[WORKSHOP] Heathenry

[Artistic Genocide]

I also cast my vote for "getting to know the gods".

Sanguina Cruenta

So, you're all familiar with Heathenry, aren't you? we don't need to do an introductory topic at this point?

I'll say I'm some-what familiar with it, but not overly so. An introduction might be nice, but I'm sure there's something floating around in one of the guilds I'm in that I could read to play "catch-up". 3nodding

 

[Sanguina Cruenta]

There's an intro in this subforum ^_^  

[Artistic Genocide]

Why yes! yes there is. And it's by Vi as well. How did I miss that? Oh, well. Reading it now and I'll be researching it a bit as well. I picked up a copy of "Essential Asatru" by Diana L. Paxon second-hand at a used book store. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet, but I think I remember you saying you liked the book a lot and it was a good starting point. Or, at least I think it was you. xD

 

[Sanguina Cruenta]

You up to speed there, Gen? wink  

[Scorpy-Sue]

Name: Jes
Current path: Searching
Reason for joining workshop: I've felt a calling to the Norse pantheon for a long time and want to learn more about it.
Time you've been interested in Heathenry: A year or so.
Additional notes: I really look forward to any information I can glean from this workshop. smile  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Welcome, Afro 3nodding

Have a read of the Asatru guide in this subforum if you need to get a bit more up to speed. Otherwise.... First topic! I think I like "Getting to Know the Gods" as a first topic so we can start there, unless there are any objections?  

[Scorpy-Sue]

I like it. Let's get to know them. ^_^  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

>.> I keep forgetting about this damn thing. I think "I'll leave it another day or two so other people can reply" and then I forget about it.

Okay! So! Getting to Know the Gods. There are two branches to this... one is getting to know them, the shape of them, say, who they are and what they've done, from the Eddas and Sagas and Lays in which they appear. The other is making personal connections with them. Both are important, and both feed back on one another... you can read a myth, and then meet the god, and then read the myth again and you see something you didn't see the first time.

How much reading do people think is necessary before making first contact with the gods? How much did you do (with these gods or other gods)?

I suppose it's possible to do way too much, because if you get a god really set in your mind as what they're meant to be, it may turn out that they're different from the thing you've built up in your head. You may not acknowledge them for that reason.  

[Shearaha]

I've done a lot of reading. But I've yet to try and contact any of the Gods themselves. I feel a pull, but I'm very nervous that I'm not good enough, or interesting enough for them to take any kind of interest in me sweatdrop  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

I hadn't done much reading myself before I contacted the gods, but then I wasn't altogether aware that that was going on at the time. The contacting, I mean. I'd read a fair few of the myths as a child, but I was reading Exploring the Northern Tradition by Krasskova (despite her having gone a bit strange, I maintain that that book is fairly decent an intro) and she begins each segment on a different god with a call or prayer. When reading the segments I felt many of the gods pop in to take a look at me. To what degree that counts as "meeting" I don't know; I certainly said my hellos and effectively bobbed a curtsey and so forth as I went, and I was formal about it, but the situation was a bit odd.

I think I'd have liked to have read a bit more before meeting them. But there we are. It wasn't something I had planned on doing.

Shearaha

I've done a lot of reading. But I've yet to try and contact any of the Gods themselves. I feel a pull, but I'm very nervous that I'm not good enough, or interesting enough for them to take any kind of interest in me

They're interested enough for you to feel that pull.

I think I've come across a lot of people who feel that way - that they're not good enough. And I'm never really sure what to say. I mean, I don't think I'm particularly better than you are, or more interesting, and they're fond enough of me... so they should be fond of you too, theoretically.  

[razielarcha]

Name: Razielarcha or nsanelilmunky or Ri
Current path: Germanic Pagan with other bits and pieces thrown in
Reason for joining workshop: I joined the guild to get insight, this seems like as good a place as any
Time you've been interested in Heathenry: a couple of years
Additional notes: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that does not include outwardly bashing another's faith. I'm tired of it. If anyone else insults me or my gods/goddesses, I'm just reporting posts. There are ways to state your personal opinions without being insulting or degrading.  

[Shearaha]

Sanguina Cruenta

Shearaha

I've done a lot of reading. But I've yet to try and contact any of the Gods themselves. I feel a pull, but I'm very nervous that I'm not good enough, or interesting enough for them to take any kind of interest in me

They're interested enough for you to feel that pull.

I think I've come across a lot of people who feel that way - that they're not good enough. And I'm never really sure what to say. I mean, I don't think I'm particularly better than you are, or more interesting, and they're fond enough of me... so they should be fond of you too, theoretically.

I have self-esteem issues. I'm working on them, but it's a long road ahead, and I've hit a few set-backs already.

So would you say the calls/prayers in Krasskova's book are a good way of introducing yourself, or would a blot be more approiate?  

[too2sweet]

razielarcha

Additional notes: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that does not include outwardly bashing another's faith. I'm tired of it. If anyone else insults me or my gods/goddesses, I'm just reporting posts. There are ways to state your personal opinions without being insulting or degrading.

Discussing various aspects of a deity, does not mean that anyone is bashing you, or your Gods. I know you have had issues with other groups in the past because of this, and for that I am truly sorry. However I would ask that you please not assume that anyone here is insulting or degrading, just because they ask a question, or debate a specific point of character. 3nodding  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

too2sweet

razielarcha

Additional notes: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that does not include outwardly bashing another's faith. I'm tired of it. If anyone else insults me or my gods/goddesses, I'm just reporting posts. There are ways to state your personal opinions without being insulting or degrading.

Discussing various aspects of a deity, does not mean that anyone is bashing you, or your Gods. I know you have had issues with other groups in the past because of this, and for that I am truly sorry. However I would ask that you please not assume that anyone here is insulting or degrading, just because they ask a question, or debate a specific point of character. 3nodding

It concerns me that this was even mentioned, really. Surely no one joins a workshop in order to bash the gods involved.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Shearaha

I have self-esteem issues. I'm working on them, but it's a long road ahead, and I've hit a few set-backs already.

So would you say the calls/prayers in Krasskova's book are a good way of introducing yourself, or would a blot be more approiate?

Well, when I read those calls I wasn't actually calling as such, I was just reading them to myself, yet they turned up anyway. I understand that this isn't uncommon when reading the segments on the gods in this book as I've read as much in a review.

When making an actual, intentional overture I suppose it's up to you whether you use something pre-written or something personal. Blots are always appropriate wink but it needn't be anything overly formal. Some form of "hello, I'm here, have some ale" seems to go over well.