My Brand of Heathenry

When you do anything, you're going to get criticism. I've always expected that. So, when I find out that there have been some comments...some to me...some behind my back, about what I'm doing in Heathenry, then I feel like I should clarify some things.

For starters, I don't practice Heathenry as a hobby. It's apart of me. So when it comes to being productive, or working hard towards something, it's because I believe in what I'm working on. When I'm networking folks, or I'm answering questions, or referring people to sources and groups, it's because I believe that it has potential to help the future of our folk. I could never look at this as something I do once a month.

Second, I want to get away from the personal politics that people throw into Heathenry. People will use their religion as a way to justify their social or political bias. We see it with just about every religion out there. So, when you have a lot of folks starting "debates", causing various disturbances, etc...you're going to have new folks coming in and picking up on that, and it will perpetuate the misinformation and personal bias, and often times, people just run with the information they pick up on when they first come into something like Heathenry.

I also don't agree with being easy on folks if they've done something they shouldn't. Point blank, coddling doesn't help anyone. What usually happens to folks who get babied growing up? They usually lack structure, or understanding. There's nothing wrong with being stern with someone. For me, I like to actually talk with people, and try to make sure there's an understanding.

Oaths are important, and I don't take those lightly. So, I don't agree with just freely oathing, especially in a group.

I don't believe in Heathenry as a social club. 

I believe in going back to the basics of ceremony, without mixing new age stuff in it.

I believe in promoting Heathenry, instead of promoting other faiths and paths

I believe in aligning myself with folks who have the same goals.

More than all of these things, I believe in being true and loyal to my kin and kith.

Overall, this is where I am, and I'm happy to be here. Criticism is expected, and honestly, there's no problem with it. Is it going to stop me from doing what I have been this whole time? No, it's not. I've noticed that I'm not the only one who feels like our faith is polluted with people who aren't dedicated, who don't care about their folk, who look at our faith like it's a game and a reason to play Viking, and who look at kindred/tribe structure like it's a fraternity/sorority. We're getting back to basics and learning about our cultural heritages, getting out in the world and meeting other folks, instead of staying behind a keyboard, and creating stories from our experiences and hard work.

The Long Way Around

I've always been stubborn, and it's always been said that it's a true family trait. I come from an old style Appalachian family from the coalfields of West Virginia. Great Grandpa had a bull and a feed store that still stood (and in some form, still stands), when I was a kid. It used to be said that you had to cross the field where Great Grandpa had his bull, to get to the houses from the bus stop, and so the kids would have to hop the fence and run for dear life. So, Great Grandpa would stand outside with a stick, and when the kids would get ready to run through, that bull would start huffin' and beating the ground with it's hoof. Great Grandpa would haul off and smack that bull in the face with that stick. The bull would calm down. It was also said, that the bull was exactly like Great Grandpa as far as personality goes.

I remember, I used to sit on the feed store's steps with my little glass bottle of Coke and a bag of chips, just as my Papaw and my Mom once did. Papaw was a military man, desperate to get away from the coalfields. In some twist of irony, Papaw ended up coming back to the same holler (yes, I know it's actually "hollow", but I type like I talk), and even after we flooded a few years back, he, due to his stubbornness, went back for a few months this past year, and eventually got too sick to take care of himself. He passed away February 13th of this year. His legacy that he left behind in the community is a man who had a filthy mouth, did whatever he wanted, drove too fast on small roads, but then would drive 30 miles under the speed limit on the highway. He was also known as one of the best butchers around, because as the newspaper put it,  "Our butcher was special. It was said he could cut part of his finger off, wrap it quickly, and never get a drop of his blood in the hamburger he was grinding fresh for someone. Sadly, OUR BUTCHER (Don Moore) passed within the past month at about 80. His legacy as the company store butcher with the friendly smile lives on"...He really did cut off his finger as a butcher.

 Papaw and Great Grandpa

My mom, of course, is also stubborn. She grew up a fighter. Essentially beating the living shit out of anyone that deserved it. She once grabbed a boy off a bike when she was a kid, and then proceeded to beat the shit out of him in the middle of the road, because he called her fat. She's never had it easy, and despite the hard times, she's never given up. With her family in mind, she went to school and became an RN and raised both myself and my brother, and then proceeded to help raise my nephews. Now, she is diagnosed with a Glioblastoma Multiform, which is a brain tumor for those that don't know. She was given 9 months to live...that, however, was about 18 months ago. She continues to fight.

