What is Heithni (The Northern Way)? What are Heithinn? Heithni is an ancient term used by the peoples of Scandinavia to refer to their faith before the coming of Christianity. The Northern Way is a modern traditionalist form of Heithni based on the Northern Spiritual Faith of the continental Norse peoples of the Germanic Iron Age and Viking Age. The word Heithni comes from the Old Norse word, heiðni. The word Heithinn, used as an adjective for those things and ideals that are of Heithni and used as a noun describing those who live by Heithni, comes from the Old Norse world heiðinn.

What do you mean when you say you are a traditionalist faith? When we say we are traditionalists we mean that we adhere to an ethic and world-view that is fully as fully Heithinn as is possible in this age, and not based on modern social-political, occult, post-modern or secular ideals. Being traditionalists means that we reject modern ideals that do not fit within the world-view and ethic that our Northern European ancestors held and that we now hold. This does not mean, however, that we reject technology or social contact with others outside our faith. The northern world-view is one that looks outward in a positive sense of exploration, from a solid foundation, and as such technology is simply a tool like any other. Open acceptance of other cultural branches of our faith is natural.

When was the pre-Christian religion of the Northern Europeans practiced? Heithni began at our ancestors´creation. It is a very ancient tradition, changing to reflect local custom and society over the centuries, though its roots are one. Most of the lore we have now, the Eddas and the Sagas, come from a time during and just after what is called the Viking Age. The Viking Age (approx. 700 C.E to about 1100 C.E.) was an era of change, movement to more cosmopolitan lifestyles, and much multi-cultural networking, therefore it is obviously not the basis upon which our ancient faith resides, merely a time in its history when it began to become diluted and scattered. We also have accounts from the 1st centuries C.E. As it is certain this is an organic tradition, it is also certain that it was lived, and that it thrived, long before this. Heithni, then, has existed in one form or another for thousands of years.

Are you Asatru? We are not Asatru. First, we should speak of the word itself. Asatru, like Odinism and Odhiannism, is a word that is of modern origin. The word Asatru (Asatrú) was coined in the 1970's by the Allsherjargothi (allsherjargoði) of the Asatru Fellowship of Iceland. When we say Asatru we are primarily referring to American Asatru, and these groups should not be confused with the Asatru groups outside of America. Groups using the name Asatru in America or Odinism are often based on social-political or neo-pagan/secular ideals and have little to do with a genuine Northern world-view and ethic. As our goals are traditional in nature, we are not Asatru by virtue of the fact that we live by a world-view and ethic that is incompatible with most of what transpires under the name of Asatru. Another major reason we do not identify with Asatru is that many Asatru groups have little or no standard of community ethics, which leaves the outsider confused. Heithni has standards. There is a well defined ethic and world-view. It is our hope that when you hear the word Heithni or Heithinn, you will know exactly what to expect. The same cannot be said about Asatru. We do not associate with any American Asatru groups.

You say that you think ancestry is important. Isn't this some kind of kinder, gentler form of racism? It cannot be denied that there are organizations who use ancestry as a basis for racism. We view the use of one's ancestors as a means of promoting racism as a perversion and an insult to the ancestors. Our approach to ancestry is a positive, true and healthy approach. We feel it is for the utmost benefit of a human being to first uncover and explore his or her own roots, and in nearly all instances those are the ones from which he or she will draw the truest strength of his/her character and being. This is an experiential conclusion many tribal or aboriginal faiths have reached, proving itself time and again with benefits for us all. Additionally we believe that too many people confuse ancestry with race. They are not the same thing. This confusion comes from both sides, the universalist left and the racist right. The universalist left has a penchant for portraying anyone or any group which believes in the power of ancestry as racist. At the same time the racist right views anyone who subscribes to a proper and healthy view of ancestry (as opposed to racism) as universalists. The irony I am sure is not lost on the reader.

How is your tribal structure organized? Our tribal structure is one that is based on Norse/Gothic tribal chieftainship. This form of organization is outlined in the book, Northvegr: The Northern Way, An Introduction to the Northern Spiritual Faith.

