TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

EditorsIntroduction p.2 Introduction p.3 RitualsofAsatru p.6 TheVeorTemple p.11 HolidaysofAsatru p.13 TheGodsofAsgard p.17 Wights,Elves&OtherSpirits p.24 Organization&Kindreds p.29 TheValuesofAsatru p.32 NorseMagic p.39 Appendices p.41

RavenKindredCalendar GreetingtheSun:ASampleRitual TheRavenKindredRitualOutline RavenKindredsGuidetoStartingaKindred

TheRavenbokisCopyright1992,1993,1994,1995byLewisStead.WWWVersionCreatedMay1995.RevisedbyJ.SPereiraApril2001.EditedbyGraemeA.Barber2015.

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TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

EditorsIntroductionWhenIwasfirstexploringbothmyfaithandtheinternet,Icameuponthisveritabletroveofwisdomveryearlyon.Itansweredmyquestions,gavemeaformattoworkfrom,andsetmeonthepathtobecomingaHeathen.Itwasaliteralgodssentgifttomeinthemidnineties,whenthissortofinformationwasscarceatbestintheinteriorofBritishColumbia.Formanyyears,thisresourcehassatontheinternet,unchanging.Ononehand,itsatestamenttothedurabilityofasimplewebsitewithastrongmessage.However,internetsitesdonotlastforever,andIbecameconcernedthatthisresourcemaybecomeunavailableinthefuturetonewgenerationsofHeathenslookingforguidanceandexploringtheirownspirituality.Inguardagainstthis,IhaveassembledtheworksoftheRavenKindredhereintopdfformat.Ihavelightlyeditedandaddedfootnoteswhereneededtodenotewarningsasthiswasoriginallypublishedin1995andsawitslastrevisionin2001.ItismyferventhopethatthisworkcontinuestoprovideguidancetoHeathensinthisnewform,andImustoffermyprofoundthankstotheoriginalauthors,LewisSteadandJ.S.Pereira,andthethegoodmembersoftheRavenKindred.Thisversionwasassembledinthesamespiritastheoriginalposts,toprovidefreeinformationtopotentialoractiveHeathens.Thiswasnotassembledwiththeintentofmonetization,norinanefforttopasstheinformationoffasmyown.PleaseenjoythismodifiedpdfoftheRavenbokGuide,fortheoriginalmaterialpleasegoto:http://www.ravenkindred.com/Ravenbok.htmlFormorepaganrelatedinformation,pleasegoto:http://templeoakhammerstar.wordpress.comThankyou,GraemeA.Barber,CDAdministratorTempleoftheOak,Hammer,andStartempleoakhammerstar@gmail.com

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http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravenkindred.com%2FRavenbok.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFyTDbeTV_EaWFAGioxGWZxxEOctghttp://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Ftempleoakhammerstar.wordpress.com&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGy42HhJj5JmGnWJWapoWeynnTGXw

TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

IntroductionLessthanathousandyearsagotheeldersofIcelandmadeafatefuldecision.UnderpoliticalpressurefromChristianEuropeandfacedwiththeneedfortrade,theAllthingornationalassemblydeclaredIcelandtobeanofficiallyChristiancountry.WithinafewcenturiesthelastremnantsofNordicPaganism,whichoncestretchedthroughallofNorthernEuropewerethoughtdead.However,Icelandwasatolerantcountryandthemyths,stories,andlegendsofPagantimeswereleftunburnttokindlethefiresofbeliefinlatergenerations.In1972,afteralongcampaignbypoetandGothiSveinbjornBeinteinsson,IcelandonceagainrecognizedNordicPaganismasalegitimateandlegalreligion.IcelandandSwedenwerethelasttwobastionsofthePaganreligionoriginallypracticedbythepeopleofthevariousGermanictribes.Today,differenttypesofNordicPaganismwithanemphasisonreconstructingtheoldwaysareknownasHeathenism,NorthernTradition,theTroth,orAsatru(anOldNorsetermmeaning"loyaltytotheGods")TheNordicGodsarehonoredinvirtuallyallthecountrieswheretheywereoriginallyworshipped,aswellastheAmericasandAustralia.ThedifferenttypesofNordicPaganismareamongthemanyreligionscallingthemselvesNeoPaganismwhichincludeDruidism,therevivalofancientCelticPaganism,andWiccaorNeoPaganWitchcraft.HoweverAsatruremainslargelyunknownevenwithinthecommunityofNeoPaganbelievers.ThisbookisintendedasabasicintroductiontothebeliefsandpracticesoftheRavenKindredofAsatru.Wedonotpretendtobeexpertsandwon'tactasifwewere.RatherwearesimplybelieversintheOldGodsseekingtoshareourpracticeandresearchwithotherswhoaretruetotheAesir.OuraimistopresentasimpleguidewhichwillalloweasyunderstandingoftheprinciplesbehindAsatruandtogivehintsforfurtherstudyandexploration.Whileweattempttobehistoricallyaccuratetoourreligion'sroots,it'simportanttonotethattherearemanythingsthatwesimplydon'tknoworwhicharen'twritteninstone.ItisveryimportanttoustostayastruetothewaysoftheoldPagansasispossible.Whileweoccasionallyneedtofleshoutoursystemswherewedon'thavedirectevidenceofhistoricalprecedent,wearenotlikelytosimplymakeupthings.Inthoseplaceswherethevariousmyths,legends,andfolklorearenotclear,wehavetriedtoindicatethis.ThisapproachalsoaccountsforthesometimessignificantvarietyinpracticeamongmembersofdifferentNordicPaganfaithswithanemphasisonreconstruction.Differentscholarshavepositeddifferentinterpretationsofwhatisactuallyknownofhistoricalpractice.Inturn,modernpractitioners,oftenwithimpressivescholarlybackgroundsthemselves,haveaddedtheirownperspective.Lastbutnotleast,thefactthatAsatru,andallotherNordicPaganfaithsaremodern,livingfaithsmeansbringsitsownimperatives.Wewillnotdoexactlyastheancientsdid,forwearenottheancients,andwehaveourownperspectives.Togivesomeverysimpleexamples,agroupwhosemembersarestronglyinterestedinOdinwillprobablyplacemore

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TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

emphasisonthatGodduringtheirevents,oragroupmaychoosenottoholdatraditionalspringfestivaliftheirpartoftheworldstillisdeepinwinter.ThemostimportantthingformodernpeopletorememberaboutAsatruisthatitisareligion.Itisnotasystemofmagickorspiritualityor"NewAgePractice"whichcanbegraftedontosomethingelseorontowhichother"systems"canbegraftedwholesale.Asatruisawordderivedfrom"As"aGodoftheAesirfamilyand"tru"meaningtroth.TobeAsatruistobeboundbyloyaltyandtrothtotheOldGodsoftheNorth.Whilewemaybelieveinthedeitiesofotherreligionsandpeoples,andevenrespectthem,thesearenotourGods.WhilewemaytakepartinritualsdedicatedtootherGodsatPaganfestivalsorecumenicalgatheringswhichencompassmanyotherreligions,wemustnotforgetthatAsatruisourreligionandourprimaryconcern.OnesimplydoesnotcollectmembershipinAsatru(oranyotherreligion)asifonewerecollectingstamps.OurGodsarerealandworthyofourrespect.FormodernAsatruar,trothalsomeansbeingloyaltothewaysinwhichourreligionwaspracticedinthepastthuswearenoteclecticandtendtofocusonlearningabouthistoricalwaysofworshipping.Wedonotpresentourwayastheonly"true"Asatru,butwedofeelthatallAsatrushouldbesolidlyconnectedtoitsrootsinancientNorsepractice.Wherewedonotknowthecertainanswertoaquestion,thereisroomforexploration,butnotforsimplymakingsomethingupoutofwholecloth.WhileinspirationfromtheGodsisanimportantpartofourmovement,thisisnot"makebelieve"andanyadditionstothehistoricalsystemshouldbemadewithrespecttoourancientroots.Asatruisnotapathforeveryone.WearetruepolytheistsandseetheworldasencompassingarichmultitudeofreligionswhichworshipmanyGods.Wedonotdenythebeliefsofothers,andwealsodonotconfusethemwithourown.Theideathat"itisallone"isanathematothetrueHeathen.ToclaimthatOdinisthesameGodasZeusismadness.Wouldoneclaimthatgreenandredarethesamemerelybecausetheyarebothcolors?Ifonedisagreeswiththisperspectiveorfindsitlimitingsobeit.SinceourbeliefisthatAsatruisnotapathforeveryoneitfollowsthatitisbettertofindonesownwayratherthanbendthereligionsofotherstofitourselves.Inaccordancewiththispointofview,asmuchaswehavebeenableto,wehavenotadoptedthepracticesofotherPaganreligionsormagickalsystems.ThosefamiliarwithWiccawillnotethatmostmodernNeoPagansystemsarederivedfromit.WiccaisinturnderivedfromWesternEsotericpractices.ThisisnotthecasewithAsatru.OurreligionbeganwithreconstructionbasedonwrittensourcesdatingfromtheancientPaganperiod.Thishasbeenfollowedbyover20yearsofinnovationandpracticewithintheHeathencommunity.Whilewemakenopretensionsthatthishasresultedinasystemthatisidenticalwiththatofourspiritualancestors,itisatleastasystemthatisourown.InsayingthisIwouldreiteratethatwedonotputdownanyreligionforitsbeliefs.Wemerelyaskfortheintegrityofourown.Wearenotrejectingothersystemsbecausetheyarewrongor

