Heathenry does not have "commandments" from our
Gods, for our relationship with the Heathen Gods is one of respect,
honor, and kinship. Heathens do not grovel before their Gods, nor do
they "worship" them as sheep to a shephard, slaves to a master, or
ignorant children to an all-knowing father. We are in awe of
the glory of our Gods, but we do not teach our children that they
are worthless and undeserving of the love of their
Gods. Rather than of a
list of commandments and "thou shall not's," modern Heathenry places
importance on certain virtues or values that one can say are part of
a life well-lived. Many have attempted to codify or formalize
these "Noble Virtues" into lists that include definitions or
information about each virtue. These lists of Noble Virtues
are a modern creation based on our reading and understanding of the
surviving Lore. They are drawn from the epic tales and poetic
lore passed down to us through the ages from our ancestors, and many
a Tru Heathen strives to nourish these Noble Virtues in his life,
his Kindred, and Heathenry in general.
Because of the tribal and
decentralized nature of Heathenry, there are various lists of "Noble
Virtues." These lists closely parallel each other, but the
exact words used, the definitions given, and even the number of
virtues included in each list can vary. Some Heathens focus
very little, if at all, on a list of the Noble Virtues, considering
these lists a modern invention and not paricularly relevant to their
own beliefs and practices. It is worth saying again
that the Noble Virtues are not commandments. They are not
"scripture." They are simply moral and situational ethical
guidelines. Each Heathen tends to have his or her favorite
version of the Noble Virtues. New heathens can gain great
benefit from familiarizing themselves with a particular list and
attempting to live according to the guidelines provided there.
A KEY POINT TO
CONSIDER
As
guidelines, the Noble Virtues don't always apply. They are
very situational in nature and must be applied with the context of
the situation in mind. The key to the Noble Virtues is doing
the correct thing, at the proper time, toward the right people. For
instance, while Truthfulness is listed among the Noble Virtues, a
Heathen does not owe honesty to his worst enemies. In the
Havamal it tells us that one should meet lies with lies. So,
from a situational standpoint, there is a time and place where
showing honestly would not be a virtue, because to do so would harm
one's own family and efforts. While being industrious and working hard is
listed among the Noble Virtues, this does not suggest that you
should work hard for efforts being led by people you don't like,
toward goals with which you don't agree. There is a time and
place for hard work, and some efforts and obligations have priority
over others, depending on the context of the situation. It is
a virtue to work hard to fulfill your obligations and to accomplish
worthy goals, while it is a fool's errand to work hard on an effort
that will literally accomplish nothing.
While showing hospitality is
among the list of Noble Virtues, if someone is repeatedly a bad
guest, betrays your trust, or repeatedly fails to reciprocate
hopitality you have shown them when given the opportunity, there is
a point and time where you no longer owe them hospitality.
Showing hospitality in such situations is actually ill-advised
rather than virtuous.
And this brings me to my point. You
will see and hear heathens (especially on the internet) throwing the
Noble Virtues at one another as if they were commandments from our
Gods. This is not, and never was, the purpose of the Noble
Virtues. When you see that happening, shake your head a bit in
wonder at the lack of understanding the person has of the Noble
Virtues, and move on. The person accusing someone on the
internet of "violating" the Noble Virtues has completely missed the
point. THE NOBLE VIRTUES
DEFINED
An
internet search
will quickly confirm that there are already many existing lists
of the Noble Virtues. The list below is not an attempt to
re-invent the Noble Virtues or alter them in any way.
What I've tried to do below, is consolidate the many lists
of Noble Virtues out there, and provide each virtue with
a meaning and context in my own words, based on my
own understandings and beliefs. While I did attempt to boil these virtues down to
one word (in bold type), I have provided alternative words
as well to help convey the complexity of meaning involved
in each virtue. I have also put these virtues in an order
that conveys its own deeper meaning about how these virtues are
interconnected.
