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Hailsa Honored Guest!
Welcome to my virtual Mead Hall. This site is a personal journal on Asatru/Heathenism. That's just a fancy way of saying it is a hodge-podge of my notes, links and thoughts on the neo-paganism I am studying and practicing. It mainly exists as an aid to myself as well as a convenient place to point people who ask me about my faith and spiritual lifestyle.
Take your ease on a bench and take up a horn of mead, there is much to discuss.
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What's New:
11/25/07 - I was asked to assist with a class on Freyr for the Eplagarthr Kindred's 2007 Winternights Gathering. I did a handout for the class and have turned it into a new page here. It's informational now, but may evolve into a devotional.
8/30/07 - Finally some updates! New page on KUBB - Learn the basics of this highly addictive game and make your own kubb set! Plus new expansions to the Blot page, Creation Story page, Cartoons.
4/21/06 - The Biting Fly of Racism - My take on the issue that has bothered tru heathens for a long time.
4/7/06 - Wow. Been awhile since I wrote anything. But an online chat just inspired me to collect some thoughts on The Virtue of Hospitality. Enjoy!
10/26/05 - Just got back from a Winter Nights festival in VA. In a word, "Awesome!"
Also finally added some more to the Prayers, Blessings and Daily Practices page.
03/22/05 - Happy Spring! We just held an Ostara blot this past weekend.
01/13/05 - read the write-up of our Yule 2004 ritual. Also, I am starting work on a Prayers, Blessings and Daily Practices page.
09/23/04 - Been a long time since I updated, but I now have the ritual text and notes from this year's Freyfaxi Blot up. Woot! Also, retroactively, I am posting some notes on the first ever Think and Drink meditation & Sumbel combo we hosted back in May.
02/09/04 - Even more updates! Guess I'm on a role. Racked my mead this weekend! Also expanded the shopping links and added a Humor section under Notes -- includes romance novels and my write-up on the "Viking Princess Barbie."
02/06/04 - Added the beginnings of an article comparing Heathen and feudal Japanese thought and values. Also added some favorite quotes and anecdotes.
11/12/03 - Finally got my first-ever batch of mead going! Here are the notes.
10/21/03 - Added a page about my daughter's Naming Ritual, done October 19th, 2003.
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How I discovered I was Heathen...
It seems I have been a seeker (what a tired word that has become) all my life. I was blessed to be born into a family where such exploration was welcomed. My mother is Episcopalian, but at the time I was due to be confirmed, she allowed me to make the decision myself whether or not to go through with it. I chose not to, though I am not entirely sure now what moved me to do so. For the sake of acquiring an education, I attended a Catholic high school - it was a far better school than the public one in my town. Here, I learned a good deal about Christianity and Catholicism. It all seemed distant to me and the classes (which I excelled in despite not being Catholic) were something to endure. All save one... I was lucky enough to be enrolled the single year that the school actually had the courage to offer a comparative religions class. It was quickly dropped and the nun who taught it found greener pastures elsewhere. That class introduced me to the rich tapestry of human spirituality. I encountered Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and some small discussion of old pantheistic religions such as Hinduism.
I was immediately drawn to Buddhism and have studied it ever since. For most of the 1990s, I considered myself Buddhist and concentrated my study on Zen. I was drawn much more strongly to this naturalistic form, so close to Taoism, than the other more ornate schools of Buddhist thought.
However, after studying Buddhism for a long time, I began to realize that something was missing from my experience. I wanted to expand my sense of kinship with the natural world and also with my roots. I was interested in something communal as well. I began researching Native American thought, but I was well aware that few if any "Anglos" really understand what it is to be NA and to ape their spirituality is probably a dishonor to them. The thought occurred to me (or was placed in my head by Odin) that I had my own tribal earth-religion roots to draw upon.
A friend of mine had once mentioned that he loosely practiced "Norse Paganism" and now that term clicked in my head. I hit Google and found an amazingly diverse community of which I knew I was meant to be a part. As of this writing, I am in my first year of truly studying and practicing Heathenism and I am loving it. It is a richly colorful and empowering tradition and spiritual path.
By the way, I still value my Zen and Taoist learning very highly. I will often say that Asatru is my religion while the Buddha and Lao Tzu are my teachers. Or, to use the Japanese model again, you might say my Buddhism is my "priavte face" spirituality while Asatru is my "public face" spirituality. It all works out rather well, actually. I think the Japanese have the right idea in utilizing both Buddhism and Shinto simultaniously in their lives. That is an interaction we have lost to an extent in the west under the Abrahamic religious structures.
Here stand I...
Currently, I am a solo practitioner. My dear, patient wife is less enthusiastic than I am (I'm the more introspective of the two of us), but seems to be enjoying the ride. She likes the nature aspects and sees value in the philosophy and emphasis on community. Of course as a textiles fanatic, she also thinks any religion where a goddess is honored as a spinner is cool! We both feel that Asatru holds some very powerful lessons that we can impart to our children.
We celebrate holidays with a small group of our friends who are also Pagan, though not Asatru. It is a very diverse group (couple of Goddess worshipers, couple of Wiccans, couple of Celtic traditionalists...) and I have enjoyed learning from them all as well as being welcome to share Asatru ideas and rituals such as Sumbel.
I think it is important for earth religion practitioners to stand together whenever possible. We have a lot in common and, even taken collectively, are a minority group. There is a lot of work for us all to do in bettering the world as well as our own respective spiritual structures. Of course, I hope someday to be in better contact with other Asatruar. If all else fails, maybe I'll start my own kindred one day. For now though, it is enough that my house is one of hospitality to all and my family ho:rgr is whetted by holy mead.
Note: Some of the information contained here is based on other Asatru sites. I have incorporated it because I feel it expresses the truth well and reflects my own perspective. Consider it a compliment. I am extremely grateful to all the writers out there who have helped point the way. It is my hope that this site as well will help spread the word about our path.
Haidee, this site is for you. I also dedicate this site to my grandfather, Gene Munson.
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