Article: Asatru UK Growth - WildHunt.org

There is no denying that the United Kingdom based Heathen group Asatru UK (AUK) has been remarkably active in the past few years. After transitioning from being an online community to a bonafide in-person organization, AUK has managed to coordinate the publication of several books as well as set up festivals and other live events. However, according to AUK chair Jack Hudson, much more is to come in the near future.

Read the full article here:

https://wildhunt.org/2023/04/asatru-uk-gears-up-for-growth.html

No tithe like the present - There's no subscription fee to be heathen

 Something that bothered me when I first began on my heathen path was the concept of "being heathen".  Once I'd proudly announced (online, naturally) that I was now a heathen there was a period afterward that asked a lot of questions.

"Now what?"

"What makes me heathen?"

"What is different about me now compared to before?"

So, I'd made the monumental decision to be heathen (rather than the nihilist I'd been in my twenties) and this was a big deal for me.  So why didn't I feel any different?  I knew I wanted to be heathen, so what could I do to make myself more heathen?

As we all have grown up in a capitalist. materialist society, the temptation is strong to ascribe heathen value to products and services.  If I buy this mjolnir pendant, that will make me more heathen.  If I buy this drinking horn, that will make me even more heathen.  Perhaps if I spend £100 on this, I'll be more heathen than if I only spend £10 on that.

Don't get me wrong, it is nice to see our heathen path reflected in what we wear and how we decorate our living spaces, but those things are just outward signs.  There's nothing inherently heathen in owning them.  If the Archbishop of Canterbury bought a mjolnir pendant, it wouldn't make him any more heathen - or any less christian.

With the advent of the information superhighway, we now have the opportunity to connect with other heathens across the globe.  Joining websites, facebook and chat groups allows us to identify with other heathens with a few clicks of a mouse.  But that can be a double edged sword, too.  Seeing other people post and chat about their heathen path can lead to feelings of inadequacy - as our heathen lives seem to pale in comparison.  This is a problem with the internet in general, not just for heathens.  Its important to bear in mind that the internet gives a very distorted view of reality. 

After a while, I began to realise, from under my mountain of viking paraphenalia, that what I knew and felt was far more important in defining what kind of heathen I am.  Furthermore, there was nothing to be gained from comparing my version of heathenry to anyone else's beliefs or deeds.

 

 

It is often said that heathenry is the religion with homework.  I can hear the groans now.  Who wants to spend hours poring over source texts by candlelight?  Noone has to spend years gaining a doctorate in early medieval history just to be a heathen. 

Gaining a cursory knowledge of the main stories and mythology can help to feel more secure in the state of "being heathen", though.  Many of the stories are very relatable and can give us the means whereby we can reflect on our own lives as heathens.  They also make for very interesting discussions when disparate heathens get together around the campfire.  Whether that fire is virtual or not.  A favourite icebreaker I have when meeting new heathens is "What's your favourite story from the eddas?"  It's a good way to get talking about how we each relate to the gods and other beings from the mythology.

Ragnarok TV series review

I've just finished off season three, the final season, of Ragnarok on Netflix.

I really enjoyed all three seasons. The narrative was compelling, the characters engaging and the whole thing was tied up really well by the final episode (no spoilers, though!).

I'd love to see more stuff like this. Stories inspired by Norse mythology that aren't just underwear models in historically questionable outfits.

I'm surprised and disappointed at how this series hasn't really been picked up and/or discussed by the heathen community - at least, not in the part with which I usually interact.

This kind of reinvigoration of the stories should be welcomed and encouraged.

<p>(Shortened version cross posted to https://mcr.wtf/@nordicnefilim/111178084624957995 - shortened due to character limit)

The dichotomy of good and evil in heathenry

A few days ago, on the Asatru UK facebook group, someone took issue with the focus of the next great heathen gathering being the goddess Hel. They seemed very offended by this and accused the group of being "Rokkatru" for paying homage to the ruler of the underworld. Rokkatru are heathens whose primary focus are the beings associated with "darkness" or the underworld. Some of these might be considered antagonists in the story of Ragnarok. Such beings are Hel, Jormungandr, Fenris, Surt and the often maligned Loki.

