential, and evolving—it is not a list of “rules” written down centuries ago by Christian monks. Anyone who claims otherwise is merely a Christian fundamentalist in Pagan cosplay.

Embracing Cultural Diversity in Spiritual Practice: The Importance of Cultural Appreciation and Learning the Context of Barrowed Ideas

It is important to recognize that everyone has the right to practice their religion or spirituality in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to them. It is not appropriate for anyone to try to limit the religious practices of others or to impose their own beliefs and practices on others. The idea of “closed practices” or “cultural appropriation” can be problematic because it suggests that some people are not entitled to practice certain religions or traditions based on their background or identity. This can be harmful and exclusionary, and it is important to recognize that spirituality is a deeply personal and individual experience. It is also important to be mindful of the impact your actions may have on others and to be respectful of the beliefs and practices of others. However, it is not necessary to seek permission to practice your own religion or spirituality, and it is important to follow your own path and listen to your own spiritual calling.

It is important to respect the beliefs and practices of others, especially when it comes to matters of religion and spirituality. However, it is not appropriate to impose one’s own beliefs and practices on others or to try to limit their religious practices. It is also important to recognize that spirituality is a deeply personal and individual experience, and that everyone has the right to practice their religion or spirituality in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to them. It is important to be mindful of the cultural significance of certain practices and to be respectful of the traditions of others. It is also important to be mindful of the history and origins of certain practices and to be respectful of the cultural context in which they are used. It is not appropriate to misrepresent or mock the practices of others or to claim credentials or relationships that you do not actually possess. It is also not appropriate to attempt to limit the religious practices of others or to speak on behalf of a deity or spiritual tradition without the appropriate authority or knowledge. Ultimately, the most important thing is to be sincere and respectful in your own spiritual practices and to be open to learning and growing from others who may have different beliefs and practices.

One of the main ways humans learn is by observing what other people are doing and then incorporating that knowledge into our own experience and belief system. This process is natural and necessary for human development and growth. For example, children learn language by observing their parents and other people around them speaking and then mimicking those sounds and words. They also learn social norms and values by observing the behaviors and actions of the people around them. In this way, humans are constantly learning and adapting based on the observations they make of others.

This process of learning through observation is not limited to childhood, but continues throughout our lives. We learn new skills and acquire new knowledge by watching and learning from others. For example, when we want to learn a new hobby or skill, we may seek out someone who is experienced in that area and observe how they do it, asking questions and getting feedback along the way. This process of learning through observation and imitation is a natural and necessary part of human development and helps us to grow and evolve as individuals, and as a species.

This process of observing what other people are doing and then incorporating that knowledge into our own experience and belief system, is known as cultural transmission, is a natural and necessary part of human development and has played a significant role in the evolution of human societies. It is through cultural transmission that we learn important skills, behaviors, and beliefs that are necessary for our survival and well-being.

This process of cultural transmission is also tied into borrowing ideas from other cultures, including spiritual and religious ideas. Humans have always been curious and open to learning from others, and this has led to the exchange of ideas and knowledge between different cultures and societies. For example, the ancient Egyptians learned about the gods and goddesses of the Nubians and incorporated them into their own pantheon, and Hinduism has absorbed the beliefs and practices of Buddhism and Jainism. In this way, cultural transmission has played a significant role in the development and evolution of spiritual and religious beliefs and practices.

This process of cultural transmission is an ongoing one, and it continues to shape the way we think and behave today. Whether it is through observing and learning from the traditions and practices of others or by borrowing ideas and incorporating them into our own belief systems, cultural transmission is an important part of human experience and helps us to better understand and appreciate the diversity of cultures and traditions that make up our world.

Cultural transmission is the process by which cultural ideas, behaviors, and traditions are passed down from one generation to the next. It is an important aspect of cultural appreciation because it allows for the continuation and evolution of cultural traditions, as well as the exchange of ideas and knowledge between different cultures. For example, when a person learns about a new tradition or belief system, they may choose to incorporate some of those ideas into their own belief system, creating a new, hybrid belief system that incorporates elements from multiple cultures. This process of cultural transmission and exchange allows for the growth and evolution of different cultures and traditions, and it is an important aspect of cultural appreciation. By being open to learning and adapting to new ideas and traditions, we can better understand and appreciate the diversity of human cultures and experiences.

We should be focused on cultural appreciation, when we borrow ideas from other cultures. One way to understand cultural appreciation is through the concept of syncretism. Syncretism refers to the merging of different beliefs and practices, often resulting in the creation of a new belief system. This process has been a part of human history for centuries, and it has played a major role in the development of many modern religions.

Cultural appreciation and syncratic belief systems are important for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they allow for the growth and evolution of religious and spiritual practices, as well as the exchange of ideas and knowledge between different cultures and traditions. This can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures and traditions, as well as a greater understanding of the human experience as a whole.

For example, the ancient Egyptian religion was heavily influenced by the religion of the Nubians, who lived in what is now modern-day Sudan. The Nubians worshiped a number of gods and goddesses, including Amun, the god of the sun. The ancient Egyptians also worshiped Amun, and over time, the two religions began to merge. As a result, the Egyptian pantheon of gods and goddesses came to include many of the deities worshiped by the Nubians.

One of the most compelling examples of a syncratic belief system is the development of modern Hinduism. Hinduism is a complex and diverse religion that has evolved over thousands of years and has been influenced by a wide range of cultural and spiritual traditions. This includes the influence of ancient Vedic religion, Buddhism, Jainism, and a variety of other spiritual traditions. As a result, Hinduism is a unique and diverse religion that incorporates a wide range of beliefs, practices, and traditions.

Another example of a syncratic belief system can be found in the development of modern Christianity. Christianity, like Hinduism, has evolved over time and has been influenced by a variety of cultural and spiritual traditions. This includes the influence of ancient Roman and Greek religions, as well as the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the Bible. As a result, Christianity is a complex and diverse religion that incorporates a wide range of beliefs, practices, and traditions.

In the context of Norse-Paganism, cultural appreciation and syncratic belief systems can be seen in the way that contemporary practitioners draw upon the beliefs, practices, and traditions of the ancient Norse and Scandinavian cultures. Many modern practitioners of Norse-Paganism seek to honor and preserve the cultural heritage of the Norse and Scandinavian peoples, while also incorporating elements from other spiritual traditions and practices that resonate with their personal beliefs and experiences.

It is important to recognize that all modern religions have developed due to a syncratic process, as they have all been influenced by a variety of cultural and spiritual traditions. This is a testament to the importance of cultural appreciation and the value of syncratic belief systems. By embracing and appreciating the diversity of different cultures and traditions, we can better understand and appreciate the human experience as a whole.

In conclusion, cultural appreciation and syncratic belief systems are important because they allow for the growth and evolution of religious and spiritual practices, foster understanding and tolerance among people from different backgrounds, and contribute to a greater understanding and appreciation of the human experience. It is essential to respect and appreciate the diversity of cultures and traditions, and to recognize that all modern religions have developed through a syncratic process. By embracing cultural diversity and understanding the value of syncratic belief systems, we can create a more inclusive and understanding society.

