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  • #16
    Re: Heathen Q&A

    [quote author=Deseret link=topic=92.msg2203#msg2203 date=1286997318]
    Ok, as you guys know, I'm very interested in Heathenry, but I'm waiting a year before I make any changes official.

    I do, however, have a promise I need to fulfill. I need to make an appropriate offering once I get an alter worked out, and I'm unsure about the best way to do that. Advice?
    [/quote]

    Who/what is the offering to? This could be very important, depending upon the answer, as to how we answer your question (gah, I hope that makes sense).
    "The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right."--Mark Twain

    "There are only two types of people in this world who walk around beardless; boys and women. I am neither one." --Ancient Greek saying

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    • #17
      Re: Heathen Q&A

      [quote author=Crimson Horizons link=topic=92.msg2280#msg2280 date=1287007506]
      Who/what is the offering to? This could be very important, depending upon the answer, as to how we answer your question (gah, I hope that makes sense).
      [/quote]

      Can't backtrack due to forum crash but I'm relatively sure her first offering was gonna go to Odin.
      "It is not simply enough to know the light…a Jedi must feel the tension between the two sides of the Force…in himself and in the universe."
      ―Thon

      "When to the Force you truly give yourself, all you do expresses the truth of who you are,"

      Yoda

      Yoda told stories, and ate, and cried, and laughed: and the Padawans saw that life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

      Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

      "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

      John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

      "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

      Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


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      • #18
        Re: Heathen Q&A

        If that be the case then I would think that mead or meat would work well. That said, I'm no Odhinsman, and perhaps Grim would have a better answer.
        "The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right."--Mark Twain

        "There are only two types of people in this world who walk around beardless; boys and women. I am neither one." --Ancient Greek saying

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        • #19
          Re: Heathen Q&A

          My hideously generic response:

          Knowing your no-alcohol history, Deseret, it should probably be mentioned that Odin, and indeed many others, wouldn't really be offended by an offering of mead or ale, that you didn't drink, of yourself. "More for them" would be the likely attitude.

          That said, I tend to stick with meals. I've offered up a steak and baked potato, at one point. As much as one would feel there's a "required" and proper procedure? I'm a firm believer in the idea that they know what you're doing, you're not fooling anyone. So just being open and honest? Presenting a piece of meatloaf and cheese would still be fitting.

          Just... the preference is always mead, if one can.




          "Reason is not automatic. Those who deny it cannot be conquered by it." - Ayn Rand

          "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." - Marcus Aurelius

          "The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice." - Mark Twain

          "The only gossip I'm interested in is things from the Weekly World News - 'Woman's bra bursts, 11 injured'. That kind of thing." - Johnny Depp


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          • #20
            Re: Heathen Q&A

            [quote author=ChainLightning link=topic=92.msg2317#msg2317 date=1287011889]
            Knowing your no-alcohol history, Deseret, it should probably be mentioned that Odin, and indeed many others, wouldn't really be offended by an offering of mead or ale, that you didn't drink, of yourself. "More for them" would be the likely attitude.
            [/quote]

            Chain nailed this one. An appropriate gift for someone doesn't necessarily have to be something you yourself would enjoy. I've bought more things than I can count for my little sisters that I would have absolutely zero use for, however their eyes lit up when presented said gifts. So, if a particular member of the Regin is the recipient of your offering, do a bit of research on their likes and dislikes, just as you would a friend. That said, as Chain pointed out, a good offering of mead is never turned down.

            "The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you when you are in the right."--Mark Twain

            "There are only two types of people in this world who walk around beardless; boys and women. I am neither one." --Ancient Greek saying

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Heathen Q&A

              Heh....thanks guys! That makes a lot of sense, actually. I appreciate the ideas. I figured mead would be a hit, but I'd have to figure out where to get my hands on some, especially since the town I live in has no liquor stores, and a beer-only policy for restaurants. Probably need to head down to Idaho Falls for that.

              Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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              • #22
                Re: Heathen Q&A

                It always would be the best, when making an offering to share around the drink, and take sips at each turn, and leave the rest to the ancestors and Gods to whom you think they are worthy of having their share (Depending on the type of Heathenry you practice).

