A Cultural Connection with the Divine

Besides having a relationship with divinity, it is also significant to have a cultural connection to the deities of your ancestors. Think of this—only Western Christians celebrate customs that did not originate in their lands from their ancestral traditions, and only Westerners suffer from an identity crisis where they want to be everything except what they truly are.

Buddhists, Hindus, Shinto, Aborigines, Native Americans, Taoists, even Muslims and Jews are celebrating some form of cultural heritage with their religion. This is because the cultural experience is spiritually uplifting and thus compliments religion as a way of bringing people together and improving their lives. This experience is why we are Odinists and why we promote this lifestyle as something that has been positive and profound.

To appreciate your own culture is to appreciate them all, for then you can truly understand why these ancestral traditions are so significant for all people. Westerners often wish to impose themselves upon the cultural traditions of other peoples because they feel lost, devoid of a heritage of their own, and look to foreign lands to fill that spiritual void. Some of them even look at Odinism or Asatru as something negative simply because they have been taught to deny and reject who they are. These same individuals do not expect other peoples to do this, and will view their beliefs with wonder and awe, even though they are in exact agreement with ours.

Our message is simple—you do not have to look to outsiders to have a powerful spiritual discipline, for one exists right in your own backyard. We never have Asians or Africans or Native Americans beating down our doors trying to take over our ancient ways, so why are so many Europeans trying to do this to them? Why can't we simply respect their cultures, seek to learn from one another and find common ground, but always honor and value each other's cultural boundaries?

This identity crisis that exists only in the West comes from the loss of those important institutions that were once a part of our everyday lives. Rites of Passage, a vibrant mythology, a unified heritage, ritualistic symbols, etc. all have been taken from us and are missing from our mainstream society, so people look for them elsewhere.

Listening to someone yell at you every Sunday is not enough for some people, so they seek out practices and beliefs that provide a stronger spiritual path that is not as oppressive. Usually they look to the East for this, in the Asian cultures, but we are here to tell you that this is not necessary.

Odinism has a rich and illustrious history, with the same types of spiritual practices you can find anywhere. Our religion has a common descent with Hinduism, which is one of the Eastern faiths that has become popular in the West, with its yoga and meditation practices.

We have the stada tradition, which is similar to yoga, while the Hindu mantras, such as the famous Om are similar to our Galdur chants, where we sing and meditate on the runes. Our goal in the Odinist movement is to bring our people home, to rid them of the guilt and the shame that has been instilled within their hearts by political demagogues and show them the path of their ancestors.

Our Gods and Goddesses speak to us through our culture, and present themselves to us as manifestations of our heritage. They came to our lands to speak to our people and inspire and teach us to develop our culture, just as the Gods of other people did for them.

To say that our faith is for all people is not only incorrect; it is a direct contradiction of the values its proponents hold, for they are trying to project a postmodernist view upon this way of life. In order to do this, they would have to answer the question of why these Gods are seen, quite readily, as having revealed themselves to only European people and no other, and would thus have to develop a "chosen people" concept just as Jews had to when they turned their culture into a universal creed.

The only way to truly celebrate diversity is to accept that people are different, with different mindsets, different identities, different ideals and beliefs, and different cultures. Once you accept this you honor the great tapestry that makes up our species, instead of trying to homogenize all of us and essentially deject all the things that make us diverse.

To have a relationship with the divine is something that is very deep and personal. This is your bond with our Gods and Goddesses that we are here trying to develop. You begin with understanding their natures, then find the ones you relate to the most and commune with them as a powerful force connected to you through your ancestry. You may favor several deities or just one, but in any case your devotion to them is expressed however you wish. As long as you do not disgrace the overall faith, how you connect to the Gods is your business, which is part of the power of our religion.

This connection can change your life, give you a new appreciation for yourself, your family, and your folk, and help you to relate to something that has always been latent within your Spirit; for if you are of Northern descent Odinism flows through your veins as your blood-heritage.

Our revival is still in its infancy, but we are growing every day, and with each step we are showing more and more people the validity that this belief system can have in their lives. More and more people are answering the call of the ancient North, as Heimdall's horn blows louder and louder; summoning us all to our birthright.

The only way to truly celebrate diversity is to accept that people are different, with different mindsets, different identities, different ideals and beliefs, and different cultures. Once you accept this you honor the great tapestry that makes up our species, instead of trying to homogenize all of us and essentially deject all the things that make us diverse.

To have a relationship with the divine is something that is very deep and personal. This is your bond with our Gods and Goddesses that we are here trying to develop. You begin with understanding their natures, then find the ones you relate to the most and commune with them as a powerful force connected to you through your ancestry. You may favor several deities or just one, but in any case your devotion to them is expressed however you wish. As long as you do not disgrace the overall faith, how you connect to the Gods is your business, which is part of the power of our religion.

This connection can change your life, give you a new appreciation for yourself, your family, and your folk, and help you to relate to something that has always been latent within your Spirit; for if you are of Northern descent Odinism flows through your veins as your blood-heritage.

Our revival is still in its infancy, but we are growing every day, and with each step we are showing more and more people the validity that this belief system can have in their lives. More and more people are answering the call of the ancient North, as Heimdall's horn blows louder and louder; summoning us all to our birthright.