The Way of Fire and Ice: The Living Tradition of Norse Paganism

by Ryan Smith

Your past and present actions, choices, and effect on the world are then shaped both by circumstances you can’t control

as well as the effect any existing prejudices or biases in society had on those circumstances.

Your hamingja is inherently

part of you, made of all your skills, means, immediate conditions, and anything else in your life capable of changing yourself and your circumstances.

comes from what is passed on to you from the circumstances of your birth by...

Actions you take grow or shrink your ability to cause change.

By making decisions and doing deeds that use what is part of your hamingja, you can change Ørlog.

When people work collectively to change Ørlog, the manner in which they interact with Fate changes.

People working together pool their hamingja into a greater force than any of their individual means, creating a far greater capacity for causing change.

The possession or lack of specific components of hamingja does not make any one person inherently greater or lesser than anyone else.

If there is Ørlog that is harmful to yourself, others, or whole communities, you should still do everything in your power to change it.

At the heart of Radical Norse Paganism are four central truths: the World Tree sustaining all of reality, the cycles that define everything, the living world of the spirits around us, and Fate’s dynamic and inescapable influence.

When you accept the world as one where even the greatest gods live under the same laws as the smallest living things, it opens up incredible possibilities.

Each god is an independent, autonomous being with their own name, titles, personality, abilities, purviews and desires.

Though the Norse gods, like all polytheistic gods, are not limitless or all-powerful, they are still gods.

they are subject to the same greater laws as everything else in the Nine Worlds, they are the Powers who lit the stars, raised the mountains, fille...

the gods struggle with many of the same challenges you may face every day.

They’ve been there and know that the right or best action isn’t always easy.

There are no specific gods that are better to start off with than others; just as everyone is different, the gods you connect with most easily are the ones who are most suited to meeting your needs.

The Aesir are the gods associated with humanity and society, with connections to words, law, labor, and conflict.

The Vanir are the gods related to how humanity interacts with the natural world, with connections to fertility, magic, and working with nature. The Jötnar are the gods of the wilderness, with ties to raw natural forces like wildfires, the ocean depths, and Earth itself.

Compensation for injury and death, known as weregild, is often requested and granted even between members of different groups. Oaths are taken and recognized even if they aren’t always kept.

As gods of all aspects of social life, culture, and the human experience, the Aesir are closely tied to concepts like writing, justice, and warfare.

Most of the Aesir have a martial aspect, something that caused many to believe they are warrior gods who only accept warrior peoples and see battle as more important than anything else.

contrary to popular assumption, the Aesir won’t turn you away for not being “macho”—their examples show they have very different priorities.

In the lore is a name for Odin for every place he’s ever been.

many reduce him to a ruling warrior patriarch with some brief mention of his wisdom.

However, these superficial understandings of the One-Eyed God just barely scratch the surface of this multi-faceted deity.

think of Odin is as an experienced elder, world-weary traveler, and cunning sage who has seen it all, done it all, wrote the book, and then rewrote it after rea...

names Ygg,

Allfather.

His greatest feat was winning the runes by hanging from the World Tree for nine days and nights.

This deed earned him the name of the “Hanged God.”

Odin has restlessly wandered all the Worlds, seeking knowledge no matter where it was or who held it, earning him the name Wanderer.

Many celebrate him as the Father of Victory, yet Odin usually wins through deception and trickery instead of battle, often aided

by his great knowledge...

God of Ecstasy, he is the patron ...

mystics, and the ferocious berser...

usually appears wearing a broad-brimmed hat pulled down to one side to cover his missing eye when he doesn’t have an eyepatch, and a well-worn traveling cloak.

carries a great spear, Gugnir, which has the power to grant victory; all the Aesir swear their oaths on it. He is accompanied by two wolves, Geri and Freki, who devour

all that is put before them. The twin ravens H...

fly through all the Nine Worlds telling Odin everything they see. He rides an eight-le...

When not traveling, his home in Asgard is the hal...

Two symbols most often associated with Odin are the Valknut,

representing sacrifice in his name, and the Triple Horn, representing his wisdom and cunning.

Odin can offer you great wisdom, though always with the expectation of work and sacrifice.

expects you to endure challenge and hardship to achieve your goals.

offers inspiration of the sort that challenges your core assumptions, ideas, and beliefs.

guidance for resolving challenges, trials, and struggles through seeking out unconventional or unexpected solutions.

Frigga is one of the wisest of the Aesir thanks to her associations with hidden knowledge and knowing how to acquire it.