1. Norse Pagan Traditions

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

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

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

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

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

13. 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

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

15. Loki’s Children
Hel, Jormungand, Fenrir

16. Loki’s Symbols
Jormungandr
Kenaz
Jormungandr
Kenaz

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

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

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

20. Tyr’s Symbols
Teiwaz
Irminsul

21. Baldur

22. Bragi

23. Forseti
“president”
Lawspeaker, god of justice

24. Ullr

25. Mani

26. Frigg
Fate, weaving, motherhood

27. Idunn
Youth, keeper of apples

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

29. Sif
grain

30. Sunna
Sun; a.k.a. Sol

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

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

33. 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.

34. Skadi

35. Angrboda

36. Sigyn

37. Aegir

38. Ran

39. Hela

40. 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

41. The Symbols

42. 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

43. 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

44. Sources
ECER. “Forn Sidr, the Aesir and Vanir Faith Community in Denmark.”
McCoy, Daniel.
“Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru.”
Northern Tradition Paganism.
Odinist Fellowship.
O’Halloran, Dan. “Theodism: A Heathen Orthodox Approach to Germanic Reconstruction.”
Raven Kindred. “Rituals of Asatru.”
Skallagrimsson, Wayland. “Racism in Asatru.”
The Asatru Community. “Holidays.”
Temple of Our Heathen Gods.
Viking Lady. “Women and Magic in the Sagas.”

45. Image Sources
Aegir.
Angrboda.
Baldur.
Bragi.
Draupnir
Fenrir.
Forseti.
Freyr.
Freyja.
Frigg.
Gefjun.
Geri and Freiki
Gungir
Hel.
Hugin and Munin
Idunn.
Irminsul.
Járngreipr.
Jormungandr.
Jormungand World Serpent.
Kenaz.
Loki.
Mani.
Meginjörd.
Mjolnir.
Nerthus.
Njord.
Odin.
Ran.
Sif.
Sigyn.
Sleipnir
Skadi.
Symbols.
Sunna.
Teiwaz.
Thor.
Triquetra.
Tyr.
Ullr.
Valknut
World Tree.