Morgan Daimler - Pantheon--The Norse

Like most spiritual traditions Heathenry, by any name, has specific terminology that is used within its communities. Im going to include a brief selection of some of these terms here, including both names of specific approaches or groups as well as terms for particular things. These are simplified descriptions to give the reader the basics of the concepts, not in-depth descriptions.

lfatru literally belief in elves, a term used both simply for people who believe the lfar exist as well as sometimes by people who focus their spirituality on them.

Asatru belief in the Aesir, the Icelandic term used for people who worship the Aesir. A follower of such a practice would be called Asatruar.

Blt originally used for sacrificial rituals to the gods, blt means blood. However, in modern usage it can refer to any ritual honouring the gods and including an offering to them.

Einherjar epic heroes gathered at death by the Valkyrie and living in Odins hall in Asgard.

Faining a simple ritual where various things like mead may be offered to the gods or other spirits.

Frith an old English word meaning peace or security.

Galdr spoken or chanted runes.

Germanic Paganism Heathenry which focuses specifically on German Gods, spirits, and beliefs.

Godhi term for a priest.

Grith an old English concept of legal peace or security. In heathenry it is often used to describe the behaviour that is expected at events and gatherings.

Gythia term for a priestess.

Heathenry in this usage Heathenry refers to the beliefs and practices of people who follow pre-Christian Germanic/Norse Gods.

Innagard literally inner yard, a concept in heathenry that can refer to people within a community.

Kindred the name of a group of Heathens who practice together.

Norse Paganism Heathenry which is specifically Norse focused.

Oath Ring an oath ring is a large, usually arm band sized, ring that is used for swearing formal oaths.

Odinism a term more commonly used by those inclined towards a racist version of Heathenry.

Ragnark the twilight or doom of the gods, Ragnark is an event foretold by a seeress in which the Aesir will fight a final battle with the Jotuns and be destroyed.

Rokkatru a term used by people who worship the Jotuns, including both the ones known to help the Aesir in myth and the ones antagonistic to them.

Seidhr a type of historic magical practice that is referenced in the lore and has been reconstructed for modern use.

Seidhrkona a woman who practices seidhr.

Spae a term used for oracular or visionary practices.

Sumbel a type of ritual where a horn is passed around a group and each person says something before drinking. The first round usually praises the gods, the second the ancestors, and the third (and beyond) can be used for personal boasts.

Theodism Anglo-Saxon reconstructionism. Theodism is structured slightly differently from most other Heathen traditions and is usually more hierarchical.

Utgard literally outer yard, a concept referring to those people or beings that are outside the bounds of a community.

Vanatru a term used by people who focus specifically on the Vanic gods.

V term for the altar used in Norse paganism, the word literally means shrine.

I encourage people to look to the bibliography for suggestions of books but Id also like to include a list of books that Id reccomend people new to Heathenry read. These can be places to start and also offer a further or deeper look at specific topics.

1. Essential Asatru by Diana Paxson a good introduction to the basics of belief and practice, particularly useful for those coming from a neopagan background.
2. A Practical Heathens Guide to Asatru by Patricia Lafayllve another solid intro book that will provide a different perspective from Paxsons.
3. The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith one of the newer intros to Heathenry books on the market but one which has been very well received.
4. The Prose Edda I suggest reading multiple translations to get the best understanding of the material.
5. The Poetic Edda multiple translations are your friend.
6. Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland Modern language retellings of the Eddic myths.
7. Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman another book of retellings of the myths, again its good to get a couple perspectives here.
8. The Road to Hel by H.R. Ellis Davidson an essential look at beliefs about the dead and afterlife. Generally speaking while a bit dated now but anything by this author is worth reading.
9. The Well and the Tree by Bauschatz discusses cosmology from a heathen perspective.
10. Our Troth, volumes 1 and 2 a very thorough look at everything from belief to practice, and a wonderful reference to have on hand.
11. Elves, Wights, and Trolls by K. Gundarsson a look at the heathen belief in Otherworldly spirits, often not emphasized in American Heathenry but very important to understand.
12. Wights and Ancestors by Jenny Blain a small book that digs into ideas around connecting to ancestors and spirits.
13. Elves, Witches, & Gods: Spinning Old Heathen Magic in the Modern Day by Cat Heath an excellent dive into the more esoteric and experiential side of Heathenry.
14. Living Asatru by Greg Shelter short but useful look at living modern Asatru.
15. We Are Our Deeds by Eric Wodening a very in depth look at modern heathen ethics
16. Lady With a Mead Cup by Enright a foundational work for constructing rituals.

If you are interested in specific deities Id also suggest:

1. Freya, Lady, Vanadis by Patricia Lafayllve
2. Frey God of the World by Ann Groa Sheffield
3. Pagan Portals - Loki by Dagulf Loptson

I also have two books I have written on specific Norse gods: Pagan Portals - Odin and Pagan Portals - Thor

This book is intended to serve as an introduction to the Norse Gods and to give a reader a basic overview of Heathenrys history, mythology, symbols, and gods as well as its practice in the modern world. In writing this book I have tried to find a balance between academic sources and personal experiences. As someone who has been part of the US Heathen community since 2006, I want my own experiences to inform my writing here so that people can see at least one possible expression of Heathenry in the modern world, but I also want to provide a strong academic resource for readers and a wider view of other possible practices. I have tried to include an extensive bibliography and list a selection of other references that could potentially help readers connect to the Norse Gods in both intellectual and experiential ways and that would be of interest to people curious about Heathenry.

It would be impossible to include everything about either the Norse Gods or Heathenry in a single book of this size, however, I have tried to include what I consider the most pertinent information. Ideally readers will be interested enough to continue researching and reading more, but this book should cover all the essentials. To accomplish this, I am looking at sources spanning both Norse and Germanic cultures, historic and modern, as well as books written by non-academics who feel a strong connection to the subject. I believe that this wide approach is the only way to get a true understanding of Norse Heathenry fully in context.

This book, by nature, will likely tend to reflect my own approach to Heathenry, no matter how I try to avoid bias in my writing, but it should be understood that historic Heathenry was never a homogeneous set of beliefs and practices and that remains true today. There are a multitude of modern Heathen traditions, some of which are at odds with others. I encourage people who are interested to research further into specific approaches.