Names and epithets.
I guess I should've looked ahead when I was creating my initial post for the 30 Days of Devotion. In my first post I covered a few of the MANY names of Odin but I have no problem posting them again.
The most familiar is obviously All Father. Odin is the deity 'in power' for the Norse and has brought much to the world as well as the gods, so referring to him as such seems rather logical.
Val-Father means father of the slain. With many of Odin's followers going into battle or raids, it is not too surprising this is a name for him. He welcomes the slain with open arms and those worthy join him in Valhalla.
Gangleri/Ganglari means the wanderer or traveler. Odin wanders the Nine Worlds in many of the tales, whether it is just to wander or on some personal mission it's up to him. But referring to him as a wanderer is supported by those stories.
I suppose in the realm of epithets I can draw out the names that refer to Odin, or things associated with Odin, in various kennings.
Odin's fire would be an allusion to a sword, while Odin's weather could be another phrase for battle or war. I've seen someone point out a phrase 'One-eyed dweller in Frigg's embrace' which is rather simple. Then you have Mim's friend, referring to Mimir.
Um, yeah. Can't think of much else. Looking at the list of names for Odin, it is rather extensive and some not so obvious as others. These few here and the others mention in my initial post seem rather straightforward and resonate with me. For others it may be different.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
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.
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.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
30 Days of Devotion: Day 5
Members of the family – genealogical connections
Ah, the family of Odin. Well, Odin's consort is Frigg, though both deities have hard their share of sexual relations outside of that relationship. There are really only three children that are attested to Odin and that would be Thor(obviously), Baldr, and Váli. Snori Sturluson does claim that Vidar is a son of Odin by way of the giantess Gríd. He also places Heimdalr, Bragi, Tyr, and Hod as sons of Odin, but these are only mentioned once. So the only ones we are sure of, in the sense of literature, is Thor, Baldr, and Vali.
There are no daughters of Odin mentioned and I have never seen a claim to it.
Odin did have two brothers, Vili and Ve, whom helped Odin slay Ymir and create Midgard, all born from the same parents: Borr and Bestla.
As far as I can tell, other than the usual claims of kings being descendents from Odin, the relation to other deities ends there.
Ah, the family of Odin. Well, Odin's consort is Frigg, though both deities have hard their share of sexual relations outside of that relationship. There are really only three children that are attested to Odin and that would be Thor(obviously), Baldr, and Váli. Snori Sturluson does claim that Vidar is a son of Odin by way of the giantess Gríd. He also places Heimdalr, Bragi, Tyr, and Hod as sons of Odin, but these are only mentioned once. So the only ones we are sure of, in the sense of literature, is Thor, Baldr, and Vali.
There are no daughters of Odin mentioned and I have never seen a claim to it.
Odin did have two brothers, Vili and Ve, whom helped Odin slay Ymir and create Midgard, all born from the same parents: Borr and Bestla.
As far as I can tell, other than the usual claims of kings being descendents from Odin, the relation to other deities ends there.
Friday, February 8, 2013
30 Days of Devotion: Day 4
A favorite myth or myths of this deity.
While I can't find the specific stories that I wanted, my favorite myths about Odin is his sacrificing his eye to Mimir to gain knowledge as well as hanging himself from Yggdrasil to gain the runes. :I I will do some searches and see if I can find these stories any where but I at least wanted to get this post out here.
Another is the story about the wild hunt! Taken from Timeless Myths:
The Wild Hunt was a popular folklore found in Scandinavian and Germanic myth, as well in later folklore in Britain and northern European countries, which had changed over the centuries.
The group of hunters were variously known as the Furious Host or Raging Host. The hunt usually takes part during winter, where a spectral host of horsemen riding through the stormy sky, with their ghostlike hounds. The chillingly sound of the hunting horn can be heard reverberating through the woods and meadows.
In the Norse myths, the original leader of the hunt was the god Odin, known in Germanic myth as Wodan. Odin rode his eight-legged horse, called Sleipnir. His company of hunters were the Valkyries and the dead warriors who resided with him in Valhalla.
The hunt begins on Winter Nights (October 31) and doesn't end May Eve (April 30) of the following year. These two nights were special, because lights go out on all Nine Worlds and the spirits and goblins are free to roam on the earth's surface. However the height of the Wild Ride falls on the night of midwinter festival, known as Yule (December 21), traditionally the shortest day of the year in Scandinavia and Germany.
