About

"A fanlisting is a place for all the fans of a particular show, movie, actor/actress, singer, etc. to come together and build the biggest listing of people all around the world who are fans of that subject." -- Janine

This is a fanlisting for the branch of Paganism known as Asatru.

Asatru is the modern knowledge and following of ancient Norse beliefs. We hold to the Nordic Pantheon, which is made up of several gods, goddesses, and other magical races/creatures. Asatruers (followers of Asatru) are strongly dedicated to family, whether it be biological family or accumulated family.

Before you even have to ask, no, we do not worship "Satan" or "The Devil". He simply doesn't exist in our pantheon, and it's hard to worship someone who doesn't exist. And yes, we do get tired of hearing that question.

Our pantheon is made up of two races of gods and goddesses: The Aesir and The Vanir. Odin, the Allfather, is the leader of the gods, and his wife and Queen is Frigga. Odin is the patron god of warriors, as slain warriors are received in his hall, Valhalla, to prepare for the final battle, Ragnarok. Frigga is the patron of hearth, home, and married women. She is the only deity aside from Odin who is allowed to sit on his throne, from which all nine worlds may be seen.

Other major deities include Thor, Loki, Skadi, Freyr, Freya, Idunn, and the Valkyries.

• Thor: Thor is the god of thunder, sky, and good crops. He wields the mighty hammer, Mjolnir.
• Loki: Loki is the trickster god. He's the god of mischief, and boy, did he cause plenty. Loki is bound for now, but will eventually bring about Ragnarok with his children, Fenrir, Jormundgard, and Hel.
• Skadi: Skadi is a giantess goddess of independence, and is the patron of hunting and skiing.
• Freyr: Freyr is sometimes spelled Frey, but I tend to use the old spellings when possible. Freyr is the god of fertility, sun, and rain, and is possibly the most well-known of the Norse gods.
• Freya: Freya wears the sacred necklace Brisingamen, and rides in a cat-drawn chariot. Sometimes seen as a goddess of love and fertility, she is also well-known for her role as the goddess of battle. She and Odin each take half of the fallen warriors for training.
• Idunn: Idunn is the goddess in charge of keeping the sacred apple tree. The apples on this tree are golden apples of youth, and are responsible for keeping the gods in prime physical shape and health. :)
• Valkyries: The Valkyries are perhaps the best-known group from Nordic Mythos, and are helpers to the gods of war.

However interesting this all is, you should know that Asatru is not based solely on the worship of the Nordic pantheon. It's also an earth-based religion which honors Mother Earth and all her creatures. To see a tree is to know the wood nymphs and fae that live in it. To see a blade of grass is to appreciate the work of animals and worms who not only fertilize the ground so that the grass may grow, but also receive their daily sustenance from it. We seek not to embrace a phony moralism of "I'm better than you", but instead seek to receive more knowledge of the things which surround us.

We have a set of Nine Noble Virtues, which are:

1. Courage
2. Truth
3. Honor
4. Fidelity
5. Discipline
6. Hospitality
7. Industriousness
8. Self-Reliance and
9. Perseverance

There is no religious hierarchy in Asatru, as we believe in the individual spirit. We do however, recognize when someone has greater knowledge to share with us so that we might learn.

Well, that's about all I have for right now. My online sources were:

• Asatru FAQ
• Introduction to Asatru
• Angelseaxisce Ealdriht

In print, I refer quite commonly to Kevin Crossley-Holland's "The Norse Myths: Introduced and Retold by Kevin Crossley-Holland". It's a very good resource for Nordic Mythos in story form. It's very easy to read and absorb. If you would like to check it out, I found it at my library under the Library of Congress Number BL 860.C76 1980, ISBN 0-394-74846-8. I strongly recommend this book if you're just starting your research into Nordic Mythos. :)

© Cherrii 2006

Links

Asatru-U Beginner's Course is a self-study program is designed for people who have a strong interest in Asatru and want to learn about the gods, rituals, and central ideas of Heathen religion.

The Troth. "We in the Troth practice the Germanic/Norse religion of Heathenry, commonly referred to as Asatru. We realize that there are many variations, names, and practices in Germanic Heathenry, including Theodism, Irminism, Odinism, and Anglo-Saxon Heathenry. What we all share is a defining personal loyalty to, or Troth with, the Gods and Goddesses of the Northlands. Our Gods are of two tribes: the Æsir, and the Vanir. These Gods are: Odin, Thor, Frigga, Frey, Freya,Tyr, Idunna, and many others. We are deeply proud of our Norse/Germanic religious, cultural, and historical heritage. We welcome all, whatever their religious background, who have heard the call of our Gods, and would like to know more about Germanic/Norse Heathenry. Together, we seek to practice the moral principles followed by our noble predecessors..."

The Sahsisk Thiod is a site for those interested in Saxon Theodism. Theodism is akin to Asatru, in that its members worship the same gods and goddesses, but they seek to do so in a way that reconstructs the ancient ways of worship and social structure. Check out their lively mailing list too.

Angelseaxisce Ealdriht is a site for those interested in Anglo-Saxon heathenry. Like the Theodists above, they are a reconstructionist group related to Asatru. Their mailing list is also busy and informative.