#arith harger

[lakerunes]

The Runes - Tiwaz

The rune of Justice, of making the rightful sacrifice for the greater good regardless of being the faulty one, the wisdom of ruling for what is right.

[honoringthor]

Alfablot - The Heathen Halloween

[sayjoisme84]

Common Misconceptions in Old Norse Religion

[instant-ramen]

The Wisdom of Odin

[creature-wizard]

I have a question about totemism, because I've got different opinions and online search was not successful because of al this "take this quiz and know what you totem animal is".

So, my teacher, that teached my group on social, political and cultural studies, said that the most old and common ancient people's religions were animism, fetishism and totemism, which makes sense. Thinking that every thing has a soul, that you can gain power from specific object and animal.

I became interested in totemism, because there are some animals I really like. I like their symbolism, their meaning, I was always interested in knowing more about them as species. When I tried to look it up, the thing that was most popular is "power/spirit/totem animal" from native American tribes. When I looked into it, it was not what I was not what I was resonating with. When I tried to ask in different places, was totemism as animal worship a thing, some said yes, some said it wad only a native American thing.

At this moment I am confused. Is the thing I want to do is closed? Like, I don't want to have a power animal, I am respectful to that, but I want to worship an animal, not like an individual, but like the whole being.

Ooooh dear it sounds like your teacher uh. Really did not have a good grasp on this stuff. "Animism," "fetishism," and "totemism" are not religions. Animism is a type of spiritual and cosmic worldview that is found within many spiritual traditions. Fetishism is just the idea that an object can have divine or supernatural qualities, and it's uh, well. More than a little exotifying to say that other cultures practice fetishism when, for example, Catholics believe in holy relics. The word "totem" was appropriated from the Ojibwe language, where it referred to a type of tutelary spirit.

Simply just working with animal spirits is not closed; you just don't want to get into it through people/resources appropriating Native spirituality or presenting non-Native practices as Native to sell to white people.

If you want to learn more about animism and animal spirits in a European context, you might check out Arith Harger, with the caveat that anytime he says anything about Christianity, Judaism, or "Abrahamic religions," you should take what he says with a grain of salt because it's not his area of expertise and it shows if you know anything about them; and also, while he's using the word "shamanism" in an academic sense (as many academics still do. unfortunately), it's still an appropriated word that needs to be phased out.

[hauntedcreek]

The Open Resourcery: https://youtube.com/channel/UCzvGbOvkxcbbZhGaLYsT6lQ

Epiphany Lectures: https://youtube.com/channel/UCkapAfjQ8-BqA-bb20f2ERg

Damien Echols: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnRyoC6Oww6FrYVc-BxKyDg

Foolish Fish: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVtWVX2xirq6Nybf5bumqwg

Knowledge is Power - Gary Lite: https://youtube.com/c/GaryLite

Daat Darling: https://youtube.com/c/DaatDarling

Arith Harger: https://youtube.com/c/ArithH%C3%A4rger

Foolish Society (f.k.a. Masterly Foolish): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkXPu85vv0D1O-ZzNeXEEKg

WATER ALCHEMIST: https://youtube.com/channel/UCSt4zlEOgdV0sHlBjrvm1Jg

Travis Magus: https://youtube.com/c/TravisMagus

Nu Lyfe Tools (a.k.a. Bro. Yosef): https://youtube.com/channel/UCcglHx0nqCbw4JOFC2wtqjA

Nu Lyfe Tools Forever: https://youtube.com/channel/UCQGj75zGhX0np9Y0ZNVZEOg

Dark Black Magic: https://youtube.com/channel/UCQiqYHPjL3BAU79-mlkrkKg

Dark Black Times: https://youtube.com/channel/UCbmmUEbO97VYIWV1r--XfBQ

The Nemeton: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheNemeton

Frater Xavier: https://www.youtube.com/c/mindandmagick

Aloixa Sinclaire: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtBk2ggp5jez-AyX4GhwqPg

Angela's Symposium (a.k.a. Angela Puca): https://www.youtube.com/c/AngelasSymposium

Santos Bonacci a.k.a. MrAstrotheology: https://youtube.com/c/MrAstrotheology_Universal_Truth_School

[alephskoteinos]

It's pretty interesting seeing Arith Harger discuss identification with deity in the context of "shamanism" because of the stuff I've been reading about the Thracian mysteries from Jake Stratton Kent this week.

I wonder if there's room to suggest a kind of thread or throughline relevant to this kind of religious practice.

