A Few Questions About The OR

[Sigurd]

I know this may sound pretty stupid from someone who on this forum has posted almost 300 times to ask such a question in the Newbie forum :p

Some of these questions I ask because I would like to know myself and because I have thought about a possible joining somewhen in the future, and secondly on behalf of others who might have this idea.

But well,
several questions:
-general "activities"?
-policies, ideas?
-how to join?
-membership fee?
-lower age limit?
-if so, then what is it, or could you avoid it by parent's consent?
-how are the people generally?
-how (what way) are meetings organised
-are you a member forever or could you technically cancel all the time
-does membership qualify you to put "Asatruar" as religious confession on documents, if not, how can you manage that (I hate being offically known as a Catholic when I am not... :rolleyes: )
-Does the membership usually influence your surroundings i.e. is it classed as an organisation to such an extent that it could influence your employmental career in any way (positive or negative)?
-what do you do if there are no people in your area
-Does living in the UK but coming from Austria/Germany prevent me from joining the UK branch?
-If so, is there an efficient branch in GER or AUT?
-If yes, then, is it just a regional difference and the same "institution" or is it a completely different organisation
-Any other appropriate information?

Help & Answers on this are much appreciated. And please don't simply post the link of the OR, I am also looking for a subjective view of existing members, and well, I decided to post this on this forum, since I know that some people are active members of the OR.

[Scramaseax]

-does membership qualify you to put "Asatruar" as religious confession on documents, if not, how can you manage that (I hate being offically known as a Catholic when I am not... :rolleyes: )

What's stopping you from putting Asatruar now? If you're Asatru then say so, you don't have to join the OR you can write whatever you want (reminds me of an incident here a few years ago when a bunch of people wrote "Jedi" as their religion on the census and the department of Statistics got annoyed because the numbers were enough for them to have to legally recognise it as a religion).


-Does the membership usually influence your surroundings i.e. is it classed as an organisation to such an extent that it could influence your employmental career in any way (positive or negative)?

You don't have to tell them what religion you are in a job interview. I'm sure alot of the other questions would actually be answered on the site, most of them don't have a subjective answer.

[Norsk Blod]

check here Im sure some of your questions are answerd http://www.********rite.org/qa.htm

[Hveðrungur Kveldúlfsson]

I know this may sound pretty stupid from someone who on this forum has posted almost 300 times to ask such a question in the Newbie forum :p

Dont worry about it man :)

-general "activities"?: Depends on where you live, The Odinic Rite has members who are members of/have their own kindreds, I suppose you could get into contact with local contact.

-policies, ideas?: What do you mean? Read the website, lots of info there

-how to join?: Either online via the Website or or sending in your membership fees and the questionaire

-membership fee?: 20$ American, check the website for exact quote www.********rite.org

-lower age limit?: Dont think so

-if so, then what is it, or could you avoid it by parent's consent?

-how are the people generally?: Damn good folk

-how (what way) are meetings organised: Depending on where you live, join and get into contact with some folk ;)

-are you a member forever or could you technically cancel all the time: After a year is up you can decide to renew your membership or not, it is all your choice.

-does membership qualify you to put "Asatruar" as religious confession on documents, if not, how can you manage that (I hate being offically known as a Catholic when I am not... :rolleyes: ): Asatruar, Odinist, Norse Heathen, They all mean the same to me really. Some prefer other terms but IMHO Asatruar or Odinist are the same as Odinists do not only just follow Odin.

-Does the membership usually influence your surroundings i.e. is it classed as an organisation to such an extent that it could influence your employmental career in any way (positive or negative)?: Do job applications ask for Religious Beliefs when you hang in a resume?

-what do you do if there are no people in your area: The best you can!

