Scandinavian goddess of spring. Gods and creatures in Norse mythology
Idunn (“renewer”), in Scandinavian mythology, the guardian goddess of wonderful rejuvenating apples. Her husband was the son of Odin, the god of eloquence Braga. The magic apple tree was cherished and protected by three wise Norns. Only the goddess of spring Idunn was allowed to collect wonderful fruits. From her inexhaustible casket, Idunn distributed golden apples, thanks to which the gods maintained eternal youth. The giants wanted to steal these precious gifts, wanting to deprive the gods of their strength and youth. One day, the god of fire Loki was captured by the giant Tiazzi, and in exchange for freedom he promised to steal golden apples from Idunn. Returning to Asgard, Loki told Idunn about apples that supposedly had even more miraculous properties and were found nearby; the trusting goddess went with him to the forest, where Tiazzi was waiting for her in the guise of an eagle.
With his clawed paws he grabbed Idunn along with her apples and carried her to Etunheim, the land of giants. The loss of the apples immediately aged the gods, their eyes became clouded, their skin became flabby, and their minds weakened. The threat of death looms over Asgard.
Eventually, Odin gathered his remaining strength and found Loki. Threatening him with death, he ordered the traitor to immediately return Idunn and the wonderful apples. Loki, turning into a falcon, flew into the domain of Tiazzi, turned Idunn into a nut and returned home with her. The giant in the guise of an eagle set off after them and tried to overtake the fugitives, but, flying over the high walls of Asgard, he burned in the flames of the fires built on the walls and turned into a handful of ash. Loki returned Idunn to her real appearance, and she distributed apples to the sick gods. Legends about golden apples, a symbol of youth and fertility, are known in Greek mythology (apples of the Hesperides).
Goddesses Norna
Norns, goddesses of fate in Scandinavian mythology. The first norn was the wise old Urd ("fate"), reading the scroll of the past. The second was called Verdandi (“becoming”); it symbolized the present. The third, Skuld (“debt”), kept the scroll of the future. The Norns lived at the Urd spring at the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil, which they sprayed daily with moisture from the spring. There was a belief that the norns only determined the fate of gods, giants, dwarfs and people, but could not control it, although they sometimes foreshadowed misfortune. For example, Urd told the supreme god Odin that he was destined to die in the mouth of the terrible wolf Fenrir on the day of the battle of Ragnarok.
The parallel between the Norns, the Greek Moirai and the Roman parks is clearly visible. It is likely that the Norns were also spinners originally.
However, if the Greeks and Romans believed that goddesses spin threads of fate of a certain length for each mortal, then in German-Scandinavian mythology there is no such idea of \u200b\u200bfate.
Goddess Ran
Ran, in Scandinavian mythology, the storm deity of the sea, sister and wife of Aegir.
Ran owned a magical net that she threw over sailors to drag them to the bottom. The spouses lived in coral palaces, illuminated by the glitter of gold. Rai loved gold, which the northern peoples called “sea fire.” Wanting to avoid danger and enlist the support of the Rans, prudent sailors took gold items on their voyages.
Goddess Siv
Siv (Sif), in Scandinavian mythology, goddess, wife of Thor. From her first marriage she had a son, Uu, the god of archers and skiers. Siv was famous for her wonderful golden hair (apparently a symbol of fertility). There is a well-known myth about how Loki cut off her hair, and then, at Thor’s request, forced the miniatures to forge for Siv a magical wig made of golden threads, which looked wonderful: even the weakest breeze blew thick golden strands, and, in addition, the hair itself grew on her head . Deciding to please the gods and leave them in their debt, the dwarfs used the heat remaining in the forge to make the folding ship Skidbladnir for the fertility god Frey and the magic spear Gungnir for Odin.
Returning from the forge to the abode of the gods Asgard with a wig, a ship and a spear, Loki met the dwarf brothers Brokk and Eitri. They appreciated the skill with which these wonderful things were made. Loki invited them to forge something better and even bet his own head that they would not be able to surpass the miniatures. Touched to the quick, the brothers made for Thor the magic hammer Mjollnir, the thunderstorm of giants.
The suffering of the beautiful Siv, who lost her thick hair at the evil whim of Loki, was identified by the Scandinavians with winter, when stubble remains in the fields instead of a golden field.
Goddess Sigunn
Sigunn, Sigyn, Sigrun, in Scandinavian mythology, the faithful wife of the fire god Loki and the mother of his sons, Nari and Narvi. When, at a feast of the gods at the sea giant Aegir, Loki insulted everyone present, they decided to punish him: Loki was imprisoned in a cave and tied with the intestines of his own son Nari. Then the giantess Skadi, Njord's wife, attached a snake over the head of the evil god, which exuded a burning poison.
So he had to wait for Ragnarok, the day of the death of the gods. Despite all her husband’s atrocities, Sigunn remained faithful to him and eased his suffering by collecting poison in a cup. However, when the cup filled and she left to empty it, the poison dripped onto Loki's face, causing him to shudder. The Vikings saw this as the cause of earthquakes.
Goddess Skadi
Skadi, Skade (“destruction”), in Scandinavian mythology, the goddess of the hunt, skier, wife of the god Njord and daughter of the giant Tjazzi. The gods killed her father, who had stolen Idunn's rejuvenating apples, and Skadi, wearing a helmet and chain mail, came to their fortress to avenge him. Refusing the gold, she demanded that the gods make her laugh and give her a husband. They agreed that she would choose a husband based on her legs. Mistakenly believing that the most beautiful legs must certainly belong to Odin's son, Balder, Skadi made a choice, but it turned out that these were the legs of Njord, the sea god of the Vanir. Loki made the “unlaughable” laugh when he tied the beard of a goat to his genitals. The young couple soon decided to live separately, since Skadi did not love the sea and swans, but mountains and wolves. Nevertheless, the giantess visited Njord from time to time, and when the gods finally imprisoned the evil Loki in a cave, it was she who placed a snake oozing poison over his head.
Goddess Freya
Freya, Freya ("lady"), in Scandinavian mythology, the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, daughter of Njord and sister of Frey.
Freya's greatest treasure was the Brisingamen necklace, which she bought during four nights of love with the dwarves who made it. The beauty of the blue-eyed goddess captivated many admirers, including Ottar, a descendant of Sigurd, whom she turned into a boar to always keep in Asgard.
Freya is a constant object of desire for the Jotuns Thrym and Hrungnir, the builders of Asgard. Like all Vanir, she understood magic and could even fly.
For example, flying over the earth, the goddess sprinkled morning dew and summer sunlight, spring flowers fell from her golden curls, and tears, falling on the ground or into the sea, turned into amber.
Searching for her missing husband Odra (possibly a hypostasis of Odin), Freya, accompanied by a flock of spirits of love, flew all over the heavens; however, she often traveled in a chariot drawn by affectionate cats; So she came to Balder's funeral. Freya, according to some myths, has two daughters - Hnos ("precious stone") and Gersimi ("treasure"), and some sources claim that it was she who taught the gods of Asgard the charms and spells of the Vanir. At the same time, it was believed that Freya shared fallen warriors with Odin every day, like a Valkyrie, which contradicts her characterization as a Vanir goddess and indicates a mixture of Freya and Frigg.
Goddess Frigg
Frigg, Frija (“beloved”), in German-Scandinavian mythology, the goddess of marriage, love, family hearth, the wife of Odin (Wodan), sitting next to him on the throne of Hlidskjalve, from where the divine spouses could view all nine worlds. Frigga, "having knowledge of fate, never predicted it."
When Balder, her beloved son, was tormented by disturbing dreams, Frigga took an oath from all things and creatures that they would not harm him. The exception was the shoot of mistletoe, which she did not take into account. This turned out to be a mistake, because the blind Höd, at the instigation of the fire god Loki, threw a mistletoe rod at Balder and accidentally killed him. Frigg tried to rescue her son from the kingdom of the dead, but failed because the evil Loki refused to mourn Balder. A devoted wife and mother, Frigg had much in common with Freya; both goddesses were probably descended from the divine earth mother.
Mythology of the ancient world, -M.: Belfax, 2002
Myths of ancient Scandinavia, -M.:AST 2001
Scandinavian mythology is a beautiful and at the same time cruel world. A world made up of many interesting and instructive myths. The world is full of adventures and exploits that make you think about a lot.
Briefly about the Scandinavian gods
- The three main gods of Norse mythology are Odin [War], Thor [Protection], and Freyr [Fertility].
- The gods of Norse mythology are divided into two families:
- Aesir - family of the supreme god Odin [Gods of War]
- The Vanir are the family of the sea god Njord [Gods of Fertility]
- In the myths and legends of the Scandinavians there are many minor gods who play minor roles and almost do not participate in the main events.
- It’s difficult to count how many gods there are. Because many of them, in some sources refer to gods, and in others to people, creatures or giants.
- There are about 120 characters in Scandinavian mythology.
Hello, dear reader. Thank you very much for taking the time to write my blog. My name is Gavrilov Kirill . I am passionate about the history, mythology and culture of medieval Scandinavia, and this is my “Northern Diary” - . In this post I will introduce you to the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology.
