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The Odinist Tradition
We complete Evan McCallum's Odinist Wheel of the Year with Eastra, on the Spring Equinox, and The Charming of the Plow, on April 10th.
Eastra is dedicated to the Goddess Ostara, or Eastra. As the name suggests, the festival eventually became Easter. It celebrates the return of life and fertility, which was especially dramatic in northern european climates.
The Charming of the Plow is similar, but is dedicated to the Goddess Erda, or Gaia. This rite deals more specifically with the earth and farming. We charm the plow to insure a good harvest in the fall.
Remember that, at this dawning of this New Age, folk," culture," peoples," etc. are what we make them. For instance, many of us find our family by choice" to be closer than our family by birth. In the New Age, a folk" is a group with a homogeneity of spirit, rather than of DNA. The One Planet, One People" bumper stickers do not call for genocide. Similarly, Folk" asks us to recognize our unity as a species and a planet and to manifest it as a unity of will to create the best world we can.
Also, it is important to remember that each of us embodies both the masculine and feminine principles. Thus, the words women" and men" refer to the principles more than the sexes. Look for the truth of the words about women and men in yourself and others, regardless of gender.
Eastra
Evan McCallum
The place of the ritual should have an altar near the north of the area. Beyond the altar hang a banner of the Odin rune in black cloth with silver or gold markings. Place a rune banner for Freya to one side of the Odin rune and one for Thor to the other side. (Suitable images representing the three Deities may replace the banners.) Immediately behind the altar, hang a small banner with the rune for Eastra, patroness of this festival. Decorate a tree next to the ritual area with fruits and multicolor ribbons. Decorate the entire area with flowers.
On the altar should be an incense brazier, a sword or dagger and a drinking horn in its center. Have a jug of mead or ale available beneath or beside the altar. You may want to have copies of the rite for the participants—ideally all the celebrants will be involved.
Light the ritual area only with fire. Have candles or torches on or beside the altar, to be lit during the ceremony. Place one at each Quarter and before each rune banner. Before beginning, light a small taper on the altar in order to light the other candles or torches and to aid reading. When using altar candles, they should both be light green.
Devotees may carry hand held banners or standards of the Odin rune, symbolizing the gods of Valhalla, or heroes of our own people. Appropriate music would be continuous replays of Halvorsen's Rustle of Spring," or Grieg's Wedding Day at Troldhagen." Some may prefer Spring" from Walter Carlos' Sonic Seasonings," or nature sounds. If available, a bull's horn or other appropriate musical instrument should signal the start of the rite, announce the coming of Spring and signal the rite's end.
Besides the Godi (Priest), it is best that a Godia (Priestess) lead the ritual. If a woman of the Folk is not available, place flowers before the banner of Freya, and the Godi (or any other) may speak the words of the Godia.
When all is in readiness, assemble the folk. (If there is room, the Godi and Godia may lead a Procession of Honor, ending before the altar.) The Godi lights the candles or torches beside the altar.
Calling the Far Realms
The Godi or Godia sounds the summoning horn and all gather in a semicircle before the altar. The Godi calls for a period of silence of at least thirteen heartbeats, as all put themselves in a calm and meditative state. Godi says:
Great Odin, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godia:
O fair and magical Freya, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godi (or other):
Strong and sturdy Thor, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godia (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the East and salutes, saying:
O winds of the East, blow soft, cool and sweet upon our people. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godi (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the South and gives salute, saying:
O Warm sun of the South, shine brightly upon our people. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godia (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the West and salutes, saying:
O blue waters of the West, flow cool and giving of life for our people. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godi (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the North and salutes saying:
O lands of the North, give rich crops and calm souls for our people. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
The Blot Rite
Godia takes the jug of mead and holds it for the Godi. He takes the dagger and touches the point to the jug, saying:
Great Odin, accept this as a sacrifice in honor of You, in honor of our gods, and in honor of ourselves. Place Your blessing within this good mead, so that we may draw upon your wisdom, and gain victory in all that we do. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godi puts down the dagger, takes and opens the jug and half fills the Blot-Bowl. He takes the bowl and dips the aspergillum or a bundle of leaves into the mead, and briefly sprinkles each of the worshipers, saying:
You are blessed in the Name of Odin.
When all have been blessed, the Godia takes the bowl and leaves and similarly blesses the Godi. Then she replaces all upon the altar, turns to those present and says:
At this time, as in times far past, are those of us who follow the Old Ones blessed and consecrated in their sacred presence. May the strength, power, magick and wisdom, the courage and the steadfastness of the gods themselves remain forever within each of us. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Calling the Great Ones
Godi stands before the Odin banner and says:
O Great Odin, Azure-Cloaked Wanderer from the far, ancient lands of our people, Lord of the Shining Ones who do protect our land, our folk and our families, we call to Thee to be with us here. We call to Thee across all time and all the worlds of the gods. Your people are still here, O Wise One. Come to us again, and give us to drink of Thy cauldron of life and of inspiration that we may prosper once again. Come to us now and be with us here? Odin the wise! Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godia lights the candle or torch in front of the Freya banner and says:
O Leader of the Wind-Riders, You who weave fates and destinies and before whose magicks, men and gods do bow, co-ruler with the Great One, High Odin of the shining Lands of the Gods, we call on Thee, O Freya the Fair One! Be with us here in this rite! Hail Freya!
