New Heathen Advice

[ERDRICK]

Re: New Heathen Advice

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?

I haven't read much of what I can't find online. I've read about 5 different translations of the Havamal. I'm looking to read our Troth, it's just money is super tight for me right now, so I'm trying to do what I can online. As far as the NEH group on facebook, I'll check that out next. I'm sorry if what I say sounds like I'm coming from the wrong direction with this, it's just the more I read around the forums and different things online, it sounds more and more like something I wish to participate and believe in.

[GaryG]

Re: New Heathen Advice

I haven't read much of what I can't find online. I've read about 5 different translations of the Havamal. I'm looking to read our Troth, it's just money is super tight for me right now, so I'm trying to do what I can online. As far as the NEH group on facebook, I'll check that out next. I'm sorry if what I say sounds like I'm coming from the wrong direction with this, it's just the more I read around the forums and different things online, it sounds more and more like something I wish to participate and believe in.

There is a ton of information out there online you can find, like literally.

sacred-texts.com/neu/ice/index.htm

sagadb.org/

This pretty much covers "the lore" end of it, that being the Poetic and Prose Eddas and a bunch of the sagas. The Eddas are not gospel, not sacred texts, they are not to be taken literally no matter what anyone tells you and honestly I would save them for last. They are poems and you kind of have to read them in their proper context. There is a ton of secondary information out there you could go to first to get a firm grasp of the material.

[ERDRICK]

Re: New Heathen Advice

When you say secondary information, do you mean like other books or articles and such?

[GaryG]

Re: New Heathen Advice

When you say secondary information, do you mean like other books or articles and such?

[Ula]

Re: New Heathen Advice

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!

That the dead (our ancestors) are as important as the gods. Heathenism covers a good bit of ground, not everything is just Norse or just Germanic. If something stands out don't keep from looking into the region it's from. It may mean something. You don't have to honor every single god, there will be a few you feel drawn too and that's ok.

[Paul]

Re: New Heathen Advice

All I want to add is that a good secondary source for newcomers is Christopher Abram's 'Myths of the Pagan North'. It's not expensive and a good ice breaker, scholarly without being confusing to someone new to heathenry.

I think GaryG has given great advice on this thread as to what reconstruction is and what to research, invaluable advice, bravo!

[Lokabrenna]

Re: New Heathen Advice

My advice would be not to let people scare you away from the tradition.
There's a very vocal group in Heathenry that is full of right wing dick-swinging sexist, racist, homophobic, generally gross individuals who will call you all sorts of names if you don't do things exactly as they do. Don't mind them, they're just loud.

Also there are unfortunately a number of racist, neonazi groups that have co-opted Heathen symbols, and I have seen people dismiss Heathenry in general for being racist. I would say don't be afraid to call out racist neonazi bull when you see it, because it's definitely an issue.