How to set up a Heathen Altar in your Home : Paganism 101
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
- A guide on setting up a heathen altar to the Norse/Germanic gods in your home. How to arrange an altar for the gods, different kinds of domestic altars according to the recommendations of three of the most important heathen organisations in the English speaking world (The Odinist Fellowship, The Norroena society, Ealdríce Théod), where to put your altar in your house, what items you need to have, what kind of altar cloth, where to put the hlautbolli, what kind of idols to use, where to put the mead horn etc.
I will also show you my personal altar set up. This video is full of ideas and tips for new pagans but I hope will also be useful for the seasoned practitioner. If you want more Paganism 101 video guides then let me know in the comments.
This channel depends on your support:
Patreon: / survivethejive
All Links: linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive
Links to the groups mentioned:
www.odinistfellowship.co.uk/
norroena.org/
ealdrice.org/
The brief drumming song is by Ansuz Society (futhorc)
00:00 Domestic altars: the basics
04:55 Odinist Fellowship
07:14 Norroena Society
13:51 Ealdríce
18:18 My personal altar setup 
Хобби
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Setting up an altar for your home, no matter your pagan pantheon or belief system is very satisfying. I enjoyed this talk.
We definitely need more of these educated guides on pagan practices, thank you!
I agree
I agree
Yes, I found his video on how to pray like an IE very helpful when starting out a few years ago.
Fully agree
Hi Dark Matter
Providing pagans with practical and historical information for worship is invaluable on this platform. Great work Tom.
Cheers!
Why aren't you on Telegram anymore? been trying to contact you
@@Survivethejive I cut down the platforms I was on an using. I recreate an account and reach out soon
Some more practical and historical advice for pagans is how time and time again they've been proven false and put to shame in the face of the Living God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ☦️
Love your music, followed you on Instagram
The last big and ancient pagan altar in Europe was located in the center of Minsk, capital of Belarus. It was destroyed by communist authorities in 1922. Google for the details if you're interested.
no results when i searched for it
@@Survivethejive
Did you try searching for "Minsk grandfather alter"?
@@akwida yeah
@@Survivethejive oh it seems results are only available in Russian and Belarussian languages. There is an article in Russian Wiki named "Дед (валун)" with the description of this sanctuary.
Very interesting, do tell
Wonderful video, and your old "How to pray like a pagan" video was invaluable too. Really looking forward to seeing more "instructional" videos like that in the future.
I am not a Pagan myself but I respect the culture of our ancestors and the importance of its preservation. Much like how the Japanese live with Shintoism despite not necessarily being a practitioner of it.
me too
Respect.
Ikr, the same applies for many communities in the Americas, I've heard of places like the Amazon, Yucatan, Chiapas or Oaxaca where ppl still preserve their traditions with minimal change over the centuries
Alot of parallels between Japanese society of antiquity and European societies of antiquity
@@derekintheph8935definitely and many of the Shinto gods came from Vedic gods for instance Varuna is called Suiten in Shintoism
As a pagan, I appreciate the video you have composed.
Yes! Please do more.
Always a great day when STJ posts a new vid.
Would love more “101” stuff.
most Hindu families have an altar at home with statues and pictures of their favoured Gods / Goddesses -- they light incense, ring bells and often have a cutting from a tulsi tree
Really glad to see this style of video, and thank you for your own personal take. I'm currently in the process of moving and rebuilding my altar so it couldn't have come at a better time. My personal plan is to build around the Norroena example, however, I will be including idols, etc.
Personally, I currently use a silk cloth on my altar table but may swap it out for a linen one. And the only unique thing I maintain is a book containing my family tree/history which is nestled on my altar, as it's here I'll often make offerings to (/on behalf of) my Clan (being of Scottish extraction), and my ancestors as a whole.
Your insight is invaluable and I'm grateful that someone with as much influence as yourself has expressed these various methods to the wider community, I'm excited to see whatever topics you may cover in the future!
