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Heathenry was the Heathen religion of the Ásatrú and the Vanatrú, the Way of the Troth of the Aesir and Troth of the Vanir. The Vanir were known for their wisdom and predictive ability, the seidhr, a magical mind altering technique is ascribed to them. They were viewed as peaceful goddesses and gods to be called upon often to ensure fertility and good harvests. The Heathenry Heathen Ásatrú Sacred Pathway has also been referred to as Heathen Norse Heathenry, Germanic Heathenry, and Ásatrú, an Icelandic term derived from two aspects of the Heathen "Faith in the goddesses and gods", "Ása", a Genitive of Ćsir that refers to the goddesses and gods, and "trú" meaning faith. Based on the indigenous ancestral Heathen faith of the Northern European, Germanic, folk group of Heathens who once shared a common culture, religion, and language, the traditional roots of Heathenry stretch back at least 42,0000 years into the distant past.
By 500 ACE, the Heathens had
spread over the areas that would become Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Holland, Germany, France, Iceland, and England. Within another two hundred
years, the different dialects of the Germanic language became undecipherable and
the offshoot Scandinavian, German, Dutch, English, and other languages emerged. There were 8,000 year old archeological findings that validated the existence of the
ancient faith of Heathenry. Bronze Age rock art in Scandinavia has ancestral
carvings depicting the Heathen dieties, as well as, the human events and rituals
of the Heathens.
These organic nature carvings were Shamanic in nature and seemed to be forerunners of the Runes, Animal Totems, and Norse myths. Graves from the Heathen Period contained large amounts of highly wrought, symbolic, Germanic jewelry in the form of metaphorical animal shapes. These essential, Power Animals were used as meditational focal points and shields to ward, bless, and heal. Each person discovered their Animal Totem Power Animal fetch, a Spirit Guide in animal shape with powers. Each animal had different traits and powers that they could bestow upon their human supplicant. Common Animal Totems were Bear, Boar, Cat, Dog, Dragon, Eagle, Falcon, Horse, Raven, Snake, and Stag. Ancient Heathens followed the "Way of Troth" to the ancient Germanic goddesses and gods. who were multidimensional beings. For example, Thor, the thunder God was also a guardian of culture.
Although other Germanic
tribes shared the same mythos and traditional stories which were memorized by
their skalds (bards and poets), people think of the goddesses and gods as Norse
mainly because most of the recorded folk beliefs and stories that survived the
vagaries of the passage of time were written by Scandinavians...
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