Hail, all!
This post seems to've been dormant for quite some time, but when I came across it, I couldn't help myself. I had to write something. What was posted here in reply to I, Brian's questions just seemed totally off base and wholly unsatisfactory. If anyone is still interested in Asatru and its practices, I'll leave this here for them to peruse at leisure, which I hope they will.
Let me start off by first saying, however, that the bulk of this is my UPG, and that if I insult anyone, they probably need to stop being so sensitive.
Asatruar, or "Wotanists," are people that have chosen to take up the folk religion of pre-Christian Europe. Asatruar honour the Shining Gods and Goddesses of Asgard, honour their ancestors, and honour the wights of the land and the home. Of course, there are the divisions: reconstructionists and revivalists, universalists and folkish Heathens, etc. These are more viewpoints than anything, but there are also different forms of the religion itself, while the term "Asatru," in my opinion, acts of something as a blanket term. There are differences, for example, between Ealdriht and Irminenschaft.
Asatruar aspire to live honourably and die with a reputation they can be proud of. They aspire to live by the Nine Noble Virtues: courage, truth, honour, fidelity, industriousness, hospitality, perseverance, self-reliance, and discipline. Most of us also aspire to be lore whores, but it's not a requirement.
--IlluSionS667-- said that Asatruar "do not do rituals, but seek contact with the divine by means of meditation or other individual means." This is far from the truth. Anything that paints a picture of Asatru as a primarily solitary religion ("other individual means") is way, WAY out in left field. Asatru is very centered on community. Asatru is about kith and kin (and we do consider the Gods our kin), about serving one's community. Asatru is about family. In fact, ancestor veneration is a huge part of it. We also very definitely DO practice ritual. The main rituals are blot (rhymes with "boat") and sumbel. A blot is a sacrificial ritual where one makes an offering to the Gods (or to a specific God or Goddess). This is a gift to the Gods, and gifts strengthen relationships. It's not a bribe or something done out of fear, but a way of sharing and deepening a connection. Sumbel consists of three (generally) rounds of toasts (usually made with mead, of course). There are different ways to do it, but often the first round is dedicated to the Gods, the second to ancestors, and the third is left open for personal boasts, songs, poetry, etc.
--IlluSionS667-- also stated that "there are no general rules" and that "more [folk] take [the Gods] symbolically." These are sort of iffy statements. First off, every religion has its code of ethics, even if it isn't printed directly in some book. Aside from living by the Nine Noble Virtues, Heathens look to the Havamal for general suggestions on living. As for being literal or symbolic in their view of the Gods, of course there are folk on both sides of the fence, but I have not met with an overwhelming amount of folk who take the Gods as mere symbols or personifications of thunder, rain, etc. This is merely my perception, but it seems to me that it is rather the opposite, and more folk see the Gods as real.
Asatru differs vastly from most neopagan groups, in my opinion. For starters, many folk dislike the label "neopagan" very much and never use or condone it. Many folk resent being tossed under the neopagan umbrella, and I am one of them. Asatruar do not, as a general rule, accept the "all gods are one god" view. Those who do are most likely Wiccatru, a fluffy bastardization of a legitimate pre-Christian religion. Heathens do not have anything remotely similar to the Wiccan Rede; there is no "harm none" rule. Magic does not play a huge role in Asatru. Heathens don't go around waving wands and casting spells. We have no organized clergy or degree systems. Asatru is a very practical, grounded religion. It just doesn't have that sickeningly sweet, New Agey top coat that many neopagan religions seem to carry.
Aside from those differences, Asatru is very often referred to as the religion with homework, and this is with good reason. Most Heathens consider the core body of our lore (The Poetic Edda, The Prose Edda, the Icelandic sagas, etc.) essential if one is going to take the religion seriously.
As for the general perception of Asatruar, it differs. We're seen as people who like to play dress up (some groups wear period clothing), people who are stuck in the past, people who spend more time reading than doing (simply because we read a lot doesn't mean we don't balance it with doing!), people who just like to drink a whole lot, and even neo-Nazi racists (some folk think one needs to be of northern Europen descent to have a rightful place in Asatru). Most of these are exaggerations at best, gross misconceptions at worst. Also, a lot of people seem to think that Asatru is just for big, tough macho men, or that the path is demeaning to women. I'll tell you right now that I happen to be a woman myself, and Asatru is anything but cruel to its ladyfolk. Our Goddesses are strong, clever, proud, and are in no way lowered beneath our Gods on account of gender.
I hope that clears up some views on Asatru.
In frith,
Lokke
