The Lady of Love, Sex, Beauty, and Gold
Freya is one of the most renowned and revered goddesses in the Northern Tradition. Her name means Lady, and she embodies the essence of love, beauty, prosperity, and sexuality. She is one of the Vanir, a powerful and ancient race of gods, and is attested in both the Poetic and Prose Eddas, Sörla þáttr, skaldic poetry, and folklore.
Her role extends beyond love. Freya is also a goddess of witchcraft, known for her mastery of seiðr, the ancient art of magic and divination. She teaches Óðin this craft, an act that many consider scandalous, but which deepens her significance in the lore. Freya is a goddess of both life and death, and as the leader of the Valkyries, she claims half of those who die in battle. These warriors, her chosen companions, reside in Fólkvangr, her realm in Ásgard, where her hall Sessrúmnir stands.
Her father is Njörðr, and her brother is Freyr, both of whom play important roles in the Norse pantheon. Freya is married to Óðr, who is sometimes considered a manifestation of Óðin himself, and together they have two daughters: Hnoss and Gersemi. Freya drives a chariot pulled by cats, believed to be lynxes or skogkatts, large wild felines native to Northern Europe. In her honor, cats were often gifted to brides in Viking-era Scandinavia.
In myth, Freya is often portrayed as a woman sought after by the Jötnar, her beauty making her the subject of desperate bargains and trades. The most famous of these tales involves the giant Þrymr, who steals Thor's hammer and demands Freya as his bride in exchange. The gods, however, use trickery to outwit the giant, preserving Freya's honor. In another tale, Freya is offered as a bride along with the Sun and Moon as part of the payment for building Ásgard’s protective wall. In both stories, Freya’s beauty and power are central, but she is never truly captured.
Freya’s marriage and sexuality are subjects of much discussion and sometimes scandal in the Eddas. She is said to have given her favor to several Dwarfs in exchange for her golden necklace, Brísingamen. This necklace is often associated with the Northern Lights, said to be a reflection of her power. In Lokasenna, Loki accuses Freya of having slept with several gods and elves, a claim that causes scandal among the other gods, though Freya shows no shame or regret. Her attitude toward sexuality is one of freedom and agency, a reflection of the more open sexual culture of the Norse people.
Freya's figure, much like Venus in Greco-Roman mythology, embodies love, beauty, and sensuality. However, she is also a lover of war—claiming half of the slain warriors to dwell with her. Freya is not simply a goddess of beauty, but of strength and resilience. She bears a magical mantle of falcon feathers, which she uses to fly in search of her wandering husband, Óðr. When she weeps for him, her tears fall as golden amber, symbolizing the connection between love, loss, and wealth.
While some see Freya and Frigg as one and the same goddess, modern Heathens regard them as distinct yet complementary figures. Freya is often seen as the more active and passionate sister, embodying both the erotic and the fierce. In contrast, Frigg is the goddess of marriage and motherhood, associated with a more reserved wisdom and nurturing energy. Together, they represent the duality of femininity in the Norse world.
Thoughts on Freya
Freya is celebrated as a goddess who embraces all aspects of femininity—love, beauty, sexuality, and power. She teaches that sexual freedom, rather than shame, is sacred, and her willingness to take part in battle, magic, and love is a testament to her strength and complexity. She is a goddess who transcends the narrow confines often placed on women, embracing the fullness of life and death, love and war.
Freya’s connection to seiðr and her relationship with Óðin, especially in teaching him magic, further emphasizes her importance as a guide to the unknown, to transformation, and to the weaving of fate itself. Her myth reminds us that the gods, like humans, are deeply entwined in the web of love, loss, and personal agency.
Signs and Symbols
Gold, amber, riches, and abundance
Sun showers, cats, and pigs
Honey, feminine eroticism, and the sacred art of seiðr
Falcons, the Northern Lights (Brísingamen), and rainbows
The rune Fé (wealth, prosperity, abundance)
Associated Names
Freija, Frejya, Freyia, Fröja, Frøya, Frøjya, Freia, Freja, Frua, Freiya
Vanadis, Horn, Mardoll, Syr, Valfreyja, Gefn