Hopefully as we move away from rigid adherence to lore and into an even more authentic practice, the hostility surrounding worship of Loki and His kin, the Jotun family of Holy Beings, will fall by the wayside. Every single person is not going to have a deep devotional relationship with every single Deity. We can all, however, be respectful. I hope that as we evolve, respect will become the coin of the day, regardless of which of the Holy Powers we're discussing.
Most of all, I'd like to see more cooperation and communication between differing factions and denominations. We don't all have to agree; the umbrella of Heathenry is big enough to accommodate many different positions. It would be nice if we could work together though because so much amazing work is being done in so many different areas within the various Heathen branches. I'd like to see everyone able to benefit from that.
This is actually already starting to happen. There's much more debate and civil discussion even on topics of intense disagreement than I've ever seen within the religion before. We're learning, we're growing, and in the end, I think that's all that can really be asked for because ultimately each generation of Heathenry is going to have to redefine what it means for them to be Heathen.
In the end, it's impossible to say for certain what the future of Heathenry might really hold. I do know this, however: I'm doing my part to make that future a reality, and that is all anyone can ask and all any of us can do. In the end, the future of Heathenry lies with its children, and its children's children: those born into the faith who experience the Gods before the lore and who grow up in an atmosphere of reverence without ever having to confront the issues inherent in conversion. We're paving the way for those children, those future Heathens, each and every one of us. We're laying the road, brick by brick, that will lead into our future.
Galina Krasskova is a free range tribalist Heathen who has been a priest and godatheow of Odin for close to twenty years. As part of her devotional practice, she also maintains strong ties to Loki, Sigyn, and Andvari. As a Northern Tradition shaman Ms. Krasskova specializes in divination and ordeal work. She is also a gifted rune-master and occultist. In addition to being the founder of Urdabrunnr Kindred in NYC, she maintains membership in several other groups, including Ironwood Kindred (MA), Asatru in Frankfurt (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) and the First Kingdom Church of Asphodel (MA). Her primary interest is Heathen devotional work and she has both written and lectured extensively on this subject.
Ms. Krasskova is heavily involved in the reconstruction of Northern Tradition shamanism and, in addition to several of her own books, has contributed extensively to Raven Kaldera's Northern Tradition Shamanism series. Originally ordained through Fellowship of Isis and then The Interfaith Fellowship, Krasskova holds a diploma in interfaith ministry from The New Seminary in NYC, a BA in Religious Studies from Empire State College in New York City, and an MA in Religious Studies through NYU. Krasskova currently serves as a staff writer for Witches and Pagans magazine. Her publications include Exploring the Northern Tradition, Runes: Theory and Practice, Sigyn: Our Lady of the Staying Power, The Whisperings of Woden, and many more. She may be reached at [email protected]. For more information on her work, visit her site, Gangleri's Grove.
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