The Odinic Rite (OR) is a Germanic pagan reconstructivist society whose aims are to promote all aspects of Germanic paganism, termed Odinism after the chief god of Norse mythology, Odin. Influenced by Else Christensen's Odinist Fellowship, The Odinic Rite was founded in 1973 in England under the name "Committee for the Restoration of the Odinic Rite / Odinist Committee". In 1980 the organisation changed its name to "The Odinic Rite" after it was believed that it had gained enough significan ...

Including:

• Odinic Rite - Nine Noble Virtues
• Odinic Rite - Nine Charges

Read more here: » Odinic Rite: Encyclopedia - Odinic Rite

See also:

Odinic Rite, Odinic Rite - History, Odinic Rite - White Horse Stone Incident, Odinic Rite - Structure and Beliefs, Odinic Rite - Nine Noble Virtues, Odinic Rite - Nine Charges

Read more here: » Odinic Rite: Encyclopedia II - Odinic Rite - History

The OR has chapters in France (ORF), Australia (1995), [1] and North America (ORV, 1997) and individual members spread over many other countries. The German chapter "Odinic Rite Deutschland" (ORD, 1995) [2] has since become an independent organisation. The Odinic Rite has legal status in the United Kingdom, Australia and various states in the United States. The basic unit of the Odinic Rite is the "Hearth", a group of adherents who gather to perform ceremonies known as Blóts or Blotar, at which they honor their deities and their ance ...

See also:

Odinic Rite, Odinic Rite - History, Odinic Rite - White Horse Stone Incident, Odinic Rite - Structure and Beliefs, Odinic Rite - Nine Noble Virtues, Odinic Rite - Nine Charges

Read more here: » Odinic Rite: Encyclopedia II - Odinic Rite - Structure and Beliefs

The Nine Charges are, like the Nine Noble Virtues, codified by the Odinic Rite in the 1970's. The charges are: To maintain candour and fidelity in love and devotion to the tried friend: though he strike me I will do him no scathe. Never to make wrongsome oath: for great and grim is the reward for the breaking of plighted troth. To deal not hardly with the humble and the lowly. To remember the respect that is due to great age. To suffer no evil to go unremedied and to fight agains ...

See also:

Odinic Rite, Odinic Rite - Nine Noble Virtues, Odinic Rite - Nine Charges

Read more here: » Odinic Rite: Encyclopedia II - Odinic Rite - Nine Charges

The valknut (Old Norse valr, slain warriors + knut, knot) is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles. It is also called: heart of the slain heart of Vala Hrungnir's heart Odin's knot It appears on Scandinavian image stones in connection with Odin, e.g. on the 7th century Tängelgarda stone from Gotland. According to H. R. Ellis Davidson (p. 146), the valknut — is thought to symbolize the power of the god [Odin] to b ...

Including:

• Valknut - Neopaganism

Read more here: » Valknut: Encyclopedia - Valknut

The Blót was the pagan Germanic sacrifice to Norse gods and Elves. The word is related to the English word bless and they are derived from blood, an important component in the rites. Blót - Rites and beliefs. The verb blóta meant to "strengthen" and the intention was to strengthen the powers (gods and Elves). The most powerful means was the sacrificed object or being. It was usually animals and in particular pigs and horses. The meat was boiled in large cooking pits with heated stone ...

Including:

• Blót - Rites and beliefs
• Blót - Dates for the blóts
• Blót - Locations
• Blót - Uppsala Sweden
• Blót - Gotland
• Blót - Lejre Denmark
• Blót - Mære Norway
• Blót - Elven blót
• Blót - The Völse blót
• Blót - Later times
• Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia - Blót

Reconstructions of the traditions of Germanic paganism began with 19th century Romanticism. From the 1960s, various Neopagan movements based on pre-Christian Germanic faiths have emerged. Heathen (Old Norse heiðinn), the Germanic translation of Latin paganus, is preferred by some adherents as a self-description. In the USA, Ásatrú ("Æsir faith") and Odinism are widely used as a generic term for Germanic paganism, while in Britain, Heathenry, and in Scandinavia Forn Sed ...

