Beneath this program and the broader revival of Heathenry is the realization that our people are sick.  Addiction is a common symptom of that sickness, but the real disease lies beneath – the loss of identity, purpose, and community begun by conversion and compounded by industrialization and urbanization.  Heathenry is the medicine our people desperately need, and hopefully what is given below is the necessary dosage for those of us who have suffered from addiction or a sickness in our souls, and who are ready for something better.

   Traditional 12-Step programs have lifted up countless people who struggle with addiction, and no one with any sense of decency would seek to minimize the power of these programs in the lives of those they have helped.  It must be acknowledged, however, that certain ideological prerequisites play essential roles in whether or not these programs work for a particular person.

   As Heathens, we have two problems that make conventional 12-Step programs unworkable.  The first is the necessary admission of powerlessness in the face of addiction.  Such an admission runs counter to the fundamental concepts of personal power and the sovereignty of the will that are central to Heathenry.  Such an admission would not allow us to draw strength from our faith.  In fact, it would undermine the very basis of our faith.

   Secondly, we as Heathens do not willfully push the consequences of our own choices onto someone else, even if that someone is a god.  We cannot, therefore, surrender our addiction to a higher power and expect positive results.  The Gods give us the means to struggle, and they join us in our struggles at crucial times, but for the most part, they expect us to clean up our messes, especially those of our own making.

   These two problems are not the sum total of the differences between the philosophical outlooks of traditional 12-Step programs and Heathenry, but they are fundamental differences.  They form enough of a contrast to make it essentially impossible for a Heathen to pursue a 12-Step program with any sincerity, which is itself a recipe for almost certain failure.  There is, however, no shortage of Heathen addicts, and so the lack of a program compatible with our beliefs has made itself keenly felt over the years.  Simply stated, it is impossible to maintain one’s Heathen faith following a program that is predicated on surrendering yourself to the power of a god who despises our faith.  We must rely on ourselves and our Gods to help ourselves. This is not at all to disparage any other faith, or any programs to help people of those faiths. But we recognize that there are powerful forces in the mythology of our faith that are there to help us along a healthy and holy path towards happiness.