Swain Wodening’s Blog

One of the interesting developments in Heathenry has been entire nuclear families becoming Heathen. This is not surprising. One spouse converts the other to Heathenry, and naturally they want to raise the children as Heathen. This will in a generation or two lead to entire extended families being Heathen. What is interesting though, is kinfolk not connected to each other are becoming Heathen. My great, great, great, great grandparents can boast at least five Heathen descendants, Brian Smith, Robert Etter, my brother Eric, my son Oswin, and myself. Brian and Robert were already Heathen when we learned we were distantly related. My guess is if we start examining the bloodlines of Heathens we would find more folks are related by blood though distantly. Another interesting tidbit is in my observations I have noticed that an disproportionate number of Heathens are descended from folks colonials. That is their ancestors came to America from England, Scotland, and Wales in the 17th and 18th centuries. Most seem to be from Virgina, a refuge for those that supported the Crown in the English Civil War. Now I may be wrong, most Heathens may actually be descended from later immigrants to America, or I may be underestimating the number of the general population of colonial descent. But for Anglo-Saxon Heathens, in my opinion it holds true.

I see this as an act by the hands of the Gods. That is, the Gods are seeking out those of their descent, and pushing them towards Heathenry. Thus you see those of English descent being pushed towards Heathenry, especially those with some royal blood in them as they are descended from Woden, Ing, or Seaxneat. Is suspect that many of Norse, Swedish, or Danish descent will find too that they are descended from Scandinavian kings or heroes. Now that is not to say that those without such bloodlines cannot be Heathen. It is to say, in my opinion, that the Gods are actively seeking out those that are in some way linked to them in an intimate way. Someday I would like to do a genealogical database of Heathens to see if my ideas are indeed correct.

Heathenry is a family folkway, and a family implies a father, a mother, and children (non-traditional arrangements not withstanding). Without a father or a mother a family cannot function well. Many times though the family is split through divorce. This does not undermine the importance of the father or mother to the family unit. Too often though fathers are cut out of their children’s lives. This should not be so. Research shows that fathers improve their children’s lives in ways no one else can. Children without biological fathers in their lives are more likely to be poor, to abuse drugs, to run away from home, experience health and mental problems, and to engage in criminal activity.

In Heathenry, it is just as important fathers be involved with their children as in any other part of society. The role a father plays is different than that of the mother. Fathers are more likely to be physically active with their child, teaching them to play sports, and getting them away from the TV or video games. A father also provides a different masculine viewpoint that is likely to be different from that of the mother. A father can give a different take on rites, the Gods, and the ancestors. This gives the child a wider range of views. Finally, a biological father is a link to a whole host of ancestors from which children should not be cut off from.

For Heathenry to survive we must pass it to the next generation. This means educating our children in Heathenry and making it a part of their lives. There are many ways to do this. One way is to start early reading the myths of the Gods to them, and then encouraging them to read them for themselves when they are old enough. There are many good children’s books on the myths all available at a reasonable price at any bookstore. In addition to the myths, when they are older you can have them read books on ancient Heathen culture. Books such as Anglo-Saxon Village, Representations of Anglo-Saxon England, The Anglo-Saxons, The Everyday Life of a Viking Settler, and Who Were The Vikings? are all good introductory books. Activity and coloring books are available too. Dover Publications is an excellent source for these. The BBC has sites on the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings that are excellant for children. They are at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/vikings/

Having children involved in rites is another way to make Heathenry a part of their everyday lives. This includes not only fellowship rites, but also family and individual rites. Fellowship should welcome children in their rites (I have known too many that exclude children). This means being tolerant of their antics of course. Family rites naturally should form a part of the child’s life. Fainings and even symbel can be designed to be child friendly. At some moots I have been to they have had children’s symbels using orange juice. This requires strict rules of course such as no oaths, but it can be done. Teaching a child how to do a faining so they can worship on their own is a good way of making Heathenry a part of their lives. A child as young as eight can learn to give milk and cookies to the Gods. I actually did my first rite to Woden at age twelve (odd as I was Christian at the time, but I wanted something really bad, and Jehovah just wasn’t coming through for me). It is important that one stress that fainings are not done for frivolous things, and perhaps best if children are taught to only do fainings of thanks.

Finally, teaching children the basics of Heathenry is important. Teaching them about wyrd, frith, grith, and about the Gods is very important to keeping Heathenry in their lives. When they are older, they can be introduced to books on Heathenry. Age twelve is a good age to start this. Many books on Heathenry by Heathen authors are basic enough for a tween to understand. As teenagers they can start reading adult scholarly works.

It is vital we be able to pass the torch of Heathenry to our children. If Heathenry is to survive we must pass it to the next generation. Too, Heathenry is about families. Children form an integral part of a family, so it is important they be able to take part in Heathen rites, and even learn to research the religion.

Some within the Asatru community are now advocating tribalism. They feel that tribalism is best for Heathenry, something Theodism has known all along. Mark Stinson even wrote on the functions within tribal Heathenry, which is not unlike the social structure of a theod. Theodism and Asatru are, for once, growing closer together, not a part. The question remains though, why tribalism? Why not some other social structure? The ancient Heathens were tribalistic, that was their first social structure, one they had for thousands of years. It was not until contact with Rome that they began to form kingdoms and traded in the rule of the tribe by sacral leader, council of chieftains, and the assembly of freemen (king, witan, and folkmoot) for rule by a lone king with a bureaucracy of noblemen. Christianity can be blamed as much as Rome its self for it was with conversion of the tribal leaders that the social fabric began to break down. The gap between freeman and noble widened. The tribal assembles disappeared. All the great institutions of tribalism were replaced with with the new institutions of feudalism and divine right. Iceland remained the loan hold out, everywhere else was gone the democratic process in Northern Europe by 1300.

