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The Official Telegram Channel of the Norrœna Society www.norroena.org https://the-norroena-society.myspreadshop.com/
Many celebrate October 9th as Leif Erikson day in honor of the man who lead the Viking expedition into North America. But what you may not know is that Leif Erikson day is celebrated in part due to the founder of The Norroena Society Rasmus Anderson and his 1874 book "America Not Discovered by Christopher Columbus" where he claimed the Norse were the first Europeans to arrive in North America.
In 1929 Wisconsin was the first state to adopt Leif Erikson day as a holiday and Minnesota followed in 1931. Shortly after in 1964 President LBJ was asked by Congress to make October 9th an observance and he did.
Hail to Rasmus Anderson for his life long work to educate Americans on our European history.
Update on the Mead Making 101 Course for Kvasir Academy:
I'm excited to announce that I'm almost finished building my Mead Making 101 course for Kvasir Academy! In this course, you'll dive into the rich history of mead from cultures around the world, learn essential brewing terminology, and discover the equipment needed for your own brewing adventures. I'll guide you step-by-step through creating your own batch of mead, and I'll also be providing valuable resources for brewers. Plus, I'll be available to answer any questions along the way. Stay tuned for more details soon!
We have rebuilt the Sedian Tenets! This time we utilized a team of brilliant individuals to help us streamline these tenets and make them more concise and definitive. These will be the tenets we etch in stone. This is our faith.
Sedian Tenets: Foundations of Belief and Practice
The Sedian tenets, derived from our lore, are the core beliefs that form the foundation of our religious ideology, upon which our culture, traditions, and law are built; thus, forming our worldview and providing us our moral compass.
1. We believe that our Gods and Goddesses actively exist as literal powers within the natural universe.
2. We fundamentally accept that our Gods and their creation are good, as They manifest the cosmic order.
3. We model our lives upon the traditional worldview of Germanic polytheism.
4. This belief represents all the tribes of the Germanic peoples and their descendants.
5. Our culture is the traditional ethnic expression of our folk and it is our duty to preserve it.
6. We reject all forms of syncretism and universalism as this denies the uniqueness of our tribal divinities.
7. The Gods gave us Their sacred teachings, which we live in accordance with.
8. We select our priesthood from the righteous and wise, who are knowledgeable in our lore, law and rites.
9. We approach the world with logic and reason, always drawing on the wisdom of our Gods and ancestors for guidance.
10. Fatalism is an integral part of our ancestral ways.
11. We perform the rites and prayers in a manner that is built upon a theological understanding of our lore.
12. We follow the sacred laws of the gods, trusting that They will guide our path and knowing they will judge us at the Helthing after death.
13. We reject evil and the celebration thereof, always working for the order of the Gods.
14. Sedianism is the way we celebrate our ancient tradition in the modern world.
15. We hold the epic of our ancestors to be sacred lore.
16. The development of strong, healthy families and communities is the epicenter of our entire belief.
https://norroena.org/the-tenets-of-sedian-belief/
Chapter 4 - Thorolf Most-Beard Comes Out To Iceland, And Sets Up House There.
"Thorolf Most-Beard made a great sacrifice, and asked of Thor his well-beloved friend whether he should make peace with the king, or get him gone from out the land and seek other fortunes. But the Word showed Thorolf to Iceland; and thereafter he got for himself a great ship meet for the main, and trimmed it for the Iceland-faring, and had with him his kindred and his household goods; and many friends of his betook themselves to faring with him. He pulled down the temple, and had with him most of the timbers which had been therein, and mould moreover from under the stall whereon Thor had sat.
Thereafter Thorolf sailed into the main sea, and had wind at will, and made land, and sailed south along and west about Reekness, and then fell the wind, and they saw that two big bights cut into the land.
Then Thorolf cast overboard the pillars of his high-seat, which had been in the temple, and on one of them was Thor carven; withal he spake over them, that there he would abide in Iceland, whereas Thor should let those pillars come a-land."
".... Thereafter they espied the land and found on the outermost point of a ness north of the bay that Thor was come a-land with the pillars. That was afterwards called Thorsness."
