Freya Goddess of Love and War

Freya Goddess of Love and War

Freya, Norse Goddess of Love and War. She Who Shines Over the Sea. Leader of Witches. Lady of Beauty, Fertility and Death. Hers is a name that has gained popularity in modern times, yet in ancient times was widespread as well. The Church tried desperately to erase her name from the people’s minds. But with no success. Learn more about Freya Goddess of Love and how to work with her in sacred ways.

Who is Freya, Goddess of Love?

Freya’s is an Old Norse and Germanic goddess whose worship was widespread over Northern Europe in older times. She appears as a strong, golden woman in a chariot drawn by cats. Her boar Hildisvini accompanies her, and she wears a cloak made of falcon feathers. This goddess is a shapeshifter, so don’t expect her to look the same every time you see her. Freya’s name translates to Lady, and she is well known for being a goddess of love.

Freya was born to the god Njörðr and his sister, who remains unknown. Some speculate her mother may have been the ancient Germanic fertility goddess Nerthus, whose cult was widespread in the first and second centuries AD. Freya is a member of the Norse god pantheon called the Vanir, divine elves that live in Vanaheim, one of the nine Norse realms of existence. After the war between the Vanir and the Aesir gods, Freya becomes a part of the Aesir pantheon and marries Odr.

Freya Embodies Sacred Polarity

Freya is a passionate, beautiful deity who rules over all aspects of love. And yet, love and beauty don’t fully define her. Freya Goddess of Love also has dominion over war and death. If you’ve read any of our other goddess articles, a pattern emerges: the strongest goddesses embody sacred polarity. They are goddesses that straddle the line between good and bad, dark and light, love and war, birth and death, etc. Freya is another example of the depths of a Goddess’s divinity and therefore of a woman’s. She is depicted as a beautiful, nude woman emerging bloody and triumphant on the battlefield.

Are Freya & Frigg the Same Norse Goddess?

Freya and Frigg’s names are often used interchangeably in modern times. However, they are not technically the same goddess. Frigg is the wife of Odin, the All-Mother if you will, who was considered a separate deity from Freya in the Old Norse religion. The confusion begins perhaps with the tribes that inhabited Northern Germany. It seems Freya and Frigg were similar in their eyes and slowly merged as one. But if you ask someone who works intimately with Frigg if she’s the same as Freya, you’ll undoubtedly hear no. She is not. Might Freya be an aspect of Frigg similar to Nemain being an aspect of The Morrigan? It’s possible. But there are sagas and stories in which Freya and Frigg appear in the same scene as separate deities.

 Ways to Work With Freya Norse Goddess of Love, War, and Death

Witches and magical practitioners today are drawn to Freya goddess for many reasons. She is a fierce goddess who teaches witchcraft (including herbalism), divination, medicine, feminine independence, and more to her children. In addition to teaching, Freya brings abundant blessings of love, fertility, protection and acts as a guide in childbirth and death.

Read About Freya the Norse Goddess

The best way to start getting to know a deity is to read about them. Freya is a goddess with a rich history and mythology, so you won’t run out of reading material for a long time. She is featured in the Poetic Edda, Prose Edda, and numerous Norse sagas. In addition, there are books on the Norse pantheon, blogs, fictional novels featuring Freya, and much more. Get reading!

Sacred Altar Space for Freya

Set up and dedicate altar space for Freya. Candles, incense, offering bowls, cups and runes are appropriate. Add a picture or representation of Freya as the focal point. Images of cats, boars, birds, rabbits, and the moon are also appropriate. Freya loves flowers, so keep a vase of flowers on her altar.

Appropriate Offerings for Freya Goddess

Leave offerings for Freya on her altar. Traditional offerings include honey, mead, flowers (especially primrose), mugwort, bird berry, bedstraw, flax, jewelry, perfume, ale, barley, pork and apples. Any act of love is an offering to Freya, as is strong feminine energy and independence. She adores love songs, dancing, divination, weaponry and more.

Learn and Use the Runes

Freya is a master of the Elder futhark runes, a Norse/Germanic alphabet and divination system. The runes Berkano and Ehwaz are sacred to Freya. Learn the runes and use them to communicate directly with her. You can also use runes in your rituals and daily life. Draw Freya’s runes on your body using roll-on perfumes and oils.

Freya is a goddess of magic and mystery and taught her people a practice called seiðr, which is a magical system of soothsaying, sorcery, shapeshifting, and more. To honor Freya and dive deep into her magical lessons, learn and practice seiðr.

Moon Magick

This Norse Goddess of Love and War is also a deity of the moon. Connect with the moon and its phases, and work your magick on the appropriate moon phase. By dedicating your moon magick to Freya, you honor her immensely. Learn more about lunar magic here.

Bee Keeping

Honey is a sacred substance to the goddess Freya. Honey comes from honeybees, therefore honeybees are also hallowed in her eyes. If you have the guts and the outside space, consider a hobby of bee-keeping. You can harvest your own honey to use in rituals and as offerings to Freya.

Grow Freya’s Plants

Consider growing some of Freya’s holy plants: primrose, mugwort, holly, hemp, or flax. As you grow them, dedicate them in Freya’s name. When you harvest, thank Freya for her blessings. Then use these plants in your charms, spells, rituals and more. I particularly enjoy making oils using herbs associated with that deity and then using that oil on their candles and in rituals in which I invoke their presence.

Friday the 13th

Interestingly, the word Friday translates to Freya’s day. So naturally, the best day of the week to work with her is on Friday. In addition, when a Friday the 13th rolls around, it will be a powerful time to connect and honor the Norse Goddess of Love and War. Freya’s sacred number is 13 for the 13 lunar cycles in a year.

Dinner for Freya Goddess of Beauty

Freya’s followers threw massive dinner parties in her name. Make a dinner and invite your magical friends, and set a spot at the table for Freya. Include dishes with apples, honey, pork, and barley. Serve glasses of mead and ale.

Cat Adoption and Care

Freya’s chariot is pulled by two gray cats. By adopting a cat (if you don’t already have one), you uplift Freya’s sacred animal. And if you can’t adopt a cat, consider donating cat food, toys, etc. to a local rescue or shelter. OR volunteer. Doing these things in Freya’s name brings her great joy.

Rituals and Spells

Freya lived for the magic. So invoke her when you’re performing ritual or casting spells. She will be there to protect you, guide you, and teach magic to you. If you’re specifically curious about seidr magic and becoming a volva, Freya is the goddess to invoke.

Journeying

Shamanic journeying is a form of meditation where the practitioner goes into a light trance and “journeys” into the other realms. Meet and talk to Freya face-to-face through a journeying meditation. You might learn more than you ever thought possible!

Shapeshifting Rituals

It comes as no shock that Freya is well-versed in the art of shapeshifting. She possesses magical falcon plumes that allow her, or anyone who holds them, to turn into a falcon. By studying and practicing shapeshifting rituals, you tune into the essence of this goddess of seidr.

Elven Studies

The Vanir are gods yes, but they are also elves. Study the Vanir, and also elves, from Norse and Germanic mythology and folklore. Your studies will help you grow closer to understanding Freya. Plus, learning about elves is just plain fun. Interestingly, elves are known to have healing powers, but in the same breath can cause illness too. There’s a lot of paradox within the elven realm that lends its energy to this intriguing goddess.