Hi everybody... This question is kind of gonna be surrounded with a bunch of rambling and stuffs, so feel free to skip over anything you don't wanna read. Lavender, and let me start out by saying I 've never followed Heathenism, Asatru, or any other Norse pagan paths before. I started off as Wiccan, ventured into Ifa, and now I'm just kind of in this weird type of Wiccanesque eclectic thing.
Except, since the beginning of my spiritual journey, the Norse pantheon has kind of been calling to me. (Freyja made herself known in a dream; Odin's name showed up in nearly everything I read and watched). I had always kind of been intimidated by this pantheon; I ignored them for quite a while, but they're SO persistent, it's crazy. I keep on getting dreams and signals and messages, and I'm really nervous. So I guess my question is, how do I work with the Norse gods and why are they interested in me? I mean:
- I'm kind of soft. The Vikings were brave and tough and just really "RAWR", and I'm a vegetarian who listens to U2 for God's sake! I eat ice cream, I cry during cartoons and I wear Uggs. Why would any sort of strong entity want anything to do with me?
- I've got barely any ethnic ties to Scandinavia. I'm only 7% , you know (geneology test), and the rest of me is black.. Basically the polar opposite of the Vikings. I kinda feel like Odin and Freyja and their kin deserve better than me...
I'm just not their type. I don't match up, you know? I don't at all get how to tell them all of this, or that maybe they're mistaken in calling me... Are the gods ever wrong? And how do I tell them what kind of person I am and why they wouldn't end up wanting me as a worshipper?
So I guess my question is, how do I work with the Norse gods and why are they interested in me? Working with the Norse gods is not all that complicated. Our Gods don't want us to be submissive or subservient, they want us to stand on our own two feet and be proud of who we are. I suspect they see something in your ancestral line and yourself that caused them to call to you.
Why would any sort of strong entity want anything to do with me?
Ugh, this one is a bit harder. Gods are Gods and do what they do. Their motives are hard to decipher.
- I've got barely any ethnic ties to Scandinavia. I'm only 7% , you know (geneology test), and the rest of me is black.. Basically the polar opposite of the Vikings. I kinda feel like Odin and Freyja and their kin deserve better than me...
I'm just not their type. I don't match up, you know? Your race is an issue only if you choose it to be. Remember (and this may not be comforting) the Norse were traders, they traded everything, including people. In the time that they were active there were many people of different races brought among them to live, work, and serve.
I don't at all get how to tell them all of this, or that maybe they're mistaken in calling me... Are the gods ever wrong? I don't think it is a mistake, especially as you said this has persisted. They could be wrong, it's possible. The Norse gods are not seen as infallible.
And how do I tell them what kind of person I am and why they wouldn't end up wanting me as a worshipper? Tell them. Be clear, be polite, be truthful. I suspect they know what kind of person you are and have continued to call. If you feel they are wrong, that it won't work or that you are not comfortable with them, tell them that.
-"softness" isnt a huge turn-off to all the gods. It certainly can be to Odin and Freya (the two gods of war and collectors of slain warriors). The gods, by and large, also don't hand-pick their followers. there were definitely soft norsemen and germans. live with honor and act with courage. they care more about your actions than your thoughts. or your shoe preferences. Odin has no patience for cowards and fools. but there are more than one way to associate with him. Freya was a goddess of war, but shes also a goddess of magic and the hearth.
for example, Frey gave away his sword in order to marry, because his wife-to-be hated weapons of any sort. but, at Ragnarok, he didnt cower from the battle. he went in and fought Surt - the king of the fire giants - alone, with his drinking horn (or an antler. sources vary). Odin is also a god of magic, wisdom and poetry, among many other things.
-your ethnic ties are more or less irrelevant. all that "of the blood" stuff comes from the folkish heathens, who the larger part of the heathen community disagree with.
my personal opinion, and advice, would be to steer clear of the warrior gods (Thor, Modi, etc.), but still give them offerings, and focus more on gods such as Frey and Bragi. read the eddas and other lore over and see which god you gravitate towards.
Well, This just may be my opinion. But if you feel like something is right or wrong, or in other terms (calling to you or not) ask yourself if this is more than a coincidence.
It seems to me like their calling you and have been for some time. I was getting called by the Greeks pantheon at first! So the worst thing that can happen here to me, is that they weren't the right pantheon for you if you decide to work with them. However this pantheon can teach you many lessons so I would say don't worry.
Softness isn't a huge turnoff for gods. The Norse gods were used during their period of time because it showed the people's beliefs of their reality a at the time. Now times have changed and there are the Vanir gods who are more nature and loving side. You don't have to be strong just try to be determined and honour the gods and virtues.
