Þórr siðr

So yes, this means that blót requires blood for it to be considered a blót. It not a general sense of worship, but rather worship by blood sacrifice, as we see time and time again throughout the sagas. As we see in Hákonar saga góða, blót was considered to fylla svá en fornu lǫg (to fulfil the ancient laws). By consistently enacting them according to the dictates and strictures of custom, árs ok friðar (abundance and peace) was secured for the people. The refusal to blót properly according to custom was rangan átrúnaðr (wrong belief), as we see from Kjalnesinga saga, and was punishable legally. Some adaptation in religion is natural and even inevitable, but when the core foundations are so altered that they forgo the original essence, this borders on revisionism. Worse yet, it is hubris to consider that we as men may change the laws of the gods.

Lexicon Poeticum from 1860 gives the same context:

Blót in compositis id. qu. blóð (…) “Blót in compounds (means) the same as blóð.”

Contra blóð pro blót in blóðnaut (…) “Conversely, blóð (is used) in place of blót in blóðnaut.”

Specimen Lexici Runici is the first dictionary of Old Norse or Old Icelandic, being compiled by Magnús Ólafsson of Laufás in 1650. We can see here that the term blót even at a late stage, was distinctly associated with blood (à Blod sanguis) and blood sacrifice (sacrificia cruenta).

The blót process in Old Norse religion is fundamentally a transactional process which centers on a personal relationship (vinátta) between the deity and the worshipper. The term vinfengi in historical saga use indicates a reciprocal obligation, which is relational rather doctrinal. This relationship is not a cold transaction, but a social obligation structure. The gods are spoken of as personal patrons or fulltrúi, with the term being religious devotion rooted in exchange and personal benefit, not in an abstract theology. This is why in the sagas we see bonds between men and the gods both established and broken, and occurring from either party based on the other’s deeds. This is similar in nature to the relationship between a goði and his þingmenn. The relationship is entirely dependent on mutual benefit of the two parties, and if one fails the other, then the party can withdraw favor or support and transfer it to another. Where one god doesn’t respond, another god might. In truth, the nature of heathen worship is pact-based and worldly by its basic principles. This is the nature of the gift-for-gift custom, and why Óðinn teaches us the principle of ey sér til gildis gjöf in Hávamál 145-146. We must be measured in our approach to blót with what we offer, and what we seek to attain. If we want greater results, our offerings must scale accordingly. Give little, gain little. Give a lot, gain a lot.

After 33 days in the NICU, our daughter Hilda was able to come home today. When we came home, we brought her up to the grove and introduced her to Þórr. Her birth has been marked by many holy signs, and I am honored to be her father.

After 33 days in the NICU, our daughter Hilda was able to come home today. When we came home, we brought her up to the grove and introduced her to Þórr. Her birth has been marked by many holy signs, and I am honored to be her father.

Some historical taboos in the Þórr cult:

Han älskade menniskorna som sina barn, men han var, ehuru rättvis, derjemte mycket allvarsam och sträng. Han hörde ända upp till skyarna, hvad menniskorna talade. Gjorde någon narr af honom, blef det aldrig ostraffadt. Brast man det minsta i aktning mot honom, tog han oundvikligen hämd. Men vördnad och helgd fordrade han ej allenast för sin person, han tålde ej heller att någon missaktade eller förklenade hans redskap; (…) på den menniska, som vanvördat honom, kastade han derföre ock ifrån bergen stenar. Han slog ihjel hans renar, sönderslet hans redskap, uppbrände hans koja, förstörde hans gudabild och offerplats, som ofta funnos på sådana ställen (…) He loved human beings as his own children, but he was, though just, at the same time very serious and strict. He heard, even up in the heavens, what people were saying. If anyone made mockery of him, it never went unpunished. If one failed even in the least in showing him respect, he inevitably took revenge. Yet it was not reverence and sanctity for his own person alone that he demanded, he also did not tolerate that anyone should show contempt for, or disparage, his implements; (…) therefore, upon the person who had shown him irreverence, he (Thor) also cast stones down from the mountains. He slew his reindeer, tore apart his implements, burned down his hut, and destroyed his idol and his place of sacrifice, which were often found in such places (…) — Jakob Fellman, Ur Lappsk Mytologi och Lappländsk Sägen, 1906.

Þórr and his servant depicted on two different versions of a lost Lule Sámi drum from 1671. He is depicted with his two hammers and living in the heavens.

Þórr and Þjálfi worshipped alongside Freyr in Piteå, northern Sweden in 1688 recounted by Uno Harva in Lappalaisten Uskonto:

“Että veralden olmai on todella ollut tunnettu Ruotsinkin Lapissa todistaa muun muassa erään lappalaisukon pappientarkastuksessa Pitimessä v. 1688 tekemä tunnustus, että hänellä oli ollut kolme puusta valmistettua jumalankuvaa, nim. ‘Thorin, Thorin palvelijan sekä maailman miehen eli jumalan’.” “That veralden olmai has indeed been known also in Swedish Lapland is shown, among other things, by the confession made by a Lapp man during a clerical inspection in Piteå in the year 1688, that he had had three wooden images of gods, namely: ‘Thor, Thor’s servant, and the man of the world, that is, the god.’”

Þórr’s servant plays a pivotal role in the Sámi cult of Þórr, sometimes folklore refers to a singular servant or multiple, and other times they are called his sons. His servant is often depicted on rune-drums in anthropomorphic form, or in a similar cross-form depiction as him. Sometimes they are known in Swedish as Thorens söner (Thor’s sons), Thorens drängar (Thor’s farmhands), Tordengudens dreng (Thunder-god’s farmhand), or Thordens striidsman (Thunder’s warrior). In Sámi he is called Thoor-olmai, literally Thunder-man. Similar motifs are present in Finnish folklore, being called Ukon Poika, (Ukko’s son). In the 10th century poem Þórsdrápa, Þjálfi is called sifuni implying a blood-relation or marriage-relation. The attestations show an important ritual agency of Þórr’s servants and his sons in the cult, and direct interaction with human ritual agents, who are able to release the god and send him against their enemies.

