Odin

Their story

The Hávamál tells how Odin hung for nine nights on the windswept tree, wounded by a spear, given to himself, without food or drink. At the end he looked down, took up the runes screaming, and fell back, having won them for gods and people alike. In another tale he gave one of his eyes at the well of Mímir for a single drink of its wisdom.

Their day

Wednesday. Old English Wōdnesdæg, Woden's day.

Best times to give to them

• Wednesdays
• Yule
• Winter Nights
• before rune work

What they like being given

• mead or red wine, or dark grape juice
• bread
• a poem you have written
• a candle lit while you study
• time spent learning something hard

How to honour them

1. Keep a small shelf or corner with a raven image, a candle and your runes.
2. Read a verse of the Hávamál each Wednesday and think on it through the day.
3. Pour a cup for him before you draw runes and thank him afterwards.
4. Write and speak aloud a short poem or charm in his honour.
5. Commit to learning, and treat hard study as a gift to him.

How they can help you

• wisdom and insight
• learning the runes
• writing and poetry
• finding courage to face hard truths
• understanding fate

Symbols

• ravens Huginn and Muninn
• wolves Geri and Freki
• the spear Gungnir
• the eight-legged horse Sleipnir
• the valknut

Festivals

• Sigrblót (Summer Finding) The start of summer in the old Norse reckoning, often kept around the first day of summer in Iceland, the Thursday between 19 and 25 April
• Yule Winter solstice, around 21 December, traditionally kept for twelve nights

More Norse gods

• Thor The Thunderer, protector of gods and people
• Freyr Lord of the harvest, giver of peace and plenty
• Njörðr Lord of the harbour, the wind and the sea
• Tyr The one-handed god of justice and oaths
• Heimdall Watchman of the gods at the rainbow bridge
• Baldr The shining one, beloved of all
• Bragi God of poetry, skald of Valhalla
• Ullr The glorious archer on skis