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TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

becausewethinkillofthem,weareratherchoosingAsatrubecauseofourloveanddevotiontoit.

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TheRavenbokGuidetoAsatruandRitualBook

TheRitualsofAsatru

TheBlotTheBlotisthemostcommonritualwithinAsatru.InitssimplestformablotismakingasacrificetotheGods.IntheolddaysthiswasdonebyfeastingonananimalconsecratedtotheGodsandthenslaughtered.Aswearenolongerfarmersandourneedsaresimplertoday,themostcommonblotisanofferingofmeadorotheralcoholicbeveragetothedeities.Manymodernfolkwillbesuspiciousofaritualsuchasthis.Ritualswhicharedeemed"sacrifices,"suchastheblot,haveacertainluridconnotationandhavebeenfalselyreinterpretedbypostPagansourcesinordertodenigrateortrivializethem.Themostcommonmythaboutritualsacrificeisthatoneisbuyingoffadeitye.g.onethrowsavirginintothevolcanosoitwon'terupt.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.Theothercommonmisunderstandingofsacrificeisthatthepurposeistogainsometypeofenergyfromtheactionofkillingorthefearorsufferingoftheanimal.Thisisalsountrue,inactuality,ifyoudoanykindofslaughteringritualormundanecorrectlythereisneither.Ourancientspiritualforebearswereslaughteringanimalsbecausetheywerefarmers,andsacrificewassimplyasacredmannerofdoingso.Inthewayonemightinviteafriendtodinner,thatbountywouldbesharedwiththeGods.TheNorseconceptionofourrelationshiptotheGodsisimportantinunderstandingthenatureofsacrifice.InAsatruitisbelievedthatwearenotonlytheworshippersoftheGodsbutthatwearespirituallyandevenphysicallyrelatedtothem.TheEddastellofaGod,Rig(identifiedwithHeimdall),whowenttovariousfarmsteadsandfatheredthehumanrace.Symbolically,weseeourselvesaskintotheGods.Onamoreesotericlevel,humankindisgiftedwith"ond"orthegiftofecstasy.OndisaforcethatisoftheGods.Itiseverythingthatmakeshumansdifferentfromtheothercreaturesoftheworld.Ascreatureswiththisgift,weareimmediatelyconnectedtotheGods.Wearepartoftheirtribe,theirkin.Thu