Personally I think it is more important the cloth is white than that it is linen. Silk is fine
Every video brings me one step closer to making the jump. Thanks, Tom!
You can do it!
There is no jump. Paganism is inherent in all human cultures.
@@xperez6590 there are many gods. Monotheism is an invention.
@@xperez6590 your mythology is nothing special
Without any prior knowledge, I'm happy that my alter close (so hopefully pleasing to the Gods), so Thank you for providing insight. I really admire your Wodan idol. I don't think I've seen one like that.
By the gods we need more of this from you brother. Thank you so much for making this video. I’ve been looking for new ideas on how to alter my altar.
lmao cringe
@@oghaki5097 Dude Christianity is the cringest gayest shit that ever existed lol
@@oghaki5097
what's so cringe?
@@sparklesparklesparkle6318 yet here you are watching pagan content, showing that a part of you feels the gods calling to you, to abandon your misguided faith in a false idol. But at the end of the day, believe what you want to believe we shall both find out who’s right and wrong when we inevitably die. I’m fine with dying with the beliefs I have now, can you say the same? The fact that our mere existence offends you is very telling of the true lack of faith in your supposed “god”.
Anyways I hope you find the answer. Whether it means I’m wrong or right, doesn’t matter. Hopefully it gives you the peace you clearly need. Good luck in this journey we call life brother.
@@oghaki5097 Well I hope whatever has brought you to this point of suffering you are at now. You are able to let it go and move on and gain inner peace. Because it’s clear to me that your comment is very telling of your mental state. Find peace brother. I wish you good luck.
I’m excited for this video! Your videos have been a huge influence on me becoming a Pagan. Thank you for all your hard work and being a guide, especially to someone like me who has not found a community yet.
You always were a pagan. It's who you are.
bro come to India if you really want to learn paganism
I love the idea of pagans converting a Tudor church into a site for Germanic paganism, in the same way pagan sites were turned into Christian sites. Feels like a poetic reversal.
@kippkipper4126 YEAH!
Yes
No Pagans were prevented from worshiping in their temples. Its just as they converted to Christianity the buildings were used differently. Edict of Milan 313
When we, Constantine Augustus and Licinius Augustus, met so happily at Milan, and considered together all that concerned the interest and security of the State, we decided ... to grant to Christians and to everybody the free power to follow the religion of their choice, in order that all that is divine in the heavens may be favorable and propitious towards all who are placed under our authority.
Sounds like we are gonna need another crusade.
@@ferrisbueller9991 That's a base calumny against Muslims. Whatever else they taught Muslims could not be said to be Pagans....
As a practicing Germanic heathen, culturally Norse, I've realized over the years that most Norse practitioners place an enormous emphasis on the gods to the point of overkill, at the expense of ancestor worship and animistic worldy spirits which I would argue is even more important. When I send praise and pour libations for instance, and I give tribute for a god/goddess, I'll give gifts to a specific one for a specific reason for the day, and libations for the ancestors every time I give gifts no matter what. Having tokens of a special ancestor you highly venerate might be a great addition to an altar. Just a thought.
I have a separate shrine for the ancestors. It is not fitting to put images of humans on an equal footing as the gods.
That makes sense! Thank you for replying
Animism as a concept isn't even based studying any IE religion, spirits exists yes but don't use animism thing, it is very fringe term.
The gods are our progenitors, therefore they are our eldest of ancestors.
Yours is the only pagan content I consider legitimate on RUclips.
A lot of new age contaminations around. Paganism is a really problematic tradition to get into for the above mentioned reason and the fact that a lot of the elements either disappeared due to christianity and got hidden or morphed into christianity so 'constructing' paganism in any way authentic form again is a hard task, and I'm skeptical if it is even possible but I respect STJ's efforts.
Thanks but there are others besides me who you can learn a lot from
@@Survivethejive Thanks for replying, if you could point me in the direction of one or two other RUclipsrs that you find to be a good source of information, I’d be most grateful 🙏🏻
He gave you three sources in the video!
