Welcome to NET! (A primer for newbies and refresher for old farts) – David Carron
Thursday, 8/22/2024, 9:30 am
Is this your first North East Thing? Be welcome to learn some history! New to Asatru or Heathenry? Want to reminisce of past events? WTF is Frith? Then come on down for some history, the who’s, how’s and why’s. We explain drinking and toasting so that you aren’t the “cool kid” wearing your mead from your first horn. (And we’ll put that to the test!) We talk about some of meaningful rituals and fun of yore. Meet some folks and make some friends. Fire away with your burning questions!
Let’s Talk (YOUR) UPG – Kat McDermott
Thursday, 8/22/2024, 11:00 am
UPG, or Unverified Personal Gnosis, is spiritual belief gained through personal experience that cannot be corroborated by scholarship. As heathens, these experiences inform how we practice our religion. This conversation, and it will be a conversation, will focus on how members of the community create their own UPG through their experiences, how you’re already creating your own (without even realizing you’re doing it), and how that UPG informs how we perceive and practice modern heathenry. We will also be discussing how shared gnosis creates community traditions and how these traditions inform our practice in the Northeast Heathen Community.
Seidhr – We’ve got the evidence, now what? – Patricia Lafayllve
Thursday, 8/22/2024, 1:30 pm
In this workshop, Patricia Lafayllve will discuss the line between folklore/canon knowledge and modern practice. She will discuss various methods she has learned through her own experiential process, and go further to show how original/secondary materials can be interpreted to suit the individual seidhr-worker. While this is a discussion of experiential practice, there will be no seidhr worked in this session. This workshop does not require any prior knowledge of seidhr, or the personal practice of it in any of its forms.
“Telling Your Heathen Story” – Kyle Aaron Reese
Thursday, 8/22/2024, 3:00 pm
Recently I held a Lore Chat that called on attendees to tell their favorite stories from the eddas and sagas, in their own words. This was by far my favorite lore chat. These stories morphed from the telling of an ancient story to the reasons why those particular stories were so important to the teller. We learned so much about one another in profound way, and realized that our stories are important, and can have an impact on other heathens’ spiritual development. We all followed our own unique path to get where we are spiritually, and it is a feat of fate that this diverse, loving group of people just happen to coincide once a year. Let’s tell each other our stories!
Meditation Workshop – Jai Mohan
Thursday, 8/22/2024, 4:30 pm
A meditation workshop focusing on breath, gentle movement, voice work, and light journeying. Join us in relaxing our muscles, galdoring runes, and greeting the World Tree. All ages are welcome, though young children might get bored; participate at your comfort level. Rocks for fidgeting will be available to borrow. If you’d like, feel free to bring a blanket, towel, or yoga mat.
Kindred of Mann: The First 15 Years – Dr. Annie Cúglas Humphrey, Ph.D
Friday, 8/23/2024, 9:30 am
Founded in January 2009, the Kindred of Mann was started by Annie Cúglas and Mat Berlinski to venerate the gods, wights, and folk ways of the North Atlantic islands from Ireland to Iceland, with a special focus on the Isle of Man. Initially considered an ahistorical “fusion”, trends in heathenry have come around to region-specific tradition, and now KoM serves as the standard for insular Norse-Gaelic praxis. This workshop explores the sources and theories we rely on, successful and not-so-successful ventures in creative re-creation, as well as some of the fun idiosyncrasies that have become part of our ritual year. Learn about our motto “frið oc’ fírinne”, why our horn has mistletoe carved on it, and some of the highlights and special memories of our fifteen years (so far!).
The Concept of Time in Heathenry – Mike Smith
Friday, 8/23/2024, 11:00 am
Urð & Skuld & Örlog… Oh my!
In this workshop, presented by Mike Smith (Úlfar aff Jera Þjóð), an introduction into the fascinating world of the concepts of Urð, Örlog, and other heathen concepts of time will be explained using myth, word etymology, scholarly works, and humorous theatrics that will assist in understanding and connecting other aspects of Heathen theology, cosmology, metaphysics, and magic. Questions and answers will follow, time permitting.
