Is Your Faith a Steering Wheel or a Spare Tire?

I saw this question on a small rural christian church sign recently, and despite the source, I found it to be a valid question. Of course, the first person I asked was myself. Am I living a life that starts every day with me being mindful of my connection to my ancestors and the Æsir, or do I only make time for them when it’s convenient for me? Worse, do I only approach my altar at a dead sprint, panicking because things have gone horribly wrong?

If I wake up every day of my life and take just a few minutes to simply think of my connection to my ancestors and to the Æsir, there are some knock-on effects. I’m now mindful of my place in the long line of my Folk, the blood that I carry, and the promise that I have to keep to them, which is to live a good and pious life, while doing all I can to grow our faith and maintain it. So now I’m imbued with purpose and drive, and I’m ready to take on anything the world can throw at me

Then I think of my relation to the Æsir themselves; am I participating in the gift cycle with the Holy Gods of my Folk? Am I ever seeking to understand them better? Now I’m thinking of going before my altar and making an offering, which is further aligning me with right action and right good will. All of this is fulfilling my soul and making my heart glad. I feel at peace and exude joy.

But what if I didn’t do those things? What if I only really thought about my ancestors while sitting in the Hof, right before the second round of Sumbl? I certainly wouldn’t be making offerings to them for guidance and inspiration in my life, and I probably wouldn’t be conscious of just how much they should mean to me. Where would that put me? In a sad state of affairs, that’s where. The connection through the veil, weak. Their influence in my life? Harder to see and understand.

What if I went through the motions, setting up an altar in my house but never used it, just occasionally glanced at it on my way by, allowing it to collect dust? What if I didn’t go to my closest Hof as much as I really could have each year? What if I ran to my underused altar when things were really bleak, pouring my heart out to ancestors and Gods who hardly ever hear from me, who’s influence and life lessons I never seek out or piously pray for?

I’d be missing out on so much that life has to offer me as an Ásatrúar. I wouldn’t be connected to my Folk and the fellowship that they offer, I wouldn’t make lifelong friends and connections, and I’d miss out on beautiful moments that don’t occur anywhere else in the world. I wouldn’t be a part of my Folk gathering at temples to OUR Gods, reviving the gift cycle between them and us OUR way. I’d be without the wonderful feeling of knowing that my ancestors are watching over me and doing their best to guide me and keep me on the path of piety and right action.

So let your faith and loyalty to the Æsir, your connection to your ancestors, and the strength of your camaraderie with your Folk be your steering wheel in your life. Draw your power from your Gods, ancestors and fellow Ásatrúar. Don’t let the spiritual part of your life be a fallback measure to be pulled out only when dire need suggests it, be consistent and purposeful with your faith and I can guarantee you it won’t steer you wrong.

Goði Bodi Mayo

bmayo@runestone.org

~ From The Runestone, June 2026 ~