My First Blot

My first Blot was also my first spiritual experience. To understand how it touched my life you must understand where I come from. I was raised in a strictly Southern Baptist household. My parents raised my siblings and me with strong morals and values, but they also moulded us into Christians. I never felt close to the Christian doctrine. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to be so weak and submissive. I didn't want to be a servant or a sheep. So through my life I have known religion but not spirituality.

I walked into the small room the unit chaplain provided for our Odinist gathering. It was the first time in Beto One history that an Odinist service had occurred. When I entered the room I encountered a smiling radiant White woman, and I felt an automatic closeness to her. As the rest of my brothers came into the room my heart filled with pride. We'd finally accomplished the worship service we had been trying for. As we all got settled Miss Laurel, this wonderful teacher, had nothing but kind and uplifting things to say. She did not treat us like we were trash and criminals. She treated us as her kith and kin.

When the Blot started I felt something stirring in my soul that I had never felt before. I felt as if I was where I belonged. I felt as if my blood were saying, "You are finally home." As the Blot progressed I saw that my kinsmen were feeling the same way. There were no inhibitions amongst us. There was a warm comforting presence with us. My hands started shaking and my eyes teared up. I felt a strong feeling of contentment. We wanted to perform the ceremony in the correct way. It was as if my ancestors were there with me saying, "we are here with you, everything we know is passed to you."

Odinism is the religion of the Folk; I have no doubt of that. There is no greater closeness than kinsmen who have worshipped together. Our Folk need a common bond and Odinism is it. We will overcome the problems that face the Folk with unity amongst us, and our unity will come as the Folk discover Odinism.

I am not the only one here that felt this way during the Blot. As a matter of fact everyone I've talked to who was there has said the same thing; it was something they would never forget. To say my first Blot was a success would be an understatement. It was a life changing experience and I am grateful to all those who made it possible.

Abraham Bragg
Beto One
October 30, 2004