-The Saga of the Ere-Dwellers (Eyrbyggja saga)
In the Saga of the Ere-Dwellers, Thorolf Most-Beard turns to his god, Thor, for guidance when faced with a difficult decision—whether to make peace with the king or seek new fortunes elsewhere. Thor reveals Iceland as his destined land, highlighting the deep reliance on divine intervention. Thorolf dismantles his temple, bringing sacred timbers and soil with him, ensuring Thor's presence on his journey. Upon reaching Iceland, he casts his temple pillars, one bearing Thor’s image, into the sea, declaring he will settle where Thor wills them to land. When they wash ashore, the area is named Thorsness, demonstrating the profound importance placed on the gods to guide and protect their followers, shaping both their actions and the land they claim.
Artwork Norsemen Landing in Iceland, by Oscar Arnold Wergeland, 1877
This video describes worship of Odin that still existed into the 1800s.
https://youtu.be/PqUVpwKmDCU
Next week the FYRGEN returning episode drops plus MORE
We're gonna accelerate the HEARTHFIRE release schedule — 3 shows per week
Plus we're gonna welcome another show into the Hearthfire stable in October
WE'RE COOKIN BOYS 🔥
👍👍👍
https://hearthfireradio.com/
NEW EPISODE — The Bog — Historical Blot and How It Worked
https://hearthfireradio.com/episode/historical-blot-and-how-it-worked/
The Boglords go through the nuts and bolts of how blot was performed back in the historical heathen period. Lots of dope information about the inner workings of the ritual, pulled from primary sources.
Get signed up for only $12/mo. to get behind the paywall and access this episode.
Taking submissions now for the 2025 Rimebook, our traditional Sedish calendar.
Send photo submissions to thefrithstead@gmail.com.
Upon receiving photos for every month, the taker of the best photo will receive a free physical copy of the Rimebook.
Photos must align thematically with the months.
For more info on The Frithstead and our Sedish belief, go to thefrithstead.com
In the ancient traditions of Germanic heathenry, certain principles are immutable truths, woven into the fabric of existence by the gods. Honor, courage, and law are not mere ideals—they are the foundation of life, governed by divine authority and fate. These timeless truths form the dogma of our faith.
One of the most serious offenses is being labeled a níðingr, a title reserved for oath-breakers, traitors, cowards, slanderers, and murderers. To be marked a níðingr is to be devoid of honor, judged by the gods at the Helthing, and doomed to Niflhel, where torment awaits. This is divine law—unyielding and uncompromising.
Dogma, by nature, is a set of principles laid down by an authority, and in Germanic heathenry, the gods are that authority. Even they are bound by fate. Every man must die and be judged: the greatest warriors go to Valhalla, the honorable to Hel, and the dishonorable to Niflhel. This judgment reflects the cosmic order, established by the Norns, as seen in Völuspá 20:
“Urth, Verthandi, and Skuld… Laws they made there, and life allotted to the sons of men.”
These laws are not human inventions—they were handed down by the gods. As told in the Rígsþula, Heimdallr, the culture-bringer, gifted the runes of wisdom and life to mankind. Germanic heathenry is an honor-based tradition, and to be accused of being a níðingr is the gravest dishonor. Cowardice, treachery, and oath-breaking strike at the heart of society, punishable by divine and social law, as seen in Germania by Tacitus.
In this tradition, law, lore, ritual, and family are the cornerstones of civilization. These are not guidelines, but divine mandates, handed down by the gods and bound by fate. Even kings and chieftains were held accountable to these sacred laws, as noted in both Germania and Hákon the Good’s Saga.
Germanic heathenry is not without its dogma. Our laws and traditions are sacred, enforced by the gods in accordance with fate. To live by these divine principles is to live with honor; to break them is to fall into disgrace. This is the eternal truth of our faith, known by our ancestors and passed down to us by the gods themselves.
It's important to understand the difference between Tradition (the overarching worldview) and traditions (the local customs that reflect it). Equally essential is recognizing that creating new traditions is not only acceptable but encouraged.
The key is ensuring that any new traditions align with the theological framework of the larger Tradition.