Volmarr’s Heathen Winter Nights (Anytime from Oct-15 to Nov-1) Ritual Version 2 Outline 2013

With additions by Amarina

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles (purple)
• incense (any mystical scent is ideal)
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• Any representation of Odin
• Any representation of ancestors
• Any representation of any one is now dead that you admire, in particular those you admire for their wisdom.
• Halloween type decorations and anything related to death and the dead
• Any symbols for wisdom or knowledge
• Any symbols for the after-life

–

This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

–

Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

–

Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

–

Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

–

Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

Light the purple candle. From this candle, light the incense.

“This is the time of year that the veil between worlds is at it’s thinnest. In this time, we can travel more easily between the worlds of the living and the dead. This candle represents the world of the living, the incense’s smoke the veil, and the darkness beyond the world of the dead. It is in this state that our rite must take place, where Odin himself has traveled many times to seek knowledge and wisdom of those who have passed on.”

Circle the ritual space with the incense three times creating a “veil” with the smoke. Take a few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail Odin! Husband of Frigg. All-father. Father of battle. One-eyed god. Many-shaped. Wanderer. Hanged god. Raven god. Spear-thruster. Wish-bringer. Galdr-father. Graybeard. Deep hood. Thief of Odhroerir. Kinsman of Mimir. Lord of the Wild Hunt. Yule rider. Finder of the Runes. God of the Gautar. Ruler of Valhalla!”

“Hail Hel! Keeper of the dead. Hostess of Baldr and Hodr. Half-living one. Garm’s mistress. Dweller in Eljudnir!”

“Hail to my ancestors, both known and unknown. Those of my line going all the way back to the beginning, on up to most recent of times. Both men and women, alfar and disir, whom previously had a human form. Those whom I know, as well as those I do not. Those also whom are the ancestors of all humans living now. All humans that have made the journey of life before my time, and now reside in the realm beyond the living. Hail to the ancestors of all! Hail also to the ancestors of my family line! Hail to the ones that guide me. Hail also to the ones that protect me.”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Now is a time in which the rhythms of life turn inward, towards contemplation and trying to understand the deeper mysteries of life and towards the gathering of and seeking out of knowledge. It is through the ancestors and those humans that have come before us that we have all the knowledge which we have in human society. Those who have gone before us are the ones that have created the traditions and knowledge which we as humans rely upon to meet all of our needs, such as how to grow and create food, how to build protective shelters for living in, how to make clothing so that our human bodies are protected from the elements, how to survive the seasonal cycles in all different areas of the planet, what dangers to avoid and how to avoid them, and how to keep our human society functioning and going. We humans are the only animal that can not survive without knowledge. Our very lives depends on knowledge of how to do so many things. Over hundreds of thousands of years humans have increased their knowledge to the point that we live with the current advantages which we have now.”

“It is due to the experience and wisdom of our ancestors, both those within our own family line, and the ancestors of all human beings, that we can live as well as we do in the modern times. Those that have gone before us have recorded their wisdom for us in language, in stories, in poetry, in tools, in fashion, in objects of art, in oral knowledge, in traditions, in music and song, in mathematics, in schools of learning, in books, in the recording of historical events, in objects from the past, in plays, in movies, in TV shows, in videos, in blue-prints, in engineering plans, in computer programs, and even in the bones of the dead. All these things are the sum total of human heritage and the source of our knowledge that allows us to survive and thrive as a species. By turning to the past and studying the wisdom of our ancestors we tap into that knowledge. We must honor the dead and those who have gone before us for all that they have given to us. As well it is important that knowledge is passed to others freely, for otherwise the work of so many becomes lost. It has taken us so long to get to the point we are at now as a species, it is important we not be greedy with our knowledge or hoard it away from others, for this impedes human survival and progress.”

“Odin as god of wisdom is often traveling to the the realm of the dead to seek out the wisdom of the dead. We too must be like Odin and seek out the knowledge of our ancestors, the wisdom of the dead. At this time the focus of the seasons turns more towards this task of looking inward and to the past. Now is the time to look at all which you have done this season and look at what has worked for you and what has not. It is a time to ponder all lessons that are to be gained from what has been done this year, so that you may know better for next season how to increase the abundance of your life harvest. It may be a good time to record some notes regarding this, safely putting them away some place where they shall not be lost. Also this is a time when the veils between the realm of the living and the dead are at their thinnest, and thus a time in which the knowledge of the dead is more accessible. It is a good time to seek out the wise counsel of the ancestors and those that are now passed beyond the realm of the living. This is a good time to spend time reading books, and studying new things, and pursuing the gaining of knowledge in any form.”

“At this time ponder on what you have learned this year.”

Few silent deep breaths while pondering on this.
“Now consider what things you would like to do differently the next cycle”

Few silent deep breaths while pondering on this.

“Now think about those who have have passed into the after life. Now is the time to think about anyone you may know who has died”

Few silent deep breaths while you think about those who have passed on.

“Now think about any wisdom or knowledge they may have for you.”

Few silent deep breaths while you think about this.

“Now is the time to give thanks for all that our ancestors have given to us and to honor the wisdom of the dead.”

(Fill drinking horn with mead and hold it up)

“Hail to all humans that have come before me. Hail to those of my family line, as well as all people of the past of all human family lines. I make this offering to you in thanks for the wisdom you have given us by the lives you have lived in the past. May your knowledge continue and enhance the life of both myself and all other humans alive now and all humans to come for all of eternity! Hail to the ancestors of all people!”

(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest as an offering to the ancestors of all humans.)

“Now is the time to honor Odin, the god of knowledge. Odin tirelessly seeks out the knowledge which all humans have worked to create for all of time. He is the god that seeks to gain and preserve knowledge and give it to others for the benefit of human society and human progress. He is the god who labors tirelessly to establish things in such a way that humans can continue and survive even after the end of this current cycle when Ragnarok comes and all begins again anew. He is the god that has discovered the runes through a difficult process of spiritual initiation so that they may be of benefit for gods and humans alike. He is the god that has made so many sacrifices for the sake of gaining of knowledge. We owe him much for all these things!”

(Fill drinking horn and hold it up)

“Hail Odin, god of the runes. God of knowledge and wisdom. You Odin are the one that frequently travels the worlds seeking to know more. Please guide me Odin in learning more and in applying knowledge in ways that are helpful to me. Please Odin help me to gain a deeper level of connection with all people of the past so that my knowledge my increase. Hail Odin!”

(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest to Odin.)

“Also this is the time that we should remember the one that has been tasked with keeping the souls of the dead. The goddess that is both living and dead. Though she isn’t truly goddess, she has become in being tasked with the lands of the dead by Odin.”

(Fill drinking horn and hold it up)

“Hail Hel, daughter of Loki. She who holds the halls in Helheim and shares what she has with those who have passed on to her lands. Hel is mistress of the lands of the dead and keeps those that have died of old age or illness. Thus her lands are where most of our ancestors will reside. We honor her today as well in hopes that she allows those we love to rest in peace well beyond Ragnarok. She who is most beautiful and frightful in one visage being both dead and alive. We owe her much gratitude and respect in her tireless and thankless duty in tending those cold halls. Thank you, Hel for taking the task given and caring for the souls you’ve been tasked in keeping. May we all share in a feast again one day. Hail Hel!”

