ÓÐSMÁL (ODSMAL)
A great big book about the profound wisdom of heathenry
the mystics of our ancient Frey-cult
our pagan forfathers' Weltanschauung (philosophy of life)

explained through modern science
quantum physics

by the amazingly perspicuous völva (voelva)
Guðrún Kristín Magnúsdóttir

New perspective of the famous edda of the North
opens up the unbounded inner space
for human freedom.

What is the book Óðsmál all about?

cover design by the authoress

Man is a free individual - not a sheep in a herd obeying a shepherd.

Ásatrú (asatru) is for the man responsible for his own personal evolution. Life, each life-time (ævi) is precious. Don't waste it/them.

THOU SHALT  LEAD  THYSELF
is the advice given in the Eddas and in Óðsmál (Odsmal).
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Óðsmál (Odsmal) is all about the profound and beautiful theosophy*) of heathenry / ásatrú (asatru). It has not been explained like this before.

*) Theos means god, sophia is wisdom. Theosophy is on the wisdom of divinity that can be reached by transcending this our lovely relative world. That is NOT - nota bene - on the level of human thoughts.
In monotheistic religions (mono: one; theos: god) the God is on a worldly level. He is a worldly god, now-a-days sometimes with some applied mysticism.

Highly evolved individuals see both spheres of life: relative and transcendent. So does Óðinn (Odinn) in Hávamál (Havamal) rúnatal (the "runatal" part).
Óðinn (Odinn) has one eye with which he sees this our relative world just as we do with both our eyes. Óðin's (Odin's) other eye is in Mímisbrunnur (Mimisbrunnur, the well of Mímir (Mimir)). It is there as a pledge for the quest to gain the Profound Knowledge. With that eye Óðinn (Odinn) sees the Truth. He is a seer.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) explains and helps us realize the all-pervasive Truth, the Profound Wisdom, Ginnungagap, the Great Void that sustains the universe.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) answers unanswered questions so relevant to us here and now:
What makes heathenry a profound and pure religion?
Who were æsir (aesir, the asa) as men?
Who are æsir (aesir, the asa) as natural powers?
How do we live in accordance with the gods?
What is a religion  --- or rather what should it contain to bear that name?
Can belief retard man's personal and individual evolution?

Some religions are misused by power-greedy tyrants. Some religions are used as a grip on credulous masses. Heathenry can not be used as such. Why? Because no two heathens necessarily agree on anything! As simple as that!
(That individuality, you know.)

Imported gods that thrive on fear and threat, want to be worshipped and obeyed, have coloured heathen concepts. And that is a pity.

The heathen gods are our allies. They can not be used as a threat. They are a part of nature and so are we. They are powers in nature, our nature. They are powers within every human being.

Nature is all-yielding and all-provident if we do not abuse her with greed. Hávamál (Havamal) gives this advice. We are NOT lords of the earth, but we are responsible for man's destiny, and for her destiny.

We should find our personal uniqueness and make our world benefit from it. That is finding the gods and goddesses within oneself.

Óðinn (Odinn) teaches us in Hávamál (Havamal), in the part called rúnatal (runatal), how to reach the true realm of no human thought, to pick up the greatest wisdom underlying the relative world. Here we speak of sacred unmanifest runes, not the worldly carved runes.

In Hávamál (Havamal; the sacred text (kvæði (kvaedi) poem) of the Edda) advice is given to the one ready to accept it. Never is anything thrust upon anyone.

Read Óðsmál (Odsmal) and you will be wiser.

Æsir (aesir, the asa) and Vanir together in peace is the most characteristic feature of Norse mythology and Norse theosophy.

The book Óðsmál (Odsmal) shows the depth of the sacred texts of the North in a theosophical- and ethnological contexts, unfolding heathen ideology and its profound beauty.

Heathen ethics are sound and whole. Ethics are not religions, but ethics come with religions. In the west we know religions that use most confusing ethics: love/hate/obey/threaten/worship/fear/repent/deem/forgive/carry burdens/...etc. It all depends on who is treating whom. A must is to convert others to the dangerous idea that divinity is reached through another man or an institution only.
Hávamál (Havamal) tells us that we should fight all unrighteousness where-ever we come across is as if it were our enemy. A wise man is moderate in all fields of his life, seeks the company of wise men, is a good friend and has good friends only, throws away burdens, does not make fun of other men, is true to his unique purpose in life, is merry, seeks manvit mikið (mikid, much; the Great Wisdom within), trusts himself, is an all-responsible individual.

