Asatru and Awakening - Part One

I went out early in the pre-dawn to take out the garbage. Hardly a spiritual task, you might think. But as I walked out the door, I gazed up at the sky.

A pale, pale blue lit the east. A thin crescent of a moon, and two planets glowing like diamonds, decked the pre-dawn glory. As I watched, a bat made his erratic path across the scene, claiming one last insect before retiring for the day. All was silent.

We are asleep. The world goes on around us, but most of the time we are absorbed in a dull buzz of daydreams and plans, echoes of memories and images arising from phrases off the radio or television in the background. We are not even truly aware of ourselves as living, sovereign beings, much less cognizant of the ever-changing drama in the sky, or around the bird feeder in the garden.

Our sense of personal awareness, our ego, is only rudimentary. I believe it is our task to awaken, to become more aware that we exist, to build a permanent and enduring self that can assert its will in the world and, ultimately, to survive the miniature Ragnarok of the death experience in such a way that we have a high degree of consciousness and volition in the afterlife.

This, of course, it the exact opposite of all those philosophies that urge us to annihilate the self, to get rid of our ego.

Before we can know the Gods, before we can see the glory that surrounds us every moment, before we can even know ourselves, we must Awaken.

(Suggested reading: The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution by P.D. Ouspensky, Lecture One.)

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Germany Does It Again - World's Oldest Musical Instrument!

Late last month I posted news of the world's oldest sculpture, found in a cave in southern Germany.

Now, the same cave has yielded a 35,000 year-old bone flute, which archeologist Nicholas Conrad pronounced “unambiguously the oldest instrument in the world.”

Looks like the people in Germany were pretty innovative, even back then!

You can find an article on the flute at

http://tinyurl.com/molopz


Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Asatru Folk Assembly Midsummer, 2009

The AFA's “Midsummer in the Sierras” extended over an incredible four days and left an indelible mark on all who witnessed it.

What follows is only a summary of the gathering's high points. In between the items listed below, there were short workshops and rituals, much laughter, and many spiritual insights!

There were four intense blots, or rituals in honor of the Gods and Goddesses of Asatru. Two were given by students in the AFA Clergy program in fulfillment of their training requirements - one blot to Vidar by Johnny Hulsey, and another to Freya, by his wife Julia. Both were judged outstanding successes.

David James, Asatru elder and special guest, conducted the main Midsummer blot. His rite was the very first live performance of one of his original works. Finally, Steve McNallen, head of the AFA, led the folk in a late-night blot to Odin.

The attendees sat at sumbel twice during the event, passing the mead horn to bring the might of the ancestors into the present so it could be applied to our needs. One sumbel was formal, another was much more casual, but both helped us build deep fellowship, and raised much power from the past.

Birgit and Liz led one of the two principal workshops. Reading through the Eddic poem Voluspa in the Old Norse and in an original English translation, they brought the verses to life and immersed us in the Way of our Folk. A comparable session by David James gave us new thoughts on our identity as a Folk, and on how surrounding ourselves with art - in the broad sense of the term - can affirm and deepen that identification. David, active in the revival of Germanic religion for some forty years or more, was enthusiastically received by all who heard him speak or who talked with him in person.

Rites of passage played a very important role in this Midsummer. Johnny and Julia Hulsey took the AFA Clergy oath and were hailed as Gothi and Gythja respectively. Scott and Cynthia pledged their wedding vows in a ceremony combining the elegance and formality of a mainstream “church wedding” (tuxedos, flowing satin dresses, a cake-and-champagne reception) with the very essence of Asatru (calling on the Gods, a hammer-blessing of the bride, exchange of sword and keys).

Saturday night, The Blarney Band had young and not-so-young alike dancing on the grass. Live music has been an integral part of the AFA's annual gatherings for several years.

Toward the end of our time together, we participated in an intense brainstorming session on new ways to bring the AFA message to a broader audience, especially young people. Detailed notes were taken and exact steps to accomplish our goals were established.

