#njörd

[sigyn-foxyposts]

Destrinktober 2024

Day 22: war 😤

Sorry for the Freya slander but it's a cannon event, æsir and vanirr war reference yayy!

[guy60660]

Njörd

[piratespacex]

FREEEEYJA IS SO FINE ON MY KNEES RN

fuck it we ball

I think I draw more then my hands would like me to

i miss them

[ltwilliammowett]

The Wind Bride - die Windsbraut

Today we are entering the realm of mythical creatures and I am sure that you have certainly encountered this lady before. In the north of Europe this creature is known as the Wind Bride. The wind bride is the name for a sudden, very violent, swirling, howling storm wind on the coast or at sea. In her human form, she is a beautiful young bride dancing on the waves of the sea.

Sculpture Windsbraut by Hartmut Wiesner in Wilhelmshaven, Germany

Depending on the region and mythical interpretation, she can move inland. Where exactly she comes from is not entirely clear, but there is an assumption that she comes from Greek mythology. There is the harpy Aello, the daughter of Thaumas and Electra. She was sent by the gods to bring peace - even by force - and to carry out punishments for crimes. They were depicted as winged beauties, in later times also as ugly old women with sharp claws who abducted people into the underworld to torture them there.

However, it is more likely that the wind bride comes from Norse or Germanic mythology. There she is the wife of Njörd, the god of the wind, and if we go by the handbook of German superstition then she also repeatedly accompanies the Wild Hunt (I don't mean the one from The Witcher 3). This is a ghost train or a ghost army. It can chase across the sky or roam the land in the form of a procession of corpses. The sighting is usually a harbinger of catastrophe, illness and death. In their wake are the fallen of battles, the unbaptised, the executed and those who have died prematurely or violently. As a rule, the Wild Hunt or the Wild Army can be heard announcing itself by screaming, howling, wailing or music.

The Wind Bride is a cruel bride who casts a spell over unhappy souls and drags sailors on the high seas to their doom with her stormy, wild behaviour. So it's not a good omen when you see her and especially not when she's using her powers.

[the-pagan-crow]

Deity Spotlight: Freyr

AKA Frey, Yngvi, Ing, Ingwi, Yngvi-Freyr

(Note: Freyr's mother is a highly debated topic. We know that his mother was likely his father's sister, but there is debate over what her name is)

Quick Facts:

Tribe: Vanir

Domain: Fertility, Prosperity, and Peace

Parents: Njörd and Nerthus/Njörun

Sibling: Freyja

Spouse: Gerðr

Child: Fjölnir

Mythologically Backed Facts (VPG)

Freyr is a god of fertility, prosperity, and peace. He was born a Vanir to Njörd and Njörd's sister, but moved to Asgard as a baby after the Æsir-Vanir war. Both his parents were Vanir, with his father being considered ruler of the Vanir. With Gerðr, he had one child, Fjölnir. Fjölnir is said to have become the king of what we now call Sweden, making him the first of the Ynglings, and many people consider Freyr the father of the Yngling dynasty (more on that later).

Lord of Alfheim: When Freyr moved to Asgard as a baby, the Æsir gifted him Alfhiem, realm of the Alfar (elves), as a present when he got his first tooth. While there aren't many attestations about this story, or about Alfheim and the Alfar in general, this is a pretty important part of his mythology. Some people will call him the King or Lord of the Elves.

Father of the Ynglings: Freyr, as the father of Fjölnir, is said to be the father of the Yngling dynasty. To my understanding, this dynasty is the first known dynasty of Sweden, and of Scandinavia as a whole, but they ruled in modern day Sweden. The Ynglings would claim that they were decendants of Freyr, possibly to maintain their rule (although this is slight speculation on my part).

Gullinbursti: Made from gold by the dwarf brothers Brokk and Sindri, Gullinbursti is Freyr's boar. Gullinbursti is said to move through air and water faster than any horse. As a symbol of Freyr's rule over prosperity, Gullinbursti is an important companion of Freyr.

Skídðblaðnir: This magical ship, made by the same dwarves who made Gullinbursti, is Freyr's ship that can hold all the gods and their gear while also being able to be folded up and fit in a pocket. This important item of Freyr's also goes back to his roots as son of a sea god.

Gerðr and Freyr's Love Story: If you're interested in reading about their story, please read our Deity Spotlight about Gerðr located here.

Our Experiences (UPG)

Surtr and Ragnarok: At the end of the world, when the gods must face the Jötunar in Ragnarok, Freyr will face Surtr. However, because he gave up his sword to win Gerðr's hand, Freyr will be slain by the Jötunn.

