Tales from the Ironwood

Imbedded deep in the ancestral faith is the understanding that there is no "blind fate" but rather self-creating power over destiny itself. Recorded on the 4th of September 2023. ********* I recently participated in a somewhat heated discussion about whether, as Ásatrúars, we believe in “free will.” Several folks made the argument that, within our Germanic belief system, there is no such thing as “free will” —all is predetermined. Essentially the point was that, not unlike Macbeth and others, we cannot escape our fate. I was among those who strongly disagreed with this position. While matters of fate and destiny ( wyrd ) play a significant theme throughout the lore, the concept is best captured by the Norns — who are constantly weaving our wyrd. It is worth considering that nowhere in the lore do we encounter an image of Norns sitting around a finished garment — sipping tea and admiring their completed work. The images of the Norns and wyrd throughout the lore are associ