The date for the next “Midsummer in the Sierras” is June 25-27, 2010. All AFA members and friends are invited to begin making preparations now!

Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly

http://runestone.org

Back from Midsummer!

Sheila and I, accompanied by Thorgrun and Katie Odden and our guest David James, rolled in from the Asatru Folk Assembly's Midsummer celebration a few hours ago.

The house is a wreck, and there are still more things to unload from the cars. As I write, David is sitting on the deck, refining and adapting the blot he did for us on Saturday.

And what a Midsummer it was! Four major blots, two sumbels. two detailed presentations, numerous shorter agenda items, and two fine AFA members who took the oath of Clergy. During all this we laughed, cried, danced to live music, told our worst and our best jokes, watched the stars come out over the Sierras - and more. Asatru at its best!

Tomorrow you'll get a detailed after-action report. Right now I'm going to go back downstairs, have a glass of wine on the deck, and watch the light change on the Sierras before getting back to work.

We've already set the date for the next Midsummer gathering, and reserved the site.

Will you be with us?

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Midsummer, Here We Come!

Today is the day!

In another eight hours, AFA members will be arriving from across the country to celebrate the rites of Asatru.

David James, our special guest, arrived safely last night and is in good hands.

Sheila was up into the wee hours doing last minute packing.

We've made our lists, and we're checking them twice!

It's going to be frantic, frustrating, fun...fantastic. We will honor the Gods, and build the AFA ever stronger.

Stay tuned for our afer-action report!

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Four Rules for Telling People About Asatru

There are four rules to remember when telling people about Asatru, whether in casual conversation, or an email, or in a deliberate presentation:

1.Every message must be understandable to your audience. (No jargon, no unexplained concepts.)

2.Every message must be believable. (Don’t confuse mythology with history; i.e., don’t tell them Odin literally rides an eight-legged horse.)

3.Every message must be non-threatening. (Turn down the warrior imagery; put away the sword and axe.)

4.Every message must be relevant. (It must have direct application to life - that is, the life of a modern man or woman, not the life of a tenth-century Viking!)

If we in the AFA can remember these rules, we can change the world. And that is, after all, the idea!

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Another Great Asatru Event!

Things are really hopping around here!

The Asatru Folk Assembly's Midsummer gathering is upon us, and all the signs are that this will be a spectacular event.

I've arranged for David James, our special guest, to give the Midsummer blot. Ritual has been one of his main focuses for - oh, the last forty years or so - and I am sure those of you who are coming will be more than a little impressed. David's quite the scholar, too, and his talks are going to be powerful. This will be a golden opportunity to meet a genuine Asatru elder!

We'll tape David's talk, and interview him as well.

A UPS truck pulled up in front of the house yesterday with a big box of T-shirts. These are blue, with the AFA logo outlined in white and the words "Asatru Folk Assembly - The Way of our Ancestors...Calling us home!" with "www.runestone.org" beneath. We'll be selling them at the Midsummer event, then offering them for sale on the website. You're going to love these!

Tonight we're meeting with Scott and Cynthia, the couple who will be getting married on Saturday night. We'll finalize the ceremony and just get to know each other a little.

I'm already getting stoked about my Odin-Blot, scheduled for late Saturday night! Add to that the fact that we've picked up another ten or twelve attendees in the last 24 hours, and it's getting really exciting.

It's all coming together, folks. This will be an event to remember!

Hail the Gods!
Hail the AFA!

Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://www.runestone.org

What the Asatru Folk Assembly is All About!

Here it is, the reason we're doing all this:

The mission of the Asatru Folk Assembly is to practice, promote, and further evolve the religion of Asatru, thus forging it into a powerful and effective tool for building a better world.

In short, we want to make a difference.

Check us out. If you like what you see - join us!

Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly

http://runestone.org

Ancient Europeans in Florida 13,500 Years Ago?

Here's a story to watch! A newly-found sculpture may be evidence of ancient Europeans in southern Florida 13,500 years ago.

This small piece of bone with the image of a mastodon etched on it is causing a stir in anthropology.

