In the alternative to (Neo) Heathenism that I propose Norse mythology plays a different role than it plays in (Neo) Heathenism. As a result a living mythology of the goddesses and gods becomes possible again.

Norse Mythology as Source Rather than Standard Rather than being the canon, the standard of (Neo) Heathenism’s orthodoxy, Norse mythology ( Read more... )

The following is cross-posted from my PaganSpace blog:

One Reason I Reject (Neo) Heathenism
One reason I reject (Neo) Heathenism for myself is its use of what has come to be called Norse mythology. I use the word (Neo) Heathenism to label the widely diverse set of modern attempts to reconstruct or revive the pre-Christian, mostly medieval ( Read more... )

25. The Vanir remain to this day happy participants in the Aesiric pantheon.

I think that it is important to remember that after the war between the Vanir and the Aesir, only three of the Vanir had anything to do with the Aesir. The rest of the Vanir lived in Vanaheimr. Two of three, Njordr and Freyr, were hostages among the Aesir. Being a hostage ( Read more... )

24. The way that Skadi and Njordr became wife and husband was acceptable.

Snorri tells the story of how Skadi and Njordr got married in Skadlskaparmal 1. After the Aesir killed Thjasi, Skadi’s father, inside Asgard, Skadi put on her helmet and armor, gathered her weapons and sped to Asgard to avenge her father’s death. When she arrived she found ( Read more... )

22. Skirnismal is about Freyr wooing Gerdr and marrying her.

This is another misconception frequently repeated by scholars and (Neo) Heathens alike. Perhaps at best it comes from a desire with those connected with Freyr to have some information about Freyr in the surviving mythology of the Aesir. Unfortunately it is based on a superficial reading of ( Read more... )

21. Galdr and Seidr are two different forms of magic. Galdor is the magic of the Aesir. Seidr is the magic of the Vanir.

There is a variation of this misconception that replaces Galdr with Rune magic. Both versions of the misconception associate Galdr and/or Rune magic with the Aesir and those who are true to them and Seidr with the Vanir and those ( Read more... )

Here's an interesting blog post about the Vanir and Aesir and their war:

http://celto-germanic.blogspot.com/2009/07/aryan-invasion-theory-and-celto.html

19. Odr is Odin.

20. Freyja and Odin were married.

These misconceptions seem to be most common among those who have a relationship with both Odin and Freyja. I cannot help but wonder if some connected with both Odin and Freyja did so under the influence of Raymond Buckland’s Book of Saxon Witchcraft or some other poorly researched work. But I also ( Read more... )

Here are just a few reasons why I am a bad Heathen:

I write (Neo) Heathen rather than Heathen but am fine with those who write Heathen.

I’m not (Neo) Heathen but I am Vanatru.

I have nothing to do with Odin or the Aesir but don't have a problem with those who do.

I’m not religious but I’m wed to Freyja and dedicated to Freyr.

I sometimes roll my eyes ( Read more... )

18. The myths that survive reflect a peaceful relationship between the Vanir and Aesir.

First, we need to keep in mind that the fundamental relationship between the Vanir and Aesir is opposition not peace. While the Vanir are peaceful beings the Aesir are not.  For the Vanir peace is the norm and violence is the exception. They readily use violence ( Read more... )