Norse Pagan Traditions

Recon vs. Recon-Derived Traditions within Heathenry are Reconstructionist-Based The Northern Tradition is Reconstructionist-Derived Recons stick to lore. Recon-derived start with lore, build on gnosis.

The Northern Tradition Reconstructionist-Derived Allows worship of all gods inside/outside Norse pantheon Aligns with modern Pagan community Is not synonymous with Norse Wicca, which is its own path

Heathenry Asatru Theodism Forn Siðr Odinism Universalists Tribalists Anyone Tribalists Anyone who truly embraces reconstructionism Folkish Norse/Germanic Ancestry “Religion with Homework” Theodism Anglo-Saxon Lore Tribalist (Theods) Seeks retribalization Forn Siðr Denmark; Aesir & Vanir Odinism Folkish

Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru Courage Truth Honor Fidelity Discipline Hospitality Industriousness Self-Reliance Perseverance

The Rites Blot Sumbel 3 Parts Hallowing of offering Sharing of offering Libation Materials Needed Mead, beer, or juice Drinking horn Sprig of evergreen to sprinkle mead Ceremonial bowl (Hlautbowl) Sumbel Requires group of people, usually seated Round of Toasts – 3 rounds Gods, Heroes, Personal Ancestors Past, Present, Future (magical)

The Cosmology Yggdrasil – World Tree Asgard – world of Aesir Vanaheim – world of Vanir Jotunheim – world of giants Midgard – world of humans Niflheim – world of Ice Muspellheim – world of Fire Alfheim – world of elves Svartalfheim – world of dwarves Helheim – World of the dead

The Aesir The tribe of deities that deal primarily with war Aesir: Odin, Loki*, Thor, Tyr, Baldur, Bragi, Forseti, Ullr, Mani & others Asynjur: Frigg, Idun, Gefjun, Sif, Jord, Sol & others The Gods Odin – God of war, wisdom, magic *Loki – Trickster, God of chaos, change, fire Thor – God of protection, strength, farmers Tyr – God of cosmic justice Baldur – God of the Sun, peace Bragi – God of poetry, music Forseti – God of justice Ullr – God of winter Mani – God of the Moon Many other minor deities, contested origins

The Vanir The tribe of deities that deal primarily with fertility Vanir Gods: Freyr, Njord Vanir Goddesses: Freyja, Nerthus

Odin God of war, wisdom, death, poetry, order, structure Name means “Master of Ecstasy” Leader of Aesir Considered a Trickster Deity

Odin’s Animal Companions Sleipnir means Slippy/slippery Hugin means “thought” Munin means “memory” Geri and Freki means “ravenous one” or “greedy one”

Odin’s Tools Druapnir means “the dripper” Gungnir means “swaying one”

Odin’s Symbols Valknut Known as Hrungnir’s heart and knot of the slain Symbolizes the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos Triquetra symbolizes the three planes of consciousness, the foundation of shamanism

Loki Quintessential Trickster Deity God of change, luck, fire, chaos, random chance, outsiders, the in-between, transgressing of boundaries Name has disputed origins

Loki’s Children Hel, Jormungand, Fenrir

Loki’s Symbols Jormungandr Kenaz Jormungandr Kenaz

Thor God of thunder, protection, might/strength, farmers Name means “Thunder” Defender of Asgard and Midgard

Thor’s Tools Mjolnir “grinder, crusher”; capable of leveling mountains Járngreipr “iron grippers”; required to carry his hammer Meginjörd “power-belt”; doubles his strength

Tyr God of honor, law, cosmic balance, war, victory Name comes from Tiwaz which means “god”

Tyr’s Symbols Teiwaz Irminsul

Baldur

Bragi

Forseti “president” Lawspeaker, god of justice

Ullr

Mani

Frigg Fate, weaving, motherhood

Idunn Youth, keeper of apples

Gefjun Gifts, abundance, prosperity, plowing field with four oxen

Sif grain

Sunna Sun; a.k.a. Sol

The Vanir The Gods Njord – God of the Ocean Freyr – God of the Earth, fertility, wealth

The Vanir The Goddesses Nerthus – Goddess of Earth Freyja – Goddess of magic, love, war

The Rökkr The Rökkr are the Jotun deities* Gods and Goddesses Skadi – Goddess of Winter Angrboda – Loki’s 1st wife, mother of Fenrir, Jormungand, Hela, Goddess of protection Sigyn – Loki’s 2nd wife, mother of Narvi, Vali, Goddess of compassion Aegir – God of the Sea Ran- Goddess of Sea and the drowned dead Hela – Goddess of death, ruler of Helheim *Heathen traditions typically don’t recognize Jotuns as deities with the exception of Skadi; the Northern tradition does.

Skadi

Angrboda

Sigyn

Aegir

Ran

Hela

The Holidays *Yule: December 20 – January 1st Charming of the Plow: January 3rd Thorrablot: January 14th Barri: February 2nd Feast of Vali: February 14th Ostara: Vernal Equinox *Sigrblot: April 15th Walpurg: April 30th May Day: May 1st Frigga Blot: May 20th Midsummer: Summer Equinox Freyfaxi: August 19th *Winter Finding: Autumn Equinox Winter Nights: October 14th Feast of the Einherjar: November 11th Feast of Ullr: November 23rd * Are the days when sacrifices to Odin are supposed to be made throughout the year

The Symbols

The Magics Seidr Shamanic magic, prophecy, magic via illusion Spá The art of determining fate via intuition or personal gnosis – staff generally involved. Galdr Magical songs, chants, incantations, usually done with runes Rune Magic Includes Galdr, divination, and sigil work

