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Is Valhalla Heaven or Hell? 10 Facts That Might Surprise You

By Scandinavia Facts

Valhalla is closer to the concept of heaven than it is to hell, but it is not an exact parallel. Located in Asgard, Valhalla is where Odin, the god of thunder, reigns. Valkyries, Odin’s maiden warriors, select which elite Viking warriors may enter. The description of Valhalla is what the Vikings would have considered a paradise.

Read on scandinaviafacts.com

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Samhain

Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”) is usually celebrated from October 31 to November 1 to welcome in the harvest and usher in “the dark half of the year.

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History
2021
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The Wheel of the Year: The Calendar of Pagan Festivals Explained

There are such myriad historical and contemporary variations and semantic complexities when dealing with paganism that a book-length article would be needed to fully cover it. The wheel as described here is broadly what is observed today by modern pagans, chiefly of the UK and Ireland.

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History
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The Wheel of the Year: The 8 Festivals in the Wiccan Calendar

The Wheel of the Year is a symbol represents the 8 festivals important to many pagans, Wiccans, and witches. These holidays — knows as Sabbats — follow a nature-based calendar and include four solar festivals and four seasonal festivals set in between them.

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The Pagan Grimoire
2020
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Ásatrú, the Old Norse Paganism Is the Fastest Growing and Largest Non-Christian Religion in Iceland

According to Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, the High Priest of Ásatrúarfélagið, the primary reason for the growing popularity of Óðinn and the old gods is the emphasis in Ásatrú on harmony and humility, especially in face of the things we cannot, and should not attempt to subvert and change, most...

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Iceland Magazine
2018
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Defining Paganism and Neopaganism

I can’t believe I am diving into this linguistic swamp again, but here goes. Recently, I’ve been engaging in some online discussions with polytheists and the “Pagan enough” debate was aroused, of course, and it got me thinking.

Article
John Halstead
2012
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Who Survives Ragnarok?

In the story, many of the gods die and the nine worlds of the Norse cosmos held in the branches of Yggdrasil are consumed by fire. But, according to surviving accounts of the prophecy, not everyone will die in this Viking apocalypse.

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Jessica S.
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Hel: Norse Goddess of Death

Hel, goddess of death, could there be a more fearsome being in the world of Norse mythology? But don’t be taken-in by the portrayal of the Norse goddess of death in the Marvel universe. While the Norse goddess was the ruler of the underworld, she was never represented as pure evil.

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Jessica S.
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This is Why Odin Sacrificed His Eye in Norse Mythology

To satisfy his relentless thirst for wisdom, Odin sacrificed one of his eyes in exchange for a drink from Mimir’s well, which gave him the enlightenment he sought.

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Scandinavia Facts
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The Norse Goddess Frigg

Every notable character in the history of humanity and throughout various cultures and beliefs had someone even more important sitting next to him – a wife.

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Nokki Nollason
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Baldur

“Shining Baldur” was a Norse god of the Aesir tribe of unparalleled beauty and wisdom who settled the feuds of men and gods. His death as a result of Loki’s trickery is one of the central stories of Norse mythology.

Article
Thomas Apel
2021
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Norse Mythology