Dr. Barbara Purdy, professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Florida, is on record as saying that the only comparable images are in European cave paintings. Now, it's hard to say just what she meant by that, but there is a growing body of evidence indicating that people from ancient Spain and France arrived in North America before the migration from Asia. This could be one more piece of the puzzle.

This little sculpture is simply "the oldest, most spectacular and rare work of art in the Americas," according Dr. Purdy.

No one involved has yet suggested a connection with ancient Europeans, but it sure fits a pattern!

Here's a link to the article:

http://tinyurl.com/lal8dj


To find out how Europeans made it to North America, check out the DVD Ice Age Columbus. Here's an Amazon link:

http://tinyurl.com/mlk4xf

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Communicating Asatru

When people ask me what Asatru is, what do I tell them? My answer depends on who's asking. You have to reach people in terms that they’ll understand.

To steal a line from the leftists, “To take the revolution to the people, you have to go to where the people are at,” in terms of perceptions and understanding.

I almost never use the word “pagan,” because to the average American that means either a person without religion, or a New Age eclectic who mixes pantheons haphazardly and talks a lot about crystals and vibrations.

I almost never use the word “heathen,” because to most folks that’s an ignorant hick who has no religion.

I almost never mention the Vikings, except as additional information or as a “hook” to give them something on which they can hang the concept of Asatru. The Viking Age was about one tenth of Germanic history, and despite all the historical rehabilitation of the Norse, no one thinks of them as fonts of spiritual wisdom.

What you think the words “pagan” and “heathen” mean, or what you think about the Vikings, is not the point...the perceptions of your audience are what matters.

So what do I say in response to questions? “Asatru is a native European faith, comparable to Native American religion, native African religion, and other indigenous beliefs around the world. It’s what our ancestors did for the thousands of years before they were converted to Christianity.” Not too much information, just enough to get the message across.

Science fiction writer Robert Heinlein wrote that “Revolution is the art of communication.” And make no mistake, what we are proposing is nothing less than a spiritual revolution, a revolution in thought. We must become expert communicators!

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

What America and the West Owe Asatru

Here’s a quick list of twelve American institutions and traditions that have their origin in the tribal societies of pre-Christian Europe:

Trial by jury (dates back at least to the Vikings)

Right to bear arms (carried by all freemen)

Rights of women (declined drastically under Christianity)

Local democracy (local assemblies, or Things)

National representative republics (Iceland)

Anglo-Saxon Common Law (the “rights of Englishmen”)

System of “checks and balances” (structure of Germanic tribes included equivalent of an executive, a judicial, and a legislative branch)

Kings subject to law (common in pre-Christian times, before “divine right”)

Election of rulers (practiced by some tribes)

Resistance to tyrants (required under law in some cases)

Concept of free will (implied by Germanic concepts of time and causality)

Specific limits on the powers of kings and chiefs (by law)


Unfortunately, it can be argued that the pre-Christian Germanic heritage has been increasingly undermined with the passage of time as the power of government has grown at the expense of our rights.

Freedom, balanced with responsibility...It's a Teutonic thing!

Steve McNallen

Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org

Growing in Asatru

When I first discovered the Gods, I was in my testosterone-laden twenties. I thought our religion was all about warriors. Goddesses weren’t very important to me then, and I didn’t even have a name for our faith, other than “Norse paganism.” And, of course, the concept that there might be an innate connection between ethos and ethnos, between a distinct people and their Gods, never crossed my mind.

That may sound unbelievable to younger generations, but it really was different back then!

It took me about fifteen years to realize that warriors were a part of a society, not the whole...that the Goddesses were as holy and as essential as the Gods...that we could be called “Asatru” among other things...and that our religion, like all native religions, springs from the unique soul and the cumulative experience of a group of people bound by blood heritage.

We all learn. It may take time, but we do get older and (usually) wiser.

When you see someone who is new to the faith, help them, mentor them, encourage them. Be patient with our companions, and help them along the path.

Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly