I am writing this in response to Galina Krasskova's article, " Prayer, Indigeny, and Conquest." It's not that I disagree with most of her points, I just sometimes think people hear from a few in our religion and think that we all have similar ideas. My way of practicing what I call, Icelandic Asatru, or Modern Asatru, is as follows.
1. Most important ! Building and maintaining personal relationships with the Gods and Goddesses through communicating with them on a regular basis.
A. Communicating with them as often as possible.
B. Honoring them for all that they do for us.
C. Giving them offerings as often as possible.
D. Learn from Them, they have so much to offer !
E. Let Them into your heart, and you will understand love as never before !
2. Nature and the natural world, and how the Gods and Goddesses interact in it, and how it then affects us.
A. Giving back to nature through offerings.
B. Conserving and protecting nature as though it was a part of us.
C. Working with Land Wights, to preserve and honor the land.
D. Give, if you can, to conservation organizations, or join them if you have time.
3. Honoring our Ancestors. For there is a little part of them in all of us.
A. Building altars in their memories.
B. Maintaining their graves.
C. Reaching out to them. Remember dead does not mean gone. They will speak to you !
4. Honoring ourselves and our religion by being the people that our Gods and Goddesses want us to be.
A. Follow the Nine Noble Virtues and the Six Fold Goals.
B. Keep up our appearance and our dignity at all times. ( Try to be better than others )
C. Defend and teach about our religion through interactions with those from other religions.
D. Stop trying to rebuild the old religion. Its gone ! Build our religion around the Gods and Goddesses !
5. Honoring and appreciating our heritage.
A. Know and understand the Eddas for what they are, flawed but all we have.
B. Understand what our heroes mean to us in the context of history. ( Beowulf, Sigurd, Hrolf Kraki, etc... )
C. Understand the implications of what the Christians did and are still doing to our religion .
D. Learn about your family 's history. Go back as far as you can.
6. Build a community of like folk.
A. Exclude none for reasons of prejudice of any kind.
B. Accept that we are not a cookie cutter religion. We are all unique ! Do not exclude those who have different views.
C. Help each other through dialogue, and teach each other. Lets learn together !
( I would go on but we , in my opinion, have totally failed on this one !)
7. Finally, and most Important, listen to the message the Gods and Goddesses tell us.
A. Don't confine yourself to the religious dogma of others.
B. Honor the Gods and Goddesses in your words, not in the words of others.
C. Godi , Godia, Godman, Godwoman etc. are just titles. Do what the Gods tell you, not them !
D. Lone practitioners are not alone. There are MANY of us !
Glenn Bergen
Go with Odin's wisdom, Freyja's love, and Thor's protection !
1. Most important ! Building and maintaining personal relationships with the Gods and Goddesses through communicating with them on a regular basis.
A. Communicating with them as often as possible.
B. Honoring them for all that they do for us.
C. Giving them offerings as often as possible.
D. Learn from Them, they have so much to offer !
E. Let Them into your heart, and you will understand love as never before !
2. Nature and the natural world, and how the Gods and Goddesses interact in it, and how it then affects us.
A. Giving back to nature through offerings.
B. Conserving and protecting nature as though it was a part of us.
C. Working with Land Wights, to preserve and honor the land.
D. Give, if you can, to conservation organizations, or join them if you have time.
3. Honoring our Ancestors. For there is a little part of them in all of us.
A. Building altars in their memories.
B. Maintaining their graves.
C. Reaching out to them. Remember dead does not mean gone. They will speak to you !
4. Honoring ourselves and our religion by being the people that our Gods and Goddesses want us to be.
A. Follow the Nine Noble Virtues and the Six Fold Goals.
B. Keep up our appearance and our dignity at all times. ( Try to be better than others )
C. Defend and teach about our religion through interactions with those from other religions.
D. Stop trying to rebuild the old religion. Its gone ! Build our religion around the Gods and Goddesses !
5. Honoring and appreciating our heritage.
A. Know and understand the Eddas for what they are, flawed but all we have.
B. Understand what our heroes mean to us in the context of history. ( Beowulf, Sigurd, Hrolf Kraki, etc... )
C. Understand the implications of what the Christians did and are still doing to our religion .
D. Learn about your family 's history. Go back as far as you can.
6. Build a community of like folk.
A. Exclude none for reasons of prejudice of any kind.
B. Accept that we are not a cookie cutter religion. We are all unique ! Do not exclude those who have different views.
C. Help each other through dialogue, and teach each other. Lets learn together !
( I would go on but we , in my opinion, have totally failed on this one !)
7. Finally, and most Important, listen to the message the Gods and Goddesses tell us.
A. Don't confine yourself to the religious dogma of others.
B. Honor the Gods and Goddesses in your words, not in the words of others.
C. Godi , Godia, Godman, Godwoman etc. are just titles. Do what the Gods tell you, not them !
D. Lone practitioners are not alone. There are MANY of us !
Glenn Bergen
Go with Odin's wisdom, Freyja's love, and Thor's protection !
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