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Heathenry Ásatrú was based on the indigenous ancestral Heathen faith of the Northern European, Germanic, folk group of Heathens who once shared a common culture, religion, and language. There are 8,000 year old archeological findings that validate the existence of the ancient faith of Heathenry. Bronze Age rock art in Scandinavia has ancestral carvings depicting the Heathen Deities, as well as the human events and rituals of the Heathens. These organic nature carvings are Shamanic in nature and seem to be forerunners of the Runes, Animal Totems, and Norse myths. Graves from the Heathen Period contained large amounts of highly wrought, symbolic, Germanic jewelry in the form of metaphorical Animal Totem and Power Animal shapes These essential, Power Animals were used as meditational focal points and shields to ward, to bless, and to heal. Each person discovered their Animal Totem animal fetch, a Spirit Guide in animal shape with powers. Each Power Animal has different traits and powers that they can bestow upon their human supplicant. Common Animal Totems are Bear, Boar, Cat, Dog, Dragon, Eagle, Falcon, Horse, Raven, Snake, and Stag.
Ravens were a Power Animal, Animal Totem, Spirit
Guide fetch animals that were often found in the legends and art of Heathenry. Magical birds and masters of transformation,
they travel swiftly, seeing all through their eyes of wisdom. The Hierarch Odin has two
ravens Muninn, Keen and Huginn, Awareness.
The traditional Shamanic roots of Heathenry stretch back at least 42,0000 years into the distant past. By 500 ACE, the Heathens had spread over the areas that would become Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Germany, France, Iceland, and England. Within another two hundred years, the different dialects of the Germanic language became undecipherable and the offshoot Scandinavian, German, Dutch, English, and other languages emerged. An Animistic Earth based faith, Heathenry Heathen Ásatrú, followers believe 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 Heathenry and Heathen Ásatrú 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. The Landvaettir (Landwights) are Nature Spirits of earth, rocks, springs, streams, forests, and homes. Since they do not resonate with discord or loud noises, they will quickly leave an area that radiates entropy or negativity. These Nature Spirits are friendly to humans who honor their purpose and reason for being. Since the presence of Nature Spirits in one's environs ensures prosperity and abundance, people often leave them gifts of food and drink. Although they may bear some superficial similarities to other faiths, Heathenry Heathen Ásatrú was not an offshoot of any other religion. Followers refer to themselves as Heathen rather than Pagan to signify that they are a member of a tribe that reveres two groups of Heathen goddesses and gods. Many of these Heathenry goddesses and gods possessed highly developed shamanic and shapeshifting abilities...Continue on
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