Odin Brotherhood (Book)

The Odin Brotherhood: A Non-Fiction Account of Contact with a Pagan Secret Society is a book written by Mark Mirabello, a professor of history in the United States. The book, written in Socratic dialogue form, details an exchange between the author and a member of a pagan secret society called the Odin Brotherhood. The published version (ISBN 1869928717) is available from Mandrake of Oxford, an occult publishing house.
An academic review of the book (by Dr. Sarah Pike of California State University) is available from Nova Religio.
The Odin Brotherhood: A Non-Fiction Account of Contact with a Pagan Secret Society (The book in a pdf file)
== The Text of the Book ==
== Introduction ==
This work—written during what Hermann Hesse has called “the
end of modern times, shortly before the return of the Middle
Ages”—is designed for the student of occult religions. Paganism
is a growing force, and I believe a disinterested observer should
record and publish some of the material available on the Odin
Brotherhood, a mysterious fraternity that is one of the most
interesting manifestations of Odinist polytheism.
Because my aim is preservation rather than criticism, I have simply
detailed the Brotherhood's beliefs and have made no attempt to
scrutinize their “mysteries.” At times the ideas relayed to me were
unusual in the extreme—doctrines that deify men and humanize
gods, legends of magic gates that lead to divine enclaves, prophecies
of wars with apocalyptic monsters, clues concerning a treasure
trove of golden monoliths, and much more—but I have decided
to record these ideas without comment. It is my hope, however,
that others will some day evaluate the interesting and perplexing
phenomenon that is called Odinism.
Since the Odin Brotherhood is a “secret society,” my sources
(encountered while I was conducting doctoral research in history
at Scotland's University of Glasgow) must remain anonymous,
and I therefore cannot document my materials with the proper
references. This omission, I regret to note, is especially lamentable
because I cannot guarantee the credibility of the individuals who
communicated with me. My sources seemed respectable
enough—they were not “trafficking with dark forces”—but I urge
my readers to approach all the material in this work with the
proper skepticism.
For readers who may wish to establish personal contact with the
Odin Brotherhood, I can provide no certain mechanism. I can
affirm, however, that a few members of the Brotherhood are also
members of certain Odinist groups that do not shun publicity, so
association with “public” Odinist organizations may lead to an
encounter with the Brotherhood. 
Regarding the format of this work, I have used the dialogue form
because the poems sacred to all Odinists (the legendary Eddaic
Verses) used conversational exchange to convey important religious
information. There was a negative factor—the Eddaic dialogues
always end with the death of one of the interlocutors—but I
decided to ignore the risk!
The dialogue that resulted is a mosaic made from the fragments of
numerous discussions that occurred over several years, and it is
not the actual record of one conversation with one individual.
Moreover, since most of my sources did not speak English as a
first language, the quest for clarity has forced me to use my own
words to express their ideas. In all instances, however, I was
careful to preserve the fundamental integrity of the message.
This edition incorporates small (albeit critical) changes in the text. In all cases, 
the changes will clarify the message.
As in earlier editions, I have tried to illuminate the unique Odinist
perspective on reality. In a time of simplistic creeds and facile
explanations, Odinists are men and women who know that space
is not as certain, time is not as chronological, and the past is not
as dead as most humans believe.
THE DIALOGUE
== Odinism and the Mysteries of the Past ==
AUTHOR: What is Odinism?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinism is an ancient religion
that acknowledges the gods by fostering thought, courage, honor,
light, and beauty. Older than history, Odinism is all that was called
wisdom when the world was new and fresh.
AUTHOR: And what is the Odin Brotherhood?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Odin Brotherhood is a
secret society for all extraordinary mortals who embrace the
principles of Odinism.
AUTHOR: Extraordinary mortals?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Men and women who possess
an epic state of mind.
AUTHOR: When was the Brotherhood established?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Although Odinism is the
primordial religion, the Brotherhood itself is only five centuries
old. It was established during the time of our humiliations.
AUTHOR: The time of your “humiliations”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The era when Odinism was the
victim of premeditated cruelties. During this dark period, our
people were murdered, our temples were annihilated, and our
altars were profaned.
AUTHOR: And who persecuted the Odinists?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Men and women who were
black with hate. They called themselves the vassals of Christ, but
they were liars.
AUTHOR: And was the use of force effective? Did Odinists
betray and abandon their old gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the end, the Christian terrorism
made Odinism stronger.
AUTHOR: Stronger? In what way?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Purified by violence, Odinism
became a religion for the highest form of heroes. From those
heroes—the young, the strong, the living—the Odin Brotherhood
was born.
AUTHOR: Tell me more about the Brotherhood's origins. In
precise terms, how was the movement initiated?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Odin Brotherhood was
inaugurated in an obscure village built out of gray mud and brown
thatch.
AUTHOR: What was the name of the village?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: There are certain facts I must
conceal. In the legends, however, the place is called “The-Heart-of-
the-White-Darkness.”
AUTHOR: And what occurred in this mysterious village?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The process that would initiate
the Brotherhood started in 1418 when an ugly and venomous
Christian priest arranged the execution of a young widow.
AUTHOR: What was the widow's name?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That also must be hidden. In the
legends, however, she is called “The-Shrouded-One-of-Odin.”
AUTHOR: And why was the woman executed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The priest, a man infamous for
his bigotry, had seen the young widow honoring the old gods in a
remote grotto.
AUTHOR: And “honoring the old gods” was a capital offense?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. In the twisted
words of the fiendish nonsense that was then called law, death was
the punishment for “murmuring heathenish incantations and
performing pagan rites.”
AUTHOR: So the woman's fate was sealed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The priest did offer to
spare her life if she submitted to his carnal lusts, but the young
widow scorned his obscene suggestion.
AUTHOR: And did the priest murder her with his own hands?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. With eloquent vehemence,
the priest inflamed a mob of peasants in the village, and they
slaughtered the young widow. In the legends, the mob is called
“The-Hundred-Soulless-Authorities.”
AUTHOR: And how was the woman killed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First they cut her beautiful eyes
from her head. Then, with red-hot pincers, they ripped her tongue
from her mouth. Finally, they burned her quivering body on a pyre
constructed from green wood.
AUTHOR: Why was green wood used?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It burns slowly and prolongs the
agony of the victim.
AUTHOR: The widow's immolation must have been a ghastly
spectacle.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And her three young
children, a boy the legends call “Mocking-Defiance,” a girl who
is known as “The-Power-of-Innocence,” and another boy who is
called “Desire-to-Rebel,” were forced to watch.
AUTHOR: Was that the priest's idea?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And as the children
witnessed their mother's sufferings, they were goaded by the
priest and his diseased imagination. These were his words:
Hear the hideous bellowing of the harlot who gave you
birth? Soon—very soon—she will be groaning in the
deepest pit of hell with her counterfeit gods. If you do
not become children of the one true church—if you do
not learn to kneel, believe, and obey—the devil will one
day make you share her pain and her grief.''
AUTHOR: And what did the children do?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course, they were not afraid
of supernatural terrors.
AUTHOR: Supernatural terrors?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They did not fear a fictional hell,
a scarecrow called the devil, or the other spurious horrors
contrived by extinct theologians.
AUTHOR: And why were they not frightened by such things?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Why fear the webs left by dead
spiders?
AUTHOR: So what action did the little ones take? Did they resist
the priest?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No, the children were too
clever for that. They realized the priest could not harm their souls,
but he could annoy and torment their bodies.
AUTHOR: So what did the children do?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To save their lives from the
Christian menace, the children pretended to embrace the iniquitous
fallacies that were being forced upon them.
AUTHOR: And that was an artifice? A tactical maneuver?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. With their words they
honored the priest's deity—a triune god symbolized as a
disagreeable patriarch, a designated scapegoat, and a bland
abstraction—but in the depth of their souls they still loved the
ancient religion.
AUTHOR: And how did they manifest this love?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Every winter, the time when
death is strong in nature, the children would visit their mother's
grave and communicate their affection for the old gods to her.
AUTHOR: Communicate with the dead? How is that possible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In Odinist practice, a message
inscribed on a lead tablet will reach a dead person if three
conditions are met.
AUTHOR: What are those three conditions?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, the message must be
“reddened” with the fresh blood of a living animal. Second, the
lead tablet must be buried at the dead hero's grave in the coldest
part of winter. And third, the skull and at least two bones of the
deceased must remain intact.
AUTHOR: You mentioned fresh blood. Why is fresh blood
necessary?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Without blood, there is no
power. That is the reason animals were cut in half when the biblical
Jehovah made his covenant with Abraham.
AUTHOR: Returning to the Odinist practice, will the dead reply
to the messages they receive?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Almost never. In the words of
the legends, “the dead can hear but are mute.”
AUTHOR: And why are the dead mute?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because communicating across
the barrier is easier for the living than for the dead.
AUTHOR: But sometimes the dead will reply?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Indeed. According to our lore,
the children received a message from their mother on the third
winter after her death.
AUTHOR: Tell me about this necromantic communication.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In 1421, while standing by their
mother's grave, the children suddenly saw a woman dressed in a
shroud of white linen.
AUTHOR: Was the woman an apparition? A discarnate entity?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Visions authenticate nothing.
The shrouded woman was physically present at the grave.
AUTHOR: And what happened during the encounter?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, the
shrouded woman first made this declaration:
Without the gods, a soul wanders but is not free.
Then, after embracing each child three times, the shrouded
woman gave them the three directives.
AUTHOR: And what were these three directives?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, the shrouded woman told
the children to form a conspiracy of equals—a conspiracy in
which every member is a leader.
AUTHOR: What was the second directive?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The shrouded woman told the
children to honor the gods with clandestine rites in deserted
places.
AUTHOR: And the third directive?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: She instructed the children to
share their knowledge with the few they trusted.
AUTHOR: So the children were to proselytize?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Before he dies—before he
penetrates the mystery of the outer blackness—every Odinist
must pass on the wisdom of his secret.
AUTHOR: After the conveyance of the three directives, what
happened next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The woman made this declaration
before returning to the grave:
Heed my words, my children, and the gods of antiquity
will be the gods of the future.
AUTHOR: And did the children remember her words?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. On that very night, they
swore a solemn oath cemented with a ceremony of blood. With
that oath, the Odin Brotherhood was born.
AUTHOR: And this mysterious fraternity has existed in unbroken
succession to the present?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Brotherhood bears the
teeth marks of Christianity, but it has survived.
== The Odin Brotherhood Today and the Heroic Ideal ==
AUTHOR: What is the status of the Odin Brotherhood in the
present age?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We are a secret aristocracy that
penetrates every continent.
AUTHOR: A secret aristocracy?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A hidden elite. Like the “Hidden
Masters” of occult legend, we live unrecognized in the world.
AUTHOR: And what makes an Odinist special?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: An Odinist is a complete man of
action. As a member of the invisible army of the gods, he is direct,
uncomplicated, and strong.
AUTHOR: Strength seems very important to Odinists.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinism is a Creed of Iron.
AUTHOR: And why is strength so important?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because when the gods made
man, they made a weapon.
AUTHOR: What kind of weapon?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: One that is hard, and yet supple,
dangerous, and yet suave.
AUTHOR: Was not man made from soft clay?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. Man was not made from
the filth of the earth (as the monotheists claim), and man was not
made from carbon, oxygen, and slime (as the materialists claim).
AUTHOR: Then from what substances was man made?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, the
gods cut the first man and the first woman from splendid trees.
That is the origin of our strength.
AUTHOR: Tell me, what is strength?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In poetic terms, strength is that
which exalts the natural majesty of man.
AUTHOR: And in concrete terms?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Strength is that which promotes
thought and daring.
AUTHOR: And why is strength so important?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because it is only by becoming
stronger that a man can realize his divinity.
AUTHOR: In other words, through strength a man can become
godlike?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And a godlike man—a
man who is pure force, inaccessible to any compromise—is called
a hero.
AUTHOR: In today's world, where may we find such heroes?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In any epoch, heroes will be the
ones leading the ecstasy of creation or the frenzy of war.
