Hearthside

I have been thinking a lot about Freyr this year, in association with the summer season, as well as with the Ar year and its connection with Fertility. Also, as part of the Aun/Unn cycle of renewal and the focus that many Heathens are taking on the resetting of things to do with our Environment. May is the perfect time to discuss Freyr. In the Nordic Animist Year by Rune Rasmussen, St Eric’s Day in May is equated with Freyr and a ritual similar to the Procession of Nerthus, in which a statue of St Eric (Freyr) is carted around the land in order to bring fertility to it. It mentions that Freyr is the patron god of the Ynglings, but who is Freyr and who are the Ynglings? Freyr is a complicated figure in the Lore. He is described as a Vanir god, living among the Aesir, and at times he is also called Alfar or King of the Alfs. It is even suggested that Freyr is actually a man. Freyr has many names. He is known as Freyr or Frey, but also as Ing or Yngve. Sometimes as Yngvi-Freyr. (And this ...

So I have seen some interesting discourse for the start of the Aun year, which started on the New Moon (according to Rune Rasmussen’s reckoning.) There seems to be a bit of confusion why the name Aun is associated with the 9 year cycle. Rune didn’t just make that up. It is likely that the story of King Aun was in part a story that taught how to reckon the 9 year cycle to the elder Heathens. (The 9 year cycle is 9 years inclusive, or by modern reckoning, which is exclusive reckoning… 8 years.) So what is the Aun story, for those not familiar?    In Upsal's town the cruel king Slaughtered his sons at Odin's shrine -- Slaughtered his sons with cruel knife, To get from Odin length of life. He lived until he had to turn His toothless mouth to the deer's horn; And he who shed his children's blood Sucked through the ox's horn his food. At length fell Death has tracked him down, Slowly, but sure, in Upsal's town. - Y...