Woden is the leader
of the Wild Hunt. Woden is from wod "violently insane" + -en "headship".
If
men can accept their female side as Odin/Woden did, women can surely accept their
male side. This day is the "hump day" or "half past the week day." It is a day of
balancing physically, mentally and spiritually.
You
can accept Odin/Woden as the All-father and the Omnipotent God when you
realize that he became more balanced by accepting the intuitiveness, emotions,
sensitivity and the wisdom of women. He also considered Frija/Frigg as his equal and
consulted her on all important matters. Her advise always weighed heavily in his
decisions. Women in Norse mythology, although not as much is written about them as
men, were considered equal with men in property, warring, and decisions.
Romanization (getting conquered by the Romans) changed the status of women later
on. We are still healing from the effects of the Romanization!
Leader of the Aesir.
Odin had a myriad of names including Allfather, Ygg, Bolverk [evil doer],
and Grimnir. He also had many functions including being a god of war, poetry, wisdom, and
death. His halls were called Gladsheim Valaskjalf and Valhalla. Odin's high seat, Hlidskialf, was
in Valaskjalf. It was from this throne that he could see over all the world. Valhalla is where he
gathered his portion of the slain warriors, Einheriar, whom the valkyries had chosen.
The valkyries would
serve mead which forever flowed from the udder of Odin's goat, Heidrun.
They also served the warriors meat that came from the boar Saehrimnir, which the cook
Andhrimnir would prepare for eating by boiling it in the cauldron Eldhrimnir. The boar magically
came back to life before the next meal. After eating, the warriors would go outside the hall and
fight each other to the death. They were, of course, brought back to life before the next feast.
All of this fighting was practice for when Odin would lead the Einheriar in the final battle,
Ragnarok.
Odin had a spear
named Grungir which never missed its mark and a bow which unleashed ten
arrows with every pull. He also owned a magic ring called Draupnir which created nine of itself
every night. It was this ring that Odin laid on his son Balder's funeral pyre and which Balder
returned to Odin from the underworld. Another one of Odin's prized possesions was his
wonderful steed named Sleipnir which had eight legs.
The horse was the
offspring of Loki, who in mare form seduced a giant's horse named
Svadilfari. Sleipnir could travel to the underworld and through the air. Odin also had two
wolves, Geri and Freki, and two ravens, Hugin [thought] and Munin [memory]. He sent his
ravens out every day to gather knowledge for him.
Odin sacrificed
himself for knowledge by hanging on the world tree, Yggdrasil, which means
Ygg's horse. Ygg is a name for Odin and horse is a metaphor for the gallows. He thereby
learns the runes. Another sacrifice he made for wisdom was his eye. He gave it up in order to
drink from the Well of Mimir which bestowed great knowledge. Because of this, he is typically
depicted as having one eye. He is also depicted as wearing a cloak, being old, having a long
grey beard, and wearing a wide brimmed hat down low over his face to conceal his one-eyed
visage.
Odin was destined
to die at Ragnarok; Fenris-Wolf swallowed him. Knowing his fate, he still
chose to embrace it and do battle. Showing the true warrior ethic. He was the god of warriors
and kings, not the common man. Many heroes genealogies start with Odin, including Sigurd.
His name is not found in many place names and therefore it is believed that not many people
worshipped him. He was thought to be a traitorous god, as shown in the sagas, who would
strike down a warrior at his whim.
1. Schedule
