Day of Remembrance For Eyvind Kinrifi February 9th, 2020 Near to what could be considered the beginning on the Christian conversion of Norway, under the King, Olaf Tryggvason, there was a farmer of Noble stock who stood against the king and his attempts at conversion. Eyvind (Pronounced Ivin) Kinrifi was called to make plans against the upcoming invasion by his friend Harek of Thjotta, who had very recently returned home after himself refusing conversion to Christianity. Eyvind answered the call, and for the sake of haste he traveled with only a small retinue of men. He was well welcomed my Harek, but shortly his arrival Eyvind was ambushed. Unbeknownst to Harek, he had been followed by some of Olaf Tryggvason’s men. They forced Eyvind to Throndhjem, where Olaf attempted to convert Evyind, first with offers of land and gold, and then with threats of torture and death. Unwilling to turn him back on his faith, Eyvind was eventually killed. On the 9th of February, as we stop to remember Eyvind Kinrifi and his unwavering faith despite the consequences, take a moment to consider what in your own life is important to you. Have there ever been times in which you had to choose between keeping your faith and losing something else? A friend? Family? In these times, when we are allowed the choice, it is sometimes harder to stand strong in the face of opposition. It is sometimes easier to hide behind the idea of a pseudonym, or to keep your faith hidden from those in your life that should matter. Remember, when you think of Eyvind, what truly matters. Stand strong with and take pride in your Folk. Hail, Eyvind Kinrifi! And Hail the Asatru Folk Assembly!

Gythia Catherine Erickson Asatru Folk Assembly [email protected]

We will all go through many trials in life. Tough times may seem like they will never end in the midst of them. Our thoughts govern so much more of our ability to navigate even the darkest of depressions or the tightest moments of anxiety. Yet we have made it through them time and again. We have all approached this faith with the idea and hope of something better. Our gods and ancestors have shown us by their actions that we do indeed have what it takes to take control of our lives. There is so much potential with that idea in action in our lives we might hardly comprehend it. So what does it look like when we quit finding other things to become upset about in our new faith? Well, we have an image of that as well.

LIII. Then spake Gangleri: “Shall any of the gods live then, or shall there be then any earth or heaven?”

Because that is the real question of the day. What will I look like if I let go of all the things I am supposed to be outraged about? What if I let go of all the pain I think makes me important or worthy of attention in someone else’s eyes? What will I feel if I am no longer anxious about every waking moment and what people think? Will I still be important? Is there some kind of divine in my life if I let go of the self-imposed sense of struggle so common in social issues?

Hárr answered: “In that time the earth shall emerge out of the sea and shall then be green and fair; then shall the fruits of it be brought forth unsown. Vídarr and Váli shall be living, inasmuch as neither sea nor the fire of Surtr shall have harmed them; and they shall dwell at Ida-Plain, where Ásgard was before. And then the sons of Thor, Módi and Magni, shall come there, and they shall have Mjöllnir there. After that Baldr shall come thither, and Hödr, from Hel; then all shall sit down together and hold speech. with one another, and call to mind their secret wisdom, and speak of those happenings which have been before: of the Midgard Serpent and of Fenris-Wolf. Then they shall find in the grass those golden chess-pieces which the Æsir had had; thus is it said:

In the deities’ shrines | shall dwell Vídarr and Váli,
   When the Fire of Surtr is slackened;
Módi and Magni | shall have Mjöllnir
   At the ceasing of Thor’s strife.

In the place called Hoddmímir’s Holt there shall lie hidden during the Fire of Surtr two of mankind, who are called thus: Líf and Lífthrasir, and for food they shall have the morning-dews. From these folk shall come so numerous an offspring that all the world shall be peopled, even as is said here:

Líf and Lífthrasir, | these shall lurk hidden
   In the Holt of Hoddmímir;
The morning dews | their meat shall be;
   Thence are gendered the generations.