(Drink half the mead and pour out the rest to Hel.)

–

(Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.)

–

“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

–

Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.

Download this as a OpenOffice Doc – Volmarrs-heathen-winter-nights-2-oct-ritual-oct-2013

Volmarr’s Heathen Freysblot Harvest Ritual August-2-2013

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• Green candle
• Any symbol for Freyr. Phallic symbols. Horse symbols.
• Baked goods, nuts, berries, and sweet fruit such as strawberries, grapes, cherries, blueberries. Freyr does prefer organic and natural foods if your budget allows.
• A list of all the spiritual seed tasks you had planted at Ostara (as many of them as you can remember). You can add items to the list that were not seed goals at Ostara but are goals anyways which you have been working on or have a shot of accomplishing within the next few months.

–

This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

–

Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

–

Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

–

Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

–

Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail Freyr! Son of Njord. Brother of Freyja. Husband of Gerd. Trusted friend of Skirnir. Descendant of the Vanir. Harvest god and wealth-giver. King of Alfheim. Blot-god of the Swedes. Possessor of Skidbladnir, and the boar known as Gullinbursti. Beli’s slayer. Enemy of Surtr. Wielder of the stag-horn. Fruitful one. Sure giver. Father of the Yngling line. Lord of the Volsi!”

“Hail Freyr!”

–

“Now is the start of the harvest season. This is a time to work hard to bring forth all those things which you have been lending energies towards all this season. This is a time to honor Freyr, god of wealth and the harvest, so that your personal life harvest can be the fruitful one. Since most of us in the modern world are not farmers, harvest means for us the task of working on manifesting wishes and desires. Compared to other holidays this one is very straightforward. At this time we work on the tangible outward aspect of energies, working on manifesting and bringing into being that which started as inner energies in the spring.”

“Look at the list of all the wishes which you planted as seeds at Ostara. Now is the time to make those things happen, at least for those things in your life which have not already happened by now. You are to keep this list of tasks, at this time, some place where you will see it often in your day, so that you remain aware and focused towards the things you are working on manifesting.”

“At this time of the harvest I am working on:” (read your list of tasks)

“You have from now till the middle of October to work on your wishes for this season. Any of those wishes that have not manifested by then should be mulched as spiritual weeds. You can then try again for next season for any things that have not manifested by then. After that it is time to make things more simple in your life to focus on the inward turning energies of winter.”

–

“Freyr please help keep me focused on working on the things which I am trying to manifest in my life this season. Please Freyr lend me your potent energies for this purpose so that my life harvest this season may be a fruitful one.”

“Also please Freyr help to me keep away any distracting energies which may interfere with me accomplishing my harvest goals. Please help me to know what things may need to be extracted from my situation if there is anything which is acting to divert my harvest focus.”

“Hail Freyr!”

–

“Freyr now is the time to year to have a feast in your honor to give thanks for your fruitful energies.”

“This feast is for you Freyr! Hail Freyr!”

–

(Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.)

–

“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

–

Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.

Volmarr’s Heathen Midsummer Ritual June-21-2013 Vanatru Version

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• One yellow or gold candle
• One white candle
• Any symbols of Summer, solar symbols.

–

This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

–

Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

–

Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

–

Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

–

Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the gods and goddesses of the north! I call upon you all in frith at this time so I may honor the connection we have with one another.”

(Light the white candle.)

“Hail the Vanir! Hail the Aesir!”

“Hail Sunna! Daughter of Glen. Bright rider in the heavens by day. Driver of Alsvin and Arvak. Wearer of Svalin. Day-star. Ever-glow. All-bright. Wolf-chased. Fair-wheel. Grace-shine. Ensnarer of Trolls!”

(Light the yellow candle.)

“Hail Sunna!”

–

“Now is the time of Midsummer. This is a time for adventure and seeking conquest and victory within our life. Midsummer is also a time to honor the important alliances that you hold with others.”

“Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are: battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna, as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.”

–

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)

“Hail to Sunna! Goddess of the sun! Goddess of the energies which charge all of life with vitality! Through your vital strength, we gain the power to achieve victory! Please oh bright shinning goddess charge my energies with your might and power! Hail Sunna!”

(Picture in your mind’s eye energy from the sun coming down to you and filling your aura, making it stronger and more powerful.)

(Chant and trace sowilo in the air three times:)

“SOWILO… SOWILO… SOWILO”

SowiloSowiloSowilo

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)

–

“Anger is a useful and important emotion since it is related to defending against attack, and is an emotion needed for self protection. Anger only gets bad when it is used in a personal way. Personalized anger is anger against a certain person, which is very negative. Anger used in a impersonal sense, as controlled anger where you use the anger feelings to empower your ability to defend your rights and to protect yourself and others, is the proper positive use of anger. ”

“In modern day times there aren’t many outlets for anger. In older times of course there were plenty of outlets for it since men had to fight to protect. Since men are the protectors they do tend to more directly feel their anger emotions. Women often but not always tend to feel their anger in more indirect ways. Or more commonly, many women have trouble directly acknowledging when they are angry. The strongest emotion for men is anger. The strongest emotion for women is love. Men are the warriors so they need to have anger as a strong emotion for to strengthen this role for them. In Pagan societies such as the Vikings, the society was structured in a way to help keep anger more as the impersonal healthy kind and such societies were even structured in ways to give men healthy outlets for anger.”

“One of the most positive ways to release anger and act upon the warrior spirit in modern society is through sports. Summer is the best time for doing sports. Sports help to create frith since they help people feel more positive and release tension and anger. Group sports can be a powerful tool of troth-making.”

“Another way to release or vent anger is through sex. Sex is a very powerful way to turn anger onto frith and love. It is very sacred to have sex at the Midsummer bonfire.”

“Women as the nurturers and pleasure and care givers have love as their strongest emotion. Since the strongest emotion for women is love, women are the frith-makers and they hold a sacred duty in northern culture as guardians of the frith. Frith is the glue that holds together those who hold troth for each other. Without frith there can be no troth. Keeping troth with those you cannot have any frith with is both dishonorable and dishonest. In order for there to be frith with someone you must hold feelings of respect and trust. No social organization, whether it be one related to Heathenism or anything at all, can survive if it does not strictly enforce members keeping frith between each other. The foundation of troth is frith. Troth is the very basis of Heathenism. Any Heathen that has not learned to be respectful of other people is one that is not able to honor frith and thus shall fail completely at holding troth with others. Since the basis of Heathenism is troth, such a Heathen shall fail as a Heathen. The gods and goddesses only welcome those to their hall that would be able to hold frith with all those who reside in their hall. The whole point of being Heathen is to hold troth for one or more of the northern gods or goddesses and work towards being welcomed to their hall in the after-life, thus learning how to respect others and honor frith is one of the greatest lessons any Heathen can learn.”

“Now at this time of the season, Midsummer, is the time to acknowledge all bonds of troth which we hold. Troth is the very point of Heathenism. Heathenism is simply put the practice of holding troth for one or more of the northern gods/goddesses. In all things we do in our life we must act in ways that honor this troth we hold. By taking troth with any god or goddess we are agreeing to hold their ways holy and honor what they stand for. Take some moments now to ponder on all the gods and goddesses which you hold troth with and all the things which are sacred to them.”

