Freya: The Norse Goddess of Beauty, Magick, and War; The Original Feral Goddess
Freya is the Norse goddess of witchcraft, magick, beauty, love, sex, and war. She wears a feathered cloak and her signature magickal amber necklace, Brísingamen, drives a chariot pulled by two enormous gray cats, and answers to no one. She's also the one who brought the magick of Seiðr to the gods, Odin included.
Her duality represents all that women are capable of, and her bold energy inspires us to be bold in our own lives.
Who Is Freya?
Freya's name means “Lady,” and she's sometimes called She Who Shines Over the Sea. She was the most beautiful of the goddesses, and she's proof that beauty and ferocity coexist. She's the goddess of fertility and beauty, and just as much the goddess of death and war.
She's the daughter of the Sea (Njörðr) and the Earth (Herta), born into the Vanir. When she arrived in Asgard, she taught the Aesir, Odin included, about magick, potions, and charms. She's the one who taught Odin the Runes and the art of Seiðr, back when that particular brand of witchcraft belonged to only women.
Freya is also called Valfreya, because she’s the leader of the Valkyries. She rides into battle with them and claims half of the fallen, who then live with her in Folkvang and her palace in Valhalla. Some stories say she gets first pick of the warriors; what's certain is that she and Odin split the dead 50/50. In Folkvang, love songs never stop playing, and when Ragnarök comes, her warriors rise to fight beside her. She's one of the few gods who survive it.
Freya's reach stretched across early Europe: Iceland, Scandinavia, Greenland, Holland, the Germanic lands, and Anglo-Saxon Britain. Her legend outlasted centuries of Catholic condemnation and every attempt to silence her devotees. When the Church branded her Queen of Witches, her followers only loved her more.
Are Freya and Frigg the Same Goddess?
Freya and Frigg are often combined or mistaken for one another. Freya works alongside Odin in matters of magick and war; Frigg is his wife. Frigg's name means “Well Beloved Lady,” and she governs matrimony, childbirth, fertility, and divination. Freya shares some of that territory, too, fertility and divination especially, which is likely why the two goddesses eventually got folded into one another by early European peoples, even though they're separate deities.
How to Work with Freya
Call on Freya for mediumship, intuitive work, and divination. She's a powerful ally when you're reclaiming your divine feminine nature, and she'll hear you out on matters of love and sexuality, including grief over a love you've lost. Her own story includes that grief: the loss of her husband, Odr.
Freya took many lovers in her time, even Loki, who somehow coupled with her while he was in the form of a flea. She talked four dwarves into forging her magickal amber necklace by spending a night with each of them. But Odr was the great love of her life. Together, they had two daughters, Hnoss and Gersemi. Then one day, he left.
She followed him and cried amber tears the whole way. On her journey, she took on new names: Mardol, Horn, Gefn, and picked up the name Sessrymner, meaning “large wombed.” As she traveled, leaves fell from the trees behind her, tying her forever to the reproductive cycles of nature and animals alike.
Honor her by caring for feral and stray cats, sharing love songs, or reading her poetry. True to her duality, she favors seers, shamans, and witches just as much as soldiers and veterans.
If she comes to you, expect a beautiful, captivating woman. Or maybe not…She's a shapeshifter, and her falcon feather cloak means she can take to the sky in whatever form she chooses. But, if you ask her in meditation or during spellwork if you can work with her, her answer will be clear.
Freya’s Correspondences at a Glance
Use the following list to create your altar or offerings for Freya.
Animals
• Cats (her chariot is pulled by two large gray cats named Bygul and Trjegul)
• Falcons
• Boars
• Horses
• Rabbits
• Ladybugs
• Swallows
Colors
• Red
• Gold
• Green
• White
• Pink
• Yellow
Gemstones & Metals
• Amber
• Gold
• Copper
Herbs & Plants
• Rose
• Strawberry
• Mugwort
• Mistletoe
• Yarrow
• Wildflowers
• Clover
• Sandalwood
• Myrrh
• Benzoin
Offerings
• Honey
• Sweet wine or mead
• Strawberries
• Fresh-baked bread
• Dark chocolate
• Flowers
• Hand-crafted jewelry
Other Symbols
• She’s known for wearing her glowing Amber necklace, Brísingamen
• Falcon-feather cloak
• Chariot
• Seiðr staff
Freya is an enchanting, multi-faceted goddess who embodies all that a woman can be, from fierce to soft; warrior-like to seductive and beautiful. She’s a great reminder that we can be all these things at once.
Ready to work with Freya? Scroll down to find signature ritual supplies to support your work. Freya is ready for the bold, feral witch who wants to honor and work with her.