We have worked with Freyr for several years now. He is a big part of our practice and craft.

He is a very kind deity, but he can push his practioners to be their best selves. He loves nature and agriculture. He likes shades of green, yellow, some browns, and blues.

Like with Gerðr, we'll take nature walks with him. We've offered him sea water, and we've also offered him coins because of his association with prosperity. Also due to this association, we did a good luck spell with him once.

He has a very rich mythology and history, and he is very cool and fun to work with. He can be "quiet" sometimes. For instance, he may not answer questions through tarot unless you word them exactly as you mean. He also might not give as many cards as a "chattier" deity such as Loki.

As always, if we get anything wrong, please let us know nicely! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!!

For further reading, feel free to view this article. Always remember to take things with a skeptical eye and cross reference, but the article has a lot of good information.

[arvolna]

Freyr: OMG YOURE SO TALL YOU ARE LIKE A GIRAFFE!

Odin disguised as Tyr: and you're like a baked bean.

Freyr: A-A BAKED - A BAKED BEAN?!

------

Freya, talking with Njörd: So as I was saying Father, Freyr and I will sneak up from-

Freyr, high af:Quack quack

Freya:... Sneak up from-

Freyr: Quack quack

Freya:... From-

Freyr: Quack quack

Freya:... I will sneak up from behind and attack while Freyr goes up to them as a bait with his Quacking.

Freyr: OH QUACK NO!

-----

Hildisvini: Are you high again?

Freyr:... No.

Hildisvini: your dad is gonna beat you up.

Freyr: Nuh uh.

Freya: tf you mean Nuh uh??!!

------

Nerthus: Freyr is this... What í think it is?

Freyr: Oh yeah mom those are my girlfriend's underwear I'll bring it to her tomorrow.

Nerthus: I MEANT THE PIPE-

----

Freya: So I was helping kratos cook yesterday and he-

Freyr: decided to break up with you and said that the wants to marry me and make me his own?

Freya:... No? WTF?

------

idk it's the best I can think of.

Freyr: love you all <3333

[stupidrant]

from gathering little pieces of information in gow through dialogues and character interactions: freya and freyr's father njörd was often on journeys around the world and therefore not very present in their lives. when freyr reminisces about this i could hear a certain bitterness in his voice, which could mean that njörd being an absent father did affect the two siblings a lot (that's putting it lightly but ykwim). oh and freyr was venting about this to hildisvini right before you go to war with asgard. hildisvini adresss freyr as son 😭 the elves beyla and byggvir commented something about how hildisvini taught freyr everything he knows. basically hildisvini is so very important as a character AND in freya and freyr's lives & i wish people talked about him more!

shit i'd go ahead and say that he is more of a parent than njörd ever was!

BEST FATHER HILDISVINI 🥺🥺🥺😖 they need to expand more on this!!

[nocnitsa]

"Njörd's desire of the Sea" by W. G. Collingwood, 1908

[w-y-r-d]

In the gentle depths where waves caress,

Where sea meets land in a tender embrace,

I sing a hymn to Njörd, the God of Seas,

Whose presence fills the hearts with grace.

Njörd, oh harbinger of calm and tides,

Your tranquil spirit guides the ocean's sway,

With every ebb and flow, you softly guide,

Bringing solace and peace along the way.

Upon your vessel, the waves dance and play,

As you navigate through realms of azure blue,

Your steady hand steers ships on their pathway,

Ensuring safe passage for the seafarers true.

In mighty gales, when tempests fiercely roar,

You calm the storm, protecting those in need,

Your soothing voice whispers upon the shore,

Granting solace and comfort with utmost heed.

The bounty of the seas, a gift you share,

Abundant harvests brought forth by your hand,

From depths unknown, you nurture life with care,

Blessing all who dwell upon the golden sand.

Oh Njörd, benevolent guardian of the coast,

Your presence is felt in the salt-kissed air,

We offer our gratitude, a grateful host,

For your blessings and guidance beyond compare.

As gentle waves upon the shore doth break,

We honor you, oh deity of the sea,

May your essence forever dwell and wake,

A beacon of tranquility eternally.

So let us raise our voices in devotion,

To Njörd, the God of seas and calming might,

With reverence, we offer our emotion,

And bask in your grace, like stars in the night.

[piratespacex]

Vanir doodles 2!

Oh and doodles of freyja’s mental state lol.

