Odal – My heritage, your heritage! Home, family and belonging

I, and many with me, count Odal as the 23rd rune in the Futhark. However, there is a bit of «squabbling» about this, for just as many believe that Odal is the 24th rune – and they stand their ground, just as I stand mine – Odal is the 23rd rune, so that's that! :-)

Then we can move on with Odal!

This rune stands for your home, your family and your belonging. We all have a biological family, we all have a history, and most of us have a home that we can call HOME!

Of course, shady groups have started using this rune as a symbol of «white power», but we ignore those groups, don't we?

Odal speaks of your ancestors and their «power». How they met everyday life and how they handled life. Then there are your parents, Odal speaks of them too. How did they take care of you? Or did they not take care of you? What possibilities have you had in life, and what chances have you seized, or refrained from seizing? Odal – heritage! In fact, our DNA has much to say for the course of our lives. Society and opportunities have much to say, but we should by no means underestimate our DNA.

I have inherited partly the maternal side, partly the paternal side when it comes to appearance – but I have inherited the maternal side's interest in books, and not the paternal side's practical genes. However, I have always felt a pull toward the east, toward Finland, Russia and the Slavic people. I feel just as at home among the Slavs as I do among the Norwegians. So when my DNA came back with the message that I had a certain percentage of DNA common in Finland and western Russia, I had to smile. My ancestors interest me, and I keep digging in the «death records» to find family and history.

If you look at the rune's form, it resembles Ing and Gifu – and it resembles a little the other variant of Ing, where you see a double Gifu. Odal is, as it were, «the family's spiritual house». In any case the rune is fine to work with if you are going to summon the ancestors, be shown a possible dwelling – and seek a place where you have your roots, or wish to put down roots.

An acquaintance felt restless and felt that she had to get out of Oslo. She began meditating over Odal and just kept Odal on her all the time. One day she took a trip to Notodden and felt so at home in Telemark that she felt she could put down roots there. Now she has moved to Telemark and thrives. She feels that she has come home – and she found out that two of her great-grandparents did come from Telemark. So she returned, in a way.

A friend of mine settled in Greece and feels at home there. He felt that Odal showed the way, so do not underestimate Odal as a «compass» :-)

No matter what place we belong to, the earth is everyone's home. With Odal you can feel belonging to the planet. I hope we can all become a little more aware of the planet and her needs. We can, for example, make sure to turn off the power when we don't need it, so we save a few resources. Maybe we can plant a tree, or two, or ten? That too helps the planet.

Maybe we can invite family members over and have a pleasant time together with them? Or invite some good friends? Good friends are also family. My grandmother loved to embroider, and when I embroider, I think of her and have a little «Odal moment». It is good to think of ancestors, living relatives and the home. We can have much knowledge and wisdom to draw from our family.

It does us good to focus on our home and make it a pleasant place to be. We need a place where we feel we belong.

Of the star signs I pick out Scorpio because it is skilled at digging and finding out about the past. Capricorn because it is skilled at preserving the «lineage» – and Cancer because Cancer gathers the family.

Of the planets I choose Saturn because Saturn has boundaries and wisdom within its rings. We can feel family as a chore and the home place as a dreadful place … but we can also feel family as a blessing and the home place as a place where we thrive and long to be.

Of the Tarot cards I think the «Ten of Pentacles» represents Odal well.

Irene Resaland selected Peridot as the right stone for Odal.

Peridot is a beautiful, green gemstone associated with the freshness of summer and nature's life force. It has a clear green color that varies from light olive green to deeper shades, and it is known for bringing luck and good cheer. Peridot is often used in jewelry, and on occasions where one wants to celebrate life, growth and new beginnings.

Peridot is also known for taking a closer look at negative family patterns and clearing them up – and that can be useful if the family is struggling with something like that. You can be the one who turns the ship around and steers with a firm hand out of the negative currents.

Plants that suit Odal.

Wood avens has a magical power that is said to be closely connected to the earth. Just as the Odal rune symbolizes home and belonging. Many believe that wood avens protects against evil spirits and brings luck into the house, especially when it is picked at Midsummer and placed under the doormat or hung over the door. Dry the plant, grind it to powder and use it as incense to please the ancestors.

The herb is superb to use against irritable bowel.

Then you dry the root, grind it up and use one teaspoon to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes – or make a tincture of the root and take four drops three times a day, in half a glass of water.

Bog myrtle is a clever plant. It grows wild in North America, but it thrives excellently in our gardens. The roots, the leaves and the berries are wonderful to use for blessing the home. If you grind up dried root and use it as incense, you get an incense that ensures peace in the home.

If you dry the leaves you can make tea from this plant. The tea is good to use against stomach ailments and headache. From the wax of the berries you can make soap and aromatic candles.

The leaves can also be used as a substitute for bay leaves, and they actually taste quite similar.

Blackberry is one of my favorite plants.

Maud Grieve (1858-1941) was an English herbalist lady. She mentioned blackberry and wrote that if it was harvested during the right moon phase, the berries protected you against evil intentions. What the right moon phase was, she did not mention – but from a Canadian witch I learned that blackberries were at their most effective if they were harvested on a waning moon – and just before the sun went down. She also told me that if you glued the thorns from the bush in a circle and hung this up inside the door, you were very well protected against black magic. Today I would glue the thorns in the Odal formation to protect my home, if it became necessary.

If you make an infusion of the leaves you have an excellent mouthwash for sore throat, gum inflammation and against mouth sores.

In Serbia they boiled blackberry juice and gave it to anemic people. Jam or raw berries were equally effective if you were anemic. I love warm blackberries together with vanilla ice cream … just so it's said :-)

The next plant I want to mention is: Vervain, or verbena, has long been known for its protective and strengthening properties. It is said that vervain can create calm and security in the home, and it is often used in rituals to strengthen the community and protect against unwanted energies. It drives out unwanted energies and establishes harmony. Some hang dried vervain over the entrance door or place it under the pillow to ensure a good night's sleep and harmony among all who live in the house. It draws out creativity in people, so it is not a bad idea to have a little bowl of vervain on the writing desk or wherever you sit and are creative. The herb also boosts the arts of divination – and – believe me – it seems easier to read both runes and herbs after you have given them a bath in vervain and salt …

In ancient Rome they swept Jupiter's altar with vervain and blessed the home.

Witch hazel I also want to include in Odal's section. It is a shrub I have grown very fond of. It is hardy and has nothing against putting down roots in our Norwegian gardens. At least not here in eastern Norway.

This plant is versatile. If you make yourself a stick of witch hazel you can get a proper «magic wand» that can find again things you have lost, or hidden treasures. This I have never tried, but I hear from many quarters that this works. If you burn witch hazel or put a little of it in the wash water, you wash out disturbing energies and wash in the peace of the house.

Extract from the bark and the leaves is often used to treat small wounds, bruises and skin irritations, especially because the plant contains substances that are astringent and anti-inflammatory.

Witch hazel water is known to relieve itching, reduce swelling, and you find it in salves and creams at the pharmacy. Many have also used a decoction of witch hazel as a mouth rinse for sores in the mouth.