Forest Lake in the Moonlight (1888) by Hjalmar Munsterhjelm captures that ancient silence -where shadow and spirit blur.
A moment before the howl. A breath before the gods return."

*This text was submitted in 2017 by a member of the Nordic Asa-Community (Nordiska Asa-samfundet) and was published on the website on October 12, 2017. This is an English translation of the original text, which was written in Swedish.

Nature’s Call and Asatru

As an follower of Asatru living in a big city in Sweden with children, I often encounter situations that feel foreign and disconnected from who I am and what I stand for.
The city, as I believe most followers of Asatru would agree, is a rather unnatural place for us. We have a faith with strong ties to nature. Many of you probably feel, as I do, that if our connection to nature is severed, we also cut off parts of our own nature.

Many children today are so accustomed to the urban environment that nature not only feels frightening but is also a place they hardly know anything about. I often meet children the same age as mine who have never had a close relationship with nature, their entire existence revolving around the city.

My own children could make a fire at the age of four, carve wood at five, and now they know how to prioritize water over food, shelter over fire, and so on in a crisis situation.
This, despite having lived their whole lives in the inner city. This is because we escape to the forest as often as we can.
With these lessons come many other benefits: respect for nature, self-respect, and discipline—all simply because they have had a close relationship with nature from the beginning.

For me, as an follower of Asatru, my faith is not primarily about being able to quote passages from the Edda or knowing the names of all the Valkyries. For me, it is about ensuring that my family and I have a relationship with the powers and with nature in a much more pragmatic way. I want my children to see themselves with respect and to love our nature.

Seeing children today who neither respect adults, nature, nor even themselves truly pains me.
I do not demand that my children become followers of Asatru—that is a decision they must make for themselves in time—but what I do demand is that they understand how important nature is to all of us and that they love it.

My son may wear both Thor’s hammer and a Gungnir-point around his neck, but what I am most proud of are his skills in nature. Hearing him explain to a peer how to build a wind shelter (“in case you get lost in the woods on a trip”) warms my heart.

I am convinced that many of today’s problems—stress and so on—stem from people being disconnected from nature. Christianity views nature as something dark and hostile, whereas Asatru sees it as sacred. If more people saw nature the way we do, they would not only come to appreciate it but also experience its healing powers. I also believe that more people would understand why Asatru is the right path to follow.

So, take your children out into nature. Teach them how to survive there, how to respect it, and why our Nordic nature is so important to us.
If you yourself are not used to being in nature, take a walk along the Sörmlandsleden trail—it doesn’t matter how big or small the challenge is, as long as you go out.

Nature is calling us—it is there, close to the powers, that you can hear their voices most clearly.

Hail NAS/NAC
Hail Asatru

/Karl Johansson

A fire does not apologize for burning down a diseased forest.

further down.

Nytt på hemsidan: Utesittning – Útiseta

Idag, den 14 mars på fullmånens kväll, firar vi Disablot till ära för diserna och väsen som vakar över oss. Vi passar också på att meddela att nu finns det en informationssida om Utesittning (Útiseta) på hemsidan.

Utesittning är en gammal sed som omnämns i källorna, där den användes för att få syner, vägledning och kontakt med makterna. Genom att sitta ensam i mörkret, på en gravhög, i skogen eller vid en helig plats, kunde man få inblick i sitt örlög (öde) och framtiden.

Denna tradition lever kvar än idag och är en kraftfull metod för att söka svar, finna styrka och fördjupa vår förståelse av världen och oss själva.

Läs mer om utesittning här:
https://asa-samfundet.se/utesittning-utiseta/

New on the website: Sitting Out – Útiseta.

Tonight, on March 14th under the full moon, we celebrate Disablot in honor of the Disir and the spirits who watch over us. We also take this opportunity to announce that an informational page about Sitting Out (Útiseta) is now available on our website.

Sitting Out is an ancient practice mentioned in historical sources, used to receive visions, guidance, and connect with the powers. By sitting alone in the darkness—on a burial mound, in the forest, or at a sacred site—one could gain insight into their (orlog) fate and the future.

This tradition lives on today and remains a powerful method for seeking answers, finding strength, and deepening our understanding of the world and ourselves.

Learn more about Sitting Out - Útiseta here:
https://asa-samfundet.se/en/sitting-out-utiseta/

Nighttime beauty under celestial theatre before the full moon. Loving the energy in the boreal forest.

made this to take a shot of liquor on a forest hike

Don't anger the trees. They have short tempers and very long memories. Dryads emerge and protect the forest.

text + link further down.

Bevarandet av vår Tro och Kultur.

I hjärtat av de nordiska länderna, där de snöklädda fjällen möter de vidsträckta skogarna och de djupa sjöarna, finner vi en rikedom av kulturell och jordnära arv. Det är här, bland de dramatiska landskapen och de uråldriga traditionerna, som Nordiska Asa-samfundet tar sin plats som en bevarare och stöttepelare för vår tro, vårt arv, vårt ursprung och våra traditioner.

Asatro, eller tillbedjan av de nordiska gudarna och gudinnorna, är en tro som har rotat sig djupt i den nordiska kulturen och historien. Den sträcker sig tillbaka till forntiden då våra förfäder, med sitt djupa band till naturen och kosmos, fann förankring i en tro på krafter som Oden, Tor, Freja och alla de andra makterna. Denna tro har överlevt århundraden av förändringar och utmaningar och lever idag vidare genom Nordiska Asa-samfundet.

Läs hela artikeln på:
https://asa-samfundet.se/bevarandet-av-var-tro-och-kultur/

The Preservation of our Trú and Culture.

In the heart of the Nordic countries, where the snow-covered mountains meet the vast forests and deep lakes, we find a wealth of cultural and earthly heritage. It is here, among the dramatic landscapes and ancient traditions, that the Nordic Asa-Community takes its place as a guardian and pillar of our trú, our heritage, our origins, and our traditions.

Asatru, or the worship of the Norse gods and goddesses, is a belief deeply rooted in Nordic culture and history. It dates back to ancient times when our ancestors, with their deep connection to nature and the cosmos, found anchorage in a faith in powers such as Odin, Thor, Freyja, and all the other mighty beings. This belief has survived centuries of changes and challenges and lives on today through the Nordic Asa-Community.

Read the full article at:
https://asa-samfundet.se/en/the-preservation-of-our-tru-and-culture/

Journey with me through the winter solstice alpenglow at my little abode in Interior Alaska. As this space nears completion, I look forward to opening its doors to others—a sanctuary dedicated to Freyja, where guests can rediscover their authentic selves and find renewed connection with Mother Nature.

Nestled on five acres of boreal and mixed birch forest, the property borders the vast 1.8 million acre Tanana Valley State Forest on one side, with the breathtaking Tanana River just down the road on the other. This beautiful location has been incredibly transformative for me in the 9 months that I've spent here thus far, and I'm so excited to share more with you all as the journey progresses.

#Alaska

Hi everyone,
I'm a landscape photographer (among other things) and passionate about Norse mythology and history.
I have recently taken these pictures in my local forest after a cold and frosty night. I like to call them "Fimbulvetr" as described in the Ragnarökr from the Gylfaginning texts. Hope you enjoy them!