== On Polytheism and the Nature of the Gods ==
AUTHOR: The Odinist ethos is interesting, but let us discuss your
gods.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: An excellent idea. A man is
what he honors.
AUTHOR: If I may ask this question, why do you honor many
gods? Why polytheism?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Monotheism, the belief in one
totalitarian god, is preposterous and absurd. No single,
superordinary, ineffable entity controls all realities.
AUTHOR: So the celebrated Judaic-Christian god does not
exist? He is merely an occult fiction? A metaphysical figment?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Those are not my words. The
entity called Jehovah (or Yahweh) really does exist—he is a
violent god of force and majesty—but he is only one god among
many.
AUTHOR: How do you know Jehovah is not unique?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Even the Old Testament admits
the truth. In the first verse of Psalm 82, for example, Jehovah is
referred to as a god “among gods.”
AUTHOR: But that is only one passage.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The New Testament, one of the
newest of the world's scriptures, also concedes the truth. In I
Corinthians, chapter 8, verse 5, Paul of Tarsus writes that “there
are many gods and many lords.”
AUTHOR: So your polytheism is based on evidence from the
Bible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Certainly not. Our conviction
is based on three foundations.
AUTHOR: And those are?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, we appeal to tradition.
Man has honored many gods for a thousand centuries. The idea
of monotheism, an exaggerated fraud contrived by a malformed
Egyptian king, is only thirty centuries old. Thirty centuries! That
is only 100 human generations. Such a novelty is rootless,
bloodless, meaningless, and unreal.
AUTHOR: And what is the second foundation?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We appeal to the facts of
nature. Observe the universe around you. A universe governed
by one supreme deity would possess the maddening simplicity
that characterizes any dictatorship, but our cosmos clearly shows
no evidence of one will at work. Our universe is characterized by
diversity and disorder, and that indicates the universe is molded
by many wills and innumerable forces.
AUTHOR: And what is the third foundation for polytheism?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We appeal to an emotion in our
souls: we feel the gods are many.
AUTHOR: Appealing to an emotion is rather irrational.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: True. But Odinists know the
irrational can be a source of illumination.
AUTHOR: If we assume that polytheism is correct, how many
gods are there?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Nature—the windowless realm
of all existence—is inconceivably complex, and it is filled with
nations of gods and tribes of enchanted entities. No mind knows
them all.
AUTHOR: So nature literally swarms with gods and godlike
beings?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. Shintoism of
Japan refers to eight million gods, but even that number is far to
low.
AUTHOR: Are all gods omnipotent?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Omnipotence is humbuggery.
In this universe of hazard and adventure, the gods implement their
wills through struggle—not fiats.
AUTHOR: The gods seem almost human.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course they are anthropoidal.
What is inhuman is not divine.
AUTHOR: But humanoid gods? How is that possible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The difference between a god
and a man is only one of degree. A god is wiser, stronger, and
more beautiful, but a god's fundamental nature is similar to a
man's.
AUTHOR: So a god is a species of superhuman?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. Amplify all that
is great in a man and the result is a god.
AUTHOR: Do Odinists honor all the gods that exist?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We honor all deities—from
Janus of the Romans to Tlazolteotl of the Aztecs—but the
movement is especially dedicated to the race of lords depicted in
the Eddaic Verses.
== The Eddaic Verses and the Three Ages of Man ==
AUTHOR: What are the Eddaic Verses?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Eddaic Verses are ancient
poems. Also called “The-Words-of-Power,” the Eddaic Verses
are bold and glowing revelations that describe certain gods that
possess the elegance of strength.
AUTHOR: Why are these revelations expressed in verse?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All transcendental knowledge
is expressed in verse. No other medium can effectively convey the
instinctual and intellectual forces of gods and “homines noetici.”
AUTHOR: “Homines noetici”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Thoughtful men.
AUTHOR: And who composed these mysterious Eddaic Verses?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Eddaic Verses were the
products of a singular genius.
AUTHOR: And what was the name of that genius?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the legends, he is called
“Knowledge-Inflamed-By-Imagination.” A man of great wisdom,
the sages of modern India call him Vyasa and claim he still lives
somewhere in the mountains of Asia.
AUTHOR: And when did this inspired individual—this
“Knowledge-Inflamed-By-Imagination”—compose the poems?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Eddaic Verses were created
during the first age of human history.
AUTHOR: The first age?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Human history has three periods.
The first is called “The-Age-of-Primitive-Freshness.” In this first
age, an individual man's chief enemies were predators with hearts
of whiteness.
AUTHOR: Who were these predators with hearts of whiteness?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Wild animals.
AUTHOR: And what is the second age?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The second age is called the
“The-Age-of-Heroic-Gestures.” In this period, an individual
man's chief enemies were other men.
AUTHOR: And this second age was an age of competition and
war?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. It was the time when men
ripened in the sun of adversity.
AUTHOR: And what is the third age?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The third age is “The-Age-of-
Unqualified-Decadence.” In this age—the period in which we
now live—an individual man's chief enemy is himself.
AUTHOR: And this third age is a period of unequivocal decline?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. It is the time of self-inflicted
wounds.
AUTHOR: Returning to the Eddaic Verses, you said these
poems were produced during “The-Age-of-Primitive-Freshness”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: And what language was used in that ancient period?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The primordial tongue that is
older than time. The prototype of all spoken communication, the
primordial tongue is composed only of vowels.
AUTHOR: And is that language still spoken today?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No contemporary man can
speak the primordial tongue. Its beauty has been refracted by the
mist of centuries.
AUTHOR: So no one living today can understand the Eddaic
Verses?''
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Not in their original form. But
the echoes of antiquity can still be studied in a later version.
AUTHOR: And who recorded this later version?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A succession of tall, daring, and
magnificent warlords who lived in “The-Age-of-Heroic-Gestures.”
AUTHOR: And who were these warlords?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: History calls them the
Cimmerians, the Scythians, the Sarmatians, and the Vikings. In
their eras of greatness, these splendid races were as strong and as
clear as mountain rivers.
AUTHOR: And what happened to these splendid races?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Like all peoples, they eventually
lost their innocence and their virility.
AUTHOR: In other words, they became civilized?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
== Why Venerate the Odinist Gods? ==
AUTHOR: Let us return to your gods. Tell me, why single out
these Eddaic deities from the countless gods that you say exist?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To answer that question, I must
tell you the story of a young sage named “Innocent-of-Conviction.”
AUTHOR: Very well.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to an ancient legend,
“Innocent-of-Conviction” decided to test the gods to determine
which deities deserved the highest honor.
AUTHOR: And how did the sage test the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: By being rude to them.
AUTHOR: Rude?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. “Innocent-of-Conviction”
assaulted the gods by uttering familiar blasphemies.
AUTHOR: An interesting idea.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Indeed, it was. Well, to relate
the story, first the sage approached the deity we call “The-
Adversary-of-All-Other-Gods.” A jealous god, he claims he
alone is divine.
AUTHOR: And how did the sage insult this god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The sage called him a cruel and
ill-tempered desert despot.
AUTHOR: And what happened?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The deity so addressed erupted
into a gruesome display of wrath and anger, and he bullied
“Innocent-of-Conviction” into silence.
AUTHOR: The sage was not very brave.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: He was not yet an Odinist.
AUTHOR: Please continue your story.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Next the sage approached a
second deity—the one we call “The-God-Who-Fears-Oblivion-
And-Neglect.” Pale and dwarfish, he is the god who wants all
men to know him and to love him.
AUTHOR: And how did “Innocent-of-Conviction” insult this
second god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The sage made a reference to
the second god's past.
AUTHOR: What did the sage say?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: “Innocent-of-Conviction” said
that any entity who had been born in an animal shed did not smell
like a god.
AUTHOR: And how did the second deity react?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The second deity was displeased
and hurt. He lectured the sage—he reprimanded the sage with
condescending words—and he concluded his remarks with these
words:
You are forgiven. Go, my child, and sin no more!
AUTHOR: This sounds familiar.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Some deities treat men as
children.
AUTHOR: Please continue your story.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Well, finally the sage sought out
the race of lords that we call the Eddaic gods. In a remote
mountain citadel, he found them indulging in a feast of pork and
wine.
AUTHOR: And how did “Innocent-of-Conviction” insult these
Eddaic gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Using a brazen voice, the sage
denounced them as false gods who satisfied lusts and procreated
monsters.
AUTHOR: And how did the Eddaic gods respond?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: At first there was a moment of
silence (the gods were unaccustomed to such bold impieties), but
eventually one of the revelers spoke:
Stranger, said the god, I give you this warning: if I draw
my sword, it will not be sheathed again until it has your
blood on it.''
AUTHOR: And what did the sage say?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: After a brief pause, he intuited
the necessary wisdom. He spoke these words:
Friend, replied the sage, I have found courage, and a
brave man does not fear the wrath of gods.
''
AUTHOR: And was the sage punished for his hubris?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. To the contrary, the
audacity of the sage pleased the Eddaic gods, and all the revelers
laughed.
AUTHOR: They laughed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And the Eddaic gods
invited “Innocent-of-Conviction” to join their feast, for they
admired any man who dared to confront power. Such a man, they
declared, was a natural confederate of gods.
AUTHOR: And so the sage had found his answer?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Indeed. And he had made a
discovery as well.
AUTHOR: What discovery?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Beware of gods who cannot
laugh.
AUTHOR: That parable was certainly revealing.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It was not a parable. According
to our legends, the events really occurred during “The-Age-of-
Heroic-Gestures.”
== The Contacts between Men and Gods ==
AUTHOR: Have many men visited the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Usually, however, the
gods visit us.
AUTHOR: Do you mean that literally?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. Some deities are
occasional interlopers in the world of men, but the Eddaic gods
are different. The Eddaic gods constantly wander across the face
of the Earth.
AUTHOR: And do your gods visit all nations?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the eyes of gods, there are no
chosen peoples and no master races. Higher men and higher
women—the elite from all nations—share the proximity of the
gods.
AUTHOR: And why do the Eddaic gods visit the world of men?
Do they have a purpose?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The world of men is more
exciting than the world of the gods, so deities like to come here for
amusement and adventure.
AUTHOR: So the gods like to see, to hear, and to feel the
experiences of this world?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: And do the gods also come here for more serious
purposes?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Sometimes they visit the
world of men in the interest of knowledge.
AUTHOR: You mean, they come to Earth to spread their faith?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. The gods come here to
learn.
AUTHOR: Learn? The gods can learn from men? But are not the
gods all-knowing and all-wise?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No god is all-knowing and allwise.
AUTHOR: Even the Christian god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Omnisciency is not possible.
An omniscient god would suffocate in his own wisdom.
AUTHOR: Let us return to the subject of godly visits. Tell me, if
the gods visit our world often, why have I never seen one?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In fact, you may have encountered
gods or goddesses and not recognized them.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The gods do not need theatrics
to impress mortals: they do not have to communicate through
angelic thralls or burning bushes. Normally, their visits are far
more discreet, and they can pass unnoticed in a crowd of
humanity.
AUTHOR: Can you provide examples?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. If, while enjoying the
winter, you encounter a wise and mysterious stranger who has a
hood drawn low over his face—that could be a god. If, while
walking down a city street, you encounter a woman who is a visual
work of art—that could be a goddess.
AUTHOR: Does a given god or a goddess always appear in the
same form?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. The deities often
manufacture unreality.
AUTHOR: Manufacture unreality?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They create illusions, and they
appear as they are not. Thus, one god actually visited Earth
disguised as a man with a long nose and a bald pâté.
AUTHOR: Humorous. But, if deities are masters of disguise, how
can I determine if I have met a god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: You will know you are in the
presence of a god when you sense something powerful, something
exceptional, something human.
AUTHOR: Are there more precise indications?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. According to the legends,
a god will cast a light shadow but not a dark shadow.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A light shadow is a reflection in
a mirror. A dark shadow is the silhouette that is cast in sunlight.
AUTHOR: And a god will not cast this silhouette?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: If that is true, how can a god hide his identity? Having
no dark shadow is an anomaly that would be readily noticed.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To conceal themselves in the
world of men, the gods normally appear only at night or at noon.
