I'm realatively new to this path, and I've read all the stickies and am trying to do my homework, but is there any advice you wish that you would have gotten as a newbie? Anyone kind enough to put like a list of vocab together, some of this is very confusing and I'm doing my best to understand all that I read. Thank you in advance!
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Sr. Member
- Apr 2013
- 463
- If you want to know, ask.
- female
- Well I'm not in Kansas anymore.
- Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled by. Now where in Hades am I?
Re: New Heathen Advice
The one thing I wish that someone had told back in the day is: "There are other forms of Heathenry and Norse/Germanic Paganism than reconstructionism. And if someone tells you that you have to be reconstructionist to call yourself Heathen they're selfimportant twats that should summarily be ignored."Warning: The above post may contain traces of sarcasm.
An apostrophe is the difference between a business that knows its shit, and a business that knows it's shit.
"Why is every object we don't understand always called a thing?" (McCoy. Star Trek: The Moive Picture)
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Re: New Heathen Advice
My advice would be to summarily ignore any advice to summarily ignore any information from any source, because I'm going to assume you're intelligent enough to filter what you want/need from what you don't want/need (and the more sources you draw from, the sooner you'll begin to filter), but then I'm not militantly for it against either hard-line reconstructionists or hard-line cherry-pickers. I try to follow the Old Way as traditionally as possible, such as not intentionally blending in Celtic, wiccan, or other practices, but I don't have an aneurism if others do or don't.
As to terminology, this might get you started:
If you run across something you can't figure out, just post up here. Just because we don't all agree on all things doesn't mean we don't like each other.I often wish that I had done drugs in the '70s. At least there'd be a reason for the flashbacks. - Rick the Runesinger
Blood and Country
Tribe of my Tribe
Clan of my Clan
Kin of my Kin
Blood of my Blood
For the Yule was upon them, the Yule; and they quaffed from the skulls of the slain,
And shouted loud oaths in hoarse wit, and long quaffing swore laughing again.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
My advice would be: take the mythology with a grain or two of salt. Or a gram. Or a bucket. Or...well you get the idea. Because a lot of it was written after Christianization, I just feel that certain themes were added into old stories and even new stories made up to more or less mirror the Christian mythology. What I'm trying to say with this, is don't let the Eddas be the be-all-end-all of your beliefs and follow them because they are what they are. Enough of the main religions do that with their holy books already.
Part 2 would be that just because someone is dead or bound in the myths, doesn't necessarily mean that they are in reality.
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Opinionated
- Jun 2013
- 2447
- Northern Tradition Shaminist Demonolator. Or something along those lines...
- female
- Adelaide, Australia
Re: New Heathen Advice
Keep an open mind, read as much as you can get your hands on, don't take any one (or ten) authors as gospel, and make your own informed decisions.
If you can do that, then you're set.
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Sr. Member
- Dec 2011
- 351
- Modern Constructionist Germanic Heathen with Shamanic Tendencies
- female
- West Coast Canada
- You know what it takes, so do it.
Re: New Heathen Advice
Even if you choose a reconstructionist path, remember that you live here and now, not in the days of yore. And you're path needs to reflect that.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View PostEven if you choose a reconstructionist path, remember that you live here and now, not in the days of yore. And you're path needs to reflect that.
And reconstructionism is not a path but a method of interpretation. It has nothing to do with things or events either, in the context of heathenry it has to do with the rebuilding of the various ancient worldviews and then testing them to see if they are still functional filters of perception and what parts of that worldview are usable now.
Once that worldview is understood the ritual practices...and your "way of life"...while not being identical to what was done will at the very least be in line with what was.
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Originally posted by ERDRICK View PostI'm realatively new to this path, and I've read all the stickies and am trying to do my homework, but is there any advice you wish that you would have gotten as a newbie? Anyone kind enough to put like a list of vocab together, some of this is very confusing and I'm doing my best to understand all that I read. Thank you in advance!
First off, what are *YOU* looking for/to get out of it.
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Sr. Member
- Dec 2011
- 351
- Modern Constructionist Germanic Heathen with Shamanic Tendencies
- female
- West Coast Canada
- You know what it takes, so do it.
Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by GaryG View PostExcept that is not what reconstructionism is or what reconstructionists do, you are thinking of re-enactors or re-creators.
That said, I'm not suggesting that ALL reconstructions are as mentioned above. Plenty aren't. But the OP asked for advice, so there is mine.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
I'm looking for a religion with beliefs similar to my own (heathenry aligns extremely well). I've had pagan beliefs for a while, but just haven't found anything that would add to my life or really supplement it. From what I'm reading heathenry seems to fit everything I'm looking for.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by ERDRICK View PostI'm looking for a religion with beliefs similar to my own (heathenry aligns extremely well). I've had pagan beliefs for a while, but just haven't found anything that would add to my life or really supplement it. From what I'm reading heathenry seems to fit everything I'm looking for.
Ok so what are your beliefs and how does heathenry fit in to them and when you say dd to or supplement your life could you expound on that.
And what is it you are looking for.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by GaryG View PostOk so what are your beliefs and how does heathenry fit in to them and when you say dd to or supplement your life could you expound on that.
And what is it you are looking for.
For a long time I felt lost when it came to the spiritual side of my life. I mean, I knew what I believed in and what morals/beliefs that were important to my life. It just took a long time searching to find something that aligns with me so well and will allow for personal growth during my studies not just spiritually but also personally.
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Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by ERDRICK View PostThe Noble Virtues are things that I strongly agree with. I've honored the Norse pantheon for about 2 years or so. Heathenry I think will add to my life a chance at insight that other religions I've looked into haven't. I like that there is hard science studies of my ancestors and understanding how they thought and how they viewed life or interacted with the world, and taking those concepts and applying them to my everyday life. I don't need to join a coven and there's no one above me religiously. It's just what I understand and can take away from my learnings and how I can use it to make my life better, or even other people's lives better.
For a long time I felt lost when it came to the spiritual side of my life. I mean, I knew what I believed in and what morals/beliefs that were important to my life. It just took a long time searching to find something that aligns with me so well and will allow for personal growth during my studies not just spiritually but also personally.
I assume you know the NNV are a modern construct and for the most part heathens really do not pay them much mind considering they are "traits" that anyone, regardless of faith or creed should aspire to as they are more human things than any particular religions.
Heathenry is world accepting as opposed to world rejecting and that's pretty much where the "viewed life and interacted..." comes into it. Heathenry does not have covens but has something similar just a different name. I notice it says you live in Littlestown PA. If you are on facebook look up the North East Heathen group. There is a group based out of Allentown, which while about a 2.5hr ride from you is not too bad considering, they are good people.
Remember that Heathenry is about garnering a share of luck and good fortune through honoring the ancient contract of reciprocity with your gods, ancestors, and kin, NOT cultivating some sort of ephemeral, esoteric relationship with the "patron god" of your choice.
What have you read up on so far?
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Sr. Member
- May 2013
- 142
- Greco Roman Polytheist and Dionysus Devotee
- male
- IL
- There is no cure for madness when the cure itself is mad-Euripides
Re: New Heathen Advice
Originally posted by GaryG View PostRemember that Heathenry is about garnering a share of luck and good fortune through honoring the ancient contract of reciprocity with your gods, ancestors, and kin, NOT cultivating some sort of ephemeral, esoteric relationship with the "patron god" of your choice.
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