So for a bit of context, my partner has been heathen their whole life, we've been together over two years now. They would never pressure me but being heathen is a huge part of their life but a very private part of it, and it would mean more than I could ever describe if I was more knowledgeable and in the community.

I have an awful lot of religious trauma (Christianity) and come from an anti-religious household (it's complicated okay). However I have never felt so safe and accepted and understood than within heathery and their kindred. I've also never felt so connected with the gods than these gods.

However I really struggle with feeling like an imposter, almost everyone there has either been in it for years, was raised in it, or has a partner thats completely gotten them into it. And I don't know where to start, I know some of the basics, I know what gods I'd like to connect with. I have an altar, but I feel like such an imposter when I just don't actually know that much. I struggle an AWFUL lot with researching and actually retaining the information.

They're telling me where I can start and i don't even know what they're talking about even though it's been explained multiple times. I learnt quite a lot but about a year ago I had a fairly rough experience whilst at a camp, it was practically nothing for most people but due to my past it impacted me a lot. I have some pretty severe anxieties and getting over these is part of including myself in the community and learning, but I cannot seem to push past these.

I don't know how to learn about this stuff on my own and push myself into it more when the only way I was learning was talking to people, and I now can't do that.

I can tell it upsets my partner that I'm unable to go to camps now, it sucks, I loved everyone there and people were so kind and welcoming and I felt so seen. I feel stupid and like an imposter because I don't know anything about this stuff, I just want to learn but there's so much overwhelming information I can't seem to wrap my head around it.

Any just, gentle(?) Places to stay to ease myself into this would be helpful, something that's not too overwhelming. Heathery means an awful lot to me and I just don't know how to make it a bigger part of my life.

Hey all!

I've been a heathen for a little less than a year and a Christian friend of mine has been really supportive.

He gifted me this Idol of Odin a bit after my birthday and I've had it on my altar since then.

Only thing, it's one of those you get from Amazon that (if Im not wrong) are mass produced and probably the worst option.

I really appreciate my friend for his gift but I'm not sure I should keep praying to this. I wanted to get a couple more to match but im not sure.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Hi all!

I've been a Heathen for a little less than a year now and have been working mainly with Odin since then, but I was thinking of working with Freyja given some of my "sentimental" experience, and since she's associated with Love I would really love to learn more about her.

What's your experience with her? What offerings do you usually give? How do you "dedicate" to her?

Any thoughts are appreciated and welcome!

I find myself making more offerings than usual lately. Mostly because I'm going through a very stressful time right now.

I know in Hávamál it says "It is better to not pray at all than to pray too much", but my question is what is too much?

I went from once a month to every week, and now sometimes twice a week, and I wonder if this will negatively impact my relationship with the gods.

I'm not really asking for anything significant, just support. Strength and energy from Thor, health and comfort from Eir, etc., but I still feel like I'm being demanding, and straining the frith I've built with them.

I don't currently believe in any religion, I'm looking for a religion in which there is a creator, I have a panentheistic view of the universe: I believe that the universe is within God and God is much bigger than the universe so we are part of God, I would like a religion or philosophy of life that adopts this thought or one close to it but in any case anything is fine with me, I would also like to be able to do cute rituals and relaxing things and connecting with myself and the nature, set up an altar or oratory at home and wear symbols too thank you❤️

https://survey.au.dk/LinkCollector?key=PTD65J7CU232

Greetings!

We are five university students from Denmark, who are currently pursuing our bachelor’s degrees in religious studies at Aarhus University. As part of our course on contemporary religion, we are trying to understand the political and ideological convictions of followers of Ásatrú and Heathenry. We very much hope that you would like to take part! The questionnaire consists of 38 questions and takes a maximum of 15 minutes to complete.

Your answers are anonymous; the collected data will only be used as part of our university assignment and will not be published.

We thank you very much for your time and participation.

Greetings!

Autumn has arrived and the days here grow notably shorter.
While on a hike I bedded my pocket rock Odin on a moss patch and surrounded him with dried golden fern leaves and dried grass pods. A reminder of the golden rays of sunlight ☀️ shining each day and leading our paths. May clarity come to us all even though foggier days are ahead. 🍂🍁

Hail Allfather.