AUTHOR: Noon?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the vertical beams of the
midday sun, there are no dark shadows.
AUTHOR: When the Eddaic gods visit Earth, from where do they
come?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They come from the illustrious
city of Asgard.
AUTHOR: Asgard?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The enclave of the Eddaic
deities in the reality of the gods.
AUTHOR: Where is this “reality of the gods”? Is it in a parallel
universe? Another dimension? Another plane of existence?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: I will only say this: nature has
hidden corridors that most men have only seen in their dreams.
The reality of the gods exists in one of those corridors.
AUTHOR: And how do the Eddaic deities reach Earth from
Asgard?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The reality of the gods has a
mysterious door that opens in the world of men.
AUTHOR: A door?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. In nature, the reality of the
gods intersects the reality of men. When the two realities are
perpendicular, the mysterious door is formed.
AUTHOR: Where is this aperture located?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When it appears, it is on the
frontier between the visible and the invisible.
AUTHOR: Can you be more specific?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No—for the door is never in the
same place.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The door is constantly in motion.
On one occasion it may appear on a mountain summit—on
another occasion it may appear in the depths of the sea.
AUTHOR: If the door ambulates, how can it be found?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To locate the door, look for
“The-Bridge-of-Opaque-Colors.”
AUTHOR: “The-Bridge-of-Opaque-Colors”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The rainbow that is saturated
with beauty.
== The God Odin and His Mysteries ==
AUTHOR: Let us return to your gods. So far, we have discussed
your gods in general. Now tell me about individual deities.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We can begin with Odin, the
“All-Father.”
AUTHOR: Why is he called “All-Father”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because Odin, the inscrutable
one, the god who speaks in poetry, wields paternal authority in
Asgard.
AUTHOR: As “All-Father,” is Odin the creator of nature?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Nature, in its various forms, has
always existed. No god created it.
AUTHOR: So our universe has no beginning and no end?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the infinitude that is nature,
innumerable universes are successively produced and destroyed
by periodic convulsions. Our universe is only one of many. Like
all such universes, ours was formed from the wreckage of the
previous cosmos, and the next universe will be formed from the
ruins of our cosmos.
AUTHOR: I see. So nature goes through an almost biological
process of birth, death, and rebirth—composition, decomposition,
recomposition?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In rough form, you have
articulated a great truth.
AUTHOR: And this process is independent of any god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The gods did not create nature.
To the contrary, nature is a matrix that gives birth to gods.
AUTHOR: So the gods are the products of a genesis and not the
initiators of it?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Exactly. Nature herself is the
womb of pantheons.
AUTHOR: Well, if Odin is not the creator, why does he have
authority among the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because he is wise. Odin thinks
in terms of centuries, and he knows deep, mysterious, and
unfathomable things.
AUTHOR: And how did Odin gain such wisdom?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Through struggle.
AUTHOR: Can you be more precise?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, Odin
sacrificed one of his eyes to drink a draft of wisdom.
AUTHOR: Did he do anything else?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odin endured horrible agonies
to discover the knowledge of the runes.
AUTHOR: What are the runes?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Occult potencies.
AUTHOR: And these are useful?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: With the runes, the adept can
learn from the past and communicate with the future. He can also
heal all diseases, blunt all weapons, break all fetters, quench all
fires, calm all storms, end all hatreds, and win all loves.
AUTHOR: Interesting claims. How can these runes perform such
wonders?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The runes are mystic passwords
that unleash the power of matter, energy, and thought.
AUTHOR: Can you elaborate?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: I can say no more. There are
certain secrets that must not be revealed.
AUTHOR: You can add nothing else?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Only this: if you knew the secret
of the runes, the knowledge would surprise and terrify.
AUTHOR: Returning to Odin, what agonies did the god suffer to
discover the “occult potencies” that are called runes?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The legends are rather vague
here, but listen to the words of Odin from the Eddaic Verses, the
ancient words of power:
I know that I hung
On the windswept tree
For nine nights long,
Wounded by a spear
And consecrated to Odin
Myself to myself,
On the mighty tree
Of which no man knows
From what root it springs.
No one refreshed me
With drink or bread;
I looked downward
And took up the runes,
Shrieking I took them,
Then I fell to the ground.
AUTHOR: The words of power are as obscure as they are
suggestive. What do they mean?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To seize the runes, Odin mounted
a gallows called “The-World-Tree-of-Knowledge.” Purified by
suffering, the god sacrificed himself to himself.
AUTHOR: In a fashion, the sufferings of Odin evoke the passion
of Christ.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Not surprisingly. Gods—like
the prophets and the shamans who live in the world of men—
understand that pain can be a source of illumination.
AUTHOR: Can knowledge be found without pain?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. In fact, Odin also
seeks wisdom through simple travel. He often visits the world of
men, and that is the reason he is called the god of countless names.
AUTHOR: Are you suggesting that every time Odin visited a
different nation he was given a different appellation?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Called Rudra, Hermes,
and Wotan, Odin bears many names. He is also called “Hooded-
One,” “Much-Loved,” “Third-One,” “Thin-One,” “One-Who-
Blinds-With-Death,” “High-One,” “Changeable-One,” “One-
Who-Guesses-Right,” “Glad-of-War,” “God-of-the-Spear,”
“One-Whose-Eye-Deceives-Him,” “Flame-Eyed-One,”
“Worker-of-Destruction,” “Bringer-of-Ecstasy,” “Very-Wise-
One,” “Long-Bearded-One,” “Father-of-Victory,” “Cargo-God,”
“God-of-Wishes,” “Just-As-High,” “Wand-Bearer,” “Gray-
Bearded-One,” “Terrible-One,” “Wanderer,” and “Father-ofthe-
Slain.”
AUTHOR: An impressive list of names.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: And each one is a skeleton key
to a special mystery.
AUTHOR: Can you explain those mysteries?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Mysteries should not be
explained—they should be experienced. That is the way of Odin.
== The Goddess Frigg and the Rite of Marriage ==
AUTHOR: Let us discuss some of the other deities honored by
the Brotherhood.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Very well. Another entity we
honor is a goddess named Frigg. As the wife of Odin, Frigg is the
patroness of marriage.
AUTHOR: Is marriage important to Odinists?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Without marriage, the
procreative act cannot be a sacrament. And when there are no
commitments—no nuptial commitments—men and women fall
into the bottomless pit of erotic anarchy.
AUTHOR: Do Odinists have a special marriage ceremony?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. It is called “The-Beatitude-of-
Frigg.”
AUTHOR: Please describe it for me.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: “The-Beatitude-of-Frigg” begins
with a great feast with friends and relatives.
AUTHOR: How long does this feast last?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Until twilight. Then the couple
to be married retire to the bridal chamber.
AUTHOR: And what happens when they reach the bridal
chamber?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To consecrate the nuptial
ceremony, the bride and groom hold hands and together they
speak these words:
Love is a spark that leaps between our souls. Come!
Let us rise to the light!''
Next, uniting all the senses, the bride and groom embrace once.
Each then speaks these words to the other:
On this night of special ecstasy, I give you my innocence.
As long as I live, I will give you my love.
''
Finally, the bride and the groom kiss once, and together they
complete the rite with this declaration:
Bone to bone, blood to blood, flesh to flesh. Moved by
the desire to create, from this hour our bodies are one.
AUTHOR: Powerful words.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And our legends teach
that they were first spoken by Frigg and her husband.
== The God Thor, the Nemesis of Titans ==
AUTHOR: Let us discuss another one of your deities.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Another significant god is Thor,
“The-Lord-of-the-Hammer.”
AUTHOR: Why is this Thor called “The-Lord-of-the-Hammer”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because Thor possesses a tool
that breaks chains and crushes enemies—an enchanted mallet
that strikes with the roar of thunder and the flash of lightning.
AUTHOR: What kind of god is Thor?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Thor is one of the most popular
of our deities. Known as the “the strong one of the gods,” Thor
is the son of Odin and the father of one daughter, Thrud (strength),
and two sons, Magni (colossal might) and Modi (fierce courage).
AUTHOR: Why is Thor so popular?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Three reasons. First, Thor is
popular because he is the favorite of adventurers.
AUTHOR: And what is an adventurer?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Someone who accomplishes
great deeds in the spirit of play.
AUTHOR: And the second reason?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Thor is popular because he is
the friend of heroes.
AUTHOR: And how does Thor recognize a hero?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In any combat, the hero is the
one who renounces advantages.
AUTHOR: And what is the third reason?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Thor is popular because his
kindness has no visible limits.
AUTHOR: Benevolence is important to Odinists?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. Without kindness,
a man cannot be human. That is the teaching of Thor.
AUTHOR: Tell me more about Thor, “The-Lord-of-the-
Hammer.”
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: As the strongest of the gods,
Thor leads the struggle against the titans.
AUTHOR: Who are the titans?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Also called the giants, Thor's
foes are creatures who possess vast power and profound wisdom.
Fiercely independent—they hate to be enclosed or dominated—
the giants are older than the gods and are hostile to them.
AUTHOR: Older than the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The titans are the elder ones.
They are the offspring of Ymir, the “first of the living” in our
universe.
AUTHOR: And from where did Ymir come?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the matrix that is time, Ymir
(the name means “the roarer”) emerged from the chaos of ice and
fire.
AUTHOR: The chaos of ice and fire?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The ruins of the universe that
preceded our own.
AUTHOR: And where is this Ymir now?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Ymir is dead, but his corpse is
a part of nature and the titans he engendered live on.
AUTHOR: And where do Ymir's offspring live?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: There are two kinds of titans
who do combat with Thor. Those who are called frost giants live
in a place of endless night and immaculate coldness.
AUTHOR: And where does the second type live?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The other type of titans—those
who are called fire giants—live in a brimstone abyss at the edge
of an unknown plateau.
AUTHOR: Can these titan realms be reached from the reality of
men?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. They exist in oblique
corridors.
AUTHOR: So the titan realms are inaccessible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To journey to the realms of
Thor's enemies, one has to create an aperture with the brute
power.
AUTHOR: And who possesses the necessary force?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The hero can cut a swath of
destruction through any barrier. That is the teaching of Thor.
== The Goddess Sif, the Mischief of Loki, and the Skill of the Rock Dwarfs ==
AUTHOR: Tell me about another Eddaic deity.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: There is the goddess named Sif.
The wife of Thor, Sif is renowned throughout all worlds for a
misfortune she once suffered.
AUTHOR: What misfortune?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Her exquisite long hair was
destroyed by the one named Loki. A frost giant by birth, Loki is
the master of stealth, cunning, and guile.
AUTHOR: And why did this frost giant—this one named Loki—
do such a deed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because Loki is a prankster
and mischief is his delight.
AUTHOR: Is Loki the Odinist devil?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the eyes of Odinists, there are
no devils. Even Lucifer—the vile Archfiend in Christian
mythology—is in fact a fallen god.
AUTHOR: Returning to Sif, did her hair eventually grow back?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. But threatened by Sif's
husband, Loki replaced the lost hair of the goddess with enchanted
tresses.
AUTHOR: Enchanted tresses?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Wondrous strands of pure gold
that grew as real hair grows.
AUTHOR: And did Loki make this golden hair himself?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. At his request, it was
forged by the rock dwarfs.
AUTHOR: Rock dwarfs?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Superb craftsmen who are the
masters of created things.
AUTHOR: Describe these rock dwarfs.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The masters of dexterity are tiny
creatures with putty-colored skin, large, frog-like eyes, and small,
turned-up noses.
AUTHOR: And where do they live?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The makers of Sif's hair live in
the crust of the Earth.
AUTHOR: Directly in the crust?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The rock dwarfs can pass
through solid stone as easily as a shark swims through water or a
hawk flies through air.
AUTHOR: And do these rock dwarfs ever visit our surface
world?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Rock dwarfs rarely visit our
world—the legends say the power of sunlight turns them into
stone—but sometimes they are accidentally seen in the darkness of
night.
AUTHOR: And who usually sees the rock dwarfs?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Human females.