Including:

• Germanic neopaganism - Terminology
• Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú
• Germanic neopaganism - Heathen
• Germanic neopaganism - Odinism
• Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr
• Germanic neopaganism - Theodism
• Germanic neopaganism - History
• Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents
• Germanic neopaganism - Factions
• Germanic neopaganism - Tenets
• Germanic neopaganism - Rites
• Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence
• Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism
• Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia - Germanic neopaganism

The autumn blót was performed in the middle of October, the great Midwinter blót, or Yule, at the winter solstice. The dark winter was a harsh time for the people of Scandinavia, and special means had to be undertaken to help nature pass the critical phase. Freyr was the most important god at the Midwinter and autumn blóts, and Christmas ham (the pig was for Freyr) is still the main Christmas course in Scandinavia. The Summer blót was undertaken in April and the vernal equinox and it was given to Odin. Then, they drank for victory in war and this blót was the ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Dates for the blóts

Main articles: Old Uppsala and Temple at Uppsala. The German chronicler Adam of Bremen has described how it was done at the Temple at Uppsala at Old Uppsala in Sweden, ca 1070: Thor was the most powerful god and ruled over thunder and lightning, wind and rain, sunshine and crops. He sat in the centre with a sceptre (Mjolnir) in his hand, and on each side were Odin, the god of war, in full armour and Frey, the god of peace and love, attributed with an enormous erected phallus. All the pagan gods have their priests w ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Uppsala Sweden

The verb blóta meant to "strengthen" and the intention was to strengthen the powers (gods and Elves). The most powerful means was the sacrificed object or being. It was usually animals and in particular pigs and horses. The meat was boiled in large cooking pits with heated stones, either indoors or outdoors. The blood was considered to contain special powers and it was sprinkled on the statues of the gods, on th ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Rites and beliefs

Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú. Ásatrú is an Old Norse compound derived from Ása, the genitive of Áss, which refers to the Aesir, (one of the two families of gods in Norse mythology, the other being the Vanir), and Trú, literally "troth" or "faith". Thus, Ásatrú is the "Æsir's faith." The term is the Old Norse/Icelandic translation of Asetro, a neologism coined in the context of 19th century romantic nationalism, used by Edvard Grieg in his 1870 opera Olaf Trygvason. Th ...

See also:

Germanic neopaganism, Germanic neopaganism - Terminology, Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú, Germanic neopaganism - Heathen, Germanic neopaganism - Odinism, Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr, Germanic neopaganism - Theodism, Germanic neopaganism - History, Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents, Germanic neopaganism - Factions, Germanic neopaganism - Tenets, Germanic neopaganism - Rites, Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence, Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism, Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia II - Germanic neopaganism - Terminology

A building where the blóts took place was called a hov (cf. German Hof) and there are many place names derived from this in e.g. Scania, West Götaland and East Götaland. In the process of Christianizing the landscape churches were usually built on such hovs, and excavations at the medieval churches of Mære in Trøndelag and at Old Uppsala testify to this (see Cultural continuity). There were also other sacred places called Horgr, Ve, Lund and Haug. Horgr means "cairn" or "mountain". ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Locations

The Gutasaga relates of the blóts on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea: Firi þan tima oc lengi eptir siþan. Troþu menn a hult. oc a hauga. wi. oc. stafgarþa. oc a haiþin guþ. blotaþu þair synnum oc dydrum sinum Oc fileþi. miþ matj oc mundgati. þet gierþu þair eptir wantro sinnj. land alt. hafþi sir hoystu blotan miþ fulki. ellar hafþi huer þriþiungr. sir. En smeri þing hafþu mindri blotan meþ fileþi. matj. Oc mungati. sum haita suþnautar. þi et þ ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Gotland

Snorri Sturluson relates of a meeting between the peasants of Trøndelag and king Haakon I of Norway, a meeting which ended in a religious feud centered around the blót. Haakon was raised at the Christian English court and had returned to claim the throne of his father Harald Fairhair (the unifier of Norway) and intended to Christianize the country. In spite of the fact that the peasants had elected Haakon king at the Ting they opposed his religious ideas. It was an old custom, that when there was to be sacrifice all the bon ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Mære Norway

The Elven blót was small scale and was celebrated at the homestead and led by its mistress. We don't know much about the rites, since it was surrounded by secrecy and strangers were not welcome during the time of the rituals. However, since the elves were collective powers closely connected with the ancestors we can assume that it had to do with the ancestor cult and the life force of the family. In Austrfaravísur, Sigvatr Þorðarson, the skald of Olaf II of Norway has related an event connected with the blót. Once, ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Elven blót

The first modern attempt at revival of ancient Germanic religion took place in the 19th Century during the late Romantic Period amidst a general resurgence of interest in traditional Germanic culture, in particular in connection with romantic nationalism in Scandinavia and the related Viking revival in Victorian era Britain. The last traditional pagan sacrifices in Scandinavia, at Trollkyrka, appear to date to about this time. Organized Germanic pagan or occult groups such as the Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft emerged in Germany in ...

