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    I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

    I just recently read this: http://www.uppsalaonline.com/uppsala/odin.htm Click on the "Serving Odin, or any god" link at the top and you'll see what I'm going to be referring to.

    The part about how Odin treats his followers really shocked me. It says that his devotees are no strangers to misfortune and hardships. I myself cannot seem to get away from hardships. For instance: My life is so full of negative irony that just thinking about it nearly drives me mad. And shortly after I turned 18, I developed some sort of illness that's been plaguing me ever since (been in and out of doctor's offices, had numerous tests done on me, blah blah). In other words, I'm sort of an unfortunate soul.

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm afraid that I've somehow become one of Odin's followers without even trying and that he is testing me. Maybe he wants me to learn from my trials. I quote: "He has, perhaps, one gift to give and that is the gift of hardship, of challenge. Perform, he says, or die." I'm not so sure I want THAT gift.

    Anyway, your thoughts are much appreciated.

    Oh, and on a side note: There are a lot of 9's pertaining to Odin (the whole 9 days and nights hanging from Yggdrasil thing, etc.). My birthday is 9/9/1990. September 9, 1990. My birth certificate says that I was born at approx. 9:15 in the morning. That's a lot of nines. It seems like 9 is a significant number in the Nordic religion. That's gotta count for something, right?

    #2
    Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

    Nine is an important number in many cultures. SO I wouldn't read too much into that. And suffering happens. To everyone. It's all a question of timing. Besides, that article is just someone's opinion, it isn't written in stone. Don't let it worry you.

    People write such things with little thought for how they will be perceived by others and little information about how to really turn your life around if you happen to feel affected in that way.

    Please, just forget about it. Whichever god has chosen you, or will choose you in the future, I don't personally believe they are going to go out of their way to make you sick or wretched. And any god that did really would not be worthy of your devotion IMHO
    www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


    Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

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      #3
      Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

      Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
      Nine is an important number in many cultures. SO I wouldn't read too much into that. And suffering happens. To everyone. It's all a question of timing. Besides, that article is just someone's opinion, it isn't written in stone. Don't let it worry you.

      People write such things with little thought for how they will be perceived by others and little information about how to really turn your life around if you happen to feel affected in that way.

      Please, just forget about it. Whichever god has chosen you, or will choose you in the future, I don't personally believe they are going to go out of their way to make you sick or wretched. And any god that did really would not be worthy of your devotion IMHO
      Thank you so much. You made me feel sooooo much better. I was just a little worried because I have an affinity for Odin and I would like to have him as my patron god in the future.

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        #4
        Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

        I think any divinity reserves the right to give out hardship for a higher purpose. If you treat them as actual entities rather than symbols and archetypes than they by nature have their own goals. Sometimes those goals may complicate your life. I'm far more afraid of a deity that says follow me and everything in life will be perfect than one that offers difficulty in exchange for a greater reward. That said, there is no deity (worth following anyway) that offers nothing but hardship. Pointless suffering is just that pointless and a deity that inflicts it probably doesn't have your best interest at heart. The real question is not will a given deity complicate your life but whether the rewards of working with them are worth the headache involved and that's not something I'm willing to answer here. I'll say that some of the Aesir have done some things that impress me and that I'm impressed by most of the Heathens I've dealt with on PF but I don't generally work with the Aesir so I have no direct experience.
        Last edited by MaskedOne; 17 Aug 2011, 18:53.
        life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

        Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

        "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

        John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

        "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

        Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


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          #5
          Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

          I think Masked One makes some very sound points. Much in life is all about balance - not just about getting rid of things you don't like and embracing things you do. It's about getting the balance right. So at the moment you are going through a bad patch - to achieve balance you are going to need to find something that balances this out. I can't tell you what it is, nobody can, but I can tell you that if you look you will eventually find it.

          It is quite possible for a god to come into your life without you looking for him, but even if this is so, there will be rewards as well as trials. And everybody dies eventually - so what Odin offers is really no different from the end result of following any deity. Or none at all.

          You mention feeling you have an affinity for Odin, but this new aspect of him, that he brings only suffering, is new to you. So I would strongly suggest that you read up on the northern gods, and their folklore, as widely and wisely as you can. And please don't worry about it. Remember that just as we need the gods, they need us too. It's a two-way relationship, whatever the deity.
          www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


          Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

          Comment


            #6
            Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

            Hmm, something I should have mentioned before. That site seems to have left you with the impression that Odin has a hard on for pain and anguish. Admittedly, I'm not Heathen but that seems a bit off to me. He didn't call out to the universe one day "Beat Me! Hurt Me! Make Me Feel Cheap!" Odin has made great sacrifices yes but they were each made freely in exchange for arguably massive rewards. He does what has to be done. Sometimes that hurts like hell but he doesn't actively conspire to pick the most painful possible way to accomplish a task.
            life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

            Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

            "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

            John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

            "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

            Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


            Comment


              #7
              Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

              At the same time, Odin isn't always nice, and he isn't always fair. While he is the patron of knowledge, wisdom, magic, and many other wondrous things in the world, he is also known as the God of Slaughter for a reason. He can be very friendly and good, and he can be wild and unpredictable. That's why you need to really take it seriously and learn all you can before you come to a decision on whether you become fullatru to Odin, or to anyone else.

              While Odin doesn't have a hard on for pain or anguish, he will do very nearly ANYTHING to achieve his objectives. Self-mutilation, torture, starting major wars, theft, driving men to madness, he's done (or, at least, purportedly done) them all. Pretty much every instance comes out to be for the greater good in the end, but the road to get there is usually a rocky one.

