An Altar for Freya
Colors: Depends on aspect. For Freya the fertility goddess, greens; for Freya the love goddess, golden and rose; for Freya the warrior, white and red; for Freya the seidhkona, deep purple-gray, Freya as Mardoll (Njord’s young daughter) may like pearl whites and ocean blues, shimmering hues the color of sand.
Symbols: Cats, gold/amber necklace Brisingamen
Altar Suggestions: Figures of cats (especially gold/orange ones), amber, amber and more amber, gold, heart-shaped stones and charms, flowers, linden tree, beans, daisy, cowslip, primrose, lily of the valley, the rune Fehu.
Food and Drink: Sweet wine or mead , sweet pastries, strawberries (particularly if they’re drenched in honey), goldschlager, high quality expensive wine, high quality organic honey
Service Offerings: Give aid to someone who represents one of Freya’s aspects – a young woman trying to get pregnant, an unmarried maiden, a woman warrior, a sex worker, a seidh-worker. One of Freya’s lessons is knowing one’s own worth. Whenever you can help another young woman to learn to value herself, to learn the measure of her worth, this is pleasing to Freya. Be careful not to do the opposite. Donate time to a rape crisis counseling center. Donate time or money to keeping contraception and abortion safe, accessible and legal.
Contraindicated: Ugly things. Love goddesses like aesthetic beauty. No food offering should be left to get stale or rot or mold; flowers should be removed as soon as they are no longer fresh.
Artwork by Victor Moreau.