May
Feeling the Odal Rune
These exercises are intended to help you get in touch with the Odal Rune:
Exercise 1: Odal is an older form of the word Udal, which is ancestral land in Norway. Udal land belongs to the family generation after generation. It is passed to the oldest son. For most of us, inheritance is a simpler thing.
Udal land belongs to its owner before he was born. Each of us also has an inheritance that predates us. Our heritage exists in own genetic make-up. Write down things you have inherited: your looks, your traits your culture, etc. Write down five to ten things that are important to you. When you have completed your list, re-arrange them in order of importance to you. Which do you value most? Which is least?
When you finish this part of the exercise, put it away. Come back later and look at it. If you ponder this list carefully, you will get a good feel for how and where the Odal Rune connects with you.
Keep in mind that you did not choose these things. They came to you; they were bestowed on you.
Exercise 2: This exercise goes the other way. Try to think of five traits, abilities, and skills you would like to pass to others. Think of beliefs you would like to pass along. Think of them as a legacy you would give: a heritage you would bestow on others. Write them all down. Finally, think of three to five things you would like to pass along. It can be a home or piece of jewelry or heirloom or any other object. Write them down, also. Once done, put the list away. come back and look it over later.
In the first exercise, we looked at the Odal you received. In this exercise, you are looking at the Odal you would like to give to others. This would be your gift to future generations and the legacy that endures. Here, look at Odal as an active thing you do rather than something that happens to you.
Alternate exercises: Odal can have a hard side. A good exercise is to consider those inheritances that you would rather not have received. Perhaps there are generic flaws, such as a predisposition to heart problems, too many freckles, or some other physical problem. There might be family things such as enduring the fallout of a past relative’s bad behavior, a bad reputation or the wacky aunt that you cannot stand. These are the unfortunate inheritance that you cannot refuse. Consider their various influences on your life. Which present the largest obstacles? Which are least? Which are the easiest to offset, and which cannot be minimized without difficulty? Which ones just do not go away?
This exercise will give you a different perspective of the Odal Rune’s effect on you. It will also get you thinking about solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
Have you ever taken a job or position that comes with the baggage of the previous title holder? In taking that job, you “inherit” the benefits and problems left by the person who had your job before you. This happens in many occupations. Even the President of the country must deal with the legacy left by the previous administration.
Though you did not create any of these things, they are yours to handle and you are held accountable for their disposition.
Consider what things came with the new job or position. You might also ask yourself what “heritage” you may be leaving for the person who takes your office next. This exercise introduces you to a peculiar yet common outworking of Odal.
Is there a heritage and tradition that you are to pass on to the next generation? Are you maintaining it for the benefit of future generations? There are traditions that we are meant to keep so that they can be passed on. A good example is a museum, where artifacts are carefully maintained for present and future generations. Archaeologists preserve the past for the people of the future. There are other organizations that see themselves as responsible for the upkeep of traditions. Veterans’ groups and historical societies come to mind handily.
Do you maintain a tradition? Do you see yourself as responsible to preserve it for the benefit of those who are yet to come? Is there something you are saving to pass down at the right time? Here Odal is not just a tradition, but something you must keep in good order. You are responsible to hold it for the future.
To feel Odal, visit a place of heritage. Visit an historical museum, a historical landmark, a hall of records or other place that preserves tradition. In some places, it might be the local courthouse. Spends some time and see if you can get a feel for the Odal Rune living in that place. Look at the artifacts that link you to the past. Part of Odal is feeling your place in the continuity from past to present to future.
(A personal experience: Tennent Church is beside the site of the Battle of Monmouth. Many of those who died at the battle are buried there. There are also many other veterans buried in the churchyard. I visited the churchyard while doing some personal exploration of the battle’s legacy. Looking at gravestones that read “Continental Line” and “NJ Militia,” I felt a connection. The Continental Line was the forerunner of the regular Army, and the NJ Militia was the ancestor of the National Guard. I had been in both the regular army and National Guard, and I felt a connection. Before me were the graves of the men who started it all, and I was part of that line of continuity stretching to our Revolution and going past me into the 21st century.)
Is there a place where you feel a connection to the line of continuity from past to present and on into the future? It is like touching Wyrd, and it is also Odal in action. We are not just isolated units scattered about. We all can feel our place in the grand flow of Life.
(The places of Odal and Dag can be switched. This time, we are taking Odal before Dag.)
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http://www.thortrains.com/UncleThors/specials07.htm
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Uncle Thor