~~EDIT~~
I found part of Odin's Rune Song, which is the poem retelling how he gained the runes. I won't post all 27 stanzas, so no fear. Here are the first few:
While I can't find the specific stories that I wanted, my favorite myths about Odin is his sacrificing his eye to Mimir to gain knowledge as well as hanging himself from Yggdrasil to gain the runes. :I I will do some searches and see if I can find these stories any where but I at least wanted to get this post out here.
Another is the story about the wild hunt! Taken from Timeless Myths:
The Wild Hunt was a popular folklore found in Scandinavian and Germanic myth, as well in later folklore in Britain and northern European countries, which had changed over the centuries.
The group of hunters were variously known as the Furious Host or Raging Host. The hunt usually takes part during winter, where a spectral host of horsemen riding through the stormy sky, with their ghostlike hounds. The chillingly sound of the hunting horn can be heard reverberating through the woods and meadows.
In the Norse myths, the original leader of the hunt was the god Odin, known in Germanic myth as Wodan. Odin rode his eight-legged horse, called Sleipnir. His company of hunters were the Valkyries and the dead warriors who resided with him in Valhalla.
The hunt begins on Winter Nights (October 31) and doesn't end May Eve (April 30) of the following year. These two nights were special, because lights go out on all Nine Worlds and the spirits and goblins are free to roam on the earth's surface. However the height of the Wild Ride falls on the night of midwinter festival, known as Yule (December 21), traditionally the shortest day of the year in Scandinavia and Germany.
~~EDIT~~
I found part of Odin's Rune Song, which is the poem retelling how he gained the runes. I won't post all 27 stanzas, so no fear. Here are the first few:
Wounded I
hung on a wind-swept gallows
For nine long nights,
Pierced by a spear, pledged to Odin,
Offered, myself to myself
The wisest know not from whence spring
The roots of that ancient rood.
They gave me no
bread,
They gave me no mead,
I looked down;
With a loud cry
I took up runes;
From that tree I fell.
Nine lays of
power
I learned from the famous Bolthor, Bestla' s father:
He poured me a draught of precious mead,
Mixed with magic Odrerir.
Waxed and throve
well;
Word from word gave words to me,
Deed from deed gave deeds to me.
Runes you will
find, and readable staves,
Very strong staves,
Very stout staves,
Staves that Bolthor stained,
Made by mighty powers,
Graven by the prophetic God.
For the Gods by
Odin, for the Elves by Dain,
By Dvalin, too, for the Dwarves,
By Asvid for the hateful Giants,
And some I carved myself:
Thund, before man was made, scratched them,
Who rose first, fell thereafter.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
30 Days of Devotion: Day 3
Symbols and icons of this deity.
Symbols and icons, huh? I suppose the most forefront symbol would be the Valknut, or Knot of the Slain:
The meaning of the symbol has been debated but many modern day followers have said that this is a symbol of Odin, they wear it to show their dedication to Odin and the gods of the Norse. Some claim that you shouldn't tattoo this on your body because those who do will die a warrior's death. People think it represents the Nine Worlds, the tree Yggdrasil. Personally, I don't know. It's an interesting symbol none the less.
Another symbol is obviously in the form of a Raven. There is little doubt as to why this is one of Odin's symbols. This pairs with Sleipnir and the spear, Gungnir. All items or creatures that are at Odin's side.
For me the last symbol is that of an eye or, perhaps, the lack of said eye. Over the winter holidays Grendal and I made ornaments. He made one and held it up asking, "Do you know what this is?" I took one look at it and recognized the shape. "Odin's eye?" All I got was a smile of confirmation. There was no detail to the eye; it was just the basic shape of one, without the pupil or the iris. We placed it on the altar as a reminder of the sacrifice Odin had made to gain knowledge.
Out of all my searching I couldn't find other symbols/icons that people said belonged to Odin or ones that jumped out at me saying as much. People have pointed at certain runes as belonging to Odin but that could just be a modern take on it. While Odin brought us the rune and they can be a symbol of his all together, I'm not sure about one particular rune being his and his alone.
