Vidar's Gothi

On Friday, January 20, 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in as the forty-fifth president of the United States of America. This has made many people very uncomfortable. I've heard, over time, that some non-Christians have concerns about a Republican government, and Trump in particular. I decided to go to the quiet place to see if there was any advice coming from there.

As another Winter Solstice rolls by, I want to wish you all a Good Yule and good new year!

If you are new to Yule, or to Asatru, you can read more from my previous Yule posts.

May the Gods guide you to where you need to be.

A linguist friend of mine pointed out this Anglo-Saxon version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". If you've got a few minutes, it is entertaining and worth the read. http://www.tor.com/2016/12/15/this-anglo-saxon-version-of-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-might-be-more-epic-than-beowulf/

The Grimnismál tells of a squirrel named Ratatosk living in the World Tree. We know this creature to run between the eagle at the top and the dragon at the bottom, carrying taunts to agitate the two. With each trip, it spreads anger and hatred, causing the recipients to shake the Tree itself. It looks as though we have a similar issue in our world today.

Last weekend, I attended the Central Iowa Pagan Pride gathering in Des Moines. It was a great gathering ; I met some great people and there were wonderful conversations. One of the topics that came up was that we sometimes encounter people who want to be part of our groups but are just too toxic. I thought this required more thought.

World news has been filled with the so-called Brexit; the United Kingdom vote to leave the European Union. Since the decision to leave, ethnic violence and national identity have popped up as some of the primary motivators for voters who wanted to leave. As Asatru people, we can both understand this, and at the same time must avoid falling into this pattern.

Many people struggle to keep their thoughts under control. They worry about the things in their lives, and often worry about imaginary things that will never come to pass. This is why Odin has two Ravens, one that flies straight to its task and another that meanders all over. If you have this, whether occasionally or all the time, you are losing some of your potential, but you can get it back.

Most Asatru people really like history, in particular the history of our ancestors. There is nothing wrong with that, for the most part, but there is a hidden danger. Looking for and overcoming that danger can help us as a group and can help each of us as individuals.

It will soon be Memorial Day in the United States (29th of May this year). This is a day or remembrance of those who have fallen in battle defending the freedoms so many enjoy. Many people will also take time to remember other loved ones who have passed from the Middle World. What does this mean for the Asatruar?