Asatru, the Nordic Indigenous Religion of Europe, is one of the world's most ancient ethnic and cultural traditions. It is a rational, positive and empowering religion, which complements science and allows for freedom of expression. Asatru fosters the concept of critical thinking, self-empowerment and knowledge over blind faith. Asatru values honour, gender equality, representative government, personal accountability and tradition. Profoundly allegorical and deeply philosophical, Asatru is about the importance of the family and connection to nature. The Nordic tradition does not fear its gods, has no devil, and no concept of eternal sin. On the contrary, Asatru fosters the natural interaction within nature and challenges its kin to live active and responsible lives. Although a religion with a deep and powerful ancestral heritage, Asatru is as much about the present and future as it is about the past. This book provides a definitive guide to Asatru, the Nordic Indigenous Religion of Europe - its development, its unyielding history, major events and military victories. Inclusive of the Klovekorn Asatru Rituals, gain an insight into Germanic myths, sacred sites and cultural heroes. Be inspired by a revelation of Nordic philosophy, symbols and ancient cultural practices. Understand the Nordic deities and allegories of Odin, Freja, Tyr, Thor, the Nordic Easter and Yule Festivals. Learn how to read, write and use runes, the ancient ancestral language of the Germanic Peoples. If you have Germanic or Anglo-Saxon heritage, this book reveals the faith and tradition of your ancestors and bloodline - rediscover what you have lost and what your internal spirit yearns to regain, your true and natural religion. This is a must read book for all Europeans and persons of Anglo Saxon heritage. It will become a life-long reference companion. Although Thors mighty hammer, one of the symbols of our tradition, hangs from the necks of only an exclusive few, being replaced by an alien religion some thousand years ago, its grasp on the European imagination and folk soul remains unshaken. Rediscover your true natural ancestral pedigree.

In Essential Asatru, renowned author and priestess Diana Paxson demystifies an ancient, rich, and often misunderstood religion, and offers a practical guide for its modern followers. A Journey to Fulfillment and Renewal Filled with clear, concise instructions on living Asatru every day, this truly accessible guide takes you on a journey from Asatru’s origins in Scandinavian and German paganism to its recognition as an official religion in the 1970s and its widespread acceptance today. Essential Asatru also includes: · A complete history of Asatru gods and goddesses, including Odin, Thor, and Ostara · The life values, such as honor, truth, fidelity, and hospitality, that shape Asatru’s tenets · Indispensable information on rituals, rune casting, ethics, and divination Essential Asatru is an elegant and splendid introduction to a centuries-old religion that continues to enrich and fascinate its followers today. Praise for Essential Asatru “This mainstreamed book on Asatru offers a thorough grounding in both history and the present and shows how those values—the true heart of any religion—are expressed in the lives of its faithful. This book is recommended for personal education, library shelves, and world religion classes.” —Facing North “A solid and thorough yet concise introduction to the religion, its history, the gods and goddesses, and the basics of modern practice.” —Idunna

"Asatru is a modern pagan tradition whose roots lie in the ancient myths, folklore, sagas, and historical artifacts of those who lived in pre-Christian times in what is now Iceland, Scandinavia, Scandinavian-influenced Scotland, Germany, and other parts of Northern Europe. This book provides an accessible and easy-to-read introduction to this heathen religion, one of the fastest growing religions in United States and Europe"--

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institut für Angilistik und Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Konstruktion von Identität in den Diskursen dergermanisch-neuheidnischen Bewegung in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika. ErsteOrganisationen des Asatru, wie die Anhänger selbst ihre Religion nennen, entstanden in den siebziger Jahren und sind seitdem stetig angewachsen. Asatru versteht sich als die indigene Religion der Europäer, distanziert sich dementsprechend deutlich vor christlich geprägtenLeitkultur der amerikanischen Gesellschaft und erscheint dabei doch im Gegensatz zu den meisten anderen neuheidnischen Strömungen erstaunlich wertekonservativ. Asatru, so meine These, reagiert auf die Krise der Moderne und die daraus resultierende Krise westlicher Identität, indem es ebendiese Identität auf Grundlage einer diskursivenKonstruktion europäischer Ethnizität neu definiert. Die Notwendigkeit einer Neudefinierung euroamerikanischer Identität ergibt sich aus dem anwachsenden Druck, den die nicht-europäischen Minoritäten in ihren Bestrebungen zur Durchsetzung der eigenen kulturellen und politischen Interessen auf die vorherrschende europäisch geprägte Kultur in den Vereinigten Staaten ausüben. Da diese vorherrschende Kultur in der Tradition der europäischen Moderne steht, ist die von ihr gestiftete westliche Identität geprägt von Normen und Werten, die als absolut und universell gültig definiert sind. Daher ist die Erfahrung einer zunehmendpluralistischen Gesellschaft problematisch für die westliche Identität. Asatru scheint seinenAnhängern eine Lösung dieses Problems zu bieten.Um die Qualität dieser Lösung aufzuzeigen, werden nach einer allgemeinen Einführung zur amerikanischen Asatrubewegung zunächst der sich aus den pluralistischen Tendenzen in der amerikanischen Gesellschaft ergebende Kulturkonflikt sowie die Ursach

Learn about the ancient Satr gods and goddesses to discover your spiritual path. Satr is a pre-Christian Northern European mythology and folklore-based spiritual belief system. It sprang to prominence in the 1970s and is still going strong today in Europe and North America, where it is valued for its non-dogmatic structure and emphasis on individualism, hospitality, and community-based principles. A primer on this spirituality for newcomers is available in Satr for Beginners. With straightforward language anybody can understand, it deconstructs everything from history and traditions to gods and goddesses, ancient manuscripts, sacred ceremonies, and the use of runes. It is a comprehensive and useful manual that makes it simple to integrate "satr" in your contemporary life and experience more spiritual fulfillment.This book provides a comprehensive explanation of how we might utilize our faith to overcome both our society's and our own internal challenges. The difficulties in our lives that may have led us to Asatru occasionally call for a bit extra effort on our part. Yet how? I think this book will be helpful to anyone who are having a hard time living out their beliefs. For a devoted follower, Asatruar represents a doorway to the following phase of development. It serves as a general framework for understanding our own accountability for our spiritual wellbeing for those who are new to it. We have the ability to achieve the kind of significant achievement and fulfillment even with the most modest of starts which so much of the modern world has failed to grasp.

All religions undergo continuous change, but minority religions tend to be less anchored in their ways than mainstream, traditional religions. This volume examines radical transformations undergone by a variety of minority religions, including the Children of God/ Family International; Gnosticism; Jediism; various manifestations of Paganism; LGBT Muslim groups; the Plymouth Brethren; Santa Muerte; and Satanism. As with other books in the Routledge/Inform series, the contributors approach the subject from a wide range of perspectives: professional scholars include legal experts and sociologists specialising in new religious movements, but there are also chapters from those who have experienced a personal involvement. The volume is divided into four thematic parts that focus on different impetuses for radical change: interactions with society, technology and institutions, efforts at legitimation, and new revelations. This book will be a useful source of information for social scientists, historians, theologians and other scholars with an interest in social change, minority religions and ‘cults’. It will also be of interest to a wider readership including lawyers, journalists, theologians and members of the general public.