(Feel free to change this next part as needed)

“I _______ (state your name) hold troth with the Vanir and Aesir, with the ways of the Vanir coming first for me. _______ (patron deity name) is my patron and thus I hold the greatest troth of all for him/her. I agree to hold sacred all the things which are holy to the Vanir and Aesir and most of all that which is sacred to my patron ________ (patron deity name).”

–

(This next section is optional. If you prefer you can change this to whatever other values you happen to follow. In no way are the Vanic Virtues, or the Nine Noble Virtues, or any other codified system of values, a requirement to be followed to be Heathen. It is up to the individual Heathen to determine what values system they shall follow, so long as they uphold the basics such as honesty, troth, and always keeping oaths to the best of their ability. But once an individual has chosen a value system to follow they must follow it faithfully to the best of their ability. What matters most is to never agree to follow any value system you don’t deeply feel in your heart is right for you. Part of troth is being true to yourself and your true will.)

“To honor the troth I hold, these are the values I have agreed to uphold in my life to the best of my ability.:”

“The Vanic Virtues ”

“Beauty ”
“The pursuit of beauty and elegance in thought, form and speech. ”

“Courage/Passion ”
“Zeal, vigor; the strength and courage that comes from a life worth living. ”

“Land-rightness ”
“The recognition of nature and the environment as worthy of respect, care and reverence. ”

“Even-mood ”
“Harmonious and balanced thought and action; tranquility, calm, serenity.”

“Openness ”
“The quality of being receptive to the world around one, non-judgmental and open. ”

“Wildness/Ecstasy ”
“Music and dance; the nurturing of inner wildness and childlike being, being like the “fey” ”

“Love”
“The all-encompassing force; love for family, for kin, for humanity, for all beings.”

“Frith ”
“The peace and goodwill between people bound together; loyalty and the keeping of one’s word. ”

“Faith/Piety ”
“The trust that the Gods exist and are worthy of our worship, and Their ways worth following. ”

“Giving ”
“The binding of two parties into one common bond, generosity and hospitality. ”

“Joy ”
“Wonder and innocence, the recognition that life is worth living, and worth living well. ”

“Brotherhood ”
“The recognition that we – humans, animals, plants, spirits – are all part of the grander scheme of life, and we share a common heritage, as children of the Earth.”

–

(This part is not optional)

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)

“Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the Aesir! Hail to _______ (patron deity name), I make this toast to you in honor of the troth I hold for you all! Hail!”

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)

–

Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.

–

“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

–

Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.

Volmarr’s Heathen Midsummer Ritual June-21-2013 Asatru Version

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• One yellow or gold candle
• One white candle
• Any symbols of Summer, solar symbols.

–

This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

–

Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

–

Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

–

Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

–

Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the gods and goddesses of the north! I call upon you all in frith at this time so I may honor the connection we have with one another.”

(Light the white candle.)

“Hail the Aesir! Hail the Vanir!”

“Hail Sunna! Daughter of Glen. Bright rider in the heavens by day. Driver of Alsvin and Arvak. Wearer of Svalin. Day-star. Ever-glow. All-bright. Wolf-chased. Fair-wheel. Grace-shine. Ensnarer of Trolls!”

(Light the yellow candle.)

“Hail Sunna!”

–

“Now is the time of Midsummer. This is a time for adventure and seeking conquest and victory within our life. Midsummer is also a time to honor the important alliances that you hold with others.”

“Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are: battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna, as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.”

–

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)

“Hail to Sunna! Goddess of the sun! Goddess of the energies which charge all of life with vitality! Through your vital strength, we gain the power to achieve victory! Please oh bright shinning goddess charge my energies with your might and power! Hail Sunna!”

(Picture in your mind’s eye energy from the sun coming down to you and filling your aura, making it stronger and more powerful.)

(Chant and trace sowilo in the air three times:)

“SOWILO… SOWILO… SOWILO”

SowiloSowiloSowilo

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)

–

“Anger is a useful and important emotion since it is related to defending against attack, and is an emotion needed for self protection. Anger only gets bad when it is used in a personal way. Personalized anger is anger against a certain person, which is very negative. Anger used in a impersonal sense, as controlled anger where you use the anger feelings to empower your ability to defend your rights and to protect yourself and others, is the proper positive use of anger. ”

“In modern day times there aren’t many outlets for anger. In older times of course there were plenty of outlets for it since men had to fight to protect. Since men are the protectors they do tend to more directly feel their anger emotions. Women often but not always tend to feel their anger in more indirect ways. Or more commonly, many women have trouble directly acknowledging when they are angry. The strongest emotion for men is anger. The strongest emotion for women is love. Men are the warriors so they need to have anger as a strong emotion for to strengthen this role for them. In Pagan societies such as the Vikings, the society was structured in a way to help keep anger more as the impersonal healthy kind and such societies were even structured in ways to give men healthy outlets for anger.”

“One of the most positive ways to release anger and act upon the warrior spirit in modern society is through sports. Summer is the best time for doing sports. Sports help to create frith since they help people feel more positive and release tension and anger. Group sports can be a powerful tool of troth-making.”

“Another way to release or vent anger is through sex. Sex is a very powerful way to turn anger onto frith and love. It is very sacred to have sex at the Midsummer bonfire.”

“Women as the nurturers and pleasure and care givers have love as their strongest emotion. Since the strongest emotion for women is love, women are the frith-makers and they hold a sacred duty in northern culture as guardians of the frith. Frith is the glue that holds together those who hold troth for each other. Without frith there can be no troth. Keeping troth with those you cannot have any frith with is both dishonorable and dishonest. In order for there to be frith with someone you must hold feelings of respect and trust. No social organization, whether it be one related to Heathenism or anything at all, can survive if it does not strictly enforce members keeping frith between each other. The foundation of troth is frith. Troth is the very basis of Heathenism. Any Heathen that has not learned to be respectful of other people is one that is not able to honor frith and thus shall fail completely at holding troth with others. Since the basis of Heathenism is troth, such a Heathen shall fail as a Heathen. The gods and goddesses only welcome those to their hall that would be able to hold frith with all those who reside in their hall. The whole point of being Heathen is to hold troth for one or more of the northern gods or goddesses and work towards being welcomed to their hall in the after-life, thus learning how to respect others and honor frith is one of the greatest lessons any Heathen can learn.”

“Now at this time of the season, Midsummer, is the time to acknowledge all bonds of troth which we hold. Troth is the very point of Heathenism. Heathenism is simply put the practice of holding troth for one or more of the northern gods/goddesses. In all things we do in our life we must act in ways that honor this troth we hold. By taking troth with any god or goddess we are agreeing to hold their ways holy and honor what they stand for. Take some moments now to ponder on all the gods and goddesses which you hold troth with and all the things which are sacred to them.”

(Feel free to change this next part as needed)

“I _______ (state your name) hold troth with the Aesir and Vanir. _______ (patron deity name) is my patron and thus I hold the greatest troth of all for him/her. I agree to hold sacred all the things which are holy to the Aesir and Vanir and most of all that which is sacred to my patron ________ (patron deity name).”

–

(This next section is optional. If you prefer you can change these to suit your version of the Nine Noble Virtues or change them to whatever other values you happen to follow. In no way are the Nine Noble Virtues in any particular form or at all a requirement to be followed to be Asatru or Heathen. It is up to the individual Heathen to determine what values system they shall follow, so long as they uphold the basics such as honesty, troth, and always keeping oaths to the best of their ability. But once an individual has chosen a value system to follow they must follow it faithfully to the best of their ability. What matters most is to never agree to follow any value system you don’t deeply feel in your heart is right for you. Part of troth is being true to yourself and your true will.)

“To honor the troth I hold, these are the values I have agreed to uphold in my life to the best of my ability.:”

“Courage ”

“Truth ”

“Honor ”

“Troth”

“Discipline ”

“Friendliness ”

“Industriousness”

“Self-Reliance ”

“Perseverance”

–

(This part is not optional)

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink)

“Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Vanir! Hail to _______ (patron deity name), I make this toast to you in honor of the troth I hold for you all! Hail!”

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground)

–

Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.

–

“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

–

Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.

Volmarr’s Heathen Midsummer Ritual June-21-2013 General Heathen Version

Need:
• drinking horn
• mead (or beer or wine or even can use juice)
• spring water in small bowl
• fresh pine twig
• offering bowl
• candles
• wand (if you don’t have one you can use your fingers instead)
• Thor’s Ritual Hammer (optional, can use it for the Hammer Hallowings)
• One yellow or gold candle
• One white candle
• Any symbols of Summer, solar symbols.

–

This ritual, as are all Heathen or northern rituals, is done while facing north, except where otherwise noted. The altar should be such that it is in front of you when you face north.

If you don’t know how to pronounce the runes see my webpage on how to pronounce them here.

–

Put spring water in small bowl. Trace 3 Laguz runes over it.:

Laguz

“LAGUZ… LAGUZ… LAGUZ”

“From the Well of Wyrd does this water flow, and to the Well of Wyrd does it return”

–

Make Hammer Sign at item and then splash each ritual item with blessed water using the pine twig and for each item say:

“I bless this ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now trace Hammer Sign at person being blessed and/or self and splash them with water using twig.

“I bless ______ with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Use twig to splash ritual space with water.

“I bless this space with the waters of the Well of Wyrd”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All stand in Elhaz position.

Elhaz Position 1

“Bi-Frost’s rainbow light shine down upon this space and myself so that I may form a portal between the worlds of Asgard and Midgard”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

All face north and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the north hallow and ward this stead”

All turn east and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the east hallow and ward this stead”

All turn south and trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the south hallow and ward this stead”

All turn west trace the Hammer Sign while chanting:

“Hammer in the west hallow and ward this stead”

All return to north and look up and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer above hallow and ward this stead”

All look below and trace Hammer sign while chanting:

“Hammer below hallow and ward this stead”

–

Return to facing north and all stand in the Elhaz position and chant:

“Around me and within me Asgard and Midgard”

Dagaz Position 1

and move into the Dagaz position in the end.

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

(Highly recommended optional casting of the rune ring)

(face north and trace the rune shape in the air before you using your wand and loudly chant: “FEHU!”)

Fehu

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “URUZ”)

Uruz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “THURISAZ”)

Thurisaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ANSUZ”)

Ansuz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “RAIDHO”)

Raidho

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “KENAZ”)

Kenaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “GEBO”)

Gebo

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “WUNJO”)

Wunjo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “HAGALAZ”)

Hagalaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “NAUDHIZ”)

Nauthiz

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ISA”)

Isa

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “JERA”)

Jera

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EIHWAZ”)

Eihwaz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “PERTHRO”)

Perthro

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “ELHAZ”)

Elhaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “SOWILO”)

Sowilo

(face north and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “TIWAZ”)

Tiwaz

(face north-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “BERKANO”)

Berkano

(face east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “EHWAZ”)

Ehwaz

(face south-east and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “MANNAZ”)

Mannaz

(face south and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “LAGUZ”)

Laguz

(face south-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “INGWAZ”)

Ingwaz

(face west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “DAGAZ”)

Dagaz

(face north-west and trace the rune shape and loudly chant: “OTHALA”)

Othala

(Few silent deep breaths)

–

Hold up the bottle of mead:

“I now brew the holy mead of inspiration. Won by high Odin long ago!”

Chant into the bottle of mead:

“Odhroerir! Son! Bodhn!”

“Now I hallow this drink with staves of light!”

Chant and trace these runes over the bottle:

“Othala”

Othala

“Dagaz”

Dagaz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Ansuz”

Ansuz

“Raidho”

Raidho

“Isa”

Isa

“Elhaz!”

Elhaz

All say:

“Hail Odhroerir!”

–

Few silent deep breaths.

–

“Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the gods and goddesses of the north! I call upon you all in frith at this time so I may honor the connection we have with one another.”

(Light the white candle.)

“Hail the Vanir! Hail the Aesir!”

“Hail Sunna! Daughter of Glen. Bright rider in the heavens by day. Driver of Alsvin and Arvak. Wearer of Svalin. Day-star. Ever-glow. All-bright. Wolf-chased. Fair-wheel. Grace-shine. Ensnarer of Trolls!”

(Light the yellow candle.)

“Hail Sunna!”

–

“Now is the time of Midsummer. This is a time for adventure and seeking conquest and victory within our life. Midsummer is also a time to honor the important alliances that you hold with others.”

“Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are: battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles, and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna, as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.”

–

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink.)

“Hail to Sunna! Goddess of the sun! Goddess of the energies which charge all of life with vitality! Through your vital strength, we gain the power to achieve victory! Please oh bright shinning goddess charge my energies with your might and power! Hail Sunna!”

(Picture in your mind’s eye energy from the sun coming down to you and filling your aura, making it stronger and more powerful.)

(Chant and trace sowilo in the air three times.:)

“SOWILO… SOWILO… SOWILO”

SowiloSowiloSowilo

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground.)

–

“Anger is a useful and important emotion since it is related to defending against attack, and is an emotion needed for self protection. Anger only gets bad when it is used in a personal way. Personalized anger is anger against a certain person, which is very negative. Anger used in a impersonal sense, as controlled anger where you use the anger feelings to empower your ability to defend your rights and to protect yourself and others, is the proper positive use of anger.”

“In modern day times there aren’t many outlets for anger. In older times of course there were plenty of outlets for it since men had to fight to protect. Since men are the protectors they do tend to more directly feel their anger emotions. Women often but not always tend to feel their anger in more indirect ways. Or more commonly, many women have trouble directly acknowledging when they are angry. The strongest emotion for men is anger. The strongest emotion for women is love. Men are the warriors so they need to have anger as a strong emotion for to strengthen this role for them. In Pagan societies such as the Vikings, the society was structured in a way to help keep anger more as the impersonal healthy kind and such societies were even structured in ways to give men healthy outlets for anger.”

“One of the most positive ways to release anger and act upon the warrior spirit in modern society is through sports. Summer is the best time for doing sports. Sports help to create frith since they help people feel more positive and release tension and anger. Group sports can be a powerful tool of troth-making.”

“Another way to release or vent anger is through sex. Sex is a very powerful way to turn anger onto frith and love. It is very sacred to have sex at the Midsummer bonfire.”

“Women as the nurturers and pleasure and care givers have love as their strongest emotion. Since the strongest emotion for women is love, women are the frith-makers and they hold a sacred duty in northern culture as guardians of the frith. Frith is the glue that holds together those who hold troth for each other. Without frith there can be no troth. Keeping troth with those you cannot have any frith with is both dishonorable and dishonest. In order for there to be frith with someone you must hold feelings of respect and trust. No social organization, whether it be one related to Heathenism or anything at all, can survive if it does not strictly enforce members keeping frith between each other. The foundation of troth is frith. Troth is the very basis of Heathenism. Any Heathen that has not learned to be respectful of other people is one that is not able to honor frith and thus shall fail completely at holding troth with others. Since the basis of Heathenism is troth, such a Heathen shall fail as a Heathen. The gods and goddesses only welcome those to their hall that would be able to hold frith with all those who reside in their hall. The whole point of being Heathen is to hold troth for one or more of the northern gods or goddesses and work towards being welcomed to their hall in the after-life, thus learning how to respect others and honor frith is one of the greatest lessons any Heathen can learn.”

“Now at this time of the season, Midsummer, is the time to acknowledge all bonds of troth which we hold. Troth is the very point of Heathenism. Heathenism is simply put the practice of holding troth for one or more of the northern gods/goddesses. In all things we do in our life we must act in ways that honor this troth we hold. By taking troth with any god or goddess we are agreeing to hold their ways holy and honor what they stand for. Take some moments now to ponder on all the gods and goddesses which you hold troth with and all the things which are sacred to them.”

(Feel free to change this next part as needed.)

(Place your hand on the ritual Thor’s Hammer, an oath ring, or some other sacred symbol of the Northern faith.)

“I _______ (state your name) hold troth with the Vanir and Aesir. _______ (patron deity name) is my patron and thus I hold the greatest troth of all for him/her. I agree to hold sacred all the things which are holy to the Aesir and Vanir and most of all that which is sacred to my patron ________ (patron deity name).”

–

(This next section is optional. If you prefer you can change this to whatever other values you happen to follow. In no way are the Nine Noble Virtues, the Vanic Virtues, or the, or any other codified system of values, a requirement to be followed to be Heathen. It is up to the individual Heathen to determine what values system they shall follow, so long as they uphold the basics such as honesty, troth, and always keeping oaths to the best of their ability. But once an individual has chosen a value system to follow they must follow it faithfully to the best of their ability. What matters most is to never agree to follow any value system you don’t deeply feel in your heart is right for you. Part of troth is being true to yourself and your true will.)

(Here state what values you uphold and swear to follow in your life.)

–

(This part is not optional.)

(Hold drinking how and fill it with drink.)

“Hail to the Vanir! Hail to the Aesir! Hail to _______ (patron deity name), I make this toast to you in honor of the troth I hold for you all! Hail!”

(Drink half, pour out rest to offering bowl or ground.)

–

Use the pine twig to splash a bit of the liquid in the offering bowl on yourself, on any others in the ritual with you, on your altar, on the ritual space, and in all general areas of your dwelling as well. Does not need to be much splashed around, just a little is fine. This helps to imbue more of the energies of the ritual on you, and others who may also in the ritual with you, and to your place.

–

“Now my rite has ended. May all gathered here fare well on their return to their home places. And may the bonds of frith between us grow, gods, wights, and humans alike. Until we meet again.”

–
–

Pour out the offerings from the offering bowl outside:

“A gift for a gift”

Trace gebo at spot offerings were given to.

“GEBO!”

Gebo

Pour out remaining blessed water outside.

“I pour the sacred water back to the Earth so it may find it’s way back to the Well of Wyrd”

–

Now at this point it is very important to ground your energies. This should always be done after every ritual. Not doing so can lead to problems in the long-run. Grounding is like shifting gears in a car, except it is the process of shifting brain states. During rituals you create a trance like brain state, which is desired for during rituals or for during any spiritual practices. But trance states are not good for doing everyday mundane things. You need to return your mind back to the normal state of consciousness after the ritual is finished. That is what grounding is.

The most simple and common method to ground is to visualize yourself as a tree and see roots growing into the ground from the base of your spine and going down into the earth. Sometimes rituals require industrial strength grounding as they can really create some intense energy. In that case you can try the following triple grounding method.:

First visualize your chakras. You picture in your mind closing first the top one and then seeing a sort of lid closing over it, then proceed with the net lower chakra and so on. You want to leave the bottom most chakra, the root chakra fully open as this is your connection to grounding. Don’t be concerned about having the others closed, the normal proper function of them is that they open and close as needed. Problems with being ungrounded happen when one of more of them are stuck open. Only the bottom one is to be left open at all times.

Next step is to picture a ball of pure white light above your head. Now let this white light slowly descent downward into your body and slowly move lower. As it descends it takes with it any unneeded, old, and negative energies. It is sort of sweeping downward through your energies taking all you no longer need with it. Once it reaches your feet let it move lower till it passes down through the floor. If you are on an upper close let it pass all the way to the ground. Let the earth take this energy to recycle it.

Now final step is to do the traditional grounding. Picture yourself as a tree. Visualize roots coming out of the base of your spine and going down into the Earth. Feel the calmness of a tree, the rooted solidness.

If after these three things you still feel hyper or spaced out you can either eat some food, or put a small amount of salt on your tongue. Another thing you can do is prostrate down to the ground, placing your head on the ground and stay like this for a few moments.

–

Feel free to copy and use this ritual so long as you acknowledge the source.

The Three Major Approaches to Neo-Paganism

Most things in the universe happen in threes. Three is a universal number of great importance. In Heathenism we have the Heathen trinity of Odin, Thor, and Freyr, which I covered in another post.

This three-ness aspect to the universe is also seen in divisions that happen within major world religions. We see this for example in Christianity in there being Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox branches. In Buddhism this trinity is expressed with there being Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantric forms of the religion. In Hinduism we have Shivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism. In Islam there is Sunni, Shia, and Sufism. In Wicca, which is itself a tradition within Neo-Paganism, there is British-Traditional, Eclectic, and Dianic, branches. Even in Heathenism we have strict-reconstructionists, modernists, and tribalists.

In Neo-Paganism this three-fold aspect is seen with there being Archetypal-Paganism, Polytheistic-Paganism, and Humanistic-Paganism. Neo-Paganism is a newer major world religion and as such it is still undergoing the process of development as a major religion. Thus is is still going through the grow process that any new religion does.

The first form of Neo-Paganism to form was Archetypal-Paganism. Your stereotypical Wiccan (but not all Wiccans) is an Archetypal-Pagan. They see the gods and goddesses either as different (and interchangeable) expressions of one divine energy, or all gods and goddesses to them are the expression of one set of Great Goddess and Great God (Dualtheism). Archetypal-Paganism is based on the philosophical idea of syncretism. Wicca itself was a religion created through syncretism. Though most but not all Wiccans are Archtypal-Pagans, not all Archtypal-Pagans are Wiccans. Wiccans would be the biggest group that are Archtypal-Pagans.