Enormous knowledge on ásatrú (asatru) and its fate is exposed in an amusing way in this great book.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) this book is a treasure !

It reveals the profound beauty of our northern cultural inheritance: heathenry.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) is:
theosophical,
amusing,
revolutionary,
scientific,
above all, written for the common reader to enjoy. Ásatrú (asatru) is all joy, anyway.

For the traveler in Iceland: a sheer Icelandic paragon to bring back home !
For those who want to give a precious, cultural present to a friend Óðsmál (Odsmal) is the right thing.
For those who are studying Icelandic,
for those who are studying etymology,
for those who are studying theology,
for those who are studying sociology,
for those who are studying ethnology,
for those who are studying mythology,
for those who are interested in ancient and contemporary culture in the North, this book is a treasure.

An advice is given in this book: We should stay away from shallow gods that are used as tools of oppression and as a device for the urge of dominance.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) means "speech of Óður (Odur)", but Óður (Odur) has a dialogue with a little völva (voelva).
Völva (voelva, vala) is a seeress, a wise woman, a sorceress, a knower of magic and the scriptures, the sacred texts of the North.
Óður (Odur) is a norse god, representing the freedom of human spirit. He is husband of Freyja, the great goddess of the North. Freyja represents the Universal Love.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) is an amusing and puzzling dialogue.
This form of discussion, an old, Icelandic method of bringing forth wisdom - in an interesting way that is - is used in this work as if to give it the atmosphere of the Eddas. Sometimes even teasing has been used. It makes things lively and interesting.

Óður (Odur) and little völva (voelva) reveal the real meaning of Völuspá (Voeluspa) the most sacred kvæði (kvaedi) of the poem-Edda. Völuspá (Voeluspa) has been badly misinterpreted during the past 10 to 20 centuries or so.
Völuspá (Voluspa) tells us about the perpetual cycles in life. It has nothing to do with the later invented tool called doomsday, - unless - the idea (the model) for that device to exploit some mens' fear (that doomsday-stuff) is taken from Völuspá (Voluspa) and misused as that final judgement (or whatever they named it). Heathen texts that teach us about the cycles in life has been mercilessly abused for this straight-line, one judgement, one god, one prophet, one and only chance (and whatever this one-and-only-stuff uses to stress its followers, and to get silly men to obey and belong to its herd).

Völuspá (Voluspa) is only about what is happening here and now, all around us, every minute, micro and macro. Where-ever you look you see the fight of the creative powers (the gods) and the deterioration and negativity (eotens), the conflict and collision between good and evil; positive-negative. But know change to be a necessity for evolution. And that is why we take part in the play, man!

They, Óður (Odur) and little völva (voelva) also rediscover and clarify the meaning of rúnatal (rune-part) of Hávamál (Havamal), another sacred kvæði (kvaedi) of the poem-Edda, which has been misinterpreted. Óður (Odur) and little völva (voelva) evince the original message that Óðinn (Odinn) gives in rúnatal (runatal) of Hávamál (Havamal). Present (mis)understanding is far from being flawless as we live on the worldly level only now-a-days. Óðsmál (Odsmal) is remedying all that.

The book Óðsmál (Odsmal) is written for the common man to understand the profound beauty of the northern inheritance, the most profound spirituality of our ancestors. The book is written in an amusing way with a lot of delightful and typically Icelandic (story-telling) explanations and drawings all along. Do not get confused. It all has a message for you, dear reader.

Ásatrú (asatru) is polytheism. Poly means many, theos means god, i.e., "many-gods-ism". That implies there ALSO is that mystic power that holds all creation together and is its true essence.
This underlying Field or Brahman is not to be found in monotheism, but some mysticism has been applied to some of the monotheistic religion systems - sometimes and in some contexts.
The all-sustaining power is not one of the gods in ásatrú (asatru). In monotheism the god called God is playing the mystic role on top of his worldly character, and all other gods (other than that particular one used) are banned.
They added mysticism lately as men (even the monotheos-people) do not thrive without the all-pervading ginnungagap. Even they are spiritual beings(!!)

Ásatrú or heathenry is nature belief, but we can not use the word "belief" as it has gotten a most rigid and wrong meaning now. Nature connection is the most natural "belief". Natural to man. His innermost core is in nature too. (See: man and nature for details.) It is to be found all over mother Earth, often called paganism. Heathenry of the North is part of it. The core of nature cults is very deep and profound in man's psyche.

