Ægirs Feast 2010
Hosted by Hammer of Thor Kindred
Hammer of Thor Kindred invites you to join us as we celebrate Ægirs Feast 2010. We are going to be at the Camp Norga in California's Beautiful Sierra Mountains.
For more information follow the LINK HERE
Asatru Folk Assembly's Midsummer 2010
Video on Youtube
Come Visit us at the "JamberMoot" in Oregon!
Steve and Sheila McNallen, as well as many other AFA members, will be among the participants at the Northwest All-Heathen JamberMoot in Scott Mill, Oregon, from July 30 to August 1.
The event, billed as "a great opportunity to meet others who share our same traditions, values, and connections to our Gods and Ancestors," is hosted by Bertha Figard and Jeff Peck at local Camp Dakota. The AFA has rented a yurt at the site for socializing and rituals. Other well-known AFA members who will be there include Thorgrun and Katie, and of course our Northwest Folkbuilders, Michael and Cat Burke, among others.
This is a non-denominational, non-political gathering. No matter what branch of Germanic religion you follow, regardless of your organizational affiliation or lack of one, JamberMoot is an invitation to get to know one another on a personal basis. Planned activities include games and entertainment, an auction, and a mead contest.
For more information, contact befigard@yahoo.com.
Asatru Folk Assembly's Midsummer 2010
The AFA's "Midsummer in the Sierras" was a dynamic and intense experience that impacted everyone who was there!
The numbers tell part of the story: Well over a hundred people attended - no small feat when everyone must be either an AFA member or a "friend of the AFA." They came from Alaska, from Florida and Ohio and from a number of other states to be with us in California. We even had a family from Denmark join us as special guests and as honored presenters.
The important thing, though, was not the size of the crowd but the creativity and enthusiasm of the participants. This attitude, that "anything was possible," set the stage for success on many different levels!
Johnny and Jule Hulsey led us in a healing rite that produced physical results in several of us who were there. Bill, one of the two Clergy students conducting their "certification blots," performed the actual Midsummer ritual. Lauren, another Clergy student, gave us an Odin-blot of great power. Steve and Sheila McNallen renewed their wedding vows. Young Gabe underwent his initiation into manhood. Steve's Wotan-Blot rang off the hills as if a thousand people were assembled in the meadow.
Two bands entertained us around the camp fire in the evenings. Lasher Keen, experimental artists working in Germanic themes, rocked us with songs honoring Wotan and Audhumla. The Blarney Band gave us rousing Irish songs. Everyone enjoyed them, especially our many children, seated in the flickering shadows.
Of course, there was work to be done. The AFA's Folkbuilders introduced the new Folkbuilder Handbook and took their oaths on the AFA's banner. Likewise, Bill and Lauren swore the Clergy oath. Lars, active in the Danish Asatru movement, gave two very important presentations on the situation of our faith in Europe and how it is practiced. One of America's leading authorities on German genealogy gave us a class on tracing our German roots.
The AFA's annual Midsummer gathering is, obviously, a busy time. But just as important in many ways is the informal socializing, the sharing of ideas and laughter over a horn of mead around a glowing fire. In this casual manner we build the bonds of the AFA "meta-tribe," the ties that hold us together as men and women (and children!) bound by blood and belief, whether from down the road in California or from the other side of the world. Long after the days have again grown short and the weather cold, the fire of the Midsummer rites and companionship will warm our hearts.
AFA Leader Raises a Horn to Odin Onstage
A northern California band, Lasher Keen, asked Asatru Folk Assembly head Steve McNallen to invoke Odin's blessing before a recent performance in Nevada City.
Just before the band began, Steve and his wife Sheila walked onstage. Using a ritual formula inspired by the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, Sheila handed Steve a horn of mead. He responded to her, then invoked Odin's inspiration for the evening's performance. Steve carried the horn to each member of the band, offering a drink of the fluid now charged with Odin's might. The task done, Steve and Sheila took their seats, and the music began.
Lasher Keen, whose music is described as "folk/experimental/other" on the group's MySpace page, weaves the imagery of pre-Christian Germania throughout their work. Their song in praise of Wotan (Odin) was very well received. They also played one of their newer numbers dedicated to Audhumla, the primordial cow in the Norse creation myth.
