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The tapestry of Heathen practices was woven from these common threads of past beliefs that the Earth and all the animals, nature spirits, trees, plants, rocks, and the land are sacred and worthy of respect. The spirits of earth, rocks, springs, streams, forests, and homes, the Heathen Landvaettir or Landwights do not resonate with discord or loud noises and will quickly leave an area that radiates entropy or negativity. They are friendly to humans who honor their purpose and reason for being. Since their presence in one's environs ensures prosperity and abundance, people often leave them gifts of food and drink. Although the followers of Heathenry refer to themselves as Heathen rather than Pagan, they share some similar beliefs roots with Paganism that burrow deep into the ancestral memories of Elder Ages when it was natural to venerate Nature; to celebrate the passage of the seasons; and to honor the Nature Spirits. Heathenry was a Sacred Pathway that honored ancestors, community, and the Nine Noble Virtues. An Earth based faith, Heathenry, believes that we are the offspring of the union of the Sky Father and the Earth Mother and live in one of the Nine Worlds, Midgard. The gods and goddesses reside in Asgard, the uppermost world. The Holy Elves, the Alfar, are friends of mankind; the Dark Dwarves, the Dokkalfar, are sometimes friendly and sometimes unfriendly, and the Giants, the Jotnar, are catalysts for change for both the deities and humans.
Like the "Man in the Moon" in English literature, the Moon in Heathen Ásatrú is always a masculine presence, while the Sun is feminine. This was the original Way that was reversed during the ancient Greco-Roman times of Apollo. Yggdrasil, the World Tree, Irminsul, was the god Odin's axis mundi horse. He hung there for nine nights, symbolic of the Nine Worlds of Norse cosmology, in order to obtain the runes. The entire universe depends on the World Tree which rises from the center of Midgard. Its roots reach into the world of human beings, the world of the frost giants, and Hel; while, its branches reach up over Asgard. Niddhogg the dragon and many snakes gnaw at the roots and four stags gnaw at the bark of Yggdrasil but waters from the Urda Well of Wyrd sprinkled by the Norns, the three goddesses of Fate, heal it each day. Mimer's Well and Hvergelmer Well also feed Yggdrasil. All trees are sacred to the Norse, Germanic, and Celtic peoples. On the shores of the primal sea, Odin, Vili, and Vé made the first two humans, Askr and Embla, Ash and Elm, from driftwood tree trunks. Heathenry as a Sacred Pathway focuses more on the discovery and comprehension of the mysteries and magic of the land itself, honoring the nature spirits of the waters, trees, and rocks, than on the mythos of the gods and goddesses.
Gathering in kindred
groups for bloats, the folk often make an outdoor altar of a cairn of stones and
use images of the deities made of clay and wood. Holy tools include drinking
horns that are deemed more traditional than a cup, blessing bowls and twigs, and
Thor's hammer, for cleansing and blessing.
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