AUTHOR: Why females?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The makers of Sif's hair are
intoxicated by beauty, and they like to spy on charming maidens.
AUTHOR: Do they fall in love with such females?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course.
AUTHOR: And is their love returned?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Sadly, no rock dwarf is ever
successful in love.
== The God Heimdall and “The-Sojourn-of-the-Brave ==
AUTHOR: Returning to the gods, tell me about another Eddaic
deity.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Another significant member of
the race of lords is Heimdall the Vigilant.
AUTHOR: Why is Heimdall important?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Heimdall is the indefatigable
guardian of the two holy places.
AUTHOR: What are the two holy places?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The first is “The-Bridge-of-
Opaque-Colors” that leads to Asgard.
AUTHOR: And the second?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The initiation ritual that leads to
the Odin Brotherhood.
AUTHOR: Your secret society has an initiation ritual?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And to experience the
ritual is to become a member of the Brotherhood.
AUTHOR: May anyone experience this ritual?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In theory, the answer is yes.
AUTHOR: But how do you exclude the unworthy?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the wisdom of
Heimdall, the unworthy exclude themselves.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Brotherhood demands
much from its members and promises nothing in return. Such
conditions attract the great and repel all who are small, cowardly,
and smug.
AUTHOR: And why is that true?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because only higher men and
women join a legion of honor for honor's sake.
AUTHOR: And the Odin Brotherhood is a legion of honor?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is the teaching of Heimdall.
AUTHOR: Describe your initiation ritual.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Presided over by Heimdall, the
ritual is a solemn and ancient ceremony cemented with blood. In
the legends, it is known as “The-Sojourn-of-the-Brave.”
AUTHOR: And why is the rite called “The -Sojourn-of-the-
Brave”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because the neophyte (the
person who is consecrated) experiences the symbolism of his own
violent death.
AUTHOR: How does the “Sojourn” begin?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The journey begins with “The-
Meeting-of-Dreams.”
AUTHOR: What is that?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: “The-Meeting-of-Dreams” is a
special vision encountered during sleep. In the vision, the
neophyte is called to the Brotherhood.
AUTHOR: And who receives such a vision?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A man or a woman who is first
prepared by Heimdall.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The person called will meet a
special messenger from Heimdall. The fantastic visitor—a god or
a human envoy from the gods—will point the way to the
Brotherhood.
AUTHOR: And how were you “prepared”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Many years ago, a young
woman named “Unashamed-Beauty” told me about the movement.
Later, I encountered the vision in my dreams.
AUTHOR: Describe the vision. What does the neophyte see?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The vision may take many
forms. In my own meeting of dreams, I saw three men of bronze,
and they spoke to me.
AUTHOR: What did they say?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First they said their names were
“Courage,” “Audacity,” and “Revolt.” Then, speaking with one
voice, they made this declaration:
Awake! There is distance to conquer and space to
shape!
AUTHOR: And what did you do?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the dream I was confused,
but all became clear when the men of bronze uttered these words:
Like a god you must live, and like a god you must die!
AUTHOR: And that was your calling?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And I answered the
summons of Heimdall.
AUTHOR: Let us continue. After the vision—after the encounter
with the dream—what must the neophyte do?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte must wait for the
Summer Solstice or the Winter Solstice. In the northern hemisphere,
these occur on June 22 and December 22 respectively.
AUTHOR: What is the significance of the solstices? Why are
those times of the year special?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: During the solstices, there are
fractures in the reality of the gods. These fractures cause divine
forces to seep into the world of men.
AUTHOR: I understand. Well, let us assume it is the time of one
of the solstices. What action must the neophyte take?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte must gather
wood from a tree that has been struck by lightning.
AUTHOR: Why a special tree?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In ancient legends, lightning
emanates from the gods.
AUTHOR: I understand. Please continue.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte must forge a new
dagger from old materials.
AUTHOR: Why a dagger?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The weapon that cuts is nobler
than the weapon that strikes or the weapon that burns.
AUTHOR: After the dagger is forged, what is the next step?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte must seek absolute
solitude on a mountain in the wilderness. For three nights and
three days he must not see a human face or hear a human voice.
AUTHOR: While on the mountain, does the initiate live in the
open?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: He may. Normally, however,
the neophyte will stay in an isolated shelter or dwelling.
AUTHOR: Tell me, what is the significance of the mountain
location?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Some men become terrified
and dizzy at great heights. According to an old legend, it is the
proximity of the gods at great heights that makes some people
afraid.
AUTHOR: So the initiate goes up the mountain to be closer to his
gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Correct.
AUTHOR: During the three nights and three days of solitude on
the mountain, what should the initiate do?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Alone with his thoughts, he must
survive on a diet of bread and ice.
AUTHOR: In other words, the initiate purges himself by fasting?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. No man can find illumination
when he is swollen with food and sodden with drink.
AUTHOR: And why bread and ice? Why those substances?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They are the foods of Heimdall.
The neophyte will gain strength from the bread and will see the
future in the translucent ice.
AUTHOR: I understand. Please continue. What occurs after the
fast of three days and three nights?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte now begins the
most hallowed part of the ritual. He must bathe in clear water—
he must dress himself in a shroud that is pure and white—and he
must build a fire from the wood he has gathered.
AUTHOR: Does the flame have special significance?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to our traditions, fire
is alive: it experiences birth and death, growth and motion, and it
must be fed.
AUTHOR: So fire is an entity?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Pure and naked, fire is a
luminous entity that communicates with the gods.
AUTHOR: Please continue. What happens after the fire is
prepared?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte must stand before
the flame and utter the ancient words:
In the name of holy violence, necessary violence!
Then, using the dagger he has made, the male neophyte must make
three incisions on his chest. The scars are called “The-Marks-of-
Joy.”
AUTHOR: Shedding blood in a religious initiation ceremony
seems rather savage.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Blood rites are found in other
religions. When pious Jews initiate a male into their group, for
example, they circumcise human flesh. In their lore, this is called
“the sign of the covenant.”
AUTHOR: Returning to the Odinist practice, you specifically
noted that a male neophyte cuts himself. What does the female
initiate do? Does she make scars on her chest?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The female's breasts—the last
and most beautiful embellishment she receives in life—must not be
disfigured. Instead, the woman makes three small incisions on the
tip of her right index finger.
AUTHOR: So when drawn from a lovely woman's body, a small
offering of blood is sufficient?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is the teaching of Heimdall.
AUTHOR: Once the lesions are made—once the flesh is slashed—
what happens next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Using the point of the dagger,
the neophyte must extract part of his soul from each of the three
wounds.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinists believe that the soul is
in the blood. Based on this belief, he who extracts some of his
blood is extracting part of his soul.
AUTHOR: And he who offers part of his soul is undergoing a
symbolic death?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: What happens next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte, after staining the
dagger from all three wounds, must now offer it to the gods of
Asgard.
AUTHOR: How is that accomplished?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte penetrates the
flame three times with the dagger stained with his own blood. As
he does so, he solemnly declares:
With this blood, I devote, hallow, and sanctify my soul
to the gods who live.''
Then the neophyte solemnly repeats the names of all the gods of
the Brotherhood. Their names are Balder, Bragi, Bur, Buri, Eir,
Forseti, Frey, Freyja, Frigg, Fulla, Gefjon, Gna, Heimdall, Hermod,
Hlin, Hod, Hoenir, Idun, Jord, Kvasir, Lodur, Lofn, Loki, Magni,
Meili, Mimir, Modi, Nanna, Njord, Odin, Ran, Rind, Saga, Sif,
Sigyn, Sjofn, Skadi, Snotra, Syn, Thor, Thrud, Tyr, Ull, Vali, Var,
Vidar, Vili, Ve, and Vor.
AUTHOR: Your list includes Loki, the “mischief-maker.” Is he
not a frost giant by birth?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Before this world ends, Loki
lives in Asgard. Since roguish Loki represents enjoyment without
responsibility—since he is a playful flash of light from thed arkness—
the gods welcome his comradeship.
AUTHOR: Returning to the “Sojourn-of-the-Brave,” what must
the neophyte do after he has named all the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte closes the rite by
extinguishing the flame and making the final utterance.
AUTHOR: And what is the final utterance?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The neophyte, reaching into the
depths of his being, will speak these words:
The rite is finished. Let my violent thrust into the future
begin!''
== The God Bragi, the Holy Words, and the Seasonal Rites ==
AUTHOR: Heimdall and his rite certainly possess the thrill of
mystery.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Indeed, he does. And another
deity, the god named Bragi, also is a patron of ritual arcana.
AUTHOR: In what way?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Bragi, a son of Odin and the
husband of a goddess named Idun, is the god of the eloquent
words. When Odinists call upon their gods, they do so under the
patronage of Bragi.
AUTHOR: You mean, Bragi is the Odinist god of prayer?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Bragi is the god of sacred
communications. The word “prayer”—which originally meant “to
beg”— is taboo to Odinists.
AUTHOR: Tell me, why does an Odinist address his gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because he is one of the
“theophiloi”—the friends of gods.
AUTHOR: And a man should communicate with his friends?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: When he calls upon his gods, does the Odinist ask for
divine guidance?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Never. A man who follows a
leader is a man who thinks by proxy.
AUTHOR: In his sacred communications, does an Odinist ever
ask for divine assistance?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No Odinist ever asks for help.
Self-reliant, he would rather steal than accept charity.
AUTHOR: When he calls upon his gods, does an Odinist ever
confess his sins in a spirit of contrition?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. Contrition—a totem of
decadence—is alien to Odinism.
AUTHOR: Why do Odinists scorn repentance?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because repentance is an act of
cowardice. Remember, only the terrorized repent.
AUTHOR: But what if a man has dishonored himself?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: With fortitude, the hero accepts
the consequences of his shameful action. With invincible strength,
he resolves not to repeat the error.
AUTHOR: When an Odinist utters the “holy words”—when he
addresses his friends the gods—does he need a priest?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Every Odinist is a priest and an
apostle.
AUTHOR: Do Odinists use temples?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The gods may be honored
anywhere as long as the three rules are followed.
AUTHOR: What are the three rules?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When communicating with
gods, all strangers must be excluded, all words must be whispered,
and all abominations must be avoided.
AUTHOR: Abominations?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Promiscuity and assassination.
AUTHOR: When the gods are honored, is a special ceremony
used?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. It is called “The-Rite-of-
Bragi.”
AUTHOR: When is this rite performed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the course of a year, “The-
Rite-of-Bragi” is celebrated on three sacred festivals.
AUTHOR: And what are these festivals?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The first is called “The-Night-of-
Joy.” Held in honor of the goddesses, the “The-Night-of-Joy”
occurs on the eve of the summer solstice.
AUTHOR: Why is this first festival called “The-Night-of-Joy”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because the summer solstice
celebration of “The-Rite-of-Bragi” includes feasting, jocularity,
and frivolity.
AUTHOR: What is the second festival?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The second is called “The-
Night-of-Courage.” Held in honor of all the Odinists who have
died, “The-Night-of-Courage” occurs on October 31.
AUTHOR: Why October 31?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the old calendar, October 31
marks the beginning of winter—the time when death is strong in
nature.
AUTHOR: Why is the second festival called “The-Night-of-
Courage”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because the October 31
celebration of “The-Rite-of-Bragi” includes a tribute to the heroes
of the past.
AUTHOR: Heroes of the past?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Men and women who neither
lived quietly nor died quietly.
AUTHOR: And what is the third festival?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The third is called “The-Night-of-
Generosity.” Held in honor of the gods, “The-Night-of-
Generosity” occurs on the eve of the Winter Solstice.
AUTHOR: Why is the third festival called “The-Night-of-
Generosity”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because the Winter Solstice
celebration of “The-Rite-of-Bragi” includes the bestowal of gifts.
AUTHOR: What kind of gifts?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: During the Winter Solstice,
every Odinist gives the world something great and something
beautiful.
AUTHOR: On the matter of “The-Rite-of-Bragi,” could you
provide details of the ritual?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. First, the celebrant ritually
purifies himself by washing his body and dressing in a shroud that
is pure and white. Then he must wait for the darkness of night.
