Odin the All Father

As our people spread across Europe (and then the world at large) and founded new cultures and empires we have worshiped different aspects of Odin and by different names depending on the language, culture, and interpretation of the tribe.

We call the Chief of our Gods by his Scandinavian name, “Odin” because it is his most recognizable name to modern people and one which is used in some of our most well preserved historic religious texts.

Odin (in Old Norse Óðinn, Old English and Old Saxon Woden, Old High German Wuotan, Wotan or Wodan, Proto-Germanic *Woðanaz, ‘Master of Ecstasy’) is a complicated god who combines many contradictory qualities. There are known around 200 of his acronyms, called heiti in Old Norse, which are poetic names that describe his various character attributes. He is the ruler of all the Æsir and the title, “All Father” is in honor of his supremacy, He Reigns from his Throne Hlidskjálf from where He sees and listens over all the realms. He is also a mirror of the Germanic Chieftain of the Migration Age who is the common ancestor of all Men and Women of Germanic blood and lineage.

Odin is Chief of the Aesir, who brought order to the cosmos from the primordial chaos and created our world. Odin is known to journey among our people and worlds; often in disguise as the Grim and the Wanderer, largely in search of knowledge, primarily in an attempt to stave off Ragnarok (the inevitable doom of Gods and men). Odin has gained much knowledge during these travels having sacrificed his own eye for knowledge (One-Eye) but is not omnipotent (often in our lore specifically traveling and risking much to gain knowledge from “beyond the veil” (Hel/underworld) thus Hel-Blind). Odin is known to resort to tricks and magic as well as the knowledge of sacred runes (Spell-Caster) and even to accept the punishment for violations of moral law (Evil-Doer) in his quest.

He is all powerful in both Might and Magic and is a master of a wide range of skills including poetry, seduction, wealth building, travelling, and warfare. His wide brimmed hat hides his missing eye that he plucked out of His socket in his search for wisdom and knowledge. He hung from the world tree Yggdrasil to learn the Runes and their secrets. He is flanked by two wolves Geri and Freki who represent greed and voracious hunger - His conquering warrior aspect, and two ravens Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) who are His Wise and Wandering aspect. These animals follow Him as he rides upon Sleipnir on his search for Knowledge and Wisdom which seems to be His great motivation.

Odin is known to grant victory to his chosen and to collect the souls of dead warriors who then train in preparation for the final battle that awaits Gods and men at Ragnarok (Victory-Father, War-ready). Odin is the progenitor of our people (All-Father) both in creation of life (with his brothers Vili and Ve) and our culture (through his son Rig/Heimdall). Odin delights in war and the martial endeavors of men, the best of whom he chooses to join his Einherjar (the chosen warriors who inhabit Valhalla; those worthy lesser

warriors (and non-combatants) inhabit the less martially themed realms of other Gods such as ‘Folkvangr” the blessed meadow of Freya). In search of, and willingness to sacrifice for, “forbidden” knowledge Odin famously hung himself as a sacrifice on Yggdrasil (“The World Tree”) a representation of crux of all reality, there he hung and suffered for 9 days and nights (Rope-Rider, Hanged-God).

He is the stirrer of Strife between enemies, He is the source of inspiration, He will bring you to great heights and (sometimes) will strike you down in order to push you to your limits and strengthen you. The Odinic Path is a hard one but the reward is great. In short, if your life gets harder after heeding the All-Father’s call, it is because you are loved and are called to great work.

”I know that I hung

on the windswept tree

for nine full nights,

wounded with a spear

and given to Odin,

myself to myself;

on that tree,

of which no man knows

of what roots it runs

...

I peered downward,

I grasped the runes,

screeching I grasped them;

I fell back from there

...

I learned nine mighty songs.”

Odin Speaks of Learning the Runes, 

-Havamal