What does the Northern Way have to say about good and evil? There is no ultimate embodied being of good or evil in the Northern Way. There are some who try to put forth the idea that Loki is the Northern version of the Christian Devil, or portray Othinn as ´The Prince of Darkness´. These ideas are ridiculous and warrant no serious consideration. There are forces of chaos and forces of order. There are actions that are ill for one's own kin and there are those actions which benefit one's own kin. There is, contrary to popular belief, a concept of good and evil in Heithni. However, it is important that the reader not make the mistake of using these two words with their modern Christian meanings. The original Germanic meaning of these words was different in some very important ways. A person is judged to be good or evil depending on his or her actions and how those actions affect his or her kin; spiritual or blood. In the Northern Way evil is very "relative." What that means is that the situation will many times show whether or not a given action is evil. What is evil is that which harms one's kin, family or tribe in Verdandi (the present) or Skuld (the future), in essence harming most oneself and one's place in the cosmology. What is good is that which supports and nourishes one's kin, family and tribe. To this end, there certain ethics that Northfolk are expected to exhibit. But there is no absolute moral set of laws or prohibitions that are considered evil if performed, simply based on opposition to some artificial moral code.

Are not the Norse gods just aspects of other religion's gods, for example is not Othinn the same as Zeus and aren't all gods just aspects of the one universal being? No, our gods and goddesses are individuals, each one just as much an individual as you and I. They love, they get angry, they laugh, they cry. They are our Elder Kin.

Is the Northern Way sexist? No, women hold important positions in our ancestors ways. In elder times some even led nations. We have many very strong and independent goddesses. Likewise Northwomen had more rights and freedoms than just about any other culture of the time. The Northern Way respects men and women equally, acknowledging that both have equal roles to play in the reawakening of our faith.

I have heard that pre-Christian Northern Europeans sacrificed animals, is that still a part of the Northern Way? Animal sacrifice is still practiced by some groups. We believe it is a viable practice for those Northfolk who want to practice it and have the required skills to do so properly. A word on what exactly animal sacrifice is, might be helpful here. When an animal is sacrificed in the Northern Way, it is first hallowed and then slaughtered. It is then cooked and eaten by the gathered folk at a Holy feast. If you take a strictly mundane view, you would see that it is not any different from buying meat at the supermarket and bringing it home to cook and eat. The meat you buy comes from a slaughtered animal and then is packaged for you to buy. The animal in a Northern sacrifice, unlike some other religions that practice animal sacrifice, is eaten. Most such sacrifices coincided with the annual harvest and slaughtering times, therefore it was, and still is in some regions, a natural facet of live. Not all Northfolk practice animal sacrifice nor is it a requirement. It is a personal, practical decision. Additionally animals that are used in sacrifices are treated very well and should be raised just for the purpose of acting as a sacrifice, and as such given the royal treatment for the duration of their lives. In the days of our ancestors they were not forced to do any work, and were fed the best feeds and treated with love. Great care was taken for their comfort. If anyone has seen or read about what goes on in modern slaughterhouses, they would know beyond any doubt that animals sacrificed according to the tenets of the Northern Way, unlike the poor creatures who are slaughtered in slaughterhouses, are treated with great care and love.

Do you have to practice magic to follow the Northern Way? Although there are some in the Northern Way who practice magic, most do not. The Northern Way is not a magical tradition, although there are magical elements within it. Those who practice 'magic' (called galdr and seithr) are respected in much the same way you might respect modern day professionals like doctors. They are the shamans, healers, and pastors within our community. But they are also generally beyond the pale of the constraints of the wider community, and whilst they are not always well understood by the common folk there is always a certain amount of deference given to them. Most Northfolk have no contact with magic, barring certain practical 'kitchen magics', unless using the services of such "specialized professionals."

I've heard that only those who die in battle get to go to Vallholl and be with the gods and the rest go to Hel, is this true? First, there are other places that a person who does not die in battle could go besides Hel, but Hel is not a place of suffering and torment, except for one area where oath-breakers and murders are said to reside. This area is called Nastrond. Oath-breakers, adulterers and murderers were said to earn time there. Other than Nastrond, Hel is a place of rest and stasis. Even those who end up in Nastrond are not there for eternity. In our lore we have many examples of after-life destinations. Some families believed that all their family members would reside on the inside of a mountain when they died where they would feast with their ancestors in the afterlife. Those that died at sea fared to Ran's halls. If a person was particularly devoted one or the other of our Elder Kin, they might fare to that god's or goddess's hall upon death. So there is no “either-or” destination after death. For Northfolk heaven was being with their ancestors after death and Hell (that is the Christian idea of Hell) would have been spending the after life without one's ancestors or spiritual patrons.

