![]() ![]() That makes Norse Paganism somewhat ‘decentralised’ and open to interpretation, and there can be significant differences in the way that believers choose to follow the faith. So there’s no ‘bible’ or specific religious text in Norse Paganism, and no list of commandments, either. Holy texts in Norse PaganismĪside from runestones, like the ones you can see in museums across the region, there aren’t any written texts from pre-Christian Scandinavia. Norse Pagans typically subscribe to an animistic worldview – that is, a belief that all living things and phenomena have a spiritual essence. Ásatrú pagans in Iceland | Pic: Lenka Kovářová ( CC) Animism in Norse Paganism The second group of Norse deities, Vanir, is more closely associated with fertility, sexuality and seeing into the future.įreyja, for example, is part of the Vanir pantheon.Īccording to Norse mythology, Æsir and Vanir waged war against each other and eventually merged into one unified group of gods.īeyond those two main groups of gods and goddesses mentioned above, Norse pagans also believe in Jötunn (sometimes loosely translated as ‘giants’), as well as other non-human creatures such as elves and dwarves. These gods and goddesses are often associated with ‘social’ concepts such as war and marriage. The first pantheon of Norse deities, Æsir, includes gods such as Odin, Thor and Baldr. The gods of Norse paganism can be grouped into two main pantheons. The gods argue, make errors and have flawed personalities, just like us – which explains why Norse mythology can be as compelling as a modern-day soap opera. These gods exhibit what we might recognise as human traits. Unlike the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam), Norse Paganism is a polytheistic religion – in other words, followers believe in multiple gods and goddesses. Norse Paganism is an old religion, but also a living one – albeit with a relatively small number of followers in modern times. ![]() In recent years, there has been renewed interest in actually following the religion, with many modern-day pagans delving deep into oaths, learning Norse runes, and welcoming ‘patron’ or ‘matron’ deities into their lives. It isn’t only scholars and historians who are interested in Norse Paganism. So while you may have heard about dwarves, elves and gods such as Odin and Thor, there are many more layers of the religion to uncover. If all this sounds like something from Lord of the Rings, you’re not a million miles off author JRR Tolkein was actually inspired by Norse mythology and it informed his most famous book, The Lord of The Rings.īut dig a little deeper beyond the mythological creatures and you’ll find Norse Paganism is actually pretty complex. The other realms are home to multiple gods and goddesses, as well as other beings like giants, dwarves and elves. Humans inhabit one realm, which is known as Midgard. Sometimes known as heathenry, Norse Paganism is based on the old Norse religion that was practised in Scandinavia before Christianity showed up.įollowers of Norse Paganism believe that life is centred on a vast sacred tree called the Yggdrasil, which has different realms extending out from it. In the very simplest terms, Norse Paganism is a type of pagan religion. How to practice Norse paganism What is Norse Paganism? Slowly abandoned when Christianity spread throughout Scandinavia, and then forgotten about for centuries, Norse Paganism is making a bit of a comeback.īut what is this Old Norse religion, and what do its followers believe? And, most importantly: should you also become a Norse Pagan?
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