"Whispers in the Ear of Odin"

The semi-official newsletter of Raven's Troth AsaTru Kindred

June/Midyear 1999 C.E./2249 R.E. - - - Issue 1

My apologies for the tardiness of this issue. I guess that's not the greatest way to start out, but that's the way it is. My older daughter was ill, I was ill, I had to go see Star Wars (yes, it was absolutely necessary :), and I didn't get anything for the rune section until I had already started trying to put this together without it.... I suppose I could go on, but why bother... it's here now, right?

Fehu-
Germanic name: Fehu Old English/Anglo Saxon: Feoh
Old Norse: Fe Gothic: Faihu
Phonetic Value: F Related Gods: Njord, Freyr, Freyja, Frigga
Colors: Light Red, Fiery Red Elements: Fire, Earth
Traditional Meaning: Gold, Money, Wealth, Cattle, Fee, Mobile Property
Key Words: Mobile Force, Energy, Fertility, Creation/Destruction (Becoming)

Old English Rune Poem:

Wealth is a comfort to every man
yet every man ought to deal it out fairly
if he wants, before the Lord his lot of judgement.

Old Norwegian Rune Rhyme

Gold causes strife among kinsmen
the wolf grows up in the woods.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem

Gold is the strife of kinsmen, and the fire of the
flood tide
And the path of the serpent,
Leader of the war band.

Fehu is the raw archetypal energy of motion and expansion in the multiverse. It is the force that flows from Muspelheimr, the source of cosmic fire, from which Midhgardr was produced. The F-Rune is the all encompassing and omnipresent power symbolized by the charging bovine herd and by wildfire. The cosmic fire of Muspelheimr is instrumental in the creation of the world, but it is also the principle agent in its destruction of Ragnarökr. The fire giant, Surtr, spreads the flames of destruction over the world, thus destroying all but those Gods and men who are to survive or to be reborn in the renewed world on the Idha Plain (The shining plain). It must be remembered that F is not the indifferentiated power of the cosmic fire of Muspelheimr, but rather the mystery of its eternal working throughout the Multiverse.

F is the essence of mobile power. This is evident from the most mundane meaning of its name: “Money”, to “Cattle”. This root word originally meant mobile wealth or property, then was attached to the concept of livestock, which was the main mobile form of property known to the most ancient Germanic peoples. Later the term was used for “Money.” Hence the modern English word: “Fee.”

All in all, F defines a mobile form of power. In the psycho-magical realm, this conceptt of mobile force is closely connected with the old Germanic idea of the Hamingja (which is often translated by such concepts as “luck,” and even “guardian spirit” and even the Asian idea of “Chi” or “Ki”{a mobile force of energy directed through the body}) may be sent forth from an individual in a manner akin to that of the “astral body” in other traditions. F is the directed expansive force that facilitates the projection of soul entities and magical power from person to person, or from a person to an object.
Often the power of F is manifested in the mythology as an otherworldly glow around grave mounds and hills or even as a ring of fire.

F begins and names the first of the three Ættir. The beast of burden and by association the qualities that characterize cattle. That which is domestic and mild. Of a broken spirit. Slavish, stupid, slow. To be used and owned by free men. Cowardly. The shape of the Rune is like the horned head of a cow.

Since cattle are movable possessions and were used in Germany to pay debts, the early meaning was submerged by the concept of wealth. There were no ambivalent feelings about riches in the days prior to Christianity. F was looked upon as a completely positive Rune. It was associated not merely with possession but with honor as well. Great wealth enabled a man to make rich presents which won him much renown. For this reason the Scylding family mentioned in Beowulf was held in high regard.

The notion of F may at one time have included human cattle, or slaves, who were looked upon as beasts of burden and units of wealth. To give slaves captured in battle, and later to give the equivalent measure of gold, was to give some of the battle glory to another. A man’s courage and strength were measured by his plunder.

F literally means “Cattle,” which were the measure of wealth in the earliest period of Germanic history. As the society developed, the power embodied by the cattle themselves was transferred to the gold with which one could buy them. Both served in turn as the physical representation of the mobile energy which manifests as money in human dealings. F is translated as “wealth” or “gold” in the Rune poems, but its etymological origin continues to suggest the strength of fertility and lifeforce which are essential aspects of this stave.