Some may misinterpret the phrase, "this isn’t an ancestral tradition," as a critique of new practices. In truth, it’s simply a reminder that while creating new customs is encouraged, they shouldn’t be mistaken for ancient or ancestral ones. There’s a meaningful distinction between the two.
We encourage people to develop traditions that suit modern times—customs they enjoy and can share with friends and family.
- Kyle Davis
When I first began designing the Goði program for Kvasir Academy, people thought I was crazy. They thought I’d never be able to get anyone to take such a course. It was too long, too hard, & demanded too much. 3 years to Blótgoði? 6 years to Goði? 9 years to Hofgoði? Other courses required a tenth of that and could barely get a few on their roster. If you make it difficult, it’s WORTH it. It has value & shows that not only SHOULD they earn these positions in such a manner, but THEY CAN do it. I built it & they came. 14 NEW people signed up & have declared their commitment to the program. Almost all of them saying they are prepared to take it all the way. That’s 14 communities enriched with a fully trained priesthood. That’s 14 Sedish conduits to the Gods making people’s lives better.
This, my friends, is how revolutions are born.
https://norroena.org
You can not refer to the Eddas and Sagas for sacred guidance and then reject those guides as sacred texts.
This is literal cognitive dissonance.
*I wrote an essay on the need for orthodoxy in Germanic religion in 2022: https://open.substack.com/pub/englishorder/p/an-orthodoxy-in-english-paganism?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2ah4n3
When discussing seidr magic, it's important to consider a passage from *Völuspá hin skamma*—which is actually Hyndluljóð, a poem from the Poetic Edda. In this passage, we learn that all seidr practitioners trace their origins to Svarthofdi, or "Blackhead," who is identified as Surtr.
This suggests that seidr was not exclusively practiced by women, as Snorri portrays it. It could also explain why Odin may have outlawed it as "black magic," as referenced in the works of Saxo Grammaticus.
Snorri wrongfully suggests that seidr is a female's practice, likely based on his understanding of a passage from Lokesona.
On Sunday, Sept. 8, we are officially closing registration into our Ritual Course! We are looking at about 16 students so far! That’s 16 potential communities building proper ancestral faith, 16 families building traditions for generations to come!
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#asatru #odinism #sedian #walhalla
Symbols of Alterlife – part 3 Walhalla
“The honorable warrior, after receiving the drink [Dyrar Veigar], sets out from the Thing... They travel west over Vindhelm’s Bridge, Bifrost. Then the Aesir are there before them, and when they hear the rumble of Bifrost under the arriving riders, then Hermod-Odur and Bragi go to meet the princes, the ones arriving in Valhall who are considered heroes. Warriors and earls who die of natural causes also come to Valhall.”
.... (please follow the link below)
https://norroena.org/symbols-of-alterlife-part-3-walhalla/
#Æfinrunar1 #Æfinrunar2 #rituals
~ Fóstr– Fostering ~
The family makes all agreements and arrangements as to the nature of the fostering.
The child is prepared and dressed for the special occasion.
The rite begins with the birth-parents entering the dwelling of the Fóstri (“Foster-Father”) or Fóstra (“Foster-Mother”) with the child that is to be fostered. The latter will stand next to a seat in a special place within their home, awaiting the arrival of the child.
– Once the blood-family arrives, he states:Nú vil eg bjóða þér fóstur ef þú vilt þiggja.
Now I will offer to foster you if you will accept.
-The family then agrees by stating the following:
I willingly accept both that honor and any good offer which you might make.
– Next, the fosterer sits down and has the child placed on his knee. Then he makes the following vow, holding up the sacred ring before the child:
…(please follow the link below)
https://norroena.org/fostr-fostering/
Out of respect for our friend at Arcane Accents we let the mourning banner fly. May he join the halls of the ancestors. May the gods watch over your family and the folk come to your aid. We are here if you need anything.
The men sat drinking as long as they liked that night, and then went to bed ; but after they had left the hall Queen Thyri took down the hangings, and instead put up black and grey cloth until all was covered. She had done this because it was the custom in those days when tidings of grief came to do as she did.
