My name is Liza, and I am an Odinswoman—Gyðja, Völva, Seiðkona, and a devotional polytheist. I am inclusive in my practice and believe in both the historic foundations of our traditions and the ongoing evolution of ourselves and our Gods.

So what does that actually mean?

I believe the gods and spirits are real, though the ways they choose to manifest can differ from person to person. I am oath-bound to Odin, though my spiritual journey neither began nor ends with Him.

I practice Seiðr, a form of Norse magic involving trance and meditation, with significant overlap with well-documented shamanic traditions. I have served as a Gyðja (god-woman/priestess) for a small community, supporting people on their paths—Norse or otherwise—and providing ritual work for rites of passage such as weddings, funerals, and other significant life moments.

Like many in the United States, I was raised in a Christian household and spent time in various churches and denominations. I struggled internally, even while deeply committed and active in evangelism. In hindsight, I recognize that some of my zeal was a way to mask my own insecurities, and I know it strained or harmed certain relationships.

I once believed my journey toward the Gods began around the year 2000, when I first came across a set of runes. Looking back, though, the dreams and experiences that shaped my path reach much farther into my early childhood.

I am queer, and I have no tolerance for transphobia or bigotry. When we look honestly at the surviving stories—however questionable the authorship may be—our gods change genders, interbreed, intermarry, and at times move between species entirely. Fluidity is part of their nature.

I identify as Heathen, though I lean more toward Devotional Polytheism and animism than toward strict Reconstructionism—something that becomes increasingly clear the deeper one goes into the Heathen community.

I do my best to remember and credit the sources of my insights, but after more than 25 years of study and practice, many teachings have become so internalized that I no longer recall where they originated. My learning comes from human teachers, books, and spirit alike. If I ever share an idea that belongs to someone else without proper citation, please know it was never intentional.