Freya: Love One Another

 

 

 

A beautiful lady is an accident of nature. A beautiful old lady is a work of art. -Louis Nizer

Freya, whose name means “Lady”, is a Norse Goddess of beauty, gold, war and death, along with the usual fertility, sex, lust and sorcery.  She had very high recognition and said to be of the same level as Odin.  She was, also, a priestess of sacrificial offerings.  There was a belief that people who died were picked by Freya and some soldiers, who died in battle, were chosen to be part of her Army.  She is said to have loved travel and was seen riding in her chariot pulled by two black or gray cats.  She had a cloak of falcon feathers that is pure magic.  It allowed her to fly and see what was going on down on earth.  She would loan this cloak when they needed to hurry to someone, down here on earth and the other four realms, to give aide.  Sometimes, when she was going to do battle, she had a boar that she rode.  The boar was actually her human lover in disguise so no one will know she had a human for a lover.  She was beautiful and had many suitors amongst the gods, the fairies, the elves, the dwarves and the giants.  Many wanted her as a bride.  She was offered fine jewelry to wed some. Sometimes she used her beauty to get such gifts.   One piece of jewelry she obtained was a fiery necklace that glowed.  She asked some Dwarves if she could buy it but they refused and said, if she would sleep with each of them, they would give it to her.  She did.  The necklace became hers.  Yes, she was what we would call a “party girl’. 

During the Christianization, of Scandinavia, many of the pagan names were given new names.  Milkwort was a plant called ‘Freya’s Hair’ but when Christianized, it was later name Virgin Mary’s Hair.  The Danish national anthem is called ‘Freya’s Hall’, in her honor.

“There is a lovely country it stands with broad beech-trees, near the salty eastern shore It bends itself in hill, valley, its name is old Denmark and it is the hall of Freya.”

That necklace?  It became a sign of her shame for being wanton.  She wore it until she met and married Odr, god of summer until he disappeared.  Her love was so great for him when Odr was a mortal she asked Odin and the other gods to allow him in Valhalla and make him a god even though he did not die in battle. Freya's wish was granted she was happy until Odr left her and Valhalla.

Oh, she was accused of all sorts of things because of her past.  The more she was blamed, the more she had to prove herself.  She chose love as a way to prove them wrong.  Loki was a pervert, truly and accused her of all sort of made-up things, to win favor.  She forgave him over and over.  Loki was the God of tricks and he constantly caused trouble for Freya.  He stole her necklace, accused her of many false allegations about sleeping with all sorts of males.  He even said he had.  Perhaps he was jealous he could never have her?

Also, the frost giants all wanted her and most were afraid of them.  It was Freya who said she would give them food and drink.  She was kind and this was always taken wrong.  She went around tossing dew and light of morning sun and spring flowers everywhere she went.  She would not let negativity stop her from loving in all those awesome ways.  She also became the goddess of peaceful deaths.  She would cry a lantern to help souls climb the stairs to heaven.  She taught all the gods and goddesses art, music, dance and poetry.  Of course, she gave them all magic as well.  Love was her magic, of course.  And forgiveness! 

Freya was different from all of her family of gods and goddesses.  She was love and beauty personified but you never wanted to anger her.  She could also be scary and serious and dangerous when there was wars of any kind.  It was not until Norse forgot their goddess that religion made her the goddess of the hunt and wican religion.  She has survived right to modern day because of her all-abiding love for all things and her sense of justice and forgiveness.  She has grieved, and in her grief of losing her parents and hr husband, she became more and more loving through sweetness and kindness and toughness and bravery.  It is said, when she did die, she died of grief. 

It is said, she still hovers on the edge of knowing and loves seeing love in action.  She enjoys beautiful men, beautiful and fancy things and believes that war is only needed when there is no chance for love. 

I think many of us have been a Freya in some ways.  Who has not been gossiped about?  Who has not been blamed for something they never did?  Who has turned the other cheek because peace is better than warring?  Who, in spite of how hard life can be, is still not a loving person?  Yes, we have loved.  Yes, we have hung our heads in shame, betimes.  Yes, we have learned to forgive and how important that is to one’s peace of mind.  In spite of it all, have we learned to love one another?

©Carol Desjarlais 10.28.21

 

Bastet: Cat Women

 

 

 

Black Cat Day is today and the Goddess Bastet’s animas is the black Cat.  She was the Goddess in charge of protecting women and households, women’s secrets.  Her name means “she of the ointment jar”.  You may have seen her name as Bast who began being shown as a lion woman but was later changed, around 1500 bce, to the cat.  She is daughter of Re, the sun God, and Isis, the Divine Mother.  She had a ferocious nature. Her ferocious nature comes from being a Goddess of War, and we all know that we have little wars all the time that crop up.  Another of her name meaning is “Devouring Lady”.  Scary thought, but, we all have that in us in some way. 

The things for us to focus on, when in need of her, are varied, and not all negative.  She was Goddess of the Sun (her father, Ra), the East, the fire, love, intoxication, music, dancing, celebration, secrets, magic and joy.  She is the one who protects our home from disease, negative spirited things, and the cat (remember The Plague and the rats?  Well, a cat does take care of pests for sure).  She became the mother of a Pharoah and made perfume to evoke her name on the lips of her followers. That was her ointment.   With her connections to fire, she protects fire fighters because cats would be seen running out of burning buildings.  She is the divine feminine of Ra, The Sun, and is the mother, the sister, the wife and daughter of the sun in all her symbolisms.  She can give life or take it.  As I said, she can be a ‘hiss and spit’ kind of woman.  Some of her symbols, found on her statues and drawings, show her with two cobras surrounding her.  Yes, “hiss and spit”, indeed.  She could be very very vengeful.  The early Egyptians made perfume bottles of alabaster to hold her perfumes. 