Symbols and icons, huh? I suppose the most forefront symbol would be the Valknut, or Knot of the Slain:
Another symbol is obviously in the form of a Raven. There is little doubt as to why this is one of Odin's symbols. This pairs with Sleipnir and the spear, Gungnir. All items or creatures that are at Odin's side.
For me the last symbol is that of an eye or, perhaps, the lack of said eye. Over the winter holidays Grendal and I made ornaments. He made one and held it up asking, "Do you know what this is?" I took one look at it and recognized the shape. "Odin's eye?" All I got was a smile of confirmation. There was no detail to the eye; it was just the basic shape of one, without the pupil or the iris. We placed it on the altar as a reminder of the sacrifice Odin had made to gain knowledge.
Out of all my searching I couldn't find other symbols/icons that people said belonged to Odin or ones that jumped out at me saying as much. People have pointed at certain runes as belonging to Odin but that could just be a modern take on it. While Odin brought us the rune and they can be a symbol of his all together, I'm not sure about one particular rune being his and his alone.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
30 Days of Devotion- Day 2
How did you become first aware of this deity?
I'm not sure if this question is referring to how I became aware of Odin in general or as a deity that I was going to follow. I suppose I could cover both.
Growing up I was always interested in mythology. It was mainly the Greek/Roman stories and some Hawai'ian tales but I had a healthy appetite for it. At some point I did come across Norse myths but I can't remember exactly when. Thinking back on it, it seems like the Norse deities have always been in my mind but I know that isn't necessarily true. I guess I just can't think of a time when they weren't there. Even through college the Norse myths weren't much of a big thing to anyone. I took a religions of the world course and they were just barely mentioned. Though I do take pride in being the only one to pick up on the instructor's vague description of Loki. He was rather shocked as well.
Odin did approach me early in high school but I don't think I was ready for it. I believe I mentioned this in a previous post but I'll give a quick summary here. While sitting on the back porch chatting on the phone, two LARGE black birds settled into the yard. They were two big to crows and I knew just enough about hawks and the like to know that these two weren't that. They walked together, not bothering to peck at the ground, and came towards me. Halfway through the yard I freaked out and went back inside. At that point in my life I hadn't thought about deities choosing a person or anything other than the basic Triple Goddess and Hunter God in Wicca.
It's been within in the last two years that I've embraced the Norse deities. I had, I believe, confused Thor with another deity that dealt with lightning and thunder but things were soon set straight. When searching for a deity to connect with I honestly didn't bother with Odin. I wanted someone else. Maybe Thor, Heimdalr, or Sif. I even wore Mjolnir for some time, but Thor wasn't the fit for me it seemed. Odin, though, began to send more and more signs my way. Crows constantly being seen and heard on my walks to work was the biggest thing.
I suppose what really solidified EVERYTHING was finding two crow feathers. Not at the same time but in the same spot days apart. Out of the many weeks of walking the same path over the course of a year I had never seen any bird feathers laying across the sidewalk. On these occasions I found a single black feather. It was just sitting there. Honestly I continued to walk past it, both times, but something made me stop and retrieve it. They were placed on my altar and I think that was the beginning of my wandering with Odin.
The altar is for all but he has images of himself and Huginn and Muninn. He is the one that brought me home.
I'm not sure if this question is referring to how I became aware of Odin in general or as a deity that I was going to follow. I suppose I could cover both.
Growing up I was always interested in mythology. It was mainly the Greek/Roman stories and some Hawai'ian tales but I had a healthy appetite for it. At some point I did come across Norse myths but I can't remember exactly when. Thinking back on it, it seems like the Norse deities have always been in my mind but I know that isn't necessarily true. I guess I just can't think of a time when they weren't there. Even through college the Norse myths weren't much of a big thing to anyone. I took a religions of the world course and they were just barely mentioned. Though I do take pride in being the only one to pick up on the instructor's vague description of Loki. He was rather shocked as well.
Odin did approach me early in high school but I don't think I was ready for it. I believe I mentioned this in a previous post but I'll give a quick summary here. While sitting on the back porch chatting on the phone, two LARGE black birds settled into the yard. They were two big to crows and I knew just enough about hawks and the like to know that these two weren't that. They walked together, not bothering to peck at the ground, and came towards me. Halfway through the yard I freaked out and went back inside. At that point in my life I hadn't thought about deities choosing a person or anything other than the basic Triple Goddess and Hunter God in Wicca.