And it may seem wonderful to thee, that the sun shall have borne a daughter not less fair than herself; and the daughter shall then tread in the steps of her mother, as is said here:

The Elfin-beam | shall bear a daughter,
Ere Fenris drags her forth;
That maid shall go, | when the great gods die,
To ride her mother’s road.

But now, if thou art able to ask yet further, then indeed I know not whence answer shall come to thee, for I never heard any man tell forth at greater length the course of the world; and now avail thyself of that which thou hast heard.”

Once we begin to let go of certain self-sabotaging ideas, given to us by others, our perception of the Gods themselves change. The sons of Gods and Goddesses lead the way into a new, far green horizon. Where we might reminisce about our pasts and chuckle about the mistakes of our life as we have seen our grandparents do. Laughing at their failures and smiling towards the sunset. Sunsets they know they will see fewer and fewer of as their life nears an end. Our children will lead the way into this bright future. But right now, the battle is ours. To relinquish patterns and old behaviors we have given a fresh coat of paint. Our children will be the ones who recognize the best of the changes within us. They will see it as the sun shining brightly on the promise of their future.

LIV. Thereupon Gangleri heard great noises on every side of him; and then, when he had looked about him more, lo, he stood out of doors on a level plain, and saw no hall there and no castle. Then he went his way forth and came home into his kingdom, and told those tidings which he had seen and heard; and after him each man told these tales to the other.

Our children will see this and they will tell others of the power of these old gods and how it made their moms and dads so much better people. That is how we ensure a future for the descendants of the ancient tribes of Northern Europe. With love, right here in our own homes.

Bryan Wilton
Gothi,
Asatru Folk Assembly

The AFA is proud to welcome home the Noregr Kindred of Norway as a official Kindred of the Asatru Folk Assembly. Noregr is our first Norsk Kindred, and now the foundation is laid for more to follow in their footsteps. Gaining Kindred recognition is not a easy thing, it takes dedication and loyalty and willingness to stand with our church and family. All over Midgard our Folk are coming together and building communities and Kindreds and a future for our children. Noregr Thank you for stepping and making a difference!

Hail the Noregr Kindred!
Hail the Kindreds of the AFA!
Hail the Asatru Folk Assembly!!!

Jason Gallagher
 Kindred Coordinater,
 Asatru Folk Assembly!!!

A Symbol for the AFA
by Stephen A. McNallen
from The Runestone Spring 1996 #14

Every organization which aspires to touch it’s followers’ hearts needs a symbol, a sign which proclaims it’s nature and provides a standard around which to rally.

In the old Asatru Free Assembly, that symbol war the RAIDO rune. We chose it because, first of all, it was used i the old days to designate our religion. It denoted harmony with the cosmic order, and a path to wholeness. Moreover, superimposed in it are the runes ANSUZ and WUNJO. ANSUZ represents the reception, transformation, and re-expression of spiritual might. Since our goal is to receive the power of the Gods into our lives and then manifest it in the world around us, this rune seems very appropriate. WUNJO means fellowship, and the bonds that tie together a clan and tribe; that’s pretty descriptive of both the old AFA and it’s new incarnation.

We could, I suppose, just use the RAIDO rune for the new AFA’s symbol. But would that really be right? We’re not exactly the same organization, and since we want a different ORLOG, or fate, than the old AFA, Maybe we need something different to represent us.

Here’s where we need your input. Here are some bind runes that have been proposed – essentially, combining the “ancestral heritage” of the OTHALAZ rune with all the aforementioned attributes of RAIDO. What do you think? Which of these is the best choice, and why? Or should we adopt something altogether different? What about color schemes? We’ll consider what you have to say, and announce a decision in the next issue of The Runestone!

Today the AFA is proud and honored to welcome the American Crow Kindred of Florida as a official Kindred of the Asatru Folk Assembly. Gaining Kindred recognition is not a easy thing, it takes dedication and loyalty and willingness to stand with our church and family. AFA Kindreds are the local congregations and representatives there to help bring our folk home. If you are in Florida look these guys up and attend a event.Thank you for stepping up American Crow Kindred!