@@bobbyg5154 those are organisations, not RUclipsrs I believe.
Great stuff. More of this would be most appreciated. I know you said the same principles in this Germanic paganism video can be applied to others, but I would love to see a dedicated follow-up, perhaps a collaboration with a practitioner, of Greco-Roman and Celtic paganism.
Really enjoyed that. Made perfect sense and does help those of us that need to learn more. Thanks Tom
Thank you very much Tom! This was such an insightful video pertaining to Pagan worship, a topic which is a fascinating one and I would be very glad to see more of in future. Thanks again!
As other commenters have said, this video and the "how to pray like a pagan" are excellent resources. Please continue to make Paganism 101 content! I know it's not your focus, but any additional Celt-specific info you can slip in to the mix would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Instead I am making an online course on thinkific called Starting Heathenry
@@Survivethejive excellent, I'm excited to take it!
Thank you for helping us rediscover ourselves. Your time and effort is appreciated by me and many others.
Awesome video, I've been waiting for this. Thank you, Tom!
I saw our Hof! Odinshof in CA.
Hail the Gods.
Hail the Folk.
Hail the AFA.
As a Swedish atheist with one atheist parent and one parent I might call an agnostic Christian, who appreciates tradition, myth and history, I've actually done what might be classed as pagan home sacrifices as a child. In rural Sweden we still have a somewhat extant tradition, even amongst Christians and atheists, of sacrificing porridge to the "tomte" - the "bownie" "hob" or "house wight" - at Christmas time. In many parts of Sweden farmers still maintain ward trees, where the "vättar" - more communal house wights - have traditionally been said to live, and they sometimes sacrifice grain, porridge, fruit or alcohol at their base.
I've also taken part in more proper ritual blots as a student in Uppsala, where we libated and drank mead and blessed each other for the coming year.
Always appreciates your vids :)
We have a similar tradition in Finland. Kids are told especially about saunatonttus (tomte of sauna) as good-willed wardens of sauna. However, they can be mean if the people don't respect sauna by swearing, bickering, being noisy or intoxicated. At Christmas time we bring kotikalja (similar to svagdrick) and food to appease the saunatonttu after bathing ourselves. We also honour our ancestors by feeding birds usually with a sheaf of barley or oat. People still do it to this day even if they don't know why exactly but there is a belief that deceased relatives may come back as a bird. On New Year's Eve molten tin is dumped into a bucket of cold water and fortune is told out of the shapes that form. A lot of the Christmas tradition has been passed over from Kekri (harvest festival) because of the systematic oppression of the church banning it. Celebration of Kekri had a capital punishment in the 1600s.
Same in Norway. My family was not one to run the churchdoors down, but always offered grøt to the nisse, had a tuntre, and otherwise kept the stories of ancestors alive.
This is also still done in remote rural parts of Britain. We have 'Tom Tit Tot' who is the same as the 'tomte', who must be appeased with a bowl of bread-and-milk or porridge
@@lallalucas4145not in Berkshire
Huh is atheism not a crime in the Islamic Republic of Sweden??? I am confusion.
This is so interesting, we definitely need to hear more on the traditions of the old British pagan practices.🕯
That’s not to say there aren’t historical guidelines. You’ve done tremendous work and helped me come out of darkness when I started watching your channel years ago.
Good stuff. Thanks. Since we as a group have never been very big on written orthodoxies, documenting practise is very valuable. What we do is what really defines us more than what we read and say.
How helpful that video is. Even though I am not a Germanic pagan. May Dyēus bless you.
what kind of pagan are you?
@Survivethejive Due to my mixed heritage I would call myself a "Balkan pagan". I believe in a mix of Hellenic, Slavic and Paleo-Balkan beliefs and practice them frequently. Thanks for asking.
Great video Tom. Its well balanced and simple to follow. These educational videos on spiritual practice are very important in todays world. I look forward to the ones you make in the future.
What a sober, clarifying breath of fresh air your presentation is. Within all the muck found on this platform, it was a great blessing to end my day, before a night's sleep with all that is wonderful and good.
