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A Simple Morning Prayer with my Son
There are plenty of ways to bring the Gods into our everyday life. When my son and I wait for the bus we say a morning prayer. It’s short, simple, and direct: we thank Sunna for the Sun’s light that it provides for the new day, and sometimes our warmth and/or the growth of our food, and Daeg for a new day.
First we face the East.
This is the prayer:
“Hail Sunna, Goddess of the Sun.
Hail Daeg, God of the Day.
Thank you for a new day.
Thank you for a fresh start.
Thank you, Sunna, for the warmth of the Sun.
Thank you, Daeg, for the promise of a new beginning.
Hail Sunna! Hail Daeg!
Blessed be, and ves ðu heil!”
Then we salute with our hands pressed together at our forehead, and then bowing, with our hands over our hearts and/or solar plexus. That’s it. Well, we might play or tease each other, but it is a good way to get our day started. Even if we both had a rotten morning we tend to feel a bit better if not refreshed. He goes off to school with a prayer on his lips and primed for a good day. I get to see my son off on the bus, and wave to him as he leaves, going to the same school I once did. The blessings of the Gods are many, and the joy of seeing him off smiling is one I treasure.
Question 6: Offerings to Odin
Question 6: Offerings to Odin
From Dreaming in Smoke and Fire:
What types of offerings does Odin like? Do you think he prefers smoked salmon or strong whiskey?
— Do you prefer smoked salmon or strong whiskey?
— Do you like pina coladas?
I’m sure He likes pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, eating salmon, drinking strong whiskey, and making love after midnight, but I am unsure if that is all at once or in stages.
All jokes aside, a good number of my offerings to Him are alcoholic drinks. Among the drinks I offer to Him He seems to particularly enjoy mead and the strong alcohol such as whiskey, vodka, etc. He especially likes mead, and from me He likes Viking Blod where I can afford it. Sometimes He prefers local varieties, and I find He especially likes good homemade mead.
For me, I am sure He would rather have strong whiskey than salmon. I am not practiced at cooking fish, and I would not give Him an offering if I doubt my family would eat it. That said, I love salmon, especially salmon steak, but I have only cooked it all of one time, and that was with help. I have not had pina coladas in awhile; might be time to again.
What types of offerings does Odin like? He has accepted water and crackers where I could not afford much, hard drinks when I could, and a cup of coffee when I made a pot for my Gods and Ancestors. He appreciates time, time spent not just praying to Him, but talking with Him. I asked Him once why, if He could sit on Hlidskjalf and see all, and have Hunin and Munin bring Him news the Worlds over, did He want me to tell Him about my day?
His answer was something akin to this: is it better to talk to your father through your mother or friend, or is it better to talk with your father?
The offerings we give are intimate to our relationship with the Gods. We may have lists of traditional offerings, but unless I slaughter and butcher a horse, or order horse meat from a specialty butcher, the likelihood is that Odin will not have an offerings of horse meat from me. So I give what I have at hand, whether that is water, mead, or beer, crackers, bread, or cake. I give offerings of incense somewhat frequently because leaving out food offerings sometimes is not possible, not appropriate at the time. The same goes for offerings of food and/or water. When I lived in a dorm room I frequently left offerings at trees’ feet since I could not have fires in the room. There is always singing and/or talking with my Gods, and especially listening to Them.
Sometimes He wants something special, or I am inspired to give Him special offerings. Sometimes it is the spontaneous nudge in the wine aisle, and sometimes it is a month of devotional poetry written to Him. It may be that some weeks all He wants is regular contact at the altar, the usual prayers, and not much more. Some times He wants intense devotional work, intense communication during a trance session where it is less about me speaking with Him, but listening very intently to Him. At other times it may be hailing Odin during a public ceremony, especially where the ritualist gives space to call to our Gods.
So there are a great any ways to give offerings to Odin, certainly more than I have listed here. I hope that this post has helped others find new ways to offer to Odin, or to their own Gods. Regardless of how you offer, may Odin, and the Gods, always be hailed!