[sigyn-foxyposts]

Destrinktober 2024

Day 12: Swamp 🌿💦

🇬🇧: I miss my wife Loki

Poor Njord, he just is just longing for his wife while Loki is having a spa day behind him 😭✨

[salixsociety]

The Gods Don’t Care if You’re Silent

On guilt and shame for not reaching out to the Gods ‘enough’.

I’ve been a folk practitioner for a very long time now, compared to how long I’ve been alive. And I’ve believed in the (potential) existence of the pagan Gods relevant to me for a long time now, as well. But as a beginner I didn’t know how to start worship, and didn’t feel comfortable creating something physical. This dragged on, and much to my dismay, even now, in my twenties, I do not make dedicated time for worship in my practice much at all. I’ve spent much time questioning why that is, why I’ve let this drag out for so long, why I am still not a ‘real, dedicated pagan’… And the truth is that I feel ashamed. I feel, before the gods, like a child before their mother, about to admit they still haven’t cleaned their room. And procrastination was, in my childhood, the greatest sin of all. I think I can only begin turning into the dedicated worshipper I so want to be if I stop seeing the Gods like judgmental parents.

The Gods, to me, are very much omnipresent. In my personal cosmology they are indwellers; the real world's components do not reflect my Gods, they are them. Njörd is the sea, and the fish on my line. Odinn is my outbursts, and the magic I feel. Frigga is my home and the work I put into it. I feel comforted by this constant presence. I can connect much better to Gods that are tangible in some way than, for example, the Christian God and the Holy Spirit, who are much harder to find in the profaneness of daily life. It is not hard for me to see the Gods all around me, and that way I can connect with them well on a more superficial level nowadays. I can see them, and feel them, and I can conceive of ways to worship and devote myself, but I still feel afraid to do it. So instead, I have talked to the wind, I have thrown art into the sea, I have surrendered myself to natural forces and fate time and again. And in doing so I have - and perhaps am still in this process - come to the conclusion that the Gods don't care if I worship 'enough' or in the right way.

I don't mean that to be in an uncaring way, mind. People often are taken aback when I express my opinion that I believe the Gods are not wont to make people in particular their business or their focal point. I do not believe individuals are so relevant as to capture the attention of the Gods with indifference nor great effort. I simply do not view the Germanic Gods as one does the Christian God: a loving, ever-forgiving Father, nor as Gods that are completely indifferent to the trials and triumphs of mankind. I have always preached to peers and mentees alike that the Gods are always there, and always by your side, so long as you give them the power and permission to be through faith. And that, in turn, means that you do not need to offer to them, it's just commendable. Not many religions preach that your God(s) will disappear if you don't offer your love or devotion, after all.

Still, somehow, it never occurred to me to apply this logic to myself. I hold myself to some ridiculous standard of historical accuracy, practicality, functional syncretism, performance, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. One that I would never hold others to. So perhaps it's time I convince myself that the Gods don't care about my silence, either. They are too busy being the wind and the waves, and too busy placing bets about the wars we fight. They do not feel insulted by my lack of offering or devotion, because they are not my insecure mother, who feels that my dirty bedroom is a reflection of her skill as a parent. They are the Gods. I can stay a silent worshipper for as long as I like, I can become a fervent devotee and perhaps gain some favor, and I can equally as quickly go silent again. The wind will not go away, magic will not go away, and neither will my faith. ---- If you enjoy my work, please consider purchasing or commissioning some of my written resarch, ordering a reading, or commissioning my art. Click here to see the options. Thank you!

[nightmaresart]

"This is who I am, nobody said you had to like it,"

Finally finished all the norse kids their designs, I'm happy with how they turned out so ofcourse I had to post them!!

This group of ocs has Norse Gods as their parents. I think it would be interesting to see how a camp for that would function so I've decided to make one of my own!! It's still a massive wip but I'm slowly combing through it all!!

Now for this group consist of the following people; Orion Ambrosia and Macaria Ambrosia, Children of Ullr. Cassiopeia Sallow, Daughter of Loki. Malakai Corbin, Son of Eir. Cosette LaChapelle, Daughter of Njörd and lastly Verena Duran, Daughter of Heimdallr. This group has their own little life going on, they all go to college at this point and sometimes go back to help as camp councillors.

[god-of-powerpoint]

hello, old friend! it's come to my attention that my favorite restaurant in Asgard is completely out of Atlantic cod... is there any way to remedy this? It's hard to go about my day without it...

It is good to hear from you Njörd, I am currently working on remedying that. We are having trade issues. Due to overfishing in Midgard’s oceans the anglers have gone on strike. We hope to return it to the menu soon.

