ᛟ (Odal)

Odal is one of the twenty-five runes belonging to the Elder Futhark, and one of the symbols corresponding to the twenty-five Primes. In verse, it is a rune associated with Optimus Prime. It is the 25th member of the Futhark. Unfortunately, in the real world, this symbol (alongside many other member of the Futhark and other Viking symbols) are widely appropriated by not-so-good people, and are vastly misused by said bad people.

Odal
Odal (Or, ōþalan [o-thalan], Odala, Otala) is a rune that is associated with ancestors, ancestry, ancestral spiritual power, divine inheritance and earthly estate. It is associated with utopia and paradise. It is associated and equated to the Latin letter O.

Historically
One of Odal's reconstructed Proto-Germanic names is "ōþalan" - "Heritage, Estate, Inherited Estate". It was used in epigraphy from the third to eighth centuries, and did not re-appear with the introduction of the Younger Futhark and vanished from Scandinavian record come the sixth century, but it still appeared in Saxon Futhorc and expressed the Old English "œ" sound during the seventh and eighth centuries. The Odal rune with serifs (extended feet, example ) is associated with Nazism and is banned in Germany under laws restricting Nazi symbolism. Odal with serifs is a modern invention. This vile misuse and butchering of Odal has often led to it owning bitter associations. Odal, however, in and of itself is not a hate symbol (unless you're looking at Odal with serifs, that is a hate symbol) and its use depends widely on context and other signs.

Some Norse-Pagans hold Odal as a sacred and/or important symbol for use in bindrunes and divination.

Rune-Poem
Odal notably lacks a historical rune-poem.

In Media
Einar Selvik wrote a song about the rune, which can be listened to here, which was part of his Runaljod ("Rune-Poem") project, which aims to reclaim Nordic culture and symbols from the Far-Right.

The lyrics can be found here.

In Magic
In-verse, Odal is often used as a rune in spells and bindrunes involving ancestral spirits. Often, it's used in spells and incantations involving opening portals to the spirit-world, invoking one's ancestral spirits for further use in incantations, spellwork, and even combat. Like all runes, its either a keystone for another spell or a booster for another spell.

It has also been used in magic associated with the home and estate, namely spells used in conjunction with runes and sigils associated with wealth, to invite in good fortune, comfort and safety, and all around good feelings. Often and because of this, Odal is commonly used in conjunction with Fehu and Bjarkan.

Associations With The Eagle-God
Odal is associated with Optimus Prime, one of the Five God-Kings. Optimus Prime is commonly regarded as a god of light, fatherhood, leadership and the patron god of rulers and leaders, but as Domus Prime, he is associated with families, ancestry, inheritance, and the patron god of the family tree. He is sometimes called the "Roots that hold the Divine Family together".

Often, wreathes of golden eagle feathers are hung over doors, and in the middle is a piece of wood branded with the mark of Odal. These wreathes are typically connected to home-warming spells and estate-protection spells, and it's believed that they call on the Prime's blessing. There is even an old story behind it - and it tells of a certain human man who was in risk of losing his home. The man one day, found a wounded golden eagle (sometimes believed to be Optimus himself in Hamrammr) in his barn and tended to it, and once the bird was healed, it departed, leaving behind a feather with the mark of Odal upon it, which the man hung above his door. The talisman supposedly allowed him to keep his home through mystical means.

Under Domus Prime, Odal gains a new meaning - the Divine Bloodline, which speaks specifically of the descendants of the Primes and other gods. Odal lends its name to the descendants of the Primes - the Odal Collective.

Rune-Poem
Odal appears in the Runic Song of Primes. The original script is in Iaconian, but it has been translated into every language as far as the stories of the Primes reach.

Written in runes, then in Latin letters."'ᛟ (ᛟᚦᚪ-ᚪᚾ) -""'Œþa’an -"""Translated:"'Othala - the Family, the House. / He strode into the Great Hall / The Throne is that of Kings.'""He strode into the Great Hall" refers explicitly to Optimus Prime, and the Great Hall is perhaps Gladsheim, or even Valhalla, where the gods often meet and live. "The Throne is that of Kings" furthermore makes reference to Optimus as not only a king of gods, but also as the king of the Autobots. The poem serves to emphasise and fortify Optimus' image as a central figure in the post-War New Age Cybertron.

The Deeper Meaning
During runic meditations, it is important to meditate deeply on what Odal means. Odal's message is universal and important - both in-verse and out-of-verse.

In The Real World
Odal speaks of inheritance. We are all inheritors of the planet we live on - therefore, we must care for it for future generations. This world has been passed down hand-to-hand-to-hand to us, so we must keep it in good shape for the next hand we pass it to.

Odal also speaks of ancestry. We are the predecessors of the natural world - we are subject to nature's will, and we are all part of the natural world. Often we forget this in the day to day hustle and bustle of life and the modern world. Odal, through this, unites all things as one. It is a reminder that we are all human, we are all of the same species, we all have the same ancestor when you trace it all the way back to the beginning.

Odal represents utopia. A peaceful world we often daydream of (see, legends of Avalon and Eden) where all people, no matter who they are or what they look like, is treated equally. A world of peace and harmony, heaven-on-earth. Odal speaks of the attainment of this harmonious utopia - rather than violent and extremist totalitarianism and discrimination, we can attain this heaven-on-earth through peaceful means; give-and-take. We as a species have the power in us to create a peaceful and happy world if we work together and put our minds to it and shed (and eventually completely remove) prejudices.

