TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Course Topics A. What is Ásatrú? (Plus glossaries and pronunciation information.) B. Wyrd and Orlog C. Gods and Other Etins D. Wights E. The Blót F. Death and the Afterlife G. Community 1: Code and Culture H. Community 2: Building and Maintaining Relationships I. Community 3: The Sumbel J. Community 4: Magics of Ásatrú K. Chronology of the Heathen World 2. Suggested Reading 3. Organizations 4. Links to Heathen Discussion Groups 5. Other Ásatrú Links ASATRU-U Beginers Course Welcome! This self-study program is designed for people who have a strong interest in Asatru and want to learn about the gods, rituals, and central ideas of Heathen religion. We expect that most people will take between three and six months to complete the entire course. When you have finished, you should have a good basic knowledge of:
-the gods and goddesses of Asatru -other beings we honor (e.g., land-spirits) -the main rituals of Asatru (blót and sumbel) -the concept of Wyrd ("fate") -Heathen ideas about the soul and afterlife -the modern Heathen community - its ideals, organizations, and differences -types of magic practiced by some Asatruar We hope that this course will equip you to dig deeper into areas that draw you as you continue learning about Heathenism. As you go through the course, one thing that will quickly become apparent is that there is no one "right way" to practice Asatru. In selecting the readings and links for the course, we have aimed to give you some sense of the diversity of ideas and practice within Heathen religion. Ultimately, it is up to you to make your own decisions about what Asatru means to you and how you will practice it. We hope that this course will prove useful to you, and we wish you well on your learning journey! --The Asatru-U Committee Vituð ér enn, eða hvat?
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About Swain Wodening
_Swain Wódening, one of the founding members of Englatheod and the Ealdriht. Swain has lived a Heathen life along with his brother. In 1989 he learned of and joined the Troth. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Winland Ríce. In 1996, he left to form the Angelseaxisce Ealdriht _with Winfred Hodge Rose. The Ealdriht grew to be the largest Anglo-Saxon Heathen and Theodish organization to ever exist. The Ealdriht eventually became the Miercinga Theod. He led that organization until June, 2006 when he resigned to seek a deeper spirituality. His former wife Teresa Canote then took over leadership. The Miercinga Theod disbanded in March, 2008 when Teresa left public Heathenry. In June of 2007, Swain’s brother formed the Englatheod, and Swain became one of the founding members. Englatheod became a part of White Marsh Theod. Swain has written several books and booklets and countless articles including: Hammer of the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism in Modern Times, Germanic Magic, and Path to the Gods: Anglo-Saxon Paganism for Beginners. Swain is currently a member of Wednesbury Shire of White Marsh theod (http://www.englatheod.org). He has one son, Oswin, and resides in Missouri. To contact him, email s_wodening@yahoo.com. |