Mom

So, it was only natural that I would inherit this as well. For better, or for worse, I was a member of this family, which means I get the good and the bad. Overall, it's both helped and hurt me over the years. Primarily in the respect that I have always seemed to walk my own path. I've always, either by meaning to, or not, taken the rougher road. I've never fully understood it. I've just always taken the longer way around. It's just seemed like the natural thing to do. More than that, it's always seemed to served my folk well in the end.

When I was younger, I don't think I fully understood the importance taking things this way. Why would anyone really ever want to take the hard road? Normally, in today's society, it's promoted that we do things an easier way. My response to taking the easy route is simply that it's not always better. Have you ever wondered why we have that easy way available to us? It's because someone took that hard way first. In the midst of all the overgrowth, holes, and predators, they've put themselves through it, and often times, not for just themselves, but for others to come after.

This is what I've learned from my family. My Papaw cut his finger off, and went right back to work, because it was the right thing to do for his family. My mom struggled in school, just so she could graduate and give us a better life than what we had. As far as my Great Grandpa...well...he was just Great Grandpa. Stubborn and tough. There's many lessons to learn from that. In conclusion, sometimes going the long way around, makes you stronger and wiser, and hopefully you come out at your destination with a story despite the scars and hope despite the bruises. 

Let Them Hate...

"Oderint dum metuant" was a favorite saying of Caligula. It essentially means, "Let them hate, so long as they fear." It's also one of my favorite sayings. So much so, that I have it tattooed on my chest around my Mjolnir tattoo that I did when I first decided to dedicate myself to Heathenry.

I understood when you go against the grain of what is considered "correct" by the majority, that you're going to get folks that hate you. Not because of who you are, and not necessarily for what you stand for. They hate you for the assumptions that they* make. They hate you, a majority of the time, from false ideas that they've created in their head automatically.

So, it's no surprise that I got opposition when I first came to Heathenry. I still get it today. The interesting thing about the disrespect I get today, though, is that most of it comes from the "Heathen" scene. Does it annoy me? Sometimes it does. There's nothing more frustrating than someone twisting words around, and coming up with bullshit ideas that they use to justify their distorted reality. It does get frustrating to have people just assume things. 

At the same time, these types often never do anything with their lives. They sit behind a keyboard and type up some junk, in an attempt to feed their egos through debate and mockery. It's never a face to face issue. Normally, if there is face to face contact, they're the type to smile to your face if they see you out. 

I understand that considering myself as a Tribalist and a Folkish Heathen is unpopular among today's politically correct society and in Heathenry. No matter how much I work to unify folks in the name of our way of life and try to forward our culture and traditions, promote learning when it comes to history and archaeology, or anything of that nature, I'm going to have an asterisk by my name. I'm always going to have some guy that spends 90% of his time in facebook groups, shit talking. I'm going to get shit talked in the local Eclectic Pagan groups for being a "snob" about who I let in my innangard. I'm going to get called fluffy because I don't argue with the "intellectual" groups. 

I understood all of this from the first time I picked up my first book on Asatru and started reading. The mental state I'm in at the moment, however is pretty clear. I'm going to do what I do, regardless. I'm not going to be like some of these folk who straddle the fence and switch sides depending on who they're talking to. I don't view my faith and my lifestyle as something that can or should be easily swapped. 

It's important to have that mentality when you're going against the popular views. Views that state that it's okay to make our folkway a universal religion for anyone to come in and bastardize by adding whatever they want to it. Views that say it's okay to window shop for a religion, because it's all about fashion. Views that say it's okay to sit on your ass and never do anything to ensure a future for Heathenry. A fucking debate on a forum doesn't make you a warrior. You won't go to Valhalla for it.

When we find opposition, we should move along, regardless. Those of us who care enough to work towards a future for our faith and our way of life need to be strong and carry the burden. In five years, we'll still be standing, while everyone else is still sitting on their computers with the same tired arguments. 

This is an exciting time for Heathenry. For newcomers, coming in and seeing the strength that we speak of is important. To hold your convictions and carry them through everything bad that can be thrown at you, and to come out the other side still holding them is essential to our survival. 

