Let the Ravens Fly!
Hrafnar is a heathen kindred and community led by Diana L. Paxson. Our practice of the indigenous religion of the Germanic peoples, known as Ásatrú or heathenry, is based on interpretation of the lore in the light of inspiration and experience. We also conduct classes and other activities such as oracular seiðr.
Most Hrafnar activities take place on Wednesdays at Greyhaven in Berkeley. Our usual schedule:
First Wednesday: We brew mead and discuss the lore.
Second Wednesday: We hold our regular kindred meeting.
Third Wednesday: Diana’s regular class – currently, no class is running.
Fourth Wednesday: The seidh working group meets; this is by invitation only.
Fifth Wednesday: When one appears on the calendar, we gather in an appropriate location for a devotional to Odin.
Kindred meetings follow a regular cycle:
January: We take oaths and do divination for the new year.
February: The month of Disirblót, honoring the goddesses and our female ancestors.
March: Members who have been active for a year can take their oath of commitment. This is also our yearly Kindred Business Meeting, where we plan our events and activities for the coming year.
April: We feast Ostara and the principal gods and goddesses.
May: We honor one or more of the Vanir.
June: We have a picnic with the landspirits.
July: We hold an outdoor Midsummer BBQ.
August: We leave this open for whatever seems appropriate.
September: The feasting season begins again with a harvest ritual for the Vanir.
October: We hold alfarblót to honor the gods and male ancestors.
November: This month is open for whatever seems appropriate.
December: We celebrate Yule, of course!
Most of these meetings are open to visitors, but contact us first—see below.
Welcome to the revamped, redesigned, and renewed Hrafnar website! It is our goal to keep this updated with our very latest news, events, and articles that kindred members have written for pagan and heathen publications! Would you know more? Then drop us a line!
News!
- As one of the oldest and longest continuously running kindreds of the current modern heathen revival, Hrafnar is proud to stand alongside other inclusive heathen groups in support of Declaration 127.
- Seiðjallr, the oracular seiðr group associated with the kindred, presents quarterly oracular ritual at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists (BFUU) at 1924 Cedar St. Our schedule is as follows:
- November 26, 2023
- February 25, 2024
- May 26, 2024
- August 25, 2024
- Doors for the event will open at 5:00 PM, with the ritual to begin shortly after that. Please be prompt, as the doors will be locked when the ritual starts.
- A donation of $5 is suggested to help defray the cost of the hall, but no-one will ever be turned away for lack of funds.
- Hrafnar is proud to announce that we are a Troth-affiliated kindred. Hrafnar has contributed many officers, board members, and volunteers to the Troth over the years, and we are ever strengthened by our relationship with heathenry’s best and most accessible resource. And, of course, we remain affiliated with local pan-pagan group Fellowship of the Spiral Path.
- Hrafnar is one of the founding groups of the Alliance for Inclusive Heathenry. See our Facebook group for current discussion and activities.
- Hrafnar members work to protect Midgard by taking part in events such as the People’s Climate Movement event in Oakland.
- As always, the mailing list and Facebook page will have all the details on kindred events!
Hrafnar practices inclusive Heathenry. We welcome all, whatever their religious or ancestral background, physical ability, gender identity or sexual orientation, who wish a relationship with our Gods and Goddesses, their own ancestors, and the spirits of this land. Hrafnar expects that all participants in our activities will treat each other with frith and respect for each other’s boundaries—psychological, spiritual and sexual. Harassment, whether verbal or physical, is against our principles. Participation in most of our activities and events does not require formal membership, and none of our activities, events, or groups exclude involvement in other organizations.