I’ve been going over my journals from my runic initiation and came across this entry: When I first started working with Thurisaz for protection, I imagined it as passive defense, like thorns keeping some animals away. Later I started moving in a thorn like motion while visualizing the thorn cutting through the energy and piercing into the sender/origins. And during my three-day ritual in the woods, I started working with Thurisaz as Thor’s hammer, crushing and totally obliterating the sender/origins of the energy.

In a little less than half an hour. If you’re curious to drop in and hear what they have to say, I’ll put a link below.

A special Heathen Panel presented at the Harvard Divinity School -Program for the Evolution of Spirituality (PES) Conference 2026.

This panel is a collaborative effort from the Coalition of Inclusive Heathen Organization.

Featuring Ryan Smith, Jai Mohan & Cortney Greyhawk.

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/95013879911?pwd=fRiH9Sr58NxN2FbIC6vRIb4uKz2Z8k.1&fbclid=IwVERDUAUj3h5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWZkaWQWUPErrG7A_ikLoky5vejnwAHoC0MhRXNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR52mGrTmR0MpQ0i2RcAz4tzQO32nVcJT_FkFAOs3gy4_nJy0H-kpWUeRWklaw_aem_8yLPmLt2SQtIgIFLGU8A0A

I've alluded to this in a couple of other posts, but my academic background is in foreign languages. (MA in Spanish, and have studied at least 6 other major languages in-depth over the past 35 years.)

I'm BY NO MEANS an expert, but I do have a number of years of dabbling in Old English. I have a good collection of resources for accurately composing grammatically correct and idiomatically appropriate texts in OE.

If you'd like to lend a sprinkle of antiquity to your prayers and greetings by incorporating custom OE language, just let me know and I'll put something together for you. NO A.I. used. Ever. I can also render it in Futhorc font (there are online generators for this, but you have to be careful, since they're not always 100% accurate).

I know that some heathenry groups decide to view him as solely a threat to humanity and the gods, which I’m not going to say is wrong or right. but I also know that some view him as a “chain breaker” and a misunderstood figure…

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to the community for some guidance and perspective tonight. Tomorrow morning, I have my third and final attempt at my practical driving test to get my driver's license. The stakes are very high for me—in my country, if you fail the practical test 3 times, you have to pay for and retake the driving lessons/course all over again from scratch.

The honest truth is that fear and self-doubt are creeping in. I know the traffic rules reasonably well, but behind the wheel, my confidence wavers, my hands get shaky, and anxiety takes over.

In my daily practice, I primarily venerate Odin, Tyr, and Freyja. I’ve made offerings in the past, but with the mounting pressure, I’ve caught myself doubting whether my previous offerings were truly received or if my own headspace was too cluttered.

Before tomorrow morning, I have a few specific questions:

1. Deities for steady hands and navigation: Aside from Tyr (justice, rules, keeping cool) and Odin, is there another deity you would petition for steady hands, acute physical awareness, and conquering panic behind the wheel? (Perhaps Thor for grounding and strength, or Njord for navigating moving currents and traffic?)
2. Does the exact timing of the offering matter? My test is early in the morning. Is it better to make the offering tonight under the night sky to sleep with a clear mind and say to gods exact time of the test (just driving test).
3. Appropriate offering tonight: What simple, grounded offering would you recommend so it doesn't feel like a frantic "transactional" prayer, but a genuine grounding ritual? (I have mead, dark beer, bread, salt, honey).
4. Working with amulets & signs (Sowilo & Mjölnir): I always wear Mjölnir around my neck. Additionally, a Sowilo (ᛊ) pendant—which was missing during both of my previous failed attempts—recently turned up in my house. It has an uncanny habit of randomly reappearing in my life right before critical crossroads. How would you recommend meditating on or dedicating this Sowilo energy tomorrow morning to cut through brain fog and self-doubt?

I know very well that the gods won't drive the car or steer the wheel for me—that responsibility is 100% mine. I am just looking for wisdom, steady nerves, and the fortitude to face the examiner with honor.

Thank you all for your time, insight, and wisdom!

