NAME: Odin. Also Wotan, Allfather, Father of All, Ygg, Farmatýr (God of Cargoes,) Fimbul (The great,) Óski (God of wishes,) Veratýr (Lord of men,) Hangatyr (the hanged god,) Lord of the gallows, Sigföðr (Father of Victory,) Bölverkr (Ill-doer,) Fjölsviðr (Wide in wisdom,) Gangleri (Wayweary,) Glapsviðr (Swift in deceit,) Báleygr (Flaming-eye,) Bileygr (Shifty-eyed,) Fjölnir (Many-shaped,) Grímr (Hooded,) Síðhöttr (Broad hat,) Atríðr (Rider,) Sviðurr (Changing.) and many others. SYMBOLS: The number 9, Spear (Gungnir) that never missed it's mark, and decided who would win battles, by Odin pointing it at armies and individuals, human figure hanging from tree, eight legged horse, winged helm, broad brimmed hat, Gladsheim, vast hall were hall were he presided over 12 judges whom he had appointed to regulate the affairs of Asgard, Valaskialf, hall build of solid silver which held his thrown, on Hlidskialf an elevated place where he could see what happened though out the whole world, Vallhalla, which had 540 gates and a hall made from gold where Odin received the souls of those slain in battle, gold ring (Draupnir) from which every ninth night eight new rings comes from, 2 ravens (Hugin & Muninn "thought & memory?) 2 wolves (Geri & Freki, ) the Runes, the Wild Ride or Hunt. USUAL IMAGE: Large gray haired man with a missing eye, he wears a dark blue cloak, either with a hood or wearing a broad brimmed hat. Or a warrior in battle dress carrying a spear. HOLY BOOKS: The Eddas & Sagas HOLY DAYS: August 17, thu the 25th, the time it was said that Odin hung from the World Tree Yggdrasil. / Sumri, Pat Var Sigrblot or "In Summer, For Victory" time at the start of summer when sacrifies were made for Odin. RELATIVES: Borr (father,) Bestla (Mother,) Vili & Ve (Brothers,) Frigg (wife,) Balder, Hod, Thor, Vidar, Rinda, Vali & others (sons, but only Balder & Hod by his wife Frigg.) FORM OF WORSHIP: Odin was the only Norse god to whom human sacrifies were made, in Sweden, once every 9 years, male slaves, and captive enemies were killed and hung from trees, baring human captives, the same was done with male animals. It was said that to slay and enemy in battle was to also make a sacrifice to Odin. SYNODEITIES: Mercury (Greek) Whom the Roman's said was the name of the god the Norse worship. / Lugh (Celtic)

DETAILS:

Worshipping Odin must have been a problematic affair for the Vikings, he was the King of the Gods, co-creator of the world, with his two brothers, the decider of battles, both large and small, between great armies, and individual men, and the possessor of vast wisdom.

And yet he was also known for being very dishonest, and deceitful, he was notorious for pointing his spear at the weaker of two armies, or combatants, so the lesser one of the two won.

It was know that he would do anything to gain wisdom, from working as a meer farm hand for a year, to the very brave act of giving one of this eyes and hanging dead on the World Tree for 9 days, to what the Norse considered a very disgraceful act of taking the form of a woman for 9 months so he could learn the arts of magic.

An act so abhorrent to them, there are even myths of Odin being sent into exile from Asgard and replaced by a human for this breach of macho ethics!

It's also said that more than a few of his loyal followers died cursing his name when in the end he betrayed them.

It's no wonder that the more "gentle" and straightforward god Thor proved more popular, and when you consider the myths and personality of the God of Thunder, to call him the more genial of the two shows you just how rough being a member of the Cult of Odin must have been!

Simply put Odin was not a "peoples" god.

Up-dated for today, along with being the God of battle, war, poetry, & magic, he would also be thought of as the God of type A personalties.

It was his way or no way, there were other gods worshipped before him, such a Ullr, Njord, & Heimdall, who were either almost forgotten or regulated to must lower status once the worship of Odin rolled over them, for that matter what ever happen to his two brothers, Vili and Ve?

They show up at the creation of the world, and humans, then in a taunt from Loki saying Odin's wife slept with them, but otherwise they are footnotes.

Odin was a god for kings, and men who appreciated the idea of "any means necessary" to do what they KNEW needed doing.

Okay, so Odin could be cruel, he let the undeserving win, he lied, he cheated, he tricked, he did things that no man was suppose to do. But he was also the God of wisdom, and knew things no one else knew, or could know, and those things no doubt led to his goals being met, and that was all that mattered.

Your Alpha type leader can relate to that. they can relate to Odin, "you," you being all the non-Alpha types the leaders need to get their important business done, just wouldn't understand.

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