-Flateyjarbók
"Hammer in the North, hallow and hold this stead
Hammer in the East, hallow and hold this stead
Hammer in the South, hallow and hold this stead
Hammer in the West, hallow and hold this stead."
Many who have practiced heathenry are familiar with these words, often spoken at the beginning of Ásatrú rituals. This invocation is used to concentrate and sanctify the ground, dedicating it as a sacred space. But how well do we understand the deeper origins of this practice?
To understand the act of consecration, we must first grasp its purpose. It is a form of ritual cleansing—purging a space of the mundane and making it sacred, worthy of honor and reverence.
In Germanic heathenry, fire plays a central role in this process. As a primal element, fire is eternal, existing throughout time and space. From the mythic clash of fire and ice in the Ginnungagap, fire is a force of creation, giving rise to life itself. At the same time, fire embodies destruction, as seen in Ragnarök, where it purifies the world of corruption. Through fire, the profane is cleansed, and what remains is consecrated.
"Those who came out later on deemed that the former settlers had appropriated too extensive lands to themselves; but King Harald made them agree to this, that no man should appropriate more land to himself than he and his ship’s crew could carry fire across in one day. They should make fires when the sun was rising in the east (and also smokes should be raised to give them an idea of each other’s bearings) but the fires they made in the east were to burn until nightfall, meantimes they should walk (carrying fire) until the sun reached the west, and there they were to make other fires (which with the fires they had made in the morning were to form the bounds of the landtake)."
Landnamabók (V.1)
"Gotland was first discovered by a man named Þielvar. At that time the island was so bewitched that it sank by day and rose up at night. That man, however, was the first that brought fire to the island, and afterwards it never sank again."
Gutasaga ch. 1
Thus, when we hallow the space, we are using this ancient element. Fire, in its eternal and transformative nature, burns away impurity and sets the foundation for sacred ground, a place of power and respect in the eyes of both gods and men.
The idea of calling to the corners is found in Christian text when it is said that " Among the surviving records of the Angelic Operations is A Book of Supplications and Invocations which "deals with the Invocation of the Angels who preside over the Four Quarters of the Terrestrial sphere." It was later utilized by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which became the centralized method of concentrating for esoteric practices and Wicca.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchtower_(magic)#:~:text=4%20References-,Origins%20in%20Enochian%20tradition,quadrangles%20of%20the%20Great%20Table.
In Nordic tradition, Austri, Vestri, Norðri and Suðri are dwarves that hold up the sky as we are told in Gylfaginning:
" They took his [Ymir's] skull also, and made of it the heaven, and set it up over the earth with four corners; and under each corner they set a dwarf: the names of these are East, West, North, and South."
While some may argue that honoring the dwarves for upholding the sky is a meaningful gesture, this is not a method of consecration. We strongly recommend utilizing the examples from our lore and the primal elements when creating sacred space.
Next week we take full possession of the Irminfolk Mansion and we will begin by cleaning out and ripping out anything that is not of the historical fabric of the Manse. Rugs, linoleum, underlayment, pannelling, 70s renovations, any furniture and appliances... it's all going to the dumpster. Plus we're doing a deep cleaning and extermination.
If you are available on October 5th in Susquehanna county PA, to lend a hand, even if it's just to run errands while we do the heavy stuff, we appreciate it. Contact us and we will coordinate with you.
And if you can't make it but still want to help, we are still accepting donations on our fundraiser. Thanks!
https://www.irminfolk.com/irminhof-fund-raiser/
Today, I'd like to discuss the concepts of orthodoxy and orthopraxy within heathenry. As a polytheistic tradition, heathenry honors multiple gods and goddesses, each with distinct aspects considered sacred to our ancestors.
When discussing orthodoxy, it's important to clarify that while we don't have a single, authoritative text like some monotheistic religions, we do have an epic tradition that reflects the core beliefs of our ancestors. The Poetic Edda, particularly the Völuspá, provides a glimpse into the mythic worldview of the ancient heathens. These poems recount creation, the interactions between gods and humanity, and the prophesied future. In this way, the Edda functions as a source of orthodoxy—offering a "generally accepted" understanding of the gods, the cosmos, and the mythic history of the Germanic peoples.
