Odin – Most Prominent
Picture: Pollyanna Jones. Taken from the book “Gods of the Germanic Peoples”.
A rather humorous view as to why Odin should be honored
in our world as the most prominent god.
Transcript and translation of a talk I gave in 2017 and 2018 in German and Dutch
The title of this talk expresses it already so well, yes, this lecture is about Odin, the God whom we know from many works as the highest divine leader of the Viking gods. Allfather of gods and humans of the Norse peoples of the Viking Age, probably already some time before that Era, up to the Christian conversion of northern Europe. Certainly, he still has that position for many men and women who today feel themselves Asatru or Germanic pagan.
Already here, so, quite preliminary, I apologize if I occasionally slightly digress from the topic, but I promise that I will come back again every time to the topic … Well, anyway, I will try. That should, indeed, succeed, on the whole, because it was me myself who wrote this text … that fact, undoubtedly, is a big help.
The number of those who, worldwide, believe today in Odin and worship him, is vanishingly small, statistically, they not even appear on the world’s population – but that seems wrong.
Because, although the number of those worshipers is small indeed, this God seems omnipresent in our society. From the many hundreds of examples that can testify that, I would like to mention and show you only a good handful of them. Examples, which are not simply fantasizing, no, they all exist in reality.
Examples, which are clear evidence for Odin’s almost global presence – yes, they are actually so clear, because Odin does not conceal at all his acting in our world. He every time uses openly his name, so, that everyone immediately can recognize him. For Odin has deeply taken root in many areas of our society – evil tongues even claim, he already has taken hold in our world.
After you will have seen the following examples, I have to admit, that they have become a bit more than just a handful, it may then also have become clear to all of you, that there is a worldwide urgent need to educate people about Odin. Certainly, Norse mythology would get a main place in such an education. But those myths are here and now less part of the intellectual menu. Because, I have offered already that in another way. More about that at the end of this lecture.
Let me begin then now with Odin’s current activities, actually, the terms transactions, companies or businesses would match much better. That will be demonstrated in the Internet presences that were found.
It is often said that money makes the world. If Odin indeed would get involved in this world, then, almost naturally, he must be really prominent in financial or monetary transactions. Because, it is too hard to imagine Odin without his claim for leadership. And indeed, it only needed a short search and see …… Odin actually deals with investments:
Whoever buys or sells stocks while being a worshiper of Odin, should seriously consider a stocks-ritual dedicated to Odin, which possibly could useful for better results. It is also quite conceivable, that Odin sometimes gives a good insider tip to his worshipers concerning stock dealings. If you did such and it actually helped, then I really would appreciate some secret feedback. At least, I too would like to improve my little pension a little.
Yes, Odin even is operating in the field of the combination of energy and stocks, because this is likely the most powerful division of the ‘money-industry’. So, of course, his presence there is obviously.
First, showing his activity in energy,
Then, a German page in which is shown that Odin Energy stocks can be sold or bought.
The German words “Odin Energy Aktie” means: Odin Energy stock or share.
At both pictures it is shown, that the head office of that company is in Australia. Admittedly, far away, but because very many people live there who are descended from Europeans, that Exodus to Australia has simultaneously expanded Odin’s sphere of influence. Since at that continent, as actually all over the world, sometimes a rainbow can be seen, Odin and all the other Norse gods, while leisurely strolling over that Rainbow Bridge, practically can go to any point at Midgard, our world, of which Australia is a part of. You surely know, that the rainbow is the bridge, called Bifröst which the gods use to walk to our world, Midgard.
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Mobile phones, especially smartphones, have become meanwhile essential for global communication. Then, of course, we should not just expect, but even be sure, that Odin is involved in that business. It is almost needless to say, that our expectations and knowledge are confirmed. Odin has developed software for smartphones. The download page of the computer magazine called ‘Chip’ provides the free PC program ‘Odin’, so, that Android smartphones which are connected to a Windows computer can be handled and processed in many ways.