The Wudufugol is now a year old and the previous year has brought many encouraging alterations and welcomed changes to the direction of the Wudufugol that we feel you (our subscribers) should be aware of.  At first we set out as friends, initially to form a hiking club for heathens who wished to live a physical and healthy lifestyle and connect those in worship to our high and joyous Gods.  Over the course of this year, families began to form, and with having children, a new perspective on life and with that one’s goals began to change the direction of our group and that direction is the building and the formation of communities. These families may follow different heathen paths and cults based upon one’s own lineage, but are bound by common customs, values and beliefs. Some of these paths and Cults include the ancient and mighty cult of Þórr, some follow the Great Fraa Holle and her cult. Other families are many-godded and follow the Anglo-Saxon traditions of their old stock, English forefathers however all are bound by the lunisolar time reckoning system and blót customs found in all paths.  With a drive to live a traditional heathen lifestyle our perspective on our faith has become only more intense and in the truest definition — radical.  Out of these organic changes the Wudufugol has become its own heathen organization, however, we have no intentions nor care for it to be a large, all-encompassing organization like others have set themselves to be.  From here on out, we are only seeking honest heathen family men with a good sense of honor and morality that can bring their families into the fold, and be willing to network and worship with others. What we seek is to live according to the laws of our Gods, and grow strong heathen families.    With all this being said, we are grateful to the good Gods for bringing us together and giving us all great luck. We will soon be opening vetting again with a more in-depth process for those truly interested in joining and contributing to the Wudufugol. We look forward to another year of growth and prosperity.  Health to the Wudufugol 

The Þórr siðr is proud to be in fellowship with the Wudufugol. Heill sé þú, ok í hugum góðum.

We held a Dísablót on this full moon, in honor of the holy mothers and women who guide the fates of our families. On the last day of the full moon, our daughter Hilda was born to us. There are no words, only the hardening of my faith. Hail to the Holy Goddesses and the Many Mothers.

As Wōden cultists, we are concerned with studying the theophany and divine nature of our highest god, Wōden. By extension this also includes the marriage between Wōden and His wife, Frīg, and understanding the divine associations of His sons. I recommend following both Þórr Siðr and Holles Brauch for these reasons. Þórr Siðr is a Þunor cultist highlighting a lot of useful knowledge about Wōden's son, Þunor, primarily from a Norse perspective. Holles Brauch has shared interesting links between Holle and Frīg, developing our understanding of Her from a continental German outlook.

Under the wolf-moon the many families of the Wudufugol held holy rites. Performing blót or faining respectively to the joyous Gods this yule. Sacrifices of beer,wine,mead,baked goods and the flesh of swine and goats have been made for a good and prosperous year ahead. Thank you to all the families that submitted their photos, including Þórr siðr for the continued support. Freehlich Yuul Good health this coming year. 🌲

Miðsvetrarblót á Þórshóll, 2026.

Gleðileg jól frá okkur á Þórr siðr!

Blót scene from Hrafninn Flýgur, 1985.

Þórr fishing for the Miðgarðsormr while disguised as a young man by Arthur Rackham.

Meðan gramr, hinns svik samðit, snart Bilskirnis, hjarta, grundar fisk með grandi gljúfrskeljungs nam rjúfa. “Whilst the ruler of Bilskirnir, whose heart did not plan treachery, quickly smashed the fish the sea-bed with the destruction of the ravine-whale”

This stanza was composed by Gamli gnævaðarskáld from the 10th century, manuscript excerpt from GKS 2367 4° (R). The verbiage in the stanza has specific sea-imagery that I find interesting. The sequence fisk grundar, or fish of the sea-bed (fish of the ground, literally) refers to the Miðgarðsormr. It refers to the dreaded beast as a fish, which is a natural substitution for a snake. The sequence grandi gljúfrskeljungs refers to the hammer Mjöllnir. The term gljúfr is used for an abrupt descent or chasm, most often used of wild ravine or a gully through which rivers flow, such as in árgljúfr. The compound word skeljung refers to a type of whale, possibly a humpback whale but it may also refer to a swordfish. The kenning itself refers to the Jötnar, with the hammer being the object which harms them. The motif of Þórr fighting with sea-creatures evokes an image of a great sea battle, of which we know occurred in Hýmiskviða. This is just one variation of the story, with the others being Ragnarsdrápa, Gylfaginning, and verses in Skáldskaparmál by Bragi inn gamli Boddason, Ölvir Hnúfa, Eysteinn Valdason, and Úlfr Uggason.

For accurate reckoning of the moon, I’ll note that the new moon in Old Norse culture was called ný, and was the light of the waxing crescent after the nið, or niðamyrkr, the dark period when there was no moon. This is what most people today call the “new moon”. In Eddic literature, you’ll find the alliterative phrase ný ok nið which indicates a lunar month of about 29.5 days.

“(…) ný ok nið skópu nýt regin öldum at ártali” “(…) new and nith the rulers shaped for use, that men could tally years.” — Vafþrúðnismál 25

This reckoning method was used well into the late medieval and early modern period being retained in large part by farmers and recorded in folk songs. This is recorded in the Disting moon rule recorded by Olaus Magnus in Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus from 1555 as nytändingen — new lighting. The full moon is sighted for a period of three days in the middle of the month, which is why the blót period usually lasted approximately three days.