The Temple: A Renewed Tradition
Approaching the Temple space
I once had a correspondent ask if I truly maintained a Temple for Odin and Ingvi Freyr, with a somewhat horrified tone to their inquiry. Their knowledge of ancient Norse temples was based on documents written by Christian and Roman men, accounts which not only were skewed by the writers' biases, but which are currently being scrutinized and found inaccurate, at least as far as Adam of Bremen's account of sacrifice at Uppsala is concerned. Breidablik has little in common with the old accounts such as in passage 39 of Tacitus' Germania, "Here, having publicly slaughtered a human victim, they celebrate the horrible beginning of their barbarous rite." It is much more akin to these descriptions "The old Norse word vé appears in place names throughout the Norse world. It's related to the word vígja, which means to consecrate. A vé was a holy place, where no violence might be done. A person who shed blood in the vé became an outcast. What form a vé took, or how such a place was used is not known." (Hurstwic: Pagan Religious Practices of the Norsemen) and also:
"A more comprehensive signification seems to have attached to the term vé (Anglo-Saxon wīh , related to Gothic weihs, "holy,
and to Old Norse vígja, "to consecrate"). The best rendering for the word is perhaps "sanctuary." It was used to designate the
hallowed ground set apart as the inviolate meeting place for the legal assembly, which as such was enclosed within vé-bounds
(vébond). One who desecrated the spot was denominated vargr i véum (a miscreant in the sanctuary) and declared an outlaw." fr. Peter Andreas Munch, Det norske folks historie, 8 vols. 1851-63
As I, Jalkr, made a solemn vow before witnesses that I would belong to and serve Odin for all of my life, it's that willing sacrifice and Odin's use of it that imbues Breidablik with holiness. This land has always been a special place, but the ambiance changed when I made that irrevocable commitment. Through it, a vibrant home for the gods is being created. Tending the animals, the land, the garden, is my full-time, unpaid work. Communing with Odin in the Grove is my most sacred obligation.
I firmly believe that the gods learn, evolve, and adapt. They're not abstractions, "thought-forms", egregores, or static figures in ancient lore. They are very much with us, watching and present, passionately interested in our lives. To require ongoing total commitment from a living servant, establishing a place where human and divine can mingle: THAT is Breidablik.
The four elements of the Temple:
"A more comprehensive signification seems to have attached to the term vé (Anglo-Saxon wīh , related to Gothic weihs, "holy,
and to Old Norse vígja, "to consecrate"). The best rendering for the word is perhaps "sanctuary." It was used to designate the
hallowed ground set apart as the inviolate meeting place for the legal assembly, which as such was enclosed within vé-bounds
(vébond). One who desecrated the spot was denominated vargr i véum (a miscreant in the sanctuary) and declared an outlaw." fr. Peter Andreas Munch, Det norske folks historie, 8 vols. 1851-63
As I, Jalkr, made a solemn vow before witnesses that I would belong to and serve Odin for all of my life, it's that willing sacrifice and Odin's use of it that imbues Breidablik with holiness. This land has always been a special place, but the ambiance changed when I made that irrevocable commitment. Through it, a vibrant home for the gods is being created. Tending the animals, the land, the garden, is my full-time, unpaid work. Communing with Odin in the Grove is my most sacred obligation.
I firmly believe that the gods learn, evolve, and adapt. They're not abstractions, "thought-forms", egregores, or static figures in ancient lore. They are very much with us, watching and present, passionately interested in our lives. To require ongoing total commitment from a living servant, establishing a place where human and divine can mingle: THAT is Breidablik.
The four elements of the Temple:
Odin's Grove
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Originally a man-made pine wood, now evolved into a mixed forest, The Grove is centrally located in Breidablik
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Ingvi Freyr's Fields
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Beautiful, level well-drained soil is the foundation for the bounty of Ingvi Freyr's fields. Garden plots, an orchard, grapevines, meadows...they take a lot of work to maintain, but the rewards are great
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Sacred Horses, Sacred Swine
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Breidablik is home to Ingvi Freyr's swine and horses, as well as Odin's mare Maple. Meet the residents and hear their stories
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Land vaettir
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Many wondrous beings inhabit the land, air, and waters. These vaettir, or spirits, bless us with their presence
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