In his business operations here on earth, Odin thinks of his divine relatives and integrates some of them in few of his companies. In the just mentioned smartphone business he has integrated another Aesir god. That is shown at the same webpage, except for the Odin program, another tool is also offered:
And another website for software and smartphones recommends:
Yeah, OK, that only affects software for smartphones. But wait, even with the hardware, so with the production of the phones, this enterprising God is involved. Still, he is not a competitor of other smart phone manufacturers, no, no, Odin has a clear distinct social aim. With his smartphones he is focused at a small minority of the population:
So, mobile phones for the visually impaired people.
Being visually impaired myself, it may no wonder anyone ,that I became aware of such phones. But that is not all. From the Norse myths a clear indication exist, which makes it very evident, that Odin himself was interested in this market niche.
A sip of water from the well of the giant Mimir was so important for him, that he payed with one of his eyes for that drink. Since then, Odin walks around with only one eye. That is, you will understand, halfway of being blind. That might be also the reason, why Odin is the god of the blind and visually impaired. And today, you see, he still cares for those worshipers:
It is a matter of course, that Odin, with his special phones, also has an own Facebook page:
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And, actually, how could we expect anything else, Odin is present as well in the field of computers. He made, for instance, a free program that makes backups or mirrors of hard drives.
Again this social aspect – with this program Odin helps at least three-quarters of the computer owners to save their precious photos, letters, and many other data in backups, it even includes the operating system Microsoft Windows. Yet, please, do not ask me now, why this excellent service is not also made for Macintosh computers; perhaps, some of the gods have split up this branch into districts and for the Mac, perhaps the goddess Kali could be responsible.
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In this context, the famous Odin-PC should not be forgotten, offered at this example at Ebay:
Even almost from the beginning Odin participated in the computer industry. Before PCs came on the market, he had taken over a related company. Yes, he acquired an existing business that belonged to one of his sons. Why he did so, remains hidden. Some older people among us may remember the Commodore 64 and its opponent, the ZX Spectrum computer. Some years ago, Odin has founded anew that old company to, nostalgically, offer old computer games:
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Nowadays, the so-called Clouds become increasingly important. Computer data are not only, or no at all anymore stored on the local hard drive, but instead in those Clouds – large storage media on the Internet. It certainly has for the user great benefits – if one’s home burns down or explodes, the computer data are still safe on some super computer elsewhere. And Odin should not be Odin, if he would not get involved in this Cloud-thing.
People who use this Odin Cloud, in fact, all send voluntarily their private or business data to that place. That certainly is for Odin a welcome addition to the information collected by his message captors, the two ravens Hugin and Munin. Whether the data protection authorities, who certainly do not belong to the Odin-worshipers, are happy with that, is another matter. But Odin worshipers do not care about that, they completely trust in Odin.
By the way, who of you is looking for a job, Odin seeks in his cloud division some more human personnel:
For the supreme head of a polytheistic religion, it is self-evident, that for those jobs religious views and sentiments do not matter – Odin does not claim religious truth exclusively for himself.
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But also in other areas of our society Odin has lodged himself, even in simple household utensils. One example is his company “Odin products”. Some of the products Odin offers there are:
Especially, one of those Odin tools I found very useful myself, because every Autumn, I get delicious walnuts from friends for free.
In a figurative sense, it may be clear to us, that for Odin no nut is too hard to crack.
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Today, it seems, that almost all medium and large companies require consultants, who write detailed reports about problems in the company. Problems, that often have been identified and reported before by many other common workers, but their reports are as often ignored, because they are no consultants. Of course, Odin knows this, and therefore, he founded in the German city of Hamburg his consulting company ‘Dr. Odin’:
Yes, Yes, ‘Doctor’ Odin!
Of course I would like to know which university has awarded this title to Odin. Well, after only searching briefly, I spotted that. Odin indeed has found a brilliant and divine solution, because he simply had founded his own university, a virtual university. And he trains his own staff to his needs.
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Our educational journey continues … the world is big. Our world does not just exists of events, but also of images, and, naturally, Odin is involved in that sector with his own company in graphical design:
This should, of course, not surprise us. After all, from mythology, we know Odin as the patron of the fine arts … thus, he is already from time immemorial an authority, an expert, probably, he is also a good graphic designer himself.
