Goddess Freyja by Nyack

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 

Freya is one of the major Goddesses of Norse Mythology. Equal in prowess to Thor, Freya is nearly the equal of Odin, the Allfather. She is the Goddess of Love and Beauty, one of the original fertility goddesses of the region. Patron of young lovers, Freya is viewed as a force for good in the world – protector of the weak, healer, granter of magic and source of love and peace. She listens to the prayers of men and women seeking love and helps them when she can.

Names: Lady, Seer, Great Goddess, The Sage, Freyja of the Black Swordhand, Queen of the Valkyries

Colors :
Red - physical love
Black - protection, revenge
Silver or Green - all other aspects

Incense/Oil: rose, sandalwood, mint, floral scents

Symbols: cats, the number 13, boars, full moon, horses, swords, necklaces, Brisingamen, 5-pointed stars

Stones/Metals: amber, emerald, jade, malachite, moonstone, gold, silver, copper

Plants: alder, birch, bramble, elder, feverfew, mint, mugwort, rose, tansy, thyme, vervain, yarrow, apple, valerian

Day: Friday

The goddess Freya's passions were abundant, vigorous, and unrestrained. Clothed or not, she is usually shown in sensual poses.

She is often depicted riding her golden chariot through the skies, the chariot pulled by two large blue cats who were a gift from the Norse god Thor.

Freya chastised Thor soundly one morning for awakening her from her beauty sleep with his boisterous and noisy preparations to "go fishing" for a sea dragon. While he was on the way to his fishing spot, Thor kept hearing lovely song-like noises that seemed to be lulling him to sleep.

Stopping to investigate the source of the odd sounds, he found them coming from a nest of mewing blue kittens being tended by a tomcat. The sound that Thor had heard was the male cat singing to the kittens, "Sleep, sleep, my dear little ones".

Thor suggested (in forceful terms) that the cat stop singing the lullaby and the cat sassed him back, suggesting that Thor had no idea how difficult it was for a single-parent male to rear his children and asking if he knew any women who would be willing to take them in.

Immediately Freya came to mind, and Thor agreed to take them to her. Like all cats, this one was not quick to show appreciation and added that, being blue, they were very unique cats and deserved an especially fine home. Thor took offense at the comment and thundered back at the cat who, not the least impressed, bared his claws and then turned into a bird and flew away.

Kindly Freya was enchanted with Thor's present and did the kittens honor by letting them accompany her on her daily rounds across the sky.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Freya was the sister of the god Freyr, and was one of the Vanir, the Norse deities of earth and water that lived in Asgard. Venerated by women, heroes and rulers alike, she was the Scandinavian goddess of fertility and abundance. Freyja could be called upon for assistance in childbirth and conception, to aid with marital problems, or to bestow fruitfulness upon the land and sea.

In some traditions, she is known not only as Freyr's sister but his wife as well. Like Freyr, she is associated with material wealth. She was known to wear a magnificent necklace called Brisingamen, which represents the fire of the sun, and was said to weep tears of gold. In the Norse Eddas, Freyja is not only a goddess of fertility and wealth, but also of war and battle. She also has connections to magic and divination.

Freyja was similar to Frigg, the chief goddess of the Aesir, which was the Norse race of sky deities. Both were connected with childrearing, and could take on the aspect of a bird. Freyja owned a magical cloak of hawk's feathers, which allowed her to transform at will. This cloak is given to Frigg in some of the Eddas.