Learning More About Odin

[FollowerofOdin]

Hi, I'm so new to Norse Paganism/Heathenism that I don't even know where to start. I feel drawn to Odin, the King of the Norse gods, and I don't even know what offerings he likes or nothing. I read that mead is offered during Blots but I'm not a fan of the stuff. Wine makes me sick and ale, I don't even want to go there. Any ideas would be helpful and thanks a bunch.

[Jack]

Hi, I'm so new to Norse Paganism/Heathenism that I don't even know where to start. I feel drawn to Odin, the King of the Norse gods, and I don't even know what offerings he likes or nothing. I read that mead is offered during Blots but I'm not a fan of the stuff. Wine makes me sick and ale, I don't even want to go there. Any ideas would be helpful and thanks a bunch.

 
You don't have to drink it, necessarily - I'm unable to drink alcohol, but I'll offer the good stuff to Odin and pour the offering out.

The best place to start is reading - the Havamal, the Eddas in general, etc. Once you've gotten to know him in the lore, you'll probably have a better sense of what he values.

[FollowerofOdin]

You don't have to drink it, necessarily - I'm unable to drink alcohol, but I'll offer the good stuff to Odin and pour the offering out.

The best place to start is reading - the Havamal, the Eddas in general, etc. Once you've gotten to know him in the lore, you'll probably have a better sense of what he values.

 
I'll go on Amazon.com and check it out. I've got a Kindle App so I can download the book onto my app and read it. Thanks for the response and I'll read them. I've got a feeling their going to be great editions to my slowly growing Heathen library.

[Juniperberry]

I'll go on Amazon.com and check it out. I've got a Kindle App so I can download the book onto my app and read it. Thanks for the response and I'll read them. I've got a feeling their going to be great editions to my slowly growing Heathen library.

 
My favorite beginner's book is Our Troth (free) followed by anything from Hilda Davidson.

Also: what Jack said.

[FollowerofOdin]

I'll go on Amazon.com and check it out. I've got a Kindle App so I can download the book onto my app and read it. Thanks for the response and I'll read them. I've got a feeling their going to be great editions to my slowly growing Heathen library.

 
Also, what good stuff do you recommend. Here in Ky we have a liquor department at wal-greens that sells liquor. Southern Comfort is out as I pass by their bottling plant all the time and I want to throw up, the smell is just that bad. I think they dump the stuff they make into the water system. They deny they don't but I don't believe them, as it smells so horribly bad.

[Jack]

Also, what good stuff do you recommend. Here in Ky we have a liquor department at wal-greens that sells liquor. Southern Comfort is out as I pass by their bottling plant all the time and I want to throw up, the smell is just that bad. I think they dump the stuff they make into the water system. They deny they don't but I don't believe them, as it smells so horribly bad.

 
If your options are limited, you could browse the liquor section and see if you get any "feeling" one way or the other from Odin. Though... the Walgreens liquor department might be slim pickings. Maybe reciting poetry, or food...

[Shine]

Though... the Walgreens liquor department might be slim pickings.

 
This one probably depends on where you live. I live in a very small town and even our Walgreens has a pretty respectable liquor department. Small, to be sure, but a very good sampling of beer, champagne, and all sorts of wine.

There's always Walmart. XD

I often offer juice as a replacement for alcoholic beverages, but I'm not sure how amenable Odin would be to that. I know not all gods will accept such a replacement. For example, Set wanted real wine--although he accepted the substitution once or twice. Apothic White is what I used. It went over well.

As an aside, I also once used whiskey for an Anpu offering. I think he more enjoyed watching me try to drink the whiskey after reverting it, though. :whis: (Or not so much innocent whistling, and, rather, *COUGHCHOKEGASPWHEEEZE--oh gods I'm going to choke to death this is going to be SO awkward to explain in the afterlife--COUGHCOUGHCOUGHCHOKE*)

Would water be an okay replacement? It's been a long time since I've looked into heathenry topics and now I'm curious. My instincts say, "probably not."

[Juniperberry]

Also, what good stuff do you recommend. Here in Ky we have a liquor department at wal-greens that sells liquor. Southern Comfort is out as I pass by their bottling plant all the time and I want to throw up, the smell is just that bad. I think they dump the stuff they make into the water system. They deny they don't but I don't believe them, as it smells so horribly bad.

 

One thing I've always liked to do for Odin-offerings is to leave oats outside for Sleipnir.

