Othr

By Ed LeBouthillier

In the last article, we introduced the concepts of Ond, Oth and La. In this article, we continue our examination of Oth, also known as Othr. As stated in the last article, Oth means thought or voice, or the condition of awareness.

Through a combination of controlled Ond and Othr, we can reach states of awareness that we don't feel in our normal daily lives.

Our ancestors used a variety of techniques to realize the altered states of consciousness that are possible through controlled Ond and Othr. Controlled Ond, rythmic chanting, dancing and focused Othr are some of the techniques by which this was achieved.

Beyond its normal meaning of thought, voice or awareness, Othr can also mean an intense, ecstatic state of awareness. It is this state that Odinn is master. This is the state that the word Othinn (in a clearer spelling of his name shows) is derived. In its Anglo-Saxon form, Woden, Wod means a state of frenzy, mad or extreme fury. It was this intense state that was the source of the Berzerker's fury.

In her book "Gods and Myths of Northern Europe," H.R. Ellis Davidson said that "...Odin was also the god of the dead and the supreme practitioner in magic, with the ability to inspire his followers and grant them the ecstatic, trance-like state of intoxication." In the same book, she goes on to say:

The picture of the god as a bringer of ecstasy is in keeping with the most acceptable interpretation of the Germanic name Wodan, that which relates it to wut, meaning high mental excitement, fury, intoxication or possession. The Old Norse adjective Othr, from which Othinn, the later form of his name in Scandanavia, must be derived, bears a similar meaning: 'raging, furious, intoxicated,' and can be used to signify poetic genius and inspiration.

As Kris Kershaw recounts in "The One-eyed God,"

So Othr is obviously not simply 'spirit,' but 'the excited spirit.' ... The noun Odr therefore means exactly the same as the adj, regardless of whether it is translated 'possession (divine) intoxication, ecstasy,' or 'inspiration...'

Therefore, Othr is a potentially dangerous skill to possess if it is not mastered and controlled. On your road to knowing Odin, though, it is indispensible. There may also be times that you feel you need the strength that this brings. The focus, and determination needed to overcome difficult times.

In our initial introduction to this concept, we will introduce a mild form of Othr focus brought about by a simple galdr. In its extreme condition, it is the source of inspiration for the Berserker.


Othr Exercise
For this exercise, we will continue the Ond breathing exercise that was started in the last article but we will couple it with a bit of Runic Galdr. To keep it controlled and upbeat, we will use the rune Wunjo.

There are many different forms of Galdr but at its basis is a focused, intense repeated chanting or singing of a rune or of metered poetry.

In this basic introduction, we'll familiarize ourselves with the basic techniques and use it to focus and change our Othr. For the purpose of controlling the Othr, your focus should be in the lower part of your body cavity, some point from your heart on down to your lower trunk.

Let's first review the basic idea of Ond meditation. Find a quiet time and place to do the exercise. Sit or lay down in a relaxed position. Breathe deeply and with controlled rhythm. If tension in the muscles is a problem, focus your attention on those muscles, tension them and then release the tension suddenly. All of this should be done in a slow and focused manner over a period of several minutes.

After about five minutes of the Ond exercise, you should begin a period of Wunjo galdr. There will be about one Wunjo galdr per six or seven breaths, but you don't necessarily need to count, merely give yourself time to breath. As you breath regularly and with focus, choose to do the galdr while inhaling a breath in a focused manner. With your lungs full of air, begin the Wunjo galdr.

You do not have to do this too loudly. In fact, it can be so low that someone else would barely hear it or it could be loud enough that someone in another room can hear it. Repeatedly, slowly and with focus, intone:

WOOOONNNNNNNNNYYYYYYOOOOOOOO

The proper way to do this galdr is to intone from the depth of your lungs the sound of Wunjo. It should be a steady droning and vibrating chant from the bottom of your lungs and from your diaphragm separated by several breaths.

You shouldn't intone so long that you are feeling breathless. If you find yourself pressed for time, it is likely that you are out of breath. Shorten the Wunjo galdr or lower the intensity. You should also take extra breaths between the galdr. You should feel comfortable with a continuous intonation over time.

If you are doing it properly, you will feel your lungs and throat vibrating with each intonation of Wunjo.

You should do this exercise for a period of time that is comfortable for you. To start with, try to do it for two or three minutes and then return to your focused breathing to finish out the exercise. The total time, including regular Ond breathing should be 10 to 20 minutes.

Review
After you have finished the exercise, it is time to compare your state of awareness with what you started with. You should now experience a very different feeling of attention and focus.

This state of awareness or focus should be like nothing you normally feel in your daily life. There should be a calm well-being which persists for some time after termination of your exercise.