The complainant seemed to be saying that, in heathenry there are "good" beings to worship and "bad" beings that should be shunned for some reason. This conveniently ignores the fact that many of the "good" gods are less than perfect. Thor certainly has anger management issues and has been known to break frith at a whim. Odin is very far from a good guy, betraying his followers and acting in a very rapey manner in more than one instance.

I think this desire to categorise characters and beings from the mythology as either "good" or "bad" is a hangover from christianity. In christian doctrine, everything is divided between "that which is of god" and "that which is not of god". Further, everything to do with god is good and everything that isn't to do with god is bad. To polarise this yet more there is no neutral or null position. If you aren't on god's side, worshipping god (in the correct manner) then you are "not of god" and thereby evil. There is little to distinguish a satanist from an atheist - they will both suffer in perdition.

Heathenry isn't like that. While there is a "battle" between gods and giants, it isn't as simple as polar opposite ideologies fighting for dominance. Many beings that we think of as gods and goddesses have Jotun parentage - Odin, Thor and Loki being notable examples. No-one would question anyone's right to worship Skadi, yet she is fully Jotun. So it is not as simple as the Aesir and Vanir being 100% good and Jotuns being 100% evil. Clearly these two cultures have interacted peacefully at times. Indeed, it seems that as Christianity took sway, Jotuns were demonised to better fit the church's narrative.

Similar demonisation may have occurred with Loki. Always a bone of contention with some heathens, a fact I'm sure that he appreciates, Loki is often viewed as "the heathen devil" or similar. He's a bad guy, surely? He fights on the "wrong side" at Ragnarok, so he must be a wrong'un. But Loki would never allow himself to be so easily labelled. Rather than "the heathen devil" or the rather reductionist term "trickster god", I think he works better as an antagonist or agent of change. It is difficult to grow or improve without some kind of challenge or hardship to overcome. Loki embodies that and more - he will shake up your life to force you to see the world in a different, more useful light.

Loki is blood-brother of Odin. Odin isn't anyone else's blood brother, so there must have been something particular that ol' One Eye saw in the son of Laufey that, at the very least, was useful to him. After all, without Loki, Odin would not have Sleipnir. In Loki's travels with Thor, we also see how useful his moral ambiguity and transgressive nature can be - Thor certainly wouldn't have Mjolnir without Loki's willingness to dress himself (and Thor) as member of the opposite sex.

There is no pure good and evil in heathenry. Everything is nuance and shades of grey. Just because Odin does it, doesn't make it good. Just because something comes from a Jotun, doesn't make it bad. This appreciation of the darkness in light and the lightness in dark is key to the full and proper appreciation of the heathen path.

Very belated update - How goes 2023, the Year of Aun?

Perhaps it is fitting that, in a world as tumultuous as this, things have been rather chaotic and this blog has gone ignored in the wake of that. I have a few posts that I need to write, to update whoever might actually be reading this, but I want to restrict myself to the goings on of the last month, for now.

After the first part of the year being given over to working my new(-ish) job, August was the first sign of any holiday for my family and I. We had a number of things planned and, looking back, it was a very busy and rewarding period. WE bought a new car (well, new to us). This was a long time overdue as we had pretty much outgrown our previous Vauxhall Corsa. We drive around the country a lot, and hills were a problem for the little 1.2l deisel engine. So, what else did Harvest month involve?

Thunorsmoot.
My wife, my daughter and I spent a few days camping near Ilkeston in Derbyshire as part of Asatru UK's great heathen gathering for 2023. This year the focus was the unveiling and hallowing of the godpost dedicated to Thor. The atmosphere and sense of community was excellent. A very positive vibe was commented upon by a number of people there. We took part in a couple of rituals and socialised with friends old and new. Our rainbow raven flag hung from our tent all weekend, and I was very pleased to hear one of the ritual leaders comment, "As many of you will know, this year is the Year of Aun!"

