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)
Top Related