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As a matter of course, Odin has also thrown his eye on the tourist industry, and meanwhile also participated in it. He knows, that, today, we need time to relax and recreation in our hurried lives:
It says, translated:
Welcome at the North Sea Island of Baltrum in the House Odin.
But not only in Germany, because many of us like to spend their holidays a little bit further away. And it again is evidence, that Odin has geographically expanded considerably his sphere of influence:
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We certainly should not leave out security companies. After all, many people consider Odin as an excellent tutelary god. And in the present day, security is no longer a matter of course, even here in our countries it is not. So, in this field of operation, he opened for our protection his own security service.
The text below the pictures makes it clear. It says, translated:
Protection and safety is our business.
Admittedly, Odin’s worshipers have a direct line to him and can ask for and rely on his protection without going to that company. But the rest of the people who follow other religions or none at all, can get Odin’s payed security service through this company.
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Because it is verified through the Old Norse sources, that Odin owns two palaces, it was naturally inevitable, that he also has gone into the business of real estate. Hence, no wonder, that he also has here his own company.
The text at the top of the picture reads, translated::
Odin real estate company
A company of the Mimir group
So, his web page clearly shows, that Odin is participating here the business group of his old pal Mimir – the giant and god of the fountain of wisdom, which is located near one of the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil. It could be well possible, that actually this was one of the first of Odin’s companies … he perhaps founded it, by following the advise of Mimir, like he did in the myths already so often. As then the business ran well, of course, he got appetite for more.
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Now, I will come to a delicate point in my presentation, at least for those, who prefer vegetarian or vegan food. Because, Odin has connected himself and his name to the hunt. It is said, he should be a very acceptable hunter himself. It is not for nothing, that he is often called the Wild Hunter. That he then sells hunting tools, should not be really be surprising. However, an insider perhaps could tell me, for what this product is used, sold by Odin hunting products.
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From the myths of the Edda, we know the magical ship Skidbladnir of the God Freyr, which can transport all the gods of Asgard, has always favorable wind in its sails, and can be folded to such a small package, that Freyr can carry it in a bag at his belt.
Apparently, Odin does not need Freyr’s magic ship, today, he has his own ship, as the website Odin Sailing attests:
The page in German, and here the translation:
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From ancient Norse sources we know, that in battle fallen warriors go to Valhalla, where they prepare for Ragnarök, in which they join the gods in battle, and for that, they practice and train every day. But the enemy is also in full training.
And don’t get mislead or confused by the name of a fantasy game; that is just camouflage. Who in our world has a lot of success, also gets a lot of enemies. So, as it is described in the myths, still today, Odin’s enemies are preparing for battle.
At this point, I really am a little curious, about who in this audience is two-faced; having the mouth full of venerating Odin, but secretly joining his enemies and have trained with them in this mocked game.
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Commodities, which are hidden in the ground, are still very important for us. For Odin too. If we bear in mind, that in the Old Norse myths about the gods, gold is very important and often appears there, then, it should not surprise us, that Odin is also involved in this field:
This activity of Odin may remember us of a stanza in the Völuspá, the first chapter of the Prose Edda, where a seeress tells about Gullveig, whose name is sometimes translated as “power of gold”. Gullveig was burned by the Aesir gods three times but each time she revived again. That stanza reads:
She remembers the war, the first in the world,
where they stabbed at Gullveig with many spears,
and in the hall of the High One,
they burned her body,
Three times burned, and three times born,
often, over again, yet, ever she lives.
The assumption exist, that the gods took such a drastic action, because they would pry away the power over gold of this goddess and have that themselves. Obviously, they failed. But because of this story, it is no wonder, that Odin in our days owns a goldmine.
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Without perfume and other fragrance products hardly any human act, deed, doing or whatever in our society, is done. Fragrances can seduce, and I have no doubt, that even in business negations, conferences or while dealing, fragrances are used to reach a favorable deal. Therefore, Odin could not get let off creating and presenting his own fragrance series on the market. The Odin – New York Unisex Fragrance series. An example here is the variety called ‘Sunda’:
And as you see on the left, this is just one of his fragrances, which is priced just € 140.