[c-casu]

Youre designed a map of opi???

Yep here’s the topography, climate and ocean currents

The planet’s conditions are pretty similar to Earth’s: similar radius, density and gravity, and sits in a similar position to our planet’s in the habitable zone. The oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are slightly higher. The axial tilt is more than Earth’s (at around 30°) which leads to a larger temperate zone.

Like here there’s ice caps at the poles as the planet is in the middle of an interglacial period, towards the end of an ice age that lasted a couple millions of years. The lower sea levels allowed for land bridges and island chains to form between the Western and Eastern continents, giving the two similar biospheres. The third biggest landmass on the planet is the continent of Notalia, which has remained isolated for tens of millions of years, allowing for a much more divergent fauna and flora to evolve.

The two main continents are simply called Eastern and Western continent. The southern one is called Notalia and the South Pole landmass is called Notopelagia. The central sea is called Nereus Sea, the northern one is the Njörd Sea and the southern one is the Pontus Ocean (answering to @monkeyseededworld cause it doesn’t let me answer or comment on my own posts)

[fuaandara]

Deep Dive: Freya - Happy Friday!

Freya is a staple of the Norse pantheon. She is depicted with long, flowing, flaxen hair and sea blue eyes. She is a member of the Vanír tribe, a group known for its connection to nature and nature magic. Freya introduced the Aesir gods to seidr, a form of Norse divination and a magical skill that it is said can even be used to change the future. Despite being known for her gentle and, at times, sexy nature, Freya fought fiercely in battle and was known for the trail of blood she would leave behind her in war.  

Other Known Names 

Freja, Freyia, Freyja, Fröja, Frøya, Frøjya, Frua, Mardöll, Hörn, Gefn, Gullveig, and Syr 

My personal favorite title for Freya is Valfreyja or ‘lady of the slain’.  

Note: Freya comes from Germanic roots. Meaning ‘the lady’, it is the root for the modern German term of respect for an elder woman, ‘frua’. 

Family Tree 

The Norse goddess Freya, or Freyja, was the twin sister of the god Freyr. Both were Vanír gods and children of the sea god, Njörd. Her mother is unknown but frequently referenced as a much older Germanic goddess. 

She took Odr to be her husband. Little is known about Odr, but his named means ‘furious and passionate’. In many stories, Freya’s husband is Odin, and she replaces Frigg. Thus, Odr might have actually been Odin. This might be due to the migration of Germanic tribes and their religions clashing. As they blended, certain gods and goddesses replaced or overtook each other in title. Regardless, it is known that she had two daughters: Hnoss and Gersemi.  

Associations 

Freya was in charge of battle, love, fertility, and death. She, like Odin, had a claim over half the dead slain in any battle and could choose to bring them to her hall, Fólkvangar. (In fact, Freya has first pick of the slain over Odin). She is known for being gentle, but not necessarily for having a soft hand. She is a warrior goddess with a heart of gold, so while she is forgiving and nurturing, she will also expect you to grow some tough skin and learn to survive and eventually conquer.  

Freya was sex symbol and lusted after by many gods and giants alike. In a little bit, we will get into a story where her sex appeal causes quite the predicament.  

She was a völva or female practitioner of magic, or seidr. This magic was specifically used as divination, where the völva could possibly alter future events leading to better outcome in battle. Little is known about the social status of these shamans. As with many magical healers, they were revered by some and feared by others. In later periods of the Germanic tribes, the völva’s place became much more defined as a leader woman or chieftain's wife. She is also said to be the keeper of the knowledge of the runes.  

She was associated with cats, specifically two that pulled her chariot through the sky. She also was represented by pigs and had a giant boar with golden bristles named Hildisvíni. She is said to have a magical cloak of falcon feathers that can transform the wearer into a falcon.  

Friday was named after this goddess. It is believed to previously have been ‘Freya’s day’.  

Rose quartz, amber, and tiger’s eye are stones said to be associated with Freya.  

Jewelry and perfume are associated with the goddess due to her status as a goddess of beauty and fertility.  

Mythology 

Freya is a goddess of polarity, straddling love and war, life and death. Like Persephone and similar goddesses, she is seen as both a light and dark figure. She was witch, or magic practitioner, which is a position in society that also crosses the line between good and evil. Finally, she bridges the Vanír and the Aesir – nature and the celestial. 

