Heathendom is the ethnic spirituality of the Germanic people. It is not a credal religion, whereby one reads books, studies archaeological "evidence", and, at some point arbitrarily designated, one suddenly becomes "qualified" to be Heathen. It is a matter of blood and ancestry, not study.
Therefore, one is either Germanic, and therefore Heathen, or one is not. There is absolutely no "study" required, although of course studying one's own culture can certainly enrich one's ethnic spirituality.
Consequently, no amount of "study", in and of itself, will turn a Chinaman or a Zulu into a German or a Swede. As an ethnic spirituality, Heathendom is akin to a sort of "family tradition" on a grand scale for the Germanic people as a whole. One does not become a family member through "study" but through the traditional means of birth, and marriage, and adoption.
That's all. The gate that is kept is through blood and kinship, not whim-based notions of being "well-read". No amount of reading "recommended" texts, parroting lists of "virtues", or sharing pithy memes will change one's fundamental ethnicity. I cannot simply declare myself part of my neighbor's family, even if I have studied his family's history, traditions, inside jokes, and so on. It is for *them* to decide: not for me.
So yes, you may in fact "do as you please"... to a certain extent; and the contrary opinion is simply an attempt at "gate-keeping" that has no basis in reality whatsoever. That being said, families, extended families, clans, and even clubs and other associations have the have the absolute, natural right to set their own standards for what is acceptable behavior and what is not.
But that is for them to decide, and no one else.
Schönen Sonnabend,
𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔄𝔡𝔪𝔦𝔫
Unser Blut ist unser Glaube. 🩸🙂🙏 Our blood is our faith.
Segen für alle! 🍺😇🙏 Blessings to all!
⊕ Wir sind ein Volk ⊕