Sigyn Project: Day 28
Hail Sigyn!
You Who carry so much
You Who care so deep
You Who fight till victory is Yours
You Who stands where others fall
You Who is resolute where others crumble
You Who Witnesses
You Who Listens
You Who Blesses
You Who teaches us Compassion
You Who teaches us Duty
You Who teaches us Strength
You Who teaches us Will
You Who teaches us Courage
You Who teaches us Motherhood
You Who teaches us Sacrifice
You Who teaches us Worthiness
You Who teaches us Worth
You Who teaches us to Appreciate
You Who teaches us to Love
Thank You, Holy Lady
for letting me do this
For giving me a month to honor You
For giving me a month to know You better
For giving me a month to focus and learn and listen
Hail to You!
Hail to You Holy Sigyn!
May You always be hailed!
Sigyn Project: Day 23
Thank You, Gentle Lady
You have shown me that holding the bowl
That being the one Who listens
Is Victory when pain is contained
or cast out
Thank You Holy Goddess
You have shown me how hard it is
to hold with quaking hands
Yet to hold still
because it is the right thing
Thank You Blessed Sigyn
You have shown me through others
the depth of love You have
for Your children, for us,
and all who come to You
Thank You Sigyn
For humbling me
For gifting me with Your Presence
though I am not Your child
and for showing me new ways
of love and frith
Hail Sigyn!
Hail, Hail, Hail!
Sigyn Project: Day 7
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
Ruler of Herself!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
Comfort to the Pained!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
She Who Cradles the Flame!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
Mistress of Her Home!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
She Who Teaches Boundaries!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess
Love’s Endurance!
Hail Sigyn, holy Goddess!
Hail, hail, hail!
Sigyn Project: Day 2
Hail to Her and set your eyes upon the torturer!
Hail to Her and still not your mouth when you see the suffering of others!
Hail to Her and deny victory to those who would still the Voices of the Dead and Lost!
Sigyn Project: Day 1
The palms of Your Hands
are eaten by venom
Your beautiful Hair
is disheveled and wild
Your Eyes strain
with Your husband’s visage
Your Feet blister
under the abusive rocks
Your Heart loves
despite pain and loss
Oh Holy Lady!
Oh Aesir, do You see Her?
Her Heart as torn as Her sons?
Oh Vanir, do You see Her?
Her Love bound fast, envenomed?
Oh Jotun, do You see Her?
Her steadfast devotion?
Oh landvaettir, do You see Her?
Deep within She yet honors You, removing the venom.
Oh spirits, do You see her?
She Who graces all who see Her, or Who She gives gaze to?
Oh Humanity, do You see Her?
We could only hope to love so much, to be so dedicated, to be so holy!
Hail to Her, sacred woman, She Who Will Not be Moved!
Hail to Her, loyal Goddess, powerful Goddess, the Lady of the Staying Power!
Hail to Her, wherever you are, and witness Her tragedies!
Hail to Her, wherever you are, and marvel! Witness Her indomitable strength!
Hail Sigyn!
Hail to Jotunkind
Hidden back is the fear
In the recess of our mind
The fear of ferocity and wildness
The fear of Jotunkind
We fear the ground we walk on
We fear the air we breathe
We fear the water that we drink
We fear the food we eat
Teach us to strip away our fear
Teach us to be aware
Teach us to live with Death and Life
Teach us to Live and Dare
Teach us to know the plants
Teach us to know the land
Teach us to know the food to eat
Teach us Your just demands
Teach us to live each moment
Teach us to fight and know
Teach us to be inspired
Teach us to be our hope
Help us come to know You
Help us to leave our fear
Help us to come to understand You
Help us to see You clear
Hail to the mighty Jotun
Of Fire and Storm and Ice
Hail to those from Whom Aesir
Call Lover, Husband, Wife
Hail to the Gods and Goddesses
From Whom we all descend
To our most primal Ancestors
Hail to Parent, and to Friend