The Scandinavian gods appear before us not only as wise and all-powerful arbiters of human destinies, but also as ordinary people. They often make completely human mistakes, resort to deception, act basely and unfairly, love cruelty and laugh at the misfortunes of others.
In this post, I have carefully compiled convenient lists of all the gods and goddesses with small descriptions for your convenience. I have separate entries for some characters - click on the name in the list.
Thor fights the giant king Hrungnir
Main gods
Aces
The Aesir are the family of the supreme god Odin and the gods who initially accepted him as their ruler. They live in a world called Asgard, where their palaces are located.
- - the supreme Scandinavian god, lord of Asgard and ruler. God of war, sage, wanderer, warrior and sorcerer. Founder of Scandinavian mythology. The main satellites and symbols of the god Odin:
- Frigg is the wife of Odin, the goddess of childbirth, guardian of the hearth and patroness of people.
- - god of fire, cunning and deceit. The main culprit of all the events of Scandinavian mythology. Brother of Odin, son of the giant Farbauti and the goddess Lauveya [Loki does not belong to the Ases, but lives in Asgard. The gods allowed Loki to live with them for his cunning].
- - son of Odin, god of thunder, protector of gods and people. Red-bearded strongman, owner of the magic hammer Mjolnir. Thunderstorm of giants and slayer of monsters. The main symbols of the Thor:
- Hammer Mjolnir
- Chariot with two goats
- Iron gauntlets
- Megingyerd's Belt of Strength
- Jord - mother of Thor, goddess of the earth
- Siv - wife of Thor, golden-haired goddess of fertility
- Modi - son of Thor, god of warrior rage
- Magni - son of Thor, god of strength and power
- Ull - stepson [Adopted son] of Thor, god of bow and arrow, patron of skiers
- - son of Odin, guardian of the rainbow bridge "Bivrest", foreseeing the future. On the day when Ragnarok [End of the World] comes, Gjallarhorn will blow its horn, summoning the gods to the final battle. Heimdall symbols:
- Loud horn Gjallarhorn
- Golden sword
- Horse with a golden mane
- Tyr is the son of Odin, the one-armed god of courage and military combat. Lost my right arm in the mouth of a wolf
- Hod - son of Odin, blind god of winter
- Hermod - son of Odin, brave messenger
- Vali - son of Odin, god of revenge and plants
- Vidar - son of Odin, god of revenge and silence
- Balder is the son of Odin, the most beautiful and well-built god, the patron of spring. The death of Balder will be the beginning of Ragnarok.
- Nanna - Balder's wife
- Forseti - son of Balder, god of courts and meetings
- Bragi is the god of eloquence, the keeper of the magical honey of poetry.
- Idunn - wife of Braga, goddess of youth, keeper of the casket with golden apples of youth, which give the gods eternal life
In addition to the wives of the Aesir, eleven more goddesses live in Asgard:
- Eir - patroness of healing
- Gefion - patroness of young maidens
- Fulla - Frigga's maid and companion
- Gna - Frigga's messenger on horse Hovvarpnir
- Sevi - patroness of love between men and women
- Lovi - connects lovers
- Var - patroness of oaths
- Ver - goddess of intelligence and curiosity
- Shun - Guardian of Closed Doors
- Khlin - protects people from danger
- Snotra - goddess of restraint and wisdom
Vanir
The Vanir are the family of the sea god Njord, who initially did not want to accept Odin as their ruler. They live in Vanaheim, but after the war of the gods they move to Asgard.
- Njord is the god of fertility, lord of the seas, father of Frey and Freya.
- Frey is the god of the harvest, fertility, and patron of summer. Freya's twin brother.
- Freya is the goddess of beauty and love, it was she who taught the Aesir witchcraft. Twin sister of Frey.
Other gods and minor deities
- Valkyries are Odin's warrior maidens. Raises fallen warriors to, can grant victory or defeat in battle
- The Norns are three goddesses who weave the threads of fate for every living creature in the nine worlds. I talked about them in the post about the World Tree
- Andhrimnir is the chief digester in Valhalla, preparing a mountain of meat every day for the Einherjar warriors. Every morning he slays the giant boar Sehrimnir, who sacrifices himself to feed Odin's army. And the next morning it is reborn again
- Storms - grandfather of Odin, ancestor of all gods
- Bor is the father of Odin and his two brothers Vili and Ve
- Bestla - mother of Odin, wife of Bor
- Vili - Odin's first brother, son of Bor and Bestla
- Ve - second brother of Odin, son of Bor and Bestla
- Aegir - sea giant, patron of the calm sea
- Ran - wife of Aegir, patroness of the raging sea
- Sigyn - Loki's wife who bore him sons Vali and Narvi
- Angrboda - Loki's wife who gave birth to a wolf, a snake and a goddess
That's all I have. If you want to get acquainted with all the myths and legends of Scandinavian mythology, I have a whole collection for you -
The northern tradition is very unique and has a special magical structure, unique both in composition and in terms of mystical numerical correspondences. It is impossible to identify the Scandinavian gods, for example, with the Greek ones. There are similarities between these two pantheons, but there are no direct correspondences. In essence, the Scandinavian deities are much closer to the Voodoo loa or the Santeria orishas, cleansed of Catholic layers.
Suppose that at a certain moment in time and at a certain point in space, consciousness was formed from energy and the beginning of creation was laid. In accordance with cosmic laws, consciousness underwent processes of differentiation. At some stage, various classes of beings appeared - gods, nature spirits, people and, probably, other forms of life unknown to us.
Gods are real, but this does not mean that they are static and unchanging. As the consciousness of the people develops and people acquire deeper and more complete knowledge about the world around them, the divine forms created by these people also evolve. Over time, the divine forms are modified in accordance with the changes that the collective consciousness of the people undergoes.
Main element: water
Additional element: fire
Color: bright white
Totem animals: ram, seal
Magic weapon: horn
Goals of the appeal: protection, training
Runes for work: Kenaz, Mannaz, Dagaz
From my point of view, Heimdall belongs to the Vanir class, since he is related to Freya and therefore Njord. His title is "shining ace". Heimdall's magical weapon is the Gjallarhorn horn. By blowing this horn, Heimdall will announce the beginning of Ragnarok and call on the Aesir and Einherjar to battle. Heimdall is famous for his keen hearing: he can hear grass and sheep's wool growing. According to myths, Heimdall's horn is hidden under the roots of the Yggdrasil ash tree. But it is possible that in reality we are not talking about a horn, but about a rumor, which would fit well with the images of two other gods sacrificing themselves - Odin and Tyr. It can be assumed that Heimdall also committed an act of self-sacrifice that cost him his ear, just as Odin sacrificed his eye and Tyr sacrificed his hand. The myth telling about this is lost, but it probably explained how Heimdall acquired his finest hearing (after all, Odin, having sacrificed one eye, became all-seeing).
Heimdall is the mediator between Asgard and Midgard. You can appeal to him for protection and help. Heimdall is the guardian of the rainbow bridge. In this context - to gain knowledge - you should call on Heimdall using the Kenaz rune. In addition, Heimdall, as the "shining ace", helps to shed light on any mystery - for example, to clarify someone's hidden motives. You can also call on Heimdall as a teacher using the Mannaz rune, since it is Heimdall who teaches runes to people. Dagaz facilitates “travel” to Asgard and generally facilitates movement between worlds. Being a solar deity, Heimdall is associated with the dawn of a new day, and therefore one should appeal to him while facing the east.
God Ull
Names: Scandinavian - Uller, English - Wulder.
Main element: snow.
Hypostases: Northern Lights
Magical weapons: bow, "glorious branches" (wuldortanas), oath ring
Purposes of the appeal: hunting, oaths, duels
Runes for work: Eyvaz, Vunyo
Not much is known about this ancient deity, but adherents of the Asatru religion find many attractive features in him. Therefore, I will try to outline what we know about him for sure. Ullr is the stepson of Thor, the son of Sif from his first marriage with the star hero Orvandil. Thus, Ullr belongs to the Vanir class. Ull Like Orvandil, Ull appears to be significantly older than the Aesir and even the Vanir. Some researchers identify him with the archaic god of death, worshiped in Norway, where many settlements are named after him. The name "Ull" means "shining one." In Scandinavia it is associated with the northern lights. Apparently, at some era, Ull played as important a role as Odin, and he was believed to rule Asgard during the winter months.
Ull is the skier god, patron of winter. His weapon is a bow. His wife Skadi, whose name means "shadow", was also once the local archaic goddess of death. According to other sources, Ull had a twin sister named Ullin. In all likelihood, Ullin is the Scandinavian equivalent of Holda, the goddess of snow. This hypothesis fits well into the general system of twin deities that stands out within the framework of northern mythology.
When calling on Ull, you should face north. His main rune is Eyvaz, the additional one is Vunyo. Both of them will help to gain the favor of this deity, but it is best to invoke Ull with the help of a linked rune consisting of these two runes. Ull was approached with requests to grant victory in the duel, and was also called upon to witness the oath. Therefore, one of Ull’s attributes is the oath ring, which was placed on his altar. The Anglo-Saxons honored him under the name "Wuldor", meaning "brilliance" or "glory".