It was during the festival that I was pleased to note my wife and daughter both getting into the spirit of the occasion. They have always been very supportive of me in regards to my heathen path. My wife has identified has heathen for some time now - since we used to attend Kith of Yggdrasil moots in London around 2010 - 2013. However, her interest and her own path is now developing independent of my own. She is arguably much more socialable than I with other members of Asatru UK, both in real life and online. My daughter also bought her first mjolnir at a stall on the Saturday, too. Proud heathen dad moment - though I doubt she would refer to herself as heathen, even now.

A second family getaway
After Thunorsmoot was over, we took another camping trip to Northhumberland, staying at a campsite near Alnwick. It was extremely windy, but fortunately, we'd recently upgraded our tent, which seemed more than able to withstand even gale force conditions. Though it helped that we'd taken time to peg it out property. Then, after camping we headed to Whitby. Our new car's 2.0l engine made the hills around there much less of an issue. We have friends in the town and it was great to catch up with them.

As inspiring and rewarding as the Asatru UK heathen gatherings always are, I feel there is as much "heathenry" in socialising with old friends as there is in any ritual, moot or symbel. That belief has always been a keystone of my path.

2023: The Year of Aun

If you're a heathen of my ilk, you'll be engaged and excited by "The Year of Aun", as explained by the Nordic Animism channel.

The rebirth of the 8-year-cycle of festivals and celebration is a momentous occasion for all heathens.  Add to that the goal of healing the world of the various toxins of modernity and it becomes a recipe for creating hope in a time of bitter darkness.

Most of the online content relating to #Aun2023, though, is the work of highly educated and very knowledgeable individuals.  Each with vast knowledge in related and Aun-adjacent subjects; animism, anthropology, history, sociology linguistics.  

While the online content from many of these experts is very accessible and entertaining, I can't help but feel under qualified when I try to engage or join in.

So, in this post (finally getting to the point), I'll be listing my plans and goals that I hope will serve as my modest observance and contribution to the #Aun2023 phenomena.

1.  Educate myself.  Reading up on subjects that I feel will enhance my appreciation of #Aun2023.  Animism, Norse mythology, history, world politics, ecology & green issues, decolonisation and indigeneity.

2.  Hiking and exploring my local area.  The northwest has some beautiful landscapes.  I want to explore these and also learn the history of the places I visit.

3. Gardening. Reconnecting with nature and my own spirituality through the simple toil and natural interaction of working in my garden.

4.  Art.  I'm not much of an artist, but I want to practice my bass more.  Then, perhaps, in another 8 years I might compose some Aun-inspired music.

5.  Physical Culture.  Using martial arts and meditation - through practising baguazhang - to improve myself, my understanding and my connection to the universe 

6.  Interactions with friends, neighbours and family. Connecting more widely with my fellow humans being just as important as reconnecting with other then humans.

So, this is my "2023 Year of Aun for Dummies".  Watch this space for updates as to how it all goes.

Sowing the seeds of our own destruction: The threat of societal collapse has been recognised 50 years ago

The Infamous 1972 Report That Warned of Civilization's Collapse
A Wired.com article

Capitalist forces, i.e. the unremitting quest for profit at any expense, is driving us toward an ecological apocalypse that will result in nothing short of the end of human civilisation. Those with the power and influence to do anything about it are reluctant to do so and very slow on the take up. Very slow as the article above shows that this undeniable situation we find ourselves in has been understood and forecast at least 50 years ago.

It is not a new thing. There isn't any time left to think about things or see how this plays out. We act now, or society collapses not just a little bit, but into a new, dark age. Governments and corporations play act at concern for the environment and make hollow gestures toward being "carbon neutral" or having a "green policy". If this is all that happens from them, we are doomed.

The only way governments and corporations can be forced to do the right thing for humanity is through collective action. If enough people refuse to vote or boycott products, citing environmentalism as the reason, those who rely on the support of the market, i.e. us, the people, will be forced to take proper action.