Basic Book List Poetic Edda – 3 translations Prose Edda – 3 translations Norse Myths – 3 translations Icelandic Sagas Vol. I and II Culture of the Teutons Vol. I and II The Road to Hel The Viking Age Vol. I and II The Works of Tacitus The Nine Books of Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus Heimskringla Vol. I, II, III, and IV

Sources ECER. “Forn Sidr, the Aesir and Vanir Faith Community in Denmark.” http://ecer-org.eu/organisations/forn-sidr-the-aesir-and-vanir-faith-community-in-denmark/ McCoy, Daniel. http://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/ “Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru.” http://www.odinsvolk.ca/O.V.A.%20-%20NNV.htm Northern Tradition Paganism. http://www.northernpaganism.org/general/northern-tradition-paganism-heathenry.html Odinist Fellowship. http://www.odinistfellowship.co.uk/ O’Halloran, Dan. “Theodism: A Heathen Orthodox Approach to Germanic Reconstruction.” http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usny&c=words&id=10416 Raven Kindred. “Rituals of Asatru.” http://www.ravenkindred.com/RBRituals.html Skallagrimsson, Wayland. “Racism in Asatru.” http://www.uppsalaonline.com/racism.htm The Asatru Community. “Holidays.” http://www.theasatrucommunity.org/holidays Temple of Our Heathen Gods. http://heathengods.com/library/index.htm Viking Lady. “Women and Magic in the Sagas.” http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/seidhr.shtml

Image Sources Aegir. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/34/d7/a1/34d7a1b17b638ad1e14002ded506ce7d.jpg Angrboda. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/99/10/57/99105740d8ae413b451dfd12b9b2f702.jpg Baldur. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVa7_0CXIAADJY9.jpg Bragi. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e1/98/ee/e198ee10bb4999db65ff3339f4b5e980.jpg Draupnir http://yoyorecreation.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Draupnir1.jpg Fenrir. http://i.imgur.com/7Cm06ai.jpg Forseti. http://images.onionstatic.com/clickhole/2976/original/480.jpg Freyr. https://img0.etsystatic.com/044/0/5716010/il_340x270.602734478_31fl.jpg Freyja. https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZhObBjHsXae_GZrHNUsM30tptH6xserxjlqQbUJqppHPtykNR Frigg. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/dc/d6/5b/dcd65b551b251a812db72644654dc873.jpg Gefjun. http://norse-mythology.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Gefjun.jpg Geri and Freiki http://img03.deviantart.net/2159/i/2011/017/c/8/geri_and_freki_by_blackmaid-d37f1ls.jpg Gungir http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/galnet/images/8/8a/Odins-Spear.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130615010743 Hel. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f0/5d/be/f05dbe5d0a98079efcd37d3644e6b485.jpg Hugin and Munin http://orig10.deviantart.net/02a5/f/2007/208/2/5/hugin_and_munin_by_aautio.jpg Idunn. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/88/91/50/8891501fb0b2ed011195570c98cd449c.jpg Irminsul. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/17/13/9b/17139b6f48139abee4a25bdb0d10caf9.jpg Járngreipr. http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/the-demonic-paradise/images/6/67/Tgauntlet.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20161208093009 Jormungandr. http://68.media.tumblr.com/5d10567ee4d0a8a99ff970aa7865504f/tumblr_inline_mfuuo0F5Rx1qivd2b.gif Jormungand World Serpent. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e3/7f/8f/e37f8f5333abe338135cefe18e3c4bff.jpg Kenaz. https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/15802431_1855087901429473_7605700157031579648_n.jpg Loki. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/3a/db/d8/3adbd8aa035aa6e3b905061108ae60ef.jpg Mani. http://nordanverdulfr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/mani.jpg Meginjörd. http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/warehouse-13-artifact-database/images/f/f8/Belt.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130709185203 Mjolnir. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8KVvgHXBXBA/VW-pVmyiVvI/AAAAAAAAG44/aLK8b-28HjM/s1600/Mjolnir_by_fibacz.jpg Nerthus. https://journeyingtothegoddess.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/nerthus-lisa-hunt1.jpg?w=346&h=487 Njord. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/21/59/7b/21597bcb392b80af8c2fefa7962681d5.jpg Odin. http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/powerlisting/images/6/69/Odin-with-ravens.png/revision/latest?cb=20130411121124 Ran. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqN6my3YRT4/Ue0Tlf6yyyI/AAAAAAAAB4M/O5htb7_DWC0/s1600/Rantheseagoddess+.jpg Sif. http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/field/image/Story-of-Sif.jpg Sigyn. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/db/0a/c4/db0ac4c1ed623c63d88debd6bb836de3.jpg Sleipnir http://img05.deviantart.net/95b6/i/2009/284/5/6/sleipnir_by_wargusestor.jpg Skadi. http://paganpages.org/content/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/goddessandwolf.jpg Symbols. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/4b/a4/3c/4ba43c4408a36bd2491c7897c268f006.jpg Sunna. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ae/4d/43/ae4d43a0845713f893a74d776c551b18.jpg Teiwaz. http://www.runemal.org/sites/default/files/17-teiwaz_0.jpg Thor. http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/23100000/Thor-norse-mythology-23174261-1038-744.jpg Triquetra. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ca/e6/44/cae644930a5dcff1247abd3e7d9986ba.jpg Tyr. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f0/5a/6c/f05a6cd8cc6d57a3b0ba8b099f8242a5.jpg Ullr. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/db/c3/a3/dbc3a3793d66838aaddd812b90fc1b48.jpg Valknut http://orig14.deviantart.net/0efb/f/2012/141/6/d/valknut_1_by_lokabrenna_89-d50o6px.png World Tree. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/76/d3/83/76d383a0130077a8cd339b0e76fb320d.jpg