The notion: "man and nature as one and the same" reflects love to the environment and all things. Man is part of nature. It implies that there is more to it than our worldly eyes can see. This also implies that we can not "worship" nature. That would be worshipping oneself. Worship and flattery comes with fear of, and obedience to, another something, like for example a monotheistic god up-there or out-there.

Monotheism's followers should love each other (of the same sect i.e.), but non-followers should be gathered in or killed.
Polytheism sees all men as equally spiritual human beings and a part of a whole - the world, the universe.
Promises of paradises after death and threats of hells after death are to be found in monotheism only.
Chatter (chapter) 20 in Óðsmál (Odsmal) explains fate. We are responsible for our fate as Urður (Urdur), Verðandi (Verdandi) and Skuld (Dept). So it has been for a long, long time. But these stick-and-carrot tools (hell and heaven) are recently invented.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) is unmasking the obscure or concealed or lost reality of the pure and profound theosophy of heathenry or ásatrú (asatru).

Óðsmál (Odsmal) explains the pure and profound knowledge of the beautiful gods of our ancestors. It explains the meaning and purpose of gods in polytheism - and above all: their origin that was, is, and will be.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) explains to the sincere seeker of Truth the pure and profound treasure that our precious inheritance actually is.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) tells us about the ancient heathen yule (yule-tide, Christmas, winter holiday season).  Read Chatter 5 (Chapter 5 i.e.) in Óðsmál (Odsmal). Click on man and nature here, and Skírnismál (Skirnismal) too for yule.

The book Óðsmál (Odsmal) is all about how to gain manvit mikið (mikid, manvit much, profound wisdom) from Mímisbrunnur (Mimisbrunnur, the well of Mímir (Mimir)). That is actually transcending. This kind of Wisdom is sacred runes, not to be found in books or in worldly information. Do not confuse intellectual information and worldly discussion with The Field, The Unified Field, ginnungagap, the abyss of Mímisbrunnur (Mimisbrunnur, the well of Mímir (Mimir))

Where is Mímisbrunnur (Mimisbrunnur, the well of Mímir (Mimir),) to be found?
Óðsmál (Odsmal) deals with The Field, ginnungagap, that underlies and pervades all things, living and inanimate. Read Chatters (Chapters) 2 and 12 in Óðsmál (Odsmal) to understand The Great Void inside all things and inside you and me, that in norse mythology is ginnungagap. There you shall find the profound well of Mímir and learn how to get a sip from it twice a day all of your life.

Avoid revelation hope and liberation applaud. It is slowly and gradually and innocently (using Gungnir*) that we gain heightened states of consciousness. Revelation and liberation are traps, mouse traps, for men.

*Gungnir is Óðin's (Odin's) weapon, cowardice!!!   How come?  It is delicate, that is for sure, but powerful.  A subtle tool of consciousness.

Even if gunga means a coward, one who trembles, the meaning of Gungnir is vibrations, and creation is all about vibrations.  They become matter.

The symbolic language is more precise than we assume and spot at first sight.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) is an amusing dialogue, radiating with profound wisdom and pickled with tickingly funny comments on religions, research, dogmas and ourselves as brainwashed dummies.

Óðsmál (Odsmal) is actually meant to encourage each man to reconsider and revise his prevailing ideas, as they most likely are borrowed from someone else, recycled, without discriminating - without discrimination.

Those who already are starting to be responsible for their views, will carry on with that free attitude of theirs towards everything they come across. It is so much more fun to be responsible.

LEAD  THOU  THYSELF  (you should lead yourself)

Heathenry -- that luckily hibernated during the dark Middle Ages - like Sleeping Beauty ---  receives a gentle kiss of love in Óðsmál (Odsmal). What happens? We wake up!!
Actually people from all over the world are waking up.

Heathenry (paganism) was lurking in the background all the time in Europe during the dark middle ages. We do not know which influenced or changed which, the old culture, heathenry, or the invading device of dominance*, Christianity. But we do know that yule (yule-tide, X-mas) and Easter are age-old heathen nature feasts that have been "borrowed" and mis-interpreted to suit the papal empire.

*) A king wanted dominance over heathen, independent Iceland. He held as hostages the sons of prominent heathen Icelandic men, threatened war and massacre if Christianity was not accepted. This was the year 999 AD. The king dropped out of the affair and the Church got all the power and dominance. All promises to heathens were broken.