God Loki
Names: Scandinavian - Loki, German - Loge
Main element: raging flame
Color: red
Totem animals: salmon, seal, fox
Goals of the appeal: deception, destruction
Runes for work: Dagaz
Loki is one of the most mysterious characters in Scandinavian mythology. Apparently, this is a very ancient god, who arose long before the Aesir and Vanir. It is possible that even in the Stone Age he was worshiped as the god of fire. In this case, this original, merciful Loki must belong to the class of giants. Evidence of this is preserved in Scandinavian myths, where the giants Lauveya and Forbauti are called Loki's parents. Loki later acquired a number of negative traits; The same fate befell most of the giants - representatives of the older generation of northern gods. Loki appears to be associated with two other elemental deities: Kari (the air giant) and Hler. Hler is associated with water, as he is identified with Aegir, the giant who rules the sea elements and is married to the sea giantess Ran. All these characters belong to the most ancient layer of the northern tradition. Subsequent generations of northern peoples endowed Loki with cruelty and treachery. Indeed, Loki is a trickster and a catalyst for change, but I consider his negative properties to be a Christian overlay. Having turned Balder into a kind of northern equivalent of “Sorrowful Jesus” and burdened Odin with the attributes of Yahweh, Christians felt that they also needed a “devil”. And the evil Loki was chosen for this role.
By carefully studying the myths, you can discover a number of positive traits in Loki’s character. For example, his adventures in Svartalfheim, from where Loki returned with wonderful gifts - a hammer for Thor, a spear for Odin and a magic ship for Frey - are worthy of all praise, because he did not appropriate all these magical objects for himself, but distributed them to the aesir. Thus, Loki is not attached to any values. He is a catalyst, causing change without being affected by it. And yet I do not encourage the practice of turning to Loki - despite the fact that similar warnings regarding Odin have never stopped me personally.
Loki is the father of three monsters: Fenrir, Jormungandr and Hel (Hel is apparently a distorted version of Holda). On the other hand, he also gives birth to Sleipnir, Odin’s wonderful stallion. Sleipnir is the only horse in the world that can travel between all nine worlds. By the way, Loki gives birth to Sleipnir, taking the form of a mare, that is, he is not his father, but his mother. His monstrous children were born from a union with the giantess Angrboda, in which Loki played the male role. Thus, Loki is a werewolf, capable of taking the form of animals and changing gender. In his later, negative form, Loki arranges the murder of Balder, and this act begins the chain of events leading to Ragnarok. It is possible, again, that the gloomy Scandinavian version of the myth of Ragnarok, ending with the total destruction of the world, developed relatively late, and in the original version of this myth the gods defeated and shackled the giants. This is exactly the fate that befell Loki. He was captured and chained to a rock, with a snake hanging over his head, continuously spitting venom into his eyes.
Loki's element is raging, indomitable fire. Its color is bright red. In modern terms, Loki can be called the personification of nuclear energy. Psychologically, Loki is the impulsive, destructive, immature aspect of human nature. The myths say that Loki and Odin once made an oath of brotherhood between themselves, so Loki can also be defined as the “shadow side” of Odin. Both of these gods are considered treacherous and unpredictable.
Goddess Frigg
Names: Scandinavian - Frigg, English - Fricg, Dutch - Frigga, German - Fricka
Main element: air
Additional element: water
Color: Silver Gray
Totem animals: falcon, ram, spider
Magical Weapons: Spinning Wheel
Purposes of the appeal: marital fidelity, childbearing
Runes for work: Fehu, Perto, Berkana
Frigg is the first of a number of goddesses whose roles in the Northern Mysteries we will now consider. Modern Odinists do not pay enough attention to the goddesses, since in the Icelandic texts - the main source of our information about the northern tradition - very little is reported about them. However, we should not forget that these texts date back to the rather late Viking Age with its cult of masculinity, and were also strongly influenced by the Christian views to which the compilers of the Eddic codes were committed. The social status of women in medieval Scandinavia or Anglo-Saxon Britain was relatively high compared to the position occupied by women in the Mediterranean countries during the same period. And only in the feudal era, the beginning of which in England was marked by the Norman Conquest, did women lose their traditional independence. Tacitus reports that among the Germans, women were valued twice as much as men, since the price for killing a woman was almost twice as much as the price for killing a man of the same social status. In addition, it was the mother or grandmother who usually gave the young warrior his first shield. In the Younger Edda, Odin (“Equally High”), comparing goddesses with gods, states that the goddesses are “just as sacred, and their power is no less.”
The main goddess is Frigg, wife of Odin. She knows the fate of all people and gods, not excluding the fate prepared for her son Balder. However, Frigga does not predict the future. In order to gain the knowledge that his wife already possesses, Odin does not question her, but resorts to other means - he sacrifices himself on Yggdrasil and gives Mimir his eye. Possessing knowledge, Frigga, for some reason, is not able to communicate it to others. Perhaps she simply considers it useless, believing that they will not believe her, or that she will not be able to change anything anyway. There is nothing more frustrating than knowing what is going to happen but not being able to prevent it because the very fabric of reality resists our best efforts. Unfortunately, I myself am too familiar with this “Cassandra’s curse” from personal experience. So, Frigga knows everything in advance, but keeps her knowledge secret, because she cannot change her inevitable fate, or orlog. Frigga’s silence contains an important lesson: knowing that it will still not be possible to save Balder, she still heroically tries to prevent his death. Frigga is not inferior in power to Odin, but her power is directed inward, and not to the outside world. It is only after Balder begins to have ominous dreams that Frigga makes a futile attempt to save him. If we look at this moment from a purely human point of view, interpreting it literally, then we see a woman who knows that her son will soon suffer an untimely death and that this death will begin the chain of events that will lead to Ragnarok.
Frigga has great magical powers. But the tragic paradox is that she herself, through her actions, predetermines the death of Balder. Trying to save her son, she takes an oath from all living creatures, plants and stones that they will not harm him. Having learned about this, the Aesir start a game: they begin to throw arrows and stones at Balder, knowing that everything will not matter to him. But Loki finds a mistletoe shoot, from which Frigga did not take oaths, considering it harmless, and gives it to the blind Höd, who kills Balder by shooting him with this branch from a bow. If Frigga had not tried to protect her son, then no one would have thought of attacking Balder as a joke, and therefore Höd would not have killed him with a mistletoe branch. Had she refrained from any action, Balder would still have died, but in her attempt to save him, Frigga unwittingly prepared the weapon for his murder. The image of this goddess is very tragic. And the magical lesson that we can learn from this myth is this: we should not interfere with anyone’s wyrd, because by our attempts to change it we can unwittingly set off the chain of events that we are trying to prevent. These events would have happened without our participation, but through our intervention we weave them into our own world.
Frigga is often depicted with a spinning wheel. Spinning has a special magical meaning, since its essence is the formation of thread from raw material. Spinning precedes weaving. Norns weave patterns of human destinies. And Frigga with her spinning wheel prepares the threads from which these patterns are then woven. Thus, Frigg rules over primordial matter, preparing the substance, which the Norns then give a certain form to.
The knowledge of this goddess is so deep and extensive that even Odin sometimes cannot do without her advice. In essence, Odin receives all his knowledge second-hand. He sacrifices himself to find them, but as a result, he does not so much discover them in himself as accept them as a gift: “I learned the nine songs of power from Bölthorn,” he says after the test on the Tree. In other words, he took his knowledge from the teacher. Having come to Mimir's spring and given his eye for the right to drink from it, he again gains wisdom not directly, but with Mimir's permission. Further, he manages to summon the spirit of the völva and gain new knowledge from her only thanks to Freya, who taught him the art of necromancy, which is part of the seita’s complex of techniques. Mediumship, a traditionally female occupation, is essentially close to necromancy. Thus, all of Odin’s occult knowledge is secondary, and he receives it mainly from women, while Frigga, Freya and the Norns possess knowledge by nature and no one taught them.
Frigg's bird is a heron, and her magical weapon is a spinning wheel. Modern research shows that the owl should be considered Frigga's totem animal. At least three people I know have been visited by an owl while working with the Frigga archetype. I assume that the owl is connected with both Frigga and Odin. When it seems to you that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to tell fortunes or cast a spell, then before taking up magical tools, turn to Frigga to gain access to the primordial matter.
Goddess Freya
Names: Scandinavian - Freyja, Dutch - Frija, German - Freia, English - Freo.