So it is good that Asatru has realized what Theodish Belief has all along, that tribalism is best for Heathenry. A tribe is defined as by Random House Webster’s dictionary as ?any aggregate of people united by ties of descent from a common ancestor, community of customs and traditions, adherence to the same leaders, etc.” (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, Random House, New York 1997). As Germanic Heathens we all descend from Mannus, which while a stretch going back to the beginning of time satisfies that requirement. We share the same customs, and many of us adhere to the same leaders (be it Stephen McNallen of the AFA or Brian Smith of Hwitmersc Theod, or many of the other modern Heathen leaders). So many of us are already in tribes.

But what benefits do tribes give? The most basic unit of a tribe is the family. Tribes in ancient times were made up of families and clans, not individuals. When a society loses familial bonds within its families the crime rate rises, suicides increase, mental illnesses increase. In essence the society breaks down. The scholar Emile Durkheim felt that modern nation states are unstable because they do not build on a hierarchy of smaller groups. A tribe does that, starting with the family, then the clan, and finally the tribe its self. The bonds are stronger than those of allegiance to a nation state because they are bonds of blood. Tribalism means less crime, less suicides, less mental illnesses because it has the family as its base.

The other ancient institutions of ancient Heathenry also help provide stability. The ancient way of ruling a tribe as drawn from Taticus’ Germania gives room for plenty of democratic involvement. The sacral leader of the tribe met with the council of chieftains to decide on issues of importance to the tribe. This was then voted on by the folkmoot, the assembly of every freeman of the tribe. Whether to go to war was not decided on by one person, but by the entire tribe. For a modern Heathen living in a democratic society, this aspect of tribalism should be very appealing.

Finally, tribalism encourages unity. A tribe with its bonds of blood and oaths is much closer than say a modern institution such as a club or society. Tribal fellowships I have found in my experience are more solid. I never felt the closeness of a theod in the national organizations I have been a part of. Tribalism is the future of Heathenry. In 1994, I said as much to Garman Lord. He agreed that perhaps it was. Now, sixteen years later, I am beginning to see it is so.

Folks have often asked me how I come up with topics for this blog. It is not an easily answered question as I do not have one method I use. I try to start thinking on topics two to three days before I write a post. Sometimes, I have several topics milling around in my head, other times I do not. I usually think on things of interest to me, or on issues that I feel need to be addressed in Heathenry. Some topics are pretty basic to Heathenry and cannot be addressed often enough. Wyrd, honor, rites are all topics that can be covered pretty regularly without covering the topics too often. Sometimes, a topic is something that has been of importance to me for a long time. I have a background in conflict resolution, and was in a program for teaching convicts in prison peaceful ways of resolving disputes, so it was easy to cover the subject in a Heathen context. At times though, I cannot come up with a topic just by thinking on it. I then start looking for topics in things I have read recently. For example, my recent post on doing rites green came about by reading an article on organizing gatherings green in Missouri Resources magazine. I also have arrived at topics through discussions with other Heathens either online or in person. This is perhaps one of the best way of coming up with topics as I know the topic is of interest to other Heathens. Too, it gives me different perspectives on an idea I may have had. Sometimes, people suggest a topic such as this one for me to cover.

There are times though try as I may, I cannot come up with a topic. Coming up with a topic to cover every week after all is daunting work. I sometimes feel I have covered every topic that can possibly be addressed. For example I have covered honor very frequently in this blog as I have Heathen renown. It would seem I have covered nearly every aspect of these subjects. It is then I resort to more drastic measures, namely, I seek divine inspiration. Now, I will be the first to tell you, I am not one to turn to the Gods and ancestors for every little thing. I pray, yes, often, but these are usually prayers of thanks, though I must admit I turn to the Idesa (Disir) quite often for help at work. The way I ask for divine inspiration varies. Sometimes, I simply pray to the Idesa (Disir) for help, and then go to a place in nature to await the inspiration. There is a large park one town over that is a nice place to do this, and then there are the Pinnacles about twenty miles a way. Other times I will go to my parents’ graves to seek inspiration. I usually get inspired with very little effort on my part. It is amazing to me how the ancestors can inspire me to write on topics of interest to modern Heathens. Very rarely, I have to resort to even more drastic measures. Usually, this involves doing a faining to the Idesa (Disir) or the ancestors in general. I will go out to my flower garden with a horn and some wine, offer up prayers, and then gift the wights I am praying to. I will then go about my usual business until the inspiration comes. I do not ask the major Gods for inspiration, though I am not adverse to doing so. I simply feel they have better things to do. At times though an offering does not work, not because the ancestors are not listening, but because I am not. When that happens I do trancework. I will do my usual offering, shut off the TV and all other distractions, light some incense, and settle down in a comfortable place in the house to do some meditation. I then meditate, clearing my mind of anything that may be going through with it at the time, and listen. If I am lucky I will hear what the ancestors have to say to me.

I wish I could say that I have never failed to be inspired or come up with a topic for this blog, but it is extremely rare. In the almost three years of this blog, I have only failed to arrive at a topic three or four times. I cannot say that my methods would work for everyone, but they are certainly worth trying. I would enjoy hearing about how others have sought inspiration in their work. I am always looking for new ideas on how to come up for topics for this blog.