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                • #23
                  Re: Heathen Q&A

                  I often use a good quality ale - open the bottle, pour some for the gods, some for the ancestors, sometimes a sip for the housewight and have the rest myself. Of course all that doesn't leave much for myself and I pretty quickly need another bottle!

                  Thjoth - I seem to recall feeling it was fairly well referenced for a non-academic book but I am a n00b and thus easily impressed :P
                  * * *
                  You can find some of my creative writing at http://libbyscribbles.com

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Heathen Q&A

                    [quote author=Deseret link=topic=92.msg2362#msg2362 date=1287018521]
                    Heh....thanks guys! That makes a lot of sense, actually. I appreciate the ideas. I figured mead would be a hit, but I'd have to figure out where to get my hands on some, especially since the town I live in has no liquor stores, and a beer-only policy for restaurants. Probably need to head down to Idaho Falls for that.
                    [/quote]

                    It seems that you can order Mead online.

                    Don't how many people do it but I found this group relatively quick and Idaho isn't on their banned list.

                    If all fails, find a company you trust and have them deliver.
                    "It is not simply enough to know the light…a Jedi must feel the tension between the two sides of the Force…in himself and in the universe."
                    ―Thon

                    "When to the Force you truly give yourself, all you do expresses the truth of who you are,"

                    Yoda

                    Yoda told stories, and ate, and cried, and laughed: and the Padawans saw that life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                    Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                    "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                    John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                    "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                    Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Heathen Q&A

                      [quote author=Shahaku link=topic=92.msg2139#msg2139 date=1286986980]
                      Okay so I did a quick definition search for heathen and got this:
                      1. an unconverted individual of a people that do not acknowledge the god of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; pagan.
                      2. an irreligious, uncultured, or uncivilized person.

                      I'm thinking theres more to it than that so could someone clue me in? What is heathenism?

                      Edited to add: And why is it in the child boards?
                      [/quote]

                      Heathen was the name given to the Germanic/Teutonic ("Norse&quot people by the Romans. This word is a derivation of the Anglo Saxon word "hæðen," and the Old Norse word "heiðinn," and the Gothic word "haiþno," all of which mean "heath dweller" or "of the heath." The "heath" are the short trees common to the Germanic lands (especially Iceland). The Romans, who viewed the Teutons as "barbarians" equated this term with the term "pagan."

                      The term "pagan" is a derivative of the Latin word "paganus," which means "country dweller." When Constantine made Christianity the state religion of Rome, the cities were the first to convert, and the farmers and "paganus" (country dwellers) held on to their traditional religions longer. Eventually, the term came to mean "not Christian."

                      So, much like the country dwellers of the Roman Empire became equivocated with "not Christian," so did the heath dwellers of the North.

                      Since the term "Heathen" was given (originally) specifically to the Pagans of Northern Europe, many of us who follow the religion of the Germanic/Teutonic/Norse people of Northern Europe call ourselves Heathen. Thus, Heathenry is the rebuilding of the religion of those people. It was the King James version of the Bible where the term "heathen" was first (as far as I know) used to describe non-Christians in general.

                      Some people call it Asatru (Old Icelandic for "True to the Aesir&quot, some call it Odinism, some call it Germanic Heathenry, some call it Irminsul, some call it Norse Paganism, and some call it by other names. Some contend that these names designate subtle (or not-so-subtle) differences of religion. But for the purpose of this board, "Heathenry" encompasses all of those, for the purpose of discussion (unless otherwise noted).

                      It is a child board because we Heathens are a boisterous bunch and the other members wish that we would keep it in our own section… or it could be because one of the moderators (I wonder who that is) is a Heathen.

                      [quote author=Deseret link=topic=92.msg2203#msg2203 date=1286997318]
                      I gotta say...good to see you Thjoth and TS!

                      Ok, as you guys know, I'm very interested in Heathenry, but I'm waiting a year before I make any changes official.

                      I do, however, have a promise I need to fulfill. I need to make an appropriate offering once I get an alter worked out, and I'm unsure about the best way to do that. Advice?
                      [/quote]

                      Much like Thjoth, I generally pour a beverage (usually mead or ale), dedicate it to the gods (or whichever god I wish to address) and share it with them. I share by making an offering of the drink to the god/gods.

                      When I hold Blot, if there is a meal involved, I also prepare a plate for the god/gods.