Hail the American Crow Kindred!
Hail the Kindreds of the AFA!
Hail the Asatru Folk Assembly!!!

Jason Gallagher
Kindred Coordinator 
Asatru Folk Assembly

Kindreds
by Stephan A. McNallen
The Runestone, Spring 1996 #14

I couldn’t believe it had only been a year since we started the AFA, so I pulled down my back issues of The Runestone, just to check. Sure enough – issue #10, Winter 1994, was when we blew the war horn, banged the drum, and started marshaling the troops for the Asatru Folk Assembly’s next big step.

One year… holy Harbard! What a lot we’ve done – A Declaration of Purpose and other basic documentation, lots of successful gatherings, an expanded Runestone, guilds, membership… It’s quite a list. Only in the last couple of months have the winds of change died down to a mere gale force, and we can look at the next task before us.

Our membership program gave individual Asafolk a chance to connect with the movement. Isolated followers of the Gods could sign on as Associate Members, and those who were in a position to benefit from the fellowship of a kindred were just right for membership. People who wanted to contribute in an extraordinary way had the option of supporting membership – there was a category for everyone.

However, it’s not enough to provide memberships; Asatru is at it’s best when shared by others, and this means – KINDREDS. The time has come to nurture and develop local AFA “congregations” from one end of the country to the other. So what does this mean to you?

If you’re happy as a lone practitioner of Asatru, fine. No one is going to insist that you change what you’re doing, or demand that you fall into step with the rest of us. On the other hand, belonging to a kindred offers advantages that are hard to beat – companionship, shared skills, resources, intensity, protection from the storm, and help in the daunting task of making the world a better place.

Exactly what do people in a Kindred do? Well, they honor the Gods and Goddesses, but that’s only the start. A kindred can be an extended family made up of Asafolk who interact socially and perhaps even economically. It might host a potluck, brew mead, play games, share books, tell stories, bake bread, go skiing, study Asatru, take in the Scottish games, sing songs, network for goods, services, and jobs, soak at the hot springs, or goodness knows what.

Sounds pretty good – so how do you get involved? Well, the first step is to join the AFA, assuming, of course, that you find our fundamental documents to your liking. Then, find a kindred. But, you say, who don’t know of one close to home? No problem. We can network you with other AFA members in your vicinity, and together you can start one! (In fact we’ve published a booklet on how to go about it! Send us $3 and we will rush it to you).

Oh, a note on AFA kindreds: Your kindred can belong to both the AFA and the Asatru Alliance. This is one of the points we wanted to make when our own Calasa Kindred, “The AFA Headquarters,” joined the Alliance. We don not consider this to be an “either/or” situation, or some sort of competition.

Kindreds are a logical extension of individual AFA membership. The’re the next step in building a viable, permanent, growth-oriented Asatru community in Vinland. And you can play a part in this adventure!

from THE RUNESTONE fall 1995
by Steven McNallen

On the long drive from California to Wisconsin, I wondered what it would be like to once again attend an Althing. It had been a long time since I had last stood around the fire with Asatruar from around the country. My first Althing was – Althing 1! My last such gathering was in Texas for Althing 6. This was Althing 15…

We had packed the car carefully. plastered an “Odin Lives!” bumper sticker on the back, and pointed the car eastward. Most of the trip was uneventful, but there was one startling exception. In the middle of Wyoming, we got a sign from the Gods – or if not a sign, at least a bumper sticker! Let me explain.

We had dodged the rain for hundreds of miles, but in Laramie, Wyoming, it caught up with us. As drops of water splashed against the windshield, we thought of the bags strapped to the top of the car and knew that we had to put them inside, or they’d get soaked in the imminent downpour. So we turned off the freeway and into a gas station, where I unhooked the bungee cords and tossed our belongings – which were getting wetter by the second – into the car.