Main element: fire
Additional element: water
Color: gold
Totem animal: cat
Magical weapons: falcon plumage, cat fur gauntlets, Brisingamen necklace
Purposes of the appeal: love, war, witchcraft (seith)
Runes for work: Fehu, Perto, Inguz, Hagalaz, Berkana, Laguz
Freya is the most famous of the northern goddesses, although she is sometimes confused with Frigg. Many researchers, including the Brothers Grimm, believed that in reality these two goddesses were quite distant from each other, both in function and in origin. I now share this view, although at the time of the first publication of this book I held a different point of view. The oldest known Anglo-Saxon name for Freya is Freo, and the Dutch name is Friya. However, in terms of its attributes, the Dutch Frija is still closer to the Scandinavian Frigg. In the lands of the modern Netherlands, with the exception, perhaps, of Friesland, Freya from the Vanir family was not known; there they worshiped such goddesses as Gabiae and Aligabea, that is, the “Giver” and the “All-Giver,” identical to the Scandinavian Gefion, who can be considered a hypostasis of Freya. In some respects, Freya is even closer than Frigga to the image of the “Great Goddess” in its modern occult understanding. She is the giver of life and death, while Frigga gives only life. On the one hand, Freya, along with Frigg and the diss, are called upon to help the woman in labor, on the other hand, she takes half of the warriors who died in battle.
The name "Freya" translates as "mistress", that is, either "woman of the royal family" or, in later times, simply "mistress of the house." Thus, in origin it is not so much a personal name as a title. It is possible that the ancient names of many goddesses were forgotten at a fairly early stage or were preserved only in the names of matrons. It may also be remembered that the name "Frey", meaning "lord", is also undoubtedly a title, and the real name of this deity is Yngvi or Ing. Perhaps a similar name - for example, Ingva - was once borne by the goddess who was considered his twin sister. Swedish researcher Britt-Marie Näström also believes that Freya once had a more personal name, and suggests the option “Ingagerd”.
Freya is the most active of the goddesses. She is both a Valkyrie and a Disa, as one of her names is Vanadis. First of all, she is the goddess of love and war, life and death. In terms of its functions, it opposes Odin and, at the same time, complements him. Both of these deities are shamans, both travel between worlds in the guise of animals. Both receive an equal share of the warriors killed in battle, and it is noteworthy that the right to choose first belongs to Freya. Freya's totem animals are cats. She rides around in a chariot drawn by two cats, white or gray. Freya is the patroness of the völvas, who in ancient times wore mittens made of cat fur in her honor. These days, Freya will help curse a person who abuses cats. Another animal associated with her is the pregnant pig, a symbol of fertility. Freya owns the Brisingamen necklace, which she received as a reward for sharing a bed with four dwarfs. These dwarfs symbolize the four elements, and the necklace is the fifth element, arising from the mixture of the other four. According to some versions, Brisingamen is not a necklace, but a belt, and a belt of the kind that was used to help women in labor. The day of the week dedicated to Freya is Friday, and it was on this day that weddings were traditionally held in the old days.
The name "Freya" is related to two Dutch words - vrijen and vrij. The first means “to make love” or “to court.” Vrijer is a gentleman, a suitor. The second word, vrij, means "free". In the late Icelandic tradition, Freya was considered the wife of Od, whose name, as researchers have established, is nothing more than a variant of the name Odin. Perhaps Od is Odin in his guise as a wanderer. When Od leaves Freyja, she searches for him in all nine worlds, taking various names: Mardoll ("shining like the sea"), Sur ("pig") and Gefyon ("giver"). Sad about Oda, she sheds golden tears. In one lesser-known myth, which has come down to us in the writings of Saxo Grammar, she appears under the name Menglad - “necklace of joy.” This myth tells how Freya was captured by the giants, but was saved by a certain Svipdag or Ottar, who can be identified with Od. The giants, one after another, woo Freya, inventing all sorts of ways to win her hand. Freya owns a wonderful falcon plumage, which, when worn, gains the ability to fly. Many researchers of Scandinavian myths have hypothesized that Freya is identical to Gullveig. Edred Thorsson, in his Guide to Runic Magic, also suggests that Freya is equivalent to Heid, the völva with whom Odin confers. Robert Graves, in The White Goddess, states that Freya was associated with the Ravens, Odin's totem animals. In a sense, this is reasonable, since Freya is not only the goddess of life, but also the mistress of death. During the early Middle Ages, Freya was considered the patroness of a genre of love songs called masongr, or, in German, Minnegesang. With the advent of Christianity, this role was forgotten, but the tradition was continued by late medieval minstrels and troubadours, who dedicated their songs to the Virgin Mary. Many of Freya’s attributes, as well as plants and animals dedicated to her, were transferred to this distorted version of the ancient goddess, for example, the ladybug, which in English is named after her: lady-bird (lit. “lady bird”). Like most northern goddesses, Freya is associated with the sun, which was associated in the north with the feminine principle.
Goddess Idunn
Names: Scandinavian - Idunn, Iduna
Main element: earth
Green color
Magic items: apples
Goals of the appeal: longevity, health
Runes for work: Yera, Berkana, Inguz
Idunn is one of the goddesses of Asgard. Not much is known about her. At first glance, she might be considered a minor deity, but I will try to show that this is not the case. Idunn is older than the Aesir and probably even older than the Vanir. Her father is the giant and star hero Ivaldi, and her brother is Orvandil, Siv's first husband. Orvandil, Idunn and Balder's wife Nanna are the children of Ivaldi and belong to the older generation of gods. It is reasonable to assume that this older generation were giants, who, with the advent of a new generation of gods, either turned into carriers of evil, or, like Skadi or Gerd, fit into the new world order. Idunn is usually portrayed as a lovely, very young and naive girl; So, Loki easily manages to lure her to the giant Tiazzi. She does not part with her basket full of golden apples. Idunn is silent: eloquence is the destiny of her husband Braga, the god of poetry. But in her fragile hands there is enormous strength. It is to her that the gods owe their health and longevity, for without Idunn’s apples they begin to grow old and approach the threshold of death. However, the sagas pay very little attention to Idunn. Idunn's apples do not grant immortality so much as prolongation of life, because the gods have to eat them regularly. The core of an apple can symbolize the mother's womb because it contains seeds - the potential for new life. Apples also play an important symbolic role in the myths of other peoples. Celtic mythology features the wonderful island of Avalon, where apple trees grow that bear golden fruits of eternal youth. As most occultists know, if you cut an apple crosswise, the symbol of a pentagram will be visible on the cut. In Greek mythology, Hercules obtains golden apples during one of his twelve labors. The myth of Idunn can be compared with the Greek myth of Kore-Persephone. Apples are associated with evil only in the Jewish tradition. But even the biblical myth involuntarily connects the apple with the knowledge of not only evil, but also good. Thus, the apple is a symbol of good and evil, as well as sexuality as a condition for procreation, for the biblical Eve began to conceive children only after she ate the apple. There is a well-known legend about how the childless King of the Huns, Reri, once found his wife under a tree, where she prayed to the gods to send her a child. Frigg took pity on them and sent her messenger, a goddess named Gna, to them. Gna threw an apple into the queen's lap, and after eating it, she conceived. From the descendants of these king and queen came the Volsung family. Apples are the sacred fruits of the Goddess, playing an important role in women's mysteries. Symbolically, they contain the souls of unborn children. Idunn is the goddess of vegetation. With the onset of Ragnarok, she hides under the roots of Yggdrasil and disappears from this world, only to return when new life is reborn.
Goddesses Hel/Holda
These two goddesses have a lot in common. The question of whether these images developed in parallel or whether one originated from the other is difficult to answer. Both of them are connected with the world of the dead. Holda in her guise as Frau Gode is the leader of the Wild Hunt, like Wodan. For a long time it seemed to me that these two deities were closely related. Perhaps they were once a twin pair, like Ziu and Zisa. Hel is, in my opinion, the Scandinavian equivalent of Holda. However, it is possible that Holda is the most ancient goddess of death in the Germanic tradition. It always seemed to me that the image of Hel was formed quite late, under the influence of Christian ideas about the horrors awaiting sinners in the afterlife. Only once - while waiting for Balder - Hel appears before us in a hall, the floor of which is covered with flowers, and the tables are laden with food and drinks. A specific trait of Holda that distinguishes her from Hel is that Holda takes special care of children who die in infancy; Later, in Christian times, they began to believe that infants who died unbaptized fell into her kingdom. I believe that she was originally considered primarily the goddess of dead children. Scandinavian Hel is simply the goddess of death. After death, everyone who was not completely devoted to any of the other gods or goddesses goes to her world and, accordingly, cannot get into their palaces. According to the descriptions, Hel is half beautiful and half an ugly, decaying corpse. But based on modern research, we can come to a new understanding of this goddess, recognizing the kindness and wisdom contained in her. Both Holda and Hel fell under the influence of the ugly witch archetype that developed in the Middle Ages. Holda is also sometimes depicted as a young beauty, but more often she is portrayed as a kind-hearted but stern or ugly old woman with a bad leg (she turned the spinning wheel for too long - hence the injury). However, this is how Dutch fairy tales tell about it, and in the folklore of other peoples it can take on a different form.