In the great Aesir- Vanír War, it was Freya that oversaw peace talks with Odin and proper sacrifices. It is said that after this war is when she introduces the gods to magic, a crime against the Vanír. It is also said that Freya could be known as Gullveig, the narrator of Völuspá who recounts the Aesir- Vanír war and predicts the fates of the gods in Ragnarök.  

In one story, Freya becomes the center of a giant’s focus. He agrees to build a wall for the gods under tight time constraints and, if he completes the wall in time, take Freya away to Jötunheimr (the realm of ice and giants) to be his wife. Time passes and it looks as if the giant might succeed at this task. Worried, Freya reaches out to Thor and Loki for aid. In order to save her, Loki transforms into a mare and seduces the giant's prized stallion. Thor protects Freya from the giant’s rage as, without the stallion there to help him, the giant is unable to build the wall and unable to claim his bride. Another bright outcome of this story is that Loki goes on to give birth to Odin’s 8-legged horse.  

Freya’s status as a sex symbol occasionally works to her advantage. One of her prized possessions, the beautiful necklace Brísingamen, was gained after she seduced the four dwarves that crafted it. Of course, in this story, Loki finds out about Freya’s promiscuity and goes to Odin. Odin has Loki steal the necklace from Freya using his powers of transformation. When Freya comes to Odin about the theft, he reveals that he knew everything all along and that he’ll only return the necklace if she convinces two kings to go to war with each other. She does so, and the two kings fight on for centuries until a Christian comes and settles the dispute. To be fair, the written version of this story comes from the Sörla þáttr, a retelling of Norse pagan stories written by Christian priests.  

Unfortunately, a lot of the written history of Norse paganism is retold through the lenses of Christianity. This is why we see Loki depicted as a devil-like figure, and Freya stripped of her feminine power and portrayed as a harlot who was obsessed with sparkly things. It is understood that Freya would have been powerful due to her beauty and seen as a goddess of fertility and lust. Her lust was wielded against men, a weapon of her divine feminine nature.  

Modern Worship 

Many practitioners of Asatru worship Freya as a goddess of fertility, beauty, love, and abundance. Forming a connection with any deity takes time and patience. Everything you do must be done with love and intention. It is hard to complete a task then an hour afterwards claim that was in a god or goddess’s name. You first need to slow down and think about what you are doing and why. Most everyday actions can be a form of worship! Just writing this post, I started by dedicating my research efforts to Odin, a god of knowledge and its pursuit. Next time, before you step one foot outside your door, offer that time outside up to a god or goddess. Give thanks at meals for the food and company. Before you go to bed, meditate on a deity and try to connect with the universe. Effort and patience pay off when working with the gods and goddesses, but that effort and patience must be true and consistent. We can’t just turn to them when things aren’t going our way (not to say you can’t start building a relationship with them when life is far from perfect). We must also go to them when things are good and offer gratitude when life goes our way.  

There are many reasons to work with Freya. You may be deepening your connection with nature and its associated deities. You may be going through a battle and need a powerful goddess on your side to give you strength. You could be struggling to be intimate with your partner and be seeking a goddess of sexuality to aid you. Whatever your reason, tailor your practice to suit your needs. While it is not our place to take liberties with the symbolism and religious practices associated with a god or goddess, we can lean into something they are already associated with. So, if you are aiming to be a green witch and feel Freya speaks to you through nature, pick floral and natural aspects of worship. If you need support in self-confidence and beauty, use her love of jewelry and fine things to your advantage. Deities are multi-faceted and should be honored for all their parts.  

Note: Freya is a shapeshifter and goddess of transformation, so she may come to you in any form.  

Taking time to learn and research any god or goddess is also a form of worship. Set your intent before you begin and set aside a decent amount of time. Yes, life is crazy and sometimes our research is a Google article we read at our lunch break. But part of developing a connection with a deity is dedication. You don’t need hours upon hours weekly of study but, instead of scrolling through Instagram for a half hour before bed, say a short prayer and research Freya then for thirty minutes. Read the Prose and Poetic Eddas. Listen to podcasts during your drive to work that dive deep into her. Find the time and the motivation because, by coming this far, you have already decided that this relationship is a priority for you. That being said, I like to remind people that it is also never too late or too little to start. If you fall off the wagon, if you have six kids and no free time, whatever you are giving is enough. The gods see us for what we are and know what we have to offer. Don’t stress because you forgot to light a candle last Friday, Freya knows you were busy cooking dinner for your family and doing the laundry and forty other things. But do put forth some effort. The gods also know when we are taking advantage of their kindness and not trying at all.  

