So 24 hours into the poll, just under 2/3 are against AI images and only about 2 1/2% like them. The content is the only thing that truly matters; not eye-catching aesthetics. We must continue to work, learn, & grow together as a folk to build Heathendom. I was using AI images for various reasons, but given the majority sentiment, the answer is clear - I’ll refrain from using them in future posts.

The Frithstead Fireside: Episode 2, Q&A Part 2

00:20 Start Here: Introduction
10:07 The Three Awakenings of Heathenry
27:08 Is Heathenry preferred over Pagan? Are they different?
33:50 Why do Heathens seem to exclusively practice Norse?
44:03 How related are the different pagan traditions? If they differ, is that because of culture and ethnicity, or something else? … and why Norse over the Greek and Roman Gods?
56:12 Are there any Heathens who practice Hellenism?
56:57 Do modern Heathens believe in the actual origin story?
1:03:05 Closing

* toward the end of the origin story explanation, there’s a short interruption in the recording. I was explaining the birth of the chaotic forces through Ymir, and birth of the creator gods, via Bórr: Wóden, Lóðurr-Vili, and Hœnir-Vé.

~ Folcweard

ELVES ON THE SHELVES:
GNOMES and MISNOMERS
The Nature of the Germanic Hearth Cult
William P. Reaves © 2021

The Nature of Heathenry: Part 6

Ritual brings us into the living order of our Faith. Heathenry is made real through ritual. It’s what connects us to the divine order in a tangible way. The sacred order given by the Gods is not held only in belief, but acknowledged through rites that shape reality and life itself. Each type of ritual serves a specific religious purpose.

Blóts stand at the center, maintaining reciprocity between Gods and folk through offering and thanksgiving. A gift for a gift.

Veizlas provide structure and order the year; structuring time through the seasonal festivals.

Rites of passage mark the transitions of life: naming, coming of age, marriage, death, etc., placing each of us within the religious order of the family and community.

Hallowing and boundary rites, such as friðhelga and griðasetning establish peace-holy spaces and protection.

Purification rites prepare the folk and places to approach the sacred in a state of readiness and reverence.

Protective rites guard the folk, the land, and the household against harm, disorder, and misfortune.

Oath and vow rites bind words into sacred obligation, witnessed by the Gods and woven into fate.

Rites of restoration repair broken frith and make right what has fallen out of order.
Assemblies and sacred governance rites hallow law, judgment, and communal decision-making within divine order.

These rites show that Heathenry is neither occasional nor symbolic, but lived, performed, and maintained through ordered structure at every level of life, from the hearth to the holy seasons and from personal transitions to the fate of the folk.

Through ritual, the sacred order endures.

Through ritual, the Gods are honored rightly.

Through ritual, the faith remains alive.

Hail doers - so go forth and do.

~ Folcweard

My upcoming research article on the soul finished its peer review process, so I’m able to begin final edits. I’m hoping for a Spring release. Pretty excited about it; it’s the most thorough paper on the soul ever put out. It’s going to be a real game-changer.

~ Folcweard

Live now

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GGqRk4Dbn/

Setting a Higher Standard:

How we present ourselves to the world reflects how we see ourselves and the ancestors who came before us. Set a higher standard. Don’t glorify degeneracy or thrall culture. Carry yourself with respect, discipline, and dignity.

The Nature of Heathenry: Part 7

Rituals place us in direct relationship with the divine order and therefore, is neither casual nor lackadaisical, but carries the weight of seriousness. The Gods are not approached through spontaneity, but through intention, preparation, and proper form. This is why our rites are structured, measured, and deliberate.

Ritual is an act that changes the state of things -

~ A hallowed space is no longer ordinary

~ A ritually-marked moment is no longer mundane

~ Ordered actions sanctify a gathering

~ Words become power when aligned with the divine pattern

Ritual is the means by which the unseen is made present.

Ritual demands attention: stillness, focus, discipline. When the horn is raised, when the offering is given, when words are spoken, we stand within a sacred moment that deserves our full presence.

Ritual is participation in the sacred order, so go, be doers and let’s start living the faith.

~ Folcweard

On our first episode of Heathen Perspectives, I interviewed a panel of women from across the heathen community to talk about the roles of women in heathenry and how we can bring more women and families into our culture.
Thank you to Alison, Hrafna, Awsmom, Saxa, and Moss for sharing your time, insight, and experience.

https://news.1rj.ru/str/GermanicFaith