How Odin Became Santa Claus: Symbolism and Pagan Origins of a Gift-Giving Saint[credits]
by Anja Heij
realmagick.com
The story begins in the northern regions of Europe where the supreme god Odin, also known as Wodan among the German tribes, reigned. (He still lives among us in Wednesday, which is Wodan’s day). Odin/Wodan was the god of wisdom, magick and occult knowledge, runes, poetry and war. His name means “the inspired one”. Like a shaman he could travel in other worlds to gather more insight while his two black ravens Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory) kept him informed about the news in the world. Odin was depicted as a tall, old man with a white beard and wearing a cloak. He rode the skies and the seas on his fast white horse Sleipnir with his 8 (the number of transformation) legs, while carrying his never missing spear Gungnir (clear and focused intent) in his hand. He had one eye, for he had offered the other eye in exchange for gathering wisdom at the well of the head Mimir (Norse representation of the Source) and with that he became a shapeshifter, able of seeing in the outward world with his normal eye and understanding the inward worlds with his black, removed, eye. He was very beloved among his friends and followers who felt happy and energized in his surroundings (an enlightened being?). His enemies however he could paralyze or kill with his sight (insight, the truth). Odin trained many men and women as warriors for the final battle against the forces of destruction in the underworld at Ragnarok (the Norse judgement day). His fearless warriors often painted their bodies black and fought in the middle of the night.
The story of Odin/Wodan is the battle between good and evil which will stop when we finally realize that black and white are two sides of the same coin. Odin is a mythical representation of goodness with his wisdom, white beard and white horse (in New Age terms we would depict him as ‘white divine light’). And he is wise enough to understand that ‘black’ is not similar to ‘dark’ in the sense of ‘evil and taboo’ for his helpers are black ravens and black (spiritual) warriors. The evil he fights is the underworld dragon of false beliefs, untruth and selfishness (in New Age terms we would call this ‘ego’).
(So now we have a wise, good man performing magick/miracles with a white horse riding the skies, a white beard, a cloak, a spear and black advisors/informers/helpers and he is also god of poetry).
Next we go to the Roman empire where between December 17 and 24 the pagan Saturnalia were celebrated, big feasts with a lot of merrymaking, dancing, gambling, sensuality and the exchange of gifts. This festival was meant to celebrate the return of the sun on the shortest days of the year and to counteract the depression due to lack of sunlight.
(Here we find December celebrations with gifts.)
Time goes by. Christianity develops itself. In the 4th century in Myra, Turkey, a Christian bishop named Nicholas lived with a great reputation for goodness, benevolence and performing miracles for the poor and unhappy. He miraculously supplied gold to three (number of manifestation) girls as marriage dowries so they did not have to become prostitutes and he brought three children back to life who had been chopped by a butcher. It is not difficult to understand that during the poverty of the Middle Ages (also called Dark Ages) this bishop became extremely popular as Saint Nicholas in all parts of Europe. His feastday, it was said to be his birthday, was December 5 or 6, nobody knows. There is no historical evidence however for the true existence of this saint.
(So now we see a benevolent, miracle performing bishop with a white dress and a red cloak.)
After the Reformation Saint Nicholas became forgotten in all the protestant countries of Europe except Holland. There he became Sinterklaas; a kind and wise old man with a white beard, white dress, red cloak, a crosier and riding the skies and roofs of the houses on his white horse, accompanied by his Black Jacks. Sinterklaas will visit you on his birthday December 5 or 6 and donate gifts. His Black Jacks have miraculously gathered information about your behavior during the last year; if it were good you will now be rewarded with presents, if it were bad you will be punished by the Black Jacks who will beat you with their rods or even worse: put you in a big bag and take you with to Spain, said to be the residence of Sinterklaas. The last thing seems to be a Christian influence: punishment by a severe father if you don’t behave morally just. On the other hand: if you do behave nice you will be rewarded with sweets and gifts accompanied by humoristic poems that give insight in your weaknesses.
