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Let's say you are a solitary heathen, in an area with one or two other solitary heathens. Or perhaps you are a solitary heathen, in a larger town...with a bunch of heathens that rarely gather together. And let's say you want something more.
Our way of life is tribal. We are better people...and can get more done, when we know and work together with other heathens of worth in our area. But starting a kindred sounds like an overwhelming task. Or perhaps, the people in your area are reluctant to be involved in a kindred-building process.
One solution to all of these situations, is to start a Heathen Study Group.
You set a date, a month or more away. You offer to host. You talk with all the heathens in your area, and invite them. Speak of the hospitality you wish to offer. Tell them you want to at least know them better, and you'd like to learn along side them. And explain why coming to the Study Group would be fun and educational.
You can even start a Meetup Group, or a Group on Facebook, or a Yahoo e-list. You can hand out or hang up notices at the local pagan book store. Honestly, you can promote it as much or as little as you like, depending on who you want there...and what you want out of it.
As far as the Heathen Study Group itself, its very easy to organize. I would start with the Havamal. Its very straight-forward, focuses on how to "be heathen," and makes for great discussions.
I would get multiple translations. If there are only two of you, I would recommend maybe 4 translations. If there will more of you, use more translations. You really can't have too many of them. You can find 7 translations on-line at this link:
heathengods.com/temple/mod...s/index.php
I would recommend Bellows, Hollander, Chisholm, and maybe Auden & Taylor's. If you have Larrington in book format, that's another good one, but isn't available on-line.
Have the translations printed out for the first Study Group. Let everyone know that is coming, that they should read the first 10 or 15 stanzas prior to the Study Group. And since you are organizing the event, make sure you read over them too...and put some thought into what they mean to you.
On the day of the Heathen Study Group, make sure you have a place where all of you can sit comfortably. A place with enough light to read from the translations. Have some sodas or other drinks available, and also some snacks. Hospitality is very important to heathens, and important to forming connections between friends.
When everyone arrives, greet them all. If you don't know their names, learn them. Offer them food and drink upon their arrival, and make sure they know where the restroom is in your home. Be a good host.
Once everyone has arrived, hand out the translations. Then go stanza by stanza, taking turns reading each translation of the stanza you are focusing on. For instance, take turns reading out-loud the various translations of the first stanza. Once all the translations of the first stanza have been read, discuss what's different about them...both in language and in meaning. And discuss what each of you think the stanza is getting at. What's the point its trying to make in that stanza.
Remember, there are no "right" answers...and don't get in arguments! LOL. Make sure everyone is allowed to share their opinion. If one participant is being a little quiet, ask them their opinion. Make sure everyone feels welcome and valued. After all, you are the host.
Once the first stanza has been fully discussed, move onto the second stanza, and so on.
In Jotun's Bane Kindred's study groups on the Havamal, we tried to get through 15 stanzas in a night. But don't rush. If you only get through 10, that's fine. You're not trying to set a speed record. You are attempting to learn, and think, and come to some shared conclusions about what you agree on...and perhaps what you don't agree on.
As the host, make sure the study groups are fun. Have snacks...laugh a lot between stanzas, and enjoy it. Offer smoke breaks, if you have smokers among you. Don't make it into homework, or something you dread. Make it something that people look forward to...
Now, as the Heathen Study Group continues, you can begin rotating where it is held, if someone else in the group seems interested in hosting as well. Perhaps have a small faining (blot) before the study group sessions, just so you are also practicing your religion, and not just learning about it. Or perhaps have a small Folk Symbel afterwards.
If over time, you find additional heathens that you think have worth, then perhaps invite him/her to a study group...and see how it goes. If someone involved in the Study Group is always disrupting it, or has no worth, or makes the other members consistently uneasy, talk with them about it. If they won't change their behavior, tell them they are no longer welcome. Don't let one bad guest break up your Study Group.
Over time, the members of the Study Group will come to know each other well. Who they are, how they think, and how dependable they are. Friendships will form. And over time, you the subject of forming a kindred or tribe may be brought up, either by you or another participant.
This Study Group method, would also work for an already established kindred...that wanted to do more collaborative study. It would also work for kindreds that include families with teenagers, in order to get them more involved.
There are likely variations on this theme, and different ways to do it. I'm simply describing how we did it, and it worked for us. Feel free to make this your own, or do it any which way you like.
