A study on Wodenism in England and Northern Europe

Introduction – Christianity and Wodensim

England is now claimed to be a multi-faith country, yet is for the most part still Christian or identifies with Christian values and the Ten Commandments. A system of belief that has held England through famine, pestilence and wars. Yet Christianity is a Middle Eastern faith in its origins. Its growth from initial followings in Rome was led by the bravery of Christian monks (particularly Irish monks,) and lay preachers. Before it was a different set of beliefs based on Northern Gods. And let us not forget that the whole of continental Europe was non-Christian for a long time after Christianity made its appearance in Italy. Christianity brought a different alphabet based on the Greek, () and a more passive set of values. It brought literacy and gave value to the ‘learned’ and the intellectually brave, rather than an illiterate warrior elite. Despite the conservative nature of Protestantism (burning witches,) and Catholicism (Inquisition,) the Christian faith drove peoples on to achieve at an ever increasing pace. We may be suffering for this achievement now (the environment.)

But, to understand the English and the origins of the language one must look to Woden and Wodenism to see how the language was first formed. Using runes and poems and stories to pass on language and history. Despite their illiteracy the Anglo-Saxon peoples had the 9 values or virtues. They tried to keep in balance with nature, much like First Nation Indian peoples in the US, shunning towns and large buildings, preferring a rural life. Early English peoples of the migration period of around 449 AD led a life with harsh laws and a family and dress structure. The Roman historian Tacitus tells of how ‘sodomists and lawbreakers’ were drowned in bogs by the Germanic peoples. They were what they were, warriors (including the Women,) and followers of Woden – the God of battle.

WODEN – Warrior God of the early English people.

When the English crossed the North Sea in 449 AD to fight for land in the country they named after their old homeland Englalond or England- land of the Engles or Angles, they also brought their Nordic Gods with them, chief of which was Woden, the warrior God.

His name was renowned throughout the north, and he was called Wotan in the Germanic lands and Odin amongst the tribes of Norway, Denmark and Sweden. It is very likely that he was a real person – a poet and story teller – born in Odense in Denmark in the 2nd Century AD. His fame grew in a time when most if not all were illiterate. He went from personally fame to being idolised to being a God.

Towns and areas of these countries were named in his honour. Here, in England we have Wednesbury, (Woden’s stronghold), Wednesfield and Wansdyke in the vale of Pewsey to mention but a few and references to Woden crop up in all parts of the country in the north and south. Wednesday means Woden’s Day.

_{Supreme poet and warrior God of the early English: Deep in a Germanic forest. A Saxon warrior looks into the sacred grove as Woden flies with his Black Ravens. The hanging dead also look on. Artist: Mark Taylor.}

The Anglo Saxon Royal Houses.

The aristocracy of the Old English looked on Woden as their own and most traced their royal family bloodlines back to him, with the exception of the Kings of Essex who traced their origins to Seaxnot or Tiw the God who gave us Tuesday or Tiw’s Day.

Woden was characteristically Germanic, a God connected with battle and human sacrifice, indeed it is recorded that Aelle, first King of Sussex, having defeated the Romano-Brythonic inhabitants of Pevensey fortress in the 5th century, put every living soul to the sword in honour of the victory given to him by Woden. Bede the Northumbrian Anglo-Saxon historian of the 6th Century tells us that Hengist and Horsa, the first pioneers who settled in Kent with their followers in 449 AD were also descended from Woden.

It was also Woden’s role as God of battle, to select which warriors were to live and which to die. The fallen were taken to Valhalla, a marvellous mead hall where Woden reigned supreme. Interestingly women were not excluded from worshipping him, and there were famous English women warriors who stood alongside their menfolk in battle, such as the Mercian Priness Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great. This muts indicate that Wodens teachings were universal to both sexes. Frequently Anglo Saxon women were buried with their spears and shields, and some had miniature spears hanging by chains at their waists as part of their grave goods. These amulets marked them as invoking Woden’s protection. It is only the coming of the Norman Catholic Feudal system after 1066 AD that women truly lost their rights for around a thousand years in England. But the English genes prevailed and women once again stand equal. If nothing else – Wodenism provides that lesson. The good values from any faith will prevail.

On the other hand Woden was also connected with healing and with the oracle of the runes, an early form of writing.

The Nine Herbs Charm reveals the symbolic aspect of the runes in a piece of Anglo Saxon poetry.