People fear things they can't control. When someone maliciously mocks you and tries to debate you, they are trying to control you. Don't let them. When it comes to criticism, always remember that phrase. Let them hate, so long as they fear. If they can't control you, they have no power. Stand your ground and always push forward. This is your saga, and you're the one that decides how it's going to go. It's best to leave behind something worth talking about long after your gone.

Remembering Erik the Red

Today we remember Erik the Red. 

Many of us today will reflect on his loyalty to the Old Ways. It was said that once his wife became a Christian, she refused to sleep with him. His loyalty to Thor and the Old Gods is something that we should look at. However, we should also take into account his loyalty to his family. Despite not liking Christianity, he remained loyal to his kin, even after they converted. 

One of the things that many new Heathens seem to have a problem with, is honoring ancestors and family who aren't Heathen. One thing I think we can take away from today is that, even when we disagree with our kin, it's important to remain loyal to them. At the same time, we should stand our ground and stay loyal to our ways. 

Our Code

Over the years, I've seen an increasing number of folks who disagree with having the NNV (Nine Noble Virtues for those who may be new to the faith) in Heathenry. There are so many debates back and forth about the topic, that it can get ridiculous. People will spend more time complaining about the NNV being the Heathen's 10 Commandments, than anything else. I've always looked at them as a code of ethics to live by. That's just it. It's something to strive for in our daily lives to help us form and maintain relationships and bonds with our folk. However, I've always felt that for our tribe, we needed more than that. We needed our own code that fit who we are and our view of things.

Codes are great to have. they help us stay on the right path to achieve our goals, and they remind us of what we're about. A problem in Heathenry comes from lack of direction and goals.  This becomes a problem especially for new Heathens. Some come in looking for that structure, and are only met with chaos. They look for guidance, but are met with someone telling them to find their own way around, and then they get mocked when they do.

The fact is, we need goals. Not only for those who have been here, but for those who will come. We need structure to carry out those goals. We need organization and vision. For us, that's what our code is about. 

Given, while our tribe's code may not be looked well upon by everyone, it works for us and describes how we try to carry ourselves and live

Our* Community

When I started looking for a religion that I could call my own, it was difficult. First, I was lucky. I never had Christianity pushed on me. I came from a lower middle-class single parent household, and grew up in an old coal camp.The place I grew up in had more churches than schools. It was natural, then, that Christianity would become part of my life. I went to church on my own and made the decision to become a Christian on my own. That church, however, decided that I wasn't their type. They stopped picking me up for church, eventually. The reasons were generally unclear. One of the things that kept coming up, however, was how I was dressed. I only owned 2 pairs of pants and 3 shirts, and none of them were up to the standards of the church. So, at the age of 12, they drove by my house on the church bus, slowed down, looked at me and waved as I stood by the road waiting, and then sped off. They did this for weeks, until I finally gave up, and just never left my house.

I didn't do religion for awhile. I focused on other things. Eventually, I decided I would look further to see what I could find. It was 2003, and I had left high school. I felt the need to deprogram myself, before taking on the next chapter of my life. I spent the next two years, locked in a room. Only leaving the house once every few weeks. In that time, I did a lot of reading. I took up painting and drawing with charcoal. I worked on my confidence, and at the same time, struggled through one of the most violent and self-destructive cycles of my life. If I wanted to truly break myself to start fresh, this was the perfect time. In the end, I came out stronger and with an idea of who I was and where I wanted to go.

During that time, I had gone to a store with one of my best friends. The store had one of those 50 cent machines with necklaces in it. He ended up getting me one. Turns out, it was a rune necklace...Raido (This makes sense as I look back on this) to be exact. I went home that evening and looked up the meaning. The site that I got the meaning off of was a site about Wicca. As I looked through the website, it seemed interesting enough. I proceeded to go through the site, reading everything I could. After months of studying, I finally settled on calling myself a Wiccan. This, however, didn't last.Over the course of the year that I considered myself a Wiccan, I found that a sense of community was lacking. It was about "Me" rather than, "We". There was also a lot of drama. While I did find some very nice solitary types (who were solitary due to the drama), I wanted a community. 