AUTHOR: Using the darkness of night is a practice that began
during the persecution, the time of your “humiliations”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: Please continue.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: After the descent of the sun, the
celebrant positions himself before a luminous object.
AUTHOR: A flame?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Any source of light, from a
candle to the starfire in the sky.
AUTHOR: Please continue.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The celebrant stands erect with
his eyes and arms raised and declares these words:
A man without gods has a desert in his heart.
AUTHOR: The celebrant does not kneel?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Kneeling is for slaves.
AUTHOR: Humility has no place in Odinism?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinism is the enemy of all
abjection.
AUTHOR: Returning to “The-Rite-of-Bragi,” what does the
celebrant do after he has made his declaration?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: For many heartbeats, the
celebrant moves through time without moving through space.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The celebrant stands motionless.
When a man is still, the poets say he is moving through time without
moving through space.
AUTHOR: I see. Please continue.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Next, the celebrant touches all
the gods and goddesses of Asgard.
AUTHOR: Touches? How does a man touch a god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: By naming all the deities one by
one.
AUTHOR: I am not certain I understand.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the ancients,
naming is a kind of touching, for the name is a part of the thing.
AUTHOR: I see. And what happens next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: After touching all the gods and
goddesses, the celebrant advances to the final and most mystical
part of “The-Rite-of-Bragi.”
AUTHOR: Does the final part of the rite have a special name?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. It is called “The-Glimpse-of-
Extraordinary-Beauty.”
AUTHOR: And what does this final procedure involve?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Standing before a luminous
object, the celebrant must first select one god or one goddess
from our sacred pantheon. Then—in the cauldron of thought—
in the crucible that men call imagination—the celebrant must
visualize himself as the deity he has selected.
AUTHOR: If the visualization is successful, what will occur?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: If the celebrant achieves his
vision—if he literally sees himself as one of the race of lords—he
will experience “The-Glimpse-of-Extraordinary-Beauty.”
AUTHOR: And can you describe the experience?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: I will say only this: when a man
enjoys “The-Glimpse-of-Extraordinary-Beauty,” he is enveloped
and penetrated by the thoughts of a god.
AUTHOR: How is such a thing possible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: If the will is sufficiently strong—
if its power is sufficiently awesome—any thing that can be
imagined can be realized.
AUTHOR: If what you declare is true, why are not miracles more
common?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because most mortals can
wish—only extraordinary mortals can will.
== The Fair Goddess Idun and Her Enchanted Fruit ==
AUTHOR: When you first mentioned Bragi, you noted that he
had a wife named Idun.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The god of the eloquent
words is married to Idun, the shapely goddess of youth.
AUTHOR: Tell me about this Idun.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Soft and flawless as freshly
fallen snow, Idun is the patroness of all that is new and fresh.
AUTHOR: Idun sounds beautiful.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And Idun is also one of the
most important of the Asgardian goddesses, for she is the keeper
of the magic food.
AUTHOR: The magic food?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The peaches of youth.
AUTHOR: What are the peaches of youth?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Also called ambrosia, soma, or
the apples of life, the peaches of youth are enchanted fruits that
grow on a unique tree native to Asgard.
AUTHOR: And why are the fruits special?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Ripened by the childlike purity
of Idun's thoughts, the peaches of youth have the power to
reverse the ravages of time.
AUTHOR: You mean, he who eats the peaches becomes young
again?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Like the elixir of life of the
alchemists, Idun's fruit renews and refreshes the bodies and souls
of men and gods.
AUTHOR: Gods? So the gods also suffer the effects of old age?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. The natural lifetime
of a god is vast, but even a god ultimately experiences senescence.
AUTHOR: In some religious traditions, the gods are ageless and
atemporal. They exist beyond time, where past and future fuse
into an absolute present.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In our universe, time erodes all
forms of being. And the power of time—the violence of time—
is especially obvious in Asgard. In that ancient city, all beings age
more rapidly.
AUTHOR: So the passage of time is not everywhere the same?
Time is not symmetrical throughout nature?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. An instant in the
reality of the gods is an epoch in the reality of men.
AUTHOR: If that is true, what happens to an ordinary mortal who
finds the gate and enters the reality of the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Without the magic food, the
results would be disastrous.
AUTHOR: Can you elaborate?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: After a few moments, an ordinary
mortal would be dead. After a few moments more, he would be
a putrescent corpse. After one night in Asgard, his body would
be a heap of black ashes.
AUTHOR: Clearly, visiting Asgard is a perilous enterprise.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Without the help of youth, all
enterprises are dangerous. That is the reason Idun is important.
== Brave Tyr, the Warrior God ==
AUTHOR: Tell me about another one of your deities.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Another significant deity is Tyr
the One-Handed, the brave god who inspires fear but never feels
fear himself.
AUTHOR: And why is Tyr called “the One-Handed.”
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because Tyr is disabled. He
was mutilated by violence.
AUTHOR: A god can suffer injury?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The gods are neither invulnerable
nor invincible.
AUTHOR: So your gods know the thrill of danger?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: Regarding Tyr, how was he injured?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The god sacrificed his hand to
neutralize a threat and save Asgard. As the bravest of the gods,
Tyr is also the most generous.
AUTHOR: Are bravery and generosity always found together?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. Selfishness is the
spawn of cowardice.
AUTHOR: Regarding bravery, how would you define this virtue?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: There are many forms of bravery,
but the supreme form of courage is the one against the all.
AUTHOR: And the supreme form of cowardice?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The all against the one.
AUTHOR: As a god of bravery, is Tyr a god of battle?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Tyr delights in the fury of
combat, and he is the patron of all true warriors.
AUTHOR: True warriors?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Combatants who remember
the three prohibitions.
AUTHOR: What are the three prohibitions?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: This is the first: in combat, never
fight an unworthy foe.
AUTHOR: An unworthy foe?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: One who is weaker.
AUTHOR: And what is the second prohibition?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In combat, never kill at a
distance.
AUTHOR: In modern war, virtually all killing occurs at a distance.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is the reason modern war
is criminal—it has made killing and dying anonymous.
AUTHOR: And what is the third prohibition?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In combat, never retreat before
the enemy.
AUTHOR: A true warrior will retreat under no circumstances
whatever?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When a true warrior steps
back, it is only to leap forward. That is the teaching of Tyr.
== The God Njord, Magic, and the Vanir Gods ==
AUTHOR: Tell me about another one of your gods.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Another interesting deity is
Njord, the god who is fond of the salt, the sea, and the wind.
Although Njord presently lives in Asgard with his wife, he is a
Vanir by birth.
AUTHOR: Who are the Vanir?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Known to fable as the
“resplendent ones,” the Vanir are beautiful gods and goddesses
renowned for the power of their magic.
AUTHOR: And what is magic?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Magic is a species of knowledge.
AUTHOR: And how does magic differ from other forms of
knowledge?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Magic is the technology of
gods. According to some legends, it was invented in Vanir-
World.
AUTHOR: Vanir-World?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The home of the Vanir and the
original home of Njord. It is a place of color, music, and scent.
AUTHOR: Where is Vanir-World?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the reality of the gods, the
birthplace of Njord is located somewhere to the east of Asgard.
AUTHOR: And is there a portal that leads to Vanir-World on
Earth?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The same aperture that
leads to Asgard leads to Vanir-World.
AUTHOR: Since they exist in the same reality, do the Vanir gods
commonly visit the gods of Asgard?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. But that was not always
the case.
AUTHOR: Why?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In ancient times—long before
our ancestors walked the Earth—the gods of Vanir-World and
the gods of Asgard waged a war which involved a sorceress
named “The-Power-of-Gold.”
AUTHOR: And that war is now ended?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The war was long and
bitter, but at length the universe experienced an armistice of the
gods.
AUTHOR: And what maintains the peace?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The deities of Vanir-World sent
two of their number to live in Asgard, and the deities of Asgard
sent two of their number to live in Vanir-World.
AUTHOR: So the two sides exchanged hostages?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. And in this
exchange, Njord and his son went to Asgard.
AUTHOR: And how long will Njord remain in Asgard?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends,
Njord will stay with the Asgardians until the destruction of this
universe.
== The God Frey and the Elves ==
AUTHOR: You mentioned Njord's son also went to Asgard.
Who is this son?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: He is called Frey, and he is the
king of the elves.
AUTHOR: And who are the elves?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Known in the legends as “The-
People-Who-Walk-In-The-Sky,” Frey's subjects are a race of
virgins.
AUTHOR: A race of virgins?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Most elves are chaste, for elves
cannot survive procreation.
AUTHOR: An unfortunate curse.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. For an elf, love-play can
lead to death.
AUTHOR: In terms of appearance, do the elves resemble gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Frey's subjects are beautiful
entities with statuesque bodies and eyes the color of melted
copper.
AUTHOR: And where do these elves live?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In Elf-world, a place of beauty
and fantasy filled with wonderful things.
AUTHOR: Wonderful things?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Enchanted things—such as
mountains of crystal and forests of giant mushrooms.
AUTHOR: And where is this Elf-World located?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Frey's realm is where every
river begins.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Rain is where every river
begins, so Elf-World is somewhere in the architecture of the
clouds.
== The Goddess Freyja, the Lovely Patroness of Birth ==
AUTHOR: Tell me about another one of your deities.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Another significant goddess is
Freyja. A Vanir by birth, Freyja has freely joined her father
(Njord) and her brother (Frey) in Asgard.
AUTHOR: Describe Freyja.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Freyja is all that is perfect and
feminine. The divine prototype of loveliness—radiating happiness
and grace—Freyja epitomizes the woman who inspires our
dreams, shapes our hopes, and steals our desires.
AUTHOR: Freyja sounds enchanting.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And as she walks through
our reality, the power of her beauty causes flowers to blossom and
fruits to ripen.
AUTHOR: And what attracts Freyja to our world?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Lovely Freyja is a fertility
goddess. The patroness of all who conceive in pleasure and
deliver in pain, Freyja loves to visit young women who are
pregnant with new life.
AUTHOR: Does the goddess visit such women often?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And Freyja especially
enjoys the company of women who are actually in the process of
giving birth.
AUTHOR: Childbirth is a sacred time. Uniquely sublime, birth
has been called the most common violence experienced by
humans.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Freyja loves to watch the
light enter a newborn baby's eyes, and she also loves to witness
the moment when a child first receives its name.
AUTHOR: Why is the naming important?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, a
child does not exist until it has a name.
AUTHOR: Do Odinists have a special naming ceremony?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We do.
AUTHOR: Could you describe it for me?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, the mother (or the midwife)
washes the newborn infant in sky water. Sky water is the rain that
falls from the heavens.
AUTHOR: You referred to a mother or a midwife. May a man
perform the naming rite?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. What is new and fresh is
the domain of women.
AUTHOR: I understand. Please continue.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Holding the child in her arms,
the mother (midwife) declares:
My son (daughter), faith is a poison that paralyzes the
mind. In all the days of your life, seek knowledge!''
Then, still holding the child, the mother (midwife) speaks these
words:
My son (daughter), inactivity is the mother of cowardice,
parasitism, and sterility. In all the days of your life,
overcome and achieve!''
And finally, the mother (midwife) lifts the infant to the sky and
declares:
My son (daughter), your name is ________. In honor
of Freyja, live well and die bravely.''
AUTHOR: Beautiful words.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And they are in honor of
the most beautiful of all females.
== The God Balder and the Adventure of Death ==
AUTHOR: In terms of beauty, is there a male equivalent of
Freyja?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: While he lived, the youthfully
handsome Balder was the most desirable god in the eyes of
women.
AUTHOR: While he lived? Is Balder dead?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Balder, the son of Odin
and the husband of Nanna, was the first Asgardian to experience
the odyssey called death.
AUTHOR: But how can a god die?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All gods die. Read, for example,
the histories of the dismembered Osiris, the emasculated Attis,
and the crucified Christ.
AUTHOR: Your reference to Christ reminds me of the legend—
told during medieval times—that Jesus and the goat-god Pan
perished on the same day.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinists know and believe that
tradition.
