Ásatrú and Odinism

Historical Influences andPrecursors

Historical Precursors-Historical Precursors-HeathenismHeathenism

• Pre-Christian Germanic Religion andCulture

- Tribal - “Carl” or clan leader = civil andspiritual head of clan

- Religion integrated into daily life

- Vikings as farmers, hunters, andwarriors

• Elder (poetic) and Younger (prose) Eddas

• Tell stories of gods, goddesses, men,women, giants, dwarfs, warriors,farmers, etc. all interacting - rolemodels for how to live, love, die inhonour.

Historical Precursors-Historical Precursors-HeathenismHeathenism

• Icelandic Sagas

• Multi-generational familystories - very real detailsabout the daily lives,religious practices, etc.

- Olaf Tryggvason

- Raud the Strong

- Queen Sigrid of Sweden

• Snorri Sturlusson - compiledEddas in 11th c., but storiespredate this.

Historical Precursors - Odinism• Social Turmoil in Germany

– Wotan/Odin worship– Swastika = Thor’s hammer and

wheel of sun

• Alexander Rud Mills– The Odinist Religion:

Overcoming Jewish Christianity(1930)

• Else Christensen– The Odinist Fellowship (1971)

• Racism/Racialism

Historical Precursors - Historical Precursors - AsatruAsatru•• Norse Mythology books -Norse Mythology books -

Kveldulf Gundarsson•• The Broader Neo-PaganThe Broader Neo-Pagan

MovementMovement• “A Wind through the

World Tree” 1972-1973– Stephen McNallen’s Viking

Brotherhood (Ásatrú FreeAssembly)

– The Odhinnist Fellowship(John Yeowell)

– Asatruarmenn (SvienbjörnBeinteinsson)

•• Icelandic Icelandic AsatruAsatru

WorldviewWorldview

•• Animistic andAnimistic andpanentheisticpanentheistic– Nature filled with

spirtis, gods– Magic = miracle:

asking for aid fromspiritual sources

•• CyclicalCyclical– Ragnarok

WorldviewWorldview•• Nature basedNature based•• Multi-versalMulti-versal• Yggdrasil:

– Asgard– Vanaheim– Ljossalfheim– Svartalfheim– Midgard– Muspellheim– Joutunheim– Niefelheim– Helheim

EthicsEthics• Courage• Truth• Honour• Troth• Self-Discipline• Hospitality• Industriousness• Self-Reliance• Perseverance

•• TribalistTribalist• Nine Noble Virtues• Havamal

TheologyTheology

•• PolytheisticPolytheistic•• AesirAesir:

– Odin– Frigg– Thor– Sif– Loki– Tyr

TheologyTheology

•• VanirVanir:– Njord & Skadi– Freya & Freyr

•• Supernatural BeingsSupernatural Beings:– Landsvaettir– Disir– Valkyries– Norns– Wights, etc.

OrganizationOrganization

• Kindred• Hearths• Garths• Heathens

• Gydhia/Godhi, Godhar

• Moots, Things, Althings

Ritual ToolsRitual Tools

• Bowl• Ring• Hammer

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism•• OdinismOdinism – The Odinic Rite

– Emphasis is primarily on thegod Odin, less on otherAesir and Vanir deities

– Odin as “all father,” the maledivine principle, source of allinspiration

– Religion “genetically”appropriate for certainpeople and not for others

– “Without race there isnothing: therefore our firstduty is a study of race andthe significance of Aryanpeople to world history”

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism

•• Folkish AsatruFolkish Asatru – Asatru Folk Assembly– Polytheistic (not Odin-centred)– No “political” racist/racialist agenda - but, still maintain

“genetic” argument re: religion– Stephen McNallen (original founder of Viking Brotherhood)

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism

•• TheodismTheodism – Garmin Lord– Heathen Reconstructionism - reviving not only the religion, but

the culture, art, lifestyles, of pre-christian Germanic peoples– Self-consciously “Tribal” - hierarchical structure of Lord/Lady

(leaders), Carls (active, knowledgeable members) and Thralls(those who seek to join, but not yet found worthy).

– Stress importance of learning, scholarship

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism•• AsatruAsatru – Irminsul Aettir

– Icelandic model– No racialist message– Not based on Kindred,

instead on “aettir” - meansextended family.

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism•• General GermanicGeneral Germanic

PaganismPaganism – The Troth– Germanic mythology, but

can be Druid with Germanicemphasis, Witch withGermanic emphasis, etc.

– Elders (The High Rede) -governing council

– Godman, Godwoman(instead of Gydhia/Godhi)

Varieties of HeathenismVarieties of Heathenism•• OdinismOdinism – The Odinic Rite

•• Folkish AsatruFolkish Asatru – AsatruFolk Assembly

•• AsatruAsatru – Irminsul Aettir

•• General GermanicGeneral GermanicPaganismPaganism – The Troth

Asatru Folk Assembly

RitualsRituals

•• BlotsBlots•• SumbelsSumbels

RitualsRituals

•• SeidhrSeidhr• Spirit possession• Hrafnar (Ravens)

RitualsRituals

•• GaldrGaldr

•• MakingMakingTaufrTaufr

Rituals Rituals –– Wheel of the Year Wheel of the Year

• Disting/Disablot (Jan 31-Feb. 1)• Ostara (March 21)• Maitag/Merry Moon (April 30-May 1)• Midsummer (June 21)• Loaf-Feast/Freyfaxi (July 31/Aug. 1)• Fallfest/Winter Finding (Sept. 21)• Dieses/Winternight (15th-30th October)