Come meet your viking!

Wanted to update my intro post, so here goes nothin'!

Hey y'all, I'm Magnus! Gay trans guy (he/him) in my mid 20s. Autistic.

I began this blog ages ago, though I don't recall how long it's been around because time is a vortex and I'm too busy to count anymore. Anyway!

This blog is a place for anything Asatru and viking related. It's important to know that Asatru is an open practice, meaning all are welcome. And I mean ALL folks! Feel free to ask religious questions and advice, but know that Asatru is an individually practiced religion, and therefore nobody is an ordained professional, and I by no means consider myself an expert or professional on any level. I'm just some guy with a blog. That's it.

My Asatru journey began as a kid, at 15 years old, namely when I tried to call for some deity out there who'd answer my biggest questions about who I am and why I felt like a boy if I was a girl. Jesus sure didn't give me an answer, not after many years of asking, but when I reached out to Odin, terrified to stray from the religious path my parents set me on, I got my answer nearly immediately.

I came out as me. And my parents accept that, support me, and still help me to this day almost a decade later!

I find it comedic because I've tried to work with the Æsir and Vanir both, but traditionally Vanir worship was for more feminine folk, and Æsir worship for the masculine. I've been the rough and tough guy for as long as I can remember, always playing videogames that boys my age as a kid played, doing MMA, and all my clothes were from the boy's section. I thrive on my masculinity. And needless to say as a result, my Vanir worship has NEVER gone well. At all. But my Æsir worship? Yeah that's always yielded results and been helpful to me. So uhh... even the gods know I'm a man!! ;)

Know that on this blog, absolute zero bigotry or hate in any form will be tolerated. That means no misogyny, no misandry, no transmisogyny or transmisandry, no hate, no racism, no sexism, no religious oppression for any religion, no hate for the innocent whatsoever, no anti-feminism and no radical feminism especially trans-exclusionary (TERF). Any instances I find in reblogs, comments, asks, DMs, etc. will result in immediate bans without warning.

So! That's about it for the blog part! Love y'all, and I hope you enjoy the place!

Some cool things about me below the cut!

Oh! I almost missed the day!

October 9th, ~1000 A.D.

Speaking of worship, I'm grateful.

Odin, Thor, Loki, and Tyr, have all heard my prayers to them, it seems.

As of late August/early September, I was unable to continue my arthritis medication. Mind you, it's the only known type of medication that is effective for my pain, it's the only medication for pain that is safe to take at all due to my other conditions, and without it, I have no quality of life because I can't work, walk, stand, attend school, anything. The brief month I was on meds gave me my entire life back in a way I hadn't known for 15 years. And being taken off those meds devastated me.

I've been in severe pain since, but as of yesterday I finally FINALLY got my new meds straightened out after more than 16 phone calls across 2 hours.

The company wanted more than $1,000 for a 28 day supply, even with instuance. I don't even make $750 per month. I can't afford that, nobody can, so I went ahead and got copay assistance.

The meds are now entirely free for me.

Today they were finalized, and I was told they'd be here in a week.

I asked for a sooner date because I was desperate and in pain.

Now I have the meds being delivered tomorrow free of charge. :) And so tomorrow the pain ends. Tomorrow is a better day, and I will be ok.

I prayed to the gods to give me a change and to let me be strong enough to bear through this pain until I got meds, and to give me the justice that I deserve in health management when I spent my whole life with neglected health by doctors until now, and to grant me the wisdom to know I was strong enough to make it through.

I've made it.

Tomorrow is a better day. :) A new beginning.

So the short answer: it is that exactly, but also so much more.

Long answer is:

Valhalla is the land of honored dead who fell in combat. Yes, a majority of the depictions is explaining how the halls are full of battle and preparation for Ragnarok, and that Odin chooses the valiant slain during combat for the reason that they are powerful fighters and therefore worthy. But it's also about comradery and kinship, merriment, and celebration.

Other depictions of Valhalla portray it just as much a place of endless celebration where one who is chosen goes to revel with others in eternal glory and joy for the heroic warring deeds they did while alive. Everyone is together in these celebrations, and the sense of unity is immense. It's the place where legends never die, and tales are told eternally.

It's true that Valhalla is the place of battle and preparation for the ultimate fight, namely because those who died fighting are the chosen. But just as any warrior would do with their bands of siblings in arms, it's a place to celebrate your victories because, in the days of pre-Christian Scandinavia, death was seen more as a victory not a defeat. It was valor to die fighting for your clan and kin.

Hence you get things like the Havamal stanza 75 (pitt.edu translation): "Cattle die and kinsmen die, / thyself too soon must die, / but one thing never, I ween, will die, -- / fair fame of one who has earned."