                      And from experience, I have found that the gods will let you know which offerings that they like best.

                      I have noticed that Thor seems to like mead, heavy ale, fish and mutton.
                      Odin seems to respond best to mead (after all, it is said that he is sustained on mead alone).
                      Freyja seems to like milk, mead and pork.
                      etc.

                      Oh… and with the talk about ordering mead online (*gasp*)… It is simple, and MUCH more satisfying to make your own.
                      "Don't ever miss a good opportunity to shut up." - Harvey Davis "Gramps"

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Heathen Q&A

                        [quote author=ThorsSon link=topic=92.msg2485#msg2485 date=1287045193]
                        I have noticed that Thor seems to like mead, heavy ale, fish and mutton.
                        Odin seems to respond best to mead (after all, it is said that he is sustained on mead alone).
                        Freyja seems to like milk, mead and pork.
                        etc.

                        Oh… and with the talk about ordering mead online (*gasp*)… It is simple, and MUCH more satisfying to make your own.
                        [/quote]

                        Any ideas about what Tyr would appreciate, too, TS?

                        That raises the question, has anyone started a brewing thread yet. I'm still slowly getting over the impression that all alcohol smells and tastes like medicine/fingernail polish remover, so figuring out what I like is more of a priority right now
                        Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                        • #27
                          Re: Heathen Q&A

                          Don't know if anybody has managed to start a brew thread yet. You could check out beer advocate's top 100 list for ideas. http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top

                          My buddy has actually managed to obtain the number seven, number ten and number one beers on that list, going to try them this weekend.I'm quite excited about that actually. Westvleteren is extremely hard to get ahold of, I don't even know how he managed to get it into the country, or even find it for that matter...
                          "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others."
                          -Thomas Jefferson

                          Let a man never stir on his road a step
                          without his weapons of war;
                          for unsure is the knowing when the need shall arise
                          of a spear on the way without.
                          -Hávamál

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                          • #28
                            Re: Heathen Q&A

                            There are different types of heathens: and thus their rituals have differences. Here are a few I know of...

                            These forms of heathenry were carried by Viking of the "Homeland", they were raiders.
                            Asatru : Venerate the Aesir (Western Baltic, Southern Norway, Finland, Iceland), carried by the Norse
                            (The path most near to the original religion)
                            Vanatru : Venerate the Vanes (Middle Baltic, Northen Norway, Finland, parts of Sweden), carried by the Norse
                            (Reconstructed)
                            Anglo-Saxon: Venerate the Anglo-Saxon Gods (England), carried by the Norse and Normans.
                            (Contact with the Celts had an influence on this type of heathenry)
                            Natural : Venerate Nature, the Gods are there only as competition. (England, France), carried by the Normans
                            (this type of heathenry was deeply influenced by the Celts)
                            Wodanism : Venerate Germanic Gods (Germany, France, Poland, Central Europe), carried by the Germanic Tribes
                            Finnish : Venerate (I do not know) (Dominant form of heathenry in Finland), carried by the Finns

                            Theses forms of heathenry were carried by Viking merchants of the east and south, not raiders.
                            Teutonic : Venerate Teutonic Gods (Eastern Baltic, Lithuania, Parts of Russia, Parts of Poland), carried by the pre-Russians
                            Hungarian : Venerate (I do not know) (Eastern Europe Danube area), carried by the pre-Russians
                            Slavic : Venerate (I do not know) (Balkans area), carried by the pre-Russians

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                            • #29
                              Re: Heathen Q&A

                              Interesting way to divide it, Taigan. What would your response be to someone who argued that almost all of the above were simply different names for the same gods?

                              For example, there's a lot of evidence that in some places, Frigg and Freya were either different names or aspects of the same being. Down in Germany, she turned into Frau Holda, and has similarities with Perchta.

                              It makes more sense to see it as simply different "windows" through which people are seeing the same beings or energy.
                              Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                              • #30
                                Re: Heathen Q&A

                                Personally I don't think Frigg and Freya are the same goddess and I don't recall seeing any decent evidence either, what's the evidence you're talking about Deseret?

                                My feeling is the idea pisses them off a bit actually. But that's just my UPG and therefore worthless as 'evidence'.
                                * * *
                                You can find some of my creative writing at http://libbyscribbles.com

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