Over the years I have had many "encounters" with strangers that I
suspected, whether immediately, or after some contemplation, were Odin as the Wanderer. The God Odin is known from ancient times to go about Middle Earth in many disguises, and thereby He has gained many names and titles. I would say to all Heathens: take care to be respectful of all old Hobos, Shabby Homeless Guys, Raggedy Street Mutterers, Tall Impeccably Dressed Silver-haired Old Men on Their Way Somewhere, Itinerant Singers, Seemingly Simple Rustics, and One-eyed Strangers. Once, while waiting the walk signal on the corner of La Brea and Hollywood Blvd. (surely a dimensional vortex of weirdness) while walking my dog, I instinctively turned my head to the left, to stare right into the single, space-deep eye of an old man. I nodded my head towards him, as if to say, Greetings, and slowly, meaningfully, he inclined his head to me in a very courtly and dignified manner. He had on a shapeless hat of some kind, dark clothes, and a black eye patch, and carried a stick. He was tall, lean and of African descent. I'm as certain as I can be that this courtly gentleman of the street was The Old Man checking out the scene on Hollywood Blvd.

I think the God has shown up in the woods several times for me as a silent, older hiker, acknowledging my presence only by the same courtly nod, then hastening onward, always wielding a walking stick. He often seems busy, intent, and in motion. I have also seen Odin in the form of an eccentric old street woman. There is a glint in the eye--a look of profound intelligence, understanding, wry amusement, familiarity, and vast Mystery in the eye of someone used by the God.

Odin is the Wind, too. That force, that itself unseen, moves things. Odin is breath itself. When you breathe, think, or feel inspired, you are experiencing an aspect of the God. If you have ever had a feeling of being "lifted out of yourself" in a state of extreme excitement while creating, so that the music you are playing, or the artwork you are making seem to manifest on their own, then you have been touched by the hand of the God. The Gods and Goddesses certainly do manifest through natural phenomena, such as lightning and thunder, plants, animals, and the elements and forces of nature. They work upon the human mind and heart too. When you experience mental exultation, an epiphany, or profound emotion there might be a Divinity behind it. It is wise to pay attention to nature and to your own inner reality, as these are used by the Gods to communicate with humanity.

The feeling that accompanies a Deity "encounter" for me is like a spear right in the solar plexus or heart chakra. Adrenaline pumps, there is a quick in drawn breath. There is a feeling of awe, a tingle up the spine. It is said, and rightly, that "The heart beats faster when Allfather approaches." This feeling that accompanies seeing the "vessel" of the God is the main thing that convinces me that there is an extremely powerful Spirit present. The animal instinct or that sixth sense that alerts of us danger does not lie. And even though Odin is my Patron, and I love and trust Him, my humanity acknowledges that there is no Being I might ever encounter in the Nine Worlds who has such power and is that formidable--and therefore dangerous. Odin brings excitement and a feeling of enthusiasm, and anticipation of possible adventures, trials, wisdom or magic to come. Accompanying this excitement is a sort of mental clarity and focus, as if one has been lifted up to a higher vibrational level. I think the proximity of the God's energy "steps up" our own vibrations to a higher level.

I think all the Gods and Goddess quite probably "step into" living people, look out of their eyes for a while, feeling the plane of Midgard through human bodies. I do not think the Gods do harm by this, nor do They violate free will. I think some people are unaware of it when they are being "visited" in this way. It is also possible, I think, that the sight of the Deity is meant only for the person who sees one. The God might choose an appropriate human template and use that physical presence as a sort of screen upon which to project their spirit. The viewer's psyche could play a part in this, as the God would come in a particular form to people partly depending on their preconceptions of how He/She should appear. However, I think that Odin in particular enjoys choosing a form one might least expect. It is true, I think, that those who dedicate themselves to a God or Goddess are more likely to be used as vessels themselves.

There are some modern Heathens who have revived the ancient Germanic soul arts of Seidh and Spaecraft. Definitions of these terms vary among Asatru-folk, but basically they are techniques of ecstasy, spirit travel, and spirit possession by which one heals others, gains knowledge of the future, or retrieves information from other realms of existence. For divination (oracular Seidh), a Gydhja or Godhi (Priestess or Priest) enters a trance state, often aided by helpers who sing a special song. Then they travel into other worlds -- often, but not always Hel, the world of the dead. After entering trance and journeying to the other side, the Gydhja is asked questions by those present. 1 This is similar to other oracles known from ancient times, such as the priestess of Apollo known as the Pythia who prophesied at Delphi. Some practitioners allow themselves to be "horsed" by a God or Goddess, willingly lending Them their body for a brief time. The Odin's Gydhja Diana Paxson's group Hrafnar practices and teaches such techniques. I have experienced this myself, and it is quite powerful. When the God steps into a volunteer, that person usually stands up, stretches, and begins to move among the people gathered. Sometimes the words of the God come through the "horse", who addresses the folk. When Odin enters a human volunteer, He often partakes of much mead, Aqua Vit, or other provided spirit. It is said that usually He takes the alcohol with Him, leaving the "horse" none the worse for His indulgence. As with trance mediums, some people remain conscious while possessed and retain memories of what the God does , while others remember nothing of the experience. Observers can write down the words spoken during the ritual to ensure they are not lost. Not everyone is suited to this work. It requires an ability to let go of the personal ego, and a receptivity to the presence of the God or Goddess involved. Generally speaking, there are more women actively practising Spaecraft and Seidh today, which was also the norm in ancient times. However, Spaecraft certainly is not closed to males. 2 The continuing exploration of these "lost" soul arts is one of the great adventures of modern Heathenism.



1. For more detailed information on oracular Seidh see "The Return of the Volva" by Diana Paxson.

2. For an extensive collection of articles on the practice by a Seidhman, articles on other Heathen soul-arts, as well as extensive related links, see Jordsvin's Norse Heathen Pages.