Pagans: What is the pagan conception of Odin?

Question

I'm looking to understand why some pagans worship Odin...

Why is Odin your god?
What did he do to merit devotion?
What does he teach you to do?
Do you think he is the God of Gods... or is there another greater than he?
Why is Odin-worship a good thing?

Answer 1

I am going to answer this on behalf of my boyfriend Joseph. He's asleep at the moment, but I think I know him well enough to fill in some answers for him. However it is very late and I'm rather tired too and my hand hurts from typing, so the details might be a little skimpy.

Why is Odin your god?
"Because Odin chose me." This is something that does happen in the Pagan world; some call it being "tapped" by a deity. Joe had certain events happen in his life that strongly indicated to him that he was meant to walk with Odin Allfather.

What did he do to merit devotion?
"Many things, including had a hand in creating the human race - sacrificed himself to himself on Yggdrasil to gain the wisdom of the runes and pass them on to humanity - he is first among equals of the Aesir, his family of deities - he strives at all times to stave off the Ragnarok as much as he can - he seeks knowledge - in his aspect as Oski, he gifts me with wonder and knowledge and the wod/inspiration...."

There are many reasons to worship Odin.

What does he teach you to do?
He teaches service, wisdom, learning, exploration, leadership, priestcraft, magic/galdr (remember, he brought the runes to humankind)...many things.

Do you think he is the God of Gods... or is there another greater than he?
He is Allfather. There is none "greater" than he.

Why is Odin-worship a good thing?
See above - because of the things he teaches, because of what a person can learn in his service. Sometimes walking with Allfather can be scary; he can be one that is inclined to test a person and make them stretch beyond their comfort zones. But that is perfectly acceptable; generally speaking, the Norse Gods do want people of courage and strength and excellence to follow them. They do ask a lot, but they give a lot in return.

Sites to peruse:

Wodensharrow
The Troth
Asatru Folk Assembly
Irmunsul Aettir

Most eclectic pagans don't bother with Odin, or for that matter most of the Nordic Gods - except for Freyja, of course.

Answer 2

I don't worship Odin but I do have a very nice relationship with Him. He gave the world the runes and I am extremely appreciative of that. He is also a seeker of knowledge and that is something I definitely have in common with Him. By the way, His physical description is VERY much like the description of Gandolf from Lord of the Rings.That is actually who I picture when I think of Odin. Some people call him Woden instead of Odin, including myself. It's more the Germanic form of his name and I just like it better. Having a relationship with Woden has really stepped up my ability with the runes, plus He is an amazing help when I find I can't figure out the answer to a problem. I ask Him to guide me toward the knowledge I need and He has not failed me yet!

Woden is not my primary God. That would be Cerrnunos the Horned One.

Answer 3

i have a friend who follows odin...i don't know whether or not she would consider the relationship to be one of worship.

i imagine that she follows him for the same reason that i follow cerridwyn...i was called.

however, i will send her this question in the hope that she can give you a better answer.

bb

Answer 4

As a Pagan, in my beliefs, there is one Higher Power.

All the Gods and Goddesses in history (including the Christian God) have only been man's perceptions of that Higher Power... a personification so that we can relate to it better. The Higher Power is all of them combined.

So, any God or Goddess that I might relate to merits my devotion because it is The Creator Spirit of the Universe.

Through different God/desses I learn a great deal; it helps bring me closer to that Higher Power, just as when my children, who always see me as mom, grow up and realize I am also a woman, a good friend, a daughter to my own mother, a good worker-- as they learn and are able to percieve more of who I am they are able to appreciate me better.

I don't think there is a God of the Gods, I am of the beliefs that there is one Higher Power, which has both masculine and feminine aspects. There is no lesser and no greater because they all are One. They're just the way I am seeing The One at that time.

Odin worshipping, or Athena worshipping, or Jesus worshipping, IMO, is what the person makes of it... you can make it a bad thing if you're going to use it to condemn or burn people or start wars, or you can make it a good thing if you use your relationship with the Divine to better yourself. If you are a believer, you open your life to the Higher Power and learn from it, draw comfort and strength from it, it doesn't really matter which name or which artist's image or which book of mythology or stories or descriptions you use. Those images and names are just a way we can wrap our mind around something so vast and infinite as the Creator of the Universe.

Not all religions see the Divine as concretely and as literally as most Christians or Muslims or Jews see theirs. Our perceptions are more open to the symbolism and allegory and myth in trying to understand something so huge.

Answer 5

Thats a really good question... i myself dont worship Odin. But if i were to make an educated assumption its because Odin was the chief god of most Nordic cultures, and He teaches courage and Vigilance. I believe the creator Goddess and God is above all.

Answer 6

Odin is actually the husband of my main Goddess. I don't really worship Odin at all. I respect Him.

Answer 7

Perhaps you should ask this question to Odinists or Asatruars.