Odin Blot

 About Odin

Odin is considered the chief god in Norse paganism. His role, like many of the Norse pantheon, is complex. He is a associated with wisdom, war, battle and death and also magic, poetry, prophecy, victory and the hunt. He brought us the runes, by hanging on the Tree Yggdrasil. The death of his son, Baldr, is one of the signs of Ragnarok.

Odin is one of the most written about gods in Norse literature.

Hammer Rite

See Hammer Rite

Invocation to Odin

Said by Gothi/Gythia

Odin All-Father,

Far-Wandering Windwalker,

Tamer of Hatred and Wearer of Ravens,

We call on You now.

Grant us the wisdom and insight

To work with our Fate and not against it,

To weave fridd and not fray it,

To stand fast and not fall.

Cloud-high our courage rises:

Let us ride our Fate with the grace of Ravens.

Grey-Cloaked Sage of Shifting Shapes,

All-Seeing Eye of Magic’s Might,

Set Your shield upon us as a pledge

That we may strive, and flourish, and fly,

And feast with You in Valhalla

When the last wind settles in the west.

Taken from Circle Network News #70

Toasts

Gothi/Gythia pass around horn, each person making their toast.

Libation

Said by Gothi/Gythia

We hail you, Wodan, in all your guises —

Wanderer, Wish-God, great giver of Wod,

Be you Allfather, Valfather, worker of Bale,

Strife-stirrer, Svipall, or Bileyg called,

Helm-bearer, Wild Hunt’s Leader, or Grimnir,

By all your heitir you have my hails —

Great are your Gifts, Great are your ways,

and we stand tall in that which We’ve gained.

We offer you this sacrifice, so that you may bless us with your strength, your wisdom, and your knowledge.

Hail Odin!

      Freyja Blot

Opening

Gothi: I call to you, the wights of this place. Spirits of the earth, or the sky, land and husvaettir, I welcome you. Those who are seen, and those who are unseen; all those who live upon this land/in this house, I ask you to join me. Please be with me now, protect me and stand with me as I perform this ritual. Hail the Landvaettir!

Gythija: Honored ones, ancient ones, those who came before me, I greet you and bid you welcome. Ancestors, share your love with me, stand with me now as I perform this ritual. Be with me, held close to my heart, and grant me your wisdom. Hail the ancestors!

Gothi: High ones, my elder kin, I call to you. Aesir and Vanir, I bid you welcome to this place. I invite you to be with me now as I perform this ritual. Please stand fast with me, be with me as in the old days. Hail the Aesir! Hail the Vanir! Hail the gods!

Gythija: Lady. Vanadis. Sister to Freyr and daughter of Njord. Friend to cats, and lover to us all, I ask you to come to this place. Bearer of Brisingamen, you are welcome here. Freyja, I ask you to please attend, and share your love with me. Hail Freyja!

All: Hail Freyja!

Bless the Mead

Pour mead/alcohol being used (for those who do not drink alcohol, apple cider or juice is a good substitute) into the drinking horn/vessel. Trace the hammer sign over the liquid using one’s hand or a hammer.

Pass the horn, each person offering a toast

Libation

Gythija: Freyja, goddess of love, Lady of the Vanir, I share this drink with you in memory of the many gifts you have given me. Hail Freyja!
(Drink deeply, pour out some of the liquid into the blaut bowl)

All: Hail Freyja!

Gothi: Freyja, I am honored to have you in my life. I thank you for the warmth of your love, and I deeply appreciate all that you have done for me. Hail Freyja!

All: Hail Freyja!
(Drink deeply, pour out some of the liquid)

Gythija: Freyja, I am here tonight/today to offer you a gift as a token of our relationship to one another. I ask that you receive it warmly, and continue to smile on me. Hail Freyja!
(Drink deeply, pour out some of the liquid)

All: Hail Freyja!

Gothi: This mead/alcohol is a symbol of my gratitude to you, Freyja. Please accept this offering as a gift to you. I ask that you continue to share your gifts with me. I am mindful of all that you have done, and am grateful that you will continue to smile on me. Hail Freyja!
(Pour out remaining liquid into offering bowl).

All: Hail Freyja!

Farewell

Gythija: Freyja, Vanadis, I thank you for your presence here tonight/today. I thank you for taking the time to accept my offering. I thank you once more for the gifts you bring to me. Hail Freyja!

All:  Hail Freyja!

Gothi: Aesir, Vanir, gods of my heart, I thank you. Thank you for being here with me, and for standing witness to my offering. You are always with me, and I honor you. Hail the Aesir! Hail the Vanir! Hail the gods!

All: Hail the Vanir!  Hail the Gods!

Gythija: Honored ones, those who have come before, all those who are remembered, I thank you. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me, and thank you for attending this place. Hail the ancestors!

All: Hail the Ancestors!

Gothi: Landvaettir, husvaettir, wights of this place, I thank you. I thank you for sharing this land/house with me, and I thank you for extending your protection to all that I hold dear. Thank you for being here to witness this ritual. Hail the landvaettir!

All:  Hail the Landvaettir!

Take bowl outside and pour out while saying:
From the gods to the earth to us,
From us to the earth to the gods.
A gift for a gift.
Hail!

      Thor Blot

About Thor

Thor (Old Norse: Þórr) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder.

While Odin was often seen as the “God of Kings,” Thor is the god, and the protector of “common man.”

Thor is perhaps the best “documented” of the Norse gods, with there being many tales of his adventures. He was clearly a revered god of norse.

In addition to protecting the people, Thor is known to bring about thunder, lightning, and rain to benefit the crops.

Hammer Rite

See Hammer Rite

Invocation to Thor

Said by Gothi/Gythia

Great Thunderer, who rides in a chariot drawn by goats,

You who guard the bounds of Middle-Earth, who drives the frost giants back to their dark realm,

Keeper of oaths, you are there when the man and the maid plight their troth, you are there when the thain swears fealty to the lord,

You whose great hammer destroys the foes of mankind and of all life,

You touch the earth with swift lightning, and the soil grows fertile, the seed sprouts when the harvest is sown,

You whose mighty voice is heard across the sky, protector, defender, whose rune is most mighty to preserve,

Hail Thor!

Taken from Oakhedge

Toasts

Gothi/Gythia pass around horn, each person making their toast.

Libation

Said by Gothi/Gythia

We give great honor to Thunor!

Bane of World Serpent,

the one who struggles

against the bonds of eternity.

You are the one who never abandons,

any who call upon your name

in time of trouble or crisis.

Your strength and hammer might

keeps at bay

the primal chaotic energies known as Etins,

those who envy the goddesses’ and the gods’ immortality.

Those beings and creatures who would plunge Midgard

into darkness and ice.

You are our defender

against those who have overstepped their boundaries.

Those who give you honor are never abandoned;

to call upon your name just once is to dwell in Truthheim,

even in this life.

Thus we honor Thunor!

Hail Thor!

by Jim Davis of Missouri