Knowledge of the Lore is a beautiful thing, but grasping and living according to the wisdom of the Lore is radiant like the light from one thousand suns.

When you can take the lessons rather than the words and apply them to your life, you are accepting the greatest light of the Gods possible in Midgard.

Take a moment right now to stop. Close your eyes and steady your mind. Focus on listing out all the great things about yourself, things you have been given by the Gods, achievements you have reached, people of exceptional quality that surround you and enrich your life, means and sustenance you possess. Think on just how rich you are in the blessings of the Gods. Bask in the light of that realization and enjoy the bliss they have given you.

Óðins nǫfn | Odin's Names
Complete

Nú skal yppa
nǫfnum Óðins:
Atríðr, Auðun,
ok Aldafǫðr,
Gizurr, Kjalarr,
Gautr, Viðrímnir,
Gollurr, Grímnir,
Ginnarr, Hnikuðr.

Now shall I reckon
Odin's names:
The One Riding to Attack, Friend of Wealth,
and Father of Men and Ages,
Inciteful One, Keel,
Gaut, The One with Rhymes,
Heart, Masked One,
Intoxicator and Deceiver, Nick of the Waves.

Fjǫlnir, Dresvarpr,
Fengr, Arnhǫfði,
Fráríðr, Alfǫðr 
ok Farmatýr,
Herjan, Fjǫlsviðr,
Hnikarr, Fornǫlvir,
Hroptr, Hjalmberi,
Hárr, Fjallgeiguðr.

He Who is Many, Babble Remover,
Profit, Eagle-Headed,
One Riding Forth, Allfather,
and Tyr of Cargoes,
Lord of Hosts, Very Wise,
Nicks' Ruler, Ancient Ulvir,
Prophet/Caller, Helm Bearer,
High One, Fell Wanderer.

Grímr, Gapþrosnir,
Gangráðr, Svipall,
Glapsviðr, Ganglér,
ok Gangleri,
Herteitr, Hárbarðr,
ok Hroptatýr,
Geiguðr, Gǫllnir,
ok Geirlǫðnir.

Mask, Maker of Bold Speech,
Journey Counsel, Changeable,
Blunder Wise, Wanderer,
and Way-Weary,
Host Happy, Hoary Beard,
and Calling Tyr,
Wanderer, Yeller,
and Spear Inviter.

Hléfǫðr, Hávi, 
Hagyrkr, Sviðuðr,
Síðhǫttr, Sváfnir,
Sigfǫðr, Þrasarr,
Hrami, Hjarrandi,
ok Hengikeptr, 
Hrosshársgrani,
Hrjóðr, Tvíblindi.

Shelter Father, One-Eyed,
Skilled Worker, Burner/Destroyer,
Hat-Hidden, Sleep Bringer,
Sige Father, Quarreler,
Clutcher, Great Bard,
and Hanging Jaw,
He that Speaks through Horses,
Defeater, Twice-Blind.

Þroptr, Helblindi,
ok Herjafǫðr,
Hvatmóðr, Hléfreyr,
Hveðrungr, Þriði,
Gǫllungr, Bileygr,
ok Geirǫlnir,
Váfuðr, Valfǫðr,
Vingnir, ok Rǫgnir.

Quarreler, Helblinder,
and Harrying Father,
Manliness, Shelter Lord,
Witch's Companion, Third,
Shrieker, Time-Telling Eyed,
and Spear-Armed,
Shifting One, Slain Father,
Favor Bestower, and Reigning One.
Sviðurr ok Skollvaldr, 
Siggautr ok Viðurr,
Sviðrir, Báleygr,
Sigðir, Brúni,
Sigmundr, Svǫlnir,
Síðskeggr ok Njótr,
Ǫlgr, Biflindi,
ok Ennibrattr.

Wise One and Wielder of Deceit,
Victory Gaut, and Challenger,
Destroyer, Bale-eyed,
Sickle Bearer, Brown One,
Hand of Victory, Chilling One,
Long Beard, and User/Enjoyer,
Ox, Weapon Shaker,
and High Browed One.

Bǫlverkr, Eylúðr,
Brúnn, Sanngetall,
Þekkr, Þuðr, Ómi,
Þundr ok Ófnir,
Uðr, Jólnir, Vakr,
Jalkr ok Langbarðr,
Grímr ok Loðungr,
Gestumblindi.