See also:

Germanic neopaganism, Germanic neopaganism - Terminology, Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú, Germanic neopaganism - Heathen, Germanic neopaganism - Odinism, Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr, Germanic neopaganism - Theodism, Germanic neopaganism - History, Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents, Germanic neopaganism - Factions, Germanic neopaganism - Tenets, Germanic neopaganism - Rites, Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence, Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism, Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia II - Germanic neopaganism - History

Today, Germanic Neopaganism is practiced primarily in Scandinavia, Germany, Britain, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Small communities are also found in many other countries, mostly in Western Europe (Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal) and Russia. The number of adherents worldwide is unknown, partly because of the lack of a clear definition separating Asatru from related currents. Those organised in some sort of organization number perhaps several hundred in North America, about 700 in Iceland, and a few hundred in both Scandinavia and Germany, with smaller ...

See also:

Germanic neopaganism, Germanic neopaganism - Terminology, Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú, Germanic neopaganism - Heathen, Germanic neopaganism - Odinism, Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr, Germanic neopaganism - Theodism, Germanic neopaganism - History, Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents, Germanic neopaganism - Factions, Germanic neopaganism - Tenets, Germanic neopaganism - Rites, Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence, Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism, Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia II - Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents

Every Christmas, in Sweden and Norway people traditionally have the Christmas porridge and the whole family is gathered around the table. Still, in many homes, an extra bowl of porridge is served and carried outdoors, because this is a meal shared with the guardian of the homestead, the tomte/nisse, a landwight. In the old days, it was believed that he would leave the homestead if he was not served, an event which would lead to ruin, and so this blót has survived unt ...

See also:

Blót, Blót - Rites and beliefs, Blót - Dates for the blóts, Blót - Locations, Blót - Uppsala Sweden, Blót - Gotland, Blót - Lejre Denmark, Blót - Mære Norway, Blót - Elven blót, Blót - The Völse blót, Blót - Later times, Blót - Sources

Read more here: » Blót: Encyclopedia II - Blót - Later times

Besides the Norse/Germanic mythology at its core, Heathenry has regional varieties of emphasis, often from the subjective interpretations of influential local practitioners. Thus, in Germany and the USA, some movements have racial, white supremacy or Neo-Nazi ideologies, while in Iceland, on the other hand, Ásatrú has left wing associations. Some Neopagan organizations in Germany in particular have a relationship to Ariosophy, Occultism and Neo-Nazi ideology, such as the Armanen-Orden in the tradition of Karl Maria Willigut. ...

See also:

Germanic neopaganism, Germanic neopaganism - Terminology, Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú, Germanic neopaganism - Heathen, Germanic neopaganism - Odinism, Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr, Germanic neopaganism - Theodism, Germanic neopaganism - History, Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents, Germanic neopaganism - Factions, Germanic neopaganism - Tenets, Germanic neopaganism - Rites, Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence, Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism, Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia II - Germanic neopaganism - Factions

Germanic Neopagan organizations generally favor democratic and republican forms of church government, as inspired by the parliamentary Things of the Viking era and subsequent parliamentary systems of Britain and the Scandinavian countries. They promote individual rights and freedom of speech reminiscent of the free jarls of Norse saga. Solitary practice, or practice in small circles of friends or family is common. Neopagan societies have been formed since the 1970s, but most take the role of a loose federation and do not require commi ...

See also:

Germanic neopaganism, Germanic neopaganism - Terminology, Germanic neopaganism - Ásatrú, Germanic neopaganism - Heathen, Germanic neopaganism - Odinism, Germanic neopaganism - Forn Siðr, Germanic neopaganism - Theodism, Germanic neopaganism - History, Germanic neopaganism - Distribution of adherents, Germanic neopaganism - Factions, Germanic neopaganism - Tenets, Germanic neopaganism - Rites, Germanic neopaganism - Artistic Output And Influence, Germanic neopaganism - Symbolism, Germanic neopaganism - List of Organizations

Read more here: » Germanic neopaganism: Encyclopedia II - Germanic neopaganism - Tenets