As I finished the task and slid into my seat, my eyes caught an “Odin Lives!” bumper sticker on a vehicle about 50 feet in front of us! I was momentarily confused – was I in the right car? If so, how did our bumper sticker get on that OTHER car? It took several heartbeats to really understand that we were sitting a few yards away from other Althing-bound souls. I hurriedly has Sheila pull up to the curb in front of our fellow Asafolk, and I got out of the car. The man in the passenger seat was pointing at OUR bumper sticker and talking excitedly to his companions!

After introductions, we had dinner with Ragnar, Kveldulf, and Hildulf. They escorted us to the motel where we were staying that night, and continued on their way. Our amazement at the meeting, and the sense of “rightness” conveyed by such an unlikely twist of ORLOG, stayed with us for the rest of our journey.

Two days later, we parked our car at the ferry which would take us across to rock Island, on the very tip of Wisconsin’s peninsula. Coincidentally, Valgard Murray, Bob and Karen Taylor, and a boatload of other Asafolk were on the same shuttle. It was a time of renewed friendships, to say the least!

Someone we hadn’t met before was our guest from the Odinic Rite, in England. Heimgest was witty, a good conversationalist, and was amazed at the freedom with which Asatruar are allowed to assemble and worship in this country. If I understood him right, there are all sorts of bureaucratic restrictions on what they can and can’t do in England – they can’t meet outdoors, for example, he certainly seemed to be enjoying Vinland’s freedom and we hope he had a great experience here.

The site for the Althing couldn’t have been better selected. Islands had religious significance for our ancestors; they were chosen for duels, and were cult sites for some deities. Rock Island, itself off the tip of Washington Island, is wooded and wonderful. One of the things that makes it unique is a structure built by an Icelander named Thordarson. He was very aware of his heritage, and expressed his pride by building a sort of viking hall out of native stone. I’ve included a sketch of it with this article, but the crude drawing can’t convey it’s magnificence. There is an immense fireplace, above which is carved an inscription in runes. The main room – perhaps thirty feet wide and sixty feet long – is graced by lovely but unViking-like windows which fill the room with sunlight; at night, the hall is lit by a unique chandelier in which honrs, made to resemble the drinking horns of old, hold candles.

But even more interesting than the building itself is the furniture which fills it. Carved wooden chairs and tables depict scenes from our old lore – Tyr binding Fenris, Skathi on her skis, Thor riding on his chariot, and maybe fifteen or twenty more. Thordarson’s personal desk is also part of the collection. Four dwarves support it’s corners, and other Norse motifs decorate it’s panels. Truly, Thordarson has left a great treasure for posterity.

What was accomplished at the Althing?Five new kindreds were accepted into the Asatru Alliance, including our own Calasa Kindred. Obviously, we made new friends, and we renewed bonds with old ones. It was good to see Valgard again, and Bob and Karen, and the others from the old days. Beyond that, our attendance showed that the Asatru Folk Assembly and the Asatru Alliance are not in competition with each other and that we have, in fact, formed stronger ties of friendship and cooperation. Needless to say, we came away full of energy and ideas; a yellow pad crammed with notes was never far from us during the return trip.

One particular thought kept surfacing again and again these three days – in sumble, at meals, during rituals, in the course of countless conversations – and it is this: We of Asatru share an amazingly rich culture. I don’t mean just our ancient culture, but even more the habits and customs that have grown deeper, more intricate, and more detailed with each passing year of the Reawakening. From the way we lift a horn, to the gestures with which we bless meals, and the greetings we call to each other across a meadow of tents, we are a people bound to each other.

And that is wonderfully precious.

