Frigg- The Norse Goddess of Love, Marriage, and Fertility

When debating which Norse goddess to research and blog about first, I decided to start with a goddess with whom just about everyone can identify with. Frigg, also called Frigga, The Beloved, is "the patron of marriage and motherhood, and the goddess of love and fertility (Norse Gods and Goddesses-Crystalinks), and is considered to be one of the earliest and most well known goddesses of Norse mythology. Frigga was married to the Odin, the mighty Norse god, who was also known as "The All-Father" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). Frigga was a goddess of the sky, and provided adequate weather conditions for the fertility and growth of the crops by "weaving the clouds" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). She possessed the ability to look into the future, but was unable to alter anyone's fate. She saw into her son, Balder's future, and attempted to prevent him from dying, but was unsuccessful. She extracted "oaths from every object in nature, but forgot the mistletoe. And by a fig made from mistletoe Balder died" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). Legend goes, that Frigga's other son, Hodor was the God of Darkness, and was influenced by Loki to drive a dart that was made out of the poisonous mistletoe into Baldur's heart. Naturally, Frigga was absolutely crushed by the death of her son, and according to some mythology, "the story of Baldur ends happily. He is brought back to life, and the Nordic goddess Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the curse she had placed on "the baleful plant", changing it to a symbol of peace and love and promising a kiss to all who passed under it" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). Although Frigga knew everyone's destiny, she never revealed anyone's future, perhaps haunted by her inability to save her son's life. She has a hall in Asgard called Fensalir, which means water halls, and her name is incorporated into mostly everyone's favorite day of the week: Friday. Frigg has a messenger named Gna, who rides a sky horse named Hofvapnir. 

The beginning of the year is attributed to Frigga, and "New Year's eve, the longest night of the year, is called "Mother Night" in Northern Europe for it was in the darkness of that night that the goddess Frigga labored to give birth to Baldur, the young Sun God who controlled the sun and rain and brought fruitfulness to the fields was born" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). Today, women giving birth are given the blessing of Frigga, in which a white candle is burned during the winter solstice. This is believed to promote safe delivery of the newborn babies, and calming relief for the birthing mothers. Frigga's affiliation with the new year, also lends a sense of hope and a fresh start to explore the infinite possibilities that the new year will bring. 

Frigga utilized runes for divination, in which she marked stones with signs indicating an accurate account of the complications that those who would seek her faced, and would lend them guidance and direction to solve whatever problems they were dealing with. Frigga's sacred animal was the goose, and she is known and celebrated in Germany as the original Mother Goose, or the goddess Holda or Bertha. Frigga was believed to cause snowfall when she shook out her blankets. Frigga is still celebrated today as a nurturer, giver of love and marriage, protector of women giving birth, and was often sought after from women seeking fertility. "She was also called upon by those who were dying, to ease their transition into the after-life" (Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage). 

Frigg's archetype is the mother. "The Mother is a life-giver and the source of nurturing, devotion, patience and unconditional love. The ability to forgive and provide for her children and put them before herself is the essence of a good mother.In its shadow aspect the Mother can be devouring, abusive and abandoning. The shadow Mother can also make her children feel guilty about becoming independent and leaving her. It is not necessary to be a biological Mother to have this stereotype. It can refer to anyone who has a lifelong pattern of nurturing and devotion to living things. This Goddess was a devoted mother who was unable to prevent the death of her son. She is also a great domestic Goddess looking after the home" (Frigg the Norse Goddess). 

References

"Frigg the Norse Goddess." Goddess Myths,Traditions And Wisdom From Around The Globe. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.goddess-guide.com/frigg.html>.

"Frigga: Norse Goddess of Beauty, Love and Marriage." Goddess Gift: Meet the Goddesses Here. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.goddessgift.com/goddess-myths/goddess-frigga.htm>.

"Norse Gods and Goddesses - Crystalinks." Crystalinks Home Page. Web. 07 Nov. 2010. <http://www.crystalinks.com/norsegods.html>.