At the same webpage, after scrolling down, this piece of text is meant to recommend this ‘Sunda’ fragrance:
Impressive, isn’t it.
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With so many business activities, it is clear, that even Odin sometimes himself needs to relax, and, just for his pleasure, he has devoted himself to ball games and founded in the German city of Hanover a sports club:
There, he plays, at a whim either football, handball, basketball, rugby, volleyball and more.
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Beer is for many people in the world a drink, of which it is for them hardly imaginable to live without it. For some, it even has become their main food. Apart from the ethics, drinking a cool beer at a lazy summer evening is something I like. Anyway, Odin has gained his own brand of beer, of course in the beer country par excellence, Germany:
It is even brewed in a castle. Only, I was not able not determine, whether that castle was Gladsheim or Valaskjalf … the two castles he owns in Asgard. But, perhaps, he has specifically for this occasion, acquired a castle in Bavaria for this beer. In addition, I am really glad, that the term ‘Schloßbräu’ is printed at the bottles and not ‘Klosterbräu’ – Schloßbräu means: brewed in a castle, Klosterbräu means: brewed in a Monastery. The latter would have given me a lot to brood about.
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Sometimes it seems easy to get enticed, by ambiguous information, to get boggled. In this case, it could happen when you read about “Odin’s threesome” at this web page. Because here, it is pointing to three bottles of different mead.
Whether after drinking these bottles, that other erotic meaning is practiced, should the seller be asked, in this case the people from the website the picture is taken of. A site and shop I really can recommend, I was myself a few times in their shop in the German town Schleswig, and also placed orders through their website. They have excellent and delicious stuff.
There is a lot more such clear evidence, that Odin is manifesting himself in very many fields and areas in our society. It would not surprise me at all, if from all known and unknown gods Odin is with his current presence in our world, ranked first and foremost at unassailable distance. Therefore, everyone should know about him, what we know of him from history and mythology and what we think we actually know. Thus, now, a little bit is presented about the Odin Myths and even a bit of history.
The oldest reasonably secured sources about Odin come from the Viking Age, the time between the late 8th century up to mid 11th century. But at the Orkney islands exists the proof, that Odin already was known in the Stone Age. Because there, the Odin Stone is documented, a monolith which was likely erected in the 3rd millennium BCE on the Orkney isle of Mainland.
Anyway, I think, I may have made it clear, that it would be for each and everyone useful to know who is Odin as a god. Because our major written sources about him are of mythological nature, Odin’s role and position are usually explained by referring to those myths about the Norse people in the Viking Ages. Those main sources are the two Eddas, the ‘Gesta Danorum’ (which is translated as: The deeds of the Danes), the Norwegian book of Royals, called the Heimskringla, and many poems by the Skalds – Skalds were Norse bards, singers and storytellers.
From time to time, the stories about Odin in those works might be for orthodox worshipers sound like sacrilege. However, we should be aware, that the myths concerning Odin are no revelations. Certainly, Odin has not whispered his biography in the ear of the Christian author of the Prose Edda, in that case, those stories undoubtedly would have had very different content. In addition, the Norse Skalds first and foremost were be geared to amuse their audience – those listeners were mainly the upper classes of the population and the Skalds were stationed at the courts of Kings and other high nobles. I certainly would not put my shirt on it, or, to keep it in a mythological context, I would not hold my hand in the jaw of the Fenrir Wolf, that those songs of the Skalds would have been revelations which were passed to them by Odin in dreams or visions. No, that was not the case. The history of many a Skaldic song may lead to marvel.
Quite a few scandalous stories about Odin were composed and spread by those ancient bards. For instance, Odin would have been repeatedly betrayed by his wife, and one time, he then even goes greatly disappointed voluntarily into exile. Another time, he brings, by using magic, a woman under his power, and, after she faints, he impregnates her. Thereupon, because of that rape, he is forced by the other gods to go into exile.