-Does living in the UK but coming from Austria/Germany prevent me from joining the UK branch?: There is a Odinic Rite Deutschland as far as Rimstock tells me :)

-If so, is there an efficient branch in GER or AUT?: Not sure, there is an "Odinic Rite Deutschland" listed in romstock and there is this website www.********rite.de website on the net but I am not sure if that is the website for the official Odinic Rite Deutschland

-If yes, then, is it just a regional difference and the same "institution" or is it a completely different organisation: They are just like us here in Vinland, same Org with another name due to geographical difference still governed by the Court of Gothar

-Any other appropriate information?: Join, you'll meet lots of good people!!!

[Hengest]

-general "activities"?

Camps, environmental stuff, prison outreach, social events, local and national moots etc, campaigns, online discussion group.

-policies, ideas?

Folkish Odinism, subscribing to the concept of Odin's Holy Nation which exists wherever Odin's folk exist. Promotes Odinism for the modern world which whilst learning from and respecting history is not stifled by it. To the OR, Odinism is a vibrant, evolving and growing faith.

-how to join?

Via the web site

-membership fee?

Depends on location. See JOIN section of site.

-lower age limit?

No

-how are the people generally?

Varied. The OR does not dictate a members views and creates a balance between the discipline it expects from members and personal freedom. For example a members political views are entirely a matter for them, however, if a member attepmted to use Odinism as a means to promote those views (or vice versa) this would not be acceptable.

OR members are a great bunch of people. Just as an example there are many here who you will know: Myself, Hvedrunger, Aud Friggsdottir, Katia, Pinlighter, Outdoorsman, Texas Heathen, Hrothgar and more.

-how (what way) are meetings organised

That will depend on where you are and whether you become a member of a hearth. Most hearths meet at least once a month to Blot and more for social events. Other meetings are organised via the discussion group or the OR's publication OR Briefing. We have just held a summer Folk Camp in the UK and Donar's Hearth are hosting a Vinland Summer Moot next week.

-are you a member forever or could you technically cancel all the time

Apprentice membership is designed for any of our folk who feel an interest or accord with Odinism and wish to support the OR. An apprentice member may be as active or inactive as they like, although all members are encouraged to contribute in some way. An apprentice member may part company at any time. Professed membership is for those (subject to approval and proven commitment) who wish to swear a sacred oath to the OR and the High Ones. Profession is not for everyone and nobody is pressured into becoming professed. In fact the vast majority of members will not be professed. Those who are are bound to the OR by a sacred oath.

-does membership qualify you to put "Asatruar" as religious confession on documents, if not, how can you manage that (I hate being offically known as a Catholic when I am not... :rolleyes: )

OR members generally use the term Odinist. You do not need to belong to any organisation to state that you are and Odinist.

-Does the membership usually influence your surroundings i.e. is it classed as an organisation to such an extent that it could influence your employmental career in any way (positive or negative)?

Not unless the boss is an OR member too! I no of nobody who has suffered any negative experience in their career because they are Odinist or OR members.

-what do you do if there are no people in your area

Well, often people who are the first in an area may become contacts for those who follow. You can correspond with other members via the online discussion group and even if you can not travel to a blot once a month you may well be able to do it occasionally.

-Does living in the UK but coming from Austria/Germany prevent me from joining the UK branch?

Not at all. The UK office is also the administration office for other countries that do not have a branch.

-If so, is there an efficient branch in GER or AUT?

There is an ORD but they are not a part of the official OR. I am not sure about how they are currently set up as communications seem to have stopped.

-Any other appropriate information?

Give it a try, get involved and see what you think.

[Sigurd]

Thanks anyway guys. I think I might give it a try :) (after I have conversated with my mother about this, legally she is still my guardian)

So, anyway, I'll see then whether there are any members or Asatruars in any way at all around Aberdeen, rather than Innsbruck, seeing that Aberdeen will be the place that I will be at after the summer for 4-6 yrs at least for Uni...

Anyway thanks a lot, I will consider about joining, but as I said I must first talk this over with my mother (too bad, she's a Christian, but at least she is kind and allowing...). Maybe see ya some of ya in a couple of years on meeting up ;)

[Hengest]

You do what you feel is right. It is nice to see that you have such respect for your mother.