The connection between wealth, fertility, and general life-energy is visible in the nature of the Goddess Freyja and the God Freyr, whose powers govern prosperity and well-being in all their forms. Both Freyja and Freyr are deities of the fertile Earth and of riches and of riches--- one of Freyr’s titles is Frodhi, the Fruitful, and Freyja weeps tears of gold. The life-force of these two deities is expressed as joy, sexual energy, and courage in battle. Both Freyr and Freyja are mighty warriors as well as rulers of prosperity and peace; their nature is energetic in all aspects of being. This is the stave of elemental fire as the primal energy working through the worlds, the source of fertility, prosperity, and strength. The word “fire” is often used in kennings for gold such as “fire of the dragon’s bed” and “fire of the creek,” and gold is often described as “glow-red,” indicating its essentially fiery nature.

Njord (Niord)- Njord is the god of the sea. His colors are blue, gray, and green. He is one of the Vanir and is the father of Freyr and Freyja. Being god of the sea, fishermen would invoke him for safe journey and a good catch. He is the patron god of riches; the sea does seem to get more than its fair share, doesn't it? One of his other function is to act as a mediator and speed reconciliation between people.

Freyr (Frey, Frea, Froh, Frodi, Fricco)- Freyr is the ruler of Alfheim and is largely responsible for the growth of vegetation. He is a fertility god often invoked for peace and plenty. Freyr is a brave god, even if he did give away the sword that could protect Asgard from Surtr. Freya Aswynn says that Freyr is the closest comparable god to the "horned god" honored in many Wiccan traditions. Freyr is the twin brother of Freyja.

Freyja (Frija, Freia, Freo)- Freyja is a goddess of life and death. She is, according to a lot of standards, the perfect woman. She is strong and sensual, intelligent and beautiful. She commands a great deal of power; she is the teacher of Seidh to Odin and gets first pick of those warriors slain in battle. Freyja is the guardian of children and cats; which sounded kind of odd to me at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sence. The cats are pretty obvious; they are beautiful and sensual and extremely good fighters. The children, however, took a little deeper work. One of her functions is as a fertility goddess (obvious connection to children). And her half of the army doesn't get a lot of recognition, maybe they're planning on setting up a final line of defense between Surtr and the future (the children) at the Ragnarok. Just a thought.

Frigga (Frigg, Fricg, Fricka)- Frigga is the wife of Odin; and the patron goddess of the home and "womanly arts." Frigga is a tragic figure, in that she knows the fates of all men but remains silent. Even her own son does not know his fate from her (even though he finds out in a dream of his own). Although she tries to save him, Baldr's death cannot be changed. Perhaps this is why Frigga doesn't speak of the fates of men (or gods, for that matter)-she knows there is no way to change it. Frigga is often seen with a distaff; an item used in spinning thread. The distaff has obvious 'domestic' connections, but also hints at Frigga's hidden (silent) nature. Spinning must take place before weaving is possible... if she supplies the threads of life to the norns, then no wonder she knows how they will all end up...

Current Events:
Well, this month is the AA Regional Thing in Grass Valley... doesn't look like any of us are going to make it... On that note, does anyone know the number of a good, cheap transmission shop? Just checking...

Matters of Interest:

WASCO UPDATE--we've gotten letters from several inmates now, including the mail-room refusals that say Asatru is not a recognized religion and the questions from the Chaplain's office making Asatru out to be (suprise, suprise) an excuse to be racist without having to deal with the consequences. I've sent letters to the warden's and chaplain's offices, but haven't received any answer yet.

