Asatru (Norse Heathenism)
History/Founder: Although Asatru is an ages old traditional religion of the Norse there is not a continuity of practice. The modern revival of Norse Heathenism dates to the nineteen-seventies, when poet Gothi Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson petitioned the Icelandic government for official recognition of the faith.
Current leader/governing body: None. Asatru is an autonomous faith which consists of many small groups and independent organizations. Asatru gather into family and community groups, often but not necessarily under larger organizations. There is no central authority, except within various groups.
Number of Adherents: Unknown.
Clergy: Priests and priestesses known as Gothi and Gythia, respectively.
Requirements to join: For most groups, willingness and commitment are the only requirements, the official initiation into the faith is known as an Adoption ceremony, wherein the new member swears loyalty to the Gods.
Church/temple: Ceremonies are conducted in consecrated space (Ve), which may be temporarily invoked, or a permanent site.
Scripture: No official canon, but the Norse Eddas (epics) are used for their stories of the Gods and Goddesses, and for information about the Gods. The Havamal, a book of proverbs attributed to the god Odin is often looked to for advice and
Required observances, dietary restrictions: None.
Code of Conduct: Asatru adhere to the Nine Noble Virtues:
- Courage
- Truth
- Honor
- Fidelity
- Discipline
- Hospitality
- Industriousness
- Self-Reliance
- Perseverance
Basic teachings and Beliefs of Asatru: As Asatru groups tend to be eclectic, there is some variation in belief. However, Asatruar tend to be Pantheistic, believing in a multitude of Gods. Most Asatru believers choose to identify with one God in particular, and to a tribe, as the Asatru pantheon is divided into two groups, the Aesir and the Vanir. (Odin is an Aesir, Loki a Vanir.) The Asatru pantheon includes traditional Norse Gods and Goddesses, elemental spirits, and Guardian spirits. Ancestors are venerated as well. Politically, Asatruar tend to be conservative and family oriented. The Asatru afterlife is tripartite; warriors slain in battle go to Valhalla, and the good and evil are sorted into Hel (paradise) and Hifhel, respectively.
Holidays and observances: Many Asatru holidays are patterned after ancient Norse observances, and some are thoroughly modern. Important Asatru festivals include the Equinoxes and Solstices, The Charming of the Plow in February, and Fogmoon, a celebration of the Dead, in November. The most important observance is the Blot ritual, an offering or sacrifice to the Gods. (Animal sacrifice is seldom practiced in modern Asatru.)
Symbols of Asatru: Vary, but may include an axe, Thor's hammer (Mjolnir), Odin's horn, the Irminsul, or similar items worn for personal meaning or identification and recognition purposes. Many believers wear rune symbols of special significance. More Asatru Symbols.
Myths and misconceptions: A popular misconception is that Asatru believers are racist or discriminatory. This is due to the practice of some racist groups using Asatru traditional symbols in their literature, and misunderstandings about Asatruar emphasis on Ancestral heritage. Some "folkish" Asatru groups believe that the believers are bound to the Gods via their bloodline, and forbid members without Scandinavian or Germanic ancestry, but these groups are the exception rather than the rule.
More Asatru:
Runes: The Alphabet of Odin
- Norse myths and legends
- Runes and rune lore
- Asatru organizations
- Our Troth
- The Pentagram and the Hammer
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