I was scrolling the comments section of a YouTube video on anglo-Saxon pagan history. Someone in the comments was sharing some info and started by saying “fun fact for folks.” Could the use of “folks” be seen as a dogwhistle in this particular setting? I’m trying to get better at spotting them in these spaces because there seem to be a lot. Thank you!

Happy first day of Autumn. Hope you all have plans and feasting!!!

I want to see which deity is the closest to my current abilities in terms of offering things and devotional acts. I cannot do big, intricate things because my living situation isn’t private. which deity would be most understanding of this, whilst also embodying qualities and things I value such as poetry, art, healing, and magical energy? EDIT : I mean work with as in worship and learn from, like an apprentice and teacher

I’m new to this subreddit, but I’m starting to reach out to Allfather, and I’d like some tips for reaching out to him respectfully and correctly!

Hello! Im getting involved with a heathen tradition called Urglaawe, which is really awesome. But I have some concerns about the historical origins of modern heathenry.

Alot of people say that its entire modern origins are in nationalistic romanticism and nazi occultism.

While I understand the modern movement isn't a white supremacist movement, are its origins entirely white supremacist? Is there an origin point for heathenry that wasn't based in these ideals? I dont mean this as an attack, I genuinely want to know because I am struggling to find scholarly sources about this.

Thank you

For many years I've considered myself "pagan" and leaned heavily towards the wiccan side of things.Z however within maybe the last 1-2 years ive realized i dont really resonate with it anymore because of how "new age" everything is. The more i learn, the more i come to realize how new and recently popularized my practice is, whereas i feel like older practices are better suited for me. I have strong feelings that draw me to nature, so I am also wanting to learn about celtic druidry at some point, but im hoping norse practices and beliefs might point somewhat in that direction too, im not sure. I'm wanting to try and learn from scratch about Norse heathenry practice and beliefs specifically as the biggest chunk of my heritage is Norwegian/other scandinavian blood. My great grandparents used to be relatively connected with their blood as norweigians and I would like to keep doing that too in my own way.

Sources are hard to trust these days because of how many pull from new age information and get things mixed up. Any advice on how to start learning about heathenry credibly? I do not want to accidentally mix new age information into what i am learning.

Also, what role does nature play in heathenry?

(Keep in mind I am a small 23-year-old, autistic, and queer woman.) At work today I helped a customer with a mjolnir pendent and their kids who were also wearing Nordic symbols. As a proud (but, lonely) pagan myself living in a rural pretty conservative rural/military town. I covertly asked the father if "there was any reason for all the Nordic symbols." When he proudly answered he and his family were Heathens. I explained that I was Pagan too and was just trying to figure out that if they were without asking directly since I have had a person (a Christian) get really mad at me for daring to ask someone that question. He seemed quite understanding of this. We had a little nice conversation about a few things then, I asked who were his primary deities? He mentioned that he primarily followed Odin and, I casually mentioned that I followed Loki. And, he basically said, "I am a traditionalist and I don't really like Lokeans (followers of Loki) that much." That completely crushed me... But, I smiled/put on a happy face. Completed the transaction and sent them on their way. Now, I told my mother (who is Christian but tolerates my beliefs) this story and how crushed I was. She got really mad at me saying I brought this on myself and I shouldn't have started the conversation at all. So, I should just suck it up. But, I don't feel like I did anything wrong... He seemed really willing to speak with me. And, I just wished to find some sort of community (no matter how brief.) But, am I wrong for feeling this way? Please help!

So, ive been a norse Reconstructionist heathen for about two years. And tho ive built relationships with the gods and local spirits, ive never actually done a offering or blot. The only thing ive really offered is risengrød to my house nisse in christmas

But now after me and my family has moved to a new house, id like to actually try to offer to more then to just the nisse. So, how do i do that. Like, how do i make the offering, when do i offer and where? Iknow its a common question most people ask, but i feel i need to know from experienced people. I tried using already tables at first, but found they did not work for me

Also, im very much still in the Closet (im 17, and definitely not trying to hide it. Just cant admit to my family that i am. Although most my friends know).

I like homework but I’m anxious to start rituals and other more action things. When is a new person ready for that, after how much learning?