*Before I begin, I would just like to say that I am not an authority on this subject, but merely someone who is closely associated with it and whose opinions I am sharing here.*
When most people hear the word “viking” they typically think of a big burly man wearing a horned helmet, holding an axe in his hand, and most likely being inebriated. Then there are those like me who, when we hear that word, myriad images, tales, and emotions come to mind. Why? Well, there is now a burgeoning following of the ways of the old norse peoples (the vikings) and especially their religion. It has been referred to by many names (modern heathenism, neopaganism, the Old Ways, etc.) but its followers prefer to call it Ásatrú.
So, what is it? The definition can actually depend on whom you ask, but in general Ásatrú is the belief in or following of the religion of the ancient Scandinavian peoples. The word actually means “faith/belief in the Æsir,” or belief in the gods. But that’s just the definition, not the real meat of it. To better understand what Ásatrú is and what it means to be a follower, I’m going to go through the basics of the beliefs as well as what being a part of this religion means to me. First off, it is best to start with the guiding principles of the faith, the Nine Noble Virtues.
The Nine Noble Virtues are, as Captain Barbossa once said, “more what you’d call ‘guidelines’” than a Ten Commandments-esque end-all-be-all set of rules. The Noble Virtues are as follows:
- Courage
- Discipline
- Fidelity
- Honor
- Hospitality
- Industriousness
- Perseverance
- Self Reliance
- Truth
These are the virtues that I and many others have aligned our lives with. The reason they are so important is because not only are they truly noble and help one be a better person, but also the factors the gods judge us by. These virtues are why I feel fulfilled when working hard, or helping others, or merely being a good human being. The reasoning behind them, from what I have been able to decipher, is that this is how the gods would act, so you should do the same in order to gain their favor. And this is what brings us to the next part: what are the gods and how do they act?
To put it simply, the gods live, breath, bleed, and will someday die just like you and me. I feel this is a fundamental part of the faith; they are fallible, more relatable, and they have personality because of this. They each teach, in their own way, invaluable lessons because of their differences, both good and bad. Odin teaches us to be wise, yet have a decisive hand in matters and to sacrifice in order to better oneself. Thor teaches us to be strong and protect what we believe in. Loki teaches us to laugh and live a little, but shows us the folly in going too far. Those are just three of many gods and goddesses that each teach and guide. For many looking in on this faith, it is a strange idea that there are multiple gods, let alone making them human-like and revering them for it, but it aids us in our lives to know that even the gods struggle, and to triumph over your troubles is to do just as they have done. That is why I feel the impending mortality of the gods is so important; it makes us want to be the best we can be in order to show the gods how alike we are.
It is likely, some of you reading this have heard the names Odin, Thor, and Loki, or at least one of them. Now, I don’t know how Christians feel about Bibleman or the Godyssey comics (pictured below), but I personally don’t mind that the majority of people know the names of our gods through the Marvel comics.
That brings me to another key aspect of the faith: community and growth. In order to honor the gods, we do not fast or say Hail Marys, but instead we feast and celebrate. Since this is a minority religion, however, it can be hard to gather enough people of the same faith for a proper feast, but perhaps that is changing. The popularity of Nordic culture has increased a lot in the past few years. From the Marvel comics, to the "Vikings" TV show, and even personal interest in the history, more and more people are being exposed to the old ways and thus to Ásatrú. In 2013 a Worldwide Heathen Census was performed in order to find out how many heathens (which includes Ásatrú followers) may be out there. If you take a look at the numbers, there are a lot of people out there who identify as “heathen.” But since it doesn’t separate the different religions, the census only gives us an umbrella figure to work with, instead of how many identify with Ásatrú, specifically. However, I can tell you that Iceland has the highest concentration of Ásatrú followers out of any country, enough to allow them to build the first temple to the gods in ages. The temple was even designed by one of the community members, Magnus Jensen.
What this means for Ásatrú is the transition from an unknown minority religion to a faith that is looked at and recognized in the public eye. It means the furthering of community and growth. This expanding support of the religion is important and only points to a brighter future for its followers.
I encourage the dispelling of bad rumors or strange preconceptions of alternate religions, that is why I wrote this, and that is why I’m happy for the rising popularity of the faith. I hope to educate about something unknown and show people that we don’t go around sacrificing animals, but instead reflect upon the tales that have been passed on for ages as lessons. If there’s anything I want to communicate clearly about Ásatrú, it’s that it is not a religion of hate or violence, but one of achieving your goals through the perseverance of will and the overcoming of adversity by being the best person you can be in the eyes of the gods. That is how we achieve glory and honor.
May the gods be with you, my friends.
