The latest attempt to codify traditional Germanic (Asatru, or Theodish, or Odinist) conduct occurred in We Are Our Deeds: The Elder Heathenry, Its Ethic and Thew, published in 1998 by Eric Wodening. In it, the author lists "The Twelve Thews," or twelve "customs" in the sense of ways of behaving that were beneficial to society. Wodening's list uses the Old English names for the respective traits, but he gives us glosses in modern English:
Bisignes - "Industriousness"
Efennes - "Equity, Justice"
Ellen - "Courage"
Geferscipe - "Community, Fellowship"
Giefu - "Generosity"
Giestlithnes - "Hospitality"
Metung - "Moderation"
Selfdom - "Independence, Individuality"
Soth - "Sooth, Truth, Honesty"
Stedefaestnes - "Steadfastness, Perseverence"
Treowth - "Troth, Loyalty"
Wisdom - "Wisdom"
(I've done my best to work around the Old English orthography.)
In this and the two preceding posts, we've looked at three different expositions of Asatru/Germanic behavior. Each has its strong points, and we can only gain by being familiar with all of them...because the title of Wodening's book is true: We are our deeds!
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Officer Crowley and the Power of Virtue
My recent blogs have dealt with the values and virtues of Asatru as codified in various documents. But even as we're examining this topic, there's a roaring controversy in the news that shows, better than anything I can say, the power of virtue.
As everyone with a radio, a television, or internet connection knows, Officer Crowley responded to a report of an apparent housebreaking in an upscale neighborhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He ended up arresting a black Harvard professor - not for housebreaking, but for the professor's disorderly conduct that followed as Crowley made his investigation. The professor screamed "Racism!" and got support from all the usual sources, including his friend Barack Obama. Things looked bad for Officer Crowley.
What usually happens next is predictable to the point of cliche. There is an outcry, the magic "R" word is uttered, and the person against whom it is uttered collapses into a pile of blubbering, apologizing protoplasm.
That didn't happen this time. Officer Crowley stood his ground. He refused to apologize or to grovel in any of the accepted and expected forms.
The officer can afford to be uncompromising because he knew, deep in his soul, that he had the moral high ground. He was chosen by a black officer in his department to teach a police academy course on how to avoid racial profiling. Fellow officers, black and while alike, stand by him. His written report is a model of calm description. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/nv3qhy.
Now, Officer Crowley is not Asatru - but his experience tells us a lot about the power of having the moral advantage. If you're right, if your reputation is solid, you have power. All the "mau mauing" in the world can't prevail against a person who has truth on his or her sided, and who is fearless. ("Mau-Mauing" is the use of racial intimidation to win concessions from whites, from the book Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers, by novelist Tom Wolfe, 1970.)
The bottom line: Do right and fear no one.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
As everyone with a radio, a television, or internet connection knows, Officer Crowley responded to a report of an apparent housebreaking in an upscale neighborhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He ended up arresting a black Harvard professor - not for housebreaking, but for the professor's disorderly conduct that followed as Crowley made his investigation. The professor screamed "Racism!" and got support from all the usual sources, including his friend Barack Obama. Things looked bad for Officer Crowley.
What usually happens next is predictable to the point of cliche. There is an outcry, the magic "R" word is uttered, and the person against whom it is uttered collapses into a pile of blubbering, apologizing protoplasm.
That didn't happen this time. Officer Crowley stood his ground. He refused to apologize or to grovel in any of the accepted and expected forms.
The officer can afford to be uncompromising because he knew, deep in his soul, that he had the moral high ground. He was chosen by a black officer in his department to teach a police academy course on how to avoid racial profiling. Fellow officers, black and while alike, stand by him. His written report is a model of calm description. You can find it at http://tinyurl.com/nv3qhy.
Now, Officer Crowley is not Asatru - but his experience tells us a lot about the power of having the moral advantage. If you're right, if your reputation is solid, you have power. All the "mau mauing" in the world can't prevail against a person who has truth on his or her sided, and who is fearless. ("Mau-Mauing" is the use of racial intimidation to win concessions from whites, from the book Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers, by novelist Tom Wolfe, 1970.)
The bottom line: Do right and fear no one.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Asatru Rules for Personal Conduct - Part Two
In the 1980's, the Asatru Free Assembly (predecessor to today's Asatru Folk Assembly) composed a statement of conduct now called the Nine Noble Values. These were -
Strength is better than weakness.
Courage is better than cowardice.
Joy is better than guilt.
Honor is better than dishonor.
Freedom is better than slavery.
Kinship is better than loneliness.
Truth is better than dogma.
Vigor is better than lethargy.
Ancestry is better than rootlessness.
We felt that these exhibited better balance than the Nine Noble Virtues aired in the 1970's. Additionally, we wanted to underline the importance of ancestry, and to add joy to an otherwise somewhat grim collection.