A first step in attaining a relationship with any nature deity is to go outside. To honor Freya, spend time gardening or planting flowers. Pick a bouquet of your favorite flowers and bring them into your home or take tedious care of your garden. If allergies keep you from enjoying flowers or grass under your feet, try house plants or sitting in the sun on your deck. While grounding and connecting to nature are best done directly in contact with nature, we make exceptions when we need to. If you live in an apartment without a balcony, open a window and let the sun and breeze hit your face for a few minutes. If it’s always rainy where you live, the window is still a great option! Nature isn’t always sunny, so taking a deep breath of that fresh, rain-soaked air is just as connecting as letting the sun splash across your skin. Listen to the thunder closely and watch the lightning (from a safe distance) write messages across the sky. 

Another great option for worship that does require a little bit of space is setting up an altar dedicated to a specific deity. While it doesn’t have to be anything grand, placing their image in a spot meant solely for them and then coming to meditate or spend time at that spot is important. For Freya, you can use mead, honey, flax wheat, apples, jewelry, or perfume to name a few options. Think nature, think beauty, think love, and think war. If invoking her for love, you may not want to leave mugwort. But, if invoking her for battle, the essential oil dragon’s blood would be perfect.   

Freya is a goddess of sensuality and sex. Connect to her by savoring things. The smell of a flower, the bite of your favorite chocolate cake, the brush of your partner’s hand across your arm. Embrace the small thrills in life and seek them out. Did you feel that breeze caress your cheek? Did you notice how that beef was so tender it almost melted in your mouth? Force yourself to slow done during mundane tasks, in seemingly meaningless moments, and find the extraordinary in them.  

On the other side of that coin, Freya is a goddess of love and known for being incredibly selfless. This means an act of kindness or love done in Freya’s name can mean a lot. It is powerful to set your intent before the act is done, but a life lived in kindness and love can be done as well and you don’t need to repeatedly say it’s for her – you can just be a good person.  

Burn incense that are floral (for nature) or spicy (for sex). Open a window or go outside and let the wind carry the smoke. Believe that with it, all your prayers are carried to Freya. Or perhaps, light a candle and leave offerings for the goddess. All Norse deities enjoy mead as an offering. You can also leave her flowers and herbs like primrose and mugwort. Do some research and find herbs associated with the traits you’d like to utilize in her.  

As a goddess of beauty, you can work with Freya by performing acts of self-care. This may mean going to yoga weekly or eating healthy. It can also include putting on makeup or adorning jewelry. Do these actions with intent, calling on the goddess to enhance your natural beauty.  

Freya is a goddess of magic and worked closely with the runes. Learning the Elder Futhark Runes and their meaning is a beautiful offering for her. I, personally, dedicate all the time I spend studying and working with the runes to Freya and have found that she has led me to some much deeper insight into their purpose and has made my rune readings much more in depth. 

Friday the 13th is a sacred day to Freya. When this day comes around, spend the day in nature. Take a walk, drink tea with honey, and end the day with a feast dedicated to the goddess. It is also said that this goddess died three times and was reborn three times, so the number 3 is important. Do things in threes in your rituals to her (for example: lighting three candles, chanting incantations three times, etc.). 

Owning a cat and taking good care of it is said to be a way to worship Freya. Cats were considered sacred to the goddess and her chariot was pulled by two large domestic cats. So, adopt local and love your furry feline friend! If adopting isn’t up your alley, perhaps you can volunteer at the shelter.  

And finally, my personal favorite form of worshipping any Norse deity: talking out loud to them. My first real experience with the Norse deities was after about two hours of me walking around my apartment yelling at them and questioning them. They immediately answered my questions in the form of my now ex-boyfriend coming home and saying some bizarrely philosophical things. So, while I don’t recommend yelling at the gods, I do encourage you to speak out loud to them. I know that the subconscious and conscious minds are powerful tools, but sometimes the most effective method of communication with your higher self is just plain old talking. Ask your questions, have a normal conversation because you’re lonely, explain what you’re doing throughout your ritual, whatever feels natural to you. And then be quiet, be patient, and see if you are answered. It might be in your next conversation, in the next words you read, in the next bird that flies by, but your answer should come. If not, maybe try yelling.  

Remember that reciprocity is key with paganism. You cannot receive something without saying thank you. You cannot ask for something without giving something in return.  Consistent practice shows loyalty and dedication. Remember that you are working with old gods. You are never guaranteed anything, and you are never too far from salvation.  

Further Readings 

Prose Edda 

Poetic Edda