Which form of Heathenry do you practice?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Val Bobincheck on January 12, 2011 at 8:45am

I follow a mix of Asatru and Slavic Heathenry.  Both of the Pantheons seem to have become entwined sometime during the first centuries A.C.E.  It has brought me a great deal of empowerment and just fits me.  As a long-distance swimmer I have a special relationship w/Njord, the water God. 

Permalink Reply by Val Bobincheck on January 12, 2011 at 8:46am

I should clarify that in the Northern Slavic and Russ areas the pantheons became entwined. 

Permalink Reply by Dust Prophet on January 12, 2011 at 8:50am

Well, complex answer time.

 

I grew up as a Saxon or Scots Heathen, from my dad's side of the family. Now, before anyone says "that must have been awesome", let me fill you in on Saxon Heathenry. It's isolationist and xenophobic to the point of a level of racism that would make the southern states of America blush. I was kept away from most kids my age and television until I started primary school, and my actual friends were closely monitored until I hit high school. The rare times I had a friend that wasn't as a bone-white as I am, they were subsequently driven off. Even though I have no contact with my dad's family, my mother picked up most of their insanity and I still have to put up with it.

 

I studied and took part in Asatru via the AAA for a few years, but I got sick of their misunderstood ideals of virtue, tradition and brotherhood. Before that I was a member of a Frith group for a while, but their leader had some personality flaws that shouldn't be discussed anywhere other than a court of law and I left disillusioned. I tried the einngata sed, but it didn't fit with my concepts of community and such.

 

These days I tend not to keep with anything approximating 'Heathenry', and although I am very much a son of Tyr at heart, it tends to mean a lot less outside of nostalgia and 'background thoughts' these days. I don't see myself as a Heathen anymore, but I also recognise that it's basically bred into me and don't ignore it either.

Permalink Reply by ScarlettWitch on January 14, 2011 at 10:42pm

I'm sorry you had such a negative experience, Yuugure.  I understand how that could make you feel a little conflicted.  I've come across a lot of groups, especially early on in my studies, that were certainly outside of my ideals and I was always really hesitant to call myself a Heathen because I didn't want to be tied in with those kind of people.  Luckily now, it seems there are more groups that are quick to point out that they have no affiliation with some of the more "radical' Heathen groups. 

Yuugure said:

Well, complex answer time.

 

I grew up as a Saxon or Scots Heathen, from my dad's side of the family. Now, before anyone says "that must have been awesome", let me fill you in on Saxon Heathenry. It's isolationist and xenophobic to the point of a level of racism that would make the southern states of America blush. I was kept away from most kids my age and television until I started primary school, and my actual friends were closely monitored until I hit high school. The rare times I had a friend that wasn't as a bone-white as I am, they were subsequently driven off. Even though I have no contact with my dad's family, my mother picked up most of their insanity and I still have to put up with it.

 

I studied and took part in Asatru via the AAA for a few years, but I got sick of their misunderstood ideals of virtue, tradition and brotherhood. Before that I was a member of a Frith group for a while, but their leader had some personality flaws that shouldn't be discussed anywhere other than a court of law and I left disillusioned. I tried the einngata sed, but it didn't fit with my concepts of community and such.

 

These days I tend not to keep with anything approximating 'Heathenry', and although I am very much a son of Tyr at heart, it tends to mean a lot less outside of nostalgia and 'background thoughts' these days. I don't see myself as a Heathen anymore, but I also recognise that it's basically bred into me and don't ignore it either.

Permalink Reply by ScarlettWitch on January 14, 2011 at 10:49pm

Sounds interesting. I'm not familiar with Slavic Heathenry, although I've heard the term.  Is there any difference, do you think, between that and Asatru?  Are the deity names different?  I've noticed that the spelling seems to be different depending on the region.

 

I'm glad that you're finding empowerment within this path, I think thats the most important thing.  Faith should always strengthen us and bring us to a better place. 