              All that said, I'm no expert on Odin. I've never had much to do with him, as my interests lie on the opposite end of the spectrum. My advice is to read the original source material as much as you can, and learn all you can, before coming to a decision.

              As for being "chosen" before you were Pagan, I actually agree that that could (and probably normally does) happen. I remember when I went from being a Christian to being Pagan, it was like a mask was pulled off of the "presence" I had always attributed to Yahweh and it was revealed to really be Tyr.
              "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others."
              -Thomas Jefferson

              Let a man never stir on his road a step
              without his weapons of war;
              for unsure is the knowing when the need shall arise
              of a spear on the way without.
              -

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                #8
                Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                ^ agreed. Apologies if I implied otherwise. A presumption that Odin will shrink from doing what is necessary would be as innaccurrate and possibly more dangerous than a belief that he's into hurting himself for entertainment.
                life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                  Oh no, don't worry, I was actually agreeing with you. Just in a long-winded sort of way
                  "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others."
                  -Thomas Jefferson

                  Let a man never stir on his road a step
                  without his weapons of war;
                  for unsure is the knowing when the need shall arise
                  of a spear on the way without.
                  -

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                    It IS all about balance and all that stuff about how when one door closes, another one opens, no matter which God(dess)(es) you follow/converse with/whatever. Hell, of course, is in the hallway - when we don't know why something "bad" has happened, and the next thing hasn't been revealed yet.
                    sigpic
                    Can you hear me, Major Tom? I think I love you.

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                      #11
                      Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                      Hooray...I'm finally on long enough to respond to this! I've been wanting to for days, but things have been nuts

                      Over the course of the past year, I have experienced a strong pull to the Norse gods, and have written about it here and there. Without it, I don't think I could have finally let go of some of the more gripping and painful (at least for me) aspects of my former faith. The Aesir aren't really interested in me at this point in things, though. I'm fairly sure it's a personality thing, as much as anything. Over the course of this journey, though, my husband hasn't really been interested in finding another faith. He's always leaned agnostic, and given his long-term interest in Japanese culture we both figured that he'd probably lean Buddhist...it spoke to him a very long time ago.

                      A couple of months ago, though, he was approached by Odin. In a very real way that even my logical, pragmatic husband has just run with. In his words, his relationship is like a chess game between an old experienced player and a young but smart one. Odin challenges him, but as long as my husband is willing to rise to the test, take nothing for granted, and show the courage to question what he's handed, things go well for him. Don't accept what seems like a freebie, unless you know what he wants in return, and if you want something from him, stick to your guns.

                      On other places on the internet, I've run into people like the website you've mentioned, and you know what? I'm more then a little suspicious that people of the "Odin picks on me" variety 1) don't have the intestinal fortitude to go after what they really want, whether he'll help or not, and 2) blame him for every little thing that goes wrong in their lives. I doubt he'd take kindly to either stance. Based on what I'm seeing change for the better in L's life right now, totally out of left field, he is a god who makes you step up your game, and take personal responsibility. No whining. If don't have the chutzpa to be gregarious about it, it could get interesting.

                      I hope that helps.
                      Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                        #12
                        Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                        Its more in line with your ancestors calling. The elevation to god like status is very much human attribute. Our ancient ancestor knows his decendents venerate him though for his deeds.
                        Gunnarr Sandisson
                        "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be." Albert Einstein
                        Five Boroughs Hearth

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                          #13
                          Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                          [QUOTE=Thjoth;48877

                          As for being "chosen" before you were Pagan, I actually agree that that could (and probably normally does) happen. I remember when I went from being a Christian to being Pagan, it was like a mask was pulled off of the "presence" I had always attributed to Yahweh and it was revealed to really be Tyr.[/QUOTE]

                          Holy crap, reading this was like a light going on. I've been worrying recently about real experiences I had as a Christian that would be difficult to simply ignore as a Pagan. Thank you very much for that....

                          (Sorry about the derail.)

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                            It's perfectly possible that he made himself known to you beforehand. I don't personally follow Woden (as I call him) exclusively, I show him a hell of a lot of respect though. Frea made herself known to me when I was Wiccan however, but I didn't know it at the time. I was having a panic attack when I was by myself at home, and a beautiful young woman appeared to me. The most vivid thing I remember about her was a) her beauty and b) her white arms. Oh, and she was naked. Later on I found a piece of writing that described her as 'something between a lusty giantess and a fair maiden whose white arms light up the darkness of the underworld' (from The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe). She's also often described as the 'most beautiful and desirable of white-armed women'. Now she's my patron.
                            "The Germans do not think it in keeping with the divine majesty to confine gods within walls or to portray them in the likeness of any human countenance. Their holy places are woods and groves, and they apply the names of deities to that hidden presence which is seen only by the eye of reverence." (Tacitus, `Germania', 9)

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                              #15
                              Re: I think Odin chose me before I was Pagan

                              [QUOTE=Treefingers;48718]

                              That is just Odin's Way. The Way to Valhalla. Starkad repayed Grani Horse-Hair's Help even with Thor's Curses..?? He sent King Vikar to Valhalla, he did it like Odin showed him, and he lived a life like Odin. If such seems your life then maybe that is where you are headed..?? But, more presently, what you have to deal with, with all it's blessings and curses..



                              Later,
                              -Lyfing

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