Is the Northern Way Racist? No. The Northern Way takes a strong and definite stand against Racism. Racism is based on fear which then begets hate. The Northern Way promotes pride in our Northern European heritage and culture. But being proud of ones ancestry and culture does not mean that one hates another race or culture in order to elevate one's own. In fact it is confidence in one's own roots and heritage that allows one to appreciate the beauty of other cultures. One of the main tenets of the Northern Way is courage. Those who are white or black separatists fear other races and cultures because of some perceived threat these other races and cultures pose to their (the separatists) own culture and ethnicity. The Northern Way is about courage. White separatism is about fear and hatred. The two do not mix. Although there are some groups who try to promote themselves as followers of a Northern Tradition that espouses white separatism, they are nothing of the sort. We have no place for racists.

A more profound aspect of this question might be stated this way: We believe our roots, our heritage, is a spiritual ancestry. In this age physically isolated tribes of pure ancestral lines are nearly non-existent. The various body types and 'racial characteristics' are in this age so blent as to be nearly indistinguishable in genetic testing. This merely reinforces our long held conviction that 'physical' does not equate to privilege, superiority or lack thereof. And these things have certainly never been of our concern.

Our own truest spiritual heritage is that which when lived grants us health, insight, support, spiritual evolution and growth, a feeling of natural timelessness, and empowerment. This is what living holy (whole) means, and when the individual finds and recognizes it in himself, he has found his original spiritual roots.

What deities do you honor? We honor two tribes of gods collectively called, the Regin. We also honor the Alfar. The Regin are composed of two tribes that are called the Aesir and Vanir. The Aesir include the leader of the tribe, Othinn as well as Frigg, Baldr, Thorr and Hermothr, to name a few. The Vanir include, Njorthr, Nerthus, Freyja, and Freyr. We also honor a group of beings called Alfar, or as they are more commonly known as, elves. In our tradition we believe that the land is populated with wights (spirits) we call landvaettir. It is very common for gifts to be left for the landvaettir. And last but not least, the honoring of ancestors with gifts is also a common feature in Heithnni.

Do you have a code of ethics? We most certainly do. The Northern Way gives us a standard of living that is healthy. In the praiseworthy virtues of the North we have some guidelines set down in the words and deeds of our ancestors. In the sagas, eddas, and other extant sources, there can be found a standard of behavior that comes from the Regin themselves. These ethics do not pay off with some kind of hazy future reward that one will never see in their life time - but in the here and now. They work because they were designed to work. They work because they are natural and the living of these ethics was what was genuinely admired by Northfolk. In this world of greed, fear and betrayal we have a higher standard to live by that frees us to live a noble and praiseworthy life. These ethics are not complicated. One does not need a college degree to understand them. They are simple, yet the effects of living them are deeply profound. They are ethics that everyone can live by and benefit from. For a short list of these praiseworthy virtues, see The Praiseworthy Virtues of the North. For a more detailed examination of the praiseworthy virtues of the North, see Trúlög and Sögumál. Heithinn ethics are also outlined in the book, Northvegr: The Northern Way, An Introduction to the Northern Spiritual Faith.

Do you have holy days which you celebrate? Yes we have holy nights on which we perform rites to honor our Elder Kin and to mark the passing of the seasons and life tides. Our main rite is commonly called the blót (pronounced to rhyme with “boat”). These blótar usually include the offering of a gift to the Regin, alfar, landvaettir, ancestors or one among them. These offerings are usually followed by a feast in which fellowship with our Elder Kin and each other is celebrated. Our main holy nights are Jól (winter solstice), Vár (spring equinox), Miðsumar (summer solstice), Haust (harvest feast) and Winter Nights, the first day of winter.

Who are these Elder Kin you keep referring to? To state it simply they are the gods and goddesses to which we are oathed. We tend to shy away from using the term “god” or “goddess.” This is because although the word Gaut, or 'god', originated in our language, these terms have gained many other meanings over the ages. In this age the term 'god' tends to present them in a light as being omnipotent beings that are all-controlling. Our Elder Kin are just as much subject to the dictates of the Norns (three beings who oversee the weaving of the web of vyrd, similar to the idea of fate) as we are. Although they are indeed powerful and possess great knowledge they are not omnipotent as the title of god or goddess would imply.

Do you have to join a tribe/kindred etc. or can you be solitary? To live the Northern Way you don't have to join a tribe or kindred though you will certainly benefit from it if you can find a group of people who are true to the Regin. However, the Northern Way is primarily about living a way of life that is healthy and whole. One can always gift and honor the Regin, the alfar, landvaettir, Mother Jorthr and their own ancestors. One can always live their lives in a praiseworthy fashion. These are all things anyone can do in a solitary manner, and harvest the benefits which they bring. The solitary living by the Northern Way has spiritual kin none-the-less, though they may not be in close proximity geographically. All those who are truly oathed to the Elder Kin and live by the Northern world-view and ethic are spiritual kin.