Episode 6 - Disir and the Ancestors
In this episode we discuss the concepts of the Disir and Ancestors as presented in different sagas as well as our own points of view. This turned out to be a very complex topic that we hope you will help us build on by leaving your own thoughts on the subject in the comments here 
We pulled information from three specific sagas ~ Grimnismal Reginsmal Olaf’s Saga
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Nice job, my kin. I like that you share personal views on subjects, as opposed to simply stating the mainstream opinion. Keep up the good work!
Rick said this on February 2nd, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Another really great podcast, guys. I find it interesting to note that the very fact that the Disir can break with each other (i.e. where there were Christian and Heathen Disir) shows that they are finite and still bound in some way to the world, and certainly not all knowing like the Norns are.
Eric said this on February 4th, 2007 at 9:41 am
Great podcast guys! I hadn’t thought about it consciously before, but your discussion made me realize the close relationship between the norns (small “n”) and the disir.
It seems to me that both are in tune with the small scale events of an individual family. But I feel the norns are more passive… conveyors of knowledge about a given situation… whereas the disir actively apply that knowledge as they see fit, in the best interests of the family. I suppose the norns COULD be active if they desire, but perhaps that itself is the key: desire and passion. Disir care deeply enough to act because it is their family at stake.
Perhaps the norns (again, small “n”) are recruited/appointed (however that works) from among those wights who no longer have any living descendants… and can therefore be more impartial? Just a little random what-if.
Keep up the good work!
Mike H. said this on February 4th, 2007 at 9:57 am
I was very impressed with the presentation. Keep up the great work!
Garrett said this on February 12th, 2007 at 11:21 am
I really enjoyed this discussion on the disir.Several points in particular helped to clarifiy my personal perception of the disir.The comment with regard to the fact that the disir can disagree among themselves was interesting to me because in my experiance this has been true.As my understanding of Asatru grows I more and more realize the importance of our connection with and respect for our families disir.Even though we may be separated by years and years of existance on the material plane the ancestors and disir are ever with us.The gods are the main focus of Asatru’s big picture but in the micrcosm of our lives it is the disir that play an active day to day role.My personal experience has taught me that it is truely our deeds more than our words that are taken into account by the ancestors.Thank you so much for this presentation.Excellent work!
Troy Wisehart said this on February 18th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
This discussion does raise a lot of issues related to the attempt to revive a seemingly dormant religion and making it relevant in the modern world. If it’s an ancestral religion, what does it mean when most of your family were die-hard Christians? What about the concept of the “hamingja”? Is that synonymous with the Disir? I don’t know.
The problem, it seems, is that so little of our primary sources are now lost. Perhaps one day we shall develop the level of clairvoyance to flesh-out these concepts in more detail. Either we must perfect our skills at astral projection or find a supply of really good psilocybin mushrooms … or so it seems. Until then, I suppose we shall have to content ourselves with ambiguity.
Corey Wicks said this on July 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 pm
All of us have to rationalize and make some sort of peace as Ancestor worshipers of what to do about our non-Asatru lineage. I wish you luck in that.
Well, with a sufficient number of people on the task you can get to a consensus of the community. IMHO the only way to get to an appropriate answer on any of the esoteric issues is to have a community consensus. ’till then maybe you should put away the ’shrooms for religious purposes.
Ravencast said this on July 2nd, 2007 at 9:37 pm
This is the first of your podcasts I’ve listened to and I’m really impressed. You’ve got a great blend here of lore and personal discussion, and raised several important issues. I was particularly interested in the fact that the Heathen and Christian Disir can actually disagree. It makes me wonder if your Disir are vehemently Christian, whether they could actually wish you ill if you were vehemently Heathen. I hope not!
Ellen said this on July 24th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Glad you liked the mix. We do try to maintain that 50%/50% blend.
As to how your Disir will react, none can say but you. I myself have had fairly disparate reactions depending on who I was praying to. IMHO, it is difficult to go really wrong as they are well… family. Any connection that you maintain will likely go a long way.
Sandi and I have had pretty animated discussions on this.
Ravencast said this on July 24th, 2007 at 8:13 am
First off, I’d like to say - another fantastic discussion! Second as to the Disir it is more important that you wish to be in touch with the spirit of your family than in what they believed living or dead. Would a Christian Disir want you to follow Christ? Likely so, but I see them having that as a secondary notion if it would not bring the family successfully forward into the future.
As far as Christian Disir go they have not been around for more than a couple millenia or so. Reach back further into the ancestral past and you’ll find a rich vein of heathen lore. How to do this is a personal journey and not all ways of going about it will be the same. Though as with most things beginning with the land of your birth and asking it about your family is a good place to start.
B said this on August 4th, 2007 at 4:09 am