Sisters
of the Burning Branch Goddess Gallery Presents...
Freyja - Goddess of Passion, Seidr, and Plenty
Freyja
by Sindr
Freyja is the
Vanir Goddess of Love, Death, Fertility, and Magic. While she is
mostly regarded as being beautiful and a symbol of lust and sensuality,
she is multi-faceted: Queen of Valkyries and harvester of the slain,
teacher of seidr - a form of magic and sorcery which was predominantly
practised by women. She is much more than a Goddess with perky
breasts and a pretty necklace!
"Freyja is the
most famous of the Goddesses. She has in heaven a dwelling which is
called Fólkvangr, and when she rides to the battle, one half of
the slain belong to her, and the other half to Óðinn. As is
here said:
"Fólkvangr
it is called,
And there rules
Freyja.
For the seats in
the hall
Half of the slain
She chooses each
day;
The other half
is Óðinn's."
Her hall is
Sesrúmnir, and it is large and beautiful. When she goes abroad,
she drives in a wagon drawn by two cats. She lends a favourable ear to
men who call upon her, and it is from her name that the title has come
that noble women are called freyjur ("lady"). Love-poetry she likes
well, and it is good to call on her in love affairs."
"Gylfaginning - Snorri Sturluson"
The name
"Freyja"
is how we know this Goddess, but she has many names. Freyja
is a Vanir, a race of agricultural deities/demi-gods from
Vanaheim. The Poetic Eddas recount the Vanir and Aesir
warring with each for many years, but the Aesir could not defeat the
Vanir - a common theory is the Vanir are perhaps an older set of
deities which were usurped by the arrival of the Aesir worshipping
Vikings (Lindow, John (2001). "Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods,
Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs"). In order to attempt to
bring the war to a close and encourage peace, both sides exchanged
several war-hostages: Freyja, Freyr and their father Njord came to live
with the Aesir to keep the peace. It is said in the Eddas the
Aesir hostages didn't fare anywhere near as well, and Mimir was slain
with his head returned to Odin.
Freyja possessed
a form of magic the Aesir did not have: seidr; which was a powerful
magic taught only to the women of the Vanir, and galdr, essentially a
magic language which is all but lost. Odin, in his quest for
knowledge and power, was rather keen to have Freyja as part of the
peace-contract, and learned seidr and galdr from here - although the
Eddas tells us he had to dress and act like a woman (being ergi - or
"unmanly") in order for Freyja to teach him. The arts of seidr
and galdr however must have been worth it, for the Eddas are filled of
stories of powerful volva, or seers/sorceresses, who also had these
gifts. Freyja was a capable shape-shifter, turning one of her
lovers into a boar to ride, or donning a cloak made of falcon feathers
to allow her to fly anywhere she wished.
Freyja was given
the status of Queen of the Valkyries - the warrior-women who rode out
upon a battlefield and gathered up the souls of the best warriors to
bring to Asgard. However, as a result of this service, Freyja was
allowed to claim half of the souls for herself to bring to her hall
Sessrumnir. Freyja has a sizeable army in comparison with Odin's
own. This may be of use if Ragnarok comes, as Freyja is said to
be
one of the only survivors of Ragnarok, and it will be up to her and
Balder (Odin's murdered son, dwelling in the Underworld) to reform the
new universe. Therefore, Freyja could also be considered a
Goddess
of Death and Rebirth.
Freyja's most
prized possession was her necklace named Brisingamen. The Eddas
tells us she saw four dwarves working on the necklace and was so
captivated by their work; she offered to spend a night with each of
them as payment for the necklace. While the somewhat
Christianised bent of the Eddas makes this exchange out as
prostitution, it can be interpreted that Freyja felt the necklace was
worth the price.
Freyja is said
to be beautiful, bountiful, and wealthy, but she's also living proof
that looks don't always make a woman happy. The Eddas relate the
story of her lost husband, whom we only know of as Od. She
wandered the world searching for her love, and wept tears which turned
to amber once they hit the ground. Amber was also a symbol of
wealth in ancient times, but also were a symbol of sorrow and loss.
Freyja is
highest in rank next to Frigg. She was married to someone called Odh
(Ecstasy). Hnoss is the name of their daughter. She is so beautiful
that from her name whatever is beautiful and precious is called hnossir
(treasures). Odh went off on long travels, and Freyja stayed behind,
weeping, and her tears are red gold. Freyja has many names, and the
reason for this is that she adopted various names when she was
travelling among strange peoples looking for Odh. She is known as
Mardöll and Horn, Gefn, Syr.
(Edda, p. 29-30)
Freyja's
symbols:
Sows
Daisies
Garnet
Amber
Cats
Honey
Mead
Berries
of all kinds, strawberries in particular
Elder
Futhark:
Inguz
Fehu
Jera
Kenaz
Ehwaz
Potential
lessons Freyja can teach:
Seeking soul
mates
Relationship
issues
Working with the
dead or ancestors
Learning
self-worth and self-esteem
Recovering from
abuse
Magic/Sorcery
Sex magic
Sacred Sexuality
Protection for
pets and other animal companions
Rituals
for Freyja
While
many people petition Freyja for love, she is also a powerful sorceress
and diviner. Keep in mind Freyja is a Goddess of the North, and
therefore if you ask Her for her help, you must be willing to give Her
something back in return! Never leave it open for interpretation
or you may find yourself bound to a task you don't want to do.
You could promise to use your abilities to benefit Freyja herself, or
could dedicate a week of service to Her, or donate money to an animal
shelter (a cat shelter if possible).
Friday
is the best day to do this working, preferably on a waxing moon:
One candle, gold
or red
Offerings of
rose petals, berries, white wine or a bit of honeycomb
Fresh flowers if
possible, depending on season.
Try to make sure
everything is organic or as pesticide-free as possible - Freyja is an
agricultural deity and therefore will not appreciate anything
chemical-laden. Cut the Fehu rune into the candle with a dull
knife, chanting the following.
"Freyja, Lady of
Seidr, She who sees far,
Teacher of
galdr, your words are power.
Grant me your
gifts in seidr,
Grant me your
gifts in galdr
So I may serve
well."
Light the candle
and take some time to meditate before the flame, giving the offerings
to Freyja and giving Her time to accept them. Then keep your eyes
and mind open to Her reply!