Odal is believed to contain the power of all of the other runes. Both Odal and Fehu represent wealth - which brings to light the cyclical nature of the runes.

Odal representing a sacred home extends the rune to not only your personal life, but also your town. Your city, the country and even the world we live in. It represents an allegiance to all life on this planet - and the utopia mankind is capable of building together. Odal's version of a united world is one of peace and harmony - not one of vile perversion and bloodshed, like what the Nazis attempted through war and destruction. In fact, the Nazi movement as a whole is against everything Odal stands for. Odal's vision of a peaceful utopia is inevitable through every day mundane positive interactions between two friends or even two strangers. Odal reminds us that there are good people in this world through this - that this world can be happy and peaceful if we all just get along and smash prejudice and cruelty.

Odal's talk of ancestry and kindred is not restricted to one's bloodline, as that is only a lower and surface-level interpretation of Odal's meaning. Rather than speaking of genetic inheritance and blood, Odal encourages us to transcend past those concepts and embrace all humanity as kindred - all the world as one single civilisation, as one singular nation, as one singular people. The nobility in Odal is expressed through those who make their spaces peaceful and happy for everyone - who moves their personal spaces towards that idea of a peaceful and harmonious world.

The outer is a reflection of the inner. To act noble is to be noble. You are not born into nobility - nobility is not inherited, it is earned. Nobility is to be gained by your own righteous actions and your own goodness to a fellow human.

Odal is in part related to Jera, the Year. Jera is halfway along the runic alphabet - representing nature's own ecology and relation to time. Because of this, Odal would represent mankind's relationship to nature and the planet we live on and time's relationship to humanity. Odal cautions us on the very real and very strong effects mankind has on the land and nature, and it encourages us to be stewards of the land we live on. Again, to take care of this planet for future generations.

Odal also finds itself rooted in the small, mundane things. Often it talks about this whole world, our whole species. But, Odal can be found even within your own quiet life. Your home, your immediate family, and things related to that. A nation can be measured by the quality of life - individual happy homes free from oppression, and freedom from poverty and homelessness. In the individual family, Odal is respect between the individual members, and outside of the individual family, it is respect and care for the rest of your community to hopefully make the world a better place. Everyone must do their part and help out when the need arises.

Odal reversed (upside-down) takes on wildly different connotations than its upright (right-side-up) counterpart.

Odal reversed represents the road to totalitarianism, an inappropriate waste of resources, disruption of peace and security in home, the denial of freedoms, nationalism, and oppression. Nationalism is often a slippery slope to war and destruction. The negative consequences of oppressive systems is expressed through reverse-Odal - such as government systems with unfair laws, and capitalism, which serve to oppress the people. More and more exploitation of the people lead to emotional and mental unrest among the people. When a few people control all the resources, it leads to an unbalanced and chaotic society.

Odal reminds us that we have the power to change the world we live in for the better - or worse. We as a society must work together to push forth into a new and happier world without all the hatred and violence - and that world starts with you.

In-Verse
In-verse, Odal maintains much of its original deeper meaning. It is a rune that represents one's ancestry and family, but also trails further back - all the way to the beginning, when Cybertronians were born of the earth, the blood of Ymir and the sap of Yggdrasil. To Cybertronians, it symbolises how all things trace their ancestry back to the land they live on, and how, reflecting Odal's cyclical nature, they will return to that of which they originally came from once their time runs out. It reflects the cyclic nature of the natural world.

It works to unite not just all Cybertronians as one species - but all beings in the universe as parts in Primus' creations. All art forms in their own respect and regard, all tiles in the grander mosaic in their own way, all beings connected to nature in one way or another.

Like Odal in the real world, Odal in-verse represents utopia. The concept of a perfect world for everyone and everything to live in balance, peace and harmony without exclusion. Some believe that Odal does not represent utopia as a concept, but utopia as a place, and that the path to attaining said heaven, whether as a concept or place, is to be good and righteous in life.

Odal also addresses the personal lives of Cybertronians - their connections within their families, and if possible, how they can improve them and if not possible how they can cut out toxic family members and stay away from them.

Odal addresses caring for the planet so that future generations can live there happily.

It also addresses the flaws in society - such as homelessness, poverty and poorness, and oppressive forces like the Purity and how one as an individual and everyone as a society can combat these things.

Because of Odal's association with ancestry and families, it's often depicted on family trees, family crests, on houses, on family barrows and graves, and even on the crest representing the Cybertronian Empire. As a symbol of the Cybertronian Empire, it serves to represent all Cybertronian people united as one family. It serves to represent all who live on the planet and under the Empire's care as members of one big, big family. It represents how the Mother cares for all who live under her wings. It is a symbol of kindred and friendship.

Under its more negative connotations, the Purity often uses Odal reversed as its symbol. The Purity avidly believes in a broken, divided society under Functionism, and has a burning and lasting resentment for the peacefulness of the Empire. The Purity is the enemy of peace - which is emboldened by their use of reverse-Odal.

As A Symbol of Optimus Prime
As a symbol of Optimus Prime, it is used in ritual and prayer to invoke the Prime. He is regarded as a patron god of society, families, kinship, connections, and is the patron protector of the homeless, impoverished, and the patron of those undermined and oppressed by the worst society has to offer. He is often used as a symbol of the fight against Functionism.

Further Reading & Sources
Odal - Wikipedia

Odal - Runesecrets

Odal Analysis - Runesecrets

Wardruna Is Taking Back Nordic Pagan Culture And Music from The Far-Right - antifascistneofolk