(Here the mix becomes clear between Odin the good magician god and the miracles of the benevolent Sinterklaas. They both ride a white horse in the skies,wear a white beard, a cloak and a spear/cosier. They both have black helpers. They try to support goodness and dispel evil through knowledge. And remember the poetry part? And the blend with Roman influences shows itself in a December feast with gaiety and presents.)
In the 17th century Dutchmen emigrated to Northern America and brought their tradition of Sinterklaas with. In the new English speaking world the name changed into Santa Claus. In 1930 a designer for the Coca-Cola Company was asked to draw attractive advertisements for this drink that did not sell well in wintertime. He had to use the company colors red and white and create some cosy type. He remembered the Dutch Santa Claus with his white dress, red cloak, long white beard, kindness and benevolence. The eight-legged horse was replaced for eight flying reindeer. A punishing Black Jack was inappropriate in this concept, so he disappeared. This new Santa Claus became a big hit. He became so popular that right now in Europe he is serious competition for Sinterklaas. That’s understandable: no more fear for punishing Black Jacks, and you no longer have to sweat on suitable poetry for your gifts. And the search for human perfection of Odin? Well, can’t we just have that as a Christmas present from Santa Claus?
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Article by Anja Heij
Copyright © 2001
AeonGlobe.com
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There are wonderful spiritual correspondences in the symbolism of this story. In the darkness we see the shadows of the dawning light of truth.
>>8 (the number of transformation)>>
The divine birth of our Lord Jesus Christ occured during the 8th month of August.
>>In the 17th century Dutchmen emigrated to Northern America and brought their tradition of Sinterklaas with. In the new English speaking world the name changed into Santa Claus.>>
17 is the prime number which signifies "a new beginning." Look at all the amazing "New Awakening" energies that burst forth on the world scene during the 1700's which is actually the 18th century - there's the number "8" of transformation again.
And if we examine the cycles of 23 "I Am" prime X 17 (391 days) across the days, months and years you will see firsthand the relevance of this on your own.
And 1700 days into everyone's calendar is everyone's "crucifixion day" when one is 4 years old going through the 5th year - ie. 13023 days into everyone's calendar brings us to our correct crucifixion day. This corresponds to the 4th season of winter bringing us into our 5th season spring in the 5th year of life here on earth. The number 55 reads like 5 X 11 which mirrors 5/11 - May 11th - which is 3, the prime of Love (3645), months from the "8th" month of the divine birth. And in non-leap years there are 131 prime days of separation between 5/11 and the last day of the previous year. 131 is the prime of Anglion (1573965) and Aphax (17816) and we are now 10 days from the 131st Anniversary of The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 which is the prime of this phrase "The body of Christ".
There are always 92 days of separation between May 11th and August 11th, the divine birth of the Lord. And 92 = 23 "I Am" prime X 4 - corresponding to the four cycles/seasons before the rebirth which is the New Jerusalem - New Age of Aquarius - Spring of the 5th cycle/season.
And 55, 5/11, May 11, 10 days from May 1st hearkens to Isaiah Chapter 55....
>>King James Version Study Bible, Red-letter Edition
Chapter 55
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.>>
Today we are 592 days from March 5, 2001 which is when I received a very strong combination of thoughts and confirmation of the number 55 while Maribeth and I were flying/arriving in Birmingham Alabama which is located on Interstate 65 (ON) which extends directly south from Lake Michigan in Indiana near where Maribeth grew up. The physical confirmation of these spiritual thoughts manifested in the form of 1) luggage ticket; 2) our Avis car number; 3) the hotel room; and 4) the fact that Isaiah 55 was opened up inside an acrylic bookcase in a mock-up church inside the Birmingham Civil Rights museum.
8 X 55 = 440 days from today is 20040101 - the first day of the beginning of the fifth year. And 1/1 is 80 days - there's the number "8" again - from 3/21 which is the beginning of the 5th year of the Age of Aquarius.
592 reads like "5" for 5th Age and 92 which is 23 "I Am" X 4 for the four seasons/cycles/days that separate 5/11 - ie. mirroring "55" - and the divine birth of our Lord Jesus Christ August 11th - which mirrors "88". 88-55 = 33 which was the age of our Lord when he started his public ministry.