1. FAMILY
(Frith, Loyalty, Honor) - Nothing is more important than
your family. Our ancestors sacrificed and struggled to improve
their lives and to give us advantages in ours. These ancestors
watch us, help us, and we should live a life of which they can be
proud. Now it is our turn to sacrifice and struggle to build a
foundation upon which our descendants can build their lives.
Our time, effort, energy, and Luck must be dedicated to doing the
work necessary to build and maintain strong, stable Heathen
famillies. We must raise our children with the knowledge and
tools they need to be productive and honorable in their own
lives. We must be Frithful, and understand that we are one
with our family and our kindred. Our identity, our
accomplishments, our Orlog, and our Luck is intertwined and
interconnected with those we call kin...as are our problems,
hardships, and failures. We must be loyal and stand by our
kin, as they are loyal and stand by us. The Honor and
Reputation of our familes and kin must be carefully and diligently
protected, maintained, and advanced forward. Our families and
kindred are our primary obligation, and there is no better measure
of a Heathen's worth than how well he/she fulfills that
obligation. 2.
RESPONSIBILITY (Self-Reliance, Respect) -
Within our families and kindreds, each individual must carry their
own weight, fulfill their obligations to the group, and bring all of
their individual skills, knowledge, and wisdom to the work at
hand. As an individual within a familiy or kindred, you should
feel a deep commitment and responsibility to the protection and
success of the group and its efforts. Your family and kindred
are always there for you, but it is important to be able to take
care of yourself and not unnecessarily burden the group with
problems or hardships that could have been avoided. Within our
families and kindreds, we owe the other individuals in the group the
respect they deserve, and they owe us the respect we have
earned.
3. HARD WORK
(Industry, Determination) - We are our deeds. This
means we will be remembered for what we accomplish in this
life. We gain renown and build Luck based on what we do, how
we do it, and the successes we enjoy. One key to accomplishing
real and lasting things in this world, is to find deeds that need
doing, work hard at making them happen, and not letting set-backs or
difficulties discourage us. We owe it to our families and
ourselves to give 100% effort to all of the worthy tasks and efforts
in which we involve ourselves. We get one chance at this life,
and through hard work and determination we can lead productive,
memorable, accomplished lives. 4.
TRUTH (Honesty, Wisdom) - Heathens should be honest and
direct. Lies, deceit, and a lack of straightforward
communication complicate matters, harm families and kindreds, and
can destroy reputations. Heathens have an obligation to
recognize and champion the truth. This also means avoiding the weakness of lying
to yourself and refusing the face harsh truths about yourself or your actions.
Learn from your successes and failures, and avoid excuses and the casting
of blame on those that don't deserve it. It is
only through blunt honesty with yourself that you
can learn how best to succeed in your responsibilities and
efforts in your own life and on behalf of your family and kindred.
To accomplish lasting things in this world, you must have an honest
understanding of the world, the human condition, and the people around
you.
5.
GENEROSITY (Hospitality) - The acquisition of
more and more possessions does not, in and of itself, lead to a more
more fulfilling or worthy life. The selfish hoarding of
possessions as a goal in and of itself does not benefit one's
family, kindred, or friends. Wealth is worked for and earned
for the purpose of supporting and providing for one's family.
The giving of gifts, comfort, and hospitality to others builds
friendships and renown for a heathen. Among our ancestors, a
generous chieftain was paid the high compliment of being called a
gold-hater or a ring-giver, because he provided well for those for
which he was responsible. The chieftain who was poorest among
his men, because of his generosity toward his men, earned their
respect and loyalty. This is true today among modern
heathens. Generosity applies to more than just money and
wealth, as one is expected to be generous with you time, your work,
your advice, and other gifts you have to give. Part of this
concept of generosity is being a hospitable host to all those
visiting one's home, whether they be a friend or near
stranger. The flip-side to this, is Heathens expect
guests to be respectful and
well-behaved. 6. FAIRNESS
(Justice, Equity) -
We judge people everyday. We make decisions about who we want
to associate with, who we want to work with, and who we want around
our family and kindred. We should make these decisions fairly,
judging individuals by their deeds and accomplishments. We
should treat others fairly, giving them the friendship and
generosity that they earn and deserve. If asked for advice
about a conflict or if asked to mediate a conflict, we should show
equity in our advice and decisions, and attempt to reach a result
that best resolves the matter and puts things right.