It can almost be stated that the essence of heathenry is lost. We do admit that.
People claim: -I am heathen, -I am asatruar. What do they mean?  The purpose of Óðsmál (Odsmal) is to teach those who really want to know what it means to be asatruar. Ásatrú (asatru) is enormously profound -- and terribly misunderstood. It has deliberately been debased and mocked for the last 10 to 20 centuries. Preserving any of it meant penalty of painful death, so men had to be careful.

Some think being an ásatrúarman (asatruar man) implies atheism. This is not correct. "Theos" is "god, a god"; "a" is "deny", or "not". "Not-god-ist", "no-gods-ist". An atheist is sure of no gods to exist, and sure of no mystic power that holds the world together. Still he might say science is right about the Unified Field (the great mystic power). This attitude is most likely because some people have only heard about the mono-god, and find him very shallow. For them monotheism or atheism are the only options. But Óðsmál (Odsmal) explains.

Some men have heard about an only true god and do not understand that he (a patriarchic, Semitic god) is one of many worldly gods, where these many "other gods" were banned. He (that picked-out one) alone is and was allowed in monotheistic belief systems - and he is and was compulsory for that special group of men submitting to the prophet that picked Him.

Polytheism does not mean atheism. The all-pervading ginnungagap is not one of the gods, but from there (the gap) all things have come, and by it (the gap) all things are sustained. Only it does not take part in the relative world.
In monotheism the mono-god (shallow gods, power-devices) plays all parts of that difficult term god or God.
Shallow Gods and Profound Gods

Ginnungagap is in scientific terms The Unified Field, in theosophical terms Brahman. In heathenry and theosophy "It" has many names. One of them is Truth. This is what Óðsmál (Odsmal) is all about.

No two heathen men seem to agree on anything (!), and I think that is the beauty of ásatrú (asatru).
That most likely is the best way to avoid dogma and stagnation.
That most likely is the best way not ever to be stuck with "the only right way" or "the only true something".
Standard concepts, rules, musts and bans, are the perfect way to dogma and stagnation and silly disputes of no relevance to man's sincere search for Truth. Intellectual puzzles lead us out, but Truth is within.
Freedom and individuality are keys to each man's evolution. Belief systems are a dreadful threat to man's free will and his spiritual development.
And we must know: Wanting freedom demands and implies that we admit the freedom for others too.

Is the freedom-and-individuality the weak point?
Maybe this very diversity of paganism (heathenry) made it easy for invading cultures - a standardized tool of dominance-urge (an only,true,known-God) used by kings and tyrants -  to suppress the non-aggressive pagan cultures, influence them, steal ("borrow") from them, threat and destroy them. Pagans are very peaceful. But even if pagans are non-aggressive, they do fight back if attacked. They do not practise to offer the other cheek for a second blow.
Pagans never thrust their opinions upon others. But are they easy targets for belief-traders, who promise paradises, give medicine and threaten hells? Those propaganda-beliefs were and are upheld by double standard ethics: fear, obedience, worship, love some and hate others, promises of rewards for worship to their God - and money.

Ethics, moral behavior and social rules are not a part of religions, but they do come with them, written or not written. Sincere people have sound rules and healthy moral.
Theocracy tends to use some concepts in two different or opposed meanings. (Use the words "love and care" as a cover up for dominance and obedience - or else....)

Sincere ethics of paganism:
The beautiful ethics that we read about in Hávamál (Havamal) and other sacred texts of the North, is sounder than what people in the western world teach the young generation now-a-days.
The book about heathen pedagogy, Hnoss*, will be available from Freyjukettir soon (in both English and Icelandic in one and the same book like Óðsmál (Odsmal)).

*) Hnoss is the daughter of Óður (Odur) and Freyja.

Heathen men do not belong to an institution or an "apparatus". They love to be together, or they don't. No big deal. They have fun together or they don't. They are in Hávamál (Havamal) encouraged to have good friends, taught to

be happy and merry

and to

fight all misery as if it were their own enemy.

That we do by performing a valkyrja link: valkyrja

It is a good thing to be proud of and to love one's country and one's nation, but when a nation gets a superiority-megalomania it is on a wrong path.
Heathenry is not a national-, ethnic-, racial-, "my kinsmen"-something; nor is it "sheep in a herd" and "doomed stray-sheep" meant to divide humans into groups according to their opinions or confessions.
Heathenry is: To gain the great wisdom (manvit) from The Field (The Foundation of the relative world), to know of each individual's responsibility, to acknowledge each man's freedom, care for human rights and righteousness for all men, righteousness towards all creatures, towards mother Earth and to contribute to the evolution of the whole cosmos.

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