A genuine spiritual impulse drives Lasher Keen. "Raising the horn to Odin was not some onstage stunt or gimmick. It was for the benefit of the band, who actually wanted the blessing of Odin," said Steve.
For more on Lasher Keen visit http://www.myspace.com/lasherkeen.
Asatru Event Hosts International Guest
The Florida Moot broke new ground for Asatru by inviting the respected Anglo-Saxon expert, Stephen Pollington, as a special guest from England.
"Pollington was awesome," enthused one attendee. "I know a lot more about the Anglo-Saxon contribution to Germanic religion than I did a few days ago!" Pollington, author of nearly a dozen books on the Anglo-Saxons, spoke on the institution of the mead hall and on the symbolic significance of Anglo-Saxon decorative motifs.
The other star attendees were Steve and Sheila McNallen of the Asatru Folk Assembly. McNallen addressed the group on the future of the AFA, which he sees in ambitious terms. "We intend to present our faith to millions of ordinary people who have never heard of it. I am not content to let Asatru be a mere footnote to history, when we have so much to offer," he stated. McNallen also shared his ideas on the afterlife in Germanic religion.
The Moot, while not an official AFA event, is organized by AFA Folkbuilder Allen Turnage with the help of many volunteers, to include many AFA members. McNallen's attendance for the last two years has made the gathering especially relevant for AFA members all across the South.
The Florida Moot attracted about fifty percent more attendees than last year.
URGENT: Please Act Now to Protect Our Religious Freedom!
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is being asked to decide that only Christianity and certain other faiths are guaranteed full protection under the Constitution.
The issue arose when a Pagan minister who volunteers to work with his co-religionists inside prisons filed suit objecting to the California Department of Corrections policy under which only Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American faiths can have paid chaplains.
According to activist Patrick McCollum,
I originally sued on behalf of myself and Pagan inmates as their chaplain, but about a year later several inmates joined the lawsuit. Together, we claimed that it is unconstitutional for the state to deny the Pagan inmates their religious rights, their religious materials, and their religious services.
During the course of the case, the CDCR, [California Department of Corrections] other related defendants, and the Assistant Attorneys General who represents them have argued before the court that Pagans are not deserving of equal civil rights as are provided adherents of the preferred faiths. In one of their first arguments to the court, the defendants said that certain “traditional” faiths are first tier faiths and that those faiths were meant to have equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution, but that all of the other faiths, for example, Hindus, Pagans, Buddhists, Sikhs, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jains, are second tier faiths deserving of lesser rights, and therefore are not meant to have the same equal rights and protections under the United States Constitution as the first tier faiths.
Now, in an amicus brief filed in the Ninth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in support of the CDCR and the other defendants, an organization called Wall Builders,Inc, which is represented by the National Legal Foundation, has argued that Christianity is the only religion that should be protected under the Constitution or at the very most other monotheistic religions might also be included. They also argue that the term religion only applies to Christianity or monotheistic faiths, and that anyone else, including the Pagans, are not really a religion for the purpose of Constitutional protections.
The Asatru Folk Assembly absolutely opposes any attempt to limit Constitutional protection to a few chosen religions, and supports full rights for minority faiths. If the views of the CDCR and Wall Builders, Inc. become enshrined in law, it will be the beginning of the end for religious freedom in America.
As head of the Asatru Folk Assembly, I urge all our members and all men and women of good will to support the courageous efforts of Patrick McCollum to protect our rights and to obtain justice. Specifically, I ask all reading this to go to the following link - sponsored by Circle Sanctuary's "Lady Liberty League," in which I have full trust and confidence - and take an active part by registering their support and by writing the Governor of California, the California Attorney General, and the California Department of Corrections.
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty/pmccollum/
Stephen A. McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
Important New Book Says Viking Raids Were Self-Defense
Respected scholar Robert Ferguson says that the Viking Age, far from being a period of wanton aggression against an innocent and peaceful Europe, was self-defense.
He tells his story in his new book, published in the U.S. as The Vikings, and in England as The Hammer and the Cross: A New History of the Vikings. It can be purchased from Amazon.