We have used the Values in riutal. The gothi/gythja recites a line - "Strength is better than weakness!" - to which the folk make a response - "Let us be strong!" and so forth.
Note that nothing in the Values contradicts the Nine Noble Virtues listed in yesterday's post; on the contrary, they are either identical or complementary.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://www.runestone.org
Strength is better than weakness.
Courage is better than cowardice.
Joy is better than guilt.
Honor is better than dishonor.
Freedom is better than slavery.
Kinship is better than loneliness.
Truth is better than dogma.
Vigor is better than lethargy.
Ancestry is better than rootlessness.
We felt that these exhibited better balance than the Nine Noble Virtues aired in the 1970's. Additionally, we wanted to underline the importance of ancestry, and to add joy to an otherwise somewhat grim collection.
We have used the Values in riutal. The gothi/gythja recites a line - "Strength is better than weakness!" - to which the folk make a response - "Let us be strong!" and so forth.
Note that nothing in the Values contradicts the Nine Noble Virtues listed in yesterday's post; on the contrary, they are either identical or complementary.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://www.runestone.org
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Asatru Rules for Personal Conduct
Asatru, like most other religions, has written guides to conduct. Probably the best known of these are the Nine Noble Virtues. In their original presentation, these were -
Courage
Truth
Honor
Fidelity
Discipline
Hospitality
Industriousness
Self-Reliance
Perseverance
Different versions of this list have been written and published over the years, but the ones given here are the originals published by the Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite in the early 1970's.
Although the NNV, as they have come to be known, are the best known codification of Asatru/Odinism in the United States and Europe, they are not the only such list. To some, the NNV are unbalanced or incomplete, and this conviction has resulted in at least a couple of other attempts to summarize our moral and behavioural foundation. In the next couple of posts, we'll take a look at these.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Courage
Truth
Honor
Fidelity
Discipline
Hospitality
Industriousness
Self-Reliance
Perseverance
Different versions of this list have been written and published over the years, but the ones given here are the originals published by the Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite in the early 1970's.
Although the NNV, as they have come to be known, are the best known codification of Asatru/Odinism in the United States and Europe, they are not the only such list. To some, the NNV are unbalanced or incomplete, and this conviction has resulted in at least a couple of other attempts to summarize our moral and behavioural foundation. In the next couple of posts, we'll take a look at these.
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Friday, July 17, 2009
Asatru and the Childless
Over the past week or so I've published three blogs on the subject of "Asatru, ancestors, and descendants." This constant emphasis on the family lineage implies the duty to have children.
So what does Asatru, as practiced in the AFA, say about the childless?
Some people never have children. Maybe they just never got married. Perhaps they have some genetic condition they understandably don't want to pass on to another generation. And there are some Asatruar who understand themselves well enough to know they'd be really bad parents.
The dysfunctional nature of many American families is enough to turn some otherwise good mothers and fathers ainst the idea of marriage and children. Hopefully these men and women will find the fortitude to give it a try despite their own bad experiences.
In traditional Indo-European societies, the first child was considered the debt paid to the ancestors for the gift of life. Passing on the family name was considered a very important goal. So should it be for us. I have listed a number of valid reasons for not having children (selfishness is not one of them), but in general it is good to have offspring.
Parenting is hard, and I do not think I have been the best parent in the world, but I do not regret having my two sons...on the contrary, I wish I had had a couple of daughters as well, to balance things out!
But what about those who, when all is said and done, don't have kids? Are they outcast? Second class citizens? Bad Asatruar?
No. They still serve a valuable role - not just generally, as useful and contributing members of the Asatru community, but specifically as people who can guide and teach children, support beleaguered parents, and provide a loving and constructive environment for our young. This form of service probably happens at every Asatru event and in every kindred across the land - or it it doesn't, it should!
The AFA has rightfully established a reputation as a "family friendly" organization. We believe that solid and sound families are the foundation of the Folk, and that they are absolutely essential to the future of our people..and that there are many ways to apply that imperative.
May our families and our Folk live forever!
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
So what does Asatru, as practiced in the AFA, say about the childless?
Some people never have children. Maybe they just never got married. Perhaps they have some genetic condition they understandably don't want to pass on to another generation. And there are some Asatruar who understand themselves well enough to know they'd be really bad parents.
The dysfunctional nature of many American families is enough to turn some otherwise good mothers and fathers ainst the idea of marriage and children. Hopefully these men and women will find the fortitude to give it a try despite their own bad experiences.
In traditional Indo-European societies, the first child was considered the debt paid to the ancestors for the gift of life. Passing on the family name was considered a very important goal. So should it be for us. I have listed a number of valid reasons for not having children (selfishness is not one of them), but in general it is good to have offspring.