Currently, the cult of this goddess has begun to be revived in the south of England, primarily in Greenwich. Holda's rune is Hagalaz. She is the patroness of the haegtessen and völva soothsayers, like Freya. A reference book on Norse mythology states that Wodan/Odin received his ravens as a gift from Holda
Goddess Nehellenia
Nehellenia is a Dutch goddess, patroness of plants, dogs and the sea. It is possible that this is a merciful hypostasis of Hel, since she is depicted with a basket of apples, traditionally symbolizing life, as we remember from the description of Idunn. On the other hand, dogs are associated with death: in the shamanic tradition they often serve as guides to the lower world. In this case, it can be assumed that Nehellenia is the local version of Nerthus, the same goddess whom Tacitus, within the framework of his “interpretatio Romana,” calls Isis. The center of the cult of Nehellenia was the island of Walcheren, now part of the Dutch province of Zealand. The sailors called on her for help before setting off on a dangerous journey to the shores of England across the North Sea. In addition to the dog and the basket, her attribute is a ship. British researchers identify her with the ancient English goddess Helen. Nehellenia's element is water; runes that help to appeal to her are Hagalaz and Laguz. You can also include the Raido rune in a protective spell designed to make sea travel easier.
Goddess Skadi
Skadi is a local Scandinavian goddess. In myths, she appears as Njord's temporary wife. She received him as a husband as part of the wealth that the Aesir had to pay for the murder of her father, the giant Tiazzi. Being a descendant of giants, Skadi may be one of the oldest local deities who were worshiped in Scandinavia before the advent of the cult of the Aesir. Scandinavia - "the land of Skadi" - is named after her. Skadi is the goddess of winter. She runs on skates, and therefore is associated with Ull, who became her husband after Skadi broke up with Njord. According to other versions, Skadi became the lover of Odin himself, and from this connection came the Skjoldung clan - the royal dynasty of Denmark. The name "Skadi" means "shadow" and this goddess is also associated with death. After Loki was captured and chained, it was she who hung the snake over his head, avenging the fatal role that Loki played in the fate of her father. The halls of Skadi are called Thrymheim. The runes associated with it are Eyvaz, Hagalaz and Isa. Her element is snow.
Goddess Siv
Sif, Thor's second wife, is the golden-haired goddess of grain. According to some texts, she had the gift of prophecy, although nothing is said about this in the Eddas. In early Germanic sources, Siv appears as a swan maiden. She was once married to Orvandil, and therefore may also belong to the older generation of gods. Siv is associated with the summer fertility of the earth and ripe ears of grain, so the myth of how Loki shaved her head can be interpreted as a metaphorical story about fire destroying the harvest. The name "Siv" is related to the German sippe - "relatives". From this we can conclude that Siv, like Frigga, is associated with peace and friendship that reigns in a happy family, as well as with marital fidelity. Runes Siv - Berkana and Inguz.
Goddess Saga
Saga is one of Frigg's names. In this incarnation, Frigg is the patron of memory and memories. The saga lives in the flow of times and events. Frigg lives in Fensalir (lit. "marsh land"), and Saga lives in Sokkvabek ("low benches"). Every day Odin drinks with her from golden goblets, and Saga sings about the past and times long past. Since Frigga has the gift of foresight, and Saga knows everything that remains in the past, we can say that Saga personifies Frigga’s memories. The runes Perto and Laguz correspond to it.
Eir, Vor, Var and Fulla
Eir is one of Frigga's maids who is the patron of healing. The runes Berkana, Sovulo and Laguz are associated with it. Uruz is also a healing rune, but too masculine, so I do not recommend using it to appeal to Eir. Thief and Var also serve Frigga; they are called upon to witness oaths and asked to punish the perpetrator. Var is especially interesting: her name is related to the German word wahr - “truth”. The same root is preserved in a number of English words, such as aware ("aware, aware") or beware ("beware, beware"), associated in meaning with the perception, awareness or identification of truth. Thus, Var as an oathkeeper is the personification of idealized concepts of truth and honesty. Var warns against hasty, thoughtless vows, including marriage vows: as the maid Frigga, she punishes those who violate fidelity to their spouses and lovers. Fulla is Frigga's constant companion and confidante. She carries a basket of treasures with her everywhere.
Views for the future
For a long time, the role of the feminine principle in northern religion was belittled to the detriment of all adherents of this tradition, both men and women. Since most of the written sources available to us date back to the Viking Age, in the eddas and sagas we find very little information about goddesses and, especially, about the female mysteries. Moreover, Christian scribes, to please their religious prejudices, often presented the feminine side of the northern tradition in a distorted light.
The Puritan dislike of fertility symbols prevented them from describing the female mysteries in any detail. And as a result, a vicious circle formed. The reviving northern religion today still suffers from the inappropriate bias towards the masculine principle that dominated the Viking Age, and therefore has not thrown off the shackles imposed on it by Christian monks and priests. Because of this, only a few women now dare to take part in the restoration of northern traditions, and everything returns to normal.
However, in reality, the northern tradition should not suppress, but, on the contrary, exalt the role of female spirituality. The revival of the primordial northern mysteries is impossible without restoring the harmonious balance between the masculine and feminine principles. Without proper reverence for the Goddess, without understanding the true role of the Norns, Valkyries and Dis, the restoration of the Northern religion will inevitably remain one-sided and outdated; Without the female mysteries, presented as an equal complement to the male military cult, the modern peoples of the northern countries will remain, from a mystical point of view, deprived and weakened. I hope that my book will help restore balance and break the vicious circle. It must be admitted that the prospects for the future that open before us are not so gloomy. In the end, this is only the first book in England (and throughout Europe) in many decades about runes, written by a sincere follower of the ancient northern faith. And there is every reason to hope that other women will follow her example. Our efforts will pay off handsomely, as each such book will prepare even more women to take on this difficult but fruitful task of returning the female mysteries of the North to their rightful place in the tradition.
Given that we have almost no historical information necessary to fill this gap, scientific research alone will not be enough. You need to experiment more, relying on your intuition and imagination. This is how I, for the most part, conducted my research on which this book is based. What a blessing that the qualities necessary for this - intuition, imagination and sensitivity - are naturally developed in the soul of every woman!
But in order to truly revive the northern mysteries, this is also not enough. After all, this revival must take place within the framework of standards close to the collective soul of the northern peoples. Women of the North must open up to the trends of the collective unconscious of their ancestors, who once made an invaluable contribution to the progress of all humanity. For many of our contemporaries, the word “necromancy” evokes unpleasant or frightening associations. But we should understand that our predecessors possessed great wisdom and deep mystical knowledge, and communication with them will only serve us well. We must learn from the experience of past generations and adapt it to modern needs. The means and techniques that allow us to awaken collective memory are hidden in the depths of our personal unconscious.
Therefore, women should devote more time to raising children. We all know ancient Greek and biblical mythology quite well, but how many of you were taught about the northern gods at school? This gap should be filled on your own, in home schooling.
Restoring the balance between the masculine and feminine principles will benefit not only women, but both sexes. For example, the traditionally feminine arts of healing and divination benefit both women and men. Goddesses take care of everyone. They are no more occupied with women than the gods are with men. And until the balance of the sexes is restored, the tradition of the Northern Mysteries cannot be considered fully revived. I hope my book will contribute to the solution to this problem by serving as a medicine for what needs healing.
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Which began to take shape among the Germanic tribes around the 5th century BC and developed before the adoption of Christianity until the beginning of the second millennium AD. The ancestors of Scandinavian mythology are considered to be the northwestern European tribes: the Angloskas (ancestors of modern Englishmen), Danes (ancestors of the Danes), Norgs (modern Norwegians), Svei (Swedes), Jutes, Germans and others. The population of the island of Iceland retained their pagan beliefs for the longest time due to its later Christianization. Information about the ancient myths of the Germanic tribes is scarce and extremely fragmentary, while Scandinavian mythology, creatures and gods, cosmogony, the model of the world and eschatology are described in detail in medieval literary sources, the so-called Eddas - Old Icelandic texts written in the 13th century.
Model of the world in the northern tradition
Norse mythology is complex and varied. The concept of the Universe is based on nine worlds connected by a world tree called Yggdrasil. The worlds are located in three spheres: in the sky, on the earth and below, underground. They include countries and areas inhabited not only by people and gods, but also by numerous mythical creatures.
At the center of the Scandinavian picture of the world is Midgard - the middle world, located on earth in the middle of a huge ocean. Around Midgard, in accordance with the cardinal directions, lie four worlds:
- the abode of the giant Jotuns Utgard, or Jotunheim, is in the east;
- Vanheim, inhabited by the Vanir fertility gods, is in the west;
- the ice world of Niflheim - in the north;
- the sultry world of chaos Muspelheim, inhabited by fire giants, is in the south.
Midgard, through a rainbow bridge, connects with Asgard, the world of the aesir gods located in the sky. Between Asgard and Midgard there is a world of spirits, beautiful elves and fairies - Lyusalfheim.
Under the ground lies the world of the gnomes Svartalfheim and the underworld, the world of the dead Helhem.
Server myths boast numerous characters: gods, goddesses, spirits, demons, giants, gnomes, einherjars, mythical animals and monsters. Among them there are people - heroes, wizards and various mythical personalities.
