A PROJECT OF THE ASATRU FOLK ASSEMBLY

Issue 150
August 24, 2011

Contact email: afa@runestone.org

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WHERE TO FIND THE ASATRU FOLK ASSEMBLY ONLINE:

AFA website - http://runestone.org

Asatru Rising podcast - http://asatrurising.podbean.com

Our videos on You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/smcnallen
The AFA blog at - http://asatruupdate.blogspot.com
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Follow the AFA on Twitter - http://twitter.com, username AsatruAFA.

The AFA mission statement: "to practice, promote, and further evolve
the religion of Asatru, thus forging it into a powerful and effective tool
for building a better world."

AFA MEMBERSHIP - If you like what you see here, and agree with the
Declaration of Purpose as found on our web site at
http://runestone.org ...send us a membership application!

FOLKISH SUMMER HALLOWING - AN ASATRU AFFIRMATION!
Our work for Asatru sometimes takes Sheila and I all over the country. Last
weekend, we were guests at the Folkish Summer Hallowing, hosted by the
Irminfolk in Pennsylvania. We were overwhelmed with their hospitality from
the moment of our arrival Friday afternoon until our departure on Sunday.
On Saturday I gave a talk in which I stated that we European-descended folk
are an indigenous people. Our "Holy Land" is not the Middle East, but
Europe. In the long discussions that followed, I emphasized once again the
need for community. Indeed, community is very much on the mind of the
Irminfolk, just as it is with us.
Another special guest at the event was our long-time friend and musician
Robert Taylor. His band Changes, consisting of Robert and his cousin
Nicholas Tesluk, entertained us with beautiful and stirring songs in
the "apocalyptic folk" genre. It had been many years since Robert and I saw
each other, and we spent a lot of time catching up on our lives. The band
Grafvolluth, led by Paul Guhring, provided an overwhelming sonic experience
of the Odinist black metal variety.
One of the best things about the gathering was an opportunity to meet
Folkbuilder Pat Hall and a slew of other AFA members. Sheila and I were
once again impressed with the kind of men and women the AFA is attracting.
Pat and her partner, Hunter Yoder, gave a workshop on hexology - the
spiritual and magical use of hex signs, both the traditional ones found in
Pennsylvania Dutch culture and innovative ones that incorporate runes and
other Germanic symbols. Their web site, http://zaubereigarten.com/ , has
samples of their wonderful art.
Irminfolk is a vibrant organization, with many young married couples, and
babies everywhere. Sheila and I made many friends, and we look forward to a
long and productive relationship between our two organizations.

SUMMONING THE GODS: AN IMPORTANT BOOK FOR ASATRU
Summoning the Gods by Collin Cleary is a must-read. The first section
includes updated versions of articles he wrote for the journal Tyr. Dealing
with the nature of the Gods and their presence in a cynical world, Cleary
shows us how we can learn to perceive the divine substrate of nature. This
is a much-needed antidote to the atheism now popular among many of our
younger generation. But there is more to Summoning the Gods than this:
Accompanying chapters focus on the nature of Odin and the mechanics of
personal transformation, philosophical speculations on the runes, and more.
The first two chapters have been particularly important to me, personally. A
number of my blog posts over the last month or more have discussed the
spiritual importance of nature and the need to sense the innate holiness
that lies behind natural phenomena. Cleary's writing has greatly influenced
my thinking on these matters.
Summoning the Gods can be ordered from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3fjdxtk.

LINKS - SUSTAINABILITY AND SUCH
Build It Solar
Plans, tools and information to help you build renewable energy and
conservation projects. Hundreds of projects -- from changing a light bulb
to building a solar home. Design information and tools for building
renewable energy projects. An Experimental section for backyard inventors.
Nothing For Sale here -- just free ideas, plans, and information.
http://www.builditsolar.com

How to protect yourself from a flashmob
Given the increasing number of racially-motivated flash mobs, in which
European-descended people are often the victims, this is a useful article.
http://tinyurl.com/5wsgwmq

Passport to Survival
A plan for a year's supply of food based on only four items: flour, dried
milk, salt, and honey. Many "hard times" scenarios will demand that folks
end up growing their own food, but a plan like this one can buy you time
while you're getting into food-production, as opposed to food storage,
mode.
http://tinyurl.com/3nbffhf

Warming is driving species to higher latitudes and higher ground
A warming climate is driving animal species to higher latitudes and higher
ground at a rate far faster than previously believed, researchers from
Britain and Taiwan reported Thursday.
The study was released by the journal Science, which is publishing the
findings this week. It not only indicates faster changes, but also points
more directly to climate change as the cause than did previous studies,
said Chen, a researcher at Taiwan's Academia Sinica.
http://tinyurl.com/3l7td5l

CALENDAR
September 9 - Day of Remembrance for Herman of the Cherusci. Herman learned
the art of war under the Romans, then deserted the Imperial eagles to lead
his tribe in revolt against the Mediterranean intruders. In the fall of the
year 9, he annihilated three legions in the Teutobergerwald, a victory
which saved Germania from Roman occupation. Plant an oak tree, eat in a
German restaurant, and remember Herman with a glass of fine beer from the
Fatherland.
September 12 - Full Moon at 2:27 AM, Pacific Time

Hail the Holy Ones!
Hail the AFA!

Stephen A. McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
VISIT OUR WEB SITE at http://www.runestone.org.
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