If you or your mother have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

[Liffrea]

I have a couple of questions.

First as far as I can work out the OR believe in the concept of hel. Now I am not sure that I do, I believe in reincarnation but I am unsure about hel. Would this stop me from joining in Septemeber? How much le-way on "personal belief" do the OR allow?

Second, whilst reading the Loki be bouned article, I read something about Odinic Awareness. What is this? It sounds like a borrowing from eastern philosophy, nirvana if you like. What exactly does it mean? And is it something we can trace back to our ancestors?

Thanks.

[aud_friggsdottir]

Hail!


I have a couple of questions.

First as far as I can work out the OR believe in the concept of hel. Now I am not sure that I do, I believe in reincarnation but I am unsure about hel. Would this stop me from joining in Septemeber? How much le-way on "personal belief" do the OR allow?

The OR has members with a wide expanse of diverse opinions on these matters. They don't bar people from joining for such matters. As long as you understand the OR's Folkish nature, non political stances, etc...


Second, whilst reading the Loki be bouned article, I read something about Odinic Awareness. What is this? It sounds like a borrowing from eastern philosophy, nirvana if you like. What exactly does it mean? And is it something we can trace back to our ancestors?

Thanks.

Actually you should ask these type questions in the other sections of the board. For me, I think you need to put this into some kind of context. You don't believe in spiritual awareness? I don't quite understand your questions both on Hel and Odinic Awareness.

Both questions shouldn't bar you from being a member of the OR...you are on a path of understanding...in a month you could change your mind and see things differently, but you would not stop being an Odinist...does that make sense?

[Liffrea]

Actually you should ask these type questions in the other sections of the board. For me, I think you need to put this into some kind of context. You don't believe in spiritual awareness? I don't quite understand your questions both on Hel and Odinic Awareness.

I actually tried to post in on for beginners. I remember having difficulty with that though.

Hel I have difficulty with because I see life after death as a continuous cycle of rebirth, which will last as long as our race does. Hel is more an interrim position, one which you are aware of. I do not believe that you can be aware, as such, outside of your body.

Odinic Awareness sounds like Nirvana and by extension enlightenement. I have difficulty with the idea of enlightenement, and being freed from the process of rebirth. This being "freed" means you will exist "somewhere else" and as I have said I don't think that is possible. The other part is what evidence do we have that our ancestors believed this?

[aud_friggsdottir]

I actually tried to post in on for beginners. I remember having difficulty with that though.

Hel I have difficulty with because I see life after death as a continuous cycle of rebirth, which will last as long as our race does. Hel is more an interrim position, one which you are aware of. I do not believe that you can be aware, as such, outside of your body.

Ok...I can't think of a single Odinist that *I* know that doesn't believe in rebirth...infact among all the Heathens I know...all believe in rebirth, reincarnation, etc...I am wondering if we are having a bit of online lack of communication.


Odinic Awareness sounds like Nirvana and by extension enlightenement. I have difficulty with the idea of enlightenement, and being freed from the process of rebirth. This being "freed" means you will exist "somewhere else" and as I have said I don't think that is possible. The other part is what evidence do we have that our ancestors believed this?

I consider Odinic Awareness akin to self actualization where everything "clicks" not a disconnection from this life or awareness. I will reread the article, but this is not something I believe either...maybe I missed something. Furthermore, I don't think this is the spirit of the article or its meaning...

Regardless...it sounds like you are more worried about belief compatability than the OR would be.

[Liffrea]

Ok...I can't think of a single Odinist that *I* know that doesn't believe in rebirth...infact among all the Heathens I know...all believe in rebirth, reincarnation, etc...I am wondering if we are having a bit of online lack of communication.