With the coronation of Charlemagne in 771, the Carolingians began aggressively converting their pagan neighbors and promoting Christianity. Charlemagne launched numerous invasions of the Saxons, who were led by the hero Widukind. Ferguson notes that the goals of Charlemagne were to force the Saxons "to abandon their culture, political system, beliefs and everything, and make them part Christians and part of his empire." This was done by the most brutal means possible, including "ethnic-cleansing:" In 782, Charlemangne's armies forcibly baptized and then executed 4,500 Saxon captives at Verden, a town close to Denmark.
Considering the situation, Ferguson writes, "Should the Vikings simply wait for Charlemagne's armies to arrive and set about the task? Or should they fight to defend their culture?" The result was the long series of raids and invasions known as the Viking Age.
This is important book gives a new and more balanced view of a tumultuous era.
To read an article on it, go to
http://medievalnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/viking-attacks-on-europe-were-self.html
To download an interview with Ferguson for the BBC History Magazine, go to
http://content.bbcmagazinesbristol.com/bbchistory/audio/BBC_History_Dec09_Pt2.mp3
Blot Book
Hailsa The AFA!
I'm thrilled to announce that the AFA's Blot book is published and ready for
sale to the membership and the public in general. I want to thank everyone who
contributed and worked so hard to make this project become a reality. The
members of the AFA clergy, various members of the AFA, and of course our
Alshergodhi Steve McNallen. I especially want to thank Ed & Tina LeBouthillier
for their hard work in putting it all together, doing the lay out, proofreading,
and making sure it was ready to be published. Thank you! I think you're all
going to be pleased with the results.
It's professionally printed and spiral bound in order to lay flat during use. It
contains 18 Blots and 13 other rituals as well. Many of you have been asking us
for something like this for quite a while and now it's a reality. And just in
time for Yule! It's the perfect gift or stocking stuffer. If you have a very
large stocking that is! It's available in printed form or as a PDF download as
well. We hope you enjoy it. To order it please go
to:http://stores.lulu.com/asatrufolkassembly Thank you!
An Asatru Elder Reconnects
An elder of our faith has, after many years out of the public eye, re-emerged to participate in the community he helped to found.
David James was present at the beginning of the Asatru revival in America. He was a guest speaker at Althing One in 1980 because of the knowledge and experience he had accumulated even at that early date.
But in the late 1980's, David dropped out of sight. It wasn't that he lost interest in Asatru, or that he stopped thinking and writing. Quite the contrary. He simply lost communication with the rest of the Teutonic religious community when he moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where his four children were living with his ex-wife. Being with his family was his top priority.
During that time, David started writing a series of essays on ethics, values, and ritual. He is still refining parts of it, but now bits of this work have been coming to light - for example, at the recent AFA Midsummer gathering.
The AFA flew David to California, where he gave tow presentations, one on are and the other on the nature of the Folk. He also performed the main Midsummer ritual: This rite, while existing on paper in one form or another for years, had never before been done. AFA members responded enthusiastically. David is now active on the AFA Members Group, where he enriches our dialog and shares his insights with our entire organization.
Midsummer in the Sierras
The AFA's "Midsummer in the Sierras" extended over an incredible four days and left an indelible mark on all who witnessed it.
What follows is only a summary of the gathering's high points. In between the items listed below, there were short workshops and rituals, much laughter, and many spiritual insights!
There were four intense blots, or rituals in honor of the Gods and Goddesses of Asatru Two were given by students in the AFA Clergy program in fulfillment of their training requirements - one blot to Vidar by Johnny Hulsey, and another to Freya by his wife Julia. Both were judged outstanding successes.
David James, Asatru elder and special guest, conducted the main Midsummer blot. His rite was the very first live performance of one of his original works. Finally, Steve McNallen, head of the AFA, led the folk in a late-night blot to Odin.
The attendees sat at sumbel twice during the event, passing the mead horn to bring the might of the ancestors into the present so it could be applied to our needs. One stumble was formal, another was much more casual, both helped us build deep fellowship, and raised much power from the past.
