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The World Tree and the Gift of Odin,

It is said in the old tales of the North that the World Tree - known as Yggdrasil - is ancient beyond reckoning. The first witch says she remembers it as a winged seed when originally stepping into the world, beyond the before of time. It sprouted with creation, a giant stretching through time and space, its fibre and being all the spiralling legacy of Life. Holding the nine worlds, perhaps an infinite number of worlds and different peoples - the vast spaces of all of life and death cradled in its coiling roots, trunk and branches, its unfurling leaves, blossoms and fruits - so the old skalds claimed all Things flourish deep within its shade.

Its three vast roots twist and reach and soar through, above, and beyond the worlds anchored in the nourishment of primaeval waters. A root arches over misty realms of the dead and ancestors, drinking of the vital waters pooled there in Hvergelmir, some boast is the source of all rivers. Another twines into Urðarbrunnr, that fateful well where the Aesir gods come to meet and make their assembly and oaths, and destinies are sealed. And the third delves into that secret well filled with all wisdom and knowledge, Mimisbrunnr.

Throughout the Tree's form live the many beings of the worlds, hungry vital Things. Below innumerable serpents worm through the lands and waters, the great hungry dragon of the underworld chews at its roots, and perched atop are far-sighted birds. Climbing and leaping through its branching body, beasts and animals seek sustenance, daily grazing at its foliage. Scampering and squirrelling up and down, the many frantic creatures carry on that gossiping conversation and evolving story that is Life. And each day, again and again with relentless care, the great Norns wash and balm this noble and long suffering Tree with their precious fate-filled honeydew, renewing its Life and preserving it against rot and decay.

And perhaps so it will stand forever, until the ending of the worlds beyond the beyond, when it might shiver and groan and the giant might finally slip free ...

It is said, at least by himself often enough - themself, herself, itself - that Odin once came to that tree to sacrifice for nine nights, that Odin gave themself to the forever, forever. That the Tree is their horse, and their gallows, the path taken to discover mysteries and gifts. They say. Hear his voice, that strange old god of queer words. Wind bellowing in a storm and leaves whispering in the forest, ravens singing over battle-fields, haunting silence and artillery explosions ... blood boiling in the ears, frenzied inspiration that provokes both War and Poetry. And grandfatherly. Hear the story of that one-eyed warrior and wizard God and how they won the Runes, the secret spells.

"I know that I hung
on a wind-battered tree

all the nine long nights,

pierced by a spear

and given to Odin,

myself to myself,

on that tree

whose roots grow in a place

no one has ever seen.

No one gave me food,

no one gave me drink.

At the end I peered down,

Gazing into my own eye

I took the runes -

screaming, I took them -

and then I fell.

My imagination expanded,

I became wise,

I grew, and I thrived.

One word chased another word

flowing from my mouth,

one deed chased another deed

flowing from my hands.

You will find my runes,

secret tricks for reading and knowing,

sacred sounds, words and songs

and very powerful spells,

which the holy gods made,

and which Odin carved into the world.

Odin carved for the gods,

and for the elves, for the dwarves,

and for the giants, for all peoples;

I carved them for myself.

Do you know how to write them?

Do you know how to read them?

Do you know how to stain them?

Do you know how to test them?

Do you know how to ask them?

Do you know how to bless them?

Do you know how to send them?

Do you know how to offer them?

Is it better not to pray at all

than to pray for too much,

knowing nothing will be given that you won't repay?

Is it better to sacrifice nothing

than to offer too much?

Odin asked this

before the birth of humankind,

when he rose up

and returned again.

I know many secret spells,

I found them, screaming and breaking

and finally laughing,

so many secret spells -

and the first spell is called "Help

..."

This story heavily draws (with wild poetic licence) on translations of the Poetic Edda (mostly Havamal and some references to Voluspa) and the Prose Edda. Of central help were Dr Jackson Crawford's translation of the Poetic Edda and his wealth of YouTube videos; Jesse L. Byock's translation of the Poetic Edda; Kevin Crossley-Holland's classic translation and curation of many sources in “The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of The Vikings”; and Neil Gaiman's “Norse Mythology” …
so many words from old men.

**Disclaimer:

I offer this story with wariness, and hearing the wariness of others.

Odin has also been known as a mysterious one of warfare and male dominated hierarchies (amongst many other things and complex nuances); He, the runes, and other Norse magic have been engaged, co-opted and worked with by fascists/white supremacists in modern times (historically and currently).

I also know this story speaks of deep care, of a tree sustained and cared for constantly, fatefully, of a sacrifice in service to care, inspired by care. I know CloudCatcher to be a community of anarchist witches who care deeply, a community who cares to do the work to truly welcome and care for all people, all races, genders, sexuallities, ages, abilities.

Specifically I know this community does not welcome white-supremacy, anti-semitism, islamophobia, or any kind of racism, eugenicist ableism, homophobia or trans discrimination. We celebrate and treasure the safety of People of Colour in our community. We seek to honour the Indigenous witches included in our community, be respectful to the Yugambeh People whose Country we gather on, and practise good manners and right relationship with the lands of many sovereign Countries we live and work magic on and with in the alleged claim of so-called Australia, or wherever across the globe.

Selecting this story for camp is not a dog-whistle summons to any hate-filled nonsense.

The core language and themes of this story are loaded: a cosmology that essentially centres that particular Norse ash tree as "holding all worlds, and all races and ranks of peoples" possibly raises some issues, especially for peoples who do not have a connection to this particular mythology. Let's be carefull, especially given the historical/present appropriation of Norse mythology by white supremacists, to claim that this particular myth is the "holder of all worlds" perhaps implies some kind of centrality and control that is linked to whiteness.

Again as we collectively invoke the mythic, let's remember that we are visiting the tree from this place: stolen Aboriginal Land. This is a story that is not of this place, just as many of us are peoples not of this place - we connect with this particular Tree and its worlds, but these worlds and stories do not either claim or replace the Indigenous Worlds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

I'm offered these words by Palyku writer and scholar Dr Ambelin Kwaymullina:

"Two different worlds now exist
in the same space
and there is no place of innocence
for Settlers to stand
Not one location
where Settlers do not benefit
do not inherit the benefits
of the violent dispossession
of those who were here before
You are living on stolen land
What can you do about it?"

Is there a way to connect to the worlds of Yggdrasil without claiming or denying or erasing the Worlds of this place?

I hope as a community we can hold the brave and safe space we need to work with this myth together, especially in this time of genocides and war, in a land of genocide. I remember when last Odin worked with us at CloudCatcher: with the goddess Freyja we challenged him in his stance as a war-mongerer and it culminated in them, with Loki, helping us weave a rainbow spell of peace and the ending of war. May this story and the mysterious ones within aid us in the spirit of our work for care-filled justice and peace for all.

***I acknowledge with gratitude the feedback, sensitive and critical questions and additional resources offered by Han/Tilki in the process of preparing and presenting this version of the story.

- with fierce love: Jarrah