(Somebody come up with a catchy name for the) Poetry Section

Blood Bonds

Howling with the Wolf
Hunting with the Bear
Sleeping in the trees
Having no fear

The lights of the town
They are not my own
The boiling in my blood
The violence in my bones

I hear the cat creep
I see the grass grow
The roots of the mountain
The caw of the crow

The forest it calls
The sear my heart stirs
The highlands are home
My clothes are the furs

The creatures my friends
The spirits my kin
The Gjallarhorn will sould
The battle I win

The Gods they are watchin
Being kinsmen on high
When my Orlog has faded
To Valholl will I fly

Mead I am drinking
Sword I am hefting
Shield I am swinging
Flesh I am cleaving

Victory I am granted
The flames leaping high
The longship is laden
I row with a sigh

North I am sailing
Homeward I go
Westward now rowing
To Land of Blood and Snow

Tilling the land
Fattening the kine
To Yulefest we ride
Kinsmen we find

Blood Bonds between us
Tie us by soul
Kith and Kin mine
In our blood do we know

We farm in the Spring
We harvest in Fall
The snow clouds they come
We Winter in hall

In Summer we sail
Southeast for to trade
When Chistmen refuse us
On them do we prey

Hammerhearts from the North
On the sea we are kings
None stand before us
For death do we bring

They say we are wrong
Convert do they cry
To the Old Gods I cling
Rather than turn I will die

Many will come with me
Easy I'll not go
Against them I'm sailing
Against them I row

The Christ King is fading
Odhinn is at hand
Thorr he protects us
In this our new land

Thorr has won
The victory is ours
The stranger has los
His followers cower

"Never again!" I yell
At the top of my lungs
It has taken many lifetimes
We have finally won

Heil the Gods and Goddesses of the Folk!

-Hildulf Hlorrithisson

Calendar Stuff

Lindisfarne Day- The Viking Age began on this date in the year 793, when three ships loaded with Norwegian raiders descended on the monaastery at Lindisfarne, off the coast of England, sacked it and slaughtered the monks. Since the Holy Isle - as the Christians called it - was a center for missionary activity, and because the attack came with no warning, all Christendom was stirred with panic.
The Norsemen were probably motivated by gold and cattle rather than glory (there being little of the latter in sending clerics to their tedious afterlife). Monks had wealth, for reasons as up to date as modern televangelism. The vikings wanted it, so they took it.
We can suggest a more idealistic motive, though. Maybe the heathen Norwegians, tired of Christian interlopers, had been tolerant too long. Perhaps they wanted revenge for the destruction of their folkways at the hands of guileful southlanders. At any rate, the Gods must have looked on with joy to see a pack of wolves descending with power and grace onto the cross-wearing sheep.
On Lindisfarne Day we praise the Nordic instinct for self-defense - something manifested less and less in out own times. We struck back. Neither mercy nor pity must ever persuade us that the defense of our religion, our culture, and our people is a duty to be lightly shirked. True, we no longer use sword and fire, but the obligation remains the same.

Day of Remembrance for Sigurd the Volsung- No Teutonic hero overshadows Sigurd, Of all the great warriors and striding conquerors, of all the brilliant skalds and stubborn martyrs, none can match his fame. His saga was passed on to us by both the Continental and the Scandinavian branches of the Germanic folk. Richard Wagner adapted the tale for his monumental operatic sycle. The general theme, though, is not limited by these forms; in novel and film and fairy tale its motifs are repeated for the enjoyment and the elevation of all who hear them. Sigurd, the slayer of dragons and winner of the cursed treasure, has won good word-fame for as long as our Folk lives to hear of his deeds.

Midsummer- At about this date - give or take a day or two, varying from year to year - the sun reaches its southernmost point. The hours of daylight are at their longest. From now onward, the nights gradually lengthen as we begin the long slide into winter.
Today, Midsummer is a time of dancing, festivities of all sorts, and more that a few survivals of our heathen past. Some of these remnants include the key role of divination and love magic, the rolling down hillsides of flaming sunwheels to imitate the sun’s declining course, and, most importantly, the all-night bonfires around which people congregate for merrymaking.
Christianity tried to absorb or redirect the energies of this holy day by naming it Saint John’s Eve and repressing some of its more blatant Asatru features. They failed. You can help make their failure all the more complete by celebrating Midsummer the heathen way.

Final Word:
Well, I'm not sure this issue is better, but it's definately thicker :) Hey, I need some feedback, should I start 3-hole punching these? I just realized I could do that if people want... Okay, laugh at me if you know how long I've had the stupid 3-hole punch :)

Yrsa

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