Parenting is hard, and I do not think I have been the best parent in the world, but I do not regret having my two sons...on the contrary, I wish I had had a couple of daughters as well, to balance things out!
But what about those who, when all is said and done, don't have kids? Are they outcast? Second class citizens? Bad Asatruar?
No. They still serve a valuable role - not just generally, as useful and contributing members of the Asatru community, but specifically as people who can guide and teach children, support beleaguered parents, and provide a loving and constructive environment for our young. This form of service probably happens at every Asatru event and in every kindred across the land - or it it doesn't, it should!
The AFA has rightfully established a reputation as a "family friendly" organization. We believe that solid and sound families are the foundation of the Folk, and that they are absolutely essential to the future of our people..and that there are many ways to apply that imperative.
May our families and our Folk live forever!
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Monday, July 13, 2009
Asatru, Ancestors, Descendants - Part Three
The relationship between our ancestors, ourselves, and our descendants is illustrated by a man floating down a river in a boat.
He sees only his little stretch of the river, “the present.” The earlier part of his journey exists only in his memory, and he does not see the forking streams of his own possible futures that lie downriver.
But the river is there, anyway. A man in an airplane would look down at the man in the boat and see both his “past” and his “future.” The clan is like that: The stream of ancestors, ourselves, and descendants is one and omnipresent; only our limited perception makes it seem otherwise. We are truly one with our ancestors and those to whom we will pass the fire of life.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
He sees only his little stretch of the river, “the present.” The earlier part of his journey exists only in his memory, and he does not see the forking streams of his own possible futures that lie downriver.
But the river is there, anyway. A man in an airplane would look down at the man in the boat and see both his “past” and his “future.” The clan is like that: The stream of ancestors, ourselves, and descendants is one and omnipresent; only our limited perception makes it seem otherwise. We are truly one with our ancestors and those to whom we will pass the fire of life.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Asatru, Ancestors, Descendants - Part Two
Thorgrun's observation in Part One, "To honor our ancestors is to honor our descendants," goes well with my own comment: “We are all ancestors in training.”
Someday we will be dead, whatever that means. Hopefully we have left sons and daughters - and grandsons and granddaughters! - to tell our stories and to pour libations on our graves. As the Havamal says - “Seldom are [memorial] stones erected on the wayside, save by kinsmen for kinsmen.”
How will you be remembered? Did you do deeds of worth? Were you true? Did you love much? Did you fight for what was right? Were you Awake, or did you live your life in trivialities?
If we lead good lives here in Midgard, we will be good ancestors.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Someday we will be dead, whatever that means. Hopefully we have left sons and daughters - and grandsons and granddaughters! - to tell our stories and to pour libations on our graves. As the Havamal says - “Seldom are [memorial] stones erected on the wayside, save by kinsmen for kinsmen.”
How will you be remembered? Did you do deeds of worth? Were you true? Did you love much? Did you fight for what was right? Were you Awake, or did you live your life in trivialities?
If we lead good lives here in Midgard, we will be good ancestors.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Asatru, Ancestors, Descendants - Part One
My friend Thorgrun said it so well the other day -
“To honor our ancestors is to honor our descendants.”
So very true! The lineage is one, separated only by the subjective and malleable thing we call “time.”
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
“To honor our ancestors is to honor our descendants.”
So very true! The lineage is one, separated only by the subjective and malleable thing we call “time.”
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Asatru on the Fourth of July
Sheila and I went to the local Fourth of July parade today, and spread the Asatru message to the rural, Main Street USA crowd lining the streets.
No, the AFA didn't have a float. Nor did we meander through the assembled multitudes with Asatru fliers. In fact, we didn't even mention our faith. But I feel we did good things for the Gods and the Folk.
We got involved with the Sons of Norway to support Northern European culture, and to build bridges to the local community. We haven't regretted it for an instant. In our very first meeting, it came out that we were Asatru. A conversation with some of the prominent members resulted...and we have very deliberately never mentioned it again. We weren't there to harangue these people, most of whom are senior citizens and lifelong Christians.
Instead, we just jumped in to be as helpful as we could. That's how Sheila and I ended up in fairly accurate Viking garb, following the (really neat!) Viking longboat constructed by the local chapter and whipping up the crowds.
So there I was, in my Kirby Wise spangenhelm, carrying a bearded axe, and Sheila alongside in Norse dress carrying a horn full of "mead" (water, actually, muchly needed due to the heat)from which I dramatically swilled when thirsty.
What was accomplished? People got to see what real Vikings looked like...and we furthered Northern European culture...and we consolidated our friendships in the SON. Remember, those senior citizens have friends, not to mention sons and daughters our age or younger. These are people who can vouch that we're not crazy, loutish, or evil because they know us.
I've already been asked to give a talk on the Norse roots of American freedom at a future meeting.