If you have questions, feel free to contact me here or by email. voidpulp@yahoo.com
Mark Stinson
Jotun's Bane Kindred
Temple of Our Heathen Gods
www.heathengods.com
Our way of life is tribal. We are better people...and can get more done, when we know and work together with other heathens of worth in our area. But starting a kindred sounds like an overwhelming task. Or perhaps, the people in your area are reluctant to be involved in a kindred-building process.
One solution to all of these situations, is to start a Heathen Study Group.
You set a date, a month or more away. You offer to host. You talk with all the heathens in your area, and invite them. Speak of the hospitality you wish to offer. Tell them you want to at least know them better, and you'd like to learn along side them. And explain why coming to the Study Group would be fun and educational.
You can even start a Meetup Group, or a Group on Facebook, or a Yahoo e-list. You can hand out or hang up notices at the local pagan book store. Honestly, you can promote it as much or as little as you like, depending on who you want there...and what you want out of it.
As far as the Heathen Study Group itself, its very easy to organize. I would start with the Havamal. Its very straight-forward, focuses on how to "be heathen," and makes for great discussions.
I would get multiple translations. If there are only two of you, I would recommend maybe 4 translations. If there will more of you, use more translations. You really can't have too many of them. You can find 7 translations on-line at this link:
heathengods.com/temple/mod...s/index.php
I would recommend Bellows, Hollander, Chisholm, and maybe Auden & Taylor's. If you have Larrington in book format, that's another good one, but isn't available on-line.
Have the translations printed out for the first Study Group. Let everyone know that is coming, that they should read the first 10 or 15 stanzas prior to the Study Group. And since you are organizing the event, make sure you read over them too...and put some thought into what they mean to you.
On the day of the Heathen Study Group, make sure you have a place where all of you can sit comfortably. A place with enough light to read from the translations. Have some sodas or other drinks available, and also some snacks. Hospitality is very important to heathens, and important to forming connections between friends.
When everyone arrives, greet them all. If you don't know their names, learn them. Offer them food and drink upon their arrival, and make sure they know where the restroom is in your home. Be a good host.
Once everyone has arrived, hand out the translations. Then go stanza by stanza, taking turns reading each translation of the stanza you are focusing on. For instance, take turns reading out-loud the various translations of the first stanza. Once all the translations of the first stanza have been read, discuss what's different about them...both in language and in meaning. And discuss what each of you think the stanza is getting at. What's the point its trying to make in that stanza.
Remember, there are no "right" answers...and don't get in arguments! LOL. Make sure everyone is allowed to share their opinion. If one participant is being a little quiet, ask them their opinion. Make sure everyone feels welcome and valued. After all, you are the host.
Once the first stanza has been fully discussed, move onto the second stanza, and so on.
In Jotun's Bane Kindred's study groups on the Havamal, we tried to get through 15 stanzas in a night. But don't rush. If you only get through 10, that's fine. You're not trying to set a speed record. You are attempting to learn, and think, and come to some shared conclusions about what you agree on...and perhaps what you don't agree on.
As the host, make sure the study groups are fun. Have snacks...laugh a lot between stanzas, and enjoy it. Offer smoke breaks, if you have smokers among you. Don't make it into homework, or something you dread. Make it something that people look forward to...
Now, as the Heathen Study Group continues, you can begin rotating where it is held, if someone else in the group seems interested in hosting as well. Perhaps have a small faining (blot) before the study group sessions, just so you are also practicing your religion, and not just learning about it. Or perhaps have a small Folk Symbel afterwards.
If over time, you find additional heathens that you think have worth, then perhaps invite him/her to a study group...and see how it goes. If someone involved in the Study Group is always disrupting it, or has no worth, or makes the other members consistently uneasy, talk with them about it. If they won't change their behavior, tell them they are no longer welcome. Don't let one bad guest break up your Study Group.
Over time, the members of the Study Group will come to know each other well. Who they are, how they think, and how dependable they are. Friendships will form. And over time, you the subject of forming a kindred or tribe may be brought up, either by you or another participant.
This Study Group method, would also work for an already established kindred...that wanted to do more collaborative study. It would also work for kindreds that include families with teenagers, in order to get them more involved.
There are likely variations on this theme, and different ways to do it. I'm simply describing how we did it, and it worked for us. Feel free to make this your own, or do it any which way you like.
If you have questions, feel free to contact me here or by email. voidpulp@yahoo.com
Mark Stinson
Jotun's Bane Kindred
Temple of Our Heathen Gods
www.heathengods.com
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