“Better a house, | though a hut it be,
A man is master at home;
A pair of goats | and a patched-up roof
Are better far than begging.“
- Hávamál
(I may already have used this quote, but it fits so well here.)
A man is master at home;
A pair of goats | and a patched-up roof
Are better far than begging.“
- Hávamál
(I may already have used this quote, but it fits so well here.)
Literal Meaning & History
Othala, othila or óðal literally translates to homestead or home.
Etymological connections are made to the idea of the lineage, the inheritance from father to a child, and the modern version of the word, or one that seems directly connected to the word somehow connects this word to nobility.
The connection to nobility is debated though the root of both the term for the homestead and the term for nobility may actually be inheritance, so there’s that.
Figurative Meaning & Symbolism
Óðal is Home, not in the narrow sense of your apartment, but in the wider, connected sense. It’s where the heart is.
This refers to the physical property, the place and things where you live, and the place and things that you own. But not just your physical property but the physical properties that belong to your family, and are places where you feel at home.
This refers to the inherent duty and obligation, literal and figurative, physical and otherwise, that comes with being home and having a home.
This is inheritance, by blood, by deed, physical, external, internal, this is everything your ancestors brought you and brought to you.
This is the place on earth, the patch of land, the country, the county, the street, where homereally is to you.
This is the lingering, permanent connection to the world around you, that you can not break, whether or not you want it.
This is also the family you choose, the close knit group of friends, the camaraderie, harmony, of a good group of people who mean a lot to you.
This is what you leave behind when you go. This is the inheritance you pass on to your family, be they so by blood or by deed.
Sometimes this rune is merely interpreted as a windfall or inheritance but this rune doesn’t differentiate between inheritance in the sense that your great uncle you never heard about left you a million dollars and your mother dying and leaving you with a ton of medical bills.
Context is incredibly important.
However, as this rune is representative of everything that is your home, everything that represents home to you, it’s rarely entirely negative.
Suggested Homework
Take your time, think, answer carefully.
What is the single most important thing you’ve inherited?
If you were to think about “going back home” what comes to mind?
Is this place or thing more or less home than where you call home today?
Is this place or thing more or less home than where you call home today?
If you could choose any 5 people in your life, no matter how they are connected to you, and 5 people only, who would be your family from this moment forward, who would you choose?
Think about your perfect, ideal home. Anywhere in the world, any archetecture, any interior decor, as if you had limitless money for the sake of creating the perfect home for yourself, think about this thing until you can picture it in your mind.
What makes it home?
What makes it home?
