East Coast Thing: 22-26 August, 2012

"The East Coast Thing is an Asatru community-building event in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. It was established in 1999 and is a family-friendly place where Asatruar gather in fridh to honor the Aesir and Vanir, exchange ideas in classes and workshops and renew the bonds between kindreds and individuals. While the event is open to all individuals, the focus is on Asatru and the Northeast Asatru community."

"A call for papers to those who may wish to present some academic pursuit that would interest both experienced and novice in the Asatru community. Register before June 1st for discounted prices!"

For further information, visit the East Coast Thing site.

Women in Heathenry

Skade (1893) by Carl Fredrik von Saltza. 

Courtesy Wikimedia.

Thanks to Ashley for finding this.
"... I can’t sew a button let alone knit, I don’t practice any sort of magic, and my family cult is to Odin. I suppose if I stretch it I could be warrior of sorts, choosing the pen over the sword, but I choose the role of scholar over gythia or seidth worker because I’m good at it, even if I have been judged for “not minding my place” which has happened several times. Not that there is anything wrong with any of the things I listed, its only that I believe through my research that there was so much more to our preceding sisters and that we are cheating ourselves and our history by not studying it."
The full editorial by Raven-Radio Co-Host Jill Budynas may be read at The Urban Ásatrúar.

Tarrytown, New York - Residents Honor Gods, Ancestors During Solstice

"Most people think of Christmas, Hannukah or Kwanzaa when discussing the holiday season, but a growing population in the Tarrytown area celebrates something different: the solstice.
Chuck Hognell is a member of the Asatru community, a religion that has roots in Northern Europe for several thousand years." Read the full article by Meredith Shamburger at the Daily Eastchester.

If You're New to Asatru

... And even if you're not, here's a few good pointers from Steven. T. Abell in his latest "Letters from Midgard" column at Patheos.

Book Release: FULLTRÚI, Patrons in Asatru

Submitted by Larisa Hunter:

Book Release: FULLTRÚI, Patrons in Asatru: Throughout history, the ancient Northern people claimed themselves devoted to their gods. In many of the sagas and folklore, the ancients even trace back lineage directly to the divine. Today, in modern heathenry close personal relationships with deities have returned with full force. FULLTRÚI examines this phenomenon by showing real life examples of people living with patron gods. Granting readers an inside look into the joy and hardships of these relationships through personal firsthand accounts of those living and working with gods, FULLTRÚI answers many questions about working with gods including how to find and develop relationships with the gods by using practical and down to earth material that virtually everyone can relate to. This book breaks the standard academic nature of most heathen books, by allowing readers into the life of those that live with the gods. FULLTRÚI includes: Exercises to develop personal relationships with gods; Guided meditation to discover your personal patron and the worlds they live in; Devotional poetry to bring you closer to your gods; Compelling articles that show deep connections with gods; Historical examples of patron relationships. And much more.

Let Mist take you on a personal exploration of patron relationships through which anyone can learn and develop bonds of their own. Come and heed the voice of the gods and submit yourself to fulltrúi.

Author: Mist, ISBN: 978-1-905713-65-3, Pages: 172 Release Date: June 2011 Price: £10.99 $19.99
Available at Immanion Press: http://www.immanion-press.com/info/book.asp?id=406&referer=Catalogue as well as Amazon and other online retailers

Mist has also just release a free downloadable PDF entitled The Heathen Shaman available at: http://kenaz.ca/index.php/the-viking-market-2/e-books/ or http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/heathen-shaman/18463130

Kristnitakan – The Adoption of Christianity

Brief and more or less neutral encapsulation by Katharina Hauptmann of the introduction of Christianity to Iceland. She makes note of some of the compromises made with the local pagans, such as the eating of horse meat and private pagan sacrifices remaining legal. She also notes at the end of her article the revival of Asatru in Iceland. Full article may be read at Iceland Review.

Viking religion Asatru: A new research project explores the faith of Odin's descendants

This article, in German, is about the study of Asatru as practiced in present-day Germany and in part compares it with Asatru as practiced in Iceland. It may be found at the Grenz | Wissenschaft-aktuell  (Current International Science) blog site.

"From the Aesir and Vanir" - the pre-Christian religion in Iceland and their attempt at resuscitation.

Article on the modern practice of Asatru in Iceland, in German, at ORF.at.

Not all prison worship requests accepted in Ohio

The article is actually about a warden refusing two inmates's request to wear sackcloth, but also covers provisions made for members of other religions, including Asatru. Read the article at CorrectionsOne.com.