“Odin is the All-Father, not the Some-Father!”

     I have seen this statement being thrown around misleadingly to justify Universalist Heathenry and want to explain how and why this is erroneous and inaccurate. It is used to imply that since Odin is known by the name of All-Father, among numerous others which are conveniently overlooked, that Norse Paganism is and should be for “everybody”. This is an arrogant selfish demanding mentality rooted deeply in entitlement. It is also false.

     Let me here and now say this: I. DO. NOT. CARE. who or what you identify as, you can be black, white, pink, purple, or speckled. You are welcome to do as you wish and it is of no significance to me. You do not, however, dictate to me who I must associate with, or who I have to like or dislike, who I have to agree or disagree with, on ANY metric. To DEMAND to be included, especially where you are not particularly wanted, is inarguably rooted in a sense of entitlement and wholly disrespectful of boundaries in every sense. A large part of my Ancestral Folkways are linked to the concept of Innangard and Utgard. My Inner Circle, those with whom I share a Kinship bond, with whom I have sworn Oaths or endured trials that have bound us as Brothers. That is not a term I use lightly. For the more lightly that label is given, the more freely it is cast forth, the less value it holds. If everyone is your “brother”, what is the value or significance in that? That makes that position in your Innangard the same as a casual acquaintance. But this is something that gets either ignored or taken out of context based on the narrative being pushed.

     Now that that baseline has been established, let us return to the subject at hand. Why is Odin known as the All-Father? Because anyone who has even casually studied Norse Lore KNOWS he is not, in fact, “everyone’s father”. Is he Heimdal’s father? Is he Njord’s father? Is he Tyr’s father? Is he Ask’s or Embla’s father? Is he Sindri’s or Brokkr’s father? Is he Loki’s father?

     Odin is known as the All-Father because he was the first of us to set foot upon Midgard. He was “born” in Niflheim, the same as his father, and his father before him. But the critical thing to understand is that our physical bodies are a manifestation of the Consciousness that animates it. Our physical bodies are a manifestation of the Consciousness that animates it. Odin came from Asgard. That is the Ethereal Plane or Realm his Consciousness initially came into Being. He, like every one of us, came here to experience Corporeal Existence. And he was the first of us to set foot upon Midgard, to initiate shaping this Realm to suit us.

     Odin is the son of Bor. Bor is the son of Buri. Why are THEY not named All-Father? Would it not be most appropriate to name Odin’s grandfather as the All-Father based on genealogical evidence as cited in our Lore? Or is it apparent that the name of All-Father holds a different meaning to you now?

     Odin was the Pioneer who through his actions made it possible for his Folk as well as other Folk from different Realms to experience Corporeal Existence. To touch, to smell, to see, to do all the things that are impossible in an Ethereal or non-physical Plane of Existence. THAT is why he is known as the All-Father.

Hail Odin!

Hail the Folk!