r/NorsePaganism

Is there reincarnation in Norse paganism? I mean, is it possible for people to have had previous lives?

Hello everyone I am interested in learning more about pacts with Deities, I've seen videos on YouTube about pacts people have made with Deities, but i am a tad bit skeptical. I am not saying i don't believe in it and i know they aren't bad by any means, but i know people's experience will vary. So my question is:

Has anyone made pacts with Deities before?

Ive recently decided to abandoned the ways of Christianity and currently transitioning into norse paganism. I'm looking for advice on how to setup an altar?

like which one is true?

I've had this server for a while and it's been a bit dead, hoping to breathe some life into it again! Hope to see y'all there! Other types of pagans are more than welcome too!

For about a year now I've had the worst luck and keep having moments of doubt and not really understanding why I did this, or why that happened etc. truly it's gotten to a point where I don't even cry anymore when something bad happens I just laugh because it's absolutely insane to me now how long this has gone on for. I'm concerned I may have upset one or more of the Gods. It's all I can think of. I became incredibly depressed about 15 months ago and stopped practicing or talking to the gods. I have altars for Freya, and Odin and have essentially neglected them. Sometimes I have the energy to dust off or drop a bit of chocolate off for Freya but mostly they're just existing on shelves. I had planned to set an altar for Loki as well but as being depressed, I did not and left the statue of him on a counter for months now. I obviously meant absolutely no disrespect when leaving Loki's statue or not leaving offerings or talking to any of them anymore but all I can think of is this, I've offended them to some extent. I feel guilty for it. I haven't set up anything for Loki mostly because I had planned to study more before diving into a focus on him. Everytime I see any of the altars or his statue I feel guilty, but it's like something inside me cannot push through and commit to learning more, or leaving an offering to any of them or even speaking. It's really hard to explain but it's like I'm not myself anymore.

Anyways, my reasons for thinking I've upset them...

with Loki, the unlucky things are typically chaotic in a way where I used to be stunned by it, like the things that needed to happen for it to occur was ridiculous. With Freya, my relationship with myself has gone severely downhill and most of the time I am so self conscious and as much as it pains me to say it, I really do hate myself as well as the way I look. And for Odin, the mistakes I keep making from lack of knowledge or thinking things through have gotten me in bad situations which is not normal for me.

On top of this, my physical health has been pretty bad lately and no matter what I do to try to heal or better myself, it backfires 90% of the time. I truly feel trapped in a cycle of bad things happening because of pure bad luck or my own bad decisions and I desperately need advice on what I can do. I've tried to push past it, think positively and try to attract positive things but every time I do that, it's like it makes me even more depressed and beaten down. It's gotten so bad that suicide runs through my mind often. It feels silly to think they're upset with me and are trying to punish me, it feels selfish to think this because I'm just one person, a nobody, and why would they be concerned with me at all, but it's what is coming to mind so maybe there's a genuine reason for my thinking this way.

Hey everyone,

My name is Ryan Smith, I am a Heathen author and teacher with the Fellowship of Fire & Ice, an inclusive Heathen organization. Our September online classes in Heathen spirituality are now open for registration! We are currently offering five intro-level classes, Intro to Nordic Paganism, Intro to Nordic Ritual, Intro to Nordic Magic & Mysticism, and History and Lore, and two workshops, Finding your Fylgja and Loki: Trial by Fire. These classes are ideal for beginners who are looking for a good place to get started and experienced practitioners looking for refreshers on the basics.

All classes are offered over Zoom. Donations are on a sliding scale based on what you can best afford and limited scholarship slots are available. If you have any questions feel free to DM me, post a reply, or join our Discord.

I found out several years ago that I was Pagan, though, because of my life and living situation it never really felt like the best to take the time to explore and become very deep within my practice. I knew pretty early on that I felt very tied to Norse Paganism rather than to any other Pantheon thus far. I've had an altar for several years now, though I haven't been very sure who it was for. I've tried to place objects on it that make sense or that I get a special calling for, specifically glass whiskey bottles, and this glass bowl that I have. I've added a few other things to it as well, but I honestly don't really know what I am doing, and I still feel very new to this.

Now that I am in a better living spot, I'm more comfortable and expressing things that I've noticed are important or that are calling out to me, such as veiling whenever I leave my house, and making sure my face, hands, feet, and body are clean before I go to pray. I know that I have had a deity watching over me, and I've felt them guiding me, but I don't really know who it is. I prayed at my altar today, and I tried asking. I saw flashes of snow for sure, and something gray, but I'm not sure if I'm making any sense of it. The first name that popped into my head was of Tyr, but I didn't want to rush anything or jump to conclusions, so I kept asking. I asked as it was a male or female, and my mind kept jumping back to male, so I asked further if it was possible other male deities, but every time I kept reacting strongly to Tyr. Is that who is calling me?

I'm also nervous if I have made him angry, or if he is warning me if it is him, because after I prayed I felt a deep sense of peace, but as soon as I went to leave my house again, I felt a very tight and uncomfortable feeling. I added extra cover to myself and my veil, in order to help alleviate this bad sense, and I noticed when I came home again that two of my necklaces, without any warning or reason, were broken. I feel like this was a warning of something, but I don't know what? Or could this mean that it isn't Tyr, and I am disrespecting another deity? He is the deity who makes the most sense, especially because I am passionate about Justice and integrity, but maybe I am just seeing what I want to see? Can someone more experienced let me know what they think, or what their experience was? I would really like the help

Hey y'all, I've been passively considering practicing Heathenry for about a year at this point but it feels like there's so much information, I'm not entirely sure where or how to start. I know a lot of people recommend reading the eddas when they're first starting out, but I feel like those don't give much insight into the actual living, modern practice if that makes sense?

Additionally, I know scholarly papers are a great resource for reconstructionists, and its not that I *can't* read scholarly work but its more that it feels really overwhelming. I was wondering if there were any good books/authors that focus on reconstructionism.