Hnöss and Gersimi

In Norse mythology, Hnoss (Old Norse “treasure”) is the daughter of Freyja and Óðr, and sister of Gersemi.

“Heimdall and little Hnossa - how all things came to be” (1920) by Willy Pogany.

Sheldon Cooper Explains The Havamál

Sheldon Cooper: Wait! You bought me a present? 
Penny: Uh-huh. 
Sheldon Cooper: Why would you do such a thing? 
Penny: I don’t know. ‘Cause its Christmas? 
Sheldon Cooper: Oh, Penny. I know you think you are being generous, but the foundation of gift giving is reciprocity. You haven’t given me a gift. You’ve given me an obligation. 
Howard Wolowitz: Don’t feel bad, Penny, it’s a classic rookie mistake. My first Hanukah with Sheldon, he yelled at me for eight nights. 
Penny: Now, hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to get me anything in return. 
Sheldon Cooper: Of course I do. The essence of the custom is that I now have to go out and purchase for you a gift of commensurate value and representing the same perceived level of friendship as that represented by the gift you’ve given me. It’s no wonder suicide rates skyrocket this time of year. 

This is a bit of very funny commedy.

But like all good commedy it gives pause for thought.

This part actually explains why wise Odin warns against over bloting (sacrificing / offering) in the Havamál.

Blot does not mean going without.

That, in a sense, defies logic. In this case the logic would be that nothing you have would be there in the first place without the Gods. Even if it is man made.

It also implies that you would have the Gods do most things FOR you (making them a “wishing machine” or “Santa list” of sorts).

For bigger things it was not uncommon in the pre Christian Europe (and even some contemporary Christians do this) to give something “ex voto”.

In a sense “a deal with God(s).

In short, a gift promised to be given AFTER the fact.

This gives the Gods the option of saying “No deal”.

However, on gift giving, there is a case of faulty “math”.

Seeing one gift of equal worth as cancelling another out disregards a third component, the act of giving itself.

The true value of gift giving and sacrifices lies in the act of giving and recieving and its extended effects, not in the objects given.

Establishing a kinship with the Gods, Spirits, mankind and Ancestors ( =creation, surroundings, humanity and history).

Over giving smacks of agenda, lazyness and egotism rather than generosity.

If someone drowned you in expensive gifts the enjoyment of the gifts would sooner or later be replaced by wondering just what the hell the giver was after anyway? Whats in it for him / her / them?

“There is no such thing as a free lunch”

Photo: Thorsvin http://thorsvin.wordpress.com/

Racism in Asatru by Wayland Skallagrimsson

Though i agree with most of what the author says i would like to correct / expand on a few things  (mainly historical):

• I do not refer to myself as “tribalist” or any other such modern term (though my attitude fits), as a matter of fact i dont even call myself “Asatruar” (also a modern term) exept for clarification, i simply have a “sidr” (custom).
• I do not see the custom as a “new” reconstructivist religion (entirely). Heathenry was never centralized or homogenous but always had differences in different regions and time periods. Being offically Christian, most Nordic countries had (and have) customs, traditions, linguistic and other remnants that are clearly “Heathen” (regardless of context) and much also lived on in folkloric form , leaving what must be reconstructed a smaller task than, say, Kemetic religions (Egyptian)….on the other hand, they have more written material.A Swedish Christmas looks more like a blot than anything Roman or Palestinian.In Sweden there are foloric Heathens, basing their customs on regional folklore (including Christian / Christianized elements) rather than archeology and history , seeing it as a normal extension of the Norse customs (they often call themselves “Norrön Sed, Northern Custom”, to dstinguish from other forms of Heathenry).
• Slaves (thralls) where not usually let free and then on equal satus. And “foreigner” can also be discussed (the Norse fought other Norsemen more than other people, and also other Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and Normans (pretty much cousins). A slave could be set free or buy his / her freedom but it took a generation for a full “freeman” (Karl) status and he/she was expected to remain loyal to his/her masters even after freedom was attained.
• There is no such thing as human races from a genetic standpoint.Homo Sapiens is a species with one race.
• Most that would qualify as “Universalists” here that i know of (as well as people of other religions who incorporate Norse Gods)know far more than “Freya is a love Goddess”.Quite a few Wiccans ,for instance, are scholars on the subject(s).I do agree wth the argument though.What i call Forn Sed cant be separated from culture in general(including regional dfferences).
• We do not know to what extent slaves where part of cult practices.We DO know however that successful free people living in the North was part of Norse society since their burials where according to usual customs even though DNA shows that they where from other parts of the world (one Arab and one Ukrainian springs to mind.Both buried in mounds with grave goods).

I do agree that this must be adressed though.We live in a society of labels and terms.Personally i dont adhere to many of these labels as far as my custom goes but we are still defined and understodi by what we call ourselves (or others call us).

Having said that, Heathenry, like most European pre Christian religions is orthoprax, thus, what goes on in your mind, your exact beliefs, thoughts and emotions are your business.

But hey, if anything should be a Norse custom, rocking boats should be it.   ;)