How the Asatru Leadership Conference Honored the Gods
by Steve McNallen
from THE RUNESTONE Summer 1995 #12

The weather had been warm and springlike all week – so, naturally, as the day before the Asatru Leadership Conference dawned, the sun fled and the temperatures dropped. We began to discuss alternative plans. Where would we meet if it rained? would it be too wet outside for all the people who intended to camp? How many people would stay home by the fire on account of the weather?

Early the next morning, over cups of coffee, Sheila and I waited and watched and planned. Lon and Wayne were already on hand, having arrived the previous night after a long journey. Finally, the decision was made to start the sessions outside, on the chairs and tables Larry had so generously helped us collect the night before, and see how the weather developed.

Only a bit after our declared starting time of 9 AM, we gathered in a circle and called on the Gods and Goddesses to be with us, and to give us their gifts of inspiration, luck, and joy. We drank a toast to them, and emptied our assorted horns and cups on the ground in honor of the land spirits.

So began the (first?) Asatru Leadership Conference. Somewhat more modest than the name implies, it was a meeting of about twenty adults – and another ten kids! – from the California-Nevada area. All were interested in helping the new AFA begin it’s work, and although few were “leaders” in terms of being luminaries in the Asatru firmament,all were leaders in terms of their willingness to participate and to be in on the ground floor of a major undertaking. Some had come from as far as Oregon, or Las Vegas, or the far reaches of Southern California to give their hands and minds to the task before us. Our numbers included everyone from Wayne the bush pilot and Bill the stock broker – to Baby Vidar, the infant.

This was a different kind of Asatru/Odinist gathering. Not a single axe was thrown. No one “played viking”. Kids were running all over the place. Drinking was quite moderate, and was done after dinner. Oh, we know there’s a time and a place for the rowdier event – but we were here to work, to think, and incidentally to draw out families that might have been turned away by a “viking wannabee” atmosphere.

Work and think we did! We talked about goals, and about the target audience we had to reach if we were to break the old paradigms and take Asatru out of the “cult” stage. We brainstormed ways of taking our message to the ordinary dissatisfied European-American. In one exercise, we sought ways that Asafolk could help each other, rather than having to rely on the system outside us. When time came for the sacrifice to Odin for victory, the SIGRBLOT, we were ready to cease the endless discussion and honor the One Eyed God.

The HORG or altar stood in a small, even cozy, clearing hemmed in by ancient fruit trees and younger brush. Taller trees loomed around it, emphasizing the sky overhead. We filled in, stood in a circle, and began the rite. Within moments after calling to Odin, drops began to fall from a sky that had been only mildly threatening only minutes before. As the invocation rose to it’s climax, cold rain turned to ice and white crystals danced on the blue cloth covering the HORG. Our concentration was unbroken; unflinching, we accepted the might of Odin. Mead was passed around the circle as thunder echoed across the stormy sky. Truly, the blessing of Odin was on us!

The evening saw good food and good conversation. Guilds were discussed, duties assigned, and the evening finally wrapped up.

The next day, after a rousing breakfast, we resumed. First, a survey to see what recommendations each of us had on how to make The Runestone a better publication. Then, more on Guilds – the Warrior Guild and the Aerospace Technology Guild, for starters. A discussion on the Computer Guild revealed a list of ambitious projects to serve the Folk. Ways to increase the participation of women in the AFA were brainstormed, and an introduction to the Organic Gardening Guild turned into a lively exchange, led by larry, on horticultural matters. Finally after assigning a feasibility study on a major public relations project or two, it was time for the closing ceremony.

What we had accomplished between the opening ritual and the one that concluded our gathering the next day? A great deal! Truly, the Gods had given us good gifts. In the months and years to come, it is our duty to share those gifts with you, and with all who will receive them.

Drengskapr: A Code of Honor
By Stephen McNallen from THE RUNESTONE spring 1995 #11

Christ’s disciples wanted to know how to pray, and their master gave them the Lord’s Prayer. Asatruar, on the other hand, want to know how to LIVE – and the answer from Asgard is not a prayer for the bended knee, but rather a code for the fearless and fair: DRENGSKAPR, in the ancient tongue of the Northlands.