[Jack]

This one probably depends on where you live. I live in a very small town and even our Walgreens has a pretty respectable liquor department. Small, to be sure, but a very good sampling of beer, champagne, and all sorts of wine.

Would water be an okay replacement? It's been a long time since I've looked into heathenry topics and now I'm curious. My instincts say, "probably not."

 
It's certainly worth a shot, especially if that's the only option the OP has.

There are plenty of deities I've offered fresh water to with success. Odin is not one of them.

[Tana]

There are plenty of deities I've offered fresh water to with success. Odin is not one of them.

I have a very distant respectful fascination for Odin.
So take it FWIW, but I think water wouldn't be the right thing. Beer, mead and if alcoholic stuff is out of question... try honeyed milk. Warm. (Don't ask me, I'm psychic, stuff sometimes wants to be said *shrugs* )

[Hyacinth Belle]

Hi, I'm so new to Norse Paganism/Heathenism that I don't even know where to start. I feel drawn to Odin, the King of the Norse gods, and I don't even know what offerings he likes or nothing. I read that mead is offered during Blots but I'm not a fan of the stuff. Wine makes me sick and ale, I don't even want to go there. Any ideas would be helpful and thanks a bunch.

 Yes, read the Eddas and a book like Our Troth.

As for liquid offerings, no one has mentioned beer as an alcoholic offering. I would imagine something of good quality would be great.

Also, when disposing of offerings, I prefer to pour them outside if possible instead of down the sink.

[Shine]

There are plenty of deities I've offered fresh water to with success. Odin is not one of them.

 
I have a feeling Odin's reaction to a water offering would be something along the lines of, "unless you're going to magically turn that into mead, I would suggest you get me the real deal."

[Maythe]

Yes, read the Eddas and a book like Our Troth.

As for liquid offerings, no one has mentioned beer as an alcoholic offering. I would imagine something of good quality would be great.

Also, when disposing of offerings, I prefer to pour them outside if possible instead of down the sink.

I often get a 'feeling' (wooo) for what will be more appreciated but most booze seems to go down ok, but then I tend to buy fairly good quality stuff anyway (me? a beer snob? never...).

I used to pour them outside but I'm less worried these days - to me they are 'spent', the important bit has gone and so they're literally just waste product now so the sink is appropriate. Also my offering space is in a warm spot and strong alcohol and wine tend to rapidly evaporate leaving a sticky gunk which needs hot water and soap.

I often share my offerings i.e they're part of what I'm drinking. Does anyone else do this? I open a beer, pour offerings to the gods, my ancestors and a little for the housewight and then finish the bottle myself.

[Juniperberry]

I have a feeling Odin's reaction to a water offering would be something along the lines of, "unless you're going to magically turn that into mead, I would suggest you get me the real deal."

 
I thought about this yesterday because (for some odd reason) I remembered that it's against the law around here to deprive someone a drink of water. And not in an old "steal a horse in Kansas way"; it's really still in affect.  So, I think a glass of water during the height of summer would be appropriate here. Goes back to hospitality, looking after one another, following the rules of the land. Very Havamal-ish.

Does anyone else have a regional thing like that?

[Sage]

I thought about this yesterday because (for some odd reason) I remembered that it's against the law around here to deprive someone a drink of water. And not in an old "steal a horse in Kansas way"; it's really still in affect.  So, I think a glass of water during the height of summer would be appropriate here. Goes back to hospitality, looking after one another, following the rules of the land. Very Havamal-ish.

Does anyone else have a regional thing like that?

Not necessarily in a legal sense, but I live in a small southern town, and the guest might as well be monarchy here. (My Yankee girlfriend seems to report that it's flipped up north - that guests are supposed to bring the hosts gifts and offer to do the dishes? Not sure if it's her family's rules versus my family's instead of a northern/southern thing, though.)
 
Thinking of the glass of water in summer - the same way I wonder what the Netjeru think of the snow we get here in the mountains sometimes, I wonder what the Aesir and Vanir think of the sweltering hot summers and heat waves that rock through the state at times. Especially the gods who are related specifically to snow. (I think of a /very/ grumpy Skadhi, all decked out in her snow gear and snow shoes, arms crossed as She sits on my front porch glaring at the sun. )

So in that sense, it's not just "it's hot outside and I offer You a glass of water"; it's "my home is different than the one You came from, so I offer You this gift to help make the transition easier."

If that makes sense?