Gods
The Pantheon includes two groups of gods: the Aesir and the Vanir. The first are the main male and female deities, led by the supreme god Odin. The second are the gods and goddesses of fertility, considered more ancient than the Aesir, but who lost their dominance to them during the wars. Some gods passed to the Aesir from the Vanir and vice versa.
In myths, there are about forty divine abodes of Asgard. Among them there are 12 main male gods and 14 goddesses.
Gods
- Odin is the head of the Aesir, who gave rise to the family. Odin was once the god of war, but later took the main place among all gods. Patron of wisdom, magic, courage, god of battle and victory.
- Thor is the god of thunder, a powerful protector of people and gods, a deity of fertility.
- Tyr is the one-armed god of military rules and valor, one of the most ancient and powerful gods of the pantheon.
- Bragi is a poet god, patron of wisdom, poetry, and eloquence.
- Balder is a beautiful god of beauty, light, spring.
- Heimdall is the guardian of the Yggdrasil tree and the gods, a seer, and a beneficent bearer of fire.
- Höd is a blind god who accidentally killed the beautiful Balder, the patron of winter.
- Vidar is the god of the forces of nature, renewal, rebirth.
- Vali is the god of plants.
- Ull is the god of hunting and archery, who taught people to shoot and ski.
- Forseti is the wise god of justice, patron of justice.
- Loki is an insidious god of deception, descended from a family of giants-jotuns.
Among the other aces are Hoenir, who endowed the first man with consciousness, Kvasir, who descended from the Aesir and Vanir and resolved their conflict, and other aces who do not have clear functions and act as characters in myths.
Goddesses
Vanir
The goddess of love and beauty Freya, who lives among the Aesir and taught them magic, is also of Van origin.
Mythical creatures
Tours
Humanoid giants responsible for destructive natural phenomena, the personification of evil forces. There are different thurs: fire, sea, mountain, stone, whirlwind, as well as jotuns and frost giants hrimturs - the first living creatures, from one of which, Ymir, life originated.
Nature spirits, forever young magicians, sorcerers, wizards, blacksmiths. They are divided into light and dark alves, or gnomes (tswergs).
Three goddesses of fate who determine the fate of the world. Their names, Urd, Verdandi and Skuld, translated mean “fate”, “becoming” and “duty”. They represent the past, present and future. Associated with the states of the Moon: Urd - new moon, waxing Moon, Verdandi - full Moon, Skuld - waning Moon.
Thirteen warrior maidens accompanying dead warriors to Valhalla. Valkyries can decide the outcome of a battle, after which they take the souls of heroes from the battlefields, and in Valhalla they serve them at feasts.
Mythical monsters
In the Scandinavian epics there are many mythical animals that play an important role. The most famous of them:
People
Scandinavian mythology and the gods inhabiting the mythical worlds of the northern peoples did not disappear into oblivion after the Vikings adopted the Christian faith. Ancient beliefs have always lived among the people. And in modern times they were rediscovered for the European cultural community and became the subject of interest of scientists, writers and artists. Nowadays, ancient pagan traditions are experiencing a real revival. The Asatru religion, based on German-Scandinavian mythology, is recognized as official in Iceland and has many followers throughout the rest of the world. Stories about the adventures of powerful northern gods and goddesses, their extraordinary characters gave rise to a whole literary movement - Nordic fantasy and often serve as plots for TV series, comics and films.
Below are the main names of the goddesses of the Scandinavian pantheon. Goddesses take care of everyone, they are no more occupied with women than the gods are with men.
Names: Scandinavian - Frigg, English - Fricg, Dutch - Frigga, German - Fricka
- Main element: air
- Additional element: water
- Color: Silver Gray
- Totem animals: falcon, ram, spider
- Magical Weapons: Spinning Wheel
- Purposes of the appeal: marital fidelity, childbearing
- Runes for work: Fehu, Perto, Berkana
Frigg is the first of a number of goddesses whose roles in the Northern Mysteries we will now consider. Modern Odinists do not pay enough attention to the goddesses, since in the Icelandic texts - the main source of our information about the northern tradition - very little is reported about them. However, we should not forget that these texts date back to the rather late Viking Age with its cult of masculinity, and were also strongly influenced by the Christian views to which the compilers of the Eddic codes were committed. The social status of women in medieval Scandinavia or Anglo-Saxon Britain was relatively high compared to the position occupied by women in the Mediterranean countries during the same period. And only in the feudal era, the beginning of which in England was marked by the Norman Conquest, did women lose their traditional independence. Tacitus reports that among the Germans, women were valued twice as much as men, since the price for killing a woman was almost twice as much as the price for killing a man of the same social status. In addition, it was the mother or grandmother who usually gave the young warrior his first shield. In the Younger Edda, Odin (“Equally High”), comparing goddesses with gods, states that the goddesses are “just as sacred, and their power is no less.”
The main goddess is Frigg, wife of Odin. She knows the fate of all people and gods, not excluding the fate prepared for her son Balder. However, Frigga does not predict the future. In order to gain the knowledge that his wife already possesses, Odin does not question her, but resorts to other means - he sacrifices himself on Yggdrasil and gives Mimir his eye. Possessing knowledge, Frigga, for some reason, is not able to communicate it to others. Perhaps she simply considers it useless, believing that they will not believe her, or that she will not be able to change anything anyway. There is nothing more offensive than knowing what is going to happen, but not being able to prevent it, since the very fabric of reality resists all our efforts. Unfortunately, I myself am too familiar with this “Cassandra’s curse” from personal experience. So, Frigga knows everything in advance, but keeps her knowledge secret, because she cannot change her inevitable fate, or orlog. Frigga’s silence contains an important lesson: knowing that it will still not be possible to save Balder, she still heroically tries to prevent his death. Frigga is not inferior in power to Odin, but her power is directed inward, and not to the outside world. It is only after Balder begins to have ominous dreams that Frigga makes a futile attempt to save him. If we look at this moment from a purely human point of view, interpreting it literally, then we see a woman who knows that her son will soon suffer an untimely death and that this death will begin the chain of events that will lead to Ragnarok.
Frigga has great magical powers. But the tragic paradox is that she herself, through her actions, predetermines the death of Balder. Trying to save her son, she takes an oath from all living creatures, plants and stones that they will not harm him. Having learned about this, the Aesir start a game: they begin to throw arrows and stones at Balder, knowing that everything will not matter to him. But Loki finds a mistletoe shoot, from which Frigga did not take oaths, considering it harmless, and gives it to the blind Höd, who kills Balder by shooting him with this branch from a bow. If Frigga had not tried to protect her son, then no one would have thought of attacking Balder as a joke, and, therefore, Hod would not have killed him with a mistletoe branch. Had she refrained from any action, Balder would still have died, but in her attempt to save him, Frigga unwittingly prepared the weapon for his murder. The image of this goddess is very tragic. And the magical lesson that we can learn from this myth is this: we should not interfere with anyone’s wyrd, because by our attempts to change it we can unwittingly set off the chain of events that we are trying to prevent. These events would have happened without our participation, but through our intervention we weave them into our own world.
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Frigga is often depicted with a spinning wheel. Spinning has a special magical meaning, since its essence is the formation of thread from raw material. Spinning precedes weaving. Norns weave patterns of human destinies. And Frigga with her spinning wheel prepares the threads from which these patterns are then woven. Thus, Frigg rules over primordial matter, preparing the substance, which the Norns then give a certain form to.
The knowledge of this goddess is so deep and extensive that even Odin sometimes cannot do without her advice. In essence, Odin receives all his knowledge second-hand. He sacrifices himself to find them, but as a result, he does not so much discover them in himself as accept them as a gift: “I learned the nine songs of power from Bölthorn,” he says after the test on the Tree. In other words, he took his knowledge from the teacher. Having come to Mimir's spring and given his eye for the right to drink from it, he again gains wisdom not directly, but with Mimir's permission. Further, he manages to summon the spirit of the völva and gain new knowledge from her only thanks to Freya, who taught him the art of necromancy, which is part of the seita’s complex of techniques. Mediumship, a traditionally female occupation, is essentially close to necromancy. Thus, all of Odin’s occult knowledge is secondary, and he receives it mainly from women, while Frigga, Freya and the Norns possess knowledge by nature, and no one taught them.
Frigg's bird is a heron, and her magical weapon is a spinning wheel. Modern research shows that the owl should be considered Frigga's totem animal. At least three people I know have been visited by an owl while working with the Frigga archetype. I assume that the owl is connected with both Frigga and Odin. When it seems to you that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to tell fortunes or cast a spell, then before taking up magical tools, turn to Frigga to gain access to the primordial matter.
Goddess Freya
Names: Scandinavian - Freyja, Dutch - Frija, German - Freia, English - Freo.