AUTHOR: And if gods die, that means all other creatures
ultimately die as well?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. All beings—gods and
titans, elves and dwarfs, men and animals—all face certain death
and decomposition.
AUTHOR: And how did Balder himself die?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Invulnerable to fire and water
and steel, Balder was killed by a mistletoe projectile that pierced
his heart.
AUTHOR: Who hurled the projectile?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The blind god named Hod. The
action was an accident, but Hod nevertheless paid for the mistake
with his own life.
AUTHOR: The two deaths sound tragic.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In a sense. Remember, however,
that death is also a benefactress.
AUTHOR: In what way?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It is necessary. Without death,
life would eventually become a spiral of infinite boredom.
AUTHOR: So death gives value to life?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct. Life is intense
because it is limited.
AUTHOR: From the Odinist perspective, what is death?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In poetic terms, death itself is
personified as beautiful females who exist in an endless variety of
exquisite forms. These females are called the valkyries.
AUTHOR: And these valkyries extinguish life?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. The gentle hands of the
valkyries softly and voluptuously do the work of killing.
AUTHOR: In the legends, do the valkyries speak to their victims?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: With their fresh, full, and adorable
lips, the “daughters of ruin” utter one word in the primordial
tongue.
AUTHOR: And what is the one word the valkyries utter?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No living entity knows “The-
Word-That-Excites-Terror,” for those who hear it are already
embraced by death.
AUTHOR: But Balder now knows the word?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: You have described death in poetic terms. What is
death in concrete terms?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends of
Balder, death occurs when the entire soul leaves the tabernacle
that is the body.
AUTHOR: And does the soul survive death?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Death is not annihilation, so the
soul will endure.
AUTHOR: In Odinist terms, what is a soul?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A soul is a transfigured life-form.
Utterly pure, it has the color and texture of light.
AUTHOR: And what is the shape of the soul?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The soul is an approximate
replica of the body before the body was touched by the cause of
death.
AUTHOR: After the soul has exited the body, what does it
experience?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: As Balder discovered, the soul
is translated to one of three possible Other-Worlds on the
opposite shore of existence.
AUTHOR: Describe these “Other-Worlds.”
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They are realms governed by
dream-logic.
AUTHOR: Dream-logic?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The state in which all things are
possible and nothing is true.
AUTHOR: Are these Other-Worlds heavens—paradises that
are quiet, carefree, and vast? Or are they hells—prisons that are
vicious, stygian, and stifling?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They are neither.
AUTHOR: Then what are they?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All worlds are what we make
them.
AUTHOR: You mentioned there are three Other-Worlds. What
are their names?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The first is called White-Kingdom
or Valhalla. Heroes who die violent deaths go there.
AUTHOR: Is a violent death absolutely necessary to enter White-
Kingdom?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Unless a soul exits through
a gaping wound, it cannot enter White-Kingdom.
AUTHOR: In an ancient text called The Ynglinga Saga, Snorri
Sturluson declares that some dying heroes mark their bodies with
the points of spears. Is that custom still followed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: If there is blood at death—no
matter how small the offering—the soul finds Valhalla. A man
who knows that secret holds the key to White-Kingdom.
AUTHOR: And what is the second Other-World?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The second Other-World is
called Gray-Kingdom. People who die straw deaths go there.
AUTHOR: Straw deaths?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: People who die in bed from old
age or sickness. Their souls exit through the nose/mouth.
AUTHOR: And Gray-Kingdom is open only to the souls of such
people?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: And what is the third Other-World?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The third Other-World is called
Black-Kingdom.
AUTHOR: And who goes there?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Men and women who are
assassinated by sorcery. Their souls exit through the eyes.
AUTHOR: And what is sorcery?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A species of illicit magic.
AUTHOR: Can you be more exact?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Sorcery is killing with words.
AUTHOR: And who uses sorcery?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Ghouls, wizards, and all who
thrive on malice.
== The Goddess Nanna and the Odinist Death Rite ==
AUTHOR: Earlier, you mentioned that all gods will ultimately die.
After Balder and Hod, who was the next deity to meet the
challenge of death?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The goddess named Nanna, the
beloved wife of Balder, was the next Asgardian to die.
AUTHOR: How did Nanna meet her end?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When Nanna saw her husband
on the funeral pyre, she died of grief. Ever since that tragic event,
Nanna has been considered the patroness of the Odinist death
ritual.
AUTHOR: Tell me about your death ritual.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When an Odinist dies, one who
shares his secret knowledge will perform a special ceremony.
This ceremony is called “The-Rite-of-Nanna.”
AUTHOR: Please describe it to me.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The celebrant (the person
performing the rite) must declare in the presence of the corpse the
ancient words:
The warrior named ________is dead. Behold the hero!
He (she) died the death of a master—not a servant!''
Then, facing the sun, the celebrant, makes this declaration:
The warrior named_________is dead. Behold the
hero! Even as the wild flowers return in the spring, so
shall he (she) return!''
AUTHOR: And is the body cremated or inhumed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In ancient times, the body was
incinerated. In the current age, however, the body of the dead
Odinist must be placed in a standing position in a mound of earth.
AUTHOR: Why are the remains buried upright? It is interesting
that Michel de Notredame—the fabled Nostradamus—was
entombed in a vertical position.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Upright is the posture of a
warrior. When a man stands erect, he is poised for action.
AUTHOR: After the warrior is inhumed, is the ceremony finished?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No. The celebrant will conclude
the ceremony by burying three objects in the mound with the
remains.
AUTHOR: What are the objects?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: One is an acorn. This will cause
a mighty oak to mark the site of the grave.
AUTHOR: And the second object?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A tablet made from the purest
lead. If the time is winter, the tablet will be “reddened” with the
blood of a living animal and will bear a personal communication
to the deceased.
AUTHOR: And the third object?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The celebrant must insert a
broken monolith of solid gold into the mound. This monolith
always bears an inscription.
AUTHOR: What does the inscription declare?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The following words are
engraved in the gold:
The warrior named ______is dead. Behold the hero!
He (she) lives in a new form!''
AUTHOR: Why is the monolith broken?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: For the deceased to enjoy the
grave goods in the next world, the goods must first be “killed.”
Breaking (or burning) is a way of killing an object.
AUTHOR: How large is the monolith?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Typically, the monolith is the
size of a man's fist. Sometimes, however, it is much larger.
AUTHOR: What is the largest of which you have knowledge?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to our legends, the
three founders of the Odin Brotherhood (“Mocking-Defiance,”
“The-Power-of-Innocence,” and “Desire-to-Rebel”) were buried
together in a special mound called “The-Mountain-of-Promise.”
Tradition states that each of the three monoliths placed with their
bodies was the size of a living man.
== The Legend of “The-Mountain-of-Promise” ==
AUTHOR: Such a quantity of gold–such an ancient hoard—must
represent an invaluable treasure. Do you know the location of
“The-Mountain-of-Promise”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No one is certain. According
to the legends, however, there are certain clues that will help the
seeker.
AUTHOR: What are these clues?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, the seeker must find the
place where the wood becomes flesh.
AUTHOR: Since an Odinist legend states the first man and
woman were cut from trees, this first clue apparently refers to the
site where the first humans were made.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That would seem to be the case.
AUTHOR: And where is that site?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No one is certain, but the
legends say it is located by a body of water—perhaps the Black
Sea.
AUTHOR: And the second clue?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Next, the seeker must walk until
he finds the mud that is made by fire rather than by water.
AUTHOR: When soil is frozen, one needs fire—not water—to
make mud. So the second clue refers to a place where permafrost
exists?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That would seem to be the case.
That is the reason some believe the second clue refers to the top
of a mountain.
AUTHOR: And what is the next clue?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The seeker must walk toward
the setting sun until he discovers the painted cave that is located
between the sound that never ceases and the cliff shaped like a
woman.
AUTHOR: And what do those clues mean?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No one is certain, but in the
ancient poetry we know a cascade is sometimes called “The-
Sound-That-Never-Ceases.”
AUTHOR: And what is the next clue?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The seeker must enter the cave
and search until he finds the rock dwarf that dared to face the sun.
AUTHOR: Earlier, you mentioned that the power of the sun
turned rock dwarfs into stone, so this last clue apparently refers
to a stone statue of some sort.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That would seem to be the case.
AUTHOR: And what is the next clue?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: With the dwarf at his right hand,
the seeker must walk until he locates “The-Crypt-of-Secrets.”
“The-Crypt-of-Secrets” contains “The-Scroll-of-Knowledge”
that will lead to “The-Mountain-of-Promise.”
AUTHOR: And how will the seeker recognize “The-Crypt-of-
Secrets”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The crypt is located between
the rock that bleeds and the river that laughs.
AUTHOR: These last clues seem unintelligible.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odinism thrives on mystery.
Mystery, as all sages understand, is fuel for thought.
AUTHOR: But how could anyone possibly solve the riddle and
find “The-Mountain-of-Promise”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In spite of the seemingly
impenetrable nature of the mystery, we know the treasure will one
day be discovered.
AUTHOR: And how can you be so certain?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Before she died, Nanna uttered
this prophecy:
When the world is pregnant with lies, a secret long
hidden will be revealed.
''
AUTHOR: And you believe this prophecy refers to “The-
Mountain-of-Promise”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Some day the three monoliths
will be unearthed, and the discovery will confirm the truth of our
traditions.
AUTHOR: You are certain of this?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It is the decree of destiny.
== Destiny, Ragnarok, and the Mysteries of the Future ==
AUTHOR: Destiny? In Odinist terms, what is destiny?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The Fates, the Moirai, the
Parcae, the Norns—destiny is an enigma with many names.
AUTHOR: But what is it?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Destiny is a force implicit in
nature. Personified by three mysterious females called Urd
(“That-Which-Has-Become”), Verdandi (“That-Which-Is-Still-
Becoming”), and Skuld (“That-Which-Is-Owed”), destiny is the
indifferent, irrational, and irrevocable power that weaves and
shapes all realities.
AUTHOR: Even the reality of the gods?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Even the gods are not above the
blameless inevitability that wise men call destiny.
AUTHOR: And how do you know that?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because the past, the present,
and the future occur without their consent.
AUTHOR: So in all realities, no one is truly free?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All rational beings—from the
lowest man to the highest god—possess the liberty that is
important.
AUTHOR: And what liberty is that?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We cannot choose the joys or
the terrors we must face, but we can choose to face them calmly.
That is our freedom.
AUTHOR: And what terror must the gods confront?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Merciless destiny has decreed
that the race of lords must experience Ragnarok.
AUTHOR: Ragnarok?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The end of the universe. The
time of devastation and havoc when the gods will see death in a
thousand forms.
AUTHOR: When will this Ragnarok occur?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: No one is certain, but this
universe is ripe for destruction when man sees the spores of
decadence spreading throughout all realities.
AUTHOR: Spores of decadence?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Corrosive poisons that destroy
all integrity.
AUTHOR: And what will happen when these poisons spread?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Mankind will become a bloody
and suppurating sore, rotten to the bone.
AUTHOR: Can you be more specific?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First, man will become weak,
and his greatness will flee.
AUTHOR: And second?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: People will go against nature,
and women will become men and men will become children.
AUTHOR: And is there a third?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The shameless will become
worse, and traditional perversions will no longer gratify. On this
last point, listen to what the ancient prophecies declare:
daughters and sons
incestuously mix;
man is a plaything
of mighty whoredoms...
before the World ends.''
AUTHOR: Based on what you have said, the spores of decadence
are already with us.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. They spread like polyps
in unwholesome flesh, but fortunately the infestation is not yet
ubiquitous.
AUTHOR: And is that significant?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Indeed. As long as men and
women live in the legion of honor, Ragnarok will not occur.
AUTHOR: Are you suggesting that the existence of Odinists is
postponing the end of the world?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When the last hero dies, the
process of inexorable destruction will begin.
