The Way of Fire and Ice: The Living Tradition of Norse Paganism

by Ryan Smith

goddess of the home, Frigga is often underappreciated thanks to how society undervalues domestic labor.

Hearth and home only scratch the surface of Frigga.

critical to Frigga is her well-proven wisdom,

is the only one of the Aesir who knows all fates, yet says nothing, possessing even greater knowledge of eve...

She has consistently shown masterful skill in the magical arts of seiðr. Frigga is said to dwell in her own hall of Fensalir (“Fen Hall”), which has associations with wetlands and everything found within them.

the meaning of keys in ancient Norse society. As they granted control over access to restricted spaces, keys were an unmatched symbol of a person’s—usually a woman’s—power.

Frigga, as both

the domestic goddess and the keeper of great secrets, holds the ultimate key.

If Odin’s plans are like those of a scheming high-stakes gambler then

Frigga’s designs are those of a patient chess player.

Frigga’s way is patient observation, steady work, and methodical planning. Frigga’s example provides guidance for any engaging in work that requires these qualities, whether it’s study and research, keeping a home, or holding a community together.

also strongly tied to hospitality and provides wisdom in this area of conduct.

symbols are a weaver’s distaf...

son of Odin and Jötun Jord,

defender against dangerous entities.

Though often assumed to be dense and thick-witted, there are many times where Thor demonstrates great cunning and patience in pursuit of victory.

Of all the gods, only Thor was known by the kenning “Friend of Man” in ancient times.

The Son of Earth is a defender without prejudice, standing for all in danger, no matter who they are or where they hail from.

Thor has many roles and associations. First and foremost is his role as Defender. Thor takes up Mjolnir in defense of others and not to show domination or power, guaranteeing safety and security for all. His associations with workers show his protection is for securing people’s needs and not maintaining the status quo for its own sake.

Along with Mjolnir, Thor has many other symbols and names. He is sometimes called the Red God, a color associated in ancient times with blood, boldness, and fury. He is also associated with goats, thanks to the two goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr, who pull his chariot across the sky.

goddess of grain and harvest, Sif is Thor’s wife.

The shearing of hair is generally interpreted as a parallel to the act of harvesting grain, tying her very directly to grain and the harvest.

The strength and danger involved in harvesting gives greater meaning to Sif’s marriage with Thor.

Sif stands closest to farmers and field workers. Her rains feed the fields made fertile by her labor.

Sif, as the goddess of both crop and its collection, embodies many qualities. Her work and wisdom have great meaning for any form of labor where patien...

She stands with all who work the long, hard hours that make life possible. She offers the wisdom of patience, determination, and the knowledge necessary to get the job done.

symbols of Sif are her golden hair and shorn scalp, the grain sheaf, the sickle and the scythe.

Tyr, son of the Jötun Hymir and God of Justice, is harsh

yet fair.

embodiment of the letter and the spirit of all that l...

renowned for his might, yet sacrificed some of his strength f...

Tyr’s example calls for upholding higher principles even when that means making hard choices.

Tyr was associated with the democratic popular assemblies known as Things (pronounced tings), the bedrock of ancient Norse societies. These assemblies set laws, resolved disputes, empowered and deposed leaders. In the Things all free people could speak, propose legislation, and demand justice.

In his role as protector of Things, Tyr is not just an enforcer of law—he also upholds the means for creating truly equitable justice.

associations show the importance of consent and dialog in creating equitable social relations.

Tyr is also known as the Leavings of the Wolf and Oathkeeper.

most common symbol is an open hand,

and the rune...

Loki is originally of the Jötnar, yet they are Odin’s sworn blood-brother and are accepted as one of the Aesir.

critical figure in bringing about many necessary changes, creating valuable artifacts, and toppling old structures.

role as a transformer is shown in their malleable form ...

role as a bringer of change is consistent in all their stories.

most consistent attributes are their skills as a shapeshifter and their ambiguous gender.

doesn’t seem terribly attached to any gender, making them a very genderfluid deity.

Their malleable form shows people can change many things about themselves, even what may appear to be fixed or unalterable. They urge you to challenge everything in your life and test what is before you to see if it has the strength to stand on its own merits.

Loki’s wisdom lies in never resting on past successes, accepting something simply for the sake of comfort or convention, and to always question authority.

One symbol commonly associated with Loki is the interlocked serpents know...

Anything representing change or transformation is also...

the Vanir could be considered as the gods of nature, but would be better to say the Vanir are closely associated with how humanity works with nature.

Even though the Vanir are famous for their magical prowess and the Aesir get all the press when it comes to strife, the gods of nature as just as ferocious as the wilds they hold dear.