Worker of Misfortune and Misfortune's Pain, The Island Embracing Sea,
Brown One, Truth Obtainer,
Beloved, Thin One, Resounding One, The One that Stretched Forth, and Slithering One,
Sea and Fate, Yuler, Watchful,
Tame Horse, and Long Beard, Masked One, and Skin Wearer,
Blind Guest.

Sigtryggr, Jǫrmunr,
Saðr, Gunnblindi,
Jafnhár, Óski,
Jólfǫðr ok Þrór,
Ýrungr, Skilfingr,
Óðinn, Tveggi,
Veratýr, Sigþrór,
Valgautr ok Yggr.

Sure of Victory, Great One,
Truth, He that Blinds Men in Battle,
Just as High, Wish Granter,
Yule Father, and Obstinate One,
He of the Yew, Son of Skelfir,
Master and Source of Divine Inspiration (Wóde/Óðr), Twofold,
Tyr of Men, He that Perseveres towards Victory,
Goth (Producer) of the Chosen Slain, and Dread One.

‐-----------------------------------

This concludes our cursory study of the thula. If you study this with sincerity, devotion, humility, and perseverance you will bring yourself closer to the light of the Allfather.

*You can find notes by following the hashtags to past posts.
#Odin #Thula #OdinsNames

Odin's Victory Chant

In my studies I found a stanza from Ragnarsdrápa which bears a poetic reference I really admired and thought I'd share.

"All the army of the control-elf [RULER = Högni (?)] went forward quickly, enraged, from the ground of Reifnir [SEA], from the sea, beneath unwavering hurdles of Hjarrandi <= Óðinn> [SHIELDS].”

Hjarrandi, as covered in the past here, is a name which is best translated as "Great Bard" and ties into a motif of one that is able to sing so well that he can sway the emotions of anyone that listens and in our tradition here can be seen as the epitome of the warrior poet in a more mythical sense.

The stanza refers to shields as the "hurdles of the Great Bard." A hurdle refers to a sort of makeshift barrier comparable to the walls made in gardens out of branches like a dead hedge or a wattle.

The line calls to mind both Germania by Tacitus and Havamal which refer to Odin singing beneath the warriors' shields to declare whose side He grants victory to.

"They also have the well-known kind of chant that they call baritus. By the rendering of this they not only kindle their courage, but, merely by listening to the sound, they can forecast the issue of an approaching engagement. For they either terrify their foes or themselves become frightened, according to the character of the noise they make upon the battlefield; and they regard it not merely as so many voices chanting together but as a unison of valour. What they particularly aim at is a harsh, intermittent roar; and they hold their shields in front of their mouths, so that the sound is amplified into a deeper crescendo by the reverberation."

- Germania

"For the eleventh I know,
if I have to lead
my ancient friends to battle,
under their shields I sing,
and with power they go
safe to the fight,
safe from the fight;
safe on every side they go."

- Havamal

Here we have a further reference calling to mind that belief that He could sing bravery into His victors of choice and terror into those chosen to die, for as the warriors all sing beneath their shields His voice can be discerned coming from one side or another in union with the voices of those destined to win.

This concludes our, relatively speaking, cursory study of the thula. Study of the thula is a great way to broaden one's understanding of and connection to the High One and I advise you to continue your study of it. I personally recite (thyle) the thula with regularity in practice as a "mantra" if you will.

I will write a follow up post with a summarized and standardized version of it in full for convenience and have plans for a greater work in the future (hopefully sometime this year).

“Hail to the Allfather,
Auðun, Fimbulthyle,
Galing God, Great Bard
Wolf’s Foe, and Wóden,
I wish wisdom for this Folk.
Wóden will us on.
Wóden will our words.
Wóden will great deeds."

Tveggi means "Twofold," and appears in a stanza of Sonatorrek from Egil Skallagrimsson worth quoting:

“All has proved difficult for me to bear;
the Sister of Njörvi,
Twofold’s foe,
stands upon the ness.
Yet gladly shall I
Hel's calling abide
with good welcome
and dauntless in bearing.”

Egil's sons have died and left him in a truly sorrowful state with no male heir. Odin has blessed him with the gift of exceptional poetry, but has snatched his sons from him as well.