AUTHOR: Regarding the destruction, what will happen?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: First there will be three years
without a summer. The legends call this period “The-Season-of-
Untimely-Doom.” Next, the sun and the moon will enter “The-
Tomb-of-Worlds.” That is to say, the sun and the moon will
perish.
AUTHOR: And then what will happen?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The ancient barriers that separate
all realities will groan and split, all fetters will burst, and the
traditional enemies of the gods will run, walk, and crawl from their
sanctuaries, lairs, and prisons to make war on the forces of
Asgard.
AUTHOR: By enemies, you are referring to the frost giants and
the fire giants?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And these titans will be
assisted by an infamous army of apocalyptic monsters.
AUTHOR: Apocalyptic monsters?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Trolls with an insatiable appetite
for destruction. Ancient adversaries of the race of lords, the most
lethal are called “The-Wolf-That-Feeds-On-Gods,” “The-World-
Serpent,” and the death-hound named “Garm.”
AUTHOR: These creatures sound inconceivably powerful.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And to increase their fury
is to increase their strength.
AUTHOR: These creatures also sound inconceivably evil.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The trolls are innocent of crime.
AUTHOR: They are not wicked in any way?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The trolls are dangerous not
because of their sins, but because of their power.
AUTHOR: But if the trolls are not wicked, who is?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In an absolute sense, no one is
wicked. Everything is perspective.
AUTHOR: Perspective? Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Consider a dove. To a man,
that bird is an exquisite, benevolent, and inoffensive creature. But
to a worm that is mangled and devoured by that selfsame bird, the
dove is a depraved monster of unparalleled cruelty.
AUTHOR: But if evil does not exist, are all things permitted?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Not at all. There is no evil, but
there is dishonor.
AUTHOR: And what is dishonor?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: A form of impurity, dishonor is
anything that changes our nature and steals from us our souls.
AUTHOR: Well, let us return to the subject of Ragnarok.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. We were discussing
omnicide on a cosmic level.
AUTHOR: In the final days, how will the gods respond to the
attack by the titans and the trolls?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Heimdall, the vigilant warder of
Asgard, will stand forth and sound a warning that will be heard
throughout all realities. As soon as Odin perceives the warning,
he will hasten to “The-Well-of-Wisdom” to consult the one called
Mimir.
AUTHOR: And who is Mimir?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Dark, proud, and introspective,
Mimir is the teacher of those who know.
AUTHOR: And what makes Mimir so wise?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: More than any other entity,
Mimir knows the secrets of the past, the intricacies of the present,
and the mysteries of the future.
AUTHOR: And what words will be exchanged at “The-Well-of-
Wisdom”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the prophecies,
Odin will declare:
O Mimir, a vast horde is arrayed against the empire of
the gods. Is victory possible for Asgard?''
And Mimir will reply:
O Odin, in the battle that will decide the future, the gods
face certain defeat. Destiny has targeted Asgard for
annihilation.''
AUTHOR: And how will Odin respond to such grim news?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Austere as platinum, Odin will
say:
A heroic death is the apex of glory. In spite of the
futility of the task, I will lead a bold attack against our
enemies.''
AUTHOR: And what will happen next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Mimir will speak the last words
he will utter in this universe. He will declare:
Go with my friendship, brave Odin. And remember,
you will find freedom in the final defiance.''
AUTHOR: So, after talking to Mimir, Odin will gather his forces?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. With an enchanted spear
in hand, Odin will muster his warriors.
AUTHOR: Describe Odin's army.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All-Father will lead two
battalions. The first will be composed of gods and goddesses.
AUTHOR: All the deities we have discussed?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All those deities plus the gods
named Vidar (“The-God-Who-Dares-All-And-Says-Nothing”),
Vali (“The-God-Who-Avenges”), Ull (“The-Magnificent-
Hunter”), Forseti (“The-Warlike-And-Studious-One”), Hermod
(“The-Intrepid-One”), Hoenir, (“The-Hostage-God-Who-
Returns”), Vili (“The-Mysterious-One”), and Ve (“The-
Venerable-One”), together with the goddesses named Gefjun
(“The-Virgin-Combatant”), Eir (“The-Goddess-Who-Heals”),
Fulla (“The-Protector-of-Secrets”), Saga (“The-Goddess-Who-
Sees-All-Things”), Lofn (“The-Goddess-Whose-Heart-Is-
Mild”), Jord (“The-Mother-of-Strength”), Hlin (“The-Protectorof-
Heroes”), Sjofn (“The-Friend-of-Lovers”), Var (“The-
Goddess-Who-Desires-All-Wisdom”), Snotra (“The-Prudent-
One”), Syn (“She-Whose-Name-Means-Denial”), Ran (“The-
Friend-of-All-Who-Perish-at-Sea”), Vor (“She-Whose-Name-
Means-Awareness”), and Gna (“The-Goddess-Who-Soars-on-
Magic”).
AUTHOR: Will Loki stand with the Asgardians in the final battle?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Loki is a frost giant by birth. In
the war that terminates this universe, he will rejoin his natural
brothers.
AUTHOR: You said Odin will lead a second battalion. Who will
make up the second battalion?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Brave souls from fabled Valhalla,
the Other-World on the opposite shore of existence.
AUTHOR: So Odin will command a battalion of the dead?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. Those who died of
violence will have the courage to face the violence that is
Ragnarok.
AUTHOR: And what about those who died of sickness, old age
or sorcery?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In the final days, they will be
incapacitated by the worm of fear.
AUTHOR: When the battle called Ragnarok begins, who will
strike the first blow?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Odin will hurl his spear at the
sky, and it will fall back crimson with blood.
AUTHOR: And then what will happen?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: At the vanguard of his Asgardian
host, Odin will grapple with “The-Wolf-That-Feeds-On-Gods.”
AUTHOR: And will Odin defeat the beast?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The creature will kill and devour
“All-Father,” but Odin will be avenged by his son, Vidar the
Silent.
AUTHOR: And how will Vidar avenge his father?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Mute until this time, Vidar will
approach the wolf and utter these words:
You have shown you have the courage to kill. Do you
have the courage to die?''
Then, using steel against bone, Vidar will cut the wolf's breath
from his body.
AUTHOR: After Odin has died and Vidar has avenged him, how
will the war progress?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Thor, the slayer of trolls, will
fight “The-World-Serpent.”
AUTHOR: Describe Thor's battle.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The struggle will be titanic. The
Earth itself will convulse and shake, and lightning will play about
the combatants.
AUTHOR: And how will this combat end?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Knee deep in blood and gore,
the mighty Thor will crush the serpent's body and dismember its
soul.
AUTHOR: So Thor will be victorious over the reptilian horror?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. But after taking nine steps,
Thor himself will die of his adversary's venom.
AUTHOR: And what will happen next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Tyr will die killing the death
hound named Garm, Heimdall and Loki will find mutual annihilation
in a plain strewn with bones, Freyja will slay several dragons
before she herself is killed, Idun will be soiled and raped and
murdered, and countless warriors will disappear in an environment
thick with capricious death.
AUTHOR: The combat sounds ferocious.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The universe will become a
mass grave for gods and men, titans and trolls.
AUTHOR: And when will it become clear that the gods and their
allies will suffer defeat?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: When the brave god named
Frey falls in battle.
AUTHOR: And who will vanquish this god?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: After an effusion of blood, Frey
will be killed by a mighty fire giant named Surt.
AUTHOR: And your prophecies are certain on this point? Surt
will defeat Frey?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The prophecies are exact.
These are the ancient words:
On his dagger, Surt will one day hold aloft the bleeding
head of Frey.''
AUTHOR: And why will this one deity's death be a turning point?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Because once Frey is destroyed,
Surt will fulfill his ultimate destiny.
AUTHOR: And what is the ultimate destiny of Surt?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Surt will have the honor of
laying waste to the universe.
AUTHOR: Destroying the universe is an honor?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Of course. Destruction is a
form of hygiene. Natural and necessary, destruction makes room
for new worlds.
AUTHOR: So destruction—like death—is a benefactress?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: And Surt will be the tool of this benefactress?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And Surt understands his
destiny. Even now, he toys with his weapon and waits for the time
ordained by fate.
AUTHOR: And how will Surt destroy the universe?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to our legends, the
end of this universe will recall its beginning.
AUTHOR: Explain.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: In a conflagration this universe
was born, and in a storm of fire—an orgy of purification— this
universe will die.
AUTHOR: And Surt will unleash this storm of fire?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. He will send a wall of
liquid flame across all realities.
AUTHOR: Undoubtedly, that will be an awesome sight.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes, terrible to behold, the
gods will see obliteration in a flash of wild beauty.
AUTHOR: And when will this process of destruction stop?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The destruction will stop when
there is nothing left to violate.
AUTHOR: After Surt has fulfilled his destiny, what will happen
next?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Few can see beyond “The-
Great-Purification.”
AUTHOR: But what do your prophecies declare?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, the
pulverized remains of this universe will give birth to a new universe.
AUTHOR: So a new order will emerge from disorder?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: Describe that new universe.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It will have the purity that exists
before exhaustion and decay.
AUTHOR: And will there be gods after “The-Great-Purification”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Balder and Hod will return from
the dead, and they will lead a new race of lords.
AUTHOR: And will there be men after “The-Great-Purification”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to the legends, one
man and one woman will escape the holocaust of Surt by taking
refuge in “The-World-Tree-of-Knowledge.” They will become
the parents of the new humanity.
AUTHOR: And do you know the names of the man and the
woman?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: They will be called “Life” and
“Desire-for-Life.”
AUTHOR: And they will be humanity's hope for the future?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is their destiny.
AUTHOR: I have one last inquiry. What of Odin, Thor, Frey, and
the other gods who will perish? Will they be gone for all eternity?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Nothing dies forever.
AUTHOR: So the slain gods will return?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: We all return. Life is like a
dream that recurs.
AUTHOR: But how is that possible?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: To understand that enigma, you
must comprehend “The-Law-of-the-Endless-Circle.”
AUTHOR: And what is “The-Law-of-the-Endless-Circle”?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: It is our fundamental mystery.
AUTHOR: Please explain it to me.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: According to this sublime
arcanum, time is an endless circle in which all possible destinies are
repeated forever.
AUTHOR: And what does that mean in concrete terms?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: All that will happen has
happened, and all that has happened will happen again.
AUTHOR: So the gods are characters in a vast drama that is
replayed over and over on a cosmic scale?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: That is correct.
AUTHOR: And that is the reason the gods come back?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: The future must be a return to
the past. It is “The-Law-of-the-Endless-Circle.”
AUTHOR: The concept is an interesting one.
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Yes. And he who understands
the mystery will understand the first words that Balder will utter in
the new universe.
AUTHOR: What will Balder say?
THE ODIN BROTHERHOOD: Called the supreme paradox,
this will be his declaration:
Hail to the gods that are dead! They are the future race
of lords!''
== Epilogue: A Statement on the Odin Brotherhood by Mark L. Mirabello, Ph.D. ==
I am not an authorized spokesman for the Odin Brotherhood.
Because I have revealed secrets, I could be described more
accurately as a spy.
My first contact was a silver-haired gentleman in a bookshop in
Leith, Scotland. An eastern European, he was holding a peculiar
cane adorned with the images of the serpent and the ass. (The
serpent and the ass, of course, are the two animals that speak in
the Bible.)
We were both examining “occult books,” and he noticed I was
studying The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross by Arthur Edward
Waite. A Christian order dating from the Middle Ages, scholars
claim the Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross was “invented” in the
seventeenth century.
“The rose symbolizes secrecy,” said the stranger, pointing to an
engraving in my book. “Since we speak ‘sub rosa’ or ‘under the
rose,’ our discussion must remain forever secret.”
The man, who whimsically called himself “Lodur’s friend” (in
honor of the enigmatic god in the Eddaic Verses), asked me
several details about my life, and with every response he pointed
out “meaningful coincidences.”
My first and last names, for example, begin with the letter “M.”
Since “M” is pronounced with the lips closed, it traditionally
symbolizes secrecy.
M is also the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, and there are thirteen
letters in “Mark Mirabello.” Since 13 is unlucky to Christians—
thirteen people were present at the “last supper” of the Galilean—
the stranger said my name indicated “misfortune” for the Christians.