Whether those really actually were Odin’s deeds, may be doubted. I rather suspect, that a Skald thus devised a story, to justify similar behavior by the king, he served at the Royal court. It would also be possible, that such stories were altered later to disparage some, or all ancient gods … conjectures can be found here enough.
In those Old Norse sources, sometimes things appear, that rather stimulate my visual imagination. An example of that can be read are in the ballad of Sigrdrifa, a poem of the Poetic Edda. In it, the Valkyrie Sigdrifa gives the hero Sigurd lots of advice. Among those tips, there is also the use of runes. It narrates there, that these runes should be carved on many things, which is demonstrated in quite a few verses. Two of these two verses read:
So, the runes also should be carved on the teeth of Odin’s horse Sleipnir.
Since the flood of tattoos on the skin apparently seems to decrease slowly, that Rune-carving might become the gap in the market … letting carve runes in your teeth … or elsewhere.
(If you found this: beißen – it means: to bite)
While looking at the huge economic power Odin has established in our human world, and at the same time knowing, he is, in his own divine world of the gods, the highest leader, yes, then, sometimes, I have to admit, I wished, I too was a mighty god myself. Ruler, Lord of all, a universal Father, just like Odin. And then, a Dutch poem emerges once again to the surface of my memories. A poem by the dutch poet Willem Kloos, which I had to memorize at school, long ago. The first two verses read, translated without caring for the rhyme:
When walking in summer with my face hidden under my floppy hat, then it could happen, that I feel really great, sort of, like a god. But then, after giving my thoughts full scope, too soon, the hard-hitting reality of everyday life knocks me out of the skies again. With that experience in mind, I wrote the following poem, it is called:
Scanty
Yes, I am a god; at least, the smell of it,
that is, how it feels sometimes.
And you, my love, you are, more than a whit,
a blameless goddess without any grimes.
It sounds so sweet, complete unflawed
To feel yourself being a mighty god.
But, stop! Hold on, wait, oh no!
It’s not just endless divine glow.
At the checkstand I have to stand in the line
being one of the masses, I too have to align,
For my employer I am just an employee
I guess, he even doesn’t appreciate me.
For my excellent work I am underpayed
each payment day I feel betrayed.
My country’s laws, very annoyingly,
also apply to godlike me.
Even at home, I’m not the ruling aristocrat,
because there, you may have guessed already that,
Only the dog does not question me as a God
for him, that even is not really odd.
No matter at home or on the road,
At my command he does it all afloat:
For him, I am not one of the horde,
he treats me as his divine Lord.
In today’s society, where life goes so very quickly, little time is left to reconsider things thoroughly. We, indeed, have hardly time to consider and reconsider, because, for some reason, time is running out, or the phone is ringing, or, because a next appointment or deadline is pending, or, because we are too tired and would rather just be entertained …. yes, then we make it ourselves easy and comfortable just plodding through the days of everyday life, without worrying about whatever god or goddess. And then, it can happen too easily and quickly, that Odin (or whatever god you venerate), slowly vanishes into the deep background of memory, close to oblivion. And if you then, one day, unexpectedly, somewhere outside, encounters a man, who cheerfully greets you from under his wide floppy hat, then you are blessed.
Related to this, one more poem I wrote, it is called:
Back to Odin
From under a wide and shady floppy hat
a greeting cheerful voice makes me feel glad.
A sparkling eye frees my conditioned will,
and I stand still.
Memories unfold from many years ago
from ancient gods and a bridging rainbow
Concealed knowledge is set again to prime,
It’s just in time.
“It looked, you did forget me, but it only slept
deep inside your mind my name was kept
and now, you found the road to me anew
and I’m with you.”
“Escaped from a dull and musty living dead,
I’ll vividly will stick to you, my Lord, instead.”
While jolly nodding he suddenly is gone,
and I walk on.
About Odin, as we know him from mythology, you have heard little in this lecture. That was intended. Because, anyone interested, can him- or herself read about that in the various source works.
And that completes this small talk, I hope you enjoyed it a little bit.
Thank you very much for your patience and attention.
Gunivortus
