This is merely a brief overview
of the general
beliefs and tenets of the Asatru faith.
Asatru is a Nordic tribal/folk religion, which emphasizes worship of the god/desses of the North: Thor, Odin, Freya, Tyr, and others.
"Asatru"
is a norse word which means
Troth (loyalty) to the Aesir (gods)
The Asatru live by the Nine Noble Virtues:
1. Courage
2. Truth
3. Honor
4. Fidelity
5. Discipline
6. Hospitality
7. Industriousness
8. Self-Reliance
9. Perseverance
Those who follow the Asatru path honor their ancestors, and believe family is of the utmost importance. Some believe that their ancestors are reincarnated into other family members. They believe that after death, those who are worthy dwell in Asgard, the realm of the gods.
Asatru has a written body of Edda
(or myths), such as the "Havamal" which are highly regarded.
Some followers believe that these writings are divinely inspired literature.
The gods
of the Asatru are divided into two categories:
The "Aesir"
are the gods of thought, spirit, and poetry such as:
Tyr
(sky god, god of justice)
Odin
(god of knowledge and wisdom)
Frigga (wife
of Odin)
The "Vanir" are gods of earth. life, death such as:
Freya
and Freyja
(twins and lovers)
Njord
and Nethus
(thier parents)
Dragon Ship
Followers of Asatru believe that there
are beings that roam among us,
although they rarely interact with humans
Landvaettir - "land wights"; nature spirits that reside in trees and stones
Ljossalfar - light-elves
Svartalfar - dark-elves or dwarves
Jotuns - ettins or giants
Disir - female spirits akin to
nymphs or dryads
The nine worlds:
Asgard - home of the Aesir gods
Ljossalfheim - land of the elves
Midgard - the human plane
Muspellsheim - realm of fire
Nifleheim - realm of ice
Jotunheim - home of the giants
Svartalfheim - realm of the dwarves
Vanaheim - home of the Vanir gods
Hel - land of the dead
The festivals and
ceremonies of the Asatru are known as "blots"
(pronounced like "coats") A few of the commonly celebrated blots
are:
Disfest
Ostara
May Eve (Walpurgisnacht)
Midsummer
Freysfest
FallFest (Harvest)
WinterNight
Yule
There are additional
minor festivals, such as the Feast of Vali (February 14th),
Feast of the Fallen, and MotherNights (the twelve days leading up to Yule)
Asatru typically do not have "churches", however, they do assemble in religious orders or tribes known as Kindreds. Followers of Asatru sometimes refer to like-minded individuals as "folk", and are sometimes referred to as "heathens" or "Elder Troth."