Could be wires crossed. :)

Rebirth is not the problem. Its the idea of Hel that I don't understand. The way I see it, to be in Hel is to be aware of being "somewhere" else. For me rebirth entails a wipe of the "mind" if you will, so that in the next incarnation your unaware of previous existences. Hel, to my understanding, is a place where you wait for reincarnation, if that is your choice. This is what I don't believe. Hel is being aware and "whole" outside of your body. Hope this makes sense. :)


I consider Odinic Awareness akin to self actualization where everything "clicks" not a disconnection from this life or awareness. I will reread the article, but this is not something I believe either...maybe I missed something. Furthermore, I don't think this is the spirit of the article or its meaning...

Perhaps I mis-understood, it wouldn't be the first time. :o

I am just interested in the concept of Odinic Awareness.


Regardless...it sounds like you are more worried about belief compatability than the OR would be.

Possibly. :D

[Hengest]

What we know of Hel is simply what was written down at a certain time in our history. It is certain that our ancestors of that era beleived that there would be some kind of conciousness and wholeness in the afterlife which is why we find grave goods in burials.

I think I posted in an earlier message that I do not believe that we would necessarily have any knowledge of the afterlife or any memory of it or our previous life when we return.

What I do believe, (and you will note that this is personal belief, not dogma) is that the level of "enlightenment" that we achieve in this life may well determine where or who or how we end up in the next.

Now, when we talk of Odin Conciousness we mean the rising above the self, the ego, clearing away the fog and illusion that we call Loki. To describe in detail would take a book that I am not qualified to write.

Whether there is a point where we may reach the release of the cycle of birth-death-rebirth (perhaps the pinnacle of Odin Conciousness) nobody can know for sure. It is not something that is beyond possibility. The Hindus have a word "Moksha" which means liberation and refers to the trancending of time, space and conciousness. As our faith has common roots it is of course possible that they retain something that was lost to our folk.

As to evidence in our lore, well that depends on how you look at our myths and whether you accept that they contain deeper truths and can access those truths.

[Lee]

As someone who has joined the OR about a week ago, I thought my I’d give my two penneth as to what I’ve seen so far as it’s pertinent to this thread.

Believe me, I’m not one to give praise when it is not due, but the OR does actually seem to be the “real deal”. When you join you get a membership pack which includes such things as Rimstock, the annual guide to such things as official hearths in your area, local contacts etc. and the Odinic Rite Bulletin which is a magazine in which OR members submit essays and articles and news about OR events.

The OR members list has also proved to most interesting with a mixture of information about Odinism and announcements concerning all things OR. One thing I read today on the list was particularly interesting in regard to moving Odinism foreword.

I’ve signed up for the OR correspondence course which looks very interesting after reading “Odinism in the Modern World” by Wulfstan OR, who I believe is one of the course tutors. If the course is as good as the book, I think it will definitely aid my overall knowledge of Odinism.

I hope this doesn’t come across as me being kiss-****! Anyone who is a member of the OR will know this is not my aim as what I like about the OR is that there is no avenue for a person to go down even if they were trying to suck up for the sake of it. There isn’t a hierarchy as such. Of course, you have the Court of Gothar, but there is no jockeying for position, as there is in other organizations I’ve encountered away from the Odinic scene. Each person seems to be judged on their own credentials, which is how is should be, and everyone seems to be focused on what’s important, reviving our folk from the modern dark ages we find ourselves in and bringing back our ancestral religion to the forefront of the folk consciousness.

So in short, join the OR! In the UK, the membership is about £20. Most of us spend that (or probably treble that!) on a night down the pub on a Saturday night. Isn’t better to spend that small amount on an organization that is at the forefront of trying to move Odinism foreword in a real and positive manner?

Lee AOR

[Liffrea]

The Hel question is one I will figure out myself evenually. Altough, obviously, I appreciate any advice. One of the reasons I am attracted to Odinism, apart from it being the faith of my ancestors, is the fact that there is no set dogma as such. Of course there are core beliefs, but you are not given a book and told that's it. We grow and learn as we go along.

