Norse Goddess Freyja
Paganism today has come out of the dark after centuries of being hidden away, under different names, or practiced in secret.
Today, Paganism is a very common practice. There are many different witches with many specialties, magick specifics, and focuses that vary with thousand of names They come together with very similar practices, and beliefs.
Some more common names include:
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Old Religion
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The Nameless Art
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Wicca
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Pagan
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Neo-pagan
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Goddess spirituality
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Nature religion
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The Craft
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Witchcraft
Beyond these common titles, there are many labels used to describe what kind of witch you are. Like Reclaimed witches, water, house, or green witches.
Freyja's Message to us
I'm a witch in training right now, and for my own practice (and a school assignment) I wanted to crate a site for my diety, Freyja.
Hope you enjoy!
Who is She?
Freyja is a Norse goddess, usually associated with beauty, sexuality, fertility, sorcery, war, and death.
Freyja’s beauty, sex magick, and sexuality are legendary. She had many lovers and was married to Odr, or sometimes believed to be Odin.
They had two children she adored so much, she named them after jewels and treasure, Hnoss and Gersemi.
Freyja rides a chariot that she ownes. They were lead by 2 cats, which were believed to be gifts from Thor. She wanted to show the balance of masculinity and femininity with the male cats.
A little on cats in Paganism
The cat is the closest related animal to witchcraft. Especially the black cat.
It is very attractive to witches their nocturnal nature and their mysterious connection to something bigger than us.
Cats were sacred to Freyja, and their role to her was to tell her the future and nature itself.
In the picture above, and many other artworks, she is shown wearing a cloak of feathers. She was very knowledgeable in magick, her cloak made of falcon feathers would allow her to shapeshift.
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Freyja was the first Goddess to bring magick seidr to the other Norse Gods and Goddesses.
She also had a skill in soothsaying, elf magick, casting spells and even complete control over the dead.
Gersemi
"Jewels"
Hertitage
Hnoss
"Treasure"
Hnoss was the Goddess of desire, lust, erotic/ecstatic desires, temptation, and sensuality.
Gersemi was the goddess of beauty, personal adoration, and possessions.
Njord
Her father, Njord the Sea God and God of the Winds. He was married to the Godess Skadi.
Some records may show that Feyr and Freyjas mother was Njord's sister.
Njord has immasive strength, an infinity to the sea, and strength.
Modern Paganism
Reclaimed Witches
Reclaimed witches is this really incredible label that many witches hold. The idea is that witches are aiming to join magick and feminism, fighting patriarchy, and being connected to however they practice magick or worship a deity.
River Enodian, a writer from Patheos describes it perfectly as a reclaimed witch herself. “Witches are inherently subversive. We have always been against the status quo”
Green Witches
Green witches tend to focus on the earth around them. Not all green witches have a deity, but some worship Gaia, the earth goddess.
Crytal Witches
Crytal witches focus on the vibrations of the earth, and energies/auras that correlate to certain crystals.
Modern paganism has given a whole new, and accurate image of witches. We are no longer viewed as evil.
The above examples are just a few examples of witches. You can find more here:
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https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a37681530/types-of-witches/
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There is such a wide variety, and so many different and incredible ways people celebrate their spirituality.
Bibliography
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Adrian Ivakhiv.2005. “Nature and Ethnicity in East European Paganism: An Environmental Ethic of the Religious Right?” The Pomegranate.
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Cush, Denise. 2013. “Pagan” RE: Online The Place For Excellence, edited By Mike Stygal
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Dowden, Ken, May 2013. "European Paganism"
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Frost, Guy. 2021. “From Zines of Peer Reviewed Journals: Cataloging Contemporary Pagan Resources” Taylor and Francis Online.
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Macha M. 1998-2000 "Why Witches? The W Word And Why We Call Ourselves Witches" Weave and Spin.
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Mardollsdottier, Laine Dec. 9th 2016. "Greeting Freyja: A Simple Rite" Patheos.
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McCoy, Daniel "Norse Mythology for Smart People" 2021-2019
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Sims and Stephens 2011. "Living Folklore" Chapter 2 p. 38.
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Sims and Stephens 2011. "living Folklore" Chapter 4 p.122-123
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