All:
Hail Freya!
Godi (or other) lights the candle or torch before the Thor banner and says:
O red bearded thunderer, friend and protector of our people, before whose mighty hammer neither god nor man can stand, we call on Thee, O mighty Thor! Be with us here in this rite! Hail Thor!
All:
Hail Thor!
Salutation to Eastra
If a bull's horn or other appropriate musical instrument is available, sound it to announce the coming of spring. Then the Godi says:
Let us now fill our drinking-horn before the Gods, and drink in honor of the season.
Fill the drinking-horn on the altar. The Godia takes it first to the Godi, then to all in the ritual, saying to each as she gives the horn:
The messengers of Spring are all about us. Drink now to Lady Eastra, Goddess of Spring!
After drinking, the celebrate shall say, Hail Eastra!" and return the drinking horn to the Godia. She then takes it to the next celebrant to repeat the process.
If there are sufficient women available in the rite, they shall take their men for a circle-dance around the decorated tree. Dance faster and faster, until all are tired.
The Runes of Eastra
After a pause of twenty heartbeats or more, sound the bull's horn again. Then the Godi says:
It is at this time that we celebrate the festival of Eastra, the beginning of Spring. This is one of the two great balance-points of the year when night and day are equal, as our world travels Her eternal path around the Sun. In times far past our ancient ancestors knew of this time, and knew it well, celebrating the season and honoring our Gods. For in those days all our folk lived close to the Earth—hunting, fishing and tilling the soil. Each season had its joyous festival in recognition of the everlasting cycles of the seasons, of the starts of the land and of the lives of men.
From ancient times was this celebration known as Eastra—a time of new births of new beginnings. It is the time in which both plants and animals bring forth their young. From times immemorial, the egg has been the symbol of this season—prized for their sustenance and decorated to symbolize the coming of a new fertile season.
Godia:
Watcher of the East, what say ye of Eastra?
Watcher of the East:
Our ancestors recognized Eastra many millennia before the faiths of today. Our forebears recognized the Nature's Life Force as the supreme force of the universe. Our Gods once where folk like us: they advanced our folk and our society. Our Gods were once our ancient social leaders, and like our living society are within the Life Force.
We live within the Life force and must follow its ways to further our lives and to extend them through our children and our people. This is the essence of morality. Social mores that result in death are immoral.
We live among people that have rules of conduct that may be moral or immoral according to the rules of nature, the Life Forces. As long as we recognize that the rules of the Life Force are supreme, we as a people will survive and prosper.
Godia:
Watcher of the South, what are your thoughts?
Watcher of the South:
Eastra is the time of new beginnings. Our new beginning starts in our thoughts of and our desire for new life. Let us celebrate this time of new growth by recognizing that the Life Force has, from the chaos of the Beginning, created life itself for the purpose of having more life. Those who organize their lives to compete for life are moral by the standards of the universe.
Godia:
Watcher of the West, what are your thoughts?
Watcher of the West:
Eastra is the time to actuate the plans for our lives and the lives of our kin. There is always the future, and it always starts now! If you have no plans, look to your wants and needs, and look to yourself. The future is always now and ahead of us. Solve the problems of the future now, as best you can!
Godia:
Watcher of the East, enlighten us!
Watcher of the East:
Those of you who have started your new beginning, now it is the time to seek new horizons, new goals, new plans that can change your life and those around you. I bid you set your time of victory for next Yule, so that by then all shall be finalized.
I call upon you all to plan for your own future, as well as for the times that shall come for your children's children. Even though fate may batter and destroy your immediate plans, you will have to established a direction of action and thought that will inevitably carry you beyond these trials into a glorious future.
Godi:
The Life Force has furthered life and we are part of life and the Life Force. The Life Force has given us the desire and the emotions to create more life. Moreover, the Life Force has given us intelligence to plan for more life. We shall prosper when we realize that the Life force gives us this gift to create more and better life. Our faith and understand determine whether we use the gift that the Life Force has given us.
Godi:
Watcher of the West, what think ye?
Watcher of the West:
From the Life Force comes life and the environment that furthers life. Know this that you may be able to plan and act to further your life and the lives of your kin. Let us understand that the future is for those who plan and act for the future. Know this, and know it well! The future comes from the Life Force. Our ancestors realized this and studied man and nature and societies of men to know the Life Force. Our Gods are those far ancestors that acted and thought with the Life Force. They are now become the personification of the Life Force.
Godi:
Let us look to the future and work for the future but enjoy the present! Life is for the enjoyment of living, and our greatest pleasures are the making of more life through work or play. May Odin's people prosper and multiply!
Closing
When it is time to end, the Godia or Godi have all stand silently for a moment. The Godia or Godi then holds out the sword in salute before the rune banner(s) saying:
The time for our rite is ended. Let us give thanks for this time when we may be with the gods. As we go our ways, may the spirit of far Valhalla and the High Gods of the shining land, go ever with us, with our children and with our people. Hail Odin! (salute)
All:
Hail Odin! (salute)
The Godia or Godi replaces the sword upon the altar, and says:
This rite is ended. Go ye ever in the Way of the Gods and live their blessing.
After the ceremony, pour any remainders in the drinking horn at the base of a tree with an improvised salutation to the Azure Cloaked One.
1989, Evan McCallum. | 
