Asatru - Reconstructing Northern European Religion for Modern Heathens

Asatru is a modern religion based on the pre-Christian faith of the Germanic tribes. Its practitioners use the lore and history of Northern European paganism to reconstruct their faith for modern practice.

The Poetic and Prose Eddas along with sagas are the main sources of the lore they draw from. While most were written in the early Christian era, their origins are believed to be in Norse oral tradition.

Sometimes Heathenism is a word used interchangeably with Asatru, but heathen is a term that also refers to someone on the northern spiritual path which can take many other forms besides Asatru. Here is a brief look at this growing faith.

The Aesir and Vanir are the two groups of gods from which deities are honored in Asatru. They were once at war with each but decided to make peace and became one tribe.

Some of the most well known deities include:

Gods

• Odin
• Thor
• Tyr
• Loki

Goddesses

• Nerthus
  
• Frigga
• Freyr
• Freya
• Idunna
• Hel

The word Asatru means true to the gods. In this religion, the Northern European gods are seen as the ancestors of humans worthy of reverence and honor and are given respect in daily practice and on special feast days.

Different forms of Heathenism are practiced throughout the world, and there isn't one governing body dictating beliefs or how ceremonies should be practiced. But there are some commonalities between various Asatru groups. They tend to form kindreds of like-minded Heathens and have common days of reverence. Some even follow the wheel of the year in neopaganism. Others create rituals based solely on Norse lore.

Blots (pronounced bloats) and sumbels are two main rites of Asatru. Offerings to the gods are given at blots while sumbels include toasting the deities in praise.

Ancestor reverence is important in Heathen practice as well as honoring the land spirits. Many Asatruar have a daily spiritual practice that includes prayer while others use participation in kindred events as their mainstay of religious life.

Kindreds tackle the issue of ethics in various ways that suit their group. Right and honorable action is the code most Heathens try to live by. There is a model called the Nine Noble Virtues that has become the ethical framework for different groups. These virtues might vary but commonly include:

• Courage
• Truth
• Honor
• Loyalty
• Discipline
• Hospitality
• Industriousness
• Independence
• Stead-fastness.

As stated regarding ethics, right action is important in heathen practice and includes being in right relationship with the Aesir and Vanir. This can include personal devotion or taking part in regular blots and sumbels.

Magic is either a secondary concern or not practiced at all. But rune study, magic, divination (spaecraft), and trancework (known as seidhr) are part of the personal and group practice of some Asatru and others throughout different strands of Heathenry.

To learn more about runes, visit Odin's Journey for the Runes: The God Sacrifices Himself on the World Tree for Wisdom and Rune Symbols and Meanings.

This article only touches on several aspects of Heathenry and Asatru. It doesn't cover every type of Heathen path or belief.

Asatru is often called the religion with homework. While it isn't necessary to memorize Northern European lore, many who are called to devotion to the Aesir and Vanir take it upon themselves to learn as much as they can about pre-Christian Germanic belief in order to reconstruct ancient practices for modern Heathenism.

Sources consulted:

• Gundarsson, Kveldulf Hagan. Our Troth Volume 1: History and Lore, second edition. BookSurge, LLC, 2006.
• Members of the Troth. A Book of Blots. The Troth, 2004.
• Smith, Michael J. Ways of the Asatru: Beliefs of the Modern, Northern Heathens. Harvest-Moon Publishing, 2003.