Lokeans and Asatru: Still Here, Despite All Odds

[Deoridhe]

I would just like to issue a (rather self-indulgent) invitation to my new thread: Reconstructional Religions. It's meant for general recon discussion as well as delving into deeper aspects of individual religions.

heart

[Khelos Adanre]

Sorry that we lost the old thread, but it's always nice to read you Ulfrikr.

[TeaDidikai]

Here's something we might be able to sink our teeth into-

I have it easy, being a Slavic Recon (for the most part... meh. sweatdrop ), come Samhain, I have a holiday I can celebrate that doesn't look too different to the general pagan Community than Samhain. (A goddess name here- a spirit's name there- some yummy food that is traditional in Poland etc.) Most of the Pagan population would just say it "is Samhain" (who am I to spoil their delusion?) and call it good.

How about you Asatru (catchall term at the moment- if you have a problem with it, find a name all you Norse Recon can agree on and I'll use it.)? What's your take on Samhain? Do you celebrate? Do you avoid it? What do you think of using the Celtic Holiday?

[Ulfrikr inn Hrafn]

TeaDidikai

Here's something we might be able to sink our teeth into-

I have it easy, being a Slavic Recon (for the most part... meh. sweatdrop ), come Samhain, I have a holiday I can celebrate that doesn't look too different to the general pagan Community than Samhain. (A goddess name here- a spirit's name there- some yummy food that is traditional in Poland etc.) Most of the Pagan population would just say it "is Samhain" (who am I to spoil their delusion?) and call it good.

How about you Asatru (catchall term at the moment- if you have a problem with it, find a name all you Norse Recon can agree on and I'll use it.)? What's your take on Samhain? Do you celebrate? Do you avoid it? What do you think of using the Celtic Holiday?

Heil TeaDidikai and All,

Asatru is fine. It's a workable term, even for the Lokeans wink

Samhain is the Celtic name for the Midsummer rite. Insofar as the Germanic Folk held Midsummer rites, there really isn't too much difference. Now, what needs to be understood is that not only did our ancestors undertake Midsummer rites, there are cultural variations due to time (i.e. era) as well as location. We, in Australia hold a somewhat different Midsummer to that which would be typical in the Northern Climatic zones. For starters, there are no bonfires, particularly due to the fact that it's the middle of Fire Season here. In many ways Midsummer in Australia is a reversal of the time of Yule. It's like there is too much life giving energy and this leads to extreme heat and the dangers of fire. Australians tend to hybernate in Summer as well as winter, albeit the form of 'hybernation' tends to follow a pattern of leisure activites more than anything else. Air conditioning is rife.

I can't say that we'd 'use' the Celtic Holiday as such, more that we would recognise it, and be able to identify it as being similar to our own holiday. Cultural variation tends to be able to recognise something as similar, and yet recognisably different, and not have any problems with such a supposed contradiction.

[Deoridhe]

Ulfrikr inn Hrafn

Samhain is the Celtic name for the Midsummer rite.

Actually, it's their fall rite, opposite Bealtaine. The Celtic summer rite is (and I will butcher this) Lughnassadh, and their Winter/Early Spring one is Imbolc.

Samhain is, in Celtic trad, one of the nights when the veil between the worlds is thinest and the dead come out to play. I think it also has ties to the Wild Hunt of Celtic lore, which is similar to the Wild Hunt of Norse lore. I've always mentally categorized it as similar to the 12 days of Yule, when only a fool would be abroad at night due to the Wild Hunt (and that whole long nights/cold/freeze no matter what, thing).

The quality of it is different, though, if that makes any sense. Norse rites I know of have a strong emphasis on life, and Samhain has always struck me as very much about death. This is appropriate for a people as stuck on liminal spaces as the Celts are, though. For the one Norse-themed Samhain I once participated in (and Gods do I wish they'd consulted me on the guided meditation; they got the directions wrong, and I was completely thrown. I ended up spending the entire time in Yggdrasil's roots recovering.) we honored Hel and (since they asked me - they were going to do Tyr at first, I think! gonk ) Baldr. So far as I know, this was a historically very odd rite... though it wasn't bad as things go.

Honestly, the longer I've been Asatru the less fitting in with the general pagan population has mattered to me. I get along quite well with the local circle, they understand my boundaries (I will HP if the gods are the Aesir and Vanir, but no other time, and I'm iffy on calling quarters), and I understand their rites. It works, and in a lot of ways that's what matters to me.

[Maze]

It's early, and I should be in bed. eek It's good to be on Gaia. Especially after having accidentally run into a learn Korean website and making my way through a lot of the text there while cackling to myself about the weirdness that is that language.

No offense to any Korean reading this, but I had a grand time getting lost. I think I shall go back tomorrow~.. er.. today. No wait.. Never mind!

I just wanted to thank Deo and Ulfrikr again for correcting/being of assistance, because they're good at what they do no matter what time I decide to pop in and enjoy a random question in here.

Yes, I should go to bed. But not before I, oh wait, I did.

Anyway, I appreciate the pointers and the information and all the little leads you leave behind for us to follow.