This idea of orthodoxy is supported by figures like Snorri Sturluson and Saxo Grammaticus, who drew upon these oral traditions in their own writings. Despite being from different times and places, both recognized the Eddic poems as foundational, showing that these stories were viewed as essential and authoritative by their respective cultures.
On the matter of orthopraxy—correct practices—we see clear guidelines for rituals like blót and sumbel, two key practices in heathenry. The Hávamál, stanza 144, provides a template for conducting a blót, emphasizing the correct steps for divination, offerings, and the proper handling of sacrifices:
"Do you know how to carve (rune)?
Do you know how to interpret?
Do you know how to tint?
Do you know how to test?
Do you know how to ask?
Do you know how to blót?
Do you know how to send?
Do you know how to kill the offering?"
This passage outlines a ritual structure, illustrating the traditional elements that constituted a proper blót. Beyond ritual, heathenry also places high value on honorable behavior, condemning actions like oath-breaking, secret murder, and cowardice—further evidence of an orthopraxy centered on both correct action and moral conduct.
While heathenry doesn't demand a single, rigid approach, it does present a framework of orthodoxy and orthopraxy rooted in historical practices. These traditions offer clear guidance on what is considered correct belief and action, without insisting on one exclusive way of interpretation or practice.
To simplify this idea into a shorter post:
Heathenry has forms of both orthodoxy and orthopraxy, but not in the rigid sense some might expect. The orthodoxy is found in the epic traditions within the lore, like the Poetic Edda, which reveals our ancestors' beliefs and myths. Similarly, the orthopraxy—correct practices—are also expressed in the lore through rituals like blót and sumbel. These provide clear examples of how things were traditionally done, showing that while there's room for interpretation, there are still right and wrong ways rooted in our history.
The holy tree of Sedianism. Topped by a rooster, the tree represents all of life in the universe, and thus is the symbol of creation. The rooster is Gullinkambi, who is not only a symbol of the Gods watching over us, he also is connected to the Galdr. In Voluspa 43 it says that he "crowed above the Aesir," (gol of asum), and this term "gol" is the root of the word Galdr, which comes from gala, to crow or to chant. This is not surprising, for we find the morning call of roosters to have been holy among the IE peoples. In the Vedas his call is considered sacred, and the rooster is the first to cry out the sound "Om" that became the center of Indian meditation. In Saxo the cock is used to prove that animals are reborn when tossed into the realm of the dead, so they have a relationship with the ancestral realms as well. This sacred animal is found throughout our lore and should be recognized as an important figure.
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- Folkish Summer Hallowing
- Irminfolk's new hof
- Tom Rowsell's Starting Heathenry course
- Norroena Society's Kvasir Academy
- Hearthfire Radio
- Exiles of the Golden Age conference
- Declaration of Tradition
Folkish heathens are stacking Ws boys. Universalist wicca fake pagans are clicking "like" on Facebook pages. Folkish real heathens are actually creating institutions and accumulating hard assets.
This diagram represents the relationship between the sacred (heilagr/hálíg) and the profane (vanhelgar/unhálíg) within a cosmological order. At the center are the gods (regin/godu), representing the highest level of holiness and authority. The concept of order (skipan/endebyrd) serves as the structure through which both the sacred and profane realms are balanced and governed by the gods.
The diagram shows how, although the sacred and profane are distinct, they are not entirely separate. The divine order presides over both, ensuring that even the profane operates within the overarching cosmic framework, ultimately maintained by the gods. This illustrates the belief that all aspects of life, whether holy or mundane, exist under the influence and regulation of the divine.
I've been in discussions about recording my first podcast episode with the team at The Bog and Hearthfire Radio. We'll be diving into what it truly means to be folkish and how the term is often misunderstood and misused.
Who would be interested in tuning in to this conversation?
https://hearthfireradio.com/
- Kyle Davis
Sharing this excellent break down of what the Sedian tenets represent and the idea behind Sedianism. Which is best described through the motto:
Sedian - Our Ancestral Tradition
This is a great example of how the lore is considered sacred due to the valuable content within the texts. I’m glad someone else recognizes this.