Egil has reaped a great reward and sustained a great loss from the same source, for as Snorri tells us, Odin in the end takes those in death back to Him. Odin has shown the twofold character of material life which consists of give and take as necessary for the maintenance and order of all and stands at the head of this order.

• Reposting with corrections

"Þá nam ek frævask
ok fróðr vera
ok vaxa ok vel hafask,
orð mér af orði
orðs leitaði,
verk mér af verki
verks leitaði."

"Then I perceived how I had blossomed,
and was becoming wise,
and had grown and prospered,
word after word came forth from me,
deed after deed came forth from me."

- Hávamál 141

*Notes:

The word frævask is the past tense of fræva which means "to bear fruit, blossom, fertilize, multiply," and is used here to connote how Odin via His fasting and self-sacrifice had attained a higher state of being. He had been initiated and thus left a "lower state of existence" to enter into a "higher state of existence." This does not mean He ever truly was low, but means He leads by example for us to follow in His footsteps. Via hard work, sincerity, and self-sacrifice (sacrifice of the false ego as the Vedic Tradition puts it) we can move from the mundane to a "more fruitful existence" having come to discover our innermost self and reality.

The word leitaði holds the meanings of "sought, searched, enquired, examined," and is used in this tongue twisting stanza to connote that after initiation he began to blossom in His entirety. Every word yielded another word as he became wise and able to speak well and true in the highest sense. Every deed yielded another deed as he became active in the highest sense. He ceased all mundane existence in speech and action (including lack of speech and lack of action as Havamal speaks negatively of many times). He began to speak and act with the highest capacity in a way heroes do that seem to have the Gods walking right next to them and guiding them every step of the way. They always gain the glory, the honor, and achieve what they set out to do no matter how daunting to the mundane world.

He shows us the path to that one goal of all religions worldwide, enlightenment. Becoming entirely connected to the Gods and Their will.

Wordlore

wíhe
(alternate spelling of wia*)

"to hallow"

Ex. "Ásathor wíhe this home."

"I have finished wíhing the home."

"I wíhed the home."

Stemming from Proto Germanic wīhijaną of the same meaning. The word is cognate with Old Norse vígja* often used in the formula "Þórr vígi" meaning "Thor hallow."

Some people like to use the term weoh for this meaning, but that word has always been a noun and never been used to denote a verb. This is why I have provided this proposed correct form. You can say "this space is weoh" but you cannot say "I weohed the space" just as you can't say "I holyed the space." It is important for us to look back at the past and get a clear picture before we can move forward. Otherwise we are no better than the marxists claiming homosexuality is pleasing to the Gods. We need a foundation to build upon if we want something strong and true.

Now, in Old English the Proto Germanic word mentioned came down with an added element yielding fulwian, but held a similar meaning plus "to baptize." The other West Germanic cognates did not have the ful- element added but simply maintained that wia usage with variations of spelling and sometimes keeping the ending yielding wihen. In modern German the word remains as weihen (found as a verb and also in the name weihnachten) and in modern Dutch the word remains as wijden.

Upcoming Holy Tides: Yule - about January 24th, 2024 (modern Wolf Moon) Easter, Sigrblót - about April 22nd, 2024 (modern Pink Moon) Time Reckoning: Some useful terminology which is in line with tradition and used here is: Filling Moon (Waxing Moon)…

What are the Runes?

The Runes are tools with which man can perceive, understand, and work with greater mysteries otherwise imperceptible and are also the mysteries themselves. They act as a gateway between the subconscious and conscious, the earthly and the cosmic, the mortal and the immortal, and allow man access to otherwise inaccessible knowledge, wisdom, and power through their understanding.

They can be used to divine the future, to harness energy, to understand elements of life itself, and even simply to write. The beauty of the Runes is that they have a use and appeal to people of all levels. Just as there are a multitude of ways to reach the highest goal in life, so too are there a multitude of methods with which to use the Runes. “As Above, So Below.”

We see them in all the elements, hear them resonating through all things, and feel them with every heartbeat deep within. They are the eternal, everlasting words of the High One. As a father speaks to his son, so does the Allfather speak to us through a means exponentially more potent than simple words. These are the mysteries, the teachings of the highest order direct from the mouth of the High One, these are the Runes.