Glad it was helpful!
I’m excited for you to be making more videos like this! It was long overdue
Pagan, here. Asatruar. I loved it and I cannot wait to see more.
Another amazing video as always. Very detailed and informative. Would love to see more with other pagan faiths.
Your videos are always well structured and really good to watch
Thank you so much for this invaluable content! ❤
This is very cool. I’m glad you did this
Love this video! I wish I had something like this a few years ago. Thank you for passing the torch of wisdom.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video, Tom - I can see you put a lot of thought and work into its production - thank you for sharing all this information! Skål !! 🥰
Much appreciated!
Thank you Tom, this is absolutely invaluable.
I’m from Hindu/Tantrik background ,I just want to say that I like learning about pre-Christian religion of other regions of the world. It’s hard to find any authentic information about them. Except few channels and your channel is one of the best.
Greetings from Himalayas 🏔️ 🇮🇳
Excellent video! Thank you, Tom.
Fantastic video, Tom. It's the perfect and knowledgeable guide for pagans to set up their altar. And thanks for the shoutout to my altar ;)
You are most welcome
Thank you! This is the type of information I have been looking for and wanted knowledge based upon fact not a "new age" invented ritual. I have just found your channel and look forward to more instructional videos to assist us in purity of our worship
I appreciate you sharing the different approaches others, as well as yourself, take with regard to the various aspects of altar uses, setups, and locations. When my kids were still at home (and we lived in a place that allowed me to do this), I had two altars inside and one in the garden. One altar was located near the hearth and was dedicated to the house wights and the disir. This was where the regular day to day rituals happened that the kids also participated in. Another was placed in a private niche for my own personal work. The outside altar was used for major holidays and/or God specific observations or worship. If there is one thing I think most should take from this video, it is the importance of a clutter free and purposeful approach to one's altar.
The altar theme can be quite internal, especially for newcomers. I'm a minimalist. Also the three of Uppsala, incense, cup for mead, a plate for sacrifice, runes, candles, Edda, nothing more. Probably not authentic, but better than those nightmares Google gives.I've had bad experiences with the drinking horns. If you don't pay attention once and the thing starts to mold.
Thank you so much for this outstanding video and for your explanations (both lore-based and personal) for various home altar setups. I just wanted to add that a fantastic book on Iamblicus and theurgy is Gregory Shaw's Theurgy and the Soul.
More practical advice for beginners, please (perhaps a series of "Paganism for Beginners" videos?)
I love the idea of a Harrow in the garden! I have to admit i have no standing altair, i have to worship in secret for reasons. As an altair i use an very old very little wooden "bench" or rather sitting device my Grandpa used to sit on when he was cutting gras that grew in our stone yard. Its a beautiful little thing, he build it, (he was a learned wooden craftsman) and also painted it. And i use a idol of Wodan (Iam German) i created and put it on the altair. I use a old glass (made of glass) for beer libatations (don't have access to anything other) and i also use old pictures of my Grandfather and his father for ancestor worship and some sticks from the forrest with runes i carved into it for prayer (have to create everything myself because of my secret worship)
Edit: I now have a standing altar and new idols, but still have to worship in secret.
Where in Germany?
@@nullgravity2583 Rhineland east of the Rhine
In Hinduism we call this a "Ghar Mandir". Nice to see European Pagans also have this tradition.
@@BellBeakerBlokeis any one denying it?
remember do not degrade the sanatana dharma by calling it pagan. paganism strictly means pre abrahamic traditions of europe and other western nations. hinduism is not paganism.
@@Aryaveer_jadli they never said it was pagan - just said "European Pagans".
@@Aryaveer_jadli I disagree. Hinduism is very pagan for you to say no is wrong if anything, and Lizzo alongside Jainism, Buddhism and stickers and are like one of the last pagan religions, still alive and well today…..
