The Newsleaf #3 - Riding for Victory
Monthly Order Newsletter // March '24
For victory is victory, however small, nor is its worth only from what follows from it.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Children of Húrin
Welcome, brothers and sisters, welcome! Another moon cycle has passed, and with it, another month of activity. High rides the labours of the season, as we wind down the financial year and see its effects across England. With many a pothole hastily filled; our local councils are in full bloom as they waste taxpayer’s money with careless abandon.
Yet, I should not be so dour in my criticism of local government. After all, how else are they to reach their targets (and ensure their own mortgages) if not by ensuring that the next cycle brings with it the same level of funding? To us it may seem frivolous, but to the councillors of your locality this is a victory, nonetheless.
Victory is the overture of March, for which we carry the tune for the remainder of the year. It is a time of reflection on your goals; for what do you aim for, and to where do you aspire to lead? One must chart the course they intend to travel, or else they may find themselves charging headlong in to ruin.
Know the meaning of victory, and you will taste it in the smallest of ways. It is not just found in the consequence of its attaining, but in the overcoming of what came before it. Man too often savours the delights of his conquests, but does not revel in seeing his past long behind him. This is a tragic mistake.
I counsel to bask in all the delights of success, whether earned or otherwise. Valfather knows he often gives the battle-prize to the worser of the warbands, but that prize is given all the same. Whether by force or fortune, enjoy your rewards in every way you can.
Now - let us mount the saddle, and begin riding for victory…
What’s New with the Order?
Within the Order of the Sacred Mannerbunde there are actually very few people working full-time. While our organisation, and all of its constituent hearths, may seem like a single overarching entity, we are somewhat decentralised when it comes to boots on the ground. The Order itself acts as a governing body of sorts, with the hearths themselves ran by individual Order Goðar.
Despite this (or rather, because of it) our hearths thrive! From the Tideway up to Yorkshire proper, we hold sacrifice every full moon. Interspersed between we organise community events and plain old social gatherings. Community sits at the heart of Germanic Heathen religion; one that pumps richly within our brotherhood.
Our website is one of our largest boons, seeing the most traffic of our platforms in terms of outreach. Heathens, for whatever reason, feel most comfortable getting in touch with the Order through our contact form. This is always welcome naturally, and every email gets a response!
Depicted: Home page of the Order of the Sacred Mannerbunde’s website; englishorder.com.
Our website has seen some substantial back-end improvements this month, which hopefully will improve the general experience of users. We are constantly looking to find ways to develop engagement and build a platform that reflects our passionate approach to reviving ancient Germanic traditions.
It is through this, and other means of digital communication, that our organisation has had many wonderful conversations. It is due to communication technologies, and the infrastructure they are built upon, that we are able to advance so quickly in this New Pagan Revival. For all the downsides (such as societal alienation; a topic for another day) we are blessed to be so inter-connected as Pagans.
Our growth, as an Order, is predicated on your input as much as our own, however. While we do not tie our value or worth to our platforms, we still only produce as much content as is in demand. The basic laws of economics are ever at work in the marketplace of ideas, and there are many Pagan voices, both pious and subversive.
It is important to remember that when you contact us, we will always offer means of proving who we are. I consciously made the choice to attach my name to this fraternity; both to unashamedly project my own voice, but also to create accountability. This is an important aspect of re-building an authentic Germanic priesthood. We are accountable.
Always keep this in mind when interacting with anonymous individuals. Not every “internet Goði” is actually doing what they claim to - no matter how well-developed their websites may be…
The Victory of Friendships
Leading on from our last section, the principles of accountability and inter-connection continue. Which better reflects these principles more than that which is so sacred to our faith community, but is so lacking to many than friendship?
We have been honoured this past month to make many new friends and widen our spiritual circle up. While keeping to the morality of prioritising our fledgling bonds, we are always considerate in bringing in the faithful without home or direction; the wayless, and the lost. True friends will always remain, but there is always a time when they were strangers no?
I will not mince words, poetic as they often are, in making my point here; your friendships are the most important thing that will ever be and may one day save your life. For certain, they will have a profound effect on your development as a man or woman.
Unlike many other religions, our faith is not an evangelical one. The only conversions I oversee are done willingly, and wholly, within ancestral boundaries. For all of those that seek my counsel and render their counsel for me the same (let never a man be so unwise as to think only his view counts!), they do so freely and with welcome.
It is thus that we cannot make friends by the sword (proverbially - many good friends meet in conflicts!). We must come together, those of us who carry the worth of the Gods in our hearts and words. The victory of the Gods over evil is not abstract poems, but enabled through the bold action of those who seek it above all else.
Friendship is something that many spend a lifetime seeking. To number those in your retinue as true friends is a monumental victory. Never let go of those who would do the same for you; just as you would bring low those who likewise seek your end.
To his friend a man | a friend shall prove,
And gifts with gifts requite;
But men shall mocking | with mockery answer,
And fraud with falsehood meet.
— Hávamál 42, Elder Edda
Declaring our Traditions
This past month, a website has resurfaced amongst our faith circles in conversation. Listing a number of profane “declarations”, this platform is being used to encourage an incorrect understanding of our ancestral values by supplanting it with modern political talking points. Hubris and deception are, unfortunately, the order of the day for many online false believers.
In response to this, The Chad Pastoralist is working with other prominent Heathen voices in creating a Declaration of Tradition. In doing so, it is his hopes that we can reinforce some of the broader ethical concepts to prevent our religious foundations from attempts to uproot it.
A website is currently in development to emphasise our unitary stance of this. Our Order was consulted in the creation process of this, with feedback given on key views expressed in our hierology. We are honoured to have been involved in this and wish Heryos all the best with its launch.
Depicted: the wyrd of evil-doers when confronted by the return of righteousness; here seen in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
As is always the case - new voices speak and old ears listen. This is the means that we discern the wise from the foolish. It is apt that tomorrow is such a day for fools, for there are many kicking about in proximity to our faith circles. Remain vigilant in your online conversations and suffer fools not your time.
Stay tribal, stay collective. Above all, stay safe.
Pagan Platform Spotlight
As a new element of these newsletters, we will be featuring a spotlight for Pagan content creators. Our hopes are that this will help foster better inter-platform relationships and broaden our reader base as much as possible. Who better to start with than the upcoming author of the discussed Declaration?
Legendary history memes and a thriving Substack are on offer by this devout Heathen. You can also find their Telegram here: @thechadpastoralist
Temple Fund
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Faithright 2022-2024. Order of the Sacred Mannerbunde. Hail the Gods. englishorder.com