The subject of accurate details of the past worship of
our Gods and Goddesses often comes up
as we continue to seek an expansion of knowledge and
our faith. The fact that we, as Tru
Asatruar, continue to delve into the past for a look
to the future enables us to stand on a firmer
ground with feet placed on solid bedrock rather than
the eroding shores so many are caught on.
That being said, I would caution that we not allow ourselves
to be caught within the bedrock,
unable to progress, as we are passed by. All things
from our past fascinate, and enrich, me
personally but we must make application of this knowledge
to our present if we are to apply it to
the future. The very essence of our beliefs must
be preserved but the application of it changes
as the cycles progress toward fruition. If it didn't,
we would suffer a stagnation repellent to both
the Gods and our Folk. We see much of this today
in christianity and the cultural cesspool the
stagnant and bored have created for many.
The idea that we can pinpoint the complete beliefs of
our ancestors and then make truly accurate
judgments on what can, and cannot, have been observed
is next to impossible. Much of what
we need is lost except in ancestral memory (Yes, I am
a firm believer in this) and it is extremely
difficult to judge who was, or wasn't, close enough to
our Gods to be taken at face value in their
time. Look around today and ask yourself how many
of the silly people who infest small
portions of Asatru could leave their mark on our faith
in an inaccurate way. We must sift the
knowledge through our own connection to the Gods and
through discussion with our fellows
who live the faith on a daily basis. The scholars,
visionaries, pragmatists, etc., all bring a portion
of the whole of our faith to us. It's up to us,
as a community, to take this knowledge and apply it
to our future as a folk and faith.
Fare with the Gods
Heimdall (Steve)