This week on August 9th many Heathens who are members of the Asatru Alliance, or who opt to use their calendar, set aside time to celebrate the life and memory of the Frisian King Radbod (680-719 CE), who is a hero to many living Heathens and Pagans today. Christian missionaries came close to baptizing King Radbod, but before carrying through with the ceremony and conversion he asked a question, "Where are my dead ancestors at present?" Wolfram the Christian missionary answered, "In Hell, … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Sacred Pagan Sites in Berlin – Hel’s Pond
August 3, 2011 By
Recently I had the immense pleasure and privilege of being able to spend two weeks in Germany and Denmark on vacation. While parts of the trip were solely for my own personal amusement, I also made it a point where I could to meet up both with local heathens and to venture to holy sites, depictions of deities and artifacts. One of the very first things I made sure to do when I reached the city of Berlin, was to go pay my respects to a site sacred to the Goddess Hel (or Hella), nestled among the … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Heathens Support Fallen Soldier At Anti-Westboro Baptist Protest
July 13, 2011 By
On June 13, funeral services were held in Nashville, Tennessee for U.S. Marine Sgt. Kevin Balduf who was killed in action on May 12 while serving in Afghanistan. The friends and family of Sgt. Balduf were faced not only with the task of mourning someone they cared for, but with the unwelcome attention of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, who announced their plans to protest at his funeral services. Westboro Baptist is a church headed by Fred Phelps, which is primarily comprised of a … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Help Get Asatru Added to the U.S. Army’s Religious Preference List
June 19, 2011 By
Josh and Cat Heath from the Open Halls Project are working through the cumbersome bureaucratic process, to have the U.S. Army recognize and add Asatru/Heathenry as a religious preference for the official U.S. Army database. According to their latest post on their website they need U.S. Army soldiers, veterans, and their spouses to send them "your name, rank, status (active, reserves, national guard, veteran, or spouse)" to their email account: heathenopenhalls@gmail.com Not familiar with the … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Understanding the Words – Wyrd and Orlog
June 11, 2011 By
The concepts of wyrd and orlog are interconnected, but can sometimes prove to be stumbling blocks as their meanings are learned. In Heathenry we have no absolute concept of one’s fate, rather we have a notion that our destiny, or doom is comprised by choices and while a certain fate may come to pass, we also have the ability to make other choices to potentially change it. To understand how wyrd and orlog are connected, let us explore the meanings of these words. … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Cleanliness and Garb at Rituals
June 7, 2011 By
Heathens are a varied bunch, with varying opinions and interpretations on a number of issues, like with any religion. Among the items debated sometimes (and seemingly ad nauseum at times) is whether one should wear period garb or not. … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Exploring Our Gods And Goddesses – Sigyn
June 4, 2011 By
We know very little about the Goddess Sigyn. Not much has survived from the pre-Christian era about this Goddess. … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Musings on Odin’s Ravens and Wolves
May 22, 2011 By
Among the many descriptions of Odin, we see that he is described as having a pair of ravens, and a pair of wolves. Thanks to some nature specials I watched recently when I couldn't sleep, I discovered that ravens tend to mate for life. While pre-adult ravens may live and work together in groups with other ravens, when they hit adult status about 4 years into their 40 year or so life-span they then become extremely territorial. The only time adult ravens will be seen together (peaceably) out in … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Possible Pagan Roots for the Name of England
May 18, 2011 By
The modern day country of England, appears to derive its name indirectly from the Vanic deity, Freyr who was widely worshiped among the Scandinavian, Germanic and Anglo-Saxon peoples. … [Read more...]
Wyrd Designs – Wedding Customs in the Northern Tradition
May 1, 2011 By
While part of the world may now be in Royal Wedding-mania, all I can say is, I grow a bit weary of all of the news and media coverage, especially of the fluff stories of the really tacky merchandise, or finding Kate’s face on a jelly-bean. Dear world media, really? Is that the best thing you can come up with by the dateline? I wish Wills & Katie the best, and I hope that all the problems that so plagued some of the last royal couples don’t plague this new generation. But I am very glad … [Read more...]
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