Birgit and Liz led one of the two principal workshops. Reading through the Eddic poem Voluspa in the Old Norse and in an original English translation, they brought the verses to life and immersed us in the Way of our Folk. A comparable session by David James gave us new thoughts on our identity as a Folk, and on how surrounding ourselves with art - in the broad sense of the term - can affirm and deepen that identification. David, active in the revival of Germanic religion for some forty years or more, was enthusiastically received by all who heard him speak or who talked with him in person.
Rites of passage played a very important role in this Midsummer. Johnny and Julia Hulsey took the AFA Clergy oath and were hailed as Gothi and Gythja respectively. Scott and Cynthia pledged their wedding vows in a ceremony combining the elegance and formality of a mainstream “church wedding” (tuxedos, flowing satin dresses, a cake-and-champagne reception) with the very essence of Asatru (calling on the Gods, a hammer-blessing of the bride, exchange of sword and keys).
Saturday night, The Blarney Band had young and not-so-young alike dancing on the grass. Live music has been an integral part of the AFA's annual gatherings for several years.
Toward the end of our time together, we participated in an intense brainstorming session on new ways to bring the AFA message to a broader audience, especially young people. Detailed notes were taken and exact steps to accomplish our goals were established.
The date for the next "Midsummer in the Sierras" in June 25-27, 2010. All AFA members and friends are invited to begin making preparations now!
Asatru Military Family Support Program
When we approached Judy Floyd, our Texas Folkbuilder, about our ideas for helping service members and their families, she knew exactly what was needed. Judy has one son currently in the Army and a son-in-law who has done multiple tours in Iraq.
Soldiers, families, veterans...This new AFA program is now ready to serve the families of heathen men and women serving in our armed forces. Our thanks go out to Judy, and to Rind Bragisdottir and Mary Antonelli who have designed and developed our website and forums. There is even a section for children who want to express their thoughts and to meet others who share the experience of a parent in the military. Our site, www.hammerproject.org, is already popular, having gotten over 1,300 hits in the first few days of its existence. We invite you to drop in often to read the news items, helpful links and revealing blog entries. This is an AFA sponsored program, though we are eager to cooperate with other organizations and individuals to carry out our mission!
Hammer Project
Within the main AMFSP program, we have a special focus to get Thor's hammer approved by the Department of Veterans' Affairs as a symbol on the headstones of Asatru military personnel. The AFA video, Quest for the Hammer, explains the historical use of this symbol to honor warrior's graves. We appreciate the help and support of Selena Fox, who headed up a successful campaign to get the Wiccan pentacle proved by the VA. Part of our effort includes a petition that can be signed by anyone who supports our cause, regardless of their affiliation. Please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/hammerproject and add your name to those of the 1,800 or so people who have already signed this document.
New-to-Asatru-Hall
With our expanding organization, we find that many of our members are new not only to the AFA, but to our religion, as well! In order to serve these new members well, we are putting more resources into our Folkbuilding program. But that's not all - we created a new group for our fledgling AFA members, the "New to Asatru Hall." This is a place to receive guidance and learn the basics of Asatru. Folkbuilder Piparskeggr and Kim Welch from the Clergy program are the guides and moderators for this group. If you hesitated joining the AFA because you lack experience or knowledge, this new program is for you!
Membership
When the Asatru Folk Assembly became a membership organization in 1994, the cost of membership was $25 per year. For that, members received a membership card, invitations to events, and eventually, an invitation to receive Bearclaw and to participate on our former Yahoo group, known as the afalist.
It is now 15 years later. The cost of membership is still $25 per year. For that you now get a membership card, an AFA logo lapel pin, invitations to our events, free downloads, a monthly newsletter for our AFA children, a bi-monthly newsletter The Voice, access to online forums and our afamembers Yahoo group, possibility of enrolling in our clergy course, discounts on selected merchandise, and more...
Why wait to join? Click here!
Folkbuilders
The head of our Folkbuilder program, Rick Oberg, stays in touch with our representatives worldwide. In the past few months, we've made many improvements to our program and have welcomed the following new Folkbuilders:
Matt Reardon - New York State
Paul Guhring - New York City
Paul Christensen - Utah & Idaho
Dennis Boltenhouse - Ohio
Woody James - North Carolina
Sherri Cripe - Michigan
