TRADITIONAL HEATHENRY: A GUIDE TO SEDIAN BELIEF AND PRACTICE
I would like to begin this by explaining the purpose and reasoning behind this endeavor. Unlike the typical research books from The Norroena Society, this book aims to clarify the extensive works accumulated over many years of study, debates, and philosophical discussions among members of The Norroena Society and the broader Heathen community. The purpose […]
Vetrnætr – Winter Nights
The first three nights of winter, called Winter Nights or Vetrnætr, are dedicated to Freyr and those connected with him. This is the festival of Vetr that Óðinn tells us to celebrate in Ynglingasaga ch. 8. We have a description of the Vetrnætr feast in several sources, including Gisla Saga ch. 10: Það var þá margra manna siður að […]
Proceedings of Þings
The Þing must have a defined structure for its proceedings, one that can expand in complexity over time but always preserves order, enables each person to speak in turn, and prevents the court from descending into chaos. Certain rules must be observed to ensure that everyone has a voice and that no grievance or […]
Types of Þings
Now we turn to how these clans sustained their representative governments through the hierarchy of the clan system. We begin with the House, or Hús, which corresponds to the immediate family. In ancient times, the Húsþing was a small council or assembly held by a king, jarl, or family-head (hǫfðingi) with his household or […]
Reconstructing Our Law
In order to fully reconstruct the law of our religion, we must first determine how that law has worked throughout the millennia, and then explain how we can utilize it today. The primary function of law is to limit human behavior in a way that develops social and spiritual cohesion and thus allows us to […]
Lawmen
The Lawmen (Lǫgmaðr) of ancient Heathenry were not merely those who upheld the law of the people; they were also the final bulwark against the rise of tyrannical kings. It is noteworthy that as European monarchs consolidated power under Christendom, the position of the Lawman was gradually dissolved. Having regional districts led by influential […]
The Þing
No legal system can effectively function without some authority to administer and interpret the laws therein. Any “law” created by people with no plan to reinforce it with a judiciary is useless, and the system is no better than anarchy. Laws must come with consequences, which must be applied justly and fairly by a court […]
Law Man
The Lawmen (Lǫgmaðr) of ancient Heathenry were not merely those who upheld the law of the people; they were also the final bulwark against the rise of tyrannical kings. It is noteworthy that as European monarchs consolidated power under Christendom, the position of the Lawman was gradually dissolved. Having regional districts led by influential individuals […]
Minjar
The word used in the ancient Norse tongue for a relic is minja (pl. minjar), which is defined as a remembrance, perhaps denoting the idea that the symbol laid upon an altar reminds us of our traditions and lore within the Heathen faith. Later, Christians also employed this term to refer to their own relics, […]
Nine Níðar
Every religion in the world has certain restrictions that generally serve in curbing wanton desires or malevolent tendencies. These taboos represent time-tested principles based upon human experience expressed through the folk-will. As stated, our eschatology— our beliefs in the afterlife— is retributive, with the powers of ǫrlǫg reaching beyond the borders of life and death. […]