30 Days of Devotion: Day 13 & 14

Hey now, don't judge me. I told you this week was going to be hectic. :P

What modern cultural issues are closest to this deity?

This is all my own personal feelings so this may different from what is out there.  I think things like education is a big deal for Odin.  He is a deity of wisdom and brought the runes, so knowledge is something near and dear to to him.  The lack of good schools or omitting knowledge or even perpetuating misinformation about something would bother him.

War would be another major thing for Odin.  While being a deity of battle, I do think that even he would tire of it and fighting over such menial things would be against what he strives for.  He would know that war is an evil necessity( in some cases).

I'm trying to think of other issues that could be in Odin's sphere of effect.  Perhaps the future of wolves, due to two companions. Maybe even keeping the wild horses roaming free and healthy due to his connection to Sleipnir.  The state of schools in the world.  Mead making, because, well, he brought us mead!

There are so many aspects to Odin that picking a few is seeming to be a little difficult.


Has worship of this deity changed in modern times?

I would have to say yes.  The sacrificing of humans has stopped, as far as I know, and animal sacrifices have probably come to crawl but I do believe there are some that do so.  Since I haven't found any notes of other ways of worship to Odin, I can only speculate after the sacrifices.  We still sacrifice but not in the same way.  We offer items to Odin and pledge to him, but probably in a different manner.  Who truly knows?

30 Days of Devotion: Day 6

Other related deities and entities related with this deity.


The biggest relation to another deity that Odin has would be to Loki.  While only mentioned in two stanzas, it is said that Odin and Loki are blood-brothers and that Odin would not accept drink unless it was offered to Loki as well.  This always stuck out to me, even before I fully dove into Asatru and Heathenism.  Now as I wander through posts about the deities and see huge arguments over the exclusion or inclusion of Loki I wonder what others think of the relationship.  Do these people disregard the bond the two have?  Do people only see the bad Loki will do/has done?  I will not deny that there is some negative things in the tales of Loki but he did much good.  I think the reason why everyone is so upset with Loki is Baldr's death and the coming of Ragnarok.  If it wasn't for Loki, none of it would have happened.  In my mind, though, there is no positive without negative and vice-versa.

Then there is Mimir.  He is the wisest of the Aesir and was given to the Vanir as a hostage during their war.  Unfortunately he was beheaded and his head was returned to the Aesir.  It was Odin who preserved Mimir's head and conversed with him.  Mimir gave Odin his wisdom after the Allfather sacrificed his eye.

As for other entities, one could point to the Ravens of Odin, his wolves, Sleipnir, and even Fenrir, who will kill Odin during Ragnarok.  While each of them play specific parts, for some reason I am not urged to describe them.  Mimir and Loki are more prevalent on my mind. Perhaps I'll go into further details on these creatures at a later date.