In this poem we see healer, mystic, runemaster and God. The “Glory Twigs” are most likely rune ‘tines’ on which the first letter of the name of each herb were carved. Implicit is the suggestion that like the God, the victim can fight the adder’s poison now that he has secret knowledge to help him.

Like many Saxon hill carvings, The Long Man of Wilimington in Sussex. It is very likely to be a representation of Woden the war-God of the early Saxon English.

In 1993, a new drawing of the Long Man was discovered, made by surveyor, John Rowley, in 1710. The new drawing has confirmed some theories and dispelled others. It suggests that the original figure was a shadow or indentation in the grass rather than a solid line; there were facial features that are no longer visible; the staffs being held were not a rake and a scythe as once described and the head was once a distinctive helmet shape, giving credence to the idea of the figure as a helmeted war-god. That war God is Woden. And the original outline was possibly made by Ælle of the South Saxons, first King of Sussex. It is very similar to many known representations of Woden.

Wodenism today

In the current spiritual void where political expediency and ‘correctness’ has replaced a true, deep belief system within the established state Christian church, some English people are becoming attached again to the earth related ancestral faith practised 1500 years ago in our country. Woden has followers up and down England as the heathen faith seems to offer eternal truths and moral values, which are absent from modern life.

Further information:

- B.Branston. The Lost Gods of England. London 1957
- Gale Owen. Rights and Religions of the Anglo Saxons.
- Barnes and Noble Books 1996 ISBN 0-88029-9046-3
- Bede, Tacitus. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Oxford University Press

The Old English Runes – a unique English heritage

I can still recall the delight I felt in finding that our people, far from being uncouth and illiterate had an ancient language of symbols shared by the Nordic races which they brought to this country. More than just an alphabet the runes were also an oracle, could create curses and cures-in short they were magical.

To touch a rune stone and trace its angular lines we are coming into touch with our spiritual past in a very personal way.

The Anglo-Saxon 33 rune futhark

The Anglo-Saxon 33 rune futhark

Sounds

The poem of the Runes:

That is the tradition as to how they were found, but what are they? How can we use them in everyday modern life?

The cutting of runes is very ancient and may well go back thousands of years.

Rune poems exist in English, Norwegian and Icelandic and without these we would have had great difficulty in interpreting these strange symbols. There are just two complete English rune alphabets surviving, one of which is on the blade of a beautifully inlaid langseax found in the Thames. The typical Nordic runic alphabet was 24 characters, but in England this developed further into a set of 33. There are certain characters which are unique to the English style of inscription.

Other types of runes were used across Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The oldest runes are known as Elder Futhark through to Gothic runes, Younger Futhork, Danish Futhark and so on. Runes were used into the 11th Century.

When Christianity came to this land most heads of families could ‘tell’ the runes, but this was suppressed by the church authorities as being connected with heathenism and the ‘dark arts’. It represented a folk tradition that was not known or understood (or controllable) by the priesthood and was banned as being part of ‘witchcraft’, however the making of runes continued until the 12th century in England.

To cast the runes is a simple process, and involves knowledge of the symbols and a degree of intuition, however the best runes are those you have made. Normally small, flat river stones or pieces of elder or birch are used for this purpose. The figures are then painted or carved into their surfaces and the completed set kept in a small bag. The rune set is only used by its owner.

There are several academic pieces on the runes and their meanings and also plenty of popular books on the subject. which provide help in interpreting them and practical advice on different ways of setting them out. The Anglo Saxon rune system is our very own and well worth discovering and using even if it has a few more stones to learn. There is much detailed information available and the subject is truly inspirational perhaps even life changing.

Further information:

B. Dickens. English names and Old English Heathenism. Essays and studies
Volume 19. 1934
- A system of Transliteration for Old English Runic Inscriptions. Leeds Studies in English. Volume 1 1932
- Runic Rings and Old English Charms. Archiv Stud. Neuren Sprachen, vol 167, 1935


R.I.Page An introduction to English Runes. Methuen 1973


Stephen Pollington. Rudiments of Runelaw. Anglo Saxon Books. Pinner 1995


The Anglo Saxon Futhark: www.arild-hauge.com/eanglor.htm


Anglo Saxon Runes and Runelore http://www.homestead.com/englishheathenism/runes.html

Mark Taylor
With additions.