Heathenry, commonly referred to as “Ásatrú”, is the modern revival of the religion practiced in the North of Europe prior to the coming of Christianity. The term Ásatrú in Old Norse means “Faith in the Gods”- the Æsir of old. These Gods: Sunna, Mani, Tiw, Woden, Thor, Frigga are familiar to us all; the days of the week are named after them!
The present day revival of Nordic/Germanic Heathenry is based on the traditional lore of the old Germanic-Nordic Gods and Goddesses, along with their Anglo-Saxon and Teutonic counterparts, as told in the Eddas, sagas and epics. Unlike some attempts at re-creating pre-Christian pagan and heathen practices, Heathenry is based on authentic historical practice and tradition. The religious, spiritual, magickal, ancestral and cultural philosophy of Heathenry was rediscovered in the early 70’s simultaneously by separate movements in Great Britain, Iceland and the United States. Founded and shaped by the arduous work of dedicated scholars, Heathenry has developed a solid academic basis.
The modern day practice of Heathenry includes the applications of ancient principles of conduct to our daily lives and a code of behavior based on individual responsibility and honor. Although individual practices vary, one of the common themes is the idea that we do not bend our knee in supplication of the gods and beg them to do for us; rather, we ask them to empower us to do for ourselves. Self-realization and empowerment are at the heart of modern Heathenry. Heathenry is a religion that recognizes the responsibility of each individual for his or her actions. We are each responsible to the Gods in our own way; we neither need nor ask our Gods for forgiveness. We are not born in sin; we are born to be tested by our fate, to become the best we can be. Our faith is also one that stresses the role of family and community and the role of the individual therein. Just as the individual has a duty to the community, so does the community have a duty to the individual.
Heathenry is unique among modern pagan and heathen practices in that it is entirely European in origin. For our purposes, “Heathenry” is used as a generic term for the traditions or folkways of the pre-Christian people of Northern Europe. This includes a broad range of Nordic-Germanic Heathens, including many of those identifying themselves as “Theodish”, or tribal. While many other neo-pagan practices have their roots in those offspring of the judeo-christian mythos which include kaballism, witchcraft and satanism, Heathenry in its highest form does not. “Paganism” is a branch of another tree- we Heathens are our own Tree!
Although Heathenry has been officially suppressed for nearly a thousand years, it has been kept alive in the hearts and deeds of people worldwide. With the aid of the written record of the Icelandic Eddas and sagas, Germanic epics, folklore and archeology, we can reconstruct the way our ancestors lived and worshipped. Since its revival, Heathenry has been growing by leaps and bounds, attracting thousands of people who feel drawn to their ancestral faith.
The world-view held by modern Heathens is consistent both with that held by our ancestors and that which prevails in modern times. It covers a variety of areas from the origin of the universe to the nature of the soul and the afterlife. We are possessed of a moral code which is both practical and unambiguous. Our faith does not burden us with a multitude of rules for how we must live our lives, but rather presents us with wisdom which we are free to apply to our lives as we see fit. Heathenry is not a religion that promises forgiveness or absolution. Each of us is responsible for our own conduct, and must pay the price and reap the benefits of our actions. Nor is Heathenry a religion that demands blind obedience from its adherents. We do not kneel before our gods; we stand proudly before and with them. They are not our masters: they are our friends.
The Nine Virtues of Heathenry
The moral and ethical code of conduct in Heathenry is embodied in what are known as the Nine Virtues. While there is no direct historical source for these Virtues, they are drawn from the wisdom contained in the Havamal (part of the Poetic Edda) and are an essential distillation of the code of conduct of our folk. They are:
Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity,
Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness,
Self-reliance and Perseverance.
By practicing these Virtues, we bring ourselves closer to our gods by emulating them. This doesn't mean that one is forsworn by the gods because of a single lapse! Our faith recognizes that no one is perfect, and even the greatest heroes have their faults. To simply try at something is not enough; we must always try our hardest to be our best.