Epic fantasty/story enthusiast and occultist seeking answers on Asatru lore...

[Juniperberry]

As of the past few weeks, I've felt a slight pull towards the germanic faiths, as they seem to make storytelling, epics, fantasy, etc as focal points for mystical work, and even go as far as to base their way of life around these ideals.

Mystical isn't exactly the word I would use.

But firstly,

I need information on the following...

First of all, you are approaching heathenry as if it were a magical tradition instead of a culture.



You're just jumping into this way too fast. There isn't a Starhawk type list of correspondance. I'll be honest, it's kind of insulting. What can you strip away and use, is what you seem to be asking for. Read the Edda, research some of this stuff online, ask some questions that give you a feel.for what heathenry is about. Because I don't think its what you think at all.

[bobthesane]

Hello all. Its been a long time since I've actually come here, and I think by now my oldaccount is deleted off the site. Anyway, after my pagan month or so of introduction to the wonderful world of magics, I ended up practicing a useless/ill structured system of ceremonial/chaos magick which would beget periodic results.

As of the past few weeks, I've felt a slight pull towards the germanic faiths, as they seem to make storytelling, epics, fantasy, etc as focal points for mystical work, and even go as far as to base their way of life around these ideals. I've always felt myself as a warrior type, having to be part of some form of conflict, but also seem to have an intellectual / creative side (physically I never got out much, thus I'm skinny and frail but I do wish to change this).

As for the specific event that lead me to to look into heathenism now... I was doing a pathworking on the fool, and came across the fool (his animal companion was a snake instead of a dog, and he was found wounded. I helped him up, and he told me the nature of this mental plane was a place of heathenism. Further investigations in a second pathworking, I found a barn with stags being raised, and the farmer there said they were for competitions.

What stood out to me was the statement that my own mental world is heathen, which makes me wonder if by nature I carry the same spirited heart of a heathen. It seems to be clearer ever since I did the pathworking that I want to practice heathenism and see what comes of it.

But firstly,

I need information on the following...

The runes in regards to magick:
-What runes are the best for daily workings of personal willpower and perseverance? Runes of patience, or just plain focus (I suffer ADHD) would be appreciated.
- In what ways are the runes pathworked and activated within the psyche?
-What are the warrior runes? And how would I use them to fight consistently against injustice and dishonor?
-Bindrunes: What are good rune combinations for a beginner? What are some to avoid?

The stories and lore:
-Stories depicting the nature of wizards, both evil and good.
-Attributions of deities I can associate with various things in the world, from trees to houses, what their significance is in the germanic traditions, and how I can apply them to solidifying the heathenist world view.
-Deities: Here I'm particularly interested in Tyr and Odinn, but also any associated with plants.



Other aspects of magic:
-Magical storytelling- could be writing or poetry, or even making poetic meanings out of bindrunes.
-How precisely is galdr chanted? What kind of voice would I vibrate with?
-Runic pathworking, and travelling the different worlds of the norse.


I'm open to suggestions for books, other advice, suggestions for beginner magickal workings, etc.

Dude... you want us to encapsulate an entire faith and worldview for you into bite sized chunks.

Do your own effin' homework, just like the rest of us. Start with the eddas, also sagas (Penguin Press has a fantastic printing of some of the Icelandic Sagas).

Also, hate to disappoint, but magic is not part of our religion. It could be considered ancillary to it, there are many heathens who practice forms of spaecraft, sidhr, galdr, etc. But the approach you appear to be looking for would be what our ancestors termed sorcery, and it was universally viewed with suspicion if not outright hostility because of the abuse it's practitioners heaped upon their neighbors. But magic is not necessary to the practice of heathenry in it's various forms.

So, go buy some books, read up online. If you want to know more about the runes, then start with the rune poems. Ragweed Forge has all three variants in the original languages and modern English translations:

http://www.ragweedforge.com/poems.html

[Omera]

Sorry, just trying to follow your train of thought - what exactly came across as fluffy?

I was expecting somebody else to come into the thread and start slandering the left hand path.

[RandallS]

I was expecting somebody else to come into the thread and start slandering the left hand path.

While there are people on this board who do not agree with many of the various "left hand paths", generalized attacks on a religion are frowned on on TC. Note that this does not prohibit disagreeing with a religion's beliefs or stances and saying so.

[Omera]

While there are people on this board who do not agree with many of the various "left hand paths", generalized attacks on a religion are frowned on on TC. Note that this does not prohibit disagreeing with a religion's beliefs or stances and saying so.

I'm interested in both the lore and the magick of heathenism, but my primary goal in life has always been (for the past 4 years since freshman year) to become something of a decent wizard. Thats not disregarding the culture. In fact, without knowing the culture the magick becomes less effective, or so I hear.

[bobthesane]

I'm interested in both the lore and the magick of heathenism, but my primary goal in life has always been (for the past 4 years since freshman year) to become something of a decent wizard. Thats not disregarding the culture. In fact, without knowing the culture the magick becomes less effective, or so I hear.

What you are looking for isn't heathenry. I'll tell you that straight out right here, based on what you've said, you are highly unlikely to find what you seek amongst a group of reconstructionist or revivalist heathens. You are looking for something that would be more easily found in other folders on this very forum, and across the Internet. But heathen focus is rarely, if ever, on magic. Again, it's an add-on, considered separate from the religious practice of heathenry. Calling something "heathen magic" is like calling something "Christian palm reading". While the two are not mutually exclusive, they have little to do with each other in daily practice.

Go talk to Spooky Eddie and read some of his books on the subject if what you want is modern magical practice with a northern european flavor.

[Sage]

I was expecting somebody else to come into the thread and start slandering the left hand path.

That doesn't happen so much here. We have a few left handers as active members if I'm recalling right.