[borom1r]

he/they Éomer is sth that can be so important. to me personally

vibrating at a frequency high enough 2 shatter glass my white tree of Gondor bracelet shld arrive today and the little sword charm to replace the one that comes on the bracelet originally. yayyyy yayyy new bracelet

anyways I wanna do more w/ that renfest au + I think I might do sth shorter and Faramir/Éomer focused bc I hinted at stuff wrt The Denethor Incident and I think I’d like to expand on that.

[honoringthor]

Cats in Nordic Witchcraft

[emoshep]

some youtube recs i'd make

Ocean Keltoi and Wolf The Red - the former is a Heathen youtuber with a wealth of information on our gods and beliefs (and some other fun stuff like philosophy) presented in an easily digestible form. the latter is a Gothi who has some videos discussing the meaning of parts of the Havamal, but also has a number of rituals on video that anyone can use in their practice. (i used some of those videos when i began practicing and they were very easy to follow.) i put these two together because they're part of the same group, have worked together countless times, and share a positive and progressive outlook on our tradition. if you look into one, you'll eventually find the other. they also have nice beards and wolf has this cool mjolnir shirt that he's worn in some videos and i think that's neat.

Arith Harger - a former archaeologist and pagan who's done some in-depth work on our beliefs and presents his information in different styles- one where he focuses on academically sourced historical info, and one where he goes more into his own personal spiritual understanding of our gods and beliefs. notably, he's talked not only about our gods, but the groups that worshipped them, referred to as "the cult of thor" and "the cult of odin" et cetera but not like cult cult. (there's more to his stuff than just those two styles but that's what i've gotten the most out of with him.) he also has a nice voice and, in my humble opinion, looks good with a certain type of hat.

Nordic Animism - this one's just a tad different but just as valuable, i think. run by Dr. Rune Hjarno Rasmussen (spelling?), this channel has a special focus on the animist perspective, something that from where i'm sitting often gets overlooked. Rasmussen talks about a variety of subjects ranging from land-connectedness to indigenous empowerment to gender diversity to "Christian but also kinda sorta Heathen" pastors in Denmark and how they influenced various civil rights movements. all from a politically progressive animist perspective. he used to have long hair and that was cool. he cut it but it's okay.

Kushka Has Thoughts - not very active on youtube but has some videos that are worth a watch, such as short and sweet explanations on animism, why it's okay to enjoy and have fun practicing our religion, a bit on the demi-girl identity and other good stuff to know about. also has a cool avatar.

Everglades Ergi - demi-girl trans woman, not too active on youtube at this time but has some work on the relationship between gender and religion as well some of the sagas and bits about our own personal practices.

aaaaaaand the list goes on.

Top Recommendations for Norse Pagans that aren’t Problematic.

There is a lot of books by people who are racist and part of far right side of Heathenry and I’m going to try my best and list the books I have that helped me on my path that isn’t problematic and have questionable intentions. Books and YouTube channels.

Anglo Saxon Socerery and Magic by Alaric Albertson. He is very knowledgeable in his work and path especially on runes which includes the rune poem to make your own interpretation and witchcraft side of things. He even talks about the Elves which I appreciate because not a lot of Norse authors talk about them. It’s more Germanic than Norse but I can’t see any problem adopting certain aspects since they are very similar. I will say he does take himself a bit serious at times but his information is so good and worthwhile. I have not read his first book on Travels through middle earth but it focus on more the pagan side.

Poetic Edda and Prose Edda: it’s what every Norse pagan needs. It’s the foundation of Norse paganism not bibles but myths and tales that can help along our journey. There is tons of translations, but my favorites are Dr. Jackson Crawford Poetic Edda and Anthony Fawkes Prose Edda. But look into other sagas as well like Volsung which Dr Jackson Crawford also wrote about.

Beowulf. More of a Germanic tale but again includes it has roots of Germanic sorcery, traditions, religion like the concept of Wyrd (Fate), the runes, and values within his society like loyalty and mythical creatures. Again there is many translations even Jrr Tolkien did a incompleted version of Beowulf but I think Tom Shippey finished that version I could be wrong. Nonetheless explore more than one, the oneI have is by Seamus Heaney.

Grimm Fairy Tales this mostly German Folklore but it’s still quite important to learn about in German folk magic, creatures and entities in German folklore tends to be very real to the practitioner in their spellwork.

