Thursday is Thor's day and He is perhaps one of our most popular Deities. That's true, by the way, both in the time of our polytheistic ancestors and in the contemporary community. Tbor is the God of the common man, the protector of human kind and He helps to gird the world against dissolution and destruction. It's fitting, by the way, that He should have been given the day that falls right after Woden's, since He is Woden's son.
His hammer mjolnir is a manifestation of HIs sacred might, of His power, the force that He is able to embody and utilize as part of HIs proffered protection. He not only guards Midgard, the human world, but He is also the Protector of Asgard. It does not hold,however, as some Heathens seem to think, that He just randomly goes around killing giants. He might kill a Jotun should that Jotun prove a threat but He is not a wanton killer of any race. In fact, quite often He takes counsel from Jotun women perhaps something He learned from His father.
I think because His primary attribute is great physical strength, there's an unfortunate image of Thor as strong, but not too intellectually bright. I"ve never understood that. First of all, this is Odin's son we're talking about. He was fathered by the God of knowledge. Secondly, the surviving tales themselves don't bear this out. The picture I've chosen for today is a strange little drawing depicting a scene from the Eddic poem 'Alvissmal." in this poem, Thor protects His daughter from the machinations of a scheming duergar named Alviss by means of a contest of wits. This is one of the reasons that He's called "Deep-Minded." I wanted to highlight this because all too often I've seen Him presented as a strong, powerful Deity but non-too-bright: the 'all brawn, no brains' type when nothing is farther from the truth. Thor is every bit as wise as His father wise enough to allow Himself to go under-estimated, i might add.
In offerings, I have always found Thor to be fairly low key and down to earth. I pour Him a drink, usually whiskey and set it out with a small prayer and that's it. Now, someone dedicated to Him, or someone with a deeper devotional relationship to Him than I might do more but I suspect He's pretty "no frills" about these things as a matter of course. A plate of food: meat and potatoes type food, good sausage, things that 'stick to your ribs' as the saying goes are good offerings too. I'd love to hear what other people give Him.
Hail Thor,
Protector of MIdgard.
Hail Thor,
MIghty As.
Hail Thor,
Wise as His Father.
You bless Midgard with Your might.
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