“Is it baggage?”: A panel discussion and group conversation – Kat McDermott
Friday, 8/23/2024, 1:30 pm
In this panel discussion, participants will discuss the different types of “baggage” that people bring with them when they come to Heathenry, whether they be related to veneration, practice or rituals, the structure of the pantheon, and more. Most folks aren’t immune from this as ideas of what religion is “supposed” to look like are ingrained in us culturally from a young age, particularly folks who migrate from monotheistic religions to polytheistic ones. While there is nothing inherently wrong about having “baggage” it’s important to identify to prevent gatekeeping, etc. Types of “baggage” will be discussed as well as how to be mindful of your own baggage.
The “Monsters” of Norse Mythology – Kurt Hohmann & Paul Mercurio
Friday, 8/23/2024, 3:00 pm
Norse mythology does an amazing job of creating strict delineations (Aesir v Jotnar; or Masculine v Feminine) and then blurring those lines (Skadhi and Gerd; or Odin as Jalkr / Geldnir). And now many inclusive Heathens are currently working with or creating space for entities that have historically been seen as monsters or as enemies of the gods. What’s going on? What can we learn from each other? What does it even mean to be a “monster” anyway? All respectful perspectives are welcome in this workshop: the goal here is understanding, not necessarily consensus.
Others and Outsiders: How Tru Are You? – Erika Wren
Friday, 8/23/2024, 4:30 pm
How far from the Bifrost does your path take you when you leave the Thing? What gods and other entities hold space on your altar and in your heart? Join us at this round table to discuss what our Heathenry looks like during the 360 days of the year that we aren’t together. Come with an open mind and the understanding that the host reserves the right to sew your lips shut if you get combative.
*Teens are welcome if their parents think they are mature enough for this discussion. Babies and toddlers are welcome.
Ritual 101 (Build your own Blot!) (Or, now that we are here, what do we do?) – David Carron
Saturday, 8/24/2024, 9:30 am
Now that you have your small band of folks together, ready to honor the Gods what’s next? We talk about the deconstruction and reconstruction of Asatru ritual structure with a bedrock of a variety of Nordic cultural and historical perspectives. We design a Blot while trying to juggle the variety of purposes of a historical, cultural, utilitarian, spiritually meaningful ritual to honor the Norse Gods.
Lactic Lore: Milk and its Mysteries in Germanic Religious and Magical Tradition – Ristandi
Saturday, 8/24/2024, 11:00 am
From cosmogonic myths involving the udders of a Cosmic Cow, to necromantic rites that command the Dead to steal milk from your neighbor’s herds. From rituals involving kiðjamjólk as a psychoactive substance, to fertility rites involving sorcerous staves carved into hunks of cheese, to the use of human breast milk in healing remedies throughout the Germanic speaking world – milk and all of its various manifestations and transformations have been closely associated with magic and mystery in our vernacular practices of sorcery and healing for thousands of years. This workshop interrogates the myriad ways in which milk, cheese, butter, cream, and curds serve as mythic metaphors, symbols of sorcery, and operative magical tools. Join me as we tug the teats of tradition, and together explore the magic and myth of milk.
Queer Heathen Roundtable – Jai Mohan
Saturday, 8/24/2024, 1:30 pm
A peer discussion group on topics related to being queer/trans and Heathen. This group centers those under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella.
Heretical Heathenry – Elizabeth Sandifer
Saturday, 8/24/2024, 3:00 pm
“Without contraries is no progression.” – William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The increasing decentralization of heathenry and the rise of online communities has led to a wealth of ideas and approaches that range from controversial to downright scandalous. Never mind Loki inclusionism—an issue the community has largely found consensus on. These days you can find people making entirely serious arguments for working with primordial forces of chaos like Surtr. To say nothing of the increasingly common approach of creating complex interpretations of various gods and goddesses whose actual appearances in the lore are scant at best—a phenomenon on full display in our véstead, not least at the Sága vé. Or, for that matter, of UPG in general, or cross-pantheon worship. This workshop will offer a brief presentation that uses these controversies, along with historical examples from monotheistic religions, to offer a framework for understanding heresy as a productive force that is valuable even when—and perhaps especially when—it’s completely wrong, followed by an open discussion in which participants will be encouraged to think both about their own heresies and their reactions to others’.
Presenter bios are available here.