And today we are 55 X 2 days from my 45th birthday. This number 45 rings for it's 22 from 23 "I Am" prime - ie. ONE (1) from 23 prime x 2. And 4 + 5 = 9 which is the number of completion signifying divine love. 9 corresponds to September which is one (1) month past the 8th "transformation month" of August when the Lord's divine birth occured on the 11th day in 6 BC.
And today we are 541 prime days from the passing of Walter Payton on All-Saints Day, 19991101, when he was 99 days past his 45th birthday into his 46th year.
541 prime conjoins the prime number "5" which corresponds to this Fifth Age, the New Jerusalem Age, with 41 prime which corresponds to...
"I (9) Am (14) the (285) light (39782) of (66) the (285) world (56934)" = 97375
97375 = 41 prime X 2375.
Today we are exactly 131 prime days from our 12th Anniversary. Maribeth and, mirroring the flight we took over interstate 65 on March 5, 2001, today we are headed down route 41 through Evanston, Chicago and Hammond - where she was born and raised - and then along interstate 65 to Bloomington Indiana where she will be standing up tomorrow night as the maid of honor for her best friend.
Another connection to "55" is that one (1) year ago tomorrow I was driving on route 55 to St. Louis. And as I was driving the sun set in the west exactly at 6:09 pm which corresponds to the month/day that we were married. There are 132 days of separation between June 9th and October 19th which is 66 X 2. And it's interesting to note that THE most famous highway in the world begins right here in Chicago - ie. it's called "The Mother Road" otherwise known as "Route 66."
There are always 66 days of separation between D-Day, 6/6, and the Divine Birth of our One Lord God in Heaven Jesus Christ. 6 X 6 = 36 which is the year in which he passed/ascended back into heaven on the day of his glorification when His human became divine for all eternity, thereby re-establishing the direct spiritual-physical conjunction between heaven and earth as fortold by the prophets such as in Isaiah 55.
And 66 X 23 "I Am" X 15 = 22770 days - which reads like "2" conjoined with 277 prime which corresponds to "Divine (494955) Love (3645) = 498600 = 277 prime X 1800 - brings me to 20200609 which is our 32nd Anniversary, 18 years and 131 days from today, 20021018. Why 15? Because 15 is 5+5+5 which mirrors 555 which is NEW (555).
Now if we go ahead 555 X 23 = 12765 days on my calendar we will come to...
19580205 + 12765 = 19930117 - which is my brothers 32nd birthday which mirrors the effect of our 32nd Anniversary in the paragraph above - and note that 32 is the reverse of 23 "I Am" prime. And if we go back exactly 23 "I Am" days before 19930117 we will arrive at Christmas Day. And if we move forward 23 "I Am" days we will come to 19930209 which is the morning of the 3rd day past Dean Fagerstrom's 61st birthday. And this 61 prime corresponds to 61 days from my birth - in non-leap years - which is April 7th on my calendar which is our One Lord God Jesus Chirst's crucifixion day in 30 AD. And 1993 is the year which corresponds to "my crucifixion" in the sense that 13023 days - the number of days our Lord Jesus Christ lived on this year - into my calendar brings us to 19931002 which is exactly 9 years from the first day that the DC sniper started shooting and killing 9 individuals among 11 victims across 13 days.
And all this mirroring, extending and supporting the pagan traditions from which Santa Claus with the white beard and white horses flying through the skies through this great world!!
You can see evidence all around us that everything originates in ONE (1), extends from ONE (1) and goes back to ONE (1) in ONE (1) continuously beautiful, simple, wonderful, rich pattern of truth.
We are all connected by this intelligent, simple, unconditional oneness that is the essence of our Lord's unconditional love for ALL of us!!
And Ho, Ho, HO!!! we are 68 = 17 "New Beginning" X 4 days from Christmas!! The fifth cycle of 17 prime being the New Cycle/Beginning/Season/Day!! And the end of the 5th cycle we come to 20030111 - my late grandmother's 96th birthday (both she and my father passed away in 1996) - which is exactly "8" - the number of transformation - months away from the divine birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas to one and all!!
Presents - even graffitti - for all and to all a good night!!
Peace and God Bless!!
119293!! |
