Gnosis Diary: Life as a Heathen

My personal experiences, including religious and spiritual experiences, community interaction, general heathenry, and modern life on my heathen path, which is Asatru.

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My new column appears

Posted by on in Paths Blogs

My first article for my new Asatru Plus column appears in the latest issue of Witches & Pagans Magazine. I think readers of my blog and book will enjoy my column, and vice versa. My blog Gnosis Diary focuses on gnosis and on my personal experiences, while the column will focus on practical information for readers to use. 

My first column is about honoring the powers associated with the days of the week. After a brief introduction about my new column, I talk about the heathen gods and powers of the days of the week, and the 7 day heathen ritual cycle. The powers are Sunnna on Sunday, Mani on Monday, Tyr on Tuesday, Odin on Wednesday, Thor on Thursday, Freya on Friday, and then there is Bath Day. The old name for Saturday was Laugrdagr which means Bath Day or Wash Day. Why 6 major powers and bathing? Find out in my column! 

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I'll be signing my book Asatru: A Beginner's Guide to the Heathen Path at my local Pagan Pride Day this year. I'm super excited! I have been wanting to do that since my book came out, but it came out in summer of 2020 and this is the first time my local PPD has been back since the pandemic started. Las Vegas PPD is in November due to the heat, since it's an outdoor event. It will be Nov. 11, 10am-5pm, at Paradise Park. 

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This spring I saw a raven in the tree above my back yard. It was literally awesome to see; it made the hair on my neck stand on end. Ravens are special to Odin. 

The raven was being bird-bombed by a mockingbird; I think it was the same mockingbird that has been bird-bombing Sweetheart kitty. I got a short video of it and posted it on my social media. Ravens are huge. That mockingbird is fearless, reckless, and in this case was picking a fight it probably could not win. The raven flew off rather than deal with it though.

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I've also written some more book reviews. I don't review every book I'm sent, although I do try to review every book that I asked for.

Recently a self publishing group sent some books to a magazine which passed them along to me for possible reviews. I started to review The Rune Book but stopped because I saw some bad contents, and the magazine to which it was sent only publishes positive reviews. There are tons of rune books out there so I would only recommend one that is at least as good as other rune books. I stopped reading when I saw this book called Algiz "the Life Rune." There is only one school of thought that uses that term about that rune and it is the literal Nazis. Hard pass.

I've also written two positive book reviews that will be published soon. I'll announce them when they appear.

I've received an exciting new book to review, the Pagans Portals series book on Odin. The series is beginner level books on select topics. They have a Freya book coming soon which I hope to review too, although my review of the Odin book probably won't be published by then due to lead time. I reviewed the Odin book but have not received the Freya book yet.  After that book, I'll have some space in my To Review pile to add some books to review next year.

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Recently in my forum, the Asatru Facebook Forum, a new member asked if there was a temple in Africa which he could attend. Sadly, there was not one near him. Members suggested he build one, a prospect he found daunting as he was new at this. Here is my comment:

Many of us conduct our religious services in our homes, in public parks, or rented campgrounds or rented halls. When there is no temple, your home is the temple. When there is no priest, you become your own priest. It's harder that way but you'll learn more in the end, and we're all here to give advice.

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My book Asatru: A Beginner's Guide to the Heathen Path is now available in an audio CD format, in addition to print, ebook, and downloadable audiobook. Ask for it at your favorite bookseller or public library.

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Erin Lale is the author of Asatru For Beginners, and the updated, longer version of her book, Asatru: A Beginner's Guide to the Heathen Path. Erin has been a gythia since 1989. She was the editor and publisher of Berserkrgangr Magazine, and is admin/ owner of the Asatru Facebook Forum. She also writes science fiction and poetry, ran for public office, is a dyer and fiber artist, was acquisitions editor at a small press, and founded the Heathen Visibility Project.

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