Bastet can not be called on, she comes when she comes, in either her positive or negative form, to each of us, betimes.  If we show ourselves worthy of her, through our honor of her, or if we have a cat in our home, she is more likely to come to visit.  Another thing she is known for is to accompany to those walking the end of their life journey. 

Do you have a signature perfume?  Mine is Aromatics by Clinque.  I had not seen a granddaughter for several years and when I went up to her to hug her at her wedding she said, “Oh, that smells like Grandma”.  Yes, I am known for that perfume scent.  I, also wear patchouli during the day.  I have used that oil since the early 60s.  I am not a flowery scented person.  Flower perfumes smell like Raid on me.  I encourage you to find a scent that fully describes you, leaves your memory when you leave.  What will your children, grandchildren and their children be triggered to remember you by?

Make yourself some lotion that you add your scent/essence to.  Let it permeate your skin, your environment.

DYI Essence Lotion:

·        ½ cup almond oil (or jojoba oil, or any other liquid oil)

·        ¼ cup coconut oil

·        ¼ cup beeswax

·        1 tsp vitamin E oil (optional)

·        2 TBSP shea butter (or cocoa butter, optional)

·        essential oils (optional)

·        vanilla extract (optional)

1.              Combine the almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax, and shea or cocoa butter if using, in a double boiler or a glass bowl on top of a simmering pan of water.

2.              Stir occasionally as the ingredients melt.

3.              When all ingredients are completely melted, add the vitamin E oil if using and any essential oils or scents like vanilla.

4.              Pour into a glass jar or tin for storage. Small mason jars work perfectly for this. Note: This will not pump well in a lotion pump!

Use as you would regular lotion. This lotion is ultra-moisturizing and more oily than water-based lotions so you won’t need to use as much. It also has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and no water is added. Use within 6 months for best moisturizing benefits.

A little goes a long way! This lotion is incredibly nourishing

©Carol Desjarlais 10.27.21

 

Hestia: Protecting Your Hearth

 

 

 

“Hestia shook her head. "I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian” ― Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian

The Greek Goddess of the Hearth, is easy to figure out; hearth = heart = heart of the home.  It is not by chance that we feel most at home in the kitchen, around our stove, not disturbed by anyone, and at a place of our own.  Yes, the kitchen is the one place we feel like is Our Space.  A Hestia woman is one who needs no one to make her feel complete and knows that is a delusion, of course.  When we reach our Elder years, we are often on our own and there is peace, of a kind, in that.  Yes, a lonely, longing, kind of peace, sometimes, but it is what it is and we find ways to simple BE in that.

Most of us, by then, have been serving others.  And, suddenly, we find ourselves no longer needing to put others in the center of our beings.  We have needed some time to ourselves.  Now we have it.  Now is the time we do service for ourselves by finding that peace and developing a rich inner life instead.

Hestia is a goddess who did not go to war with anyone.  She is the one who kept the home fires glowing and warm and cozy and inviting and healing.  She was someone you come home to.  She was so beloved that she was guarded by vestal virgins.  She worked on her inner self and did everything she could to illuminate her inner fire.  She was ‘at home’ with herself.

The moon begins to wane.  This is her time.  She prepares herself to be the wise woman.  She tended her fire, which was a huge responsibility because fire is sacred and survival, in those times, as well as now, means survival.  Her body was her temple.  She was completer, without ego, without attachments that were not good for her fire, she was grounded and centered, her inner sanctity was the fire of her soul that burned warm, bright, and perfectly at peace.  We should desire that, of course and we should develop that as we age, in preparation for the fire that is all we need to tend.

She reminds us to get in touch with what we value, what we are passionate about, what we find meaningful to us.  We should study people, listen to.  This month might have been a month of chaos to us and she reminds us to stay out of chaos.  We do not need that.  When you feel it, clear your mind, draw inward, attend to your own concerns.  Seek tranquility.

Keeping our home and hearth is not a big job.  We should feel honored to be able to do so.  When we cannot, seek someone who can help, and enjoy it when you are able to.  There is no need to rush.  Live purposefully.  Stay present.  Consider your own thoughts and feelings.  Baking, making meals is a ritual.  Have you thought of it as that?  Even if you are only cooking for one or two or just yourself, present the food in beautiful ways.  Prepare new and healthily delicious meals for yourself.  Pay attention to your body needs.  If you are in harmony, your home is harmony.  Your kitchen and dining area are sacred places and spaces.  Add light; candles, electronic candles.  Add table decorations for the month.  Use your best china.  Buy dollar store napkins that fit the month.  Be hospital but choosy who you let into your home. 

It is still as if an alter is being prepared in a sacred space. There is something nurturing about doing work that may not seem very important, but it is very special to enter any space that has been cared for in this way. Not only light and warmth are being offered, but also food and hospitality, and a sense of family. Hestia warms the heart, nourishes the soul, and makes others feel welcome.

I putout a burden basket that I crocheted years ago.  I place a few rocks close to it.  A small sign is added that says:” Place the symbolic stone of your burdens you are carrying with you, in the basket.  Thank you!” is beside it.  I have not put it out for two years, you know, covid.  But, when things completely open up, I will place it there again, by my door. 

 

 

Prepare yourself to know contentment, to expect contentment.  Be emotionally warm; be warm-hearted.  Be serene.

When we learn about the goddesses, we can intuitively recognize aspects of them in ourselves.    No one is exactly one.  Being over sixty years of age means we are moving into our Elderhood, our Hestia, in a Crone form.  Refuse to be drawn back into the chaos of earlier years.  We are not going that way.

May Hestia teach you, may you become her.  Blessed Be!

©Carol Desjarlais 10.26.21