AFA Update
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax
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AFA UPDATE
A PROJECT OF THE ASATRU FOLK ASSEMBLY
Issue 134
October 28, 2009
Contact email: a...@runestone.org
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AFA UPDATE IS FOR EVERYONE! Not just AFA members and supporters�not even
just for followers of native Germanic or native European religion! If
you're interested in what we have to say, that's reason enough to be here.
The contents of this newsletter are not necessarily the official opinion
of the Asatru Folk Assembly, unless explicitly stated. Links and
commentary reflect the opinions of Stephen A. McNallen, head of the
Asatru Folk Assembly, but individual AFA members are not obliged to
share those opinions. The Declaration of Purpose and the Statement of
Ethics remain the defining documents of the Asatru Folk Assembly.
AFA MISSION STATEMENT
Here it is, a restatement of what we're all about: The mission of the
Asatru Folk Assembly is to practice, promote, and further evolve the
religion of Asatru, thus forging it into a powerful and effective tool
for building a better world.
CELEBRATING THE DISIR
Asatru has many holy days, but Winter Nights - when we honor the female
ancestors, or Disir - is one of the most moving.
October has its own very special feeling. Both life and death seem more
immediate, more tangible. The changing weather matches changes in our
own souls as we become more introspective, turning inward in preparation
for the austerities of winter.
Yesterday, we met with fellow members of the Asatru Folk Assembly to
observe this turning of the seasons. Standing around the tree we call
Grandfather Oak, we raised our horn of mead high and asked the Gods and
the ancestors to be with us, and to look with favor on our deeds that
day. The mead was passed from hand to hand. The Holy Powers were hailed,
and we reflected on the closeness of our forefathers and foremothers,
and on the thinness of the barrier between this word and the next.
Later, we returned to our outdoor ritual area. Raising my fist, I called
on the might of Thor's hammer to make this place holy, to let "weal and
well-being prevail," and to cast out all discord. I hallowed our simple
altar and dedicated it to the Disir.
Having readied the site, we called on the Disir in general. Then, women
among the assembled folk invoked by name the Seven Mothers of Europe -
the women from whom all native Europeans are descended, according to
British geneticist Dr. Bryan Sykes. Having summoned these European
Ur-Mothers, we took turns asking specific women of our own family lines
to be with us.
A horn of mead was passed around the circle, and each of us placed our
own "might and main and troth" into it with a touch of the hand. This
giving of our own essence is the real "sacrifice" presented to the Holy
Powers; the libation of mead is only the vehicle for this intangible
gift. And since a gift calls for a gift, the horn was raised again -
only this time, we asked for the Disir to give us their blessings..
These gifts were transmitted to the folk as I walked around the circle,
sprinkling each participant with the mead.
This sacred exchange between the Disir and ourselves completed, we
closed the rite. One by one we solemnly drew three runes for later
analysis, and returned to festivities and feasting within the house.
We ate and talked and laughed until the lateness of the hour forced our
guests, reluctantly, to pack up their belongings and go home. Long after
everyone else had departed, Sheila and I sat there, basking in the
afterglow and recounting just how well it had gone. What a delightful
way to honor our ancestral mothers!
In my next post I will give the invocation I used to call the Disir.
SUMMONING THE FEMALE ANCESTORS
When we called upon the Disir at our Winter Nights feast last weekend,
these are the words we used. As you can see, this invocation consists of
three parts: One to the Disir in general, one to the seven "clan
mothers" described in Bryan Sykes's book, The Seven Daughters of Eve,
and one to specific female ancestor of those of us in attendance.
Ancient mothers, holy and wise! You look on us, your sons and daughters,
from beyond the grave and you give your gifts of love and luck and
inspiration. Death is not a wall, but a veil, and you whisper through
it, nourishing our souls as your milk once fed our bodies. You gave us
the gift of life, and now we strive to be worthy of that gift, and to
pass it on to our descendants that our clans may live forever!
We call you to be among us...We call the primordial Seven Mothers of our
homeland!
[Selected women say "We call Ursula..." and so forth, using the names
provided in The Seven Daughters of Eve.]
...And we also call the mighty women of our own family lines to be with
us...I call Christine [My choice; each person was asked in advance to
select a female ancestor to summon]...
[Next person clockwise says "I call..." and so forth.]
After than, we continued with the offering of the horn and the rest of
the blot.