The Way of Fire and Ice by Ryan Smith a very progressive outlook in Norse paganism, he talks about creating communities in Norse paganism and calling out and denouncing Nazis in the community how Norse Paganism is inclusive and how to be open to all types of people. But he has a beginner approach to the deities, beliefs, values within Norse paganism.

Look into a lot of academic sources that’s where you will find a lot of information on Norse paganism and religions.

Tacitus Germania - A Roman historian talking about the Germanic tribes their culture and customs.

Saxo Grammaticus history of the Danes

The Viking Way by Neil Price it goes good in depths about magic in Scandinavia like Seidh

Dictionary of Norse Mythology a quick guide to northern myths, if you are trying to find a specific god and you don’t have time to look up in a book it’s in there with great information to each one.

Children of Ask and Elm: History of Vikings by Neil Price on Scandinavian culture during the Viking age

Some YouTube Channels

The Norse Witch: Bente lives in Germany and their channel encompasses all of Norse paganism more around magic. They do interviews with other Norse witches of folk magic like Icelandic and Danish. Even gives good book recommendations and advice on general spellwork as well!.

Dr Jackson Crawford he is an author but he also has a YouTube channel. He was a professor in Colorado on Norse culture, mythology, and language and now is a full time YouTuber. He did a series of videos on the runes which are more historically accurate. Discusses the myths and the language and what do they mean. Jackson Crawford isn’t a Norse pagan nor he doesn’t care if you are one but just letting you know he isn’t coming from a pagan perspective.

The Welsh Viking also like Jackson Crawford but still has really great knowledge on Viking culture.

De Spökenkyker who is a channel that focus on German Folk magic living in Germany who is a practicing German Folk Witch.

Please feel free to add on any recommendations that are helpful and useful to the Norse pagan Community!

[borom1r]

big big big shoutout to Arith Harger for providing the lunar references but hey hey my fucking. my top surgery falls in Jól proper this year. like literally right in the middle of Jól. I’m going to sob

[creature-wizard]

hi, would you mind being a second set of eyes on this shop i've been looking through? https://www.moonlightmysteries.com/talisman-amulet-pentacle-pentagram-necklaces-pendants/

i can't tell if i'm seeing dogwhistles or just being paranoid, and i'm hardly as knowledgeable on pagan symbols (this site is mostly celtic and norse pagan focused), so i figured i should ask an expert lest i send fashies money for a pretty shiny bauble

So, I am by no means an expert on this topic, but I can't say that I'm seeing anything others who know more than I do have called out. Like the main ones I know to watch out for are the black sun symbol and the othala rune with serifs. Wikipedia has a whole category for Nazi symbols you can look at. Also, Arith Harger, an actual scholar, has a few videos where he talks about Nazi symbols (just search his channel for "Nazi.")

[ravenousnightwind]

Not gonna lie, I have doubts about Arith Harger's legitimacy as an archeologist. I just can't seem to find where he's employed or where he went to school. Which leads me to believe that he's actually a fraud who simply claims to have a degree just to make a buck. I could be wrong but I feel like he's concealing his identity if we can't find his name listed somewhere. It's just my opinion.

[etherealsausage]

I like this answer. Arith Harger, a Scandinavian youtuber I watch, talks about how far Christianity has reached into the depths of our civilizations.

Here's what it comes down to for me. Accountability is an important skill to have, that's it.

We gotta learn when it's right to be selfish and when to help out. Sometimes holding someone accountable feels like putting them in their place. That is selfish and helping out at the same time.

Am I the only one struggling w/ believing in the law of assumption?

Bc part of me feels as though it bears a lot of the flaws of Christianity that caused to me to leave the religion in the first place (I'm ex-Christian and tend to be very meticulous of the beliefs that certain belief systems carry and its been brought to my attention that there a lot cracks within the system)

And I'd like to believe in it, I just need someone to provide with the necessary resources to help ground my belief (some scientific proof and studies would be nice)

But then again, I really don't have much losing by believing in it so yk why not 🤷🏾‍♀️

I just feel that it carries a culture of self-blaming, especially with neville goddard's eiypo.

[thegodskeeper]

Is Arith Härger problematic? I think someone told me about that once, but I can't quite remember...

I’ve never heard of them and I like to encourage people to do their own research and draw their own conclusions. I did find a couple of links suggesting that they are folkish and racist, but since none of them had sources and I’m not quite feeling up to trawling the internet, take it with a pinch of salt. Followers, feel free to comment.