Over the coming years, I would study constantly. I considered myself a general Pagan throughout my time in college. I studied everything from the works of Aleister Crowley to Vodun. I eventually, ran into Heathenry after a friend had been looking things up on ethnic religions. From there, I purchased Living Asatru by Greg Shetler. After that, I was hooked. This finally felt like home to me. It's been my home ever since. During those first stages, I met someone who is still a good friend (ironically, we know a lot of the same folks, but hadn't met until that point), and I remember we got to talking about how I didn't feel like I converted, and this was just who I was. He told me, "That's the great thing about our faith. You don't convert...you just are." This is something I've repeated to others countless times since (Thanks, Kraft), because it's the truth. This is who we are. 

When I decided to look into finding others locally, I was warned that WV was kind of a wasteland. That is correct, to an extent (at least at this time). You may have a group, but they may be going out of state and over the border to meet with folks. If there were Heathens or groups, there would also be a lot of distance between.

 The Christians had their community....Pagans had theirs....Every religion seemed to have their own community with their own borders (even if they pretended they didn't exist). I could not, however, find an actual strict Heathen community. I didn't give up, despite the years it took for me to get into contact with others on the same path, looking for the same things.

Now, looking back on it, it's as if the Gods have been on our side this whole time. Things have fallen into place that puts us on the brink of having our own community. It makes me happy to think that within the next few years, we may see multiple tribes/kindreds appear in the area. This is what we've needed for a long time. We have folks who go to other religions and paths, because they can't find other Heathens. I'm hoping that we can change that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing other religions and paths. If we want to label ourselves Heathens, however, then we should have our own community, with other Heathens. Having borders is just a part of having structure, and as common sense would tell us, if you're building something, you must have a good structure, or else whatever you build, will fall. 

We need to educate, be active, and even learn to work with and around other religions. At the same time, it's very important to keep our own identity. We are Heathens. If everyone else has their own communities with their own laws and their own restrictions, then we should too, just to be fair about it. The easy way to say this is, our religion isn't other religions, so we shouldn't treat it like it is. This way of thinking gives folks who are just coming into this way of life a solid foundation. This gives folks a place to come to, and confidence in what they're doing. We have to promote Heathenry, not other religions, if we wish to see a future for it.

Obsession with Valhalla

If you've watched my Youtube Channel, then you've probably seen the video I did about Valhalla. The reason I did that video originally, was due to the amount of folks I had ran across who were arguing over specifics of who gets in, and who doesn't. You have some folks who don't believe anyone gets into Valhalla these days, others believe that anyone can go to Valhalla, and see it as Heaven, and then others believe that only soldiers get in. Often times, they take Freyja out of the picture, and various other places that a person may go when they die.

The problem with this obsession is, that it's still a Christian road that many of these people are taking. Folks put so much importance on Valhalla, and proving they're a "warrior", either by pumping iron, or by typing furiously in an online debate, that they forget what it is to live as a Heathen.

I often say this, and if you've been in a conversation with me, then you know what I'm about to say...Our ancestors were probably more worried about leaving behind a legacy, than Valhalla. When someone leaves us, and we speak of their adventures and experiences, then we're keeping them alive. They, in some form, become immortal. Their stories and actions and ideas still have the power to inspire.

Have you ever heard a story about, maybe, a grandparent, for example? Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could do that!", when you heard about something great that they had done? Maybe it inspired you to do something. Maybe it made you look at things a different way. And if you did something, that was influenced by your new view on things, or sudden need to have a story of your own, then congratulations. You've been influenced by the past. This is what we need to be more worried about.

When we do things in this life, we should want to have a story of our own. We should strive to have our stories told. We should leave such a mark, that we inspire generations, long after we're gone. The debate about Valhalla takes away from what really matters in this life. When I heard awhile back, that someone had said that we're not living in the sagas, I understood what they meant. I've heard this from a few folks, and I get it. At the same time, this is my saga. If you're not going to do anything, besides sit around and read a book, and become cynical, then that's going to be a saga that won't get too far.

We need to take action and look at our religion as a lifestyle, rather than something we do one weekend a month. You shouldn't worry about Valhalla, because you feel the need to prove to everyone that "you're a warrior". In worrying and debating, you lose precious time that you could be using to do something great. Whatever happens...well...it just happens. Leave something behind worth talking about. Something that will inspire the next generation to not be lazy and find their own stories.