Words from the Allsherjargoði
I hope you are all having an amazing October so far.
I have a couple of things to talk to you about this month, and the first is the updated Hof District Map. The districts effected are Óðinshof and Baldrshof. In order to more accurately reflect geography and drive-times, we moved over several states and provinces from Óðinshof to Baldrshof. We plotted the drive time from the town closest to the center of these states and provinces to their nearest hof. We found that Baldrshof is closer in all instances; some by a little but mostly by a significant amount. From here on; Northwest Territories, Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado are now in the Baldrshof District. I hope this change will encourage more folks to travel to their closest hof.
The other thing I want to talk about is the very special season we are in. From now until the end of the year, the veil between the worlds is thin and the ease of interaction between worlds is noticeably increased! This is particularly meaningful when it comes to our ancestors! A fundamental element of our faith is the veneration of our ancestors and heroes. We should all take special care to make prayers and offerings to our dead loved ones this time of year; to make a special point to invite them into our hearts, into our homes, and into our lives. This is a great time to share the stories of your ancestors with your children, to pass down stories and recipes and traditions. Make a note of teaching your children the traditions you learned when you were their age from loved ones no longer here to teach them physically. I am excited to celebrate this special time with all of my AFA family and, as always, I encourage each of you to make a special point to participate. Make the journey to your closest hof, attend events hosted by your local Folkbuilder, observe the Days of Remembrance for our Heroes.
With all this in mind, we celebrate Dísablót at Vetrnætr. This is one of my favorite celebrations of the year, and it is the one I have had the most profound experiences during. For any who might not know, the Dísir are our female ancestors that continue to care for their loved ones from beyond the veil. These sacred mothers love and care for us throughout our lives in ways we all too seldom see. This month we celebrate these great ladies, and we connect with them in a special way. I look forward to sharing that experience with each of you. Whether you are able to celebrate at a hof or whether you are at your home altar, please make the point of giving blót to the Dísir and take pride in those who love you from beyond the veil.
Heill the Dísir!
Allsherjargoði Matt Flavel
~ From The Runestone, October 2026 ~