It's been within in the last two years that I've embraced the Norse deities. I had, I believe, confused Thor with another deity that dealt with lightning and thunder but things were soon set straight. When searching for a deity to connect with I honestly didn't bother with Odin. I wanted someone else. Maybe Thor, Heimdalr, or Sif. I even wore Mjolnir for some time, but Thor wasn't the fit for me it seemed. Odin, though, began to send more and more signs my way. Crows constantly being seen and heard on my walks to work was the biggest thing.
I suppose what really solidified EVERYTHING was finding two crow feathers. Not at the same time but in the same spot days apart. Out of the many weeks of walking the same path over the course of a year I had never seen any bird feathers laying across the sidewalk. On these occasions I found a single black feather. It was just sitting there. Honestly I continued to walk past it, both times, but something made me stop and retrieve it. They were placed on my altar and I think that was the beginning of my wandering with Odin.
The altar is for all but he has images of himself and Huginn and Muninn. He is the one that brought me home.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
30 Days of Deity Devotion
I've always kinda eyeballed these '30 Days of -' ideas and posts, wondering if there was something out there that would pop up for me. Wandering through tumblr I found one such thing: 30 Days of Deity Devotion. I liked the idea and it will do two things: help my focus on the Deity and have me post here more often. It'll start some good habits! :D So, here goes nothing!
Day 1: A brief introduction of the deity
Well, Odin is one of the major deities in Norse mythology, some going as far to say he is the chief deity. He is the ruler of the Aesir. Odin is a god of war, knowledge, death, poetry, divination, magic, and wisdom. He brought us the runes, after he hung himself as sacrifice for this knowledge. Odin also sacrificed an eye to Mimir so he may drink from Mimir's well, the water bestowing upon him much of his wisdom.
He is known by many names, many common and others listed in Grimnismol, Skaldskaparmal, and the Gylfiginning, among others. The following are but a few of what He has been called:
All-father
Val-father- Father of the Slain
Omi- The Shouter
Oski- God of Wishes
Fjolnir/Fiolni- The Many-Shaped
Gangleri/Ganglari- The Traveler or Wanderer
Harbarth/Harbard- Greybeard
Vofuth/Vafud- The Wanderer
Odin has two ravens, Huginn(thought) and Muninn(memory) which sit on his shoulder. These two are set out each day and after going over the world they return and relay to him their findings. He rides the eight legged horse Sleipnir, one of the children of Loki. Two wolves, Geri and Freki, sit beside Odin, taking food that is offered to the god because Mead is both food and drink to him.
He weilds the spear Gungnir.
He is a traveler and he wanders the worlds, usually dressed in a wide brimmed hat, a grey cloak, and a walking staff.
Day 1: A brief introduction of the deity
Well, Odin is one of the major deities in Norse mythology, some going as far to say he is the chief deity. He is the ruler of the Aesir. Odin is a god of war, knowledge, death, poetry, divination, magic, and wisdom. He brought us the runes, after he hung himself as sacrifice for this knowledge. Odin also sacrificed an eye to Mimir so he may drink from Mimir's well, the water bestowing upon him much of his wisdom.
He is known by many names, many common and others listed in Grimnismol, Skaldskaparmal, and the Gylfiginning, among others. The following are but a few of what He has been called:
All-father
Val-father- Father of the Slain
Omi- The Shouter
Oski- God of Wishes
Fjolnir/Fiolni- The Many-Shaped
Gangleri/Ganglari- The Traveler or Wanderer
Harbarth/Harbard- Greybeard
Vofuth/Vafud- The Wanderer
Odin has two ravens, Huginn(thought) and Muninn(memory) which sit on his shoulder. These two are set out each day and after going over the world they return and relay to him their findings. He rides the eight legged horse Sleipnir, one of the children of Loki. Two wolves, Geri and Freki, sit beside Odin, taking food that is offered to the god because Mead is both food and drink to him.
He weilds the spear Gungnir.
He is a traveler and he wanders the worlds, usually dressed in a wide brimmed hat, a grey cloak, and a walking staff.
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