I will be joining OR in September, perhaps sooner if I get some part-time work to keep me busy till then. I am glad that Penda has said there is no jockying for status or rank. It has answered one of my concerns. Thanks. :)

[battleax]

Could be wires crossed. :)

Rebirth is not the problem. Its the idea of Hel that I don't understand. The way I see it, to be in Hel is to be aware of being "somewhere" else. For me rebirth entails a wipe of the "mind" if you will, so that in the next incarnation your unaware of previous existences. Hel, to my understanding, is a place where you wait for reincarnation, if that is your choice. This is what I don't believe. Hel is being aware and "whole" outside of your body. Hope this makes sense. :)





My personal belief in Hel is that this is the place where a cycle dies and begins. You talked about a "wipe". This is where it happens for me. All things in life that I'm not proud of and have not delt with will be delt with here. If I wronged someone this is where I will face it. For me its a journey that we must all take. Along the way there will be roadblocks in the way, kind of like tests. If we are honourable in life we will pass them with ease. If say you stole from people in your life, at the roadblock there might be something you need to get passed, it will be stolen from you. At the end hopefully your litr will be clean and from there you can stay in Hel or pass back into the world.


I wouldn't worry about the details when it comes to your beliefs and if the will fit with others. Nobody can really say for certain what is after this world. Only what feels good for you.

[Liffrea]

I wouldn't worry about the details when it comes to your beliefs and if the will fit with others. Nobody can really say for certain what is after this world. Only what feels good for you.

Its more that I don't want to join the OR and 3 months down the line something crops up and they say, well you should have known so and so...
and me standing there like a dumb ***.

I am cautious by nature and I like to try and work things out as much as possible in my own mind before I commit. I didn't become an Odinist overnight. It's something I had been toying with for a couple of years, and something I have only committed to in the last 4 months. I know that "certainty" is not something you will find in Odinism, indeed that is its appeal, the ability to learn and grow. But I like to make sure I have a firm foundation in my beliefs. Hope that makes sense.

[Lonnie]

I would suggest doing exactly what you are doing... Taking your time... Whatever Org. you wind up joining (if any) will still be around a few months down the road. If they aren't, better that you took your time... One of the biggest mistakes one can make is commiting to an Org. without doing ones homework. (Nothing against the OR or any other group, just previous exp in jumping before looking) One really does need to look and see if they fit the group and vice-versa... It generally saves time and feelings on everyones parts...

[Liffrea]

Thanks for the advice guys, it helps a lot. :)

[aud_friggsdottir]

I would suggest doing exactly what you are doing... Taking your time... Whatever Org. you wind up joining (if any) will still be around a few months down the road. If they aren't, better that you took your time... One of the biggest mistakes one can make is commiting to an Org. without doing ones homework. (Nothing against the OR or any other group, just previous exp in jumping before looking) One really does need to look and see if they fit the group and vice-versa... It generally saves time and feelings on everyones parts...

Excellent advice Lonnie! We searched for several years before settling with the OR. We are the type that once we have decided...there is no getting rid of us :D...hopefully that is a positive for the OR!!

[Hengest]

It is indescribeably positive for the OR!

[aud_friggsdottir]

Awww....Shucks...thanks :)

[Hrafnas]

I would suggest doing exactly what you are doing... Taking your time... Whatever Org. you wind up joining (if any) will still be around a few months down the road. If they aren't, better that you took your time... One of the biggest mistakes one can make is commiting to an Org. without doing ones homework. (Nothing against the OR or any other group, just previous exp in jumping before looking) One really does need to look and see if they fit the group and vice-versa... It generally saves time and feelings on everyones parts...
I absolutely agree. I have joined the OR after about a year of checking it out and pestering local members. What did it for me was hearing Heimgest speak at The Mead Hall. It still took a bit of time since then but I have happily joined. What Heimgest and the OR offered to me that night was what I had already believed but didn't have the right words to express. It made everything fall into place for me.