Okay, as per request, here are some of the most basic ideas and tenets of the Asatru faith. Please bear in mind that there are as many flavours of Asatruism as there are Asatruaar - it's quite possible that this will vary from what you think you know, believe is true or have heard / read elsewhere! Centralised and dogmatic groups DO exist, but even these organisations cannot claim to be THE Asatruaar faith or to know THE truth.
Where to start?
First of all, Asatru is often called Odinism, and is a term used to describe all the groups who practice the Volkish (Folkish) faith of the European nations. It's more than just the Norse - which is why it is also often referred to as the Northern Tradition - as most northern European aboriginal beliefs include significant similarities. The names of the Gods are generally the biggest difference (Woden instead of Odin, for example).
Asatru is a Polytheistic religion - that is to say that it has many Gods and Goddesses and that each of these has their own reputed areas of strength - praying to Thor for Strength and Odin for Wisdom and Tyr for Justice, for example.
Asatruaar do not hold with strong centralised control of their religion. You will find no unified prayer book of the Northern Tradition. That said, we have instead the Nine Virtues, and a few common prayers.
The Nine Virtues (As taken from a website - so it's a general interpretation):
COURAGE
The bravery to do what is right at all times.
TRUTH
The willingness to be honest and say what one knows to be true and right.
HONOUR
The feeling of inner value and worth from which one knows that one is noble of being, and the desire to show respect for this quality when it is found in the world.
FIDELITY
The will to be loyal to one's Gods and Goddesses, to one's folk, and to one's self.
DISCIPLINE
The willingness to be hard with one's self first, then if need be with others.
HOSPITALITY
The willingness to share what one has with one's fellows, especially when they are far from home.
INDUSTRIOUSNESS
The willingness to work hard--always striving for efficiency--as a joyous activity in itself.
FREEDOM
The spirit of independence which is achieved not only for the individual but also for the family, clan, tribe and nation.
PERSEVERANCE
The spirit of endurance that can always bring one back from defeat or failure--each time we fail we recognize failure for what it is and, if the purpose is true and good, we persevere until success is won.
Obviously, each of the Nine means something different to all of us at different times in our lives. These are given as a general interpretation that is common to most Asatruaar in general.
Finally, the two "official" prayers that I know. One is a recent reconstruction - and part of a campaign to represent Asatruism in schools as a counterpoint to the underlying Christian bias that one tends to find when
people talk about eroding the seperation of Church and State, the other is a translation of a warriors prayer
before battle.
Daily Prayer:
Hail Day, hail Day's sons,
Hail Night and daughter of Night!
Gaze on us gently and grant us who pray to you victory.
Hail to the Gods, hail to the Goddesses,
Hail to you, all-giving Earth!
Words and wisdom grant us, and healing hands in this life.
Warriors Prayer:
Lo' there do I see My Father,
Lo' there do I see My Mother, My Sisters, & My Brothers,
Lo' there do i see the line of my People, back to the Beginning
Lo' they do call to me, they bid me take my place among them,
in the Halls of Valhalla, Where The Brave May Live FOREVER
I think I'll break here for discussion and questions.
Where to start?
First of all, Asatru is often called Odinism, and is a term used to describe all the groups who practice the Volkish (Folkish) faith of the European nations. It's more than just the Norse - which is why it is also often referred to as the Northern Tradition - as most northern European aboriginal beliefs include significant similarities. The names of the Gods are generally the biggest difference (Woden instead of Odin, for example).
Asatru is a Polytheistic religion - that is to say that it has many Gods and Goddesses and that each of these has their own reputed areas of strength - praying to Thor for Strength and Odin for Wisdom and Tyr for Justice, for example.
Asatruaar do not hold with strong centralised control of their religion. You will find no unified prayer book of the Northern Tradition. That said, we have instead the Nine Virtues, and a few common prayers.
The Nine Virtues (As taken from a website - so it's a general interpretation):
COURAGE
The bravery to do what is right at all times.
TRUTH
The willingness to be honest and say what one knows to be true and right.
HONOUR
The feeling of inner value and worth from which one knows that one is noble of being, and the desire to show respect for this quality when it is found in the world.
FIDELITY
The will to be loyal to one's Gods and Goddesses, to one's folk, and to one's self.
DISCIPLINE
The willingness to be hard with one's self first, then if need be with others.
HOSPITALITY
The willingness to share what one has with one's fellows, especially when they are far from home.
INDUSTRIOUSNESS
The willingness to work hard--always striving for efficiency--as a joyous activity in itself.
FREEDOM
The spirit of independence which is achieved not only for the individual but also for the family, clan, tribe and nation.
PERSEVERANCE
The spirit of endurance that can always bring one back from defeat or failure--each time we fail we recognize failure for what it is and, if the purpose is true and good, we persevere until success is won.
Obviously, each of the Nine means something different to all of us at different times in our lives. These are given as a general interpretation that is common to most Asatruaar in general.
Finally, the two "official" prayers that I know. One is a recent reconstruction - and part of a campaign to represent Asatruism in schools as a counterpoint to the underlying Christian bias that one tends to find when
people talk about eroding the seperation of Church and State, the other is a translation of a warriors prayer
before battle.
Daily Prayer:
Hail Day, hail Day's sons,
Hail Night and daughter of Night!
Gaze on us gently and grant us who pray to you victory.
Hail to the Gods, hail to the Goddesses,
Hail to you, all-giving Earth!
Words and wisdom grant us, and healing hands in this life.
Warriors Prayer:
Lo' there do I see My Father,
Lo' there do I see My Mother, My Sisters, & My Brothers,
Lo' there do i see the line of my People, back to the Beginning
Lo' they do call to me, they bid me take my place among them,
in the Halls of Valhalla, Where The Brave May Live FOREVER
I think I'll break here for discussion and questions.
Possibly it's a dimensional thing - maybe it's on another planet - I really don't know the answer to that! In Valhalla Odin gathers the host of human warriors who will ride with him to his fated doom at the final battle. It's going to be a rough battle - humans aren't really built to fight giants, and giants are the least of what they'll have to face - but they're the best and bravest we've produced.
