Tag Archive for: gods and goddesses

Maturing

By James W AOR The path for most of us, takes us on very different routes and sometimes it is not the easiest route to take. As a matter of fact it is usually full of many speed bumps for all of us. Sometimes the Norns weave a web for us that tests our spirits, our hearts and our commitment to the Gods and Goddesses which will push us to find our own ways. Steadfastness, the ability to stay focused and a good dose of stubbornness is needed in every Odinist that is working to further the awakening of the folk spirit.

Labels

By Laurel Owen-Scutari I had a stranger email me, wondering whether I was Odinic or Pagan. This person did not even bother to introduce themselves. Are people becoming more rude, or are those of us in the public eye subject to personal questions out of the blue from strangers? I’m not sure. It made me cranky, and not just because of the intrusion and lack of manners. It made me cranky because last year some guy in the Texas prison system who has been writing me for years suddenly decided I was no longer Odinic. He cited the fact I don’t follow the Odinic Rite calendar to the letter, and that I celebrate May Eve, which proves out I’m a pagan, and worthy of sudden distrust. Wow.

Tafl: The Game of the Gods

By Mark Puryear The game of Tafl, “Tables,” or Hnefatafl, “King’s Tables,” is an ancient pastime that was played by our ancestors as far back as 400 AD, until it was superseded by chess around 1000 A.D.

Exploring the Blot – Part 2: The Sacred Verse

,
In ancient societies poetry was an incredibly important factor of religious expression, especially in Teutonic Europe where Skaldic and Eddic art forms were highly valued and praised among the folk. In fact, every piece of lore that has survived from the pre-Christian era in this region was written in verse. Therefore, it would be safe to say that this practice was also used in the writing of prayers (boenar) and blotar as well. When we consider the fact that the Hindus, our Indo-European cousins, have retained their sacred verse forms and meters (Anustup, Mahapadapunkti, etc.) in liturgical hymns and prayers for thousands of years, it is easy to see that the same would have been the case for us, had it not been for the Christian invasions.

Exploring the Blot – Part 1

,
By Mark Puryear The word “blot” is an Old Norse term designating a sacrifice or offering. It is etymologically linked to English “blood”, which was its original meaning; since in ancient times animal and even human sacrifices were performed to the Gods and Goddesses, with their blood being a central object of observance. This may be shocking to some, but what many should know is that every race in every land on earth has practiced some form of blood sacrifice at one time or another..

The Solitary Path

By Mike P AOR I do not know the true figures, but I would hazard a guess that about 80% of the Odinic Rite membership celebrates its religion in a solitary manner. Which means that for the vast majority of us Blot and Sumbel are simply not going to happen – we have no-one with whom to share such occasions, no-one we can join in prayer or practice. Or have we?

Folk Spirit – A Compilation of Odinist Artists

Folk Spirit Cover Front

We are very proud to announce the release of our first CD, a compilation of music by members and friends of the Odinic Rite.

The compilation is a showcase containing a variety of genres from Odinist around the world.

Fylgie

,
Our Odinic ancestors taught that each of us has a guardian who cares for us and gives us warning of danger and help in times of distress. They called this spirit the Fylgie.

Nature Spirits

,
Our pagan ancestors and the pagan peoples of every race believed that all things upon the Earth led life. Trees and plants, crystals and rocks, streams and springs of water, mountains, islands, animals and human beings, all were seen as live and conscious individuals, capable of thought and movement and of interaction with each other.

Yggdrasil – The Tree of Life and Death

,
The multiversal concept of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, has been touched on many times elsewhere. The material presented here is a drawing together of these threads, weaving them into a composite picture.

Vidar

,
We see, in the old myths, that Vidar appears at the time of the last battle. He is a son of Odin and avenges his father's death by slaying Fenris Wolf.

Loki

,
It is incorrect, although a prevalent concept among Odinists, to equate Loki with the Judeo-Christian devil, that odd concept of a totally evil force that yet does the dirty work for a supposedly total good force. Loki is not the devil.