7. BRAVERY (Courage,
Boldness) - Fear is a natural emotion or reaction that
every human feels. Heathens should not allow themselves to be
ruled by fear. The greatest courage and bravery is shown at
that exact moment when we are most fearful, and yet still take
action. In our modern world, there are subtle fears that can
paralyze us into inaction. Fear of failure. Fear of
reprisals or condemnation by the majority culture/religion.
Fear of judgement by our peers for being different. But,
Heathens should be confident in ourselves and our native Folkway,
and act with boldness in all of our well-considered efforts.
8. STRENGTH (Endurance,
Steadfast) - We have both physical strength and spiritual
strength, often referred to as "Might and Main." Both are
important to living a successful and virtuous life. We should
put time and energy into maintaining our physical health, because so
many other things in life are impossible to accomplish without
it. Our spiritual strength is something we can work on as
well, learning to persist in our worthy efforts regardless of the
long odds and the adversity standing in our way. Spiritual
strength also involves having enough confidence in one's vision and
goals to not be swayed by poor advice or the jeers of one's enemies,
but also being strong enough to accept wise advice and the help of
one's friends and family. All great accomplishments are only
achieved by facing adversity and challenge, and Heathens must have
the strength to overcome whatever stands in their way of
accomplishing worthy deeds.
9.
MODERATION (Self-control, Self-Rule) - The
world is full of joys and pleasures, and Heathenry is a
life-affirming world-view that tells us to enjoy ourselves and make
the most of our lives. But, one must embrace what life has to
offer, always keeping in mind one's responsibilities, obligations,
and the honesty we owe to our families. We must consciously
choose our actions wisely and not based on impulses, habits, or
unhealthy appetites. To maintain one's honor and protect one's
Luck, you must at the very least be in control of your own thoughts
and deeds. The world's joys should be enjoyed, but they should
never be allowed to rule us...or ruin us. Of course,
some people would say that all religions hold these or similar
virues in high regard. People may honestly believe that to be true,
but a closer look at the religious teachings and practices of other
religions reveals that there are subtle, and at times glaring,
differences between the lives Heathens attempt to live and the lives
encouraged or enforced by other
religions. THIS IS OUR CULTURAL
AND SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE
Members
of other religions believe in freedom, yet their scriptures say they
are slaves to their God. They may feel they are bold or courageous,
but they are told by their religion to love their enemies and
forgive them no matter what they do. They may feel they are
honorable, but are told to "turn the other cheek" when struck by
another. They may believe that peole are innately good and
generous, but their teachings laden them with guilt because of some
imaginary "original sin" and their unworthyness before their
god. They may believe their family comes before all things,
but their holy books, their prophets, and their messiahs tell them
to choose their god over family members that do not follow the same
god. They may feel that they are hospitable and care about
their family and other people, but they often condemn and ostracize
all those that believe differently than they do.
Many people, regardless of their religion,
instinctively believe in the values of Asatru because they have been
passed down to us from our ancestors. These values are part of our
cultural and spiritual inheritance passed down through our family
lines. So there is this tendency among those members of our
Folk that have not yet returned to our native ways, to see what they
want to see in these Middle-Eastern religions. Most people
just haven't yet realized that these major Abrahamic religions are
saying, teaching, or practicing values that conflict with the values
we know in our hearts are right. To find a religion that actually
embraces and practices these native virtues, we should look to the
religion that historically and instinctively instilled us with these
values, our native Folkway, Heathenry. These are the
traits our ancestors valued in themselves and in others, and they
provide guidance and something to strive for that will last your
entire Heathen life. The more you instill your life with these
virtues, the more you will stand out in a positive way, not only
within Heathenry, but at home, at work, and within your
community.
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