Every human being is either a possible AFA member, or a person who can refer someone else to us.
We also met some really nice people and had a lot of fun!
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
No, the AFA didn't have a float. Nor did we meander through the assembled multitudes with Asatru fliers. In fact, we didn't even mention our faith. But I feel we did good things for the Gods and the Folk.
We got involved with the Sons of Norway to support Northern European culture, and to build bridges to the local community. We haven't regretted it for an instant. In our very first meeting, it came out that we were Asatru. A conversation with some of the prominent members resulted...and we have very deliberately never mentioned it again. We weren't there to harangue these people, most of whom are senior citizens and lifelong Christians.
Instead, we just jumped in to be as helpful as we could. That's how Sheila and I ended up in fairly accurate Viking garb, following the (really neat!) Viking longboat constructed by the local chapter and whipping up the crowds.
So there I was, in my Kirby Wise spangenhelm, carrying a bearded axe, and Sheila alongside in Norse dress carrying a horn full of "mead" (water, actually, muchly needed due to the heat)from which I dramatically swilled when thirsty.
What was accomplished? People got to see what real Vikings looked like...and we furthered Northern European culture...and we consolidated our friendships in the SON. Remember, those senior citizens have friends, not to mention sons and daughters our age or younger. These are people who can vouch that we're not crazy, loutish, or evil because they know us.
I've already been asked to give a talk on the Norse roots of American freedom at a future meeting.
Every human being is either a possible AFA member, or a person who can refer someone else to us.
We also met some really nice people and had a lot of fun!
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Asatru and Awakening - Part Two
Just as individuals can be asleep, so can entire peoples.
In my previous post, I described how, singly, we become absorbed in daydreams, memories, and thoughts of the future. When this happens, we forget that we exist as distinct selves. Our "I-ness" gets lost in the noise. I stated that our task, spiritually, is to awaken.
But we also fall asleep in another respect. We forget that we belong to organic groups defined by ancestry and tradition. When we do manage to acquire some sputtering, inconsistent sensations of selfhood, we still remain largely absorbed in trivia. Connection of our individual selves with the ancestors, with our Folk, is lost.
Men and women of European descent are asleep. We have forgotten who we are. Just as individuals are dulled into forgetfulness by daydreams, entire peoples are mesmerized by the media and by the messages built into what passes for popular culture. Our ancestors are “dead White males,” our culture one of “oppression." To question these assumptions, to protest that this is unfair, is...racist.
Nonsense. There is nothing racist about acknowledging who we are, and honoring that identity.
Listen to the voices of the ancestors! Listen to those whose latest expressions we are, those without whom we would not be. They whisper to us and tell us: We are a people. Just as there is a spiritual duty to awaken as individuals, so there is also a duty to awaken to an awareness of our personal and collective lineage, our Folk.
When we awaken as individuals, we can see the beauty and wonder that surrounds us - the ongoing panorama of the natural world and our experiences in it. When we awaken to the Folk, we connect with the entire history of our people, all the travail and triumph of tens of thousands of years. We realize that we have been given a priceless gift by those who came before us, a gift which we must transmit to our descendants.
We gain...continuity.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
In my previous post, I described how, singly, we become absorbed in daydreams, memories, and thoughts of the future. When this happens, we forget that we exist as distinct selves. Our "I-ness" gets lost in the noise. I stated that our task, spiritually, is to awaken.
But we also fall asleep in another respect. We forget that we belong to organic groups defined by ancestry and tradition. When we do manage to acquire some sputtering, inconsistent sensations of selfhood, we still remain largely absorbed in trivia. Connection of our individual selves with the ancestors, with our Folk, is lost.
Men and women of European descent are asleep. We have forgotten who we are. Just as individuals are dulled into forgetfulness by daydreams, entire peoples are mesmerized by the media and by the messages built into what passes for popular culture. Our ancestors are “dead White males,” our culture one of “oppression." To question these assumptions, to protest that this is unfair, is...racist.
Nonsense. There is nothing racist about acknowledging who we are, and honoring that identity.
Listen to the voices of the ancestors! Listen to those whose latest expressions we are, those without whom we would not be. They whisper to us and tell us: We are a people. Just as there is a spiritual duty to awaken as individuals, so there is also a duty to awaken to an awareness of our personal and collective lineage, our Folk.
When we awaken as individuals, we can see the beauty and wonder that surrounds us - the ongoing panorama of the natural world and our experiences in it. When we awaken to the Folk, we connect with the entire history of our people, all the travail and triumph of tens of thousands of years. We realize that we have been given a priceless gift by those who came before us, a gift which we must transmit to our descendants.
We gain...continuity.
“Only when we realize we are a river will we stop drowning in puddles.”
Steve McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
http://runestone.org
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