Val Bobincheck said:

I follow a mix of Asatru and Slavic Heathenry.  Both of the Pantheons seem to have become entwined sometime during the first centuries A.C.E.  It has brought me a great deal of empowerment and just fits me.  As a long-distance swimmer I have a special relationship w/Njord, the water God. 

Permalink Reply by Val Bobincheck on February 13, 2011 at 1:19pm

Peron is the closest to the Allfather (Odin figure) in Slavic Heathenry.  He rides of white stallion. They also have a world tree (altho not necessarily the tree of wisdom).  Because of the intertwining of Pagan folk ways w/ Eastern Christianity (Orthodoxy) it is still a bit easier to decipher some of the earlier beliefs.  The art of Pysanky (egg designing), for example, dates back to at least 500BC.  It was common in the Bylorus, Ukraine, and Balkans.  They were given for important occasions and often included in the gravesite.  Intricate designs in multiple colors utilizing wax resist techniques and soot deposited by burning wicks resulted in true works of art.  Traditional designs utilizing the swastika, the sun wheel and other pagan designs eventually became assimiliated by the Christian community.

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by john s. on February 15, 2011 at 1:05am

I have been working with the Northern gods for over a year and a half now. I began within the confines of a Neo Wiccan ritual format (I had worked with other pantheons of gods for several years before this). It didn't take long for me to realize that that just wasn't working. But feeling so strongly drawn to the Aesir/Vanir I began redesigning my rituals to (and my thinking as well) to cater more to the nature of my gods.

 

I have just recently shed many of my Pagan rituals while retaining some of my ritual magic practices that don't conflict with my Heathen practices. So in a long winded way I'm saying I think of myself as Asatruar/Germanic Heathen.

Permalink Reply by Sanguina on February 16, 2011 at 10:11pm

I'm just a Heathen, at present. I don't ascribe to any particular regional variation. Though... I'm not sure whether I believe in Ragnarok, at least as a literal concept, so that might rule me out of Icelandic Heathenry. I might look further into Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, it but all concerns me a bit because there's so little info on forms of it that aren't Asatru. I'm probably happier just muddling along as a general Heathen.

Permalink Reply by john s. on February 16, 2011 at 10:37pm

Some people view Ragnarok as a prophecy. Some see it as an actual event that will occur. Still, others view it as an example of the cycle of Nature.I'm not sure myself. Personally I think the whole story of Balder's death is some what awkward and may not have been handed down in it's original, true form. But that is just my opinion.

 

The idea of a final battle that destroys the Earth is pretty common in many religions.

 

Sanguina said:

I'm just a Heathen, at present. I don't ascribe to any particular regional variation. Though... I'm not sure whether I believe in Ragnarok, at least as a literal concept, so that might rule me out of Icelandic Heathenry. I might look further into Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, it but all concerns me a bit because there's so little info on forms of it that aren't Asatru. I'm probably happier just muddling along as a general Heathen.

Permalink Reply by Sanguina on February 17, 2011 at 6:27pm

John: Oh, I didn't mean to imply that non-literal interpretations of Ragnarok would rule one out from Icelandic Heathenry. As it is, when considering Ragnarok, I'm torn between it being metaphorical and it being related to Yellowstone going apocalyptic, which fits as it'd be a fire-related death for a substantial amount of global life. At least if it's anything like Toba.

 

I've heard Ragnarok mentioned as largely an Icelandic concept. Freya Aswynn I think said as much on her blog, and brief forays into AS Heathenry suggest that it's less an element of that interpretation. But as the bulk of the lore we have comes to us through Icelandic texts, we're a bit slanted in that direction. I don't know the truth of it one way or the other... I definitely need to do more research.

Permalink Reply by Liofrun Ealubora on Wednesday

Theodish Geleafa here. My own ideas are closer to the Icelandic version of Heathenism and their worldview than the American, which is very important to understanding how someone walks the path.

Permalink Reply by Frecnedeor on Thursday

I mostly just call myself "heathen" but when you get down to it, Fyrnsidu/Theodish Geleafa. I also connect more closely with a European flavour of heathenry worldview than American :)

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