Jeff Russell

Hi Jeff :)

I've read your new versions a few times and appreciate the time and iteration you've put in.

I want any comment I make to be prefaced with an appreciation for your undertaking and full acknowledgement that I'm pulled into your journey and just riding coattails - able to make comments from the passenger seat.

Draft 4 mirrors the christian prayer well, and I feel it has power because of that. The christian prayer doesn't just celebrate and reference God's deeds, it is a wish that his will be done here on earth. Pretty powerful magic there. I believe that the power of what your imitating lies in that intention.

I also think it's interesting that you are translating a monotheistic prayer to a polytheistic religion. Mary depended on God and was empowered by him. Though Odin is our All-Father, Idunn sustained him - they were interwoven. I wonder if there is some way to represent that within the structure of this prayer and working. Also, God covers all bases in the all father; but, though heathens have Odin as the All-Father, there are many Gods to align with to meet the same function as the christian all father. I believe that the christian our father almost serves like the opening before a SOP or LBRP, it is establishing a worldview and aligning with the will that directs that worldview. I wonder if it would be helpful to incorporate other Gods. I think the goal of the prayer is aligning yourself with the heathen Deity's will and wishing it to be done. Rather than worrying about kennings and references to his myths, I think distilling the Gods' intent and wishing it would give the power to this that you seek.

It feels like you are at the point where intuition kicks in and makes something, and then you can use your study to align it with the forms you are intending.

Just throwing out a version to give an idea of what I'm thinking, riffing off the work you've done.

All Father, who art in Fallhall,
Provident is thy wyrd,
Thy wisdom taught, thy sacrifice shared,
On earth as it is in Fallhall.
Breath into us Brokerage and Battle,
In delegation and celebration.
Let us not forget your teachings,
By Tyr may we trade self for all,
By Thor may we face fear and stand tall,
May word of our worth,
Travel far as Yggdrasil's Girth,
Our doors open to those who wander,
As if they are all you.
Forever and Ever.
And ever, Alu.

Wishing you all the best in this endeavor.