The next expression of Neo-Paganism is Polytheistic-Paganism. Polytheistic-Pagans see the gods and goddess as all unique and distinct beings and not interchangeable for one another. Though some of them do acknowledge that some gods or goddesses may appear in more than one culture with nearly almost exact similar forms and traits but with different names. Generally Polytheistic-Pagans place a strong focus on devotional practices and worship of the particular gods and goddesses which they happen to focus on. Polytheistic-Pagans are almost always very focused on a particular cultural tradition. Some Polytheistic-Pagans are very focused on strict historical reconstruction of ancient Pagan traditions, while others try to focus on modern ways to relate to the gods/goddesses, but many are a mix between both these extremes. The stereotypical Heathen is Polytheistic-Pagan. Originally Heathenism was separate from the Neo-Pagan scene due to early on Wiccan viewpoints dominating the Neo-Pagan scene, but this has changed and more and more Heathen ideas have had an impact on Neo-Paganism. More Heathens, or even Pagans strongly influenced by Heathenism, are seen taking part in the Neo-Pagan scene these days. Just as not all Archtypal-Pagans are Wiccans, not all Polytheistic-Pagans are Heathens, though Heathenism does represent the biggest pool of Polytheistic-Pagans at this time. There has been a huge growth in non-Heathen forms of Polytheistic-Paganism in recent years.

The third and by far newest form of Neo-Paganism is the Humanistic-Pagan. They are a very recent development and as such there has been some growing pains for this form of Paganism in it being accepted into the Neo-Pagan scene. Other terms that seem to be currently used for Humanist-Pagans are Atheist-Pagans, and Naturalistic-Pagans. Generally Humanist-Pagans tend to not believe in or focus on the supernatural or divine aspect of things. They tend to see the gods/goddesses and mythologies in terms of archetypal expressions of psychological or philosophical concepts. In many ways the ideas established by Carl Jung likely are the roots of this form of Paganism. Humanistic-Pagans believe strongly in science and having a more tangible connection to things. Their approach to Paganism is more cultural. Many of them may not wish to see Neo-Paganism as a religion but more as a form of cultural identity. They put great focus on the values expressed within Neo-Paganism such as respect for the environment and a focus on self awareness. Omnia is an example of a music band that seems to represent the ideas within Humanistic-Paganism.

It is important as Pagans for us to understand and respect the views of all those who fall under the umbrella of the religion of Neo-Paganism. At the same time we need to acknowledge that there are these distinct forms and these differences can at times lead to issues of difficulty since each distinct style leads to a different viewpoint on what the reasons are for being Pagan. We must guard against trying to enforce the approach of our particular approach of Neo-Paganism on to people of the other forms. We must acknowledge that all ways are equally as valid and all people have the religious and spiritual and cultural freedom to pursue anything that is not harmful to others. All these forms of Paganism are helpful in their own ways to those who practice them. All these forms of Paganism help to enrich the lives of their devotes. As Neo-Pagans we need to stand unified at least on the legal and cultural front so as to make sure our rights are not stomped upon. On the spiritual front we must understand our differences and make room for us to divide into our particular more focused groups as needed.

I dedicate this post as an offering to the goddess Saga. Hail Saga!

Heathen Spiritual Warrior

Late Spring and early Summer are the Norse times to fight battles and go raiding. Most of us in the modern world won’t be going into literal combat situations or going literally raiding, as happened during the Viking age. But we modern people have our own just as difficult battles we have to fight in our day to day life. Common modern forms of battle are battles against your own negative traits or bad habits, battles to effect greater spiritual growth and awareness, battles to improve our lives in any way, battles against people in our lives who abuse us or cause us harm, battles to stand up for some cause we believe in, battles to improve the lives and well-being of those close to us, battles to achieve success in our careers, fighting for a better world, etc. All these types of battles are equally as worthy as the battles and raids which the Vikings fought, and are just as filled with their own forms of danger and peril. All forms of worthy battle which we fight are a way in which the gods/goddesses test us to see our measure of spiritual strength and bravery. By fighting whatever worthy battles we must in our lives without backing down and doing the best we can in them, we increase our spiritual might and personal luck. Most forms of modern battles are more so what can be considered forms of psychic or spiritual battles. Being a spiritual warrior is just as impressive to the gods/goddesses as being a literal one. If your life has been filled with strife and challenge lately during the late spring and early summer know that this is part of being in tune with the seasonal cycles and this time shall eventually pass. When fighting a lot of battles our energies can after awhile become drained and run down. Try to call upon the power of the sun, the goddess Sunna as a source to recharge your psychic and emotional batteries after many long fought battles.

The Indo-European Trinity and How it Relates to Heathenism

I got into a really interesting conversation with Allen Alderman over in the Asatru and Heathen community in Google+. We discussed the Indo-European trinity. This is a really important metaphysical concept that seems to weave it’s way through all Indo-European based spiritual traditions, including Heathenism. I already covered one aspect of this concept in a previous post:

Allen Alderman: I read your post on the trinity in Heathenism. I would also enjoy discussing your views on Dumézil’s trifunctional hypothesis – which I, personally, think he just nabbed from much older thinkers – but I should probably save that for a comment on the post itself.

Volmarr Wyrd: *laughs*. Yes already had the discusion with someone who brought up Dumezil. I of course believe that most things end up dividing into 3 but the nature of what each part of that 3 is differs in each circumstance, it is rarely the same set of 3 things. Though I have not studied Dumezil, my understanding is he reduces all 3-fold divisions to the same one, but that is where I disagree with him. Three is metaphysically a natural division for most things in the universe, but there is not a fixed nature of everything being the same 3 things everywhere.

Allen Alderman: I was pointing more in the direction of the theory of guna in Samkhya philosophy. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? If you haven’t give it a good mulling over before discarding it prematurely (i.e. don’t just read Wikipedia’s treatment). There is a wealth of very old insight stored in that particular theory. You might find parts of it interesting, particularly in connection with what remains of Germanic lore.

Volmarr Wyrd: Yes the tattvas from Hinduism as you pointed out. In astrology they have this same concept with the cardinals, fixed, and mutable signs. In Hinduism there is Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. In Christianity there is Father, Son, and Holy-Spirit. It is the idea that all things have a creation, solidifying, and releasing aspect. In some ways many thrinities do fall into this division but it seems not all. But I agree with what you wrote elsewhere that studying other things, in particular Hindu stuff since it is an intact older Indo-European spiritual system gains one a much greater understanding of Heathenism. I studied Hinduism a lot as a matter of fact for many years.

Volmarr Wyrd: Even in alchemy is sulfur, salt, and mercury.

Volmarr Wyrd: Also Theosophy, that last 19th century and early 20th century spiritual movement which is the foundation of the modern New Age movement gets into this trinity a lot in their writings.

Volmarr Wyrd: Those Theosophists were heavy into Hinduism. They mixed Hindu Jnana Yoga with with western Spiritualist tradition ideas to come up with the tradition basically.