@@djprincegrandmasteryrjdalo2905 no it's not. Its called " vedic dharma" or "sanatana dharma". We aren't pagan. Europeans who are polytheistic are called pagans. We follow the way of manu, we follow the law of aryas.
Ive had great interpersonal debate around the use of "foreign" objects on the altar, and was pleasantly surprised to see your bell is adorned with a vajra or dorje. My final conclusion was that our ancestors would have placed a premium on goods imported from a distant land, and so these fine imports are pleasing to the Gods. Especially since the vajra is symbolically cognate with Mjölnir, and from a cousin tradition, I see nothing heretical about using such things. Wondering your thoughts?
Great video as always, Tom. So sad you couldn't make it to the FSH, and thanks for so faithfully representing the work of the Norrœna society to a larger audience. If your inclination is primarily reconstructionist, check them out and definitely buy the Æfinrúnar volumes 1 and 2 for more excellent sources on north germanic paganism.
That was great. More of these please.
Excellent video! I enjoy this style.
Absolutely loved this one. BTW I was not informed of it via YT but through your post on TG.
I was ecstatic when you mentioned Norroena Society and the Ealdrice in one video : )
Great video Tom
As a someone who practices Hinduism while worshiping my ancestral Gods as my version of the Kula or ancestor gods including Thunor, thank you very much for the video. In the process of adding to my altar as well. Wonderful video. On the Hindu calendar you made this on a similar time to the ancestor's fortnite right now if we want to worship them.
Why do you not syncretize hindu deities with their germanic counterparts
@@jhitjit I have a Hindu deity as my personal God but I worship the native deities in a way that people would worship their clan or village or ancestral deity.
@@BellBeakerBlokeI thought it was the opposite
@@BellBeakerBloke Its an alive tradition that still has a living chain. And as much as I like survive the jive I personally believe in the Gods in a more direct way rather than archaeological theories. (I know he does too but I am not that into secular archaeology when it comes to a spiritual path although I appreciate his works.)
@@BellBeakerBloke I know which is what I said. He believes them in a direct way but the way you framed it was very much about archaeological theories.
Very informative Tom, great video.
I love the pagan practice tutorials. Wish these got more attention!
You need to set up a separate ancestral shrine first to connect with your lineage. Don’t set up an altar to any random God until it’s determined through careful runic divination. A relationship with a deity is reciprocal and can easily back fire. Also blood sacrifice can be required for petitions to manifest spiritual works - again that must be determined through careful divination with the runes to see if the Gods require it.
You are one of the rare wise great teachers of paganism on youtube. I have to think some of the heathen awakening that’s happening all over the world is because of your videos. Paganism is natural to all humans, it aligns us to that which is real. A natural connection to the earth, universe, animals, and ancestors. Its strips away all titles, egos, and socially created forms of humanity that we dwell in, and it leaves the breathing raw natural core of us
that is the heart of ourselves. To realize paganism is to realise yourself, and existence. It is one thing to be a great conquerer for your people. But its is even better to conquer one’s self.
Yeah, sure whatever you say. That’s why Christians they didn’t leave you guys out and annihilate all of your religions right?
This was a great video, thanks.
Excellent video. Thank you sir.
Hugely helpful. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I have been feeling increasingly distant from our faith. And I seem to have completely forgotten how to set up an altar. Thank you for this, Tom.
outstanding as always.
Very informative. Thank you Tom
I’m a Hellenic polytheist as well and trying to also practice Norse paganism is hard but by watching this video helped me a lot to understand Greco Roman household worship is not so different than the Norse tradition respectively like the hearth, libations, purification, and sacred spaces. I put votive offerings that I make for the gods and offer nails to Thor or decorative candle I made specifically for Oðin.
I’m still trying to figure out what alter I can make with my limited resources, as I’m only 17. I have been thinking about carving a set of idols and maybe an offering bowl, since I have a set of carving tools. I’m not sure what I could offer, though, since I don’t have access to mead. Thanks so much for making this video, Tom!