My father's family originated in the old duchy of Benevento. A
medieval center of the Lombards—as well as a place of the
Romans, Greeks, and Normans—Benevento was known as a
matrix of occultism.
And finally, the stranger pointed out that even my doctoral
research at the University of Glasgow was curiously meaningful.
My supervisors were Dr. Ian B. Cowan from the University of
Glasgow and Dr. David Stevenson from the University of
Aberdeen. Curiously, Cowan means “outsider” in occult lore.
Stevenson would know that, for he is a leading authority on arcane
orders in Scotland.
Several months passed before I saw the stranger again. Our
second meeting—another meaningful coincidence—occurred
outside the Atlantis Bookshop, an occult emporium near the
British Museum.
“Blind loyalty is a virtue in a dog,” declared the stranger, when he
noticed me studying an obscure essay on faith, “but it is an offense
in a human being.”
Since I was interested in the stranger's knowledge, we became
friends. We began to meet for dinner—usually in Edinburgh or
London—and he introduced me to a circle of fascinating
individuals.
The dinner assembly, which referred to itself as a conventicle, was
by invitation only. Those who “feared” or “hated” authority were
excluded. Those who “laughed at” authority, however, were
welcome into the group.
We dined only at night—during the time of the new moon.
Always, the feast was adjourned before dawn.
It was our custom to eat roast pork. Pork—or more specifically,
the flesh of the wild boar—is the customary food of warriors.
Since the wild boar feeds on acorns of the oak, the most sacred
of trees, it is a consecrated animal. Virile and strong, the wild boar
heroically defends its freedom.
Initially, our conventicle discussed orthodox theology. We
contrasted, for example, the biblical Satan—who tricked Eve,
annoyed Job, and tempted Jesus—with the biblical Jehovah—
who drowned planets, cremated cities, and destroyed Egyptian
babies.
Ultimately, however, our conversations always focused on arcane
lore—especially secret societies. We discussed the Leopard
Men of West Africa, the Thuggee cult of India, the Rebels Against
the Modern World of Italy, the Thirteen Society of France, the
Knights of the Apocalypse of Belgium, and something they called
the Odin Brotherhood.
My mysterious friends, who seemed especially versed in the lore
of the Odin Brotherhood, described the group as a luminous
beacon in a corrupt and squalid world. Consecrated to pagan
gods—gods who were older, better, truer—the Brotherhood
draws men and women who valued knowledge, freedom, and
power.
I was intrigued, for Odinism represented the hero instead of the
saint. The mailed fist over the nailed hands!
******
Over the years, individuals have asked specific questions about
the Odin Brotherhood. I will repeat their questions and my
answers here.
Q. Has the Odin Brotherhood existed literally since 1421?
According to historians, Lithuania was the last pagan stronghold
in Europe. Officially converted in 1386, pagan elements
supposedly did not survive beyond the fifteenth century.
A. The Brotherhood's claim is impossible to prove, but it is not
extraordinary. The oldest industrial firm in the world—The
Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A. in Italy—has existed since
1526 and is now run by an eleventh generation Beretta. If a family
business could show a great longevity, why not a secret society/
religion?
Gnosticism—a quasi-Christian movement going back to the time
of Christ—was once considered extinct by scholars. Of course,
that was until the Mandaeans were “rediscovered” in southern
Iraq.
The Parsees—followers of Zarathustra who fled to India in the
medieval period—once thought their religion had perished in the
Iranian homeland. Several centuries after their flight, they
discovered that their belief was false.
In history, centuries are nothing. Ma Yu Ching's, a restaurant
which opened in China in AD 1153, is still functioning today.
Q. Why do you not provide specific details—names and places—
when you describe the Odin Brotherhood? Even Gerald B.
Gardner, who started the Witchcraft revival with Witchcraft
Today, named his source.
A. Traditional Odin Brotherhood devotees are serious about their
anonymity. If asked about the Brotherhood, they will deny they
belong and some will deny even the Brotherhood's very existence.
They call this “the ruse of the warrior.”
On the subject of Gardner, it is an interesting fact that his alleged
source was named Dorothy Clutterbuck. Although Clutterbuck's
existence has long been denied by academic historians, Doreen
Valiente proved through birth and death records that Gardner's
source was indeed a real person.
Q. Why is secrecy still necessary today?
A. Odinism thinks strategically rather than tactically. Although
ridicule has replaced the stake as the preferred method of
persecution, the violence of the “burning times” may some day
return. Remember, the future may not be a continuation of the
present.
Besides, real heroes are not honored in our decadent time. Our
society puts the true hero in a prison or a circus.
Q. Some individuals search for the Brotherhood and never find it.
Why is that the case?
A. To see something, you must know how to look. Did ancient
Sparta have walls? The barbarians could not see them, but every
Greek knew the truth.
The warriors of Sparta were its walls.
People who look for a formal structure—a temple or a post office
box—will never find the Brotherhood.
Q. Some witches are solitary practitioners. That is to say, they
learn the lore, initiate themselves, and never have contact with a
larger group. Are some members of the Brotherhood solitary
practitioners?
A. In centuries past, all members of the Brotherhood learned the
secrets from older and wiser warriors. Heroes who knew how to
rule, fight, hunt, and procreate!
Since I wrote my work, however, solitaries seem to be growing
in numbers.
Q. When members of the Odin Brotherhood are solitaries, how
do they recognize one another? The initiation lesions cut during
“The-Sojourn-of-the-Brave” would not be visible in most
circumstances.
A. There are subtle clues that identify a warrior as a member of
the Brotherhood. No other Odinists, for example, refer to Idun's
magic food as the “peaches of youth.”
Q. Your book declares that the gods are real beings who often
visit earth. Have the gods made contact with the Brotherhood?
A. That is the belief. Although it seems implausible, I have a letter
sent from Hamburg, Germany supposedly from Odin himself. A
letter sounds odd—Judaic/Christian culture has conditioned us to
think in terms of burning bushes, “clouds of glory,” and pillars of
fire—but anything is possible.
Ezra Pound, in Canto 113, wrote:
The Gods have not returned. They never
left us.
They have not returned.''
Q. Why were you chosen to reveal the secrets?
A. I was not chosen. Remember, I am not an authorized spokesman
for the Odin Brotherhood. Because I have revealed secrets, I
could be described more accurately as a spy.
== Eddaic Sources ==
There are two important primary sources for Odinism, the Elder
Edda (Eddaic Verses) and the Younger Edda (Prose Edda).
Several English translations of the Eddaic Verses are available. In
particular, the reader should consult the following:
Bellows, Henry Adams. The Poetic Edda: Translated from the
Icelandic with an Introduction and Notes. New York:
American Scandinavian Foundation, 1923.
Hollander, Lee M. The Poetic Edda: Translated with an
Introduction and Explanatory Notes. Austin: University of
Texas Press, 1962.
Larrington, Carolyne. The Poetic Edda: Translated with an
Introduction and Notes. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1996.
Terry, Patricia. Poems of the Elder Edda. Philadelphia:
University of Pennsylvania Press, 1990.
For the Prose Edda–less reliable than the Eddaic Verses–the
reader should consult the following translations:
Sturluson, Snorri. Edda. Trans. Anthony Faulkes. London: Dent,
1987.
Sturluson, Snorri. The Prose Edda: Tales from Norse
Mythology. Trans and ed. Jean Young. Berkeley, University of
California Press, 1954.
== Works on Modern Odinism ==
Modern Odinism—which is sometimes referred to as Asatru (an
Icelandic term) or Wotanism (a term derived from the German
version of Odin's name)—has produced a body of material
available in English. Although many works were privately printed,
all are available through the internet.
Since Odinists are individualists, some of the books listed are
controversial. A few have radical political agendas, and some
openly glorify a neo-barbarian way of life. One anonymous text
(a book that is distributed gratuitously to seekers) is a copy of
another author's work.
Aswynn, Freya. Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes,
Gods, and Feminine Powers. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn
Publications, 2002.
The Book of Rites. London: Odinist Fellowship, 2001.
Camp, L. E. A Handbook of Armanen Runes. Sandusky, Ohio:
Europa Germanic Traditions Ltd, 2001.
Guide to the Runes. Sandusky, Ohio: Odinic Rite-Vinland,
1992.
Gundarsson, Kveldulf, ed. Our Troth. Tempe, Arizona: Ring of
Troth, 1993.
- - -. Teutonic Religion: Folk Beliefs and Practices of the
Northern Tradition. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn, 1992.
- - -. Teutonic Magic: The Magical and Spiritual Practices of
the Germanic Peoples. St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn, 1990.
Harbard, Sigi. The New Odinism. Woodland Hills, California:
Asgard Enterprises, 1982.
Interview With a Gothi: Heimgest, DCG-OR, Speaks. Reims
Cedex, France: Institute of Research on Northern Mythology and
Identity, 1996.
McNallen, Stephen A. Rituals of Asatru. 3 vols. Payson,
Arizona: World Tree Publications, 1992.
- - -. Thunder from the North: The Way of the Teutonic
Warrior. Nevada City, California: Asatru Folk Assemby, 1993.
McVan, Ron. Creed of Iron–Wotansvolk Wisdom. Wilmington,
North Carolina: 14 Word Press, 1997.
- - -. Temple of Wotan: Holy Book of the Aryan Tribes.
Wilmington, North Carolina: 14 Word Press, 2000.
Mills, A. Rudd. The Call of Our Ancient Nordic Religion.
Australia: 1957.
Odinic Mythology. 2 vols. London: Odinic Rite, 2000.
Pennick, Nigel. Rune Magic: The History and Practice of
Ancient Runic Traditions. London: Thorsons, 1993.
Sheil, Thorr. Old Norse Mysteries, Deities, and Worship. New
York: Trollwise Publications, no date.
Slauson, Irv. The Religion of Odin: A Handbook. Red Wing,
Minnesota: Asatru Free Church Committee, 1978.
''
Stead, Lewis. Ravenbok: The Raven Kindred Ritual Book.
Wheaton, Maryland: Asatru Today, 1994.
Storyteller, Ragnar. Odin’s Return pdf. file. Payson, Arizona: World
Tree Publications, 1995.
Teachings of the Odin Brotherhood. Portland: Thule
Publications, no date.
This is Odinism. London: Odinist Committee, 1974.
Thorsson, Edred. Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic.
Boston: Red Wheel/Weiser, 1988.
- - - . Book of Troth. St. Paul: Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications,
1989.
Turner, Earl. The Essentials of Wotanism. Portland: Thule
Publications, 1994.
Von List, Guido. The Secret of the Runes. Trans. Stephen
Flowers. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International,
1988.
Wardle, Thorolf. Rune Lore. London: Odinic Rite, no date.
Wodanson, Edred. The World Tree: An Introduction to the
Ancient Ancestral Religion of Asatru. Union Bay, BC,
Canada: Wodanesdag Press, 1995.
- - -. A Way of Wyrd. Union Bay, BC, Canada: Wodanesdag
Press, 1997.
Wulfstan. Odinism in the Modern World. London: Odinic Rite,
2002.
Yeowell, John. Book of Blots: Ceremonies, Rituals and
Invocations of the Odinic Rite. London: Odinic Rite, 1991.
- - -. Hidden Gods: Period of Dual Faith in England 680-
1980. London: Odinic Rite, 1995.
- - -. Odinism and Christianity Under the Third Reich.
London: Odinic Rite, 1993.
DEDICATED TO PAUL JOSEPH MIRABELLO, THE "MASTER OF THOSE WHO KNOW"
== External Links ==
*Odin Brotherhood
*Odin Brotherhood (North America and Europe)
*The Odin Brotherhood in Germany
*Odin Brotherhood Material in Spanish
*Odin Brotherhood (South America)
*European Mirror Site
*Frequently Asked Questions about the Odin Brotherhood
*Facts about the Odin Brotherhood
*Radio Interview on the Odin Brotherhood for "Odin Lives" radio)
*An Interesting Site by a Danish Seeker (in English)
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