- Main element: fire
- Additional element: water
- Color: gold
- Totem animal: cat
- Magical weapons: falcon plumage, cat fur gauntlets, Brisingamen necklace
- Purposes of the appeal: love, war, witchcraft (seith)
- Runes for work: Fehu, Perto, Inguz, Hagalaz, Berkana, Laguz
Freya is the most famous of the northern goddesses, although she is sometimes confused with Frigg. Many researchers, including the Brothers Grimm, believed that in reality these two goddesses were quite distant from each other, both in function and in origin. I now share this view, although at the time of the first publication of this book I held a different point of view. The oldest known Anglo-Saxon name for Freya is Freo, and the Dutch name is Friya. However, in terms of its attributes, the Dutch Frija is still closer to the Scandinavian Frigg. In the lands of the modern Netherlands, with the exception, perhaps, of Friesland, Freya from the Vanir family was not known; there they worshiped such goddesses as Gabiae and Aligabea, that is, the “Giver” and the “All-Giver,” identical to the Scandinavian Gefion, who can be considered a hypostasis of Freya. In some respects, Freya is even closer than Frigga to the image of the “Great Goddess” in its modern occult understanding. She is the giver of life and death, while Frigga gives only life. On the one hand, Freya, along with Frigg and the diss, are called upon to help the woman in labor, on the other hand, she takes half of the warriors who died in battle.
The name "Freya" translates as "mistress", that is, either "woman of the royal family" or, in later times, simply "mistress of the house." Thus, in origin it is not so much a personal name as a title. It is possible that the ancient names of many goddesses were forgotten at a fairly early stage or were preserved only in the names of matrons. It may also be remembered that the name "Frey", meaning "lord", is also undoubtedly a title, and the real name of this deity is Yngvi or Ing. Perhaps a similar name - for example, Ingva - was once borne by the goddess who was considered his twin sister. Swedish researcher Britt-Marie Näström also believes that Freya once had a more personal name, and suggests the option “Ingagerd”.
Freya is the most active of the goddesses. She is both a Valkyrie and a Disa, as one of her names is Vanadis. First of all, she is the goddess of love and war, life and death. In terms of its functions, it opposes Odin and, at the same time, complements him. Both of these deities are shamans, both travel between worlds in the guise of animals. Both receive an equal share of the warriors killed in battle, and it is noteworthy that the right to choose first belongs to Freya. Freya's totem animals are cats. She rides around in a chariot drawn by two cats, white or gray. Freya is the patroness of the völvas, who in ancient times wore mittens made of cat fur in her honor. These days, Freya will help curse a person who abuses cats. Another animal associated with her is the pregnant pig, a symbol of fertility. Freya owns the Brisingamen necklace, which she received as a reward for sharing a bed with four dwarfs. These dwarfs symbolize the four elements, and the necklace is the fifth element, arising from the mixture of the other four. According to some versions, Brisingamen is not a necklace, but a belt, and a belt of the kind that was used to help women in labor. The day of the week dedicated to Freya is Friday, and it was on this day that weddings were traditionally held in the old days.
The name "Freya" is related to two Dutch words - vrijen and vrij. The first means “to make love” or “to court.” Vrijer is a gentleman, a suitor. The second word, vrij, means "free". In the late Icelandic tradition, Freya was considered the wife of Od, whose name, as researchers have established, is nothing more than a variant of the name Odin. Perhaps Od is Odin in his guise as a wanderer. When Od leaves Freyja, she searches for him in all nine worlds, taking various names: Mardoll ("shining like the sea"), Sur ("pig") and Gefyon ("giver"). Sad about Oda, she sheds golden tears. In one lesser-known myth, which has come down to us in the writings of Saxo Grammar, she appears under the name Menglad - “necklace of joy.” This myth tells how Freya was captured by the giants, but was saved by a certain Svipdag or Ottar, who can be identified with Od. The giants, one after another, woo Freya, inventing all sorts of ways to win her hand. Freya owns a wonderful falcon plumage, which, when worn, gains the ability to fly. Many researchers of Scandinavian myths have hypothesized that Freya is identical to Gullveig. Edred Thorsson, in his Guide to Runic Magic, also suggests that Freya is equivalent to Heid, the völva with whom Odin confers. Robert Graves, in The White Goddess, states that Freya was associated with the Ravens, Odin's totem animals. In a sense, this is reasonable, since Freya is not only the goddess of life, but also the mistress of death. During the early Middle Ages, Freya was considered the patroness of a genre of love songs called masongr, or, in German, Minnegesang. With the advent of Christianity, this role was forgotten, but the tradition was continued by late medieval minstrels and troubadours, who dedicated their songs to the Virgin Mary. Many of Freya’s attributes, as well as plants and animals dedicated to her, were transferred to this distorted version of the ancient goddess, for example, the ladybug, which in English is named after her: lady-bird (lit. “lady bird”). Like most northern goddesses, Freya is associated with the sun, which was associated in the north with the feminine principle.
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Goddess Idunn
Names: Scandinavian - Idunn, Iduna
- Main element: earth
- Green color
- Magic items: apples
- Goals of the appeal: longevity, health
- Runes for work: Yera, Berkana, Inguz
Idunn is one of the goddesses of Asgard. Not much is known about her. At first glance, she might be considered a minor deity, but I will try to show that this is not the case. Idunn is older than the Aesir and probably even older than the Vanir. Her father is the giant and star hero Ivaldi, and her brother is Orvandil, Siv's first husband. Orvandil, Idunn and Balder's wife Nanna are the children of Ivaldi and belong to the older generation of gods. It is reasonable to assume that this older generation were giants, who, with the advent of a new generation of gods, either turned into carriers of evil, or, like Skadi or Gerd, fit into the new world order. Idunn is usually portrayed as a lovely, very young and naive girl; So, Loki easily manages to lure her to the giant Tiazzi. She does not part with her basket full of golden apples. Idunn is silent: eloquence is the destiny of her husband Braga, the god of poetry. But in her fragile hands there is enormous strength. It is to her that the gods owe their health and longevity, for without Idunn’s apples they begin to grow old and approach the threshold of death. However, the sagas pay very little attention to Idunn. Idunn's apples do not grant immortality so much as prolongation of life, because the gods have to eat them regularly. The core of an apple can symbolize the mother's womb because it contains seeds - the potential for new life. Apples also play an important symbolic role in the myths of other peoples. Celtic mythology features the wonderful island of Avalon, where apple trees grow that bear golden fruits of eternal youth. As most occultists know, if you cut an apple crosswise, the symbol of a pentagram will be visible on the cut. In Greek mythology, Hercules obtains golden apples during one of his twelve labors. The myth of Idunn can be compared with the Greek myth of Kore-Persephone. Evil apples are associated only in the Jewish tradition. But even the biblical myth involuntarily connects the apple with the knowledge of not only evil, but also good. Thus, the apple is a symbol of good and evil, as well as sexuality as a condition for procreation, for the biblical Eve began to conceive children only after she ate the apple. There is a well-known legend about how the childless King of the Huns, Reri, once found his wife under a tree, where she prayed to the gods to send her a child. Frigg took pity on them and sent her messenger, a goddess named Gna, to them. Gna threw an apple into the queen's lap, and after eating it, she conceived. From the descendants of these king and queen came the Volsung family. Apples are the sacred fruits of the Goddess, playing an important role in women's mysteries. Symbolically, they contain the souls of unborn children. Idunn is the goddess of vegetation. With the onset of Ragnarok, she hides under the roots of Yggdrasil and disappears from this world, only to return when new life is reborn.
Goddesses Hel and Holda
These two goddesses have a lot in common. The question of whether these images developed in parallel or whether one originated from the other is difficult to answer. Both of them are connected with the world of the dead. Holda in her guise as Frau Gode is the leader of the Wild Hunt, like Wodan. For a long time it seemed to me that these two deities were closely related. Perhaps they were once a twin pair, like Ziu and Zisa. Hel is, in my opinion, the Scandinavian equivalent of Holda. However, it is possible that Holda is the most ancient goddess of death in the Germanic tradition. It always seemed to me that the image of Hel was formed quite late, under the influence of Christian ideas about the horrors awaiting sinners in the afterlife. Only once - while waiting for Balder - Hel appears before us in a hall, the floor of which is covered with flowers, and the tables are laden with food and drinks. A specific trait of Holda that distinguishes her from Hel is that Holda takes special care of children who die in infancy; Later, in Christian times, they began to believe that infants who died unbaptized fell into her kingdom. I believe that she was originally considered primarily the goddess of dead children. Scandinavian Hel is simply the goddess of death. After death, everyone who was not completely devoted to any of the other gods or goddesses goes to her world and, accordingly, cannot get into their palaces. According to the descriptions, Hel is half beautiful and half an ugly, decaying corpse. But based on modern research, we can come to a new understanding of this goddess, recognizing the kindness and wisdom contained in her. Both Holda and Hel fell under the influence of the ugly witch archetype that developed in the Middle Ages. Holda is also sometimes depicted as a young beauty, but more often she is portrayed as a kind-hearted but stern or ugly old woman with a bad leg (she turned the spinning wheel for too long - hence the injury). However, this is how Dutch fairy tales tell about it, and in the folklore of other peoples it can take on a different form.