Learning. Woosh.

Now if only I had some more discipline and could actively apply it in college when I need it instead of just when the mood strikes me. Working on that, though I'm not having as much success as I might like.

The joy of uninhibited rambling! Cookie?

Argh. Goodnight. xd I apologise for the spam, and will go to bed now because I have a feeling I'm being somewhat obnoxious xd

.. Bother. *eyes the action after the edit* Ah well. Night!

[Ulfrikr inn Hrafn]

Deoridhe

Ulfrikr inn Hrafn

Samhain is the Celtic name for the Midsummer rite.

Actually, it's their fall rite, opposite Bealtaine. The Celtic summer rite is (and I will butcher this) Lughnassadh, and their Winter/Early Spring one is Imbolc.

Samhain is, in Celtic trad, one of the nights when the veil between the worlds is thinest and the dead come out to play. I think it also has ties to the Wild Hunt of Celtic lore, which is similar to the Wild Hunt of Norse lore. I've always mentally categorized it as similar to the 12 days of Yule, when only a fool would be abroad at night due to the Wild Hunt (and that whole long nights/cold/freeze no matter what, thing).

The quality of it is different, though, if that makes any sense. Norse rites I know of have a strong emphasis on life, and Samhain has always struck me as very much about death. This is appropriate for a people as stuck on liminal spaces as the Celts are, though. For the one Norse-themed Samhain I once participated in (and Gods do I wish they'd consulted me on the guided meditation; they got the directions wrong, and I was completely thrown. I ended up spending the entire time in Yggdrasil's roots recovering.) we honored Hel and (since they asked me - they were going to do Tyr at first, I think! gonk ) Baldr. So far as I know, this was a historically very odd rite... though it wasn't bad as things go.

Honestly, the longer I've been Asatru the less fitting in with the general pagan population has mattered to me. I get along quite well with the local circle, they understand my boundaries (I will HP if the gods are the Aesir and Vanir, but no other time, and I'm iffy on calling quarters), and I understand their rites. It works, and in a lot of ways that's what matters to me.

Aha, yes, it's Halloween biggrin Silly me, shows I should stick to the stuff I know wink

Celtic seasonal festivals don't line up with those of our ancestral folkway, no matter how much some try to shoe-horn them in biggrin

Lugnahsadh indeed seems to be closest albeit it's a harvest festival and so isn't really in tune with Midsummer, but more with our own harvest festivals, which of course in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite those in the North.

Yep, I'll stick to the Germanic Folkway, but may sneak in elsewhere from time to time as need dictates wink ninja

[Maze]

Here, another link for lore! *dumps*

Lore at Northvegr.org

I can't say which page has more pieces. Sacred-texts, or this one o_O

Either way, I thought they might be of some use to people. smile

Has anyone here any previous experience with the site, by the way? Because if so, feel free to inform us if it's actually a good one, or just full of carp.

Carps taste pretty good, I've been told, but it doesn't hurt to check, I guess. smile

[Actumen D. Myoole]

I REDE THEE, LODDFAFNIR!
mad

gonk
How many times can you rede someone, anyway? gonk

Speaking of which... *Looks up the word "rede"*

surprised

"
To give advice to; counsel.
To interpret; explain.

n.
Advice or counsel.
Archaic. A narration."

[Actumen D. Myoole]

Question: Can someone explain how to say the names of the gods for me? gonk

Like is Baldr pronounced "Bald" (with a silent 'R'?) or "Balder?"

[Actumen D. Myoole]

*Cough*

...I rede thee, Loddfafnir.


That's just fun to say.

[Maze]

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe38.htm

There ya go. Try that link. It explains how to pronounce things.

And if you go to the index, you will see, in the list that pops up, you can click on the Hovamol.

Stanzas 111 through 138 are the "Loddfafnir bits" biggrin Enjoy.

[Deoridhe]

I rede thee, Actumen; give me candy and I won't eat your head. twisted

[Actumen D. Myoole]

Deoridhe

I rede thee, Actumen; give me candy and I won't eat your head. twisted

I have to rede my science teacher.

He puts up this list (updated every week) with our grades, and what assignments we have missing, etc. And each student has their own code (I'm 4134, someone else is 3565, etc.)...


...BUT HE PUTS THE LISTS UP IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER ANYWAY!
gonk

But thankfully he lets students petition him on things they think he can improve the class with. So my petition will start with "I rede thee, Mr. Bonem!"
blaugh


*Gives up his candy*
crying
My last Charleston Chew....

Edit: Deo, whereabouts are you from..? Just curious.

[Deoridhe]

Actumen

But thankfully he lets students petition him on things they think he can improve the class with. So my petition will start with "I rede thee, Mr. Bonem!"
blaugh

And people say the old ways aren't applicable to modern times!

Actumen

*Gives up his candy*
crying
My last Charleston Chew....

Those are the BEST in the freezer. I'm jus' sayin'!

Actumen

Edit: Deo, whereabouts are you from..? Just curious.

East coast. ninja Continent with north and south parts. ninja Greedy sunsofbitches in office. ninja