I truly love this religion.

[Toxikmynd]

I love it so much. I think its wonderful to be able to be free and do as I please. Yet. With the freedom this religion has and the lack of there being a local Kindred, I feel really empty with it... I would go to one of the churches around here to fill that gap, but I truthfully don't agree with Christian beliefs.. I do like Buddhism, but there are no Buddhist to give me community either. I want a community that I can talk to about religion, preferably one I like! I don't know what to do.. I keep leaving Asatru because of the lack of community and feeling of belonging. I keep coming back only because it feels like the right path.

 

[Jainarayan]

Follow your instincts as to it being the right path or not. I always say listen to your gut, it rarely steers you wrong. If you're being drawn back to it, the gods are calling you. I do not have any prospects of finding a kindred either, so I feel you. There might be a UU church around where some Ásatrúar might be hanging out looking for the same fellowship. However, there is nothing to stop us, any one of us, from starting our own. At another site (if I can remember where, I'll send you the link so as not to post another religious site's link) someone commented that they started their own small group with a meet-up (I've heard of meet-up before). Barring that keep in mind that as I'm finding out, 90% of Ásatrúar practice solitary. I'm sure it's much more fun to be with a few people to pass around the horn and share a pork shoulder, but unfortunately right now it is what it is. Don't let that stop you from continuing. After all, the gods, ancestors and wights are also our kin, and it's them we spend time with in practice.

 

[Toxikmynd]

Follow your instincts as to it being the right path or not. I always say listen to your gut, it rarely steers you wrong. If you're being drawn back to it, the gods are calling you. I do not have any prospects of finding a kindred either, so I feel you. There might be a UU church around where some Ásatrúar might be hanging out looking for the same fellowship. However, there is nothing to stop us, any one of us, from starting our own. At another site (if I can remember where, I'll send you the link so as not to post another religious site's link) someone commented that they started their own small group with a meet-up (I've heard of meet-up before). Barring that keep in mind that as I'm finding out, 90% of Ásatrúar practice solitary. I'm sure it's much more fun to be with a few people to pass around the horn and share a pork shoulder, but unfortunately right now it is what it is. Don't let that stop you from continuing. After all, the gods, ancestors and wights are also our kin, and it's them we spend time with in practice.

I live in a small town.. Everyone within an hour drive is either Christian, Agnostic, or Atheist and there isn't a UU church anywhere around! Ahaha, I would try making my own Kindred but the issue is that nobody would join, so yeah..

Side note, I have been researching Theodism, anyone on here care to share their opinion of this faith? Its a lot like Asatru, there's even a channel on Youtube of a "Theodist" bashing on us Asatruars! Theodish belief and rune reading - YouTube interesting stuff. *sarcasm* I like the idea that I've found on Theodism, but this guy just ruins it.

 

[Jainarayan]

I had to look up Theodism.

Ásatrú in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Whats the Difference between Asatru and Theodism??? | Yahoo Answers

I think you'll find people in every movement, sect, religion that are closed-minded. I think they are a small % but like every other small % they make a lot of noise, giving the impression the whole group is like them.

 

[Sees]

Theodism is just another style of Heathenry...usually with a hierarchical structure and always with some Anglo-Saxon flavoring. It's not my cup of tea even though I like the A-S bits.

If there are no kindreds near you and you don't wish to try starting one up, your best bet is online fellowship and occasional road trips. If you contact AFA or Ring of Troth they can often help you find a local Ásatrúar or two who you can at least meet up with now and then to share ritual and discussion. You don't have to find a Goldilocks kindred who you agree with on everything either, to do so.

It will probably be a while until decent sized groups are easy for people to find all over the U.S. - numbers were about 10x smaller 10 years ago but still pretty slim today.

Worse comes to worse throw a bone out on a place like reddit and you'll find somebody pretty close to you also.

 

[Jainarayan]

If you contact AFA or Ring of Troth they can often help you find a local Ásatrúar or two who you can at least meet up with now and then to share ritual and discussion. You don't have to find a Goldilocks kindred who you agree with on everything either, to do so.

Right. The AFA has a folkish bent, for example, and The Troth is universalist. They were once one group but had a falling out over it, separated and reorganized. But neither one is going to give a polygraph test. I have a small prayer book the AFA prints, called A Book of Uncommon Prayer. It's really nice, so where they refer to "Our Northern Folk", I just change the prayers to "Our Holy Folk". No big deal.

Worse comes to worse throw a bone out on a place like reddit and you'll find somebody pretty close to you also.

I have a link to a subreddit I'll send you both. I'm there under another name because mine and variations of it are taken.

 

[Sees]

Right. The AFA has a folkish bent, for example, and The Troth is universalist. They were once one group but had a falling out over it, separated and reorganized. But neither one is going to give a polygraph test. I have a small prayer book the AFA prints, called A Book of Uncommon Prayer. It's really nice, so where they refer to "Our Northern Folk", I just change the prayers to "Our Holy Folk". No big deal.



I have a link to a subreddit I'll send you both. I'm there under another name because mine and variations of it are taken.

Thanks bro. Truth be told most AFA folks are not as folkish as the group portrays and Ring folks not as universalist in same way...it puts people off but really most heathens in general are somewhere in between or as the relatively recent coined "tribalist"... Lots of people join the big groups simply to get the community and leave out the politics but one can always feel them out for themselves. The chances of meeting the very racist folkish types in an AFA kindred are pretty small and that's most newbies fear.

When I have more time I'm going to finish up my book and try to start a big NE Ohio kindred with regular NE U.S. roundups on road trips. Nobody hold their breath though lol At least twice a year would be cool for a regional meet, greet, ritual, etc. and one large "Thing"

Need to contact and rally some of the old fellas that have been doing the Ásatrú/Heathenry thing for 30-40 years in solitary mode.

 

[Jainarayan]

Thanks bro. Truth be told most AFA folks are not as folkish as the group portrays and Ring folks not as universalist in same way...it puts people off but really most heathens in general are somewhere in between or as the relatively recent coined "tribalist"... Lots of people join the big groups simply to get the community and leave out the politics but one can always feel them out for themselves. The chances of meeting the very racist folkish types in an AFA kindred are pretty small and that's most newbies fear.

For sure... I don't mean to give the impression I think they are polarized. I would hope most people realize there are shades of gray in every group. It's always supporters or detractors of any group that give the wrong impressions due to some agenda. When you join any group you have to feel them out to see if they're a good fit. It's like job interviewing.

 

[Toxikmynd]

Theodism is just another style of Heathenry...usually with a hierarchical structure and always with some Anglo-Saxon flavoring. It's not my cup of tea even though I like the A-S.

What, you don't like the hierarchy? I don't mind it, its more tribe based, I like the tribal idea, its more into what I like, aha, call me childish!

Does anyone know if Theodism uses the 9 Noble Virtues?