To understand this concept, we have first to grasp the root word from which it springs. A DRENG was a gallant lad, a young man who was a member of a warrior band or some other relatively small group where one had to be able to depend on others for livelihood or even for life itself. The ship’s crew, the merchant guild, the military unit – all these were examples of that tightly knit in-group. From the nature of these bands, we can infer a lot about what drengskapr must have been in the days of our ancestors, and what it must be to us today.

The dreng must be strong and courageous, but that pretty much goes without saying. These were expected during the Viking Age. Beyond bravery, there were other traits, most of which seem to revolve around how the individual related to the others in the group. Honesty, even to the point of bluntness, was preferred because in the war band of the ship’s crew there was no place for hidden animosities that might boil over at a crucial moment and bring disaster to all. Likewise, a certain cheerfulness or at least a stoic acceptance of hardship helped to maintain morale when times were tough – when the group’s endeavors were not prospering, when the ship had to be hauled over long portages, or when rations were short. Generosity, always admired in Norse society, was even more important for the dreng. One who shared with his fellows – a meal, a knife, a bowstring – furthered the survival of all.

All of these characteristics spring from the dynamic of small teams surrounded with threats to their safety and success. The idea of drengskapr uses these very practical survival traits as a springboard to a larger nobility, a highness of mind, the opposite of all that is lowly or niggardly or petty. It is contrary to the viking stereotype of a cruel, blood-soaked savage with no moral code. True, not every viking followed the high standards of the dreng, but the ideal was there, and all could aspire to it.

Drengskapr implies certain duties to a friend, but also to a foe. The Germanic tribesmen amazed the Roman soldiers by picking them up and dusting them off after a skirmish. Today, we might well consider this as going too far; the survival of the group has to be considered. But it does raise the question of just what we owe our enemies.

The Christians say we should love our enemies, and this is where they go wrong. We don’t owe them love – but we owe them respect in the measure they deserve it. The valor and skill of our foes does us honor, and we should honor them in return.

In the mainstream culture which surrounds us, drengskapr is rare. You can find vestiges of it in the football team and the Army unit, but in general we live in a world that has turned it’s back on noble conduct. It’s widespread revival may have to await tougher times, when the exigencies that called it into being are once more a part of daily life. And it may be that drengskrapr was always for a special group, an adventurous elite. But who can deny that our world needs this model of fairness, generosity, and bravery? And where can it start, if not with us, as we go about our lives each day?

This is the official announcement heralding the foundation of the Asatru Folk Assembly from “The Runestone” Winter 1994 issue #10.

“ASATRU: Time for a Stand!by Steven A. McNallen

Controversy …again!

Here at THE RUNESTONE we’ve tried to steer clear of the squalls that periodically ruffle the waters of our little movement, but there comes a time when even the most reticent must speak. Now, as the sun readies itself to turn in the sky at Yule, the time for plain speaking – and for new beginnings – is upon us.

Let me try to summarize a very complicated situation in a small space: Since the demise of the AFA in the 1980’s, modern Asatru has been split into two camps which, while not exactly warring, have certainly been in competition with each other. One, the “Folkish” faction, has been made up of Asafolk who feel that there’s an inherent connection between their biological inheritance – their race, to put it bluntly – and their religion. There have always been a few steriotypical “racists” in their ranks, but most are good-hearted people who feel that the physical and spiritual cannot be put into separate boxes, and who want to further the interests of their European-descended kin.

The other group , or “affirmative action Asatru”, holds that race and religion are unrelated. In their view, on can adopt a religion much as one joins a secular organization, or chooses a fashion of clothing. some of the individuals under this banner are raving leftists motivated by hatred for everything White, but most are just decent people who, quite understandably, are put off by the looniness of some racists.