Reconnecting with our ancestral traditions isn’t achieved by following New Age practices. It’s done by understanding the lessons of the past and applying them today. It’s about building families and clans that continue to teach the history of our people.
You can’t claim to be folkish or practice an ancestral tradition if your entire organization is rooted in New Age customs. If you’re unclear on what New Age is, it refers to practices that originated during the 1960s and '70s counter-culture movement, heavily influenced by occult ideologies. Many Asatru customs, like chanting runes as Galdr or inventing holidays such as Freyfaxi and Hexennacht, are based on these ideologies, rather than the actual attested holidays. These groups often replaced Wiccan terms with Norse ones just to claim they’re "folkish." Simply practicing a religion doesn't make you folkish unless that religion comes from your own folk. If you practice a religion outside of your own culture, you're either a syncretist or a universalist.
Having local communities can be beneficial, but what’s the point if you're teaching New Age nonsense and calling it ancestral? That’s subversion—undermining ancestral culture and distorting the worldview that shaped the future. If you want to call yourself folkish, at least make an effort to understand the traditions you're claiming to follow.
- Kyle Davis
I just have to say: this is my favorite shirt of all time.
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I've been going back and forth on the idea of creating an online course for Mead Making 101, and I’m excited to share my vision with you. This course is designed with the intent to provide a thorough introduction to the world of mead, from its rich history and essential terminology to the equipment and processes you'll need. It will include a detailed, step-by-step guide to crafting your first batch of mead from scratch. My aim is to make this course not only affordable but also comprehensive enough that by the end, you'll have the confidence to create your own mead from start to finish, and troubleshoot some of the challenges that come your way during fermentation.
This course is more than just a learning opportunity. A portion of the proceeds will be reinvested into two significant projects. First, it will help bring my dream of building a Mead Hall closer to reality, where I hope to host public events and foster a community of mead and history enthusiasts and cultural pracitces. Secondly, it will contribute to supporting the Norroena Society's projects, which are dedicated to preserving and promoting our Germanic heritage.
For now it's still a work in progress, but, if this is something you think you'd be interested in taking give me a thumbs up!
HOF UPDATE! BIG NEWS!
We will be extending the duration of the Hof fundraiser until November 30th 2024, after which we will close the campaign and begin fulfilling all of the reward tiers.
We are shutting down the fundraiser because we were unable to purchase a humble one room Hof. When we tried, everything fell through.
So we blew all your money on a 5,000 square foot Gilded age mansion instead.
The Victorian era "Second Empire, Napoleon III" style manor will be reconditioned to serve our faith as Irminfolk Headquarters. With the Grand Parlors serving as a Hof, the servant's quarters becomming our store, and rooms for the library, the art school, lecture hall, the Wandervogel, and the brewer's guild to all find a permanent home.
We are in contract to take full possession soon and will be leaking exciting details in dribs and drabs. We have some housekeeping to do before presentation.
If you want to help out, please share or contribute:
https://www.irminfolk.com/irminhof-fund-raiser/
#asatru #odinism #sedian #olb
For years The Norroena Society has made arguments as to the validity of The Oera Linda Book based on a stringent investigation into the contents of the text, rather than knee-jerk reactions from academics we do not trust in the first place.
One of our primary arguments was that OLB contains an account of the Teutonic migration Saga, which was not fully fleshed out by academia until a century AFTER the text was discovered. Other than that, we never took the book at face value, and saw it as being something on par with say Saxo, which is useful but severely flawed from the standpoint of seeking an authentic narrative on our ancestral ways. However, it does seem that OLB poses problems within the research, and it is our goal to achieve the closest possible rendition of the faith that we can find.
For that reason we will retain the info we have put out previously from OLB, as a way to show people the evolution of the work we have done, but will retire from using it in the future because of the problems it poses.
We will be making other changes in the future that will be very strongly tied to this idea of seeking an authentic path for our folk to follow, and build a body of wisdom and lore that will ring out throughout the ages. New works are coming towards that end that will change everything we thought we knew, while validating these beliefs in ways we never thought possible. So stay tuned!
https://norroena.org/oera-linda-book/