Lewis Stead

The Ravenbook

done appropriately, theres no disconnection between the parts.

Asatru is also a very vibrant, intense, and somewhat rowdy religion.

Invocations to the Gods, particularly outside, are often shouted at

the top of ones lungs, and are punctuated by loud Hails! which are

echoed by the folk When someone in an Asatru ritual says Hail! or

hails a God (Hail Odin! for example) its appropriate to repeat

after them in a similar tone and loudness.

The Sumbel

One of the most common celebrations noted in tales of our ancestors is

the Sumbel or ritual drinking celebration. This was a more mundane

and social sort of ritual than the blot, but of no less importance.

When Beowulf came to Hrothgar, the first thing they did was to drink

at a ritual sumbel. This was a way of establishing Beowulfs identity

and what his intent was, and doing so in a sacred and traditional

manner.

The sumbel is actually quite simple. The guests are seated, usually

in some formal fashion, and the host begins the sumbel with a short

statement of greeting and intent, and by offering the first toast. The

horn is then passed around the table and each person makes their

toasts in turn. At the sumbel toasts are drunk to the Gods, as well

as to a persons ancestors or personal heroes. Rather than a toast, a

person might also offer a brag or some story, song, or poem that has

significance. The importance is that at the end of the toast, story,

or whatever, the person offering it drinks from the horn, and in doing

so drinks in what he spoke.

The sumbel is also an important time for the folk to get to know each

other in a more intimate way than most people are willing to share.

Modern society is at two extremes. At one end are the emotionless

beings who have been robbed of their soul by modern industrial secular

culture. On the other side are those pathetic sensitive New-Age

guys who spend their lives consciously attempting to stir their

emotions and who force an unnatural level of intimacy between

themselves and others. There are some levels of emotional intimacy

which are not meant to be openly shared with strangers. Doing so

reduces their meaning to the mundane. At sumbel, barriers can be

lowered in a place which is sacred to the Gods and the Folk. Thoughts

can be shared among companions and friends without embarrassment or

forced intimacy.

One format for the sumbel with a history in tradition is to drink

three rounds. The first is dedicated to the Gods, the second to great

heroes of the folk such as historical figures or heroes from the

sagas, and the third to personal ancestors, heroes, or friends which

have passed from this world.

Another theme for a sumbel is past, present, and future. This type of

sumbel is more of a magical ritual than one of celebration. The idea

is to make toasts which bring up some aspect of your past and present

situation, and a third toast or brag which represents your wishes for

the future. One might make a toast to the first Asatru ritual one

attended as the past, a second to the companions and kindred then

gathered, and for his third toast might state that he intends to be

initiated as a Gothi in the coming year. The purpose would be to link

the coming event of his initiation with the two already accomplished

events of pledging Asatru and finding a kindred -- two other important

rites of passage. In this case initiation as a Gothi then becomes

something which is linked to a chain of events that have already

occurred, rather than an isolated action which might occur. Thus

magically, this moves the person towards his goal.

A third and everpopular type of sumbel is a free-for-all where stories

are told, toasts are made, and bragging is done until all the gathered

Odinists are under the table. Perhaps this is not quite so esoteric

or purposeful as the previous ideas, but its certainly in keeping

with the examples of our Gods and ancestors. In any case, no matter

how relaxed a sumbel has become, I have never seen one that was merely

a drinking event. Some of the most intense experiences I have had

with people have come from such open ended sumbels.

These are only ideas. The sumbel is a very freeform type of thing and

the framework is very simple to adapt.