Asatru: A Beginner's Guide to the Heathen Path

By Erin Lale

A clear and simple introduction to the history, beliefs, rituals, and gods and goddesses of this popular form of Neo-Pagan belief drawn from ancient northern European traditions.

Asatru is a modern pagan tradition whose roots lie in the ancient myths, folklore, sagas, and historical artifacts of those who lived in pre-Christian times in what is now Iceland, Scandinavia, Scandinavian-influenced Scotland, Germany, and other parts of northern Europe. In Asatru, author and longtime practitioner of Asatru Erin Lale provides readers an accessible introduction to this heathen religion, one of the fastest growing religions in United States and Europe. The book includes these key topics:

• A brief exploration of Asatru’s mythology and prehistory, its contact with Rome, and its history up to the present day
• A comprehensive survey of Asatru’s many gods and goddesses
• The rituals, including holiday celebrations, toasting rituals, weddings, and other life events
• The moral virtues of a true Asatruar: courage, honor, loyalty, truth, hospitality, industriousness, self-discipline, self-reliance, and steadfastness
• The magical practices of rune divination, spells, and bersarkrgangr (a form of trance magic)
• A look at the “universalist” and “folkish” interpretations of the Asatru tradition and the “hijacking” of the symbolism of the northern European religions in the 19th and early 20th centuries

Readers new to Asatru and experts alike will find this book to be an invaluable resource in understanding this heathen tradition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser
• Release date: Aug 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781633411753

Reviews for Asatru

[Astrid O · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Generally just poorly put-together; the author never cites any sources in her text (despite having a long-ish list of sources at the back of the book), makes false connections between historical evidence and modern practice, and even went so far as to claim that heathens were part of the Holocaust (the ones who wore the black triangles were Romani, *not heathens*). She also claims that "Theodism" covers all of Anglo-Saxon heathenry, which is a blatant misrepresentation of the historical evidence and how modern AS heathens operate today. Not a book I recommend for anyone, let alone beginners, simply because so much of the information is unsupported, generalized to the point of untrue, and individual ideas/concepts aren't cited so you can't even track down where her arguments come from.

[Breena Kaye · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Full of misinformation, the author seems to fabricate the history told and gives no citations. She completely misrepresents the role of nazi and white nationalists’ influence in our history. Skip this book if you’re interested in Asatru or Heathenry.