Is Freya Odin’s wife?
Freya goddess of love is, as previously mentioned, likely an aspect of Frigg, Odin’s wife. The German word ‘Frau’ for woman, and the Old Saxon Frūja both derive from a reconstruction of the Proto-Germanic ‘Frawjōn’, a feminine version for ‘Lord’ or ‘Lady’.
What is Freya the goddess of?
As such, Freya is strongly associated with love, beauty and eroticism. (John Lindow, 2001). She is, as is also well established by now, a practitioner of Seidr and a ruler over the afterlife for fallen warriors, Folkvangr; a beautiful meadow where half of the fallen warriors go, the other realm would go to Valhalla, where Odin resides.
Was Freya a good goddess?
After the Aesir-Vanir war, Freya is among the last survivors. She, then, becomes ruler over sacrificial offerings and a practitioner of Seidr (Lee Milton Hollander, 2007). This, in turn, would make Freya a Völva, a seer and capable of prophecy. Freya also owns feathers in order to shapeshift – a bird motif common to Eurasian shamanism and shamanic practice (see e.g. Mircea Eliade, 1964).
Reading tip: Heide, Eldar. 2006. Spinning Seiðr. In Old Norse Religion in Long-Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions. Edited by Anders Andrén, Kristina Jennbert, and Catharina Raudvere.
