The concept of a fylgja can be a hard one for modern minds to really grasp. An entity that has its own district shape and personality and yet is inextricably woven into an individual or family’s soul? To get a better idea, let’s take a look at some of the ancient stories in the Lore as well as some modern examples that touch on something remarkably similar to this Old Norse concept.
As a farmer, it is understood that if I tend these animals and gardens I’ll gain a means to sustain myself in return. They take care of me as I take care of them. A gifting cycle of sorts. I keep this tradition alive and take time on a regular basis to be grateful for this land that feeds me and mine and the line of ancestors that got me to this place.
In this day and age, it is incredibly easy to go online and find resources. It is actually amazing that so many of us have small devices in our pockets that allow us to look up virtually anything. Of course, this “virtually anything” includes a lot of opinions, especially when you’re researching a religious topic.
As a Heathen, I view public ritual through the lens of hospitality. Knowing how to act in the most respectful way in any situation was (and is) the key to avoiding many unnecessary disagreements in communities, especially our community.
American Gods just aired its sixth episode, “A Murder of Gods.” With that many episodes in the wild, we’ve got enough material to put it through its Pagan/Polytheist/Heathen paces. This review isn’t necessarily a breakdown of what the show is about or who you can find lurking within; there are dozens of those reviews out there. I’m here to tell you it’s one of the most Pagan shows on TV, and you should absolutely be watching.
As a follow-up to our“Offerings for the Gods” article series (Offerings for the Aesir, Vanir, and Jotnar), several of our readers have asked how to make these offerings. There’s no one right way to make offerings, though some ways are more efficient. Here are some of the most common ways of making offerings for the Gods. The key thing to remember with all offerings is to make them with intent and respect.
May 26, 2017, according to multiple reports Jeremy Christian boarded the MAX light-rail train in Portland Oregon and promptly begins harassing two sixteen-year-old girls. Witnesses say he yelled racial slurs and anti-Muslim threats at length before three gentlemen stepped forward to try and put a stop to the abuse of the minors. Mr. Christian then made national news when he pulled out a knife and attacked all three of them, slitting their throats.
In the wake of HHH’s previous article Nordiska Asa-samfundet announced that Sibbe Bladh-Hvass (AKA Carl Z. Grönbohm, AKA Jah Zebi) has been fired from his position and kicked out of the organization.
A farm is not an example of Self-reliance. I depend on a network of neighbors, customers, farmers, shopkeepers, repairmen, farriers, shearers, butchers, and more. Just this week a neighbor from a Christian Commune down the road happily bartered a used pony harness for 2 loads of first cut hay. Their flock of sheep came from my stock. All of us around here living an agrarian life need each other, and I feel this is an important part of being a Heathen.
According to sources inside the NCIS [Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a subbranch of the Department of Defense (DoD)] is already in the process of adding the Asatru Folk Assembly to the DoD list of white supremacist organizations. Documentation of the group’s efforts to recruit military members and to form groups on military bases has also resulted in the group being flagged as a possible insider threat to the armed forces.
Wyrd is a commonly misunderstood concept both within and outside of Heathenry. It’s often wrongly thought of as a punishment and reward system, or seen in terms of systems that are foreign to it, such as Eastern Karma or Roman Fate. The other night, I happened to catch one of my favorite movies on television and came to a startling realization. “Back To The Future 3” has some surprisingly, hilariously, good examples of Wyrd in action.
