A Guide to the Gods, Lore, Rites
and Celebrations from the Norse, German and Anglo-Saxon Traditions
Exploring the Northern Tradition
by Galina Krasskova
When Galina Krasskova decided to
become Heathen in 1996, she found that "warm and fuzzy" were not typical
words to describe this community of about 40,000 that adhere to the
modern reconstruction of the ancient religion of the Germanic and
Scandinavian peoples. Her book,
Exploring the Northern Tradition: A Guide to the Gods, Lore, Rites and
Celebrations from the Norse, German and Anglo-Saxon Traditions,
was written to provide a warm welcome to exploring this belief system,
and it does just that.
In Krasskova's section on "Gods
and Goddesses," she provides several lovely meditations which aim for
experiential knowledge of the attributes of the deities. For healing,
there is a focus on the goddess Eir:
I will hail Eir,
the Divine Physician,
Fortunate are those commended to Her care.
She is wise and mighty, and the weal of Her hands
strengthens the wounded.
Her works are filled with a ruthless compassion,
and to all things She brings the gift of fierce contemplation.
I will praise the Mighty Goddess,
Whose touch upon our beings is like the fingers of a master
gardener
closing around a tiny seed and plunging it into the rich,
waiting earth.
This is followed by a meditation
and a pathworking, as are most of the descriptions of the gods and
goddesses of the Northern tradition.
I enjoyed Krasskova's discussion
of the concept of "wyrd," a difficult-to-explain facet of Heathen
theology. It is a lot like fate, only while some of it is predetermined,
some of it can be shaped by your own actions. Heathens are nothing if not
responsible! The author explains the Nine Noble Virtues that are
"constantly evolving goals which we must always strive." These include
discipline, honor, industriousness, perseverance and truth.
The author mentions several times
throughout the book that we stand upon the shoulders of our ancestors, and
acknowledging the folks who came before us is an important concept in the
Norse customs. Some of the traditions are quite charming, as in inviting
a departed relative into one's space by offering a hot beverage and coffee
cake that one has put aside for them. She encourages one to have
conversations with the departed, but with the warning that just as in the
physical plane, it may take some time before a relationship warms up!
Finally, Krasskova describes a
sample Heathen ritual, called a blót and discusses the major
holidays of the year. Some of the holidays do fall on the same day as
Wiccan holidays but the author steadfastly describes the difference
between the two belief-systems. An interesting, highly-researched and
heavily-footnoted book, this serves as a wonderful introduction to a
religion that many simply do not know about.
Review by Diane Saarinen
Exploring the Northern Tradition, By Galina Krasskova, New Page
Books, 2005, 220 pp., $14.99