The Asatru Free Assembly was folkish in it’s orientation. When we dropped out of the scene, the Asatru Alliance picked up the torch at our request, and carried on. At about the same time, the Ring of Troth – definitely NOT folkish – began to organize. Until recently, the two groups maintained a balance of power, each speaking for it’s own beliefs.

It seems this is no longer the case. Reports from the last Althing tell of aggressive inroads by the Ring of Troth into what has hitherto been folkish territory. To make a long story short: (1) There is now a safe sanctuary for affirmative action Asatru, namely, the Ring of Troth. (2) The The Asatru Alliance, formerly the folkish bastion, is now an ideological battle-field. (3) There is no reliable stronghold for folkish Asatru, except in scattered kindreds across the country. The situation has tilted drastically out of balance.

The time has come for a group which will clearly and uncompromisingly advocate the folkish viewpoint. It can’t be the old Asatru Free Assembly, because we can’t relive the past. But it can be an Asatru FOLK Assembly, taking the best of the old AFA and presenting it in a stronger, wiser, more mature form. I am now calling for the formation of such an organization.
What will be the guiding principles of such a group? Here are some of the points that are especially important to me:

* Asatru is the indigenous religion of the northern Teutons. As such, it is one expression of a common European spirituality which unites all the far-flung sons and daughters of Europe, weather Germanic or Celtic, whatever their nation of origin.

* Asatru springs from our nature as people of European Ancestry. It is not just what we BELIEVE, it is what we ARE. Thousands of generations of shared evolution in a similar environment have produced a unique physical, mental, and spiritual pattern, and Asatru is its religious manifestation. Thus, Asatru is intimately connected to the interests and destiny of our people.

* As a logical consequence of the folkish viewpoint expressed above, we recognize the validity of other indigenous religions and respect the right of other peoples to achieve their own interests. We want a world of TRUE diversity, one with a mosaic of peoples and cultures. each working out their own fate. We are not “anti” anybody – but woe to those who aggress against us!

* Asatru honors the past while reaching for the future. We do not live in the 10th century. The traditional costumes, artifacts, and skills of our Teutonic ancestors have great cultural and spiritual value for us, but we must not be imprisoned by them. Asatru is not a historical reenactment society, it is a living religion which, a thousand years from now, will have spread throughout the Galaxy!

* Although Asatru has sober, Industrious, and scholarly sides, it must remain a home for those who treasure zest, vigor, color, panache, and fun. We are not monks or ascetics; our Gods laugh, and so should we.

What will the Asatru Folk Assembly do? We will of course present the folkish viewpoint, but beyond that, we will form kindreds, train our own clergy, start guilds, and organize systems to help each other. Ultimately, we will grow into a new tribe, or network of tribes, and gain international recognition as such.

The question might well be asked, how will this effect our relations with the Asatru Alliance?

I have deep respect and admiration for Valgard Murray, and I am aware of the incredible job he has done and the vast personal sacrifices he has made. Many other members of the Alliance have been my friends and co-workers over the years, as well. My intention is to work with, and within, the Asatru Alliance unless it becomes plain that folkish Asatru is not welcome or comfortable there. I have absolutely no desire to compete with the Alliance in any way. In fact, the Alliance, assuming it remains a place where we can speak our beliefs, can only benefit by this burst of Asatru activity.

A decision has been made to start a bold endeavor, and indeed, action has begun. Individual kindreds have stated they would become part of the new AFA, and at least two guilds are ready to come online. But it is you, Asafolk, who must either ratify my move or tell me I am wrong. If there is to be an Asatru Folk Assembly, it must have your support. IF YOU LIKE THE KIND OF ASATRU I HAVE OUTLINED IN THE FIVE POINTS SPECIFIED ABOVE, WRITE ME. Send me ideas, give me input, and tell me you want to be part of such a venture. Better yet, write and tell me how you want to participate!

The runes of our fate are cast. Dare we pick them up?”