This is my third and last post on Nordic mythology, for the moment at least!
Valkyries: Here’s one story. Odin brought a Volva (female magician, sybil or practitioner of the seidr) named Heid (she may be equivalent to the German Erda (Earth Mother) and/or Frigga and/or Vala) from the Underworld. Odin and Heid’s children were the Valkyries (there were reputed to be either 9 or 13 of them) who acted in Odin’s behalf (and were punished with long sleep, like Snow White, if they didn’t). Today, they’re associated with the battlefield, though there may be other, more ancient tales. Most literature depicts them as warriors who had the power to protect and shield. Heid / Frigga / Erda, their mother, was commander of the Valkyries.
There are fascinating figures such as spae-dis associated with them. A spae-dis was a personal Dis with Valkyrie attributes. I get the sense of them having powers; I also gather ideas that might be (and have been) explored as metaphors for the psyche and inner work. For example, a spae-wight is the ideal lover of the soul. I haven’t found much more on this beyond mention in my book on Northern Mysteries & Magick.
Most famous Valkyries:
- Valeda – prisoner of the Romans, priestess of the Temple of Vesta, who had paranormal abilities
- Most famous: Sigdrifa or Sigrorifa, was made human as “Brunnhilde” in Wagner’s The Ring of the Nebelung
- Mist – made mist on the battlefield
- Skogul – means warrior
- Hildr – also means warrior
- Hlok – means lock, bind
- Herfjotter – means fetter
I’ll be searching for older stories about the Valkyries and more ancient meanings.
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