Allen Alderman: You might already know this – I’m not sure – but the theory of guna reaches a lot deeper than the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – which is a comparatively late development. The part of the theory which interests me most is their function in metaphysics and the theories which that idea later inspired in Hindu practical disciplines – especially medicine. But, essentially, it has to do with the Harmonic, Dynamic and Static principles in nature. I’ve always considered it a nice way to explain the relationship between the Vanir, the Aesir and the Jöttnar. That is to say, whenever someone contrasts the Vanir and the Aesir, there’s a voice in my head which says “You know, the Jöttnar actually belong to that particular trinity.” I usually bit my lip, however. :)

Volmarr Wyrd: I should look deeper into the gunas! Got any books to recommend? So which of the three races of divine beings do you relate to each of these principles?

Allen Alderman: Good books are always hard to find. My introduction to Samkhya philosophy was Nandalal Sinha’s Samkhya Philosophy (1915). Short but generally accurate treatments can be found in the shorter introductions, like M. Hiriyanna’s Essentials of Indian Philosophy (1948). A slightly more materialistic presentation, but valuable nonetheless, can be found in S. Dasgupta’s History of Indian Philosophy (1922). (The latter work, which can be found online at archive.org, is quite good at giving a broad but detailed overview of Hindu philosophy, Vol. I particularly, despite its typically late 19th century, “ancient philosophy can be harmonized with modern science” approach. It’s helpful to view Samkhya in its context, as that allows the reader to smooth over the personal preconceptions of the author.) Other than that, it has taken me years of reading in a variety of sources to recognize how all-pervasive this theory was and continues to be in weird and wonderful ways – several of which you mentioned in your comments above.

As for your second question: Well, it’s actually slightly more complex. None of the gunas are found in their pure state in anything manifest. Everything has all three in varying proportion. Thus, all three races are Dynamic, for example, but in varying degrees. For me, the Vanir are, by and large, the prime embodiments of the Harmonic principle, the Aesir embody the Dynamic principle, and the Jöttnar embody the Static principle. “Static” can be a bit misleading, as the original tamas (literally “darkness”) actually refers to a kind of “drawing down” or “drawing away” of energy, a destructive, sometimes lethargic tendency.

Just so you know, I’m not an “archetypal” Heathen, either. I consider myself as close to “hard” polytheism as a rational person can get.

Also, it might help to compare what you read on the gunaswith their analogy in Vedic medicine, the three doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. These were directly inspired by the theory of guna, and if you are versed in alchemical tradition, you might find that interesting, as well.

Volmarr Wyrd: Nice! My guess for the 3 races of spiritual beings was the same you mentioned. So static in that sense is like the primordial dark womb of creation? Kabbalah has these three as well. The pillar of mercy is dynamic. The pillar of severity is static. The middle is harmonic. Also we can see this in the creation story. Fire is dynamic. Ice is static. Where they meet in the middle and life is created is harmonic.

Allen Alderman: Exactly. Glad to have found someone on the same wavelength. ;)

Volmarr Wyrd: Indeed is nice! Yimir was very static and sort of taking up a lot of space in the middle of existence and thus is why Odin and his brothers needed to kill him. The material from that which is static is that which is needed to make stuff, thus his body became the Earth. Ever since there is an ongoing cold-war between the dynamic and static forces. The only ones somewhat outside of that tension is the harmonic forces. Notice how in the story of Ragnarok Njord withdraws his forces from the battle before it really begins. By the way the Kabbalah is 3×3+1. That 1 is the result of energies moving through all of the 3×3 in order from most abstract to most formed. I am also as well very much a hard polytheist. I strive to get to know the gods and goddesses of the Vanir and Aesir on as personal of terms as I can, with my biggest focus tending towards the Vanir.

Time/Space Consciousness

The gods and goddesses live in a state of consciousness that is outside of our concept of time. Our own consciousness can move between the everyday conventional Midgard Earth human state of consciousness and a more divine god/goddess level state of consciousness. Trance states are states in which our consciousness level moves up into a more spiritual state of awareness. The further we move up in the trance state the more our awareness moves further out of the limits of time/space during the duration of the trance state. Since we have physical bodies through we eventually have to ground and return to a conventional time/space bound consciousness. When we return to regular consciousness we can sometimes take back some measure of the experience we had while in a trance state, though our thinking once more is limited by our concept of time/space while in a regular state of consciousness. While in a trance our thinking processes can move very far out of time/space concepts. There is different levels of trance state. In theory it is possible to trance all the way to a state of unity with all of existence and some people do experience such trances in moments. When we do divination such as runic readings or oracular seidr we are moving our consciousness outside of the constraints of time/space through some measure of trance, as much so as our skills allow us to.

Also it seems that it is popular (in old times) to raise the dead to gain knowledge from them since the dead have no living body and thus the consciousness of the dead exists outside of the bounds of time/space. Thus the dead have access to a greater level of knowledge than us living do.

Book review of Sea Sky Soil

For those interested in learning some very interesting theories about the hidden aspects of the Vanir I recommend the book Sea Sky Soil. This book is based on the Vanir Theory. It basically deconstructs the theoretical hidden Vanir deities on an archetypal level using the theories expressed by the Vanir theory. This book is like looking at the bones of what makes up northern European Paganism, but outside the level of particular names or traditions. It’s spiritual dissection of the essence of things.

From my own personal work with the Vanir the ideas expressed in this book totally make sense and are important for understanding about the greater whole of the Vanir which the lore does not describe. In the least it does offer up potential avenues to pursue in pathworking attempts at contacting these other hidden Vanir.

Waincraft is a tradition the authors of the book and others have made based on these archetypes they have derived from their work. I see Waincraft as more of a loose theoretical framework that is useful for people practicing Heathenism or Norse-Paganism. People could if they wanted practice Waincraft on it’s own as a religious tradition, but by itself it is very barebones and abstract in nature, very dispersonal. It’s true value comes out when used as a way to gain a deeper understanding of northern European Heathenism/Paganism (that has more of a Vanic like slant to it).

The section of the book that talks about spirit animals from a Northern European slant is amazing and perhaps the best writing anyone has made in making them clear to understand and have a deeper sense of meaning. When comparing the ideas there to the common Native American based concepts of the various spirit animals I can see some similar aspects for some animals but some totally different aspects for other animals. Of course it has animals listed with are not common or important for Native American traditions but are of importance for Heathenism or Norse-Paganism.

For anyone following any shamanic oriented northern European Heathen or Pagan practices this book would be totally invaluable since it provides a complete and detailed and I feel very accurate cosmology. There is no practices here though, it is merely like a catalog of concepts, but a very well done one.

Anyone that is looking to more deeply understand the nature of northern Heathenism or Paganism should get this book. It is ideas which are brilliant and totally ahead of their time. To make use of this book you need to be practicing some path of Northern European Paganism/Heathenism or be someone that prefer something that is very abstract, but the concepts here will vastly enhance your understanding of any northern form of Paganism/Heathenism you may be following.

The Vanir Theory…

The Vanir Theory, this is something I very strongly believe in. I am someone that as a Heathen has a primary focus towards the Vanir, and I too have experienced from my own personal spiritual experiences that what this article is saying is accurate, and extremely important for understanding the Vanir.: http://waincraft.org/world-view/the-vanir-theory/