CHOOSING YOUR BEST FRIEND AMONG THE GODS
Those of us who follow Asatru usually choose one deity or another to be
our patron (or matron!) among the Holy Powers. One can think of this as
selecting our "best friend" among the Aesir or Vanir. The condition of
having such a Godly best friend is called fulltrui in Old Norse.
Over the years, I have noticed two more or less predictable patterns.
Typically, the personality of the worshiper corresponds to that of the
chosen deity. Presumably this is because we tend to choose friends
(whether divine or human) who are somewhat like ourselves. The
powerlifter or biker may select Thor for a patron. The female martial
artist may choose Freya, the poet may prefer Bragi or Odin himself. A
side-effect of entering into fulltrui with a God or Goddess much like
yourself is that it reinforces your best characteristics.
On the other hand, some folks follow a very different pattern.
Paradoxically, the man whose biceps are the same size as his wrist may
also take Thor as his best friend. The not-so-bright may choose Odin as
his patron, the homely woman call upon Freya, and so forth. In this
case, people choose deities who are the opposite of themselves. This may
of course be a matter of simple self-delusion on the part of the humans
involved, but there is another possibility: Maybe there is an advantage
to entering into fulltrui with a God or Goddess who models not what you
are, but what you want to become. The difference is that in the latter
situation you are aware of your weaknesses, and are determined to change
yourself.
Many and wonderful are the tools of self-transformation!
ASATRU, THE DEAD, AND "HALLUCINATIONS"
We Asatru-folks have just finished celebrating Winter Nights. Right
around the corner is Samhain - the popular culture calls it "Halloween"
- which is more or less the Celtic equivalent. Both these holy days deal
with the nearness of the dead.
Asatru, like other traditional religions around the world, has an
elaborate lore regarding the dead and their condition in the afterlife.
In addition to this, there is the well-documented experience of ordinary
men and women in which they sense the presence of newly-dead kin and
friends.
If you believe you've been contacted by someone who has recently died,
you are not alone. According to one study, more than half the people
surveyed reported experiencing this phenomenon in one form or another.
This could be a very definite event accompanied by sound or sight or
what we might call poltergeist activity, or something much more subtle -
a sensed presence.
Unfortunately, I can't find the article that described this study, nor
can I remember the percentage breakdown on the conclusions. What I do
recall is that scientists were asking the question: "Why do people have
these hallucinations?"
Yes, that's right...hallucinations. Science, supposedly an unbiased,
open-minded discipline, dismisses the spiritual as nothing more than
illusions produced by grief!
I am not so simple-minded as to think that every anomalous event must
have some supernormal or supernatural explanation. But to decide that
the spiritual explanation must be rejected out of hand, and that
hallucination is the only acceptable solution, doesn't seem to be to be
a genuine search for the truth.
Meanwhile the rest of us will continue to take comfort in the validation
of our Asatru belief - namely, that there is more to us than the mere
physical, and that some bonds extend beyond time, space and mortality.
MEMBERSHIP IN THE AFA
The Asatru Folk Assembly is a membership organization. If you like what
you see here, and if you agree with the AFA's Declaration of Purpose, we
encourage you to apply.
Membership in the AFA has a whole list of benefits - our network of
Folkbuilders, our Clergy program, and a clear vision of what we are
trying to accomplish, our members-only newsletter, access to our Yahoo
group and forum, and more. We seek to build community, while giving
members a unique opportunity to help us carry out the high aims of the
Declaration of Purpose.
To find out more about AFA membership, go to our web site -
http://runestone.org. Or drop us a line and we'll put you in contact
with our Folkbuilder for your area!
CALENDAR
November 9 - Day of Remembrance for Queen Sigrid of Sweden. Sigrith was
offered marriage to Olaf Tryggvason, the Christianizer of Norway. The
condition was that she give up the religion of her ancestors. She
refused to do this, and Olaf ignobly slapped her across the face. In
retribution, she played a key role in his downfall. Meditate on the
glory of strong women who will not compromise on matters of honor.
November 11 - Feast of the Einheriar. The chosen heroes who sit in
Odin's hall are called the Einheriar, and we honor them on this day.
Lift a toast to those who fell bravely in battle for our Way, our
people, and for the noble cause. Think on the sacrifices of our
veterans, and visit their graves.
Hail the Holy Ones!
Hail the AFA!
Stephen A. McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
VISIT OUR WEB SITE at http://www.runestone.org.
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FFF
Dirk
http://www.transcendence.me.uk/ - Transcendence UK
http://www.theconsensus.org/ - A UK political party
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/onetribe - Occult Talk Show