Overall to understand the true purpose of Valhalla, you have to have an understanding of the life and facts of life that were during this time period. Much of the gods' tales across all accounts are about the inevitably of death and embracing it because nothing is eternal, and death is a given. Everything ends. Death is an end. But endings are a new beginning, and that new beginning can be beautiful. It's a chance for something better and greater to take the place of what was. And Valhalla as a concept shows us that we must revel in the glory of what was, and celebrate those who've done great things. And when the time comes for things to end, so be it. Joy and prosperity had their time and place, and a new life for other joy and prosperity will be born.

That isn't to say that Helheim and other lands are dishonorable and valor-less, though.

Just the same as Valhalla, it's often depicted that Helheim is a place where all others ascend who are not dishonored, and who Odin does not choose. This, therefore, includes the musicians, poets, artists, ethicists, scholars, anyone and everyone at all who simply lived an honorable life and died without being in combat. Legend lives elsewhere as much as it does in Valhalla, it's just simply in another form that isn't war and physical might.

I don't recall which sources I'd read from for this. But some folks choose to believe that the artistic people of Hel's realm are the ones who write songs and draw portraits of the legendary warriors of Valhalla. And others choose to imagine it holds the most intelligent of debates!

Whereas battle and merriment are the place of Valhalla, Helheim is the place of peace and honor. It was Christian depictions specifically which put Helheim in a poor light and made it seem like a desolate, torturous place akin to their land of hell, which, from what I understand, experienced a similar thing as a result of the crusaders, though I'm not Christian so I truly can't confirm or deny that.

But in the end, it's honorable to be chosen by either Odin or Hel, and if you have no desire to be a fighter in the end days, you have no obligation to be. Just as the skalds carried forth the legends, and scholars taught the wisdom sought by many, and crafters made the tools and clothes for survival, and cooks made the food and drink needed for sustenance, Hel understands everyone has a purpose and that this purpose isn't always living and dying to fight. She provides a place to keep those people after death where they, too, can be honored and together just as Valhalla, only without the violence.

So to sum it up: Valhalla is a place of celebration with combat. Helheim is a place for all non-warriors, and without combat and war.

I'm sorry this was so long, but I hope I answered your question well enough at least!

Hobbits had their time defeating Sauron! Now us Dwarves are going for the journey!!

Yes, I am VERY small. There's a reason I'm always a Dwarf in costume.

Also this dude's armor is INCREDIBLE holy shit. Full plate and everything!!!! Gave me a fistbump after photos, too!

Hey, friend. I forget entirely what this was in regards to, but I just want to take the time and say thank you.

Sincerely.

I saw this today after 8 months apparently (I guess my ask box ate it), but I... I really needed to hear this.

I was taken off my arthritis meds because they're affecting my liver terribly, and for the brief month I was on them, I had my life back. I was LIVING! I could WALK!! It'd been 15 years since I walked. I always limped. I legit had to teach myself HOW to walk. I could write again, and do art, and so much more. And when I was taken off them I was DEVASTATED!!

It's been about 2-3 weeks, and yesterday my doctor called me and said she found an alternative that might work, and I'm going to be given it tomorrow most likely if the pharmacy fills it in time. But I'll be starting these new meds this week.

I can have a fucking life again when I genuinely thought I'd lost it.

And here I am now, seeing your message, after countless years of a long battle against my arthritis, and many MANY long, agonizing months of fighting to get meds.

I did not lose faith in Odin, or any gods. :) I've wavered, yes, I'd be lying if I said I never wavered, but I'm strong, and the gods have prepared me to fight if nothing else. So I've fought my doubt, I've remained loyal and faithful. And the gods know this, and stand with me still. I'm grateful.

So thank you, friend. :) Truly. I appreciate your words, because I really needed to hear them at a time like this. <3

May the gods be as strong with you.

Nice to meet you, too, friend! :D

Loki is seemingly ALWAYS there. Even when we don't expect it. Even if we don't want that. This is just Loki, I swear. Always waiting for some fuckery to happen, and with genderqueer folks, Loki seems to just latch on like that cat on your shoulder always watching and ready to unleash madness and chaos. They're absolutely the best friend we all have. It's great!

It's awesome to know you've had a VERY similar-sounding experience to Loki as I have lol. Seriously.

I wish I could say I knew what you mean about other religions and gender, but I've not been anything besides Asatru, and previously a failure of a Christian boy who never even set foot inside a church unless it was a funeral. So uhh... ;( But I'll take your word for it, genuinely. It's interesting to hear about other religions and the roles certain aspects of worship play!

Feel free to ramble whenever! The inbox is always open for random, awesome folks like you to come and talk! :D