9 Noble Virtues

The Nine Noble Virtues

Courage                                                                      Truth
Honor                                                                          Loyalty
Hospitality                                                                  Discipline
Industriousness                                                          Self-reliance
Perseverance

To live as one of the Tru folk, you should lead your life in accordance with the Nine Noble Virtues. These virtues are Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Industriousness, Self-Reliance, and Perseverance.

Interpretations of the virtues range from person to person, and from Kindred to Kindred. The following represent some of our opinions on how the virtues should be interpreted. For differing opinions and interpretations, see the Raven Kindred Page, the Ring of Troth Page, or the Irminsul Aettir Page.

Courage: Courage is more than just martial courage, especially in our modern times. For modern Asatru, courage can mean the willingness to be a whistle-blower when your company violates the law, or even just the courage to stand up and be counted among the Tru folk in what is sometimes a hostile world.

Truth: Truth is pretty self-explanatory. Tell the truth, even when there could be painful consequences. The consequences for lying are often more harmful than the quick pain of telling the truth and getting the situation over with.

Honor: The Eddic poem "Sayings of the High One" contains the stanza: "Cattle die, kinsmen die, one day you yourself shall die, but the reputation of the dead never dies." Think of your honor as your worth in the community. Are you known as a fine, upstanding member of the Tru folk? Do people come to you for advice, and trust your word when it is given? Or do they avoid you, and always look for confirmation of something you tell them? The answer may be a good indication of how your honor is viewed by others.

Fidelity: Fidelity is often thought of in terms of marital fidelity, but there is much more to it than that. Fidelity includes your commitment to Asatru, your commitment to your Kindred, and your commitment to making the world a better place, as well as your commitment to your spouse or significant other.

Discipline: This is really more self-discipline than imposing discipline on others. A member of the Tru folk should be just that - True. This implies a certain amount of discipline to keep oneself from straying from the path of Asatru into other, perhaps easier, paths. Discipline and fidelity often work very closely together, with discipline providing the willpower needed to retain one's fidelity.

Hospitality: Hospitality is a virtue that Asa-folk take very seriously. When a guest comes into your home, offer him or her a drink and something to eat. Work hard to make your guests feel comfortable. The virtue of hospitality was very important in almost every ancient society, and the Gods of Asatru are known to go wandering about Midgard in human guise. You never know who that guest really is...

Industriousness: The virtue of industriousness means working hard, and taking pride in one's work, but it also goes beyond that. Are you employed, disabled, or a full-time student? If not, get a job. Are you part of a Kindred? If not, join one, or find some like-minded people and start one. Think I have a bad attitude? Write me and let me know. When you have a job, or are in class, be the person that "gets things done." And this attitude should carry over to your spiritual life, as well. When you're preparing for a blot, be prepared. Make sure that things are planned out in advance, that you know where the meeting is to take place, how to get there, and where the bottle opener is. Make sure that you know who will be leading the blot, who will be assisting, and where you should be. Make sure that things run smoothly, that new people understand what's going on, and that interested people know whom to contact. Put up the webpage (shameless self-promotion) and maintain it. Do your work carefully, prideful, and well.

Self-Reliance: Self-Reliance fits in very well with Industriousness. Don't wait for someone else to do your job for you. Don't wait for the world to be handed to you on a platter. The Gods favor those who do it themselves. This certainly doesn't mean that you have to do something completely alone if you have no idea how, or if you really just can't do it. What it does mean is that you should learn things from life, learn how to solve common problems, and maybe learn a craft or two. Pick up a book on brewing, or carving, or even plumbing or something. Have a hobby, perhaps one that can make nifty things for your Kindred to use, or for yourself to use. Who knows, you might even be able to sell things and make some extra money.

Perseverance: Times were hard in the old days. Only those who were strong, smart, and crafty survived. Times are still hard. We can't give up at the first sign of adversity. Work, strive, carry on, don't give up. Those words embody the essence of perseverance. Whom do we admire? Those who have worked hard, pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, and made something of themselves through their grit and gumption. *That* is perseverance.

Copyright © 1998, Me
Revised -- 7/28/00