Currently, the cult of this goddess has begun to be revived in the south of England, primarily in Greenwich. Holda's rune is Hagalaz. She is the patroness of the haegtessen and völva soothsayers, like Freya. A reference book on Norse mythology states that Wodan/Odin received his ravens as a gift from Holda
Lesser known Scandinavian goddesses
Goddess Nehellenia
Nehellenia is a Dutch goddess, patroness of plants, dogs and the sea. It is possible that this is a merciful hypostasis of Hel, since she is depicted with a basket of apples, traditionally symbolizing life, as we remember from the description of Idunn. On the other hand, dogs are associated with death: in the shamanic tradition they often serve as guides to the lower world. In this case, it can be assumed that Nehellenia is the local version of Nerthus, the same goddess whom Tacitus, within the framework of his “interpretatio Romana,” calls Isis. The center of the cult of Nehellenia was the island of Walcheren, now part of the Dutch province of Zealand. The sailors called on her for help before setting off on a dangerous journey to the shores of England across the North Sea. In addition to the dog and the basket, her attribute is a ship. British researchers identify her with the ancient English goddess Helen. Nehellenia's element is water; runes that help to appeal to her are Hagalaz and Laguz. You can also include the Raido rune in a protective spell designed to make sea travel easier.
Goddess Skadi
Skadi is a local Scandinavian goddess. In myths, she appears as Njord's temporary wife. She received him as a husband as part of the wealth that the Aesir had to pay for the murder of her father, the giant Tiazzi. Being a descendant of giants, Skadi may be one of the oldest local deities who were worshiped in Scandinavia before the advent of the cult of the Aesir. Scandinavia - "the land of Skadi" - is named after her. Skadi is the goddess of winter. She runs on skates, and therefore is associated with Ull, who became her husband after Skadi broke up with Njord. According to other versions, Skadi became the lover of Odin himself, and from this connection came the Skjoldung clan - the royal dynasty of Denmark. The name "Skadi" means "shadow" and this goddess is also associated with death. After Loki was captured and chained, it was she who hung the snake over his head, avenging the fatal role that Loki played in the fate of her father. The halls of Skadi are called Thrymheim. The runes associated with it are Eyvaz, Hagalaz and Isa. Her element is snow.
Goddess Siv
Sif, Thor's second wife, is the golden-haired goddess of grain. According to some texts, she had the gift of prophecy, although nothing is said about this in the Eddas. In early Germanic sources, Siv appears as a swan maiden. She was once married to Orvandil, and therefore may also belong to the older generation of gods. Siv is associated with the summer fertility of the earth and ripe ears of grain, so the myth of how Loki shaved her head can be interpreted as a metaphorical story about fire destroying the harvest. The name "Siv" is related to the German sippe - "relatives". From this we can conclude that Siv, like Frigga, is associated with peace and friendship that reigns in a happy family, as well as with marital fidelity. Runes Siv - Berkana and Inguz.
Goddess Saga
Saga is one of Frigg's names. In this incarnation, Frigg is the patron of memory and memories. The saga lives in the flow of times and events. Frigg lives in Fensalir (lit. "marsh land"), and Saga lives in Sokquabek ("low benches"). Every day Odin drinks with her from golden goblets, and Saga sings about the past and times long past. Since Frigga has the gift of foresight, and Saga knows everything that remains in the past, we can say that Saga personifies Frigga’s memories. The runes Perto and Laguz correspond to it.
Air
one of Frigga's maids, patron of healing. The runes Berkana, Sovulo and Laguz are associated with it. Uruz is also a healing rune, but too masculine, so I do not recommend using it to appeal to Eir. Thief and Var also serve Frigga; they are called upon to witness oaths and asked to punish the perpetrator. Var is especially interesting: her name is related to the German word wahr - “truth”. The same root is preserved in a number of English words, such as aware (“aware, aware”) or beware (“beware, beware”), related in meaning to the perception, awareness or identification of truth. Thus, Var as an oathkeeper is the personification of idealized concepts of truth and honesty. Var warns against hasty, thoughtless vows, including marriage vows: as the maid Frigga, she punishes those who violate fidelity to their spouses and lovers. Fulla is Frigga's constant companion and confidante. She carries a basket of treasures with her everywhere.
Sigunn
Sigunn, Sigyn, Sigrun, in Scandinavian mythology, the faithful wife of the fire god Loki and the mother of his sons, Nari and Narvi. When, at a feast of the gods at the sea giant Aegir, Loki insulted everyone present, they decided to punish him: Loki was imprisoned in a cave and tied with the intestines of his own son Nari. Then the giantess Skadi, Njord's wife, attached a snake over the head of the evil god, which exuded a burning poison.
So he had to wait for Ragnarok, the day of the death of the gods. Despite all her husband’s atrocities, Sigunn remained faithful to him and eased his suffering by collecting poison in a cup. However, when the cup filled and she left to empty it, the poison would drip onto Loki's face, causing him to shudder. The Vikings saw this as the cause of earthquakes.
Skadi
Skadi, Skade (“destruction”), in Scandinavian mythology, the goddess of the hunt, skier, wife of the god Njord and daughter of the giant Tjazzi. The gods killed her father, who had stolen Idunn's rejuvenating apples, and Skadi, wearing a helmet and chain mail, came to their fortress to avenge him. Refusing the gold, she demanded that the gods make her laugh and give her a husband. They agreed that she would choose a husband based on her legs. Mistakenly believing that the most beautiful legs must certainly belong to Odin's son, Balder, Skadi made a choice, but it turned out that these were the legs of Njord, the sea god of the Vanir. Loki made the “unlaughable” laugh when he tied the beard of a goat to his genitals. The young couple soon decided to live separately, since Skadi did not love the sea and swans, but mountains and wolves. Nevertheless, the giantess visited Njord from time to time, and when the gods finally imprisoned the evil Loki in a cave, it was she who placed a snake oozing poison over his head.
Gerda
In Scandinavian mythology, a beautiful giantess, daughter of the giant Hymir. Gerda, the mistress of streams, mountain rivers and waterfalls of Jotunheim, for a long time did not agree to become the wife of the fertility god Frey.
Frey, the affectionate god of summer, seeing the radiant giantess Gerda from afar, fell in love with her at first sight and, not knowing how to win the girl’s favor, fell ill. Njord, having learned about the young man’s heartache, sent his faithful servant Skirnir (“the shining one”) to Jötunheim, the land of giants, promising him a magic horse and a sword. As a gift to the bride, Skirnir carried rejuvenating apples, the wealth-multiplying ring Draupnir and a sparkling portrait of Frey on a horn filled with honey. He was ordered not to return to Asgard without Gerda. Having reached the halls of Hymir, Skirnir tried to persuade Gerda to return Frey's love in exchange for eleven apples of eternal youth.
When the girl rejected the gift and was not seduced by Odin’s magic ring, Skirnir promised to cut off her head, but the threat had no effect on Gerda. Then the messenger promised to cast a spell of ugliness and eternal exile on her, and this decided the matter. Gerda agreed to meet Frey in nine days. Finding herself next to the god burning with passion, the icy heart of the unapproachable beauty Gerda thawed.
Goddess Grid
Grid, in Scandinavian mythology, is a kind frost giantess who helped the thunder god Thor defeat the frost giant Geirrod. When the fire god Lezhi lured Thor into a trap without his belt of strength and magic hammer, Grid lent Thor her own belt, iron gauntlets and a miraculous staff.
Some traditions say that the giantess was the mother of the silent god Vidar, son of Odin, and sewed such a strong shoe for him that the wolf Fenrir could not bite through it. When on the day of Ragnarok a gigantic predator swallowed the supreme god Odin, his son Vidar pressed down Fenrir’s lower jaw with his foot and tore the creature in half.
Kriemhilda
Kriemhild, the heroine of the German epic "The Song of the Nibelungs", the wife of Siegfried, who after the death of the hero became the wife of the Hun king Attila (Norwegian, Atli). Known for her extraordinary beauty, which inspired heroic deeds and doomed many valiant warriors to death. Kriemhild, a Burgundian princess by birth, was the sister of the Burgundian king Gunther (Norwegian, Gunnar). In Scandinavian mythology, she corresponds to Gudrun, the sister of the Burgundian king Gunnar and the wife of Sigurd.
The witch Grimhild (according to legend, Kriemhild's mother) gave Siegfried the drink of oblivion, and Siegfried, forgetting about his bride Brünnhilde, married the witch's daughter, the beautiful Kriemhild (Norwegian, Gudrun). From Siegfried, Kriemhild gave birth to a son, who was named after his uncle Gunther. After Siegfried's death, Kriemhild married the king of the Huns, Attila, in order to use her position as queen to take revenge on Siegfried's murderers, Hagen and Gunther.
Kriemhild lured them into a trap and ordered their execution. Gunnar was thrown into a ditch with reptiles swarming there and then his head was cut off, and the heart of the still living Hagen (Norwegian, Högni) was cut out. According to other sources, Kriemhild took revenge on Siegfried's killers Hagen and her brother Gunther ten years after the hero's death. Kriemhild cut off their heads with Siegfried's sword, luring Gunther and Hagen to Attila's castle for a grand jousting tournament she organized.
Subsequently, Hildebrand, enraged by the brutal execution of Gunther and Hagen, avenged the death of Lord Tronje by cutting Kriemhild in half.
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