Beer or Milk! Mead can be changed with Beer or Milk cause in a ritual sense Beer, Milk and animal Blood are all the same. But you can even offer Water (mineral or not, just clean) it represents holy communion with the gods!😄
Even a soda/pop, as it's something you like (probably), or you can burn some insence (in a firesafe dish, you can light rosemary or sage and let that smoke - never leave it unattended of course).
Lol 17...why bother you'll be onto a fad in a couple months 😂
I thank thee, Survive The Jive, this is a great film to share with the world, and this will only be a great blessing to all of our faith, this is what will help spread the word or our faith too.
Great stuff 👍
Thank you Tom!
This was really helpful. Thank you
The Gods will appreciate this so much!!!! Cheers Tom ❤
Excellent and clear discourse on setting up a home altar or shrine. Thanks Tom!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! 🌲
Very cool. Thank you
thanks for this! I tend to use a candle and either a ring or pendant with an appropriate symbol of the god (if i have one) set in front of it/chain encircling the candle. I then kneel before it and bow whilst knelt (i was a long-time martial arts practitioner so this makes sense to me). I offer a libation or simple the candle/incense.
Thank you!
I think this is great and I bet it will help your channel too having some videos that you can throw together a little easier than a full documentary!
I love this very didactic videos.
THANKS,TOM! I've no proper place in my own living-quarters for a harrow, but may be able to set one up from time to time. Woden lifath!
Very informative!
I loved the video, and thank you very much for the help. because I was in doubt how I set up my altar. and well I have a certain affinity for Donnar(thor) because in a very bad moment of health that I had tuberculosis, he helped me a lot, and Wodan asked for help at the time of the college test and also for seeking knowledge I am studying history and Ingvi for good harvests and fruit of labor and prosperity. then dedicate a suitable altar to them. is essential and this video helps me clarify and show how. so thank you very much
Thank you for the detailed overview. As someone who’s basically all Allemanni descent, I’m especially interested in something specific to my ancestors.
That was very interesting
great video!!! still refer to the pray like an indo European regularly.
I wonder if Tom knows Byron Roberts from Yorkshire, renowned for fronting a legendary symphonic black metal band BAL-SAGOTH, rooted deeply in Anglo-Saxon heathenry. He authored one of my favorite pagan lyrics in a song:
"Beneath the oak, I rest, bone weary,
Thirsting for a horn of ale or jug of mead,
And yet how could a heathen man wish for any more,
Than the healing balms of English trees?"
Great video Tom. If I can make a suggestion for a video, something on Saxo Grammaticus's work would be really good, especially on stories in the Gesta Danorum not found elsewhere or differing versions of the Eddic stories.
Superb
Oh you've been spoiling us recently with these awesome uploads!
Thank you so much for this guide Tom! I always wanted to build an altar to the abo gods!
I am not even pagan but I loved this video! Very informative and easy to follow/listen to.
thank you. 💚
I'd love to see an example of greek shrines. Just the best looking imo
Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I really like this type of video. Not saying it should be your main thing, but more videos like this should definitely be made
The center is important as this is where the sacred fire would stand, into which offerings were fed. Hence the regular place of Heimdal in the Rigsthula in "the middle".
In the elder era, the hearth occupied the center of the home and was a logical place for home worship.
Today an oven wouldn't be practical, while a fireplace (the natural option) would not be set in the middle of the living room. The idea of a home that has an interior yard as is sometime seen in India I believe, would be very appropriate and appealing for an home altar ... for those who could afford it.
But in any event the "center" and the "north" are virtually synonymous in the elder lore.
Another STJ upload? Yipee! Just in time for the period in which I’m setting up my own Altar as well. The Gods are auspicious in the timing in which their wisdom reaches us, no?
The pits of the underworld lining up, ideally pointing north is very interesting to me, as exact north on line to me is lake eire, then Niagara falls, then lake Ontario, and this is the only building set on this line, almost like a temple built by the government. 2 circular buildings also land on this line at the ends of the lake, and if that wasn't enough, the house has an underworld that I sail threw, has 2 boats down there.